Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Be careful to avoid wrong turns.  It is easy to get lost or confused or just miss where you are headed.  There are lots of reasons why we get off track and take wrong turns as we travel.  The same very true for us spiritually. Proverbs 16:9  NLT   We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:25  NLT   There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. It may seem like the right direction.  It might even feel right, but in the end you are literally in the wrong place, going the wrong way and have to make changes. What needs to change in our lives that will keep us on the right road?  Maybe it is like changing the GSP in your car or phone so that it leads you the right way.  Connect back to God for His direction and see that your life is headed the right way. This might be something we all need to be reminded of.  The wrong way or even just barely going in the wrong direction wil...

  What tends to overwhelm you?  There are a lot of things I can name, but there a couple that stand out to me. One of those them that completely overwhelms me would be our children and grand children.  My emotions tend to go wild.  Like tears when I see them or when we leave them.  I love my family and these children! The other one that tends to overwhelm me is how much God loves me.  Much like the apostle John would say in his Gospel, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  That was a confession of being totally overwhelmed because of God’s love. Some ideas make you stop and think more.  You stop, stand in awe and are literally amazed.  It might even be marked by a special time and memory.   The love of God is that for me.  To know that no matter what, He loves me.  No matter what I have done or has happened to me, God loves me.  To know that this creator of the universe and the one that has ultimate power loves me, overwhelms ...

  Grateful for Easter.  Yes, I am.  This past weekend held so many things for our church and for me that I want to share some of why I am thankful. Matthew 28:5-7  NIV   Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” The greatest and most important part of Easter is the Resurrection of Jesus.  He is alive.  He is risen.  He is more than any one else has ever been, and what this does for my faith is past, way past, anything I could do on my own. I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, Whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer...

  Easter weekend is here.  Friday is the day of the reckoning of efforts of those who wanted to remove Jesus.  But that’s not what happened.  This is the highest place and the purpose for which Jesus to come to earth.   Sent from God the Father.  He is the Christ.  He is our sacrifice.  Without the cross, there is no resurrection.  Without the death, there is no life after death.    1 Corinthians 1:18  NASB For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.   The cross on Friday brought death.  The resurrection on Sunday brought life. The cross is the place where we fall apart and where sin is dealt with.  The beating of Jesus leading up to the cross would leave the one sent to die almost at the point of death but not quite.   Jesus gave his life freely.  Who killed Jesus?  That is the tough question and the wrong question....

  Thursday was one of the most important of the Holy Week and packed with meaning of passover and the life of Jesus.  Remembering Jesus through the Lord’s Supper and His serving those closest to Him.  It was when Jesus was arrested and what took place in the Garden.   Known as Maundy Thursday which relates to the latin word for speaking of the instruction Jesus gave His disciples during the last supper.  It is also called Holy Thursday.    Matthew 26:26-29  NLT   As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again ...

  We are in the middle of the week of one of the most important weeks of the year.  Friday we remember the cross of Christ and Sunday His resurrection.  Here we are, and how we think of the week, the influence of Jesus and what is to come make a difference.   One of the most troubling this about the Easter story is Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus.  Yet Jesus allowed and even called Judas to be with Him.  Jesus washed His feet.  Judas experienced the most exciting and intimate parts of Jesus’ ministry just like the other disciples.   Most likely Judas was stealing as he handled the money of Jesus’ ministry.  He was often angry about the way money was used or the way people were acting around Jesus. vv The only person that really knew Judas’ motives was Jesus.  Turning to the events of the last week of Jesus’ life religious leaders used Judas to get to Jesus.   Like Judas our outlook on Jesus makes a difference.  None of us wan...