Michael Harrison's e-devotion

I know I shouldn't have favorites, but I do.  Not talking about my family or the people who work with or for me.  I'm talking about some of the people I get to talk with from time to time.  When one of these people opens us and tells me what God is saying to them and doing through them, I get excited, my hearts begins to beat faster and I share what they tell me. So was the letter I just opened from Tim.  He has attended our church on and off for a few years, but Tim recently got in a big mess and trouble.  He will spend the next 3 years in one our State's correctional centers.  But in Tim's letter were some incredible points that I have heard before, but these are so good from him. You see, Tim's health has been going down hill for sometime.  Now he is in a place to get help but mainly to finally eat right.  He is also in one of the tougher centers our state runs which means he is on lock down most of the time.  Tim recounted in his letter to me about the co

I'm  addicted.  We could talk about lots of things that fall into that category of my life, but the one thing that gets me excited is hearing people talk about how God's grace is changing their lives.  He is the only one that makes changes that stick, change that goes beyond what any counselor or program can do for a person. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. A couple people sat down in front of me shared the events of the last week.  What had happened in the last 7 days is different from the choices they made and the consequences they experienced in the past few months.  A few good decisions have made things change, but listening to the voice of God has led these folks to see light and hope and the grace of God. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT For we live by believing and not by seeing. This was a big weekend.  From every angle it began to be a quiet and uneventful time for most of us, but it seemed that every corner we turned around that there was something waiting on us.  Some of it is so good.  Some of it is draining.  Some is eye opening.  Some is even heart wrenching. My weekends begin with my day off on Friday.  I try to guard that day and schedule some time for my wife and I.  This was one of those GOOD days as she and I went to lunch with a friend and then took a drive.  It was a blessing.  Did you realize that living by faith means you need some down time? That day ended with going to the local high school football game which was good as my girls who march in the band.  It will be a great year watching them progress.  The football team won too.  Sure enjoyed my time with friends at the game.  Did you know that living by faith means you need to enjoy life with other peopl

I love what I do.  Well, most everything I get to do I love and really enjoy.  One of those pieces that I love is talking with people going through tough times in their personal lives.  This week those have been people from all walks of life: a pastor, a missionary, an ex-offender, a drug addict, a precious servant in our church and a few more. The stories are incredible.  They range from every where about the big things God is doing to drug overdose.  Many of them were smiling.  Some were crying.  Some were so excited about life.  Others were in so much pain.  Each and every one is precious to God. Think about the people you interact with each day.  How are you encouraging them?  What are you speaking into their lives?  Are you taking away from them or filling them? Far too often we are thinking about people in the wrong light.  We are like a sponge taking in all that we get and giving nothing away.  Yet instead of being a sponge we ought to be a stream allowing g

Proverbs 21:26 NLT Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! Psalm 37:21 NLT The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. I began reading this week through the book of Job in the Old Testament.  I've heard the story forever, yet there were a few things that stuck out in my mind.  God said that Job was blameless and righteous.  In Job's troubles when Satan was inflicting and testing him, Job never stepped away from God.  He hurt and was angry but never with God. It is not a question at all if Job was a godly man.  He was.  I love the parts of the story where Job interceded for his children.  His desire was for their blessing and for the to be right with God. That took me back to a verse that I quoted earlier this week.  It says in Matthew 6:33 that if we seek God's righteousness that God will bless us with what we need.  That is a fact.  Take it to the bank.  When people love God, they will be seen a G

"Whoever shows the most in a person's life will win the battle of influence." --- Matthew Barnett "But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through."  —  Francis Chan   ( Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God ) "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."  ---  Mother Teresa   Those sayings aren't just something to make you feel good or to motivate you to do something.  They are from the heart of people who have put themselves on the line to serve others.  It is almost like the old saying "put your money where you mouth is", yet I believe the question really is are we doing what God has called us to do? You see, I have been involved in church since before I was born.  It is the truth.  My family attended Ranch Acres Baptist Church in Tulsa, Ok

Today I want to pass on a blog post that got my attention this week, and I think it will get you attention as well.  Before I share it with you, please remember that God called us to help others.  He called us to help reconcile or bring people back to God as well as to offer hope and grace to hurting people.  That is a BIG deal for me, but if you have been reading what I write, that no surprise to you.  It is time to offer people 2nd chances.  It is time to not be a judge but be a servant.  Think about that. This blog post is from Jamie Wright who calls herself "the very worst missionary" and it was posted on the PEOPLE OF A SECOND CHANCE website.  Here we go... Click  You'd Be Surprised  to read the post NOTE :  It hit me, and I have already shared this with several people.  You have met people, as I have, who have been through some tough times and made choices that shocked us.  Yet if we are honest, we too have made some bad choices th

Long before Daniel faced the horror of the lion's den he made some choices.  The choices he made were not easy, but they affected much of his life.  Daniel chose to serve and worship God even when the king said that everyone had to worship the king.  In fact, the king loved Daniel.  He was respected because of being a young leader and some of the highest quality of the people that had been captured. Yet daniel went against the orders of the leaders of his day.  That landed him in the lion's den.  Not a proverbial lion's den.  Those were the fanged, long hair, sharp claw man eaters that would tear apart their enemies. Daniel stood his ground and was thrown into the lion's den.  What happened next was not what others expected although Daniel expected God to intervene. Daniel 6:20-22 NLT When he got there, he called out in anguish, "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God , whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue yo

John 13:35 NLT Your love for  one   another  will prove to the world that you are my disciples. Have I met you before?  Several times in the last few weeks I have had this question come from some people I came in contact with, and I even had to ask a couple people this.  The people that I have met and spent some time with are incredible in so many ways. This weekend my son and I traveled to New York to work with some friends from Raceway Ministries to help restart the outreach at Watkins Glen International Speedway .  First of all, road racing is strange.  The people there say it is racing but twisted.  Which is true.  The cars turn right many times, and there are 11 turns in the race.  My boy had a blast, and it was so good to spend that time with him.  But Sunday morning I had the opportunity to preach in the fan outreach worship service.  One of the couples there had been to Martinsville.  We connected, prayed together and got to encourage one another.  I

As our family was on vacation last month, my wife and I tried to nail down what our youngest wanted for his birthday.  Out of no where came a request we where not ready for.  "I want to go to the race at Watkins Glen?"  Our boy Ryan went in a direction we didn't expect.  Nor did we think was possible. The week we returned home I was talking with one of our Raceway Ministries friends who reminded me of the work that was to go on several weeks away.  Which is now this weekend.  It is the beginning of a Raceway Ministry work at Watkins Glen. Off went an e-mail to Roger Marsh and a conversation with David Martin .  It all came together. Ryan turned 8 years old on Friday which is also the day he and I traveled the 9 hours to the south west part of New York state where Watkins Glen is located.  Today we began working with the ministry, and we were able to watch the NASCAR Nationwide race as well as Sprint Cup qualifying.  Tomorrow we will share in two worship services (6:1

Partnering makes life sweeter.  That is a fact.  In the past few weeks I have seen this and experienced it first hand.  When we find like minded, servant hearted, gracious spirited friends, we are all able to accomplish much more as partners.  Have you found this to be true? Hebrews 10:24 NLT Let us think of ways to motivate  one  another to acts of love and good works. Ecclesiastes 4:9 NLT Two  people are  better  off than one, for t hey can help each other succeed. I tore open an envelope of a letter mailed to the church this week knowing it was from one of our back2school partner organizations.  It was for double the amount I expected.  They helped us help more students. Walking in the door last Saturday was a hispanic man I met only a few weeks ago.  His kids were registered for back2school.  But this gracious dude from Mexico brought a friend with him and both stayed several hours after their families left.  The

Ephesians 1:19 NLT I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's  power  for us who believe him. This is the same mighty  power  that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Do you ever need a re-charge?  That is something to get you going or keep you going.  Maybe you have tried that 5 Hour Energy thing or some energy drink.  But often the power we need is something bigger and more powerful that a boost of something legal or illegal. I can always rely on God.  His power is what we really need.  If you know Him, you know that He can give you the best kind of boost and day brightener.   This past weekend through our back2school outreach I got a shot of power, energy, strength, excitement and much more.  You understand that.  You understand that especially if you were here or were following the happenings.  Watching the kids and being around our volun