Michael Harrison's e-devotion

There has never been a season like this.  We have been through the last 2 months some things that no one, no people have ever experienced.  I remind each of us that we need God. He has a plan.  He is working.  It is our turn to stick with Him.  Be reminded of some truths. Isaiah 55:6  NASB Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. We start by seeking the Lord.  He is near and is ready to help each of us find life and so much more. Isaiah 43:19  NASB “Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. Remember this promise?  If you where there when our church was birthed, almost 14 years ago, you heard this verse. God continues to work and guide and meet needs.  That is why we are committed to demonstrate the love of God to our community through acts of random kindness with the desired outcome that we get to share the hope t

We live in a difficult day.  Through the current pandemic we have been rocked in so many ways, and it goes very deep for our families, our churches, and each of us personally. Through in the mix there is racial unrest due to the death of a black man at the hand of white police officers in Michigan.  My heart hurts for this situation and our world.  We are still impacted by so many other things. That is why I take some time today to remind us to … pray and be kind. Those two things go a long way.  Pray for yourself and others.  Pray for the world situation as well as leaders from local, to national and beyond.  Be kind to others.  Kindness puts things in perspective and even allows you to focus on what really matters. Titus 3:4-5  NASB But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Ho

We plan to return.  This Sunday is the plan.  The reason has nothing to do with politics or with making people happy.  The reason is because God has called us to be the church. The church is not where or how we meet.  The church is the people whom our God inhabits and loves and leads and uses to impact others.  We are the church when we leave the building and serve others.  We are the church when we are driving or sitting in nature or at home with the family.   Yet the thing we have not been able to do for the last two months has consumed our thinking and our desires.  It is time to return to an in-person service.  Please pray for us, The Community Fellowship, and for all churches seeking to make the hard decisions in front of us. Hebrews 10:25  NASB not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. We have been meeting.  We met in the parking lot.  We met online.  We

Those verses.  You know them.  They are the verses that stick out and mean something.  Might be that another person wouldn’t have a clue about or mean something totally different.   Talk another look at some of these verses.  They seem simple, but several of them have deep, deep meaning for me.  I have shared most of them many times in what I write, and certainly they have found themselves in to the sermons that I preach. So, take some time to read them.  I will share a memory and a little insight as to why they mean a lot to me.  These are, those verses. James 1:2-4  NASB Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. These verses first crossed my path through a cassette tape given to me by my aunt of her pastor’s sermon.  I listened to that sermon what seemed like hundreds of tim

I shared much the following devotion in 2012.  Great reminder for us on this Memorial Day… Judges 9:17 NASB for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; It is Memorial Day here in the United States, a time to remember those who fought for our freedom and served our nation.  Many lost their lives in battle.  Others carry the marks of battle on their body or in their minds. I want to say thank you to each person who has helped our nation maintain our freedom and given us the ability to live and worship as we chose.  It is my understanding that God makes a nation great, and that is why I am grateful for America and am calling others to stand up for what is right. Growing up I heard stories, a few of them of my grandfather who served in World War II.  Another of my grandfathers was in Vietnam when I was born.  One was in the Navy.  The other was in the Army.  One of my uncles served in the Air Force, and my father in law

Hey Community kids and parents.  Each Sunday at 3pm we are hosting an online ZOOM call for our kids ministry.  There is a lesson and special time for our kids. You are invited you to our Community Kids Zoom Meeting at 3pm today! Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88104320006?pwd=SXdteXlsQ09nbjVDR2N1MjFCbXM0dz09

The following devotion is from The Navigators and was originally shared this past Tuesday.  It caught my attention, and I wanted to share it with you. The Road to Greatness John 12:26 “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”  Here are the words of Jesus to His disciples about greatness in His kingdom:  “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave–just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28). I remember a week of meetings in Arizona with the Wycliffe Bible Translators. One day we were going through the food line for dinner when I noticed that Kenneth Pike was serving the beans. Now, Dr. Kenneth Pike

There is a great problem when we stop listening.  Some people really can’t hear.  Something with their health and body keeps them from being able to hear all together or certain types of sounds. My wife might tell you that I have something called “selective hearing” where I hear only what I want to hear.  Now, that is a problem.  I ought to be listening all the time, but we often teach ourselves what to listen to and what not to listen to. Then, step in the direction of God.  If we are honest, many of us have at one time or another cut off listening to God.  He speaks all the time and for our good.  Yet in the middle of sin or stress and struggle we do our own thing.  We don’t listen or maybe forget to listen. Listen us.  God really is always listening.  Hearing what God says will change us and our situations.  Listen in as we can trust what God says.  His motives are always pure.  His reason is always going to be great meaning and growth for us and those around us.

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head?  It just won’t go away.  That happens to me, often, and when it does there is usually something that I need to hear. This is one of those days.  As I deal with the uncertainty of our world situation via the Coronavirus and prepare for a funeral this comes close to home.  I believe that God has a plan for His people.  We need to be reminded that we win.  We are winners because of what Jesus has done for each of us. Romans 8:37  NLT No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. That is right.  Victory is ours.  We just need to keep moving forward and hold on to the truth God has given us.  We have victory because of what Jesus has done for us. That song I mentioned is “Almost Home” by the group Mercy Me, and I have shared some of it below.  My prayer for each of us is that today we will realize that our home really is in heaven, prepared for us by the Lord.   Move forward.  T

Galatians 6:9-10  NLT So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. There are so many things that come to mind when we talk about “doing good”.   Some people are the “have’s”, and these wonderful people leave their beautiful homes on their well to do streets to serve those who have little.  They do great things and are making a difference. Others seemingly walk across the street or down the hall to serve those who are in need.  As well as the others these fine people are making a difference in their community. What really connects people and what really makes a difference is what the verse above conveys to us all.  It doesn’t matter is where we come from or what we have.  What does matter is what we have and how we use what we have.   We can use it for our selfish d

We all need to be lifted up at times.  I have battled depression, and those low feelings have put me in a place where I need to be lifted.  Depression is something I have a hard time explaining. What I do understand is that our situations and struggles too often put me in the place where I need to be lifted.  Depression expresses itself in several different ways.  Some times it has been to the point where I don’t have the ability to interact with others, but there are other times when the depression is hidden and very few people see it. That is why I draw your attention, and mine, to what I need from God.  I need to be lifted.  Here are the presuppositions that i am standing on with this devotion: James 4:10  NLT Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. Matthew 18:4  NLT So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 23:12  NLT But those who exalt themselves will be humbled

Today is a new day.  In fact the Governor of Virginia gave this day for communities like ours to open.  Or I mean to partially open in phase 1 of his plan to keep us safe and to continue seeking to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus. My problem is, and I am not a professional just to clarify, the curve seems to be getting worse.  Yes, there are more tests being given and more positive results.  This week has brought more cases and some close to us and even a death. But today is still the opening.  This weekend churches have the opportunity to open if we choose, but each church is asked to adhere to several guidelines that will help to keep people safe. Is our church opening this weekend?  No.  We are not, and we will be waiting a few more weeks.  And we will be praying that the curve really does flatten.  We will be praying that people are safe and healthy.  That is the bottom line.  Our job as a church is to point people to Jesus as we share hope with each. That