Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Make some choices that count.  Think through the things that you hang on to and how those will impact your life tomorrow or next month.  That is because our choices will impact our lives and the lives of those around us. We don’t always choose that perspective or the one that will have the greatest influence.  Too often we choose what feels good or what is fine.  Only to find that the consequences of our choices have led to pain between friends, impact on our health or something that cannot be reversed. Find the things that bring life and health, strength and peace, smiles and closeness to your life and to others.  Those choices will have impact for a long time in great ways that will leave you much better.  What are those choices for you! Ephesians 4:32  NLT Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Choose kindness and forgiveness over being mean or becoming bitter Romans 12:14  NLT Bless those who persecute you.

Here is an e-devotion I shared 14 years ago.  As I was looking back it caught my attention.  May this bless you… Inspiration at the speed of words.  Conviction from the heart of God.  Individuals desiring to follow Jesus.  You.  Me.  Read on:   "...risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Acts 15:26   "For he risked his life for the work of Christ..."  Philippians 2:30   "What is impossible for people is possible with God."  Luke 18:27 "...he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God." Acts 16:34   "...a loud mouth who missed his opportunity!" Jeremiah 46:17   "But some people have missed this whole point..." 1 Timothy 1:6   "Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus..."  2 Corinthians 4:11   "...good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest."  Luke 8:15   "Then the name of our Lord Jes

Following Jesus is not a Sunday thing.  Following Jesus is not a some time thing. Following Jesus is not a some day thing. Following Jesus is a daily thing.  It is important.  He is like air.  We need Him.  And we need Him daily.  That is why I believe and share and live so that myself and others will come in to contact, will come to experience Him. Matthew 6:11  NASB Give us this day our daily bread. That is part of the “Lord’s Prayer” where Jesus taught those who followed Him that it is daily we need God to fill us, guide us and for us to daily come to Him. Psalm 145:2  NLT I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. It was a daily commitment from David to praise the Lord.  He couldn’t let a day go by that he would miss seeking God, praising God and spending time in His presence. Hebrews 3:13  NLT You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. What happens when we d

  You might have asked the question that I have asked and that others have asked me before.  What is God’s will for my life? In fact, the great Bible teacher Henry Blackaby said that the right question is “what is God’s will?” not “what is God’s will for my life?”  Therefore, I share a little with you today. I am not addressing what God’s will for your life is.  What I am addressing are the things that we KNOW are God’s will, or at least a few of them.  Read on as these verses open that conversation.  This is not comprehensive but are thought starters. 1 Thessalonians 4:3  NLT God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. It is God’s will that we are holy.  Choose holiness.  Choose to be like Jesus in our thoughts, our actions, with out words, with people and throughout all of our lives. 1 Thessalonians 5:18  NLT Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. It is God’s will that we are thankful.  Choose to be thankfu

There are some things that just make you stop and think.  Often it is the things that shock you or even the ones that take your breath away.  Could be the scenes you come upon or some miracle and moment you experience. Yet there are some ideas that might make you stop.  When you see that thing lived out, come alive or demonstrated. You stop, stand in awe and are literally amazed at that minute.  It might even mark a special time and memory in your life. Such is the love of God for me.  To know that no matter what, He loves me.  No matter what I did or happened to me, God loves me.  To know that this creator of the universe and the one that hold ultimate power loves me, makes me stop in amazement. Don’t get so used to the idea that you forget how much we need God’s love.  Don’t get so comfortable with yourself that you forget that you don’t deserve God’s love.  Jesus loves you! Sunday we continued our series “good God” at The Community Fellowship looking at the love of God.  That is one

There are so many ways that describe our God.  He really is good.  If we list what we have learned and experienced about our God, that would be a long list.  Each of us have come in to contact with Him, but if we haven’t, I pray that today is the day you do. Don’t take it for granted that you know God and your neighbor or friend does too.  Ask the question.  Share about your salvation.  That person near you needs Him.  We need a Savior. Psalm 145:9  NLT The Lord is good to everyone.  He showers compassion on all his creation. He is compassionate toward us.  He is not just the judge, He is the justifier.  He is not just the creator, He is savior.  He is not just the son of God, He is the sacrificial lamb for us. We never know who we might meet.  We really aren’t aware of what all people need.  We might even miss the opportunity to help someone see God the way we see Him.  If they aren’t aware that He is the Savior, and ready to save and rescue, then share! What does being saved lead to?

It was awesome to spend time at the Refuel conference this week.  I shared Tuesday the notes from the first day of the conference.  Today I am sharing notes from the second day.  This isn’t all of the notes but just some that stick out. Listen in.  Learn some of what I did.  May God give give us insight and draw us closer to Him. Dave Stone  A pulley system helps you lift more than you can alone.  Just like h ealthy habits help lighten your load and help you increase your ability and influence.   Four habits of healthy leaders Habit 1. Exceptional leaders continually model humility  Trouble comes when we rely on our own strength.  Wrestling with fear instead of faith.  If the Holy Spirit pulled himself out of your life, would you even relive that she is gone?  If you model humility and partner with God living with a servant heart, it will bear weight like a pulley.  Power with pride is as potent as poison. It will kill your church. It will strangle you.  Habit 2. Exceptional leaders le

It is her birthday, and I wanted to share a little bit about Julie with you. She is a gift.  My gift and our family. She is a blessing.  My blessings and so many others. She is strong and confident.  My confidence is built by her. She is faithful and encouraging.  My encourager. She is a friend and a sister.  To many, her family and more. She is my Julie, my bride, my friend, my lover and so much more. Proverbs 18:22  NASB He who finds a wife finds a good thing And obtains favor from the Lord. I do not want to do like alone, and for the last almost 28 and a half years we have done life together.   We have celebrated birthdays, weddings, births, graduations and so much more.   We have mourned the loss of a parent, the pain of struggles and the ups and downs of every day life. We worship God together.  We grow in grace together.  We seek the Lord because we want to walk this life, spiritual and physical, together which makes us stronger and better. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NASB Therefore, en

I am at the REFUEL conference in Lynchburg, Virginia for a few days.  So I thought I would share some of my notes from today’s meetings.  This is some good stuff.  Trust you will find some encouraging to you… Dave Early. Leading the discipling church.  Do we really believe God is able and bigger and has a future plan?  If so, our prayer lives would be different.  Pattern your life around what is going to last forever. Don’t get trapped in doing the stuff that doesn’t matter.  Measure the results of the message months later. Are they following and applying it.  “ The key to great ministry is cooperating with the Spirit of God. ” Robert Coleman quote. Test of preaching is what men do about it. Matt Wilmington. There is a danger because you recruit bad teams when you don’t know who you are. Know your shape.  Emerson Quote. The Character of the leader determines the character of the organization.  Study how God recruited people. Ajai Pillai  We are products of the people who discipled us. 

There is something about us that changes greatly when we finally come face to face with God.  He changes us.  His love is poured out on us in refreshing ways. God has chosen His best gift to flow his salvation through.  This Sunday we continued our series “good God” by discussing how God is our Savior and how He rescues us on a daily basis. David in Psalm 30 describes this across the twelve verses in a way that make is very personal.  He talked about a sickness that almost took his life or maybe the deep, dark depression that loomed over his life.  God came close and rescued the one He loved so much. Hosea 13:4  NLT “I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me, for there is no other savior. God continues to rescue.  He is our Savior.  Always will be our savior.  Just like God brought the people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, He will bring us through. He is our God.  He continues to be our Savior. Psalm 18:2  NLT The Lor

John 14:4,6  NLT And you know the way to where I am going… Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. You know the way. You know the truth. You know the life. First of all, those things come from Jesus as He spoke to His disciples.  He is the way.  He is the truth.  He is the life.  It is and was that simple. Second, you know the right way.  We have learned and been shown so many things throughout our lives.  That means we really do know the truth. So why is it that we don’t do it?  It happens.  We know the right thing, the right way and what is the truth.  Yet we turn a different direction leaving the place where the blessings are, or the strength will come. That happens for several different reasons.  The reasons we don’t follow the truth.  It could be because we think we know better or because we want to have a good time. James 4:17  NASB So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin. Be