Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  It is the Christmas season, and one of the things we talk about is JOY.  May we prepare to be joyful and to share joy with others.  Why?  Here are some reasons… share joy! Psalm 20:5  NLT May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.   Psalm 28:7 NLT The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.   Psalm 32:2 NLT Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!   Psalm 126:3 NLT Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!   Nehemiah 8:10 NIV Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”   Just thought you would need a little JOY today.  Have you ever thought about how y

There is so much more to living the Christian life than just being a Christian.  Yet I want to make sure we both understand that Christianity is not a checklist of do’s and don’ts.  It is not religion but relationship. Here are some key thoughts about relationship, our daily walk with and getting to know Christ: John 1:12 NKJV “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”. Being a Christian is asking Christ to come and live inside of you.  This relationship is a day in and day out way of life.  In other words you don’t add God to your life.  God is life and part of every area of life. Like in marriage as a husband I am to treat my wife like Jesus treated the church.  We are to live with understanding and love. To neighbors and those we come in contact with we are to offer grace and kindness in every way possible.  That is a different way because so often humanity says we are to do whatever we must to get ahead even

  John 12:23-26  NLT   Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. You heard that right.  Unless something dies it cannot give life.  There is a paradox of the most difficult kind.  Death and Life.  The Bible tells us so many things about this subject, and then we turn to Christmas. Christmas is about the gift of life.  God gave His son, Jesus, who was born that first Christmas in such a miraculous way.  We will talk through all of those things in the coming weeks. Let me remind us of the reason for life a

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  May God be so very real to you and your family.   We are blessed.  We have been gifted with so many of the blessings from God.  That makes me even more thankful. As I said in Monday’s devotion… when we know where our salvation is from, it is so much easier to be thankful. Share with others that you are thankful.  Share what you are thankful for.  Ask others what they are thankful for.  Let people know that God is an important part of your life.  That sharing may change their lives. Here are verses we shared at church on Sunday about being thankful! 1 Chronicles 16:8  NLT Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Psalm 30:11-12  NLT   You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12  that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! Psalm 100:4  NLT Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go in

  Who is next?  I mean who is the person that God working on.  It might be that God is working on this specific person that they would accept Him as savior.  It might be that God is working in a person that He is calling to a specific ministry to serve in some way. Because you and I are human and not God we don’t know exactly what God is doing.  Since that is the case we need to understand how we can help people get closer to God as well as to respond to His call in their lives. Pray. Romans 10:1  NLT   Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. Colossians 1:11  NLT   We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, Encourage. 1 Timothy 2:12  NLT   We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory. S

This is one of those weeks where we know what is expected of us.  GIVE THANKS.  That is easy.  Happy thanksgiving to you and your family! Do you know just how blessed you are?  When we know we are blessed, we will end up being thankful.  When we know where our blessings come from, we will give God our thanks over and over again. Where does this thanks come from?  It comes from deep inside you and me.  it is become of our salvation.  Totally from God and totally of God’s work.  I did nothing to get it.  There is nothing I can do to lose it.  Salvation is one of those things bigger than us and leads to being thankful. Isaiah.  He is the guy that was willing to do what needed to be done when he saw and heard the need. Isaiah 6:8  NLT   Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” That is a powerful statement and a strong commitment to follow.  It is one we can learn from.  Something had to change in Isa

Blessed.  That is a word I think about often.  I also use it verbally a lot.  The reason is because I believe it is a reality. Did you know that our perspective is our reality?  God reveals this if we just stop and notice what He has done and even what He is doing. Ezekiel 36:26-28  NLT   And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. 28 “And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. Those verses stick out for so may reasons.  It is the blessing of being changed by and saved by our God.  He continues to change my heart.  His ways lead to blessings, or realizing how blessed we are. I have been reading for several weeks through Ezekiel in my daily reading.  Over and over He says that people will know that H

Look across the room.  There are some incredible people all around.  I am often, and I mean often, stunned by the amount of things God is doing in the lives of the people I meet as well as at the great people who I get to be around. Hebrews 12:1  NLT   Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  Well, some of those people have gone on to heaven.  They aren’t lost.  These have gained their new home, not their wings.  I will my dad and mom.  There are many who I miss and grateful for. But there are still some incredible people in the room that have made my life so much richer and stronger.  Let me tell you about a few of them (I am relating this to the convention I attended the last three days and some of the people I saw): Years ago I met a pastor that caught my attention.  It was at

  Who are you praying for?  You may get this e-devotion and see a prayer list at the bottom (if you read this on social media, the prayer list isn’t there).  But I would like to know who is on your mind to pray for.  I have people on my mind and in my prayers each.  Do you? Of coarse my family.  They are always at the top of my list.  Those closest to me are the ones who I think about and lift to God throughout the day.  We are so blessed, Julie and I are.  Family is important. Our church and the people around our church are part of my daily prayers too. Then there are friends and people who we have known through the years that stay on my mind. So many people are close to my heart, and that is where God often reminds me to pray.  Pray for those to come across your mind and who need a touch from God.  Sometimes it is me that has a need. I also pray for the situations that present themselves or that are current.  Night before last there was a shooting a the University of Virginia, and I

  That room is an incredible place.  When the Spirit of God is moving, there is nothing like it.  I have been in many of these, and I desire to experience and enjoy many more. These have been in many locations too.  It is when God is working that lives are changes.  Often it is me that is changed.  Others are changed.  Why?  God knows what we need and is working in so many ways. One of those places is even when I don’t understand the language.  I have been in numerous worship services in Cuba where the Spirit of God is moving big time.  You can just feel it.  You know He is working because you can feel it and see it.  I love my friends in Cuba and what God is doing there.   In fact I will be back in Cuba in early December.  Would you consider helping with this mission trip?  Let me know if you would like to help. Another place the Spirit moves is at our church, and so many other churches.  Yesterday was one of those days.  People left changed and challenged by God.  Just being with God

Thank you to all those who have served the United States of America. Your service is appreciated. We are praying for each of you today!

God will provide.  Some times how He provides is not what we expect or even what He provides.  The fact is we can trust Him, look for where He is working and then share with the people we encounter just how God met our need, gave us courage and didn’t leave us on our own. God will provide.  Where do you have a need today? Philippians 4:19  NLT   And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. I read a quote yesterday that sticks out when thinking of our struggles and situations outside of our control.  That quote was something like this…   Either leave your worries with God — or your worries will make you leave God.  Ann Vockamp It is when we trust God and remember how He provided for us in the past that we grow in faith.  He will do in the future what He did in the past.  But if you are like me, with some negative thoughts and struggles with questions, you lean to the worry side.  It isn’t comfor

Just some quotes.  As the day after the election arrives I am more convinced than ever that God is in control.  No, I don’t like all the results nor situations outside of my control.  We know that God is still God. We know that God loves people, you and me and others.  We know that God has a plan to give hope where there is none.  We still know that you and me can be gracious tools of God’s peace for the people we encounter.  Our perspective makes a difference.  Dig in for a few minutes on this quotes: Philippians 4:7  NLT   Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. No matter what happens on November 8th, Jesus will still be King on November 9th. - Shane Pruitt  Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. - Mother Teresa You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. - Rick Warren God never made a p

Romans 13:1  NLT Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.   I am a Christian and believe being a good citizen is important.  Because I am a Christian and an American I want to share what I believe with others.  It is important that we do what we believe is right and share with others.  Doing what is right is not always popular, but it is always right.   Romans 15:2  NLT We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.   Today we have the honor to voting, and it is Election Day.  We have the right to speak our mind by voting.  This is a right as an American.  In our country we have the responsibility of voting.  In some places around the world Christians are persecuted and oppressed.  Some places don’t have the opportunity to vote. We really are blessed, and that is one more reason we must do what is right.  I challenge you to go vote today and as a Christian t

  November is the month that we celebrate the holiday known as Thanksgiving.  It is also a time to choose to give thanks.  It is a choice to be thankful, to have a heart of gratitude and to know how blessed you are. This weekend I read a passage that we know pretty well.  These voices are almost shouting what being thankful looks like and what need. Psalms 100 is a powerful reminder of how God looks at giving thanks and how we should follow the example that King David set.  Verse after verse gives us a place to begin and even time to spend being thankful for what God has done and will do in the days ahead. Psalms 100  NLT Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! 2  Worship the Lord with gladness.  Come before him, singing with joy. 3  Acknowledge that the Lord is God!  He made us, and we are his.  We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  4  Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5  For the Lord is good. His unfa

  Gonna be personal today.  Sunday is the day.  A good day.  It is a day that I am my family celebrate.  So excited and grateful and blessed.  So blessed. It is the most beautiful and precious little girl’s birthday.  Our grand daughter, Harper, will be one year old.  How this last year has flown by!  She has grown and filled our lives with so much goodness. She has also filled our phones with pictures.  Oh the text messages that come in so many days of the week that have pictures of Harper doing the cutest things, beautiful in so many outfits, and smiling the most awesome smiles.  Even videos of her playing peek-a-boo, crawling up the stairs, eating new things and so much more. This child has changed our lives in so many ways.  We are blessed and grateful.  Our daughter Ruth has become an incredible mother.  We are so, so proud of her.  Sean our extra son has shown to be a great dad.  This family makes me so happy, as does all our family! So, happy first birthday to Harper.  This chil