Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Another song has grabbed my attention, my mind and made it’s way to my heart.  Last night at our recovery service the worship leader shared this powerful worship song by Brandon Lake titled Gratitude .  Here are some of the lyrics: All my words fall short I got nothing new How could I express All my gratitude? …  So I throw up my hands And praise You again and again 'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah Hallelujah And I know it's not much But I've nothing else fit for a King Except for a heart singing hallelujah Hallelujah … Come on, my soul Oh, don't you get shy on me Lift up your song 'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs Get up and praise the Lord, … So I throw up my hands Praise You again and again 'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah Hallelujah And I know it's not much But I've nothing else fit for a King Except for a heart singing hallelujah Hallelujah What got my attention?  It is two lines in particular that keep playing in my h...

  It is Thanksgiving week, and there are so many opportunities for us to be thankful and a different mindset.  Having an attitude of gratitude is a life changing experience. Choosing to be thankful is not just for a week or a day or a season.  In fact it is something that every Christian should have as part of every day of life.  It is a choice.  It is a new perspective. Let’s give it some feet or application … Colossians 3:16  NLT   Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. When the message and truth about Christ interacts with us, gets planted in us and fills us, there will be an outcome of being thankful.  It will be more than saying thank you.  It will come out in the songs we sing, the stories we tell and even the look on our face. And then … Colossians 2:6-7  NIV   So then,...

  One of my favorite writers is Henri Nouwen.  I read devotions from him most days, and today’s hit in an area I want to be stronger in.  Gratitude.  Read on and may God help each of us as we decide to be grateful. Gratitude is the most fruitful way of deepening your consciousness that you are not an “accident,” but a divine choice.  It is important to realize how often we have had chances to be grateful and have not used them.  When someone is kind to us, when an event turns out well, when a problem is solved, a relationship restored, a wound healed, there are very concrete reasons to offer thanks: be it with words, with flowers, with a letter, a card, a phone call, or just a gesture of affection. . . . Every time we decide to be grateful it will be easier to see new things to be grateful for.  Gratitude begets gratitude, just as love begets love. RUTH 4:14a, 15 (NIV)  The women said to Naomi, "Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not lef...

Let me take us in the same direction we went yesterday.  I started about generosity from our sermon on Sunday and the series Treasure.  Take a few minutes to examine yourself. Are you generous?  Are you a giver? The opposite of being a giver is a taker.  Are you a taker?  Are you selfish or stingy?  Those are tough and revealing questions. Claim the promises of Scripture.  God says if we give, we will be blessed.  If we are generous, it will turn out for our good and the good of others.  This promise makes a lot of sense to me.  I hope it does for you as well. Proverbs 11:25  NASB A generous person will be prosperous, And one who gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty. Being generous leads to being blessed.  But we should not be generous so that we will be blessed.  It is the overflow of goodness.  It is the overflow in us of knowing God’s goodness and how. Jeremiah 48:7  NASB For because of yo...

Hebrews 12:28   NASB Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude , by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; This past weekend was one of my favorite events in our year.   It is when the world comes to our community through the racing world, and we get to be part of Raceway Ministries work dealing with race fans, sharing our testimonies and serving.   It was a good weekend although it brought some challenges our way too. It takes me back to remember almost 13 years ago when I met Ron Pegram from Motor Racing Outreach.   He asked for a person from our ministry to share a Bible study with people who work in the media area.   That was a great experience.   A year or so later our Raceway Ministry group celebrated the years of our work, and Ron was one of our special guests at that event. The rest is almost what you would call history.   My path kept crossing with Ron...