Michael Harrison's e-devotion

You most likely have heard of the website and program “I Am Second”.  It is an incredible series of short videos of people sharing how God is first in their lives, and they are second.  Check it out. You also might remember the logo or slogan that was also our church theme for 2022.  It was HE>i literally about the fact that God is greater than I am. We need to live those out.  Just like I shared yesterday.  Put God first.  Make Him the priority of your life.  Seek God.   Let’s go through this SECOND stuff for a bit today. John 3:30  NLT   He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. Make sure God is becoming greater, more important in your life. 1 Peter 5:6  NLT   So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Stay humble.  Let God lead and be lifted up. John 12:32  NLT   And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyo...

  There is more to come  That is a phrase that I have come to love and share often the last few months.  It is vital that all of us know who our God is.  There really is more to come.  But it dependent on who we listen to and how we live our lives. Answer this … who do you listen to and who do you follow?  Is it about our work and us?  Or is it dependent on our God and leaning on Him? I assert and fully believe that it is completely dependent on God, His work and will.  Just like our church’s theme for the year of HE>i we will find the more when we are committed to life being more about Him and less about you or me.  John 3:30  NLT  He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. That is the key.  That is also why God prepares all victory.  God prepares our victory and us for victory. Yet the problem is often our thinking.  Our thinking is influenced by who influences us.  Again, Who do we...

We could call this e-devotion several different things.  What I will simply do is share that these are the extra verses that I shared during Sunday’s message.  Each illustrates a point in how Jesus is greater than everything. If we are honest, there have been times where we have doubted, struggled, got down, wondered why and even thought about giving up.  Yet we didn’t.  Somehow God intervened. That is why we need to take the confession of our faith serious.  Hold tight, as we talked about in yesterday’s devotion.   Let me share some of these verses and give a little thought with each… Hebrews 4:14  NASB Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. That is the first I want to make us think through.  The greatest one is greater than all the others because He was the first one and will be the last.  He holds it all together.  That is, He holds me...

  1 John 4:4  NASB You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. When we see God as greater, things are different.  We not only see things differently, but at that time we act different and even speak different.  You might call that confidence.  I say it is faith. Knowing God is greater than I am and that He is great and capable gives me courage to lives differently and to lean wholly on God.  Leaning on Him.  Trusting Him.  That is not where it ends.  It is where it begins.  I can begin there often. Whatever we set up as great causes us to either sink or swim, fail or sail, hit the floor or soar in the sky.  It is our choice.  Confidence really is a choice, and if we will live with courage, God will change our lives and the lives of the people directly linked to us. Our new theme at church for 2022 is HE>i  John 3:30  NLT He must become ...

Often I need reminders.  You know about that.  It is the sticky notes I put in a place where I will see it or the alarm on my phone so I don’t forget something important.  Also at times I will ask my wife or one of the kids to remind me of something. We all need reminders even of things that seem a bit off our minds.  Today I want to give you some of the verses I shared yesterday at church in our new series called Classics as we are being reminded of how to have firm faith during tough times. Nothing changes the greatness of God.  Nothing diminishes it or voids it.  But we need to know, hold it and tell others.  Our God is… sing it How Great Thou Art!!! Psalm 8:3,9  NASB When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have set in place… Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 31:19  NASB How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You ha...

  This past Sunday I shared a message titled “Jesus is greater than…” and talked about how the book of Hebrews outlines the greatness of our savior and the son of God.  There are many ways that Jesus is greater than other things and people, but what we really do know is that the creator and holder of everything is the greatest. That is Jesus.  He is before all things, and all things are through Him.  Continue to lift Him up, yet this is not always easy.  It is easy to let other things stand above Jesus.  So, how do you make sure that doesn’t happen? Here are a few thoughts and verses that come to mind in how we keep Jesus the greatest.  These are some of my go-to and favorite verses. Set Your Mind Colossians 3:2  NASB Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. Focus on Jesus Hebrews 12:2  NLT We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith… Take Thoughts Captive...

  We know that gifts are important.  We focus on buying and enjoying giving joy to others.  This is the season of giving in so many, many various ways. I believe as most of you do that the greatest gift of all was Jesus.  He remains the best and strongest gift.  He is greater than anything and anyone else.  Are we allowing God’s best gift to drive us and to influence others around us? Jesus is greater than all things.  But many things are placed above Jesus. Above Jesus in power.  Above Jesus in importance.  Above Jesus in priority.  Above Jesus in power.  What have we placed above Jesus? He is God’s gift to us.  The greatest Christmas gift of all is this one!  Hebrews teaches us that when we esteem Jesus, placing Him above all others, that we will grow in our faith. How does Christmas impact and intersect our daily lives?  Well, Jesus is greater than everything else.  Greater than my sin is Jesus and His payment...

You're the light in this darkness You're the hope to the hopeless You're the peace to the restless You are There is no one like our God There is no one like our God For greater things have yet to come And greater things are still to be done in this city Greater things have yet to come And greater things are still to be done in this city Those lyrics are from Chris Tomlin’s song God of This City .  That song has been around for a long time, and it remains true.  I am grateful that they continue to run through my mind. Sunday morning I began a new series at The Community Fellowship titled “What Victory Looks Like”.  I spoke from Genesis 12 about Abram choosing to follow God’s lead with blind faith.  He left his home to go to a land that God would show him when he arrived. I believe each of us have victory ahead if we choose to follow God.  Literally to bless God opens the avenue for us to blessed by God and for others around u...

Psalms 76:13-15   NLT O God, your ways are holy.   Is there any god as mighty as you?   You are the God of great wonders!   You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.   By your strong arm, you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Have you taken some time lately to examine what God has done?   It might be time well spent.   Investigate the world around you.   Listen to the stories others tell.   Stop and listen often to the stillness and the amazing beauty around us. There are lots of negatives around us.   Remember the challenges and obstacles we have talked about a few weeks ago?   Focusing on those things, the troubles of life and all that gets us down will keep us from seeing the goodness and the bigness of God. The verses above point to God in His ability and His identity.   It comes from someone who had experience with God.   They had a testimony personally.   ...