Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Let me begin today’s e-devotion by simply saying THANK YOU to all who helped make last week’s Cuba sports ministry mission trip a success.  Your prayers and support were a vital part of this great efforts, and the impact is still going forward. Our team served in five different Cuba cities with 15-20 church and sports ministry leaders attending each training season.  Each leader represented athletes and coaches that are part this important ministry and many churches that they are part of.   My prayer for these leaders is not only are they stronger and better leaders, but I pray that hundreds of lives will be changed this coming year because of the commitment of these men and women to share the Gospel and let others know of hope in Jesus.  Keep praying.  More trips are being planned for 2025 John 1:14  NLT  So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. The word came to us and was sent from Go...

  We finish out the week as we have been talking about the fact that struggles are real with some insight on how to get through struggles.  Struggles are real, and each of us have faced them. Deuteronomy 20:4  NLT   For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’ Did you get that?  Victory belongs to God.  He will fight for us and promises to be with us no matter what. 2 Corinthians 10:5  NLT   We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. That is one of my favorite verses about dealing with things that are out of my control.  It reminds me that the person of God holds the truth about my life and sees me through whatever might comes my way.  I do not have to let my mind run wild through the things that seem to tear away my hope and confidence.  What God says is true.  Hold...

Just because.  Because I said so. Both of those phrase hold lots of memories for me.  Reminds me of an answer my parents would give me when I asked a question or didn’t want to do something.  The other is the answer to so many questions that I don’t understand. A recent new song has caught my attention.  It is by a band named Judah, and the song is “Just Because”.  It gives one of those answers.  I really like the sound of the song, and then I really connect with what it has to say. Here is a little of the song or the lyrics.  Go find the song and listen or watch. Boldly I come Into His arms With nothing to bring But all of my heart How could this be? The way He looks in my eyes All broken and crimson sin He sees only white And I can’t do anything To gain what He’s done I’m His beloved I am His friend His love has no limit From beginning to end No angel or demon will ever separate Me from His goodness and His wonderful gaze So let me remind you Of all ...

  Galatians 4:4-7  NLT But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. One of the greatest words in our language that is attached to relationships is the word “sent”.  In this passage it appears two times, and both instances are to our credit.  That is to the credit of those who belong to God. If we sent something to another person, it might be a letter or a text message or the like.  Literally, words and conversation were conveyed to help someone know your thoughts or heart. Another way the word is used is when someone is “sent” on a particular journey to accomp...

We begin the Christmas season, or the Advent season, where we celebrate the new life of Christ as well as the new life we have from Christ.  There is more to this season than the glimmer of lights or the buying of gifts.  It has much to do with our faith, and that faith brings us deep and lasting joy. Think about the things that Jesus coming to earth made reality.  Some of the those things were promises of years earlier. These promises filled out our understanding of God… Isaiah 7:14  NASB Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a   virgin   will be with   child   and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 9:6  NASB For a child will be born to us, a son will be   given   to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His   name   will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. That is just the...

Philippians 2:3-5   NASB Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, I liked math when I was in school.   But there were pieces that seemed to slip by me.   One of those was the greater than and less than thing.   It seemed simple, but it wasn’t always. The same is true seen in the way that most humans look at the people around them.   Thinking about and serving others is a good thing but only if convenient.   I strongly disagree and ask that we take a hard look at how we look at others. In Jesus’ word to His disciples and us in Luke 10 we hear that God is greater than us and our neighbors are greater than us.   It has to do with love.   It has to do with showing the people ar...