Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

On this Thanksgiving weekend, I can’t help but look back over the past year and see the faithful hand of God at work in my life.   God has been faithful to provide when my family needed provision, to reveal his presence in the midst of some great transitions, and to bring peace and help in the middle of some the challenges we have faced. God has brought kept us close as a family, used some very dear friends to walk beside us, and brought some really great new people into our lives.   Like most people, this past year has been for me a mix of some really good times and some very difficult times.   Honestly, I didn’t always see God or trust him the way I should have.   In retrospect, however, I see much more clearly that, through both the good and bad, God has been with us; God has been faithful; and God has shown himself to be a good God who really does care for his people.   For all of that and more, I am thankful.   The prophet ...

In response to the terrible blow that Hurricane Sandy unleashed on the Greater New York area, this past week I went with a team from our church, Promise International Fellowship (PIF), to Island Park, Long Island. We went to work with Convoy of Hope and Samaritan’s Purse.   After signing in, we were sent to the home of a couple in their 70’s.   The walls of the first floor of their home had to be completely ripped out.   We went to work with hammers and crowbars, shovels and brooms, tearing down the plaster, the wood behind it, and the insulation. The debris quickly piled up as the dust filled the air. It was hard work…no, it was sad work.   For me, the ripping out of those walls was a picture of just how devastated the people around us were feeling. Understandably, as we did our work, the couple whose home we worked in seemed broken-hearted to see the walls of their home being demolished. It was as if the walls of their hearts were crumbling as wel...

This morning Kim got out of the house early to try to find gasoline for our van. (We have been concerned as to whether or not we will have enough gas to get Nathaniel back to college on Saturday as well as have enough gas to get to church on Sunday.)   After Kim waited for an hour and a half, I came along with some breakfast and switched with her. Thankfully, for me there was only about another half an hour of the wait left—but only for super at $4.50 per gallon with a $30 limit, and only cash!   But, we at least got that much.   I think the last thing anyone expected with the onset of “Sandy” would be the long line of cars at the gas stations throughout the region.   Although, many of us thought to fill-up our tanks before the storm hit, who would have thought that four days later we would have gasoline being rationed?   Who would have expected to be waiting on lines for two hours or more for a few gallons of gas? But, wait we do—on som...

Last week I was in Nicaragua experiencing some of the most torrential rain I've ever seen in my life (it is the rainy season there).  Today I am home with my family riding out "Sandy," waiting for the worst that we are told is yet to come.  As I reflect on the rain and the wind and storms, the words to the old hymn come to mind.  I trust they will bless you as you ride out the storm - or even if you are in another part of the world with sunny skies! The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, A Shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, A Shelter in the time of storm. Refrain Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A Shelter in the time of storm. A shade by day, defense by night, A Shelter in the time of storm; No fears alarm, no foes afright, A Shelter in the time of storm. Refrain The raging storms may round us beat, A Shelter in the time of storm We’ll never leave our...

Baseball season has officially come to an end in the New York City area.   With the Yankees’ final loss to the Tigers last night (and a terrible loss at that!), the Yankees go home to watch the world series on their television sets just like the rest of us—if they will do that (not sure I will).   Until next April, we are done with baseball in New York.   If you are a Yankee fan, you are of course both disappointed and almost stunned by the startling fall of the team.   After all, this was one of the best teams in baseball.   With their payroll and share of baseball superstars, we all expected a much longer post-season.   Who would have thought they would have crashed and burned as they did?   Who would have thought that in three games they would come up with only two runs? It’s not that they were a shoe-in to win the pennant, but who would have thought that they would lose in a shut-out? But, even the strongest and mightiest g...

For years, I’ve had my share of Bibles.   When I was a young boy I got my first Bible, probably from my Aunt Catherine.   It was a Children’s Bible with a picture of Jesus and a group of children around him on its softcover that could be zipped closed.   Inside, the text was the King James Version (which was all we really knew back then) and scattered throughout were classical pictures of the main stories of the Bible—e.g. Adam and Eve in the Garden, Noah and the ark, Jesus teaching the crowds, etc. In my early teens, I was introduced to and received my own copy of the New International Version in a hardcover form (I believe from my Sunday School teacher).   Then, somewhere along the line I got a paperback copy of the version, Good New For Modern Man. That Bible became my companion all through college as I carried it with me every day to school.   And, of course, I’ve had my share of study Bibles and Bibles to use in the pulpit. In recen...