Michael Joe Harvell

     We are going to have a good time Sunday morning and I can’t wait.  We just got through shooting and editing a movie to help share the message.  I am not going to say much, but bowling balls are pretty amazing!  Life is tough and filled with some HARD KNOCKS!  I hope you will join me this coming Sunday morning for some “BOWLING BALL THEOLOGY”!  See Ya!

Our phones and Internet have been down at the office since Monday – that is a blessing and a bummer!  A blessing because it forces you to work on other things in other ways.  A bummer in that life seems much easier with open lines of almost instant communication!

That got me to thinking about our communication with God.  It should always be open and available, but often times it is not.  The reason is not on God’s end – it is on our end!  We allow sin to come in between us and God and the sin gets in the way of the flow of information and communication that makes our life meaningful.  Often the sin that we allow to get in between us and God is a lack of taking the time to communicate.  Or maybe it is taking the time, but rushing through it, so that it really does not mean anything!

Take some time to check your lines of communication with your Creator.  Make sure that the lines are open, working and free from any distractions.  Our life will be better for it and we will really appreciate what we often take for granted!

This morning I was reading in the Old Testament book of Malachi and I was reminded that we need to be very careful to make sure that we are giving our best to God.  The priest were offering sacrifices to God that were blemished or second rate.  I am sure they were thinking:  “It’s just being burnt up in a fire – what’s the big deal?”  The big deal was the reason it was being burnt up in the fire – as an offering to God.

Many times in life we think:  “What’s the big deal – I am doing the best I can with what I’ve got for God?”  But stop for just a moment and be honest!  Is what you giving God in the moment by moment daily living of your life – really your best?  I have to admit that I found some room for improvement in my life.  Just something to think about and maybe motivate you to change some things!  Give your best to God – He gave His best for you!

Where are you and where do you want to be in this thing called life?  I hope that each of us have learned to become BETTER and not BITTER during this past month!  Most people that I encounter in life – want to be happy, but many never seem to get to that place.  Is happiness really an elusive place, floating some where out there in space?  I don’t think so!  I think we have to learn to look through different eyes to really see!

I hope you will join me on Sunday morning as we take some time to think about “The Power Of State!”  God will work in our lives – whatever the circumstances!  And God will use our circumstances to grow us into happy, fulfilled and productive Christ Followers!  God has given us RIGHT DIRECTION and that means that RIGHT DIRECTION living is a possibility – so let’s live it together!

One of the things that makes Northwood such a special place is all of the men, women, boys and girls that give of themselves in a volunteer capacity to make this whole thing called ministry to happen week after week.  It is amazing to think about all that God has allowed us to accomplish as we have worked together for His glory.  I am especially thankful for those that continue to give and give and give.  All of us could have a boat load of excuses and reason as to why we can’t, but we are so fortunate to have a select few who are always willing to go above and beyond and make sacrifice after sacrifice for others and the Kingdom!  It is great to have people that you can count on some of the time.  It is grace to have people that you can count on all of the time!

I just want you folks that I can count on all of the time to know that you fill my heart with joy, my spirit with enthusiasm and my life with encouragement!  When the devil attacks and that is often, it is the strength of God and my encouragement from you that gives me victory!  I am so glad that God has brought us together and wanted to say thank you for helping me to do the ministry that God has called me to!

Anyone that is reading that has not jumped on board – what are you waiting on?  We need you and I am looking forward to God continuing to build and grow His Kingdom through our labor together!  So come on already!

God has been talking to me a lot lately about my being concerned about stuff that I have not got any business being concerned about!  A lot of the stress in my life – is stress that I put on myself.  God has called me to do two things:  Share Him with others and share with others how they can grow in a relationship with Him.  My problem is, I often get focused on all kinds of other stuff that does not do anything to help me accomplish the two main goals of my life!  I am working hard this week to stay focused on the main thing!  I want to share God and the difference that a relationship with Him can make with at least one person every day!  I want to help as many people as I can everyday to grow in a meaningful relationship with God!

So today let me encourage you to practice Matthew Six!  Three things to focus on this week:  1.  Give to the Needy!  Everybody has a need – it should not be to hard to find someone to give to!  And remember:  There are a lot of different ways to give!  2.  Pray to really communicate with God!  We all need to pray!  Prayer is not just talking – it is also listening.  Have a goal of getting something special from God this week.  3.  Fast and give up to grow up!    What could you give up that would allow you to grow up in your spiritual relationship?  Don’t just think about it – do it and obey God – you will be amazed at what He can accomplish in you and through you!  God Bless & Keep It Real!

Our lives are way to busy!  We need to do something about it!  We will do something about it this Sunday!  I hope to see you at our Northwood Campus at 10:00 AM and our Ridgewood Campus at 11:00 AM.  How is this for a simple blog?

This has been a crazy busy week!  From the moment I get up, until the moment I go to bed – it seems that things are flying at me from all directions!  (And I have not said or done anything to upset Joy!  HAHA!)  The stuff flying at me is not something that my wife is hurling my way.  It’s just the stuff of life – you know – every day living kinda stuff.  When life gets crazy busy, I have to remind myself, discipline myself, make myself slow down and remember what is really important!

One of the things that helps me to remember what is really important is my devotional time every morning.  I take time at the beginning of every day to sit down with an open Bible, journal and heart.  And every day God takes the time to speak to me.  How do you stay sane in an insane world?  Make sure that you are taking and making time to talk to and listen to God – He loves you and has an awesome plan for your life!

I love God, but I must confess – I don’t always love Him as much as I could and as much as I should!  One of the great ways that we show our love for God is by loving others!  I do not always love others the way that Jesus loves me.  Jesus loved me when I was unloveable.  I don’t have a problem loving people that are loveable – that’s easy, bring them on!  It’s the unloveable people that I have a problem with – is it just me?  I am asking God to help me to be more loving, especially toward the unloveable.  I did not have to earn His love and I don’t want others to have to earn my love – if it’s earned is it really love anyway?

I am so glad that God loved me so much that He gave His most precious gift – His Son Jesus, so that I might be able to have a relationship with Him!  I am so glad that Jesus loved me so much that He was willing to give of His life so that I might have abundant and everlasting life.  Because of the great love that I have received – I will try to love with a great love that will honor and give glory to God!  I love God and I love you – let’s make a difference in this world for eternity!

We had a great day yesterday – Go God!  If you have started your Monday, then I am sure that the STRUGGLES have begun!  Just remember:  Struggle is a process and that which doesn’t kill you – is going to make you stronger, if you are depending on God for strength and direction!  You may not like your struggle, but you’ve got it, so what are you going to do with it?  Don’t let it define you – you define it!

You belong to God!  God created you and God does not make junk!  God loves you and has an amazing plan for your life!  God gave His most precious gift, so that you and I might have the gift of a relationship with Him.  God more than cares about you!  God cares about what you are going through!  God has you in His embrace – take a moment to feel His strong, loving and faithful arms around you!  God has His protection all around you – take a moment to think about all that He has already taken care of for you in your life time!

The struggle that you are facing right now – is it a test from God or a temptation from the devil?  The answer to this question will determine how you will handle it!  This struggle is your wake up call!  Don’t hit the snooze button – get up and get ready for the victory that God is sending your way!

Stop fighting the struggle and start learning from it!  Allow God’s comfort and power to flow into and through your weakness!  There is a plan, even when you can’t see it or don’t understand it!  I hope these words help you to struggle with your struggle!