Michael Joe Harvell

I am praying for you and asking that God will strengthen you with His power through His Spirit in your inner being!  I don’t want you to be dependent upon your limited human power, which really shouldn’t be called power at all!  I want you to live by, in and with the supernatural strength of God.  Power that flows through His Spirit into your life.  Power that fills you from the inside-out!

I am praying that Jesus will dwell in your heart through faith!  I know that Jesus came to not just make a difference, He came to make the difference!  I am asking God to help you to make your heart the “home dwelling place” for a Savior that loves you with a love that is so amazing!  I am praying that especially when life does not make sense – that you take it on faith and that as your faith in Jesus grows, you become empowered to do great and mighty things that cannot be explained!

I am praying that love will be your foundation and that you will be rooted and established in the love of Christ!  The love of God is the great foundation on which we should build our lives.  Keep love as your foundation and everything that is grown out of your life will  bring glory to God and blessings to yourself and others!

I am praying that we might have power to grasp how wide, long, high and deep is the love of Jesus!  When I begin to get His love, I can’t help but share His love!  I know that I am getting it – when I am sharing it!  Power to be and do flows through my relationship of love!  What we need and what our world needs is for us to really get and give the love of Jesus!

I am praying that we might be filled with the fullness of God!  It is hard to stay full of yourself!  And when you are full of yourself, it is impossible to accomplish the supernatural things that God has called and gifted you to accomplish!  God is our everything and when we fill our lives with Him, we always have more than enough of whatever it is that we might need to live this life that we are living n the way that He has called us to live it!

I am praying this prayer to God, who is able to do more than we can measure, more than we can ask and more than we can imagine!  I am praying according to His power at work in us and so that all glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through men, women, boys and girls of all ages might bring glory to Him with our lives lived in His strength!

Once you decide that you are going to make forward progress with your life, the key to making it work is sticking with it and staying focused!  It is easy to make the decision that you need to change this or that!  The hard part is the follow through of actually doing and continuing to do what you know you need to do.

As you seek to implement your master plan this week – make sure that you take time everyday to get focused on the things that really matter!  Nothing can be more important than your relationship with God!  When you spend time with God, it helps to get all of your life lined up in the right direction!

Remember:  It is not the giant steps that lead to progress, it is the small, steady and consistent steps that stay on the path laid out for you by your Creator!  Stay on the path and keep your eyes on the prize and you will be amazed and blessed at how your life takes on new meaning, significance and growth!

WHAT REALLY MATTERS?  I began the month at Northwood by talking about how this one question can change your life!  As we come to the end of this series, I have come to realize that it is not the question that has the potential to change our life, so much as it is our answer to the question.  Our honest answer to the question:  “What Really Matters?” can and will change our life.  It will change it in a positive way by getting us into a closer and more meaningful relationship with God or it will change it in a negative way by getting us more involved in ourselves and our games of personal justification!  If we will ask and answer the question honestly – it will bring us into reality – and reality is the best place to plan and live your life from!

I don’t have a problem asking or answering the question – that is the easy part for me!  My problem is sticking with the answer!  It seems that just when you get the question answered, it is time to ask it again!  We need to keep asking and answering the question:  “What Really Matters?” for three reasons:  1.)  Because Jesus is coming again!  2.) There will be a judgment!   3.)  In the final analysis everybody will spend eternity somewhere!

Knowing that we are going to spend eternity somewhere – should motivate us to get our priorities in order.  Knowing that we are going to spend eternity somewhere – should motivate us to keep our priorities in order!  But priorities are pesky little creatures and just when you get them to where they need to be – they go scampering off in all other directions!  Where priorities are concerned remember:  Actions speak louder than words!  What do your actions say about your love for God?  Do you really love God?  If you really love God, then the actions and reactions of your life will prove it!  What do the actions and reactions of your life say about your love for God?  Think about it and let reality motivate you to do something about it!

Tomorrow we will start to work on a plan that will help you answer the question:  WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

Many of you have asked me about this video and I thought that I would share with you this link.  Do you really love God?  Real love is more than words it is action and not just any action – it has to be the right action and reactions to whatever life throws your way!  I hope you enjoy the video and I hope to see you Sunday as we seek to take some action that really says “I Love You!” to God our Creator and Sustainer!

Are you a feeler or a doer? 

Feelers feel their way into action or inaction!  Feelers are the people that only do what they need to do, when they feel like it!  A feeler feels their way into doing!  If they don’t feel it, they don’t do it!  If it makes sense and they feel like it, then they do it!  If it is convenient and they feel like it, then they do it!  If it is easy and they feel like it, then they will do it! 

The bottom line:  If a feeler does not feel like it, then it will not get done!  If a feeler does not feel like exercising, they will think about it, but never do it!  A feeler will admit the need to spend time in God’s Word, but if they don’t feel like it, then the pages of their Bible will not even be opened up!  A feelers ability to make decisions is directly related to how he or she is feeling right now in this moment.  A feeler is interested in the short term emotional fulfillment that provides almost immediate gratification.  The real problem for a feeler comes in the long term consequences of having this short term attitude!

There is nothing wrong with feelings, but we cannot allow them to be the driving force behind who we are and what we do!  If you rely totally on yourfeelings, before you know it, you will find your character is diminishing, your convictions are failing and your spirit is growing immature!

Doers don’t feel their way into action – they act their way into feeling!  Doers determine what needs to be done based on the goals and gifts that God has given and then they act!  They don’t have to over-think about it!  They don’t have to have every ones opinion and approval!  They don’t have to be on an emotional high to get going in the right direction!  Doers have long term goals that are bigger than any short term satisfaction.  Becoming a doer is not easy, but it is also not impossible!

If you are going to become a doer, then you must decide that you are going to be a doer over a feeler!  It is a natural instinct to feel our way through a situation!  To not be a feeler motivated person, you must make a determined decision!  Realize that living according to feeling, while seemingly safe, is really robbing you of blessing and success!

Asking and and answering the “WHAT REALLY MATTERS? question requires that you become a doer!  Because, if it really matters, then we must do it – whatever it is that God is putting before us!  What is it that God wants to do in your life?  What is it that God wants to accomplish through your gifts and talents?  What really matters?  Work on becoming a doer today by taking on and taking out three things that would normally be a challenge!