Michael Joe Harvell

What if people really meant what they say? Have you ever thought about that?  I have people everyday that say things to me about how much they love, appreciate and support me.  I have been in ministry to God and service to people long enough to realize that what most people say and what most end up actually doing are two very  different things!  And what is really disturbing is most of the people that I am talking about profess to have a relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!

In my time with God this morning – I was thinking about how many awesome and wonderful things could be accomplished if what people say was actually true.

People say:  I support my church! What does that actually mean?  If you are supporting your church then you are giving above and beyond any expectations, especially your own.  You are giving more than 10% of your income.  You are giving of your time without any thought of what you are going to get in return.  You are giving of your spiritual gifts – just so that God  will get the glory!

People say:  I support you! What most of them really mean is this:  ”I support you as long as you are doing what I want or as long as things are going the way that I think they should!”  Churches everywhere have been blessed with men that love God, love the church and love the people – yet these men and their families often have to ride emotional roller coasters depending on which side of the bed people got out of this morning!

For the people in my congregation – thank you to those of you that say it and mean it! You are a strength and encouragement that goes beyond anything that words can describe.  I am so looking forward to what God is going to accomplish through our working together!

Share A Splash Outreach!

I just want everyone to know that I am super pumped right now! The past several weeks have been absolutely amazing.  God is teaching me and showing me so many different things.  Do you know how it is to know that you know something, but then it gets confirmed and you know that you really know it? That is the kinda stuff that has been going on in my life and it has really got me excited about what God is up to.

I just wanted to take a moment to say to all of you that read this blog and share words of encouragement – thank you! Your sticking with me and allowing me to have a little impact in your life means more than you can know.  I want more than anything to be able to help people discover that there is a God, He cares about you and He really wants to have a personal relationship with you!

I am so looking forward to our teaching time tonight at Northwood – it is going to be a great time of learning about how to really give God control. And I cannot even began to try and help you understand how excited I am about this coming Sunday.  God is going to take this church to a great and new place or get ready to shut it down!  I am hoping, praying and working for the great and new place!

I hope you enjoyed the ramble – I’m out!

My Friend Bobby!

We all need to grow! Everyday that God gives you another day on this planet is an opportunity to grow for His glory and other people’s blessing.  Here are five questions that we all ought to ask ourselves on a regular basis to make sure that we are growing in the right direction!

What Are You Learning? You are never to old to learn.  It has been my observation through my short life that the people who seem the youngest are those who are always seeking to learn something new.  Learning means growing.  Take time today to learn something new.  Read a book, have a meaningful conversation and really listen to all that is going on around you!

How Are You Praying?  We can’t make it through the ups and downs of this life without having conversation with our Creator.  God loves you and wants to have conversation with you.  Our praying should consist of our going to God about our troubles, and it should also consist of our going to God with our whatever.  Take some time today to get in some quiet time with God – you will be glad you did!

When Are You Giving? If everyone took and nobody gave, then this would be a very messed up world!  Take a good look at your life and observe the times that you are giving.  If we are not careful – we will get into a routine of only giving when someone has given to us.  I am not sure that this is really giving at all.  True fulfillment in life flows out of our giving and seeking nothing in return.

Where Are You Going? Fail to plan and plan to fail!  You have to know where you are going and it really helps if you have a plan on how you are going to get there.  Take a few moments today to think about where your life is taking you.  Is it where you really want to go?  If not, then make the necessary adjustments!

Why Are You Still Reading? You’ve got work to do – if you are going to do all the growing that God has planned for you – so get busy!

Reading And Relaxing!

This coming Sunday we will be taking a look at how the Holy Spirit empowers us to be witnesses for Christ! The Holy Spirit of God provides Believers with power, purpose and passion!  We need to get out of ourselves and full of Him!

Power Up! God’s Spirit gives us the power to be a great witness for Him.  If the Gospel has changed your life, then you can’t keep it a secret!  Ordinary people can do extraordinary things when God is on and in them!  Open up your heart and life for God to flow to and through you!

Pursue Purpose! Take a little time to read through your Bible and you will discover that the Holy Spirit is given to us on purpose for a purpose!  We have the Holy Spirit so that we might accomplish the purpose of sharing Jesus and the difference that a relationship with Him can bring!  We have the Spirit, so that we can open our mouths and actually have something meaningful to say that makes a difference in people’s lives and eternities!

Passion Pump Up! The Holy Spirit being present and active in your life is more important than you realize!  Don’t doubt the Holy Spirit and don’t doubt what you are capable of when empowered by the Holy Spirit!  Living for and serving God is not easy, cheap or always comfortable, but it is fulfilling.  In fact it is the most fulfilling thing that you will ever do, because it is the thing that you were created to do!

Remember:  You are special to God, regardless of what anyone else thinks or has to say! God has a plan to use you and the special gifts that He has given you for His glory and the blessing of all around!  You can’t fulfill yourself, but you can be fulfilled – if you will open up your life to His plans and purposes!

Live in His power, pursue His purposes and enjoy living in the passion of it all!

God is real and God is speaking – can you hear Him? God created you and your life is not an accident or a coincidence!  You were created on purpose and for a purpose!  Remember that your main purpose is to glorify God!  We glorify God by doing what He created us to do in the way that He created us to do it!  To do what He created you to do in the way that He created you to do it, you need to make sure that you are hearing from Him and not just making up what He is saying for yourself!

How can I hear from God? This is the question that most of us do not take the time to think about, until it’s to late.  If we want to hear from God, then we must put ourselves in the place to listen.  We talk way to much!  When was the last time that you actually took the time to get away from the distractions of everyday living and meditate on hearing from your Creator?  If you want to hear, then you have got to listen!

The best way to get in the place to listen is by being practicing obedience! In other words – DO WHAT YOU KNOW!  Go ahead and start with what you already have been given and then you will be amazed at how God will use that to communicate with you and give you power and victory!

My Girls!

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 2:5

I think that most of the world’s problems would be solved, if we would seek to make sure that we were living with the right attitude. It is so easy to get my attitude bent out of shape and so hard to get my attitude back to where it needs to be.

I know that most of my problems are solved by adjusting and getting my attitude right! My attitude seems to be one of those things that I get right, only to discover that about as soon as I get it right that it is heading off course again!  I can honestly say that I never get to the place where I can say that I have arrived and am perfect!

I want to invite you to join me in working to have the attitude of Christ Jesus! Just think of the difference it can and will make in your day and life and also in the lives of those all around you!

If you are over weight, you can still eat whatever you want, stay planted in that recliner and do absolutely nothing and still lose weight! How?  Just take this tiny green pill and you will be amazed at how the pounds will melt away like ice on a hot sunny day!  Before you know it you will have that buff beach body that everyone envies!  Call now and your first months supply is free!

You know better! I know better!  But we still watch and listen to these ads with the hope that it could be just as simple as a tiny green pill.  The truth is:  It never has been that simple and it never will be that simple!  Life is not simple!  It is complicated, tough and a challenge.

Everyone wants to think that there is a simple solution or a quick fix to whatever problem they are facing, but there usually is not! There is a solution and there is a fix.  But the solution and fix do not usually happen over night and it certainly can’t happen without you investing your fair share of the energy.

I don’t know what problem you are facing today, but I do know that there is a solution to that problem and I also know that the solution to your problem will flow out of your being in a right relationship with your Creator.

Being in a right relationship with your Creator takes time and effort on your part. God has already done and is doing His part!  We all need to make sure that we are investing time to build and grow our relationship with God.  He created you!  He loves you!  And He has an amazing plan for your life!  If you are not experiencing His amazing plan, then you have some work to do!

You need to start by getting to know Him! Start spending a little time with God everyday!  During this time with God – make sure that you are taking some time to talk with Him.  Just talk to Him like you would a friend.  Tell God what’s going on in your life, how you feel about it and how you would love some help.  Then make sure that you are listening!  What is God speaking back to you and what are you going to do about it?

Start thinking about what God thinks and realize that He has a plan for your life. Instead of just living life and getting by from day to day, start seeking to discover and live according to God’s plans!  The only thing that will fix what is broken in your life – is God and a right relationship with Him.  This relationship is hard work, but it’s worth it!