All posts by mjharvell

Welcome, friend—I’m glad you’ve pulled up a chair on the front porch of my little corner of the internet. My name is Michael Joe Harvell, and I live my life with one simple mission: to glorify God, encourage people, and leave this world a little better than I found it. I’m a husband, father, pastor, writer, Jeep enthusiast, and front-porch thinker who believes that life is best lived on purpose. I serve as pastor of Eureka Baptist Church in Anderson, South Carolina, where I get the joy of preaching, teaching, and walking with people through the ups and downs of everyday life. Over the years, I’ve discovered that faith isn’t just about Sunday mornings—it’s about living every single day in the presence and power of God. I’m also an author. My books—including The Grace Exchange: How Forgiven People Forgive People and The Word Works—grow out of the sermons, stories, and lessons I’ve learned on this journey. I write in a style that’s conversational, a little front-porch-rocking-chair, and full of stories, quotes, and Scripture that point us back to the goodness of God’s Word. When I’m not writing or preaching, you might find me sitting outside with my Bible and journal, cruising the backroads in my Jeep Gladiator, or sharing a meal and some laughs with the good folks God has put in my life. I love helping people find peace in their spirit, strength in their body, and encouragement in their soul. This blog is simply an extension of that mission. Here you’ll find devotions, encouragement, reflections, and practical insights for living a life of purpose, peace, and joy. So grab a cup of coffee, pull up a rocking chair, and stay awhile—I’d be honored to walk this road of faith with you.
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He’s God And I’m Not!

This Is What I Am???

Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  Psalm 100:3

A great reminder that I need at least once an hour, every day of my life!  He’s God and I’m not! Pretty simple really!  A truth that I know, but that I keep having a hard time grasping.  The reality is:  I am not God and so I need to stop acting like it, accept reality and live in surrender to Him, because He is God!

He made me! I did not make myself and I cannot make myself today!  He made me and if He made me, then He has a plan for my life and what I need to focus on is discovering His plan and living for the accomplishment of that plan with everything that I’ve got!

I am His people! That really does bring me comfort.  I am one of the sheep of His pasture, this means that He is going to take care of me.  All I have to do is trust in Him and follow His commands!  I can do this and so can you, so let’s do it and have a great, blessed and productive Monday!

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Sunday Rewind!

What a blessing to sit down and think back over the events of the day and see how from beginning to end, the hand of God was moving in and on our lives!  Northwood is continuing to take amazing steps at becoming the great church that God has called, gifted and equipped it to be!

Great worship at both campuses today!  Thank you to our worship team and choir, who continue to do an incredible job of listening to God and yielding to the Holy Spirit!  It blesses me to see my spiritual family getting into the presence and power of God!  Many of us are really beginning to get worship and that it is about God  and His glory, not our personal preference!

I have to say it again, because I really love my Bible Fellowship class – I love my Bible Fellowship class, we really have a great bunch of guys and gals and we learn so much from just sharing with one another about what God is showing and teaching us from His Word.

Life Classes tonight were terrific!  Thankful for my wife, who is helping me to team facilitate “Six Secrets To A Lasting Marriage!”  Loved the sharing from everyone in the class, was great to hear how you met and have grown in your love.

Top it all off with very meaningful and relaxed fellowship and it has been a really great day!  I wonder what made it special for you today – feel free to share!

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It’s Already There!

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Look To See!

God’s vision is our light and His will is our path!

 

This is not something that we have to discover and it is not something that we have to make up on our own.  It is already in existence, just waiting for our yielding!

To miss His vision and will by choosing our own way is to be in bondage.  To mentally disobey the Lord it to physically enslave ourselves and take ourselves away from the plans and blessings of God.

It is not my vision that matters, it is God’s vision and my surrender to it!