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.

Anger – The Real Silent Killer!

January 2012 Message Series!

We work so hard to have better lives, but the truth is: Many of us are living with a hidden enemy that keeps us from experiencing that better life. This enemy causes stress, tension in your muscles, loss of sleep, diminished or increased appetite and makes you look and feel older. It chases away possible friends, makes work a place of war, destroys relationships and takes years off of your life!

This hidden enemy is ANGER and it is a very serious problem for most of us – realize or not, believe it or not!  It is on display everyday as road rage, violence, shootings, abuse, addiction and it is a major reason why so many people are living on antidepressants, suffering from alcohol, drug and porn addiction. Many are overweight, in broken relationships and involved in all kinds of destructive behavior all because they have anger, that quiet possibly has camouflaged and hidden itself in their lives.

Anger is a strong emotional feeling of annoyance, displeasure or hostility with a wide range of intensity and expressions.  It usually begins as a spiritual, emotional, mental or physical response to a threat or a perceived threat!

Anger takes on many forms, shapes, sizes and faces and is great at camouflaging itself, so that it is hard for us to discover the destruction that it if often causing in our lives from the inside-out!

Anger cannot be ignored, it must be addressed and dealt with or it begins to take control of your life.  For some this control is below the surface and hardly recognizable, while for others it is very obvious that there are issues that need to be addressed!

Anger impacts all of us and especially many people who call themselves Christian.  The sad reality is that most of us do very little talking about it and even less praying.  Join us back here tomorrow on this blog and we will begin to take a look at some of what God’s Word has to say about anger and what we should do about it!

Until then, pray and ask the Spirit to open your heart, soul and mind to the truth about you may need to face in this area of your life!

You are also invited to join us this Sunday at 10 AM at 888 Ansel School Road and 11 AM at 407 Ridgewood Drive as we continue to take a look at ANGER, what the Bible has to say about it and what we can do to get victory over it!

How Northwood Wants To Help You!

888 Ansel School Road

Sunday Morning Worship In The Word! @ 10 AM & 11 AM – Sunday morning is all about having a real life experience with God through His Word and Worship!  We are going to be taking time every Sunday morning during morning worship to explore some of the real life challenges that you are facing, what the Bible has to say about those challenges and how you can overcome them!

Sunday Evening Dreaming A New Dream! @ 6 PM – Sunday evenings are going to be a very special time for the Northwood family.  We will all be meeting together in the “Fellowship Center” to spend some time in prayer and fellowship as we seek to let the Holy Spirit help us to Dream A New Dream by discovering His agenda and finding the strength and wisdom to put it above all others!

Back To The Basics! @ 6:30 PM – Wednesday Evenings are going to be an investment in helping everyone Get Back To The Basics of living and growing in a real and meaningful relationship with the One who really matters!  Bring your Bible, notebooks, pen and an open heart, mind and spirit!

One Truth That Will Totally Change Your Life!

A Little Change Will Do You Good!

What if I told you that the Spirit had revealed a simple truth that was so powerful that this one simple truth has the capacity to totally change your life?  Would you be interested?  Would you want to know this truth?  Many of us know it, but don’t really believe it, or if we believe it, then we don’t allow it to have the power that it could and should have in, upon and through our lives.

This truth that the Spirit has revealed to me has the power to totally change your life for the better in this new year –  if you will believe it, get it and give it the opportunity!  It will change everything, if you will simply give it the chance!

The Truth:  “It does not matter how good of a Christian you are or you think you are, there is always room for improvement and growth in your life and relationship with God and others!”

You get it or you don’t!  It really is just that simple and if you get it, you will be glad you did!