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.
Message, Uncategorized

Five Steps To Grow A Heart Of Thanksgiving!

Psalms 100:1-5 1. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3.  Know that the LORD is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Here Are The Five Steps!

1.  SHOUT FOR JOY!  (v.1) God has filled us with the good stuff of Himself, we cannot keep that in!  It has to come out and it should come out powerfully in a shout for joy!  God has filled us with Himself, so that we can share Him with others!  Take some time today to think about God’s goodness in your life and start shouting for joy!

2.  SERVE WITH GLADNESS!  (v. 2) We worship the Lord by serving the Lord and we are to serve Him with gladness!  One of the best ways that we can serve Him is by serving others.  Service alone is not enough, it has to be service in the right spirit and that right spirit is service with gladness!  Get busy serving God by serving others and do it with an attitude and spirit of gladness which says:  “I get to!”, not “I have to!”

3.  SING JOYFUL SONGS!  (v. 2) God wants our happiness!  He really does desire for you and me to live happy and fulfilled lives!  We can live these lives of joy and we should live these lives of joy in His presence and for His glory!  Remember real joy starts with you and the attitude of your heart and life!

4.  SENSE GOD’S GOODNESS!  (v.3) Look at your body, it really is amazing that God would bless us with the ability and senses that He has blessed us with!  We can see beauty all around us.  We can hear the gentle whisper of love spoken from those we love.  We can smell the fragrance of sweetness and taste the goodness of God’s surprises.  We can touch and be touched and feel the warmth of love in shared experiences.  God has already blessed us with all of this and He is not finished with us yet!  God made us and we are His.  Sense and appreciate His goodness!

5.  SHARE THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE!  (vv. 4-5) Everywhere we go, we are in the presence of God!  Thanksgiving and praise should be a continual part of our lives!  God is good and His love is everlasting, meaning that it will never run out and it will always be around!  God is faithful and so should we be!

Take these steps and you will be well on your way to growing a heart of thanksgiving!

Message

Seven Excuses To Pray!

Prayer is having conversation with God.  In prayer we talk to and listen for God!  The words do not have to be fancy, just from our heart.  Most of us know that we need to pray, but often do not take the time to actually do it!  Here are seven excuses to pray!

1.) It brings you closer to God! There are two things that will grow your relationship with God better than anything else in the world.  His Word and prayer!  When we pray, we change positions and move closer to God and the things of God!

2.) It gives you a bigger perspective! One of our greatest unseen enemies is limited perspective.  When we talk to God, He broadens our horizons and allows us to see how much greater everything can and should be!

3.) It helps you to feel better! Just talking with God and hearing His gentle and reaffirming whisper help us to know that everything is going to be alright!  It helps us to let go and get out from under the weight of our burdens!

4.) It allows you to let go! When we talk to God, We have confidence that He is in control and we are able to open our hands and heart, let go and trust God to take care of us and ours!  Open hands and heart are ready to receive!

5.) It encourages others! Praying helps us to be where we need to be, so that our family, friends and even strangers get a reassurance from God’s presence and power flowing into and through our lives!

6.) It reminds you of what you need to remember! It is easy in the busyness of life to get distracted!  Prayer pulls us back to the center of God’s will and helps us to be where we need to be, so that our heart and mind can be reminded of what is really important!

7.) It works! When we pray, our praying changes things!  Most importantly, our prayer changes us!  Take some time to pray today, just make an excuse and go ahead and do it!  You and others will be amazed at the difference it will make!