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.

Do You Really Care?

Talk Is Cheap!

Don’t tell me you care!  Show me!  It is true that actions speak louder than words!  We have heard enough talk, what we need is some action.  We live in a world that is filled with hurting people.  Almost everyday of my life, I am blessed with the opportunity to walk and talk with some of these people.

Why do I do what I do?  I do the things I do, because I believe that if Jesus were walking through a community called Greer, this is the kind of things that He would be doing.  I cannot do it all, but I can do something!

I can’t let the excuse of my not being able to do it all to cause me to do nothing!  If I really care, then I must go to bed at night thinking about what I can do to make this world a better place and I must get up in the morning and get busy doing it!

Too Blessed To Mess!  I do really care and I am surrounded with friends who really care too.  We are making a difference in our world.  One life, one relationship, one helping hand, one listening ear and one healed heart at a time!

Do you really care?  Then get out of your comfort zone, step out of your personal agenda and prove it with the action of your living!  G3!

Doing The Impossible!

G3! = Give God Glory!

Some Scripture is easy and some is hard.  Some I can obey without even trying, some I have to really work at and some seems almost impossible!  I believe that it is all God’s Word and that it has powerful implications for our life here on earth and eternity and that is why I take time to read and try to apply it to my living everyday!

Yesterday I started a blog conversation about the Scripture where Jesus tells us to love our enemies!  It is one of those passages of Scripture that in our mind, we almost have to argue with, even though we know better!  It is found in the New Testament book of Matthew 5:44-45!

“‎44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Jesus is changing the rules here!  He is saying:  If you really want life to be different, then you have to play by a different set of rules.  The normal rules of everyday living that everyone else lives by, simply will not do!

Instead of having hate for your enemy, have love.  Instead of trying to get even with your enemy, pray for them.  This not only changes you, but has to at some point make a change in your enemy.

But the motivation to do this is not what it does for you or to your enemy.  The motivation is what it does for God.  He says that we are to do this, that we may be children of our Father in Heaven.  In other words, when we live by this different set of rules, we bring glory to God – Who is clearly in control, causing the sun to rise and the rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous!

Bottom Line:  Our lives are to be lived for the GLORY of GOD and here is one step that we can take to live a life that G3!  (GIVES GOD GLORY!)

Love Your Enemies – Really?

Who Is Your Enemy?

‎44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:44-45

Let’s be honest – this is a whole lot easier said than done!  But we have this Scripture that tells us how to live.  And just because it is hard, does not give us an excuse not to try!  And if we don’t try, then we can never succeed!

We will spend a little time thinking about this one this week.  For now, read the verse again and just think about it!