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.
Our phones and Internet have been down at the office since Monday – that is a blessing and a bummer! A blessing because it forces you to work on other things in other ways. A bummer in that life seems much easier with open lines of almost instant communication!
That got me to thinking about our communication with God. It should always be open and available, but often times it is not. The reason is not on God’s end – it is on our end! We allow sin to come in between us and God and the sin gets in the way of the flow of information and communication that makes our life meaningful. Often the sin that we allow to get in between us and God is a lack of taking the time to communicate. Or maybe it is taking the time, but rushing through it, so that it really does not mean anything!
Take some time to check your lines of communication with your Creator. Make sure that the lines are open, working and free from any distractions. Our life will be better for it and we will really appreciate what we often take for granted!
This morning I was reading in the Old Testament book of Malachi and I was reminded that we need to be very careful to make sure that we are giving our best to God. The priest were offering sacrifices to God that were blemished or second rate. I am sure they were thinking: “It’s just being burnt up in a fire – what’s the big deal?” The big deal was the reason it was being burnt up in the fire – as an offering to God.
Many times in life we think: “What’s the big deal – I am doing the best I can with what I’ve got for God?” But stop for just a moment and be honest! Is what you giving God in the moment by moment daily living of your life – really your best? I have to admit that I found some room for improvement in my life. Just something to think about and maybe motivate you to change some things! Give your best to God – He gave His best for you!
Where are you and where do you want to be in this thing called life? I hope that each of us have learned to become BETTER and not BITTER during this past month! Most people that I encounter in life – want to be happy, but many never seem to get to that place. Is happiness really an elusive place, floating some where out there in space? I don’t think so! I think we have to learn to look through different eyes to really see!
I hope you will join me on Sunday morning as we take some time to think about “The Power Of State!” God will work in our lives – whatever the circumstances! And God will use our circumstances to grow us into happy, fulfilled and productive Christ Followers! God has given us RIGHT DIRECTION and that means that RIGHT DIRECTION living is a possibility – so let’s live it together!
Michael Joe Harvell 