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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Think On These Things!

I love the Bible!  I love the Bible because I have found it’s words to be true, accurate and always right on target!  The Bible knows where I am and where I need to be and instructs me on how to get there!  If I will take the time to read a little every day, I will always have a healthy supply of whatever I need to face whatever may come my way.  Don’t look at the Bible as a book of rules and regulations, instead look at it as a guide to the very best life possible.  When it tells you to do something – it is telling you to do it, because in so doing, you will discover blessing!  When it tells you not to do something – it tells you not to do it, because to cross that line will cost you more than you really want to pay!  The Bible is God speaking to you and me – listen and you will hear some amazing things!

In Philippians 4:8 the Scriptures tell us to focus on some things.  If we will shift our focus and put it on the right things, it will make an amazing difference in our lives!  We should focus on what is:

True not false – what good will a lie really do you?

Honorable not destructive -what good does it do anyone to tear down and apart?

Right not wrong -stop trying to make wrongs right, just admit there wrongs and get right!

Pure not impure – purity builds, blessed and binds us to God, while impurity destroys, discourages and defeats us!

Lovely not unlovely – if it’s not the good stuff of God – what do you want with it?

Good not bad – this is a no brain-er!

Excellent not mediocre – we should give our best for the best!

Praise worthy not gossip talk – Granny said it best:  “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!”

This is really all about focusing on the positive!  God is a positive God!  His Word is a positive Word!  We His people should be a positive people!  Shift your focus and think in the positive things of God today!

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Are You Happy?

What makes you happy?  According to the Bible – we are to rejoice in the Lord!  Does God make make you happy?  I mean really does He make you happy?  For most folks, if they were honest – the answer would be no!  God does not make us mad or sad, in fact we won’t allow God to make us anything.  We just tend to have God around as a fixture, safety net or crutch.  We need Him in our lives so that people will know that we are spiritual.  We need Him close by, just in case we get ourselves into something, we can’t get ourselves out of.  We need Him in our lives, so we will have someone to shift the blame toward!  God is so much more that most of us will allow Him to be!

God is real!  God cares about you and me!  God has a plan for our lives!  Stop trying to find happiness and allow happiness to find you!  Happiness will find you, when you realize that you can have a personal and meaningful relationship with the God that has always had you best blessing in mind and heart!  Take some time today to fix your relationship with God by making sure that you allow it to be all that He created and crafted it to be!  Happiness, real happiness comes through our relationship with Him.  Stop running, stop making excuses and start getting the real deal!

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What Are You Working On?

I have been in church most of my life!  I love the church, because God changed my life through the church!  It was at church that I learned things that make me who I am today!  I think most people go to church and never take advantage of the opportunity that it offers them to really experience change and growth!  I believe that the reason most people fail to experience growth at church is because most never really get focused.  We think about what we want, what we need and what we would like to have and be, but thinking is about as far as most of us ever really get!  If we are going to be the success that God has called, created and gifted each of us to be, then we must put forth an effort.  We must put forth an effort, if we are gong to experience God’s best!  God’s best does not happen by accident!

Listen to the things that God is speaking into your life and make an effort to work on those things!  When you start, God will succeed!  Take a few moments right now to think about some of the things that God has been trying to challenge you to work on!  What are they and what are you going to do about it?