Tag Archives: Michael Joe Harvell

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So You Had A Bad Day!

So You Had A Bad Day?

What do you do when the phone rings and the person on the other side of the line gives you bad news?  It may be a call from a family member sharing with you the news of a loved one that has passed.  It could be the scary call from the Doctor with the results from the test that don’t look very promising.  Or it could be any number of different scenarios giving you the news that you have always dreaded to hear!  If you live long enough you will experience some of these dark times of life.  Times where the bad news of circumstances seem to be bigger and heavier than the good news of daily living.

Dark Times! During the dark times of life it is very important that we take the time to remind ourselves of some very important truths.  These truths will shine as a light in the darkness and guide us through to the other side, where we will find blessing for having made it through the challenge.

Remind Yourself That God Loves You! That’s right!  We know it, but we take it for granted and we often forget about it!  It is somewhere in there, but not where it needs to be.  Put right up in the front of your mind and heart the reminder that “GOD LOVES ME!”  God does love you – more than you can dream or imagine!

Remind Yourself That All Things Work Together For The Good Of Those That Love God And Who Are Called According To His Purpose! God is always at work.  And God is always working for our blessing.  When we love God and live in obedience to Him and His calling, then His blessings are able to flow to and through our lives.  God can use even the bad for our good, if we will love, trust and obey Him!

Remind Yourself That God Has A Plan And It Is Better Than Any Plan That You Can Come Up With! Look around you – everything that God has created has a purpose!  God has a plan and purpose for your life and if He has allowed some challenge to come into your life, then you can bank on the fact that He is going to use it to grow you and use you for His glory!

Remind Yourself To Deal With Any Sin That Might Get In Between You And God! We don’t like to admit it, but the truth is:  WE ARE SINNERS AND OUR SIN GETS IN THE WAY!  Don’t beat up on yourself for being a sinner.  Just admit it, asked for God’s forgiveness and strength to overcome!  Don’t allow sin to block the flow of God’s blessing to and through you!

Remind Yourself Of The Reality That God Has Been With Me, Is With Me Now And Will Be With Me For Always! God has been with you always and will be with you always.  He was with you before you were born and desires to be with you after you die.  There may be times that you feel like you are all alone, but God is always just one prayer away.  Take some time to talk with Him today and thank Him for what you’ve been reminded of!

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Unscrewing A Screwed Up Life!

Unscrewing A Screwed Up Life!

God Can Use Bad For Good! I know that there are a lot of people out there that are going through some very tough stuff!  Trials, frustrations, challenges and disappointments are never easy, but it is very important for us to understand that God can use the bad stuff for our good, if we will continue to love and trust Him.

In James 1:2-8 we read: “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends! It is through the tough and hard circumstances of life that our heart is purified and our faith is strengthened!  I need for my heart to be cleaned up, because living in this world causes it to get dirty and polluted pretty quickly!  I need for my faith to be strengthened, because I know that I cannot make it through without some help from my friends!  (Father, Son And Holy Spirit!)

The Wisdom Challenge! What I don’t always have and what I often need most is WISDOM!  Challenges and tough circumstances are a reality and there are times that they cannot be avoided, so I need to learn how to best respond to these challenges that the world throws my way – whenever they may come!  The last part of the above Scripture tells us what to ask for and exactly how to do it!

What And How! We are to ask for Wisdom – this is the what!  We are to ask “in faith without any doubting” – this is the how!  God created all things and so we know that God created wisdom.  Wisdom is what we need, so we should go to God and ask Him for it.  God created wisdom, so that He could give us wisdom, so there should be no doubt on our part about Him providing what we need.  We ask, we believe and we receive! It is often our lack of faith, our wavering in belief that keep us from getting the great stuff that God has for us!

You Need Wisdom! God made wisdom and He wants to give it to you!  Ask Him for wisdom and believe that you have it!  Now use that wisdom to go through your trials and troubles to the greater place of blessing that God has for you!

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15 Questions!

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Questions And Answers!

In the message yesterday, I challenged everyone with the scripture from 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” To help you do this I shared 15 Questions! Several of you have asked for a copy of the questions.  These questions grew out of my reading “Crazy Love!”  by Francis Chan.  Specifically out of chapters 4 and 5.  I hope the questions help you to do some self-examination and that the examination helps you to focus on and grow your love for God, His Church and others!

The Questions:

1.  Have you convinced yourself that attending church is enough?

2.  Are you willing to give money as long as it does not mess with your standard of living?

3.  Do you choose what is popular over what is right when in conflict?

4.  Do you want to be saved from your sin or from the penalty of your sin?

5.  Are you watching others do things for God, but never joining in?

6.  Do you share your faith?

7.  Are you comparing yourself to the world to find spiritual satisfaction?

8.  Do you allow Jesus to have all of your life or do you just give Him a part?

9.  Is there a limit to your service?  (Time, money, energy!)

10.  What do you spend most of your time thinking about:  Life here on earth or life there in Heaven?

11.  Do you allow guilt to move you closer to God or farther away?

12.  Are you more interested in how far you can go and it not be sin?

13.  Do you play it safe and fail to take risks for the Kingdom?

14.  Can you see that there is room for growth and improvement in your life?

15.  Are you willing to take the steps?

Take some time to really think through these questions.  I know that I have a lot of work to do.  I am looking forward to what God can do with me and through me as I work on some of this stuff.  I am praying for you and I ask you to please pray for me.  Remember:  We can do this for God’s glory and everyone’s blessing!