Wednesday Matters

Everyday Love Journey

I am Debbie with a slight curve of scoliosis made less noticeable with the surgery I had as an adult. I am Debbie who needs to look everyday in the mirror and wonder what else I can do to my hair that will change my life. I don’t want to care about it so much and there are times I don’t, and I walk out in my pajamas to get groceries or record my radio feature at the station. Everyday, I have to remember the way He sees me despite my moral failings and missteps and bad hair days.

In life’s journey we all want to be known and loved, and Jesus knows us better than anyone and still loves us. He knows me, my pain. HE IS here, waiting to make creative, redemptive use of what has happened. He is always on the move. He isn’t wasting time thinking about all the trouble He has with us or how awful we feel about where we are with ourselves and our troubles. God loves us unconditionally. Walk forward knowing how much God loves you…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Blood of Christ

We’ve all made mistakes because we’re all sinners. Our sins hurt us and others on some level. God loves us and will use our messes to help ministry to others, but Satan will always try and condemn us, and he also works in others with his lies. You may have someone trying to convince you that your past can’t be forgiven unless you follow their rules of forgiveness. Or maybe it’s you are thinking, God couldn’t possible forgive “that” sin. Listen to 1 John 1:9; “If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” Okay so think about how our kidneys work in our bodies, continuously cleansing us from impurities.

Well, there IS POWER IN THE BLOOD of Jesus Christ which cleanses us, not just in the body, but in the spirit, continuously. Our responsibility is to admit we’ve sinned and CONFESS. We don’t ever want a sin blockage so our prayer life is polluted, and we can’t hear His voice of truth and healing…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday God Bless Work

Jan wrote, “I try to be compassionate and kind with a sense of humor but today I was feeling small-minded, hurt and mean spirited. Jan had commented on my Facebook post about loving others, “When people are less than kind it’s then that I have a hard time 'loving' them.... mostly at work. The office can bring out the worst in people…including me.” Oh my, I so get it. Sooooo, when someone hurts me I try and pretend their “nasty” aimed at me was only a sneeze and I respond (mostly under my breath) with “Bless you!” and guess what? It works!

Because God tells us in Luke 6:28 to bless those who curse us. Because if Satan works through a person to hurt us and we end up hating that person back because we’re hurt than the enemy’s job has been accomplished two times over. But if we respond to another’s curse with a blessing then we’ve gotten Satan back and he’ll wish he never laid a finger on us. God bless you…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Sacrifice

How do you know when you’ve given enough to get to God? You don’t. Yet many people believe that there are many roads to God and that true spirituality is just to love your neighbor and help the poor. What about the people that have been taught to hate? Are the poor just virtuous? That sounds right, but it is not what Jesus said.

Jesus said you cannot earn salvation by taking the executioner's cross yourself. We instinctively know this. If a soldier drapes his body over a grenade to save his friends, we recognize it as a sacrifice. Something we honor, but not something we can pay him back for. In fact to suggest we could pay Him back is an insult to His sacrifice. The same is true with Jesus. He loves us for who we are and not for what we do. The good things we do, like soup kitchens for the poor, are out of our love for Him but no matter what He loves right where we’re at by His grace…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Life Changing

When I’m travelling alone at a hotel, I often surf the channels on TV. Inevitably I will come upon a shopping network or paid product advertisement where I sit mesmerized and convinced that if I order in the next ten minutes this product will change my life.

One of our sons walked into the room when I was using this wand laser thing and zapping my face to get rid of the wrinkles. He tried it on his face but couldn’t stand the sting. “Mom, you’re crazy. Why do this?” “I feel it’s working,” I said. Honestly, my attitude was better because I believed this wand was making a difference by erasing years off my face. (Did I mention the whole commercial was in Spanish?). After my son left, I thought; “What really transforms me is renewing my mind from what God has to say about me. If I approach others with the love and grace God gives me, that truly is a game changer. There’s nothing wrong with primping and prep so we feel and look our best but, God sees the heart and that’s what I want Him to work on…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Billy Poetry

I’ve never met Billy, but he subscribes to the email of Everyday Matters and often sends poems from the verses I share. He is confined to a wheelchair and has a head injury. There are things he can’t do but he sure can write a poem to make you smile and reflect. Billy wrote, “This poem is dedicated to all my friends who love me without seeing me.”

When men look at us

Immediately they judge.

From the color of our skin

To the sweet taste of our fudge

And seldom do they ever

Make judgments right and pure!

For in their hearts is not

The reason or its cure

But Our Father up in Heaven

Judges all His children well

For He knows what’s in their hearts

What else is there to tell

And when He looks, He knows.

If Jesus lives in there

And He can see if love is home.

In your heart beyond compare

So please, just open up.

Your heart to God’s own Son

And then you’ll have everything

For then the victory’s won.

Thanks Billy…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Susan Prayer

Susan was the coordinator of speakers for a conference in New York City. I was one of them. We developed a friendship of email praying, and this was way back in the day, in 2006, before texting and the smart phone took over our lives. I’m glad this memory is written down. I sensed God wanted me to pray for her husband, so I wrote, “I’m praying for a husband for you.” I then proceeded to pray for a godly and good man to enter Susan’s life. Susan was very thankful for my emails but with my husband prayer she wrote, “Actually I’ve been married for 17 years but since my husband is a pastor and he’s preparing a message for this Sunday, I know he’ll appreciate your prayer.” Embarrassing.

God did ask me to pray for her husband but not for a husband. God wants my obedience not my analysis or theories as to why He asks me to pray. It’s like the classic joke; “What’s the difference between you and God? Answer: God never thinks He’s you….” everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Substitute Teacher

I still remember the day of substitute teaching 11th graders with 15 minutes of free chat time before the bell rang and literally, out of the blue, Ryan shouts out; “I want to know if God’s real?” He looks at me and asks; “Can you tell me if God is real?” The next thing I know I have six boys around my desk as I share what it means to have a relationship with God.

Kinda nervously I said, "Oh, definitely, God is real. It’s not about how good we are but about how good God is. He paid the debt for our sin by His death on the cross and His resurrection power. We can either accept His gift or reject it.” Intently they listened and then Brandon declared; “I don’t believe it.” “I know it’s pretty hard to believe,” I said. “But this kind of unconditional love is real and true, and I know because I have a relationship with God.” The bell rang and they scrambled out. And I thought, “Wow, God is love and He wants all of us to know Him no matter who or where we are…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Oh God

We hear it all the time, the phrase “Oh, my God!” to express a thought or idea that is incredible or unbelievable. But as we grow in a relationship with Christ, we need to realize that when we say, “Oh, my God” we’re, in fact, violating one of God’s Ten Commandments; “You shall not use the name of the Lord your God in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) It’s often who you hand out with that determines a lot of how you speak or what you watch on the screen. That’s something I am praying about too.

My husband tells the story, when as a new believer returning to play cards with his buddies, he very intently asked them not to swear using God’s name; if they did, he wouldn’t be able to play. There was a stunned silence until one of his friends spoke and said, “Okay, we’ll respect that.” Another guy said, “But can we still say, ‘blankity-blank and blank?’” My husband said, “Sure, that’s fine, just don’t use the name of the Lord in vain.” There’s such power in God’s name. He is Holy. He is Love. He and His name should always be respected and honored…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Ark of Love

The Old Testament Bible story of Noah and the Ark which many of us know is where God told Noah and his family to build and come into the ark to be saved from the flood. Those who didn’t enter into the ark died for their unwillingness to know the one true God. Okay so think about this, Christ is the “New Ark”; the "Ark of Salvation.” Choosing Christ is also choosing to follow Him and choosing to follow Him means choosing to love those who are difficult, the ones who didn’t want to get on board.

Okay, so in the New Testament 2 Peter says: The person who lacks genuine love is blind and has forgotten they were cleansed from all their old sins. While we were yet sinners Christ loved us and then He erased our sins by paying with His blood. Once we’ve received grace, we don’t deserve, we can give grace. NOW, the question is, “HOW in the world can we ever really love difficult people?” Our job is to love. Christ’s job is to judge…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday False Christian

Okay so you’re talking to a person who says they know and love Jesus. Great. But the more you talk the more you realize that you’re kinda saying the same thing but you’re not. I love to talk about Jesus and His character, promises and the Good News. And now I realize that not everyone who agrees Jesus is love understands that He is holy and what that means.

I’m on the same page as pastor and theologian Warren Wiersbe. “False teachers deny the inspiration of the Bible, the sinfulness of man, the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross, salvation by faith alone, and even the reality of eternal judgment. They deny the deity of Jesus Christ, for they know that if they do away with His deity, they can ignore the entire body of Christian truth.

Christianity is Christ, and if He is not who He claims to be, there is no Christian faith.” Christ is our Savior and through Him dying in our place to cover our dept of sin are we free. It’s respecting His holiness and Love to understand why He came and how deeply He loves us…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Pride

I was stinky. Oh, I had taken a shower, but I had pride and pride stinks. Pride is difficult to deal with because we don’t think we have it. I notice my stink most when I have zero patience with someone who’s hurt me. In the Bible in James 4:10 I read to ask God to humble me so I can see the other as He does. He then promises to lift me in hope. The signs of pride include an unwillingness to admit fault or take responsibility for our actions.

Pride wants to do all the talking and none of the listening. Yeah, I know you’re probably thinking of someone who needs to hear this, but perhaps it’s you! God gets you. He sees the hurt. I get you because I’ve been there. Are you still screaming? Maybe it’s time to stop and listen.” Humility and your surrender to God will set you free and you’ll be a sweet fragrance for everyone to be around…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Oxygen

When I first heard the flight attendants say, “In the event of an emergency, where an oxygen mask is needed, please first secure the mask to your own mouth before placing it on any of your children,” I thought it seemed selfish. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. I’d risk my life for my children so shouldn’t I help them first? But here’s the point; if I really want to help my children survive then I first better get my own mask on so I can think more clearly to save both our lives.

Raising kids is not for wimps. I’m not a wimp. If you’re a parent, you aren’t either. We need to dive into the Bible and follow God first before expecting our kids to do the same. Proverbs 6:20 works; “Children don’t forsake the teaching of your mother,” and with that comes the jingle, “More is caught then taught.” The most effective way for our kids to trust and follow God is for them to see us following Him no matter what’s going on…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Amazing Grace

Not that long ago, I had a new believer write to me who was moved by me singing Amazing Grace in church. The words, “saved a wretch like me” along with “I was blind but now I see” really moved them because they realized that God had saved them from their wretchedness. We are all blinded by lies and sin but through Christ our eyes can be opened.

It’s funny because someone had asked me to sing the song as a favor to them and it made me think how favor and grace are both translated from the same Greek word charis. When I do something for someone as a favor, I expect nothing in return, it is a gift, a blessing I give to someone. It’s the same way with God. His favor to us from John 3:16 is that He loved us so much that He gave His one and only Son so that if we believe in Him, we will have eternal life, His grace…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Marriage Bumps

I’ve been helping a couple through some difficult times in their marriage, and I’m so encouraged by their willingness to focus on Christ while looking at what they need to do as individuals for a healthy marriage.

Hannah wrote saying, “In working on our marriage Ryan and I are finally realizing that we need to look through the eyes of Jesus when we’re angry and frustrated because when anger takes over, we get lost and caught up in our own individual "rights." We lost sight of the goal which is to have a restored marriage. It’s so hard to let go of the offense and hurt but in the end, we know that’s what real forgiveness is all about. Please pray that I’ll continue to honor my husband and stay focused on Jesus. My prayer is from Philippians 2:2 asking God to give them the grace and strength to agree wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose for a great marriage…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Mediator

I had an argument with a very dear and close friend where there was an exchange of words that had to do more with hurt feelings rather than the topic we were arguing about. We both had allowed time to pile up little hurts and irritations and so that when the disagreement came, we had a wall of hurt and anger to bring down. Eventually we both managed to say we were sorry, but the hurt had been deep, and I thought we would probably never be close friends again.

That is until God got a hold of our hearts. He was the Mediator that 1 Timothy 2:5 talks about, the man Christ Jesus who reconciled us back into a deeper relationship than I ever imagined possible. Now there is absolute freedom to share our hearts with one another and a respect and love that ONLY JESUS could have brought about. Our friendship is better and more secure than ever, in Him...everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Pure Air

A friend told me the story of a woman in Austria whose father locked her in the basement for over 20 years and in that time, she had children who had never seen the sun or even breathed fresh air. To them the basement was a normal world. When the police found them, the air was so vile they had to tear down walls and bring in fans just to breathe.

But it’s like we too are living in a basement, a world not perfect, one infected with sin. We don’t even realize we’re breathing putrid air because this is our “normal.” But through the acceptance of God’s love and forgiveness we can believe He’s a Redeemer, working all things for the good with a purpose for us to serve eternally… breathing pure air forever. Look to 1 Corinthians 2:9 with anticipation because “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him”…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday God is Greater

We spend a lot of time living in fear. Studies tell us that 85% of us live in fear by worrying. Is the size of your fear larger than the God of the Universe? God is greater than death, greater than disease, and there is no condemnation in Him. He certainly is greater than what you may be worrying about.

Should you worry about hell? No. But, no one really talks about its existence but, of course, the Bible does. Jesus Himself indicates that punishment in hell is just as everlasting as life in heaven and it’s where the wicked go who don’t acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. (Matthew 25:46). The righteous person has the hope of heaven, and you are made “right” by accepting what Jesus did on the cross by atoning for your sins. Because God is holy, He must punish sin but because He is loving He didn’t want to punish us. On the cross He accomplished both the holiness and lovingness of God. You have nothing to fear. Remember John 4:18 in that perfect love casts out fear. With God you always have hope…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Vegas

Susan had turned her life around by turning to Jesus and now she was on talk radio with three other women still in the “business” discussing lifestyle choices in Las Vegas. The host and others on the panel were repeatedly asking Susan, “Where was God when you were in this business? Why didn’t He save you?” And Susan replied, “God was always with me. It was I who left Him. The others clearly did not have a relationship with Christ, they didn’t know of His great love for them, and so they had no respect for God or His ways but Susan understood completely and she said; Christ gives us all a free will but it’s our choice whether we want to have Him in our lives or not.”

Without knowing the relationship that brings love and freedom a person is only going to see God’s laws as bringing judgment and bondage. We may turn our backs on God, but He will never turn on us or stop loving us. The wisdom of Proverbs 28:5 says, those who seek the Lord understand fully…everyday.

Wednesday Matters

Everyday Shame

The message of Jesus is to LOVE and forgive others, which you can only do once you have seen your bad self and accepted His forgiveness. There’s this past so many people carry around that’s really heavy because it’s filled with shame from harming ourselves through “cutting,” an eating disorders, an affair, alcohol, abuse suffered, it’s all yuck. I read that 80% of memories are shame based. People carry shame because they think once they’re fully exposed or discovered they won’t ever be accepted or loved. But when their identity is solid, they’re stable.

Psalm 91:1 is my 911 verse. It reads; “She who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will remain stable.” It means that when I can stand still and let myself be exposed. God covers me, my shame, my fear and replaces all that I’m not with all that He is. It’s hard to really grasp that He’s fully forgiven me and doesn’t recall my sin as I do. God can see the real you and He loves you as you are no matter what…everyday.