Friday Matters

Everyday Loving Christians

Ya know, that song that goes; “They will know we are Christians by our love.” We all know people who profess to be Christians, attend church, they know the rules. However, we know an authentic Christian by way they live their lives, by the fruit they bear. God’s not asking us to trust someone who doesn’t take responsibility for their part in a big mess, but He does command us to LOVE “that someone.”

In Mark 21:21 God says that we have the ability to move mountains by putting our faith in Him. Usually, we talk ABOUT our mountains, but God tells us to talk TO our mountains. Here’s the application to talk to your mountain as an authentic Christian by following the Bible; “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive them and let it drop, and your Father will also forgive your failings and let them drop. True Christians really love by really forgiving…everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday Step in Faith

In the Old Testament as the Israelites were soon to enter into the Promised Land they were faced with crossing the Jordan River during flood season with the Ark of the Covenant. God told them to go forward right into the middle of the river before the water would go down and because of the faith the people had in God they obeyed and trusted God. We read in Joshua 3:17 that; “All Israel passed through until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.”

I know I would’ve first wanted to test the water with my big toe to see some evidence of God’s promise of the water going down before I stepped into the middle of the river. But often God provides no solution to my problems until I trust Him and move ahead with what I know I should do. Sometimes God wants me to step forward into the unknown because it’s an opportunity for me to know Him better and trust Him with my faith and not my feelings...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.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday Acknowledge God

Wouldn’t it be nice if every time we asked God a question, we could just randomly open our Bibles and there’d be our answer? But the thing is, our answers are in the Bible and when we spend time there everyday, we begin to learn the ways of God. We also begin to trust God knowing from Proverbs 3:6 that if we acknowledge God in all of our ways, He will direct our paths. Acknowledging God really means to care about what He thinks.

In the Bible in I Chronicles, the Prophet Nathan, told David that he could go ahead and build a house for God. But the next day Nathan got word that one of David’s sons would build instead. What’s cool is that because David had a heart for God, he could praise God for this answer even though he might have been a little disappointed. Acknowledging and caring what God thinks makes a huge difference in how we respond to things and what the outcome is…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Open Eyes

Jesus meets a man who’s been blind since birth. I don’t know how brief their encounter was but, in that time, Jesus bent down took some mud and rubbed the man’s eyes with it and when he opened them, he could see. Immediately the Pharisees-the Religious Leaders, questioned the man wanted him to proclaim Jesus a sinner…. WHAT? But the blind’s response is brilliant in John 9:25, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!” He didn’t know how or why he had been healed but he knew a miracle had taken place and he wasn’t afraid to tell the truth.

We don’t have to all the answers in order to share Christ with others. What’s important is that we tell people the truth of how God’s love and forgiveness has changed our lives. Use your experiences and share your testimonies, to help others see Him too …everyday.

Friday Matters

Everyday Cake MERCY

“Dan, c’mon, please pay the bill. My allowance won’t cover it.” I was asking for grace from my husband as I handed him the bill for spending too much on J. Crew Clothing. Whew…he forgave and paid the bill. But when I went home, I discovered that a stick of butter, my special cake plate and a container of frosting was missing. My nephew baked a cake while I was away. I called and scolded him for not replacing my supplies.

When I hung up the phone, I realized I was acting like the ungrateful servant in Matthew 18. A king was about to punish this servant for a debt of millions but instead had pity and forgave. The servant, not grateful, instantly found his friend who owed him thousands and had him thrown in prison. I got the memo. God gives fresh mercy to us so how can we afford to withhold mercy from others …everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday Hearing from God

I know I hear God’s voice but sometimes I feel crazy thinking, “Maybe it’s just me with what I want to hear. But if we have entered into a personal relationship with Christ, we then have the Holy Spirit making His home in us. I know…right!? His voice is His Word speaking truth to our hearts and mind and yea, we can actually hear from God.

Proverbs 20:12 reminds us that the gifts from the Lord are ears to hear and eyes to see. Yes, He gives us physical sight and hearing, but He also created us to hear and see spiritually too. Unfortunately, our own sin blinds us and deafens us. blinding our vision and clogging our ears. I am so glad we get fresh mercy every morning cuz I use my allotted amount daily. Let’s stop, listen and hear from Jesus who makes the difference in our lives…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.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday We Are Poor

When I honestly accepted who God said I was, loved, redeemed and not a mistake, I felt I could stop pretending and performing. I need Him desperately. It is not the “they” who are poor, sinful and lost. It’s being aware that we, ourselves, are the primary target.

Unless we acknowledge that we are the sinners, the sick ones and the lost sheep for whom Jesus came, we do not belong to the “blessed” who know that they are poor and inherit the Kingdom. It’s a dangerous zone when we get our assurance from wealth or our status. Realize THIS, that “they” is you and me, wretched, pitiably poor and so often blind. Isaiah 64 lays things out clearly when we begin to think, “I’m doing really well here.” “We’re all unclean and all our righteous acts are like filthy garbage. It’s what Jesus did on the cross that cleans us up and sets us free…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Open Eyes

Jesus meets a man who’s been blind since birth. I don’t know how brief their encounter was but, in that time, Jesus bent down took some mud and rubbed the man’s eyes with it and when he opened them, he could see. Immediately the Pharisees-the Religious Leaders, questioned the man wanted him to proclaim Jesus a sinner…. WHAT? But the blind’s response is brilliant in John 9:25, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!” He didn’t know how or why he had been healed but he knew a miracle had taken place and he wasn’t afraid to tell the truth.

We don’t have to all the answers in order to share Christ with others. What’s important is that we tell people the truth of how God’s love and forgiveness has changed our lives. Use your experiences and share your testimonies, to help others see Him too …everyday.

Friday Matters

Everyday Right Relationship

“What’s wrong with me?” Sometimes that’s what goes through my mind when I just can’t seem to stop thinking negatively or I rehearse what I should’ve done differently (like not opening my big mouth). Yes, I’m a sinner but God tells us that we’re all sinners in Romans 3:23. We all fall short of the glory of God. But watch out cuz Satan wants us to feel worthless. He knows that without confidence we’ll never step out in faith. He knows if he can keep us in the prison of self-hatred, self-rejection or plain not liking ourselves that he’ll prevent us from making progress plus we’ll be a threat to him!

We must believe we’ve been made righteous in God’s sight before we’ll behave rightly. We can’t produce the fruit of something when no seed has been sown. Think about it; Jesus is the Righteous Seed sown in death and resurrected in power so that means we are accepted and approved and the righteousness of God-yes, we’re in a right relationship with God by Christ’s GOODNESS…everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday New Creation

Here’s the deal of God’s good news from 2 Corinthians 5:17; " If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” However, that doesn’t mean our flesh isn’t at times screaming for what we found pleasurable in our old life. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us at the time we receive Christ, can we truly let the past be the past.

It’s not what we do, but what God does in and through us that sets us free. Our “do” is our choice to listen to His voice and His Word. James 4:4 tells us that if we choose to be a friend of the world, we take our stand as an enemy of God. Wow, that’s a truth statement. We may profess to be a Christian, but are we really “saved” when we choose to follow what the world has approved but God calls sin? Christ in us knows the way for us to walk. We still struggle with sin, but it’s important that we acknowledge sin as sin and then confess, change direction, and allow God to restore us…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.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday Flea Market Patience

As I stood in a hut, waiting in a crammed line to buy a necklace from a flea market vendor, I decided to pray for the artist rather than sigh with exasperated impatience. I thought; "Being patient isn't so much about the amount of time I wait but more about my attitude while I wait." Besides this was another opportunity for me to develop my fruits of the spirit and the fruit of patience is far from being ripe. When it was finally my turn at the counter the artist's mother who was helping said, "I've been watching you wait in line, and you weren’t impatient by all that was around you. There’s something different about you. You have peace."

It's not always what we say but how we behave that makes an impact. And it’s not always easy but from 1 John 4:16 we can rely on God’s love for help. Because when we live in God, He lives in us…everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday Test Training

Sometimes don’t you feel like you’ve been wandering in the wilderness for an awful long time and it’s high time things should start looking brighter? I’ve been there. And what helps me is to understand that the trials I’m facing are like tests given in a course that God has allowed to prepare me for my future. The class in the wilderness is not easy but knowing that God had to first approve what’s happening to me and it’s also no surprise to Him, helps me to understand the scriptures which say; “He who began a good work in you will complete it so rejoice in your trials because they’ll produce character which will bring you hope.”

God permits Satan to contest the believer. We’re given these tests to train us so that by Isaiah 45:3 we will be given treasures hidden in the darkness. But let’s remember the rest of the verse; “He will do this so we may know that He’s the Lord, the One who calls us by name…everyday.”

Friday Matters

Everyday Forgiving Family

One of the most difficult things to do is to forgive a family member who has hurt us. We want to make them understand how much they’ve hurt us and then we want them to ask for forgiveness and change their behavior. Yes, I’ve been there. But as I was talking to God about this, I came across 1 Peter 3:9 and it really spoke to my hurting heart. God laid out for me what I needed to do.

“Never return evil for evil or insult for insult but on the contrary bless them and pray for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly loving them. You’ve been called to do this, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing.” “Wow,” I thought, “It’s actually part of God’s plan for me to bless this person and pray for their happiness and protection which means truly loving them as He does. Others will know Him, Jesus, by how much we love others…everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday Hairstyle Ministry

Someone who doesn’t understand the leading of the Holy Spirit and how He works in our lives could say, “Your decision doesn’t make any sense. What are you thinking?” And our reply back could be, “I understand what you mean, but by the Holy Spirit I looked to God in my heart and not my head for the answer.” Saying that might get us a weird look but it’s what 1 Corinthians 2:14 talks about, “The non-spiritual man does not accept into his heart the teachings of the Spirit of God, for they are silly to him; and he is incapable of knowing them.”

Satan will send lies to our minds and we can choose to believe them OR ask ourselves, “Am I hearing from God who speaks to my heart according to His Word?” When following Christ, we live by faith. The non-spiritual man lives by feelings and sight, but faith has nothing to do with it. By faith you begin to understand things not with your mind but instead through the intuition of the Holy Spirit who speaks truth from God...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.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday Heartsick

It's so hard when I’ve been hoping and praying for something, and it doesn’t happen at all like I expected or wanted. How true is Proverbs 13: 12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” But even with heart sickness and prayers unanswered my way I know God has the way to work all things for the good. In the meantime, it’s good to recognize the disappointment because it’s part of the recovery process. Of course, we can always find someone that’s worse off than us or a reason why, we shouldn’t complain but I think the healthier response is to actually acknowledge the letdown, express our emotions and then move forward with God’s plan.

Proverbs 18:15; "The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?" My aunt always says, “I rather have sickness in my body than sickness in the mind or spirit.” And I agree. But thankfully there’s a God who’s there to help and heal us through all our sicknesses…everyday.

Monday 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. But as Proverbs 28:5 says, those who seek the Lord understand fully…everyday.