Friday Matters

Everyday God is Bigger

God is bigger. We may know this in our heart but it’s acting it out like we believe it that makes the difference. One of the hardest things to do is to forgive someone who isn’t’ sorry for what they’ve done because “it’s so not fair!” And because it’s not fair we want them to know how wrong they are. What does God want? Go to 1 Peter 3:9 and read; “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That’s what God asks, and He’ll bless you for it.”

Do you think God tells us to be good to those who’ve hurt us just because He wants to watch us suffer? No. The enemy works through people to hurt us and if we end up hating that person because they’ve hurt us then Satan’s job has been accomplished two times over. But if we respond with love then we’ve gotten Satan back and he’ll wish he never laid a finger on our lives…everyday.

Thursday Matters

Everyday Drunk Righteousness

What does it mean to be righteous? Well, it means we are in right standing with God and that means we know who we are in Him…. loved, redeemed, not a mistake. Greater self-effort and determination will never liberate you. Shifting your focus will. This means letting God lead you and not your flesh.

Again, in the Bible, Ephesians 5, tells us not to be drunk with wine but instead to be drunk with the Holy Spirit. When a person is drunk on alcohol, they feel, think and act differently. I’ve been there, done that. But the exact same is true when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we feel think and act differently. The Christian life is not the result of trying to act like a Christian; that’s only frustrating. The secret is developing our relationship with God empowered by the Holy Spirit. As God's Spirit fills us, we better understand who God really is. Our lives are changed from the inside out and good behavior is the end product…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.

Tuesday Matters

Everyday Gentle Answer

Sometimes I talk too much. Even if I’m talking about good things, it’s still better if I follow the advice of Proverbs 10:19; “Don’t talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!” I know that the mouth that blesses, praises and prays can also irritate, hurt and harm.

I remember a time when I was home from college and having a heated argument with my dad, who’s an unbeliever. I was so frustrated, and I wanted to lash out and say something to prove my point but from experience I knew my brilliant but angry words would not change a thing. It’s crazy but I actually said aloud Proverbs 15:1; “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” It was weird but the argument stopped immediately, as soon as I spoke the Proverb. God had the last Word. My prayer is Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to God in every way...everyday.

Monday Matters

Everyday “I Should”

Today I want to encourage you to ask God to help you take the “should” out of your life. Think how often you say, “I should read the Bible, I should memorize scripture, I should attend a Bible study, I should lead one.” But remember what Paul says in 2 Corinthians; “The code of the Law kills but the Holy Spirit makes alive.”

When we start thinking “I should” is when we get stuck in being religious. Some religious circles want you to believe that God can only be reached through rule keeping and good behavior. This “religious spirit” was alive when Jesus walked the earth, but He died so we could have a close personal relationship with Him and not a religion. Today, that same religious spirit still trips people up if they don’t know the truth. Remember the Law was given to show people their need for a Savior. A relationship with Christ enables us to walk in freedom and to be loved by grace and not by the law of, “I should,” …everyday.

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.”