Everyday MattersThere's a reason for everyday.
Despite the bad and the good, everyday matters. |
2/17/2025
HopeMonday Matters-February 17, 2025
Everyday Fainting What do you do when you are about to faint physically? You cannot do anything and so you fall. Hopefully it’s cushioned or upon the shoulder of some strong loved one. You must rest, lie still and trust. God's message to us is not, "Be strong and of good courage, for He knows our strength and courage have fled. Psalm 46:10 tells us, "Be still, and know that I am God." In the 1800’s British missionary, Hudson Tayor, traveled to China and I learned from my, “Streams in the Desert” devotional, that in the last months of his life he feebly wrote a dear friend, "I am so weak I cannot write, I cannot read my Bible, I cannot even pray. I can only lie still in God's arms like a little child and trust." He, a man of God, came to a place of physical suffering and weakness where he could only lie still and trust. That’s all God asks of you. When you grow faint in the fierce fires of suffering, don’t try and be strong but be still and know that He is God. He will sustain and bring you through…everyday. 2/14/2025
God’s GoodnessFriday Matters- February 14, 2025
Everyday Throne It was a process of time and seeking God where I got to the place where I thought; “I get to read the Bible” and not; “I have to.” Ya know, no wonder we are so exhausted…we are waiting on everything except Him.” I try to go to God first by not going to my phone or any screen but instead holding a hard copy of the Bible and reading it feels so solid. Checking Facebook and following through with a comment thread can seem SO important so I say to myself, “First to God look, before Facebook.” Think about how you wait for a text, a message or a comment for encouragement or even advice on what to do. But look at Isaiah 40:31; “Those who wait for the Lord and expect, look for, and hope in Him shall change and renew their strength and power.” Are you hearing this? You can be changed just by waiting, expecting and hoping in Jesus while at the same time renewing your strength and power. Go to the throne before going to the phone and be filled…everyday. 2/13/2025
ObedienceThursday Matters- February 13, 2025
Everyday Crazy Obey Crazy enough, Jonah finds himself in the belly of a whale and the reason he lands inside the belly of a big fish is because he didn’t want to deliver a message to the people of Ninevah. But, after three days inside to contemplate his situation, he cries out to God, in obedience, saying, “I will sacrifice to You with praise, and I’ll fulfill my vows because salvation comes from the Lord!” Jonah then delivers his message to the evil people of Ninevah, and they repent and change. On an anniversary dinner date over 15 years ago in Minneapolis my husband I listened to a wonderful jazz singer, and I signed up for her emails. Every time I received one, I would send a prayer. It was crazy and Christine was not a Christian. But we developed a friendship, which continued for two years and then shockingly I was contacted by her stepmom that she had suddenly passed away. I was stunned but also in awe of how God uniquely reaches into over lives with love. I shared the Gospel with Christine and my hope is that I see her again in eternity…everyday. 2/12/2025
PeaceWednesday Matters- February 12, 2025
Everyday Umpire of Peace I always thought that having peace was a feeling and so I thought if I prayed God would give me a feeling about how to proceed. Years later, through prayer and understanding, I realize God’s gives peace in the way of “knowing” rather than just a feeling. This comes by way of the Holy Spirit. Think how an umpire in a ball game decides if a player is “in” or “out” and in Colossians 3:15 there’s the Umpire of Peace, “Let the peace from Christ act as umpire in your hearts deciding and settling all questions that come into your mind.” We are able to ask God a question and trust the Holy Spirit on how to proceed. I remember my young friend, Rhonda, asking me if she should take an additional job because finances were tough but then again, the long hours would affect her family too. At first, my feelings were, “Take the job.” But after we prayed together neither of us had peace. So Rhonda refused the job and almost immediately help came in a different way. Pray with and for peace the “Umpire of Peace” …everyday. 2/11/2025
HumilityTuesday Matters- February 11, 2025
Everyday Humility Remember that song, “Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in everyday way?” We laugh because like yeah right, “as if.” But sometimes we’re so busy pointing out the faults of others that we don’t take time to look at our own that we need to address. My mentor friend Barb wrote, “True humility is not a denial of your positive attributes. It isn’t a humble person who says, “I’m not good at anything.” This is an expression of pride which says, “Look at poor me. I just have to have special consideration because I’m so weak. Please pity me...treat me well.” On the contrary, the truly humble person recognizes their strengths and weaknesses and so rather than a concentration on yourself, humility leads you to look around you for opportunities to encourage and help others.” Snap. When you understand humility that way it helps you to be confident in the gifts God’s given you rather than feeling bad about what you don’t have. Happy and free people are humble people…everyday. 2/10/2025
God’s WisdomMonday Matters-February 10, 2025
Advice from God Should I, do it? What do you think? Maybe I should put a poll out on social media? Sure, it is wise to ask advice from others and in Proverbs 15 we can read that plans fail for lack of counsel but with many advisers they succeed. But it’s also important to care most about what God thinks. Often when we pray, we make all these requests but then fail to wait and LISTEN. God knows your heart and loves you. He has the best advice. In the Bible when Paul was talking to the Colossians, he told them that they could have a peace in their heart when a decision was made. It’s important that we aren’t seeking the approval of others or just relying on our feelings. God does answer us. Sometimes the answer is “no” and sometimes we can’t hear because we tell God what we want and ask Him to bless it rather than asking Him if it’s a direction He even wants us to take. Feelings come and go but the peace of God will remain…everyday. 2/7/2025
EncouragementFriday Matters- February 7, 2025
Everyday Compliment “It’s not fair. They don’t deserve my kindness and I’m certainly not going to compliment them on anything because they already tell me how great they are anyway.” Very often those difficult people in our lives are family members. We think; “How can they be so clueless to their own junk and continue to point out mine?” But here’s the deal; we may not think they deserve our love or kindness but neither do we deserve God’s grace and kindness toward us. The advice given me was “Debbie, just lavish them with love. Compliment and see what happens in your heart and in theirs.” Guess what it works. Love someone with simply acts of kindness by praising the good of who they are, and you’ll be amazed at how God changes your heart and theirs. Truth from God in John 13:34; “Love one another as I have loved you.” It’s hard at first…really hard. But the change, the blessing, the beginning of healing in a broken relationship…oh you’ll be thinking; “Why didn’t I do this sooner…everyday.” 2/6/2025
Hearing GodThursday Matters- February 6, 2025
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 you’ve entered into a personal relationship with Christ then you 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 when He’s speaking from His Word through scripture. Proverbs 20:12 reminds us that 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 because I use my allotted amount daily. Let’s stop, listen and hear from Jesus and His Word. Pray for wisdom and discernment which come from the Holy Spirit, and you will begin to see a difference in your life because you seek Him over the voices of others…everyday. 2/5/2025
God’s StrengthWednesday Matters- February 5, 2025
Everyday His Home in Us Life is hard. Can we do the hard stuff like forgiving those who never apologize or have peace when a health report is terminal? We can live free even when life is hard. The moment you receive Christ you are filled with the Holy Spirit and so you have the potential to live a life of victory over sin. This potential is released by faith as you surrender control of your life. In 2 Timothy we read how the Holy Spirit makes His home in us! When you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, He becomes involved in every decision you make—both major and minor. He leads you by peace and by wisdom, by what God says in the Bible. He speaks to your heart. So, if you read in Ezekiel, you see God’s promise that the day would come when He would give people a new heart and put His Sprit within them. Under the old covenant, the Holy Spirit only came upon people for special purposes, but He did not live inside them as He does with us who know Him…everyday. 2/4/2025
HumilityTuesday Matters- February 4, 2025
Everyday Self-Worship I don’t think anyone would admittedly say that they worship themselves but isn’t that what they’re actually saying when we hear, “I’m living my true self,” or I’m living my authentic self?” As a Christian who follows a Biblical perspective how does that make sense? What if your “true self” is to be unfaithful to your spouse because it feels right? Feelings can be indicators but don’t allow them to become dictators. What feels good and true for yourself might feel bad and false for the one being cheated on. God knows and understands your feelings and frustrations, your hopes and dreams. He knows the best and truest path for you to follow so you live in a way that honors who He created you to be in a way that respects and honors others too. Many follow a self-directed life over a God directed life and then call it, “living my true self.” Proverbs 16:9 tells you that you can make your plans but let the Lord direct your steps (along with your feelings) and you will have peace…everyday. |
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