Everyday MattersThere's a reason for everyday.
Despite the bad and the good, everyday matters. |
1/17/2020
God’s grace for your misstepsFriday Matters- January 17, 2020
Everyday Mercy “Dan, c’mon, please pay the bill. My allowance won’t cover it.” I was at my husband’s office asking for grace as I handed him the bill from spending too much at J. Crew Catalog. Whew…he forgave and paid the bill. I was relieved. But when I went home I discovered that a stick of butter, my special cake plate and a container of frosting was missing. I knew my nephew had baked a cake while I was away so 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. But was this servant grateful? No, he instantly found his friend who owed him a few thousand and when instant payment wasn’t given he had the man thrown in prison. Okay, so I got the memo. God gives fresh mercy to us each day so how can we afford to withhold mercy from others who need it too…everyday. 1/16/2020
Real Life & Real LoveThursday Matters- January 16, 2020
Everyday Real Life In one simple month all of life seemed to fall apart. Brandon had lost his job, the family’s golden retriever had died and Brandon’s wife was back at the clinic again to try new antibiotics to combat her bronchitis. God where are you? If He loves us won’t He take the pain away or at least some of it? Remember God is always with us and He isn’t surprised by what’s happening. Everything must pass through His hands first. Sometimes a tragedy is where we meet God for the first time. We must lose religion, where it’s all about rules and proving ourselves, and instead rest in a personal relationship with God who knows exactly what we’re going through and how to take care us. Jesus working through us and not focusing on our own works or man’s laws is what’s important. God always loves us. He will not fail us. Grasp hold of His grace and mercy with both hands to find hope…everyday. 1/15/2020
God knows your heartWednesday Matters- January 15, 2020
Everyday My Heart Take comfort in knowing only God knows your heart yet I know it stings when someone judges you harshly because they can’t see your heart. The human heart is arrogant, and often cares for itself above all, prone to judge others, prone to make demands of others. The heart is also needy and incomplete with holes that can only be repaired by God’s perfect love. Where’s the healing for it all? Jesus. He is it, His Word which is both justice and mercy. First, we must deeply understand and truly own our brokenness. 1 John 1:8 people, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” The Bible doesn’t call us to judge others but it calls us to always be mindful and humbly recognize our own weakness. Whatever righteousness we possess was given to us by the victory of Christ’s death and resurrection. God is grieved when we use the Bible on others as a weapon. Humility. Ask God to give you the grace to love others as He does…everyday. 1/14/2020
Blessings others when they hurt youTuesday Matters- January 14, 2020
Everyday Bless You 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 goodness, I 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! 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. 1/13/2020
You are LOVEDMonday Matters-January 13, 2020
Everyday Real Self I’m pretty sure we’ve all done this; “I’m good. I’ve got this under control,” and performed to some degree. I read that the pursuit of truth is not about us making a moral resolution to avoid petty lying and to stop deceiving others; it’s the decision to stop deceiving ourselves. Rather than admit my own issues I find it easier to find fault with others and compare myself with them. To a certain degree we’ve all tried to cover, avoid, or perform as if there is nothing wrong and we’re certainly not as bad as that other person. Self-deception is the enemy of wholeness because it prevents us from seeing ourselves as we really are. Ask God to show you what you need to see about your real self. He will show you lovingly and give you His grace and strength to face your issues and walk in wholeness so you can love yourself. It’s that kind of self-acceptance and coming to terms with our real personalities which helps us to love others authentically too…everyday. 1/10/2020
The TRUTH of ChristFriday Matters- January 10, 2020
Everyday Faith in JESUS ALONE 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. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. I love to talk about Jesus and how He is love but He is holy too. And now I realize that not everyone who agrees Jesus is love understands that He is holy. 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 only through faith in Him can we have eternal life…everyday. 1/9/2020
Free WillThursday Matters- January 9, 2020
Everyday Good and Bad It all comes down to free will. We have a choice to choose good and evil actions. I have make bad choices whether it was telling a lie or stealing but I have also had the same bad happen to me, someone lying and stealing from me. C.S. Lewis said, “If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.” I have to really stop and think about that but it’s true. It’s the freedom of choice that makes love real. Being forced to love God is not real love at all. It goes back to the basics of what being a Christian is. Accept God’s love, His grace and HIS work on the cross. It’s not about our good works. When we understand this we can really start loving others freely…everyday. 1/8/2020
Jesus will carry youWednesday Matters- January 8, 2020
Everyday Roll-it Up My nephew’s playing D1 hockey and enrolled in a tough Ivy League School. Each week I encourage him with scripture and how to apply and persevere. This week’s verse was Proverbs 16:3; "Roll up your works upon the Lord, commit and trust them wholly to Him; and He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and so shall your plans be established and succeed." Here's what I told him I pictured with the verse. I lay a sleeping bag out on the floor and I put all the things that are weighing me, frustrating me, and making me anxious or depressed. I lay down my issues and then I roll up the sleeping and put it on the shoulders of Jesus. And as I really do this, I mean really surrender, He begins to put in my heart & head the purpose and the plan He has for me. He gives me grace and strength to "let go" so that my thoughts become agreeable to His will. God’s way works as long as I let Him in…everyday. 1/7/2020
No SHAME with JesusTuesday Matters- January 7, 2020
Everyday Shame Jenny said; “The knowledge of my husband's addiction caused me great shame. I remember being in a mom’s group and conversations were going on about all the normal mom-stuff like potty-training, sleepless nights, a shared recipe and the entire time I’m smiling and pretending. I thought; ‘If only they knew.’ I was afraid to let go of this image.” I’m so sorry if you’ve been through that hard place of betrayal like Jenny. But please share your story because you’re not alone. Shame keeps us hidden, hurting and silent. It builds walls and fights against being real. You need to know that “guilt” says you did something wrong. “Shame,” on the other hand, says that you are something wrong. You are NOT something wrong you’re your hurt feelings aren’t wrong. Jesus loves you, me and all the “Jennies” our there. He loves us where we are and in Matthew 11 He says to come as you are. Alright then, let’s give it Him. It’s gonna be okay and it will get better…everyday. 1/6/2020
Serving OthersMonday Matters-January 6, 2020
Everyday Feet Washing Nancy felt she had forgiven her friend but every time she drove past her girlfriend’s home, the resentment and pangs of hurt would surround her. She prayed. God answered. He told her He wanted her to picture Him washing her feet everyday thus showing her how much He loves and forgives her. She spent this time with Jesus and then the day came when He said, “Now I want you to wash your friend’s feet, “Okay but make sure the water is scalding,” she thought. It startled her that this was where her heart was but she obeyed. She prayed and let the Holy Spirit change her as she mentally washed the feet of her friend. Nancy still not in a restored friendship but she no longer has deep hurt when driving by her friend’s home. I am not there either with letting go of some deeper hurts but I know God knows and His love continues to work in and through me…everyday. |
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