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2/26/2021 Jesus UnderstandsFriday Matters-February 26, 2021
Everyday Feelings of ALIVE It’s so important to remember; feelings are indicators, but don’t let them be dictators. Get it? Feelings are valid and they indicate good and bad things happening in our lives but we shouldn’t let them lead us, especially when we feel afraid. I read this post on Instagram which said; “And then I realized that to be more alive I had to be less afraid so I did it, I lost my fear and gained my whole life.” We may feel fear but the way to lose “it” is to go forward in courage despite what we feel which I know is insanely difficult but always worth it. The only way we can do that and leave our fears behind is by leaning into the grace and hope God gives us. Think about what God says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous.” Don’t give up because of feelings. Don’t let fear immobilize you because God will be the one who keeps on walking with you and He won’t abandon you EVER…everyday.
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2/25/2021 Jesus Takes Your PainThursday Matters- February 25, 2021
Everyday Jesus Did It 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. 2/24/2021 Prayer WorksWednesday Matters- February 24, 2021
Everyday Prayers Working Something happens when we pray that doesn’t happen when we don’t. Let me say that again, “Something happens when we pray that doesn’t happen when we don’t.” BUT if we don’t feel or see an answer to what we were asking for then we may start to think that God isn’t listening. BUT He always hears. Sometimes the answer is “no” and sometimes the answer is “yes.” I think the hardest reply is to hear, “wait.” “I don’t get it. It’s not fair and God I’m starting to wonder if You care or even exist.” We all may have had those thoughts at one time or another but don’t give up. God is always on the move. He’s on “it” whatever “it” may be. Psalm 27:13 I know, “I would’ve despaired unless I’d believed that I’d see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” There is goodness while on earth even though it’s not our final destination. Waiting is hard but with God it’s worth it…everyday. 2/23/2021 God is in ControlTuesday Matters- February 23, 2021
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 cuz “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. 2/22/2021 Holy SpiritMonday Matters-February 22, 2021
Everyday His Home in Us Life is hard. The earth experience is hard. It is not our home. Hard stuff for us all is stuff like forgiving those who never apologize or a health report that is terminal. Yet we can live free because the moment we receive Christ we are filled with the Holy Spirit with the potential to live a life of victory over fear, and struggles like forgiving others. This potential is released by faith as we surrender control of over our lives. Look at 2 Timothy 1:14…. the Holy Spirit makes His home in us and will lead by peace and wisdom as He speaks to our hearts. In the Old Testament (in Ezekiel), God’s promised 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 when we know Him personally. Amazing. I’m in for His control in my life, are you…everyday? 2/19/2021 God’s Way TrustedFriday Matters-February 19, 2021
Everyday Explanation Maybe the reason God doesn’t explain to Job why terrible things happen is that He knows what Job needs isn’t an explanation. Frederick Buechner’s shares this insight from his book; “Wishful thinking.” “Suppose that God did explain. Suppose that God were to say to Job that the reason the cattle were stolen, the crops ruined, and the children killed was thus and so, spelling everything out right down to and including the case of boils. Job would have his explanation. But Job would still have to face his kid’s empty chairs at breakfast every morning. Having a complete theological justification of his boils, he would still have to scratch and burn. God doesn’t reveal His grand design. He reveals Himself. He doesn’t show why things are as they are. He shows His face. And Job says, I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” And this is the same God we too can see…everyday. 2/18/2021 The Power of God’s WordThursday Matters- February 18, 2021
Everyday Word Power Lazarus was dead; that was a fact but when Jesus who is the Truth walked up to the tomb and spoke; that truth changed the facts. Throughout the Gospels we repeatedly read of people who were sick and demon possessed who went to Jesus. When He spoke, their facts changed. They were healed, delivered, and set free. We must never magnify the facts of our circumstances above God and the power of His Word. When God speaks things change. Read Isiah 55:11 and you see that God’s Word does not return to Him empty but always accomplish its purpose. When we learn to speak God’s Word instead of rehearsing how we feel or declaring what we think, we are also releasing God’s power. The Word God spoken in faith from a believer’s mouth can change circumstances. WE may experience negative facts in our lives, but God’s Word is truth, and truth is more powerful than facts. Honestly, it’s gonna help if you say the truth out loud, “I am loved, as I am, right now,” …everyday. 2/17/2021 Jesus ALWAYS UnderstandsWednesday Matters- February 17, 2021
Everyday He Understands “No one understands what I’m going through and it’s not fair.” Does that sound familiar? Yet we can read in Hebrews 4:15 that Jesus experienced every emotion and suffered every feeling you and I do BUT He did it without sin! He didn’t give in to His negative feelings because He KNEW GOD, He is God. You and I will never be able to say “no” to our feelings if we don’t have within us a strong knowledge of who God is and how much He loves us. When my feelings are hurt by someone the best thing I can do is talk to God; “Jesus do You see what’s happening here and what I’m feeling! Thank You for not condemning me for feeling this way. Help me to forgive, and not pay back the person who’s hurt me.” I pray THAT all the time. God knows. He understands. God is able to work with us and our feelings… everyday. 2/16/2021 HumilityTuesday Matters- February 16, 2021
Everyday Humility Remember that song, “Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in everyday way?” We laugh cuz 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. 2/15/2021 God Delights in YouMonday Matters-February 15, 2021
Everyday Journey In life’s journey we all want to be known and loved and Jesus knows us better than anyone and still loves us. I remember teaching Zephaniah 3:17 and God’s main point is the constant, never ending love He wants us to know and experience. He delights in us as His child. He knows us, our pain, the ache from the loved lost, the cancer that came, anxiety attacks you may have along with depression, the lie that spread— He knew before I knew. 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 is not mad at you. He grieves for wrong choices or things done to us but He loves us madly and deeply everyday. |
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