Everyday MattersThere's a reason for everyday.
Despite the bad and the good, everyday matters. |
9/16/2022
Holy Spirit FilledFriday Matters-September 16, 2022
Everyday Drunk What does 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. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. 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. 9/15/2022
Loving Shepherd ChristThursday Matters- September 15, 2022
Everyday Invisible Shepherd My friend Pastor Dave has gone to be with Jesus. But when his cancer returned, he told me how he felt a precious sense of the Lord’s presence. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. He shared from the book he was reading, “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks” by Dr. Timothy Laniak who reminds us that many of us have experienced the desperate isolation and cold darkness that Job describes in his memoir. Dr. Laniak and his wife had seasons in their life without the light of understanding or any sense of God's presence which tested their faith in an invisible Shepherd. For several years when their children were young and faced with disabilities and a shift in their life's direction, they entered tsalmavet [deadly darkness]. The light they longed for did not dawn as they expected. But slowly they did reemerge from the valley humbled and sobered because of John 1:5; “The Light shines through the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it” …everyday. 9/14/2022
Walking in DepressionWednesday Matters- September 14, 2022
Everyday Depression Valleys I had a season of depression and anxiety that I walked in for over three months in 2009 and it was so wretched that I actually had thoughts of, “Maybe it would be better if I wasn’t around.” Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. But God brought me through this time and now I can honestly say I’m thankful for that season of darkness. It’s like the words I read by Dr. Timothy Laniak, “This journey through the shadows purges the soul of its pride and earthly attachment. Our challenge in dry and dark times is to respond in simple faith--to believe that the unseen Divine Shepherd is with us in our unlit valley. We grope in hope until rays of light begin to push the night away. Eventually, as Job confessed, 'He reveals mysteries from the darkness, and brings us into the light.’" Job 12:22 Having emerged from the dark valley I now have a more balanced response to the mountain tops. And I’m ready for more valleys, and I can help others through their dark valleys. Jesus will never leave us…everyday. 9/13/2022
Love BoundariesTuesday Matters- September 13, 2022
Everyday Love VS Trust Can we love someone and at the same time not trust them? Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. That does not mean we have to give someone access to our bank account just to prove we “love” them when they have and continue to steal from us. We show compassion for an alcoholic by offering our help. We also show compassion by not “enabling” the alcoholic by protecting them from consequences for their bad actions. Many times consequences are the “severe mercy” that is needed to get their attention. The caution is to make sure we have not elected ourselves their jury and judge. It's the Holy Spirit who guides and directs us in how we should move forward in love which might be setting a boundary or not continuing in conversation with someone when they repeatedly spew out garbage to us. Trust in God who loves you and the other person. He’ll take care of us, He’ll take care of them…EVERYTHING, no matter what…everyday. 9/12/2022
ParentingMonday Matters-September 12, 2022
Everyday Parenting If you’re a mom you’ve heard; “I don’t want to. It’s not fair.” And if you’re like me your sure-fire response has been, “Life’s not fair.” Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. BUT “back in the day,” when my four sons were young, I’d respond; “I understand you don’t think it’s fair and I’m sorry you don’t want to. But right now, I’m not interested in what you want. I’m interested in your obedience.” At first my boys didn’t really hear me and continued with the, “It’s not fair,” and “I don’t want to” but firmly I repeated my statement, “I’m not open to discussion, I’m the mom and I’m in charge here.” I wanted to help my four sons develop character to receive and understand the blessings that obedience brings. “Yep” … my oldest responded, “Thanks Mom,” when I read Proverbs 30:17 “The eye that scorns obedience to his mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley.” Thankfully, (through it all) my children still have their eyesight. It’s through obedience we receive our blessings …everyday. 9/9/2022
Words of HurtFriday Matters-September 9, 2022
Everyday Untamed Tongue “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” James pulls no punches. That muscle in our mouth can kill or heal, spark wars or absolve a world. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. Professor and Author Chad Bird says this; “From beginning to end, the Bible speaks about the power of speech, for good or for ill. With speech, the Lord God worded the world into being. And with speech, the serpent wooed the world into evil. When God commanded, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor,” he made explicit what we all know: that human society, relationships, justice, and one’s own soul are destroyed by lies. Some of the hardest moments in my life were when, knowing a lie would be the easy way out, that it would save me embarrassment, but in speaking the truth, even thought it hurt, it also opened a door to healing. Think how God began our world with the words, “Let there be,” and how He heals through the words, “I forgive you”…everyday. 9/8/2022
AddictThursday Matters- September 8, 2022
Everyday Recovering Addict As a recovering “self-addict” I try and focus on what God needs to change in me rather than asking Him to change everyone else and my circumstances that bother me. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. You see the self-involved person is always seeking a way to avoid pain whereas the God involved person embraces pain and they actually go to the Word of God to guide them through life. Instead of becoming bitter they become better. 1 Peter 5:10 really offers us hope and encouragement because it tells us that after we’ve suffered a little while, the God of all grace Who imparts all blessings and favor, Who has called us to His eternal glory will complete and make us what we ought to be. He’ll ground us securely, and strengthen, and settle us. That’s a great promise. And I want it! So ever so slowly I’m able to praise Him in the pain. I know God doesn’t ask to do something difficult without providing grace and strength to follow through. There are blessings and favor from Him in our trials…everyday. 9/7/2022
God of DetailsWednesday Matters- September 7, 2022
Everyday Detailed Beauty When I read all the verses in Exodus describing the different colors, stones, metals, woods, etc. that were to be used to build the tabernacle I thought, "Why take so much space in the Bible for that? Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. Why not devote more time to guidelines in dating or parenting, something a little more helpful?" But by these chapters God showed me how much He cares about detail and beauty. I realized He cares even more about the detail and beauty of the people He created in His image to honor His name! God’s perfectly happy with us enjoying beauty by the way we dress and decorate our homes and gardens. Of course, there needs to be balance but how freeing to know God made us unique, so He certainly doesn't want to take that away from us. In accepting Christ as Savior, we have the hope from Revelation 21 where every tear will be removed and we’ll belong in a place more beautiful than we can imagine; heaven…everyday. 9/6/2022
God’s Saving GraceTuesday Matters- September 6, 2022
Everyday Saving Club God is love. God is holy. Sometimes we can get out of balance with bott, too liberal in our definition of love or we become too legalistic in keeping God’s commands. Don’t miss the point; ABOVE ALL is God’s love. Hey this is Debbie Griffith of Everyday Matters. We think since God has the power to do something, unless He does it, He does not love. Yet, because God is pure love, He cannot accept evil in any form. God's holiness demands consequences for sin. Today, many people want to run from consequences. The lack of teaching on true morality has lowered the bar. Sometimes we tell God; "Our sins are not so wrong. What others do is much worse." I’ve been there…done that. Ecclesiastes 12 tells us; “Everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” will come before Him. And no matter what mistakes you’ve made, you’re not a mistake. God can redeem all things. We are all in the sinner’s club and we all need to be in the Savior’s club …everyday. 9/5/2022
Laughter MedicineMonday Matters-September 5, 2022
Everyday Laugh Don’t you just love to have a good laugh or the kind of laugh that triggers the giggles where you can’t stop? Sometimes laughter comes when you’re not supposed to be laughing like in a meeting or at church but it’s such good medicine. Hey, this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. Laughter draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and even protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner. Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us there’s: “A time to cry and a time to laugh.” Let’s find ways to put more laughter into our diets instead of obsessing on everything that bugs us. You really can find humor in a hard place and it’s so freeing and truly one of the best medicines for overall health…everyday. |
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