Everyday MattersThere's a reason for everyday.
Despite the bad and the good, everyday matters. |
10/17/2019
Be Kind. Love is kind.Thursday Matters-October 17, 2019
Everyday Be Tenderhearted “Yea, I know…we need to forgive and be tenderhearted to one another as God does for us. I know.” Okay well, knowing and living it out are two different things. Jesus calls us to be kind and tenderhearted toward everyone, even to those we don’t like very much which can be hard if they’ve hurt us. Romans 12:9; “Let your love be genuine and outdo one another in showing honor.” Personal, political, religious, and any other type of enemies or “opponents” should be treated with kindness which means assuming the best and not the worst of those we find difficult to deal with. Forgiveness doesn’t release the one who hurt you. It releases you. Having a tender heart is my willingness to see the pain from the point of view of the person who hurt me. I know. So we need to have God’s eyes and His heart to see that person as He does. God will and can change your heart and then healing will begin…everyday. 10/16/2019
Love ServesWednesday Matters-October 16, 2019
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. 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 for I know that’s His will for me. Think about it. There are blessings and favor from Him in our trials…everyday. 10/15/2019
Only by God’s GRACETuesday Matters-October 15, 2019
Everyday Bumper Stickers A guy and his car are standing at the pearly gates. The car is covered with Christian bumper stickers. The guy is trying to talk his way into heaven but Peter won't budge. The guy says, "But look at my car!" Peter finally compromises and says, "OK, your car can come in..." Much of the time people don't realize what forgiveness truly means in their lives. They really believe the sin that separates them from God in the first place, is worth it. And sometimes they look at forgiveness as a license to keep on living in the flesh while expecting God to jump through hoops they’ve set up. When we have a relationship with God we get the Holy Spirit living in us and THAT is what keeps us from staying comfortable in our sins. You look at Paul talking to the Romans and he says, “I sometimes fall and do what I don’t want but with Jesus I don’t have to stay down.” We can walk and drive in freedom when we let God’s forgiveness change us…everyday. 10/14/2019
Why love your enemy?Monday Matters-October 14, 2019
Everyday Love Your Enemies God will never stop pursing you no matter how far we run and no matter what you do or don’t do. His heart breaks when we choose to do things that hurt ourselves or others. That is why He commands us in Matthew 5:44 to; “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” What? How does that make sense? Well, God created us in His image and we are His children whom He loves so just because someone is your enemy doesn’t mean they’re God’s. They’re His lost child, and He wants them back. Yes, there are circumstances where we’re called to face the bully, the tyrant and say; “No more,” and fight back. But not out of revenge. God is not willing that any be condemned, but that all come to repentance. His great love says; “Confess to me your sins, turn back to Me. Nothing can separate My love from you.” This earth is temporary and heaven is forever. Choose Love, receive love and follow Him…everyday. 10/11/2019
Jesus never leaves youFriday Matters-October 11, 2019
Everyday Storms “It seems in life when it rains it pours, and in the downpour I can no longer see my blessings. That’s what Becky, a listener, wrote. I get it. “I feel like the disciples who were overcome with fear and concentrated on the storm instead of Jesus. I don't plan on giving up but it sure seems like a daily struggle to hang on.” I’m sure we’ve all been in a storm we thought would never let up. We’ve all been in the middle. In Mark 4:35 Jesus told the disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side” and yep they got to the other side. Sometimes we can’t SEE how we will get there but by FAITH we can know and trust that God will bring us through. We need to hang on with our faith and not our fear. And even though our storm may be of hurricane proportions like the disciples had, Jesus is right there with us, fully aware, fully awake and ready to bring us through…everyday. 10/10/2019
God is in the StormThursday Matters-October 10, 2019
Everyday Waves My friend, Michelle, shared; “These waves of trials and circumstances are very real and overwhelming to me right now. But Debbie, the question is; not whether or not I see them; the question is whether or not I see ONLY them. I know it's not about the waves; it's about walking forward toward Him because He says ‘Come!’” What honesty, and I can’t say, I’m that mature in a storm situation. In the Bible we can read in Mark 4: where Jesus says to the disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake” but a furious storm of hurricane proportions arises with waves crashing into the boat. Where’s Jesus? He’s asleep inside the boat. “Master, don’t You care that we’re dying,” the disciples ask. Without answering Jesus rises and rebukes the wind and sea, “Be still,” He says and a great calm comes. When Jesus says, “You’re gonna get to the other side,” believe Him. You’ll get to the other side no matter what stormy trial you’re facing. Go forward with Him…everyday. 10/9/2019
Proclaim FAITH in JesusWednesday Matters-October 9, 2019
Everyday Personal Faith Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t wear my religion on my sleeve or talk about it because it’s personal?” I get that we don’t want to be labeled or stereotyped but let’s not keep private the GOOD NEWS of God’s grace! The older I get the more I realize how much grace I need so I can’t afford to withhold from others. I share my relationship with a living God and not a religion of rules made by men. I may not have a theological background but I do have a personal relationship with Christ. I can share my testimony of how He’s changed my life. Millions throughout the centuries have suffered or died in order to get the message of God’s love and forgiveness out, the message of a personal relationship with Christ, not a religion. Romans 1:16 will soon be tattooed on my arm (for real), “I’m not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it’s the power of salvation to all who believe”…everyday. 10/8/2019
Humble YourselfTuesday Matters-October 8, 2019
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. Stinky pride comes in when I have zero patience with someone who’s hurt me. The Bible says, in the book of Obadiah, that the pride of your heart has deceived you. It’s hard when you’re hurt and you think the entire hurt and fault lies on someone else. Yet the promise of God is that when you give the other person for God to deal with, He will lift YOU up! The signs of pride include an unwillingness to take responsibility for our actions. Pride wants to do all the talking and none of the listening. You’re probably thinking of someone who needs to hear this, but that “someone” may be you! God sees you and your hurt. You’re not alone. I’ve been there too. Take a deep breath. Ask the Holy Spirit to humble your heart and then let HIS peace come… everyday. 10/7/2019
Walking in LoveMonday Matters-October 7, 2019
Everyday Spirit of Love There will always be people in our lives who are difficult. And I also fall into the category of being a difficult person too. Oh, but for the kindness, the grace of God, how could we live without Him? We must realize that the Holy Spirit according to 1 Peter 1:22 is the One Who purifies our hearts so we can allow the sincere love of God to flow through us to others. Walking in the love of God is the ultimate goal of Christianity and should be the primary pursuit of our lives rather than trying to get even with others. Jesus came and pronounced that all other commandments are summed up by loving God and loving others. When I think of what I can do for myself or how I can get others to bless me I'm filled with ME! But when I think of other people and how I can bless THEM I find myself filled with the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of love…everyday. 10/4/2019
Mental IllnessFriday Matters-October 4, 2019
Everyday Meds “Lisa,” I wrote; “I know exactly where you’re at. You’re not a “bad Christian” because you went on medication for your depression. God doesn’t think that. He loves you where you’re at.” I went on meds for anxiety. It was hard. I felt; “Maybe I wasn't reading the right scripture, praying right or maybe I didn't have enough faith. We live in a fallen world with sickness and disease. The enemy wants us to believe we’re a failure when our sickness is mental but it’s a lie. We’re sick. We need healing and stability and we limit God when we say He can only work on way. It was pride that kept me from wanting to take meds. I wanted to say; “God healed me without medication." Instead He provided a way through meds. It’s a mind battle. It helped me to hear National Speaker Chonda Pierce dealt with meds and depression. She taped a message to her prescription bottle which read; “God loves you Chonda. Take your medicine.” Don’t lose hope. You will get better…everyday. |
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