Everyday Matters by Debbie Griffith

11/30/2022

Going Forward

Wednesday Matters- November 30, 2022
Everyday Going Forward

Amanda felt that no matter what she did she could never remove the stain from her past mistakes. She felt she was constantly trying to prove herself and even though her past mistakes where behind her and she had been sober for years she couldn’t shake her feelings that she was really loved but still judged. Jesus met a woman at the well who was a sinner, but He didn’t condemn her. He met her thirst. So, she ran back into town to let others know, that despite her past, Jesus accepted her where she was at. He hasn’t changed.

Nothing we could do would ever take His love away from us nor is there anything we could do to cause Him to love us more. He knows us, our pains and our past. HE IS here, waiting to make creative, redemptive use of what has happened. He “gets us” and loves us unconditionally…everyday.

11/29/2022

Loving People

Tuesday Matters- November 29, 2022
Everyday Grocery Cart

The first time I saw the cart lady she was pushing close to 15 carts back into the grocery store. I was surprised I’d never seen the cart lady since my small town only had two grocery stores and I visited this particular one at least three times a week. This woman in her 70’s watched me carefully as I left the store with my cart and after my groceries were in my van, she, without a word took my cart to return it. I stopped her, “Do you work here?” “No,” she replied, “but I figured better get some exercise than sit and watch TV all day.”

Last week she noticed me and without a word, helped unload my groceries. As she walked away pushing my cart, she turned grinning, “I like what I do.” Jesus calls us all to love and serve those He puts before us. I think He knows that real contentment comes in giving more than receiving …everyday.

11/28/2022

Adoption

Monday Matters-November 28, 2022
Everyday Adoption

Yesterday a police officer was stationed at the state courthouse. This afternoon the judge finalized a case in which a 3-year-old boy was officially adopted by his late mom’s best friend two years after the boy’s parents and grandparents died in a car accident. The boy has been living with his mom’s best friend ever since the accident and he treats her as if she is his real mom. Once the adoption was approved, everyone in the courtroom was smiling. But before the judge had a chance to slam the gavel and dismiss everyone, the boy ran up to the judge and asked if he could do it.

The judge laughed and nodded yes. So, smiling ear to ear, the boy sat on the judge’s lap, looked up at everyone in the courtroom, slammed the gavel, and finalized his own adoption. Are you lost? Maybe you’ve always felt alone and like you never belonged. Here’s the good news. God adopts you in when you say “yes” to Him. He chooses and loves us …everyday.

11/25/2022

Brother Love

Friday Matters- November 25, 2022
Everyday Older Brother

“I’m a high school graduate because of my older brother,” Kevin told me. I’m healthy and I’m alive because of my older brother Tim.” Today Kevin is 18 and his older brother Tim is 29. When Kevin was seven and Tim was 18, he got an apartment on his own so they could live “on the good side of town.” They moved out of the Crack House their drug addicted mother was living in and who’s now sadly passed away. Tim worked two jobs to pay the bills and always made sure Kevin was safe, fed and at school on time. “He basically saved my life,” said Kevin. “I could never repay him, but I can step up and make a difference in someone else’s live like he did mine.”

God makes a difference in your life when you let Him. Stress less on all the things, you think, He might take away and instead focus on the freedom and love He has to give, no matter who you are or where you’ve been. Share God’s love with others. God loves us…everyday.

11/24/2022

Swearing

Thursday Matters- November 24, 2022
Everyday “Oh God”

We hear it all the time, the phrase “Oh, my God!” to express a thought or idea that is incredible or unbelievable. But as we grow in a relationship with Christ we need to realize that when we say, “Oh, my God” we’re, in fact, violating one of God’s Ten Commandments; “You shall not use the name of the Lord your God in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)
My husband tells the story, when as a new believer returning to play cards with his buddies, he very intently asked them not to swear using God’s name; if they did he wouldn’t be able to play. There was a stunned silence until one of his friends spoke and said, “Okay, we’ll respect that.” Another guy said, “But can we still say, ‘blankity-blank and blank?’” My husband said, “Sure, that’s fine, just don’t use the name of the Lord in vain.” There’s such power in God’s name. He is Holy. He is Love. He and His name should always be respected and honored…everyday.

11/23/2022

Freedom in Christ

Wednesday Matters- November 23, 2022
Everyday Faithful Freedom

God’s love is perfect and He’s perfectly holy too. In His holiness He must punish sin because sin blocks us from having a relationship with Him. God’s love for us brought Him to earth as fully God and fully man to take the punishment and pay for our sins by dying on the cross and then coming back to life. We cannot earn our way to heaven with good works. We now have a choice. Do we accept the sacrificial gift He offers with the hope of heaven where we too will be fully restored physically complete, whole with a purpose or do we refuse His gift and live forever without Him with weeping and gnashing of teeth?

God dearly loves you and so He has a plan of restoration by His grace and in 1 John 1:9 in the Bible it says that when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and He’ll remove all our sins, all our unrighteousness so we can live with hope and freedom now and into eternity…everyday.

11/22/2022

Loving Everyone

Tuesday Matters- November 22, 2022
Everyday Tolerance

Not everyone likes me. I know. I believe in the death and resurrection of Christ being God for the forgiveness of my sins. I would be called a Christian, but it doesn’t mean that all Christians agree on the same beliefs. I have friends of diversity with different beliefs and lifestyles and some things we agree on and some things we don’t. I love people. Only people last forever and how we treat others will be the true legacy we leave behind. No matter who someone is I hope to always listen and learn while being kind.

Honestly, I like to be challenged. But I’m not ashamed that I believe John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life.” This view doesn’t make me popular with everyone, but I try and seek God’s approval. My aim is to show the love of Christ by giving grace and treating others with kindness and respect regardless of our different opinions or beliefs…everyday.

11/21/2022

The Bible

Monday Matters-November 21, 2022
Everyday Genie in a Bible

Do you think about what God sees in you or what others see? It’s often a process to care more about what God sees in you rather than care what others think or see. When our identity and strength come from Him then we have the mindset to ask God, “Where should I go, who should I meet, and “How can I serve?” But how often do we find ourselves making wonderful plans and then asking God, “Bless what I’ve decided is good.” God is not a Genie in a Bible. It’s not about saying the correct verses and trying to perfect behavior. it’s about trusting God’s goodness, promises and faithfulness and when life doesn’t look or feel good.

God doesn’t need me to be heard on the radio, write books or be a speaker. He loves us for who we are and not for what we do. He gives us purpose with the gifts He’s given us simply because He’s good and He loves us…everyday.

11/18/2022

Raising Children

Friday Matters- November 18, 2022
Everyday No Greater Joy

I remember the Easter that each of our four sons shared how they knew God was real. Each boy revealed how they talked to God and how He talked to them. It was so reassuring to hear they knew Jesus personally in a relationship, not as a religion. So TRUE is 3 John 1:4; “I’ve no greater joy than to hear our children follow truth.”
In 2010 (tweleve years ago) the local newspaper interviewed our son, Marco about his trip to the Philippines and Marco said; “So, I’ve got a relationship with God and it’s great because when I was younger it was the religion stuff—go to church, memorize verses…but when I really started talking to God, He started talking to me, I got along a lot better. I want to get that through to people in the Philippines. God is a person that you talk to. Not a person really, but God, and you can talk to Him and He’ll talk to you. And it’s not a one way conversation”…everyday.

11/17/2022

God is the Creator

Thursday Matters- November 17, 2022
Everyday Why Created

Why did God create us in the first place. I don’t have the answer, but I think it’s because He wanted someone in His image to love. In the beginning of creation, He gives His creation a freewill to love Him back too. Forcing someone to love you is not real love.

I like what Pastor John Piper has to say on the purpose of creation being one of the most amazing things about God and without us on His created earth His grace could not be realized. That is why He created us. He knew we would sin, so He chose Christ’s sacrifice before creation - because He wanted to reveal the glory of His grace. This earth experience is hard with hard circumstances like our health and broken relationships and yet we have the hope of God’s promises and in faith we can SEE His grace displayed with love now and in heaven. God isn’t limited by our sin - only we are.” This earth is not our final destination. We have the hope of living perfectly with purpose by the righteousness of God…everyday.