Everyday MattersThere's a reason for everyday.
Despite the bad and the good, everyday matters. |
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10/22/2021 Jesus Waits for YouFriday Matters-October 22, 2021
Everyday Waiting at the Well Are you waiting for your child to return, for the reconciliation of one has gone a wrong direction? It’s so hard. I heard from a woman who wrote, “It’s hard to see what the purpose is in my son being estranged from his loving Christian family and the many prayers for our reunion, but it never comes.” THAT is so hard. Jesus often asks us to wait at the well for those we love just as He did with the Samaritan woman whose sin was adultery. Jesus didn’t tell the woman she was a sinner only that He knew. He let her eyes be opened as she knew Him more. Silence allows a person to reveal it to themselves and lets us still be accessible when their eyes are opened. He wants to meet us where we’re at and fill the void of thirst. Romans 8:1, “There’s no condemnation with Jesus” but we sure do a good job of it. Go to the well and wait Jesus is there too…everyday.
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10/15/2021 God Bless VeteransFriday Matters-October 15, 2021
Everyday Veteran Returns Steve is an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran. Upon arriving home three years ago from his final tour to Afghanistan he found out that his wife had been cheating on him and had spent or stole almost all of their money. Steve had nowhere to stay, no phone and was suffering from severe anxiety problems. One of his close friends from high school, Shawn, and his wife, took Steve in and let him live with their family of five. They’ve helped him deal with his divorce and get his life together. Since then, Steve’s moved into his own place, opened a diner, and his friend’s kids call him Uncle Steve when they see him. This is the love of Jesus’ unconditional love. We’re His kids and no matter what mess we’re in, He’s there, ready to make redemptive use of our mess. Even on our worst days God stands with His door wide open and says; “Come in,” everyday. 10/8/2021 Blessings in the MessinessFriday Matters-October 8, 2021
Everyday Thank God in Messes So, this young mom sent me a text which read; “It’s like one minute I’m in college ready to travel the world for Jesus but the next thing you know I’m married with an infant who just took his hand out of his diaper and spread poo all over my shirt.” I sent a text back to the young mom; “Remember it’s a season you’re in and “this poo will pass.” One thing that helped me as a young mom was to follow Ephesians 5:20 and thank God for what we have even when we don’t feel like it. It helps when I almost get silly and start thanking Him for my toothbrush, my hair, running water, etc. The young mom sent a text back which read; “Okay, I thanked God for the food I’m able to give Jacob so he can poo.” AMEN! Thank God for what you can, count your blessings one by one. Life is hard but this too shall pass…everyday. 10/1/2021 Jesus ListensFriday Matters-October 1, 2021
Everyday Phone Call from Jesus When I hung up the phone with Grant from J Crew after requesting a refund check I prayed for him because God asked me to. But it was super strange when God asked me to call Grant back to tell him something. What are the odds that I’d get him back? No point arguing with God, so irritated, I waited as I was transferred to the right department of J Crew. My heart was beating like crazy when I heard, “This is Grant speaking.” “Ah, yeah, Grant, this is Debbie with the refund check thing, and I know this seems strange but when I got off the phone with you God wanted me to call you back and tell you something. I don’t know if you know Christ, but He knows you and He wanted you to know right now how very much He loves you.” Grant was stunned but then spoke and said, “You just confirmed something for me.” God wants to let you know too; He loves your right where you’re at, right now…everyday. 9/24/2021 Loving OthersFriday Matters-September 24, 2021
Everyday Catching Fish Do you think it’s our job to clean up the lives of others? Well, it’s not, that’s God’s job. I believe our “job” to live a life of love and find a connection with people and love them wherever they’re at in life. Like ah…. does really anyone want to be preached at? The Bible has all the answers for getting cleaned up but if you don’t trust the One who loves and gives the answers, you’re probably not gonna be that interested in following Him. How’s this for a catch cliché’, “Be ye fishers of men. You catch em’--He’ll clean em.” Once someone trusts, receives, and hopes in God’s unconditional love they’ll want to read what He has to say with the heart that says; “I get to read the Bible” and not, “I have to.” Believe me I’ve started implementing this type of fishing program with telling and showing everyone, I meet that God’s love is an awesome never-ending love… everyday. 9/17/2021 Sacrificial LoveFriday Matters-September 17, 2021
Everyday Kidney Giving It’s been ten years since Brenda’s best friend, Susan, became ill and needed a kidney transplant. Brenda was a fitting donor and chose to donate one of her healthy kidneys to Susan even after doctors said her chance of survival was only 30%, and that there would be inherent risks to Brenda’s health as well. So, imagine the joy of Brenda getting ready to drive to her best friend’s wedding where she would be her maid of honor as Susan married the love of her life. Susan happened to meet her Prince at the hospital ten years ago when she received her transplant. Proverbs 13 tells us that when a longing is fulfilled, we have life. The “what ifs” never get us anywhere. It’s like one of my favorite posters which reads; “Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.” What gets us somewhere is living life with a transplant of hope in believing there’s something good coming…everyday. 9/10/2021 Greater is God than the EnemyFriday Matters-September 10, 2021
Everyday The Devil, again “If God has such great plans for me, why do they all seem to be falling apart?” Everyone seems against me. Some talk about a devil but is he even real? Does he have horns and carry a pitchfork? Yep, the devil is real. He’s not a Halloween costume and he has plans to destroy the ones God has. Face the fact that there’s an enemy who’ll never leave us alone, but we don’t have to let him bother us. “Oh, it’s you again,” I’ve said, rather than caving into the temptation to give up. Satan throws garbage lies at us because it's the way he can hurt God. When someone attacks your kids, you take action to protect them because you’re on their side. God is on our side too. We are created in His image. “Be bold,” I told my son, David. “You can be aware of the devil, but you don’t have to let him get to you.” We have redemption through Christ and nothing that’s happened to us is so destructive that God can’t redeem it…everyday. 9/3/2021 The 911 VerseFriday Matters-September 3, 2021
Everyday Exposed, Loved and Stable The message of Jesus is to LOVE and forgive others, which you can only do once you have seen your bad self and accepted His forgiveness. There’s this past so many people carry around that they cover because it’s filled with shame from harming themselves through “cutting,” an eating disorders, an affair, alcohol, abuse suffered, it’s all yuck. I read that 80% of memories are shame based. People carry shame because they think once they’re fully exposed or discovered they won’t ever be accepted or loved. But when their identity is solid, they’re stable. Psalm 91:1 is my 911 verse. It reads; “She who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will remain stable.” It means that when I can stand still and let myself be exposed. God covers me, my shame, my fear and replaces all that I’m not with all that He is. God can see the real you and He loves you as you are no matter what…everyday. 8/27/2021 Sinners but SavedFriday Matters-August 27, 2021
Everyday We are the Poor Sinners I mean honestly, when I began to really grasp what Jesus was offering me with complete forgiveness and no condemnation I could stop pretending and performing. I need Him desperately. It is not the “they” who are poor, sinful and lost. It’s awareness that we ourselves are the primary target. Unless we acknowledge that we are the sinners, the sick ones and the lost sheep for whom Jesus came, we do not belong to the “blessed” who know that they are poor and inherit the Kingdom. Let’s stop trying to appear righteous before God and others. It’s a dangerous zone when get our assurance from wealth or our status. “I’m good. I have all I want.” We must realize that we’re wretchedly and pitiably poor and we’re blind and naked too. Isaiah 64 often comes to me when I think, “I’m doing really well here.” “We’re all unclean and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. It’s His blood shed for us which cleans and covers us…everyday. 8/20/2021 Holy Spirit PowerFriday Matters-August 20, 2021
Everyday God’s Home in Us Life is hard. Can we do the hard stuff like forgiving those who never apologize or a health report that is terminal? We can live free. The moment you receive Christ you are filled with the Holy Spirit and so you have the potential to live a life of victory over fear, over sin. This potential is released by faith as you surrender control of your life. 2 Timothy 1:14 we read how the Holy Spirit makes His home in us! The Holy Spirit will lead you and become involved in every decision you make—both major and minor. He leads you by peace and wisdom and He speaks to your heart. So now go to the Old Testament and read in Ezekiel, God’s promise when 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 with us who know Him. THAT is crazy amazing…everyday. |
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