Everyday MattersThere's a reason for everyday.
Despite the bad and the good, everyday matters. |
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1/22/2025
Mental HealthWednesday Matters- January 22, 2024
Everyday Emotional Sickness Ya know, how sometimes you get physically sick, like the flu and it's not because you're not reading the Bible enough or doing enough acts of service, you just get sick. Well sometimes you get emotionally sick and it’s not because you’re a “bad Christian.” There can be all kinds of factors that play into all kinds of sicknesses like lack of sleep, an infection, a damaged relationship and sometimes we need medication to get well. It’s okay. Remember that no matter what emotional or physical state you’re in, God loves you as you are. We’ll go through challenging seasons where it doesn't make sense but it’s in the hard places where we grow. God tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “that His strength is perfected in our weakness. “Sometimes the hardest thing to do is just let go and let God take care of us or by asking someone for help or taking medication. He works in many different ways and through many different people. In every place and time, He wants you to know how much He loves and values you…everyday. 1/15/2025
MarriageWednesday Matters- January 15, 2024
Everyday Marriage Well Marriage Advice 101 from Proverbs 5:15; “Drink water from your own well--share your love only with your spouse, never share it with strangers.” Problems with remaining faithful in marriage usually begin when a person doesn’t feel loved and think they deserve to be happy. The enemy creeps in with his lies telling us that marriage shouldn't be any work and if we really want to have a good time and feel good, we should maybe start drinking with someone we find more fun and attractive. When a person acts on those thoughts and feelings that’s usually the time when a marriage begins to dissolve. That’s why it's so important that couples work at making time for one another in a good ol’ fashioned date without their children. Find out your love language and begin communicating in the way each of you knows and feels loved. Validate and be refreshed from the well of love you both have. Marriage is work but it's absolutely wonderful when it is working…everyday. 1/8/2025
ConflictWednesday Matters- January 8, 2024
Everyday God Vengeance We can say we trust in God to avenge us but as soon as we take matters into our own hands and try to avenge ourselves or someone, we love we obviously aren’t completely trusting God’s redemptive and restorative work. I think a big challenge is not to pick up the offense of a friend or family member who’s been hurt. I’m guilty there. But when we take on someone else’s offense we’re sucking the poison of their sin and we become bitter along with them. One prayer I’ve said many times is, “Jesus root it up.” I ask God to take the bitter root of hurt I’ve let seep in from another. What God has prompted me to do is think about the good things He has done in this person’s life rather than rehearse the pain. God understands our hurts and He is always on the move to make amends and redeem. Talk to Him. It’s the enemy’s plan to ruin relationships. God’s plan is to restore. Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us to make the choices which bring life so that we and our descendants may live meaningful lives…everyday. 1/1/2025
JudgementWednesday Matters- January 1, 2024
Everyday Judge Not It’s so easy to judge others, isn’t it? We often do it when we feel crummy about something inside of us, so we find someone else’s problems to judge. When we begin to sinfully judge others it is characterized by a feeling of superiority or resentment. Sinful judging often involves deciding what others’ motives may be. It reveals the absence of genuine love. We get together with others to discuss someone’s problems when instead we should be praying for them. A listener wrote me about this problem with, "The sad truth is that when we judge someone’s heart, perhaps because we’re angry and hurt, there is often gossip involved. The one judged, becomes what I call, ‘boxed and labeled’ by the accuser and the gossip-hearers.” Exactly. God promises us vindication. Isaiah 54:17 reads; “No weapon turned against you will succeed.” Wait on God and He we will silence those voices who stand to accuse you unjustly. God promises redemption and vindication…everyday. 12/25/2024
FaithWednesday Matters- December 25, 2024
Everyday Blind Man Jesus meets a man who’s been blind since birth. I don’t know how brief their encounter was but in that time Jesus bent down took some mud and rubbed the man’s eyes with it and when he opened them he could see. Immediately the Pharisees-the Religious Leaders, questioned the man wanted him to proclaim Jesus a sinner….WHAT? But the blind’s response is brilliant in John 9:25, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!” He didn’t know how or why he had been healed but he knew a miracle had taken place and he wasn’t afraid to tell the truth. We don’t have to all the answers in order to share Christ with others. We don’t need a Bible degree or seminary. What’s important is that we tell people the truth of how God’s love and forgiveness has changed our lives. Use your experiences and share your testimony, to help others see God’s love too …everyday. 12/18/2024
CompassionWednesday Matters- December 18, 2024
Everyday Prayer Habit I used to bite my fingernails for years. It was a not a good habit but eventually with the help of artificial nails my nail-biting addiction was broken. Thankfully over the years I’ve been able to acquire a new habit, one of prayer. I say it’s a habit because when someone calls, emails or visits me and says, "Would you please pray for me?" I try and respond immediately and pray right then and there. Prayer is a game changer. In James 5:17 we read that Elijah was as human as we are and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. God is the same God as He was for Elijah. He can move in work in ways that are incredible in the “here” and “now.” Sometimes, it feels like it is more effective to help someone by making a meal or packing boxes. Of course, that can be helpful, but praying for someone is most powerful. Wanna be like Jesus? Serve others and talk/pray to your heavenly Father just like He did…everyday. 12/11/2024
ForgivenessWednesday Matters- December 11, 2024
Everyday Bitter Root We can say we trust in God to avenge us but as soon as we take matters into our own hands and try to avenge ourselves or someone, we love we obviously aren’t completely trusting God’s redemptive and restorative work. I think a big challenge is not to pick up the offense of a friend or family member who’s been hurt. I’m guilty there. But when we take on someone else’s offense we’re sucking the poison of their sin and we become bitter along with them. One prayer I’ve said many times is, “Jesus root it up.” I ask God to take the bitter root of hurt I’ve let seep in from another. What God has prompted me to do is think about the good things He has done in this person’s life rather than rehearse the pain. God understands our hurts and He is always on the move to make amends and redeem. Talk to Him. It’s the enemy’s plan to ruin relationships. God’s plan is to restore. Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us to make the choices which bring life so that we and our descendants may live meaningful lives…everyday. 12/4/2024
HopeWednesday Matters- December 4, 2024
Everyday Fresh Air A friend told me the story of a woman in Austria whose father locked her in the basement for over 20 years and in that time, she had children who had never seen the sun or even breathed fresh air. To them the basement was a normal world. When the police found them, the air was so vile they had to tear down walls and bring in fans just to breathe. But it’s like we too are living in a basement, a world not perfect, one infected with sin. We don’t even realize we’re breathing putrid air because this is our “normal.” The world changes and what once was vile is now often accepted as “being tolerant.” But through the acceptance of God’s love and forgiveness we can believe He’s a Redeemer, working all things for the good with a purpose for us to serve eternally… breathing pure air forever. Look to 1 Corinthians 2:9 with anticipation because “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” …everyday. 11/27/2024
MiraclesWednesday Matters- November 27, 2024
Everyday Lazurus 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. 11/20/2024
God’s PresenceWednesday Matters- November 20, 2024
Everyday God in Us Life is hard. Can we do the hard stuff like forgiving those who never apologize or have peace when a health report is terminal? We can live free even when life is hard. 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 sin. This potential is released by faith as you surrender control of your life. In 2 Timothy we read how the Holy Spirit makes His home in us! When you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, He becomes involved in every decision you make—both major and minor. He leads you by peace and by wisdom, by His Word spoken to your heart. God’s promise was that He would come and give people a new heart and put His Sprit within them. Under the old covenant in the Old Testament, 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…everyday. |
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