Everyday MattersThere's a reason for everyday.
Despite the bad and the good, everyday matters. |
2/16/2024
Holy SpiritFriday Matters- February 16, 2024
Everyday Holy Spirit Home Are you listening? Jesus is speaking. Hear His voice; “You are forgiven. Today is a new day. God’s Word from Lamentations 3:23: “Great is My mercy. It’s new every morning and great is My faithfulness. Everyday I try to “be better” but no matter how strong my will and determination is I will fail without the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s grace working in me. Receiving God’s forgiveness means our soiled sin rags are washed clean made white by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14) and with reception of His grace we are then given the Holy Spirit making His home in us. There’s a whole lot of us who so wanted to be faithful, but who at times got beat-up by life and tested by trials. We have the bloodied garments of life’s tribulations, but through it all we clung to the faith. This is the Gospel of Grace. You’re not alone in this journey of life. Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to fill you because it’s only by His strength that we can move forward in hope…everyday. 2/15/2024
Fruits of the SpiritThursday Matters- February 15, 2024
Everyday Good Fruit What kind of fruit do you like? I like bananas but only if they’re slightly green. In the Bible we can read about bearing good fruit in our lives which is delicious like the fruit of love, joy, peace and patience. But how is this fruit developed and how does true change in us happen? Fruit only grows quickly in time-lapse photography. Truth needs cultivating and it actually starts with us knowing and playing “the CD of truth” in our minds until it becomes more prominent than the old negative CD we were all born with. “God loves me right where I am and not where I think I should be.” I don’t have to earn His love.” Play that repeatedly in your mind. Christ proved His love and acceptance ONCE on the cross by His death and resurrection. We have that same power available to us now, through the Holy Spirit. WOW! We can bear good fruit that will change us and those who come in contact with us…everyday. 2/14/2024
Letting GoWednesday Matters- February 14, 2024
Everyday Power to Forgive Love is kind. Love forgives despite what the other person does. Yeah, I know the part about setting boundaries with the person who is still operating in dysfunctional behavior. But I’m talking about really forgiving someone who’s hurt you and not rehearsing the hurt by dragging the memory around in your head. It’s hard. There are those days where you know what you know about forgiveness, yet something triggers a past hurt and all kindness goes out the door as swiftly as it came in. The temptation is to rehearse our hurts and expectations more than our forgiving attitudes and hearts. LORD HELP! I think of the woman prostitute who anointed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and what Jesus said about her; “She loves much because she’s been forgiven much.” When you’ve been really hurt by someone you love it’s hard not to hurt back but God’s grace for you can empower you to give grace to the offender. Thank Him for this gift and by the power of the Holy Spirit be kind and forgive and you’ll be set free…everyday. 2/13/2024
ForgivenessTuesday Matters- February 13, 2024
Everyday Forgive Like Jesus Think if you said to your spouse, “I forgive you. I just can’t be close to you again” and then think of praying to God, “Forgive me my sins as I've forgiven those who've sinned against me.” What'd happen if God forgave you in the same way you're forgiving your spouse? How'd you feel if you'd just confessed a sin to the Lord and He said “I forgive you but I can’t be close to you again?” You probably wouldn't feel forgiven. As Christians, we cannot overlook the direct relationship between God’s forgiveness and our forgiveness: As Ephesians 4:32 says it simply; “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” God has given us an incredibly high standard to live up to when we have the opportunity to forgive someone. Fortunately, He also gives us the grace and the guidance we need to imitate Him by forgiving others as He has forgiven us. Nothing is impossible with Him, including forgiving someone who has wronged you…everyday. 2/12/2024
Monday Matters-February 12, 2024
Everyday Facebook Delete What? She deleted me on Facebook. What? I thought we were friendsI think most of us who use Facebook have either been deleted by someone or we’ve done the deleting. Sure, reasons to un-friend a Facebook friend like: you're cleaning up your Facebook, you don’t really know a person or someone is malicious; are valid reasons to “delete” someone. However, to un-friend someone because you’re hurt because they didn't meet your expectations, is unkind. It’s kinda like kicking someone and running away. Your intent is to hurt them because you've been hurt. There’s no justification for that. What is friendship all about? What does God say? Look at Proverbs 17:17; “A friend loves at all times.” And we must all know… “Love is kind.” We also know love doesn’t demand its own way or keep a record of being wronged. Having a good friend is a blessing but being one, I think the blessing might be even bigger…everyday. 2/9/2024
Desires of the HeartFriday Matters- February 9, 2024
Everyday Desires I can get cranky when I don’t get my way. And sometimes I get afraid that if I ask God what His will for me is, it might not match up with mine. But God gives us freedom to make choices and as believers, seeking Him and His wisdom we can make good choices. We need to tell God, “I want Your will” and then trust Him to lead and guide us to what that is. He really does want what’s best for us and He cares about our heart’s desires. In Ephesians 4:15 Paul encourages us, “Grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head.” It should be our goal as believers to be one with God. When we are “born again,” we grow and mature spiritually in our minds, emotions and will. And then when this happens our desires become His desires. And being in sync with God gives a peaceful spirit not a cranky one…everyday. 2/8/2024
ChurchThursday Matters- February 8, 2024
Everyday Be the Church I love people. I love traveling and meeting new people in everyday random places like gas stations. You can have church anywhere, a gathering of others and sharing the grace of God. Cuz when church stops being about us, it can be about God again. Church is meant to crush our selfishness and church without God does none of that. Often our evangelism becomes winning people to our doctrine or our denomination instead of reaching the people next door who have no direct access to freedom in Jesus. As I travel speaking, I get a reality check every “church person” would benefit from. Our job is to get people to know Jesus personally. People need God desperately and not in a Pollyanna, “it’s all for a reason” sort of way. Jesus came to save the lost by letting them know they are loved right where they are at and not where they should be. Don’t just go to church, be the church…love without conditions…everyday. 2/7/2024
Authentic ChristianityWednesday Matters- February 7, 2024
Everyday Authentic Christian If your life is one that reflects radical, authentic Christianity, then you are making people better rather than bitter after having had contact with you. Hey this is Debbie Griffith with Everyday Matters. But one thing cannot happen: people will never remain the same. No one ever came into contact with Jesus and went away the same. An authentic Christian strives to love and live as Jesus did. Put your name in the blank when you read 1 Corinthians 13: and ask yourself if that is true of you: “I am patient and kind. I am not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. I do not demand my own way. I am not irritable, and I keep no record of being wronged. I rejoice whenever the truth wins out. I never give up, never lose faith, and I am always hopeful. I endure through every circumstance.” Wow, I’m certainly not there but Living a life of love is our highest calling. Are you and I walking in love?” because “if we don’t love others then we’ve gained nothing”…everyday. 2/6/2024
RighteousnessTuesday Matters- February 6, 2024
Everyday Airport Truth I was in the airport traveling to speak and I was crabby, and I felt negative. Things weren’t right in my head. So, I did what I tell others, “God to the Bible. Listen to God.” I recited some scripture aloud. Nothing. Then I realized I needed TO APPLY what God was telling me. I remembered Isaiah 32:17; “And the effect of righteousness will be peace--internal and external, quietness and confidence.” Righteousness means I’m in right standing with God but it’s not because of anything I do but because I receive what HE DID for me. Righteousness means we know who we are in Christ! Quietly I walked around the airport saying, I’m the daughter of the King. He began a good work in me. He’s working all things for the good. And after a while of repeating and applying Isaiah 32:17 the effect of righteousness was peace-internal and external. Remember feelings are indicators but don’t let them be dictators. Walk in truth and receive peace…everyday. 2/5/2024
God’s ThinkingMonday Matters-February 5, 2024
Everyday Acknowledge God Wouldn’t it be nice if every time we asked God a question, we could just randomly open our Bibles and there’d be our answer? But the thing is, our answers are in the Bible and when we spend time there everyday, we begin to learn the ways of God. We also begin to trust God knowing from Proverbs 3:6 that if we acknowledge God in all of our ways, He will direct our paths. Acknowledging God really means to care about what He thinks. In the Bible in I Chronicles, the Prophet Nathan, told David that he could go ahead and build a house for God. But the next day Nathan got word that one of David’s sons would build instead. What’s cool is that because David had a heart for God, he could praise God for this answer even though he might have been a little disappointed. Acknowledging and caring what God thinks makes a huge difference in how we respond to things and what the outcome is…everyday. |
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