Debra Griffin

David W Ebel: Welcome to the God Says Yes podcast. You are welcome here. Well, folks, welcome to another episode of God Says Yes. My name is David Ebel. I've been in ministry over 50 years. the purpose of our time together here is finding people where they're at. No judgmentalism, no pre-supposed anything, just where are we? If we've been struggling, I understand that part. If you've been going through difficult times, you've been betrayed, belittled, be anythinged, this is a chance to start fresh. ⁓ You may got hurt in church, but that doesn't mean God's bad. It just means you ran into some knuckleheads God is God is bigger than the people and he's got a plan for your life I believe that got God did never ever create anyone. He didn't I Believe that we're all custom-made by God to love That's our purpose for being here so he could love us and that we could learn to love him back And in spite of everything we can still live, love, celebrate, and serve. Make a difference in the world around us somehow. And we don't have to be like anybody else. We're not rubber stamps. We're just who we are. ⁓ so, Debra, the reason why I particularly invited you to come on is I wanted to hear your story. So if you'd be kind and let us know about your story, toward the end, I'm gonna ask you for a little golden nugget. The Golden Nugget is the piece that people take home with them to chew on after we've hung up. And if you've got a book you've written or you've got a link you want us to know about, let us know that at the end. Thank you, David. ⁓ David just shared with me some of his life story and some of the valleys and the mountaintops that he's ⁓ been privy to ⁓ stand up on and lay down in. And I think we all come with that. That's a part of natural living and in Christ. ⁓ As I said to David, ⁓ I am not in a church, but I'm in Christ. I don't say that for blame or cask, I just say that for factual. But I know him, I have been in church. I told David that one of my confessions is, I know the voice of the Lord, I hear the voice of the Lord, and I'm quick to obey the voice of the Lord. I hold so steadfast to it because many times I question the voice of the Lord even though I hear it. And I'm slow to obey Him. So that's to put me in line with where I want to be. ⁓ I have lived a good life and a good life meaning that I have had as many failures, disappointments, and scratched knees as many. But through all of that, I always try to take that as learning something, refocusing on what I'm doing, and booing up, leaning in more to the Father, whether it's through prayer, whether it's through praise. or whether it's even praying in unknown tongues that I like to do, but also being kind. I believe in kindness. The Bible says love covers a multitude of sin and even faith comes by love. And I take that as kindness. I never wanna meet anybody and leave them worse than I found them, no matter who they are, what they do, they spit out. I wanna leave them better or at least the same. ⁓ And I have what I've been told, reminded by the fathers that I have his heart. During the time when I started elementary school, I'm 67 in April, and this was a predominantly, but this was a black school. And we had to buy lunch. And I came from poor parents, young parents, 17 and 19, but they always managed to give me lunch money every day. But when it was time to go to lunch, I would look around and see kids who didn't get in line to go to the lunch room to get their lunch. I understood that they weren't in line because they didn't have the money, but I couldn't even imagine going to the lunch room and eating and coming back and there were kids who hadn't eaten anything. So I would find a way to get lunch, save some for many, have extra money for milk, bring my milk back to them ⁓ and did it all the time. And through that and some other things, you know, God spoke to me through a journey. He says, you have my heart. That was a great comfort to me because we all want something, something that the Lord says positive to us or familiar to us to help us ⁓ know. that he cares about us and he loves us. And you don't have to feel bad when you're always questioning that because we're human, we're fallible, and we live in a, deal in a cruel, heavy, burdensome world most of the time just because people try to hold you to a standard that they believe, not that that's what Christ... is standard because I believe that once we give our lives to him and that we're in him and you truly love him and you know he loves you, there's no such thing as backslidden. I know sometimes people preach things that we don't understand or we feel disconnected but listen to the voice of the Lord. That's the one that keeps you grounded and rooted. Read the scriptures. That's the one that's gonna keep you grounded and rooted. He uses men and women in ministry in different ways, but they're not God. Only God is God. Yes, amen. Right, that's right. Only God is God. ⁓ I, as I was telling and sharing with David, during these years of mine, in 89, I had breast cancer. Only one in my family before and then after. And technology was not what it was now. But I navigated it. I navigated it by listening to God. Only way I navigated it. And that, I think he knew how rebellious I was before that and how... set in my ways of knowing whatever it was. So he ministered to me or appeared to me in ways that I would understand because he knows everything about us. He knows where we are, knows how we think, how we navigate, and there's nothing we can hide from him. Nothing. You might think you can, but nothing. So with that said, even if there are some things that you've got, just put them on the altar and repent. You know, he loves us. He loves us unconditionally. He's God. That's who he is. In 2005, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. And God guided me through, navigated me through the same way that he did in the 89 a diagnosis and I never had a recurrence. ⁓ Praise God. Yeah, I can hear him greatly sometimes in the space of healing and navigation. There's some times when I don't hear him greatly or understand my noggin of hearing him greatly when it comes to other things. ⁓ But one thing I am certain of, he's no respective person. I can't tell you I believe every word in the Bible because I don't. I think some of it is main spit. But I believe enough of the inspired world of God to know that he is who he says he is. He is the creator. He is the Redeemer. He is our guide and our counselor and the great I am. And I like that because whatever he is, you are that. So that's why he says, I am. I am whatever you need, whenever you need, however you need. But we don't need to put him in a box and we don't need to keep him on a watch. He's not a little tiny box. says his ways and his thoughts are higher than ours. And we need to lean into things that we're believing for standing for that we might not understand or see because everything is not in our timeframe. He's different, know, he's supreme. He's almighty. He's up. ⁓ Right. And then I think most of all, once we go to him, whatever it is and sincerely repent, we need to forgive ourselves because he forgives us. so that we can stand up and navigate forward in whatever direction or way or space that he gives us to. I think if I wanted to leave you ⁓ with anything is that when you sit back and you think about him, he's not what some preachers describe who he is. He's not what we see on the TV and some of the actions of men and women. ⁓ He tells you who he is. And you always have to go back and believe that he's not disappointed with you if you don't read the Bible as much as someone says you should. He's not disappointed if you don't step in a church as much as people say you should. If there are things that is not satisfactory to him with us, he's gonna tell us. He's gonna make it known to us. know, he's not afraid of us. He's not afraid of correcting us and ⁓ ministering to us. That's what the space of the Holy Spirit is. He says, I'm your guide. I'm your comforter. I'm your way maker, you know, and that is to guide us through the parts of the life that maybe the Bible and the scriptures can't or we don't get the revelation of, but also, know, the Holy Spirit comes along and says, I'm your helper. And a helper means help you in the spaces that you need, even if you don't know. that ⁓ you need it. And when you miss him, ⁓ no problem. Nothing. He just get up from where you pick ⁓ up. And he'll tell you over and over again if it takes that for you to get it. He's never disappointed with us. Never. That doesn't mean that... Go ahead. I always want to add a two cents to it. ⁓ I believe clearly that God has three answers to prayer. Yes, no, and wait. Amen. Absolutely. Because God, is time. He doesn't need a clock. Absolutely. He's never late. He's never early. He's just in time. But we who are still under construction or deconstruction in some cases, ⁓ we're going to get it right some of the time. Right. And that doesn't mean we stop praying. We just pray with transparency. Absolutely. We admit what we're talking about. We admit that we're We're seeking for his wisdom and guidance. But we're also willing to say, for him to say, no, I love you and no, you can't run into traffic. Right. You know, and a good heavenly father, you know, and some of us didn't have good fathers. I'm fortunate that God gave me a good dad, but I know a lot of people who can't say that. That's right. But that doesn't mean God's not good. It just means that they had a bad example. That's right. And if they look at God and they look at man, there had better be a contrast. That's right. And how good God is, is profoundly different from the best man can be. Absolutely. But yes, no, and wait are wonderful answers to everything you're talking about. Right. Absolutely. I was going to also add is that when you feel like he's calling you to coming to his fold or you're in his fold, you don't have to go clean up anything. Stop this, do this, stop smoking, whatever. You just accept it right there because he accepts us as we are. He'll get us to that other level of cleaning us up. But you accept them then because that's what you need. You need whatever he's offering. Because he doesn't hold a big stick over you and or fly swan and say I'm mad with you for doing that He doesn't condemn us like we condemn ourselves once we repent it He blots that away Even if you bring it up, it doesn't mean nothing anything because he's blotted away because he's God He's not he's not fallible like we are he's infallible when Jesus shed his blood that was to wash away our failures our sins our rebellion our stubbornness our boneheadedness So that we can start fresh so God can see us through Jesus with all the ugly filtered away and we have a new chance. That's right. That's right. That's right. hundred new chances if needed. That's why I said seven times seven. How often should I forgive him? says 700 times 70. But he also says, you know, when you come into him, old things pass away, whether you let him go or not. He means in his sense and glory, you know. and then all things become new. And I think we should believe him where he says that to us because he's not on our level. He's God, he's supreme. There's so many different names from him that I learned in church. And the first one I learned is Jehovah Rafa, the Lord God our healer, or Jehovah Salome, the Lord God our peace, or God, say Adonai, Lord God supreme, but he is so many things to whomever needs him. One time I heard a minister preach and it was the first time I heard that, but it was so amazing to me. He was drawing an analogy of when the angels was ⁓ circling ⁓ the Godhead. know, maybe it was God, maybe it was Jesus, maybe it was Holy Spirit, maybe it was Trinity. He said, but every time they circled him, ⁓ they would hollow out Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna. And he said the reason they were doing that because every time they made a path around it, they each always saw something different, new, so many different aspects of who God is. So we'll never be able to comprehend in our little Pete Brown brains and mind, you know, the bigness, the goodness, the greatness and the powerfulness of God. We have to lean in on him where we can, take things that he offered for granted and stop trying to ask the whys. Those whys that you need to know, he'll reveal them to you if you really need to know and in the time that you need. But you just need to accept them. You need to walk in love. ⁓ And when you don't, you need to ⁓ repent to God. But you also need to repent to that person if you did something that you felt that you did ⁓ in awe of that person, meaning that you knew that was wrong. And then when you do that, whether that person gives you or not, God does and you move on. always say if you mess in your diaper, that doesn't mean you have to sit in it. Repent. That's almost a foreign word these days. When we say I'm sorry, that is our sorry. That's right. When we repent, we're saying, God, with your help, keep me from doing this again. gives me the strength, the courage. I don't want to go back and do stupid again. Lord, forgive me for my weakness, all the wrong that I've done. And give me the courage and the strength so I don't have to go back and do it again. That's right. That's right. He's Abba Father. That's what he means. He's Abba Father. If you don't know how to pray, you don't have to have all the fancy words. You pray at whatever level you are and as you grow, He'll give you other things to say. But if you just got to call on the name Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, or you like, you know, I'm a father who art in heaven, that prayer works. Prayer is prayer. It's your heart crying out to Him. Absolutely. So what happens in Deborah's world when you're doing it all right and somebody just does something that just hurts? How do you deal with that? Well, because I'm 67 in April, there are two answers to that. I used to hold it in rocket like you're burping a baby. You you're just trying to figure out why, how, just wasting time, you know, not focus. In this space, I understand that that's where they are at that point in time, but I'm in a different space. I let it go and let God. And then if I find myself bringing it back up, digging it back up, whatever, I repent and I let it go and let God. I've learned that however many days I have left on this earth, there are things that I want to accomplish. And the number one thing is I want to be favorable in God's eyes as best as I can in his human form. Amen. And I know that I should not expect perfection in anyone because I can never deliver it. And I should not be judging anyone because the word tells us to judge you not but there are spaces where I can be just equally So I let it go. I talked to myself a lot of time Because I'm telling myself, you know that that wouldn't be what God did or that wasn't right and and and then I've gotten to the point where other people's behavior or actions Even if they meant it personally, doesn't mean I have to receive it that way. I don't hold it. I don't rock it. I agree. ⁓ The thing I learned in all the years of ministry I've been in is ministry is full of people. Absolutely. Therefore, you're not going to get anything but people in it. That's right. Now, if you want hope, you go to God. If you want healing, that's what Jesus is for. If you want direction, that's what the Holy Spirit is for. But if you want to do it just on your strength, your power, you, you and you, have at it. When you're done, God will still be waiting. And it's not going to be as effective if you let God handle it. Well, the learning curve will be different. That's for positive. Yes, absolutely. And one other thing I also want to ⁓ add to that is that we grow in grace. We grow in strength. We grow in wisdom. We grow in deciding how we follow God. But you have to first make the commitment to levy yourself to Him, your will to Him, be bent to Him. Doesn't mean you're gonna make it all the time. You're gonna miss things because we're human. We're always gonna miss it. ⁓ I wanted to give a quick story even about the little book I wrote on why Judas was born to betray ⁓ of Jesus. I got that title, believe, from the Holy Spirit. But I always say that Judas was as much of the redemptive story as Jesus. And, you know, he's been characterized in some horrible light, and he did some horrible things. But ⁓ I would like to argue that he had no awareness of it. He wasn't aware of his walk ⁓ as Christ as a child was in his destiny. ⁓ And but yet he I believe he was forgiven. Once the deed was done, he had accomplished what he was born to. And once he had an awareness, God gave him awareness, and that was when he threw down the 30 pieces of silver, and he couldn't stand himself in what he did. And that was when he went and took his life. But I also believe that the compassion and love that Jesus had and the Father had was that Jesus took his body right down out of paradise. And I contend that he's in heaven, because God didn't lose anyone. You might get lost, but he's tried to save you. Absolutely. He doesn't lose anyone. He didn't create anyone to get rid of them. He created them to love them. Absolutely. Now this has been exciting. I appreciate your heartfelt transparency. You don't always get that in an interview and when it does happen ⁓ it's a blessing and a half. Thank you, Dave. Thank you. And you know, ⁓ if someone wants to get your book, how would they find a way to get that? The book is Why Judas Was Born To Betray Jesus. It's a quick read. It's an easy read. ⁓ Haven Literary was the publisher. They've established a website that's debrogryphon.com and it has various links to get the book. It has various links for various podcasts. And at one time they were pressuring me to do some audio and I've done a few but I'm also trying to run the other tasks that he's given me in terms of trying to commercialize the interoperability. solution I have so I don't give a lot of time to that. But ⁓ the book was really based on the secret things of the Father. There's different conversations that he had with each of us. he talks with us about different things. And because we have different focuses in life, we have different goals in life, we have different challenges in life. ⁓ and God is so ominous, there's not too many people on this earth that he can't, know, what's going on with them and he doesn't have us doing different things. And it talks about the secret things belong to God, things that he has secrets for you, he's not gonna share with me. And how to tap into what the secret things you need to be hearing from him and understanding them and doing, or being about the fathers of business. the business is not just things he wants to do in the world. But this life that he gave us, he wants some victorious spaces in his life. But if this life was all sunshine and honey, we would never understand life as it is. sometimes the valley experiences, sometimes almost important than the mountain experiences. But we don't like them. Yeah, we don't like them. The Holy Spirit, believe God uses a sandpaper. Part of loving us is enough to rub off the stuff that doesn't belong. Absolutely. Even if it means we're a little raw for a little while, doesn't mean he's not going to heal us. But sometimes surgery is necessary to get rid of the cancer so the rest of you can be all right. That's right. Or to test you to see how you're going to react in those spaces, how you're going to respond in those spaces. Are you indeed maturing, maybe not even mature? But you're in, you know, the Bible talks us that when you was a child, you joined milk, you know, but when you became a grownup or adult, you don't need to milk, you know, you have bread or whatever, you know, to see our development because at different stages of life, there's different levels of requirements that he requires of us, but there might be different challenges and roles that he wants us to walk out. You're preaching truth. Thank you. I like it. Now. Do you have a... So if they go to debredriffin.com, is that how they get to your information? that... Did I get that right? Yes. D-E-B-R-A-G-R-I-F-F-I-N. debredriffin.com and that website will come up. So it's G-R-I-F-F-I-N? Yes, sir. Okay. Because I want to make sure I write it right on my records too. I have a couple. Griffin shoe polish. Or the TV host was Merv Griffin. Absolutely. Or the other TV program was Andy Griffin. ⁓ yeah. Him and Opie. ⁓ yeah. I loved Aunt B. I did too. It was, so you know it's funny, an actor plays a part, like the lady who played Aunt B played a part and she was really good at her part. But they interviewed her as she got older and she did not have fun doing that part. Right. She did that part and she did it so well that it was believable. But as she got older, she really wished she could do something else. But by that point, she was typecast. Right. And you know, sometimes a lot of us. Deborah, would you pray? Father, I just thank you for this opportunity to come before my brother in Christ, David. and this wonderful population of people that he's listening and ministering to. Father, I thank you that you know the end from the beginning, Father, and that you're no respective person. Father, I ask that you continue to spread your joy, your love, your opportunities, your healing anointing throughout all of us. And those who don't seem to know that you're there or you're there with them, Father, just make yourself louder, bigger. or whatever needs to be done to get their attention. We all believe that you are the great I am. I am whatever you need in whatever space that you need in any way that you need. And Father, I just give you all the praise. David gives you all the praise and we thank you that we do extol and extort and exalt God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the three in one. Amen. Amen. This has been the God Says Yes podcast with David Ebel. To connect with David, email him at godsaysyespodcast.gmail.com. You can get his latest book, When the Doctors Say No, God Says Yes, at amazon.com.