Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 25, 2017

Beyond Fear

jan-25“He (God) will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.”  Isaiah 33:6 (NIV)

Four letters packed with power – f – e – a –r , but not the kind of power we’re looking for.  Fear has the power to derail our dreams and sabotage our future.  Fear has the power to keep us safe, predictable and far from taking faith steps that will transform our lives.  Instead fear lands us on the sidelines watching everyone else moving forward.  It fuels regret because we long for what we are afraid to seize.

I glimpsed this first-hand in the life of a friend.  Her life had been characterized by bouts of fear that kept her captive looking out the window yet bound within the safety of her self-imposed prison.  How did she land in this place?  Fear was a trait her mother taught her well.  Every opportunity for something new turned into a list of don’ts because of a tragedy that “could” happen.  To this day she still hides behind the drawn blinds of what “could” happen.  Disillusioned and unsatisfied,  her life is drenched in regret of what “could” have been .

Sadly too often we exchange the all consuming peace that God offers for generational fears that leave us locked into safe rather than victorious.  God’s formula for power leaves no room for the chains that fear generates.  Instead, He offers us the opportunity to trust Him in all things – even the unsettled, unpredictable, and at times risky moves of transformational belief.

Are we allowing fear to dominate our response to God’s instructions?   Are we imprisoned by what “could” happen rather than capitalizing on the “fear nots” that God promises?  Real empowerment only comes when we trust and believe that God is the ordainer of our days.

“Father, trusting You will always position us to move past fear into victory.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 24, 2017

Search My Heart

jan-24“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23 (NLT)

One of the scariest things to do as a Christian and a person in ministry is be transparent. However, if you want to be effective it’s necessary to show you have areas that need improvement. It’s also vital to your own spiritual growth to search your heart. Sometimes it’s a sermon or devotional that hits a certain area and other times it comes from a friend with gentle criticism. A friend recently showed me a problem area in my life with having a judgmental spirit. It wasn’t pleasant reading their thoughts but that opened my eyes to see that I get caught up with other people’s thoughts about others and continue it. I also have an issue of judging people with a critical eye and ignoring my own faults.

None of this is anything new to God. He already knows those areas hidden in my heart and mind. Now I have to give those areas to Him and leave them there. The hardest part is definitely going back to friends that have been hurt and mending those relationships. While these speed bumps in my spiritual life aren’t pleasant, the freedom I get from releasing the anxious and negative areas of my life is worth it.

“Dear God, Search our hearts and reveal areas that are not pleasing to You. Replace our anxious thoughts, negativity, and sin with forgiveness and peace. Guide us as we mend relationships with gentle, healing words.”

 

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Freedom, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 23, 2017

Loving One Another

jan-23“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” I Peter 4:8 (NIV)

Everlasting love..…a theme that covers God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation. It’s the overriding song that surrounds our relationship with Him and it’s the reason He gave His life for each of us.  So it’s no wonder why love is supposed to be the badge of our profession.

As Christians, we are reminded that our love for one another is what will draw the unsaved into our inner circle.  As Disciples of Christ, we are charged and compelled to extend God’s love.  Yet, why does it seem so hard?  After all, love is a fruit of the Spirit right?  Perhaps the reason loving one another challenges us to the core is because we have grown accustomed to a lesser version of what God intended.  We excuse away our indifference for the sake of the wrong inflicted upon us. We justify our “rights” at the expense of others and love only when it’s convenient or expected.  We read His Words and generalize “love” as too much to bear in the face of imperfect people.

The Apostle Paul wrote often of love.  Perhaps it was because he, a learned scholar, chose at one time to love the law more than the law giver.  Blinded  by the rays of God’s amazing love and grace, Paul abandoned his rituals and knowledge in pursuit of the One  who loved him more than He could have imagined.

Love one another….yes it’s tough at times. But if we want to please Him, if we want to honor Him, if we want to change our world – then we must love big.  Yes love deeply, earnestly, fervently, intensely – covering a multitude of wrongs for the sake of drawing one lost sheep.

“Father, You have shown us the proof, the evidence of love that sacrifices and lavishes even the most unworthy soul – now we must do the same.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Attitude, Love, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 20, 2017

Unpacking Wisdom

jan-20“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:  for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;”  Proverbs 1:1-2 (NIV)

Experience is a great teacher.  When I started working in an office, I joined a professional organization. I wanted to gain insight on how to be a strong team player.  I wanted to learn the ropes, so I surrounded my sphere of influence with professional women who had years of experience in my field.  As they shared their successes and mistakes, I listened and absorbed their knowledge.   End result – I gained wisdom because they were willing to unpack their business careers to a young inexperienced girl.

Wonder what would happen if we unpacked our spiritual lives and used that influence to impact the people in our lives?  Our world is complex, demanding and ever-changing.  A whole new era of family dynamics has resulted in single parents, step-parents and blended families. Economic challenges have forced tough financial decisions.  Violence has devastated our once peaceful neighborhoods.  Cancer strikes close, and empty chairs fill our homes.  Wouldn’t it be awesome to know that all the stuff that fills our bags could actually be used to encourage and inspire someone else?  Wouldn’t it be incredible if our mistakes prevented someone else from doing the same?

Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived.  Despite his title and wealth, Solomon didn’t hoard away the wisdom that God granted to him – it’s all unpacked in the book of Proverbs. A spiritual life lesson book that conveys the wisdom that God poured into him.  So what are we waiting for – let’s do some spiritual unpacking ourselves and watch to see how God works.

“Father, You have taught us many life lessons – help us to seize opportunities to share Your wisdom with others.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 19, 2017

We Need Jesus

jan-19“They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31 (NIV)

When we read Genesis 1, also titled “The Beginning,” we can see how God organized everything He created with much detail, care, love and reflective of Who He is. Nothing created by God was below par. And as He created each one, He was pleased with what He saw. I wonder if when He created mankind He purposely wired us to be a complicated being, but the reality seems to be that mankind is far more complicated than any other species under the sun.

From the beginning of times, there were situations when we clearly could see man’s craftiness, lack of truth, and selfishness. Look at Adam and Eve, for example. Man and woman in a garden plentiful of what they needed and the one thing they were told not to touch or eat from, they could not withhold from leaving alone. Woman listened to serpent, ate fruit and shared it with the man, who blamed his action on the woman; and it was downhill from then.. Their offspring, Cain and Abel were supposedly good boys, but when Cain was tested by God for not being recognized as bringing the best of his first fruits to the altar, eaten by jealousy, he tricked and slayed his brother and then pretended not to know what happened to him.

King David’s daughter was raped by her half-brother, who was then killed by their brother for raping her.  Joseph, the cocky boy with a coat of many colors, was thrown in a pit and sold by his brothers. Samson, who got tricked by the woman he chose for his wife, Delilah,  lost all the power he had been given by God at birth. And on and on it goes.

By now, you are probably wondering what my point in all of this is. Well, I will tell you: we are all faulty and susceptible to sin and to actions that do not glorify God.  This, my friends, is reason enough to recognize that we need a Savior. We need redemption. And He is right there, ready to rescue you and me. His name? Jesus Christ.

“Lord Jesus, we need You, we so desperately need You.”

For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 18, 2017

Immersed In The Desert

jan-18“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert…” Matthew 4:1a (NIV)

Winter’s palette always leaves my heart yearning for more.  Naked trees and a brown stubbly lawn greet my view – a desert in my own mind.  Dry, bland, and desperately ugly – the thirst for life almost screams at me.  A far cry from the paradise of God’s creation.  Yet, He carved out  desert, barren places.

David found refuge from King Saul hiding out in the desert.  Caves and rocky cliffs protected him from the one who sought to extinguish his royal destiny.  John the Baptist  received his divine calling while living in the desert.  Isolated and undistracted, he had no problem understanding the message God entrusted to Him.   Rising up out of the baptismal Jordan River, Jesus was led to the desert.  Fasting for forty days, He was tempted by the one who sought to undermine His earthly ministry.

Do we find ourselves immersed in the desert?  Like David, the enemies of our soul may have sent us running into the desert desperate for relief.  Perhaps, isolation in the desert has prepared us like John the Baptist for a brief but powerful moment of ministry.  Like Jesus, we may be encountering Satan as our divine destiny begins to unfold. Transformation from barrenness to fruitfulness is God’s specialty in the desert. With our eyes focused on Him, with His Words flowing off our lips and His Holy Spirit living within us – we too can experience the incredible beauty that burst forth.

David became King, John drew many to redemption and Jesus became the Savior of the world.  What will God do with our desert places?

“Father,  Your hand has allowed and orchestrated all that we experience.  Help us to seek You in those dry places – knowing that You alone are all we need.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Attitude, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 17, 2017

Rooted In Him

jan-17“Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”  Colossians 2:7 (NLT)

I am a kindergarten teacher working 40 minutes east of where I live. I also attend and serve at church 30 minutes west of where I live. I absolutely love everything about my school, but my priorities are changing. When I first started teaching four years ago, I could see myself retiring from this school. Now, married and living 40 minutes away, I am homesick — I yearn to live in the community where I can run into families at the grocery store and meet up with friends for coffee. When telling my husband I was “homesick,” his response was so God breathed, it took me aback. He simply said this urge to want to be closer to home was because God was pulling my roots up. WOW! My roots! I was guilty of putting my roots into my job, but my roots should be into God so that my life is built on Him. If God has made my mission field teaching, I need to be ready to move where He calls me because my roots and identity are in Him, not in my job.

If we truly believe our Lord and Savior has placed us where He needs us, then we can have peace. My calling is to be a teacher, and the days I see my job as a mission field are the days I am most energized. However, we must allow ourselves to grow, even if that means change. When I hear the word “root,” I automatically think of a big tree which started out as a seed that had to GROW strong. When I think of trees, I often think of fruit that grows on them. Galatians 5:22 tell us that the Holy Spirit produces fruit in our lives –and among this fruit is faithfulness. The Lord is commanding us to trust in Him and have faith that will GROW strong by staying in the word and in diligent prayer.

I am thankful for a lot of things, places, and people who have been crucial in playing a part of who I am today, and I used to consider those my roots when they are really my core. My core is unchanging. The shy, tenderhearted, full of love person I am is still the same no matter where God chooses to move me. My roots are GROWING in the Lord and I am so thankful for that.

“God, we humbly ask You to help us to fix our eyes on You and help us to grow into You. We are so thankful for all that You do for us, even though we are so undeserving. Amen.”

For His Glory

Denise Crouse
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 16, 2017

Just One More

jan-16    “They hurried throughout the vicinity and began to carry the sick on mats to wherever they heard He (Jesus) was.”  Mark 6:55 (HCSB)

Who would have ever known that tucked away in our little Lynchburg was an amazing hero?  I knew there was a road named Desmond T. Doss, but had no idea why he deserved such recognition.  When the movie Hacksaw Ridge hit the big screen telling his story, I let go of my phobia about war movies, blood and gore for the sake of a true story.

Captivated, I watched as Desmond miraculously saved 75 men in a matter of hours without a gun – totally unprotected.  Why? He believed the war was just, but to kill under any circumstance was wrong and against his faith.  Desmond’s weapon was a simple prayer whispered before he evacuated the wounded:  “Please Lord, help me get one more – help me get one more.”   His courage was contagious and eventually won over those who had once mocked him for refusing to engage in combat without a gun. As I left the movie, I could still hear those pivotal words echoing:  “Please Lord, help me get one more – help me get one more.”

Wonder what would happen if we, God’s people, became passionate about bringing one more to Jesus?

What if we, like Desmond, became prayer whisperers who despite ridicule, laughter and mocking sought to rescue the wounded?  It may get messy and probably wouldn’t be easy.  We may have to forego earthly pretty for God ordained beauty.  We may have to press through, reach out and plead for those who can’t help themselves.  We may have to stay when others abandon.  We may have to lay down our expectations, agenda and pride to embrace His timing.  We may have to fight the battle no one else wants to fight. We may have to leave our comfort, our ease for God’s greater glory.

2017 will present us with many opportunities…many chances to gather and bring others to Jesus.  Praying we never forget to ask for just one more.

“Father,  You gave Your only Son so that we could spend eternity with You – help us to be women who passionately share the truth of Your love and forgiveness.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 13, 2017

The Lord Cares About Bulging Tires

jan-13“The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.”  Psalm 23:1 (NIV)

One late afternoon after getting off work, I headed to a local gas station to add air to the tires of my beautiful car and noticed that the right rear tire had a bulge in it. Simply described, the bulge resembled a tumor. Since I had never seen a bulge on a tire before, I immediately proceeded to the car dealership where I bought my vehicle eight months ago.  I asked why the one tire had such an anomaly on it, as all tires were supposed to be brand new at purchase.

According to the tire expert, such bulging happens when you hit a pothole or a hard object on the road and some kind of belt breaks in the threading of the tire (puzzled look on this face immediately came on). Long story short: the dealership didn’t warrant tires, and I would have to replace not only the defective tire, but also a second one.  Why?  Because if I only exchanged one tire, it would throw off the balance and wearing of the other three (sad face replaced the puzzled look).

I was disappointed at the no-warranty fact and very concerned that I needed tires and had no money in my reserves to afford changing tires. So I had a daughter-to-daddy conversation with the Lord, and I told Him I was AGAIN at His mercy and needed for Him to intervene on my behalf.

On Sunday morning, I shared my concern with a friend just before Sunday School Class as we spoke about our week. During prayer time, I felt a nudge on my back and turned to look and there was a familiar face smiling at me as her hand placed a check in mine. The check covered the cost of the two tires I needed. Once again, my Jehovah Jireh provided for my need!

Your need may be different than mine, but in the eyes of our Father, the needs of His children are all looked at in the same manner, and He cares for every single one of us.

“I am in awe of You,  Lord, because You always provide for my needs. Thank You, Lord!”

For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Gratitude, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | January 12, 2017

Our Greatest Blessings

jan-12“And yet, Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 (NLT)

There was once a man who went to his rabbi with a complaint, “Rabbi, it says in the Bible, “See. I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse (Duet. 11:26). All I see in my life are curses. Where are the blessings God promises?”

The rabbi answered with a folktale about a couple who visited England to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Both loved antiques, especially teacups. One day, in a charming little shop, they spotted the most beautiful teacup they had ever seen. The couple asked the shop owner if they could see the teacup and she obliged.

As soon as the shop owner handed the lady the cup, it began to speak. It said, I wasn’t always so beautiful. I was once red clay. My master rolled and patted me over and over again. I asked him to leave me alone but he only smiled and said, “not yet.”

Then I was put on the spinning wheel. I was spun around and around. I asked my master to stop. I told him I wanted to get off, but my master only said, “not yet.” Next I was placed in a hot oven. I never felt such heat. I couldn’t understand why my master wanted to burn me. I knocked on the door screaming that I wanted to come out, but I could see my master’s mouth say, “not yet.”

Finally, he opened the door and placed me on a shelf; he brushed me and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible and I thought I would choke. I asked my master to stop, but he said, “not yet.” Then he put me back in the oven, only this time it was even hotter. I thought I wouldn’t survive.

Just when I had nearly given up hope, my Master took me out. He showed me a mirror and I looked like this. A beautiful teacup made of the purest fine china and hand painted by the Master of artistry.  Then my Master explained; if I wouldn’t have rolled you, you would have dried up. If I would have stopped spinning you, you would have fallen. If I hadn’t placed you in the oven, you would have cracked. If I wouldn’t have painted you, you wouldn’t have hardened or had color in your life. If I hadn’t put you back in the oven, you wouldn’t be durable. (selected as told by an old Jewish Rabbi.)

Often God uses the very things in our lives that we thought would be the result of our destruction or demise to catapult us to our greatest blessings and destinies. God uses our sufferings and afflictions for His glory and His namesake. Our trials ground our faith in ways that health, wealth, relationships, status, etc. never could.

“Father, we can trust our lives are in Your hands…the One and only skillful and loving Artisan making our lives beautiful.”

For His Glory

Kim Lacey Schock
http://www.KimLaceySchock.com

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Success, Wisdom

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