Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 24, 2015

Seeing Spiritually, Not Socially

cb devo sept 24“Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse,” Matthew 1:5 (HCSB)

I have always been amazed that Rahab (a prostitute) was a direct descendant of Christ. However, I kind of skipped over the part that she also gave birth to Boaz, which led to the great love story of him and Ruth. Beth Moore puts it this way: “Because Rahab tried something new and believed God and acted on it, she set the example for Boaz and perhaps that’s where his compassion and willingness to see Ruth as more than a foreigner came from.” Rahab was an unlikely person to be used by God and was marked by society by her profession. Thankfully God saw more in her, and her obedience led directly to the birth of Christ.

How often do we feel marked by society? Maybe its how much money we have, what kind of clothes we wear or the car we don’t drive. Even our job could be considered not desirable. God created each of us as unique individuals with a specific purpose for our lives. When we focus on how God sees us and are obedient to Him, we are not only changed but future generations as well. Rahab didn’t pass along the legacy of her profession to Boaz, instead she passed along her faith and obedience in God. Let’s commit to rise above society and be the person God intends for us to be.

“Dear God, Thank You for seeing us for so much more and having something even better planned for our lives. Help us to not fall into the trap of what society thinks we should do but focus on what You want us to do. May we pass on our faith and obedience.”

For His Glory,

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

TRBC will be hosting the I Still Do conference
Saturday, October 17th.

I Still Do, a Family Life event, is designed for married couples to reconnect and strengthen their marriages. Dennis Rainey, Alistair Begg, and other speakers and entertainers will be sharing from the stage. The conference will be hosted live at TRBC and simulcast nationwide to thousands of churches! It’s an exciting event and we’d love to see the Worship Center filled with couples committed to their marriage, especially in light of the recent Supreme Court decision.

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 23, 2015

Driven To Obey

cb devo sept23“The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:8 (NIV)

The siren didn’t have to alert me that a cop was trailing behind me. I had already glimpsed him out my rear view mirror. Guilty as charged, I pulled off the Interstate and found my license – let’s just get this over was my mindset. Going 87 miles per hour in a 70 zone isn’t a good thing. I was laughing, talking and zooming along with the flow of traffic. Totally oblivious to the speed, I ignored the warning signs. The speed limits were posted; I had passed several cops already – braking just in time to miss their radar. But this time, I wasn’t so lucky.

Wonder how many times, we have zoomed passed God’s warning signs? Oblivious to His commands, we ignore the truths of His word and settle in for what the crowd is doing. After all everyone else is doing the same right? The cop that pulled me over wasn’t interested in what others were doing; I was in his radar and he caught me.

Our Holy God is interested in our lives. He knows that when one of His children slips outside the limits of His protection others will be affected. Casualties fall in the aftermath of our disobedience sometimes right along with us and other times the damage occurs later. Regardless we reap what we sow – even if the reaping is further down the road. And unfortunately, the price for not heeding God’s warnings is much higher than the ticket I’ll receive. Next time, I will heed the warning signs and avoid the consequences – how about you?

“Father, help us to stay within the loving limits of Your word and avoid reaping devastating consequences.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

TRBC will be hosting the I Still Do conference
Saturday, October 17th.

I Still Do, a Family Life event, is designed for married couples to reconnect and strengthen their marriages. Dennis Rainey, Alistair Begg, and other speakers and entertainers will be sharing from the stage. The conference will be hosted live at TRBC and simulcast nationwide to thousands of churches! It’s an exciting event and we’d love to see the Worship Center filled with couples committed to their marriage, especially in light of the recent Supreme Court decision.

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 22, 2015

Convenience

cb devo sept 22“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Merriam-Webster defines convenience as “a quality or situation that makes something easy or useful for someone by reducing the amount of work or time required to do something.” To me, traveling by car is a convenience that I seldom exchange for the pleasure of flying. Why? Simply because of all the nuisance involved in getting through the check lines, having complete strangers with blue gloves digging through my luggage and being at the mercy of airport authorities that may cancel flights at their own discretion. Experience this pleasure earlier this month, my flight to Miami got canceled after having been delayed three times, which made me wait until the next day to fly out. Sometimes we miss out on something great because we forego the opportunity just because of convenience.

Our obedience to God, however, cannot come out of convenience. His Word does contain promises for His people, but He also requires their obedience to His commands. It was not convenient for Moses to wander in the desert for 40 years with whining people by his side, but out of obedience, he did so. It was not convenient for Jesus to bleed and die on a cross for our sins, but out of obedience to His Father’s plan of salvation to mankind, He did so.

The frustration caused by the cancellation of my flight almost made me forget how awesome it is to travel above the clouds. I go to watch the sun rise and set in a way we normally can’t, unless we are risen above those clouds – definitely a worth price to pay.

“Dear Lord, it isn’t always convenient for us to get out of our comfort zone and reach out to others, but thanks to Your grace, when we do it, the reward is so worth it!”
For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Coffee Break

TRBC will be hosting the I Still Do conference
Saturday, October 17th.

I Still Do, a Family Life event, is designed for married couples to reconnect and strengthen their marriages. Dennis Rainey, Alistair Begg, and other speakers and entertainers will be sharing from the stage. The conference will be hosted live at TRBC and simulcast nationwide to thousands of churches! It’s an exciting event and we’d love to see the Worship Center filled with couples committed to their marriage, especially in light of the recent Supreme Court decision.

 

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Posted in Attitude, Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 21, 2015

My Sacred Place

cb devo sept21“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” Philippians 2:16 (NIV)

Shabby chic or designer’s nightmare – not sure what they’d call that thing sitting in my garage. Blue, outdated and frayed, yet my heart can’t let it go. Every now and then I curl back up in my favorite chair. Discarded furniture to the average eyes, but it’s a sacred place for me. God and I did life in that chair. Maybe it’s why my Daddy loved his chair too. You would find him there early mornings when he wasn’t working. Bowed head not in sleep but in prayer. Bible open and mouth muttering things a little girl couldn’t understand but still remembers – whispered sound of his voice and the softening of his wrinkled face talking with Jesus.

Closing my eyes, I still see Daddy there – silently teaching me where to go for wisdom, how to find peace and where to turn when life’s upside down. A fading memory to some; he’s gone from here now, but a lasting impression to me. Brought me right to the throne room of God – me, my chair and brokenness. Poured out, spilled out and scooped up in the Father’s arms. Sleepless nights, angered outbursts and speechless praise echoed to the One that welcomed me into His presence. Sweet, sweet moments – life changing – that’s why I love that old chair. I hope my son remembers that chair. I know he found me there often. I’d often find him curled up at my feet or little arms extended wanting my love when his world crumbled. I pray I gave him more than a faded memory – I pray he saw me at the feet of Jesus.

“Father, there is no place I’d rather be than in Your presence.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

TRBC will be hosting the I Still Do conference
Saturday, October 17th.

I Still Do, a Family Life event, is designed for married couples to reconnect and strengthen their marriages. Dennis Rainey, Alistair Begg, and other speakers and entertainers will be sharing from the stage. The conference will be hosted live at TRBC and simulcast nationwide to thousands of churches! It’s an exciting event and we’d love to see the Worship Center filled with couples committed to their marriage, especially in light of the recent Supreme Court decision.

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 18, 2015

God’s Champions

cb devo sept 18“You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.” Psalm 18:39 (NIV)

It was brutal – watching two sisters battling it out on live tv. The US Open Tennis match featured the talented Williams sisters playing against each other; however, this wasn’t the first time they had met on the court. Venus and Serena were fully aware of the other’s weaknesses and strengths. After all, they did grow up playing tennis together, and their competitive spirit showed up the moment they entered the arena. You could see the edge of determination in their eyes. You could hear the agony and the pain edging their faces over bad shots and lost points. You could sense the level of tension even sitting far, far away from the live audience in New York. Neither one planning to lose, yet one would win and one would walk away defeated. Despite their personal agendas, at the conclusion of the match they met at the net and hugged as only sisters could do – champions on and off the court.

There are moments when we too feel like we are battling it out before a captive audience. This journey called life is hard and requires discipline, perseverance, patience and wisdom. There are moments when we feel like our weaknesses are broadcast loud and clear. There are times when we allow our competitive spirit to rear its ugly head demanding to win. There are days when the pain and regret of past mistakes can overtake us. There are real life dramas that steal our breath away and zap our strength. All opportunities for us to defeat the urge to give up and continue fighting the good fight.

Life evaporates quickly and todays evolve into yesterdays faster than we ever imagined. Satan hasn’t invented new tricks – he still seeks to steal, kill and destroy – it’s a brutal match we’ve all seen before. Let’s bow our knees, claim God’s word and lock arms so when it’s all said and done we’re God’s Champions – undefeated!

“Sweet Jesus how we need You to arm us with wisdom, power and might. Help us to stand courageously and boldly proclaiming Your name before the enemy even has time to strike.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 17, 2015

Unveiling Hidden Sins

cb devo sept 17“Be holy, for I am holy!” 1 Peter 1:16b (NKJV)

Can you imagine God tolerating our hidden sins? Sometimes we are unaware that we have them, but with His admonition to be holy, He goes to the closet and opens boxes taped up for years!

Recently, I received an obituary sent to my old school classmates on the death of a former “beloved” teacher. Beautiful words of eulogy flowed from those who wanted to enshrine his life. Immediately my mind went back to how this man had found in me one so innocent that he took advantage of it. Anger swept over me; I wanted to write back and relay the sins he had committed against me and other young girls. He had been fired, but no one ever knew why so there was never ‘closure.’ Seeing his picture for the first time in many years, it all came flooding back. I felt glad thinking of him getting his ‘just due’ from God. My husband suggested he may have gotten saved, but I rebelled at the thought! It took all of the next day to work through the smog to repentance and give it to God in exchange for peace!

Locked away in a hidden chamber of my heart, I never realized the hurt was still an issue and was keeping my life from being all it could be. When God tells us to be holy, He means completely! He is always ready to clean out hidden sins, wash the vessel clean and give us the peace that passes understanding in every facet of our life!

“Father, thank You for bringing our hidden or forgotten sins to light, so that we can repent and have freedom! We know our sins hung on Your cross, Lord, but we desire that You cleanse every area of our lives, so we may be pleasing to You!”

For His Glory

Sandy Day
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Faith, Freedom, Mercy, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 16, 2015

Answering The King’s Call

cb devo sept 16“So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons.” 2 Samuel 9:11b (NIV)

King David had a very close friendship with one of King Saul’s sons, Jonathan. The Bible, when speaking of the covenant between the two young men, states that David loved Jonathan as himself (1 Samuel 18). Throughout scripture several events took place, yet the two men remained faithful to one another and their friendship.

After King Saul and Jonathan died, the Bible says that King David went out of his way to do some kindness toward the house of Saul “for Jonathan’s sake.” One of the servants of Saul’s household mentioned to David that there was a young man named Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, who was crippled in both feet. What follows is not just an act of kindness, but a demonstration of true love that sees beyond any flaw or handicap.

King David sends for the young man, who is baffled that the king would show any interest in him. You see, the young man had been raised by servants and made to think he was not worth much, simply because he had a handicap. King David not only spoke directly to Mephibosheth, but he told him that he would restore to him all the land that belonged to his grandfather Saul. He told Mephibosheth that from that day forward, he would sit at the table with the king!!

So, let’s recap: boy is crippled; boy is raised by servants; boy grows up with very low self-esteem, so the young man he becomes thinks very poorly of himself; young man is shocked the king even wants to see him. Then… young man receives all the land that once was taken from his family, has many servants ready to work for him and farm his land. He never again returns to the poor hood where he was raised, because he now dines at the king’s table!!

Our God is just like this king; He does not look at our flaws. He is ready to bless us, even when we least expect it. All we need to do is answer His call.

“Lord, thank You for your mercies that are renewed every morning.”

For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Faith, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 15, 2015

Even If…..

cb devo sept 15“But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” – Daniel 3:18

I long to have the “even if” faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They boldly told King Nebuchadnezzar that the God they served was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace, but even if He did not, they would worship only Him.

I also proclaim that I will only worship Jesus. But sometimes when things heat up, when life gets hard and I don’t see God doing what I think He should be doing, my heart drifts. Instead of walking through the fire, knowing Jesus is by my side, I choose to take things in to my own hands…trying to fix the problem and bowing down to the god of self-sufficiency. Sometimes when I am wounded by a friend, rather than trusting that Jesus knows my pain and is able to comfort me, I try to ease my own pain by bowing to the god of self-righteousness. When I have real needs that have not yet been met, rather than patiently trusting in His provision, I bow down to fear and worry. In these, and countless other ways, I choose to worship lesser gods.

But, praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who is able to rescue me from myself! I pray that He will create in me a pure heart…a heart that will turn to Him in times of trouble, a heart that would rather perish in the fire than serve or worship any god other than Jesus.

“Lord, only you can rescue me from my idol-making heart. I pray that in every circumstance you will remind me that you are more than enough, so that I will choose to worship only you.”

For His Glory,

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 14, 2015

Encountering Jesus

cb devo sept 14“Now early in the morning, He (Jesus) came again into the temple and all the people came to Him and He sat down and taught them.” John 8:2 (NKJV)

What does your morning look like? If you’re like most of us a lot of unexpected things can occur once our feet hit the floor. A sick child stands outside our bedroom door. Homework mysteriously gets lost. Breakfast lands on someone’s clothes instead of their mouth. And just maybe, we make it out of the door and to work on time. All within the first hours of our waking moments – just another day or an opportunity to encounter Jesus.

An early morning invitation landed twelve ordinary men the job offer of a lifetime – to be fishers of men. Early in the morning, Jesus came to the temple, sat down and taught the people. Long before daylight, Jesus went out and departed to a solitary place to pray. Early in the morning, Mary Magdalene encountered the risen Lord. Early in the morning, Jesus restored weary fisherman and invited them to feast at his table.

Amazing things happen when we invite Jesus into our morning. The ordinary person is transformed into extraordinary. Wisdom flows and prayers are answered. Restoration and contentment accompany those who begin their day at His table. And even the unexpected unleashes renewed strength when God invades our space before the world creeps in.

Sipping your coffee – read His word. Packing lunches – breathe a prayer. Dressing for work – put on the armor of God. Hugging your children – feel His arms holding you close. All within the first hours of our waking moments –incredible opportunities to encounter Jesus.

“Father, how sweet to know that You eagerly awaken me so that we can be together before the day unfolds.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 11, 2015

The Time Is Now

cb devo sept 11“Whoever is not willing to carry his cross and follow me cannot be my follower.” Luke 14:27 (NCV)

Living life our way, living on the edge – a fun way to live life and a great motto for our society – selfish, full of greed, and “It’s about me” mode. It’s hard not to fall into that category. Problem is a life full of fortune, ease, and freedom is not the life we committed to when we said yes to Christ.

Being a follower of Christ means daily taking up one’s own cross and dying daily to self. It means raging through the rapids of trials. Dealing with sorrow and loss – being watched as we endure the cross for His glory not ours. How many times have we started through the valley and given up only to later see the impact it could have made. It means risking our pride and sharing with co-workers, neighbors, and friends about our relationship with Christ and how He has changed our life. It means missing out on some of the fun, bucket lists and wants so we can serve in local shelters, host a life group, or give of our precious time to listen to a hurting friend. Not always what we want – but what He requires.

Are we willing to die to self and carry the cross? Are we willing to say yes to God and no to self? It’s not an easy thing to do, but God never promised us a land of milk and honey on earth – our reward is in heaven. Will you commit to being His follower today?

“Father, thank you for the opportunity to carry the cross for Your glory. Give me strength as I fight the battles of self.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living, Success

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