Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 8, 2013

So Soul, Why Are You Freaking Out?

devo jan 30“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” Psalm 42:11 (NASB)

 

The sunny optimistic side of life is my kind of a side to look at, but I can say from current experience trusting in the will of God has been a tough one for me.  My head knows that putting my hope and trust in the Lord is what I’m supposed to do, but making my heart obey the truths from God’s Word is totally different.  My heart often has a way of being deceitful.

               

The author of Psalm 42 is so honest isn’t he? Throughout the whole chapter, we can taste his anguish.  He isn’t sugar coating the pain going on in his life.  He lays himself exposed and hurting before the Lord. God isn’t condemning him for being honest either.  He just lets him come broken and upset.  Even after all the pain and unanswered questions, he realizes who to run back to.  Even in his despair and disturbed heart, he reminds himself to hope in God. 

 

The word hope translated from the Hebrew text means ‘an indication of certainty.’ God never changes; He is always faithful.  Our lives are not certain, but just as the Psalmist remembered, our hope is in the promise of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  It is our very reason for living.  When we view our lives through that truth and hope nothing can put us in despair.  “So, soul, why are you freaking out?  Hope in God and praise Him for He is my Savior, my God.”

 

“Beautiful Jesus, remind us just how vastly loved we are today.  Holy Spirit, teach us how to put our trust in You and lead us out of our worry and despair with praising You for who You are and for what You’ve done.”

 

For His Glory,

 

Mary Pat Smissen
TRBC Coffee Break

 

 

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 7, 2013

Adaptability

Businesswomen Sitting with Binder“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.” I Corinthians 9:19-20 (NIV)

 I had a dream one night, and in my dream I observed an individual going through different places. The scenery was like an animated movie colorful, bright and the person moving quickly through each area.  When the main character crossed the sea, he became like a sea creature.  When moving through the air, he would be like a sky creature.  He also took the form and shape of different beings while crossing around the earth.  When I woke up, the word “Adaptability” came to mind. No matter what I did that day, and in the days to come, I kept reflecting on that word.

 We, human beings, are adaptable to situations, and we must stay that way if we are to go through life on this planet. Adaptability allows us to face situations and endure them. The apostle Paul speaks of adaptability while he was on this earth preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ trying to win souls for the kingdom of God. Though he would not give in to sin by allowing himself to adapt to other cultures and lifestyles, Paul became like them in order to place himself amongst them and earn the opportunity to share the gospel. Adaptability opened the door for Paul and it can do the same for us.

 “Father, how wonderful it is that You provide us with opportunities to serve and with gifts to reach others for Your kingdom. Please give us the wisdom to be adaptable but all the while abiding by Your Word.”

 

For His Glory

Luska Suzano
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 6, 2013

United in Prayer

cb devo aug2“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”  Colossians 1:9 (KJV)

 

When the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray for others, we should pray immediately. I had a friend who was traveling and had lost her credit cards. I immediately prayed for her. She went looking around for her credit cards and called me an hour later to tell me she hadn’t found them. She was very nervous, but my faith was not shaken. I prayed again, but this time I released thanksgiving that she would find her credit cards. After I prayed the second time, she was calm and faith arose within her.  My friend felt assured that God would direct her to find the credit cards. Sure enough she found them, and we were praising God together. We were both excited and grateful to God.  If we had not stopped and prayed, my friend would have continued to be anxious and worried. Prayer caused her to have peace, and God directed her to where her credit cards were. There is power where two or more pray the prayer of agreement. Whom is God leading you to pray for? Let’s be obedient and not miss out on the blessings of answered prayer.

 

“Lord help me to be sensitive and pray for others. Help me to be used by You for Your honor and glory. Help me not to cease praying daily for others to be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

 

For His Glory

 

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Hope, Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 5, 2013

Chance of a Lifetime

A Middle Eastern woman lying down reading“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’shouse, unto a land that I will shew thee:  And I will make of thee a greatnation, and I will bless thee, and make thy namegreat ; and thou shalt be a blessing:” Genesis 12:1-2 (NIV)

Genesis 12 introduces us to Lot, a man who held onto the curtails of his uncle, Abram’s, faith.  Wealth, possessions and favor followed in Abram’s footsteps, so it’s a no brainer as to why Lot wouldn’t want to tag along.  He was eager to follow and experience the benefits of Abram’s faith walk.  Leaving his homeland of Ur for a great adventure to see the world, Lot’s bags were packed in record time.  It was the chance of a lifetime, and one that Lot had no intention of missing. 

What about us? Have we found ourselves  eager to grab a hold onto someone else’s faith because success characterized their journey? Anytime, we hold onto someone else’s faith walk, we will always shortchange our own. God has a unique growth plan for each of His children’s lives, and He desires to deepen our level of trust in Him.  Basing our decisions on what God is leading in someone else’s life without His clear direction for us will land us outside the will of God. So whose curtails do we tend to hold onto? Maybe’s it’s our parent’s faith.    Or perhaps we’ve placed our trust in results evidenced in the lives of others rather than the One who sovereignly orchestrates the events in our lives. God is the Rewarder of those who place their faith in Him – don’t miss out on the journey – embracing the life He has for us is more than we can ever imagine.

“Father, empower us to step out in faith and pursue the journey You have for us.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 4, 2013

A Promise of Protection

cb devo aug 23“He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” Psalm 91:4 (NLT)

 A farmer was walking his farm surveying the destructions of a devastating fire. He came across the carcass of a charred chicken and kicked it with his foot. To his amazement baby chicks ran from beneath the dead chicken’s wings. They had survived the heat, smoke and flames under the protection of their mother’s wings. Can you imagine this chicken lovingly corralling her chicks under her wings for protection.

 In the very same way this chicken protected her chicks, you can be confident that your Father in heaven shields and shelters His children with His wings and feathers. Actually, it is His promise. Whenever you read the words “I will” in scripture it’s a promise from God. In this passage God does not say “I’ll see, maybe, perhaps or I‘ll think about it.” He says, “I WILL.” So He surely will do what He promises because He does not lie.

 When life situations are too hot to handle, when you can’t see past the smoke and the flames of adversity are trying to consume you – remember you are even more precious to God than baby chicks. Imagine in your head God wrapping His loving arms as a shelter around you…safe and secure. You are shielded and protected by His promise as your armor.

 “Father, how sweet to draw near to You, to rest in Your arms and know that we are safe.  Your faithful promises are true – we can count on You to shield and protect us.”

 

For His Glory,

 

Kim Lacey Schock
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 1, 2013

Empowering Failure

Young Woman Facing the Sky“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

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Past failures + repentance + brokenness + surrender = empowerment.  The lessons we learn in the shadows of failure position us to seek repentance and God’s forgiveness.  Our broken spirits and surrendered lives position us to receive God’s empowerment.  Graciously, God uses every event to move us closer to Him.  If we maintain an intimate relationship with Him, then we will see our lives from His perspective and gain valuable insight.  He knows the end results and the character qualities He is developing.  He knows the people that will be impacted and the lives that will be changed. 

 Our compassionate and merciful God sees our failures and makes a way for us to leverage them for our good.  He knows the fertile soil of defeat produces a harvest of knowledge and growth that we might otherwise have missed.   Nothing is wasted, nothing is lost – it’s all necessary in order to purify our lives so that we will be utterly dependent upon God.  Only when our lives are emptied, spilled out and void of us can God genuinely use our lives for His purpose and glory. As long as we are hanging on to even a thread of our own existence, we won’t experience the joy of total dependence on Him. In our greatest moments of desperation, we will find that God’s power enables us far beyond our greatest failures. 

 “Father, while we never aim for failure, we know that we will experience it.  Help us to turn to you in those moments and experience the growth You desire.”


For His Glory

 Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Hope, Spiritual Growth, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 31, 2013

Encourge One Another

 M

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”  Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV)

 

Where do we stand on our faith today?  Are we full of faith or lacking in our faith?   Do we turn to God, or have we turned away from God?  What about reading the Bible? Do we believe that God answers prayers or have we given up?  If we see someone leaving their faith or discouraged, we must encourage their faint heart.  By our own example and testimonies, we can encourage others.  Our victories cause others to thirst and hunger after the things of God.  Instead of judging others, we must have hearts full of compassion and encourage others to come back to God.  We must help to restore those who have gotten away from the faith.  The Bible says to encourage one another daily.  Notice it says in the scripture to encourage Today, not tomorrow, tomorrow might not be here. When we encourage others, we can prevent their hearts from becoming hardened.  We can help others avoid the deceitfulness of sin.  Is there someone today that God wants us to strengthen?  Do we have an unbelieving heart that has turned away from God?  Today God is calling us all to turn back to Him.  It is our choice – He’s waiting with open arms.

 

“Lord, I choose to turn to You with a believing heart. I choose to encourage others daily, as long as it is called Today, so that I won’t be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. I pray that my friends, loved ones, and myself will walk in righteousness.”

 

For His Glory

 

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend


 

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 30, 2013

Got Friends?

melissa clip“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)


Proverbs 13:20 tells us that those who walk with wise people become wise people. On the flip side, those who hang with fools are in for some trouble. We

have to decide if we want to be wise or foolish. We are influenced by who we spend our time with. Look to spend more time with those who live their lives in the manner that we wish our life to look like. That’s the first tip: Choose wise people to pursue and spend time with!

 Second what does it mean to pursue. We should be careful about how we pursue people. In today’s society, everyone is so busy…pressuring someone to spend time with us will not increase our chances of building a lasting, healthy relationship. In fact, it will more than likely lead to the opposite. As we pursue, don’t over-communicate. As we pursue, don’t over-flatter. As we pursue, don’t. overdo. it.

 Third, and finally, remember that friendships should be mutual. Friendships should be give and take. While we pursue wise people that we wish to be like…what will they get out of their relationship with us? Remember that we have to put something valuable into the relationship as well. Clearly, many friendships consist of one person who may be more spiritually mature or more emotionally mature. One person may have their life together more than the other. One person is likely going to be more wise. All of that is totally ok. At the same time, keep in mind that friendships should be reciprocal.

 Seek wise people to become friends with. Pursue them carefully. Remember that friendships should be mutual. Now those are some tips for healthy friendships!

 

 “Dear Lord, thank You for sharing Your wisdom with us. Help me to attain and maintain health friendships.”


For His Glory

 Laurel Shaler (www.drlaurelshaler.com)
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 29, 2013

Destined To Shine

janet clip“But I have raised you (Moses) up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”  Exodus 9:16 (NIV)

 

A life spared in the Nile River, a boy raised by the Pharaoh’s daughter, a murderer on the run for his life, a meek shepherd called to lead God’s people out of bondage.  Doesn’t quite sound like a great plan in the eyes of the world, yet God used Moses to lead His people and change the course of history.

 What about our story?  If we genuinely examine God’s divine intervention and sovereignty then we will find that He too wants to use our story to reveal His power.  We may never lead a group of people or stand before an earthy King, but what God accomplishes will impact thousands who daily see God’s power demonstrated in us.  Powerless without Him, mighty with Him – the ultimate choice is up to us.  What an awesome God we serve – He knows what’s best, He is the key to all our successes, He has all the answers, He already has provided for our every failure – He knows whether we will ever reach our full potential or succumb to a life of regrets.  Yet the God of the Universe in love still reaches down His hand to make us great so we can shine for Him. 

 

“Father,  what our mouths can’t say, You will speak for us.  What our minds can’t conceive, You will design.  What our bodies can’t fulfill, You will orchestrate – How great is our God!”


For His Glory

 Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 28, 2013

God’s Way Is Always Best

Businesswoman in Front of Doors“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”Matthew 7:13 (NIV)

 

By worldly standards, the lyrics of Beyoncé Knowles’ song “Irreplaceable,” widely known as “To the left,” is exactly how people treat issues that God would strongly reproach. In the song a young woman is kicking out her partner , telling him that he will shortly be replaced and she takes back everything she has given to him as gifts during the time they were together. His belongings, as she puts it in the song, or those things she thinks he is entitled to take with him, are stored in a box sitting to the left of a closet. The song has a catchy tune, as do many songs about distrust, adultery, fornication, lies, drinking, deceit, break-ups, and many other sinful things. The truth is, however, that human nature is inclined to put up with sin and to make a blind eye to it.  Too easily it becomes somewhat the norm or the way of living for many.

The Bible spurs us to enter through the narrow gate – to choose God’s way versus the world’s way. Why? Because what the world has to offer leads to destruction while God offers us eternal life with Him. It all boils down to choosing how we want to live: eternally with God enjoying freedom, or enjoying  sinful ways in a temporal life that will end in eternity of sorrow and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:40-43).

 

“Our most gracious Lord: You are Abba. You are the Potter and we are merely clay in Your hands. Guide us and lead us so we can mirror You to others and help them steer far from the path of destruction. ”

 

For His Glory

 Luska Suzano
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

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