Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 26, 2011

Guarding Our Gaze

“When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister.  So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die.”  Genesis 30:1 (NIV)
Quite the ultimatum, Rachel lost sight of her desire for motherhood and exchanged it for a competitive race with her sister Leah.   The two were married to one man, Jacob – how’s that for marital bliss. Jacob loved Rachel; however, Leah was the mega baby producing wife.  She had no problem getting pregnant, so Leah attempted to use her fertility to gain the love of Jacob.  Rachel was barren, and her fixed gaze on Leah led her into a pit of discontentment.  Manipulating handmaids as surrogate mothers, these two sisters desperately tried to out do the other as the seeds of jealousy grew in abundance.  And when God opened Rachel’s womb, her words reflected the discontent in her heart:  “God has taken away my disgrace. May the Lord add to me another son.”  The infant nestled in her arms wasn’t enough to satisfy the raging battle within her soul.  How many times have we fixed our gaze on God’s blessings in someone’s life and nursed discontent in our own?  Like Rachel, we can become obsessed with our own idea of fulfillment and miss the hand of God’s blessing upon our lives.  By fixing our gaze on God, and not people, we can avoid the drama of a soul eaten up with jealousy.

“Father, Help our words to reflect a heart that is truly satisfied in You and Your unfailing love.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 25, 2011

Treasured Pain

“Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise.”  Jeremiah 30:17 (NIV)

Healing happens one moment at a time , continual bandaging, nurtured by the Father until the moment our pain transforms into joy.  Witnessed this first hand as I watched a friend’s little girl making giant strides in walking.  Now you might think what’s so amazing about that – all children have to learn to walk.  But this girl started life weighing under two pounds.  She has leaped over many hurdles and at almost two, her sweet smile reminds me that God is the only one who numbers our days.  Every sound of laughter is a gift to be treasured.  Many years ago, I held my daughter in my arms as she tenderly met her Savior at the age of two.  Her days were numbered and no doctor or medicine could change God’s plan.  Healing seemed impossible when empty arms were consumed with sadness, but God graciously kept me close to His heart.  Day by day, moment by moment He transformed my pain into joy.  A different joy that rests and finds peace in God’s sovereign will.  Dark hair and gorgeous blue eyes have smiled at me this week, so much like the one I have missed all these years.  I could have pulled away, hiding in the remembrance or crying out for answers, yet instead I treasured each moment.  Grabbing her hand and helping her walk, I realized God was still holding my hand helping me make giant strides.

“Father, help us to cherish the moments we have and accept the healing grace that moves us past the pain.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 24, 2011

Reflecting Beauty

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.” Matthew 23:25 (NASB)

Picking up my coffee cup, I decided to reheat it in the microwave. Reaching for the handle, I could see my reflection in the door and I basked in a job well done. But when I opened the microwave, I immediately thought, “Yuck!”

Inside the microwave was splattered with reheated leftovers.  I scrubbed and wiped wondering how the inside got so crusty and dirty. Then I realized, I’m usually in such a rush that I clean the outside and decide that’s good enough.  We too spend hours making sure that everything looks good from the outside: fancy hair dos, expensive clothes, large beautiful home, and the newest model car.  Yet we tend to spend no time at all on the inside, where we carrying around a lot of yuck: anger, bitterness, jealousy, selfishness.

Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites because they worried more about what everyone saw on the outside than the condition of their insides. If their outside looked good, then that was good enough. But when God looks at us, He only sees what’s inside. He isn’t concerned with our hairstyle or perfectly coordinated outfit. What concerns Him is the condition of our heart. And the only way we are able to live a God honoring life is with a clean heart. If we don’t clean up the inside, we’re just a yucky microwave with a shiny door.

God, forgive me for spending too much time on my outside and not enough on the inside. Help me to remember that what matters is honoring You, and I can only do that when my inside is clean.

For His Glory,

Josey Bozzo
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 23, 2011

Total Devotion

“You shall have no other gods before me.”  Exodus 20:3 (NIV)

While I have no ancient idols perched on my shelves – I’d have to admit there have been idols that have surfaced in my life.  Didn’t recognize them at first; they just crept in consuming my attention. Before I knew it, I was obsessed with them. Distracted, I found my attention shifting away from the One true God.  There’s no need for interpretation here – when God says no other gods before Him – He means it.  So why do we attempt to lift up others, things, or ourselves in our pursuits as if He wasn’t enough. It is really no surprise that God would give this commandment first because everything else hinges on those words.  We can’t receive His power, strength, or wisdom apart from giving Him first place in our lives.  So what imposters are taking us away from the One God that truly satisfies?  What would cause us to even look or consider placing anything above Him? The Giver of life, Sustainer of our souls and Redeemer of our hearts has earned the right to be our First Love.  Are we willing to tear down those things we have erected?  How do we let them go so there is nothing else standing in the way?  It’s elementary – yet its crucial if we want to serve Him, enjoy Him and glorify Him then we’ve got to place God higher than anything or anyone else in our lives. Total devotion is what He desires; it’s what He requires.

“Father, When we are willing to surrender everything, we finally realize that You alone are worthy of our devotion.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 22, 2011

More Than Enough

“Then Jesus directed them to have all of the people sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.”  Mark 6:39-40 (NIV)

Worn out. Hungry. Without resources.   Consumed with exhaustion, the disciples asked Jesus to send the people away.  But Jesus had other plans; He began to teach the people.    I can just hear the grumbling of the disciples.  Now they were faced with a hungry crowd in a barren place with NO resources. They didn’t think there was anything they could do. Been there myself – times when needs faced me at every turn.  My hope would flicker; there was nothing I could do.  While the disciples were wondering what they were going to do,  Jesus took what was offered (5 loaves of bread and 2 fish) and made it much more than they ever imagined.  Every person was fed and there were 12 baskets of food left.

Focused on their own lack, the disciples forgot they were standing next to the One who could help.  Jesus put them to work on the practical task and then He performed the miracle.  When I face difficult times, I too tend to focus on the problem and forget I’m standing next to the One who can help.  Instead of wringing my hands with worry, I need to put my faith in Jesus and trust Him for the miracle.

“Lord, forgive me when I focus more on my own limitations rather than Your power.  There is nothing too great for You!  Help me to turn my thoughts on what You have placed in front of me and trust You to do the rest.”

 

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 19, 2011

Embracing Freedom

 “And God spoke all these words:  I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”  Exodus 20:1 (NIV)

A personal God who intervenes on behalf of His people – who would ask for more?  His desire is release, freedom and deliverance so that we can enjoy the abundant life.   Who wouldn’t be empowered to seize their Promised Land?  Yet the Children of Israel seemed reluctant to embrace the road to freedom.  God alone was the one that knew every detail of their past. He saw them getting caught in the snare; He witnessed their wanderings, bargainings, and complainings– yet God excused none of it.  They didn’t move out of their bondage due to a twelve step program, diligence, or discipline. They moved out because God’s mighty hand led them out.  Lingering back, His people often cherished the memory of the very life that kept them enslaved.  Sound familiar? Aren’t we guilty of looking back and seeing the good, while God looks back and sees the path to destruction? Redeeming His relationship with us, God proves His power to lift us up and beyond the remnants of our sinful past; however, God isn’t just the God of the past. He is in our present and our future. He knows what it will take for us to reach our Promised Land and some of us won’t pay the price.  We will settle for Egypt and chose slavery to past sins, habits, devastation, heartbreak, etc.   And when we do, we will miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Father, transforming our lives is the goal of Your deliverance.  Teach us to grab a hold of Your hand and cherish the freedom You offer.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Freedom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 18, 2011

Running God’s Race

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

I recently took up running as a way to lose weight and to live healthy according to God’s will.  Posting my runs on Facebook is keeping me accountable and allowing me to encourage others to take their own steps to a healthier lifestyle. I’ve learned that it’s hard to run if your shoes laces aren’t tied; you get tripped up. It’s just as hard to live for Christ if we have sin as an obstacle on the race course that God wants us to run. When we throw off the sins blocking our way and embrace the course God has placed before us, we will reap eternal rewards.

For some of us, we need to reach out and invite God into our lives before we start running our race. Frustrated and tired, we will just keep running our race in circles if we do it without God .We would love to tell you how to turn your life over to God completely and get a fresh start on the course you need to run. God is ready and waiting to give you a new outlook on life and to remove the obstacles that have blocked your course.

“Father, Help us turn our lives and everything that is hindering us over to you so you can clear our path. Thank you for giving us clear direction and the energy to run the race you have placed before us.”

For His Glory,

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 18, 2011

Nourishing Our Soul

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”  Psalm 119:103 (NIV)

When was the last time you really enjoyed a meal? You know like sat down and savored every bite.    Enjoyed the fellowship of those you love.  You weren’t even in a hurry or racing through the drive thru window with your lunch falling out your mouth.  Done that too many times. When my speed power lunch was over, I was exhausted.  Back at work, I couldn’t even remember what I had devoured earlier.  Only the stains on my blouse revealed the truth – I’m sure it tasted delicious.  When was the last time we really savored the Word of God?  You know like sat down and tasted every word enjoying the fellowship He so longs to give.  Chewing on each phrase, slowing digesting those nuggets of truth that nourish our souls.  For years, I bought into the formula:  Gotta read three chapters a day plus Psalms and a Proverb.  Magic formula for getting it done, but not always the best recipe.  When I still my soul, cleanse my heart and slowly read His words, God spreads a delicious feast before me.  It might be one verse or one chapter.  It might be one word that convicts or encourages.  It might be a sweet taste of His love. It might be the one thing I need to hear to get me through the day.  Transformation versus a power lunch with no memory of what I devoured – doesn’t take me long to know what truly pleases the heart of God.

“Father, fill me with the transforming power of Your word.  Teach me to linger until my soul is satisfied in You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 18, 2011

Pursuing Wisdom

“When the Queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.” I Kings 10:1 (TNIV)

Wealthy and beautiful, the Queen of Sheba had everything: gold, silver, servants to clean her house and do laundry and bring her chocolate whenever she wanted.  Well, almost everything. When she heard about famous King Solomon, her heart was so moved that she traveled  across the desert over 1000 miles to visit this man who knew God personally.  Camels can only travel around 20 miles a day, so the trip took her six months each way.  The Bible says that she took all of her servants, spices, gold, and gifts to give to Solomon.  Once she met Solomon, the Queen talked to him for hours asking deep questions about God.  She must have been satisfied by his answers because she said, “Blessed be the Lord your God” (I Kings 10:8).

Jesus mentions the Queen of Sheba in Matthew 12:42.  The Queen of Sheba took great pains to find wisdom, yet the wisdom she was seeking was from man.  The wisdom we have access to through Jesus far out shines that of Solomon.  If the Queen of Sheba would travel six months to find truth, how much more should we search for wisdom by just opening our Bibles and our hearts to Him?  Isn’t it great that we don’t have to travel thousands of miles riding stinky camels to find the wisdom we seek?

“Lord, thank you for allowing me to have wisdom through You!  Please help me use that wisdom in a way that pleases You and so that others may see the love You have given me.”

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | August 18, 2011

Loving People

“Peter fairly exploded with his good news:  It’s God’s own truth nothing could be plainer.  God plays no favorites!”  Acts 10:34 (MSG)

We sort laundry, bills, toys, school supplies, coupons, etc.   Sorting comes natural for us, but if we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves sorting people too. You know like the ones we avoid because we don’t have the energy to listen one more time.  You know like the friends we wish we had versus the ones we write off – they just don’t fit with our group.    It’s all about preferences and choices – sorting the leftovers to a pile in the corner.  I never remember a moment when I loved that corner myself so why would I dare put others there?  I’m so glad that scripture reminds us that God doesn’t play favorites.  We are all equal in His eyes, and He takes great pleasure in our uniqueness. The twelve closest friends of Jesus had little in common and to the world, they looked like a group of misfits.  But Jesus saw what this diverse group could accomplish when they were united together. One’s strength would empower another’s weakness.  One’s laughter would uplift another’s spirit.  And in the midst of it all, one (Judas)  would chose to make it all about his preferences.  Regardless of our size,  age, wealth, career or personality – God is refreshed by the woman who genuinely loves people.  After all, aren’t we all on the same team?

“Father, I’m so thankful for the women You have placed in my life.  Different – yes.  Awesome – you better believe it; but how sweet to take this journey together.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Love, Spiritual Living

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