Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 12, 2012

Grace

dev dec 12“But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect)….” I Corinthians 15:10a (AMP)

Merriam-Webster defines grace as: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. Even with a definition it is still hard to comprehend what grace looks like on a daily basis; however, recently I got a glimpse of grace defined. I don’t have a green thumb, and if it’s possible I could even kill a fake plant. So it was with less than high hopes for survival as I embarked on an adventure with an orchid. The directions said orchids are Easy as ABC and then had the following directions: Always wait for the moss to dry before watering. Be sure to keep your orchid out of direct sunlight, and Confidence that you will be successful. Let me just say, I tried to follow the directions, but the few buds on the plant dropped off rather quickly, so I lost confidence and figured it was dead. My hubby took over, ignored most of the instructions and the next thing I knew I had a gorgeous new bud blooming. Divine intervention stepped in and what we once thought was dead  was now alive – grace extended.  Sometimes life requires stepping outside the box of what’s supposed to work and letting God take over – grace demonstrated. And when we seek His will, our dead places become alive  – grace lavished.

“Father God, We are truly unworthy of Your unmerited favor and blessing. We are thankful that You don’t expect us to do what people say is the right thing to do. Help us as we seek instructions from Your Word daily and guide us towards Your will.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 11, 2012

Turning Others To Righteousness

MP900216154[1]“And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3 (KJV)

Searching for wisdom?  We can become wise simply by asking God for wisdom. Proverbs 11:30 tells us that those who win souls are wise. It is not only souls that we win that make us wise, but also reaching out to others that are in a backslidden condition. Turning others to righteousness also means mentoring, discipling, and confronting others with love when they are going the wrong way. Turning others to righteousness is encouraging them to live a godly life as we become an example to them. Turning others to righteousness means sharing God’s truths and allowing the Word of God to bring others under conviction by the Holy Spirit. Turning others to righteousness can be encouraging someone to come back to church when they have lost interest in the things of God. It also means inviting the unsaved to church. Turning others to righteousness can be the way we talk. What we say can make a difference in other people’s lives. Living righteously can also be the way we conduct ourselves and our attitudes. If they see we are living a holy life, it may turn them to a righteous way of living. How are we living today? Are we causing others to turn to righteousness?

“Lord, help me to be wise and shine as the brightness of the firmament. Help me to turn many to righteousness. I choose to conduct and behave myself today in such a way that will make a difference in someone else’s life. I want to bring You glory.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 10, 2012

Let It Be

Close-up of Woman's Face“And Mary said, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be…”  Luke 1:38a (ESV)

Let it be.  How many times do we say those words out of sheer resolve?  We’ve tried so hard to attain something.  We’ve tried so long to change someone.  We’ve tried so many times to rid ourselves of the thing that keeps tripping us up.  And then finally – we realize that all of our trying is more dependent on us than the One working within us.  Life out of control was a common occurrence in scripture. We see it woven throughout the intricate lives of God’s children as they learned to trust what they couldn’t  see, achieve or change.  We, however, tend to think those pages – those miracles don’t happen anymore.  We feel that God needs a little nudge – some help to accomplish our end result. So rather than trust we try to force, alter  or manipulate.  And when everything falls apart, we shout “Let it be.”   Faced with an unwanted pregnancy, Mary the mother of Jesus, chose to offer her “let it be” not out of resolve but out of respect.  She knew that God could be trusted with the interruptions in life.  Rather than try to alter her circumstances or manipulate Joseph, Mary chose to wait patiently upon God in quiet surrender and bold courage.  Her faith sustained her, and her worship propelled her even in the midst of difficulty and uncertainty.  Wonder what would happen if instead of trying so hard to do or resist, we simply respected what God is allowing?  Let it be doesn’t have to be our resolve or last resort – instead those three simple words can propel us to worship the One working within us for His greatest glory.

“Father, when we doubt  or question help us to lift our eyes up to Your throne and trust in You alone.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 7, 2012

The Real Enemy

MP900444553[1]“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”  Revelation 12:10 (KJV)

Do you ever wonder where conflict comes from?  Satan is clever, and he will use people that are the closest to us or people that we least expect to come against us. A person who takes conflict personally rather than seeing it as an attack from the enemy will be deceived, resentful, and angry instead of taking it to God in prayer. We must be watchful, alert, and prayerful.  God does not want us to react with verbal or emotional abuse to hurt others. He does not want us to insult or use a harsh manner in dealing with others. Even if they do it to us, God reminds us not to repay evil for evil. If we stay God conscience, we will respond in a godly manner. If we are wearing the armour of God, we will be alert and prepared to respond in a godly fashion- remember God has equipped us for battle. Putting on love will defuse the enemy. Praying will empower us. The Word of God will keep us from being injured. Be wise. Know who your enemy is. Avoid responding in haste with out of control emotions. When we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, Satan is powerless and we can walk in love.

“Lord, help me to walk wisely. Help me to walk in love. Help me not to react when there is conflict. Thank You that greater are You that is in me than he that is in the world.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Prayer, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 6, 2012

God’s Unlimited Deal

Woman with Shopping Bags“A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son (Jesus), whom I have chosen; listen to him.”  Luke 9:35 (NIV)

Tis the season to shop, shop, and shop.  Black Friday and Cyber Monday tempted us with the “best bargains.”  My kitchen counter is cluttered with sales ads offering  “money back for money spent.”  My email has been bombarded with “limited deals for today only” – funny thing is I got that same email yesterday.  If we’re not careful, we will find ourselves listening to the voice that sounds too good to be true and overspending will be our reward.  Ever find yourself falling into that trap?  All those little receipts start to fill up our wallet, and when we sit down to balance the budget it just isn’t pretty.  Too many withdrawals and not enough deposits.  Ever feel that way yourself?  Life can be draining and crazy.  Too many things to do and too little time to wipe them off the list.  Morning evaporates between kisses goodbye and dinner baking in the oven.  Homework clutters the counter as clothes spin in the dryer.  Unfinished work bombards our minds even though the office is miles away. If we’re not careful, we will find ourselves listening to the wrong voices and emotional overload will be our only reward.  Tis the season to guard our minds and schedules.  No matter what the world offers, God’s voice is still the deposit that empowers us despite our withdrawals.  He whispers – my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  He offers rest even in the midst of overload.  And when we are energized by God, we can embrace the balanced life that glorifies Him.

“Father it is so tempting to exchange our good for Your best. Help us to surrender our agenda at Your feet and allow You to unclutter our lives.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 5, 2012

Steps of Faith

devo de 5“He replied, “Because your faith is much too small. What I’m about to tell you is true. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, it is enough. You can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there.’ And it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20-21 (NIRV)

 I think the scariest steps to take are when we are in the dark. We don’t know what we may trip over and even the most familiar path seems different when we can’t see it. To me that’s what steps of faith are like; God points us in a direction that we can’t see completely. We have to have faith and believe He will guide our footsteps until He lifts the darkness. When we allow unbelief to creep in, our steps get shaky and unsure. That is when we trip over whatever obstacle the devil puts in our way. Another thing that makes our steps shaky is when we try to see further ahead than God intends. When we stop and overthink the next step because we aren’t quite sure where we are going that’s unbelief in God’s plan. God isn’t asking us to take giant steps and cover a lot of ground at one time. He is asking us to be faithful in little amounts to take one step at a time. It’s not the great leaps that get us the farthest; it’s the small but steady one step at a time.

 “Heavenly Father, Thank You for showing us the path You have planned for us. Give us the courage and strength to focus on the small, steady steps of faith it takes to follow Your path.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 4, 2012

Believing The Impossible

Young Woman Facing the Sky“Continue in prayer, and watch in it with thanksgiving;” Colossians 4:2 (KJV)

Have you ever prayed for many weeks, months or years only to become weary and lose hope? I was so grateful to God that after praying for my sister for about 30 years to move to Lynchburg, God brought her and her family here. During those years I was inconsistent with my prayers, but I never gave up hope. I can’t say that about every prayer I’ve prayed. We all have been discouraged and doubted God at times. It is exciting when God answers prayer, especially after so many years of praying; however, we must not lose hope. When I pray I try to see things happening that I am praying for, and I also begin to thank God for the answer that is on its way. This strengthens my faith. I also take scripture and stand on it. Scripture builds my faith. I read the scripture back to God and am reminded of His promises. Faith rises up within me when I do this.  God wants us all to grow in our faith. Without faith it’s impossible to please Him. Praying scriptures is a great way for us to grow in faith. When I pray scriptures it reaffirms to me what God says He will do. Pray with expectation. Pray with confidence. Pray with hope. Pray with faith, and pray with thanksgiving. Let’s not forget to thank God for hearing our prayers and answering them the way He knows is best.

“Father, thank You for Your Word that reminds us that You can do the impossible. Help us not to get weary in our prayer life. Thank You that You incline your ear to us. We thank You for the answers that are on the way.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Prayer

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 3, 2012

Unexplainable Joy

devo dec 3“And He (Jesus) will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6b (NIV)

Brokenhearted over a lost love,  young Ebenezer Scrooge allowed bitterness to penetrate deep.  A Christmas Carol details Scrooge’s struggle from Christmas Past,  Christmas Present and the Christmas Yet To Be.   He not only extinguished joy in his own life, but Scrooge was determined to do the same to those around him.   As he sees his life unfold, Scrooge realizes that he allowed the loss of one love to rob him of the love of many people.  Wonder if we unpacked our lives if we would find the same?  Broken relationships can often close our hearts to loving others.  Our disappointments can mount and especially during the holidays, we can find ourselves avoiding another Christmas season.  From the age of six, my son’s holidays were spent being transported from one parent to the other. An empty parking lot was often the meet and drop off spot. While his friends played with their toys, he left his gifts behind and headed to the other parent’s house.  I’m sure there were moments when he was greatly disappointed and brokenhearted over his “imperfect family,” yet I never saw his joy escape him.  There were no complaints or grumbling, instead he’d give me a hug and say, “Merry Christmas Mom.”  Amazing how resilient we were when our bodies were small and our hearts were large. We didn’t seem to hold grudges as long, and we definitely found it easier to forgive.   Instead of letting broken relationships  extinguish our joy this holiday season, let’s seize the moment to bless all the people God has brought into our lives.

“Father, You are the keeper of our hearts – help us to love large and extend grace reflecting Your heart to our world.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Faith, Hope, Love, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 30, 2012

Releasing Forgiveness

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”  Mark 11:25 (KJV)

Do we ever find ourselves holding unforgiveness in our hearts? Do you know that if we don’t forgive others neither will God forgive us? A thought may go through our minds, but look at what that person did to me? What about what we have done to others? We all have fallen short of God’s glory, yet He lovingly extends grace and lifts us back up. A lack of unforgiveness towards someone else quickly becomes a hindrance to our prayer life. If we are not seeing answers to our prayers maybe it’s time that we check to see whether we have any unforgiveness in our hearts towards anyone. Unforgiveness also ties us to a deep wound that can’t begin to heal until we release the other person. Do you know that God forgave the murderers, the rapists, the sex offenders, the most detestable acts we can imagine? God also forgives the Pharisees of their pride, judgmental spirit, self-righteousness, etc. These things too are detestable to God, yet He forgives any sin that we confess and repent of. We must have the same mercy and grace on others as God has for us. When we come to God in prayer, we must come to God humbly asking Him to forgive us of our sins and forgiving others also, as we remember that we too have offended others.

“Lord, I choose to walk in forgiveness that You too may forgive me for my sins. Thank You that my sins are forgiven the moment I repent.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Encouragement, Freedom, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 29, 2012

Impacting Our Heritage

“The family tree of Jesus Christ, David’s son, Abraham’s son:”  Matthew 1:1 (MSG)

I never knew one of my grandfathers.  My Dad’s father walked out one day and never returned abandoning  a wife and two small children.    Even though he is a missing piece in our family line; I have often wondered what kind of man he was. Sure I can sum him up by his actions as a young father who left his family, but I wonder if he ever met Jesus?  Maybe somewhere along the line, someone told him about the One who could forgive all his mistakes. Maybe some day he knelt and prayed. Regardless, my grandfather is still a part of our family history.  Just like all those listed in the lineage of Jesus, we have some unfavorable and colorful people in our past.  Kings, commoners, deceivers, adulterers, murderers, ordinary unknowns – all fill in the lines of Jesus’ family tree.  Each one playing a divine role.  Each one destined to be linked to the other.  Each one not fully recognizing the impact One would make to secure their heavenly future.  Regardless of what limbs are missing or have fallen off our family tree, we like Christ can choose to impact our lineage for eternity.  The holidays offer us awesome opportunities to share the difference Jesus has made in our lives.  Sprinkled with grace and flavored with love, our life pages of answered prayers and encouragement can light a spark in even the darkest soul.  And just when we thought they had tuned us out – we might be surprised to learn that those seeds are being planted deep and nurtured by God.

“Father, the holiday season is fast approaching and will slip away with the blink of an eye.  Help us to seize every opportunity to share the hope we’ve found in You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

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