Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 19, 2012

Changing My World

“TheWoman Holding Small Globe virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel which means “God with us.”  Matthew 1:23 (NIV)

As a child, I loved changing clothes.  Why?  I don’t have a clue.  Maybe it was boredom or possibly I couldn’t make up my mind.  Regardless, I must have enjoyed it.  Funny how growing up often shifts our love for change.  New computer baffles our mind – can’t we keep the old version?   A new boss is hired, but we really liked the old one.  Our babies are starting school or preparing for college – can’t we turn back the clock?  Enduring change throws us a new learning curve requiring patience with ourselves and with others.  Whether we are ready or not change happens like the conversation that rocked the world of a teenage girl, her parents and fiancé.  Truth spoken to her was hard to believe, and the same message conveyed to her family was too radical for them to comprehend.  Mary’s pregnancy changed everything.   I’m sure her parents weren’t eager to embrace this disappointment, and  Joseph, her fiancé, could have easily walked away.  The old version of their life looked much better than this new chapter unfolding before their eyes.  Perhaps Joseph even wanted to turn back the clock and choose another instead of Mary.  Just when confusion was at all time high, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph.  And even though his life was taking a  different course, he chose to embrace the change.  What change are you facing this Christmas?  Everything in our life may look radically different, but God is inviting us to embrace the transforming  power that occurs when He births change into our world.  May this Christmas remind us that God always fulfills His promises.

“Father, I praise You for the indescrible gift of Your Son.  My  life has been forever changed by Your divine plan.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 18, 2012

Pondering Our Words

MP900443687[1]“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.”  Psalm 19:14  (KJV)

Wonder what we would say if we paused before we spoke? Wonder what we would mediate on if we remembered that God sees our hearts?  Psalm 19 reminds us that our words and meditations are important to God.  Our hearts should be pure before God, and an unguarded heart is never acceptable in His sight. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23).  Have you ever noticed how our hearts line up with our words, and what’s in our heart will many times flow out of our lips?  That’s why we want to make sure that our meditation is acceptable in God’s sight. The more of the Word of God we have in us, the purer our hearts will be.  The more of the Word we have in us, the busier we will be thinking about it and meditating on it.  We must chose carefully what we speak. God hears our every word.  Are we contaminating our spirit with the words we speak?  Are the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart pleasing to God?  God’s Word keeps our hearts pure. What more perfect way to guard our hearts than to pray Psalm 19:14 every day.

“Lord, let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 17, 2012

Intention Growth

devo dec 17“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)

I love seeing flowers bloom in the Summer.  I gasp when I see the colorful Fall mums lining my sidewalk and this Winter, I’m admiring pansies in my window box.  Simple everyday reminders that growth occurs no matter when or where we are planted. Each season of life introduces another opportunity for us to be stretched in our faith.  Carefree, sunshiny days bring  growth naturally.  However, some seasons are transitional when life seems to crumble at our feet. As our dreams get tossed in the wind,  intentional growth is required.  Regardless of the season, God desires to use all things in our lives to transform us from where we are today to His divine purposes tomorrow.     So how do we ensure that growth takes place?  Quite simply we start with prayer –  Asking God to teach and empower us to respond.  Each time we open His Word, go to church or attend Bible Study – it all begins with praying for an open spirit to hear His message.  Take it another step and growth occurs when we are real about where we are now.  Spending time in quiet reflection opens the windows to our hearts.  Take it one more step and growth occurs when we do life together. Having a group of trusted Spiritual mentors holds us accountable and fosters growth even in the most difficult seasons.  And when we chose growth, God smiles as He watches each of us stretch, reach and deepen our walk with Him.

“Father, Your Son came to this world so that we might have life abundantly – help us to not settle for less.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 14, 2012

Redeeming Love

Red Christmas Tree Ornament in Snow“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people.” Luke 1:68 (NIV)

A little bling – a little glitter. Red, blue or perhaps silver.  A memory from the past.  Cute and funny or elegant and simple.   What am I talking about?  Those crazy, beautiful things that adorn our Christmas trees.  Ornaments come in all sizes, colors,  and textures. They fill in bare spaces and cover up a lot of mistakes.  They tell stories of Christmas past and draw out laughter deep.  Regardless if the label reads Pier1, Hallmark or handmade – our tree would not be the same without them.

And let’s not forget the lights – you know the white shimmering lights that make you want to curl up by the fireplace  and simply drink in the moment.   Or perhaps you love dazzling color lights that energize a tired room  and sparkle hope in our eyes – amazing how one tree transforms today into a holiday.

Over 2,000 years ago, one tree bare and naked transformed our lives for eternity.  It wasn’t decked out with glitter, lights or colorful decorations yet it spoke volumes about the One who knew us past, present and future.  Scarred beyond recognition, Jesus hung adorned on that old rugged cross.  Covering up our mistakes.  Filling in all our empty places.  Revealing the true reason for His birth.  Jesus was the signature label of God’s love to all mankind.  And in a split moment of darkness, He burst forth with light.

Curl up by the fireplace and simply drink in that moment – when He chose pain, suffering and death for you and me.  Accept His gift of salvation and watch as He energizes your life bringing a sparkle of hope you once thought was lost.

“Father,  when earth denied it’s King, You looked beyond our faults  and gave us the Only One who truly sparkles – Jesus Christ.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | December 13, 2012

His Dwelling Place

Woman Among Lit Votive Candles“And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;” Isaiah 32:18 (KJV)

Have you ever had to move around from city to city or even to another country? People in the military could be called at any time to leave their country. I have one daughter in the Air Force, and my son finished his four year term in the Air Force; they were moved around often. At any given time, they were called to go to another country. Their place of habitation was not always in one place, and it wasn’t always safe. There were times of uncertainty where they would be stationed, and they didn’t know if they would make it back home. Isn’t it wonderful that we can have a safe dwelling peaceable habitation and resting place with God? A habitation is not just a place where one visits, but it is a place where one stays. We can have a permanent residence with God. He wants us to dwell with Him. He does not want us to keep moving in and out of His presence. When we remain in His presence, then we are truly dwelling with Him in peaceable habitation. He wants us to enter into His rest (Hebrews 4:10). Are we moving around spiritually or have we made God’s dwelling place a permanent residence? He wants all of us. He wants us to be stable in Him. It’s wonderful that we don’t have to keep moving around? We can remain in His presence.

“Lord, thank you that I can have peace, rest, and safety in your dwelling place.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

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

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