Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 23, 2012

Our Sweet Redeemer

 “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” Psalm 51:3 (KJV)

How many times have we had someone tell us, “I know God has forgiven my sin, but I just cannot forgive myself”?  If we are one of those who have fallen out of a close relationship with Jesus Christ, we  know the wrenching agony of crying out, “God, I’m so sorry!” every time the sin comes to mind.  Yet God holds us close as He whispers, “What sin? I don’t remember it.”

David’s confession reminds us that we have to deal with the consequences that are ‘ever before our eyes.’   Perhaps it’s a child who looks like a biological father that no one knows about, but reminders of the affair resurface when we look at the child.  Like a lost limb to our body, the sin can be forgiven but the consequences still face us each day. David apparently felt this shame and pain, perhaps when he saw Bathsheba.  Was there sorrow in her eyes from losing a husband who was dear to her or the pain of carrying a child for nine months only to lose him?  We don’t know, but we do know that David penned those words and they comfort us. Yes we sin and it is always before our eyes, but it is not our lack of forgiving ourselves that brings pain. Knowing we have failed our Savior and those we love is hard, but when we embrace God’s forgiveness, we can walk in the freedom of His grace that redeems our tomorrows.

“Father, You know we are ‘but dust’ and fail you so often.   Comfort us as we see the consequences of past actions, and send someone to those we have hurt, who will help them to know You love them.  Thank You for accepting our repentance and restoring us to You.  But most of all, thank You for the Cross, Lord, and thank You for the blood You shed.

For His Glory

Sandy Day
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Encouragement, Freedom, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 20, 2012

At His Feet

“Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.”  James 5:13 (NIV)

An earnest request, a desperate plea, outbursts of praise, brokenhearted confessions – prayer takes on many faces.  Gazing into the early morning dawn, walking along the beach as waves crash on shore, kneeling at the bedside of a dear friend, gathered with worshippers on Sunday morning – prayer occurs in many places.  Building a hedge of protection, sustaining weary souls, dancing in the joys of victories, propelling adoration – prayer is an instant connection, a direct link to our God.  Sitting at His feet, caught up in the wonder of who He truly is – prayer transforms and energizes our lives. It’s the only guarantee we have in this life – a captive audience with our King.  It’s the sweetest song we ever sing – lifting praise from parched lips. It’s the lifeblood that empowers our lives as prayer effortlessly flows when we recognize the source of our strength.  In need of a miracle? Gather at His feet.  Unsure what route to take? Listen at His feet.  Overcome with guilt.  Be washed at His feet.  Lonely at heart?  Be filled at His feet.  Overjoyed just to be alive?  Dance before His throne.  There’s no place I’d rather be then at the feet of Jesus – won’t you join me?

“Father, how we long to breathe deep of your power and love.  Washed in forgiving grace, we bow down and worship at Your feet.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Wisdom, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 19, 2012

Trusting God’s Wisdom

“He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.”  Proverbs 16:20 (KJV)

Have you ever regretted the way you handled a matter?  Were we trusting in ourselves or God? If we try to do things our way, we will probably regret what we say and how we handled a situation.  When we operate in God’s wisdom, we will have joy. He will instruct us what to say, how to say it, and when to say the right things.  If we are not in prayer and in the word of God, we will not have full access to His wisdom. Sometimes situations between people are perceived incorrectly; sometimes people misunderstand each other.  When I minister to married couples, I try not to take sides.  I don’t assume things and jump to conclusions.  I pray and trust God to give me the discernment I need and the wisdom to handle the matter.  Some situations even take fasting and prayer.  We shouldn’t be quick to handle a matter.  Instead, we need to take the time to study the situation and ask God to give us divine wisdom.  However, when we take matters into our own hands things often turn into a disaster.  We lose our peace and end up being defeated.  If that’s the case, simply seek God’s forgiveness and start trusting and leaning on Him.  He will gladly fill you with His wisdom, peace and joy.

“Father, help me to seek You in handling matters wisely. Help me to put my trust in You so that I can be joyful and at peace.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 18, 2012

The Best Coach & Playbook

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.  Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:14-16(ESV)

Ever wanted a private tutor for life?  How about someone who would coach you on the fundamentals and help you understand the team strategy?  We have the best coach ever – Christ Himself. When you study His ministry, you’ll see He led by example and left behind the best playbook. He didn’t pick a certain economic background to minister to; He helped everyone. He also didn’t place a lot of emphasis on material things; He was basically homeless.  He was the King of Kings but had no problem being the servant washing someone’s feet.

Below are some keys to living the Christian life as exemplified by Christ Himself:

  • Have a quiet time every day-Mark 1:35
  • Serve others and never think more highly of yourself- John 13:14-16
  • Love one another-John 13:33
  • It’s okay to grieve and cry-John 11:35
  • Don’t judge others-John 8:7
  • Be obedient to God’s will-Luke 22:42

 The Bible is our guidebook through life. It’s better than Barnes & Noble because in one book you have love stories, poetry, history, self-help, marriage, parenting, and relationship advice. We just have to take the time to study it and get the tips directly from our Coach on how to live the Christian life.

“Dear God, Thank You for being our coach, mentor, teacher, and tutor by sending Your Son to be the example to follow. May we study His life and strive to live it out in our own lives.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Spiritual Living, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 17, 2012

Out Of His Abundance

“The Lord God said “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”  Genesis 2:18

Who would have thought that Paradise could be a lonely place?  After all, Adam had everything at his disposal.  He didn’t have to stand in line at Walmart; Adam simply reached and pulled fruit off the tree.  Clothes weren’t a big issue – his birthday suit worked fine.  Adam could jog through the garden with lions, deer and tigers without a moment of fear.  No texting, cell phones, bosses, stalled traffic or stress – just the right blend of everything.  No complaints filled his lips or mind, remember Adam was still in a state of perfection. Yet there was a missing link – what good was it to dance under the stars if no one was stepping on your feet?  Who would you hug before you collapsed on the grass and fell asleep?  Pleasure was in abundance but animals couldn’t talk, laugh or even smile. Surveying the total picture, God saw it was not good for man to be alone  and within moments woman was standing by her man.  A suitable helper God called her – one who would fill in that missing link. Loneliness evaporated as the two talked, laughed and walked through the garden.   How awesome is our God to notice exactly what we need. He never leaves us to fill in the gap or find good for ourselves.  Instead He sees, creates, and  provides.  Out of His abundance, we have just the right blend of everything we need – how sweet is our God!

“Father, even the tiniest detail of our lives does not escape your attention.  Help us to embrace Your goodness and rest in your sovereignty.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 16, 2012

Glorifying God Together

“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”- when you now have it with you.” Proverbs 3:27-28 (NIV)

What a week it has been in Lynchburg.  Experiencing extreme heat and major power outages from a storm, we caught a glimpse of “the church – the body of Christ” stepping forward to help those in need. Our church (Thomas Road Baptist Church), along with several other ministries, did not turn a blind eye or a deaf ear. They heard and saw the cries of the hurting, of those in need. What a great testimony this was to our community and to non-believers as the body of Christ truly demonstrated His love by their deeds and actions. Those who were without power, food, medical assistance and water found help as a community united to serve one another. What a lesson has been lived out before us – when we see someone in need, we must not act like we don’t see the need. We must not withhold good if it’s in our power to help. If God has blessed us with the means to help others, we must put our works and love into action. This pleases the Lord. If we wait until tomorrow, there might not be a tomorrow. We must quickly rise to the occasion when we see the need – we are the church – the body of Christ – let’s glorify Him together.

“Dear Lord, help me not to withhold good from those who need help when it’s in my power to do so. Help me not to ignore the needs of the people You place in my life.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Encouragement, Love, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 13, 2012

Empowered By God

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 (KJV)

Are we a threat to Satan’s kingdom?  We should be.  If we are serving God, we are on Satan’s hit list, but we need not fear because we are equipped with the armor of God.  We have power and authority over the enemy.  Even though he will come against us, he is the one who is afraid of us, not we afraid of him.  Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.  Ephesians 6:10-18 tell us to put on God’s armor.  Always prepared for battle, we must put on the mind of Christ by renewing our minds with His word.  Satan comes as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  That’s why we must resist him.  In order to resist him, we must submit to God.  Too many times we glorify the devil by giving in to him or cowering in fear.  Instead, we should dare ourselves to be a good soldier.  Dare to be a threat to Satan’s kingdom.  Talk about God, glorify God – not Satan.  When we are empowered with God’s Word, we won’t be tricked by Satan’s tactics and schemes.  We must fight the good fight to the end.  Do not give up and be courageous.  We are in a war – a spiritual war – but we can be victorious in Christ Jesus!

“Thank You Lord that You have given me power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.  Thank You that You promise me that nothing can destroy me.  Thank you for the armor and for teaching me to be a good soldier.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Prayer, Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 12, 2012

Radiating God’s Beauty

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance,  godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” 2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)

Lifting weights can definitely give you a good work out.  Looks quite simple – watching someone who strength trains lift heavy weights with ease.  We see those sculpted muscles and quickly decide we want to look like that – it really can’t be that hard.  Unlike the fitness ads we see in magazines, muscles don’t magically appear overnight.  It takes discipline, consistency and the right nutrition.  You start lifting lighter weights and then gradually increase as your body adjusts.  End result from all that hard work is a stronger, leaner body built to carry us through life.  Lifting our spiritual lives to a deeper level happens much the same way.  It starts simply with taking our faith in God and building upon discipline, consistency and prayer.  Before we know it, we begin to see God’s goodness overriding our actions.  As we put His words into practical application, we build a sculpted life that reflects His character.    Self-control enables us to lift the heavy weight of perseverance.  Godliness in our actions and thoughts births the byproduct  of brotherly kindness and love – a life that others decide they want.  End result from all that hard work is a woman that truly reflects the beauty of God’s character and goodness.

“Father, how we long to be women who turn the eyes of the world on You instead of ourselves. Help us to make every effort to grow, increase and flourish in our faith as we allow Your beauty to radiate in our lives.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 11, 2012

God’s Thoughts

“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” Psalm 139:17-18 (KJV)

Did you know that God thinks about you a lot? It’s so wonderful to know how much God loves and cares about us. His thoughts are not only precious but also numerous as the sands of the seashore. God is thinking about us constantly. He has you and I on his mind. He reminds us that He is still with us; He hasn’t left us. He is concerned about our life and our needs. He sees us as precious, of high cost, worth and value. We matter to God. Do you realize that God is not only thinking about you but that He also takes pleasure in blessing us? In Proverbs 8:17-21 He says, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me, yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver, I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance (for wealth); and I will fill their treasures.” Here we are reminded that He not only thinks about us, but He loves us so much, that He bestows blessings upon us. We must not allow ourselves to be consumed with self-pity. Being reminded that God is thinking about us, we are loved and blessed should keep us out of a self-pity mode. It should put us in a praising mode instead.

“Father thank You that Your thoughts are precious unto me. Thank You for loving me.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Love

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 10, 2012

Simple Joys

“I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:17 (NIV)

 Being around my grandsons reminds me how fascinating the sound of paper on the doctor’s office table is to a baby, that blowing up balloons and letting them go is the best thing ever to a 5 year old, and even pushing the button to cross the street can be exciting. I’ve been able to remember the reason I put so much time and effort into ministry when I see the joy, anticipation, and excitement of kids waiting for a bunch of balloons to drop from the ceiling.

When was the last time we experienced that much joy as a Christian? Childlike faith leads us to believe in the unseen and accept Christ as Savior. However over time our prayer life, quiet time, and ministry can become routine. Much like waking up, going to work, coming home, spending time with family and friends, attending church, serving in ministry, going to bed and repeating the next day. Frustration, boredom, and loss of motivation can abound. We get bored and lose that childlike faith that keeps us excitedly searching for more. We tune God out and wonder why it feels like He’s not answering our prayers or working in our lives.  Solution – go back to the basics of the Bible and see God through the eyes of a child. Read Bible stories of David and Goliath, Noah, Jonah, and Daniel. Remember the faith they had in the unseen and find your child like faith again. You will be blessed and refreshed.

“Heavenly Father, Help us to remember the joy we had when we came to You. Remind us that You have never changed and restore the joy of our salvation. May we live out our faith each day in a way that draws people to our happiness in You.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

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