Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 13, 2012

Unveiling My Soul

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”  I Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV)

Amazing how we assign holy motives to ourselves as we look into our  hearts.  When I think of what God sees as He looks at me, I stand in awe that He loves me.  The James study with Beth Moore provides many clear spots in my “mirror” as He rubs clean some very small places where I am able to see my heart.  Covetous? Not me! I have more than I need.  Jealous? Hmmm, … Suddenly, I see that these things are not necessarily material.  How many hours and wasted money have I spent trying to lose weight–and what is my reason? Is it truly for health or pride? How covetous am I over the size 6 of a friend?  How jealous am I over the girls who are so well-known that everyone wants to speak to them, and I feel invisible?  These are not pretty characteristics, are they? God says he hates these things! So I try to look my insecurities in the face and realize Satan uses them every day to make me feel unloved, unlovely, and alone.  “I Must Tell Jesus” the song says.. for “Jesus can help me, Jesus alone!”  I want to be so filled with His Spirit that I am a testimony to everyone I meet.  But am I willing to go through pain to get there? What will He ask me to give up?  Only God knows—-but I can trust Him.

“Father, I confess my life is filled with pride, my wanting to “belong” and looking for acceptance is sinful, as it’s only YOU that I should care about.  Help me to pour out myself daily, so that You can fill me with the Holy Spirit, until nothing is left but You.”

For His Glory

Sandy Day
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 12, 2012

Something To Sing About

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:19 (KJV)

The familiar voice singing melodies to God amazed me. Most of my visits to the nursing home don’t go so well – memory loss and confusion cloud most of mother’s days but this day was different.  Growing up I often awakened to mother singing hymns usually at the kitchen sink overlooking our backyard. This time there was no kitchen sink or backyard only a worn, wobbly wheelchair.   Unaware I was present, she gently paused as I knelt to ask her if she was happy.   Without hesitation quiet humorously she replied, ‘No!!’   Resuming her song I asked, ‘Well, mother do you love Jesus in your heart?’ to which she replied ‘Oh, yes!’

Mother is 92 years old, blind, almost deaf and with dementia alongside limited mobility.  I began thinking how happy she is in Jesus and marveled at the beauty of Jesus naturally flowing from her heart.  No one can prompt her joy since her surroundings definitely do not permeate happiness.  Yet, she was being a great testimony for Him and openly displaying what He means to her. Leaving her room that day, the Lord encouraged and challenged my heart.   Do others observe Him in my daily life?  Though difficult, it should be our heart’s desire regardless of what circumstances we are facing.  It is apparent mother is manifesting one of the fruits of His Spirit – joy.  It is her strength and can be ours.  Then like her, we will have something to sing about!!

“Lord, may You come forth in my life naturally as I go about my day.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 9, 2012

Impeccable Timing

“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Psalm 25:21 (NIV)

Celebrating our anniversary, my husband and I headed out of town leaving Lynchburg with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Headed towards the DC beltway, the skies released buckets of rain so hard we could barely see to drive.  Hours later we would be within miles of Inner Harbor, Maryland only to be greeted with a traffic jam near the toll booth.   Four lanes of creeping traffic attempting to merge into two.  My only consolation was the promise of a romantic dinner overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.   However, awaiting us on the other side of the bridge, the  Resort had lost power.  If only we had been on time, we would have checked in already and  enjoyed our dinner.  But a conversation with the hotel staff dispelled that theory.  A tornado had touched down knocking out power several hours earlier.  If we had been on time, we may have been on that long bridge right in the midst of the tornado as a tractor trailer was overturned.  My impeccable timing was definitely off,   but God knowing the path of the storm chose to setup delays to keep us safe – maybe He’s doing the same for you.  We often view life through our lens of perfect timing and ease, but God has an unobstructed view of all things swirling around us.  He alone knows the best time for us to accomplish our dreams. He sees the potential pitfalls of moving ahead when our spiritual maturity is lagging behind. By releasing our expectations to Him, we can walk in full confidence that He will complete His work in us.

“Father we don’t see the dangers that lie ahead, and we often don’t recognize the protection you are setting before us. Help us to trust in Your timing to keep us safe.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 8, 2012

Meditating On The Names of God

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee:” Psalm 9:10 KJV

It is so important to know the Names of God. We can find comfort and assurance in God as we study His name. Take time to look up these scriptures. Whatever areas we are lacking in faith, we can look up the scriptures and meditate on them and thank God for who He is. Our faith will rise as we study His Names.

  • El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty) Genesis 17:1, Psalm 91:10
  • El Elyon (The Most High God) Genesis 14:20, Psalm 9:2
  • Adonai (Lord, Master) Joshua 24:19-21, Revelation 17:14
  • Yaweh (Lord Jehovah) Deuteronomy 6:4, Daniel 9:14
  • Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd) Psalm 23
  • Jehovah Rapha (The Lord Heals) Psalm 34:6, Psalm 3:1-8
  • Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There) Ezekiel 48:35, Psalm 22:1-3
  • Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness) Jeremiah 23:6, Col 2:6
  • Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You) Exodus 31:13, Exodus 19: 2-6
  • El Olam (The Everlasting God) Genesis 21:33, Psalm 90:1-3
  • Elohim (God) Genesis 2:4, Genesis 17:7
  • Qanna (Jealous) Exodus 34:14
  • Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide) Genesis 22:1-14
  • Jehovah Shalom (The Lord is Peace) Judges 6:24
  • Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts) Romans 9:29, Isaiah 1:9, Zech 1:3
  • Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner) Exodus 17:8-16

As we read these verses, we must believe God is who He says He is. By getting acquainted with His Names we will get to know God in a more intimate way. As we get more intimate with God, we will better learn how to trust Him and take him at his Word. Be blessed as you study the Names of God.

“Father, thank You for Your wonderful Names. Help me to trust You more.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 7, 2012

In All His Glory

“As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.”  Ecclesiastes 11:5-6 (NKJV)

Have you ever noticed when the sky is the most beautiful? It’s either before darkness comes or when darkness is leaving.  God truly shows off His glory through those magnificent colors and a little of the sun shining through.  One thing we can be certain of, the sun rises at daybreak and sets at nightfall. Notice the words break and fall when describing darkness. Sometimes God’s glory comes before darkness falls on our life, and other times God’s glory comes when He breaks through the darkness to bring a new day.

We don’t know everything about how God works, but we need to be faithful and trust Him in the darkness. It is difficult to do sometimes because darkness often brings hurt, heaviness, loneliness, despair, anger, confusion, and even loss. However, God gives us the reminder of His faithfulness that He is shining bright at the beginning of darkness falling and when the darkness breaks He comes bursting forth shining in all His Glory.

“Dear God, How thankful we are that You give us reminders of Your presence even in the darkest of hours. Help us to hold on to You until you break through the darkness and bring a new and glorious day to our lives.”

For His Glory,

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 6, 2012

Release The Shackles

In the past we also were foolish. We did not obey, we were wrong, and we were slaves to many things our bodies wanted and enjoyed. We spent our lives doing evil and being jealous. People hated us, and we hated each other. Titus 3:3  (NCV)

Ever wish you could go back and change a part of your past?  Stop that thought in the tracks.  Yes, there are parts that we can say were complete disobedience; we were wrong.  Painful memories are an integral part of our personal story, which God now chooses to use for His glory.   When we share our story, we allow it to be God’s story of how He uses the unworthy for His glory.  He uses our pain, hurts, and disobedience to help others turn and run back to Him.  In the middle of our disobedience, Satan blinds us with our own pride and prevents our healing.  He tries to stop us from sharing, because he knows that our story can change others.  He doesn’t want us to turn back to God, ask for forgiveness, share it, or grow.  Satan wants us to retreat and be burdened by our disobedience.  God says ask for forgiveness; accept His complete forgiveness and share with others so healing can begin.  When we share, we stop Satan in his tracks.  We open up thoughts others may not have had if we didn’t share.  Rather than broadcast our story to the world, we need to allow God to place in our path those who need to hear it.  And as we see the weights and shackles being lifted off others, we too will be blessed.

“Father, use my story to help others come back to You.  Use me to share of Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness so others can be healed.” 

For His Glory

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Freedom, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 5, 2012

Perfectly Precise

“[There is] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”  Ephesians 4:6(NIV)

While I typically find the Bible to be inspiring and applicable, I have to admit that the passages outlining the details and dimensions of the Old Testament Tabernacle felt a bit irrelevant.  Obviously, understanding the significance of the Tabernacle is important; but do we need to be concerned with all the mundane details?   I mean…should we care that a certain curtain for the Tabernacle was 4 cubits wide and spun from goat hair?  (And what is a cubit, anyway?!)  Yet, because all scripture is useful (2 Tim 3:16) and God is perfectly precise, I knew there had to be a reason He chose to preserve the intricacies of this historical blueprint.

Intrigued, I did a bit of research and learned that this in-depth account serves  as a great object lesson for the way God designs and orders the intricate details of our lives.  After all, if He cared so much about a tent made by the hands of men, would He not care even more for that which He crafted by his own hands?  There will always be seasons when the events of our lives feel unplanned and haphazard.  But as the detailed specifics of the Tabernacle reveal, our God is not prone to acts of chance or disorder.  When we wonder if there is sovereign purpose to the hairy circumstances of our lives, we can be certain God is not only aware of what’s going on, but He is working in, through and over those details with unwavering precision.

“Lord, I thank You for this wonderful illustration of how much You care about the small things in life.  Help us rest in You today and trust that You are carefully overseeing ALL aspects of our lives.”

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 1, 2012

Calgon in the Midst of the Storm

“Praise be to the God…who comforts us in all our troubles. “   2 Corinthians 1:3a,4a  (NIV)

What does an “ordered life” actually looked like.  A clean house?  Well-mannered children?   Enough money to pay the bills? A stress-free, Calgon moment?  I’ll admit this sounds inviting, but are these the true indicators of peace, order and tranquility?  The truth of the matter is that not even Calgon can wash away the stressors of life.  Barricades, locked doors and foamy bubbles can veil…but not extinguish our problems and daily hassles.

How should we respond when the calm, placid waters of our life look more like a bubbling caldron of busyness and chaos?  One suggestion is to begin by recognizing that stressors are a part of every life and nearly every season.  In fact, scripture assures us that in this world we will have tribulation.  And even though we often approach personal challenges as unexpected intruders or indicators of failure (or worse that godly women are impervious to the raw, edgy, tiresome moments of life), the reality is that these threads are part of the fabric of life.  In fact, these are often the very instruments by which God works most profoundly in our lives.  So, if some stormy seas are threatening your hopes for a tidy, well-ordered life, just know that the answer may not lie in trying to calm the storm… but rather learning to meet God in the midst of it.  Our Lord may not want to still our choppy waters right now, but He can and will still our hearts.

“Lord, I pray that You would still our hearts today.  Despite the busy circumstances and challenges that surround us, draw us close to You and help us to find shelter…in You…during every season of life!”

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 29, 2012

Words Hurt

“Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” Romans 15:1-2 (MSG)

 What was the last thing we said to co-workers, family members, and friends today?  Was it words  to help them feel better about themselves or was it words that cut deep?  Sometimes we forget the power of our words.  Recently, I heard some ladies talking to each other: one informing the other of their new nickname.  It definitely wasn’t a name I’d want to call my best friend or even tell her.  It was one that would hurt.  Maybe the one thought she was being cute, maybe she just didn’t think anything about it at all.  Instantly, I remembered what I say to my boys regularly, “What would Jesus think if He were standing here?”  I wonder how the receiver felt the rest of the day knowing her new name.  It hurt my heart as I wondered how much better our lives would be if we followed the command of Romans 15:2.  Instead of cutting each other down in fun, we would lift each other up in love.  Maybe just a:  “Do you know your smile brightens my day?”  or  “Your love for the Lord inspires me.”  All simple words, probably ones we feel, yet rarely say.  Let’s all challenge each other to lift one another up in love.

“Father, use my words to encourage my sisters in Christ, and even more use my words to open someone’s heart to You instead of hurting them.” 

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 28, 2012

Temporary or True Change

“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 (NIV)

 It amazes me how clean and quiet everything looks after a snowfall. A brown yard covered in leaves has a whole new look with a pure, white coating of snow. Nothing has changed underneath; however, it’s just covered over long enough to look different. Soon the snow will melt, and the yard will be back to yucky brown leaves.

I’m studying the book of James through the Beth Moore series at my church, and she reminds us to “not become a forgetful listener.”  When we’ve heard a sermon or gone through a Bible study, it’s like a fresh snowfall in our hearts and lives. We have enthusiasm to apply what we have heard. If it’s a message on prayer, we purpose in our minds to pray more. If it’s a message on serving, we are ready to jump on the first opportunity that comes along. However if our hearts haven’t changed, the spiritual snow will melt away leaving us stuck in the mud of good intentions. When it comes to reading and studying God’s Word, he requires that we truly apply His principles so we are changed from the inside out. Until we have a change of heart and live what we read, we can’t fully enjoy the freedom and blessings God’s Word offers.

“Dear God, There are so many Bible studies and sermons that have “stepped on our toes” but only temporarily. Show us the areas where we need to put action to Your scriptures and begin to change from the inside out. Thank You for Your Word that gives us clear instructions that leads us to blessings when we follow them.”

For His Glory,

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Success

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