Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 14, 2011

Just Because

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.” James 1:17a  (KJV)

I love giving gifts especially those given when there is no occasion to celebrate –  ‘just because.’   It won’t be the Christmas season, a birthday party, a wedding or baby shower, any hidden agendas, ulterior motives, or requests only expressions of love and encouragement.  Whether given to special friends, secret sisters, outreach, or someone hurting unexpected blessings communicate volumes without saying a word.    Actions silently verifying love, and the recipient is genuinely surprised and blessed.  Ever receive one of these gifts?  I have; just the other day!  Considering someone thought of me, purchased a gift, and made sure I received it intensely impacted my heart.

Every day, we receive similar gifts from our heavenly Father – unrequested – the ones freely given solely because He loves us and desires to make us happy by encouraging our heart.   His good and perfect gifts are all around  – answered prayer, a faithful spouse, friendships, a home, great children, health, something on sale you needed, or even a parking place at the mall!!  Great or small too many to count and given because He longs to bless us!!

There are all kinds of gifts.  Some reflect a selfish motive while others indicate only the most expensive is acceptable; however, genuine gifts always seek to bless not impress the other.  Being a blessing may just brighten someone’s day, place a smile on a saddened face, reach a soul for Christ, or encourage the forgotten, hurting person.   While contents are unimportant motives are always inspirational.

“Lord, please teach me to bless others ‘just because’ – reflecting the way you bless us!”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 11, 2011

Abiding In The Vine

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit…” John 15:5a  (NIV)

A friend recently told me about a remarkable 16-year old boy who spoke publically about “abiding in the vine.”   With an insight well-beyond his years, this teenager talked about his utter reliance on God and  confidence in the life of Christ that was flowing through Him…because he was connected to the Vine.

I was amazed!  In my moment-by-moment journey through life, I have often treated God like something I should “put on” rather than the life source I must “dwell upon.”  John 15 reveals that God is not looking for us to “apply” a measure of Christ to our daily lives.  His desire is that we live IN Christ, every moment of every day.  For many of us this will be a dramatic change in our paradigms (especially if we are Sunday-morning Christians).  The difference will be as obvious as drawing a drink of water from a well or running a hose from the well directly into our lives –  a supernatural IV.

Christ is our Living Water.  And although we can live off an occasional sip, it is far better to dive in and be immersed daily in His presence.  Will you join today me in casting aside your cups and grabbing your hoses so that we can abide in the fullness of His presence?

“Father, renew our minds and teach us what it means to “abide” in YOU daily.  Show us how to live as branches in the VINE so that we might abide in the constant presence of Christ.”

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 10, 2011

Serving God’s Way

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them..” Romans 12:5-6a (NKJV)

Have you ever found yourself serving in an area that wasn’t where God wanted you to be?  We see a need and think no one else is going to take care of this so we’re going to. We haven’t prayed about it or checked to see if our gifts were suitable for this area of service. Things may go great for a while, but down the road we may begin to feel stuck. We can’t move on to something else because who would take our place. We also can get too settled into one ministry and not heed God’s voice when He is trying to move us on to a new area. Sometimes our ministry has to shift so God can fully use our life experiences to serve others.

When we are serving God, we should feel joy about reaching out to others and God’s love should show through us. One statement I heard recently really stood out to me, “If serving feels like an obligation, then you are serving in the wrong place.” So if we are feeling like an area we are serving in has become more of a routine or “duty”, then it’s  time to pray and ask God to show us where we need to serve.

“Dear God, Help us to never lose the joy of serving and ministering to others. As we prayerfully seek your will, show us clearly where you want us to serve. Give us the strength and courage to make the changes You reveal to us”

For His Glory,

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 9, 2011

God’s Masterpiece

“Yet, O Lord, You are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”  Isaiah 64: 8 (NIV)

 

Michelangelo was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet.  One of his most famous works was his painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  He spent four years on a flat wooden platform, and painted in an uncomfortable position standing with his head tilted upward and his arm raised.  I wonder what the people thought when they walked in the chapel and looked up.  I’m sure they commented on his work –  some good, some bad.  In my mind’s eye, I can see Michelangelo looking down and saying, “It is not finished!”

In our lives, God is constantly working and there are people who will comment on the stage of our life – some good and some bad.  And God wants to say, “It is not finished!”  Now I have to admit, when I look at my life I see all the splatters of paint and uneven brushstrokes; but God has a master plan and is making me beautiful and spectacular.  The real masterpiece God is working on in our lives isn’t about a finished or flawless product, because we will never see that completed beauty on this side of eternity.  However, our restoration will be complete in the presence of God when we see Him face to face.

As you begin your day, and are thinking about your life, listen and I’m sure you will hear, “I’m not finished!”

“Lord, I am so thankful that my past sins do not define me and the transformation You are making in my life is not finished.  Please mold me and shape me into a beautiful reflection of Your love and glory.”

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 8, 2011

Pray With Confidence

“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”  1 John 3:21-22 (KJV)

Do we believe what we are praying for?   Are we filled with doubts? (James 1:8) Are we full of faith and confidence in God? After we pray do we wonder if God is going to answer our prayer or if He heard us at all? Scripture reminds us that we can come to God in confidence when our hearts are not condemning us. Now why would our heart condemn us? We know when something isn’t right between us and God because there is a lack of peace, and we won’t have a clear conscience. If we don’t confess our sins to God, conviction can easily turn into condemnation. The enemy wants us to stay condemned.  When we are in right standing with God, we can come boldly to the throne of grace and pray without wavering. When we pray in His will, we will receive of God because we keep his commandments.  If our life is not pleasing God, then we can simply ask Him to forgive us of our sins. And the good news – He says our sins are as far as the east is from the west, and He remembers them no more; they are under the blood. If you have unconfessed sin ask God to forgive you and turn away from it. He will meet you with arms wide open.

“God forgive me for my sins and help me to pray with confidence and faith.”

For His Glory

Linda Reyes Shepherd
TRBC Mountain Blend

Leave a Comment

Posted in Faith, Prayer

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 7, 2011

What Will You Choose?

“If you listen to correction to improve your life, you will live among the wise.  Proverbs 15:31(NCV)

Do you remember getting caught doing something you weren’t supposed to do?  As a teenager, I went with friends to a concert I didn’t have permission to attend.  When my friend’s mom picked us up, she told us how she had lied and disobeyed as a child.  She also stressed the importance of trusting our authority in their decisions even when we didn’t like them.  I can still feel the ache in my heart knowing I had lied.  My parents were waiting for me to get back, sitting in their car, disappointed and hurt.  They spent a lot of time in prayer that night for guidance.  It was a very long quiet ride home.  I knew I had messed up, I knew there would be severe consequences for my disobedience.   I had the choice to listen, take the punishment and change my ways or continue paying the price.

God’s choice for us is always to obey and listen with the right heart attitude, but it’s so hard some days.  Satan makes the temptation seem so appealing. He fools us into thinking that we got caught that time but next time we’ll know what not to do. He says, “You don’t want to lose your friends, status, or whatever right?” God gives us a free will to choose obedience or not, to listen or ignore.   God’s promises always hold true –  when we listen to correction and change our ways, we will be among the wise.

“Father, open my eyes to the things I’m blinded to, give me the wisdom to hear your correction and change my ways so I may be among the wise.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 4, 2011

A Fragrant Offering

“I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. Philippians 4:18b (NIV)

Fully content with his life,  Paul didn’t waste his time in prison by recounting missed opportunities or focusing on his lack of comfort.  Instead, he seized those moments to encourage  and affirm the lives of those God had entrusted to him.  His resources were limited, nonexistent in fact.  He was bound by chains, unable to pick up his feet and go. Yet Paul didn’t allow his lack of resources to suspend his giving.  There are lots of excuses why we don’t reach out.  In today’s economy, we may find ourselves settling in to complacency because our pockets are empty.  Hectic lifestyles and preoccupation with self eases us off the mindset of Paul – yet our feet are not bound.  We are free to move and  free to extend ourselves –  but we suspend our giving.  Paul preached, ministered and served others – it’s what placed him within those dark prison walls. But outreach when done for the glory of God always comes back full circle.  The people Paul continued to pour his heart into were the ones God used to bless his life.  A fragrant offering covering the pungent odor of a damp prison.  An acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God – an overflow of the encouragement and sacrifice Paul had given to them.  So how are we seizing the moments of our life – even the dark , hard places?  How are we using our abundance as a fragrant offering, acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God?  Authentic outreach isn’t about money or gifts but rather the overflow of God’s love from one heart to another.

“Father, we easily forget the simplicity of loving one another.  Help us to reach deep, reach wide and spread your love to all we meet.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Hope, Love, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 3, 2011

Moment By Moment Trust

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  Proverbs 3:5  (NIV)

This verse from Proverbs reminds me of the fictional story about a man who encountered God while dangling from a tree branch.   The man was walking along the ridge of a mountain when he lost his footing and slipped over the edge.   Miraculously, he was saved when he landed atop an unexpected tree branch sticking out of the mountainside.

Seeing this as an opportune time to introduce Himself, God  assured this man that He was not only present, but had already devised a clear rescue plan.  Before the joy of a grand rescue could even take root, this suspended tree dweller learned that God’s good plan, which was to “let go and trust me,” completely clashed with his idea of a “good plan.”  Concerned that God had obviously not thought through the implications of this proposal, the story ends with the man turning from God and calling out in search of other rescue options. 

I can deeply relate to this story.  There have been countless times when I have clung to tangible branches of hope and security rather than God and His Word.  But I am learning that God is not just asking us to trust Him with our eternal tomorrow.  He is daily prodding and calling us to trust Him with the momentary happenings and details of “today.”

Will you join me today in choosing to trust…even if it means letting go of your tree branch?

“Lord, please give us the strength and resolve to trust in You and not our own understanding.  Help us grow in our faith that we might give You our “todays”…just as we are trusting You with our eternal tomorrows.

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Faith, Freedom, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 2, 2011

Through The Eyes of My Creator

 “I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”  Psalm 139:14a (KJV)

Ever go to a restaurant and order something on the menu, only to find you’re drooling over someone else’s plate? Everyone else’s looks better than our own! Why?  In life, we have a tendency to look at other women’s “plates” and compare ourselves or wish for what we do not have. What if we praised God for how WE were fearfully and wonderfully made, (YOU, not your neighbor).  What if we saw the beauty WE possess through the eyes of our Creator?  When our flesh wants to sulk, or say woe is me, we tell it “no, I’m beautiful, I’m thankful for what I’ve got, and I’m going to use it for His glory.”  One of the ways we glorify Him is by being good stewards of our bodies.  I’m not talking about going to the gym for three hours a day, no way! But rather simple exercises you can do at home that are effective and teaching your body that you are in control of it and willing to strengthen it for Jesus.  Simply going for a walk with a loved one aids you in self discipline, builds relationships, and strengthens communication which the Bible says is an important sacrifice. Let’s exercise our body for HIS glory and find gratitude, discipline, and a healthy workout for the body we were blessed to have!

“Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for blessing me with a body! I know its not perfect, but I thank You for it! Help me to use it for Your kingdom and submit to what You have planned.”

For His Glory,

Julia Forystek
TRBC Coffee Beak

Leave a Comment

Posted in Encouragement, Freedom, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 1, 2011

Duty Vs. Delight

“Delight thyself also in the LORD….” Psalm 37:4a (KJV)

Ever get caught up in mundane cleaning chores at home? I do!  However, once in awhile I joyously discover something I felt was in ‘safekeeping’ only realizing it had become misplaced and forgotten.  This recently occurred when I came across a handwritten letter from my only brother.  Words echoed from his heart.   Though struggling as a college student, his needs were never mentioned – only his love for Christ, compassion for the lost, and expressions of complete surrender to kingdom work.  Hopefully, very relevant to any ministry heart today.  Randy has been in heaven for 38 years, and he delighted in serving God with an unrelented yielding to Him.

Delight desires to please, which greatly prompts an examination of my heart.   Do I serve Christ because I love Him not for what I can acquire from Him?  Am I faithful to honor Him with every aspect of my life?  Does my heart break over what breaks His?

Serving Christ and others should be done delightfully.  We can be made to do many things.  The difference – obligation says I have to; however, delight says I want to.  My brother understood this principle – do we?  God is very capable of replacing an obligated heart with one willing to please Him and others.  Just think what discoveries await us!!

“Father, help me serve You because I want to not because I have to.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

Leave a Comment

Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Love, Spiritual Living

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories