Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 11, 2011

Inner Strength

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11(NASB)

As a young girl, Wonder Woman was my favorite super hero. She would fight bad guys wearing red high heeled boots, bullet proof bracelets, and a perfect hairdo of endless waves.  My favorite part was when she changed from normal Diana into strong, powerful Wonder Woman.  She would spin around in circles, removing her glasses and letting her hair down. Many times I could be found doing the same. I grew up believing if I could be like Wonder Woman, then I could do anything. As an adult, I sometimes find myself spinning in circles desperate to become a super woman who can handle anything with perfect calm and assurance.  What I didn’t’ realize was Wonder Woman and Diana were the same person.  She was powerful for what was already inside her. She didn’t have to change.

The very same power that raised Jesus from the dead is living inside of us.  Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us everything we need to accomplish whatever is before us on any given day.  We may wish we could change into a super hero, but it’s not necessary.  With Jesus we already have an inner super hero.  With Jesus, we are strong.

So spin if you must, but not out of desperation, throw your arms in the air, let your hair down and spin for the pure joy of the change that has already taken place.

“Dear Lord, thank You for the inner strength You have provided through Your Spirit.  Guide me each day and help me accomplish what needs to be done.”

For His Glory

Josey Bozzo
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 7, 2011

Praise One Another

“And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  Matthew 3:17 (NIV)

Great job!!  I’m proud of you!  I believe in you! You can do it!! Encouragement invigorates hope, inspires vision, and revolutionizes lives. Aligning with self-esteem programs in schools, churches, and the corporate world these principles invigorate better performance.   Why?  Statistics prove egos respond to positive feedback.

God echoed these words from heaven when Jesus was baptized (Mark 1:11) and again at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:5).   Wonder if Jesus was motivated to please His Father even more following His blessing?
Daily affirmation opportunities are all around; but we often go about our day ignoring kindness, sacrifice, thoughtfulness, consideration, great attitudes, etc.  Why not consider the employee who goes the extra mile, an obedient child, a loyal friend, a faithful pastor, or the spouse always placing his mate’s needs first?

We must be intentional.  Incorporating praise will most definitely encourage productivity in any walk of life.

“Dear Father, please use me to be a positive and uplifting encourager to someone today.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Love

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 6, 2011

What’s On Your Mind

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7a (KJV)

Now that I’ve moved into a new city, I am struggling with driving.  There are so many ramps, roundabouts, back roads, and interstates.  Every time  I climb into my car, I could be off on another adventure.   I think I hear the GPS lady sighing with frustration as she says, “Recalculating” to me.  Fortunately,  I do know how to drive to work and to drive home now.

One day during my drive home, I was thinking about a conversation I had and was so distracted I found myself somewhere I did not want to be.  I had to turn on my GPS just to find my way home.    Just like I was lost driving home, our thoughts determine a lot about the direction of our lives.  Runaway thoughts will take us somewhere, and sometimes it is where we do not want to be.

If we spend time thinking about how aggravating a co-worker is, how someone else was promoted first,  the lack of money or  success, we could find ourselves filled with resentment.  And that’s just the beginning, our thoughts can move into a lack of patience, hurting feelings, and discontentment.

Our thoughts are powerful and require a great deal of self-control.  If we allow them to come and go carelessly, we will not be focused on the things of God and wind up somewhere we didn’t choose to be.  We need to choose carefully what we think about, because our thoughts will determine who we are and how we live.

“Dear Lord, Please help me today to keep my thoughts captive and focused on everything that is pleasing to You and that will bring You glory!”

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 5, 2011

Frazzled

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” I John 4:4 (NLT)

Feel like everything you try to do keeps getting shut down?   You wake up realizing you set your alarm for PM instead of AM.   Heading to work, your car battery dies.  Finally at work and the phone rings.  It’s the nurse at school, your child is sick. Off to the doctor we go only to find out that it’s allergies, but he thinks your child should see a specialist.  We stop at McDonald’s for a treat, but they are out of chocolate chip cookies and sweet tea.  All this before noon – it’s a good day.  Don’t give up faith, or let that smile turn upside down –  remember God has this.  It might seem like your world is crazy, but really it’s a hiccup in what the plan was supposed to look like.  In God’s eye’s it’s a great redirection of your eyes.  Satan try’s to divert our attention by raining on our parade, and believe me it can be a torrential storm but he has no hold.  I know friends who are fighting battles I can’t comprehend; I can only lift them up in prayer.  God is always going to come out on top; He’s already conquered this world.  The bigger the challenge – the greater the growth potential.  Painful?  Yes, but the reward is more that we can imagine. Which will you choose in your rain storm – to dance or to retreat?

“Father, You are the great conqueror.  I have nothing to fear or to feel as though my parade has been rained out.  Thank You for Your subtle reminders.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | October 4, 2011

Captivated By Our God

“…Holy Holy Holy is the LORD of hosts:  the whole earth is full of his glory.”  Isaiah 6:3 (KJV)

Oh Lord would you meet me, right here, in the craziness of life?  I have so many things to do on my “list of things to do,” that sometimes I feel like all I ever do is my “to do” list!   Please help me to sit quietly at Your feet right now and realize a few things:

  • While I am rushing to make school lunches—You are on the throne!
  • While I am shooing my children out the door or driving in 8 o’clock traffic—You are still the Lord God Almighty!
  • While I am complaining about other drivers—Jesus is still the Son of the Living God, the Savior of the world!
  • And while I am at work, doing laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, helping  with homework,  wiping noses,  PMS-ing,  cleaning up another mess,  taking care of a sick child, talking on my cell phone, or running errands—the four living creatures are still surrounding your throne singing, “HOLY HOLY HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY WHO WAS AND IS AND WHO IS TO COME.”   (Revelation 4:8)
  • And even while I am sitting here, the angels and the living creatures and the elders by the thousands upon thousands are saying loudly:  “To Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” (Revelation 5:13b).

“Dear Lord, help me to sit at the foot of the cross… at Your feet, at Your throne—to soak in Your glory, power, awesomeness and holiness!   HOLY, HOLY, HOLY ARE YOU LORD!!!!”

For His Glory

Ruby Sand
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 30, 2011

Bubbling Over

 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.” Colossians 3:16 (ASV)

When you wake up do you wake up singing God’s praise?  I love those mornings when I wake up with a hymn on my heart; what a way to start the morning praising the Lord for his goodness.  How refreshing to only be in praise to Him who deserves it.  When we fill our souls with songs and the Word, we start to overflow.  And within moments that overflow bubbles out in our dreams, when we wake up, and in our words to our friends and associates.  I love to hear others quoting scriptures and singing praises to the Lord.  It makes my heart sing with them.  When we praise each other, we bless each other.  This is how I believe God wants us to live –  lifting each other up with joy, thanksgiving, and encouraging each other in His Word.  If we aren’t filling up with His Word it’s hard to spill it out.  So let’s challenge each other in scripture memorization and spending more time in the Word.  Digging deeper, so we are full of scripture bubbles.  Remember how fun it was as a child and even as an adult playing with bubbles and  watching them float in the air?  As adults, let’s bask in the glory of God’s bubbles of his Word.

“Father, thank You for Your Word and for hymns to sing of Your glory.  Help me to bubble over and out  to those around me of Your goodness.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 29, 2011

Committing To God’s Plans

 “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”  Proverbs 16:3(TNIV)

Have you had certain plans in life that just never worked out? I mean they were good plans like serving in ministry or going on a mission’s trip; however, things just kept popping up and getting in the way. When we made those plans did we seek God’s counsel? Did we ask Him if this is the path He wants us to take? Sometimes those roadblocks that keep interrupting “our” plans are God’s way of redirecting us.

I had made plans in my heart about going on a missions trip, but it wasn’t anything I really sat down and prayed over with God. Now as deadlines for the trip are coming closer God is showing me the mission field He has for me is closer to home. Eventually in God’s timing I’ll go on the mission trip, but for now I’m committing myself to God’s plans. Wisdom comes from taking the time to step back and really see if our plans have come from God or our own desires. We should embrace and commit ourselves to God’s plans instead of being discouraged that we can’t do what we want. I can guarantee God has a huge blessing in store and it starts with one step in His direction.

“Dear God, Help us to be thankful for the disruption of our plans and to see the greater purpose of Your plan. Thank You for the peace that comes when we surrender our plans and commit to Yours.”

For His Glory,

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 28, 2011

Which Reward Will You Choose

“He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”   Hebrews 11:6b  (KJV)

Why is it that prayer and seeking after God feels so challenging, but seeking after our own ambitions comes so easily?  And how is it that we can get lost in a good book (or even Facebook)…but not God’s Book?  In a day where “right” often takes a back seat to “right now,” it seems we must work harder than ever to seek after God.  When resting requires a remote rather than extra time in God’s presence, we need discipline to look beyond the promise of the here and now.

This task will take more than just discipline and determination.  It will require great faith.  Perhaps that is one of the reasons why God placed the promise of this passage in the midst of the greatest faith chapter in scripture.  We can assume that God planted this invitation smack-dab in the center of this rolling biography of faithful saints because He knew that seeking Him with diligence would require great faith.  How else are we to resist the promises of temporal rewards while waiting for the rewards of the Lord?  After all, who naturally waits for a “hoped for promise” when a tangible reward is more easily gained?   To experience the abundant life of John 10:10, we will have to leap and “drive hard” toward God’s presence.   He who has promised is faithful and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

“Father, forgive us for the times we allowed you to become a casual afterthought.  Infuse us with a desire and capacity to pursue you diligently.  Grant us the faith to resist the distractions and temptations that might lead us from your presence.”

For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 27, 2011

Sweet Forgiveness

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9 (NIV)

As  a child, I broke something of my moms.  Looking at all those pieces on the floor, I thought if I stared hard enough I could meld it together.  So I did the next best thing, I hid in our tree house.  When mom called us in for the evening, I trudged down the ladder.  Stepping into the house, I saw all the broken pieces on the counter.  Mom never said anything.  We went through our night rituals and still not one word was said.  I felt horrible.  When mom kissed me goodnight, she asked if I needed to tell her anything.   Looking away, I shook my head no.  The door closed, and I breathed a sigh of relief.  Could I have gotten away with it?

Unable to sleep, I cried because I didn’t want my mom to be upset with me.  About 3 am, I walked to my parents’ bedroom and told Mom what I did.  I was so sorry I broke one of her favorite things. She hugged me, told me it was alright and loved me.

Don’t we sometimes do this with God?  We mess up, and we are afraid to go to Him and confess our sins in fear He might discipline us.  Sometimes we pull away or go hide in our tree house worrying what will happen.  We are so lucky that we can receive God’s mercy and grace, but we must be the ones willing to come forward and be cleansed.

“Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving me even when I mess up.  I am so glad that I can come to You and confess what I’ve done and You will still love me and use me.”

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Freedom, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | September 26, 2011

God’s Waiting Room

“Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.”  Psalms 27:14 (NAS)

Try to relax.  Go for a walk.  Take a nap.  Come back when you have other symptoms – advice our daughter received at the hospital last week.   Hoping to meet her daughter that day only indicated it was false labor, and she was instructed to go home and wait.    Disappointing to say the least.

How many times do God’s children spend long intervals in His waiting room?  Waiting to have a child, to get a job, for God to provide that special need, to see a child return to God, for a mate, etc.  Waiting requires strength and endurance to ‘hold on’ no matter the cost.

The Bible describes faith as the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.    Being in His ‘waiting room’ places our hope and trust in the unseen acknowledging God is in control.  Nothing can be done to speed up God’s timetable, change His course of action, or undo His perfect plan.  As difficult as it may be to accept, God is sovereign.

Are you waiting?  Don’t lose hope.  Eventually our daughter gave birth and God’s little angel entered this world.   Every child of God can be confident He will come through, His blessings are always worth the wait, and He never disappoints His children.

“Dear Father, please give me patience and endurance, as I trust You with every aspect of my life.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

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