Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 3, 2011

Running On Empty

“…put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.” Colossians 3:8  (NASB)

One day someone did something that made me angry—really angry.  I tried just “getting over it,” but that didn’t work.  I tried talking to my husband, but that was no good.   Invariably, I went right back to my seething.    As the afternoon dragged itself into view, I realized I needed a little help, so I very “humbly” started to pray.

I told God (not very nicely) that if He wanted me to have any patience at all—He would have to give it to me.   After all, my “tank” was empty, the “gas light” was on, and I was running on fumes!  I then took a deep breath, opened my Bible, and started to read.   How uncanny that my fingers flipped right to Colossians 3:8, which told me to put aside my anger and wrath.   How remarkable that vs. 12 told me to put on a heart of kindness, humility, and patience.   And how interesting that vs. 13 said to bear with one another and forgive just as the Lord had forgiven me!

Wow.   God had used His word to soften my heart and gently rebuke me.   My demanding prayer swiftly changed to a more humble one.   I then thanked God for His patience with me.  The next time someone lights a fire in my engine, I will ask the Lord immediately to fill me with grace.  Furthermore, I believe the Lord wants me to start my day with quiet time in His word, so that I can be filled with His Spirit and not “running on empty” before the day has even begun!

“Dear Lord, thank You for extending grace to me.  Help me now to extend grace to others.”

For His Glory

Ruby Sand
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 2, 2011

Genuine Friends

“Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the instruction of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the firs.  And besides, there were added to them many similar words.” Jeremiah 36:32 (NKJV)

I love my friends! I love hanging out with them, laughing with them, and sometimes crying with them. All my friends are different. Not all of them enjoy shopping or sitting around to people watch. But I have a friend who I can always count on to support me as I seek to obey God! Whenever I’m ready to give up or throw in the towel, my friend reminds me of God’s love and His provisions.  Not all of my friends are like this. With some of them, if the cost is too high, their advice is to give up. While reading my devotions (Jeremiah 36:32),  I learned about Jeremiah and his friends. Jeremiah was a prophet who had to tell the King he would be defeated and his family would be killed –  not a fun message to deliver. But Jeremiah had one friend, Baruch, who encouraged him to do what God commanded. Baruch wrote down God’s message to the people of Judah as Jeremiah dictated it. When the king had Baruch’s work destroyed, a lesser of a friend would have given up and encouraged him to give up too, but not Baruch. Jeremiah dictated the letter again, and Baruch wrote it all over again even though he knew his life was at risk for helping Jeremiah.

Do you have a friend like Baruch? Do we appreciate the friend who encourages us to do the right thing? Are we that type of friend?

“Lord, thank You for the friend that You have provided to encourage me and help me when I need it.  But more importantly, Lord, thank YOU for being that friend that is closer than a brother.”

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 1, 2011

Share The News

“This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God as the prophet Isaiah wrote.”  Mark 1:1 (NCV)

John the Baptist was sent before Jesus to share the Good News that was prophesied in the Old Testament.  We are here to share the Good News of what has happened and of what is yet to come when Jesus takes His bride to Heaven.  Those living in Old Testament times probably had a hard time wrapping their minds around Jesus coming to live on earth. They didn’t have a full grasp of the miracles that would be performed or how brutally He would suffer for us.   Likewise, we have a hard time wrapping our minds around Jesus coming on a White Horse from Heaven. Capturing His bride, He will take us as Christians to live forever with Him in Heaven.  We don’t have a full grasp of the mansions and just exactly what streets of gold will look like.  What will it be like to sit at His feet, sing praises and worship Him forever?  What awe this brings to my mind – such beauty and magnificence.  As we truly focus on the things to come it brings such an urgency to share with others.  How can we let our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers miss out?  Why aren’t we shouting off the rooftops of our houses the joy that is to come?  We should be sharing the Good News with all we come in contact with that our Savior is Christ the Lord.  Let’s live our lives differently; let’s shout the joy we have.

“Father, thank You for sending Your Son for me.  Give me the courage to live my life boldly shouting from the rooftops about You.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 25, 2011

Temporary Home

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

Have you ever noticed how restless you get with your home after a few months? Suddenly it’s time to change the way the furniture is arranged or maybe paint a room a different color. Sometimes the home that seemed to be the perfect place just doesn’t feel right anymore. As children of God, we are restless for a purpose.  We aren’t home yet, and this is just our temporary place to live until we reach our eternal heavenly home. I love Carrie Underwood’s song “Temporary Home,” because it’s a great reminder that this is just a place we are passing through.

“This is my temporary home. It’s not where I belong. Windows and rooms that I’m passin’ through. This is just a stop, on the way to where I’m going. I’m not afraid because I know this is my Temporary Home.”

Not only is our home temporary, so are the troubles we struggle with on a daily basis. Underneath all the struggles, we are laying the path to eternity. What we are going through now will not last forever, however, time spent with God in heaven will.

“Dear God, Thank You for preparing our eternal home in heaven for us. As the days get weary here on earth, remind us that this is only temporary.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 24, 2011

Caught Up In His Presence

“ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”   Luke 10:40 (NIV)

Set within the pages of Scripture is a familiar story of two different women (sisters in fact).  Subject #1 in this story (let’s call her Martha) was a hard-working woman who heard that the man named Jesus was coming to town.  Being conscientious, she invited him into her home and diligently made preparations for his stay.  What a woman!

When subject #2 (we’ll call her Mary) heard that Jesus was coming, she threw caution to the wind. In stalker-like fashion, Mary glued herself to the “man of God.”   How unbecoming!  Poor Martha was mortified and unapologetically asked Jesus to tell His new groupie to get back to reality- AND back to work.   How shocked she must have been when He told her that Mary had actually “chosen better.”  Seriously?

Like Martha, many women today recognize that Jesus is God.  They may even call Him Lord and invite Him into their lives.  But they never really assume a posture of worship.  They are much more consumed with the affairs of life, than the presence of God.  And even though Christ is in their lives, He is clearly not the Lord of their hearts.

Can you relate?  Have you invited God in, only to set him neatly to the side?  Have you been preoccupied by life’s distractions or consumed with the Lord?

“Lord, infuse our hearts with a new hunger for You.  Teach us to set our hearts on You, rather than the temporal distractions of life.  Help us to surrender to Your Lordship today.”
For His Glory

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 23, 2011

A Feast For The Spirit

“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Imagine getting ready to eat a delectable buffet dinner—yet when you reached for a plate someone said, “This food is off limits!”  Disappointment would be an understatement.  I wonder, though, if my spirit feels the same way when I reach for my Bible, only to be distracted by the phone.  Some days I find myself being carried on a raging river of busyness.  Life is often so hectic that I feel like Mr. Incredible when he says, “I can break through walls, but I can’t find my socks in the morning!”  So here’s the rub: even when I’m running around like the proverbial chicken—I never forget to feed my body three square meals a day.  The sad truth is that there are days when I spend more time feeding my flesh than my poor, emaciated spirit.

Thankfully, Jesus is way ahead of me!  He knew that I could not survive without “manna” or bread from heaven.   Lovingly, He reminds me that if I stay in His Word, I won’t be trying to flesh out this life while starving to death in my spirit.  The Bible is there to give us all strength, guidance, and encouragement:  – food for the soul!  Open God’s Word today—there is a delicious buffet among those pages that will bring life to our innermost beings.  The more we hunger for every word that comes from the mouth of God, the more we are filled with bread from heaven!

“Dear Lord, Help us to spend time in Your word, fueling our spirits and finding sustenance in the “Bread of Life”, Your son, Jesus Christ.”

For His Glory

Ruby Sand
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Uncategorized

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 22, 2011

Building Up, Not Bringing Down

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

What are we passing along about others?  Sometimes, I have found myself guilty of passing along information before I really research and find out if it’s true. It’s not fun when it bounces back our way and we find out we hurt someone by what we said. The tongue can quickly get us in trouble. However, that is when our head and heart have to stand firm and not let the tongue slip away from us.

We need to think about what we are saying –  is it building someone up or bringing them down? It is so easy to go with the flow around the office, church, or even our circle of friends and repeat what was said to others. It’s not only detrimental to the person we are talking about but to our testimony as well. Think about the type of looks the other person would get if we were only spreading praises about them instead of negative reports. We all have our faults in life, but those are between God and ourselves to work out. So the next time we are in a group that is talking about someone else, think of that person and speak up with something positive about them. Also, make a commitment to not spread anything negative about others.

“Dear God, Help me keep my tongue in line with my head and heart. Give me the wisdom to know what positive information I can pass along about others.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 21, 2011

Breaking Free

“It is for freedom that Christ has set you free.  Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be [bound] again by a yoke of slavery.”  Gal 5:1 (NIV)

Many years ago, an image flashed through my mind while I was praying.  (The same way visions of chocolates and cheesecake come to mind when I am trying to fit into my skinny jeans.) The image of an Asian woman with “bound” feet appeared and quickly faded from my thoughts.   I wondered who God wanted to reach through this experience.  Just imagine the implications this could have on a woman bound by the burdens, distractions, and temptations of life.   My curiosity ended when God whispered my name.  Ouch!  Was “I” really the intended target of this intervention?   Was I really so bound by the distractions of the enemy and the affairs of life that I didn’t even realize I was NOT free?  I was, after all, a godly woman who loved the Lord.

God’s answer was clear.  As long as I sought meaning in my accomplishments, looked for worth in the approval of others, ran from my inadequacies, clung to old habits and hid behind a shield of self-preservation, then “I” was indeed in bondage.   Sadly, my ability to experience the fullness of God’s plan for my life was being held hostage by my willingness to settle for something “less” than what God desired.  Can you relate?  Is your freedom being compromised by your willingness to settle for something “less” than what God desires for your life?

“Lord, forgive us for succumbing to the temptations of the flesh and the distractions of the enemy.  Show us where we may be walking in bondage and set us free that we may experience the fullness of your plans and purposes for our lives.”

For His Glory,

Claudia Dempsey
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Freedom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 20, 2011

Right Road – Wrong Direction

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

My family finds humor in my ability to get lost – even with directions.  Once returning from vacation, my tired husband needed some assistance driving.  Switching places, I drove the car and followed his instructions as he quickly fell asleep.   Two hours later a gut wrenching horror encased me! Remarkably, I had managed to go back in the same direction!! Obviously, loosing my focus was generated by distractions.   My choices were consequential; it took twice the time to arrive home, and my husband wasn’t overjoyed.

Isn’t the Christian life similar?   God’s Word is clear and precise, yet somehow lack of focus and distraction lead us down paths contrary to His Word.  Notably, wrong choices always lead in wrong directions with monumental consequences.   Two wrongs never make a right!!

Distraction is one of Satan’s most effective tools.   How is he distracting you today?  Could it be completing devotions, witnessing, ministering to a hurting friend, or perhaps completing a project at work, carrying out a decision, loosing weight, etc.?   Stop, pray and stay focused.  Giving Christ freedom to direct our path is guaranteed.   He will never lead us in the wrong direction!!

“Lord, help me to see Your guidance and not be distracted throughout my day.   Let me follow Your path outlined in Your Word.”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | February 20, 2011

Enjoying The Moment

“Be joyful because you have hope.  Be patient when trouble comes and pray at all times.” Romans 12:12  (NCV)

Patience is a tough word for many.  Patience means waiting.  Waiting means not knowing.  Not knowing means trusting.  Trusting means living in God’s timing and will.  When bringing it to those terms, patience should be desired in life. Patience grows our prayer life and relationship with Christ.  Who doesn’t want a closer relationship?  The problem is time.  We live in a microwave society.  When there is a question it is Goggled, and an answer pops up instantly.  Convection ovens and microwaves cook for us in half the time our grandmothers cooked the same meals.  Even with coffee, our mothers brewed a pot; today we have Keurig instant fresh brewed cups in a minute.  Waiting for an answer or waiting for results is foreign to us.

Thinking back, remember a Christmas wish list that was written a month or so before Christmas. There was the great anticipation of waiting until Christmas Day.  Maybe there was a package that looked just like the wish list item under the tree that was looked at, shaken, and left for wonder.  Then the highly awaited day came and there was your wish list item.  A smile came as excitement and anticipation was met with pure joy.  We can have that same response in waiting when we keep our minds focused on the hope of God’s faithfulness in working in our lives.  We too will be filled with excitement and anticipation as God’s will unfolds right before our eyes.

“Father, You know our needs before we do,  and You select the timing. Help us to enjoy the moment and glorify You while we wait.”

For His Glory

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living

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