Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 30, 2011

Joy Instead of Sorrow

“I will turn their mourning into gladness;  I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”  Jeremiah 31:13 b (NIV)

This year is still young, and some of us have known a lot of people going through sorrow due to the loss of family members. Many of these losses were sudden and not expected to us; however, nothing takes God by surprise and His plans are sovereign. When we pray for healing, God graciously and lovingly teaches us that sometimes He doesn’t give earthly healing. He chooses to take our loved ones home so they can enjoy a new body in heaven.  In the midst of our grief, God is right there with us carrying us through moment by moment – day by day.  His abiding presence turns our mourning into gladness as He gives us joy  and comfort. Mourning is part of the process of letting go and saying not goodbye, but see you later. As Christians, we have the comfort of knowing we will see our loved ones again in heaven. In the meantime it’s okay to cry and laugh as we remember the special times we had with our loved ones.

“Dear God, Help us to understand that our loss is heaven’s gain. Give us the strength to allow you to give us joy in place of our sorrow.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 30, 2011

In The Midst of the Storm

“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”  1 Thessalonians 1:6 (TNIV)

The dream was so vivid.  In the distance I saw a storm.  The closer I got, the stronger the winds and then the sound of the wind whipping my car.  The storm seemed to clear.  I watched a couple cross the street with their umbrella at the stoplight, but as I looked back there it was a tornado funnel cloud. It was growing and headed straight for me.  The light was still red; I was stuck waiting for what seemed like forever, wondering do I gas it and drive as fast as I can to get away or pull over and then what?  What do you do when you see a tornado funnel?  Then I woke up.

God reminded me with this dream that many times we see the storm in the distance, and we gas it trying to run only to allow it to grow larger catching us and spinning us out of control.  Maybe we pull over, sit and wait alone only to have our worlds rocked.  The answer He wants is for us to trust, stand firm and know that He has us in His grasp.  He is there is in the middle of the storm waiting for us to say “Help, I can’t get through this without you.”  He then gently scoops us up, wipes our tears and comforts us while the storm passes.  Oh, the joy of trusting Him in those uncertain times of desperation and embracing the peace that passes all understanding – joy does come in the morning.

“Father, I thank you for always being there to comfort me in those uncertain times and for holding my hand and wiping my tears during the storm.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 30, 2011

Glorious Awakening

“And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great favor was upon them all.”  Acts 4:33 (NLT)

What is sweeter to the soul than a promise kept?  Trusting someone’s words, believing in their character and relaxing securely in the predicted outcome – it’s a rare occurrence in our society.  Words are easily spoken, character is often compromised and security runs out the door.  But chiseled into the nail pierced hands of our Savior, we find the refreshing aroma of His promises kept.  Despised, rejected, crushed, broken, and bruised beyond recognition, Jesus deliberately chose to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life opening wide the door to Heaven’s throne.  His love was proven, grace was given and when the stone was rolled away our Risen Lord revealed His glory!  It’s a hope planted within us; a priceless freedom lavished in our souls.  So what are we doing with the promise kept? A small band of disciples, who had cowered in fear and abandoned the cross, found themselves captivated once again with His presence.  Sins had been forgiven and grace applied.  Their lives were forever changed as the power of the resurrection stirred their hearts to proclaim the truth.  So what are we doing with the promise kept?  Are we captivated by His presence?  Have we accepted His forgiveness and received His grace?  Have our lives been forever changed?  Are we proclaiming He is the Way, the Truth and the Life?  One day He will return for us – what a glorious day – will He find us living in the power of the promise kept?

“Father, You are our Savior and Redeemer.  Bearing the marks of our sins,  You find great pleasure in our faithful witness to who You truly are – Our Risen Lord!”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 22, 2011

Ready For The Trumpet Call

“For this reason we also,  since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”  Colossians 1:9 (NKJV)

Ten young, single ladies waiting for a chance at love – sound familiar?  Matthew 25 unfolds the story of a man who was coming for a wife.  Five women gathered their lamps and oils, while five foolish women gathered only their lamps.  The night drew near and the women fell asleep.  At midnight they heard someone yelling “See the man is coming go out to meet him.”  The wise women filled their lamps so they could see.  The foolish women had no oil to light their lamps so they hurried to purchase more oil.   The man came and took the wise women; however, the foolish women were locked out and told by the man “I do not know you.”

What a great reminder of how we are to be ready when Jesus comes.    So many times we rush out the door unprepared for the day; we even leave Jesus out of our day.  What happens if He comes and our lamps are empty?  What happens if we put off accepting Him and agreeing to live our lives for our own glory rather than His?  The trumpet can sound at any minute- no one knows the day or hour.   Will the door be open or locked?   He is calling your name, the question remains, are you listening and answering?

“Father,  help me to be a wise woman  always ready for the trumpet to sound.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

Life Transforming Prayer:

Jesus, I realize I’m a sinner, come into my life today Lord Jesus.  Thank you for dying on the cross so that your blood will cover my  sins, Thank you for rising again three days later, so one day I can live eternally with you, Forgive me of my sins and accept me as a Child of Christ. Thank you for your forever love and my salvation. Teach me now to live like you and share with others about you. “

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Posted in Spiritual Living, Uncategorized

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 21, 2011

From Hosanna to Hatred

“The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:9 (NIV)

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.  They all answered, “Crucify him!” Matthew 27:22 (NIV)

How quickly the mood of the crowd changed on Jesus. First He was welcomed into Jerusalem with a crowd waving palm branches and worshiping him with shouts of Hosanna. Then spurred on by the Chief Priests, the shouts Jesus heard turned to crucify Him. There was nothing that changed about Jesus between these two events, but rather the hearts of the people changed based on what others were saying.

How many times have we worshiped God openly and then later took or used His name in vain just because of who we were with? It is very easy to go with the crowd and get caught up in the moment. It’s even harder to stick with God and show the change He made inside of us no matter who we are with. Jesus died on the cross so that we have access to salvation and freedom from sin. That freedom needs to be shared with others, even if they have taken His name in vain, so they too can have the same access to salvation. We have to take the step to speak out about Jesus and not go with what the crowd tells us.

“Dear God, How thankful we are for your son’s sacrifice on the cross. The sacrifice that gave us eternal life and freedom from sin. Give us the courage to openly share Christ with others and not blend in with the crowd.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Faith, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 20, 2011

A Beautiful Mind

“Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes.  You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness – righteous, holy and true.”  Ephesians 4:23-24 (NLT)

I love surfing the web. Finding recipes, downloading articles, checking out websites, catching up on Facebook, etc. Unfortunately all that surfing tends to bog down my computer causing it to operate really slow.  Easy solution – I defrag my computer to clear out the scattered bits of information and organize my disk space.  Amazing the difference it makes, and I’m back up to speed in no time. I don’t know about you, but my mind can get bogged down with scattered and runaway bits of information.   A tiny seed of doubt, fear or discouragement slips in and before we even realize what’s happening, we’re bogged down with careless thoughts.  We entertain a thought for a moment and an hour later it’s mushroomed beyond our comprehension.  And if we’re not careful, those thoughts will impact our emotions and actions as well. Not to mention all the wasted energy we expend trying to maneuver through them. God’s solution – clear out the clutter and defrag Your brain.  Halting a thought before it has time to seize any unoccupied space terminates any chance of that same thought taking root.   Recognizing Satan’s lies and deliberately choosing to saturate our minds with God’s truths will enable us to function at our best.  Next time we find our minds conjuring up the unthinkable, we would be wise to drop to our knees and seek a spiritual renewal.

“Father renew my mind with Your thoughts and teach me to walk in the freedom that comes from trusting in You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 19, 2011

Exactly What We Need

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

One time in college, I was at the mall having a very relaxing day. I went out to my car and when I tried to start it there was no sound, no creak, nothing! I just knew I had done something wrong, and once I turned the key again it would start right up! So I turned the key one more time and  again nothing.   So, I walked back in the mall to call someone. (Yes, this was before cell phones and YES, I’m THAT old!) I tried everyone on campus I could think of and I was feeling rather defeated, so I called my Dad. My Dad is the one I always turn to when I have problems, especially with cars. When I told my Dad the problem, he calmly said, “Melissa, I’m 8 hours away, what can I do?” I didn’t know, I just knew I needed my dad to tell me what to do.

Psalms 34 is one of those passages I go to when I need God to tell me what to do. I often find myself on my knees talking to God and asking Him to show me the next step. I never have trouble with verse 6, “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.” Isn’t that glorious? I can call on the Lord and He will answer and meet the need. If you have been going through a difficult period in your life, crushed by some unkind deed, or if you have lost a loved one and are feeling the pangs of loneliness, remember the psalmist’s words, “the Lord is close to the broken hearted” (Psalm 34:18).

“Lord, thank you for always being there for me, when I have no one else.  I am so glad that I have you to lean on for all those answers that I’m searching for.”

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 18, 2011

Lunch?

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. ”  Psalm 143:8 (NLT)

“Lunch plans?”  She responds, “Let me look at my calendar.”  How many times do we say that in a day?  Let me look at MY calendar.  I am a wife, mom, employee; I’m busy. I need Outlook just to make it thru the day and hope that I don’t overbook myself or forget an important appointment.

The real question – is it my schedule or God’s?

Listening to a Priscilla Shirer lesson on Jonah, I was taken aback when she mentioned it shouldn’t be my schedule but God’s.  It’s not about me but Him.   Are we trying to fit God into our schedule instead of fitting into His?  As conviction sets in, I realize that too many times in my own life the answer is yes.  However, by trusting God with our schedule and allowing Him to lead, we will never be disappointed.  Try it today –  give Him your day, I’d love to hear how it turns out.  One day at a time hand it over to Him, open up the fist you have clinched so tightly, and one finger at a time give Him yourself.

By the way that offer for lunch might be someone God has placed in our life for such a time as this, and we might miss an opportunity He has scheduled for us.

“Father, I’m here with my hands open and Outlook open – show me what my schedule should be today.”

For His Glory,

Debbie Struble
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 15, 2011

Daily Manna

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4: 12 (NIV)

My eyes envied that cake.  In fact, I could actually taste it on my  lips as the waiter walked by.  Unfortunately when my turn came to order dessert, the luscious cake was completely gone.  Needless to say, I was disappointed as I slowly devoured my fruit cup.  Now under normal circumstances, I would have enjoyed strawberries, cantaloupe and watermelon.   But not today, I still wanted that cake.  Amazing how our hearts desire what we can’t have.  It’s a condition that goes all the way back to Egypt.  The Children of Israel desperately desired freedom and miraculously God delivered them.  However, a few steps into their wilderness experience and the Children of Israel allowed their eyes to envy Egypt and misplace the reality of their hardships.  Once again, God heard their cries and miraculously provided daily manna – straight from heaven, easily at their disposal. But it wasn’t what the Israelites wanted. Are we really any different?  How are we responding to God’s amazing provision – daily manna – in our lives?  Are we gladly accepting it or are we discontented, grumbling and complaining? The choice is up to us.   We can have joy and contentment or bitterness.  I choose manna – it might not look like what I want. It probably will not taste like what I desire and it definitely won’t resemble what I envisioned.   But God is providing what He knows is best  – daily manna – extensions of His love. Are we embracing His goodness?

“Father Your table is spread before me and its bounty is beyond belief.  Help me accept Your offering and walk away full to overflowing.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 14, 2011

Instant Connection

“At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision.” Daniel 9:23 (NKJV)

One of our pastors, Dr. Towns, recently spoke on the “Lord’s Prayer.”  What a service we had and how it made my mind begin to swirl. I began to read in the Bible about different prayers. I think the one that captured my attention was Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:23.

Can you imagine hearing these words directly from heaven? “As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given….for you are highly esteemed.” After all Daniel had been through, the angel’s comforting words must have been extremely welcome! Now this was not the first time God heard Daniel pray. Daniel prayed when things were going well for him, not just when he was in the lion’s den. He prayed because he enjoyed talking with God. Sometimes we neglect to pray for long periods of time. When everything is going our way, we forget to thank God. We get busy and don’t really see the need to spend time talking with him. Then a problem pops up and we need help….now! We pray fervently and want God’s answer immediately. We feel frustrated if our prayer isn’t answered promptly! We need to follow Daniel’s example;  God responded to Daniel’s need even before Daniel finished his prayer – their relationship was that close.

“Lord, thank you for always being there to listen, even when I cry out in a soft voice.  Help me to remember not to just come to you because I need something, but because I just want to talk to you.”

For His Glory

Melissa Tucker
TRBC Coffee Break

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Posted in Uncategorized

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