Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 17, 2020

Unfathomable Distance

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our wrongdoings from us”   Psalm 103:11-12

If you set out to go north from Lynchburg, Virginia, you can travel exactly 3,641 miles until you start going south. Or you can head south from here, but once you’ve gone 8,789 miles, you will—as you’ve probably guessed—turn northward.

But how far can you travel west until you’re going east? Or, likewise, how many miles would you have to go east until you’re heading west? That’s kind of a trick question, because the answer is: you don’t. When you turn and move east from anywhere and keep going eastward, no matter how far you go, you’ll never run out of east. Same thing going the other way: You cannot go to the end of “west”. It’s hard to wrap your head around, isn’t it?

This fact makes God’s promise to us in Psalm 103 even more astounding. In verse 12, we’re told He has removed our transgressions from us “as far as the east is from the west.”. Through His amazing grace and the work of Jesus on the Cross, our sins are forgiven—we are made righteous in the sight of God. And at that moment, He casts our sins—past, present, and future—into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19), never to be brought up again (Hebrews 8:12).

Sisters, please let this sink in. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and ask for forgiveness, He forgives us. And He does not keep bringing up our wrongdoings. So, when your mind and heart are being pummeled with disgrace, or if you’re dragging around heavy shackles of shame wherever you go (think Marley in “A Christmas Carol”), know this is not of your heavenly Father! This is a tool of your enemy whose goal is your discouragement. He wants you to doubt how wide, how long, how high, and how deep the love of Christ is toward you (Ephesians 3:18). He wants you to look in the mirror each day and see filthy stains of your sin, not the cleansed, white-as-snow vision of beauty you are through Jesus (1 John 1:9, Psalm 51:7).

Certainly, we may have to live out the consequences of our sinful choices and carry the scars. But I pray these serve as reminders of God’s love and forgiveness toward us—not constant condemnation your enemy would prefer. And may we use them as a means to share the Truth of the Gospel with others.

“Lord, I am so thankful for Your forgiveness—and Providential forgetfulness. Help me walk in the freedom of this Truth and share it unreservedly with others.”

 

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Ministry

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Gratitude, Hope, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 16, 2020

One Act Of Kindness

“And Jesus said to him, “You go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:37b (ESV)

We’re probably all familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25 – 37).  I’ve heard it so many times, in fact I heard a message on it recently. But this past week, this passage of scripture was one I was reading, studying and unpacking.  And right in the middle of all my familiarity was a truth I had overlooked before.

Luke 10:34 states, “He (the Samaritan) went to him (injured man)  and bound up his wounds pouring on oil and wine.  Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.”

My version of this story only remembered the Samaritan taking the injured man to an inn and offering to pay the innkeeper whatever it cost to take care of him until he returned.  And that is true, the Samaritan did pay the innkeeper substantially.  However, I overlooked the part where the Samaritan stayed overnight and took care of the man.  One simple sentence yet packed full of mercy, compassion and truth.

As we move into the holiday season, we will be presented with many opportunities to reach out to people and our easy go to is to simply give money. Donating requires no loss of time just an emptying of our purse.  But what if we intentionally chose to be like the Samaritan and got personally involved.  Let’s not allow COVID to be our excuse this year.  We can grab our mask, practice social distancing and still touch the heart of someone. Many organizations like the Daily Bread have all the safe protocols in place and are eager to welcome volunteers.

If a person to person contact is not advisable for your health, then consider sending a card or verse to someone.  A simple phone call can be a great soul lifter to those who live alone.  Baking a sweet treat or even picking up one from a local bakery and leaving it on a doorstep speaks volume in our world where kindness seems distant.  And what about all those health care workers, firemen, police officers, etc. who have served unselfishly during the pandemic putting their lives at risk. I can only imagine the smile on their tired faces when someone remembers them with an act of kindness.

2020 has been a hard, challenging year for us all. I can’t think of a better time to encourage others than right now.    The list is endless……getting involved isn’t always pretty but it is definitely worth it. Spread some joy into someone’s holiday season – it’s the best way to end 2020!

“Father, You have set the example now help us to go and do likewise.  Open our eyes to the possibilities of showering others with Your kindness this holiday season.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 13, 2020

No Turning Back

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:62 (ESV)

No one ever envisions the “empty nest” in the midst of diaper changes and late night feedings.  Our lives are forever changed in that split moment when we give birth and hear the audible cry of this “perfect” little one seeing us for the first time.  The uncharted paths of parenthood seem daunting, overwhelming and scary as we strap our bundle of joy into their car seat and leave the comfort of hospital nurses.

Wow do I remember those days….and the months and years which followed vanished ever so quickly.  While we were navigating each of those stages from toddlerhood to teen to adulthood, our calendars were full.  First steps, t-ball practice, middle school drama  – uncharted territory for inexperienced parents.  And just when we thought we nailed it, they were packing up their clothes and heading to college. Amidst a flood of tears, we prayed and hoped we had taught them well and prepared them for adulthood.

Strategic parenting is critical to ensure our children have a strong basis for when they leave our homes.  And Luke 9 unveils Jesus divine preparations for His followers who would be left on this earth after His departure.  No sugar coating spoken in His words.  Jesus was clear and direct.  The cost of following in His footsteps carried a huge price tag.  The ease of choosing to follow was simple, yet Jesus knew to follow would require daily dependence on the Father. Rejection would be common, but not to be taken personally.  Anyone rejecting them was literally rejecting Jesus and the Father (Luke 9:16)  – this rejection was not about them.

Following after Jesus would require discipline, devotion and a resilient commitment to never give up. Perhaps that is why He used the illustration of a farmer to emphasis His point. Plowing a field required the full attention of a farmer to ensure the plow stayed in the ground moving in the right direction. An intent eye focused on the Father would ensure distractions wouldn’t tempt Jesus’ followers to look back and retreat from sharing the gospel.  Distractions or a divided heart would greatly hinder their effectiveness.

We are almost at the end of 2020 and there have been many challenges and distractions to turn our focus away from following hard after Jesus.  We can definitely lose sight of the most important thing – sharing His love and truth with others if we allow distractions to sideline us. Looking back never serve us well.  Let’s recommit our hearts to hold tight to the plow and press forward trusting God every step of the way.

“Father,  plant within us a genuine desire to follow whole heartedly after You.  Not looking back – just pressing forward – in complete devotion to You.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 12, 2020

Evil Deeds – Good Outcome

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive”  Genesis 50:20

Do you ever wake up with a worship song on your heart and mind? I love when this happens, as it makes me smile to think of God’s promise in His Word to quiet me with His love and rejoice over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). In fact, I woke up this morning with a praise song refrain repeating in my mind: “You take what the enemy meant for evil, and You turn it for good.”

“See a Victory” is the name of the song. Now, I’m not going to digress by pointing out theological issues with other lyrical elements of this song or its origin church and writers. I’ll stick with the refrain at hand, which is based on Genesis 50:20. This proclamation of Joseph to his evil-meaning brothers comes after they planned to kill him but changed their minds and sold him into slavery instead.  But the ongoing saga is pretty amazing, and I recommend you read the whole story of Joseph’s rise based on his hard work and integrity, his fall based on lies and false accusations, his rise to leadership again—even while in prison—and his ultimate placement over all the land (Genesis 37-47).

Joseph was honest, trustworthy, worked hard, and did his best wherever he was placed. But, most importantly, Joseph honored God as the basis for his efforts (Gen 39:9), and the Lord was with him (Gen 39:3, 21, 23).

Friends, this world is run by the enemy, and there is plenty of evil—and evildoers. People, more than ever, are without moral boundaries and do whatever it takes to get what they want and please themselves. They don’t care if they have to lie, cheat, or steal, as long as they get their way. You may have experienced this on the job: You work hard, with integrity, but someone else gets the promotion. Or your child works hard (on their own) on a science project only to be beaten out for the blue ribbon by a kid whose parent did their work for them.

But we cannot control the way others choose to function. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, can simple love and serve God first and foremost. Everything we do—in our family, at work, socially—we must do as for the Lord (Colossians 3:17, 23). Our words and actions must be aligned with God’s Word—so we must know God’s Word!

Even by doing the right thing, we will lose battles. We’ll be overlooked at work (even lied about and mocked). We may lose friends. Joseph went to jail for being righteous, and so may we. But, sisters, have faith! The enemy’s reign is short-lived in light of eternity. What is meant for evil in this world, will be used for God’s ultimate glory. Even if we can’t see a victory on the horizon, God wins—and, ultimately, so will we.

“Lord, help me to remember that even though I cannot always the good in a situation, I know that You always know the end from the beginning. I trust You and Your will.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 11, 2020

A Savory Flavor

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.” Matthew 5:13 (NLT)

Our mission was simple: serve through painting houses in a Central American village. Armed with beautiful pastels, a paint brush, and a smile, we launched our mission. Some rolled color on dirty stucco while others brushed corners and edges with precise detail. Unfortunately, we noticed a problem when it was time to change colors—not enough water in the outdoor sinks to wash the rollers and brushes. Workers tried in vain to clean the painting supplies sufficiently under a trickle of water.

Our local leader decided on a plan of action: we could wash the supplies in the creek and get back to our mission. Several minutes later a gentleman approached us, not with a grateful smile for the beautiful painting we were doing, but with a look of concern etching his face. Without a translator, it was difficult to communicate. Through a series of gestures, we finally understood. The creek was the primary source of water for drinking and cooking in the village. Now it was polluted with paint. Umm…oops.

We apologized profusely and helped clean up the creek. The villagers forgave our ignorance and thanked us for our help in beautifying their neighborhood.

Our poor solution to cleaning our brushes and rollers caused the creek to be unable to serve its purpose. Our key verse explains that when salt loses its flavor, it is also unable to serve its purpose. Jesus states the purpose of believers: to be the salt of the earth.

“How do we as believers serve our purpose of being the salt of the earth? As the salt of the earth, we are to be a godly example of faith in Christ. Following Christ in grace and purity draws those around us to be cleansed by accepting Christ’s sacrifice and salvation. “…But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT)

Who can we reach out to this week with the savory flavor of our faith?

“Thank You, Lord, for cleansing us and setting us apart for Your purpose. Open up doors for us to extend the savory flavor of Your grace and mercy to others this week.”

For His Glory

Tammy Randlett(http://staletoast.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 10, 2020

It’s No Cake Walk

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. “   James 1:2-4

Some people believe, mostly because of false teachers, that when they give their lives to Jesus, the Christian life will be easy—a cake walk. And it strikes me that despite the use of this idiom, its origin may be unfamiliar. A cake walk is a party game where everyone gets a delicious dessert just by walking in a circle—it’s an easy win. And this is a perfect description for the lies within the “prosperity gospel” teaching: If you have enough faith, you’ll be healthy, rich, and deliriously happy. It’s an easy win, when it comes to worldly treasures and desires.

The problem with this approach to the Christian life is that it’s not Biblical—and Jesus taught quite the opposite. “In this world, you will have trouble,” He told His followers (John 16:33). And before His own brutal death, He warned His friends that they will be arrested, beaten, even killed for following Him. Family members will even turn against family members for the sake of the Truth of Jesus (Mark 13:9-13). James also tells us to count it all joy when we have trials—not if, but when (1:2-4).

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the men and women following closely after God typically “lost” at the world’s game in order to achieve the ultimate Win.
In addition to this warning, the Word of God also provides a lot of encouragement! When life gets challenging, overwhelming, anxiety-producing, and just plain hard, God has promised to be our strength and help. Here are just a few on which we can cling:

 

  • God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)
  • So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
  • The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9-10)
  • My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
  • But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 (Thessalonians 3:3)

 

But the best news of all? Despite what sufferings and challenges we endure in this life, those of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus do—in fact—win. And I’d like to think that when we sit down together at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, there will be lots and lots of delicious cake.

“Lord, when trials come—because they will—may I rely on the promise of Your strength and sufficiency.”

 

For His Glory
Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 9, 2020

When Expectations Disappoint

“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:22 (ESV)

It was a spur of a moment decision with great expectations.  My son Chris, who lived in Arizona, was flying back from Israel and had a three hour layover in Charlotte.  Many miles had separated us for some time, so I jumped in the car and drove three plus hours to the airport so I could take advantage of his layover.  My mom joined in on the fun, and we arrived early – didn’t want to waste a single moment.

Sounded like the perfect plan, but we failed to expect the unexpected.  My son’s flight was greatly delayed in arriving.  Further delays occurred while getting through customs.  When we finally caught a glimpse of his face, Chris had only ten minutes before he had to board his flight to Arizona.  The unexpected left us totally disappointed as we got back in the car and drove three plus hours back home.

How have expectations robbed you over the years?

I’m sure like me, you’ve experienced a lot of moments when what you thought was going to happen simply didn’t.  Our emotions are soaring high with anticipation and then the big let down takes all the air out of us.  Deflated we land frustrated, angry, sad, disappointed, numb…you name it we feel it.

So what’s a girl to do when the emotions of the unexpected steal our joy?  To be totally honest that drive home seemed longer than the drive to the airport.  But somewhere along the way, we transitioned from devastated to laughing at the irony of the moment.  We gave up a whole day for ten minutes and the best hug ever.  Would we do it again – absolutely.

Despite all the disappointments and unexpected robbers of our joy, we can place our hope in God.  We can cling to the truths of God’s word which exceeds our expectations.  He never disappoints and He always works even in the midst of our own misplaced expectations.  We can trust His perspective to give us clarity and reignite our joy as we navigate through moments when the unexpected seeks to slay us.  We can release our unmet expectations in prayer and receive His peace.  Bottom line – the best one to rely on when life simply doesn’t deliver what we envisioned is our faithful God.

“Father  help us to resist the temptation to be overwhelmed, defeated and negative when faced with the unexpected. Rather teach us to place our hope firmly in You.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 6, 2020

When Scattering Invites Blessing

“Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.”  Acts 8:4 (ESV)

Just the mention of the word “scatter” can evoke a negative vibe.  We are creatures of habit and love our besties, our Bible study tribe and our inner circle of sweet friends.  So the thought of dividing up…spreading out…casting in all directions simply doesn’t appeal to us.  We love the comfort of those we’ve been doing life with, and we can’t imagine the dissolving of such a good thing.  But if there is no scattering could it be possible we are missing out on the blessing of spreading God’s love in a different direction?

The book of Acts unveils the beauty of a scattering.  The early church was facing immense persecution in Jerusalem.  Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit,  was martyred – stoned to death.  Saul was savagely persecuting believers entering their homes and dragging men and women to prison (Acts 8:3).  Desperate times  sent the early believers scattering throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria preaching the good news.  This forced, unwanted dispersing ultimately culminated in many receiving the gospel.

Fast forward to 2020 and we have absolutely no excuse for not spreading the gospel.  We might face ridicule and criticism, but the church of God in America isn’t facing persecution like the church in Acts.   Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ is easier than ever yet we often desire to stay confined within the walls of sweet fellowship with believers rather than spending time with those who don’t know Jesus.

Wonder how God feels about our settling for ease?  Matthew 28:16 commands us to go – to make disciples – to scatter into all the world preaching the gospel to everyone.  Now that’s definitely not a clinging to my group mentality at all.  God’s plan was for us to enjoy fellowship but not at the expense of sharing His truths with others.

Love the amazing testimony of Elisabeth Elliot who took the Great Commission seriously.  Her husband, Jim, was martyred by the Waodani Indians.  A year later, two Waodani women walked out of their tribal land into a remote village not far from where Elisabeth was still serving as a missionary.  When she heard the news, Elisabeth left her young daughter with a friend and walked six hours to meet these women.  She brought them back to her home to live with her so she could learn their language.  Eventually Elisabeth, her daughter and Rachel Saint lived among the very people who speared her husband to death and many from this tribe believed in God.

Scattering isn’t comfortable or easy.  Yet,  I can only imagine how beautiful it will be when we stand before our God and see those who came to know Him as a result of our willingness to disperse and share the gospel.

“Father, sharing the gospel with our world is a privilege we don’t want to neglect.  Help us to step outside our comfort zone and boldly tell others of Your love for them.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 5, 2020

Forgetful

“Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?” Matthew 16:9-10

Don’t you just love the timeliness of God’s Word? For me, there are mornings of reading when the verses seem written directly to me, for that exact moment. And, I’m grateful for the consistency (and repetition) of Truth throughout the Bible. Especially when it comes to trusting God.

In the Old Testament, we can read how the Israelites experienced miracle after miracle yet continued to doubt and be anxious about their future. They were wondrously provided fresh food daily (Exodus 16), but feared they’d die of thirst (Exodus 17:3)—whining and complaining, and pining for “the good ole days,” despite promises made and kept. Ouch.

Lately, I’ve been reading the gospels chronologically. The consistency and repetition of events is always astounding, and, when it occurs, it’s like God’s adding exclamation points to the message. Remembering and trusting the Lord’s power and provision “happened” to be one of those points for me in recent days.

We all have probably heard about the “fishes and loaves”—it’s a story that’s often used by the nonbelieving world to exemplify amble provision. Rightly so. But you may not know that there are two fishes and loaves events. First, after Jesus was teaching a huge crowd of 5000 men (plus their families), He had compassion on them and told his disciples to feed them. Finding only five loaves and two fishes, they brought these morsels to Jesus, and He fed everyone—having his guys collect 12 baskets full of leftovers. (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-34; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). How awesome is that? Surely, His disciples thought, “Man, we’ll never go hungry again with Jesus around!”

Well…

It wasn’t that much later when a similar scenario presented itself to the disciples. The crowds had been following Jesus to hear His teaching and experience healing for several days in a row, so He told his guys, again, to feed them all. Did they look at each other, excitedly, and say, “Cool! Who’s got a couple bits of bread and fish, so we can get this party started?!” Uh, no.

Despite witnessing miracle after miracle. Despite walking around with God Himself, they said to Jesus, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” (Matthew 15:33) And so the scenario was repeated. Except, here, there were 4000 men (and their families); the disciples scrounged up seven loaves and a few fish, fed everyone, and then filled up seven baskets of leftovers (Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10). (Later, Jesus gently reprimanded them of their forgetfulness in Matthew 16:9-10.)

Does that ever happen to you? You experience the faithfulness of God’s provision, yet, even when the exact same scenario comes up, you wring your hands in worry and cry out, “Lord, how is this ever going to work out? It’s a doomed situation, I know it!” Yup, I’ve been there, done that.

Just like with the disciples, we have seen miracle after miracle. And although we’re not walking with physical Jesus, we, as believers, have the Holy Spirit in us as we spiritually walk with Jesus—this is a gift even the disciples didn’t have.

Sisters, let’s not be forgetful people like the Israelites in the desert and the disciples during Jesus’s earthly ministry. Let’s revisit and rehearse the amazing miracles the Lord has shown us in our lives. Let’s stand on the promises of His Word, His unending faithfulness, and daily mercies. Let’s continue to trust in all things working together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).

“Lord, help me daily recall Your grace, mercy, and faithfulness, knowing You will provide for my best.”

For His Glory,

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Ministry

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 4, 2020

Avoiding Quarrels

“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.”  2 Timothy 2:23

Had any quarrels lately?  I have…and they leave me feeling tied up in knots. Entangled. Caught in a net of feelings and emotions.

God’s Word speaks to the heart of every problem.  2 Timothy 2:4 tells us that, “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.”  I don’t think this means that we don’t engage with the world, but rather we remember that God is our authority, and we aim to please Him. He is the one who enlisted us, and we should march to His orders.

Our marching orders in 2 Timothy 2:23 caution us to “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies.”  Clearly, some things don’t merit discourse. When there is an issue worthy of discussion, 2 Timothy 2:24-25 provides instructions telling us: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.”

How often am I more focused on making my point than on gently communicating in a way that aligns with God’s heart to grant repentance leading to a knowledge of truth?  Sadly, I know the answer to that question. When I take my eyes off my commanding officer, I am all too easily swept up in civilian concerns forgetting that through grace I have been enlisted to represent Jesus. Forgetting that I was forgiven so that I could be salt and light…not so that I could be always right!

“:Lord, forgive me when I focus on winning arguments rather than serving You. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You. May this be truer tomorrow than it was yesterday.”

For His Glory,

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

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