Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 19, 2024

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 into 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 repugnant 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, an 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 Women’s Life

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Posted in Attitude, Encouragement, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 18, 2024

The War Within

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

We are in a constant battle that we often don’t see – the battle for our mind, will, and heart. Satan is ready to attack at the sight of the least bit of weakness. He uses the same tricks of deception, temptation, and accusation to throw us off God’s path. When we are completely sold out to serving God it seems like everything that could go wrong does; that’s spiritual warfare. Satan wants to discourage us, make us question God, and convince us to give up.

On my Bible study nights total craziness will happen. There are days that I am so worn out physically and emotionally that I want to give up and go home. However, I know that’s how Satan wins. I also know any area you are studying, you can guarantee those areas of your life will be attacked even more. Studying marriage, things will start to get tense in our marriages. Studying how to overcome strongholds, those strongholds will be even more intense and obvious. Studying prayer, everything that can interrupt our prayer time will happen. Ephesians 6:10-18 gives us directions on putting on the armor of God to help protect us during this battle. The main thing is to be alert, continually in prayer, and remember God is fighting for us.

“Dear God, Keep us alert for signs the enemy is at work in our lives. Let us never let down our guard when we are serving You and doing Your will. Help us to daily put on Your armor and to never forget that You are fighting for us.”

For His Glory

Katrina Redman
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 17, 2024

Making Time for God

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 (NLT)

Born in Prussia in 1805, George Muller lived a sinful lifestyle and possessed a cold heart (by his own admission) until the night when God “began a work of grace” in him. Soon after, he surrendered to preaching the gospel. From the first message George Muller preached, he felt led to never ask anyone for money. He prayed for each need, refusing to even draw a salary from the church. He lived a life of absolute faith and trust in Christ for every shilling needed for the ministry, as well as his own personal needs.

Every page of his autobiography is a testimony to God’s provision. George Muller lived his life in service to God, but in the midst of his amazing journey is this quote: “I must offer a word of warning to believers. Often the work of the Lord itself may tempt us away from communion with Him. Public prayer will never make up for closet communion.” (The Autobiography of George Muller).

We live our lives today in fast-forward it seems. We sprint from activity to activity, even within the church community. Attending church services is what the writer of Hebrews (10:25) encourages us to do. Being an active part of a small group is beneficial; we are not meant to live life alone (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Setting aside time to serve in whatever ministry God has called us to is commendable (2 Timothy 4:5b). However, no ministering on behalf of the Lord should replace time spent alone with the Lord.

If a hero of the faith, someone who is known for his complete sacrifice to further the gospel of Christ, gives a warning, how can we not take heed? We must take the time (rather, we must make the time) to spend with God meditating on His Word, surrendering to His will, and hearing from Him in a personal way. Nothing else will satisfy more than time alone with Him. When we spend time alone with our Father, He meets us at our point of need.

“Lord, I commit to setting aside time with You in prayer. I thank You for the privilege we have to serve You in ministry; may I never allow opportunities for ministry replace my time alone with You.”

For His Glory

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

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Posted in Prayer, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 16, 2024

Shepherd or Butcher?

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”  Romans 8:5-6

What is your mindset on—the things of this world or the things of God? Are you constantly pursuing the next dollar, promotion, or feel-good activity? Is the culture driving what you watch, how you interact on social media, and your water-cooler conversations? Or do you follow the directives found in God’s Word, from the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:2-7) to the Greatest Commandment (Matt 22:36-40)? Are you, as the Apostle Paul exhorts, keeping your mind on what is true, right, pure, and praiseworthy (Phil 4:8)?

How we answer these questions is crucial. Not just in determining our level of peace and contentment in this life, but also in deciding our eternal reality.

Let me start with a story. I once heard about a man who was visiting Israel when he came upon sheep being herded across a pasture. The man asked his friend, “I thought shepherds led sheep, yet these are being driven.” The guide responded, “Oh, that’s not the shepherd. That’s the butcher.”

This is a perfect analogy for Christians. The Lord carries us and gently leads us (Isaiah 40:11), He leads us beside still waters of refreshment (Psalm 23:1-6), and He laid down His life for us (John 10:11-17). Once saved by grace through faith in Jesus, we are not left on our own to navigate our new life in Christ—to wander through this evil world whose god is the enemy of our soul. We are given the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us. He gives us wisdom and counsel, and He convicts us when redirection is needed.

But friend, we have a choice. We can ignore this gentle guidance. Instead, we can think, speak, and live as the rest of the world does—driven by the lusts of the flesh and eyes, along with the pride of life. Although we each are made a new creation at salvation (2 Cor 5:17), complete transformation is a lifelong process until ultimate perfection when we see Jesus face to face (2 Cor 3:18). This process (“sanctification”) requires that we constantly renew our minds (Rom 12:2) and not conform to the world’s quest to satisfy selfish desires of the flesh—things like sexual impurity, jealousy, fits of rage, ambition, drunkenness, and putting anything before God (Gal 5:13-21).

See, Satan (who is very real, by the way) hates you. He follows behind you, nudging you on with promises of fulfillment and selfish gratification. But he’s really only driving you toward your very earthly—and eternal—destruction.

Friend, it’s a real battle. We can be led by the Spirit or driven by the world. We can either give in to pride and the want for pleasures, or we can surrender to the Good Shepherd who loves us, giving up our old ways and giving Him our burdens.

So, who will you choose today—the Shepherd or the butcher?

“Lord, You have given us all we need to live this life for You—the Holy Spirit in us! May we yield to Him with every thought, word, and action.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Freedom, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 15, 2024

Charred Yet Deeply Rooted

“They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.” Psalm 92:13 (ESV)

A hike on a hot, humid day is quite the workout. If you haven’t tried it, you probably want to wait until the fall season when the temps are cooler and the foliage is vibrant.   However, I did hike on the 4th of July and despite the sweat, grime and downpouring rain at the end, I enjoyed the challenge.

Maneuvering upward through a rocky path, the forest characterized the drought we have experienced for months.  Creek beds were dried up with brown and yellow leaves covering parts of the path.  And then we came to a large grouping of trees that caught my eye.  The charred, black bark was evident of forest fires we had last summer on the parkway.  Nothing looked more desolate and depressive than being surrounded by these charred images.  Almost like a scene out of a scary suspense movie, I was so glad to push through and climb higher.

The descent back down the mountain revealed something I failed to see earlier. At the base of many of the charred trees were new, flourishing sprouts of growth.  How could this happen?  Trees that regenerate by re-sprouting after they’ve burned do so because they have an extensive root system.  Protected underground buds where the nutrients are stored in the root system allow them to quickly sprout after a fire. Our amazing Creator God leaves nothing to chance. The One who divinely spoke trees into existence made a way for them to survive and thrive even after the worst of fires.

Sweet friends, our God offers us the same rejuvenating, flourishing beauty even in the midst of our darkest, charred places. Living in this fallen world, we experience devastating wounds from broken promises, misplaced trust and evil intents aimed to leave us lifeless and scorched. Careless, hurtful words spoken drive deep wedges.  Disappointments invite disillusionment and frustration.

In the heat of the moment, we can’t even see how survival could be our default. How can we radiate growth and beauty when everything around us appears dark and desolate?  Yet those who are firmly planted and deeply rooted in the truths of God’s word are divinely equipped to flourish and even bear fruit in the hardest of seasons. All of those days when we gathered at His feet and life was easy were incredible moments when deposits of His truth were richly planted in our hearts.  Scriptures we memorized in quiet moments rise to the surface when opening the pages of His word seems ever so hard.  Desperation speaks loud and Satan tempts as the outer man fades, yet protected within the inner man are deep roots sprouting towards God’s wisdom and intertwined with His strength.

Our amazing Creator God leaves nothing to chance.  The One who divinely formed us into existence made a way for us to survive and thrive even when life’s worst happens.  Like the charred exterior of those trees in the forest, the planting within our souls bursts forth with a deeper knowledge of our God and will catch the eye of everyone who passes by.  What appears to be the death of us today is really a rebirthing of our soul  – an unwanted chapter allowed by God for our good and His greatest glory.

“Father, we can completely trust You to use all things to cultivate growth within us.  Teach us the importance of having our souls deeply rooted in Your truth so we can thrive even in the midst of hard places.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 12, 2024

When Today Overwhelms

“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” Psalm 94:19 (ESV)

Overwhelmed is never our desired place to reside. I love a challenge…a push me to the edge kind of moment as long as it’s manageable, doable. But in those moments when life is raging out of control and chaos is our mainstay, we feel as though we are drowning in a sea of responsibility and unpredictability.

Isn’t that where we’ve all been living? Lots of choices, decisions and concerns complicate our lives from the time we lift our heads off the bed until we collapse to sleep at night. And the sound of a morning alarm going off fills us with dread – just another day to tackle work challenges, rising gas prices and an unpredictable economy.

Lots swirling through our heads these days. Gotta love the promises of God reassuring us of His willingness to meet us right in the midst of all our overwhelmedness.  Whenever our thoughts get out of control, and they will, the sweet comfort of His presence calms us. God takes great delight in soothing us with reminders of His sovereignty to rule over our days and the challenges we face. Psalm 94 declares the transitioning of our load (all our cares and worries) to renewal and joy. Our Spirit is revived within us when we recognize God’s power to handle everything on our plates.

Morning comes quickly  – tomorrow will do the same. So how will we enlist the peace of God to infuse our day? Prior to COVID, I prayed on my commute to work. Laying down “my list,” confiding my struggles and admitting my tendency to try to be all things to all people. However, when my commute changed to simply walking from my bedroom to my home office, I often failed to start my day releasing all to Him. I just simply grabbed a quick shower and landed in front of my computer depending on “me.”  Not a good way to start the day.

Don’t know about you, but it’s time for me to start retracing my steps….spending time laying down the cares and challenges of another day before attempting to tackle anything on my list. Resisting the urge to carry it all and be weighed down by it all. Welcoming God’s perspective and orchestration of how each moment plays out. Trusting Him to guide me each step of the way. Perfect way to start my day.

Won’t you join me sweet friends? A planning session with our God is guaranteed to empower us with all we need for today.  Nothing else will birth such joy and delight within us even in the midst of overwhelmedness.

“Father, You take great delight in walking with us, running with us and carrying us through another day – teach us to release all at Your feet and walk away filled with joy.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 11, 2024

Above All

“And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.”  (Colossians 1:17-18, ESV)

 Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning and who told the ocean – you can only come this far? Who told the moon where to hide ‘til evening – whose words alone can catch a falling star? I know my Redeemer lives. Let all creation testify this life within cries I know my Redeemer lives!

For a particular season in my life, I used to sing this song quite regularly. It was especially requested on Easter services. It’s one of those songs that you just can’t sit still in your seat and listen to – you’ve got to get up because of the joy that overwhelms you from inside.

Simply because, for those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, our Redeemer – we know that he is alive in Heaven. Seated at the right hand of God.

We do not serve a dead God, a wooden statue or mythical creatures – we serve the one that is above all. Christ is superior to all other beliefs because everything came from him.

This is the point Paul was trying to make to the church in Colosse. False teachers were gaining a foothold in the church. These teachers were failing to acknowledge the preeminence of Christ. Basically, they were instructing people that it was okay to believe in Jesus – but they also needed to believe in other things. That they needed to do other things, like circumcision and abstain from certain foods. The teachings of that time also placed angels as mediators between God and man. Paul was emphasizing that whatever rank of being there may be, ultimately Jesus created them all. They all answer to Him.

Over two thousand years later, we continue to see the effects of heretical teaching infiltrating society. Some worship Mother Mary over Jesus. While others teach about worshipping the stars and space. Some charge their people with paying penance for deeds done wrong versus the all-consuming grace that is given freely by Jesus. Others believe that there are many paths to God and are always pursuing “paths to enlightenment.”

Our world is in a desperate search for “something” to fulfill them.

Paul was stressing that all things are fulfilled in the person of Christ. Not in a church; not in a priesthood; not in a building; not in a sacrament; not in other Christians; not in a method or a program, but in Jesus Christ Himself.

All wisdom and spiritual understanding can be found in the God-man who redeemed everything and thus now has authority above all.

“Jesus, we thank You that You are the true source of everything we need to survive in this world.”

For His Glory,

Laura Holmes (www.ephraimministries.org)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 10, 2024

Always Safe In His Embrace

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1 (NIV)

The first two verses in Psalm 91 always make me think of God as someone in whose arms we can always find solace for hard times; the One who wipes our tears away and soothes all our fears. He is our refugee, our fortress, our constant help in times of trouble. No matter what we are faced with, God is there.

In Isaiah 40, God is depicted as a shepherd who gathers His lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. Can you envision this picture in your mind? Getting that close to someone else and placing your head on his or her heart; being able to hear that heart beating! Friend, this action would mean that you are very dear to that individual. People don’t allow just anybody to come that close unless they wish to show them that they are loved.

There was a disciple of Jesus who was known for being His beloved. That disciple was named John, and he was known for reclining his head on Jesus’ chest, even though the moment when that happened was not the best one for the Lord. At that moment, Jesus already knew that after sharing that meal with His disciples, He would be betrayed by one of them – by someone He had trusted. Yet, even with all the thoughts that could be haunting His head at that moment, Jesus allowed for His disciple to lean against Him and feel safe and loved.

In this day and age, a “I-Love-You” special moment can be experienced even from afar. Sometimes, it is not feasible for us to actually be with someone during his or her time of need, to physically hold him or her in our embrace. Nonetheless, by staying near through prayer and communication (e.g. phone call, text, mail, etc.) we may bring into others’ hearts a sense of security that they otherwise would not feel. Our loving gesture may feel, to them, just like leaning against their Father’s heart, safely into His embrace.

“Use us, Lord, to spread Your love to others, leading them into Your arms.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Love

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 9, 2024

Sermon To Self

“You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11

Do you ever send yourself an email or a note on your phone to ensure you remember some idea, to-do, or appointment—or is that just my own aging mind that needs this life hack? Well, lately I’ve needed a bit of reminding on some spiritual stuff, so I thought I’d share this “note to self” with you.

This particular sermonette-to-self is about choosing joy. In the ESV translation of the Bible, “joy”, “rejoice”, or “joyful” appear over 400 times. Joy is not “happy”—happy is about happenings. Joy transcends our circumstances. As believers, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit (not our strength) to experience joy in and in spite of pain and suffering. So, let’s begin with reminders from God’s Word of some joy-filled truths:

  • Psalm 5:11 – “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may exult in You.”
  • Nehemiah 8:10 – “Do not be grieved, for the joy of Lord is your strength.”
  • John 15:11 – “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
  • I Peter 1:8-9 – “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
  • Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you abound in hope.”

Friend, joy is commanded throughout the Old Testament [Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Psalm 32:11)] and the New Testament [Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4)]. We’re to count suffering for the Lord as joy (James 1:2-3). Like Jesus, we’re to endure the distress, grief, and sorrow of this life for the joy before us (Hebrews 12:2). We’re to share joy with others by rejoicing with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15). And we’re to know that God finds joy in us (Zephaniah 3:17)—that truth alone is a mic drop.

But the most powerful motivation for choosing joy is our salvation—we were dead and now we’re alive in Christ! We can rejoice in the now because of God’s grace toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). And we rejoice in the hope of our glorified future in heaven. In the madness of this world, the battle against the sinful desires of our flesh, and the constant lies of the enemy, we must hold fast to the fact that Jesus is victorious over it all. And, although the battle is constant, we’re fighting from that victory—not for it. So, circling back to Psalm 16, we find our “how” to joy: “In God’s presence is the fullness joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” We must abide in the Lord, keeping our eyes on Him—and on the One to His right…the exalted Christ.

The current cultural divisiveness, political vitriol, and economic stresses can make embracing joy a challenge (especially if you consume the news or social media). So, it’s absolutely vital that you and I remind ourselves—every single day—that the Lord has created us to be joyful in all circumstances. And He’s given us the indwelt power of the Holy Spirit to make that a reality.

“Lord, may I keep my eyes upon Your heavenly throne, upon Jesus who has given me joy unspeakable through His victory over sin and death. In Your amazing grace and truth, may I always choose joy.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | July 8, 2024

God’s Unchanging Character

“Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!” I Chronicles 16:10 (ESV)

We, sweet friends, are choosers.  Getting what we want reigns high most days.  We want options, variety and the right to decide which one works best for us today – not tomorrow – just simply today. And there are lots of things we get to choose, right?  Shoes are a girl’s best friend, especially when they come in lots of colors, styles (heels, flats) ease or just look pretty (comfort out the window).  If we’re hiking, we will definitely forego the heels.  If we are going to a wedding, we will definitely trump comfort.  I think you get the idea…choosers are selective, even manipulative in getting what they want.

Real question here is what happens when we don’t get what we want?  Yes, we’ve all landed there, haven’t we?  Sometimes, we will avoid the obvious, not our choice, and keep searching for something else to satisfy.  Other times, we get frustrated and whine for days.  Sometimes, we kick and scream demanding what we want – that isn’t pretty – but we’ve done it.

While our choice of shoes, coffee or clothes aren’t game changers, God’s character is uncompromising.  All too often, we land in this place of choosing what version of God serves us well in the moment.  We love God’s grace in the aftermath of wrong actions.  We gravitate towards God’s patience and long suffering when we fail to obey Him.  We cherish His peace despite the chaos we’ve created for ourselves and others.  And when someone else wrongs us, oh yes, we claim God’s holiness and justice.

One glaring, big problem here – we can’t be choosers when it comes to God’s character.  We can’t simply decide He’s holy but doesn’t judge sin. We can’t regulate His grace to excuse our wrong actions.  We can’t pick a version of God that fits our agenda or our present circumstances.  God isn’t one dimensional – He is all dimensional. His character is flawless, perfect and all encompassing.  God is faithful, trustworthy, just, fair, righteous, loving, holy, long-suffering, grace-filled, all knowing, all seeing, all powerful ….and that sweet friends is just a little of who our God is. Perfectly in balance, He acts in the culmination of all aspects of His character to fulfill His purposes and agenda.

Choosers will wrestle here because we’d rather welcome the God who rescues, redeems and restores than the One who disciplines, corrects and allows consequences.  Yet out of the depths of God’s great love, He chooses exactly what is required to birth growth and transformation in us.  We can totally trust God to be and act consistent with His character at all times.

From Genesis to Revelation, we see the steadfast, unmovable character of God unfold page by page. He is the same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as He is today – nothing has changed.  So in those moments when our chooser mentality rises to the surface and we’re hand picking an aspect of God’s character to fit our agenda, let’s remember He encompasses it all perfectly.  Our God knows what is best and what will serve us well so we can glorify His name.

“Father help us to read Your word with a fresh lens of seeing Your character and the way You interact with all people. Teach us to have a balanced view of who You are and not selectively choose what suits us at the moment.”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

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