Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 7, 2024

When Yield Invites Abundance

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

Driver’s education class was my fave in school, and I couldn’t wait to finish the course, take my test and sit behind the wheel all alone. Driving in the city was a little more challenging. I completely got what red stop signs or lights meant. I totally didn’t get what those yellow yield signs and caution lights meant. Unfortunately, I usually ignored them – not a good thing.

Yield is definitely not our usual go to thing, which is exactly the reason these yellow signs and lights were created. Dangerous intersections were commonplace. Arguments arose over who was at fault when accidents happened. So a police officer came up with the right solution – yield signs could cause drivers to slow down and prevent tragic accidents. One year after the first yield sign was put into place, the results were amazing. Not only did it lessen accidents, but it blocked dangerous areas.

Who would have thought yellow could do so much? If you’re like me, you probably enjoy go much better. If I’m really honest, I’d say I don’t like red at all. I’d much rather keep moving forward despite the protection that can be unveiled in slow down, danger is ahead and some things are about to change.

Rather than avoid yellow let’s learn to embrace yield. Let’s not run ahead when God is saying “proceed with caution.” Let’s slow down and examine what’s going on around us before we plunge forward. Let’s not get hung up on surrender and relinquish when yield can be more fruitful.

Deep lessons are learned in the wait and caution. Incredible truths we would have missed had we kept pressing on. God desires for us to avoid dangerous intersections that cross our journey in life. He wants us to avoid the devastation of tragic consequences. Takes courage, discipline and awareness to unpack the obvious right before our eyes. Requires unshakeable trust to allow God to move us instead of self.

Yellow never looked so good to this God loving girl who has struggled through but found He is faithful and true. Gotta love His divine protection even when we tune out the danger. Grateful for His wisdom and discernment. Cherishing His grace for moments when my persistence overrides what God knows is best. Learning not to ignore the prompting in my spirit that births His goodness.

“Sweet Jesus, we are truly independent beings – bent on going our own way – sheep wandering off. Praising You for being my good Shepherd who protects me from self.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 6, 2024

Celebrating Transformation

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5 (NKJV)

Morning is my favorite time of day.  Fresh-brewed coffee, the quiet sunrise…the time of day when I read my Bible and pray.  Hoping to enter my day equipped to handle whatever comes my way.  But, still there are so many days when I stumble.  So little evidence of transformation.  Some days it can be downright discouraging.

After reading the Bible and praying, I often go to my favorite devos or blogs for further encouragement.  Some of my favorites are My Utmost for His Highest and desiringgod.org (in addition to TRBC Women’s Life, of course!).  Saturday morning is a great time for reading a little extra…so today I was perusing articles to choose another to read.  I came across an article about how to live a happier life…for years this has been my goal…to be happier. Not just for myself, but for those who have to live with me!  But this morning, another article captured my attention…how to live a holier life.  Without giving it much thought, I eagerly dove in to that article…and as I was reading it, the Lord revealed that this was the transformation He was cultivating through my daily prayers and Bible reading.  In my inner life, I am beginning to choose holiness over happiness.  And, realizing this made me…happy! Still patiently waiting for this transformation to exhibit itself more in my outer life, but choosing to celebrate what I see the Lord doing in my heart.

Sweet friends, if you are like me and struggle to see the ways God is transforming you, I pray that He will show you.  When you catch a glimpse of how your heart and mind are being transformed, celebrate…be glad and rejoice before God; be happy and joyful. (Psalm 68:3)

“Lord, thank you that you are always at work redeeming and transforming those who love You. As we seek more of You, help us to see and celebrate the ways that You are transforming us.”

For His Glory,

Ann Skalaski
TRBC Women’s Life

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 5, 2024

Awaiting His Call

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, ESV)

 Years ago, I sang a song with my youngest son entitled “Midnight Cry.” One of the verses goes like this – “I hear the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and it’s closer now than it’s ever been. I can almost hear the trumpet as Gabriel sounds the call; at the midnight cry, we’ll be going home!”

Unless you’ve been living on a remote island completely unplugged from society, you most likely have heard some of the world events unfolding around us.  Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was the largest military attack in Europe since World War II.

If you’ve spent any time studying the book of Revelation, then you’ve heard of the Gog and Magog war John describes in Revelation 20. Bible scholars agree that modern day Russia is Gog. China is the “Kings of the East” (Revelation16). Iran is Persia (Ezekiel 38, 39).

We are witnessing biblical prophecies being fulfilled in our lifetime.

Upon hearing the news of Russia’s move, I immediately thought about how close we must be to Jesus stepping out on the clouds and instructing the trumpet to sound. While no man knows the day or the hour, the Bible does give us signs to look for (Matthew 24:36). The prophecies that were foretold to happen before the rapture have all taken place. Any minute the trumpet could signal the dead in Christ to rise. And for those who are still living, we will meet them in the air; we will ascend to Heaven to meet the Lord.

Jesus tells us Himself that we will “hear of wars and rumors of wars, nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:6-7).

Instead of being overwhelmed by the news –be informed about the signs of the times and sift it all through the Word of God.

When we see these things happening – we’re told to “look up” “because our redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

Sweet friends be encouraged that your struggles on this earth are not in vain. There’s so much more awaiting us in Heaven.

God is in still in control. Jesus is coming back!

Don’t listen to the noise of the world – listen for Jesus – any moment God could give the instruction to sound the call to bring us home.

“Father calm our hearts when we see the world going crazy, teach us to run to You. This is all part of Your plan.”

For His Glory

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

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | June 4, 2024

Time For The V-E-T

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”   Isaiah 55:8-9

My dogs—Bella and Caroline—can spell. No, seriously. Saying the word “walk” would send them into a frenzy, so—years ago—we started spelling the word. And so did they. In addition to other words (like “cookie” and “car”) within their spelling vernacular, there is one that brings only fear and trepidation: V-E-T. Bella runs away to hide. Caroline cowers and starts shaking like a jackhammer. Although our sweet veterinarian has never tortured or tormented my dogs, they absolutely despise going to her office. These visits are always to either ensure the girls are healthy or to get them help to restore something that’s out of whack—whether they’re clearly in pain or just not acting like themselves.

The thing is, they’re dogs. Unlike us, their masters, they cannot grasp the concept that going to the vet is for their ultimate good. They don’t understand that the poking and prodding—no matter how distressing for them at the time—is from love and concern. And they do not realize that any uncomfortable (or even painful) prescribed treatment will lead to healing. Sometimes it’s a quick and easy fix—everyone involved is joyously relieved with little time, pain, and expense. But then my mind goes to that big head cone that each of my dogs has had to endure at some point. They absolutely hate it, but it keeps them from focusing on their pain, making an injury worse, or hindering restoration. Not a quick fix.

See where I’m going with all this?

As followers of Christ, we must see ourselves as the dogs in this scenario (not in a “furries” kinda way, mind you). There will be times throughout our walk with the Lord, when we will be hurting and out of whack—whether due to the consequences of sin, the fallenness of this world, or the enemy himself. We limp around, whimper, and cry out in agony. Unlike our pets who don’t entreat us to intervene, we do look to the Lord for help. We just want the pain to go away.

And here’s where the Bella-and-Caroline analogy really kicks in. Because God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), He will address our situation according to His Sovereignty—for His purposes, His glory, and our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). But we won’t always like it.

Are there times when God instantly and miraculously delivers us from disease, distress, and danger? Of course! I’ve seen it in my own life and, just the other day, I witnessed a cascade of miraculous reversals of a friend’s suffering in a 24-hour period. More often than not, though, we are taken to the v-e-t, so to speak, in our anguish. We lift our eyes to our Master for relief but are met with purposeful discomfort and distress as He uncovers (for us, not Himself) what’s going on. He pokes and prods to shine a light on sin in need of repentance and to identify any eye-protruding logs. Sometimes, friend, He just needs to place a proverbial head cone around our neck, so we’ll focus on our relationship with Him and not the circumstances around us—because that’s where our true restoration is found.

In our walk through this world toward our heavenly home, we may not understand all the whys of our pain. But God, our Master, knows what’s best for us. We have to trust Him and not lean on our pea-sized-brain understanding (Proverbs 3:5). By keeping our eyes on Him, we will find perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3), whether He delivers quick relief, provides eventual healing, or just comforts us through long-lasting suffering.

“I trust You, Lord—help me to trust You (Mark 9:24)! Reveal to me the truth of my pain, Lord. Be glorified through it and show me the good You have for me in it.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 31, 2024

When The Unexpected Hits

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory.” I Peter 4:12 (ESV)

Sitting at my desk, I heard a noise and turned to look out my window. Rain was pouring down. The sun was shining bright, but it was like buckets from heaven dumping. No thunder. No lightning. The usual signs of a storm were nowhere to be found. But the downpour was real and the fact my windows were completely down in my car was a reality that sent me running out into the rain. Umbrella in hand, I attempted to get my windows closed as the winds blew against me. While my hands were fumbling with the window button, my Fitbit watch vibrated and a huge smiling sun face appeared on the screen – “You’re doing a great job.” “Keep up the great work.” Just what I wanted to hear right? Evidently, my heart was racing and I’d achieved all my steps for the day; my health watch was happy.

The sun can be shining and all can appear to be at its finest and then life downpours. Without warning, we can find ourselves face to face with a torrential storm. The unexpected, unannounced drenches us from head to toe. Deadlines pop up right before vacation. Financial strain creates havoc in our marriage. The dreaded diagnosis we thought we’d never hear. A heartbreaking from the prospect of a prodigal far from God. Whatever the storm, we can draw strength from God’s presence. He is right there alongside us encouraging us each step of the way.

We may not feel like we’re doing a great job. We may feel beaten, shaken and unstable, but our God is rock solid and ready to come to our rescue – cheering us on with each step we take in courageous faith. Yes, storms challenge us to the core, but they deepen our relationship with God in a way we would have never imagined. And despite the puddles surrounding us, God’s smiling face brings joy to our weary souls. The One who holds the world in the palm of His hands is fully accessible to those who call upon His name.

“Father, how I love the way You encourage us especially when we feel like we are sinking into the deep well of the unexpected. You are our ever present help.”

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 | May 30, 2024

Sin’s Sink Hole

“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in His ways.  He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.”  Psalm 25: 8&9 NIV

Another one!  Several years ago upon turning on the nightly news, we heard another report of a sinkhole.  Sinkholes are nothing to mess with.  Have the misfortune of finding your house within the sphere of a sink hole and it has been most likely gobbled up like a toppling monopoly piece.  A neighbor in its path – gone into the massive dark abyss as well.  Recently right here in my hometown, a sinkhole appeared on one of our major streets.  Passersby crept in their cars as schedules were delayed and plenty were late to start their workday wondering what happened there.

Isn’t sin much like a sinkhole?  A sinkhole started with a crack; a faulty supporting structure.  No one noticed it.  And if they did, likely nothing was done or repair was deferred for another day.  Slowly the crack grew until the breaking point.  Likely didn’t take much.  And, total ruination followed.  Similarly, a lack of God’s Word, communion with Him and accountability from other believers allow fissures of sin that can grow to damaging dimensions.  If another is in the vicinity of the sin, she possibly is affected or overtaken by the sin of choice, almost as though there was no choice at all.  And the passersby?  We’ll likely not know if they noticed the cracks in the road before the sinkhole appeared.  But they slowly pass by, recognizing the sin that entangled, maybe grumbling something to another out of the reach of the sinner’s ear and slowly move on to go about their day.

Praying we see the cracks in our road.  May our hearts be humbled to deal with the cracks as God reveals them to us.  May we immediately go to His throne room and repent, ask for forgiveness, receive His mercy and have our character refined so that our sin would not become a sinkhole and envelope those for whom we care.  May those who pass by be brave enough to show us the cracks in our walk with God and may we be open to their correction and see it as their love and concern for our wellbeing.

“Father, with gentle compassion, may I show the same care for my sisters in Christ that You show me.  Lord, may I love Your process of refinement as I seek to become more like Jesus in thought, deed and action.”

For His Glory,

Kathryn Hayman
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Hope, Mercy, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 29, 2024

Just Because

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.” James 1:17a  (KJV)

I love giving gifts especially those given when there is no occasion to celebrate ‘just because.’   It won’t be the Christmas season, a birthday party, a wedding or baby shower, any hidden agendas, ulterior motives, or requests only expressions of love and encouragement.  Whether given to special friends, secret sisters, outreach, or someone hurting unexpected blessings communicate volumes without saying a word.    Actions silently verifying love, and the recipient is genuinely surprised and blessed.  Ever receive one of these gifts?  I have; just the other day!  Considering someone thought of me, purchased a gift, and made sure I received it intensely impacted my heart.

Every day, we receive similar gifts from our heavenly Father – unrequested – the ones freely given solely because He loves us and desires to make us happy by encouraging our heart.   His good and perfect gifts are all around  – answered prayer, a faithful spouse, friendships, a home, great children, health, something on sale you needed, or even a parking place at the mall!!  Great or small too many to count and given because He longs to bless us!!

There are all kinds of gifts.  Some reflect a selfish motive while others indicate only the most expensive is acceptable; however, genuine gifts always seek to bless not impress the other.  Being a blessing may just brighten someone’s day, place a smile on a saddened face, reach a soul for Christ, or encourage the forgotten, hurting person.   While contents are unimportant motives are always inspirational.

“Lord, please teach me to bless others ‘just because’ – reflecting the way you bless us!”

For His Glory

Patsy Sanders
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 28, 2024

The 3 P’s of Salvation

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” Romans 8: 28-30

You’ve probably heard of the “3 Rs of learning” (well, if you’re over 40, that is). “Reading, writing, and arithmetic”—or “reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic”. (Yeah, I know, it seems a bit ironic, doesn’t it?) The concept of these education must-haves originated with St. Augustine in one of his writings from the fourth century. But the mispronunciation of this education triplet is thought to have been coined in a speech by Sir William Curtis about 1807.

When it comes to salvation for believers, there aren’t 3Rs, but there are 3 Ps. In theological language, the three aspects of salvation include justification, sanctification, and glorification. But I wanted to pull a Sir William and give it a simpler—yet scripturally sound—alliterative twist. I’m calling them: payment, process, and perfection.

  1. At the very moment we surrender to Jesus as Lord and Savior, accepting what He did on our behalf, the payment we owe to God is paid in full. Our sin is nailed to the cross of Calvary, and we are made righteous in God’s sight, clothed with Christ’s righteousness (Galatians 3:27; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We are forgiven, made new, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and heaven bound. In an instant, you and I are justified…and because of Jesus, God looks upon us “just-as-if-I’d” never sinned. And it’s one and done.
  1. This is sanctification. It’s a journey from that moment of salvation until we are in the presence of the Lord. And it’s not easy. Although we are brought from spiritual death to life at our moment of surrender, we’re still living in this fallen world, in this body of flesh. And the path onward is hard. It takes work, practice, and perseverance. Do not misunderstand, friend, we do not work, practice, and persevere to earn our salvation! We put in the effort to become more like Jesus day by day. We run toward the goal with steadfastness and joy. Sometimes we step off course, but we turn our eyes back to the cross and keep going. Switching analogies here to bring the point home…like a sculptor at work, the Holy Spirit and God’s Word chisel us to create the masterpiece we were meant to be (2 Peter 1:10; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
  1. When are we fully transformed into that masterpiece? When we slough off this body of death and step into the presence of Jesus—this is glorification. And how do we know we will be perfected one day? Because it’s promised to us! The Apostle Paul says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). Not only will we have a new physical body (praise the Lord), but the very presence of sin will be gone (Revelation 21:27)! Today, as we walk through the world, it’s like living under the bottom of a tapestry. There are messy knots and broken threads that seem useless. But once in heaven, our perspective shifts to the top of the tapestry. We will see how every stitch has been purposeful…how every seemingly chaotic color scheme below actually fits into a meticulous design. On that day, we will know fully and see the perfected beauty of it all (1 Corinthians 13:12).

“Lord, thank You for salvation, for paying the debt I owe but could never pay on my own. Thank you for the Holy Spirit working in me to transform my life daily to be more like Jesus. And thank You that one day I will be in Your presence forever and completely free from the very presence of sin.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 27, 2024

An Adoring Fan of Soft Hearts

“This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God,  because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Ephesians 4:17-19 (ESV)

Have to admit nothing is better than a gooey, soft cookie fresh out of the oven.  Totally can feel it melting in my mouth right now.  The perfect combination of butter, brown sugar, chocolate chips, etc. – I think you get the picture. Wonder how many times we’ve baked these delicacies and a few days later reached for just one more only to be greeted with a hard, crusty mess. Yes, it has happened more times than I dare admit. Not a fan of crispy cookies – soft is always best.

Absolutely nothing sweeter to our Jesus than a soft heart.  Why?  Soft is tender. Soft is moldable and willing to be changed.  Soft is teachable and excited to learn.  Soft hearts welcome the truth of God’s word and allows it to be planted deep into our souls.  Soft hearts seek God’s searching so sin can be confessed rather than hidden. Soft is the perfect soil for humility, growth and transformation.

Total opposite happens when our hearts become hard and calloused (Matthew 13:14-15).  Just like a callous develops over time from repetitive pressure on the skin, our hearts harden when the pressures of unconfessed sin form a thick barrier between ourselves and God.  When we rebel against God and follow after our desires, we grieve the Spirit and the heart of God. Repeatedly quenching the Spirit of God within us by resisting God’s transformative work in us, we land in a deep pit of regret and consequences.

What feeds this hardening of our hearts?  Disillusionment when God’s answers to prayer are not aligned with our solutions.  Wounds of the heart entertaining bitterness and unforgiveness.  Allowing isolation to be our companion rather than interacting with a godly community. Resisting the urge to seek God’s wisdom and lean on Him, we land in a web of pride screaming independence. Refusing to receive and refusing to serve others fosters a hardened heart sabotaging compassion and unity within the body of Christ.

Probably none of us would intentionally purpose to cultivate a hard heart, yet we often land in this space.  Best solution is to follow the advice of novice bakers.  When cookies become hard simply add a slice of bread and seal in a tight bag.  The cookies suck up the bread’s moisture making it nice and soft again.  When our minds absorb the daily bread of God’s word our hearts melt into softness. God’s truth stands firm, unmoveable and unchangeable. God’s faithful, just and holy character stirs within us creating a desire for change.  By inviting Him to search and unveil our hearts confession of our sins quickly rises to the surface followed by genuine repentance.

Sweet friends let’s keep our hearts teachable and moldable by our loving God because He’s an adoring fan of soft hearts.

“Father, open our eyes to see what needs to be changed and keep us from quenching the work of Your Spirit within us.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | May 24, 2024

When Shallow Defines Us

“Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually!” I Chronicles 16:11 (ESV)

We scroll through our Facebook feed and see lots of familiar faces – friends we call them. We share Tweets and comment on Instagram of those we follow. Lots of people compose our tribe, but how well do they really know us? How well do we really know them? Good question – one we probably don’t even consider since we’re perfectly fine with our shallow status.

Lacking in-depth of knowledge, thought or feeling that’s how Webster defines shallow. A surface knowing of those who check in and out of our feeds catching a glimpse of the highlights of our perfect and sometimes very personal moments.

Sad reality – our okayness with shallow isn’t just regulated to posts or tweets. Could it be our shallowness with others leaks over into our relationship with God? So easy to regulate God to certain areas of our lives. When busy consumes us so simple to grab grace and push God aside until another day. Skimming over His words rather than diving deep seems to be acceptable. Choosing to spend our time on other pursuits instead of passionately pursuing our Creator appears optional. Relying on the rehearsed description of God’s character as defined by others seems like enough.

Real problem here – God is a personal God. He knows each of His children intimately. Every hair on our head, God has numbered (Psalm 139). Not a single detail about us goes unnoticed. He has witnessed every single day of our life and longs for us to pursue Him the way He pursues us. Shallow isn’t part of God’s DNA; He has the inside scoop on everything related to us. If One could know all, doesn’t it make sense that all should seek to know One?

Bottom line shallow just doesn’t cut it in our relationship with God. Scripture warns us of the danger of false teachers masquerading as truth (2 Peter 2). Our greatest protection is anchored in a deep knowledge of God’s word. Casual feelings and careless emotions tend to leave us unstable, but an abiding love for God stabilizes our actions. As we develop an ongoing understanding of who God is and the way He relates to His people, we gain clarity in living the life which glorifies Him. Fruit in abundance will be the direct result of those who don’t settle for shallow.

“Sweet Jesus, ignite within us a deep, burning passion to know You, love You and obey You – best relationship ever.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

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