Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 9, 2024

The Gospel According To Pirates

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:8-10

You probably looked at the title of this devo and thought, “What the what?” But bear with me while I explain. Recently, my husband and I rewatched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the first movie in that series starring Johnny Depp—haven’t seen it in probably a decade. (Hold onto your hats…that movie is currently 21 years old.) Basically, Jack Sparrow, former captain of the Black Pearl, was trying to get “his” ship back. Meanwhile, the current captain and crew, who were all cursed (think zombie-like or dead-undead), were trying to collect all the cursed Aztec gold pieces they had stolen 10 years prior in order to break the curse and be made alive again. But in addition to needing all 882 gold pieces, they needed one other thing: the blood of another crew member who had sent one of the gold coins to his son. (They drowned that guy, “Bootstrap Bill”, so they actually needed his child’s blood.) It’s an entertaining, action-packed film that’s amazingly void of the cultural offenses of today’s films.

So, what’s with the whole “Pirate gospel” thing? Well, given my love (um, obsession) for Ephesians 2:1-10, my mind is always thinking about how one moment we’re dead in our transgressions…but upon surrendering to Jesus as Savior and Lord—BAM!—we’re alive in Christ! It’s a miracle in my life and others that never ceases to astound me (and I hope you feel the same).

During the scene where Jack Sparrow, after he also becomes a cursed undead, is sword fighting with the undead Captain Barbossa of the Black Pearl, I’m watching them move around the setting as clothed skeletons when the moon shines on them…when they’re out of the moonlight, they look alive. The bout takes them, visually, from alive to dead to alive to dead in moments. See where I’m going? What a great visual for salvation! Dead one moment, alive the next!

But what’s really cool about this unlikely gospel analogy is how the curse is permanently broken for the sailors: A blood sacrifice is needed…the blood of Bootstrap Bill’s son, William Turner.

The blood of the son breaks the curse of death. Getting those goosebumps yet? Friend, this is the gospel! We are cursed—dead to and in our sin, bound for eternal suffering. But, with the blood of the Son—Jesus—we are made alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). By grace through faith, not by our works. No need to collect gold coins—or gold stars, as many of us chase down in our works-based efforts. Through His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus satisfied the debt we owe but could never pay, and He broke the curse of death. By His victory, we are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17), delivered from darkness to light (Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13).

See, the gospel of grace—the miracle of transformation—is echoed all around us. We just need to be on the lookout, and be ready to give a reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15)…even if it’s by means of a swashbuckling pirate movie.

“Heavenly Father, thank You. Thank You that Jesus broke the curse of sin and death. For me. May I look for every opportunity to share this very good news with those around me.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Gratitude, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 8, 2024

When We Have An Issue

“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.” Psalm 51:6 (ESV)

Dinner was being put away and the picnic table cleared. The children were enjoying the last few moments of daylight as we talked on the deck. The older one started extinguishing the tiki torches as we relished the last moments of conversation. Like a movie in slow motion, I witnessed out the corner of my eye the youngest one reaching to mimic his brother and put out the torch. Unfortunately, his height didn’t work to his advantage as the tiki torch tumbled into the flower bed. It only took a few minutes before the unthinkable happened.

“We have a little issue here,” spewed from my lips. I moved toward the edge of the deck and yes, we truly had an issue. The tiki torch was planted into the bed of flowers and burning. Desiring to not freak everyone out, I calmly kept saying we have an issue. Little ones doused the flame with water from the deck, but the kerosene kept it burning. Mom came to the rescue and carefully retrieved the torch now separated and then extinguished it. One would say we definitely had an issue….issue was now resolved….thank you Jesus!

Doubtless to say, we all have “a little issue” sometimes don’t we?

Sometimes ownership of the issue belongs to us. Something we’ve nursed for too long has reared its ugly head. Wounds from our past being rebirthed in our future. Wrongs we chose not to confess now leaking bitterness and unforgiveness. Attitudes and words spewing out effortlessly.

Sometimes ownership of the issue belongs to someone else. And we have chosen to ignore its potential destructive power for the sake of not alarming or offending. We don’t want to upset or freak out anyone, so we calmly avoid the issue. Let’s not rock the boat even though it has a slow leak.

Regardless of who’s got the “issue,” we’ve probably all been there.  And the reality of “a little issue” is it doesn’t extinguish itself. Left unattended it spreads like wildfire into “a bigger issue.”

We can’t resolve what we won’t admit. We can’t move forward if we’re still dragging baggage along. We can’t help someone if we’re unwilling to open dialogue about an issue.

Best solution is to never ignore an issue. If I had simply excused away what I saw happening on the deck, we could have had a serious fire going. The decision to calmly admit an issue sets the stage for interaction and resolution. Choosing to not look the other way and ignore what is happening invites resolution and minimizes damage. Prayerfully seeking God’s guidance and wisdom strategically enables us to face our issues. Intentionally covering others in prayer and gaining clarity on when to engage in conversations with them about their issue can foster growth and uncover blind spots.

It’s a win – win when we trust God to extinguish and handle issues we’d much rather avoid.  He will guide us each step of the way, if we choose to lean into His wisdom, discernment and timing.

“Father, remove the blinders and help me to see the “little issues” in me that need to be dealt with. Help me to be courageous and determined in following Your lead.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 5, 2024

Being Different Never Sounded Better

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight in love.” Ephesians 1:4 (ESV)

 

It had been quite a while since I saw them grazing in the field. Perhaps it was the beauty of a spring sunshiny day that cast my view out the window.  Whatever it was, I glimpsed my neighbor’s cows chowing down on lunch as the sun glistened across the field. First time I had seen them since early winter and now they were within reach of our fence. A maze of big, black cows or so  I thought.  A second look, I recognized a newcomer to this bunch – a white cow with black spots – stood out like crazy. Unmistakably different from the rest. Couldn’t have missed it if I tried.

Being the same is overrated don’t you think? I mean, after all, blending in is simply blending in and we tend to do a lot of that don’t we?  Following the crowd so we don’t stand out sounds more appealing than being a lone star. However, all that blending in doesn’t always serve us well.  Coasting with the flow as long as it doesn’t compromise our convictions can be okay, but when we give in just to fit in that’s not a good thing.

Separate, different, set apart that’s God’s idea of how we should live in this world. Shining His light in a dark world yet not allowing the darkness to extinguish us.  Takes immense courage to resist the default of giving in to what everyone else is doing. Meshing in with the crowd is effortless but choosing different requires unshakeable boldness.

Keeping it real here – the temptation to grumble, gossip, exaggerate, cheat, lie, wound, etc. is as compelling today as it was in the garden. None of us are immune from the things of this world which seek to steal, kill and destroy us.  Exactly why we must guard our heart, mind and soul from influences desiring to lure us away from separate.

When we chose different, we can actually draw others to God through our obedience and conduct. The way we interact with others, even the most challenging others, speaks volumes to our world. Choosing to restrain and rethink rather than react protects us from saying and doing things we will later regret.

Bottom line if we look just like the world around us why would anyone want what we have? Simple answer – they won’t. Our lack of set-apartness is the main fueler of  the world’s ridicule and rejection of the God we say we serve. Blending in with the world leaves little room for strategic influence.

Sweet friends, let’s lock arms together and accept God’s invitation to be Holy as He is Holy. To embrace the transformation He desires to birth in us. To choose to follow His commands and love others unselfishly. To be a light – a beacon, drawing others to Him. To purposely glorify God by desiring, seeking and choosing to be distinctly different from the rest of this world.  Being different never sounded better.

“Father, You have called us to be different, set apart, exclusively yours – what an amazing opportunity to be God’s influencers to our world!”

 

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 4, 2024

Beautiful

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

Several years ago, my grandsons Jayden, 5, and A.J., 4, were shopping with their mom Liz on the day before her birthday. The little lads were informing every person in the store that it was their mama’s birthday and they needed to tell her she was beautiful. Their actions were making Liz blush as complete strangers walked up to her and told her she was beautiful and wished her a happy birthday. At the same time, it made her feel very special, because it was an action started by her children, out of their love for her.

I once read in TRBC’s Family Time devotional that “friends of God tell their friends about God,” (p. 13). When I read that, I tried to imagine how God must feel when He receives the praise and worship of His children, which originate out of their love for Him!

After God parted the waters for the Israelites to cross the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites sang to the Lord. Prophetess Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand and led the women in music and dancing (Exodus 15). King David praised God with his harp since the time he was a boy. When he was really excited about a victory, he and the entire company of Israel were in a parade, singing at the top of their lungs, and playing mandolins, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals! (2 Samuel 6)

We mustn’t forget that others are always watching us. Our God is awesome; He is still in the miracle business, and He loves His children. The question for us, then, is, “how are we showing others His love?”

The little incident with Liz and the boys reminds me of Jesus’ words, “from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise” (Matthew 21:16). In their own way, my grandsons knew how to brighten their mama’s day. I hope that my words and actions will do the same for my Lord Jesus.

“Lord, You are beautiful and more precious than silver or gold. Your love is unconditional and never-ending. My lips praise Your name.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Hope, Love

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 3, 2024

The Great I Am

“I Am…” Exodus 3:14

At the burning bush in Exodus 3, God reveals His name to Moses as “I am,” from the Hebrew  root ה.ו.י, which is “being.” The name YHWH derives from the Arabic term for love, desire or passion. Since the beginning, YHWH never had vowels; so it was never Yahweh as normally written or seen in today’s society.

Pronouncing YHWH is simply a breath! Yes…breathing! From the beginning of time, each breath mankind, you and I, take is YHWH. Try this exercise…breathe in (inhale) is YH, breathe out (exhale) is WH. Brilliant! In God’s sovereignty, our very breathing alone declares the name of God. Each and every breathe in and breathe out…YHWH! Without getting too deep into the process of respiration, rest assured all living organisms…humans, plants and animals breathe oxygen. Therefore, all creation testifies to the name of the Lord (Rom. 1:20).

Imagine when we breathe in taking “YH” deep into our lungs knowing the Almighty is encircling our very beings then breathing out “WH” declaring it’s because of YHWH we have our very life (Job 33:14). From the moment of creation, every Christian declaring the goodness of God, every agnostic who is searching and every atheist who doesn’t believe…breathes the same, even if unaware, in testifying to God. There is a mighty God, and His name is YHWH. Quite frankly, how can we take breathing for granted anymore? With each breath, we are made aware of the great I Am!

Our every breath is a simplistic way of realizing God has left NOTHING to chance! For the hurting…He mends. For the lonely…He’s with you. For the abandoned…you’re His. For the lost…He finds. For the weak…He’s strong. For the sick…He’s Healer. For the confused…He’s peace. For the penniless…He’s Provider. For the sinner…you’re forgiven!

Nothing has been left for chance!

“Father, You are the all knowing I Am. You have left no one or our situations to chance. We may suffer for a while, but we’re confident because of Your great love and mercy joy comes one dawning morning.”

 

For His Glory

 

Kim Lacey Shock (www.KimLaceySchock.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 2, 2024

No Neutral Ground

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Easter. For some, it is a day of colored egg hunts and baskets full of jellybeans and chocolate bunnies. For others, it means a day off of work. Plenty of people acknowledge it’s a “holiday” of some sort, but don’t give it much thought at all. In fact, going back to school or work after the weekend, you may hear, “Did you have a nice Easter?” But this is generally asked as a pleasantry. The Easter holiday is culturally neutral.

For believers, though, Easter commemorates the most important event in history—in all eternity. It is the hinge on which our faith rests. Jesus, fully Man and fully God, paid the penalty for our sins by dying on the cross in our place. Then, on the third day—Easter Sunday—He rose again in victory over death. In His conquering of both sin and death, we can trust Him as our Savior, surrendering to His Lordship. We believe that by His work—not our own—we are reconciled to God, to be resurrected with Christ (John 6:40; 11:25; Romans 8:11). And as the Apostle Paul wrote, if Jesus has not been raised from the dead, our faith is worthless, and we are to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).

No neutrality here. Either Jesus is who He says He is—and Easter’s celebration of Resurrection Day is valid…or Jesus was a liar (or crazy), and we’re just as deluded. The niceties of “Happy Easter” become really strange when you think about it. If it’s true, we must be extraordinarily elated over the New Life in the Risen Christ! If it’s not, it’s just plain coo-coo, so it shouldn’t really be a “thing” at all.

There’s a very famous quote from C. S. Lewis (from a 1942 speech and published in Mere Christianity in 1952) that addresses this topic:

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

No neutral ground.

Among all His own claims to be God and the Messiah (John 8:58; 10:30; 14:6; Mark 14:61-62—to list just a few), Jesus said Himself, “The one who is not with Me is against Me.” In other words, no neutrality. No, “Jesus was a good teacher” (which you hear a lot from church people and atheists alike). No, “Jesus is Way-Shower” (per the Unity Church, for instance). No, “Jesus is a created being and the brother of Lucifer” (Mormonism). And no, “Jesus is one of many gurus/prophets who can show us how we can realize our oneness with God—to be like God” (Hinduism…and even some current “little gods” false teachers).

Friend, we either believe Jesus is the Second Person of the Triune God, Emmanuel, and Savior of the world…or He is not. Is Easter a day for dress-up and bunnies? Or is it a celebration of the Risen Christ, conqueror of sin and death? We must choose a side. The battle is heating up…so, are you for Him or against Him?

“Heavenly Father, the enemy hisses so many lies—in so many ways—to confuse people and keep them from knowing the Truth of Jesus Christ. Lord, open the eyes of the blind, lift the veils of lies, and reveal that there is only One Way back to You.”

 

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 1, 2024

On The Edge of Joy & Fear

“So, the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy and ran to tell His disciples.”  Matthew 28:8 (NIV)

Fear blended with an edge of joy or was it joy blended with an edge of fear?  We’ve all been there when we walked the tightrope of exhilarating faith only to greet piercing doubt.  Our heart flutters at the concept that all we dreamed, hoped for and believed was true.  And then a silver of doubt courses in bursting our bubble with a sharp needle of fear.  It’s a balancing act that requires careful precision or we cave in to fears and doubts missing the joy and faith.

Quite a challenge for the disciples and those who were eyewitnesses to the miracles of Jesus.  Walking alongside Him on dusty roads.  Sitting on the mountain side as Jesus taught.  Breaking bread around the table.  Catching fish in the deep.  Walking on water.  Receiving His healing.  An entry into Jerusalem with loud Hosannas!    Bruised and wounded. Nails piercing His hands.  “It is finished” resounded.  Darkness filled the sky. And then He who they knew, followed and loved was gone. The sting of death surrounded them.

Three days later, early in the dawn light, two women toggle on the edge of joy and fear as they seek their crucified Lord.  Heavy grieving hearts meet the revelation of an empty tomb. Can you see the shimmer of hope in their eyes as they peeked inside?  Can you sense the tremble in their footsteps as they hurried away?  Fearful from what they had seen, yet filled with joy – He is alive!  And within moments they find themselves worshipping at His feet.  Not fully understanding, yet totally overwhelmed – Jesus is alive!

I’ve been there – how about you?  When we exchange the dead places in our lives for a resurrected new birth, we find ourselves on the edge of joy and fear.  Excited and clinging to hope yet fearful of the events unfolding before our eyes.  We’ve never felt so close to God and yet so unsure of ourselves.  We dangle on the tightrope of faith and doubt.  Yet when we cling to His name, His character and His promises, we find ourselves completely balanced.  And within moments we’re worshipping at His feet – all fear erased.

“Father, the empty tomb unveils the glory of Your resurrected body living, breathing in the heart of Your children.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 29, 2024

Jesus Knew

 

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1 (ESV)

Nothing sweeter than spending quality time with my besties.  Despite several delayed attempts for us to steal some time away for the beach, Fall  didn’t disappoint.  Great weather, awesome friends – what more could a girl ask for?

The gift of friendship is a treasured jewel – in a world full of tweets, posts and less face to face interactions, we long for conversations and meals gathered around the table. Laughter filling the air.  Silence at just the right moments.  And the wisdom to know what to say and how to say it.  Chatting into the late hours of the morning.  Shopping until we drop exhausted.  Doing life together never felt better.

Your tribe, peeps, besties – whatever you call those you allow to draw close to your inner circle – it’s a trusted space reserved for those who love us to the end.

Jesus’ tribe of 12  – His inner circle – was comprised of doubters, tax collectors, fishermen, etc.  Ordinary men who left it all behind to follow Him.  Jesus knew them intimately, taught them, laughed with them and walked countless miles down dusty roads with His twelve.   Wouldn’t you have loved to hear some of those conversations as they gathered around a cozy fire? Three years full of miracles, lessons and closeness with the very Son of God.

John 13 unveils the riveting truth, Jesus’ time on earth was coming to a close.  His purpose would take on new heights as He suffered and died for our sins.  Betrayed by one of His closest and abandoned by all in his darkest hour.  Yet two pivotal words were nestled in these verses – Jesus knew.  Yes, He knew the clock was ticking and His days were fleeting on this earth.  Yes, He knew the one (Judas) who would sell Him out and the fleeing sandaled feet of His tribe scattering in fear when He needed them the most.

Jesus knew yet He lavishly laid aside His garments, lowered Himself, took a towel and washed the feet of His tribe.  A tender moment confusing to those whose dirty feet were touched and cleansed.  A final lesson in servanthood:

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater that his master nor is he who is sent greater that his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him,  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:14-17

Sweet friends, we are blessed indeed if we follow Jesus’ example – knowing, yet loving and serving until the very end.

“Father, the ultimate expression of Your love for this world culminated on the cross. Your sacrificial love compels us to do the same – give our all for the sake of others.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Love

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 28, 2024

Easter – God’s Redemption Song

“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God.” Mark 16:19 (NIV)

One Easter season, our church did a series on Christ’s last week on earth, which was titled “One Week to Live.” In this series, we heard about the Last Supper and the conversations that took place there and then; how the event was not a festive one, and how the word “last” really meant what it said, the last meal the disciples ate with the Lord Jesus while He was on the earth.

As the Omniscient being that He was, Jesus already knew the events that would take place after that last meal with His disciples. He knew one of them was going to betray Him, which would ultimately cost Him His life, and that a couple of others would deny ever knowing Him. Those men were His best friends! They were the ones with whom Jesus spent the majority of His time. They, who knew Him best, were soon to place Him in the category of criminal deserving of a cross. Yet, there He sat, sharing His last meal with them.

If we can learn anything from Jesus, we can learn that forgiveness is far better than vengeance. Forgiving those men and all those Roman soldiers who mistreated Him and hung Him on the cross allowed Jesus to fulfill the Father’s plan for Him without having to ask His Father to change anything that could show favoritism on God’s part towards Him. The Father had to watch His only Son die on the cross and the Son submitted to that plan so that humanity would get a chance at redemption.

Easter is a great time to think about Jesus’ sacrifice for us. What happened three days later, when He rose from the tomb and ascended to the Father to prepare a place for His children, is far more important and memorable than all the chocolate one could buy.

“Dear Lord Jesus: Easter is so far more than candy and chocolate, or bunnies. Easter is about forgiveness, redemption, and life. Thank You for showing us that the Father honors our obedience.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Love, Mercy, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 27, 2024

His Precious Blood

“…Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.” 1 Cor. 5:7 (NLT)

In Exodus chapter 12, God promised when He saw the blood of the lamb on the doorframes of a home, He would pass over sparing that family the plague of killing the firstborn sons and firstborn male animals in the land of Egypt. This disaster would be the LAST and FINAL plague needed for Pharaoh to surrender to the demand of God to let His people go. After 430 years of slavery, God’s people would finally know what it was like to be delivered from bondage, released from long days of unrealistic, hard manual labor and to experience freedom from the chains that had them bound.

In the original Passover, those Israelites sacrificing a lamb signified they would be spared God’s judgment…His promise in verse 13, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you…”

Some 1,500 years after the Israelite’s liberation from Pharaoh’s captivity, Paul used the same term to describe Christ as the sacrificial Passover Lamb. He knew the events in Exodus foreshadowed the coming sacrifice of Jesus when he penned “…Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us” in 1 Corinthians.

The Israelites needed a lamb without blemish to cover their homes to save them from death. Both stories parallel, nothing has changed, even now 2000 years later, humanity still needs a spotless Lamb to save us from the grave. Jesus became the spotless sacrificial Lamb. He took the place of the blood from bulls, goats and fowl. He became the LAST and FINAL sacrifice good for all time.

Passover recognizes the defeat over death, the empty tomb and the victorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Easter celebrates the new covenant; the better, perfect promise not chiseled in stone, but written with the precious blood of the Lamb.

“Father, it’s Your unselfish love that freed Your people in Exodus and the same love throughout the span of time that continues saving us. Your shed blood is still covering our sins, freeing the captives and saving the lost.”

For His Glory

Kim Lacey Schock (www.kimlaceyschock.com)
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Hope, Love, Mercy

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