Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 27, 2023

The Beauty of Three

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (ESV)

Ever lived a chapter you wished was not a part of your story?  Oh yes, we could probably compose our book entitled, “What I didn’t want to happen,” couldn’t we?  The diagnosis we never dreamed would color our lives.  The relationships we thought would last forever walking out the door.  The losses outweighing the gains.  And then there are those moments when we are faced with hard decisions – choices we don’t want to make – deciding between obedience and pursuing our path.  Yes, lots of chapters we truly wished were not part of our story.  Yet, sweet friend it is those very unwanted chapters that shape us into one who discovers true beauty amidst the disappointments.

Unwanted chapters are not just unique to us, they also comprise the lives of those we read about in God’s Word.  The Apostle Paul was one who knew the heaviness of those chapters well.  No one would desire shipwrecks, beatings, stonings and dangerous encounters (2 Corinthians 11:16-30).  And if that wasn’t enough to halt your reading, Paul pleaded three times for God to remove the thorn in his flesh – one that tormented and harassed him (2 Corinthians 12:7).  The beauty of three positioned to keep Paul humble and dependent on the strength of His God.

Flip back to Matthew 26 and we witness another three as Jesus agonized in the garden of Gethsemane.  Crying out to His Father, Jesus asked if this cup (this chapter) could pass from Him.  One He came to fulfill, yet one Jesus cried out to His Father if possible to not write. Yet totally surrendered to God’s plan, Jesus drank from that cup dying on the cross for our sins – taking our place.  The beauty of His surrender to three gave us an opportunity to have an intimate personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and spend eternity in HIs presence.

What will we do with the chapters we don’t want to write?  Will we press through and allow God to transform our weakness into His strength?  Will we surrender to His plan versus our own?  Will we embrace the story God is writing or attempt to create our own? How we handle those moments when God’s answer is different from ours is pivotal.

Keeping it real here – I have often resisted and it never served me well.  Surrender exemplified by Jesus and Paul is our best choice.  We can completely trust our God to teach us, shape us, mold us and bring glory to His name through those chapters we don’t want to experience. The unfolding of each page births deep growth and an opportunity to share our stories (testimonies) with others.  Just as we are inspired by Jesus and Paul’s response, we too can set a godly example for others.  Best win ever.

“Father, thank You for using all the chapters of our lives to deepen our relationship with You.  Help us to surrender to Your plan and share our stories with others.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 21, 2023

Grounded, Growing & Grateful

“Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” 2 Colossians 2:6-7

Accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is a one-and-done decision. Once saved, always saved—no one can pluck you from His hand (John 10:28-30). That being said, in response to the Great Exchange (your sin for His righteousness), you are called to live life differently. To walk worthy of this new relationship with God (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12)—and to do so with a “fruity” attitude of love empowered by the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

But how can we walk in Jesus? That’s a very tall order (Jesus being perfect and all). But there are a few important things the Apostle Paul mentions in his letter to the Colossians that instruct us about moving forward in the right direction.

  1. We are “firmly rooted” in Christ. The Greek grammar is very encouraging here. The word for “having been firmly rooted” is errizonmenoi, which is a perfect tense participle. (Huh?) It means that this rooting takes place at the moment of salvation! It’s as if you’re a small bush that has been dug up—roots and all—out of your sinful life to be placed in a luscious greenhouse (new life), where, the moment you’re replanted, your roots are instantly being nourished for growth. And your fruit is on its way. Don’t get me wrong…we are given a new nature with the Holy Spirit living in us, but we’re still stuck in our fallen flesh and living in a dark world run by one whose sole purpose is to destroy us. So we must abide in Jesus, yielded to the Holy Spirit at all times to feed those roots (John 15:1-27)!
  2. As we walk, we are being built up in Him. Here, the Greek for “being built up” is epoikodomoumenoi, which is—stay with me here—a present tense participle. This indicates continuous action! From a solid foundation of our salvation, we grow to be more like Jesus by (a) studying the Word of God (b) living out the grace, truth, and love we’ve been shown, and (c) being in community with other brothers and sisters in faith. Grounded and growing, we are established in our faith.
  3. Because of our new roots, deepening daily through our Source, and our ongoing transformation to live in the reality of our righteousness in Christ, we are to overflow with gratitude. Thankfulness is truly a choice. Our salvation alone is reason enough to daily burst out in song! Beyond that, we can start with the breath in our lungs and work our way through the multitude of blessings we’ve been given, along with the daily miracles we experience.

Friend, our walk with the Lord won’t be easy—that’s a promise right from His mouth. But moving in the direction of obedience is the call on our lives. We do that through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, along with knowing and living by the Truth of God’s Word. So, stay rooted, take in nourishment to thrive, and be sure to feed your growth with plenty of gratitude.

“Thank You, Lord, for trading my unrighteousness for Your perfect righteousness, establishing me in faith. May I live as a worthy ambassador of Your Kingdom…and give thanks all along the way.”

 

For His Glory

 

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Gratitude, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 16, 2023

Blessed Obedience

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, says the Lord Almighty, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!” Malachi 3:10 (NLT)

God is a gracious God and if you are not a tither it is never too late to begin. Phew! Thank goodness God does not look at our arrearages, He meets us right where we are in our first steps of obedience. So let’s not miss the blessings specifically attached to tithing. At the same time, He is a God of justice, order and principle. God has a special blessing in store for the tither.

Ten percent of the increase no matter the amount is equal at the feet of Jesus. If you make $10 a week then your tithe is $1. If your neighbor makes $1000 a week then their tithe is $100. The tithe may be more or less than your neighbor’s, but the obedience of giving the tithe is the same. I learned many years ago that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He doesn’t need our money He wants our obedience.

God says, “I WILL open the windows of heaven for YOU.”  “I will” is a promise. He continues and says, “I WILL (another promise) pour out a great blessing.” “A” blessing…meaning it’s only going to take “one blessing” to overtake you. The King James version of the Bible has 31,102 verses and this is the only verse that God specifically says to test Him (exclamation point)! Meaning God feels strongly about His statement. Then He says, “Let me prove it to you (exclamation point)!” Another feel strongly statement.

God tells us to test Him! and try Him! because He wants to prove it! His promise to us. Be a tither and put God to the test.

“Father, we can never out give your love and blessings – teach us to be cheerful, obedient givers.”

For His Glory

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

 

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Posted in Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living, Wisdom, Worship

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 13, 2023

When Good Fades

“For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:5 (ESV)

It was a season of loss….yes, one of those times when good seemed to evade me.  One by one the tally on good appeared to fade.  The year was 2010. The economy took a drastic dive, and we went right along with it.  Financial losses heaped upon us to the point of losing our beautiful home.  One we had spent lots of time, energy and thought into making it our perfect place.  Yet in the Spring of 2010, we packed it all up, moved into our tiny rental and cowered at the thought of anyone knowing our loss.

My consolation in those days was the reality of a beach home we owned with a friend.  Anyone who knows me knows I absolutely adore the beach.  So from May to September, I clung to the possibility of one day retiring in that home – it was my sustaining joy during a tough season. Yet Hurricane Irene struck the Outer Banks with a vengeance and within the early days of September, our beach home crumbled into the ocean.

Where does one find good in the midst of such loss?  What does one do when all they’ve dreamed of evaporates?  Perhaps you have found yourself in that place as well. Moments when the goodness of God appears to have vanished.  Moments when questions loom large and disappointments color our days. Seasons of devastation that leave us crumbled up in a heap on the floor. Raw souls desperately attempting to find good when circumstances speak otherwise.

Keeping it real here, those first few weeks after transitioning from our large dream home to a small rental was difficult.  Good wasn’t on my lips.  Frustration, sadness and grief plagued my days.  How could God allow this to happen? We’d opened our doors to those who needed a place to stay; we’d held our home loosely in our hands.  Hospitality was our joy and pleasure to use what God had given us to serve others, and the reality staring me in the face birthed a wrestling in my soul. Would I believe the goodness of God was still surrounding us?

Day by day, I reminded myself of God’s past goodness and faithfulness.  His track record was beyond my comprehension, yet it was still foreshadowed by current losses. As I intentionally rehearsed and wrote down His goodness, I began to see how He had provided for our every need in His timing and in His way.  Sometimes through a friend, often through a stranger.  God’s hand had not been removed; He was ever-present in the midst of our untraveled paths, and His goodness was still active even if I couldn’t see it.

Sweet friends if you find yourself in the place of wondering wrestle well.  Don’t give up or allow the enemy of your soul to convince you God isn’t good and loving.  His character is perfect, unchanging and consistent.  Quickly silence the voice of the enemy by reminding yourself and others that God is still good.  Ask God to give you a renewed perspective of His good and hold on tight to the One whose love, faithfulness and goodness endures forever. Draw strength from God’s word and praise Him for the good He will birth through those difficult seasons.  Pour out the cries of your heart and watch in amazement as He pulls you close erasing the doubts.

“Father, how blessed I am to rest in the assurance of Your divine goodness. To journey through this life and experience Your abiding presence even in seasons of doubt.  To cherish Your promises and welcome the good You will use to glorify Your name.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 10, 2023

When The Storm Rages, God Is Our Refuge

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2 (ESV)

Like a large barricade, a gathering of trees plummeted in front of my sister, Faye’s house. Her home was in the eye of Hurricane Michael as it ravaged through Panama City. Text messages flooded our phones, as she sent family “I love you” before cell service was extinguished. And when the 150 mile per hour winds ended and moved up through the north, the terrain left behind was unrecognizable. Rescue workers couldn’t even see my sister’s house because the trees had barricaded them in. Her husband and mother-in-law braving the storm with her.

Devastation everywhere, no power, military food, humid hot conditions – I think you get the picture. But nestled right in the midst of these hard places and challenges those in my sister’s home escaped safely. How could that be? Nothing short of a miracle – a sweet protection from our God. You see those trees covering up their home created a barricade to the front of the house protecting them from the raging winds. No windows were broken, and the roof didn’t collapse. They were held scared yet safely in the palm of His hands – isn’t that just like our God?

Don’t know dear one what storm you are facing or what devastation has swept over your life. Can’t say I’ve walked in your shoes, but I have worn out my own. And with each step, every movement I have found my God to be faithful and true. A mighty fortress and an indestructible shield. Despite pain, tears, and fearful moments God has proven to be my rock. Just like the barricade shielding my sister from a raging hurricane, God provided a refuge – a safe place in the eye of my personal storms. And you know what if you put your faith, hope and trust in Him, God will be your rock, deliverer and shield.

Praising God today for lives spared and for trees tumbling around to form a barrier from raging winds. Beyond belief, miraculous deliverer – that’s the One you want to cling to every day of your life.

“Father, you take my breath away at the very thought of Your hands protecting those we love. Grateful for Your divine fortress shielding us in our storms.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 9, 2023

Make A Wish or Pray A Prayer

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 (ESV)

When my youngest was 4 years old, he used to love riding around the neighborhood in a little green wagon. Every time we saw a “wishing flower”—a dandelion, I had to stop immediately. Kaden would then carefully pick the flower, make a wish, and blow the flower until he had no more breath. (If he couldn’t blow the flower clean in one breath, he would just rip the rest of the white “floaties” from the stump.) Most of the time, he wouldn’t tell me what he wished for, fearing the wish would not come true. One day, he was overcome with excitement and just had to tell me. Kaden said, “Mommy, do you know what I wished for? That Mickey Mouse would be alive again!”

Hmm… I wasn’t sure what to say to that so I just smiled and started pulling the wagon along again. What 4-year-old wouldn’t want to play with a “real live” Mickey?

Later that day, I was reading my Bible when I came across this verse: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

I certainly don’t think God would bring Mickey Mouse back to life, especially since he was never alive in the first place, but it did get me thinking. How often do we rely on wishful thinking when we could rely on Jehovah-Jireh? Jehovah-Jireh is a name for God which means “the Lord will provide.” God is called by this name in Genesis 22:14. God tested the faith of Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac, but God provided a ram instead. God presented a picture of the sacrifice His Son would make for us. Jehovah Jireh provides our salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Will we trust Him with our day-to-day needs? No matter what our circumstances … no matter what our needs… where will we go for provision?

I am so grateful that I serve an all-powerful God who provides for my every need—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually–instead of placing my fate in the hands of a “wishing flower.” Nothing is impossible with God, our Provider.

“I place my trust in You, Jehovah-Jireh, for my salvation as well as my every need. Thank You for Your provision.”

For His Glory

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

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 8, 2023

Absolutely Fearless

“Remain alert. Keep standing firm in your faith. Keep on being courageous and strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)

I have been in Indiana for the past two weeks now and sharing a home with my middle son, Andre, and his three boys. The house has a nice backyard with lots of trees, and right in the middle of it sits the biggest and tallest pine tree I have ever seen in my life – a green monster, towering way beyond the height of our house and all the other trees in the yard.

When I first moved into this house, I walked to the backyard and wondered how in the world that pine tree had gotten so tall and wide. Yet, not in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that just two days later I would be calling out to two of my grandsons to get down from the top of that tree. I swear those boys are absolutely fearless!

Since the day my grandsons climbed to the top of the pine tree, I have pondered how I sometimes get discouraged from proceeding into something that seems too large for me to tackle. Have you ever felt like that in your own life experiences? Perhaps you are fearful of endeavoring in a new venture such as pursuing a degree or perhaps you are frightened by a new job or ministry responsibility. Perhaps you are scared to try to start the family you have always dreamed of having because the cost of having a family extends beyond what your household income would allow.

I often pray and ask the Lord to give me boldness. Yes, boldness, but not just any boldness. I ask that He grants me Holy Ghost boldness, cross-originated boldness, the type of boldness that comes from Him and that can overcome any fear that gets in my way. Child-like boldness, the kind exercised by my 7-and-8-year-old grandsons who looked at the green monster in the backyard and didn’t even waver about being able to reach its top.

Friend, I pray that whatever it is that is keeping you from conquering your fear today will fall down when you believe you can overcome that fear by the name of Jesus, the name above every name, and at Whose name all will bow down, including your fear.

“Heavenly Father, You are our source; You are our refuge, our mighty fortress, our salvation. Nothing can withstand Your command. Calm our fears, oh Lord.”

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 7, 2023

Won & Done

“He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” 1 John 2:2

When Jesus gave up His life on the cross, he said, “It is finished.” What was finished, exactly? The war. For individuals and the whole universe. This was the final sacrifice, patterned (but always insufficient) since the Garden of Eden to atone for the first sins of mankind. See, at the beginning of human history, war was declared. The perfection of the created world began its decay. And the perfect relationship between God and mankind was broken—sin had come on the scene, and our enemy, Satan, became our formidable foe (Genesis 3).

But when God sent His beloved Son to live the perfect life we could not live, die the death we deserved, and be resurrected in victory over sin and death, the final, once-and-for-all justification was made. The Great Exchange—His righteousness for our sin, His wounds for our healing, His death for our eternal life. Our debt was settled. And our enemy, Satan, was completely defeated.

And when we accept this gift of grace—Jesus’ work on the cross—through faith, we are made free (Galatians 5:1). We are no longer trapped by the shackles of sin, but are made alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). Our broken relationship with God has been reconciled through Christ, and we have peace with God. We live under grace, and our new desire is to live in the righteousness credited to us. In gratefulness—and by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us—we walk in holiness and love, reflecting Jesus and glorifying God in all things.

Until we don’t. Even though we walk in spiritual freedom, and we’re wrapped in the righteousness of Christ, we are walking through this world in an unredeemed body of flesh. And although the ultimate war is won, until we are out of this body, we will be fighting a battle between sin and holiness. We’ll keep doing things we don’t want to do and not doing things we want to do (Romans 7:14-25).

What about the world? It sure seems like Satan is winning—just watch the news for a minute. If the war has been won, why does the whole world seem embattled in darkness, with the enemy taking more and more ground on a daily basis? Because, for now, Satan is the god of this world and the world’s systems. God is Sovereign, and He has Satan on a short leash…but he (Satan) is currently loose, prowling around like a devouring lion, seeking only to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8).

It can all seem like a real bummer. But there’s good news, Christian! Yes, as we walk toward Home in this fleshly body, we’ll be battling the desires of the flesh. But, praise God, we become more and more like Jesus along the way, when we walk according to the Holy Spirit. In the battles of our soul, we will experience greater and greater victories as we move toward the fulfillment of the Final Triumph.

Ah, what about the world, which is clearly entrenched in evil? Sadly, unlike our personal front, the global battlefield will only become bloodier and darker at the hands of our adversary as time marches onward. We’ll see glimpses of light (in fact, we believers are to be that light!), but the trajectory is decay and decline.

But Jesus is coming back. Soon. And when He does, it will be in power and great glory (Luke 21:25-28), as King of kings, Lord of lords. With eyes of fire, leading the armies of heaven, He will return for the final battle that ends the war forever. Satan will be finished (eternally suffering in fire), there will be a new heaven and new earth (perfect once again), and our sin, pain, and mourning—all gone. Our personal battles are temporary, and so is the darkness and evil of this world. So, take heart, believer, the war is almost over.

“Lord, remind me daily—through my personal battles with sin and while watching the enemy’s global battlefield—that You have already been victorious. It is done and You have won.”

 For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Gratitude, Hope, Mercy

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 3, 2023

Where Our Conversation Begins

“Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy.” Matthew 6:9b (HCSB)

There’s just nothing sweeter to me than the mental picture of my Dad sitting in his favorite chair doing what he always did on his day off – reading God’s word. It’s a memory that sustains me especially in this crazy world. Sometimes I can close my eyes and hear his soft voice praying over us – best gift ever.

While the frame of my Dad is warm and fuzzy, I totally realize there are many who never knew their Dad. And for some even worse is the reminder of who their Dad wasn’t or who they wish he had been. The picture of protector, provider, and defender fades in the recognition of reality.

We can easily get lost in our world if we regulate to our Heavenly Father the attributes we witnessed from our earthly Dad. We will miss much if we choose to ignore the truth that our Heavenly Father is the perfect Daddy not one caught up in a sinful world just like us. One who is caring, approachable, honest, trustworthy, faithful, merciful……the list goes on and on. The One who formed us in our mother’s womb is ever present, all knowing and divinely holy. Words can’t even come close to expressing the glories of our Heavenly Father.

Love the way Jesus teaches His disciples to pray…..reminding them who they are praying to….our Father in heaven. The ideal place where our conversation with God should begin. Simple, heart felt words demonstrating affection and reverence. Acknowledging the closeness of a Father and the vastness of His majestic name. A relationship guaranteed by the death of His Son. A deep soulful worship of the powerful name of our God. Indescribable, yet fully approachable. Accessible, yet beautiful perfection beyond our comprehension.

Still yourself away for a moment and quiet your spirit. Come confidently and boldly into His presence. Praise the amazing name of our Father – the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Unchanging. Untouched by the sinfulness of our world. Pure and unblemished. God’s character seals our conversation with love and mercy. Desiring to reveal to us the riches of His holiness. Let those words settle in us…we have an audience with the Creator of the universe who whispers, “Come to me, rest your soul and welcome the wonder of who I am.” Best gift ever to relish sweet moments with our Father while praising His holy name.

“Father, Your name exemplifies Your character. The very essence of Your name touches even the darkest soul. The perfect conversation starter acknowledging Your holiness.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

 

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | November 2, 2023

Giving Thanks

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV))

There are certain situations in life when we don’t find ourselves automatically expressing feelings of thanks. Situations such as: receiving a phone call from the doctor to inform you they have found a lump in your breast. Or having someone you love removed from your life because of death.

However, that is not what this verse is saying. This Bible verse is sometimes misconstrued. It doesn’t say to give thanks for all situations, but IN all situations–big difference.

In the days and weeks following my son’s death, I had people quote this scripture and remind me that I should be thankful. How does a person find the ability to be joyful, pray continually and be thankful in every situation?

It’s easy to rejoice when the news is good. When life is going the way we planned, joyful emotions can flow from us without a second thought. But in seasons of loss, our faith can be tested. Giving thanks can seem like an impossible task. Sometimes faith is simply hanging on in the dark – hanging onto our hope in Jesus until God illuminates the way. To hang on, it requires a concentrated effort to redirect our thoughts in such a way that we can think of things that fill us with a heart of gratitude. While we may not be “thankful” for the diagnosis of cancer or the unexpected death, we can be thankful Jesus is with us in the middle of our pain and heartache.

As believers, when we seek God in prayer and through His Word, we are reminded of His attributes. We are reminded of His complete love and faithfulness to us. In the process of reminding ourselves of God’s attributes, we can be drawn back into a loving fellowship and intimate communion with Him. This is the part for which we can always give “thanks.” The simple fact is everything that comes into our lives has been filtered through the hands of a loving and faithful God.

When we know Jesus, we can find joy in stressful times and even rejoice when our life is filled with sorrow. Because as believers our joy is not based on circumstances, but in God. Circumstances change in the blink of an eye, but God never does.

God honors our expressions of faith when we say ‘thank you” through tearful eyes and broken hearts. When we trust Him, He can turn our tragedies into triumphs for the Kingdom – this is His will.

“Lord, thank you for Your faithfulness to me and Your patience with me. Thank you that You are in control. No matter how much my heart breaks, no matter how much the ground underneath me shakes, You are reliable. You are sovereign and you will never leave me. For this, I can rejoice and be thankful.”

For His Glory

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

 

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Gratitude, Spiritual Living

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