Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | April 1, 2022

When Warnings Are Ignored

“And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded.”  I Kings 11:9-11 (ESV)

“Don’t” is the proverbial word attached to almost everything. If the doctor gives us a prescription it comes along with a label telling us what not to do – don’t drive when taking this medication or don’t take it on empty stomach.  Buy a new appliance and the directions scripted in the tiniest writing tells us to not use abrasive cleaners or make sure you don’t overload a circuit. All warnings are intended to be followed with one goal in mind – to prevent injury or adverse reactions.

Sprinkled through the pages of scripture, God clearly outlines His warnings. Words to pay attention to. Commands to obey and not disregard. Red flags to watch for and alarms that should keep us from moving in the wrong direction. Signals to caution our actions and reminders to be on guard. All perfectly designed to prevent and protect us from the devastation found when we ignore His words.

At a pivotal time in Solomon’s life when he should have been celebrating all God had accomplished, his heart ran after other gods. God had answered Solomon’s sincere prayer for wisdom, understanding and discernment. His wisdom far surpassed all the people and other nations who knew of Solomon’s knowledge. God blessed him with great wealth – something he never asked for and right in the midst of all those blessings,  Solomon disregarded God’s warning.   He built quite a dynasty for himself with mighty war horses, grand possessions,700 wives and 300 concubines from other nations.  I Kings 11 reminds us of God’s warnings to Solomon twice, and yet he didn’t keep God’s commands which ultimately resulted in a divided kingdom.

Kind of puts warnings in a different light doesn’t it? No one wants to experience the deep regret and sorrow of sin. Choosing to obey God’s commands ushers in joy filled blessings, and His warnings are specifically designed to protect us from the adverse reaction sin births. However, God will never force our obedience – the choice is up to us.

“Father, You lovingly caution, warn and teach us about the dangers of sin. Help us to lean into Your wisdom and chose to obey Your commands.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 31, 2022

Keep Calm & Trust God

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

The past couple of years has been tough for millions of people around the globe. We have all seen how a virus can afflict multitudes of people at once, despite their geographic location around the globe. We have lived through a pandemic. We trusted the Lord to be our guide and to help us to keep on moving, especially when we had zero ideas about what to do because we realized from the beginning we cannot fix the damage on our own.

We, humans, are not very good about exercising patience when things are not going our way; we are not very good about standing still when lives are being affected and everything around us seems to be crumbling down in a domino effect.

When something hurts, we cry; when something breaks, we complain; when something stops working, we whine. Oftentimes, we need someone or something to blame for our demise, so we blurt out words and we scream; we do anything but quiet ourselves down so that we can hear God speaking to us. We panic, and we forget to trust His guidance.

When Jesus felt struggles coming on the horizon, He would find a quiet place where He could talk to the Father in prayer. He could have allowed His humanity to take over and tell His followers to run for their lives. Can you picture what kind of chaos that would have created if He acted based on His feelings and emotions like we so often do? But, instead, Jesus would go into a quiet garden, kneel before the Lord and pray. He would seek His Father’s guidance and strength. Even facing what was about to come, like an arduous walk through the streets of Jerusalem dragging a wooden cross upon which He knew He would hang, Jesus chose to be still and wait patiently for His Father. He kept calm, and He trusted.

Friends, God has a plan for you and me. He will see us through the trials He allows us to endure. There is nothing we have to face in this life that we will go about doing alone because He is ready to walk it with us. Let’s keep calm and trust Him.

“Dear God: there is nothing better in the world than to know You are right beside us. We surrender to You all that we cannot handle on our own.”

 

For His Glory

Luska Natali
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Hope, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 29, 2022

God’s Will, Not Mine

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21

I live in Florida—and I absolutely love it. But if you had told me just two years ago that I’d be moving to the Sunshine State, I would have laughed and said that you’re out of your mind. See, we’d just recently left North Carolina to make our “rest-of-our-lives” home in the mountains of Virginia. That being said, in the 15 years we spent in North Carolina, each of the three residences we owned in that place was also “we’re-not-moving-again” homes. And then (moving backward in time) there was that 1920 bungalow in Loveland, CO, the 1890 Victorian in Colorado Springs, and the new construction “dream” home we built in Richmond, Virginia before that. You guessed it; each one had been our “forever” home—because that was our plan.

Yeah, I don’t say that anymore. I “hope” we don’t move again, but in my long (and often arduous and incredible) sanctification journey as a Christ-follower, I’ve come to the settled understanding of “Your will, not mine, Lord.”

And this learning is not just related to geographical moves. As believers, we must recognize that the ideal place to be is in God’s will—no matter the aspect of our life. His will is always going to be for our ultimate good and His deserved glory. Even if it doesn’t feel like it all the time.

Think about Joseph in the Old Testament. This godly, truth-following boy was sold into slavery by his brothers only to be (after his own arduous and incredible journey) elevated to second in command in all of Egypt. When he finally came face to face with his brothers, he reflected the grace of God and told them, “What you meant for evil, the Lord meant for good.” (It’s an AMAZING saga, and you can read all about it in Genesis, chapters 37-50.) His obedience led him to a desert pit and later to prison. But following God’s will also brought Joseph big-time good…and God was big-time glorified. And friend, there are so many testimonies like this in the Bible! Even Jesus exemplified “Your will, not mine” obedience when He prayed in the garden before submitting to the Cross (Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:42). And the Christian goal is to be more like Him, right?

When it comes to obeying God’s will, you may think, “Well, how do I know what God’s will is for me?” That’s actually an easy answer: His Word is His will. Start there. The more obedient we are to His Word, the clearer and easier it is to know and do His will. And it becomes a true joy to do so! “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). Then, simply ask Him for His will for you. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit as our live-in counselor! Now, God may not give us a big picture path from the start, but He’ll definitely give us the first step. Then, we must obediently take that step.

I clearly professed that it was my will that many of 15 addresses in four states were my forever homes. But I am grateful that when the Lord had other plans, we obeyed. (In these and other things!) Friend, choose to stay in God’s will. I promise (and so does He), it’s the best place to be.

“Lord, let me pray, talk, and live like Jesus, surrendering daily to Your will…for my good and Your glory.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Spiritual Growth, Success, Wisdom

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 25, 2022

Navigating Non-Negotiables

“Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in You.” Psalm 86:2 (NIV)

Wonder if we have any non-negotiables in our lives? You know like things we just won’t change. Or maybe it’s things we just won’t do. Perhaps it’s a standard we won’t compromise or a discipline we’re not willing to cast aside.

Non-negotiables can be bad, or they can be good. Being stubborn and demanding our way will definitely make us a friend to be avoided. Being prideful and choosing only certain tasks will eventually limit our possibilities for growth. Standing firm in our convictions will absolutely set us apart from the crowd. And maintaining our priorities will position us for the best rather than simply good enough.

So, where are we hovering in our non-negotiables? Do we do things the same way we always did or are we adventurous and willing to follow God’s lead? Change invites growth and flexibility. Learning to approach a situation differently takes courage. Accepting another view of a situation can enable us to extend grace rather than cast judgment.

Are we resisting some non-negotiables because we would have to leave the gray areas for the pursuit of holiness? Might it involve choosing to look different instead of blending into the crowd? Respect is earned even if others don’t agree when we choose to stick to our values. Maintaining integrity is crucial if we want to be influencers in a world where instability reigns.

Flip through the pages of scripture and we will find people who chose their non-negotiables carefully. Joseph’s guarded heart, Job’s protected eyes and Esther’s brave convictions positioned them to reap the rewards of good non-negotiables. Praying Jesus finds us there too – unashamed of what we believe. Standing firm not caving in. Leaving comfort for God’s best even if means releasing our defaults. Maintaining integrity even in the face of extreme temptation. Making the right choices even if it’s not trendy. Placing unshakeable trust in the One who rewards those who diligently seek Him and walk in His ways.

“Father, You have given us the gift of choice – help us to lean into Your wisdom and reap the rewards of a life lived with integrity.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 24, 2022

God’s Purpose More Fruit

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit…” John 15:5 (NLT)

We will have trouble in this life even when we are in the will of God. Jesus was in the will of God when He went to the cross despite scorning its shame. Job was in the will of God when he lost it all…children, house and livestock. Joseph was in the will of God during his slavery and imprisonment.

During the process of pruning, those unfruitful things are cut away that hinder growth. However, some good fruit must be pruned as well to make room for greater fruit. Isn’t it ironic; God will reveal plenty even in barrenness? He’ll ask us to be joyful when full of sorrow. He says we’re overcomers when we feel defeated. These are all areas where pruning is painful, but necessary. God knows how to take us through the process to our purpose. However, it’s through the process of suffering, we become closer to God. Has God taken you through some “stuff?” He didn’t explain it, He made you bare it, endure it. God let you cry yourself to sleep and didn’t wipe your tears. However, even in your lack of understanding, you kept on serving Him, worshiping Him, trusting Him and looking to Him.

The Lord wouldn’t allow you to go through difficulties if He didn’t have a purpose for your pain. The journey is to make you better. Better wisdom, knowledge, insight and self-control. Make you stronger and wiser. Also, to see and experience the power and love of God.

Think about Jesus! His suffering to purpose only lasted three days. Remember Job? He was rewarded double for his trouble. Let’s not forget Joseph; he went from the pit to the palace. The blessing after their journeys…the Bible never mentions these men ever going through pain, loss, suffering and heartache ever again. Surely! God will deliver you too for it brings great glory to the Father. Stay joined to Him. Remain in His love by obeying Him. Your joy will overflow! (John 15:7-11)

“Father, after the pruning process You will allow us to be fruitful bringing forth fruit and our fruit shall remain.”

For His Glory

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

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 22, 2022

Surrender For Victory

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  James 4:7-8

War is on everyone’s mind right now. Some are obsessed about it, given our 24/7 media and real-time reporting. In fact, a lot of people now use the Ukrainian flag as their profile pictures, when a few weeks ago they had no idea where this small country was located (or maybe even that it existed). Many people may be thinking that it’s too far away to worry about—for now, anyway. But, today, our planet is certainly small, and global issues are our “home” issues too.

The truth is the world has always had its blood-shedding wars and will until the Final Battle. But, friend, humanity—since the Fall in the Garden—has been involved in another ongoing war, a spiritual war. Humans have been at war with God. It wasn’t meant to be this way. When God created Man, we were meant to be in perfect relationship with Him, walking with Him as His friend. But when the Enemy slithered in with lying hisses and temptations of pride, Man lost this sweet friendship with God. We became separated from Him spiritually and relationally, and our flawless bodies—and the pristine planet—began its decaying process, filled with pain, disease, and death.

And so, the battle began. Even now, it continues, being fought on three fronts, with three enemies: the world system, the flesh (pride/selfish desires), and Satan. There’s so much to be said about how this war with God creates battles against self and others (in fact, the entire Bible is replete with this story).

But there is Good News! We don’t have to live our lives in combat with God! He made a way of restoration, of relational reconciliation with Him. Coming right down from Heaven onto our battlefield, Jesus fought our fight—and secured victory over the world, Satan, and death. The battle has been won, and there is no need to fight anymore.

Turning back to the concept of worldly wars, we all know that for a war to end, someone must surrender…and the side that surrenders is clearly the loser. Surrender allows for the winning side to take control, take prisoners, and have their way with their foe. But when it comes to our spiritual war with the Almighty God, there exists a beautiful irony: Unconditional surrender to Him brings complete victory for us (1 Corinthians 15:57)! We are not conquered—we become conquerors! Instead of being taken prisoner, we are made free in Christ (Romans 8:1-39).

But just as surrender in worldly wars brings peace, our surrender to Jesus brings peace to us. When we stop fighting against God and give Jesus control of everything, we can put down our weapons and rest in His love, grace, mercy, and peace. Friend, the war has been won. Won’t you surrender to Him today…and claim your victory?

“Lord, thank You for making a way of peace through Your Son, Jesus. Thank you for the victory over sin and death that allows me to be free.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

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Posted in Faith, Freedom, Spiritual Living, Success

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 21, 2022

Truth Gone Wild

“The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” Psalm 119:160 (ESV)

It appeared to be the perfect deal for a real need.  My tennis shoes were past due to retirement.  Working out every day, the soles on the bottom had really gotten worn.  So for my birthday – treat to me – I decided to purchase a new pair.  It was an extremely cold, snowy and windy day, so I opted to purchase online (which I rarely do).

Social media conveniently displayed the shoes I needed so I clicked on the link to the site.  Surprisingly, the company was offering huge savings because they were overloaded with inventory.  The deal was simply too good to be true, yet my compulsive decision landed three pairs in a variety of colors into my cart.  What savings!

Well, the great deal was a real scam.  When I got my order confirmation email (thankful I checked that), the payment had been made to a utility company.  I immediately called and canceled my card since the scammer now had my name, address, card number, expiration date and three-digit code.

Long story short, this site looked just like the “real website.”  However, it was far from being the site.  The mimic was a replica of everything you would have known about the real deal.  Reminded me that there are so many things today that appear to be the real deal but are far from the truth.  Experiencing many variations of the perceived truth leaves us not trusting anything – not a good place to land.

Lesson learned – I needed to dive deeper into the source.  Perhaps then I would have avoided this mistake.  Same is true in life – we must dive deeper into the perceived truths surrounding us – we simply can’t trust what we see on the surface.  Discerning truth is crucial as we make decisions, speak into the lives of others and arm ourselves against the attacks of the enemy.  And in case you haven’t noticed, the devil is great at mixing truth with lies to create confusion.

Love the way God’s Word remains true, strong and steady. We never need to question it.  And the more we know His Word, the better we are at discerning crucial truths.  Saturating our minds with God’s truth gives us an advantage over the lies which sound and look good but are poor mimics of the real deal. We can’t go wrong when we measure truth against the Word of God.  So, the next time something sounds too good to be true, let’s plan to dive deep, get the facts, weigh the evidence and with God’s help safeguard our minds from the devil’s scam.

“Father, Your Spirit leads and guides us to truth.  Help us protect our minds from influences that could lead us far from Your truth.  Help us to combat the enemy’s lies with Your words and become passionate pursuers of Your truth.

 

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 | March 18, 2022

When Your To Do List Overrides Your To Love List

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12 (ESV)

Nothing feels better to me than marking something (anything) off my To Do List. I’m one of those people who actually add something they’ve completed to the list and then proudly scratch through it. Accomplished. Done. Finished. Sounds silly….however, it actually motivates me to keep marking those things off my list.

How about you – are you a list maker? I have a list for just about everything. Keeps me organized, productive and avoiding procrastination. But sometimes the downfall of my list is when it overrules my To Love List. I can get so task-driven, focused and determined to get it all done that I overlook the people aspect.

Marking it off my list at the expense of others is not a good thing. Missing out on the fun because my ever-growing list needs my attention is not always a good thing. Assuming that everyone else is as passionate about my list as I am is definitely an unrealistic expectation.

So how do I gain the proper perspective? Simply lay my To Do List down at the feet of Jesus and relinquish my rights to what gets down. Seek His direction on what stays and what goes. Ask for His help in staying balanced – avoiding the neglect of the people He brings into my path. With God’s guidance recognize a healthy perspective of what needs to be accomplished and who needs my undivided attention.

Being organized is not a sin, but when we make it an idol that doesn’t serve us well. God created the world taking chaos and bringing it into order. All throughout scripture, we see examples of His divine plan woven through the lives of His people – that requires organization. Yet, we also witness the perfect balance of Jesus welcoming interruptions into His limited time on earth.

Never read a scripture that described Jesus as being burned out, depleted, acting out because what He desired to happen didn’t happen. Instead, I only see a loving Savior devoted to His Father’s business – loving God and loving people.

“Father, in this crazy world that zeros in on accomplishment, help us to not lose sight of the things that are truly important to You.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Love, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 16, 2022

Treasure In Jars of Clay

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”   (2 Corinthians 4:7-9, ESV)

There are a lot of metaphors in the Bible – one particularly interesting one is Paul comparing our strength in Christ to “a treasure in a jar of clay.” The focus of the metaphor is the treasure.

Paul’s writing reminds the Corinthian church that their hope is in Christ. He’s also making a distinction between their hope and those who followed Moses. The temple veil was torn into the moment Jesus died on the cross removing the barrier between God and man. Through Jesus, we can talk directly to God and experience the completeness of God’s glory.

Jars were an everyday item in the home of the original audience Paul was writing to. At least three things would have resonated with them by making this statement. Jars of clay were commonplace – rich or poor, everyone would have had jars in their homes. Since they’re made of cheap materials – they’re fragile. These vessels were handmade. The potter who made them would be the one who decided their shape, size, etc. The jar never got to choose its’ features.

The treasure we have within us is the resurrection power of Jesus. The power that allowed Him (and one day us) to overcome the grave. The light in us that can shine through the darkest of seasons that we may experience. By actively living victoriously through Jesus, we demonstrate the light and power which reaches others with the gospel of Christ.

Just like the jars of clay in the Corinthian homes, our jars of clay today (physical bodies) are filled with flaws and imperfections. Yet if we were perfect, people would see the beauty of the jar instead of the treasure.

I know in my own life, I’ve uttered these words more than once – “I’m so broken – there’s no way God could ever use me.”  Yet it’s the seasons of brokenness that caused me to depend completely on Jesus which led me to share my “treasure” more with others.

From the very beginning, we see a picture of a loving potter fashioning his clay. As God formed man from the dust of the ground by breathing life into it. (Genesis 2:7)

You may have experienced many heartaches in life that have left you feeling broken but that doesn’t diminish the treasure within you. In moments of weakness and doubt, we should remind ourselves that God (our potter) formed and fashioned us – He chose us to carry His most precious treasure to the world.

“Father, we thank You for entrusting us with the greatest treasure of all – a treasure that can strengthen us in our weakness.”

For His Glory,

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

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Living

Posted by: trbccoffeebreak | March 15, 2022

Gladly Mocked

“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” 1 Peter 4:16

In elementary school, there are few things more painful than being made fun of on the playground. Although I don’t have the best memory, I can recall glimpses of times when my “friends” made fun of me because I dressed differently than they (less cool) or because my mom chose to cut my hair in a rather boy-like style. Sometimes, at those young ages, a mocking statement comes from immature innocence. Other times, it’s from completely malicious intent.

Sadly, some people don’t outgrow taunting others—or being the one who’s the consistent butt of unkind jokes. In the hardness and blindness of the world, as well as social media cruelty and our divisive culture, mocking at every age should not come as no surprise.

Especially for believers.

When Jesus walked the earth, He even promised us that the world would hate us because it hated Him first (John 15:18). And the Apostle Paul stated it very clearly as well in 2 Timothy 3:12 when he wrote, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (Well, let me caveat this truth…these are promises if we are walking in the Truth, living out the holiness we are called to as Christians. If we’re living like the world and looking like the culture, we won’t have to worry about being mocked.)

Although in this country we’re not at the point of being jailed or killed for our faith (yet), there are other types of persecution. And it can be hard, enduring the rolled eyes and snarky comments about your conduct—particularly when you’re young in faith. But, friend, it can also be pretty cool to stand firm and glorify God through our words (or by what’s unspoken) and our actions (or by things not done).

Just the other day, I was finishing up a group video call with a client. I’ve been working with this team for over five years, so they know my worldview. (This understanding once kept their cursing at bay, for instance…sadly, they don’t refrain in my presence anymore. Maybe it’s the whole two-dimensional reality thing.) Anyway, at the end of this particular video meeting, someone made a comment that could have been 100% innocent, but, because of worldly sexualized vernacular, it could also go down a road of dirty joking. And when that first turn was made, someone at the table said, “Julianne, you’d better hang up now.”

So, I smiled at the group, said goodbye, and pressed “end call.” I know what was thought—and maybe even said—about my “prudeness.” But, friend, I counted it a privilege and a joy. They recognize my “in-the-worldness-but-not-of-the-worldness.” To God be the glory…and I will gladly be mocked.

“Lord, let me never be ashamed of You, but help me stand firm in a life of holiness, glorifying You.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life

 

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Posted in Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Living

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