"In The Storm - a prophetic word"

"And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away." Acts 27:20

I feel like I have a specific word for someone this morning-- "Sometimes you have to ride the storm out."

There are times when the Lord will speak to the winds and waves and cause the storm that is raging in your life to stop. But there are other times when you have to go "through" it. I want to encourage you this morning, that you will make it through it. You will land on the other side. The enemy is coming against you. He is trying to destroy you. But God has spoken a word that will not return to Him void or empty. Regardless of what the situation looks like. No matter how fearful it may seem. You may feel like you are going to drown. You may see no land, light or hope in sight. But your hope is in the Lord. He has not forgotten you. He has not, and will not, forsake you. He sees you and His comforting power is there with you. He does not always give the deliverance "from" the storm that you so desperately seek, but He will give you wisdom to know what to do and how to navigate through it. He will make Himself known to you in the midst of it. He will give you peace if you will but trust Him in spite of the storm.

Again let me say, "Sometimes you have to ride the storm out", but you will come to the other side. He has declared it.

Have a great day. Ride it out.

For further reading:

Acts 27

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Where Is Jesus?"

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:22

Where is Jesus? The Bible says He is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. But He is also "in us". He has made His abode within these "tabernacles" of clay. We are His dwelling place. Not only is He at residence within us, but so is His Kingdom. (I think we tend to forget that.)

Christ in you and His Kingdom in you, means that the very God who created the universe, who calls the stars each by name, who spoke into nothing and everything that exist appeared lives inside of you. It is the same God who is Omnipotent (All-powerful), Omniscient (All-knowing), Omni-present (present everywhere at the same time). He has all wisdom, love beyond measure, peace that passes understanding, truth and justice. He is the Savior, the Healer, the Deliverer, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the victorious, conquering King. There is no lack, no weakness, no failure, no inability in Him. There is nothing He cannot do (except lie) and nothing He does not know.

We need to remember Who He is and where He is. For our sake, and for the world's sake who needs the God that is in you. They need the hope that only comes through Him. They need His peace. They need to experience His grace. They need Him but don't know it. 

 

"I must decrease, He must increase." "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)  We don't only need to remember He is in us, but we need to allow Him to live through us and touch others who are lost and hurting. Our life should be His life lived out on earth. 

 

Have a great day. Jesus is in you, so let Him live through you.

For further reading:

Psalm 110:1
Mark 12:36
Acts 7:55
1 Corinthians 3:16
Luke 17:21
John 3:30
Hebrews 1:3; 8:1

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Wealth and Riches Are In the House

"Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever." Psalm 112:3

If we look at the first verse of this chapter we discover that the person this is talking about is the one "that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments." In his house will be wealth, riches and righteousness. Of course when we read this we immediately think of wealth and riches on a natural level-- money, gold and silver. I want us to look at these from a spiritual perspective this morning.

 

Let's look at our house as not being our physical dwelling place, but our lives. In Matthew chapter seven Jesus compares our lives to houses. When we hear His word and apply it to our lives, we are like wise men who build our houses (our lives) on a rock. So we can say that wealth and riches are in our lives when we fear the Lord and delight in His commands. We know righteousness is because we have the righteousness of Christ applied to our lives at salvation-- righteousness is not a physical thing but a spiritual characteristic.

Having established this foundation, let's look some more at this. The Lord has deposited "wealth and riches" into our lives. "Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness." (Proverbs 8:18) What is this wealth and what are these riches? Silver and gold. Silver represents redemption- salvation. What greater riches can we posses than salvation which brings eternal life. (There is no profit if you gain the world and lose your soul. Matthew 16:26). Gold represents holiness, the Divine nature of God. How much richer can you be than to have God's nature residing in you! His life is in you, His holiness, His righteousness, His power, His Spirit, His grace, His love, His wisdom, etc.

Also God has placed gifts, callings, talents and abilities in you. There is an abundance of wealth inside you, given to you for a purpose. Through them He can give you the power to get physical wealth, to stand in places of honor, to see doors open, to reach the nations, to build His Kingdom, to make Him known and to bring glory to His name.

For many of you this wealth and riches are being held captive inside of you unused, and unrecognized that they are even there. You need to discover what the Lord has placed in you so that you can begin to use them. Start praying that the Lord will show you the riches that He has placed inside of you. Start calling forth those gifts and talents that are being held captive through dormancy in your life. Then watch God do some amazing things through you and see what He will purchase for His Kingdom through those riches.

Have a great day. Wealth and riches are inside of you. Start using them for the work of the Kingdom.

For further reading:

2 Corinthians 5:21
Matthew 7:11,24-27; 25:15
Deuteronomy 8:18
2 Peter 1:4

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Receive Jesus Into Your Storm"

"Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. " John 6:21

Jesus' disciples were in a ship heading to Capernaum. Jesus was not with them. It had become dark and the sea was getting rough and rising high because of a great and violent wind that was blowing. They were rowing and rowing but were not getting very far. Then they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. He called out to them not to be afraid because it was Him. The next thing that happened was what we read in our verse above. "Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went".

They were glad to see Him, and gladder still to have Him in the boat with them. They were glad for several reasons. His presence to comfort them was there. "It is I, be not afraid." They weren't getting very far on their own. The violent winds were blowing upon their boat and making it hard to navigate. The rising waters were threatening. They needed His help. They needed His peace. They needed Him to intervene in their storm. Once He got in the boat, it was immediately and safely at its destination.

Are you going through a dark, stormy time? Are the winds of adversity blowing upon your life? Are the waters rising, threatening to drown you? What are you doing about it? Are you trying to row hard enough to get yourself through it? Are you just trying to hold on hoping it will eventually stop? The disciples willingly received Jesus into their boat. Are you determined to go through this by yourself, on your own, or will you allow Jesus to come into your "boat"? Will you invite Him to get in there with you and take control of the situation?

You have a choice. You can keep struggling with the situation, you can keep trying to figure it all out, you can keep working hard to make it through, you can keep on trying to take care of it on your own, or you can let Jesus come into the situation with you and bring you safely to the other side.

Have a great day. Are you willing to let Jesus into the storm you are going through, or are you going to try to make it through on your own?

For further reading:
John 6:16-21

Luke 11:9

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Joy Stealer"

"Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

"The joy of the Lord is your strength". When you want to render your opponent, or enemy, helpless and vulnerable, you can use either one of two strategies. You can find his weakness and use that weakness against him. Or you can find his strength and try to dismantle it. When the Philistines were trying to defeat Samson, they sought out the source of his strength. They knew if they could destroy the thing that made him so strong they could defeat him.

The enemy of your soul is looking for not only your area of weakness but your area of strength also. He is after the thing that makes you strong so he can disarm you of your strength. And he knows what it is. He knows that we get our strength from the joy of the Lord.

He is out to steal your joy. He uses a variety of schemes and devices to try to steal it. He will use a health issue. He will use a relationship. He will use a situation that is not going as you hoped it would. He will use time elements-- things aren't happening when you want them to happen. He will use other people. There are an endless number of things that he will try to use to steal your joy.

It is up to you to not let him steal it. It is up to you to keep on guard and watch for the thief. It is up to you to keep you "heart house" fortified through praise, prayer and God's word, so he can't get in to steal. So this morning, keep an eye on your joy and make sure it is still intact.

Have a great day. The enemy is trying to steal your joy.

For further reading:

Judges 16:5
Psalm 5:11; 21:1; 51:12

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Who Are You Following?"

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23:1

The shepherd leads the sheep. The sheep follow the shepherd. That's the way it is suppose to be. But that is not always the way it is. Sometimes the sheep follow something else. They get their eyes on something other than the shepherd and gravitate that direction.

We are the Good Shepherd's sheep, but are we following Him? Often we can think we are following Him, but aren't. We are following religion, programs, fads, other people and think that it is Him we are following because they "bear the image" of the Shepherd or we think that His "stamp of approval" is on it.

Jesus warned us that the false would come. He told us there would be false shepherds, false teachers, false Christs, false doctrines, etc. that would try to capture our attention. The purpose of that which is false is always to pull you away from what is true.

The answer to following the true and not the false, to following the Shepherd and not just religious things is to keep your eyes focused on the Shepherd, keep your ears attentive to His words, and know His voice better than you know your own.

Have a great day. Make sure you are following the Shepherd and not something that gives the appearance of being Him.

For further reading: Matthew 24:24 Mark 13:22 John 10:11,14

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc. Please feel free to call (601) 833-5278 or Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Dark Paths"

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

My mother in law lives next door to me, so we often walk when we go to see her. Sometimes it gets dark before we leave her house. We have no street lights, only the light of the moon when it isn't hid behind the clouds. So when it is dark, it is really dark. As many times as I have walked that path from my house to hers, I prefer not to walk it in the dark. Why? Because, even though it is a familiar path to me, I never know if there are new obstacles that are there. And when it is dark, I can lose my bearings and get off the path.

We all walk through "places" in our lives- you know what I mean. Same are strange to us- we have never been down them before. Some are familiar- we have been down them often. But whether it is a new place or a familiar place, each place is different. Even familiar places are cloaked in darkness sometimes. And each place needs the guidance of God's word to help us navigate safely and wisely through them.

We can't trust our ability or the familiarity to get us through any path of life. The path is always changing, new obstacles are continually appearing, new pits are being dug by the enemy, we can easily lose our sense of direction. But God's word will always keep us going in the right direction, will always reveal pit-falls, will always make the way in front of us as clear as if we were walking in the light of the noon day sun.

Have a great day. It doesn't matter how familiar a path of life looks, or how many times we have walked down it, we still need God's word to guide us through it.

For further reading:
Psalm 119:130; 33:4
Proverbs 6:23
1 John 1:5

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Seeing Faith?"

"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." Matthew 11:21

You have heard the saying- "seeing is believing"- that is not always the case. Jesus did many mighty works before the people and some of them still didn't believe. His works testified that He was who He said He was and they didn't believe. It is human nature to want to "see something". It is no different when it comes to our relationship with God. Have you ever prayed, "Show me a sign, Lord."; "Show me something."?

After the resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples, all but Thomas who was not there with them. When the others told Thomas that Jesus had appeared to them, his reply was, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." Thomas wanted to "see" it for himself. Jesus later appeared to Thomas and allowed him to see His hands and side. But His words to Thomas were-- "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Man's way is to want to see something. God's way is the way of belief without seeing. Faith believes even though it doesn't see. It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. We want to "see" so that we will believe, God wants us to "hear" so that we will believe. "Faith comes by hearing. For we walk by faith, not by sight".

Faith based on sight is no longer faith. If you see it, you don't need faith to believe for it. This morning, is your faith based on what you "see" or what you "hear"? God puts more emphasis on hearing than on seeing. He also said there was a blessing that was attached to our faith when we believe even though we haven't seen. "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Have a great day. True faith is based on what it hears rather than on what it sees.

For further reading:
John 20:19-29
2 Corinthians 5:7
Romans 10:17
Hebrews 11:1

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"No Lack"

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23:1

Some other versions of the Bible read- "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not lack". There is no lack in Jesus. When we follow Him, we lack for nothing. He tells us that there is "no good thing that He withholds from those who walk uprightly". He also promises to meet and supply "all our need".

When He said this, He didn't say He would "meet your greed". He didn't say He would give you everything your flesh craves. He didn't say that if you covet after something to consume it upon your own lusts He would give it. He didn't say He would give you riches upon riches just for the sake of giving them.

What He did say is that we would not lack for anything that we need. This does not always mean money. If money is what we need to advance the Kingdom of God and do the work He has called us to do, then we won't lack in it. But it also means that we won't lack in other resources that it takes to get the job done. It also means that we won't lack in wisdom, we won't lack in peace, we won't lack the joy that is our strength, we won't lack the discernment that we need, etc.

The shepherd led his sheep to green pastures and beside still waters. Our Good Shepherd leads us into places where all our needs are met. We too are led to green pastures-- places where we can be fed, nourished and grow. He leads us beside still waters- places where our thirst is quenched. So when our spirits are refreshed, our thirst is filled and our hunger satisfied, there is nothing else that we need-- we lack nothing.

Have a great day. There is no lack of what we need when we are following our Good Shepherd.

For further reading:
Psalm 23; 84:11
Philippians 4:13

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"In Waiting"

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." James 5:7

We have just planted a small garden-- now we wait for the plants to grow and turn into a harvest. Most of the days of our lives consist of periods of waiting. We wait for nine months after we find out we are pregnant for the birth of our child. We wait for spring to come and thaw us out after winter. We wait for the mail to come. Teens can't wait to get their driver's license. We wait for our wedding day to arrive after we become engaged. We wait for vacation time to come hoping the days pass by quickly. Children can't wait for Christmas because of the presents they will receive. Yes, life is all about waiting- waiting for certain events to come, waiting for Mr./Mrs. Right to come into our lives, waiting for things to change, waiting for the call from the doctor with the test results, waiting on others, waiting on a phone call, waiting on promises to be fulfilled, etc., etc., etc.-- waiting, waiting, waiting.

The question is not whether we have to wait, but how are we waiting. Abraham waited for years for the promised son. The children of Israel waited for forty years to get out of the wilderness. Caleb waited for forty years to claim his mountain. Mary waited for nine months after the enunciation of the angel before she held the Messiah in her arms. The world waited for three days after the cross for the resurrection of Jesus.

There are several ways to wait. Let's take a little test this morning. Choose which one, or ones, from among the ones that I list which best describes you. We can wait patiently, impatiently, anxiously, calmly, complaining, with hope, fearfully, faithfully, with confidence or with worry. So which one describes you? Do you think that is the way you should be spending your time, or the attitude you should exhibit, while you are in waiting?

Have a great day. Waiting is a part of life, How are you waiting?

For further reading:
Luke 21:19
Romans 8:25
1 Timothy 6:11
Hebrews 6:12; 10:36; 12:1
James 1:3,4

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"I'm Trying"

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

When asking people about their relationship with the Lord, one answer I hear most often is, "I'm trying to get right with God". They talk about trying to do better. They talk about trying to get close to God. They talk about trying to be saved. Salvation is not something we "try" to do. We don't work at getting saved. Trying to do better is not good enough to be saved. Our good works won't get us closer to God. There is only one thing that we can do to get right with God, to get close to Him, to be saved- that is to put our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior.

Jesus said that He was the Way that leads to eternal life. The path of good works is not the way. Jesus also said that He was the Door that gave access to the Father. Trying to do our best does not get us close to Him, going through Jesus does.

We can try all we want but our own strength, works or good behavior will not make us right with God. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they discovered that they were naked. They tried to cover their nakedness by sewing fig leaves together. That didn't work. God had to provide the proper clothing that would take care of their problem. God is still the One who can make the provision for the sin issue in our lives. What they created to cover themselves wouldn't work. The things that we try to use to cover ourselves will not work either. All your good works and deeds and trying to do better will not take care of it. Only God's provision will--- His Son.

So stop "trying" to get right with God through your own goodness, you can't. But you can get right with God if you will put your faith and trust in His Son Jesus as your Savior.

Have a great day. Trying to get right with God through doing better will not work. You get right with Him through faith in Jesus.

For further reading:
Ephesians 2:8,9
Titus 3:5
John 14:6; 10:9; 3:36
Isaiah 64:6

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Pouting Children"

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11

My friend and I took our little granddaughters to the park yesterday. They each had a sand pail and shovel that they took with them. They were playing in the sandbox when another little girl came and wanted to join. She didn't have a pail and shovel so our girls shared with her. Only having two pails and two shovels among three children meant that someone couldn't have both and they would have to take turns. When this little girl couldn't have both, she started pouting. She wasn't happy with the fact that she couldn't have all she wanted and wasn't thankful that at least someone was sharing theirs with her.

It reminded me of how we are with our Heavenly Father sometimes. We have nothing! We came into this world naked and we will leave the same way- with nothing. But God is so gracious and kind to "share" and "give" us what we don't have in order to make it through this life. But sometimes we act like pouty children. What He does for us isn't good enough. We want more, we want it all, or we want something else altogether. We are seldom content and just grateful for what we do have.

These little girls did not have to share with this other little girl. The pails and shovels were theirs. They weren't obligated to share. We didn't make them share, they chose to. God doesn't have to do anything good for us. He doesn't have to show us any kindness. We don't deserve the blessings He sends our way. We rebelled against Him. We turned our backs on Him. We rejected Him. We disobeyed Him. Whatever He does for us is out of the goodness, love and mercy of His own heart.
He may not give you everything you want, every time you want it. He may not give you all you want. But are you going to be content with what He does give knowing that He knows exactly what you need? Are you going to be grateful for whatever He gives you? Are you going to be thankful with each of His blessings- regardless of how small or incomplete you may feel they are? Or are you going to pout?

Have a great day. Pouting children aren't grateful and content with what they do have-- are you one?

For further reading:
Hebrews 13:5
Job 1:21
Philippians 4:19
Numbers 11:1-9

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"What Does The Bible Say?"

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

Why is it a foreign concept to most professing Christians to live their lives according to what the Bible says? They live it according to popular opinion, worldly wisdom, the latest fad, tradition and human intellect. They try to figure out a course of action based on their abilities. They try to make decisions through education about the subject. They allow past experience to direct their steps.

Everything we need to know, every action we need to take, every direction we need to go, every decision that we face, the answer is found in the Bible. The scriptures give us direction. They give us wisdom. They give us insight, understanding and knowledge. There is nothing that you and I face that the Bible does not address.

God has been so gracious to give us this "road map" through life and it is always in our best interest to use it. When my husband and I travel, we still use a map. When we get off the main freeways and start driving the back roads, we can easily get lost and not know where we are or how to reach an intended destination. Once we were traveling and could not find our map. The first service station that we came to, we pulled in and purchased one. I know that now days the GPS is replacing the paper map. But they both do the same thing- one is just a little more updated than the other. The point is, whether you use a map or a GPS device, having it and following it makes the journey so much easier, takes away confusion about where you are, removes anxiety and the fear of getting lost and helps you reach your intended destination.

Why would anyone go into an unfamiliar area without some sort of guidance system- be it a map or a GPS? We wouldn't, or shouldn't do it. So why would any Christian go into the unfamiliar areas of life without a navigation system (God's Word) to guide them? Yet as we have already said many do. Are you one of them?

Have a great day. The Bible is the navigation system that makes the journey of life easier to travel through.

For further reading:
Psalm 119:45; 93; 130; 133; 169

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Resist Self-Pity"

"Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." 1 Peter 5:9

I feel impressed to warn you to be on guard when you are going through difficult times and testing that you don't fall into the trap of self-pity. You must resist the temptation to feel sorry for yourself. It is a temptation that we can fall into no matter how "mature" or "spiritual" we may be- no one is exempt. Look at the great prophet Elijah.

Elijah was the prophet who called fire down from heaven, who prayed that it would not rain and it didn't for three years, then he prayed that it would start raining again and it did. Yet we see him later in a cave feeling sorry for himself.

As I said earlier, resist the temptation to feel sorry for yourself, to think that you are the only one who is suffering, to question why this is happening to you. True enough you may be suffering, things may not be going as planned, you may be in a bad situation, but don't give into self-pity. It will take you down into a pit of depression. It will make you resentful and bitter. It will make you fearful. It will swallow up your faith with confusion.

Instead, remember that you aren't the only one who has suffered or suffered wrongly- if you don't know anyone personally who has, just open your Bible, you will see that most of the characters within its pages have: Job, Paul, Joseph, the prophets, Jesus, etc.

Also remember that nothing happens to you that your Heavenly Father doesn't know about. He is watching over you. He is with you through these times. And remember also that all these things- the trials, the temptations, the difficulties, the false accusations, the burdens, the rejection- all work together for good in your life, somehow, someway.

Have a great day. Resist the temptation to feel sorry for yourself when things aren't going your way.

For further reading:
1 Kings 19
Romans 8:28
Genesis 45:1-8

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"It Makes Me Happy"

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

My little granddaughter was with me the other evening. We were watching television and as I was flipping through the channels, the "Passion of the Christ" was on. She said that she wanted to watch it. The movie was already at the point where Jesus was being beaten in Pilate's judgment hall. So we watched it and talked about what was happening to Jesus. Of course, I started crying as I watched. My granddaughter tried to comfort me, "Don't cry, Nana". I explained to her that I was crying because of the terrible things they were doing to Jesus and how it made me very sad. She then replied back to me, "It makes me happy". (Out of the mouths of babes!)

There was a lot of wisdom in the words she spoke. They convicted my heart and took me out of my emotions back to truth. I had to stop and regroup for a moment then responded back to her, "I am happy too". I am happy that Jesus went through the shame and pain of the cross. I am happy because had He not, I would be eternally lost without any hope of eternal life. So, I rejoice in the cross and give thanks that He took the chastisement of my sins in His body. The sadness I had as I watched was the fact that He had to suffer so much pain and such a horrific chastening.

Her four little words reminded me that there are two sides to the cross-- a side of sadness and a side of joy. My focus should not remain on the sad side- the pain and suffering that Jesus had to endure because of my sins. The joy that it gave me access to God, the joy that the victory has been won over sin and death, the joy of knowing that I can have forgiveness of my sins, the joy of receiving eternal life, should swallow up the sadness- it did for Jesus. The joy of knowing that through His sacrifice we could now be partakers of eternal life and live with Him throughout eternity swallowed up the pain and the suffering of the cross.

Have a great day. While I am sad that my Savior had to endure sure horrible treatment for my sins, I am happy that He did it so that I could have eternal life.

For further reading:
Hebrews 12:3
Isaiah 53

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Sin Is Taken Care Of"

"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." Psalm 103:3

The Lord forgives all our iniquities. Not just a couple of them. Not just some of them. Not just the ones we think are "minor", and not just the ones we think are "major". Our sins are not too great and there are not too many for Him to forgive. At the cross He took care of the whole sin issue. None were left out. They were all taken care of. They were all provided for. They were all punished. They were all washed.

We tend to categorize sin-- some are big and some are little. But God simply said, "All have sinned". When the young man came to Jesus concerning eternal life, Jesus took him back to the commandments. Each commandment represented a particular "area" of sin- all sin can be put into one of three categories: lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life. The young man had not willingly sinned in any of the commandments. He was not guilty of any particular "act" of sin. He was guilty of sin against God. We are guilty of sin against God- that was our sin, not just individual acts of sin.

Our sin against Him has been taken care of at the cross. Jesus shed His blood to forgive our sin. He has taken care of it. We have forgiveness. Once you have repented of your sin, once you have made peace with God through the blood of Jesus, then embrace that forgiveness and walk in it daily. Our sin against God has been forgiven and nailed to the cross. Leave yours there.

Have a great day. We are guilty of one sin-- sin against God. Jesus took care of that at the cross.

For further reading:
Matthew 19:16-22
2 Corinthians 5:19
Romans 3:23

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Jesus Or The Easter Bunny?"

"And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6

Happy Resurrection weekend to each and everyone. I choose to call it Resurrection Sunday and not Easter. I choose to acknowledge the death, burial and resurrection of my beloved Savior Jesus, and not the things that we typically think of when we think of Easter- such as the Easter bunny, colored eggs, hiding eggs, baskets of candies.

I wonder, (I know the answer, so I am not asking for one) why we think that these things have anything to do with what Jesus did for us? What do the things that I have already named have to do with the cross or the empty tomb or the suffering that Jesus went through? They have nothing to do with it. These things were part of a pagan celebration to their goddess of fertility. We have adopted them in Christianity and made it a part of our celebration of Jesus' resurrection.

Some say that they know the difference, yet they celebrate both at the same time. Why would you want anything to distract from the true meaning? Why would you make Jesus share the celebration with a fictitious rabbit? Why would you minimize His suffering on the cross with anything? Why would we replace the miracle of the resurrection of Christ for the belief that a giant rabbit goes everywhere during the night leaving children baskets full of candy and colored eggs? We may say we know the difference, yet once church service is over in the morning, the rest of the day will be spent "worshipping" the bunny and eggs. I just don't get it. After what Jesus went through on the cross for us, why would we allow anything to overshadow it?

At Christmas we have adopted a slogan as a reminder that the celebration is all about the birth of Jesus and not Santa Claus-- "Jesus is the reason for the season". I think we need to take it out of storage during the resurrection season because it appears that we have forgotten that it is still true for this time as well-- "Jesus is the reason for the season, not the Easter bunny." After all, who laid down their life for you so that you could have eternal life and forgiveness of your sins-- Jesus or the Easter bunny!

Have a great day. Who are you "really" celebrating, Jesus or the Easter bunny? Take a long, hard and searching look at what you are doing before you answer.

For further reading:
John 3:16
Romans 5:8
2 Timothy 4:4
Matthew 28:6
Luke 24:6

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Encourage One Another"

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see." Matthew 11:4

John baptized Jesus, heard the voice of God come from heaven declaring that Jesus was His Son, saw the dove descend upon Him, and even testified that Jesus was "the Lamb of God". A short time later we see John sitting in prison questioning whether Jesus was the One who was to come or not. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He truly was the one or should they be looking for another. Jesus told these disciples to, "Go and tell John what you have seen and what you have heard."

You would think that there would have never been any question for John that Jesus was truly the Messiah after his experience at Jesus' baptism, but he did. There are times that we all face trials and difficulties that make us "question" what we know. These trying times can make us wonder if we are really believing the truth or have we missed it. It is in those times that we need to look back and remember when the truth enlightened our heart and we knew that it as so. But it is also in those times that we need someone to come along beside us and encourage us to remember.

Jesus told John's disciples to go and tell John what "you" have see and heard me do and say. He didn't tell them to go an tell John what "he" saw and heard. When we see a brother or sister who is struggling, or whose faith is becoming weak because of the situation they are facing, we need to pray for them, but we also need to encourage them by sharing what we know. We need to share our testimony with them. It is time for us to share with them the things that we have "seen and heard". As we encourage them, it will remind them of their own testimony and our two testimonies together will reaffirm what they know and that it is the truth.

So when you see a brother or sister struggling in the battle, be one who will encourage them in what you have seen God do and what you have heard Him say through His word.

Have a great day. Be an encourager to those who are in a place of weakness by sharing your testimony of Jesus with them so that their faith will be reaffirmed.

For further reading:
1 John 1:3
Malachi 3:16
Hebrews 12:12
Acts 16:40; 28:14,15

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Put Him In His Place"

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19

Fear does not come from God. Guilt does not come from God. Condemnation does not come from God. They come from the adversary of our souls- the devil. He is the one who harasses, accuses, condemns and torments. Sadly, so many Christians' lives are bound by these. They live in a state of fear. They live under a cloud of guilt. They feel constantly condemned. My question is, "Why?"

If you are a born-again child of God, you do not have to receive anything that is not from God. You do not have to live under the power of the enemy. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. You have power over the adversary. Our Jesus defeated him and destroyed his work at the cross. Then Jesus turned the victory over to you. So you should be walking in victory, not defeat.

But the enemy will continue to harass and accuse and control you in these areas until you "put him in his place". How do you do that? First, you need to realize that you have power over him and that he has no place in your life. Then you have to stop allowing him to do this to you by taking your God-given authority over him. You have to resist him- steadfastly. You have to remind him that you have power over him, not vice versa. It is time that you rise up and stop allowing him any place. Do what Jesus did, use the word of God against him. He is not just going to bow out and do it gracefully. You are going to have "throw him out" and do battle until he leaves. Then you will have to stay on guard and not allow him to come back.

The bottom line is that if you are a child of the Most High God, these devices of the devil have no place in your life. You don't have to live in them. But he will continue until you take authority over him and cast him out. Which you can do through Christ.

Have a great day. Stop allowing the devil to harass you. Use your God-given authority to put him in his place.

For further reading:
1 John 4:4; 3:8
James 4:7
Romans 8:1
2 Timothy 1:7

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.