"Talk To Me"

"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required." Psalm 40:6

What does the Lord want from us? What is the thing that gives Him the greatest pleasure and joy? Most would answer that it is our works, it is our service, it is our obedience, it is what we do for Him. Those things are part of our relationship with Him, but the thing that delights Him the most is our communion with Him. In other words, He loves it when we talk to Him.

One of the biggest complaints in most relationships is the lack of communication-- "he/she won't talk to me". People want to have communication. The Heavenly Father is no different. He wants you to talk to Him.

I am not going to belabor the point this morning, but I will repeat it again-- He wants you to talk to Him! Take time today and everyday to do so. It doesn't matter what you talk about or what you want to say to Him, He just loves hearing your voice.

Have a great day. The Lord loves for you to talk to Him, have you today?

For further reading:

Genesis 33:11
Jeremiah 33:3

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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.

"Propped Up"

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." Isaiah 50:10

I want to focus on the last part of this verse-- "Stay upon his God". The word "stay" means to "lean on, trust in, support, rest". We all need something to lean upon at some time or other. We all get tired and weary from running the race of faith that is set before us and need to be "propped up". The concern is not that we need to be propped up every once and a while or that we need something to lean upon and give us some support while we "catch our breath"; the concern is in "what" or "who" we lean upon.

There are so many things out there that look like "props". They look like they will hold us up and give us the support that we need until we can continue on. But that is not always the case. I remember the time I sat down on my porch swing to relax a moment. The next thing I knew the swing and I were both on the porch floor. It looked sturdy, it was made out of good strong material, the chains looked in tact, they were metal, but it wasn't as dependable as it looked. The chain had rusted, therefore, it could not support my weight.

There is nothing that is man-made (fleshly) that we can lean upon to give us the support that we need. Like a house that is built on the sand. It looks pretty good, it looks solid, but there is no foundation under it. It will cave in and you will find yourself swept away by the very thing you are needing the rest from.

There is only one place that we can lean upon-- our God. There is only one place where we can get the rest that we need when we are feeling weary, afraid, pressured, faithless, confused and discouraged-- our God. When David and his men arrived at their home in Ziklag and discovered that the enemy had come and taken their families and stolen their belongings, this is what David did-- he leaned upon his God. His heart was broken, his men talked of stoning him, his family was gone, but he found a place where he could rest and lean upon for guidance and strength-- his God. The Lord propped him up by encouraging him, by giving him direction, by giving him strength. From that place of "rest and propping" David found what he needed to then go forth and destroy his enemy and save their families.

What is propping you up today? What are you leaning upon? Your own understanding, your education, your strength, your job, your government, your talents, a financial institution, other people, your spiritual leader? There is only one true prop that will never fail you or let you fall-- our God. You can lean upon Him. He is the foundation that was under the house that did not fall-- our God is the solid Rock.

Have a great day. There is only one prop that you can lean upon that will hold you up-- our God.

For further reading:
Matthew 7:24-27
1 Samuel 30
Proverbs 3:5,6

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"Jump Overboard"

"Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing." John 21:3


Yesterday we talked about getting weary while waiting on the promises of God to manifest in our lives. Sometimes that "weariness" will cause us to get tired, give up and return to our way and what is familiar to us. Peter was a fisherman before Jesus called him to follow Him. When it looked like the call and purpose that Jesus had for him was gone, he went back to what he knew-- fishing.

Maybe this is you this morning. You have given up and gone back to your old familiar way because you see no hope of any fulfillment of the plan and promises of God in your life? Have you turned from waiting on His will and gone back to your own plans?

If this is you this morning, God's plan and promises never change. His purpose for you doesn't change. His gifts and calling are without repentance. He saw Peter fishing and He went to him. God's plan was for Peter to catch men instead of fish. Even when we turn to doing our own plans, for whatever reason, the Lord has not changed His mind about our life-- He still has a plan, the same plan in mind. Don't think that just because you have gone back to "fishing" that it is too late. It isn't, because He doesn't change, and He doesn't change His mind about you. If you are hearing His voice calling to you from the "shore", listen and heed it and "jump overboard" (leave your plan) and "swim" to Him.

Have a great day. God's plan for you has not changed.

For further reading:

John 21
Romans 11:29
Jeremiah 29:11

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"Weary In Waiting"

"In your patience possess ye your souls." Luke 21:19

Most of us have no trouble believing the promises of God, especially those that He has spoken to us individually concerning His will for our lives. The problem comes while waiting for it to manifest. It seems like the longer it takes for the fulfillment of it, the more impatient and questioning we become. It is at that point that we tend to doubt that we actually heard from the Lord, or we give up on it all together, or we try to make it happen ourselves. Any one of these three aren't good. They are all tricks of the enemy to cause us to miss out on what God intends for us.

When we doubt we heard from the Lord, our faith becomes small and we tend to wonder if we truly do hear from the Lord at all. When we give up, we lose out. When we try to make it happen ourselves, we wind up with an Ishmael. When you have an Ishmael you have problems from then on.

Are you in a waiting period? Does it seem like you have been waiting forever? Are you getting weary of holding on to what the Lord has spoken to you? Then this is when you need to just rest and give your feelings to God. You aren't the one who determines the time or the season for it to come forth. It is like being pregnant. There comes a point in pregnancy where all you can do is wait. It is during that last trimester where you are getting uncomfortable and past ready for your baby to be delivered. You want it to hurry up and happen, but you can't rush it. So you just get as comfortable as you can and wait for the time of delivery. It will happen in the fullness of time. God's promise will also be "delivered", it will come forth in the fullness of God's time. So don't get weary while you are waiting.

Have a great day. Learn to rest in God's faithfulness while you are waiting and not get weary.

For further reading:

Psalm 37:7
Galatians 4:4
Isaiah 66:9

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"Making Choices"

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

While we were asleep (unless you stayed up past midnight) a new day began, but it starts for us when we wake up. From the moment we wake up until the day ends, we have choices to make. There are some choices we will have no control over- they are made for us. Things will happen to us that we didn't plan. We will face situations that we would have never chosen had we had the opportunity to choose. But there are some things today (and each day) that we will have the power to exercise choice over.

We will have to choose what our attitude will be like. Will you choose to be angry and bitter? You will have to make the choice to whether walk in fear or by faith? You may have to choose to hold onto a grudge or choose to let it go. Today you will be faced with the choice to trust God or not-- even when you don't understand "why?". You will also have to choose how you are going to treat other people-- those who love you and those who don't; those who bless you and those who curse you; those who treat you good and those who despitefully use you. You will be the one who chooses whether you will seek the Lord, serve Him and be obedient to His will.

These are all choices you will be called upon to make daily. They are also choices that only you can make-- no one can make the choice for you about how you respond to others, if you walk in love; if you keep your eyes on the Lord, if you have a good attitude. And no one can make you choose otherwise unless you let them.

The question is not whether you will be faced with choices today-- you will. The question is, "What will you choose to do when you are?" All the choices that we have to make actually boil down to only two choices-- "Will you choose to follow your flesh or follow the Spirit?" Whichever one we choose to follow will make all the other choices easier. If we choose to follow the flesh, we have already made the choice to choose to be angry, have a bad attitude, be fearful, to be unforgiving, etc. But if we choose to follow the Spirit, we have made the choice to choose to be loving, kind, forgiving, forbearing and trusting.

Have a great day. Make the choice to follow the Spirit and all the other choices you have to make are already made.

For further reading:

Joshua 24:15
Galatians 5:16
Proverbs 1:29; 3:5,6,31

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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 Is The Cross?"

I was in a store the other day and passed by the clothing section. A t-shirt caught my eye. On it were all these scrolls and a cross- I thought it was very pretty, but then I saw a skull on it too. I have seen a lot of different clothing pieces that were printed with crosses and skulls. The first thought that crossed my mind was-- "Why do they always have to place the cross with objects of death". My next thought was- "It was a place of death".

The cross was an instrument of death. It was the place where our beloved Savior Jesus was crucified and died. But for us Christians, if it were only a place of death we would have no hope. But thankfully it is so much more than that.

For us it represents life. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8) "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9)

It represents hope. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:13,14)

It represents healing and deliverance. "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

It represents love. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

 

It represents mercy and grace. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." (Romans 8:3)

It represents the power of God and salvation. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

It was a place where the penalty of our sins was paid and our pardon was provided. "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." (Colossians 2:13,14)

It was where we received reconciliation to God. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19) "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." (Ephesians 2:16)

 

It was a place of victory. "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)

If you think the cross was merely a place where Jesus was crucified or a place of defeat, you are sadly mistaken. It is anything but. So let's rejoice in the cross and stop placing it among dead things and taking it out of its proper place. "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians 6:14)

Have a great day. If all you see the cross as is a place of death, you need to look at it again.

 

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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.

"Trust God Or Man?"

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8

I had a little computer issue last night so I called technical support. The technician and I agree that she could set up remote support and have control of my computer. The first time I was asked to allow them to do this I felt very uneasy about it, after all your computer is "personal and private". But I have agreed to it each time.

I trusted that technician even though I don't know her, who she is, what she even looks like- only her name. Last year my husband was having some problems with his heart so we took him to see a cardiologist. We had never met that doctor before and at that first meeting he said he wanted to do a heart catherization on my husband. We agreed to it. Who was this man? We didn't know him. Yet we were willing to trust him in this life and death matter.

My point that I am getting to is this-- isn't it odd that we will give control of certain areas in our lives and put our trust in people that we don't even know, yet we won't give the same control and trust to God. We will believe strangers. We will do what they tell us to do. We will follow their advice. We will even put our lives in their hands. But we draw back, question and resist giving up control of our lives to the Lord. Can't He be trusted? Do we think He is going to lie to us? Do we think He has something besides our best interest at heart? Do we think He is going to do something to hurt us?

If anyone deserves our trust, it is Him. After all, He created us, He loves us, He demonstrated His great love for us by giving up His One and Only Son to die for our sins so that we can have eternal life. How much more then should we trust Him. We should trust Him more than we trust anyone else because no one else loves us like He does.

While living in this world we do have to trust others that we don't know, but if we are willing to trust them how much more should we be willing to trust the Lord.

Have a great day. If we will trust people we don't know with our lives, how much more should we trust the Lord who we do know with them.

For further reading:

Psalm 115:11; 118:8,9
Jeremiah 17:7
Proverbs 16:20

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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.

"Abundant Water - Part 2"

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19


Yesterday we talked about how it is God who quenches the thirst that we have, not ourselves. He promises to send water upon those who are thirsty and abundant water upon those who are dry. Like He told the woman at the well that if we will drink from the water that He gives- salvation- we will never thirst again. Salvation quenches that thirsty place within us. But even after we have received this life giving water there are times when we become "dry" and need to be refreshed. 

I want to talk about "times" of refreshing this morning. Salvation is that one time experience, but times of refreshing have to happen continuously. We have to do like the old timers used to say, "Get under the spout where the glory comes out". Just because the "rain of His Spirit" flooded your soul and refreshed you yesterday doesn't mean you don't need it to happen again today.

I am having to water my plants daily. It has been so hot that if I miss a day you can certainly tell it. The affects of not having rain show up in them. They get dry and will start wilting. They look like they are dying. But once I water them, the transformation is noticeable-- they perk up, begin to bloom and look healthy again.

If we don't receive the refreshing water of God's Spirit continually (by that I mean daily, even several times a day- sometimes I have to water my plants morning and evening) our lives become "wilted" and "dry". The affects will show up in behavior and attitude. We will not be as joyous. Confusion will overtake our peace. The Fruit of the Spirit will not be very evident. We won't be fruitful. We will find ourselves gravitating more to the flesh. We will be spiritually unhealthy.

Does this describe how you feel? Have you been "lifeless and dry"? Have you been wondering why you are experiencing this? Have you looked for an answer to change it? Your answer is "water", each and every day. You have a promise from the One who does the watering that He will send water upon you-- "Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary." (Psalm 68:9)-- but you must take time to get alone with the Lord and let Him water you until the refreshing comes.

Have a great day. Feeling dry? You need water to refresh you and you need it continuously.

For further reading:

Isaiah 35:7; 55:1; 44:3
John 7:37;38

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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.

"Abundant Water"

"For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." Isaiah 44:3

Mankind is always trying to solve his own problems. We have to face it--- we can't. We need help. We need God's help because while we can't, He can. For example we can't quench our own thirst. There is a "thirsting" within us that is longing to be satisfied. We try to quench it but without success. We have tried to quench it through sensual pleasures, through entertainment, through education, through hobbies, through mind-altering substances, and an endless list of other activity. We may find something that will quench it for the moment, but then it always comes back.

Are you trying to quench your own thirst? Are you trying to satisfy that dry place in your life? You can't. You can't give yourself "water". You can't produce the "rain" that you need. But God can. In the verse above He said, "I will". When the heavens were shut up and there had been no rain upon the land for over three years, Elijah prayed for rain and the heavens opened up and the rain began to fall. Did Elijah do that? Did he produce the rain? He prayed for it, but God created it and God sent it.

This morning God is wanting to pour water upon those thirsty areas in your life. He is wanting to saturate you with "heavenly" showers. He doesn't want to only send enough to dampen your life, He wants to send "floods". He wants to send it in abundance. Twice in our opening verse He said, "I will" do this. You can't do it. But He will do it.

When it rains, the earth just receives it and lets it "happen". God is ready to send water- cleansing and refreshing- to your life. He is ready to send floods to your dry places to cause them to come back to life and bloom again. Cry out for the rain like Elijah did and get ready, it is coming. Then just receive, bask in and enjoy the abundant rain of peace, grace, strength, provision and blessings that will flood your soul.

Have a great day. You can't water your own life, but God can and will, and He will do it in abundance.

For further reading:

Isaiah 43:19,20; 55:1
John 7:37; 4:13,14; 6:35
Psalm 63:1; 68:9
Matthew 5:6
1 Kings 18:41-45

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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.

"Fear Of The Lord"

"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways." Psalm 128:1

Sometimes we wonder what it means to "fear the Lord". Does it mean we are suppose to tremble when we approach Him and be afraid of Him? Does it mean we are suppose to reverence Him? It means both. But the "fear of the Lord" is not demonstrated by trembling in terror, it is demonstrated by obedience.

The fear of the Lord is defined in the verse above-- "that walks in His ways". The fear of the Lord means that we respect and honor God enough to walk in His ways, keep His commandments and do His will. The fear of the Lord is not doing what we want, and putting our will and plans above His for us.

There are blessings that are attached to the fear of the Lord. When we have the fear of the Lord (and not just say we do), we get to enjoy those blessings-- they are given to us by God Himself.

Are you walking in the fear of the Lord? Do you respect Him? Do you reverence Him? Is His will more important to you than your own? Are you following Him- yielded and obedient to what He desires? Think about it, search your heart, look at your lifestyle and see if you have the fear of the Lord.

Have a great day. The fear of the Lord is to respect the Lord and show that respect by doing His will and not your own.

For further reading:

Psalm 128; 111:10
Job 28:28
Isaiah 33:6
Proverbs 9:10; 10:27; 14:26

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"Let The Burden Go"

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Does this verse describe you? Are you weary? Weary of trying to do things your way? Are you burdened? Struggling with what to do and how to do it? Are you under a burden of guilt and condemnation? Are you burdened by the extras you are taking on? Are you exhausted from trying to live a perfect life? Are you beating yourself up because you don't seem to be able to accomplish it? Then this verse is for you.

The Lord is giving you an invitation to lay down all your cares, to let go of the heavy burdens, to come out from under the load of guilt and to have peace and rest. How do you accept this invitation? You do it by applying the first three words-- "Come unto Me".

Go to Him, don't stay there continuing to "work it out". Don't keep trying to no avail. Don't keep laboring. Lay it down at His feet. Hand it over to Him. Place it in His hands. And then you will stop struggling. You will stop being confused. Then your burden will lift and your labor- weariness and exhaustion- will stop.

Have a great. Accept the Lord's gracious invitation to come to Him and lay your burdens down. Then you will receive His rest.

For further reading:

Matthew 11:29
1 Peter 5:7
Luke 10:39-42

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"The Sidewalk To Nowhere"

"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." Isaiah 29:13

Recently, we took a trip and at the hotel we stayed in there was a sidewalk that was in the middle of the yard. It looked very odd because it was just there. It wasn't attached to anything. It wasn't a path that led you from one building to another. The function of a sidewalk is to be a path that leads you to somewhere else. I called it the "sidewalk to nowhere" because it did not take you anywhere-- it just ended. Something that I noticed about this sidewalk was that it looked to be in good condition. It was well kept-- the grass was mowed and weeded around it. It was obvious that the ground's keeper has not ignored it.

The more I thought about this oddity, the more it made me think about people who are religious. Their lives are like this "sidewalk". They look good. They look like they have a purpose. Their religious appearance is well maintained-- they go to church, they give alms, they quote the scriptures, they sing in the choir, they have been baptized-- they do all their religious duties. But the trouble with religion only is that like this sidewalk, they aren't attached to anything.

Jesus died so that we can have a relationship with the Heavenly Father. He did not die to give us another religion. Religion does not attach you to Jesus. It does not bring you into a relationship with God, therefore, your life is like an unattached sidewalk that looks good and looks well-kept but is a dead end and just there.

Without a relationship with the Father through Jesus the Son, our lives are like this sidewalk, if we stay on it it will keep us going nowhere. We will be spending our time, energy, strength and effort going back and forth and back and forth over the same path and never getting anywhere-- kind of like the Israelites in the wilderness who went around and around the same mountain over and over again but never got anywhere. Without a relationship with Jesus, not only are we like a disconnected path that goes nowhere, we can't lead anyone else to Jesus and eternal life. If they follow our lives they will find themselves on a path that goes nowhere except back and forth, unattached to anything.

Is your life like the sidewalk that leads to nowhere? You look good but are not attached to Jesus. Are you religious but don't have a relationship that attaches you to Him?

Have a great day. Religion will take you nowhere. Having a relationship with Jesus will take you to the Heavenly Father and eternal life.

For further reading:

Matthew 7:21,22
Luke 6:46
Ephesians 2:8,9

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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.

"Blessings In Temptation"

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." James 1:12

Are we tempted? Do temptations come our way? Are we faced with temptations? Yes, to all. We are not exempt from temptations-- none of us. Even our beloved Savior Jesus was tempted. Being tempted is not a sin. Giving into the temptation is.

Often we focus on the consequences of yielding to temptations-- and there are consequences. But we tend to forget that there is a blessing when we don't give in and when we stand firm against them.

We don't tend to recognize the blessing because it doesn't always look like one. When Joseph resisted Potiphar's wife, he was thrown into prison. When the three Hebrews refused to bow before the statue, they were thrown into the fiery furnace. They didn't look very "blessed", but they were.

When we stand firm and resist giving into the temptation that we face, it may look like anything but a blessing-- it may look other wise. But there is a blessing attached-- it's an eternal blessing, it's a crown of life, it's a promise from the Lord Himself. So keep resisting; keep enduring; keep standing firm when you are tempted you will receive a blessing from the Lord Himself.

Have a great day. We often focus on the consequences of yielding to temptation, but there is a blessing attached as well when we don't.

For further reading:

Matthew 4:1-11
1 Corinthians 10:13
2 Peter 2:9

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"No Time For God"

"And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him." Zephaniah 1:6

I watched a program the other evening about whether there is a God and did He create the universe. The findings were based on a study by a particular scientist. Of course he concluded that the universe created itself and that there is no God. After all his reasoning and studying he came to this conclusion by determining that there was a point when there was no time- time did not exist- therefore, there was no time for God.

I am not here this morning to debate the subject of his conclusion. There is no debate. There IS God, He exist and He did create all that is. He did not, and does not, need the existence of time in which to exist. He exist outside of time. He created time. He is the Ancient of Days-- the One who existed in the eternal past before there was time. He will always exist because He is the Eternal God who will be even if time as we know it does not exist. When people make such conclusions, the Bible has a scripture that identifies them. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." Hebrews 1:22. (May I add, these people need our prayers that they would come to the truth because one day they will have a rude awakening-- they will stand before this God that they claimed did not exist and when they do He will be their Judge.)

What I do want to address this morning is what he said-- "There is no time for God". While he meant that there was no existence of time so there was no place for God to exist, I want to look at his statement in a different context. In this context there was a good amount of truth in his statement. People don't make time for God. They are too busy making time for other things-- their own goals, ambitions, desires, pleasures, hobbies, career, and so on. They have time for everything else-- they make time for any and every thing else that they want to do, but not time for God. Sadly, these people who have "no time for God" are not worldly, unsaved people; I am mostly referring to professing Christians.

I want to ask you a question-- do you have time for God or no time for God? Do you make time to have communion with Him each day? Do you reserve a place on your daily calendar to read and study His Word? Do you make time to be led by His Spirit into whatever service He may call upon you to do each day? Do you go throughout your whole day never making any time for Him and find yourself falling asleep at the end of the day having neglected- even at least a little- time for Him? Do other things besides Him consume your time? How much of your time does He actually get each day or in any given week? Or are you guilty of having "no time for God"?

Have a great day. Do you make time for everything else, but leave no time for God?

For further reading:

2 Chronicles 26:5
Matthew 6:33
Daniel 7:9,13,22
Genesis 1:1
John 1:3

 

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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.

"Remember The Great Things"

"The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad." Psalm 126:3

There are times that make the heart sad. There are afflictions, times of grief, times that try our faith and test us. Having moments of sadness is natural under certain conditions, but to live in a constant state of sadness is not natural for the believer. We should have joy in our lives-- even in tribulations.

What causes us to live under a cloud of sadness? What keeps us from enjoying abundant life and happiness? Evidently, it is because we have forgotten all the great things the Lord has done for us. There is no way you can stay in "sadness" when you begin to rehearse and recall what great things the Lord has done for you. It is impossible.

The greatest thing He has done for us is given us life. We have been delivered from death unto eternal life by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. It was God's great love for us that caused Him to send His Son into the world to pay the redemptive price for our sins. Just thinking about His great love for you, His great gift of eternal life and being rescued so that you will never taste death should bring a smile to your face and gladness to your heart.

Did you wake us this morning? Do you have breath in your body? That is a great thing that the Lord has done for you-- you didn't wake yourself up, you aren't supplying your own oxygen. It is because of His great goodness toward you.

What about His great and exceeding precious promises? They are promises He has made to YOU! You are an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ-- these promises are part of your inheritance as His child. What a great thing He has done for you by accepting you, by giving you access before His presence, by allowing you to come boldly before His throne, by giving you unlimited grace, mercy instead of judgment, help in time of trouble, power over the enemy, His Holy Spirit to comfort you, His word to guide you and His peace to establish you.

How can you not be glad, how can you continue to stay sad when you think about the truly great things He has done for you? You can't.

Have a great day. You can't stay sad when you think about the great things the Lord has done for you.

For further reading:

1 Samuel 12:24
Job 5:9; 9:10
Psalm 71:19; 126:2
John 3:16, 17
2 Peter 1:4

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"Know About Him, Or Know Him?"

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:23

There is a big difference in knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus. Most people tend to get the two confused. They believe that just because they know about Him it is well with their soul. Not necessarily so. Jesus said it was about knowing Him.

I know about the President. I know who he is. I know facts and figures about him because I have either read it or heard it on television. I even recognize his face when I see it in an article. I can also tell you things about him that are true because of what I have learned. But I don't know him personally. I have never met him.

Who would say that they know the President personally just because they know about him? Just because they have read about him? Just because they had heard about him? Just because they have heard things that he has said? No one. So why would we say that we know Jesus based on the same criteria?

Just because you know facts and figures about Jesus, just because you have read about Him in the Bible, just because you have heard others talk about Him, just because you have heard His teachings, just because you tell others some facts that you have learned about Him doesn't mean you know Him. It is not an automatic. You have to "meet Him personally" and develop a relationship with Him to be able to say you actually know Him.

It is going to be a very sad day for many when we stand before the Lord one day. They will believe that He is going to receive them into heaven because they thought that knowing about Him was the same thing as knowing Him. They will have a rude awakening, just like the people in the verse above.

Make sure that is not you. Make sure you don't just know about Jesus. Make sure you don't confuse knowing about Him with actually knowing Him. Make sure today that you do know Him and have a relationship with Him.

Have a great day. Knowing about Jesus and knowing Him are not the same thing.

For further reading:

Matthew 7:22,23
John 12:26; 10:14
Mark 8:34
Luke 9:23
1 Corinthians 8:3

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"Spiritual Deafness"

"And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue." Mark 7:33

 

When we are born, we are all born deaf-- spiritually deaf because of sin. The only "ears/hearing" that we have is our natural ability to hear natural sounds and "fleshly ears" that hear the sounds of the flesh. We can't hear spiritual sounds-- we have to have "spiritual ears" in order to hear them. "He that hath an ear, let him hear."

Having the ability to hear spiritually doesn't come automatically. It doesn't just happen. We don't work hard enough in order to learn how to hear spiritual sounds. Natural birth gives us our natural hearing, spiritual birth gives us our spiritual hearing. At the "new birth" the Lord places His "fingers in our ears" so that we can now hear what His Spirit is saying to us. He removes spiritual deafness.

Once we have received our "spiritual ears/hearing", it is then up to us to maintain our hearing. We must guard against getting "spiritual wax build up", or anything else that would cause us to become spiritually hard of hearing. We do this by continually listening to God's word- through reading it, through hearing it preached, through meditating on it. We keep our spiritual hearing healthy by obedience. When we ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit, when we quench Him, when we disobey, when we go our way instead of following His direction, we are allowing our hearing to become dull. Each time we do it gets a little harder for us to hear Him the next time He speaks to us-- that still, small voice becomes almost indiscernible. Our spiritual hearing is also kept keen through praise and worship. Praise and worship refocuses you. It causes all your "spiritual senses" to be attentive in one direction-- on the Lord. Lastly, we keep our hearing healthy by not listening to evil, negative speaking that is against the Word of God. Our hearing has to be guarded from error so that it is able to hear truth.

Are you doing what it takes to keep your spiritual hearing healthy? Have you become hard of hearing? Is your hearing keen or almost deaf?

Have a great day. God gives us spiritual hearing at the new birth, but we have to maintain it everyday and keep it healthy.

For further reading:

Matthew 11:15; 13:9,43
Revelation 2:7,11,17, 29
1 Corinthians 2:14

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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.

"Unchanging"

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8

I feel impressed to remind you this morning that the Lord does not change and He is forever the same regardless of the situation you are facing. He doesn't change just because your circumstances do. He is the same when you are in the valley and when you are on the mountaintop. He's the same when it is day time, and when it is night. He is the same God when you are in the furnace as He is when you are in the storm. The times of testing don't change Him. He isn't one way in the lion's den and another in the wilderness.

His love and compassion doesn't change just because things change in your life. His power and His strength doesn't change. His grace and His mercy isn't affected by a change in the atmosphere. His faithfulness stays the same day after day after day.

Trials change us-- they either make us better or bitter. Situations change us-- they take us from one place to another. But nothing changes who He is and what He does-- He remains the same.

Today remember that He stays the same and doesn't change. Meditate on this truth today. Let it remove all doubt. Let it restore your peace of mind in the situation you are facing. Let it bring you renewed hope and comfort.

Have a great day. Remember that God does not change.

For further reading:

Malachi 3:6
Deuteronomy 7:9
Isaiah 25:1

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"At The Beginning"

"In the beginning God..." Genesis 1:1a

At the very beginning before any else was-- there was God.

At the beginning of creation-- there was God. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

At the beginning of your creation (your own individual life)-- there was God. "Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb." Isaiah 44:2

At the beginning of your new birth-- there was God. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." John 6:44

If God is at the beginning "of it all- of everything", then should He not also be at the beginning in every decision you make? Should you not seek His council first before you seek out the council and wisdom of man? Should you not seek His direction first before you try to figure out your own direction or plan?

Should you not put Him first, at the beginning of each day- instead of attaching Him to the end? Should you not start the day with Him and then go with Him throughout the rest of it?

It is surprising that when we need help, when we need guidance, when we need comfort, when we need strength, or anything else, we usually place God at the end of the line or bottom of the list. He should always be at the beginning-- the first place you go. He will be there at the end as well because He is the Beginning and the End, the Author and the Finisher, the First and the Last. But we should be giving Him His rightful place in our lives, in all of it, and that place is at the beginning.

Have a great day. Is God at the beginning of your life?

For further reading:

John 1:1
Matthew 6:33
Proverbs 3:5,6
Revelation 22:13
Hebrews 12:2

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.

"Not Impossible With God"

"For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37

 

I have heard this verse preached in many different ways. Its meaning depends on where you place the emphasis.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible". There is nothing that is impossible for God to do. He created all that exists. He can cause blind eyes to see, deaf ears to hear, lame feet to walk, heal disease, send water from a rock, turn back the clock, etc. There is nothing that He cannot do- nothing is too hard or difficult for Him.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible". It is impossible for God to do nothing. He does not just sit in heaven twiddling His thumbs looking for something to do. He is always commanding, creating, working, fulfilling, revealing and moving on behalf of all of mankind.

Another meaning from the verse I want to focus on this morning is-- "For with God nothing shall be impossible". When we are "with God", and God is with us, there is nothing that shall be impossible for us. "With God", we can do all things. It is not impossible for us to love our enemies, forgive those who hurt us and bless those who curse us when we are "with God". When we are "with God", who can be against us. When we are "with God", it is impossible to go through the fire and get burned. It is impossible to go through a storm and be drowned. It is impossible when we are "with God" for the situation not to work together for our good.

When God was with Moses and Moses was "with God", it was impossible for the Red Sea to stand its ground and not part. When God was with Joshua and Joshua was "with God", it was impossible for the sun not to obey him and set before the battle was won. When God was with Daniel and Daniel was "with God", it was impossible for those lions to devour Him.

When we are "with Him" and He is with us, He empowers, strengthens, enlightens, gives us grace, gives us wisdom, fights our battles, heals us, delivers us, saves us, rescues us, helps us, and gives us everything we need. So therefore nothing shall be impossible for us to do when He is with us because nothing is impossible for Him.

Have a great day. When we are "with God" nothing shall be impossible.

For further reading:

Matthew 17:20
Philippians 4:13
Romans 8:28, 31

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.