"Mountain Mover"

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matthew 17:20

 

What do you do with the mountain that you are facing? Do you cry about it? Do you complain about it? Do you threaten it? Do you try to "chisel" away at it? Do you try to find a way around it? No, you "speak" to it. Speaking to the mountain is what causes it to move. But you can't just speak anything. You speak the Word of God-- the scriptures, the promises of God, Biblical truths and principles. 

 

God's word is the weapon and the instrument that causes mountains to move. His word is the only thing powerful enough to change the situation. And when you speak it, you have to speak it in faith. And you don't have to have "mountain" size faith, just the faith the size of a grain of mustard seed. Because your faith is not in your ability to remove the mountain, your faith is in the One who removes the mountain and in His word. You aren't removing it, God's word is taking care of that. Our part is to believe that "God is and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

 

So what are you doing about the mountain you are facing today? Are you trying to make it go away in your own strength? If so, it will never move. You have to speak God's word over it. But when you do, you have to speak it with assurance that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. You may say, I have been doing that and the mountain is still there. That is not your concern. Your part is to just trust God that He is taking care of it-- His way. He is the mountain mover and He knows exactly what, why, when and how to move it. Just place the mountain in His hand and trust that He is faithful.

 

Have a great day. Speak to the mountain and place your faith in God's word to remove it. 

 

For further reading:

Ephesians 3:20

Hebrews 10:23; 4:12

Jeremiah 32:27

 

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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.

"Winning Over Smaller Enemies"

"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." Zechariah 4:6

Battles fought in our own strength are already destined to be lost. Attempting anything in our own strength is doomed to fail from the get go. Trying to make something happen in our own strength only makes it worse. 

 

Joshua and the Israelites went out to fight against the city of Ai and lost. They tried to conquer it in their own strength, they did not seek the Lord. They had just won a battle against the city of Jericho. It was a city that was many times larger than the small city of Ai. Having won the battle over the larger one, they thought for sure that the battle against the smaller one would be an easy win. They were wrong. They were the ones who were defeated.

 

What happened? Why couldn't they defeat such a small city especially after they had defeated a much larger one? The reason is simple. God was with them fighting the battle at Jericho. They weren't fighting it in their own strength, might or power. They were fighting it by His Spirit and power. God wasn't with them fighting the battle at Ai. They were fighting it in their own strength, power and might.

 

You may be trying to overcome and conquer something that seems "small", but if you are fighting it in your own strength you too will be defeated. It doesn't matter the "size" of the enemy, the Lord's strength is the only thing that is a match for it, not your strength. Bring God into your battle. Seek Him for His wisdom. Lean upon His strength. Trust in His power. With Him nothing is impossible or too difficult to overcome- regardless of its size. 

 

Have a great day. Small "enemies" are just as powerful as the larger ones when you try to fight them in your own strength.

 

For further reading:

Mark 10:27

Joshua 7

2 Corinthians 12:9

 

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

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.

"Real Life"

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" Matthew 6:25

 

I woke up this morning with a chorus I haven't heard in a long time repeating over and over in my thoughts. Let me share it with you. "Oh my Jesus, rock of my salvation. Who bore the weight of Calvary's wood and shame. And cleansed my sin in the crimson flow of mercy. Precious Jesus, rock of my salvation"

 

I would like to remind you this morning that out of all that we think life is about- what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, where to live, what job to have, etc.- life really boils down to this one thing-- what you do with what God has done for you. God loved you so much that He sent His one and only Son Jesus to die on the cross to bear your sins in order that you might have salvation and eternal life. 

 

God purchased salvation for you, then He extended it to you as a free gift. What are you going to do with it? I said life really boils down to this one thing because this is the most important thing. Without salvation nothing else matters- "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36) All our hard work, all our worldly accomplishments, all the wealth we may acquire, are like treasures that moth and rust corrupt and thieves steal. It is all temporary in the end. 

 

Sadly, we live our lives seeking after and working for the temporary and we neglect the eternal. We go about our business giving no thought to it. We are so busy with working on "life" that we miss out on "life" (real life, abundant life, eternal life that comes through Jesus Christ). 

 

So I ask you- what will you do with what God has done for you? What will you do with this free gift of salvation? What will you do with Jesus; will you make Him your Savior? What will you do with your life? Will you spend it on temporary things and miss out on the eternal? Or will you receive God's free gift of salvation and enjoy real living?

 

Have a great day. What will you do with what God has done for you?

 

For further reading:

John 3:16; 10:10

Romans 5:8; 6:23

Matthew 6:19

2 Corinthians 4:18 

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

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.

"Run To, Not From God"

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." James 4:8

 

What do you do when you fail the Lord? What do you do when you know you sinned? What do you do when you know you messed up or disobeyed the Lord? If you are not careful you tend to want to run. I am not talking about trying to run from the consequences of your actions, I am talking about running from God. Adam and Eve did that. They tried to run and hide from God after they had sinned. 

 

During the times I asked you about you can either make the choice to run from God or run to God. When you fail, shame and guilt will try to get you to run from Him. When you sinned, the guilt will try to make you run from Him. When you disobey, the condemnation will take to make you run from Him. 

 

Running from God is the worse thing you can do. It will only take you further down the road of guilt, shame, pain, etc. The enemy wants you to run from God. The last thing he wants you to do is run to Him. He knows it is when we run to God that we find peace, help, strength and forgiveness. As we draw near to the Lord, He draws near to us. The Bible says that God is ready to forgive. He longs to pour out forgiveness, grace, mercy and restoration on us.

 

Are you running from Him or to Him this morning? Are you letting what you have done take you further away from Him, or will you let it take you closer to Him and His forgiving embrace of grace? His desire is that you run to Him. Don't let anything stop you.

 

Have a great day. Don't run from God, no matter what you have done. Run to Him and let Him help you.

 

For further reading:

Genesis 3:8-10

Psalm 73:28; 86:5

Hebrews 10:30

1 John 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.

"The Anchor"

"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." Hebrews 6:18,19

 

There are times when we feel our faith slipping, when we are overwhelmed by the situation, and when we are bombarded by the cares of this life. During those times it often feels as though God is a million miles away. You can't feel His presence, you aren't hearing His voice, you don't sense that He is there and you certainly can't see Him. Darkness shrouds any glimpse of Him. Fear shouts so loudly that it drowns out His voice. You see no end to the tunnel much less any light. You feel as though you are not going to make it, but are going to drown instead. These times hit all of us- some are because we have opened the door to them, some are through no fault of our own, some are just a natural result of life, others are an attack of the enemy.

 

What do we do in those times? How do we "stay afloat"? How do we keep from going under? What can we do in order to not give up and throw in the towel? Hold fast your profession of faith without wavering. How do we do that? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. You hold on to God's Word. 

 

Let me paint you a picture. There is a ship in the sea, there are waves and there is the shoreline. The shoreline is rocky. It has jagged rocks that are exposed on the shore and some that are hidden underneath. As the waves come the ship can be pushed into the shoreline. If it is, it can run aground, it can have its hull damaged, it can wreck on the rocks. 

 

The ship is us floating through life. At times the waves come (all the things we mentioned earlier). They try to push us into the shoreline on the rocks- the place of destruction.

 

Look back at the picture again with me. The ship doesn't seem to be moving closer to the shore. The waves are beating on it. It looks like it is swaying some but it is not moving into the rocky area. It seems to be just "standing still" on the water. Why? The ship is strong and large, but the waves are equally as strong and fierce so the ship's own strength is not holding it secure. It is because underneath the ship is an anchor. The anchor holds it in place. It keeps it from moving any closer to danger. It holds it save in a certain location. 

 

When the waves of life beat upon us, when we "feel" nothing, when we doubt and question, we too can hold steady, we don't have to be destroyed, we have an anchor that will hold us firm, secure and safe-- that anchor is God's Word. 

 

I know I have been lengthy this morning. But you can always count on God's Word when you can't see, hear, or feel anything else. God's Word will always be there, it is forever settled, it is quick, sharp and powerful, it is an invincible weapon, you can stand upon it and even though you may sway a little or be rocked somewhat by the waves, the anchor of God's Word holds firm and tight. So cast the "anchor" down today and let His Word hold you safely in place.

 

Have a great day. God's Word is the anchor that holds us in place when everything is beating upon us. 

 

For further reading:

Psalm 119:105;89

Hebrews 4:12; 10:23

Romans 10:17

 

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

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.

"Guilt Free"

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1

 

None of us are perfect. We have all made mistakes. We have all done things we should not have done, said things we shouldn't have said, and acted in ways we should not have acted. We have all been guilty of hurting someone else, making wrong choices, or having a bad attitude. We have all done things we wish we had done differently or could change. There are things we have said that we wish we had not said or could take back. The truth is that no matter how much we regret some things said or done, no matter how much we wish we had not done them, no matter how much we wish we could go back and do it over again, or how hard we try to correct them, what was done was done and what was said was said- you can't change it. 

 

While we can't change some things that we did or said, there is one thing that we can do about it and that is not allow the guilt of what was done to affect us now. Are you holding on to the guilt of past mistakes? Are you feeling guilty for not handling a situation in a different way? Are you being beat up by guilt over something you did last year, ten years ago, thirty years ago? Well, if you are then it is time to let it go. It is time to come out from under the guilt. It is time to release yourself and stop carrying it around. It is time you leave it back there in the past where it happened. 

 

Jesus gives you an invitation to come to Him and give Him your burdens. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) This invitation includes those who are laboring under guilt. It includes those who are bearing the burden of guilt. It includes those who are "loaded down" by guilt. Will you acknowledge His invitation today in the affirmative by giving the guilt to Him once and for all? Will you stop beating yourself up, stop blaming yourself, stop letting it rob you of peace and joy and receive His rest from the burden of guilt? 

 

Have a great day. We are all guilty of some offense, but we don't have to be guilty of holding on to guilt because of it. 

 

For further reading:

1 Peter 5:7

Psalm 51:2

John 8:36

 

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

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 Surprise"

"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side." Mark 4:35

 

Our scripture text is taken from the story of Jesus and the disciples when they were in the boat and a storm came up. The disciples were afraid for their lives but Jesus was asleep in the boat. When Jesus told them to get into the boat and go to the other side, He knew they would encounter a storm. When the Lord delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, He knew Pharaoh would pursue and they would be trapped between the sea and the army. When Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, the Spirit knew there would be temptations. When we walk with the Lord, we too will face these same kinds of trying times. But nothing that we face takes God by surprise. He doesn't back up and say, "Oh, no, where did that come from?" He is never blindsided, caught off guard or unaware of the surroundings. He always sees, He always knows, He always knows ahead of time even before we know it. 

 

In each instance above, we see God making a way through the trial. We see His presence on the scene. We see that He has the whole situation under control. If you are in a storm, if you are facing an enemy, if you are in a hopeless situation, if you are being sorely tempted, don't lose sight of the fact that the Lord is in the "boat" with you. Never forget that He is going ahead of you to make a way so that you can "cross over" safely. Don't forget that He is with you empowering you for what you are facing. 

 

Have a great day. God is never surprised by the things we face, and He is right there making a way for us. 

 

For further reading:

Mark 4:35-40

Matthew 4:1-11

Exodus 14

 

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

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.

"Course Of Action"

"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." Acts 16:25

 

When we are going through trials, trying times and difficulties, there are three courses of action that we can take.

 

1) We can use the weapon of God's word. When the devil came to Jesus in the wilderness to tempt Him to sin, Jesus used the "sword of the Spirit" (God's word/the scriptures) as His course of action to withstand the temptations and put the devil on the run. "It is written".

 

2) We can "stand still" and allow God to fight the battle for us. When Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, the Moabites, Ammonites and many other countries were coming against him in battle. The word that the Lord sent to him was- "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you." (2 Chronicles 20:17) His course of action was to obey God's word to be still and let God fight for him. 

 

3) We praise the Lord. When Paul and Silas was in prison, they didn't whine and cry, they didn't murmur and complain, they didn't make loud threats to the jailors, they didn't get angry with God, instead they sang praises and prayed. There are times when a song isn't within us, when a praise is not felt, when praise seems like the last thing that you can do, that you just have to step out in faith and say, "Hallelujah any how". You just have to decide to praise the Lord in spite of the circumstance. These men were sitting in prison at midnight with their feet in stocks. Praise was the last thing a person could think about under those conditions, yet it was exactly what they did. 

 

You may be going through a midnight time- a time of darkness, grief and despair. You may be sitting in a prison- a prison of fear, dread, hopelessness. You may have your feet bound by stocks- unable to go forward or retreat, stuck in a situation with no freedom in sight. It is then when your course of action has to be to "praise the Lord". It is in these times that you have to look past your circumstances, past the conditions, past what you see and praise Him anyway. As you do, the darkness of hopelessness and despair will begin to break forth into the light of hope. As you do the chains of fear will begin to loosen. As you do the prison doors with shake, and you will experience an inner change and freedom even though the situation may not change but stay the same.

 

Have a great day. In trying times you have a course of action to take. One course is that of praise. 

 

For further reading:

Acts 16:12-26

Psalm 46:10

2 Chronicles 20:1-17

Matthew 4:1-11

Ephesians 6:11-17

 

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

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.

"He Is Touched"

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

 

Many people put their belief, trust and hope in many different things. Some put their trust in money; some in false gods; some in concepts; others in philosophies and some even put it in self. None of these things can give you comfort and hope. They don't have the power or ability to do so. There is only one that we can put our complete trust, faith, and hope in, and that is Jesus.

 

Why? What makes Him different? Why is He trustworthy? Why can we find help from Him when we can't find help in other things? It is because He is "touched with the feelings of our infirmities". He knows what it is like. He became a man and experienced what we experience. He knows what infirmities are-- He suffered times of physical weakness, He was hungry, He was thirsty, He was tempted. (But keep in mind that He never sinned though.)

 

This morning know this-- He is touched by your infirmities. He knows your body is feeble and lacks strength. He knows you don't always understand the things that happen to you. He knows you aren't always able to accomplish the things you would like to accomplish because of your inabilities. He knows that you are weak to combat the cravings of your flesh on your own. He knows that there are times you are not able to bear the trials you are going through. 

 

"He is touched". He sympathizes with you. He has compassion on you and feels in His heart what you are going through. And unlike anyone else, He doesn't just "feel for you", He is able to do something about it. He gives you His power and strength to continue to go forward when you are feeling weak. He gives you His grace to help you bear up under the trying times. He upholds you with His strong right arm. He fights your battles for you. He is the glory and lifter of your head. He bears your sorrows and carries your grief. He imparts His peace to your heart and mind.

 

He is touched this morning by your infirmities because He knows what you are going through. He is touched this morning in a very deep way. He is touched because He loves you and cares about you. So look to Him today and cast your infirmities on Him. He has already dealt with them and will help you deal with them today.

 

Have a great day. Jesus is touched by your feelings of weakness. 

 

For further reading:

Isaiah 53:3; 61:1

2 Corinthians 12:9

John 14:27

Matthew 9:36

 

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

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.

"Our God And Our Father"

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." Galatians 1:4

 

"God and our Father". For thousands of years mankind has been serving gods. Each culture has had their gods that they have prayed to and worshipped. Of course there is only one true and living God and all others have been and are false. But in man's worship of these false gods, we see a certain distinction that separates who/what they worship from the Christian God. Their gods are only an object of worship and service. That is all. They bow before them, they seek to make them happy, they call upon them for help.. period, that is all. What sets our God apart is the fact that He not only is the object of our worship and service but He is "God AND our FATHER". 

 

He is God who desires a relationship with us. He allows us to enter into a relationship with Him. He comes into a relationship with us through His Son Jesus that He refers to as a Father to children. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, God becomes our Father. The Father who loves us, who takes care of us, who provides for us, and who cares about what we are going through. It is not all just a "one way street" like those others where they can only hope to please their god by their acts. All the action is on the adherent's part in hopes that their god will do something for them. For us the action is more on the part of our God and what He has done and does for us-- He gave, He so loved, He called, He draws near, etc.

 

God is our God, never lose sight of that and give Him the honor and reverence that He is due. But also remember that He is your loving Heavenly Father who really loves you and cares about you and desires a close personal relationship with you as well. 

 

Have a great day. Our God is not just our God, He is also our Father who loves us.

 

For further reading:

John 1:12; John 3:16,17

1 John 3:1,2

Psalm 68:5

 

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

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.

"There Are Benefits"

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

 

Who would "take pleasure" in infirmities, persecution, distress? That is unheard of. We take pleasure in just the opposite- freedom from them. Yet the apostle rejoiced in the fact that he was going through such hardships. The word for pleasure means: to do willingly; to be well pleased with, to be favorably inclined toward. One might think that either Paul was crazy or he had discovered something good about them.

 

The fact is, he did find something beneficial. He understood that it was in those times that he discovered that the power of Christ rest upon him. It was in the times of infirmities that he discovered strength instead of weakness. It was during such trials that he saw the marvelous grace of God, the peace of God that passes understanding, the wisdom of God manifested, and the glory of God revealed. 

 

A friend and I were talking the other day about her son. He is still in high school and also has a part time job. She said he loves his job but not school. She wised he was equally as excited about school as he is about the job. The reason he like his job more is because he sees the benefits from it-- a pay check. He doesn't see the benefits of school at the moment but the education he is getting now will benefit him throughout the rest of his life. We are like this young man, we see more benefits in having a carefree, easy, no problems life. We like those things that give us "instant gratification" and make us happy now. The things that Paul described don't. Yet, just because we don't see the benefits at the moment, just because we don't see how anything good can come from them, there are benefits that we receive that will sustain us for the rest of our lives.

 

While not everything we go through is good, there is something beneficial that can come out of it- God will see to it because He knows how to work all things together for our good. When we start looking at our trials in this light, then we too will find ourselves "taking pleasure" in them instead of complaining about them. 

 

Have a great day. Look at what you are going through in light of the benefits that are attached to it. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:28; 5:1-5

 

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

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 Place of Grace"

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

 

Three times Paul prayed for the removal of the "thorn in his flesh". The scripture above was God's answer. The Lord didn't say He would remove it, instead He told Paul that His grace and strength would be there with him. To me this indicates that there are some things that we will have to walk through. There is no getting out of them. They are a part of life, a part of our spiritual journey, and a part of the process of developing Christ's character in our lives. But just because we have to go through them, it doesn't mean that we go through them alone.

 

God gave Paul, and us, a promise-- "My grace is sufficient, my strength is made perfect in your weakness". This is one of the most comforting promises in the Bible. It is God's own grace and His own strength that will be with us- not that of another person. His grace will always be enough- it will never fall short, it will never come up lacking, it will not run out. His strength will always be strong enough- it will not need any outside help, it will not grow tired or weary. 

 

God not only gives grace, His very presence is grace. He not only gives strength, He is strength. Where He is His grace and strength are. For the born again believer He is dwelling inside of us so that means grace and strength are always present within us. Grace is not just an event. It is not something that only comes upon us when we are in need or going through a trying time. The grace of God is present with us always. Grace is a Person (the Lord), it is an endowment, it is our "traveling companion", but it is also a "place"- the place (state) in which we live.

 

It is grace that saves us. It is grace that keeps us saved. It is grace that gets us out of bed each morning and gives us the air we breath. It is grace that keeps us from losing our mind when problems get more than we can bear. It is grace that keeps us from throwing in the towel. It is grace that gives us courage in the face of adversity. It is grace that gives us peace when confusion is present. It is grace that keeps us pressing forward when we think about retreating. It is grace that holds us together when we feel like falling apart. It is grace that gives us the ability to put one foot in front of the other and keep going on. 

 

Take time to thank the Lord for His grace today. It is ever present with you because He is ever present with you.

 

Have a great day. God's grace is the place in which we live. 

 

For further reading:

Ephesians 4:7

2 Corinthians 9:8; 13:14

 

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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.

"Trying Times"

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

 

As you all know my brother in law passed away last week. Last night we received word that my husband's aunt passed away. Here we are again this week facing another funeral, another empty place in our hearts, another hurt for those we love. Life is often like this- one pain after another, one trial after another, another test before you are over the last one, multiple temptations, problems upon problems. Many come without a moment between them to even catch your breath.

 

Life has a way at times of becoming more than we can bear. It is not always, "happy, happy, joy, joy". Sometimes it is more than you can bear. The Apostle Paul was experiencing one of those times when he cried out to God to remove the "thorn in his flesh". David faced those times as well. He was a man "without a country". The Philistines had sent him away and would not let him stay with them. When he got home to Ziklag, the enemy had captured his family. His heart was not only broken and overwhelmed at his loss but his own men who had faithfully followed him talked about stoning him. 

 

In each of these men's lives, and in the lives of countless others in the Bible, not only do we read about the continued afflictions, trials and testing that they endured, we also read about how they made it through them. We discover that their answer is our answer as well. Their answer was found in the Lord. They called out to Him. They didn't run from Him but they ran to Him. They didn't get angry at Him, they didn't accuse Him, they didn't turn from serving Him. They knew their help was in Him. They knew they could trust Him regardless of the situation. They knew He was with them and had never and would never leave them. They sought Him for their strength and their answer. In both cases He answered them, He imparted His strength and grace to them, and He fought their battles with them and for them. 

 

When we face difficulties, no matter how often they come, our answer and ability to make it through them comes from our confidence in the Lord. It comes from remembering that He is with us, He is upholding us, He is watching over us, He is not to blame, He loves us and His presence will stay with us sustaining us at every moment.

 

Have a great day. We are often bombarded by difficulties and trials, but we never face them alone. 

 

For further reading:

Psalm 34:19

2 Corinthians 11:21-30; 1:4; 12:9

1 Samuel 30

Matthew 11:28-30

 

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

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.

Thank You (A Personal Note)

 

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

 

Dear All,

Please forgive me for not replying to each one of you individually. The emails that I received concerning the passing of my brother in law were overwhelming, I truly lost count. So I would like to take this opportunity to reply to all at one time. 

 

The Bible tells us to "bear one another's burdens". Sometimes these burdens are physical and we can help bear them by doing something "hand's on" like giving money to meet a pending need, cooking a meal for someone who is hungry, wrapping a blanket around someone who is cold, etc. But more often than not, the burdens that we face are those that we carry in our hearts; the ones that are not seen. These are the burdens that we have been carrying this past week- the burden of pain, hurt, brokenness, separation and grief. 

 

Each of you have fulfilled this scripture this past week. You have helped to bear our burdens, you have helped to relief some of our pain through your kind words, your acts of love and your prayers. To just say, "Thank you", seems so inadequate. I read each note I received and was very touched, blessed and encouraged by the loving support you have showed to me and my family. Many of you were hurting too over the passing of a love one, yet you took the time to help "bear our burden".

 

Please accept my heartfelt "thank you" this morning. You have truly been a blessing to us. We know that our loving Heavenly Father heard each of your prayers because we felt the answer. We felt His arms around us because you interceded for us. We felt His presence and grace enveloping us. We felt His love was with us, and we felt yours too. 

 

Some times when we see someone carrying a burden, we feel so "helpless" and "useless" to do anything to help them. It is at those times that all we can do is pray. I want to assure you this morning, that prayer is not one of those "all we can do" things. We try to apologize that we weren't able to do more than pray. Prayer is not the least you can do, but one of the greatest things you can do. It is one of the greatest sacrificial gifts that we can give to someone. It is the gift of ourselves; and it brings God's presence near.

 

Thank you, all, again from the bottom of my heart.

Love and blessings,

Lorraine Ezell

"Eroding Words"

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." Proverbs 18:21a

There is power in our words. They have the power to encourage or discourage. They have the power to produce fear or faith. They can build up or tear down; comfort or distress; bring peace or confusion; wound or heal. They can bless or they can curse.

How much thought do you give to the words you speak? What kind of words are they? Our words have the power to produce either death or life. When we constantly speak negative, fearful words they produce an "erosion" of the thing, or person, they are aimed at. Gradually they bring destruction until they have done a lot of damage. 

How can we make sure that our words don't bring "death" and that they produce "life" instead? By speaking the Word of God. "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63b) God's word always produces faith, comfort, peace and life. When we speak them, we don't have to worry that we are speaking wrong things. While negative words cause an "erosion", speaking God's word reinforces and adds strength instead. 

Have a great day. When we speak God's Word, we are speaking life. 

For further reading:

Romans 10:8

James 3:10

Proverbs 31:26

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

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.

"Speak To This"

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

 

The words "these things" are translated- these, these things, this. Have you ever been faced with "this"? Perhaps you are facing it now. What "this" is is not always the same for everyone. "This" may be a marriage that is in trouble. "This" may be a rebellious child. "This" may be a bad report from the doctor. "This" may be fear that is trying to grip you. There are a lot of things and situations that are "this" that we find ourselves in. 

 

"This/these things" are very real so we can't ignore them as if they don't exist. So what do we do and how do we handle them? "What shall we then say to these things?" We pray and we "say". We have to do some "talking" to them. 

 

Jesus taught us to speak to the mountain. He never said to whine about it. He never said to shrink back in fear because of it. He said to speak to it. We have to speak to the situation and remind it (and ourselves in so doing) that God is for us, He is on our side, He is our helper, therefore, "this" cannot prosper against us. "This" may fight against us, it may look like it is winning, it may look like it is the victor, but keep speaking to it anyway. 

 

God has given us a weapon that is sharper and more powerful than a two-edged sword. It is His word. Jesus used the sword of God's word to defeat the enemy in the wilderness. The saints in the Book of Revelation overcame by the "word" of their testimony. Jesus is the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. When we speak God's word we are speaking Jesus and placing Him in the midst of our situation.

 

So don't be overcome by your situation, don't ignore it, don't get fearful, don't give up, speak to "this/these things". As you speak God's word the devil will flee, your faith will become strong, you will become more aware of God's presence in your situation, and regardless, you will be the victor assured that all "this/these things" work together for your good.

 

Have a great day. What do you do about "this" that you are facing? You speak to it.

 

For further reading:

Matthew 21:21; 4:1-11

Proverbs 18:21

Romans 8:28; 10:17

John 1:1,14

Revelation 12:11

Hebrews 4:12

Ephesians 6:17

 

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

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.