"God's Goodness Throughout The Year"

"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness."  Psalm 65:11

At the beginning of each new year, I like to reflect on this verse.  A year is made up of months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds.  This verse tells us that God surrounds the year with His goodness and also bestows His goodness upon the year.  So it gives me comfort and joy to know that regardless of what a day may bring, regardless of how the month may go, no matter what may happen this minute, I can trust that His goodness will be there for me-- that He will be there for me.  His goodness is not separate from who He is, it is Him.  He is good!

When things get bad, I can trust in and rely upon His goodness to carry me through.  When things don't go according to planned, I can know that because He is good He can work al things together for my good.  When all evil is coming against me, I can rest assured that He will be with me giving me strength to endure and power to overcome.  I can rest assured that He will fight the battles for me.  When confusion tries to come, when sickness hits my body, when pain afflicts me, when grief takes hold of me, when sorrow tries to overwhelm me, when poverty knocks at my door, when betrayal hits home, when heartache encompasses me on every side, I can know and be confident that His goodness will be there for me.  I don't have to fear, I don't have to give into to the onslaught of the enemy, I don't have to be destroyed, because He will defend me, He will meet every need I have, He will go before me,  He will uphold me, and He will carry me if He needs to.  How do I know this?  How can I have this confidence?  Read the verse again.  Because we have a promise from the good God who does not lie, but is faithful as promised.  I can also have this confidence because the word "fatness" also means "blessings".  Wherever He is, so are His blessings.  Where is He?  With us.  That is another promise He has made to us, to never leave us nor forsake us and to be with us even unto the end of the world.

From my family to yours- we wish you a very Happy New Year.  May it be filled with wonderful blessings which come from the presence of this wonderful, faithful and good God who loves us so much. 

Have a great day.  God's goodness encompasses the year- every second of it.    

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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.    

"One Small Squirrel"

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."  Song of Solomon 2:15

There was no devotional yesterday because the night before last when I turned on my computer, I had no internet service.  I didn't have phone service either.  I called technical support and they discovered a problem in the line outside my home.  So they scheduled for a tech to come to my house the next day to resolve the problem. 

When the tech came, he told me the problem was fixed and I had my phone and internet service restored.  He also told me what the problem was.  A couple of miles up the road from where I live a squirrel had chewed into the phone lines and caused the problem.  How interesting.  One small squirrel could cause such problems for me and others who shared the line.  I was unable to use my phone, I could not receive calls from anyone, my internet was not working, I couldn't check my emails, I could not send out the devotional, I couldn't even let anyone know why they weren't hearing from me.  

The whole incident reminded me of this morning's verse-- "little foxes spoil the vine".  It isn't necessarily, or always, the "big" things that give us the most problems.  It is often the "little" things.  It wasn't some mammoth creature or devastating act of destruction, or some major catastrophe that shut me down.  It was one small squirrel.  Just one act of disobedience, one area of compromise, one little lie, one glance in the wrong direction, one unkind word, one uncaptured thought can wreak havoc and cause major problems-- problems even of epic proportion whose consequences follow you the rest of your life.  They can take you into a downward spiral and keep you there. 

There is hope though.  It is found in Jesus Christ.  Keep yourself submitted to Him and His will, follow after His way, obey His word and this can be prevented.  Had King Saul obeyed the word of the Lord he would not have lost his kingdom.  He would not have been tormented by an evil spirit.  He would not have lived his life full of hatred, jealousy and bitterness.  He would not have wasted his life in pursuit of David trying to kill him.  Don't let any "little" thing detour you or stop you from fulfilling God's plan for your life, or from living in the abundant life God has planned for you.

Have a great day.  It is the small things that can wreak the most havoc in our lives. 

For further reading:
John 10:10
1 Samuel 15:22,23

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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.    

   

Merry Christmas From Our Family To Yours

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."  Matthew 1:21 

 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.  On that first Christmas morning, Mary didn't give birth to an ordinary baby.  The shepherds did not look into the face of just another baby lying in that manger.  Lying in that manger was peace, hope, salvation, love, joy, good news, life and the presence of God.  May you experience all that Christ is this holiday season and throughout the entire year. Remember that Jesus didn't remain a baby.  What was started in the manger was finished at the cross.  Our song started there with Joy To The World but ended with Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wrench like me! 

 

Again, Merry Christmas to you all!

Love and blessings from the Ezell Family

"A Martha Christmas"

"And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me."  Luke 10:39,40

I discovered two more Bible characters who needed to be added to the Christmas story--Mary and Martha.  Let me explain why I think it is appropriate to talk about these two sisters at this time of year.  They each represent how we respond to Christmas. 

Sadly, Christmas has become a "cumbersome" time.  The hustle and bustle of shopping, decorating, wrapping presents, baking treats, planning for guests, running from one event to another, fighting traffic, etc. has become burdensome.  Who can enjoy the holiday for all the obligations and busy-ness that goes along with it.  Like Martha, we are cumbered about with the cares of making sure everything is done and taken care of.  She couldn't enjoy her guest, Jesus, for all the preparation and details she was tending to.

Our proper response to Christmas should be like Mary.  Christmas is not about putting up the tree, making sure the lights are all strung, buying dozens of presents, attending party after party, it is about the birthday of Jesus our Savior.  It is about celebrating Him.  It is about acknowledging His birth and worshipping at His feet.  It is about giving your heart back to Him in loving response of the gift of Himself that He gave you.  This is the better part. 

How are you responding to Christmas?  Are you so busy you are getting frustrated and unable to just enjoy the pure simplicity of worshipping the babe born in the manger?  Are you so busy and caught up in the rat-race of the worldly obligations that you are tired and will be glad when it is all over?  Are you staying focused on the true meaning and enjoying what Christmas is all about?  Peace on earth, good will to men.

Have a great day.  Are you celebrating Christmas like Martha-- too busy to enjoy it?  Or are you celebrating it like Mary-- worshipping the Savior who was born in a manger?

For further reading:
Luke 10:38-42

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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. 

"He Came For All"

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."  Luke 2:8

I want to look at one word of the angels announcement to the shepherds.  That word is "all".  God was sending the message of good tidings and great joy... which was the message of salvation to "all". 

When God says "all", He means "all".  He didn't exclude anyone.  Jesus came to save "all" people.  That includes every man, woman, boy and girl.  It includes the red, yellow, black and white.  It includes the Jews, the Greeks, the Asian, the African, the American, every nationality, kindred and tongue.  It includes the tribes of people in the remotest jungle.  It includes monarchs, kings, queens, presidents, emperors and dictators.  It includes the Buddhist, the Hindu, the Muslim, the atheist, the satanist, and any who worship false gods.  It includes the prostitute, the incarcerated, the drug dealers, the murderer, the rapist, the pedophiles, the human trafficker.  All also includes the rich and famous, the poor and unknown.  It includes the college educated and the high school drop out.  It also includes the CEO of a large corporation and the little child who is starting kindergarten.  It also includes the porn addict, the drug addict, the alcoholic, the wife beater, the adulterer, the stripper, the homosexual, and everyone who is involved in any immoral act.

There is not one person, world-wide, past, present or future that Jesus did not come into the world to save.  There is no one that He does not love.  There is no one who is beyond His saving grace.  He so loved "the world".  The world includes anyone and everyone.  He came to "seek and to save that which was lost"-- that includes "all" of us, because we "all" were lost. 

He came to save you.  Have you let Him?  Have you had that message of good news and great joy applied to your life?  The message of Christmas is a simple one-- God loved us and gave His Son for us.  A young virgin gave birth to the Son of God in a stable.  Receiving this Savor is simple too-- believe, ask and receive (believe on Him, ask Him to forgive your sins and receive Him into your life as your Lord).

Have a great day.  Jesus Christ came to save "all" people-- no exclusions.    

For further reading:
John 3:16,17
Luke 19:10 

 

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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. 

 

 

 

"Powerful Minds"

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  Romans 12:2

A friend and I were talking about how powerful our minds are.  They can make us believe something is so when it is not.  They can make us believe something as the truth when it is not.  I have two light switches in my hall- they both operate the same light.  If the light is on one switch is up and the other switch is down.  And vice versa if the light is off.  I can't tell you how many times I have turned off the light that was already off, or on, because of the position of the switch.  My mind tells me the light is either on or off because of the position of the switch, not because the bulb is shining or isn't.

Because our minds are so powerful we have to keep them renewed.  This is why the Lord warns us to take every thought captive.  Our thoughts will become actions if we think on them too long.  The devil knows this and this is his main area of attack.  Our minds truly are a battleground.  Whoever wins in the mind, wins. 

The only way we can truly win and be victorious in our thought life is by committing each thought to the Lord.  We need to bring them into subjection and scrutiny to the Word of God.  We need to keep them lined up with what the Bible says.  When we do this, we bring the power of our minds under the power of the Holy Spirit.  And when our minds, and thoughts, are under His control we will not fall to the devil's attack and will walk in victory.

Have a great day.  Our minds are powerful, therefore, we have to keep each thought submitted to the Lord.

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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.   

"A Wise Man's Warning"

"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."  2 Corinthians 2:11

We know that satan's goal is to steal, kill and destroy.  He has many devices that he uses to try to accomplish his goal.  He uses lies, deception, condemnation, guilt, fear and so on.  We see one of his devices present at the birth of Jesus.  "And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also." (Matthew 2:8)

Satan was using the wicked King Herod to try to deceive the wise men into telling him where the Christ Child was.  He wasn't interest in worshipping Him-- that was a lie.  He wanted to kill Him. 

When Herod requested to know where the child was, it seemed "logic" that him being a king would want to also honor the new-born king.  His request seemed "sincere".  But this was not his plan at all.  This is why we have to be discerning.  This is why we have to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.  This is why we can't lean to our own understanding.  This is why we have to hear and heed what the Lord tells us. 

The Lord warned the wise men in a dream about Herod's plot and they heeded the warning and obeyed it.  The Lord is faithful to warn us as well when satan is using one of his devices and tricks against us.  That warning may come through a dream.  It may come through a prophecy.  It may come through a scripture verse.  It may come through another person's insight.  Or it may come through His still, small voice.  Regardless, we must listen, pay attention, don't ignore, heed and obey what He is saying.  Lest we become ignorant of satan's devices and fall prey to them.

Have a great day.  God will warn us when satan is using one of his devices against us.  We just need to listen to and obey His warning.

For further reading:
John 10:10
Matthew 2:12

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

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

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web:www.mastersbusiness.org

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

"Receive The Gift"

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast."  Ephesians 2:8,9

So many people think that just because they do religious deeds that they are saved and right with God.  They believe that if they join a church, sing in the choir, donate to charities, or be kind to their fellow man, this will make them accepted by God.  Then there are those who think that just because they don't do "bad" things they are saved and right with God.  They think that if they don't drink or smoke, or if they don't do immoral acts, these are enough to make them accepted by God.

It is not about the good you do or the evil you abstain from that makes you right with God.  It is about having faith in what the Lord Jesus Christ did at the cross that makes you right.  It is about receiving the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus.  It is not about earning it. 

That first Christmas morning God sent the gift of His Son Jesus into the world to save us from our sins.  He was not going to remain a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.  He was going to grow and become a man who would then lay down His life for us so that the gift would be complete.  A gift is something that is paid for by one person and received by another. The gift of eternal was paid for in full by Jesus at the cross.  If you are still trying to "buy it" for yourself by doing good or abstaining from evil, it will never become yours. 

Have a great day.  Salvation is a gift from God, paid for by Jesus... not worked for by us.

For further reading:
John 3:16
Titus 3:5

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

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

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web:www.mastersbusiness.org

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

 

"Who Is Mary?"

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Luke 1:26-28

Who was Mary?  When asked who was the mother of Jesus, anyone who knows anything about Jesus will tell you that it was Mary.  She is highly recognized.  In some religions she is held in high esteem and almost worshipped.  You can't talk about the nativity at Christmas without talking about Mary.  Giving birth to Jesus is her "claim to fame".  But what about before?  Who was she?

She was an ordinary girl.  She had no worldwide fame.  She wasn't a famous person.  She wasn't known by everyone.  The only people who even knew her were her family, a few friends and some people in the city she lived in.  We never even heard about her in the Bible until she received the message that she would give birth to the Christ.  She was just an ordinary person like the rest of us. 

Though she was pretty much a "nobody", she is one of the most popular female figures in all history.  What I want to remind you of, and encourage you in, is that the Lord takes "nobodies" and makes us "somebodies" for His glory.  He takes the "ordinary" and uses them in "extraordinary" ways.  He doesn't choose us because we are smart, pretty, popular, rich or educated.  We are all nobodies, we are all just ordinary people, before He does something with our lives.  Paul the apostle was an ordinary person.  John the Baptist was an ordinary person.  Billy Graham, T.D. Jakes, Joyce Myers, and all the other men and women we look up to and look at as "extraordinary" and "somebody"-- they were and are just ordinary people.

The good news is that God will use any person who is willing to submit and surrender to Him, let Him live His life through them, and use them in the way He has determined.  He is looking for those who will say with Mary, "be it unto me according to thy word".

Have a great day.  God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things... that includes you.

For further reading:
Like 1:38
1 Corinthians 1:26-28  

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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.    

 

 

"Go See"

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us."  Luke 2:15

After the shepherds received this glorious message from the angels they could have either gone to see the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes or they could have stayed where they were and just waited hoping to see it.  Had they "hoped to see" instead of "gone to see" they would have missed out.  Too often we "sit back" and do nothing hoping God will do something.  We wait for Him to "drop it on us".  Well, it doesn't always work like that.

Yes, there are times when the Lord unexpectedly gives us some gracious blessing.  And there are times when we are to "be still".  But most of the time there is something we have to do.  The Bible says we "have not because we ask not".  If we expect to get, we have to ask.  We have a part to do.  Our part sometimes is to do as the shepherds-- go see.  Our part is to seek, knock, come into Me, cast our burdens, draw near, give, humble ourselves, etc. 

Are you sitting back doing nothing but waiting and hoping God will just drop it on you?  He may and He may not.  You need to find out if there is something that you have to do.  Do you wait to see this thing or do you get up and go to see it?

Have a great day.  There are times when God just graciously drops a blessing on us.  But there are times we have to do something to receive the blessing.

For further reading:
James 4:2

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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.    

 

"He Is On Your Side"

"If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say."  Psalm 124:1

The Psalmist was remembering the goodness and mercy that the Lord had shown Israel when in trouble from their enemies.  Because He was with them they were not destroyed when evil men rose up against them, they were not destroyed by flood waters, they were not destroyed by the snare that was laid for them.

You may be in a place today where there are people who are rising up against you.  They are attacking you.  They are trying to destroy you.  They have set a snare to trap you.  You may be in a place of flood waters.  You are drowning in financial debt.  You are being flooded by grief.  You are drowning in a sea of anger and bitterness.  The problems you are facing with family or on your job are like flood waters trying to sweep you away in its current. 

Let this be a reminder to you this morning.  If you are a Christian, if you are born-again, the Lord is with you.  He is on your side.  And because He is on your side you will not be swallowed up, you will not become their prey, you will escape from the snare.  No weapon formed against you shall prosper.  The Lord is on your side.  The Lord is your helper.  The Lord is with you.  So say with the Psalmist... my help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth... blessed be the Lord.

Have a great day.  Because the Lord is on your side, you will not be destroyed.
 
For further reading:
Psalm 124:
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

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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.    

"A Chaotic Life"

"And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."  Genesis 1:2

One of the meanings for the words "without form" is chaos.  There was darkness, emptiness, confusion and chaos upon the earth at this time.  But then the Spirit of God begin to move over the earth.  This description of Him moving upon the earth reveals that He did it in a tender loving manner. 

I wanted to set this scene for you because often our lives are like this.  They feel chaotic.  They feel empty.  There is confusion.  We go through dark places that look utterly hopeless.  But the good new is this... the same sweet Holy Spirit of God who was there when the earth was in a chaotic state is there with you in your chaos (trouble).  He is moving in love and compassion to come to your aid.  He knows how to speak light into the situation. (Let there be light)  He knows how to turn chaos into peace.  The Lord saw the state of the earth.  It never cried out to Him.  Yet He came to its rescue with His tender mercies and love.  How much more will He help those of us who have a promise that when we call out to Him He will hear us and save us.   

If your life is in a state of utter darkness and chaos, then call out to Him and let Him bring order to your situation.

Have a great day.  The Lord knows how to bring light, hope and peace out of the chaos of our lives.

For further reading:
Jeremiah 33:3
Genesis 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.    

"Praise When While You Live"

"I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord."  Psalm 118:17

We will all die one day, but until that time comes, while we are still alive, we should be declaring the works and wonder of the Lord.  This includes during the good times of life and the bad times.  It includes through times of difficulty, times of lack, times of peace, times of grief and confusion.  It also includes the times of sickness as well as in health. 

There are times that are so pressing that we feel like we are going to die.  We just don't think we are going to make it through this difficulty.  That is the time to all the more praise and declare the works and goodness of the Lord.  That is not the time to withhold your praise or draw back from giving it.  There is power in praise.  It is praise that draws the presence of the Lord close.  It is through praise that our heads are lifted and we are strengthened. 

When calamity hit Job's life, the first thing he did was worship the Lord.  When Paul and Silas were in chains in prison at midnight, they sang songs of praise to the Lord.  Sometimes the only way through it is to praise your way through it.  The Bible says to give God thanks (praise) in everything... not for everything.  Therefore, when you are "in" it, praise your way "through" it. Don't listen to the lies of the enemy as he taunts you, condemns you, intimidates you and tries to make you fearful.  Instead, praise the Lord, declare His goodness, speak about His wonderful works, remind yourself of how He has brought you through in the past and remember His is still the same and faithful God today.  This may not come easy to do, but the just live by faith and sometimes even our praise has to start out as a step of faith.

Have a great day.  Even when you feel like you are going to die because of the trial you are facing, this is when you need to declare through your praise the awesome goodness of God.

For further reading:
Psalm 22:3
Acts 16:25
Job 1:20,21
1 Thessalonians 5:18

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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.    

"Special Occasion God"

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."  Luke 2:10

We call the birth of Jesus the Christmas Story.  It is the story that we remember and repeat during the Christmas season, but really it is a story for every day.  It is the message of good news that should be proclaimed daily-- not just once a year.

Daily we should remember the sacrifice of God that came through His Son when He sent Him to be born of a virgin in a manger.  Daily we should remember the cross where Jesus was crucified for our sins and not just during the Easter season. 
Daily we should remember what Jesus has done for us and follow Him and live for Him every day of the week and not just on Sundays when it is church time. 

In Him we live, move and have our being, this means everyday.  Is He an "everyday God" to you or just a "special occasion God"?  Do you think about Him, look to Him, and follow Him daily or only on special occasions?  It is a relationship with Him that He wants.  Therefore, it is a daily thing, not a once a year or once and a while thing.

Have a great day.  Is the good news of Jesus part of your daily life or just something you do on special occasions?  

For further reading:
Acts 17:28

 

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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

   

"The Christmas Fables"

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."  2 Peter 1:16

There are so many tales, fables, folklores, traditions and stories that we have come to associate with Christmas.  Among those are Santa Claus, flying reindeer, Rudolph, the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, the Grinch, etc.  Sadly, we have accepted them as "real".  It is like the M&M commercial where the two M&Ms run into Santa and the M&M exclaims, "He does exist!".  And Santa exclaims the same, "They do exist!".  We teach our children to believe in these "characters", as though they exist even though they aren't real.  Yet, we neglect the one true reason for Christmas-- the nativity, the birth of Jesus.

This, my friends, is the one thing that is not a fable, it is not a tale, it is not just a campfire story that has been passed down from generation to generation.  It may seem untrue-- a virgin gives birth to a baby in a stable who is the Son of God.  But it is true.  It is the only true thing about our Christmas celebration. 

Let's not put the emphasis on these others or pretty soon the story of the birth of Christ will begin to fade into obscurity or become in our minds and hearts just another Christmas fable like the rest of them. 

Have a great day.  There are a lot of Christmas fables and tales, but the birth of Jesus is not one of them-- it is the truth.

For further reading:
Matthew 1:23
Luke 2:12-16

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

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

 

Remove Your Own Log

"Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?"  Romans 2:22

This verse reminds me of the saying, "Do as I say, not as I do."  Jesus put it this way, "Get the log out of your own eye before you try to get the splinter out of someone else's eye." 

We have all been guilty of doing such.  We can easily see what someone else is doing wrong, but overlook or not recognize, what we are doing.  We see examples of this all around us.  There are those who make accusations against others of being racists, yet they themselves are prejudice.  There are those who point at individuals as being "bullies", yet they use intimidation to push their agenda.  There are those who accuse their spouses of being unfaithful, yet they are living with someone who is not their spouse.  There are those who talk against someone who is trying to live a righteous life, yet they are involved in all kinds of evil acts.  This can all be summed up in one word-- hypocrisy.     

We need to take daily introspection and examine our own lives and see if there are "logs" or even "specks" in them that need to be removed.  Before we start accusing others, before we start belittling others for their actions, before we be condemning of another person, we need to take a good look in the mirror of the Holy Spirit and see if there is anything in our own eye first.  If there is, ask the Holy Spirit to remove it and heal it.  Then, after it is removed, we can see clearly what is in someone else's and be able to help lovingly remove it. 

Have a great day.  Are you excusing what you do, but condemning the same thing in someone else?

For further reading:
Matthew 7:4,5
Luke 6:41,42

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

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