Monday, December 2, 2013

"Waiting"

"I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope." Psalm 130:5
 
Waiting, waiting, waiting. It seems like with the Lord there is always a "waiting period". The world waited for the Promised Redeemer for two thousand years. Abraham waited for the promised son. Joseph waited in Egyptian bondage before the fulfillment of his destiny. David waited to come to the throne after he was anointed for it. The earth is still waiting for the manifestation of the children of God, and the return of Christ. 
 
"I wait for the Lord." "My soul waits for the Lord". "In His word do I hope". Even the word hope here can be translated "wait". There are times when we have to wait for the answer to manifest. There are times when our faith is tried, and perfected, through waiting. Will you trust Him even if He waits? If He does wait, will you give up and doubt? 
 
Lazarus waited in the grave for four days before Jesus raised him back to life. His sisters gave up hope because Jesus didn't come right away. "Lord, if You had been here". In others words, "If You hadn't waited to get here he would still be alive." God's time is not our time. Delay (waiting) doesn't change the plan of God, it often is "The" plan of God. 
 
We tend to think that if God doesn't "do it now" it means He is not going to do it. We should learn from life around us that this is not always the case. Pregnancy is nine months of waiting. Harvesting of crops is a process of waiting. Seasons wait to change. Etc. 
 
We need to learn that waiting for the manifestation of the promises of God doesn't mean that He will not do what He says He will do. Neither is it an indication that He has said, "No". "In patience you posses your soul". (Luke 21:19) Waiting helps produce patience, and patience produces experience, and experience produces hope, and hope will not make us ashamed because our hope is in the Lord and His word and His word is Truth and He is faithful as promised. 
 
Have a great day. Waiting is not only a part of our physical lives, but it is a part of our spiritual lives as well. Don't get discouraged in the "wait", but put your hope in the Lord's word. 
 
For further reading:
Romans 5:3-5
Psalm 37:7
John 11
 
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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.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

"Thanksgiving Lifestyle"


"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
 
The weather may be nasty outside, but there is always something to be thankful for. You may be facing a storm, but there is always something to be thankful for. You may be going through a time of tragedy, but there is always something to be thankful for. Life is full of ups and downs, you may be in a "down" time right now, but there is always something to be thankful for.
 
We don't have to look very far to find things to complain about. The devil will make sure of that- he is good at pointing out what is wrong. But neither do we have to look very far to find something to be thankful for-- all we have to do is just open our eyes. There is actually more to be thankful for than there is to complain about. There is an old hymn that says, "Count your many blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."
 
Today why not start counting/naming some of your blessings, surely you can be thankful for them? Did you wake up with a roof over your head? Do you have food to eat? Do you have clothes on your back? Do you have eyesight? Can you hear with your ears? Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? Have you sins been wash away? Then you already have much to be thankful for. See for the Christian Thanksgiving is more than a date on a calendar, it is our lifestyle. Is it your lifestyle? Or is your lifestyle one of complaining about what you don't have or what is not going right in your life? 
 
Have a great day. Your lifestyle should be one of thanksgiving because there is always something to be thankful for. 
 
For further reading:
Psalm 100
 
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

"It Is Not A Straight Shot"

"Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people." Psalm 105:11-13
 
The Lord promised to give the Israelites the land of Canaan. When He brought them out of Egyptian bondage, He led them to that land. Before they were able to take possession of it they went from one nation to another and from one kingdom to another-- their journey to get to Canaan involved going from one place to another.
 
When the Lord tells us His plan for our lives, we think it is going to be a "straight shot" to get there. That is rarely the case. In the book Hinds Feet In High Places Much Afraid was on a journey to the High Place. Each time she thought she had arrived, there was another "turn in the road". There was another valley to cross, another hill to climb. We see this also in the life of Joseph. His destiny was the palace of Egypt. But before he arrived there he went from one place to another-- from his father's house, to the pit, to Potiphar's house, to the prison and then to the palace.
 
Perhaps you have been wondering if you will ever arrive at your promised destiny? Each time it seems like you are close, the road changes direction-- and that direction looks like it is taking you further from it instead of nearer to it. Rest assured that God is watching over His plan for your life. He is leading and He is guiding. He knows the path that you must take. He knows what places you must travel through to get there. He knows when to bring you into it. So enjoy the journey, learn from it, develop trust and faith through it, let it strengthen you, and rest in the Lord's faithfulness to bring you into the place that He said He would. 
 
Have a great day. The journey to the plan of God is not always a straight shot, sometimes it takes many turns into many places. 
 
For further reading:
Psalm 105
 
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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.

Monday, November 25, 2013

"Not Hid By The Darkness"

"Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." Psalm 139:12
 
When we go through a time of difficulty and tribulation, we call it a "dark place". It is dark because we can't see any light in the situation. It seems to be void of all hope. It is just dark. Perhaps you are in such a place now. A bad report, the lack of finances, a broken relationship, all have taken you into a place that looks dark and hopeless. If so, I have good news for you. 
 
The good news is that the darkness cannot hide you or the problem from God. He sees you. He knows what you are going through. He is not searching trying to find you in the darkness. Nothing is hid from Him. Even the darkness of night shines as brightly as the light of day to Him. He sees you. It may be so dark that you can't even see a smallest flicker of light, but it is not like that for God. Nothing escapes His vision. 
 
I feel like I am on the verge of repeating myself over and over again, but I want (the Lord wants) to reassure you this morning that He sees you. You feel like He doesn't. You feel like He has abandoned you in the time that you need Him the most. You feel like He will never find you in this dark situation because it is even too big and dark for Him. It is not. The things that are impossible for men are possible for the Lord. He doesn't have to wait for His eyes to "adjust" to the darkness before He can see you and do something about it. The situation has to adjust itself to His vision. You are not hid from Him. He sees you perfectly well. The situation only looks dark to you, but it looks light to Him. He is in the darkness with you, you are not in it by yourself. 
 
Have a great day. The place of darkness you are in cannot hide you from God. Darkness is as bright as light to Him.
 
For further reading:
Psalm 139
Hebrews 4:13
 
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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.

Friday, November 22, 2013

"Aholic"

"I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)" 1 Corinthians 16:15
 
We have all heard the words alcoholic, workaholic and shopaholic. "Aholic" is a suffix added to a word that denotes a person that is addicted to something. Have you ever heard of a "fleshaholic"? Are you one?
 
We were all born "flesaholics"-- catering to our flesh, living by it, being ruled by it, under submission to it, addicted to its lusts. A person who is an "aholic" of any kind, is drawn to whatever it is they are addicted to; they crave it; they give themselves to it completely. Alcoholics are drawn to alcohol; workaholics are drawn to work; shopaholics are drawn to shopping. Fleshaholics are drawn to the works of the flesh-- jealousy, sexual immorality, lustful pleasures, drunkenness, wild parties, envy, anger, selfish ambition, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21) 
 
When we come to Jesus Christ for salvation, He breaks addictions. He is the Great Deliverer. He delivers from the power of sin- breaking its hold over us. He delivers from the power of addiction- destroying its power. He delivers from the power of our flesh over us- setting us free from walking after its desires. He changes our nature and our desire and makes us a new person. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
 
Once we come to Jesus and give our lives to follow Him, He delivers us from following after the lust of our flesh and changes our lives. We begin to walk in a different direction. We are no longer addicted to our fleshly desires, but to following and walking after the Spirit. Our desire changes from fulfilling the lust of the flesh, to fulfilling the desires of the Spirit. We no longer crave the lust of the flesh, but pursue after the things of God-- love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:21,22) You might could say we are now- "Christ-aholics"-- comsumed with, being drawn to, following after Him and in short "addicted" (giving ourselves completely consecrated) to Him. 
 
Have a great day. Are you a "fleshaholic"?

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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.