"It's The Best Way"

Please note that there will be NO Coffee Break devotional for the next couple of weeks. The store will be closed so we can take a break, so I am taking some time off from everything for a couple of weeks. Love and blessings to you.

"It's The Best Way"

"And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me."  Matthew 11:6

God doesn't always do things the way we think He's going to do them. Usually, He does it just the opposite of what we think.  The point is...don't get offended with God just because He chooses to do something in a way contrary to how you think He is going to do it.  

God's ways aren't our ways...they are perfect.  Our ways are imperfect.  We do things from a natural perspective; God does them from a spiritual perspective.  We do things according to the present while God does them with the future in mind.  God does what He does on an eternal plane, not a temporary one.

God always does things in a much greater way than we can imagine.  Our verse this morning, in context, was Jesus's reply to John the Baptist when he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah or should he look for another.  You may be facing a "John situation" this morning.  You may be sitting in the middle of a dark prison of confusion.  You may be looking for Jesus to do something for you in a certain way.  You may not understand why God isn't moving in a certain way on your behalf.  Or why He allowed a certain thing to happen.  His word to you this morning is the same one that He spoke to John..."Blessed is he who is not offended in me."  Don't be offended because He isn't doing it "your" way or the way you thought He would.  Trust Him.  Trust that His way is better, and that He knows exactly what He is doing.  

Have a great day.  His way is the best way.   

           

"Weeping For a Season"

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  Psalms 30:5

When we think of a night, we think of a literal space of time- from the time after the sun has gone down until it rises again.  There are nights that are spent in weeping, but when the next day comes the weeping seems to cease.  This is what I usually think of when I read this verse.  But there are also "night seasons"- times in our lives when everything is dark, when it doesn't look like there is any light at the end of the tunnel, when your world is turned into confusion, only shadows shroud your day, your weeping feels endless, and tears have become your meat. 

This scripture is talking about these times as well as a literal night.  You may be in a "night season", but take comfort...the morning cometh, and with it comes joy.  You will not always be going through this time, it will not always be nighttime in your life, you will see the light of day again, you will feel the warmth of the sun upon your face once more, the darkness will flee, you will see the dawn of a new day, and you'll walk with gladness and joy of heart again.

Have a great day.  This season will not last forever; there is a time of joy on the horizon.

"Handling The Enemy"

"When the enemy shall come in..."  Isaiah 59:19

There are many people who come to Christ thinking that they will have no more problems, everything will be great and wonderful, they won't have to deal with the devil, and life will be a bed of roses.  They are disillusioned.  On the contrary, this is when your "trials" begin.  Before you came to Christ the devil had you, so he didn't bother you too much.  Also, you were ruled by the lust of your flesh, so you did whatever it wanted without protest.  Now that you are a Christian the devil is out to get you, and your flesh is fighting against the Spirit to keep or regain control.  

Now you have this adversary who is going around trying to destroy you.  So, what are you going to do?  First thing I can tell you is don't be afraid of him.  Don't give into him.  Don't listen to and believe his lies.  Don't run from him.  You don't have to fear him.  Jesus has already destroyed his work and power over us.  Jesus is now living in your life, and He is the greater one.  When the enemy comes against you, the Lord has given you instructions on how to handle him- heed the Lord's instructions and you will walk in victory over him.  "Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

Have a great day.  Your enemy is no match for the Lord Jesus who is living in you, so stand against him instead of running from him.

"Who Are You Listening To?"

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith..." Revelation 2:7a

I know we hit on this subject yesterday, but I believe the Lord led me in this direction again today. He wants to say something to us about what we hear and listen to. 

The Bible tells us that there are many voices, therefore it is important to know which voice to listen to.  There is only one voice that is safe to follow- the voice of the Spirit. 

What voice are you listening to?  The voice of the flesh?  The voice of fear, condemnation, unbelief?  The voice of discouragement that says, "You can't do it; you never will be free; you never will be anything."? Or the voice of the enemy who keeps saying that he'll destroy you.  Or are you listening to the voice of the Spirit- it's the voice of faith, hope, peace, assurance, joy, and victory.

Stop listening to the wrong voice, it will only bring defeat.  Listen to what the Spirit is saying, believe what He is saying, and respond to what He is saying.

Have a great day.  Know what voice you are listening to.

"Don't Become Deaf"

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." Psalm 98:4

There is a lot of noise going on in the world.  When I say noise, I am not necessarily talking about the noise of radios playing, dogs barking, bands playing, machinery working, etc.  I mean there is the noise of violence, hate, threats, fear, anger, worry, destruction, intimidation, injustice, negativity and confusion.  It is all around us.  It is in our  homes and around the world.

If you listen to these noises too long, or if they are the only noises you hear, they will discourage you, cause you to give up, become depressed, and despair of living.  Listening to them too long can also cause you to become "deaf".  Deaf to the voice hope.  Deaf to the whisper of faith.  Deaf to the sound of abundant life.

So how do we guard and protect our "hearing" so we are not deafened by the noise of chaos in the world?  We drown them out with another noise.  We drown them out with praise.  We drown them out with thanksgiving.  We drown them out with shouts of joy.  We drown them out with rejoicing in the goodness of God.  Your praise has to be louder than those other noises.  Let you praise be the "dominate" noise you hear.  When you start hearing those other noises, counteract them with praise.  When the noise of fear is shouting, shout back with praise.  When the noise of intimidation is getting louder, get louder with praise.  Praise is more powerful than those noises are.  God inhabits praise.  

Don't let those other noises deafen you, let your praise deafen and silence them.  

Have a great day.  Praise protects your hearing from the noises of the world that would cause you to become deaf.    

For further reading:
Hebrews 13:15
Psalm 34:1