"Power In The Leftovers"

"When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." John 6:12
 

After Jesus had fed the five thousand plus people with the loaves of bread and fish, He told His disciples to gather up the fragments. In other words, He told them to collect the leftovers. This morning don't take the "leftovers" of God for granted. Don't take even the smallest word from God, the seemingly smallest miracle, the smallest bit of encouragement, etc. for granted. Even the fragments when they are God's fragments are full of power and life. 

 

When the Syrophenician woman came to Jesus, she just wanted the crumbs that fell from His table. She didn't ask for a whole meal or even the leftovers, she asked for the crumbs because she knew there was power to heal and deliver her daughter in even the smallest blessings of the Lord. 

 

There is nothing small or little where God is concerned. Whatever comes from Him- whether it is the "whole" meal or just the "leftovers" it is powerful. Just one word, just one scripture, just one morsel of bread, just one drop of water, just one touch of the Master's hand, just one touch of the hem of His garment, will satisfy the greatest hunger, will deliver from the greatest oppression, will quench the raging furnace, will heal any disease, will bring peace in the greatest storm, will bring rest to the weary, comfort to the hurting and strength to the weak. 

 

All you have this morning may be a "crumb". It might be a "leftover". You may have been holding on to it for a while. It may be just a remnant of a promise He gave you a long time a go. You may have been carrying it around in a basket- in your heart- since the day He spoke to you about a situation, gave you a vision, revealed His will, and so on. You may have been eating on that word for a while trying to keep your faith strong. Don't look at it now and say that there is hardly anything left to it, it is only a fragment- a crumb. Remember that with the "crumbs" of Jesus nothing is wasted or lost-- they are still just as powerful as the whole meal!

 

Have a great day. There is power even in the crumbs of Jesus' word. 

 

For further reading:

Mark 7:25-30

Matthew 5:18

John 6:1-13 

 

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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.

"No More Impossibilities - Part 2"

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

 

Yesterday we talked about how those things that are impossible for us- like taming the tongue, turning the other cheek, loving our enemies, etc.- become possible as we yield ourselves to the Lord because it is His Spirit working in us that makes it possible for us to do. This morning I want to talk about that a little more.

 

We tend to forget that when we are born-again, something should begin to happen in us. That something is called "death to self". That means that I am suppose to deny and mortify my flesh. That something is also called "alive to Christ". My life is no longer lived for self, it is lived for God. I must decrease and He must increase. My life is hid with Christ in God. And as the scripture above states- I am crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who am living but Christ is the One who is living through me.

 

If He is truly living through you, then walking in love toward your enemies is not impossible. Forgiving those who have wronged you is not impossible. Living free from condemnation is not impossible. The reason is because there is no condemnation in Him. There is no unforgiveness in Him. There is no fear, no guilt, no remorse, no bitterness in Him. There is no confusion in Christ- He never doesn't know what to do. He is not wavering either, so you don't have to. 

 

I can walk in wisdom if He is the One who is living through me- and not self- because He has and is wisdom. I can walk in peace because He is peace. I can love the unlovable because He is love and loving through me. I can walk in victory because He has no defeat in Him. So there are no impossibilities for me because there are no impossibilities for Him. But the key is mortifying, crucifying, and denying myself and letting Christ live in and through me. When I do, nothing becomes impossible for me because nothing is impossible for Him. 

 

Have a great day. If I am crucified with Christ and He is living through me, then nothing is impossible for me because nothing is impossible for Him. 

 

For further reading:

Colossians 3:3-5

1 Corinthians 6:20

John 3:30

Romans 8:13

 

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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.

"No More Impossibilities"

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13
 

Our lesson at church last night was on James chapter three. Verse eight says, "no man can tame the tongue". I had written a footnote in my Bible years ago that said, "But by yielding to the Spirit he can". There is much that is impossible for us, but there is nothing that is impossible for God. So as I yield myself to Him those "impossibilities" are no longer impossible.

 

It may be impossible for me to "tame my tongue" but the Spirit can and will as I yield to Him. Where it was impossible for me to forgive those who have trespassed against me, as I yield myself to God through His love I can now forgive them. I can now turn the other cheek, go the second mile, love my enemies, bless those who curse me, and pray for those who despitefully use me. I can now walk in victory over besetting sins. I can walk in peace and not vengeance.

 

"All things are possible to him that believes". (Luke 9:23) For the born-again child of God there are no impossibilities, all things become possible. They become possible as we put our faith and trust in the Lord (as we believe on and in Him and His ability). Do I believe that I can do all things through Christ? Do I believe that I can be empowered by Him to do those things that are impossible for me to do in and of myself? If I do believe, I will fully rely upon and yield to Him, then they are no longer impossible because it is no longer me who is doing them, but Christ in me. 

 

Let me sum it up: If we believe that God is able to do those things that are impossible for us to do and we yield ourselves to Him, then those things that were once impossible for us are no longer impossible because it is Him that is doing them through us. 

 

Have a great day. Impossibilities are no longer impossible for us when we believe in and yield to God.

 

For further reading:

Luke 1:37

Matthew 5:44; 17:20; 19:26

 

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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.

"Choose Today"

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

So what are you going to do today, let the enemy keep beating you up over past mistakes and failures? Or are you going to walk in the forgiveness that has so graciously been given to you through Jesus' atoning work? Are you going to let your feelings dictate the way you see yourself? Or are you going to believe what God says about you? Are you going to let your emotions govern your actions? Or are you going to let the One who gives total peace establish His peace in your heart and mind? Are you going to walk in defeat today? Or will you choose to walk in the victory that has already been given to you through Jesus Christ? Will you choose to take the way of the flesh that leads to destruction, fear and confusion? Or will you choose to follow the way of the Spirit that leads to abundant life, peace, joy and righteousness in the Holy Spirit?

 

There are so many choices that we face everyday. But the choices that I have talked about should be easy ones to make because Jesus already dealt with them at the cross and has made provision for you to walk free of guilt, condemnation, defeat and everything else that would try to stop you from going forward and rejoicing in this day. But nevertheless, the choice is still up to you.

 

Have a great day. Which way will you choose to go today? 

 

For further reading:

John 10:10

Deuteronomy 30:19

2 Corinthians 2:14

Joshua 24:15

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.

"A Captive Of The Wilderness"

"And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." Deuteronomy 6:23

 

One of the saddest stories in the Bible is about the children of Israel in the wilderness for forty years. The Lord had delivered them from Egyptian bondage after over four hundred years. He gave them the most miraculous delivery- through miracles, signs and wonders. He totally set them free from slavery. They were now free people heading to the land He had promised to give them. But instead of reaching the promised land they wound up wandering around in the wilderness for forty years. They left one captivity and wound up in another. They left the physical bondage of Egypt and Pharaoh and wound up in bondage that was unseen but real-- unbelief, doubt and fear. 

 

That sad picture is being replayed over and over again now days in the lives of many of God's children. The Lord saved them and delivered them from the power of sin. He did it through a miraculous and costly avenue-- He gave the life of His only begotten Son and through His shed blood gave redemption from sin. He gave them freedom and a promised land to inherit. Yet instead of inheriting those promises they are being held captive by an "unseen" bondage. They have come out of the bondage of sin, but are held captive by fear, regret, guilt, condemnation, unbelief, confusion and so on. They are spending their lives wandering in endless circles in a wilderness-- a dry place that offers no hope, no joy, no peace. The promises are awaiting them but they can't get to them because of the mental, emotional and spiritual bondages that have them trapped.

 

Is that you today? I have good news. Unlike those Israelites who were unable to get free from the wilderness, you do not have to keep wandering around in the bondage of the wilderness. Jesus defeated sin. He won the victory by destroying its power. He brought you out. He didn't deliver you from the power of sin only to have you held a prisoner by another captive. He desires to take you into the promised land- a land of abundant life. He who the Son sets free is free indeed, not partially free; not free from one bondage but captive to another. So get out of that wilderness and enter into the land of abundant life- love, peace, joy, etc. How? By turning to Him, ask for His strength and power, believe His word and don't listen to the negative reports of the enemy. Listen to Him alone.

 

Have a great day. The Lord did not deliver you from the bondage of sin only to have you become a captive of the wilderness.

 

For further reading:

John 3:16; 10:10; 8:36

Galatians 5:1

 

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

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

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

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

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

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.