"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable." Psalm 145:3
Before I could even get my eyes open this morning I began hearing the words of a song playing over and over in my thoughts. Let me "sing" it for you this morning. "You are God on the highest mountain. You are God in the deepest sea. You are awesome in power and glory. Great is Your love for me."
No matter where you may be, or what you may be going through, there are a few of things you should remember:
1) God is still God when you are on the mountaintop- when you are in a place where trouble is "below" you and you are looking "down" on your problems.
2) God is still God when you are in the sea- the sea of despair, the sea of trouble, the sea of fear, the sea of pain, a sea of overwhelming odds, the sea of financial ruin, a deep sea that threatens to drown you.
3) God is awesome in power and glory- He is more powerful than sickness and disease, then the addiction that has you in bondage, more powerful than the guilt and condemnation that plagues you, more powerful than the enemy of your soul and the weapons that he forms against you.
4) God's love for you is GREAT- the magnitude of His love for you is incomprehensible, the depths of His love for you is unsearchable, the abundance of His love for you is inexhaustible. Nothing separates you from His love. He loves you with an everlasting love. And He demonstrated how great His love for you is by giving His one and only Son Jesus as a ransom for your sins. He loves you so much that He paid the greatest price in order to have a relationship with you.
Have a great day. God is the almighty, powerful, glorious God on the mountain and in the sea... and He loves you.
For further reading:
Romans 5:8
1 John 4:4
Romans 8:1, 31-39
John 3:16
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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 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
"Eat"
"But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened." 1 Samuel 14:27
The Israelites were fighting against the Philistines and on this particular day King Saul commanded that none of his men eat anything that day. They were tired and faint from hunger. But Saul's son Jonathan did not hear the charge of his father so when he saw the honey he dipped his rod in it and ate what was on the end of it. As a result of eating even that small amount he was strengthened and refreshed. "See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey." (verse 29)
The Psalmist described God's word as sweeter than honey on his lips. The honey that Jonathan ate refreshed him and gave him strength physically. When we "eat" God's word, it does the same thing for us spiritually. God's word refreshes our weary souls. It strengthens us for the journey. It enlightens our understanding. It gives health. It lifts up our heads. It brings peace to our hearts.
King Saul foolishly commanded the men not to eat that day. The lack of food during the battle hindered their victory. We do foolishly too when we do not "eat" the word of God each and every day- whether we are in a battle or at peace.
When the men came to the woods, the Bible recorded that there was honey all around them- on the ground and dropping from the trees. God's word is in abundant supply. Its pages are filled with wonderful promises, blessings, hope, encouragement and everything else that you need. I wonder how long it sits around in our houses and we never pick it up and taste of its contents.
King Saul had made an oath that placed a curse of death upon any man who ate. Therefore, none of the men would eat the honey although they wanted to, needed it and it was in abundant supply because they feared the king's oath. King Saul was just foolish for making such a command, but the enemy of our soul is strategic. He knows that without the word of God in our lives we will be weak, grow faint and weary- enabling us to be more easily defeated. So he uses fear tactics as well to try to keep us from God's word.
Are you suffering from lack of spiritual food? Are you growing faint and weary? Then take not just a taste, but heartily eat God's word and you will be refreshed.
Have a great day. What honey does to refresh the body, God's word does to refresh the soul.
For further reading:
Psalm 119:103
1 Samuel 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.
The Israelites were fighting against the Philistines and on this particular day King Saul commanded that none of his men eat anything that day. They were tired and faint from hunger. But Saul's son Jonathan did not hear the charge of his father so when he saw the honey he dipped his rod in it and ate what was on the end of it. As a result of eating even that small amount he was strengthened and refreshed. "See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey." (verse 29)
The Psalmist described God's word as sweeter than honey on his lips. The honey that Jonathan ate refreshed him and gave him strength physically. When we "eat" God's word, it does the same thing for us spiritually. God's word refreshes our weary souls. It strengthens us for the journey. It enlightens our understanding. It gives health. It lifts up our heads. It brings peace to our hearts.
King Saul foolishly commanded the men not to eat that day. The lack of food during the battle hindered their victory. We do foolishly too when we do not "eat" the word of God each and every day- whether we are in a battle or at peace.
When the men came to the woods, the Bible recorded that there was honey all around them- on the ground and dropping from the trees. God's word is in abundant supply. Its pages are filled with wonderful promises, blessings, hope, encouragement and everything else that you need. I wonder how long it sits around in our houses and we never pick it up and taste of its contents.
King Saul had made an oath that placed a curse of death upon any man who ate. Therefore, none of the men would eat the honey although they wanted to, needed it and it was in abundant supply because they feared the king's oath. King Saul was just foolish for making such a command, but the enemy of our soul is strategic. He knows that without the word of God in our lives we will be weak, grow faint and weary- enabling us to be more easily defeated. So he uses fear tactics as well to try to keep us from God's word.
Are you suffering from lack of spiritual food? Are you growing faint and weary? Then take not just a taste, but heartily eat God's word and you will be refreshed.
Have a great day. What honey does to refresh the body, God's word does to refresh the soul.
For further reading:
Psalm 119:103
1 Samuel 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.
Monday, November 28, 2011
"Have Faith Where?"
"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God." Mark 11:22
This statement made by Jesus may seem odd-- "Have faith in God". Why would He tell us to have faith in God? Where else would our faith be based? Of course our faith is in God-- or is it? It may seem odd that He would tell us such a thing but He said it because our faith isn't always in God.
There are many things, people and places that we can place our faith in. The banks, loan companies, the doctor, modern technology, the word of some person, our education-- all these are where we often tend to place our faith. We have faith that the medicine the doctor prescribes will heal us. We have faith that our education will open doors of opportunity for us. We have faith that if the bank will loan us the money we will make it.
I am not saying that it is wrong to go to the doctor or take medicine. I am not saying that you shouldn't get an education. I am not saying that you shouldn't work. What I am saying is that your faith should not be in any of them as your healer, deliverer or provider. I know people who have years and years of education with so many degrees in front and behind their name that it takes ten minutes to read them- yet they can't find a job. We all know that medicines don't always work and doctors can't always save someone's life.
Putting your faith in people and things is not putting your faith in a firm foundation. God is the only true foundation upon which to place our faith. Men will fail. Things will fail. The products of men's hands will fail. Our monies will fail. Our abilities will fail. But the Lord never will. You can put your faith in Him eternally and know without a doubt that He will not fail.
Have a great day. Have faith in God because He is the only source that will not fail.
For further reading:
Hebrews 10:23
1 Chronicles 28:20
Lamentations 3:23
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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.
This statement made by Jesus may seem odd-- "Have faith in God". Why would He tell us to have faith in God? Where else would our faith be based? Of course our faith is in God-- or is it? It may seem odd that He would tell us such a thing but He said it because our faith isn't always in God.
There are many things, people and places that we can place our faith in. The banks, loan companies, the doctor, modern technology, the word of some person, our education-- all these are where we often tend to place our faith. We have faith that the medicine the doctor prescribes will heal us. We have faith that our education will open doors of opportunity for us. We have faith that if the bank will loan us the money we will make it.
I am not saying that it is wrong to go to the doctor or take medicine. I am not saying that you shouldn't get an education. I am not saying that you shouldn't work. What I am saying is that your faith should not be in any of them as your healer, deliverer or provider. I know people who have years and years of education with so many degrees in front and behind their name that it takes ten minutes to read them- yet they can't find a job. We all know that medicines don't always work and doctors can't always save someone's life.
Putting your faith in people and things is not putting your faith in a firm foundation. God is the only true foundation upon which to place our faith. Men will fail. Things will fail. The products of men's hands will fail. Our monies will fail. Our abilities will fail. But the Lord never will. You can put your faith in Him eternally and know without a doubt that He will not fail.
Have a great day. Have faith in God because He is the only source that will not fail.
For further reading:
Hebrews 10:23
1 Chronicles 28:20
Lamentations 3:23
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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 25, 2011
"Trust The Lord With The Future"
"They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever." Psalm 125:1
One of the biggest problems we have is the desire to know everything. We want to know what is going to happen before it happens and how things are going to turn out before they begin. We want to know the future. The knowledge of what will happen in the future will always elude us because no one can tell the future. We each have to wait until it gets here.
When we read the stories of Bible characters who have gone through tremendous trials, we have the advantage of reading the whole story- from the beginning to the end. Those who we read about had to take it one day at a time. They did not know what each day would bring, they did not know how things were going to turn out while they were in it any more than you and I know what will happen while we are in our trials.
Job could not see into the future when his trial began. He didn't know that he would come forth from it as gold. When Naomi's husband and two sons died and she was left a widow, she didn't know that she would become the great-great grandmother of King David through her daughter in law Ruth- who was in the lineage of Jesus. When Joseph was thrown into the pit, he had no idea that one day he would rule "the world"- second to Pharaoh. When the three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace, they didn't know they would come back out alive.
They didn't know the future, they didn't know what was going to happen to them in the end. They had to trust the Lord each and every day with their lives. Since we don't know what the future holds, since we can't see the end from the beginning, since we don't know what the outcome of our trial will be, we have only one course of action that we can take-- we have to trust the Lord. That's what it means to live by faith.
You may be suffering with an illness in your body and unsure of the outcome, but trust the Lord- He knows the outcome. You may be facing financial loss and don't know if you will have a roof over your head in the future, but trust that the Lord sees the outcome. You may be going through a broken relationship unsure if reconciliation is in the future, but trust the Lord because He sees the end. Whatever you may be facing, you may not know what will happen next, but trust the Lord because He does. He sees the end from the beginning; He is the Author and Finisher; He is the First and the Last. He already knows how it is going to end. And the outcome will always work together somehow for your good.
Have a great day. We don't have the luxury of knowing the future, but God does so we can put our trust in Him.
For further reading:
Job 23:10; 13:15
Revelation 1:11
Hebrews 12:2; 10:38
Genesis 45:5-7
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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.
One of the biggest problems we have is the desire to know everything. We want to know what is going to happen before it happens and how things are going to turn out before they begin. We want to know the future. The knowledge of what will happen in the future will always elude us because no one can tell the future. We each have to wait until it gets here.
When we read the stories of Bible characters who have gone through tremendous trials, we have the advantage of reading the whole story- from the beginning to the end. Those who we read about had to take it one day at a time. They did not know what each day would bring, they did not know how things were going to turn out while they were in it any more than you and I know what will happen while we are in our trials.
Job could not see into the future when his trial began. He didn't know that he would come forth from it as gold. When Naomi's husband and two sons died and she was left a widow, she didn't know that she would become the great-great grandmother of King David through her daughter in law Ruth- who was in the lineage of Jesus. When Joseph was thrown into the pit, he had no idea that one day he would rule "the world"- second to Pharaoh. When the three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace, they didn't know they would come back out alive.
They didn't know the future, they didn't know what was going to happen to them in the end. They had to trust the Lord each and every day with their lives. Since we don't know what the future holds, since we can't see the end from the beginning, since we don't know what the outcome of our trial will be, we have only one course of action that we can take-- we have to trust the Lord. That's what it means to live by faith.
You may be suffering with an illness in your body and unsure of the outcome, but trust the Lord- He knows the outcome. You may be facing financial loss and don't know if you will have a roof over your head in the future, but trust that the Lord sees the outcome. You may be going through a broken relationship unsure if reconciliation is in the future, but trust the Lord because He sees the end. Whatever you may be facing, you may not know what will happen next, but trust the Lord because He does. He sees the end from the beginning; He is the Author and Finisher; He is the First and the Last. He already knows how it is going to end. And the outcome will always work together somehow for your good.
Have a great day. We don't have the luxury of knowing the future, but God does so we can put our trust in Him.
For further reading:
Job 23:10; 13:15
Revelation 1:11
Hebrews 12:2; 10:38
Genesis 45:5-7
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
"Fear And Thanksgiving"
"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped." Job 1:20
I wasn't going to send out a devotional this morning since it is a holiday here in the United States, but the Lord woke me up early this morning and spoke a simple- yet powerful- statement to me to share with you. This is it: "Even in the worst situations, there is still something to be thankful for".
If ever there was a man who faced unimaginable grief, hardship and sorrow it was Job. He lost everything he possessed, his wife wanted him to curse God and die, his friends accused him while "comforting" him, he lost his entire family, yet in his time of lamentation he worshipped God.
Job was no different then we are. He was just another ordinary man. He wasn't a "super saint". He wasn't a mega church pastor or a prophet. He was in deep grief, he didn't understand everything that was happening, he was hurting, and he questioned why. Yet he still worshipped God through it all. How? How did he make it through it? "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job 1:1) Job feared the Lord. Our fear of the Lord will sustain us when everything is against us, when our world is shaken, when the bottom falls out from beneath us and when everything else fails us. It will give us the power to stand and continue on.
How did his fear of the Lord cause him to find something to be thankful for which caused him to worship? "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21) Because he remembered where His blessings came from in the first place. He remembered that anything he has was given to him by the grace of God. He knew that God was in control- He had the power to give and take away. He knew that regardless of what he was going through God was still worthy to be praised. He knew that when you praise and worship the Lord it brings His presence closer in a deeper way. And he knew that all things- some way, some how- work together for the good of those who love and fear the Lord. Therefore, there was still something that he could be thankful for. Everything else in his life may have been gone, but his fear of the Lord was still in tact.
You may be going through the darkest time of your life. You may be facing tremendous grief and sorrow. You may be at the bottom and see no hope in sight. But hold on to your fear of the Lord. It is the anchor that will hold you steady as this storm is raging.
Have a great day. Even in the worst situations, there is still something to be thankful for.
For further reading:
Job 1
Romans 8:28
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.
I wasn't going to send out a devotional this morning since it is a holiday here in the United States, but the Lord woke me up early this morning and spoke a simple- yet powerful- statement to me to share with you. This is it: "Even in the worst situations, there is still something to be thankful for".
If ever there was a man who faced unimaginable grief, hardship and sorrow it was Job. He lost everything he possessed, his wife wanted him to curse God and die, his friends accused him while "comforting" him, he lost his entire family, yet in his time of lamentation he worshipped God.
Job was no different then we are. He was just another ordinary man. He wasn't a "super saint". He wasn't a mega church pastor or a prophet. He was in deep grief, he didn't understand everything that was happening, he was hurting, and he questioned why. Yet he still worshipped God through it all. How? How did he make it through it? "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job 1:1) Job feared the Lord. Our fear of the Lord will sustain us when everything is against us, when our world is shaken, when the bottom falls out from beneath us and when everything else fails us. It will give us the power to stand and continue on.
How did his fear of the Lord cause him to find something to be thankful for which caused him to worship? "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21) Because he remembered where His blessings came from in the first place. He remembered that anything he has was given to him by the grace of God. He knew that God was in control- He had the power to give and take away. He knew that regardless of what he was going through God was still worthy to be praised. He knew that when you praise and worship the Lord it brings His presence closer in a deeper way. And he knew that all things- some way, some how- work together for the good of those who love and fear the Lord. Therefore, there was still something that he could be thankful for. Everything else in his life may have been gone, but his fear of the Lord was still in tact.
You may be going through the darkest time of your life. You may be facing tremendous grief and sorrow. You may be at the bottom and see no hope in sight. But hold on to your fear of the Lord. It is the anchor that will hold you steady as this storm is raging.
Have a great day. Even in the worst situations, there is still something to be thankful for.
For further reading:
Job 1
Romans 8:28
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.
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