"Created Equal"

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." Genesis 1:26

 

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Independence Day here in the United States. In our Declaration of Independence our forefathers wrote these words. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

 

"All men are created equal". How true that is. Although when we look at people, we don't always see that. We categorize people. We put them in classes. We look at them through our own standards. We label them. We make judgments that this one is better than that one based on some human accomplishment. We act as if the affluent are better than the uneducated. We think that the rich are more nobler than the poor. Then there are those we place on pedestals and others that we look down our noses at. We tend to think that we are better than some other people. But the truth is, "we are all created equal".

 

We are all created in the image of God, after His likeness. Every person born on planet earth, past, present and future, has been created by God and in His image. Every person originally started from dirt. We all enter this life through the womb. So we are all equal in terms of how we are created. 

 

We are all created with feelings and emotions. We all hurt. We all feel pain. When we bleed, we all bleed the same color- red.

 

We are all the same/equal in the fact that we are all born into this life as sinners. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12) We are the same in the fact that we are all lost, separated from God, under the death sentence, and in need a Savior because we can't save ourselves. We are the same in the fact that if we are going to be saved and have eternal life, we all have to come the exact same way to salvation. One group may try to work their way to salvation, another may put their hope in some ancient prophet to save them, or another may think that their goodness will save them. While many others believe there are many ways to be saved, to have eternal life, and to get to God, there is but One Way. We are all the same in the fact that Jesus is the Only One who can save us. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) There is no other way besides Him.

 

As we celebrate the freedom of our nation this week, will you declare your independence from sin and death by turning to Jesus the Only One who can save you and set your free? 

 

Have a great day. All men are created equal... we are all born into sin and we all need a Savior. There is only one Savior for all of us-- Jesus. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 3:23

Acts 10:34

James 2:1-4

Luke 18:11

John 14:6

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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.

"Singing Words"

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Deuteronomy 6:5

 

I woke up this morning with a chorus repeating over and over in my thoughts. The words that kept going over and over are, "I'm a lover of Your presence." There are a multitude of Christian songs out there. They are classified under numerous categories-- Southern gospel, contemporary, hymns, choruses, rap, etc. We all have our favorites. And we all have songs that we love more than others. The point I want to make this morning is not pertaining to which "style" of Christian music you enjoy more, but more to the content. And more specifically, what are you doing with the content? What are you doing with what you are singing?

 

As this line of the song was playing in my thoughts, I questioned, "Is that true? Am I a lover of God's presence? Do I love His presence more than anything else?" How many times do we sit in a church worship service and sing the songs without giving any thought to the words? Do we sing them out of habit? Are we just reciting some words that we have memorized? Are do they really mean something to us? Do we really mean what we are singing? Are we practicing what we sing? Is our heart in it, or is it "lip worship"? 

 

Do I truly believe "There is Power in the Blood"? Am I like "A deer panting for the water"- longing for Him more than anything else? Am I living like there is "Nothing but the blood that can wash away my sins" or am I trying to clean up myself? Am I convinced that "He is Mighty To Save"? Do I daily, "Surrender All- All to Jesus", or do I reserve the right to hold on to certain things in my life?

 

The next time you sing a song, the next time you are in a worship service, the next time a chorus or hymn comes to mind and you find yourself singing it, take note as to whether you are singing it because you have memorized the words or because the words have meaning and you are living by them.

 

Have a great day. I wonder if the songs we sing are just words that we have memorized, or are we living what we are singing?

 

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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.

"Cornerstone"

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Ephesians 2:20

 

When a building was to be constructed, the first thing that was put into place was a cornerstone. The rest of the building was then built according to the placement of it. One of the purposes of the cornerstone was to keep the building in alignment. Without it the building would be crooked and unstable.

 

The Apostle wrote that Jesus Himself was the chief cornerstone. It is upon Him that the church is built. It is also upon Him that our lives must be built. He is the cornerstone in our lives that holds all things together. He is what keeps our lives organized and in order. Without Him we are like a house that is "unsafe" and "unstable" because the foundation is faulty. 

 

Does your life seem to be out of alignment? Does it seem to be chaotic? Do you feel like you are off track? Check the foundation? Are you moving yourself away from the true foundation and trying to relocate to another one. Another one such as self-centeredness, greed, jealousy, pride, etc.?

 

If we try to build our lives on another foundation, or try to get away from being built on Him, we are like a house built on sand. There is nothing solid to hold our lives up. Sand continually shifts and gets us out of alignment and takes us into a life of disorder. Christ is the only sure foundation. He is the only One who can keep our lives in order. 

 

Have a great day. If your life is out of order and chaos, check to make sure you are still firmly built upon Christ the sure and solid foundation.

 

For further reading:

1 Peter 2:6

Isaiah 28:16

1 Corinthians 3:11

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

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.

"It's Not Neglect"

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Isaiah 49:15

 

I have a word specifically for someone this morning-- but it is also for the rest of us. That word is-- Stop accusing God of child neglect.

 

God, your Heavenly Father, has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned you. He is not neglecting you. You are falsely accusing Him just because He has not come through when you thought He should or because He has not moved in the way you wanted Him to. 

 

God, being the Father, is wiser than the child. He knows what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. His ways, and thoughts, are so much higher than ours. He moves in perfect ways with eternity in mind. We want things done in a way that will get the need met quicker. We also think in terms of the "here and now".

 

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the mockers in the crowd kept taunting Him by saying, "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." (Matthew 27:40) He was the Son of God and He could have come down from the cross to prove it. Had He done what they wanted Him to do, some of those standing there that day would have believed that He was the Son of God when they saw it. It would have changed some of their lives that day, but what about the rest of us. What about all of lost humanity? What about those of us who were not born yet and still needed a Savior? He stayed on the cross because there was a greater eternal value in doing so-- there was an eternal purpose to fulfill. 

 

When He delays in answering, when He delays in moving on your behalf, He is working out a greater plan than to just run to your rescue. It is a plan that will touch many other lives. It is a plan that will bring Him the greatest glory. It is a plan that will work all things together for your good.

 

Have a great day. Don't accuse God of neglecting you. He is working out a far greater, and eternal, plan on your behalf. 

 

For further reading:

Romans 8:28

Isaiah 55:9

 

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

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.

"Light For The Path"

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

 

When I have to go outside at night, and it is very dark, there is one thing I take with me.... a flashlight. If I don't have one, I wish I did. It brightens up my path so that I can see where I am walking. God's Word is light to our path, it shows us the way to walk when we are in darkness.

 

Are you walking on a "dark" path today? You don't know which way to go? You have decisions to make but aren't sure what to do? Are you are going through a dark place and aren't sure how to get out? Then go get a light. Bring God's Word into your situation. What does it say? Look to it to direct you through this. Perhaps this sounds a little simple, but God's Word has been giving guidance and instruction to millions for thousands of years. It will still do the same for you today. If I am walking around outside and stumbling over objects, falling down, getting tripped up because of the darkness and my inability to see in it, one simple way to change that is by getting a light. 

 

Have a great day.  When you are walking around in darkness, not knowing what to do, take God's Word and let it enlighten your path.

 

For further reading:

Psalm 119:130, 133

 

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

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