Coffee Break

Coffee Break

"The Flashlight"

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

God's word is many things to us. His word is a lamp and a light unto our path. Have you ever walked into a dark room or outside in the dark? My mother in law lives next door to us so many times we will just walk across the yard to her house. If we go late in the day and stay too long we have to walk home in the dark. There is no light outside to see by and if the moon is hid behind the clouds it is very dark. The darkness leaves us with the inability to see where we are going. Although I have walked that path many times, without a light I am still unsure of where to place my next step. Because we are unable to see we don't know what lies ahead of us making it easy to stumble or fall. At those times my one wish is for a flashlight. 

Life has its times of "light" and "darkness" ;. There are times when we see everything clearly. We know where we are going, what we are doing, and have clear direction. But then there are times when it is "dark" . The way before us is unclear, we don't know what to do, we can't see to make the next step. This happens on "familiar" ; paths of life-- those places we have been through before-- and on "unfamiliar&qu ot; paths-- the places we have never been through before. On either path, the familiar and unfamiliar, we have one desire-- light!

The good news is that there is "light" for us so that we don't have to walk in darkness down any path that we are on. That light is God's word. His word will give us light to "see" as we walk the path of life. It will give us the light of peace, of direction, of comfort and of joy. When we read God's word, hide it in our hearts and apply it in the situation, it is like having a "flashlight&qu ot; with us to light up our path. Also, when we have Jesus living in our lives, He is the Living Word and the Light of men, His presence gives us light. 

As long as we have God's Word-- the written promises-- and God's Word-- the Lord Jesus-- in our lives, we will never walk in darkness. The Light will always be with us shining on our path of life. 

Have a great day. We need a flashlight when walking through dark places. When we come to dark places/times in our lives, we need a flashlight then too-- it is God's Word. 

For further reading:
Isaiah 9:2
John 1:1,4,5

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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

Coffee Break

"Seeking The Ark - part 2"

"Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood." Psalm 132:6

Yesterday we said that the ark represents the presence of God and the Israelites we searching for it because it was not where it was suppose to be. They did finally find it-- "in the fields of the wood". The commentaries say that this was a place- the "city of woods". 

Wood symbolizes humanity, flesh. When we "lose the presence of God" it is because we are giving into the flesh. When I say we "lose the presence of God", the presence of God is with us always-- He never leaves us nor forsakes us-- I am talking more specifically about the presence that we sense and know is actively involved in our lives. 

Giving into the flesh means letting your flesh do what it wants to do and have its own way. It means over indulging in worldly activities, spending too much time on things that your flesh enjoys, and less time on the things that provide a place for God-- Bible study, prayer, fasting, praise, worship. It also means spending your time worrying, gossiping, giving in to unforgiveness and bitterness, etc. 
If we are walking after the flesh, instead of the spirit, then we are not yielding to the presence of God. We are not giving Him place, we are not making room for Him. You can't serve two masters. You can't yield to flesh and spirit at the same time. You can't walk in both simultaneously. You can't live in fear and faith both. 

Does the presence of God seem far away in your life? Do you lack the peace and joy that comes from His presence? Does it seem like He is in the distant or the back of your life? Then pay attention to what you are doing each day. Are you giving place and time to Him? Are you living after your own desires? Are you more involved with fleshly or spiritual activity? God doesn't live in flesh. The Israelites brought the ark back to its rightful place of belonging. The rightful place of belonging in our lives is in the spirit and not in the flesh.

Have a great day. If the presence of God seems distant in your life, it may be because you have placed Him among the "woods" - the place of flesh.

For further reading:
Matthew 6:24
Galatians 5

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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.

Coffee Break

"Trouble And Sorrows"

"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow." Psalm 116:3

When I read this verse, I thought it was interesting that the Psalmist said, "I found trouble and sorrow." I have discovered that you don't have to go looking for trouble and sorrow, it finds you. Trouble and sorrow are always "seeking" us. Ecclesiastes 2:23 says that all a man's days are full of sorrow. Are you facing a time of trouble? Are you facing sorrow? 

The Bible tells us that life is full of trouble and sorrow and that it will come to all of us, but that is not what I want to focus on. I want to focus on what it says about it when it does come. Namely, Jesus' role in sorrow. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:3)

The Bible doesn't say we won't have times of sorrow or trouble, but it does tell us that Jesus has carried our sorrows. Jesus knows what it is like. He knows what you are going through. He has felt your pain; He is acquainted with it. He knows about the emotions that you battle during those times. He is touched by the feelings of your weaknesses. He is called "a man of sorrows" . Not a "man of sorrow" , but a man of "sorrows" . There is no sorrow, no pain, no weakness, no trouble that you go through that Jesus hasn't gone through already Himself. He understands what you are going through. People may not always understand, but He does.

Reach out to Him today with your trouble. Reach out to Him today with your pain. Reach out to Him in your weakness. Reach out to Him through your sorrow. I assure you that He will not turn you away. He will not turn His back on you. He will not turn a deaf ear to your cry. He will not ignore you. He will listen, He will comfort, He will restore, and He will guide you through it because He has been there.

Have a great day. Trouble and sorrow comes to all of us, even Jesus faced it. Therefore, He understands what you are going through. Turn to Him.

For further reading:
Isaiah 53

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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.

Coffee Break
"Seeking The Ark"

"Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood." Psalm 132:6

The "it" in the verse was the ark of the covenant. The ark represented God's presence. The ark was not where it was suppose to be, so the Israelites were searching for it. They heard it was in one place but discovered that it was not there. After continually searching, they finally found it, but not where it should have been.

There are a few things I see in this. 1) We must "search" out the presence of God. While His presence is everywhere- He is Omnipresent- there are times when His presence is near to us in a special way. "Search it out" means to keep pressing in through prayer or praise, or both, until we have "touched His hem" and He fills us with His presence. If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. If we seek Him, we will find Him. 

2) God's presence isn't always where we think it should be. We think His presence is only found in the good times, happy times, prosperity times and blessing times. When bad things happen, we think He has left and isn't with us. His presence is in the difficult times, the hard times and the trying times as well. You will find Him in the furnace, in the lion's den, in the pit, in the valley of the shadow of death, in the wilderness. He doesn't leave us in the bad times. 

3) Make sure God's presence in our lives is always where it should be-- first, front and center. We need to make sure that our lives evolve around Him always-- not just at church time, not just in hard times when we need His help, not just when it is time to perform some religious duty, not just when it is convenient for us. He has to have first place in our lives. He has to be Lord of our lives... all the time. 

Where is the "ark" in your life? Do you seek His touch/presence daily? Do you feel that He has forsaken you in the bad times? Have you "lost" that intimacy with the Lord? Do you give Him some place other than first place in your life? Where is He in your life?

Have a great day. Is the Lord where He should be in your life? 

For further reading:
James 4:8
Matthew 6:33
Psalm 105:4
Acts 17:27

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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.

Coffee Break 

"Into The Unknown"

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:" Genesis 12:1

The Lord spoke to Abram to leave his family, father, and country and go to a place where He would show him as he went. Not knowing ahead of time where he was going meant that he had to trust God as he never had before. It is one thing for the Lord to tell you where to go, it is another for Him to just say go and then tell you after you have started on your journey. 

The Lord has never done this to me personally. He has never spoken to me to just get up and start going and afterwards given me the instructions as to where I was going. Maybe He has you? While He hasn't sent us into the "unknown" physically, with each new day we face the "unknown" . When we wake up in the morning, we don't know what lies ahead of us. Oh, we may have plans to do this or that today but plans can be changed, direction can be interrupted, unforeseen events can happen. We just don't know what we will face or where we might wind up each day. So each day holds "unknown" situations, circumstances and challenges for us. 

Abram's "unknown" was physical, ours is spiritual and emotional mostly. But just as Abram had to trust God with his "unknown" , so do we each day when it begins. We have to be prepared for the "unknown" that is waiting ahead of us. Abram was able to face the "unknown" because of his faith in God-- he knew that if God was going to show him where to go, that meant God was going to be with him in the journey. For the same reason we too can face the "unknown" . We can face it with faith, courage and peace because as God was with Abram, He will be with us also. "Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." (Proverbs 27:1b), but God does and He will be with you guiding you every step of the way. 

Have a great day. We don't know what lies ahead, but God does and He will be with us.

For further reading:
Matthew 6:25; 28:20
Genesis 26:3
Isaiah 43:2

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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.

Coffee Break
"He Is Always There"

"... lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:20

When you read the Bible, you will discover that it is full of stories of ordinary people just like you and me who met with daily difficulties, as well as extraordinary situations. As you look at their lives you will see that in each problem they encountered, they didn't go through it by themselves. The Lord was always there. He never left them, ran out on them or neglected them.

He was there when the disciples were in the boat facing the storm. He was there when Daniel was in the lion's den. He was there when the three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace. He was there with David when he stood before the giant. He was there when Gideon went to war. He was there with Noah in the ark. He was there with Abraham during his greatest trial on the mountain. He was there with the children of Israel at the Red Sea. 

The Lord is always with His children. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He doesn't leave us when the "going gets rough". He doesn't change. He has always been there, so why would you think that He would be any different today than He has always been? Why would you think He would abandon you when He never once abandoned any of His children throughout history? 

He hasn't abandoned you. He hasn't left you. He is right there with you. And He will stay with you through the difficulty that you are going through just like He always had.

Have a great day. God has always walked through difficulties with His people. Why would He change now and not walk with you through your time of difficulty?

For further reading:
Hebrews 13:5
Isaiah 49:15

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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.

Coffee Break

"God Humbles Himself"

"Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!" Psalm 113:6

Each time that the Lord looks on the things that are in heaven and earth, He has to humble Himself to do so. As Creator, it places His creation so far beneath Him. He is so highly exalted far above everything else. If He humbles Himself just to look at us, there is no way that we can fully comprehend the depth that He went to to humble Himself and become a man and walk the earth. 

The Creator humbled Himself to the level of His own creation and became one of us-- born of a woman, nursed as a baby, grew as a child, learned to talk, walk, read and write. The One who created flesh, blood and bones, became flesh, blood and bone. The One who created language had to learn to speak. The One who puts strength in bones, had to develop the ability to walk on bones. The One who calls the stars by name had to look up in order to gaze at the stars.

The question is not, "How did He do it?". The question is, "Why did He do it?" Why would He leave His exalted place and humble Himself so low as to become like His own creation? The answer is found in the third level of His humility. He humbles Himself just to look at us. He humbled Himself even further and became one of us. But He humbled Himself further yet and became obedient to the death of the cross. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8) The answer to all three levels that God has humbled Himself to for us can be summed up in one word-- LOVE.

Everything that God has done. Each time He humbles Himself to even look at us is all because He loves us. He loves us so much that He was willing to come to earth, willing to leave heaven, will to be born of flesh, willing to walk the earth, willing to be rejected, ridiculed, beaten, spit on and crucified, all because of His love for us. 

We can't understand the depth of His humility in coming to earth to save us from our sins. But on the other hand, we can't understand the depth of the love that He has for us. And since we can't fully comprehend either, we just have to accept and believe that He does love us. He loves you this morning, even though you can't comprehend it. 

Have a great day. God has to humble Himself in all His dealings with mankind. But He does so because He loves us. 

For further reading:
John 1:1,14; 3:16
Psalm 97:9
Ephesians 3:17-19

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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.

Coffee Break 
"Unselfish Act Of Love"

"There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat." Matthew 26:7

The Bible records several stories of people who unselfishly gave to Jesus- the woman with the alabaster box, the widow and her mite, etc. I want to share a modern day story of unselfish giving that I am sure would have been written in the pages of the Bible. As you know the ministry operates a thrift store. We take in donations of clothing and other items and use them to help people. The other day a lady and her daughter came to the store and brought a clothing donation. It was a rather large donation- one large plastic container, a box and several bags. I discovered that these donations were the result of a request made by the daughter. The daughter had just turned 11 years old a few days before. For her birthday she requested that no one give her gifts, instead she wanted them to bring clothes that they could donate to help others. I can't tell you how deeply touched I was at hearing this. 

I decided to share it with you because the Bible says that "a child shall lead them". This was one of the most unselfish acts I have ever seen. It so reminded me of Jesus and His unselfish act of love for us when He went to the cross and died for our sins. As His followers, we should live an unselfish life. How often do we think about "self" ? How much of what we do centers around what "I want"? When was the last time we made any sacrifice for the cause of Christ, or just to bless someone else? Are you always on your mind? Is it all about what makes you happy? An 11 year old girl gave up the opportunity to receive presents on her birthday because she wanted to help someone else and saw a way to do that. Often we think we have nothing to give or there is nothing we can do. Well, that isn't true. This little girl proved that. She "led us" by showing us that there is a way-- just stop thinking about yourself. The less we think about self, the more we will think about others. The more we think about others the more the Lord can and will work through our lives to reach others for His glory.

Have a great day. When was the last time you demonstrated an unselfish act of love?

For further reading:
Isaiah 11:6
Matthew 21:16; 16:25; 25:45

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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.

Coffee Break

"Included Through Prayer"

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

Today is my nursing home ministry day but I won't be able to go because it is sleeting outside and the roads will be icy. While the weather has stopped me from "going" - to fulfill the commission- it hasn't stopped me from "going" and fulfilling it through the Coffee Break devotional. 

Some of you who are reading this may be hindered because of various reasons from being able to "go" and "fulfill" what the Lord told us to do in the Great Commission. Your health, a transportation situation, weather, etc., may be a hindrance to you. But all though you might be hindered in one way, there are other ways in which you can "go" . 

If your internet is working, you can send an email that lifts Jesus up, or post it on Face Book. If your phone is working, send a text and tell someone that Jesus loves them- or make a phone call. If none of that is available to you-- pray. Pray for laborers to be sent- those who are able to go. Pray for those who are in the harvest field. Pray that the Word of the Lord when spoken by someone else will have liberty and free course to accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. Pray for hearts to be soft, tender and receptive to the gospel message. Pray that all hindering forces would be bound and not prevail against the laborers and those who hear. 

You have to plow the field before it can be planted. What we do has to be bathed in prayer first. Prayer "plows" the field of the heart and gets it ready to receive the "seed" of God's word. So don't feel that you can't do anything because of your present condition or circumstances. You can "go" through prayer. It takes both-- prayer and preaching. Paul asked the church to pray for him to have utterance to open his mouth boldly and make known the gospel to others. 

Just because we pray doesn't excuse us from "going" physically when we can. But at the same time, when we can't go, prayer keeps us from being excluded in the commission.

Have a great day. If you can't fulfill the commission to "go" physically, you can fulfill it spiritually through your prayers for those who can go. 

For further reading:
Ephesians 6:18,19 
Matthew 9:38
Luke 10:2

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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.

Coffee Break

"It Isn't New"

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

"No new thing under the sun." In other words there is nothing new. They say history repeats itself. Fashion tends to run in cycles-- just hang onto your old clothes and in about twenty years they will be in style again. The same is true with the trials and temptations that we face. They aren't new, and they aren't restricted to you only. Jesus was tempted in all points just like we are. He was tempted in the same areas and same things that you and I are tempted in today-- two thousand years later. In 1 Peter we are told that our brothers and sisters in the faith are suffering the same afflictions as we are. (1 Peter 5:9)

Because what you are going through is nothing new-- it may be to you, and it may come in a different "flavor" -- it means that Jesus, having faced it Himself is touched by the feelings of your weaknesses. "For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning." (Hebrews 4:15- Amplified Bible)

Take heart this morning in whatever you may be going through. Jesus knows what it is like. He understands what you are going through. He is with you in it. He was victorious over it having gone through it Himself. He will help you, guide you, and walk with you through it. Be of good cheer, because He has overcome.

Have a great day. What you are going through is nothing new. Jesus has already gone through it and will be with you helping you to go through it as well.

For further reading:
John 16:33

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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.

Coffee Break

"The Right Conditions"

"He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." Ecclesiastes 11:4

This verse in "plain" English means-- if you wait for all the right conditions, you will never do anything. Human nature is to wait until everything in our lives is "perfect" . Sadly, many feel this same way when it comes to starting a relationship with Jesus. They are waiting until they have raised their families, are financially stable, gotten an education, lived their lives, when they feel better or have straightened up their lives. Jesus addressed this in one of His parables. A man made a great supper and sent his servants to invite the people to come. Each of the guests made excuses as to why they couldn't come. One bought a piece of land and had to go see it. Another had bought some oxen and had to go look at them. The other had just got married and had to stay with his wife. These all missed out on the supper. You can't wait for the "perfect" conditions/time, you have to accept the invitation when it comes, waiting will be too late.

We also tend to wait for all the right conditions before we will do what the Lord calls us to do. Jesus addressed this too. There was a man who said that he would follow Jesus, but wanted Jesus to let him go bury his father first. Jesus' reply was to let the dead bury their dead. Jesus wasn't being cruel or heartless. He was telling the man not to wait, do it now while you have the opportunity, not when you have all things taken care of and in order.

The bottom line to what we are saying is this: we are waiting for "when" before we will either give our lives to Jesus, follow Him, or do what He has called us to do. We are waiting for "when" we are old, "when" we are smarter, "when" we have lived, "when" we have made a lot of money, "when" we have got it all together... "when" all the conditions in my life are right.... then, I will. 

If we wait on all the right conditions- when we think it is the right time- we will always be waiting and never do it. We must seize the opportunity when it comes to us. We must follow Him today. We must give our lives to Him now. David couldn't wait to kill Goliath until he was grown and a well trained soldier. That would have been the "right condition" in our way of thinking, but not in God's. He would have missed the perfect plan of God waiting on what he thought was the right time and perfect conditions. 

Have a great day. Don't wait for all the right conditions before you give your life to the Lord and follow Him. There will never be a right condition or time. Therefore, do it now. 

For further reading:
Luke 14:18-20
Matthew 8:19-23

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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.

Coffee Break 

"Ducks In A Row"

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." song of Solomon 2:5

I am one of those people who like to plan what I am going to do each day-- especially because my time is so limited. For the past several days, all my plans went out the window! Monday I was going to work on getting the ministry books in order. Well, we discovered a water leak that the plumbers were suppose to have fixed the week before. They came Monday and worked half the day in my office, where I needed to be. Tuesday I was going to work on them. I was making changes to my internet. The tech was scheduled to come Tuesday, he did. But things didn't go according to plan, so I was without phone, email and internet service for two days. I couldn't work while he was here, which turned out to be all day instead of the scheduled two hours. 

My neatly placed "ducks in a row" were soon "flying" all over the place. Even again this morning, I was going to get up, have my prayer time, write the CB, get dressed and then leave to go to the shop. I got up, had my prayer time-- so far things are going according to plan-- I sat down at the computer to write the CB and my email is out again. That just put a big hole in my plans and I don't have the time to straighten it out. Looks like this has also changed my plans for this evening after work. I will be on the phone with technical support-- again. 

Thank you for your patience in listening to all this. I said it to encourage us all that life is life, and life doesn't always-- or let's put it this way-- hardly ever goes according to plan. A person once said, "Man plans, God laughs," We can't always make plans about tomorrow. We don't know what the future holds. This is why the scriptures tell us to say that we will do this or that if the Lord is willing. Plans are often made to be broken. Does that mean we should just wander aimlessly though life and let what happens happen? Of course not, we should have a plan, we shouldn' t waste the time, but we should also be prepared for our plans to change. We should not live such a "rigid" scheduled life that there is no room for a change in plans. If we don't we will be frustrated, aggravated, angry, impatient and lose our peace. And that will make us a clear target for the enemy's attacks. 

Have a great day. Some times our well placed "ducks in row" get out of place. We have to learn to commit our plans to God and trust Him when they change. 

For further reading:
James 4:15
Matthew 6:34

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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.

Coffee Break 

"It Makes No Sense"

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." Isaiah 55:8

God has a way of doing things and we have a way of doing things. God's ways don't always make sense to us. How much sense did it make to march around the walls of Jericho for seven days without saying a word? How much sense did it make to go out to battle against a hundred thousand with only three hundred men? How much sense did it make to build an ark when there was no rain; or strike a rock to get water? None of it makes any sense to our natural understanding, but that is just it, God doesn't work from our understanding, He works from His own. 

When God is working in your life and you know that it is Him, but what He tells you makes no sense- you can't figure it out- what do you do? You listen to the words of Mary, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." It doesn't have to make sense to us, we don't have to understand it all, we won't always understand it-- that is why it is called "faith" . Our part is to do what He says-- trust and obey. When we do the task God's way, we will be victorious in the outcome. Everyone in the Bible who followed the Lord and did what He said- though it made no sense to them- was victorious and achieved the desired outcome, it was only when they did it their way that they failed. So whose way are you going to follow? 

Have a great day. God's ways don't always make sense to us, but if we will follow His instructions we will be victorious in the outcome.

For further reading:
John 2:5
Isaiah 55:9

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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.

Coffee Break

"The Beginning Of Life"

"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." Psalm 2:12

"Kiss the Son", literally means-- submit to Jesus. But how can I? What if He calls me to do something I can't do? What if others reject me or make fun of me for submitting my life to and following Him? What about my own will? What if He ask me to give up my plans, desires, ambitions and dreams? So? What if He does? We act as if that is a "bad" thing. We act as if that is the "end of the world". We act as if once we do life is over for us. On the contrary.

Submitting and surrendering our lives to Jesus doesn't "end" our lives, it only "begins" them. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 16:25) In other words, when we "lose" or "give up" our life (desires and will) and surrender it to His desire and will, we will "find our lives" That is when we truly start living. Up to that point we are existing, we are surviving, we are only enjoying life in a small measure and not to the fullest. Solomon discovered this. He tried to enjoy life in every way possible-- entertainment, adventure, education, projects, art, relationships, wealth, etc. And he concluded that life lived apart from God is "vanity" (meaningless) .

Do we really want to live? Then submitting to the Lord is the only way to truly do that. It is in submitting to Him that we finally find abundant life. When we submit and surrender our lives to Him, we are putting our trust in Him to do us good and what is best for us. (And He will.) As we do, we will be blessed. The word blessed is literally translated- O happy man! We become genuinely "happy" with and in life. 

Everyone is looking for happiness in life. Everyone is looking for joy, peace and fulfillment. It is obtainable. But you can't obtain it your own way. It is obtained in submitting your life to Jesus alone. Do you really want to live? Then submit, surrender and trust the Lord with your life.

Have a great day. You don't start really living until you surrender your life to Jesus. 

For further reading:
John 10:10
Ecclesiastes 2

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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.

Coffee Break

"You Only Hang Yourself"

"So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.: Esther 7:10

When a person has jealousy, anger, bitterness or unforgiveness toward another person, they wind up building a "gallows" toward that person. A gallows was not only used for execution by hanging, it was also a means of torture before execution. When we have these oughts toward another person, we think that we are "torturing&quo t; them. Yes, your feelings toward that person do have an affect on them, but they aren't the ones that you hurt the worse.

Haman built a gallows to hang Mordecai in, but instead he was the one who was hung in it. Having ought against another person does hurt and bind that person in a sense, but it hurts us more. Eventually, we will be the ones who are "hung" by it. How so? For one, the most important one, it will hinder your relationship with the Heavenly Father. It will open a door to the enemy to come into your life. It will harden your heart. It will begin to steal your joy and peace. It will bring you under condemnation. It will delight your adversary the devil. We wind up hard-hearted. We are actually torturing ourselves.

The nature of Christ is love. If Christ is in us, so is His love. Love and unforgiveness have no room to coexist together. Love and bitterness, anger, malice, jealousy can't ever be "roommates&quo t;. You can't say you love God and hate your brother, or your neighbor. You can't receive the forgiveness of God and refuse to forgive others-- even those who trespass against you. 

If you are holding onto unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, jealousy, etc, (any ought) toward another person-- whether it be founded or not--you must repent and release that person from your feelings toward them. But more importantly you will be releasing yourself before you wind up being hung in your "own gallows" .

Have a great day. If you have ought, in any form-- unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, etc.-- against anyone. Repent of it, or you will be hung in the gallows of ought that you have built.

For further reading:
1 John 4:20
Matthew 6:12-15; 18:21-35

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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.

Coffee Break 
"The Wood For The Sacrifice"

"And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down." Judges 6:26

When Gideon destroyed the grove/altar/ high place that his father had built to worship Baal, he then built an altar to the Lord. The Lord told him to offer a burnt sacrifice upon the altar. Interestingly, He told him to use "the wood of the grove which he cut down". 

For us, these groves represent the altar that we set up in our lives to our own god-- flesh/self. When we come to Christ in salvation, or through rededication, this altar is torn down and one to Him is erected. We too are to take the "wood from the grove" and use it on the altar of God. What does that mean? An altar is a place of worship. Wood represents humanity. Wood also represents the fuel for the fire. Simply put, it means that we are now to give ourselves as an instrument in worship to Him. It means that we become a living sacrifice to be consumed by Him. It means that we are now engaged in His service and doing that which brings Him glory-- and no longer self. It means our lives through our sacrifice, help to "fuel" His glory in our lives. 

Is your life a living sacrifice to God? Are you worshipping Him by presenting yourself at His altar daily? Are you allowing Him to consume your fleshly desires, ambitions, motives and will each day? Are you engaged in His service? Is your life "fueling" His worship, praise and glory? If not, then today place your life on the "altar" of the Lord and give Him your whole self. 

Have a great day. When we stop worshipping our flesh, then we become living sacrifices in worship to God. 

For further reading:
Romans 12:1 

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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.

Coffee Break
"Cut Down Your Grove"

"And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down." Judges 6:25,26

The children of Israel were living in sin against the Lord-- they were serving Baal and other gods. Because of this sin against God they were living under the oppression of the Midianites. They cried to God for deliverance and He raised up Gideon to deliver them. 

One of the things the Lord told Gideon to do was destroy the high places and groves that his father had built. These were places of worship to these false gods. As I thought about these groves three things came to mind. 

First, we see the answer to how we turn from God and get cold in our relationship with Him. These groves didn't just appear, someone had to build them. It took some time and effort to build them. When we turn from God and get cold in our walk with Him, it didn't just happen in an instant. It is a process. It started with missing one day of prayer, going a day without reading our Bible, missing a church service, watching a program we shouldn' t watch. Then it becomes two days, then three days. Pretty soon, because of neglect of the things of God and attention to our own desires, we have built a "grove" and established an "altar" to something other than God in our lives-- self. 

Secondly, we see our answer on how to come back to that relationship with God that we once had. It happens by "tearing the grove down". It always takes longer to build a "grove" to the flesh-- it doesn't just happen overnight-- than it takes to reestablish one to God. It took Gideon's father some time to build the grove, but it only took Gideon one night to destroy it. How do we destroy it? By repentance. We turn to God and repent of our neglect of Him and worship of the flesh. When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We are instantly brought back into right relationship with Him. 

Thirdly, once we have repented, we don't just tear down the "grove" , we must rebuild the altar of God in its place. How do we do this? "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works." (Revelation 2:5) Make God your priority, seek Him first, do the first works, don't follow the lust of your flesh, give attention to reading the word of God, praying, praise, worship and His house.

Have you turned from the Lord? Is there a grove and altar to your flesh that you are worshipping at in your life? Repent today and turn back to the Lord and reestablish your relationship with Him-- and worship Him only.

Have a great day. If you have turned from God and are worshipping something besides Him, tear down that altar and turn back to worshipping Him.

For further reading:
1 John 1:9
Judges 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.

Coffee Break
"The 'Seed' Of Greatness"

"And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35

"That Holy Thing" which was placed inside the womb of Mary was The Son of God. The "seed" of His person was placed inside her womb. When we think about that, we usually think about that "seed" as just Jesus. But inside that "seed" was Jesus the Christ, but was also the Creator of the Universe, the One who spoke all things into existence and holds all things together by the power of His word. Inside that "seed" was salvation, deliverance, healing, holiness, grace, mercy, all wisdom, all knowledge, all power, joy, peace, strength, glory, etc. Inside that "seed" was the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, the Faithful and Just One, the Alpha and Omega. Everything He is was inside that little "seed" inside her womb. She was impregnated with all that would ever be needed for her and the entirety of mankind. 

When we receive salvation, this same "seed" is placed in us. We don't have Jesus developing in our wombs, but He comes into our spirits. Yet, we don't realize what that means. We don't understand what is truly inside of us. Mary didn't understand. She understood that she was carrying the Son of God who was to be called Jesus, the One who would save His people from their sins. But she didn't understand that in her womb, inside of Him, was all, plus more, that we have talked about. 

When we hear people say, "Inside of you there is greatness" . We think that the greatness is the "thing" , or "things" , that God is going to do through us. That is not what that means. When Christ Jesus is in us, HE is that greatness. I said earlier that we don't realize and understand what is in us. Christ in us means power, victory, grace, wisdom, the Creator.... all the things that I listed that was in the "seed" in Mary's womb is in us. Jesus the risen, living, Holy God who was, is and is to come is inside of us. 

That "seed" inside Mary's womb grew and developed and was then manifested in the world. We need to humble ourselves and decrease and let Jesus who is inside of us "grow" to the point where we are so transformed that it is "no long I but Christ that lives in me". We need to surrender to Him until we get to the place where He is manifested in this world through us because we have been so transformed that they no longer see us but Him.... because inside of us is all that the world needs. 

Have a great day. When Jesus is inside of you, everything He is and has is inside of you too. 

For further reading:
Colossians 1:27
Galatians 2:20
John 14:23

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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.

Coffee Break
"Pick Up That Snake"

"And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it." Exodus 4:3

When the Lord gave Moses the call to deliver the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, He told him to throw his rod down on the ground. Moses did and that rod became a snake. The scripture says that Moses fled from before it--- in other words, he ran away from it. 

Even though the Lord saw that Moses ran from it out of fear, He then told him to pick it up. Why would He require Moses to pick it up if He knew he was afraid? God had a plan that was bigger than Moses' fear. He had planned to be Moses' strength and wisdom in accomplishing the purpose He called him to. God was going to be with him, he didn't have to fear. 

What has God called you to do but you are running from it? Are you afraid to pick it up? Fear has taken hold of you because it looks fearful. Is it something you would rather not have to do? Are you afraid that it might destroy you-- your will? God sees your fear but that doesn't exempt you from His call. He is telling you the same thing He told Moses-- "pick it up". If you will pick it up, He will be with you as He was with Moses. He will strengthen, guide, give you wisdom and everything else that you need to accomplish His plan and purpose. When Moses picked it up, it didn't bite him. Instead it because a rod again and a mighty instrument that God used in his hand to bring deliverance and show forth miracles. Your fear is unfounded, it will not "bite" you. God called you to pick it up because He intends to do great and mighty things for His glory through His call. So don't be afraid to pick it up. 

Have a great day. Don't run from the call of God out of fear, instead, pick it up

For further reading:
Exodus 4:1-5
Romans 11:29

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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.

Coffee Break
"Just Pray"

"Is any among you afflicted? let him pray." James 5:13a

Are you suffering hardship and trouble? Then pray. What? That's your answer to what I am going through? Don't tell me to pray, I need help, I need an answer. I have a problem and you tell me to pray! Prayer is such a novel idea. Prayer is too simple.

Isn't that how we often are? We want answers and help but we won't go to the place where we can get it. We will go to this person and that person. We will seek a word from someone. We will look to the arm of the flesh. We run here and there looking for our answer, but neglect to pray about it. I didn't tell you to pray-- God's word did. 

God gave us our answer-- pray. When we pray we are going to the One, and only One, who can give us an answer. When we pray, we are going to our true source of help. When we pray, the Lord steps into our situation and guides us through it. When we pray, we get the wisdom of heaven backing us up. When we pray, we are turning to God and as we gaze upon Him that thing that was so "monumental&qu ot; pales in comparison to who God is. When we pray, the burden is lifted. 

We are looking for the answer, help and solution to our trouble but if we are neglecting to pray, we will continually struggle looking for the answer. If we neglect to pray it will only get worse because confusion will come in, frustration will come in, fear will come in and the problem will escalate like a snowball and pretty soon you don't only have your original problem but a bigger problem. The Bible says that you have not because you ask not. It also says to ask that you might receive. 

Do we really want an answer? Do we really want help? Do we think that God doesn't have an answer or that He can't help with this problem? Do we think that we are smart enough, wise enough, or strong enough to do it on our own? Do we save God as a "back up plan" if nothing else we try works? God has your answer, He knows how to solve the problem, He knows what you need in times of trouble and He has told you how to get it--- pray. Will you believe Him? Will you trust Him and do what He says or keep "beating your head up against a wall" looking for your own solution?

Have a great day. Pray may seem like too simple an answer, but it is the answer!

For further reading:
John 16:24
Matthew 7:7,8

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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.

Coffee Break 

"Love Him With Your Mouth"

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:37

Did you notice that Jesus didn't say to love the Lord thy God with thy mouth? Many people say they love Jesus but their heart isn't in it. Jesus said that there are those who "draw near Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him."

They say they love Jesus but they don't keep His commandments. They don't do the things that please Him, they don't live according to His word, they don't follow His will, they don't serve Him. The true sign that we love Him is that we keep His commandments. "If a man love me, he will keep my words." (John 14:23) If we love Him we will live by His word and it will be evident in our lifestyle.

They say they love Him but they never commune with Him. They only go to Him in prayer when they have a problem, are in need, need His help or or facing a difficult situation that they can't solve. They don't talk to Him when things are good and all is well. They neglect the place of prayer day in and day out. They have no fellowship with Him. They don't enjoy spending time in His presence just because of who He is. 

They say they love Him but they rarely go to His house. They show up occasionally, when it is convenient for them. Going to God's house is not a priority for them. (I am not talking about those who can't go for one reason or other. I am talking about those who say they love Him but just don't go.) On the other hand, there are those who do go to His house out of religious duty, because it is the thing to do. They are there to make a "showing" . They are there to fulfill some responsibility, but afterwards never give another thought about God.

They say they love Him, but they never read His word. The Bible lays on a table somewhere collecting dust-- if they even know where it is, or even have one. How can you say you love Him and not want to get to know more about Him? How can you say you love Him and not want to read His letters to you?

Jesus doesn't want your "lip service" , He wants your heart. He wants what you say to line up with what is truly inside of you. If you love Him with all your heart, soul and mind, it will be evident in your life and it will come out of your mouth. And when you love Him from your heart, your life will back up what your mouth says.

Have a great day. Anybody can say they love Jesus, but if they do their life will back up what they say. 

For further reading:
John 14:15 
Isaiah 29:13
Matthew 15:8
Mark 7:6

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

Coffee Break
"Rise Up Mighty Warrior"

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19

In my prayer time this morning I heard the Spirit say -- rise up mighty warrior-- over and over again. It is time we use the power and authority that the Lord has given us in the situations that we face. It is time to stop "rolling over and playing dead". It is time to stop wallowing in self-pity. It is time to stop throwing up our hands in defeat. It is time to stop murmuring and talking about the situations and problems, and start doing something about it. 

The Bible says that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. It is not taken by whining and crying and complaining. It is taken by faith and boldness. It is taken by recognizing that you are a mighty warrior with God-given authority and the anointing to set captives free, to open prison doors to those who are bond, to turn the battle to the gates, it tread on serpents and scorpions, to thwart the plans of the enemy, and to see your King exalted. 

It is time to pick up your armor and put it on. It is time to take the sword of the Spirit- the Word of God- and use it. Stand on God's Word, hold fast to His promises, step out in faith, claim His truths, apply them to the situations. Then stand upon them. Dig your heels into the "ground" and declare, "No matter what comes I will not be moved, because God is for me so who can be against me". Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. You are already more than a conqueror. Jesus already defeated the devil and destroyed his works. Jesus has delegated His authority to you in the here and now to use while you are on earth. He has give you the keys of the kingdom-- authority. 

It is time the church stop acting like weaklings. It is time we stop living without power. It is time we stop caving in to every trial, test and temptation that comes our way. It is time we stand up, stand firm, be bold and trust in our Mighty Warrior King whose strong right arm has already won the victory. 

Have a great day. Rise up mighty warrior!

For further reading:
Matthew 11:12; 16:19
Ephesians 6:10-18
1 John 4:4

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

Coffee Break

"Strength Through The Word"

"Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." Luke 5:4,5

When Jesus wanted to use Simon's boat to preach from, He found Simon washing his nets. When Jesus told him to launch out into the deep and let down his nets, Simon answered that they had been out there all night . Fishing in those days was very physical and tiring work. I am sure they were sleepy because they had been up all night and exhausted because of the work. When Jesus said to launch out into the deep waters, they didn't have motors on their boats, they had to grab the oars and row. 

When Jesus tells us to do something, it may be at a time when we are tired or weary. It may be at a time when our strength is gone. He doesn't always wait until we are refreshed and energetic. Some times we are called to go from one battle to another, from one work to another.

What gave Simon the strength to row out into the deep? "Nevertheless at thy word." It was the words of Jesus. When we are tired, when we feel we can't go on, when we feel that the task is just too great, we can gain renewed strength through God's word. His word brings strength and refreshing. It brings energy. It brings life. It wasn't Simon's strength, it was the strength he gained through Jesus' words. The Lord's strength is perfected in our weakness. He imparts His strength to us, which often comes through His word. 

You may be feeling tired and weary. You may feel you can't go on. You may feel as if you just can't do it. But listen to God's word-- listen to what He says to you. His word will empower you to do any task He calls you to do. Hold fast to His word-- it is your strength. And when His strength is imparted to you-- you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.

Have a great day. Our strength and ability to do any task comes through the power of the Word of God. 

For further reading:
Philippians 4:13
2 Corinthians 12:9
Psalm 119:28

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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.

Coffee Break

"Great Things"

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Isaiah 54:17

I am expecting great things this year. I am expecting God to do some great and wonderful things in and through my life. But when we think about "great" , that does not mean the absence of trouble and trials. Joseph had a dream- a great dream. He expected great things in his life, he expected God to take him into some great places, but look at what happened to him. His brothers betrayed him. He was sold into slavery. He was falsely accused and thrown into prison. 

"Great" doesn't mean there won't be weapons formed against you. Weapons of jealousy and betrayal, weapons of hate, weapons of violence, weapons of fear, weapons of lies, weapons of temptation, weapons of sickness and disease, weapons of a financial nature, and so on. But those weapons cannot prosper. God knows how to take what is meant for evil, and work it together in such a way where it will produce good, and bring about the "great" . 

When you see a weapon forming, don't get discouraged, don't give up or give in. As in the case of Joseph it was the weapons that were formed against him that took him into his God given destiny. Each weapon he encountered took him one step closer. (They formed, but they did not prosper.) 

The enemy thinks he is holding the weapons. He thinks his weapons are more powerful. He thinks his weapons will destroy you. God has a weapon too and knows how to direct it in such a way where the enemy's weapons are rendered useless. Goliath had a weapon that looked mightier but God directed a small stone to bring him down. So don't fear the enemy's weapons, they will not prosper against you. Trust God and believe that He will destroy the enemy's weapons by causing them to bring about good instead of destruction. 

Have a great day. When weapons form against us, we do not have to fear them. God has a way of keeping them from destroying us and He knows how to cause them to bring about something great in our lives. 

For further reading:
Romans 8:28
Genesis 50:20

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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.

Coffee Break

"You Do The Pressing"

"And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years...When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment." Mark 5:25,27

As we have just entered into a new year make this your year to press past the pain of last year; press past the failures; press past the negativity of men; press past the fears; press past the things that have held you in bondage; press past the cares and distractions of this life; press past your weaknesses; press past your shortcomings; press past guilt and condemnation; press past besetting sins that would hinder you and press into Jesus. 

Be like the woman with the issue of blood and do not let anything stop you from getting to Jesus. He was her one goal. She was determined. She persevered until she reached Him and touched Him. Too often we are sitting back and waiting on the Lord to "zap" us or do some supernatural thing that will instantly change and transform us, our lives and our situations. Only the Lord can do the miracle, only He can bring about the change that is needed, like with this woman, she could not heal herself, it took a miracle from Jesus to give her healing and deliverance- - that is the part that we can't do. But the part that we are to do is press, launch out, seek, repent, ask, turn from, look to, pursue and so on. 

"And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague." (verse 34) Had the woman stayed in her home, had she not got out to where Jesus was, had she not pressed through the crowd, she would have continued to have the disease and more than likely died with it. It was faith and action that brought her healing. "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:20) It was Jesus' power activated by her faith that brought her healing. When faith reached Him, He took notice. Don't just sit by waiting and hoping, make a step, step out and get to Jesus. Press through whatever stands in the way. When you do, He will notice and He will touch and change your life.

Have a great day. It is time you press through all the things that would keep you from getting to Jesus. When you do, you will reach Him and He will take notice and forever change your life.

For further reading:
Mark 5

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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.

Coffee Break

"New Year's Blessing"

I would like to wish you all a blessed and prosperous New Year. The Bible tells us that the Lord daily loads us with benefits and He crowns the year with His goodness. It is my prayer for you that He will pour out blessings upon you that there is not room enough to receive them. I pray that His goodness surround you. I pray that goodness and mercy will be your traveling companions this year. I pray that He will bless you coming in and going out, in the city and field, basket and store. My prayer is that He will make you the head and not the tail, the first and not the last, above and not beneath, the lender and not the borrower. May His blessings that make rich yet add no sorrow be upon you. And may you experience the abundant life that awaits you as you surrender your entire self to this wonderfully amazing and awesome God who loves you with an everlasting, unquenchable, unchanging love. 

"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Numbers 6:24-26
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Ephesians 1:3

"The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth." Psalm 115:12-15

"The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace." Psalm 29:11

"And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God." Deuteronomy 28:2

Have a great day. May God's richest blessings overtake you this year.

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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.

Coffee Break
"There Is Already A Plan In Place"

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

You never can tell about a day. We don't have the ability to see into the day and know what is going to happen in it. We just have to live it minute by minute as it unfolds before us. Some times that unfolding brings good things into our lives. Some times it brings tragedy, heartache, pain, or bad reports. Who can know? God does. He knows what lies ahead each day. He sees the end of the day at the beginning. Actually, He has already seen the end of each day that has yet to be before the foundation of the world. He foresees the future from the past.

Knowing this should bring us great comfort because that means that though things may happen in a day that take us by surprise, nothing takes Him by surprise. He has already seen it. And not only has He seen it, He has made provision ahead of time for it. God doesn't come up with a plan for the events that happen in our life as they happen. He doesn't try to decide what to do on the spur of the moment when faced with the situation. He doesn't try to figure out the best route to take when the situation presents itself. He has already decided, planned and figured out what to do. For example, He saw the fall of man before He ever created mankind. It was at that point that He came up with the plan of redemption, not at the fall when they disobeyed and ate from the tree. 

Whatever you are facing today, God has already seen it in the past, and He has already made a provision for it. He isn't trying now to come up with a solution, He already has one. So trust that He has seen ahead what you are going through, it isn't taking Him by surprise, and He already has a plan to work all things together for your good through it.

Have a great day. Because God has already seen this day before it ever got here, He knows what will happen and He already has a plan in place to take care of it. So trust Him.

For further reading:
1 Peter 1:18-21
Revelation 13:8
Hebrews 4:13

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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.

Coffee Break

"Launch Out Into The Deep"

"Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught." Luke 5:3

Another year is behind us and a new year is before us. What will this year bring? What is God's plan for the new year? What does He want to do in our lives? For weeks the Lord has been speaking something to my heart, I believe it is a word for the year ahead. I would like to share it with you. The word I have been hearing is-- get out of the shallows. 

The Lord is calling His people, as He did Peter, to launch out into the deep. In Ezekiel God gave the prophet a vision of waters coming into a house. Those waters started off as ankle deep in depth and continued to rise until they were deep enough to swim in. The people of God- His children, the church- have been hanging around the shallow areas of this great river. We have been wading in "ankle deep" waters content and not pressing out any further. The time has come when we can't do that any more. If we are going to be light and salt in this dark and thirsty world, if the commission that the Lord commanded us to do is to be fulfilled, if we are going to have the fullness of God in our lives, we are going to have to launch out into the deep. 

The deep river to swim in is simply God Himself. He is the River-- and He said out of us would flow rivers of living water. What does it mean to launch out into the deep and how do we do it? It means to submerse yourself in God. It means to draw near to Him. It means to surrender yourself and will to Him. It means to desire as Paul did to know Him, and love Him with all your heart. 

We have hung around the shallow places because they are comfortable, they don't require much of us, or we have been afraid to go deeper. When you are in shallow water, you feel in control because you can "touch bottom" or easily make your way back to the safety of land. Going out into the deep you lose that control and power. You can't touch bottom and all you have surrounding you is water. You are, in a sense, at the mercy of the water. That's where the Lord is calling us-- surrender to Me, trust Me. 

This is a word to all of us-- launch out into the deep. Some of you have never made that step before, you have been in the shallows your whole Christian life-- a little reading of the word, a little prayer, a little church, a little service, etc. For some of you it is a call to get back into the deep. The word for launch is also translated-- return. You were once out there. You were once serving God, loving God, surrendered to God, anointed powerfully of God, but you started turning back toward the shallow areas- for whatever reason- and that is where you have been for a long time. God's plan for you is that you not stay there. He is calling you to return to the deep waters- the same call that He gives in Revelation when He admonishes the church of Ephesus to return to their first love and do the first works again. It is not too late. He is calling you to return. He is calling you to move out this year into a deeper relationship with Him. Don't be afraid Jesus is in the "boat" with you. He didn't get out of Peter's boat at the shore, He went out into the deep with him. 

Have a great day. Are you wading around in the shallow areas or swimming around in the deep waters of God?

For further reading:
Luke 5:1-11
Revelation 2:4,5

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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.

Coffee Break

"Give Him Strength"

"Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength." Psalm 29:1

I understand how we give God glory-- we do it by showing Him honor, respect, reverence, by testifying of His greatness and showing what marvelous things He has done in our lives. But how do we give Him strength? How can we who are so weak, frail and powerless on our own, give God who is already stronger than the strongest strength? How can we add to the perfect strength He has? How can we make Him any stronger than He already is? 

Lest we misunderstand, the verse isn't saying that God has some weakness and He needs us to help Him and give Him some added strength. Neither is it implying that we can "help" God out by sharing our strength with Him. He is Omnipotent-- All Powerful, All-Strong. 

How do we give strength to God? By acknowledging our weakness. The Bible says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. It says for the "weak" to say they are strong-- strong in the Lord and the power of His might. When we acknowledge that we need Him, that we can't make it without Him, that we are weak without Him, that we just can't do it without Him, then we are "giving" Him our strength.

Have you ever been around- or had- a child who insist that they "can do it"? You knew the task was too large for them; you knew they weren't able to do it; you knew that they didn't have the know how or ability to do the thing that they insisted that they were able to do. No matter how unable they were to do it, they kept telling you they could. When we try to do something in our own strength, we are not giving God strength. Giving our strength to God means that we surrender what ability, and strength, we may have to Him and acknowledge that without Him we can't do it. 

Are you struggling trying to do a task in your own strength? Are you insistent that you can do it by yourself without God's help? Then you are not giving your strength to God. Surrender your "crown of strength" to the All Strong God and let Him give you His perfect strength to accomplish the task. By doing so, not only are you giving up your strength to Him, but you are also giving Him glory at the same time. "Give unto the Lord glory and strength."

Have a great day. Surrender you little strength to God and He will give you His perfect strength. 

For further reading:
Joel 3:10
2 Corinthians 12:9
Ephesians 6:10

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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.

Coffee Break

"Merry Christmas"

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas. Rejoice in God's wonderful goodness that He showed to mankind by sending His Only Begotten Son into the world to give His life as the ransom for our sins. He didn't send Him to condemn us, but to save us. Thank God this Christmas season for loving us so much that He gave the greatest gift of all so that we could receive the greatest gift of all-- eternal life and relationship with God the Father. I am taking the rest of the week off so there will be no Coffee Break until next week. Love and blessings, Lorraine

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:16,17

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matthew 1:23

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:6,7

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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.

Coffee Break
"It Came To Pass"

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." Luke 2:15

"And it came to pass". I thought it was interesting that this phrase is mentioned over 400 times in the Bible. It speaks of something that is proceeded by something else-- an event proceeded by another, a revelation of something previously hid before hand but now revealed, an understanding of something that may not have been clear before, or a promise that was given and is now coming to pass.

In the verse above, "and it came to pass", the promise that the Lord made at the fall to send one who would bruise the head of the serpent had come to pass. His arrival in the earth had finally come after all the thousands of years of waiting.

We have all experienced the "it came to pass" times. Times when we have heard a word from the Lord but then had to wait. Times when He has given a promise, and we haven't seen it come to pass. There is a timing to when "it came to pass". "Though the vision tarry wait for it". But when it does come it usually comes like it did for the shepherds-- suddenly and at an unexpected time. They were keeping watch over their flocks by night, as they had done every night, and without prior notice or warning the angel of the Lord came to them, and then suddenly the angels were there singing of this wonderful thing that had "came to pass".

As I said earlier we have all experienced these times when "it came to pass", and we will again. So don't get discouraged while waiting for "it to come to pass". God has a timing, God has a plan, God is orchestrating and putting all things in place. Though it tarry it will come and it will come at the appointed time for it "to come to pass".

Have a great day. "It will come to pass" in God's appointed time--suddenly and unexpected.

For further reading:
Luke 2:8-16
Genesis 3:15
Habakkuk 2:3

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

Coffee Break

"Part Of The Eternal Kingdom"

"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1:32,33

Kings and kingdoms rise and fall, and come and go. One of the most powerful earthly kings Nebuchadnezzar was shown this in the dream of the statue that the rock hit. There is only one Kingdom and One King that shall continue forever-- the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.

When Jesus came to earth, the people, including His disciples thought He had come to relieve them from Roman oppression and sit up His Kingdom on earth. Well, He did... but not in the same way that they thought. He set it up in those who would crown Him as King and Lord of their lives. "The kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21) His kingdom is within the heart of His followers, but one day the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God and then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord!

Are you one of His followers? Is His Kingdom within you? Is He the Lord and King of your life? Have you already bowed the knee of your heart to His Lordship? If you haven't done it already willingly here and now, you will do it then, but it will be too late to make Him the King of your life in a personal way. His return is soon. He will establish His Kingdom on earth. The dream that Nebuchadnezzar had is continually being fulfilled with the rise and fall of nations and kingdoms, but one day it will be completed and Jesus will reign as Lord and King over all the earth. You have the choice now to receive Him as your King or to deny Him-- which will it be?

Have a great day. The Kingdom of God is the only eternal Kingdom, are you a part of it?

For further reading:
Daniel 2
Revelation 11:15
Romans 14:11
Philippians 2:11

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

Coffee Break

"Take Aim"

"And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." Matthew 9:20,21

The lady with the issue of blood needed a healing. She pressed through the crowd and touched the "hem" of Jesus' garment. The hem was the tassels that hung on the corners of His garment. They were called "wings" . Malachi prophesied that He would rise with healing in His wings. She aimed for those "wings" because she needed a healing. When she touched it, His healing virtue flowed into her body and she was healed.

What do you need today? Then take aim and touch Him. She touched His garment and healing virtue met her need. Do you need strength, perseverance, direction? Take aim for His feet. They will give you virtue to walk throughout this world without getting weary, and you will know how you should walk among a wicked and perverse society. Do you need provision? Aim for His hands. He carries what you need in the palm of His hand and supplies it according to His riches. Do you need wisdom? Take aim for His head. "Let this mind be in you"-- His mind. Do you need compassion, love, kindness, mercy, gentleness? Then take aim for His heart. John leaned upon the chest of Jesus and heard His heartbeat. Lean upon His heart and you will hear it too-- it spells out love with each beat. Do you need spiritual understanding and discernment? Aim for His eyes. They don't see as we see-- man looks upon the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.

Again, what do you need today? Jesus is your answer. Take aim and touch Him in the area that you have a need in. We often say that we shouldn' t seek His hand but seek His heart, and that is true, and as we do, all the things that we need will be added to us as we seek Him first. In Him is our whole provision and there are times when we have to seek Him for that particular need and touch Him in that area, like the woman with the issue of blood did, she touched His hem for her healing.

Have a great day. Take aim at Jesus and touch Him in the area of your need.

For further reading:
Malachi 4:2
John 13:23
Matthew 6:33
1 Samuel 16:7
Philippians 2:5; 4:19

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


Coffee Break

"Your Petition"

"And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; if I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said." Esther 5:6-8

When Esther had a petition, there were many people in the palace she could have gone to with that request. There were servants, the king's advisors, guards, etc. in the palace. But it would not have done her any good to go to them. They were unable to grant her petition. There was only one out of the many in the palace that could-- the king.

When you have a petition, who do you take that request to? Who are you seeking out to grant it? Are you going to your spouse or another family member? Are you going to another brother or sister in Christ? Are you going to your pastor? Are you going to another person? Or are you going to the King? The king was the only one who had the power and authority to grant Esther's petition. Our beloved King of kings is the only One who has the power and authority to grant our request. Esther had advisors around her-- thankfully, we do too. But they only advise, they don't grant.

If this king-- being a mere man, and evil-- knew how to give the good gift and petition that she requested, how much more does and will our Heavenly King give us the good thing that we are petitioning for. Take your request and petition to the One who has the power and authority to grant it. Don't be "running around the palace" looking to others to give you what only He can.

Have a great day. Take your petition to the King, He is the only One who can grant it.

For further reading:
Esther 5
1 Samuel 1:17,27
Matthew 7:11

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

Coffee Break
"The Lord Is"

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23:1

"The Lord is"- I began to think about that a little. The Lord is... who? what?

The Lord is my shepherd-- leading and guiding me.
The Lord is the Bread of Life-- He satisfies me so that I hunger no more.
The Lord is Living Waters-- He quenches my thirst.
The Lord is the Light of the World-- I never have to walk in darkness again.
The Lord is my Refuge-- He is the place of safety for me.
The Lord is my Rock-- a solid foundation upon which I can build my life.
The Lord is the Way-- I never have to get lost again.
The Lord is the Truth-- I never have to fall for a lie.
The Lord is Life-- I will never die; through Him I have eternal life.

The "list" of who He is is endless because The Lord is God. He is eternal, there is no beginning nor end in Him. He is God, therefore, He is All Powerful, Almighty, All Knowing, and All Present.

Take some time today to meditate on Who the Lord is. Then think about, not only is He who He is, but He is all that to you personally-- your rock, your shepherd, your refuge, etc.

Have a great day. The Lord is a great, mighty, awesome, personal God.

For further reading:
Psalm 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.

Coffee Break

"Live It Out"

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

I think there is a misconception of Christianity among many believers. That misconception is the idea that Christianity is lived out at church-- in other words, Christianity is lived out when you are in church services only. Christian living is much more than a church gathering or service.

When Jesus said to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, the words "go ye" translates "as you are going". So as you are going about the task of life, preach the gospel. Your Christianity is to be lived out everywhere you are-- at home, on your job, out in the market place, when gathered with friends, at church.... anywhere life takes you.

We also have had the misconception that this command to preach the gospel means we have to stand in a pulpit or on some platform in front of a group of people. To preach as you are going means just telling others about what the Lord has done in your life be it at the kitchen sink with a friend, or sitting in the doctor's office with someone you are having a conversation with. Preach it by telling others that Jesus loves them. Preach it by taking advantage of opportunities to encourage others in the Lord. Preach it through your lifestyle.

So as you are going through life, live out who you are where you are.

Have a great day. Christianity is not lived out only in church, it is lived out wherever you are.

For further reading:
Mark 16:15-20

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
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 cre