Coffee Break

Coffee Break
"Good Television"

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20

Last night my husband and I ate our dinner in the living room and watched television as we ate. We watched a couple of episodes of the "Andy Griffith Show". Have you ever heard anyone say, or perhaps you have said it yourself, why don't they make shows like those any more? Today everything is full of blasphemy of God and that which is sacred, immorality, violence, and vulgarity. Compared to what is on today, those shows were good... or were they?

I looked at my husband and told him how disappointed I was in what I was seeing. Both episodes centered around lies and deception, and they went to great lengths to perpetrate the deception. Perhaps compared to the other shows that the world is producing it is "good" ? But compared to God's Word it is not. Lies, deception, immorality, etc. it is all the same to God. His Word tells us how to judge what is "good and evil".

Church, if we keep watching these things and not heeding what the Word of God says about them, we will find ourselves in a constant state of compromise and wind up as those it talks about in the verse above-- we will call evil good and good evil. It only takes a short period of time for us to begin to condone what is clearly not good for good-- just let something a little worse come along and what once wasn't suddenly becomes acceptable. You can't compare worldly with worldly. You can't compare flesh with flesh. You have to compare it to the Word of God. You have to judge everything by the Word of God. You don't choose "for" something because it is the "lesser of two evils". Instead you forsake it and avoid it. If you don't... well, we have already discussed the consequences. (In case you missed it-- you will wind up like those in the verse above.)

How do we keep this from happening? By judging it by the Word of God, then believe what God says about it, and then just simply heed what God says and avoid it. If you don't you will live in a state of compromise, which will cause you to live a less than victorious, abundant life because you will not be walking in the whole truth. And part truth is not truth at all, but a lie. Lies bind you, truth sets you free.

Have a great day. To find out what is good and what is evil, you don't compare it by anything but the Word of God.

For further reading:
John 8:32; 17:17

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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
"Hard Words"

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24

We are always wanting someone to give us "a word". But we don't want just "a word from the Lord", we want one that is pleasant, easy, will tickle our ears, tell us good things and only what we want to hear. Well, it just isn't always like that. Even Jesus spoke hard words to His disciples while on earth. "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." (John 6:53) That word was a "hard" word and offended many of His disciples to the point where some of them turned back and stop walking with Him at all. (v.60,61,66)

We want the blessings, the benefits, the good things, and the promises but His Words are not always easy, for example, His word, "Follow Me". When we accept that invitation and then find ourselves in some "unpleasant&qu ot; places why do we get offended by it? Didn't we know that to follow Him means that we will go where He goes/went. Following Him will take us into the wilderness to be tested. It will take us on a path of rejection. It will take us into the storm. It will take us to the place of self-denial. Following Him will take us to the cross-- the place where our flesh (will) dies and conforms to His will.

Jesus did not walk an easy path, neither will His disciples. He faced hardships, we will too. The servant is not greater than his lord. Don't think that it is strange when you are following Jesus' words and hardship comes into your life. You are following down the same path He has traveled.

Lest what I am saying offends you and causes you to want to turn back, let me say this... as you follow Jesus and the path doesn't look easy, remember that He is walking it with you. He is not leaving you alone. Just as the Father was with Jesus on His journey, so is Jesus and Holy Spirit with you as you follow Him. Remember this also, Jesus has already walked down these paths... He is well acquainted with them. He knows how to "get through them" because He went through them, and overcame them in victory. Because He overcame so can we-- we not only follow Him down paths of hardship, but also paths of victory.

So be encouraged. While Jesus' words are not always pleasant like we would like for them to be, even the hard words are full of blessings. Just because we can't see them, doesn't mean they aren't there. There is eternal life hidden in them... and that is the greatest blessing of all.

Have a great day. Jesus' words are not always easy or what we want to hear, but the hard words are the ones filled with the greatest blessings.

For further reading:
John 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
"Grace Bubble"

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Isaiah 43:2

For some reason we Christians have the idea that we will never go through anything. We think that just because we are saved we will never face "hardships&quo t; again. We tend to think that we will live on a "big soft fluffy pink cloud" far above any troubles. Well we don't live on a cloud, we live on earth. And in this world Jesus Himself told us that we would have tribulations. We were told we would have many afflictions. We were told there would be weapons that would form against us. We were told that we would pass through the waters, through the rivers, and through the fire.

No, we don't live in on a "cloud" , but we do live in a "grace bubble" . We like to think that this "cloud" keeps us from going through anything-- it doesn't. The "grace bubble" doesn't keep us from going through difficulties, it protects, consoles, gives peace and strengthens us when we do go through these times.

What is this "grace bubble" ? It is the protective place that is under the shadow of the Almighty. When we go through the waters, He will be with us (that is the grace bubble-- His presence) surrounding and shielding us. When we go through the rivers, they shall not overflow us-- that's the grace bubble. When we walk through the fire, it will not burn us and the flame will not kindle upon us-- that's the grace bubble. In the many afflictions, His deliverance is the grace bubble. In tribulation, His victory is our grace bubble. When weapons are formed against us, they will not prosper-- that's the grace bubble. We are kept by God's grace that surrounds us when we go through trying times-- that's what the grace bubble is.

When you go through difficulties, remember the grace of God is with you walking with you through it. That grace will keep you, deliver you, strengthen you, undergird you, protect you, and keep you from being utterly destroyed. This is why the Apostle Paul could say, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8,9) He lived life in the "grace bubble"

Have a great day. We don't live on a cloud above troubles, but we live in a grace bubble protected during those troubles.

For further reading:
Psalm 34:19; 91:1
John 16:33
Isaiah 54:17

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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@ bellsouthnet
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
"His Train"

"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple." Isaiah 6:1

After Israel's king, Uzziah, whom they had served under for over fifty years died, Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. This was not only a glorious revelation of God, but a vision of hope. How so? 

Israel had lost their king but they had not lost their God. The king was dead, but God wasn't- He was still there. King Uzziah's throne was temporary, but God's throne is eternal. Rulers come and go, but God will always be there. 

The Lord was sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. God's throne doesn't just transcend man's throne- like one king that is greater than another king. His throne rules over all other thrones. His throne has dominion over every throne that is established on earth. 

"His train filled the temple." His train/garment of majesty, honor, authority and glory filled the entirety of the temple. I read something interesting about kings and their trains. When a king would go to battle, if he defeated the opposing king, he would cut off the hem of the king's train/garment and attach it to his own. The more victories the larger his train became. It showed he was a great, mighty and powerful king. Isaiah saw the Lord's train filling up the entire temple. The Lord is mighty, great, victorious and powerful all by Himself. His train would naturally fill the place. But I also submit to you that His train filling the temple represents His victory over all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. (Ephesians 1:21)

At the cross Jesus defeated the "principalitie s, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places." He destroyed the works of the devil and spoiled principalities and powers, making a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 

In the wilderness satan tried to tempt Jesus to worship him by promising to give Him all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus didn't give in to the temptation. Jesus knew that one day they would be His anyway. "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15) He knew that He would gain possession of the keys of death and hell, and all power in heaven and earth will be given unto Him. He knew He would receive them by defeating the devil, not by submitting to him. 

His train fills the temple because He is the victorious, conquering King of kings. He has "added" His victories over death, hell and the grave to the hem of His train. He has "added" His victory over sin, sickness, temptation and the flesh to the hem of His train. He has defeated the lust of the flesh, pride of life and the lust of the eyes and "added" them as well to His hem. He has defeated every "king" that would try to set up its throne in our lives. He has defeated them all and added them to His train showing His great power, majesty and authority. 

Have a great day. Jesus is the mighty King whose train fills the temple. 

For further reading:
Ephesians 6:12
Matthew 28:18
1 John 3:8
Revelation 1:18 
Colossians 2:15

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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 
"He Is God, Not Man"

"For he is not a man, as I am.." Job 9:32

We are guilty at times of looking at God the same way we look at people. We bring Him down to our level in power, ability, strength, and understanding. Well, He is NOT like us. He is not a man. He is God. He is not limited in power. His strength is perfect. He is well able to do anything. His thoughts are higher than ours. He is a Great, Big God with Whom nothing is impossible. That can't be said about any person.

Even when Jesus, the Incarnate One, wrapped Himself in flesh and took on the likeness of sinful man, He went about showing us what Father God was like--- that He was not like us. He showed us the depths of God's love-- unselfish, enduring, patient, longsuffering- - which is unlike our love which is conditional and demanding. He showed us the great grace of God-- willing to reach out and grant forgiveness and pardon to those who were undeserving. We have no grace toward others unless we think there is something we can gain from it. He showed us the mercy of God-- withholding the punishment that we so rightfully deserved-- if we would be put our faith and trust in Him. We can be merciless when we have been done wrong. He showed us the healing, delivering and restoring power of God. None of us can heal, deliver or restore-- no matter how educated, how smart, how much money we have, we can't do it. 

So, how big is your God? Is He as small as man? Or is He the One who does what we can't-- rides on the wings of the wind, uses the earth as His footstool, calls the stars by name, tells the sun when to rise, opens blind eyes, raises the dead, sees each sparrow when it falls, clothes the lilies of the field, speaks and the winds obey and created the universe by only His spoken word? Stop bringing Him down to our level. See Him as Who He is-- I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

Have a great day. How do you see God? As great and big as He is, or as small as a man?

For further reading:
Job 42:2
Isaiah 6:1; 55:8,9
John 1:12

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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
"Addition And Subtraction"

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

The verse above is an addition and subtraction principle. As we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first all the things we need are added to us. 

What is the kingdom of God? It is the King of the Kingdom Himself. He is the Kingdom. What is His righteousness? He is the righteousness as well. Seeking the kingdom is not just a formula for getting what we need. The Bible says that when we seek we find. What do we find when we seek the kingdom? We find God Himself. As we find Him something happens in our lives-- addition and subtraction. 

As we find Him, we find all that He is- love, joy, peace, kindness- and it is added to our lives. As it is added to our lives, a subtraction takes place. Subtraction of those things that are not like Him-- hate, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. "You can't serve two masters" . (Matthew 6:24) As one is added the other is subtracted. Seeking first the kingdom of God adds the very presence of God to our lives and the more He is added the things that are unlike Him are subtracted-- they can't both stay.

Are you struggling with the desires of the flesh? Whatever you are seeking is what will be added to you. If you are seeking the things of the flesh that is what will be added and spiritual things will be subtracted. If you are seeking spiritual things that is what will be added and the fleshly things will be subtracted. There isn't room for both. So the one you seek will be added and the other one will be subtracted. The more you seek the Lord, the more you look like Him and the less you look like the world. 

Have a great day. Seeking God is a principle of addition and subtraction. As we seek Him, we find Him and there is an addition of His character added to our lives. When it is added, the fleshly desires are being subtracted. 

For further reading:
2 Chronicles 26:5
Matthew 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
"Waiting"

"I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope." Psalm 130:5

Waiting, waiting, waiting. It seems like with the Lord there is always a "waiting period" . The world waited for the Promised Redeemer for two thousand years. Abraham waited for the promised son. Joseph waited in Egyptian bondage before the fulfillment of his destiny. David waited to come to the throne after he was anointed for it. The earth is still waiting for the manifestation of the children of God, and the return of Christ. 

"I wait for the Lord." "My soul waits for the Lord". "In His word do I hope". Even the word hope here can be translated "wait" . There are times when we have to wait for the answer to manifest. There are times when our faith is tried, and perfected, through waiting. Will you trust Him even if He waits? If He does wait, will you give up and doubt? 

Lazarus waited in the grave for four days before Jesus raised him back to life. His sisters gave up hope because Jesus didn't come right away. "Lord, if You had been here". In others words, "If You hadn't waited to get here he would still be alive." God's time is not our time. Delay (waiting) doesn't change the plan of God, it often is "The" plan of God. 

We tend to think that if God doesn't "do it now" it means He is not going to do it. We should learn from life around us that this is not always the case. Pregnancy is nine months of waiting. Harvesting of crops is a process of waiting. Seasons wait to change. Etc. 

We need to learn that waiting for the manifestation of the promises of God doesn't mean that He will not do what He says He will do. Neither is it an indication that He has said, "No" . "In patience you posses your soul". (Luke 21:19) Waiting helps produce patience, and patience produces experience, and experience produces hope, and hope will not make us ashamed because our hope is in the Lord and His word and His word is Truth and He is faithful as promised. 

Have a great day. Waiting is not only a part of our physical lives, but it is a part of our spiritual lives as well. Don't get discouraged in the "wait" , but put your hope in the Lord's word. 

For further reading:
Romans 5:3-5
Psalm 37:7
John 11

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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 Is Not A Straight Shot"

"Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people." Psalm 105:11-13

The Lord promised to give the Israelites the land of Canaan. When He brought them out of Egyptian bondage, He led them to that land. Before they were able to take possession of it they went from one nation to another and from one kingdom to another-- their journey to get to Canaan involved going from one place to another.

When the Lord tells us His plan for our lives, we think it is going to be a "straight shot" to get there. That is rarely the case. In the book Hinds Feet In High Places Much Afraid was on a journey to the High Place. Each time she thought she had arrived, there was another "turn in the road". There was another valley to cross, another hill to climb. We see this also in the life of Joseph. His destiny was the palace of Egypt. But before he arrived there he went from one place to another-- from his father's house, to the pit, to Potiphar' s house, to the prison and then to the palace. 

Perhaps you have been wondering if you will ever arrive at your promised destiny? Each time it seems like you are close, the road changes direction-- and that direction looks like it is taking you further from it instead of nearer to it. Rest assured that God is watching over His plan for your life. He is leading and He is guiding. He knows the path that you must take. He knows what places you must travel through to get there. He knows when to bring you into it. So enjoy the journey, learn from it, develop trust and faith through it, let it strengthen you, and rest in the Lord's faithfulness to bring you into the place that He said He would. 

Have a great day. The journey to the plan of God is not always a straight shot, sometimes it takes many turns into many places. 

For further reading: 
Psalm 105

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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

"Thanksgiving Lifestyle"

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

The weather may be nasty outside, but there is always something to be thankful for. You may be facing a storm, but there is always something to be thankful for. You may be going through a time of tragedy, but there is always something to be thankful for. Life is full of ups and downs, you may be in a "down" time right now, but there is always something to be thankful for.

We don't have to look very far to find things to complain about. The devil will make sure of that- he is good at pointing out what is wrong. But neither do we have to look very far to find something to be thankful for-- all we have to do is just open our eyes. There is actually more to be thankful for than there is to complain about. There is an old hymn that says, "Count your many blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." 

Today why not start counting/naming some of your blessings, surely you can be thankful for them? Did you wake up with a roof over your head? Do you have food to eat? Do you have clothes on your back? Do you have eyesight? Can you hear with your ears? Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? Have you sins been wash away? Then you already have much to be thankful for. See for the Christian Thanksgiving is more than a date on a calendar, it is our lifestyle. Is it your lifestyle? Or is your lifestyle one of complaining about what you don't have or what is not going right in your life? 

Have a great day. Your lifestyle should be one of thanksgiving because there is always something to be thankful for. 

For further reading:
Psalm 100 

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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
"Not Hid By The Darkness"

"Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." Psalm 139:12

When we go through a time of difficulty and tribulation, we call it a "dark place". It is dark because we can't see any light in the situation. It seems to be void of all hope. It is just dark. Perhaps you are in such a place now. A bad report, the lack of finances, a broken relationship, all have taken you into a place that looks dark and hopeless. If so, I have good news for you. 

The good news is that the darkness cannot hide you or the problem from God. He sees you. He knows what you are going through. He is not searching trying to find you in the darkness. Nothing is hid from Him. Even the darkness of night shines as brightly as the light of day to Him. He sees you. It may be so dark that you can't even see a smallest flicker of light, but it is not like that for God. Nothing escapes His vision. 

I feel like I am on the verge of repeating myself over and over again, but I want (the Lord wants) to reassure you this morning that He sees you. You feel like He doesn't. You feel like He has abandoned you in the time that you need Him the most. You feel like He will never find you in this dark situation because it is even too big and dark for Him. It is not. The things that are impossible for men are possible for the Lord. He doesn't have to wait for His eyes to "adjust" to the darkness before He can see you and do something about it. The situation has to adjust itself to His vision. You are not hid from Him. He sees you perfectly well. The situation only looks dark to you, but it looks light to Him. He is in the darkness with you, you are not in it by yourself. 

Have a great day. The place of darkness you are in cannot hide you from God. Darkness is as bright as light to Him.

For further reading:
Psalm 139
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
"Aholic"

"I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)" 1 Corinthians 16:15

We have all heard the words alcoholic, workaholic and shopaholic. "Aholic" is a suffix added to a word that denotes a person that is addicted to something. Have you ever heard of a "fleshaholic&q uot;? Are you one?

We were all born "flesaholics&q uot;-- catering to our flesh, living by it, being ruled by it, under submission to it, addicted to its lusts. A person who is an "aholic" of any kind, is drawn to whatever it is they are addicted to; they crave it; they give themselves to it completely. Alcoholics are drawn to alcohol; workaholics are drawn to work; shopaholics are drawn to shopping. Fleshaholics are drawn to the works of the flesh-- jealousy, sexual immorality, lustful pleasures, drunkenness, wild parties, envy, anger, selfish ambition, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21) 

When we come to Jesus Christ for salvation, He breaks addictions. He is the Great Deliverer. He delivers from the power of sin- breaking its hold over us. He delivers from the power of addiction- destroying its power. He delivers from the power of our flesh over us- setting us free from walking after its desires. He changes our nature and our desire and makes us a new person. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Once we come to Jesus and give our lives to follow Him, He delivers us from following after the lust of our flesh and changes our lives. We begin to walk in a different direction. We are no longer addicted to our fleshly desires, but to following and walking after the Spirit. Our desire changes from fulfilling the lust of the flesh, to fulfilling the desires of the Spirit. We no longer crave the lust of the flesh, but pursue after the things of God-- love, joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:21,22) You might could say we are now- "Christ- aholics" -- comsumed with, being drawn to, following after Him and in short "addicted" ; (giving ourselves completely consecrated) to Him. 

Have a great day. Are you a "fleshaholic&q uot;? 

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

"Life Is A Hard Taskmaster"

"For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity." Ecclesiastes 2:22,23

Life is a hard taskmaster. It is not easy, it is hard. It brings sorrow, pain, troubles, distress, hurt, difficulties and vexation of heart. Life wasn't intended to be like this, and it wasn't before the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. But because of sin, life can be a struggle. Sickness, suffering, hate, broken relationships, violence all came as a result. We now have to labor to make a living. We now have to wrestle with disease and sickness. We now have pain in child birth. We have prison systems, courts of law, medical facilities, psychiatric wards to help make life at least bearable. 

Life itself may be a hard taskmaster-- hard and always keeping you "down" -- but God is not. Even in the midst of a "cursed world" of pain and misery, He is the Giver of life-- abundant life. This is why life doesn't destroy us as Christians. Life may happen, but God's love and grace sees us through it. He counteracts life. Pain may come in life, but God gives comfort. Weakness may hit us, but He gives us His strength. We may find ourselves in ashes, but He gives beauty. Life hits us with sorrow and mourning, but He gives us the oil of joy. Heaviness of heart comes to weight us down, but He provides us with the garment of praise. 

Don't think it strange when fiery trials try you, that is just life. Don't be shaken when affliction hits, afflictions are part of life. Don't get discouraged when tribulations come, in this world we will have them. But through it all, remember the words of Jesus, the Giver of abundant life. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He is not a hard taskmaster and He will give you rest, peace, joy, hope, strength and victory to live in a burden laden world that tries to beat you up. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." This is why we can live in this world and overcome it instead of it overcoming us.

Have a great day. Life is a hard taskmaster, but Jesus gives us abundant life to overcome it and walk in peace and victory. 

For further reading:
Matthew 11:28 
John 10:10; 16:33
1 Peter 4:12
Isaiah 61:3

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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
"Who Is God?"

"And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you." Exodus 3:14

When God showed Himself to Moses and told him to go to Egypt to bring deliverance to the children of Israel, Moses asked the Lord, "What should I tell them your name is when they ask?" (verse 13) God said to tell them it is "I Am That I Am". In that "name" was wrapped up the fullness of who God is-- His nature, His character and what He does. He alone bears this name. 

I like to think about who God is and sometimes I use the alphabet to remind me. God is everything from A to Z and all that is in between.

Alpha
Beautiful
Creator
Deliverer
Eternal One
Father In Heaven
God
Holy
Indescribable
Just
King of kings
Lord of lords
Master
Never ending
Omnipotent
Powerful
Quick
Redeemer
Savior
Truth
Unique
Victorious
Way
X Extraordinary
Yahweh
Zeal

Perhaps you may want to do this yourself. This list barely scrapes the surface of who this Amazingly Wonderful God is. 

Have a great day. God is everything from A to Z.

For further reading:
Exodus 3:13-15

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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

"Repetition&qu ot;

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matthew 6:7

When you go to God in prayer, do you find yourself repeating the same thing over and over to Him again? I have thought about this when I lift up my praise to Him in prayer. I find myself repeating the same thing again and again. But just because we repeat the same thing over and over doesn't necessarily mean it is "vain" repetition. It can be repetitive but not vain. 

Vain repetition is when we just babble using a bunch of idle words-- we are saying a lot but saying nothing. Vain repetition is when we aren't even giving thought to what we are saying. We are saying it just to hear ourselves talk. 

When you start praising the Lord, you can't help but be repetitious because there are only so many words in our vocabulary that we can use to describe Him. He is so great and we are so limited in our ability to articulate who He is. He is the indescribable God-- therefore, we "run out of words" and have to start repeating ourselves. Even the host of heaven is at a loss and are repetitious as well. They sit around His throne crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy" over and over and over again. 

When you pray to the Lord or when you praise Him, it is all right to be repetitious, but it is not all right to do it in a vain manner just to hear yourself talk or think that He is going to hear you because you are speaking so much. If you have to keep repeating yourself because you are at a loss for words, then repeat yourself and don't let the enemy stop you because you think it is vain repetition.

Have a great day. It is all right to be repetitious in your praise to God because there are only so many words that we have to describe Him. Just don't use vain repetition. 

For further reading:
Revelation 4:8

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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
"The Altar Of Prayer"

"I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word." Psalm 119:58

I wonder what we in the modern day church know about entreating God and praying with our whole heart? We tend to pray what I call "microwave prayers" . Prayers that are "thrown up" to God to get our immediate need met. We don't know much about "tarrying" ; and "waiting" upon the Lord. We also tend to pray "brownie point" prayers. Prayers that are half-hearted and "just enough" so that we can say we have "done our duty" of prayer.

The Psalmist entreated God's favor with his whole heart. Jesus often prayed all night. Jacob wrestled with the angel until he blessed him. David fasted and prayed until he got word that the child he was praying for was dead. Jeremiah prayed for a word from the Lord for ten days before God answered him. We think we have really done something if we pray for ten minutes. And once we have prayed for ten minutes we expect God to have already answered and if He delays we get discouraged, frustrated and angry with Him. 

We need to learn how to go back to the altar and PRAY! I know we are to pray without ceasing (wherever we are) and there are times when we cry out to God and He answers immediately. But it wouldn't hurt us to have some calloused knees for a change because we have been on them praying to the Lord. When was the last time you knelt before the "altar" (presence) of God and prayed until you knew you had heard from heaven? Many times we walk in assumption instead of faith because we haven't prayed until we have truly heard God's answer. 

There is no set "form" or set "length" of time that we should pray. But the half-hearted, ten minute praying, on the go prayer we have been doing is not working. (That is evident by what we see happening in our world around us.) As I already said we need to learn how to go to the altar and pray and stay there until we have heard from God. 

Have a great day. Revive and restore the altar of prayer in your life. 

For further reading:
2 Chronicles 7:14

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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
"No Invitation"

"Let him that stole steal no more..." Ephesians 4:28a

The enemy comes against us in our thought life more than in any other way. He makes "suggestions&q uot; and poses questions to make us "think" and "reason" . He did this at the beginning in the garden when he asked Eve, "Did God say?" He did it with Jesus in the wilderness temptation. We can't stop him from "speaking" ; to us but we can "shut him up" and not give him an "invitation&qu ot; to come on in.

When he came to Eve, she had a choice to either "shut him up" or "invite him in". We know that she invited him in. How do we give him an invitation to get into our lives? We do it by "entertaining& quot; those thoughts, suggestions and questions. She entertained them-- therefore, inviting him in-- and we know the end result. 

When he comes with his suggestions, accusations, words of fear, and condemnation you too have to make the decision to either invite him in or shut him up. We invite him in when we entertain what he says. When you dwell on the thoughts that he is planting, when you give heed to the words he is speaking, when you receive what he says then you have invited him in. Once he is in he will try to "run the house". He will try to set up homestead. He will not want to leave either. 

We don't have to invite him in, we can keep him out, we can slam the door in his face. We do this by following Jesus' example. Jesus did not give place to his words, accusations and lies. He used the scriptures to "shut him up". The enemy could find nothing in Jesus-- no place to set up residence-- because Jesus did not invite him in.

Shut the door on the enemy by not listening to his lies, but by listening to the truth of God's word. Cast down those thoughts when they come to you, don't entertain them. Station the sword of the Spirit (God's word) beside the door to your heart and mind, and use it. You have to make the decision to listen or not, to heed or not, to give place and invite him in or shut the door on him. Which will you do?

Have a great day. When the enemy comes, don't invite him in, but slam the door in his face by not entertaining the thoughts he is throwing at you.

For further reading:
John 14:30
James 4:7
Ephesians 6:17
2 Corinthians 10:5
Genesis 3:1
Matthew 4:4,7,10 

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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 Is Not A License"

"If ye love me, keep my commandments. " John 14:15

We have heard it taught that grace does not give us a license to sin. But love doesn't give us a license either. Just because God loves us unconditionally, and nothing separates us from His love, it doesn't mean that we can do anything we want to do and it will still be all right because He won't stop loving us. That attitude speaks volumes concerning just where your heart is in regard to God.

The fact that God loves us always is not in question. It is whether you love Him or not that is the question. We can say we love God but that doesn't make it so, or mean we really do. Jesus said that the true evidence that you love Him is that you keep His commandments. In other words, if you do those things that He says to do and refrain from doing those things He says not to do-- this is the sign of your love for Him. How can you love Him if you are living "against" Him. You may say, "I am not against God. I believe in Him. I know He is real. I love Him". You are against Him when you go against His commandments. You are against Him when you live the way you want to live instead of the way He desires for you to live. You are against Him when you are living after your own fleshly, selfish, self-centered desires. You are against Him when you are living by your own standards instead of His standards. 

You can't live in adultery and fornication, you can't get drunk, cheat, lie, steal, abuse drugs, be immoral, use profanity, covet, etc. and say you love God. The Bible says that the truth is not in you. Truly loving Him means that you have turned your life over to Him. And when you turn your life over to Him, you become a new person. You start acting like and living like Him. You start walking in love-- love toward others and love toward Him. And love toward both is expressed in action. Love toward others means you are forgiving, kind, caring, compassionate. Love toward Him means you do what He says to do-- you keep His commandments.

Have a great day. Because God loves you unconditionally doesn't mean that you have a license to live anyway you want to live and it will be all right.

For further reading:
John 15:10
2 Corinthians 5:17
1 John 2:4; 4:20; 5:2

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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 
"Hallelujah, Any How"

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4

As most of your know I don't write the devotional ahead of time. I write it each morning then mail it out. This morning I did as I usually do, I wrote it, proofed it and was getting ready to make another copy for my own files and my computer decided to have a "mind of its own". Everything started freezing up and not responding-- no matter what. It finally let me "close the program" . But when I was finally able to reopen everything, guess what? You guessed it-- my devotional was "GONE!! !". I really don't have time for this, I have an appointment this morning. I don't have time to try to write it again and do what I need to do before I have to leave. Do you ever have days like that?

We all have them. Days when what ever can go wrong will go wrong and especially when it is the worst time in the world for it to go wrong. I have learned though, when that happens--- don't get upset, frustrated or anxious (although sometimes that is easier said than done). Instead I do what I am doing right now-- praise God anyway and give it to Him! 

Yes, it happened. It is too late to do anything about it. But there is one thing that I can do something about-- I can decide what I am going to let this do to me. I choose to NOT let it upset me. I choose to rejoice and praise God anyway! No matter what is going on, He is still God and He is still worthy of praise. I choose to NOT let it steal my peace or my joy or my praise. There is a song that says, "Hallelujah, any how!" When these times come, that is the attitude you have to determine to have in your heart and on your lips. So... "Hallelujah, any how! Never, never let your troubles get you down. When life's troubles come your way, hold your head up high and say, 'Hallelujah, any how'!"

Have a great day. Hallelujah, any how!

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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 Loves You"

"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." John 3:16

I felt this morning that the Lord wanted me to remind you that He loves you. His love for you is unending. His love for you is unconditional. His love for you is always there. You may try to run from His love but you will never be able to. You may try to out run it, but you can't. You may try to deny it, but it still exist. You may try to turn from it, but you can't get away from it. You may even reject it, but you can't quench it. Nothing can separate you from the love that God has for you. 

When you examine your own self, do you wonder how He could love you? Do you feel undeserving and unworthy of His love? Well, you are. We don't deserve God's love. We have done nothing to earn it. We are not worthy of it. But He loves us anyway, not of the merits of what we have done, but on the merits of His own Divine nature.

Your mistakes, your sins, your rejection, your unworthiness, will never be greater than His love for you. His love is greater than our sins. It never changes toward us. When Adam sinned in the garden, God did not stop loving him. Adam's sin broke their fellowship but not God's love for him. God loved him so much that although He knew that Adam would disobey and rebel against Him before He even created him, He already had a plan in place to bring him back to Himself. It was a plan of love-- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8-NKJV)

God is all about love. And He is all about loving you.

Have a great day. God loves you, and don't forget it.

For further reading:
Romans 8:31-39

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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
"Trial And Testimony"

"Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes." Psalm 119:68

I would like to share a testimony with you. I will try to make it as brief as possible. 
About a week and a half ago, I started feeling a soreness in my back- don't remember doing anything to it. That Friday I had to lift something at the shop that was heavier than I thought. When I did, I could tell it was too heavy and felt it in my whole body. I began to do what I had been taught-- pray, stand upon the word, quote the scriptures and promises. The pain left the next day. I was fine for almost a week until the morning it was time for me to go back to the shop- Thursday morning. I started to lift something (carefully and it wasn't heavy at all) and when I did, a pain caught me-- felt like someone hit me in the back with a sledge hammer! The pain was awful! I started praying, standing on the promises, etc. (fighting the fight of faith). I went on to the shop but that whole day the pain was so bad, I could hardly stand being in my own body. By the time I got home it was so bad that I took one of my husband' s pain pills and a prescription pill for inflammation. Got up the next morning and the pain was still just as bad. I laid on an ice pack while having my prayer time. I keep praying and standing on God's healing promises, but it wasn't getting any better. I started getting dressed to go to the shop-- which was very difficult, I could barely bend over and straightening up again was almost impossible. I keep praying and talking to the Lord about it. Then all of a sudden the Holy Spirit gave me one of those "faith nudges" and I had a moment very similar to the one the prodigal son had while he was in the pigpen. It was the moment when he came to his senses and decided, "Why am I here? The servants in my father's house are better off than I am!" For me it was one of those moments when I thought-- what?! Why am I sitting here in this pain when Jesus provided healing for me- I am an heir of God? I stood up and said, "No! I do not receive this! I refuse to give into this in Jesus' Name." At that point I went back to getting dressed, determined not to allow the enemy to do this to me, and in an instant my back stopped hurting, I had free mobility, the pain left, I had full range of motion again and could easily bend and move! (I give God all the glory and honor and praise for what He has done for me!! Thank You, Jesus!)

In this time of trial and testimony I see a collection of the things I have shared through the devotional over the past few weeks. There are times when the word will try us as it did Joseph. We are in a time of heavy spiritual warfare. The enemy's tactic is fear. What are we going to do about it? Are we going to listen to his voice; the voice of fear; the voice of the world; the voice of our own flesh; or the voice of the Lord? Are we going to reason away God's promises and talk ourselves out of it? Are we going to pray about it only or take authority over it? 

I recognized it was an attack of the enemy. He was trying to make me fearful of what might be going on in my back. I listened to the voice of the Lord and knew it was a lie. But I had to activate my faith and authority against him. When I did, I received the manifested victory. 

Whatever you are going through remember that you are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. All things work together for your good. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Trust God. Stand upon His promises. Use His authority. Hold fast the profession of your faith. Listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Have a great day. There are times when we will be tried by the Word, but if we hold fast to our profession and trust God's promises, we will come forth victorious.

For further reading:
Luke 10:19
Galatians 4:7
Psalm 105:19

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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
"Where Are You Dwelling?"

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1

Where are you dwelling/living? Where is your place of abode? I am not talking about your physical address, I am talking about your spiritual dwelling place. Are you dwelling in the place of bitterness? Bitter because of something that happened to you in the past. Are you dwelling in the place of unforgiveness because someone mistreated you? Are you dwelling in anger? Are you dwelling in fear? Where we dwell spiritually is a choice- no one can force us into a place of residence- we choose to move there.

The dwelling place for a Christian is under the shadow of the Almighty God. It is a dwelling place of peace and joy and faith and love and righteousness. No one can evict you from that place. If you "move out" of that dwelling, you do it by choice also.

"Where do you choose to dwell/live?" . I choose to dwell in the Presence of the Lord. I choose to dwell in peace. I choose to dwell in truth. I choose to dwell in joy. I choose to dwell in His everlasting care. I choose not to dwell-- and will not dwell-- in anger, bitterness, fear, discouragement, etc. Those are not the dwelling places He has prepared for us. Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for us and then return for us and take us there. Well, He has also prepared a place for us to dwell in here until He returns for us. That place is the dwelling place of abundant life. Is that the dwelling place you choose to live in? Or will you choose to live/dwell in the place of defeat and despair?

Have a great day. The place where you dwell spiritually is by choice-- you choose to dwell there. 

For further reading:
Psalm 90:1
John 14:1; 10:10

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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
"Reasoning Away Miracles"

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23

Why is it so hard for us to believe for healing, miracles and deliverance? We say that God can do it, but we don't act like He can. I believe some of the reason why is because we "talk ourselves out of them". We "reason" it out. Let me explain.

We come up with all kinds of reasons why it won't happen. Here are some of them. 
1) It may not be His will. "And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (Matthew 8:2,3) 

2) We reason that because the disease is "big" - like cancer, the "Big C"- or because it is one that there is no cure for God can't heal it. "Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" (Mark 2:9) It is all the same to the Lord. He doesn't see "big" or "small" . Healing cancer or AIDS is as easy for Him as healing a toothache. 

3) I have had this illness for so long-- for years-- so it is too late to receive a healing. "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years... came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched." (Luke 8:43,44) "And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." (John 5: 5,6,8)

4) I am suffering for my sins. This is my cross to bear. "And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:2,3) "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." (Psalms 103:3) 

5) God put this on me so I must suffer for His glory. "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" (Matthew 12:24-26) If God puts the sickness on us but He also heals sickness, then He is divided against His own self and working against Himself. He doesn't, therefore, He doesn't put it on us. 

The thing we must stop doing is listening to the voice of our own reasoning. Our reasoning is often false reasoning. We need to listen to what God says to us through His Word. Jesus came to show us the Father and teach us what His will is concerning us. So look at Jesus, look at His life, look at what He did. He only did what the Father told Him to do. He only did the will of His Father. What did He do? "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10:38) Then that must be the will of the Heavenly Father. 

Have a great day. Stop listening to the voice of your own reasoning and start listening to the Lord and you will see miracles, healing and deliverance take place. 

For further reading:
John 5:19

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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

"Believe God's Word"

"There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. " 1 Corinthians 14:10

As I sat in church the other day, the Lord impressed a word on my heart. The word was,"Am I not faithful as promised? My people believe the reports and words of men, but they don't believe My words. Am I a man that I should lie?"

How is it that we pay more attention, give heed to, and give credence and credibility to the words of men yet we don't believe what God says? We will listen to the doctors. We listen to what the economy says. We listen to what the government says. We listen to what the voice of fear says. We listen to all those around us and we believe what they say. Yet we won't listen to God's words and believe them.

We will take sixteen pills a day because the doctor says to do it. We will get ourselves so deep in debt that we will never see daylight because pride says we have to have the biggest and the best. We will let go of faithful and loving relationships because selfishness says, "I am not getting what I want." We will hang on to something we should have let go of a long time ago because fear says, "You can't make it without it."

The Bible says that there are many voices. There are a whole lot more voices that speak to us each day than I have named. But there is only one voice that is the voice of truth. All other voices are either just mere facts (true to a point), subject to change, deceptive or false. That one voice of truth is the voice of God. He is the only one who can speak truth... and everything that He speaks is Truth! 

So why are we giving so much heed and attention to the voices that surround us each day and no attention to the voice of the Lord? Am I saying that we should not listen to any of these voices? Of course not, the Lord often speaks through them. But what I am saying is why do we put our faith and trust in those voices/words, yet disregard the voice of the Lord when He speaks to us? His words are the only words we can truly put our faith and confidence in because His are the only ones that are truth... the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Have a great day. Who's words are you listening to and putting your faith in?

For further reading:
John 17:17
Numbers 23:19

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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
"Pray Or Command?"

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." Acts 10:38

There is a time to pray for our needs but there is also a time when we need to do warfare over them by using our God-given authority. Often we pray for God to do something about what we are going through when we need to do something about it ourselves. There are prayers we pray for God's help, but there are times we speak to and command the enemy to leave. 

The Bible says that Jesus prayed to the Father over certain individuals for their need to be met, but then there were times when He spoke to the situation and commanded it to change. He mostly did this when there was a spirit behind the problem. 

Sometimes while we are praying for God to intervene and help us, God is telling us to use what He has already given us and take authority over it. "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) "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)

God has given us power to deal with the things that come against us. When it is a spirit, we don't pray about it, we cast it out. Fear, depression (for the most part), infirmity, are all spirits and have to be dealt with as such. So we need to stop praying over them and start taking authority and command them in the Name of Jesus to let go and leave. If you aren't sure which it is, pray and ask Holy Spirit to reveal it to you-- He did to Jesus, this is why sometimes Jesus prayed for it to be removed and at other times He commanded it to leave. Once He does reveal it, use the proper provision to deal with it-- prayer or authority over it.

Have a great day. Sometimes we need to pray about our problem, but sometimes we need to take authority over it.

For further reading:
2 Timothy 1:7
Mark 16:17

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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
"Need Him Or Want Him?"

"Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore." Psalm 105:4

There is absolutely no doubt that we need the Lord. Even if we say we don't, that is not true. We have nothing, can do nothing, and are nothing without Him. He supplies all our needs, not ourselves. I don't supply my own oxygen. I don't supply my own salvation. Everything I have comes from Him. But He is more to me than just the One who gives me what I need. He is also my desire- I want Him. 

When you go to God in prayer, do you go only because you "need" Him? Do you go to Him strictly because you know He has the answer to your problem? Do you turn to Him only when you are in trouble and need His help? Or do you seek Him because you "want" Him? Do you turn to Him because He is your desire? Do you enjoy spending time with Him and not asking Him for anything? There is a difference. 

We should go to Him when we have a need. We should go to Him with our problems. We should look to Him for answers. But if that is the only reason you go to Him, then you are in a "sad" way. You are missing out on a wonderful relationship He desires to have with you. You are missing out on the abundant life. You are missing out on the joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. You are missing the great experience of His Presence in a deeper way. You are missing the greater depth of His love and grace that He wants to bestow on you. 

So, which are you? The one who turns to Him only because you need Him? Or the one who turns to Him because you not only need Him but want Him?

Have a great day. We all go to God because we need Him, but do we go to Him because we want Him?

For further reading:
Philippians 3:10

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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

"Held Back"

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

I was talking with a little guy yesterday and asked him if he was in the second grade.  He told me,"No.  I am in the first, I got held back".  I told him that was all right.  It was for his good to help him.  We all need to be "held back" sometimes-- spiritually speaking.  

There are times when we are "held back" because of our disobedience and sin.  The Israelites were held back from entering into the Promised Land for forty years because of their unbelief.  But then there are times when God-- not the devil, or self-- will "hold us back".  Usually we think of it as a "bad" thing, but when God holds you back it is a "good" thing.  It is for your good and for His glory.  

Joseph was held back from entering into his destiny until he could get trained for the position.  He was also held back until he could get to the place in his heart where he would not abuse, or use for personal revenge, his position of authority.  There is so much we need to learn before we are ready to go forward.  There are areas that we have to grow in before we are ready to go to the next level.  

God also holds us back because of divine timing.  He held back the birth of Isaac until the timing was right-- until Sarah's womb was completely dead and they could not produce the promise on their own.  Even our beloved Jesus was "held back" in the mission He came to earth to fulfill until the appointed time.  "My time is not yet come."  God held Him back from the cross until everything had been fulfilled that was spoken by the prophets, and until all things were prepared and in order. 

Do you feel like you are being "held back"?  Ask God if it is because of some sin or disobedience in your life.  Ask Him if there is something you need to do that you aren't doing.  If it is neither, then just trust Him, be led by Him and wait on Him to move you "up" when it is in His plan and timing.  

Have a great day.  There are times when God "holds us back".  In those times trust Him-- it is for your good and for His glory.

For further reading:
John 7:6,8
Galatians 4:4
Job 32:18

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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
"Looking At Jesus"

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  Matthew 25:40

When I woke up this morning, I was thinking about a dream that I had last night.  The setting of the dream was the Wednesday night service that we have at our church.  We meet in the fellowship hall and sit around the tables and discuss a chapter out of the Bible.  In the dream I saw several people that I know who attend my church, but I also saw some strangers, and I saw one lady that I recognized from coming in my shop.  One of the guys there seemed to be mentally challenged.  The lady is poor, unpopular and would be considered an "outcast".  After a few minutes of thinking about the dream, all of a sudden I remembered, "Jesus, I asked You to let me dream about You last night when I went to bed".  (I wanted to dream about You, not other people.)  Then that still, small voice said, "You did", and I began to see the faces of those in my dream.  

I wanted to see Jesus in His glory and majesty.  I wanted to see the Good Shepherd.  I wanted to see Him as my Heavenly Lover.  He let me know that I did see Him, but in a different way.  I saw Him in the faces of His people (the church).  I saw Him in the faces of the stranger, the infirmed, the imperfect, the poor, the unlovely, the outcast.  I am not saying that they "are Jesus" or they "become Jesus"-- there is only One Jesus.  But when we look at other people, in a sense we are looking at Jesus. There is no one who is not made in His image.  When we look at others, when we meet their need, when we show them love, no matter who they are, it is as if we are looking at and doing it to Jesus.  "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." 

I saw Him in the "study of His Word"- that is where we get a true revelation of Him.  He is the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us.  The scriptures testify of Him.  As we sat around the table reading His Word, His Word came to life and put on flesh and blood in the people who sat there.  We have to be careful how we look at people.  We have to be careful how we treat others.  We have to be careful in our opinion of others because when we look into their faces, we are looking into the face of Jesus.

Have a great day.  When we look at others, we are in a sense looking at Jesus.  

For further reading:
John 1:1,14; 5:39
Matthew 25:34-46

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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

Coffee Break
"Mistakes - Part 2"

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil."  1 Corinthians 13:4,5

Yesterday we talked about how we all make mistakes and there are some people who like to hold our mistakes "over our head" and not let us forget them.  We also were reminded that God never holds them "over our heads"-- He doesn't keep bringing them up to us.

As I thought about this, I couldn't help but think about how often this happens in marriages.  When there is a conflict or disagreement, one spouse will bring out their "little black book of mistakes" and begin reading it off.  This book records all the other spouse's past mistakes, harsh words that may have been spoken, the time they did this or didn't do that, the time they let them down, or did something against them.  This list is used as "ammunition" or "leverage" so they can "shoot" at and use it against their spouse-- hopefully to their advantage.  I can assure you that it is never to your advantage, but instead to the demise of your marriage.  A marriage will never survive like this-- no relationship will.

"Love... thinks no evil".  This literally means that love will not keep a record of all the times it was mistreated.  Real love doesn't take into account the bad that has been done to it.  Real loves doesn't keep a list of of the wrongs that were done to them.  Real love doesn't have a "book of remembrance"-- unless it is a book of the good things that were done for them.  

Do you have one of those "books"?  Are you keeping a list of the times your spouse made a mistake or didn't do what you wanted them to do or thought they should do?  Are you using it against them like ammunition?  Then you aren't walking in love.  You have missed the true meaning of love.  Aren't you glad Jesus doesn't have a "book" that He is writing down all the mistakes you have made in and all the times you have done Him wrong?  He doesn't because He truly loves you.  As His children, we should be following His example and get rid of our book of wrongs done to us.

Have a great day.  Love doesn't keep a record of the wrongs that has been done to it.  

For further reading:
1 Corinthians 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.