Coffee Break

Coffee Break

"Get Understanding"

"Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly." Proverbs 16:22

There will always be things that we don't understand. Even Solomon with all his wisdom did not understand some things. (Proverbs 30:18,19) But having an understanding of the things of God and spiritual principles is necessary to our spiritual growth and well-being. The Book of Proverbs is full of admonishment, commands and instruction concerning the importance of having understanding.

Some Christians believe that it is not meant for us to understand the things of God. Granted, there are some "mysteries" that we won't understand until this corruptible flesh puts on incorruption and this mortality puts on immortality. And until then there will always be some things that we know only "in part" because the understanding that we have is still like looking through a dark glass. Jesus addressed this subject with His disciples. In Matthew 13 He talked to them about spiritual things and Kingdom principles, then He asked them if they understood what He said. "Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord." (verse 51) In the same chapter Jesus told His disciples that they have been given the understanding to know these things, but the world hasn't been given that understanding. So, yes, He does want us to understand spiritual things.

So, what do we do if we don't understand; how do we get the understanding? The first thing you do is continue reading God's word. Don't get discouraged and put it down just because you don't understand it. Unless you continue reading it, you will never understand it. Also, you pray. You pray for the Lord to enlighten the eyes of your understanding. You pray for the spirit of wisdom and revelation. You ask the Holy Spirit to make your understanding fruitful and trust that He will lead you into the truth- because He will; He is the Spirit of Truth. Also, don't get impatient. Sometimes the understanding comes line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little- and eventually you will get the full "picture" of what the Lord is saying.

The Lord doesn't want us ignorant. He intends for us to understand spiritual things. And even though there will be some things that we don't understand until we see Him face to face, we have the promise that if we seek an understanding of spiritual things we will find it.

Have a great day. If you don't understand spiritual truths just ask... the Holy Spirit will help you to understand.

For further reading:
Matthew 13:10-12
1 John 3:2
Psalms 103:7
John 16:13
1 Corinthians 2:9-11; 13:9,12
Colossians 1:9
Ephesians 1:18
Isaiah 28:10,13
Proverbs 4:5,7; 16:16

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@ bellsouth. net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

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


Coffee Break

"Take A Bath"

"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." Ephesians 5:26

Hopefully, every person who is a born again believer reads their Bible every day- at least once. But I wonder if that is all we do-- just read it? That is all some people do. Some see reading their Bible as just part of some religious duty they must do because they are a Christian and that's what Christians do. They read it thinking they are going to get some sort of "spiritual brownie points" with God. Some read it because they enjoy reading its stories in the same way they enjoy any "good book" they pick up to read. God's Word is so much more than just a book we read because we are Christians. It's a cleansing agent.

God's Word is like "soap". It has the ability to wash and cleanse our spirits, minds, souls and heart. It can was away negative and erroneous thinking. It can wash away guilt and condemnation. It can wash away bitterness, unforgiveness, anger and hate. It can wash away doubt, fear and unbelief. And it will if we do more than just read it as black words on white paper. It will as we take it to heart, meditate upon its teachings and promises, and apply it to our lives by putting it into practice. It will wash away the spiritual dirt and grime-- the worldly influences, the lusts of the flesh, the devil's accusations.

You may read the Word (even daily), but are you taking a bath in it? Are you letting it wash and renew your mind? Are you letting it soften your heart? When you are hot and sweaty, there is something so refreshing about a bath. God's Word washes away the "dirt" that attaches itself to our lives as we walk through this world and it also brings refreshing- faith, hope and love.

Have a great day. Are you reading the Bible or taking a bath in it?

For further reading:
James 1:22
John 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

"Jesus"

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

This morning I just want to talk about Jesus. He should be our main theme. He should be our focus. He should be the topic and subject of our conversations. He should be the sum of our thoughts and the foundation of our vocabulary. We should wake up with our minds on Him, and go to bed with the same. He should be our reason for doing what we do. "In Him we live, and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)

He is the lover of our souls. The captain of our salvation. Our redeemer who lives. He is the risen Lord. The King of kings and Lord of lords; the King of glory. The beginning and the end. The starting point and the ending point. Without Him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things. He is our strength and song and has become our salvation. He is the glory and lifter of our heads. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He will be with us always, even guiding us when death comes to take us. We will not have to fear evil because His rod and staff comfort us. He is our Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. He is the conquering king. The Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. He forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases.

With Him nothing is impossible, or too difficult. He is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we can ask or think. He is able to keep what we commit to Him. His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts, but they are higher than the heavens are above the earth.

I could go on. Talking about Him- who He is and what He does- could go on forever because He is the eternal one. But I will stop here and leave you with this: take time each and every day to meditate upon this great, wonderful, all-powerful and glorious Lord we have the privilege of knowing and you will fall in love with Him all over again each time you do.

Have a great day. Is Jesus the focus of your life?

For further reading:
Revelation 19:16; 5:5
Ephesians 3:20
Psalm 118:14
Luke 1:37
Isaiah 55:8,9

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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

"Nursing The Enemy"

"And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword." Joshua 6:21

When the children of Israel came out of Egypt on their way to the land that the Lord had promised them, we read that they had to fight many battles against the inhabitants in the wilderness and in the promise land. The command that the Lord gave them was to utterly destroy them all- the kings, every man, woman, boy and girl. They were not to take any captives. When you first read this it sounds very cruel and unloving, especially the part about killing even the children and babies. I am not going to address whether it was cruel or not, I want us to look at it from a spiritual point of view this morning. There is a spiritual parallel to this command to "utterly destroy all" that we need to heed.

I was thinking about this the other day and wondering about not taking the babies captive. After all, they were little tiny babies- what threat could they possibly be. They were helpless, defenseless, weak and unable to do any harm. But the more I thought about it I realized that someone would have to "nurse" those babies. Those nursing babies were not just babies- they were enemies, and they wouldn't stay little long. They wouldn't always be those "cute" little babies that they could "carry" around in their arms. They would grow up and get stronger and stronger. Therefore, they had to be destroyed.

The spiritual parallel that I see here is that if we allow even the "smallest" sin to remain in our lives, even though it may seem "innocent", little and unthreatening at the time, and don't "drive it out" and "utterly destroy" it, eventually we will begin to "nurse" it and it won't stay little long. Once you start "nursing" it, that "small" sin will begin to grow and become a greater enemy in your life.

We need to learn a lesson from what was commanded to them in the natural and apply it to our lives when dealing with the enemy of sin and not be sympatric with sin- no matter how small and unthreatening it may look because one day it will be a bigger enemy.

Have a great day. Sin is our enemy and once we start nursing even a small sin, it will turn it into a bigger, stronger enemy.

For further reading:
1 Corinthians 5:6
Galatians 5:9
Song of Solomon 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

"Stop, Stop, Stop"

"Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." Ezekiel 3:19

The other morning I was at Wal-Mart. I had just left the store and as I was headed across the parking lot to get in my vehicle I had to stop and wait because the vehicle in front of me was backing out of its parking spot. Just as it started backing out, I noticed another vehicle that was parked directly behind it started backing out too. They were both about to rear-end each other. I started waving my arms and yelling at the driver-- "STOP! STOP! STOP!" Thankfully, he heard me, stopped and pulled forward avoiding a crash.

The odd thing about the whole situation was that the exact same thing had just happened the week before. As I was walking across this same parking lot two vehicles in front of me started backing out of their parking spots at the same time about to back into each other. Since I was witnessing a crash in the making, I yelled for them to stop while waving my hands to get their attention. Their crash was avoided also.

As I got to my vehicle I pondered the fact that this was twice in two weeks that the same thing happened and asked the Lord if there was anything "significant" about it. Yes, it was. I want to share with you what He spoke to me.

Mankind without Christ is lost. They are heading for a "crash" (death- eternal separation from God). Because they are in darkness they don't see what awaits them (like the driver's of the vehicles- they couldn't see the crash that was about to happen to them.) I was in a perfect position to see what was about to happen to these vehicles, therefore, I was able to warn them. (Because I know Christ and am walking in the light, I am in a position where I see the truth about what will happen to those who are lost without Christ.)

We see people around us all the time who are heading for a "crash" spiritually/ eternally, but what are we doing about it? I could have kept my mouth shut, gone on about my own business and not tried to warn these people that they were going to have an accident. But I didn't. I stood in a parking lot full of people yelling and waving my arms like a "crazy" person. I let pride go in order to warn them. As a result the accident was avoided, and the man in the first vehicle turned to thank me.

Because we see the truth, and those who are in darkness don't, we must lay aside all pride, all prejudice, all self-absorption, all dignity, anything that would keep us from warning the lost about what awaits him. I didn't care how I looked, what people thought or said, I just knew that something bad was about to happen and I was in a position to stop it. Something "bad" (that's an understatement) will happen to those who die without Christ and you and I who know Him are in a position to warn them so that it doesn't happen. Are we warning them to "stop" and turn to Christ?

Have a great day. When we see people heading into eternity lost without Christ, are we warning them?

For further reading:
Romans 6:23
Isaiah 43:12
Mark 16:15
Acts 1:8
Proverbs 11:30

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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.

ANOTHER COFFEE BREAK
KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE !!

Greetings to all of you, and Blessings!

The past six-plus weeks since I last posted a Coffee Break have been
eventful to say the least. Della and I were gone to a prophetic conference
in Canada for nearly three weeks. When we got back, Della was asked to lead
the memorial service for her uncle who had just passed away.

No sooner had that taken place when the sewer pipe to our upstairs bathroom
decided to let loose and pour sewage down through the wall and ceiling of
the dining room below. Our insurance company was slow in getting someone to
come out and clean things up and dry out all of the water-soaked areas so --
being a carpenter (having helped my father build six of his seven churches)
and skilled in most of the building trades -- I dived into (ummm....that
might be the wrong term) the project and started tearing out the upstairs
bathroom. Having done that, I began taking apart the ceiling in the dining
room to let it air out.

Wrong move! Ever taken a shower in the sewer? I don't recommend it.
Everything rained down on me. I want you to know I didn't waste any time
afterwards in getting into a real shower and getting all that gunk off me.
It was funny, but not funny if you know what I mean.

When the water remediation folks showed up to start drying things out with
their equipment, all the fans and dehumidifiers caused the breakers to kick
in the electrical panel -- twice in a row. My main computer was on when the
breakers kicked and then came back on.

Even though I have a RAID array for safety's sake, it still took out the
boot sector to my hard drives, and I was offline for days. The folks at
Dell sent a technician with a pair of new drives to replace the bad ones,
but it still took days to rebuild the RAID arrays with all of my backup data
and get my system restored. Good thing I had everything backed up or I'd
have been a sunk duck!

The fun continues as we wait for the restoration process to be complete.
It's a pretty good spiritual illustration. You think things are taken care
of in your life and you're crusin' along with the Lord; and all of a sudden
something breaks and a whole lot of sewage comes out that you were not
prepared for. Think maybe the Lord just might be permitting all of this to
happen so that real cleaning, repair and restoration can take place? Yup.
I think so.

Well, I thought I'd be able to get back to my experiences in Heaven, but
that's going to wait a little longer. There are some things that need some
immediate attention and there is a priority in the realm of the Spirit to
cover these things. I'll get back to my experiences in Heaven in due time
-- and I may yet do one more piece on Israel.

During the past month or so, participating in a conference with Chuck
Pierce, Paul Keith Davis, Joshua Mills and Charlie Robinson -- not to
mention the conference in Lancaster, California with Paul Keith, Neville
Johnson and Sadhu Sundhar Selvaraj -- we've seen a consistency and a
continuity of the message of the Holy Spirit to the Bride of Christ today.
No matter where you turn, the Word of the Lord is the same.

The Holy Spirit is after a people who are more in pursuit of the indwelling
presence of the Lord in His fullness with the accompanying manifestation of
the greater works that Jesus promised -- more in pursuit of Him than they
are in pursuit of their pet doctrines.

That may seem like a strange thing to say so let me be clear. I'll make it
personal so no one takes offense or thinks I'm pointing fingers. There are
lots of things that I believe. There are many things I have experienced in
a lifelong walk with the Lord. But -- and here's the catch -- there are
many things that I know, not just because I've experienced certain things,
not because I've studied and researched and done a lot of academic pursuit
of knowledge, (and I do love Biblical history!) but because they have been
revealed by the Holy Spirit in my inner man.

If that sounds self-serving, it isn't meant to be. Here's how the angel of
the Lord put it to John: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the
hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." (Revelation
2:17)

"Hidden manna" is something that comes by revelation -- not by study and
research and careful calculation. There's a huge difference between
"doctrines" and revelation. I grew up in traditional Pentecostal circles
with a lot of "doctrines" being taught -- and a lot of those doctrines were
predicated in study, research, mathematical calculations or even some
personal experiences -- but they didn't produce the kind of inner life that
the Holy Spirit is looking for in us.

Once again, let me repeat: there are lots of things that I believe. But
believing is a whole lot different from knowing! Again, let me build some
fences around what I'm saying. Let me give you some examples.

I know that Jesus is coming soon. How do I know that? First, because He
says so in His Word. Secondly, because I've had personal visitations from
the Lord, along with angelic visitations to specifically confirm that fact.
My knowing is based in a combination of the Word -- and if it isn't in the
Word, you'd better really consider what you think you know -- and in that
which has been revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Now, watch!

I believe that we only have a few years before Jesus comes. I don't believe
He will come this year, or next, or even the next year after that. Why?
Because that isn't what the message of the Holy Spirit is in the body of
Christ today. That doesn't mean I'm right -- and no one would rejoice any
more than me if I were wrong -- but here's why I take that position.
Consider what John wrote as he closed out the Revelation.

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water
of life freely." (Revelation 22:17)

The Bride of Christ is not saying, "Come, Lord Jesus." The Holy Spirit is
not saying, "Come, Lord Jesus." What the Spirit and the Bride are saying is
this: "Get the spots and wrinkles out of your garments, people! Make
yourself ready to receive Him when He does come."

Consider these two scriptures: (1) (Ephesians 5:25-27) "Husbands, love your
wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
(2) Revelation 19:7-8) "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:
for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

If there is any message being trumpeted by the true prophets in the body of
Christ today, this is it: Invite the Spirit of Judgment and Burning (see
Isaiah 4:4) into your life to cleanse every last vestige of religion, every
last vestige of flesh, every last vestige of sin or error of any kind! Make
yourself ready so that Jesus truly receives the inheritance He paid for with
His blood!

In Paul's instruction in the letter to Ephesus, he precedes his statement
about the Lord giving Himself with a command to husbands to love their wives
in the same way that Jesus gave Himself for His Bride. While Paul is
speaking to husbands and wives, he does make it clear that Jesus gave
Himself totally, completely and without reservation in order to redeem for
Himself that people He designed for Himself before time began.

For Jesus to truly receive His inheritance in His people, they likewise must
give themselves totally and unreservedly to Him -- no matter the cost -- so
that His Glory can be seen in them, so that His presence will be seen, and
so that all that He is will be demonstrated and manifested in the earth.

Sorry to have spent so much time on this topic. There's a whole lot more
here to talk about -- and maybe in the future I can do a specific Coffee
Break on the coming of the Lord -- but that's not what this discussion is
all about today. What I'm getting at is that -- because of the above
Scriptures -- I believe there are some things absolutely necessary to be
accomplished in the Bride of Christ before Jesus can come. Understand?

What I believe is a bit different from what I know. I don't know the day or
the hour that Jesus will come, and I refuse to speculate on it or focus on
it. There is an alert that takes place in the realm of the Spirit for those
who are prepared and there's no guesswork to that alert.

There are times and seasons in God, and we certainly know the season of
Jesus' return. And it is important for us to know the times and the
seasons. That said, my objective is to allow the Holy Spirit to do whatever
it takes in me so that when the Lord Jesus Christ does return, He can
receive in me everything He paid for. Am I clear?

One more clarification on this topic so there is no misunderstanding. I was
awakened a couple of years ago early one morning with the audible voice of
the angel of the Lord speaking. I sat up straight in bed when I heard it.
He said to me, "You have no idea how soon the return of the Lord Jesus
Christ really is!" Now there's an attention getter!

There is an alert that has gone forth in the earth today, but that alert is
somewhat akin to the parable that Jesus gave in Matthew 25. The virgins
(representing those who had their garments clean and spotless) were first
made aware that the Bridegroom was on His way. That's the alert that has
gone forth. The Bridegroom has delayed His coming so that He will have a
Bride who is ready for Him. In Jesus' parable, there was a second alert,
"Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." That alert has not
taken place yet. Those who have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying
will hear that alert! What the Holy Spirit is saying is, "Bride, get
yourself ready." He has not yet said, "Come, Lord Jesus." OK?

Good! Let's move on.

Some of you may wonder why I've taken this path in our discussions today.
Folks, because of what God is doing in the earth today and because of what
He is saying to the body of Christ, it is imperative that I share the
following with you.

It has been clear for some time now that there is a clear dividing taking
place among Christians -- a separating, if you will -- that is making many
believers uncomfortable. After all, we well remember Paul's declaration in
Ephesians 4 (verse 3) in which he instructs us to "keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace." But Paul didn't leave it there. Watch what
he writes a few verses later.

"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, pastors and teachers for the perfecting (katartismos: the complete
furnishing) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (teleios: complete) man, unto
the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Christos: the
Anointed One, and His anointing)"

HELLO?????

Unto a perfect man? Unto the measure (metron: the rule or standard of
judgment; the determined extent, the measured portion) of the stature
(helikia: maturity) of the fullness of Christ? Us? NOW, before we get to
Heaven?

That's it, folks! NOW, not in "the sweet bye and bye."

One of the difficulties in the body of Christ is a wide spread of doctrines
that push many things way off in the future, or "when we all get to Heaven"
as if Heaven is our objective. Heaven is not our objective! Heaven is only
home-base for the future. I can't get into it here, but the things God has
prepared for those that truly love Him are spectacular beyond human
imagination!

By the same token, there are many things -- interpretations of prophecies,
for example -- that get shoved into the 1000-year reign of Christ on the
earth (the Millennium, if you please). The problem in these interpretations
is that they fail to give the Lord Jesus Christ His due in us. Sometimes I
wonder if people really understand what Jesus did for us, and if they
understand what it cost Him.

Let's see if I can put this another way.

Every Christian believer knows that Jesus died on the Cross for him or her,
and that their salvation from Hell rests in that fact. But does every
believer understand that what Jesus paid for on the Cross goes way beyond
"fire insurance"?

Fire insurance -- deliverance from the penalties of sin and an eternal
damnation in Hell -- is only a fraction of what Jesus paid for. Let me
digress for just a second.

If you go to Costco or Sam's Club or Wal-Mart or Safeway (or whatever) and
you decide to purchase something, do you not expect to get what you pay for?
Do you expect, for example, to plop down the cash or a check (or a debit
card) for food or household goods, and then walk out of the store and leave
them behind? If you paid for them, don't you deserve to get what you paid
for? Aren't you legally entitled to get what you paid for?

Now, let's apply this principle to the price that Jesus paid. Let me take
you to an amplified translation of Isaiah 53:3-5 that I did from the Hebrew
text:

(3) He is disdained and scorned, and considered as having ceased to exist by
men: a man of anguish and pain, and has known grief by seeing and
experiencing it; and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was disdained
and scorned, and we maliciously fabricated, invented and treated His
suffering and death as void.

(4) Surely He has suffered and accepted as His own our maladies, our
anxieties, our calamities, our disease and sicknesses, and carried our
anguish, pain and grief: yet we fabricated and maliciously invented His
being stricken violently, beaten, punished, wounded and slaughtered as if by
God -- choosing to believe that God browbeat, demeaned and looked down upon
Him.

(5) But He was broken and profaned for our rebellion, our revolt, our
apostasy and our [religious] quarrel against God; He was crushed, oppressed
and smitten, and (emotionally) broken into pieces for our perversity, our
evil, our mischief, sins and faults; the breaking and ridiculing of our
peace, our welfare, our prosperity, our health and our safety was upon Him;
and with His bloodied and blue wounds we are cured, mended, repaired and
made thoroughly whole.

THERE!! That's what Jesus did, and that's what it cost Him! Understand?

Now! Consider Paul's prayer and admonition.

" I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will
know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of
His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His
power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the
strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him
from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places."
(Ephesians 1:18-20 NASB)

Lastly, do you understand the word, "Salvation"? Do you know that this word
was never intended to be just about "fire insurance"? This word is a
translation of the Greek, sozo, (to protect, to deliver, to rescue, to
defend, to save, to heal, to preserve, to cause to prosper, to make
[completely] whole). It is the equivalent of the Hebrew, yasha (and its
derivative, ye shu ah), with the same identical meanings. (Ye shu ah is the
name of Jesus, as you know, and it is descriptive of His onoma: His
character, His personality, His makeup - the essence of Who He is!)

Having said all of that, what do you believe? What do you KNOW? If Jesus
paid for your salvation, has He received it yet? He paid for your defense
from the Enemy. Do you KNOW that He is your defense? He paid for your
healing. Do you KNOW that you are healed? He paid for your deliverance
from poverty. Have you received, or do you walk in the totality of
abundance that He paid for?

If Jesus paid for all of this with such a high price, has He received in you
what He paid for? He deserves it, and He is legally entitled to it!

What do you believe? What do you KNOW? It isn't your faith by which you
receive all of this: it's Jesus' faith!

See you again soon.

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

Blessings on you!

Regner

Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES

709 South 7th Street
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
(509) 515-0133

All Coffee Break articles are copyright by Regner A. Capener, but
authorization for reprinting, reposting, copying or re-use, in whole or in
part, is granted - provided proper attribution and this notice are included

Coffee Break

"Selah Moments"

"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah." Psalm 32:7

Often while reading the Psalms we come upon this word- Selah. As I looked up its meaning, I discovered that the meaning wasn't too certain. The definition I did find was that it was a technical musical term probably showing accentuation, pause, interruption. Let me give you my definition (what it means to me). My definition is- pause, stop and ponder what has been said or what has been done.

There are what I call "Selah" moments in our lives- times when we need to take some time to stop and ponder what the Lord is saying to us. Sometimes we get so busy that we don't stop long enough to actually listen to what He is saying. We usually "assume" we know what He said and meant. We need to take a "Selah" moment and be quiet and listen to everything He is saying so we get the full meaning.

Other "Selah" moments are those times when we need to stop and ponder what He has done for us. It's those times when instead of just talking about what the Lord has done, we stop and think about what that really means. When I talk about what a beautiful day it might be, I find myself taking a "Selah" moment by pausing to thank the Lord for allowing me to see it.

More "Selah" times come when I am reading the Bible. There will be times when I am reading and a particular verse will speak to my heart. I just have to stop and ponder what He is saying to me through the verse. I sit there "chewing" the word and giving it time to "digest" in my spirit before I continue. In that "Selah" moment the scales are removed from my mind and heart and I am enlighten and encouraged.

Do you have those "Selah" moments? Are there times you just stop and think about what the Lord has done? Do you pause to give Him praise? Are you taking time to ponder what He may be saying to you? "Selah" moments tend to keep me from taking things for granted- like His goodness, His blessings, His word, His love and His faithfulness.

Have a great day. You need to take "Selah" moments everyday.

For further reading:
Psalm 24:10; 46:10
Luke 10:39-44

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

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

"Questioning His Faithfulness"

"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." John 11:21

For the last couple of days we have been talking about the faithfulness of God. I have reminded you that He is faithful no matter what we are going through and He is faithful to keep His word no matter what tries to stand in His way and keep Him from fulfilling it. This morning I want to talk about "questioning" His faithfulness.

There are situations we go through that cause us to question the faithfulness of God. There are situations that cause us to wonder if He really cares and really loves us. When I read the verse above, I can hear Martha's questions behind her comment. I hear her heart saying, "If you really loved my brother, if you really cared about him, if you really are who you say you are, and we believe you are, then why didn't you come sooner? Why weren't you here for us in our time of need? Where were you when we called for you? Why did you wait? Why did you let this happen?". If we are honest we have to admit that there are times when we have wondered the same thing.

There are situations that we face that cause us to question the Lord's faithfulness and love. There are times when it looks as though He has let us down. There are times when it looks as if He has not been faithful to keep His promise. My answer for those times is that we get our eyes off of the situation and off of what we are going through and turn our focus on the cross.

If you ever doubt, or question, His love for you, His concern, His faithfulness, then look at the cross. Once you do all questioning has to vanish. We can't look at the cross and not know that He loves us and cares about us. We can't look at the cross and continue to question. The cross is the proof of His love, concern and faithfulness. The cross is where He demonstrated all three-- and there is no greater demonstration. Your situation will show you otherwise, but if you will get your eyes off of it and place them on the cross you will see that He truly is faithful. Your situation will also speak to you, It will tell you that the Lord is not faithful and that He does not love you or care about you. You can't listen to your situation, you have to listen to what the cross is saying- it says,"I love you; I care; I am faithful."

Have a great day. If you are questioning the Lord's faithfulness and love look at the cross, not your situation, and you will see that He really does love and care about you and that He is faithful.

For further reading:
John 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

"Faithful To His Promises"

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" Hebrews 10:23

Yesterday we talked about the faithfulness of God. This morning I want to remind you that He is faithful to His promises- He will do what He has said He will do.

He is not like we are when it comes to keeping His word. Some people will tell you that they are going to do something and know that they are lying to your face- they never intend to do it. The Lord is not like that- He does not lie.

Sometimes people will tell you what you want to hear in an effort to appease you but really don't mean what they are saying, or promising. The Lord never does that- He always says what He means and means what He says.

Then you have those who make promises in the "heat of the moment". They really think they are going to fulfill their word but never seem to get around to it. The Lord never does, or says, anything in haste. Everything He says is perfectly thought out through the counsel of His own will. He knows if He says it, He will do it.

You also have those who will make you a promise with all intentions of fulfilling it but circumstances arise that prevent them from doing so. They get hindered by things that get in the way. The Lord never gets hindered. If anything gets in His way, He just moves it out of the way. God made a promise to the children of Israel to deliver them out of Egypt and into the land of promise. As they were making their way out of Egypt they came upon the Red Sea. It stood between them and the fulfillment of His promise. Did the Lord say, "Oh, no, sorry guys, I didn't think about this sea. It is standing in the way so it looks like I won't be able to keep my word to deliver you."? No, He just "moved" the hindrance out of the way. He parted the sea so that it no longer stood in the way of Him fulfilling His word.

May I also remind you this morning that He is the same yesterday, today and forever- He does not change. He does not change in His faithfulness to keep His word and make good His promises. So the bottom line is this: if He has said it, if He has made the promise, He will keep it and nothing can stand in His way.... not even a sea.

Have a great day. Hindrances don't stop the Lord from keeping His promise... He just moves them out of the way.

For further reading:
Exodus 14
Numbers 23:19
Ephesians 1:11

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

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

"He's Forever Faithful"

"If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." 2 Timothy 2:13

I woke up this morning thinking about the Lord's faithfulness. How grateful I am that He does not change and is always faithful. He remains faithful even when we aren't. Our inconsistencies, our failures, our shortcomings, our mistakes, our sins, our unbelief, our ups and downs, highs and lows don't change His faithfulness. I can't even count the number of times I have failed and fallen short, but through all of them He has not failed to show me His faithfulness.

He is faithful to meet and supply all my need. He is faithful to give me the victory over my enemies. He is faithful to bless me with peace, joy, grace and every good and perfect gift. He is faithful to lead me, guide me and direct me. And even though there are times when I do not listen to His voice leading me in the way I should go but choose to go my own way instead, He still remains faithful and the next time I call upon Him for guidance He so graciously gives it to me.

He is faithful no matter where I am or what I am going through. He is faithful to walk with me when I go through the fire, when I go through the storm, when I face the valley of the shadow of death, when I am on the mountaintop or in the wilderness, when I face giants or the cares of this life try to consume me. What else can I say... He is just FAITHFUL!

When was the last time you pondered the Lord's faithfulness? Why not take time today to think about all the ways and times that He has been faithful to you... and thank Him for it while you are at it.

Have a great day. He is faithful.... period!

For further reading:
Hebrews 10:23
1 Peter 4:19
1 John 1:9
Revelation 19:11
1 Thessalonians 5:24

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

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 Average Blessings"

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." Psalm 68:19

Just sharing an observation this morning. Have you ever noticed that the Lord's blessings are not ordinary in size or proportion? He doesn't give us a standard measure or just a sample of anything. Everything He gives us is "exceeding abundantly above". For example- He doesn't just give us "life"; He gives us "abundant life". He doesn't just give us "peace"; He gives us "peace that passes understanding" . He doesn't just give us "joy"; He gives us "joy that's unspeakable and full of glory". He doesn't just give us "strength"; He gives us "perfect strength". He doesn't just give us "love"; He gives us "everlasting love". He doesn't just give us "wisdom"; He gives us "pure wisdom". And He doesn't just meet part of our needs, He meets them all, and in proportion to His riches not in proportion to the size of our need.

What a wonderful, loving Heavenly Father. He is not stingy with any of His blessings that He bestows on us. He always gives us more than we could hope for-- "good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over". Let's not be stingy with our praise and thanksgiving for all His goodness to us.

Have a great day. The Lord doesn't just give us "average" blessings.

For further reading:
James 3:17
John 10:10
Ephesians 3:20
Philippians 4:7, 19
1 Peter 1:8
2 Corinthians 12:9
Jeremiah 31:3
Luke 6:38

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

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.

Dear All,
Thank you for your prayers and notes concerning my husband. The procedure went well and the doctor was pleased with the outcome. I am rejoicing in God's goodness and faithfulness.
I am posting Wednesday's CB on the blog for those of you who didn't get it. It is entitled- "Not Walking Alone". There was no CB sent out on Thursday.
Thank you again. Love and blessings in Christ, Lorraine
____________ _________ _________ _________ _______

Coffee Break

"Outgrown God's Word"

"This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me." Psalm 119:50

When I was a little girl, if I got sick I can remember laying on the couch or bed and wanting my daddy to read the Bible to me. There was something about hearing it read that made me feel good.

Now that I am an adult that hasn't changed. When I am not feeling well, when sickness touches my body, when I am going through a situation, when trouble hits my life, when the storm threatens to destroy me, when darkness tries to overwhelm me, I still turn to God's word for comfort and strength in the situation that I am facing. There is something about hearing a word from the Lord that makes everything better. It clears up the confusion. It strengthens my heart. It settles my thoughts. It brings peace and rest to the turmoil that is raging around me.

Whatever you may be facing, the answer, the strength to make it through, the comfort that you need is found within the pages of the Bible. Its words are life, health and peace. Its words bring comfort and joy. Its words bring light so that you don't have to stumble around in darkness and confusion.

I wanted to hear God's word when I was a little girl with a need and now that I am a "big girl" I still want to hear God's word in my time of need. I have never outgrown the need for God's word. If you think that you are "all grown up" now and don't need His word- you have become too educated, too smart, too mature, too old, too rich, too popular- then you are sadly mistaken, there will never be a time when you don't need His word in your life.

Have a great day. You never outgrow your need for God's word.

For further reading:
Psalm 119:81,103,105, 165
Proverbs 4:20-22

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

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.

Dear All,
My husband will be having another procedure this morning. I would appreciate your prayers. This means that some of you may not receive a Coffee Break devotional in the morning. Thank you for understanding, and thank you for your prayers.
Love and blessings in Christ, Lorraine Ezell

Coffee Break

"Activating Your Flesh"

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Ephesians 6:16

Often we think that the devil's attacks (his darts) are the weapons that are formed against us. They are not the weapon, but those darts are what triggers the weapons that he uses to try to steal, kill and destroy us. When he aims at us, he is aiming at our flesh. He looks for a "weak" spot in our flesh- it might be immorality, jealousy, envy, bitterness, covetousness, etc.. When he finds the spot, he shots a fiery dart at it and if he hits it, all he has to do is "sit back" and wait because our flesh has been "triggered" and it will do a very good job of pulling us down when we give into it.

If you go back to the Garden of Eden and even in the wilderness with Jesus, you will see that the devil tempted them all in three areas: lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life. All these are areas in our flesh where sin can be produced. If he can "hit" one of those areas he doesn't have to do anything else, it has been set in motion and our own flesh will take over and do the "dirty work" for him. If he hits a lustful place in us (for example), that weak place in our flesh will entice us and we will be drawn away into it and that will bring forth sin. I hope this is making sense? That was why Jesus was victorious in the wilderness, the devil could find nothing in Him. He couldn't find a mark to hit. He couldn't find a weak place in Jesus' flesh. He couldn't find a lustful or prideful place.

Our flesh is our biggest enemy and all the devil has to do is come up with some scheme to "activate" it and once activated it will lead us down the road to destruction. This is why we must deal with the flesh daily. We must mortify it. We must not give it any place so there is no place that the enemy can find as a target.

Have a great day. The enemy is looking for a weak place in your flesh to activate with his fiery darts.

For further reading:
John 10:10; 14:30
Isaiah 54:17
James 1:14,15
1 John 2:16
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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 Completed"

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Revelation 22:13

When the Lord is doing a work, He doesn't do it "half way". He takes care of every detail and when it is finished it is completely finished. At creation He did not rest until He had finished creating everything. He worked for six days and then rested when there was nothing else that could be added to what He had done. Everything that mankind would need to live was provided-- everything. At the cross, Jesus declared, "It is finished". Everything that was needed to bring redemption to mankind was provided, nothing was left lacking. Jesus lost so much blood on the way to the cross that it is amazing He even made it to the cross. He should have died before He made it up Calvary's hill, but He didn't. Then He hung on the cross for hours before He died. Why? Because there was still more in the cup for Him to drink. The full price had not been paid. But once it was He declared, "It is finished" and bowed His head and died. When He did, the price for our sins had been paid in full. There was nothing left to be done. He didn't stop short and provide only 99% of our salvation. He provided all that it would take.

In the situation that you are going through, He won't stop short of completing it. He won't meet only a portion of the need. He won't give you part of the answer. He won't leave it unfinished. He will take care of it all. And when He does, it will all be taken care of- all of it. He is the Beginning and the End, the Author and the Finisher, the First and the Last, and everything in between. He completes what He starts and it is not finished until He completes it. When my daughter was a little girl, we bought her some presents that needed to be assembled. We never gave her the gifts unless the assembly was completed. We didn't give her a bicycle that had the frame put together but no wheels. We didn't give her a trampoline that had no mat. I didn't cook her meals and leave half of what was put on her plate raw. The Lord is the same, He doesn't give it to us until it is completed.

Don't get discouraged it you are in the middle of a trial and you think it will never end. It will end when God has completely finished it by taking care of everything that needs to be done. We need to learn how to wait because the delay may be because He is putting the finishing touches on it.

Have a great day. The Lord doesn't stop short of completion. When He says it is finished, it is completely finished.... there is nothing left to do, it has all been taken care of.

For further reading:
Genesis 2:1-3
John 19:30
Hebrews 12:2
Matthew 5:18

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

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's In Your Mouth"

"The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned." Isaiah 50:4

Needy people are all around us. And if it is possible and within our ability to do so we should do what we can to help meet that need. Although we are not always able to meet people's material needs or their financial needs, there is an area of "need" that we can all meet all the time. It's the needs that are met through a spoken word.

Sometimes people need a word of comfort and hope. Sometimes it's a word of encouragement or mercy. Sometimes they need to hear the words of salvation. Sometimes it's a word to help point them in the right direction. Whatever they need to "hear" that will meet their need, we can rest assured that the Lord will give us the right word to say at the right time. The excuse of "I don't know what to say" doesn't apply because we are promised that when we are "delivered up" that the Spirit will speak for us.

Think about it: if the Lord could put the money that was needed to pay the disciple's taxes in the "mouth" of a fish; if He could put the warning that a wayward prophet needed in the "mouth" of a donkey; if He could put the food that Elijah needed in the "mouth" of a raven-- can't He put the word that is needed to touch someone else's life in your "mouth" as well.

When the need arises that can be filled by what you say, just remember that the Lord will give you what you need at that moment by putting a word in your mouth to meet their need.

Have a great day. What someone else needs is often found in your mouth.

For further reading:
Numbers 22:28
Matthew 17:24-27; 10:19
1 Kings 17:4-6
Romans 10:8
Proverbs 25:11

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

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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submission form.

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

"Entrusted With The Gospel"

"But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." 1 Thessalonians 2:4

"...to be put in trust with the gospel..." I am so amazed that the Lord has entrusted His work on earth to His followers. He has entrusted us with the gospel and the task of sharing it with others. He didn't entrust the gospel, this great message of salvation and hope of eternal life, into the hands of angels but into the hands of men.

The thing that makes it so amazing is that He entrusted it into the hands of imperfect people- those who are "weak and foolish"; creatures that were made from "dust".

While it is amazing, it is also comforting to know that I don't have to wait until I become "perfect" or reach some higher level of "spirituality" in order to qualify to share the good news of salvation through Jesus with others. "A little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6) I may not be some great Bible theologian, I may not understand all the mysteries of the Bible, I may not have a deep revelation and insight into all that is printed in its pages, but I do have a testimony of how I was once and sinner, how I was in darkness, how I was dead in trespasses and sin and Jesus came and touched my life and gave me eternal life. Every born again believer can share this message.

If you are one of those who think they have to "get it all together" or learn all there is to know about God before He can use you to speak to others about this wonderful salvation, be encouraged this morning that this is not the case. If you have a testimony of how the Lord has saved you, then you need to testify/share it with others.

Have a great day. It is amazing that the Lord uses imperfect people to share His good news, and encouraging to know that we don't have to wait until we are perfect to do so.

For further reading:
1 Timothy 1:11-13
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Psalm 103:14

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

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@ bellsouth. net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submission form.

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

"I Am Waiting To Hear, Lord"

"And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah." Jeremiah 42:7

This morning I have prayed and prayed, sought and sought, waited and waited, even started writing and still have been struggling to get the word from the Lord to share with you, and still haven't received it. Some mornings it is so easy- it just seems to "flow" and I have trouble keeping up with it to make sure I get it all written down. Other mornings it comes line upon line, here a little and there a little. Then there are mornings like this one-- it seems as if I should just send a note saying, "Have a great day", with nothing else attached and forget it.

I know that you are like I am, I want the Lord to answer me instantly without any waiting, without any struggling to hear. But it doesn't always happen like that. Oh, the Lord does and will answer, it just might not be in our timing or when we want it. He may choose to have us "be still and wait". He may be waiting to answer us so that we will learn how to persevere, wait patiently, exercise our faith, or seek Him. Then again, it may have nothing to do with us but He is arranging things in such a way where it will reach someone else at just the right time.

The reason behind why He waits at times- waits to give us an answer, waits to open doors, waits to fulfill His promise- is not the focus. We may never know why, and even if we did we probably still wouldn't understand it. The main thing is that we learn to trust Him. Trust that He knows best, that His ways are perfect, that He is in control, He knows what He is doing, His timing is always right and He sees the whole picture.

Are you waiting to hear from Him today? You aren't alone, we all are. Don't give up, keep waiting. Keep drawing near to Him. Keep seeking His face. Keep your ears open and attentive to His voice. He will speak to you and it will be at just the right time.

Have a great day. When the Lord chooses to speak is up to Him, we just need to learn how to wait to hear.

For further reading:
Jeremiah 42:1-7
Job 14:15
Psalm 40:1

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

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@ bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submission form.

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

"Pull Down The Walls"

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26

As many of you know I spoke at a revival service Thursday night at a church in this area. When I got there, the pastor said to me- and also told the congregation- that I was "making history" that evening. I asked him, "How so?'. He told me that in all the history of the church that I was the first woman to ever speak at their revival, and I was the first white person to ever speak at the church. (When he told me this, I was extremely humbled that the Lord would allow me such an honor.)

I am sharing this with you because I am excited to see what the Lord is doing throughout the body of Christ. He is truly pulling down walls that have separated His church for a long time. This has been my prayer for years and something that I have worked toward.

It is the job of the enemy to keep us divided and separated from one another. He uses race, gender, denominations, age- anything he can that will keep us from being unified to accomplish the task that lies ahead of us- the Great Commission. As long as we are divided, we are less effective for the kingdom. The Bible talks much about unity. There is an old saying, "United we stand, divided we fall." Without unity, without one another, we are only "half" or "part" of the body of Christ- we are not whole but incomplete. How much work for God's kingdom would be accomplished if we all came together to do it. It took more than Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, it took all the people working together to accomplish that great task. It will take all the body of Christ working together to reach this world for Christ.

Walls of separation in the body of Christ was never God's plan. It is the plan of the enemy and man has carried out that plan. The whole world is crying out for "change"-- it is time to change in the area of coming together as the "whole" body of Christ. The other night at that church the Lord pulled down gender and racial walls. He has already pulled down denominational walls there- (by the way, I wasn't a member of that denomination either.) I pray that the same thing will begin to happen in every church that has built up walls within its walls.

Have a great day. If the walls that separate the body of Christ from each other were pulled down we could do a better job of accomplishing the work that is before us.

For further reading:
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Ecclesiastes 4:11,12
Matthew 18:19

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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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submission form.

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 Speaks To Us"

"And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." Exodus 33:11a

Earlier this morning I was thinking about how wonderful it is that the Lord will speak to us. Those who worship false gods don't have this privilege because their gods are not real and therefore cannot speak. But our God, the only true and living God, desires to speak to us- He wants communication with us. We see this at the very beginning in the Garden of Eden. We see it throughout the Old Testament and in the New Testament when God, through His Son Jesus, came to earth and walked among us and talked with us.

Some say that the Lord doesn't "talk" to people. I beg to differ- and I am so glad He does! He may not speak to us audibly, although He can and might. But He speaks to us through His word- the Holy scriptures. He speaks to us by His Spirit. He speaks to us when in prayer. He speaks to us though that still, small voice. He speaks to us through situations. He speaks to us through the creation. He speaks to us through other people.

Is He speaking to you? He desires to. We were created to have fellowship and communion with Him. What better way to do that than through His talking to us. The method in which He speaks is not the main issue. The fact that He speaks to us at all should cause us to rejoice. I need Him to speak to me; I need to hear His voice; I need Him to tell me what to do; I just can't make it on my own without hearing His voice guiding me. So this morning I am rejoicing because He does.

Have a great day. How wonderful it is that the God of creation desires to talk with me and you!

For further reading:
Genesis 3:8
Deuteronomy 5:4
Hebrews 1:1,2
1 Samuel 3:8-10

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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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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

"Others Centered or Self Centered"

"By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff." Hebrews 11:21

"When he was dying". Jacob was dying. He was coming to the end of his life. The scriptures tell us that Jacob was sick and seemed to be pretty much bedridden. "And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed." (Genesis 48:1,2) He was struggling with the weakness of an aging body and sickness. He had reached the point where he needed help to even stand- "leaning upon the top of his staff." Yet even while he was facing death, we see him doing something that was so note worthy that it is recorded in the scriptures.

Even in his weakened condition, even though he was facing death, even though he was unable to do very much, he did not just lay down and give up. He didn't just lay there and feel sorry for himself- although because of his condition he would have been justified in doing so. Instead he "blessed both the sons of Joseph and worshipped".

He doesn't sound like most of us. We get in situations- not even as serious as life and death- and we do nothing. We tend to become "self absorbed". When we are going through trying times it becomes "all about us"- what we feel, what is happening to us, what is effecting my life. We seem to get introverted and focus more on what we are suffering or going through than on anything else. This was not the case with Jacob. Was he going through difficulty? Was he suffering weakness? Was he staring death in the face? Yes to all, yet he was focused on something besides himself-- he was focused on blessing the sons of Joseph and his worship to God. He didn't let what he was going through hinder him from doing either even though it took quiet some effort to do it.

Are you letting your circumstances and the situation you are facing hinder, or even stop, you from being a blessing to someone else? Are you letting it hinder your worship to the Lord? Are you saying to yourself, "When everything straightens out and gets back to normal, I will lift up my voice in praise, I will then worship the Lord. When this trial is over, then I will serve the Lord and bless others."? The time to do it is not "after" it is over but "during" the trial. Jacob didn't, he couldn't, ignore what was happening to him, yet in spite of it he was still serving the Lord by blessing and being a blessing. We can't ignore our trials but we don't have to be dictated by them and allow them to stop us from doing what we need to do-- bless others and worship the Lord.

Have a great day. Are you allowing your trials to cause you to become focused on self and not on blessing others and worshipping the Lord?

For further reading:
Acts 16:25
Luke 10:27

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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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submission form.

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 Thanksgiving Tie"

"Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence." Psalm 140:13

What is your thanksgiving tied to? What is the foundation upon which it is based? I am so thankful for the blessings that the Lord has sent, and sends, my way. I never want to take them for granted. I want to exhibit a thankful heart to Him for them. He has blessed me with so much- a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table, a loving family, dear friends, health and air to breath. I am thankful for these and more blessings. But my thanksgiving is not tied to my material/physical blessings.

If your thanksgiving is tied to your blessings only, what do you do if those blessings are gone? What if you didn't have those things any more? What if you found yourself destitute of earthly provisions, material things or close relationships? How thankful would you be if all these blessings disappeared from your life?

This is why, although we should be thankful for the blessings we see, they are not the foundation upon which our thanksgiving is based. I am thankful for something greater, something eternal-- my thanksgiving is tied to the cross, not material blessings.

I am thankful, truly thankful, that Jesus came to earth and became the sacrifice for my sins so that I could come into right relationship God. I am thankful that through His shed blood and the price He paid my sins are forgiven and I am now God's child, His friend, proclaimed as righteous and no longer His enemy. I am thankful for eternal life. I am thankful that when I stand before the Lord and the books are open, my name will be in the Book of Life and I will hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy and rest of your Lord". I am thankful that I have a home prepared for me in heaven. I am thankful that hell is no longer my destination. This is the foundation upon which my thanksgiving is based. Things change, loss happens. Look at Job, he suffered tremendous material and physical loss, yet he still worshipped- "My Redeemer lives". His foundation of thanksgiving was based on eternal riches, not earthly riches.

Treasures on earth may slip away, but treasures in heaven are eternal. And those treasures were provided through the shed blood of Jesus at the cross. So what is your thanksgiving tied to? Your material blessings or the cross which provided your eternal blessings?

Have a great day. My thanksgiving has its foundation in the cross. What about yours?

For further reading:
Matthew 6:19,20; 25:21,23
Luke 10:20
Job 19:25,26

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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 Own Prophets"

"For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed." Jeremiah 29:8

Deception has been around since the Garden of Eden. There have always been false prophets and teachers, but Jesus warned that in the days prior to His return they would increase, and He warned us not to be deceived by them. If ever we needed to heed this warning it is now.

"Let not your prophets, your diviners, your dreams". The first warning here is that not everyone who is called a prophet, teacher, preacher, etc. is called by God. They are either God called, self called or man called. Therefore, not all of them are chosen by God. So don't let the ones you, not God, have chosen deceive you.

We tend to chose to listen to those who will tell us what we want to hear. We want to always be told "good things". We don't want to hear anything "bad" or "negative". We must guard against always looking for a "positive" word. True prophets (a true voice for God) will not always tell you what you want to hear- often they will tell you what you don't want to hear.

It is dangerous to be seeking only a word that tells you nothing but good all the time. If we are doing that then we are actually seeking a word that will appease our flesh and give us a license to yield to the desires of our flesh. We need to hear the truth- it will minister to and bring about transformation in our spirits. And the truth is what sets us free.

When the Lord speaks to us, it will not always appeal to our flesh. It will not always be an "easy" word- it is often a "hard" word. A true word from God doesn't always tell us what we want to hear. It doesn't always make us shout for joy. His word will often tell us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, go the second mile, turn the other cheek, sell all you have, forgive seven times seventy, if you suffer with Me you will reign with Me. The word itself may be "hard to swallow" and not what we "want" to hear, but God loves us enough to tell us what we "need" to hear.

So does this mean that the Lord will never tell us anything good? Of course not, but more often than not it won't be something that we want to hear. He is not out to appease our flesh- flesh has to die. Everything He does and says to us is always for our good and out of His love for us.

Have a great day. Don't be deceived by prophets of your own choosing just because they tell you what you want to hear.

For further reading:
1 Kings 22:1-18
Matthew 24:4,11,24
2 Timothy 4:1-4
1 John 4:1
2 Peter 2:1-3

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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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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's Thinking About You"

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

I just wanted to remind you this morning that the Lord is thinking about you. You are on His mind. He hasn't forgotten you. He knows exactly where you are and what you are going through. His thoughts toward you are not evil thoughts. His thoughts are good thoughts. He loves you and cares about you. Never fall into the "trap" of believing He doesn't. Never believe the lie that says- He has forgotten you or He doesn't care. He has not forgotten you and He does care about you. Never forget that, no matter what your circumstances look like and regardless of what your feelings tell you.

Have a great day. The Lord is thinking about you... you are on His mind.

For further reading:
Hebrews 13:5
Isaiah 49:15,16

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@ bellsouth. net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness org

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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's Thinking About You"

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

I just wanted to remind you this morning that the Lord is thinking about you. You are on His mind. He hasn't forgotten you. He knows exactly where you are and what you are going through. His thoughts toward you are not evil thoughts. His thoughts are good thoughts. He loves you and cares about you. Never fall into the "trap" of believing He doesn't. Never believe the lie that says- He has forgotten you or He doesn't care. He has not forgotten you and He does care about you. Never forget that, no matter what your circumstances look like and regardless of what your feelings tell you.

Have a great day. The Lord is thinking about you... you are on His mind.

For further reading:
Hebrews 13:5
Isaiah 49:15,16

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@ bellsouth. net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness .org

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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

"Know The Truth"

"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:11

The Bible tells us that in the time prior to the return of Christ that many false teachers and false prophets would arise teaching false doctrines and damnable heresies. I believe that time is now. So how do we stand against the deception of false teaching that is not only in the world, but has crept into the church as well? The answer lies in knowing the truth- God's word. ("Thy word is truth." John 17:17)

If you aren't reading and studying God's word then you won't know the difference between truth and error and that makes you vulnerable to deception. I understand that the way those who work in the treasury department learn how to recognize counterfeit money is by studying the real money. They study the real money by looking at it and handling it so much that when the "fake" comes across their path, they readily recognize that it is not real.

We need to learn a lesson from that. If you aren't studying God's word, then how will you spot the "counterfeit" when it presents itself to you? How will you know it is false if you don't have the truth to compare it to.

Being deceived by believing what is false is a serious matter. So serious that it is what brought sin upon all mankind. Adam and Eve believed the lie of the serpent and disobeyed God. Sometimes the deception is so subtle that if it were possible even the very elect could be deceived. So don't think that you know enough of the truth (the Bible) that you don't have to worry about being deceived. You have to continue to stay in God's word and never get slack in it for one minute. It is the only thing that stands between you and a fall through deception.

Have a great day. If you don't know the truth, you have nothing to compare the false to when it comes.

For further reading:
Matthew 24:1-11, 23,24
2 Peter 2:1,2
2 Timothy 3:13-17; 4:3

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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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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


Coffee Break

"Go Into The World"

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

Recently we have been having elections where I live- on a local and state level. I am a poll worker and have been for quiet some time. Sometimes the elections fall on the same day that my nursing home ministry is scheduled. In a couple of weeks the run-off election will fall on the same day that I was to go to the nursing home. This past Tuesday I was sharing with the nursing home residences that I won't be there at my next appointed time and why-- I have to do my "civic duty". Christians should be involved in various areas of life- politics, business, etc. We have heard a lot of teaching about this very thing over the past several years-- it's called "Market Place Ministry".

We should be involved in different arenas of life- not necessarily part of them by doing the same practices the world does- but definitely have a presence in them. Isn't that what the Bible teaches? For too long the Christian community has stayed behind the four walls of the church-- reduced to nothing more than another "social club" or "sub-culture" . This was never God's intention for His church.

Jesus commissioned us to "go into the world and preach the gospel"- not stay in the church. In the Book of Acts we are told that once we receive Holy Spirit's empowerment, it's so that we can be "witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world"- not just witnesses in the church. Jesus said that we are the "light of the world"- not the light of the church- and the "salt of the earth"- not the salt in the church.

The early church went to the temple and from house to house having fellowship with each other- until persecution arose which forced them to be "scattered abroad". God's plan was/is for the church to take the message of salvation out into the world. They were not doing that- so persecution came that would force them into His true plan. Will it take the same for this modern day church to get out there and fulfill His Great Commission? Jesus called us "fishers of men". How will you ever catch "fish" if you don't go to the "pond" where the fish are?

Have a great day. God never intended for His church to stay behind four walls, but to go into the world and give them the good news we already have.

For further reading:
Acts 1:8; 2:46; 5:42; 8:1-4
Matthew 5:13,14

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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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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

"Dead Bug"

"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

When I came into my office yesterday morning, I was greeted by a big flying insect. It reminded me of a wasp as it swooped past me. I grabbed a tablet and hit it intending to kill it- but didn't. It flew and landed again, so I hit it again- I still didn't kill it. Every time it flew past me I would hit it; every time it landed I would hit it but it would get up and fly away each time. I finally left it alone and sat down at the computer, but it would fly past me so the "chase" was on again. I made a dozen attempts to kill that pest, but each time I thought that surely it had to be dead I would remove the tablet and it would fly away. It was almost ridiculous that I was not able to kill this bug and it would not die. Finally, as I was getting ready to make another attempt to kill it, I heard these words come out of my mouth,"This is not right, I have dominion over you. You will die in the Name of Jesus." Guess what? I hit it again and it died!

I told you this story because as it was going on it reminded me of besetting sins that we often deal with. They may seem small and that we should be able to easily overcome them yet we can't. Every time we think that we have victory over it, there it is again - "alive and well". Does this sound familiar? Have you struggled or fought with something and thought you had finally defeated it only to see it "get up and continue to 'fly around'"? Have you thought that you had victory over anger, or bitterness, or a temper, or jealousy, or pain a situation had caused you, or any number of other things that "harass" you, only to discover that it is still there?

It may have sounded odd for me to talk to a bug and remind it that I have dominion over it and it was going to die. But it was mostly a reminder to me- and now a reminder to you- that I do have victory through Jesus over besetting sins, over those things that the enemy tries to entangle my life with, over those things that try to steal my peace and joy, and that try to have dominion over me and make me its captive. Jesus brought salvation, healing and deliverance at the cross. We can walk in victory and freedom over those sins that want to continue to "hang around". They have to go in His Name. You have been made free- free indeed. You have been given power and authority over these things. Sometimes we just have to remind ourselves that Jesus already gave us the victory- "in all things we are more than conquerors"- and that we need to take authority in His Name over them.

Have a great day. Stop letting that sin/thing "harass" you, there is victory over it. Jesus has given you the victory.

For further reading:
Romans 8:37
1 John 4:4; 5:4
John 8:36
Hebrews 12:1
Philippians 4:13
2 Corinthians 2:14
1 Corinthians 15:57

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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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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

"Seek After God"

"There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." Romans 3:11

What a sad verse. "There is none that seeks after God". Why do I think it is sad? Because it is the truth. Who really seeks after God? We seek His provisions, His blessings, His benefits. We seek Him for what He can do for us. We seek Him in time of need or trouble. We seek Him when we need answers. We seek Him when we want something that His hand can provide. But do we ever really seek after "HIM"? There is a difference.

Shouldn't we seek Him when we need help? Yes, of course we should. But seeking after God doesn't always mean you are seeking Him for some "thing". It means you are seeking Him Himself. You are seeking to know Him in a more intimate way. You are seeking to know what His desires, like and dislikes are. You are seeking to find out what is in His heart and not only what He can give you.

When was the last time you went to the Lord that you didn't have a need to talk to Him about? When was the last time you went into your place of pray and told Him that you didn't want anything- you had no request, no questions, no pressing need to talk to Him about, but you just wanted to gaze upon Him, you just wanted Him, you just wanted to sit in His presence and love on Him for a while? Has it been a while? Do you feel as though you are wasting your time by doing that and not making some sort of request? Are you too busy to do that? Do you only go to Him when you are in need? Then it sounds like you are among the "none that seek after God".

Have a great. Are you seeking after HIM- to know Him, to discover His heart, to love on Him- or what He has?

For further reading:
Isaiah 29:13
Matthew 15:8
Psalm 27:8

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

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

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

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