Coffee Break

Coffee Break

"Faithful"

"They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. " Lamentations 3:23

I woke up this morning with this old hymn repeating over and over in my thoughts. I typed it below because I felt that someone needs to be reminded this morning that the Lord is faithful. He always has been and always will be; whether we are or not; even when it appears that He isn't. Be comforted and encouraged by that truth this morning. Regardless of what you may be going through, God is still faithful. Being faithful is not just something that He does, but it is who He is.

Have a great day. God is faithful!

"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"

"Great is Thy faithfulness, " O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee; - (James 1:17)
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not - (Malachi 3:6; Lamentations 3:22)
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. - (Hebrews 13:8)

"Great is Thy faithfulness! " "Great is Thy faithfulness! "
Morning by morning new mercies I see; - (Lamentations 3:22,23)
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided- (Philippians 4:19)
"Great is Thy faithfulness, " Lord, unto me! - (2 Timothy 2:13)

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. - (Psalm 145:8)

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, - (John 14:27)
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide; - (Psalm 48:14)
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, - (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! - (Psalm 68:19)

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

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

Coffee Break

"He Is Aware"

"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

In some of the other Bible versions this verse says, "I know the plans that I have for you". How wonderful it is to know that the God of the universe, the one who sees a sparrow when it falls, who calls the stars by name, who clothes the lilies of the field, who spoke a creative word into nothing and brought forth everything, who occupies the throne of the universe, who is worshipped by angels and seraphim, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and who has a name that is above every other name, thinks about me. And not only does He think about me, He has a plan for my life.

The Psalmist summed it up correctly when he said, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor." (Psalm 8:3-5) Though God is an awesome God who is so far above us, whose thoughts are so much higher than ours and His ways are so much greater than ours, yet He is mindful of us.

I said all that to say that God is thinking about us, He does have plans for us and He is mindful of us though it may seem as if He isn't. You may like feel this on a personal level and you may feel this way when you look at the events that are happening in the world around us. The whole world is experiencing something- either wars, natural disasters, economic instability, and so on- but this is no indication that the Lord is not still aware of us or has left us. He has not. He is totally aware of everything that is happening in our personal lives and in planet earth as a whole. So be encouraged by allowing those thoughts to comfort your heart at all times.

Have a great day. There is never a moment when God is not aware of what is going on.

For further reading:
Hebrews 13:5; 2:6,7
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.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry

Coffee Break

"Prepared Today"

"And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord." Genesis 19:27

I have a question for you, "How do you start your day?" Do you start it by standing before the Lord and meeting with Him in prayer? Do you start it in a rush to get somewhere? Do you start it by grumbling and complaining that you have to get out of bed? Do you begin it with praise and worship to the Lord for Him keeping you safe and protected through the night and waking you up to see a new day? Do you begin it with fear and dread of what lies ahead? How you begin the day, not just physically, but spiritually is so important.

We don't have much control over what may happen to us during the day, but we do have control over how we handle it, what type of attitude we have and our reaction to whatever comes our way. And if we are prepared ahead of time spiritually (by seeking God first thing and spending time with Him in prayer, in His word and praying in the Spirit) we will have more power to withstand the temptations that may come that day. We will have a greater level of peace because we have been in the presence of the Prince of Peace. We will have a greater foundation of faith to stand upon because faith comes through hearing God's word- which we hear when we are reading His word and listening to His voice in prayer. Starting the day off with God gives you everything you need and prepares you in advance to face the day. I read something one time that said, "A day hemmed with prayer is less likely to come unraveled." Beginning your day with the Lord will help keep you together even when your day looks like it is falling apart.

Have a great day. How are you going to start your day? The way you start it will determine how prepared you are to face it.

For further reading:
Matthew 6:33
Romans 10:17
Psalm 16:11
Mark 1:35

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

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

Coffee Break

"Money Changers"

"And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Matthew 21:13

Most churches have lots of programs, entertainment, fellowships, social gatherings, music concerts, counseling sessions and so on, but the main thing that Jesus said that His church/house was to be is rarely found in it. The only time He ever defined the purpose of His house He called it a "house of prayer". So I wonder, "Why isn't there prayer in His house?". Some churches have no prayer time and others have very little. A thirty minute prayer meeting once a week or month equates to no prayer at all. Where are the prayer meetings? Where are the all night prayer vigils? Where is the prayer time around the altar? Prayer is the engine that runs it all. Prayer is the communication lines to the Head of the church- Jesus. In prayer is where the will of God and His direction is discovered. A church without prayer becomes a place for the money changers to set up business.

The money changers represent many things: dead religious practice, greed, compromise, insincere worship, fleshy work, etc. When a church does not pray, the "money changers" come in and "set up business". At that point it ceases to be about the One whose House it is and becomes about self and promoting our "business" instead of "His business".

Let me put this on a more personal level. The Bible says that every born again believer becomes the dwelling place of God- His temple, His house. So the result of prayerlessness that we are talking about in the physical church can take place in the "spiritual" church as well. (Just because you pray a quick prayer when you are in trouble, or spend ten minutes in prayer a day, does not constitute a prayer life.) If your life is prayer-less then the money changers will come in and set up "business" in your life. Without prayer you become selfish, greedy, compromising, offering up insincere worship, no praise comes from your lips, the joy is gone, the peace isn't there, confusion enters in and you are reduced to living by the dictates and desires of your own flesh.

When Jesus entered the temple, He drove the money changers out. It is time for you to start driving them out too. He gave us the answer as to how to do that--- "My house shall be called the house of prayer". Start praying again. Start setting aside time for prayer. Set up a prayer altar in your life. Go into your prayer closet. Make your life a "house of prayer" again.

Have a great day. Prayerlessness opens the door for the money changers to set up business.

For further reading:
Matthew 21:12,13; 6:5,6
Mark 11:15-17
1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19

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

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

Coffee Break

"Hate Them"

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26

If you are around my three year old granddaughter for very long you will soon discover how much she loves her daddy and her mama. Everything centers around them. She and I were talking yesterday about how much Jesus loves her. She said she loves her daddy, and I told her Jesus loves her. Then she told me, "I don't love Jesus any more, I love my daddy". She is having a hard time in her little mind with the concept of loving Jesus and her parents. So I keep telling her that she can still love her daddy and mama and Jesus at the same time.

In her three year old understanding my granddaughter thinks she has to choose between loving Jesus or loving her parents. The more I think about it, in a "spiritual" sense, she is not far from the truth. The Lord doesn't want us to literally "hate" our parents, spouses, children or siblings. We are to love them and be thankful for them. And He wants us to have good relationships with those around us, especially our families. But we must choose which one we love the most. If we love those we have human relationships with more than we love Him, we are not worthy to be his disciples.

The word for "hate" in this verse doesn't mean the same thing we usually think of when we think of the word hate. The only thing we are to hate is sin/evil- we are even commanded to love our enemies, not hate them. What Jesus was saying in the verse above was you must "hate" these if you are going to be His disciple- His follower. Here it means that we cannot serve them both. We cannot have two masters. We cannot "follow" them- their agenda and plan for our lives. We must follow the direction in which He is leading us. And we cannot prefer these relationships over our relationship with Him.

Have a great day. Love those that the Lord has placed in your life, just don't love them more than you love Him.

For further reading:
Matthew 5:44; 6:24
Amos 5:15
Psalm 97:10
Proverbs 8:13

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

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

Coffee Break

"He Leads"

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Romans 8:14

As the children of God we are led by His Spirit. His leading does not always take us where we may want to go. There are times He "leads us besides the still waters"; there are times when He leads us "in paths of righteousness" ; but then there are times when He leads us "into the wilderness". We like the thought of Him leading us into places of rest, joy, abundance, prosperity and so on. But we don't like to think about Him leading us into dry places of testing and trial. And we even reject the thought that He would lead us into such a place.

We don't want to believe that God has anything to do with us being in a place of "suffering"- we immediately think that it is the devil doing it to us. But that is not always the case. It was the Spirit who "led" Jesus into the wilderness. It was the plan of God for Joseph to be in the palace in Egypt, but the route there was through the pit, Potiphar's house and the prison. Even Jesus went the route of the cross at the will of the Father to bring redemption to the world.

Let me clarify something, the accounts in Jesus' life and Joseph's life that we have talked about was not God doing it "to them", but God was doing something of great and eternal value "through" them which involved going an "unpleasant route".

We have to keep three things in mind when we are being led into places that are not of our liking or desire: 1) All things will work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. 2) He loves us and we can trust His love for us- so it will be well. 3) He will never leave us but will walk every step of the way with us.

Have a great day. The Lord doesn't always lead us in the way we desire to go, but we can trust His leading regardless.

For further reading:
Psalm 23:2,3
Luke 4:1
Acts 9:15,16
Genesis 45:5
Isaiah 53:10
Romans 8:28
Job 13:15
Hebrews 13:5

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

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

Coffee Break

"The Gift of Hearing"

"But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." Luke 11:28

Recently a question was presented to me about what I considered my greatest gift. When we think about the "gifts" that God has given us, we usually think about the ministry gifts, spiritual gifts or motivation gifts that are listed in the Bible. But as I pondered the question, the gift that I think is the greatest is not listed among these. For me personally it would be the "ability to hear what the Spirit is saying". Having the ability to hear God speak is a great gift.

The most repeated phrase used by Jesus was, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear". It is also the most repeated phrase in the whole Bible. Because it is repeated so many times means that this is something that is important to the Lord and He wants us to know. Hearing what the Spirit says is imperative to not only fulfilling the ministry in which the Lord has called you to but also to your spiritual well being. God reveals things to us in many ways, but the most common way is by speaking to us. How wonderful that the Lord will speak to us! He doesn't have to. He could have left us on our own to try to figure out what to do. He could have not spoken to us at all but just sent "signs" to convey what He wanted us to know.

I was recently reminded that sound is light that has been slowed down. We can't hear light because it travels too fast for our ears to hear. God is light and we could not hear Him with our spiritual ears had He not "slowed" down so we could. When Jesus, who is The Light, came to earth in human form, the Light was "slowed down" and we could now hear the voice of the Father. ("This is my beloved Son, hear Him."- Luke 9:35) Now the Spirit, the voice of God, has come to be here with us and dwell in us so that we can hear what the Lord is saying to us.

If God would put Himself on a level where we could hear what He is saying, it means that He wants to speak to us and us be able to hear Him. Again, I consider that a great gift. The result of having this gift- the ability to hear what the Spirit is saying- will be a fruitful life and knowing what the will of God is.

Have a great day. The ability to hear what the Lord is saying to us is a great gift that we should never take for granted.

For further reading:
Hebrews 1:2
John 1:5,7,14; 9:5

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

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

Coffee Break

"Burn Out"

"...when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19b

I hear so many talk about being "burnt out" in their Christian walk. They get tired and weary to the point where they feel they can't go much further or they want to give up and quit. It doesn't have to be like that. Sure we get tired in our bodies. Yes, we often have numerous responsibilities and demands upon us. But that is no reason to give up. Jesus had more demands on Him than any of us. He was always about His Father's business. Crowds were always flocking around Him hoping to at least touch the hem of His garment- they were always "pulling" on the anointing. Often He did not have time to even eat or sleep. Even when He and the disciples tried to leave the crowds and get some rest, they still followed them.

Did He get tired physically? Yes, He was a man. Did He "burn out"? No, He knew what to do to prevent it. And He left us an example to help us in those times when we feel as if we are under too much pressure to be able to go on. The answer is found in the verse above- it's called "times of refreshing". Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord. Too often we look for that place of refreshing in other areas- relaxation, entertainment, change of scenery, etc.- and neglect the true source where refreshing comes.

If we are always doing the "work" of the Lord but aren't spending time in His presence, we will get "burned out". When I talk about being in His presence, I am not talking about a ten minute prayer. I am talking about going into your "closet", shutting the door behind you and being still until His presence "rains down" on you and "floods your soul". How long has it been since that has happened? It should be a daily occurrence. Jesus knew that. This is why we "often" saw Him depart into a place to get alone with His Father. We can't think that we can make it if we don't do the same.

In His presence is peace, joy, refreshing, regained strength, revelation, clarity of mind, healing of your body, the cares seem to melt away, mountains are removed, impossibilities are viewed as possible and hope is restored. Today, you need to find a place to get alone with Him and let the rain of His Spirit satiate the dryness and bring life back into the burned out places in you.

Have a great day. The solution for "burn out" is the presence of the Lord.

For further reading:
Luke 6:12
Mark 6:30-32
Psalm 16:11

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

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

Coffee Break

"Sober And Vigilant"

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8

The word sober here means to not be under the influence of intoxicants. This has a two-fold meaning. It literally means to not be intoxicated with alcohol or any other substance. But it also means not to allow anything that will influence you and cause you to become spiritually disoriented and complacent because that leads to compromise. The word vigilant means to be watchful. The scripture admonishes us to be sober and vigilant because we have a very real enemy- our enemy is not an enemy of flesh and blood- who is out to destroy us.

The King James translation says the devil goes around "seeking" whom he may devour. Another translation say that he is "sneaking" around looking for someone to destroy. He actually does both- he is seeking whom he can destroy and he does so by sneaking around trying to catch you off guard. So the warning above is for us to stay alert and stay on guard. Don't let down your guard for a moment, and don't let anything cause you to let down your guard.

Do we have to walk around in constant fear of the enemy, afraid that he is lurking in the shadows or hiding under every rock? Of course not, but we do have to maintain an awareness that he is out there and he is trying to destroy us. The Bible tells us that we are not ignorant of the devil's devices. So at the first inclination that what is coming your way resembles his devices make sure you are soberly vigilant and don't "shrug" it off- in other words watch that thing and don't take your eye off of it.

If we stay sober and keep watch we will not be destroyed or defeated by the enemy. Instead, we will be victorious over his scheme to destroy us because we saw him coming.

Have a great day. Stay sober and vigilant!

For further reading:
Ephesians 6:
John 10:10
2 Corinthians 2:11

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

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

Coffee Break

"Barabbas"

"Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified." Matthew 27:26

At Bible study last night one of the men asked if we ever wondered what Barabbas did with his second chance. The Bible doesn't say anything about him after his release so we don't know what he did or what he became.

Let's look at Barabbas for a moment and see what the Bible does say about him. The scriptures are very plain about what kind of man he was. He was notorious, a murderer, a rebel and a thief- he was the worst of the worst. He was sentenced to death and awaiting his time of execution. He was released from prison, not because he deserved to be, not because of his own goodness or righteousness, and not because he was found to be innocent- he was guilty of every crime brought against him. The only reason he was released and set free was because Jesus was crucified in his place. And like my brother said last night, he was given a second chance.

Barabbas represents us all. We are the "worst of the worst"- we are all sinners who have come short of the glory of God. We are all under the death sentence and awaiting punishment. Like him, we too deserved death but Jesus died in our place. It was through Jesus' death that we were pardoned and set free- not by our own works of righteousness and not because we deserved to be. We have also been given a second chance.

We may not can answer the question about what Barabbas did with his second chance and new lease on life, but we can answer the question as it pertains to us. Jesus died in our place and gave us a second chance. Have you taken advantage of that chance to be free from your sins? Are you putting your faith and trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord? If so, the question then becomes personal- "What are YOU doing with your second chance?" Are you living it for self or for the One who freed you?

Have a great day. We have all been given a second chance at life because Jesus took our place in death. What are you doing with your second chance?

For further reading:
Romans 3:10,23; 6:23
Isaiah 64:6
Ephesians 2:8,9
Titus 3:5
1 Peter 3:18
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break

"Settled Ahead of Time"

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." Daniel 1:8

The time to decide not to give into temptation is not while you are in the temptation, but before it ever comes. Daniel did not wait until he was faced with the temptation to break God's commands to decide not to, he had already settled it in his heart before the temptation actually came. Daniel could have let the fact that he was a captive, the acceptance of certain practices by the culture that he was now a part of, the fact that he was "on his own" with no parents to tell him what to do influence him in the time of temptation. But he did not because he had already made up his mind not to defile himself or disobey God. He had already decided not to allow anything or anyone to influence him to give in and sin against God.

If you wait until you are in the middle of the temptation (whatever it may be) to decide what you will do, you will more than likely give in to the temptation. You have to settle it before it even comes your way. Jesus won the victory at the cross because He had settled it in His heart before He came to it. He made the decision in the Garden when He said, "Nevertheless, not My will but Thine"-- so He stayed on course and endured the cross.

Today you need to start making some choices and settling some things in your heart before you are ever tempted by them. If you will make the decision now not to compromise God's word and keep His commandments, it will keep you in the hour of temptation and you will make the right choice then.

Have a great day. The time to resist the temptation is before you even get to it by settling it in your heart ahead of time.

For further reading:
Matthew 26:39
James 4:7
Psalm 101:3
Genesis 39:7-12

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Abundantly Satisfied"

"They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures." Psalm 36:8

People are searching to try to find something in life that satisfies. They look for it in relationships, in material possessions, through spiritual enlightenment, through various sources of indulgences, only to find themselves empty once more. Nothing that we seek out in this life brings true and lasting satisfaction and pleasure. The Bible even tells us that there are pleasures in sin (enjoyment to our flesh) but they are only for a season (a short period of time). Once the new wears off and the excitement starts fading, so does the pleasure that was once associated with it.

There is good news though. There is a place where you can find satisfaction that is real, pleasures that last and enjoyment that does not fade. It is found in Jesus Christ. The scripture says that we shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of His house. That speaks of having a relationship with Him. When people live in a house together, it is because there is some sort of relationship involved. Our satisfaction is found in having a relationship with the Lord.

The verse also uses the words fatness and river. These represent amounts- the amount in which He satisfies and gives pleasure. There is no little bit of satisfaction or pleasure found in the Lord- there is an abundance. That means there is more than enough to satisfy you throughout the rest of your life and on into eternity. He has an endless supply and He has made it available to you. So stop searching for true satisfaction, true contentment and joy in the things around, you will find them in the Lord and only in Him.

Have a great day. Our search for something to satisfy the emptiness in our soul is found in Jesus Christ.

For further reading:
Hebrews 11:25
Psalm 16:11
1 John 2:15-17

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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.
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http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Established By Trust"

"His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies." Psalm 112:8

I looked up the word "established" and discovered that in this verse it meant- to be upheld, sustained, aided, propped, unmoved. When fearful times come, we do not have to be afraid. When the enemy comes against us, we do not have to be afraid. When devastation comes, we do not have to be afraid. When everything rises against us, we do not have to be afraid. How is that possible? Because our heart is "established" . It is upheld and propped up by our trust in the Lord. Therefore, these things do not have to move us. We can be unmovable during times that threaten to shake us to our very core. We can still have peace in the midst of the storm.

The three Hebrews were unmovable in their faith even when faced with the threat of being thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel was unmovable in his faith when faced with the threat of the lion's den. Job, even though he questioned what was happening to him and why he was going through such calamity, was not moved in his heart though his world had collapsed around him. All of these faced great trials and were in life threatening situations, yet they were not afraid because their hearts were established in the Lord.

What does having an established heart mean to us? It means that we do not have to fear either. Why? Because our hearts and lives are upheld by the Lord. He is the One who keeps us; aids us; props us up; watches over us; delivers us from evil; preserves our lives and is with us always. Is your heart established in Him? Do you trust Him with your whole life? Do you rest in His ability to take care of you- no matter what? Do you know that He is in control of your life regardless of what may be coming against you? Do you rest in the knowledge that He loves you and is with you? When our hearts are established in our faith in Him, we will not be moved.

Have a great day. Is your heart established in the Lord?

For further reading:
Psalm 46:1-3; 37:17,34
Job 13:15
Isaiah 26:3

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"My Shepherd"

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

I love this... "the Lord is MY shepherd". That's personal. The Psalmist didn't say He was their shepherd, or her shepherd, or his shepherd, or someone else's shepherd, (although He is to all who will place their faith in Him) he had an assurance that He was "his" shepherd on a personal level. There is so much comfort and peace that comes along with knowledge. So many people have a hard time seeing the Lord on a personal level. But He is a personal God who wants to be personally involved in your life and have a personal relationship with you.

Because He is MY shepherd I know that He will take care of me- He will meet and supply all my need (I shall not want). He will restore my soul when I become faint. He will lead me, be with me when the enemy comes, anoint me with oil, He will bring me into places of rest, He will comfort me and keep His eyes upon me.

Can you say along with the Psalmist today that the Lord is "MY" shepherd? Do you know Him in this personal, intimate way? Is He leading your life? Are you following Him? Are you placing your life in His loving care? If not, today you can turn to Him and ask Him to be your Savior, your Lord and your Shepherd.

Have a great day. The Lord is MY shepherd- the overseer of my life.

For further reading:
Psalm 23

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

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Value"

"And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?" Mark 14:3,4

A couple of days ago I gave this definition of value: "The value of something is determined by the price that one is willing to pay for it." In the account above this woman took her greatest possession and poured it out on Jesus. She did so completely and without reservation. She held nothing back. This bottle represented her future, her security, her wages, a lot of hard work, her savings, it was basically all she had. Yet she freely gave it up on Jesus. From our estimation, based on the definition of value as stated above, this woman highly valued Jesus- He was worth everything.

In this same account we see another group of people- the ones who sat by and watched as this woman poured out her best and all she had on Jesus. They didn't pour anything out on Him- they gave Him no gift, they laid nothing at His feet, they were there empty handed. All they had was criticism for what she did. Based, again, on this same definition of value, we can conclude not only by the fact that they gave Jesus nothing but by their remarks that they considered Him "valueless". They called what she did a "waste". They considered it a waste to pour such costly and precious ointment on Jesus. To say it was a waste to pour it on Jesus was saying that He was of no value- the only way you waste something is if you use it on something that has no value.

There were two groups of people represented in the verses above- those who value Jesus and those who don't. Which group are you in? Is He worth everything you have? Do you give Him your best, a little, the leftovers or just enough to get by? Do you consider it a waste of time to spend time in prayer and reading His word? Do you consider it a waste to support the work of His Kingdom with your time, money or talents? If so, then you are saying that He has no value, or very little. The other day I also said that He placed a high value on you because He gave up all He had for you- His life. There is no question about how highly He values you, the question is, "How highly do you value Him?".

Have a great day. How valuable Jesus is to you is determined by what you are willing to give to Him.

For further reading:
1 Corinthians 6:20
John 12:1-5

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

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.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine. homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Shall Follow Me"

"...He leadeth me ...." Psalm 23:2

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:2,3) Twice in these two verses it is said that the Lord leads us. He is the Shepherd and we are the sheep. The role of the Shepherd is to lead and the role of the sheep is to follow. It is not our place to do the leading- we can't. He is the leader, the one we are to follow. This is the charge that Jesus gives to those who would put their trust and faith in Him as Savior and Lord. "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)

We can make the choice to either follow Jesus and let Him be the leader, or we can choose to step in front of Him and take the lead ourselves. If we do the leading, we will always wind up going in the wrong direction, we will get ourselves into trouble and we will make a mess of our lives. (We have all seen the results that come from doing the leading- we have all done it at one time or other.) But when we will step back and let Jesus do the leading, we will reap a blessing, and a promise. He promises that if we will "follow Him", then He will cause something to "follow us"-- "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." (verse 6)

As we are being led by Him, then His goodness and mercy follows our lives. What a wonderful promise! And not only does it follow us just today, but everyday ("all the days of my life"). When we surrender the lead of our lives to Him, there is nothing but benefits that come from it. We have Him making the decisions, rightly dividing our path before us, leading us in the right way, keeping us out from destruction, and we have His goodness and His mercy following us everywhere we go.

Have a great day. If we follow Him, then His goodness and mercy will follow us.

For further reading:
Proverbs 3:5,6
John 10:11,14, 27

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

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.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"I Can Do It"

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5

If you have ever raised children you know how independent they can be. I saw it in my daughter when she was a little girl and now I am seeing it in my three year old granddaughter. The thing that you notice in all little children is their "ability" to be able to "do it" regardless of what it is. They think they can do anything. My granddaughter tells me all the time, "I can do it". I start to help her with something and her reply is always, "I can do it". When a child says, "I can do it", what they are really saying is, "I don't need any help".

Like I said earlier, I have noticed this in little children, I have also noticed this in us as God's children. We often have this same independent spirit with Him. How many times have you been guilty of thinking that "you can do it"? I have. I have tried to solve problems on my own, tried to decide what direction I should take, tried to produce character in my life through my own ability and tried to crucify this flesh in my own strength- without God's help. I thought I could do it only to discover that I can't, and I discover that when I fall flat on my face after attempting it on my own. As much as we would like to think that we can do things on our own, as much as we would like to think that we are that smart, that strong, that talented, the truth is that without the Lord we are nothing and can do nothing. It is in Him that we live and move and have our being. There is a reason the verse reads, "I can do all things 'through Christ', which strengthens me." If I could do it on my own without His help, it would have simply stated that, "I can do all things."

The bottom line is that when when it comes to living the surrendered life, winning victories over the enemy and the flesh, when it comes to accomplishing the assignment we have been given and the work that we are to do, we need help- we need God's help. To think that we don't is prideful, stubborn and immature. My granddaughter will reach a point where she really "can do it" on her own in some areas, but you and I will never reach a point where we will not need God's help in everything.

Have a great day. We cannot do it independently of God, no matter what it is, we will always need His help.

For further reading:
Philippians 4:13
Acts 17:28
John 5:19

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

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Celebrate Me"

"Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!" Luke 6:26a

I have heard a recurring message from ministers of the gospel that encourage you to go where you are "celebrated" . They will tell you not to hang around people who don't celebrate who you are and what God is doing in your life. They are saying that you need to be around people who will applaud you and rejoice in you. And if you are around people who aren't doing that then find someone else who will. I need to correct something this morning, it is not about you or me! It is not about you being celebrated. It is not about men speaking well of you. It is not about them acknowledging you, your accomplishments, or who you are. As a matter of fact, the scriptures issue a warning about this very thing. We are warned not to seek the praise, approval or applaud of men.

We are already applauded by God. We are of great value to Him. My pastor always says, "The value of something is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay for it". Well, God was willing to pay the ultimate price for us- the blood and life of His only begotten Son Jesus. You can't get any more valuable than that. So I am not saying that we aren't valuable. I am saying that it is not about others applauding who we are. Instead, it is about our lives being to the praise and honor of Jesus. Every thing we do and say should point to Him. We should be doing all for His glory so that HE will be the One celebrated.

Why did He give us a warning on this subject? Seeking the approval of men can cause us to miss the approval of God. Seeking the applaud of men helps further puff our flesh up and can set us up for a downfall because it is a breeding ground for pride. Desiring to be applauded by men robs the glory from God. How? Because anything that we are, anything that we do that is notable, anything good that we may have become, is all because of the grace and goodness of God, we didn't get there by ourselves or on our own.

Don't misunderstand. A word of encouragement is needed from time to time. Everyone needs a "pat on the back" sometimes. We should let people know when they are doing a "good job", the Bible does say to give honor to whom honor is due. But the focus is never on self and we should not live expecting and seeking applauds. Jesus was not always celebrated or applauded, and often He was rejected and ridiculed instead- we won't be either.

Don't seek the applauds of men, instead seek to please the Father. Seek to glorify Him. Seek to lift Him up so that others will applaud Him. If we seek the applauds of men, then we have our reward- their applauds and that is all. But when we seek to see Jesus alone applauded through of lives, then great will be our reward in heaven- where it really counts.

Have a great day. Our desire should not be to be celebrated by men, but to live in such a way where our lives will cause others to celebrate Jesus.

For further reading:
Matthew 6:1-4
John 15:19-20; 3:30
Ephesians 1:6,12
Acts 17:28
Psalm 100:3
Romans 13:7

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

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstonesmagazine.homestead.com

C-M Logo1Heaven XI: IsaiahCoffee Break

Good Morning and another Best Day of Your Life!

Anyone who knows Della and me is well aware of the fact that we have for a
long time partnered with Kenneth Copeland Ministries and Jesse Duplantis
Ministries. They are not the only folks we partner with, but I bring this
up today just because of something Jesse Duplantis recently shared at his
church fellowship in Destrehan, Louisiana. (I'll share that momentarily. )

Most of my friends and family know that I've been a sci-fi aficionado all of
my life, and especially a fan of the whole Star Trek genre. I've had a
lifetime interest and involvement in science (and even have a few
contributions to the realm in broadcast engineering and scientific research)
and especially in space travel - an interest I would attribute to the first
trip I had when the Lord was taking me to Heaven where I got to see our
Solar System from an astronaut's perspective, as well as a good part of the
universe. That interest resulted in my working for NASA in its early days
and being able to participate in the launches of some of our first
astronauts.

I said all that to say this: Jesse had an absolutely phenomenal parallel
adaptation to the line heard at the end of every single Star Trek episode.
That line normally begins, "Star Trek: the final frontier! These are the
voyages of the starship Enterprise. It's five-year mission is to seek
out...etc." Jesse's adaptation was for believers who understand our
commission from the Lord Jesus Christ, and his line goes as follows:

"MINISTRY: The final frontier! These are the voyages of the Children of
God. Our lifelong mission is to seek out new souls for His Glory and Honor,
to fill new hearts with His presence and power; to teach and preach the
uncompromised Word of God; to boldly go where Jesus Christ tells us to go!
Live Long and Prosper!"

Pretty cool, don't you think? Thought you'd appreciate that!

Up to this point in sharing these experiences I have for the most part
stayed in one area of Heaven. My substantive conversations began with
Abraham, and then went to Isaac and Jacob. As already noted I did have a
conversation with Joseph but it was not part of this visit, and I will
address that conversation in a later post.

My conversations with the three major patriarchs all took place in an area
of Heaven that seemed to be pretty much like an agricultural area. When I
spoke with David, we moved about a bit more, and of course I saw the same
temple he and Moses had seen - the same temple that became the pattern for
Moses' tabernacle and David's "Holy of Holies" tabernacle. Although with
each of these discussions we periodically "transported" (for lack of a
better description) to places, or into visions of places and events where
they had some rather distinctive experiences, it seemed that we pretty much
stayed in the same area of Heaven.

When my conversation with Samuel concluded, Jesus now came to my side and He
said, "You've asked to talk to some of the Old Testament prophets - Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. They are in another part of the city, so
let's take a walk. We could go there instantly as you've already seen
possible, but let's just walk for now. I'll show you more of Heaven as we
walk and I'll take you to the area where they reside."

Let me try to draw this picture for you so that you can at least have some
inkling of what it was like. Jesus took my hand in His and we began to
walk. I think I've already noted that the streets were nearly transparent.
The concept of gold so pure that you can almost see through it like glass is
a concept we just don't relate to here. There were places where I could see
through the streets to another tier or level below in Heaven. Being a city
1500 miles wide by 1500 miles deep by 1500 miles high makes it almost like a
planet with different continents or countries - and in many respects that is
what it is like.

In the same way that we have different kinds of architecture and different
flavors in the styles of our towns and cities, Heaven has that - and more!
This first street we began our walk on seemed to be almost like some of the
older cities in Europe with fairly narrow streets and older-styled (I don't
know what to call it) architecture. By the way, if you've ever wondered
where the Romans and the Greeks and other cultures - Egypt in the time of
the Pharaohs, for example - got their architecture, they didn't invent it!
It existed here in Heaven long before Earth ever saw it.

We walked along one street where the "homes" (if you want to refer to them
that way) were domed palaces - gorgeous mansions of stupendous beauty and
style with their colonnades. I made some comment to the Lord about this and
asked Him if this is what He was referring to when He said to the disciples,
"In My Father's house are many mansions . I go there to prepare a place for
you." (See John 14:2)

He put His finger across His mouth to silence my question and simply
responded, "Wait and see."

If I haven't mentioned this before, it is just an oversight but one of the
most powerful things that happens in you when you are in Heaven - and
probably more accurately, just being with the Lord and walking with Him - is
the overpowering sense of His love. It is impossible for anyone to hang
onto past hurts, resentments, offenses or differences of any kind with any
person or group of people when you are blanketed by His agape love. All of
that fades into nothingness. It simply doesn't exist anymore. If you were
to even stop to think about it for ten seconds, you would wonder why it was
ever so important to you or consequential in any way.

The agape love of the Lord Jesus Christ is simply miraculous beyond words!
Once you experience this, Jesus' answer to Peter's question really makes
sense.

Peter, you'll recall, said to Jesus one day, "Lord, how oft shall my brother
sin against me, and I forgive him? 'Till seven times?" Jesus' answer was
something that has befuddled many folks - and especially Christians caught
in the dilemma of repetitious offenses of the same nature by the same
individuals. "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy
times seven." (See Matthew 18:21-22)

Seems impossible, doesn't it? It is! It is literally impossible to anyone
who loves with phileo - human love, brotherly love. On the other hand, the
love of the Lord Jesus Christ - agape - is limitless. Suddenly, the
offenses seem trivial and worthless - not worth a split second's
consideration! When one is swept by the love of the Lord and lives in that
overwhelming presence, so many things we consider important suddenly fade
into irrelevance.

(Note: I'm not going to launch into a dissertation on agape here, but it is
important to note that despite our ability to dismiss and remit those wrongs
against us, those who commit the offenses still have to come to grips with
the consequences of their attacks, their trespasses, misdeeds or breaches.)

OK, I'm a bit off-target here so let's get to my meeting with Isaiah. Here
was a man whose very demeanor exemplified agape. There was a softness and
tenderness to his character. That's not to say that anyone else was brittle
or abrasive in any way. There just was something distinctly different about
him, and that difference triggered my first question.

"Unlike any of your predecessors or successors as prophets in Israel, you
seemed to have an acceptance that spanned generations. Kings sent for you,
anxious to know what God was saying. It seems to me that you had access
where others didn't. How did that happen?"

"Growing up as I did in the lap of luxury and having access to the
privileged life of a family already respected and held in esteem in Israel,
I saw the blessing of the Lord in ways many (if not most) of my
fellow-Israelites seemed to be missing. Early in life I recognized that we
were a nation quickly retreating from our relationship with the Lord God.

"Many years before, God had given to King David the promise that the
long-awaited Redeemer and Messiah would come through his lineage. There was
a yearning in me that was increasing with the years to find out more about
this coming Messiah. As much as I could I spent more and more time in
prayer, intercession and waiting on the Lord. The prophetic call on my life
and the anointing for it came in the midst of that.

"My increasing heart's desire was for our people to know the true nature of
the Lord and to embrace the Covenant He had (and has) with us. We were a
nation of people set apart unto Him for the purpose of showing the world
what it could have and how His Blessing could alter them for the better.
With my whole heart I sought for a way to communicate the heart of the Lord
- not only to our nation, but to the surrounding nations as well."

Isaiah was a man with the bearing of one who possessed and operated freely
with authority. He clearly was accustomed to exercising authority. His
next comments began to fill out the picture much more plainly.

"My father was an elder in Judah. I was a part of the house of David and
related to the kings of Judah so it gave me ready access to the courts of
the kings. For a time during the reign of Uzziah I served as a governor in
Judah.

"It was while I was serving as governor - my last year in that position, in
fact - that I began to have such visions as I had never had. I began to
clearly see the heart of the Lord for His people. For the first time in my
life I realized how futile and how insufficient the burnt offerings and
sacrifices were in God's eyes. There was little meaning to them in the eyes
of the people. They had become routine, ritualistic and without any life.

"The Lord began to give me some very strong rebukes to the nation and to the
priests and leaders. Part of the rebuke came as a vivid picture of the way
they treated sin and how inconsequential they considered some of their acts
to be. If you remember how the Lord gave it to me, it went like this:

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be
as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good
of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the
sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." [See Isaiah 1:18-20]

"The Lord was basically saying to the people, 'You treat your sins as though
they be a redness in the skin when leprosy first begins; I'm telling you
that I see your sins as the whiteness that happens when leprosy is far
advanced. You see some of your sins as a dark red - such as that which
happens when leprosy begins to advance to a dangerous stage - but I'm
telling you that I see your sins like the fully-flourished leprosy (like
wool) when flesh begins to fall off and people begin to lose parts of their
body.

"It was about as graphic an illustration as I could give them! It was
something they would quickly relate to, and it grieved me in my heart to
have to say it to them. Nevertheless, they had to hear it, and they had to
hear it in a way that quickly grip them and stop them in their tracks. It
didn't dawn on me at the time that this was a word of warning to the king,
Uzziah, because of the arrogance and self-sufficiency that had developed in
him towards the Lord. He was in mortal danger because of what was happening
in his mind and heart. Not long thereafter, he tried to enter the Temple
and offer up incense - something reserved exclusively for the priests.

"Next, I had to liken Jerusalem and its leadership to that of a prostitute
who sold herself to the highest bidder. Many of the priests and the princes
in Judah had abandoned their responsibilities for the sake of their own
financial gain."

As Isaiah was sharing these graphic portrayals of what God had given him to
speak to the people, I couldn't help but cringe. My mouth must have really
turned down and my facial expression very sour as he was giving his
descriptions, and he caught it immediately.

"You see?" he said. "You are reacting just like the people did when I
delivered that word to them. It wasn't pleasant, I know, but they needed to
hear it in the same way you did. They needed to have the Word of the Lord
impact them in such a way as to cause them to change their lives and alter
their path before God.

"It was in Uzziah's last year as king of Judah, however, that I began to see
the Lord as never before. That was when I saw Him seated on His Throne with
all of the hosts of Heaven on display, the seraphim speaking and crying out,
shouting, 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! The whole earth
throughout is filled with His Glory!'"

I interrupted his narrative to ask, "You mean you actually saw this? Like
seeing into Heaven itself? It wasn't just a vision?"

He nodded his head and laughed. "Are you here in Heaven with me, now, or is
this a vision you're having? Does it matter? Would this be any less real
to you if you thought this was a vision as opposed to being here?"

I got it immediately. Though I'd seen my body lying in the bed as I gripped
Jesus' hand and we were soaring heavenward leaving my bedroom behind, being
here in Heaven was as tangible as if being here in my physical body. And it
really didn't matter! It wouldn't have impacted me any greater had I been
there physically in flesh and blood.

Isaiah continued. "You need to see this picture, Son! The impact of the
seraphim speaking was so powerful that it literally caused the doorposts and
the threshold of the Temple to shake and move. That's when I knew I was
unfit to stand and speak on behalf of the Lord. Whatever I'd seen, whatever
I'd learned, whatever I thought I knew just didn't stand up to His Glory and
His presence!

"That's when one of the seraphim came down and put a hot coal on my lips and
told me that my natural tendencies and character bends or flaws towards
committing certain sins, as well as the sins of my past, had all been
erased, blotted out, and made as though they'd never existed. For the first
time in my life I suddenly felt like I could actually speak on God's behalf
without any fear of contaminating or altering His Word in any way! It was
life-changing! You can understand, therefore, why when I heard the voice
cry out, 'Whom shall I send or who will go for us,' that I felt free enough
to answer, 'Here am I, Lord. Send me!"

A vision of what Isaiah had seen flashed before me and relating to what he'd
experienced was easy. My reaction was an unqualified, "WOW!"

"Whatever happened to me in that moment transcended everything in my past.
I felt clean! From that day forward change took place in me. Over the
years that followed there was a continual pursuit to know the heart of the
Lord as I had never known. I desired to know and understand the revelation
of the coming Messiah."

"It must have been very rewarding to you, then, to have the Father reveal
Jesus to you in the way that He did," I responded. "The prophecies you were
given concerning His coming were the most detailed and specific prophecies I
believe I have seen anywhere in the Word. There were other prophets, of
course, to whom the Lord gave revelation concerning His coming, His life and
His death and resurrection, but no one that I can think of offhand who
received such a revelation as you did."

"Most of my successors received some marvelous revelations of His coming and
His life, and one ought not diminish in any way that which the Father
revealed to them or consider it of less importance. You are correct,
however, in saying that what He gave to me was very specific and detailed.
Those revelations, given over a span of some 50 years, became the very
foundation of Israel's expectation of what to look for in the years ahead.

"It was an honor that no words can properly express. That He would entrust
that revelation to me and permit me to share it with the nation as the
foundation of what they should be watching for.. well, you understand! Each
successive revelation brought change to me and to my character."

I would like to go into more depth in my conversations with Isaiah, but what
I've shared here captures the most important aspects of the time I spent
with him. We'll move on and pick up in our next Coffee Break with my
meeting the prophet, Jeremiah. From Jeremiah we'll discuss the meetings and
conversations with Ezekiel and Daniel before moving on to the Apostles.

Next: HEAVEN XII: Jeremiah.

Though 2011 has already been a difficult year - and it is going to get even
more difficult in the weeks and months ahead -- God is going to show His
hand on behalf of His people, especially those who believe His Word and
trust Him implicitly!

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
intact. Older Coffee Break archives are now available at
http://regnersrangers.multiply.com/journal/

Coffee Break

"It Is Finished"

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John 19:30

"It is finished". These were the last words of Jesus at the cross before He died. What was finished? Everything that had to be accomplished in order for us to be redeemed from our sins. Every price that had to be paid. Every prophecy that had to be fulfilled. It was finished. It was completed. There was nothing else left to do and nothing was left undone. Jesus did not start the work of redeeming mankind and stop before it was finished. He didn't take care of a part of it and will finish the rest later. He did what He came to do and He did all of it. He drank every last dreg of the cup that was given to Him.

"It is finished". He finished the work of providing and purchasing the gift of eternal that could now be made available to us. But He also "finished" providing everything that we need in order to have abundant life. He has given us everything that we need to live a victorious life over sin, self and the enemy. He has provided it all- it is finished, there is nothing left that we need. He has given us His Spirit, His word, battle attire and weapons that are powerful enough to pull down strongholds, access to Him for help in time of trouble, His peace and every good and perfect gift.

Everything that we need in order to have eternal life was provided. Everything that we needed to be able to live out that life while we are still here on earth was provided. He took care of it all- from beginning to end, and everything in between.

There is nothing else that is needed in order for you to be saved- Jesus paid the price for your salvation in full. There is nothing else that you need in order to live a victorious life- Jesus paid the full price for that as well. So use the provisions that He has given you and walk in abundant life.

Have a great day. It is finished--- all of it!

For further reading:
John 10:10
Matthew 26:39
James 1:17
Hebrews 4:16
2 Corinthians 2:14

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

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"The Name of Jesus"

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

I want to talk about the name of Jesus this morning. It was mentioned at church last night that you can talk about God, or you can talk about the gods that different religions worship and call them by name, but the trouble starts when you talk about the name of Jesus- that is taboo and unacceptable in our society and world. In short, they don't want you talking about Jesus- the devil doesn't want you talking about Jesus.

Well, this morning, I am going to talk about Him. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the Beginning and the End. By Him and for Him all things exist, without Him nothing would have been made that is made. There is salvation in no other name but the name of Jesus. Jesus was the One who was lifted up so that men could be saved. He is the door that leads to eternal life. There is life in His name. His name is a strong tower that the righteous can run into and find safety. At the name of Jesus demons tremble and flee. Sickness bows, disease bows, oppression bows, broken heats are mended, captives are set free and strong holds are broken. His name is magnified above every other name. And at His name one day every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.

This morning, I am confessing now, not waiting for that day, that Jesus is Lord! In this battle that is being waged against the name of Jesus, you better settle it in your heart now that He is Lord and that you will not deny His name. Many of our brothers and sisters around the world are being persecuted and even giving their lives because they will not deny His name. That may be a scary thought to some, but there is good news attached to it for those who will stand upon and not deny His name. "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." (Mathew 10:32) How wonderful to have Jesus Himself say your name to the Father because you did not refuse to say His name and proclaim that He is the Lord before men!

Have a great day. Don't stop lifting Jesus up; there is power in His name, and His alone!

For further reading:
Acts 16:18
Romans 14:11
Philippians 2:11
Proverbs 18:10
Colossians 1:13-18
John 1:3

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

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Terms and Conditions"

"Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me." Luke 18:22

If you have ever entered into an agreement with someone, some business or signed up for some promotion, you always have to agree to the "terms and conditions". Each website that you sign up on to join, each promotion you want to take advantage of, every contest that you enter, all have terms and conditions. If in filling out your information you neglect to check the terms and conditions box saying that you have read them and agree with them, when you submit it, it will send you a message instantly reminding you and your request will not be submitted until you do.

The Lord also has "terms and conditions" for us to follow. But like the rich young ruler we want to set our own terms. We want to join ourselves to Him on our own conditions. Setting your own terms doesn't work and is not acceptable in the business world, with online promotions, or in any other agreement, even in marriage there are terms and conditions- it's called vows. If it is not acceptable in the physical world, why do we think it is acceptable in our dealing with God? Why do we think that "man" won't allow it, but God will?

Trying to set our own terms with God carries consequences. It will keep us out of the Kingdom and we won't enter in, it will bring chaos and confusion to our lives, it will bring the chastisement of the Lord upon us, it will rob us of peace, joy, blessings and victory.

Does this describe you this morning? Are you trying to get to the Lord on your own terms? Are you trying to live for Him according to your own conditions? It won't work. He has set the "rules" and they require that you come to Him and live according to His terms. Anything else He will not accept.

Have a great day. God has His own set of terms and conditions, and if we are going to come to Him and follow Him we must agree to them and not try to set our own.

For further reading:
Luke 18:18-23; Matthew 19:17-21
John 10:9

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

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Bigger, Brighter Lights"

"For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." Isaiah 60:2

This scripture speaks of a time when there will be great darkness upon the earth. This is a spiritual darkness. I personally believe that we are beginning to experience such a time. Morality has become almost non-existent. Crime, violence, hate, murder, revenge, theft- which all have their roots in a spiritual condition- are on the increase. People are doing what is right in their own eyes. Absolutes are being attacked. Wrong is now right, and right is now wrong, and both are being completely redefined. The world is in darkness and it seems to be getting darker all the time.

There is a cure for darkness, it's called "light". Light always overcomes and expels darkness. Even the smallest light can overcome darkness. While a little light is better than no light at all, bigger, brighter lights would be much better- the bigger and brighter, the less the darkness.

So if light is the cure for the world's darkness, then there needs to be some shining lights. Where will these lights come from? Jesus told us plainly that "we are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). We are to be shining as lights in a dark world. Where do we get our light? It comes from Jesus- "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:16,17) "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5) Jesus is The Light, and while He was on earth the people saw a great light. Now that He is not walking among us, should the people see any less a light? Should the light be any dimmer? The light of Jesus in us is only dimmed as we hide it. Are you hiding His light this morning? Is it in plain view for all to see? Is it bright and expelling much darkness? Are you making room for Jesus' light to shine brightly through you by surrendering yourself to Him more completely? The world is in darkness, but we have the light that will expel the darkness. The question is- are we letting the light of Christ shine brightly through us? If we aren't shining- big and bright- then the world will continue to sit in darkness.

Have a great day. Is the light of Jesus shining brightly or dimly through your life?

For further reading:
Matthew 5:14-16
John 12:36
Ephesians 5:8
1 Thessalonians 5:5

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

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.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"Time For Battle"

"And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all." 1 Samuel 30:8

When David and his men returned to Ziklag, they discovered that the enemy had come and destroyed their homes and taken their families captive. There were two things that David did in his time of trial that I want to address this morning.

When the enemy is attacking, when you are being tormented in soul, when sin is waging war against you, when you feel as if you can't keep going on and all hope is gone, it is not a time to sit down, give up or do nothing. There comes a time when you have to do the same two things that David when he was under attack.

The first thing he did was encourage himself in the Lord. "And David was greatly distressed.. . but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." (1 Samuel 30:6) It may seem as though God is no where around. You may feel as if He has abandoned you. You may feel as if He is angry with you and has stopped listening to your cries. You may even feel that this is His fault and that He has not been faithful to His promise to you. If you are feeling that way- stop! Instead, encourage yourself in Him- in who He is, in His character, in His promises. Seek Him as did David. He has not abandoned nor forsaken you. He has not shut His ears to your cries, His eyes are still upon you, His hand is still outstretched to save you.

The second thing David did was to pursue. You must do the same- pursue! Get up, stop feeling sorry for yourself, stop sitting there with a defeated attitude, don't give up! There comes a time when we must do battle against the enemy that is warring against our soul. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force. We have been equipped for battle with full armor. We have the Spirit of God to lead us into battle strategies. We have already been promised victory because Jesus already won the victory.

When David faced his greatest trial, he could have given up and given in, but he went before God and then he went after the enemy. It was not a time to do nothing, but a time to do battle. Too often we give up too easily against the enemy. We have laid down our battle array. We have allowed those fiery darts to defeat us and have not even raised a finger to do anything about it. If this is you this morning, get up. Put on your battle attire and pursue. Go to the enemy's camp and take back what he has stolen from you.

Have a great day. There comes a time when you have to get violent with the enemy of your soul and take back what he has stolen.

For further reading:
Ephesians 6:10-17
1 Samuel 30
Matthew 11:12
1 John 5:4
2 Corinthians 4:10

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

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

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstonesmagazine.homestead.com

Coffee Break

"What's Your Name?"

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores." Luke 16:19, 20

In this story of the rich man who went to hell and Lazarus who went to heaven, it should be noted that Jesus gave the name of one man and didn't the other. The wicked man was not given a name, but the one who was righteous was. Those who are born again, are born into the family of God, and God their heavenly Father knows there name. Those who are not born again are not His children, therefore He does not know their name.

When this life is over, it will come down to one thing- does He know your name? We think it is all about us knowing Him but when we really "know" Him- not just know about Him, not just know facts, figures and trivia questions about Him, not just know that He does exist- He will know us too. It will be about whether He knows us or not. This is not just knowledge concerning Him, but this is knowing Him in relationship- on an intimate level. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22,23)

Does He know you? Does He know you by name? Are you in an intimate relationship with Him? When the Book of Life is open, will He have trouble finding your name because He doesn't know it? He won't know it if you are not having a relationship with Him. How do we have that relationship with Him? Through His Son Jesus. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." (John 1:12)

Have a great day. Strangers don't know your name, but those who are in a relationship with you do.

For further reading:
Luke 16:19-31
Revelation 20:12

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

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.
Please remember to give credit to
About the Master's Business Ministry.
Take time to visit our on-line Christian magazine and blogs.
http://livingstones magazine.homestead.com