Coffee Break

Coffee Break
"Take A Rest"

"It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." Exodus 31:17

When the children of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years, the Lord fed them every day. For six days every week He would rain down manna, but on the sixth day He would send them twice as much so that they would have it for the sabbath also. "And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." (Exodus 16:23) The Lord had given them the command to keep the sabbath and not do any work on that day. Not only were they to rest, but God Himself "rested" on that day as well- He sent no manna that day. At creation the Lord rested on the seventh day, and now we see Him resting on the seventh day again. "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." (Genesis 2:2)

A time of rest is important to the Lord, He Himself exhibited an example for us. Am I saying you should not work on the sabbath? Am I saying we should do nothing? The point I am making is that we must have times of rest. We live in a "rat race". We are always so busy. There is always so much to do. If people aren't working (often more than one job), they are involved in something else that consumes their time-- sports, computer, entertainment, etc. (Let me interject here that what I am saying is not a promotion for laziness-- God has instructions and commands concerning that.) But what I am saying is we all need to take some time to "rest" . 

"..on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." So many are weary, burned out, depressed, tired and overwhelmed. Why? Because they don't take a moment to rest. Even God Himself took "time off" to "rest" , and it says He was "refreshed&quo t;. Does God get tired? Does He need a nap? Of course not, there is no weariness and weakness in God, but it is a message for us that we need to take a moment to rest and by doing so we will be refreshed. This is the main key to why we are so "tired" -- no rest. You have heard of "burning the candle at both ends"? Many of us are guilty of that. No wonder we aren't as "productive&qu ot; physically and spiritually as we should be. Even Jesus took time to "rest" . He would rest from the crowds that were pressing on Him. He would even get away from His disciples and rest. His rest was found in the quiet place alone with His Father. 

When was the last time you took a "rest" ? You stopped what you were doing, you shut your eyes for a moment, you turned off the television, backed away from the computer, put your cell phone down and did nothing. When was the last time you stopped everything else and got alone in a quiet place with the Lord? Don't say you can't because you don't have the time to. You are not busier than Jesus. You are not busier than God. The only way you can keep going is by having a time of rest. You need to be refreshed and that comes through rest. Resting in a quiet place alone with Him.

Have a great day. Everyone needs a time of rest so that they can get refreshed. 

For further reading:
Genesis 2:2,3
Exodus 16:30; 20:11
Matthew 14:23

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

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50:15

What is the "day of trouble" ? It is a day/time of adversity, tribulation, distress, affliction. It is played out in different ways for different people. For some the day of trouble may mean financial troubles. For others it might be marital problems. It can also be a time of distress due to watching your children rebel. It can be a time of physical affliction or distressing situations that threaten to destroy your sanity.

Whatever the "day of trouble" that you may be facing is makes no difference to the Lord. I didn't say He doesn't care, that He is indifferent to your troubles. I said that to Him it doesn't matter what area that your trouble is in, He doesn't exclude any need. Whatever area the need is in, He wants you to call upon Him. He wants you to bring it to Him. He wants you to acknowledge Him in it and let Him work on your behalf.

What are you going through this morning? What is the area of your trouble? What is causing you distress? Are you afflicted? Are you in turmoil? Are you becoming fearful by the things you see happening around you? Well, don't just sit there wallowing in it. Don't just sit there "twiddling your thumbs" . Don't decide that it is hopeless. Call upon the Lord. Go to Him in prayer. Pour out your need to Him. Take hold of His word and His promises. Allow Him to pull you up and sit you above the trouble. Doing this doesn't always mean that the circumstances will change, but He will deliver you from the fear and defeat of the "day of trouble" and it will be under your feet instead of you under its.

Have a great day. Whatever trouble you are facing, call on the Lord and He will deliver you.

For further reading:
Psalm 20:1; 31:7; 59:16; 86:7
Nahum 1:7

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth. net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.
Coffee Break

"The Promise Of Strength"

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

There are times that try to pull our strength from us-- spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. We also have an adversary that comes to steal our strength. He does this by trying to steal our joy- for the joy of the Lord is our strength. When we are feeling weak, when we have no strength, when we feel as if we can't go on any longer, we can take comfort in knowing that our wonderful God in heaven has the strength that we need. And the most amazing thing is not the fact that He is strong, but that He is willing, and promises, to impart His own strength into us when we are weak.

If you are feeling weak this morning, you don't have to. Look to the Lord. Ask Him for His strength. If you ask, you will receive. He does not withhold from us anything that we need. He will not withhold His strength from you. He will give you renewed strength to go through the times of trial and testing. He will give you His strength to run through a troop and leap over a wall. He will give you this strength to cross the desert and go through the storm. He will give you His strength to stand and withstand the attacks of the enemy. His strength will undergird you and cause you to make it... and not just barely make it, but make it through victoriously. 

Have a great day. When you are weak, you can become strong but not in your own strength which is limited, but with the unlimited strength of the Lord. 

For further reading:
Nehemiah 8:10
Psalm 18:29

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"The Measure Of Praise"

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised." Psalms 113:3

According to this verse the Lord should be praised from the time the sun rises until it sets-- which means all day. His praise should continually be in our mouths. There should not be a time when we aren't praising Him. You may say, "Well, how can I praise Him, you don't know what I am going through?" Our circumstances should not dictate our praise. They don't determine God's worthiness. God is worthy of praise period! 

We tend to let what we are going through or how we feel determine our praise, or how much we praise. We measure our praise level by where we are and what is happening in our lives instead of by who God is. If we would measure our praise according to who He is instead of what we are going through we would find it impossible not to praise Him. We couldn't keep our mouths' shut. There would be no way we could withhold it. 

There is a secular song that says, "There ain't no mountain high enough. Ain't no valley low enough. Ain't no river wide enough. To keep me from getting to you." If we would praise God according to who He is, instead of praising Him according to our feelings and circumstances, then our hearts would have a new theme and we would be saying, "There ain't no mountain high enough. Ain't no valley low enough. Ain't no river wide enough. To keep me from praising You, Lord." 

Have a great day. Give God your praise based on who He is and not on what you are going through.

For further reading:
Psalms 18:3; 34:1
Revelation 5:12

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@ bellsouth. net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness .org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Fighting Alone"
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44

By yourself you are no match for the devil. He is good at what he does. He has been doing it for a long, long time. He is well acquainted with his weapons and strategies because he continues to use the same ones over and over again. He knows how to lay a trap and snare to catch his prey. He is skilled in using the weapons of fear, lies, manipulation and intimidation. So don't think you are going out there all alone and you are going to defeat him. Look at what happened to the seven sons of Sceva.

I don't want it to sound like I am giving the devil more credit than I should. After all he is a defeated foe, but at the present he is still "alive and well" and going throughout the whole earth seeking whom he may devour. We just don't need to be naive and know who our opponent/enemy is. So having said all that, let me now say that while we are no match for him on our own, when we are connected with Jesus the devil is no match for us because he is no match for God. 

Through Christ Jesus we can do all things. Through Christ Jesus the devil is defeated. Through Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors. Through Christ Jesus we can walk in victory every time the devil attacks. Even when Jesus was on earth, He didn't fight the devil in His own strength- in His humanity. As we look back at His temptations in the wilderness, we see He defeated the devil through the Word of God. Jesus, the God-man, wasn't fighting alone. When He brought God's Word into the battle, He was bringing God's presence into the battle, and the Lord by the power of His own Word defeated Him.

You must not try to fight the devil alone. You must bring God's presence into the battle. We fight together with the Lord. And when we do, we are assured victory every time because the devil is no match for God.

Have a great day. By yourself you are no match for the devil, but with Jesus in you the devil is no match for you because he is no match for Jesus.

For further reading:
Acts 19:13-16
2 Corinthians 2:11
1 Peter 5:8
Philippians 4:13

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

NOTE: Correction- yesterday' s opening verse should have been Amos 5:19 
Coffee Break

"Listening To The Storm"

"And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Mark 4:35-40

When you are going through a storm of life, did you know that it will "speak" to you. "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still." The word for peace is translated: to be silent; hold ones peace. The word for be still means: to stop the mouth, make speechless, reduce to silence. When Jesus rebuked the wind and sea, He literally told it to "shut your mouth and be quiet". 

Not only does the storm speak to you, but it does it very loudly. "And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full." It shouts with intimidation and fear. The storm that the disciples were going through was shouting to them that they were going to die; they weren't going to make it; they were going to drown. It was spewing out fear and death. "We perish" . 

"And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Why did Jesus rebuke the disciples for not having faith? The rebuke was for not having faith in what He had said, but having faith in what the storm said instead. Jesus had already told them His will. He had already spoken His plan to them. "He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side." He didn't say to them, "We are going to drown on the way; we won't make it to the other side; we are going to die in the sea". No, He told them that they were going to go to the other side. 'To pass over' literally means- to go through. They were going to make it over-- they had His word on that.

Are you in a storm? If you are, I can guarantee that it is speaking to you. It is speaking fear, dread, intimidation, hopelessness, anger, guilt, etc. But I also know that Jesus is speaking, or has already spoken, to you. When Jesus speaks, He doesn't shout it at us. When He told the disciples to get in the boat and pass over to the other side, He didn't shout it, He simply told them. He speaks in that "still, small voice". So the question is, "Are you going to listen to the shouts of the storm, or the voice of the Lord?" Are you going to put your faith in what the storm says, or what Jesus says? Whose words are you going to believe? 

Have a great day. Are you going to believe what the storm says instead of what Jesus says? 

For further reading:
1 Kings 19:12

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire"

"...a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him..." Amos 15:9

Are you familiar with the expression, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire"? It seems as if we don't get out of one situation before we are met with another-- sometimes seemingly worse. Well, as a matter of fact, life is often like that. Usually there is some situation we are trying to leave behind us, but another one awaits us. We make it out of one trial and we find ourselves in another one. This happened often in the Bible.

While Jacob was leaving his lying, manipulating, uncle Laban who was using him, he got word that his brother Esau was coming to meet him-- the same brother he stole the birthright from. (From the frying pan into the fire.) The children on Israel left the slavery of Egypt behind them and ran into a "road block" in front of them that threatened to drown them- the Red Sea. (From the frying pan into the fire.) Joseph fled from Potiphar' s wife and her advancements only to face prison. (He got out of the frying pan and wound up in the fire.)

Often though, the "fire" that we are heading into is not as destructive or devastating as we think it is. Look again at the three examples above. When Jacob did meet Esau instead of a battle, healing and reconciliation came between them. (Genesis 33) When the Israelites faced the Red Sea they weren't destroyed, instead it was there final deliverance from the Egyptians. (Exodus 14) When Joseph wound up in prison, it was the place that put him in position to enter the palace and fulfill his destiny. (Genesis 41) 

In each of these examples we also see a common thread-- God was with them moving and working on their behalf. If you feel as though you have made it "out of the frying pan" but are now facing the "fire" , don't be afraid, the Lord is with you and He is working on your behalf as well. He is working all things together for your good-- the frying pan and the fire. It may look like destruction, but it may also be the very avenue to blessings, restoration, healing and the fulfillment of God's plan for your life.

Have a great day. When we get out of the "frying pan", there is often a "fire" that awaits us. But don't fear because the "fire" is often taking you into a blessing. 

For further reading:
Romans 8:28

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web:www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
 "Don't Forget To Say, 'Thank You'"
 
"And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? "  Luke 17:15-17
 
There were ten lepers who called out to Jesus to have mercy on them and heal them.  Jesus did and only one of them returned to give Him praise and thanks for healing him.  Only one of the ten- nine did not return to thank Him.  Before we get down on the nine, let me ask you, "How many times have you returned to give God thanks for an answer to prayer that He did for you?"  We are quick to call out for His help when we are in trouble but after He hears us and does what we have asked, do we thank Him or do we forget and go on about our business?
 
We should be just as quick to say, "Thank You", when He answers our prayers.  We get desperate for His help, should we not have the same feeling when it comes to giving Him praise and thanksgiving?  When we don't give Him thanks when He answers, we are like ungrateful children. 
 
When we don't give Him thanks, He isn't going to pout about it, neither will He withhold His help the next time out of hurt or spite.  When we don't give Him thanks for answering our prayers, He is not going to punish us for it.  None of these are the reasons why we should thank Him for what He has done.  We should thank Him because we are truly grateful to Him.  Perhaps you would said, "He knows I am thankful".  You are right, He knows- He knows everything.  But shouldn't you say it anyway?  Shouldn't your gratitude and thanks come out of your mouth?  Shouldn't He hear it from you? 
 
Have a great day.  We are quick to call upon the Lord for help, shouldn't we be as quick to tell Him, "Thank You", when He answers?
 
For further reading:
Luke 17:11-18
Psalm 75:1; 140:13
1 Thessalonians 5:18
 
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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@...
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"God Has A Plan For 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

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV) How wonderful it is to know that the Lord has plans for us. God has a plan for each of our lives. But sometimes we forget that. 

Often we let the trials that we are facing, the storm that we are going through, or the dark time of testing cause us to either forget that or make us feel that He has no plan for us. 

The pit, Potiphar' s house, and the prison tried to convince Joseph that God did not have a plan for him. The Babylonian captivity tried to make Daniel think that God did not have a plan for him. The threats of Jezebel tried to cause Elijah to forget that he was in the middle of God's plan. 

Don't let your circumstances convince you that God doesn't have a plan for your life. Don't believe what they are "saying" to you. Believe what God says to you--- "I know the plans I have for you." What you are going through will often make you feel as if God has no plan for you. But it might be that those very circumstances are the instrument, or avenue, that will take you into God's plan instead. The pit was the first step in the fulfillment of God's plan for Joseph. Remember that what often looks like the enemy coming to steal the plan of God, or make you think that there is no plan, is the very thing that may be taking you into His plan. In this way all things work together for the good to those who love the Lord.

Have a great day. Don't let your circumstances convince you that God doesn't have a plan for your life.

For further reading:
Romans 8:28

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Large And Small Victories"

"And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few." Joshua 7:3

When the Israelites entered into the promised land, they had to drive out the inhabitants and take back the land. The second city they encountered was Ai. Ai was a very small city. So after having defeated the much larger city of Jericho they felt that overtaking this city would be easy. But they were sadly mistaken. 

Why were they unable to defeat such a small city? Why had they easily defeated a much larger one but were being defeated by this small one? The reason is simple, they tried to defeat it on their own. They did not bother to consult God about it. They thought they could do it without Him. 

It doesn't matter what size your enemy is. We, in and of ourselves, don't have the power to defeat them. The Bible warns us about "small" things that they are just as dangerous as the large ones. (The little foxes spoil the vine; a little leaven leavens the whole lump.) When we win "large" victories, we must be careful to always remember that it was not us, it was the Lord fighting the battle for us. When we face smaller battles, we must also remember that it is the Lord fighting the battle for us that wins the victory. Without Him we can do nothing. But with Him we can do all things. With Him we are more than conquerors-- - over the Jerichos and the Ais. 

Never let the victories you have already won (especially if they are victories over larger enemies) make you think that you can win the next one by yourself. Every victory we win- large and small- is because the Lord has caused us to triumph, we didn't do it on our own. 

Have a great day. Every battle we win is won through the Lord, not on our own. 

For further reading:
Joshua 7
Song of Solomon 2:15
Galatians 5:9
1 Samuel 17:47
Romans 8:37

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"The Key Is To Come"

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

When we are tired and weary, when we are overwhelmed, when we are burdened down, when we are laboring under a heavy load, we have one desire--- get out from under it. We want rest; we want to be free; we want peace. Well, it is possible to have it. The key is found in these three words-- "Come unto Me". 

"Come" is the condition to receiving the rest and peace that we need. Many lack it because they won't come. The word come is an action verb. It means there is something you have to do. It means you can't just sit there and expect the burden to be lifted. The woman with the issue of blood didn't stay seated in her sickness, she got up and went to Jesus. When she did, she was healed. The disciples didn't keep bailing water in the storm, they went to Jesus and cried out for His help. When they did, the storm stopped. Blind Bartimaeus got up from where he was seated and went to Jesus. When he did, he received his sight. 

The Lord has given you the answer, He has given you the key, He has given you the condition and the solution to finding the rest from the heavy burden you are bearing. But you can't just keep sitting there and do nothing. You can't just sit still and hope it will change. You have to make a move toward Jesus. You have to accept His invitation to "come" to Him. When you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. And as you do, He will give you rest.

Have a great day. The key to finding rest and peace is to get up and come to Jesus, not continue to sit there and hope it will change.

For further reading:
Mark 10:46-62
Matthew 8:25,26
Luke 8:43-47
James 4:8

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Enabler"

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. " Isaiah 41:10

Are you fearful this morning? Fearful of the unknown? Of the outcome of the situation you are going through? Are you weak? Are you growing tired and weary from the battle you have been in? Are you feeling like you won't make it? Are you ready to "throw in the towel"? Do you feel like you are being swallowed up by the pain and grief of events that have happened in your life? Then read the verse above again.

You do not have to be fearful, the Lord is with you- you aren't alone. He is your strength- you can make it. His strength is made perfect in your weakness. He will give you strength for the battle and strength for the journey. He will give you His strength. Whatever you are struggling with, He will help you not only make it through it, but overcome it. If you feel like giving up He will hold you up so that you can continue on.

The word "enable" means: To give (someone or something) the authority or means to do something; make possible; empower; allow; permit. We hear that word used a lot in our society, but usually in a negative way. It is mostly used of a person who "enables" another to continue in some addition or habit they should be letting go of. 

But there is a positive side of the meaning of an enabler. The Lord enables us, not to do what is bad or wrong, but He enables us to stand and withstand during the times we have been talking about. He enables us to stand against fear, against despair, in spite of our weakness, regardless of what is coming against us. He empowers us to be victorious over the enemy and besetting sins. He enables us to continue to run the race that is set before us. 

Whatever you may be going through today, remember that the Lord is your enabler--- enabling you to go through it, enabling you to stand and be victorious in the midst of it and He does it through His presence and power.

Have a great day. The Lord is our Enabler. He enables us to make it through any situation of life we are going through.

For further reading:
2 Corinthians 12:9
Philippians 4:13

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"One God For All Your Needs"

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:" Deuteronomy 6:4

There is only one true and living God. He is the Lord God, the Divine Trinity. Because He is Infinite, you can't put a limit on Him. When He reveals Himself, He reveals Himself through His many attributes and character. When He revealed Himself to Abraham on the mountain, He revealed Himself as not only God, but Jehovah Jireh; God who provides. He revealed Himself to Ezekiel as Jehovah-Shammah; God who is here. He is still revealing who He is to us today, and daily. Today He desires to reveal Himself to you.

He is the God who provides and meets your need. ("But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19) 

He is the God who heals. ("Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." Psalm 103:2,3) 

He is God who delivers-- delivers from sin, from addiction, for temptations, from the pit of despair, from anger and bitterness, etc. ("But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God." Psalm 40:17) 

He is the God who saves us from all our sins and gives us eternal life. ("For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11)

He is the God who gives us peace. ("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) 

What do you need today? Don't limit God. He is not like the false gods we have read about in literature, or in the Bible that the heathen worshipped, or that many are still worshipping today. They had/have one separate god for each thing-- a sun god, a moon god, a god for peace, a god for fertility, a god for strength, and so on. They had/have hundreds of gods. Well, the Lord God is not like that. He is One God- the Almighty. He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent. He is not limited. He is One God and He can do it all. With Him nothing is too hard, too difficult or impossible. You don't have to seek after many gods to provide whatever it is you need, no matter how many different needs you have- He can handle them all. 

Have a great day. There is only One True and Living God and He is able to do whatever you need... and He desires to.

For further reading:
Isaiah 44:8
Matthew 19:26
Jeremiah 32:17,27

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Storms Come"

"And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep." Matthew 8:24

This particular day that our scripture text is taken from started out for the disciples like any other day. They woke up in the presence of Jesus, heard His teachings, watched Him perform miracles, and communed with Him. But before the day was over they found themselves in the middle of a storm afraid for their lives.

Your day can start off as it usually does-- you can wake up with your heart and mind on the Lord, you can seek Him in prayer, you can read His word, study His teachings and have a wonderful time of communion with Him in worship. Then before the day is over you can find yourself in the same place the disciples did. 

Just because you are communing with Jesus, just because you are listening to His teachings, just because you are obeying Him, just because you are His disciple/Christian, just because you have "left all" for Him, and just because He is "in the boat" with you doesn't mean that storms won't arise in your life. It doesn't mean that the winds and waves of adversity won't strike. It doesn't mean that situations won't develop to try to capsize and turn your life upside down. The tempest, the destroyer, problems, trials and afflictions come even to those who are in close relationship to the Lord-- those who are walking with Him daily (just as the disciples did).

But remember this, while you are not exempt from the storms of life you are not in them alone either. Jesus is in them with you. 

Have a great day. Storms even come to the lives of those who are following Jesus closely. But when they come, you are not going through them alone, He is with you.

For further reading:
Matthew 8:23-27
Psalm 34:19
John 16:33 

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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 
"Against That Day"

"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12

When we read this verse, we usually think of "against that day" as being the day in which we stand before the Lord. And that He is able to keep what we have committed to Him, including ourselves, then. But "against that day" has a broader meaning as well. 

The Lord isn't limited to being able to keep what and who I commit to Him at the Judgment Day only. He is able to keep whatever is committed to Him now. There are other "days" that come into our lives-- days of temptations, days of trials, days of testing, days of problems, days of hardships, days of attacks, days of discouragement, days of turmoil, etc. When those days come, the Lord is able to keep what we have committed to Him, again, including ourselves. 

He is able to keep me safe on the days when the winds of adversity blow. He is able to keep me secure on that days when the enemy attacks. He is able to keep my mind in peace during the days when confusion settles around me. He is able to keep me comforted on the days when my body is racked with pain. He is able to keep me strong in His power and might on the days when my strength fails. He is able to keep me from falling on the days when the tempter is enticing me to sin. 

The Lord is the Keeper. He is your and my Keeper. He knows how to keep us. We can't keep ourselves. He will keep us as we look to Him, trust in Him, keep our mind on Him, surrender to Him, and commit ourselves to Him. 

Have a great day. The Lord knows how to keep us against that day... and every day, regardless of what it may bring.

For further reading:
Isaiah 26:3
Psalm 121:5; 91:11
2 Corinthians 12:9

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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 
"By Himself"

"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:" Hebrews 1:3

"...when he had by himself purged our sins..." Jesus by Himself purged our sins. This has a two-fold meaning.

1) He did it by Himself. What He did took care of the sin issue in our lives. He didn't need anything else to "help" Him. He doesn't need your good works, your religious deeds or anything else to make what He did adequate enough. There is nothing else that you can add to what He did that will make you good enough to be saved. All your church attendance, all your giving of offerings, all your religious service, none of these things have a place in "purging" your sins. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8,9) Jesus took care of our salvation by Himself without any outside help.

2) He did it by Himself. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He was by Himself- He was alone. No one else joined in His suffering. No one else was able to die with Him. His disciples had abandoned Him. There were only three that stayed with Him- His mother, Mary Magdalene, and John. But they were only onlookers. They were not partakers with Him. Even His Heavenly Father forsook Him. He totally turned His back upon Jesus. "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34) Jesus was alone carrying the sins of the world upon Himself. Yet He did not let that stop Him. (I wonder how many of us go on alone in our service for the Lord when no one else will go with us? We always want someone else to do the work with us. Even when it comes to our personal relationship with the Lord, many a husband or wife has given up because their spouse would not walk the walk with them. Jesus accomplished the will of the Father alone. Jesus died alone.) 

If you are adding anything to the finished work of the cross, you are missing the whole point of Jesus' sacrifice. What He did by Himself was enough. If you are refraining from following Him because you feel alone and by yourself, remember Jesus was alone yet He thought you were worth it so He was willing to suffer and die alone. Can't you do the same for Him?

Have a great day. Jesus died alone for your sins, and what He did alone was enough- He didn't need any help to secure your salvation.

For further reading:
Titus 3:5
Psalm 22:1
Matthew 27:46

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

Coffee Break
"The Lord Hears Your Cries"

"In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears." 2 Samuel 22:7

"I cried to my God. He did hear my voice; my cry did enter into His ears." When you cry, God hears. It says He did hear. It didn't say He will hear, He might hear, maybe He will hear, but He did hear. Past tense- He already heard. 

God hears your cries when you call to Him. Sometimes it seems as if He has a deaf ear. You wonder if He hears-- you wonder if He even cares. God Himself through His Word reassures us over and over again that He does hear us. Even when we can't put our cry into words, He still hears it. "For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." (Psalm 139:4) He knows every word we will say before we even say it, and He never gets tired of hearing your cries. "...neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." (Isaiah 59:1b) 

Are you "crying" this morning? Are your cries the cries of deep grief? Are they cries of confusion, loneliness, heartbreak? Are they cries of pain- emotional and physical? Are they cries of anguish of heart and repentant in spirit? Are they cries for His help? Rest assured that it doesn't matter what the cry is, what the cause of the cry is, what has made you cry out to Him, He hears those cries. 

Have a great day. God loves you and hears your cries to Him. 

For further reading:
1 Chronicles 5:20
Psalm 30:8

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break 
"How Great Thou Art"

"Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. " Psalm 145:3

This morning our devotional is mainly going to be a song that has been on my heart and I have heard sung several different times this week. It is a "classic" . Many of you are familiar with it, can sing each word of it and love it. 

As you read the words of the song I want to ask you a question. Do you ever take time to just tell the Lord had great He is? Do you ever just meditate on His greatness, His power, His love? Or does your relationship with Him primarily consist of your needs and wants? By that I mean is the only time you acknowledge Him is when you have a need or are in trouble. The Lord is Great, He is Awesome, He is Omnipotent, He is indescribable and He is worthy of more than just your requests.... He is worthy of your praise.

Take some time today to "sing" His praises. Tell Him how great He is and don't ask for anything. Spend the time giving Him something this time instead of always asking Him for something.

Have a great day. God is worthy of more than just your prayer requests. He is worthy of your praise.

"How Great Thou Art"

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Seeking The Kingdom First- part 2"

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

Earlier in the chapter Jesus gives us the model prayer and begins it with-- "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (verses 9, 10) Then He tells us how manifesting the will of God in our lives is possible. He tells us it is possible through "not" doing some things: Don't hold on to unforgiveness; don't be a hypocrite; don't lay up earthly treasures; don't try to serve God and mammon; don't be anxious about the necessities of life; don't put your heart on material things. Then He sums up for us what He just told us not to do and tells us what to do-- "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." 

When we seek first God's kingdom, then all the material necessities that we tend to seek after will be provided for us. And among those things that are added is the manifestation/ accomplishment of the will of God being done through our lives. 

In order for the will of God to be accomplished in our lives, we have to make seeking Him our priority and not seeking after material things. We have to put Him first above everything else. How can His will be done if we aren't placing our attention, affection and focus on the kingdom? How will it be done if we have a divided heart- divided between God and mammon? How will God's will be accomplished through us if we are seeking our own desires and not His? It won't. Jesus told us and showed us by example how to accomplish the will of God in our lives. "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38) He sought first the kingdom and not His own will or desire. 

Have a great day. The key to God's will being accomplished is your and my life is that we are seeking Him and not seeking after our own desires, wants and lusts.

For further reading:
Matthew 6

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break

"Seeking The Kingdom First"

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

The other day we talked about how we should seek/acknowledge God first in all we do. We should seek Him first before we make any decision-- not last after we have already decided what to do. While this is true and Biblical, seeking first the kingdom of God is more than just praying about a matter before you make any decision about it.

If you go back and read the whole chapter of Matthew 6, you will discover that in context Jesus is talking about your "affections&qu ot;-- those things that you seek after, those things that you desire, those things that capture your attention, those things that you set your heart upon. 

In that chapter Jesus gives us the model prayer and concludes it by saying, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Then He makes a statement-- "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." From there He begins to expound on and warn us about where we place the desires of our hearts and what we place them on.

Jesus warns us not to seek after material things-- food, clothing, money, etc. But encourages us to seek after the things of the kingdom. The heathen seek after these things (wealth, fame, prestige, material things) but we are to seek God. Our first priority should be to seek God and what pleases Him-- not what pleases us. We are to seek His kingdom-- His will, His plan, His purposes. We are to seek to live righteous, holy, surrendered, obedient lives. We are to seek to glorify Him, make Him known to others, fulfill His commission, do what He has called us to do and live to honor Him. When we will seek God and His will first, when we put His kingdom first and place ourselves last, we won't have to seek after the necessities of life, He will provide for our needs. 

So are you seeking God and asking Him what His will is before you make a decision? And are you seeking God's kingdom or seeking your own fleshly desires? Do they have your heart? Or does He have your heart? Are you setting your heart on material things that perish with time, that moths eat up and rust corrodes? Or are you setting your heart on eternal things that never pass away?

Have a great day. Are you seeking your own desires? Or are you seeking the kingdom-- God's desires? 

For further reading:
Matthew 6

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"His Promises"

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

We can rejoice and be glad today because we have wonderful and precious promises that have been made to us by our loving Lord. (2 Peter 1:4)

We can rejoice today because He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)
We can rejoice today because He has promised to meet and supply all our need. (Philippians 4:19) 
We can rejoice today because He has promised to fight our battles for us. (Exodus 14:14)
We can rejoice today because He has promised to direct our steps as we acknowledge Him in all we do. (Proverbs 3:6)
We can rejoice today because He has promised to go before us and make the way straight. (Isaiah 45:2)
We can rejoice today because He has promised to give us everything we need that pertains to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)
We can rejoice today because He has promised us abundant life. (John 10:10)
We can rejoice today because He loves us and we are His children. (John 3:16; 1 John 3:1)
We can rejoice today because He will not withhold any good thing from us. (Psalm 84:11)
We can rejoice today because He has a plan for our lives and knows how to bring that plan to pass as we yield and surrender our lives to Him. (Jeremiah 29:11)

We can rejoice today because the Lord has made hundreds of more promises to us because He loves us and cares about us. He cares about everything in your life. He cares about what you are going through. He cares about those things that affect you. He cares about even the smallest thing-- such as the number of hairs on your head. He has made you promises that pertain to every area of your life because He does love you. Trust Him. Trust His promises. He would not have made them if He had not meant them, and had not meant to fulfill them in your life.

Have a great day. We can rejoice today because of the promises of God, and His faithfulness to keep them. 

For further reading:
Matthew 10:30

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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

Coffee Break
"God Speaks"

"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth." 1 Samuel 3:10

Yesterday I told my little five year old granddaughter that the Lord had spoken something to me one day while I was praying. Her reply was, "You heard Him?" The other day a friend was telling me that her husband thinks it's "spooky" that she knows things that she has no "natural" way of knowing. She just tells him that she believes the Lord speaks them to her. I have heard many people question that God actually speaks to someone. The idea is so foreign to so many-- including professing Christians. 

I don't understand why we would think that God wouldn't, or couldn't, speak to us. He is God, therefore, He can speak if He wants to. He has always spoken to His people. He would walk and talk with Adam in the cool of the day. He spoke to Noah to build an ark. He spoke to Abraham and told him He would make him a great nation. He spoke to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments. He spoke to the kings. He spoke to the prophets. He spoke to the disciples. 

How does He speak to us? He can speak to us audibly if He desires to. (That is what my granddaughter thought I meant.) But He mostly speaks to us by His Holy Spirit. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith". (Revelation 2:7) He speaks to us through a small still voice. "And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." (1 Kings 19:12) He speaks to us through others. "Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." (Matthew 28:10) He speaks to us through the Bible. "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (Joshua 1:8) He speaks to us through His Son Jesus. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:1,2) 

He hasn't changed. If He ever did speak to mankind, He still does. He can speak to us in any fashion that He desires. He even spoke through a donkey once. So the question isn't, "Does God speak to us or not?". The question should be, "Are we listening when He does?"

Have a great day. God always has and always will speak to His people. Is He speaking to you? Are you listening?

For further reading:
Genesis 3:8
Numbers 22:28
Psalm 50:1 

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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 
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 God First"

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

Many people tend to think that "seeking God first" means they are to pray first thing in the morning, when they first get up. But that is only part of what it means. You should start your day seeking the Lord-- you should not start it before you have. But seeking the Lord first is something we do continually throughout the whole day--- actually it is something that we should do 24/7.

We should seek Him first when faced with a decision, and not make any decision without having first sought Him about it. We should seek Him first when we need wisdom concerning a matter that we are faced with. We should seek Him first and find out what His will is before we undertake to do anything. We should seek Him first before we make the choice to go in a certain direction. 

Abraham did not seek God first about whether or not he should take Sarah's handmaid Hagar, the result was that he wound up with an Ishmael and a lot problems because of it. David did seek God first when he and his men got to Ziklag, and the result was that they defeated the enemy and regained their families and possessions. 

It is not in our ability to direct our own steps. We don't have heavenly wisdom to always know what the right thing to do is, we have earthly wisdom which is flawed. We don't have the insight to see into the future and know what the outcome of a decision we make will be. But God posses all wisdom, all knowledge, He is able to see ahead, He knows the outcome before the beginning of the matter. 
Seeking Him first-- in everything-- will save us a lot of grief and heartache. It will give us the wisdom, the grace, the understanding, the strength, (everything we need) to make the right decisions at all times. 

Have a great day. Seeking God is more than just praying to Him when you first get up in the morning. It means you seek Him before you do anything or make any decision. 

For further reading:
Genesis 16:1-4
1 Samuel 30
Jeremiah 10:23

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break

"He Is The Lifter"

"The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up." 1 Samuel 2:7

The word lift means to: rise up, to lift up. There are times when we are "down" -- down and out; down on the bottom; down as low as we can get; cast down. Actually, we were born "down" because of sin. But there is good news for us in those times when we are feeling down--- the Lord is the Lifter.

"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Psalm 40:2 The Lord reached down into the pit of sin and death and lifted us up through His loving-kindness, tender mercy and all sufficient grace. He did this through His Son Jesus who paid the ransom for our sins at the cross. 

"But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." Psalm 3:3 When your head is hung down in shame, laden with guilt, when you are under condemnation because of a besetting sin, then He is the Lifter of your head. He can cause you to "hold your head up" again through His forgiveness, grace and peace.

"He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;" Psalm 113:7 When you are down and feel you can't go on. When your need is so great that it looks hopeless. The Lord is the Lifter that brings you up over the situation by meeting and supplying all your need.

"Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:" Psalm 9:13 Troubles come to all of us. They come in various forms-- through circumstances, through physical problems, through material lack, through other people. But when they do, the Lord is there and takes note of what you are going through. He will lift you out and put you in a place of life-- abundant life.

"He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man." Psalm 18:48 He lifts us up and places us in His own loving care when enemies rise up against us. He lifts us up by fighting the battle for us.

Are you "down and out" today? Is your head hanging in shame? Are your hands hanging down in weakness? Are you down in a pit of despair, grief, confusion or turmoil? I have good news. There is a Lifter. There is One who can lift you up. It doesn't matter how deep down you are, there is no pit too deep, no problem too big, no enemy too fierce and no situation that is impossible for the Lord, the Lifter, to handle.

Have a great day. The Lord is the Lifter. 

For further reading:
Psalm 42:5
Philippians 4:19
Deuteronomy 3:22

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 
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.
Coffee Break

"No Lack In God"

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

The word for want in this verse is translated lack. Let's talk about "lack" this morning. We do not have to lack in any area of our lives. The Lord provides for all our needs and will give us what we lack. "The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." Psalm 34:10

What are you lacking today? Are you lacking strength? The Lord will give you strength. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Isaiah 40:20

Are you lacking wisdom? The Lord is the giver of wisdom, understanding, insight and guidance. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5 

Are you lacking peace? He is the giver of peace. He gives a peace that passes our understanding because it is so great. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

Are you lacking some material thing necessary to life? "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

When God created the world, He didn't leave anything out. He provided everything that would be needed-- there was no lack. When God sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for our sins through His death on the cross, there was nothing lacking. It was all bought and paid for there was nothing left to do, it was finished-- there was no lack. There is no lack in God's love for you. There is no lack in His compassion. There is no lack of His mercy and grace. There is no lack in His provisions. There is no lack in God period. Therefore, we can trust Him to provide those things that we lack and have need of. 

Have a great day. What are you lacking? There is no lack in God, therefore, He will give you what you need.

For further reading:
John 19:30
2 Peter 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 unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break 
"Bone To Bone"

"So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone." Ezekiel 37:7

"...the bones came together, bone to his bone." In the vision that Ezekiel saw of the valley that was full of dry disconnected bones, God had him prophesy over them and the bones began to come together. Each bone, though disconnected and scattered came together perfectly. Each bone reconnected into its original and proper place. The thigh bone reconnected to the hip bone-- it didn't connect to the arm bone The collar bone reconnected to the arm bone- it did not connect to the toe bone. The rib bones reconnected to one another- they did not connect to the ankle bones. 

When God does something, He does it perfectly. "Bone to his bone". He puts everything in place exactly as it should be. He makes no mistakes. He doesn't leave anything to chance. He does it and He does it right. Therefore, we can trust Him.

Does your life feel like everything is "scattered&quo t;? Does it feel "disconnected& quot;? Does it seem as though it is all out of place? Ezekiel spoke to the bones what God told him to speak. You need to speak to God and hear what He is saying about your "valley of bones". Then do what He tells you to do, just like the prophet did. 

Earlier the Lord asked Ezekiel a question, "And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord." (v.3,4) Can your "dry bones" live? Can things "come together" in your life? Through God they can. He proved it to Ezekiel, and the situation he saw was as bad as it could get. 

Trust the Lord. Speak His word of life into your situation (verse 4). Watch Him move and work on your life. What He does, He does perfectly. He never makes a mistake. He knows how to put things together in their proper place.

Have a great day. The Lord knows how to put things together and in their proper place, no matter how impossible it may seem.

For further reading:
Matthew 19:26
Ephesians 4:20
Ezekiel 37:1-10

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Narrow Way Or Wide Way?"

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." 2 Thessalonians 2:3

"... a falling away..." Sadly, we are seeing this very thing happen in our churches. There is a falling away of those who profess to be Christians. They are falling away from the truth of God's Word. They are falling away from the foundations of the gospel and following with itching ears those who tell them what they want to hear and what appeals to their flesh.

Many are going the way of Balaam following the lust of their flesh, materialism, riches and fame. Many have moved from the foundation of righteousness and holiness and are living in adultery and homosexuality. They are following after the gods of entertainment. They live by a code-- tickle my ears, tell me what makes me feel good, make everything appealing to me. Entire "churches" ; are going in this direction. More people are embracing it than those who aren't. 

But didn't the Bible also say that strait was the gate and narrow was the way that leads to life and few will find it. It also says that wide is gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many will find it. Leaving the foundations that God has established through His Word will put you on a broad way. Following your own fleshly desires will put you on a broad way. Embracing carnality as opposed to God's way of righteousness will put you on a broad way. The only narrow way- which is the only safe way- is Jesus. (He is THE Way-- the way that leads to eternal life.) Following Him keeps you on the strait and narrow way-- following Him in holiness, righteousness, purity of heart, morality and obedience. Loving what He loves, hating what He hates, seeking Him and His way keeps you from falling away and on the narrow path of life.

Which group are you in this morning? Are you one the many on the broad way that leads to destruction? Are you falling away from the foundation in which God has laid by following after that which appeases your flesh? Or are you one of the few on the narrow way who are wholeheartedly following Jesus and His Way?

Have a great day. Are you among the few that are following Jesus on the narrow way? Or among the many that are following their flesh on the broad way?

For further reading:
Matthew 7:13,14,15
2 Timothy 4:3
2 Peter 2:15
John 14:6

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 
You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge. 
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Coffee Break
"Greater Glory Than At First"

"The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2:9

I have a prophetic word that the Lord has given me to share with you.

Many of you have lost your zeal, your first love, your Holy Ghost boldness, your hunger and thirst for righteousness, the joy of your salvation and your desire for the things of God. You are trying to get back to where you once were. You are trying to regain the "glory of the former house" -- that which you once had with the Lord. 

The Lord says that as you turn from your wicked ways, as you confess your sins, as you repent of your wrong doings, as you draw near to Him, as you begin to seek His face, He will restore to you everything the locust, cankerworm, palmerworm and caterpillar has stolen. He will restore the "glory of the former house".

But He also says that He is doing a "new thing". The new thing that He is doing is two-fold: it is a "renewed" thing-- He will renew the glory of the former house, but He will also give the addition of a "double portion" glory. And the "glory of the latter house" will be greater than the "glory of the former house". Your end will be better than your beginning. Not only will you "get back" all that was lost (a renewing), but you will also get another measure. A greater measure of boldness, of joy in the Lord, of love, of wisdom, of power to witness, of insight, of spiritual gifts. The latter "glory" that was on Elisha was greater than the former glory that was on Elijah. When Elisha received the "glory" from God, he received the single portion of Elijah and an extra measure-- the "glory of the latter is greater than the former" .

If this word fits you this morning, receive it. Turn from your ways, stop seeking your own will, stop turning from God, turn in repentance, stop your rebellion, expect Him to finish now the work that He begun in you in the past. Expect Him to bring restoration but also expect Him to do even greater with you and in you now. It is your Father's good pleasure to give to you the Kingdom. And He will give it to those who humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. 

Have a great day. You are desiring the former glory, but God wants to give you the latter glory.

For further reading:
Joel 2:25,26
2 Kings 2:9-13
Isaiah 43:19
2 Chronicles 7:14
Luke 12:32

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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.