Good Morning All!

I know both of the following “Coffee Break” devotionals from Lorraine Ezell will hit the mark for many since questioning God’s plan as well as waiting and timing are often huge hurdles for most men and women standing for marriage restoration. But as with all things, it really comes right back down to whether or not we truly trust and BELIEVE the Lord. So take both of these messages to heart and be blessed as you make the deliberate and intentional choice to make the best and most of every day of your life until GOD’S perfect plan and timing brings His promise of restoration to fruition in your life and marriage! And never forget that just as declared in Proverbs 21:30, NO wisdom, NO insight and NO plan can succeed against the Lord! As declared and promised in Romans 8:28, all we have to do is love God and be called according to HIS purpose, which is to bring praise, honor and glory to Jesus Christ (ephesians 1:3-14)!

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“God Has A Plan”
“Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” Genesis 45:5

Not everything in life goes the way we hope, desire or plan. Situations arise, plans get changed, things happen. We may not, and usually don’t, understand why it is happening. I can only imagine what was going through Joseph’s mind when his brothers took hold of him and threw him in a pit. From that moment on his world would forever change, all his dreams and hopes lay behind him, all his plans ended, his future looked uncertain.

When we read the story of Joseph, we are able to read it all at once. We can start at the beginning and skip to the end and know the outcome immediately. Being able to skip right to the end gives us the ability to see that God had a plan for all that happened to Joseph. Joseph did not have that advantage, he did not know from day to day what would happen to him. He did not know how his life was going to end. He didn’t know while he was in the pit that he would one day be a ruler in Egypt.

Like Joseph, when we are going through situations that we don’t understand, we don’t have the luxury of knowing the outcome. I am sure that during the years in prison Joseph didn’t see that there was a plan behind what was happening to him, but there was. Again, like Joseph, we can’t always see that there is a plan at work behind what is happening to us. But there is. There was for Joseph and there is for us.

When we don’t understand what is going on or why this thing is happening to us, we need to remember– God has a plan. Don’t let it shake you- God has a plan. Don’t let it rattle you– God has a plan. Don’t worry- God has a plan. The situation may look bleak, but God has a plan. The furnace may be hot, but God has a plan. The lions may be roaring all around you, but God has a plan. The Red Sea may be before you, but God has a plan. God is aware of what you are going through. It hasn’t taken Him by surprise. And He will make all things- this included- work together for the good, because He has a plan.
Have a great day. Whatever you are going through this morning, you may not understand it, you may not have the ability to see the outcome, but remember this- God has a plan, and this will work together for your good.
For further reading:
Romans 8:28
Genesis 45:6-8

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“The Right Time”

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalm 37:23

Often when we think about our steps being ordered, we think in terms of “where” they are ordered. As in the Lord ordering our steps in this direction or that direction, to this place or that place. But His ordering of our steps also means “when” they are ordered. Our steps are ordered to go at a particular time as well as to a particular place.

I know from experience that there have been times I knew the Lord was leading me in a matter, or I needed to be at a certain place, but I could not seem to get there when I started to go. Obstacles and hindrances kept coming in my way. When I finally did “get there”, the timing could not have been any more perfect. I did not arrive at my destination one minute early or one minute late, but just at the right time.

We need to learn how to rest in the fact that our steps as believers are truly ordered by the Lord. He orders them where to go, but He also orders them when to go. Let me make it clear that I am not talking about laziness- just sitting back and never moving forward at all. I am talking about resting in the fact that as you are following the Lord, He will direct your steps to be where they need to be and when they need to be there. A perfect example is the story of Jesus and Lazarus. Jesus received word that Lazarus was ill and his sisters asked for Jesus to come and heal him. Jesus did not go immediately, as He had at other times when requested by someone to come and heal a person. He waited four days then He went. By that time Lazarus had already died. Both of Lazarus’s sisters accused Jesus concerning His timing for coming, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died”. In other words, “If You had come sooner he would still be alive, but You are late. Jesus was never late- or early, for that matter- Jesus was always on time. In our scheme of things Jesus was late, in God’s scheme of things He was right on time. As a result of His waiting, yes, Lazarus died, but a greater miracle took place that day. And it happened because the Father ordered Jesus’ steps, not just to the right place but to the right place at the right time.

The timing may look “off” to you, but just know that our time is not God’s time and if we follow His timing, it will always be the “right time”.

Have a great day. The Lord orders our steps to “where” they need to be, and “when” they need to be there.
For further reading:
Proverbs 16:9
John 11:1-45

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell, and available online and sent by email free of charge for the asking from About the Master’s Business Ministry, Inc.
So please feel free to call Lorraine at (601) 833-5278 or E-mail her at mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
And you can visit her on the web at MastersBusiness.org.

Posted Friday, September 30th, 2011 at 8:53 am in Seeds Of Faith.