10 Things Good Pastors Say

10 Things Good Pastors Say

by Jared Wilson

1. Please forgive me.
Better than "I'm sorry," which can often be followed with an "if" or a "but," these words indicate a humble heart. Bad pastors hide their faults behind the cloak of their authority, practice self-defense against all charges, and basically pretend. Good pastors know they're sinners and admit it.

2. You're right.
Good pastors know they're not always (not usually?) the smartest, most "spiritual" person in the room. They are zealous to give credit and acknowledge achievement and intelligence, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it encourages and empowers others.

3. You're wrong.
Bad pastors chicken out when it comes to calling people on sin or biblical ignorance. Good pastors brave potential conflict and hurt feelings and say "You're wrong" in gentle but firm ways when necessary.

4. Jesus loves you.
Why did we stop saying this? I think because it became clich�. I'd love to see a recovery of the art of "Jesus loves you." Strategically said at times of others' admissions of failure, sin, or trouble, "Jesus loves you" is a fantastic way to speak the gospel into people's lives.

5. I love you.
I think one reason we stopped saying, "Jesus loves you" to people is because we don't really love them ourselves. Might as well save the hypocrisy, eh? But good pastors lay their lives down for the sheep. Telling people you love them is a reminder to them and to you that sacrificial love is your calling.

6. Me, too.
Next to "Grace is true" (see below), these might be the most important words in pastoral counseling. Bad pastors trade regularly in "Not me." In the pulpit and in the office, bad pastors set themselves apart from their congregations with tales of adventure, spirituality, and personal holiness. In the pulpit and in the office, good pastors talk of sin and trials and utter ineptitude and say, "Me, too." I have seen entire countenances change when I've said some variation of "Me, too."

7. Any time.
Of course, you don't mean it literally. But you kind of do. Good pastors are available.

8. Thank you.
Bad pastors think they're owed. Good pastors know everything is a gift.

9. Grace is true.
I think deep down we all want to hear, "You're approved" (see below), which is why we find "Grace is true" such a radical statement. You probably won't use the words, of course. But good pastors take the opportunity to glorify God by "talking up" his amazing grace every chance they get. Just 30 minutes ago, my writing of this post got interrupted by a visitor who wanted to talk about works and grace. I relished the chance to confirm his suspicion that grace is true. Bad pastors may say grace is true, but the context of their teaching and the expectations in their leadership say, "Your works must be this high to ride this ride." I know some of my friends hate it when "gospel" is used as a verb, but I just have to say it: Good pastors gospel their people. :-)

10. You're approved.
Everyone wants to believe they have what it takes, which is why it's such a bummer to hear the first half of the gospel and learn we really don't. Don't leave your people hanging. Be a good news pastor. Bad pastors beat their people up with their failures. Bad pastors are always disappointed. Good pastors know grace is true and Jesus is Lord, so they are ready to challenge every self-despairing soul with the wonderful truth that in Christ we are approved by God. Good pastors tell people they do have what it takes when they have Jesus' righteousness. Do you trust Jesus? You're all set, then.

as seen at http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/151785-10-things-good-pastors-say.html

A Message for Fathers

Fathers have as great an opportunity as teachers as anyone in the world. You see, that boy or girl in the home has the chance to see if their father really believes and practices what they teach.

A father who says he believes in Sunday school, and then does not go himself, is teaching by his actions that he really does not feel it very important. A father who teaches love and tolerance to all and yet maintains a critical attitude in the home toward his brothers and sisters in the church is doing a wrong to his children that is nearly impossible to overcome. It is pure poison to the mind of the child, and will most certainly be a stumbling block in the way of the child becoming a Christian.

A father who says he believes the Bible to be the greatest Book, to be God's Word to us, but leaves it on the shelf to gather dust while he spends hours with the newspaper, magazines, radio and television is in reality saying, "Children, the Bible isn't very important. You should read it if you have any extra time."

Which one of you had not heard a little boy step proudly forward among his playmates and declare, "I KNOW that's so because my Daddy said so!" He has confidence in you, dear Dad, and the things that he sees you put first in your life are going to stand out as mighty important to him, too.

This Father's Day, make your prayer to be, "Lord, may I live my life in such a way as to be loved and imitated by my children."

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 11.24. Live for God, on purpose, imitating Christ so that others may imitate you, and find Christ.

"Run To Him"

Coffee Break

"Run To Him"

"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God..." Deuteronomy 4:30a

What do you do when you are facing difficulties? Do you stand and fight with the weapons the Lord has made available to you? Do you sit down and feel sorry for yourself? Do you try to hide from the situation? Do you look for some form of escape? Do you pretend that it isn't happening? Do you run? Perhaps you try to run from it? Or perhaps you run to some sort of pill, or other substance, to ease the way you are feeling in the situation?

When facing trials, problems and difficulties, you actually should run. You should run straight into the arms of Jesus. You should run to that place of prayer where you will meet with Him. Often that is the last place that we run to. Usually we wait to run to Him after we have exhausted everywhere else. He should be the first place.

If, and when, you are going through these times, your answer lies in the Lord. He should be the first place you turn. Why? Because He loves you, He cares about you, He has the answer and solution, and He alone can give you everything you need to make it through what you are facing. So don't run here and there and everywhere else... run straight into His loving arms.

Have a great day. Where will you run when you are facing difficulties?

For further reading:
James 4:8
Psalm 120:1
2 Samuel 22:7
1 Peter 5:7

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

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 unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

Today's Thought from the Evangel 6/14/11

A thought from the Pentecostal Evangel:
------------------------------------------------------------
"The baptism and fullness of the Spirit brings more than a new boldness to
proclaim Christ's message and operate in the spiritual gifts. It also brings
an increased capacity for the fruit of the Spirit .. the character of Jesus ..
to be developed and evidenced in our lives."

"Credibility: The Fruit of the Spirit in Witness," Randy Hurst
Pentecostal Evangel, June 12, 2011
http://www.pe.ag.org

A Thought About...Self-Denial

A thought from the Pentecostal Evangel:
------------------------------------------------------------
"What do self-denial and cross-bearing mean if you are not a martyr? You are
faced with choices every day. Will you choose a more enjoyable path, a
sinful act or disobedience over what Jesus wants from you? Do you choose self-fulfillment over doing His will? Jesus says that sooner or later our choices catch up with us, and those choices have eternal consequences.

Come and die is the pathway through which we come and live!

"On Your Mark: The Gospel of Action/Come and Die," George O. Wood
Pentecostal Evangel Summer Reads Edition, June 5, 2011
http://www.pe.ag.org/

"Stay With You"

"Stay With You"

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

Occasionally, when I am around my little granddaughter and it is time for her to leave, she will decide she doesn't want to leave. She will come to me and say, "I want to stay with you". She doesn't want to go home with her mother or daddy, but she wants to stay with me instead. As a grandmother that blesses my heart so much, makes me feel good and brings me lots of joy because at that moment she is saying that there is no place she would rather be than with me. I wonder how much the heart of our Heavenly Father is blessed when we have that same attitude-- "I want to stay with You".

When was the last time that you felt like my granddaughter--- toward the Lord? Are there other places you would rather be than in His presence? Are you content to just sit at His feet, like Mary? Or are you more concerned about being other places and doing other things, like Martha? One of my favorite hymns is "In The Garden". One line of the song says, "I'd stay in the garden with Him, though the night around me be falling". Is that how you feel? You long to stay with Him regardless of what may be going on around you? Does your heart yearn for His presence- to stay with Him? Or are you in a hurry to get finished with your time of communion with Him so you can rush off to do something else- something that you would rather do?

It gives me so much joy to be with my granddaughter. Do you know where I get that attitude from? My Heavenly Father- He is the same way. We are what brings Him joy. And He has great joy when we willing desire to be, and stay, with Him in His presence.

Have a great day. Where would you rather be? Staying in His presence or somewhere else?

For further reading:

James 4:8

1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19

Zephaniah 3:17

Psalm 65:4; 84:10

Luke 10:41,42

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

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

Today's Thought..About Money

A thought from the Pentecostal Evangel:

"Saving and spending money is a great way to get the things we need and
want. We can also use money to help others. But we should remember that
money isn't the most important thing. We should never value money more than
doing the right thing or treating people with love. And money isn't nearly
as important as having a right relationship with God."

"Kids Page: Money, Money/A pocketful of treasure," Christina Quick
Pentecostal Evangel Summer Reads Edition, June 5, 2011
http://www.pe.ag.org

"The Invitation"

Coffee Break "The Invitation" "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 What a wonderful invitation given to us by our Lord. He invites us to come to Him. He wants us to be in His presence. He isn't a God that is afar off. He opens the door of access to us. He makes Himself available to us. He doesn't have to. There is no reason why He should. He could keep us at a distance, but His desire is that we come to Him. Not only does He invite us to come to Him, but we can come with our burdens and the load that we are carrying. It would have been more than we could hope for just to be able to come to Him but He invites us to come when we are "not at our best", when we are feeling down, weak and discouraged. When you approach an earthly king, you are not suppose to come before him with a sad countenance. You are to approach his presence with gladness of heart. Thankfully, that is not the case with our wonderful Lord. As a matter of fact, He wants us to come before His presence when we are burdened and heavy in heart. That is the whole point of His invitation to come to Him. He wants us to come so that He can do something about our burden. He wants us to come to Him so He can give us rest; so He can wipe our tears away; so He can give us His peace. I wonder why it is that when we are under a heavy burden, going through a difficult time or feeling the pressure of trying situations, instead of going to Him we stay away or even draw back from Him. Why don't we take advantage of His invitation? Why don't we make our way into His presence? Why do we let the tears, the pain, the confusion cloud the path that leads directly to Him? This morning, you have an invitation to come to Him- the One who bears your burdens, who gives peace and rest. Are you going to reject the invitation by staying away, or will you take advantage and not only enter into His presence, but find the rest you so desperately need? Have a great day. The invitation to come into His presence is given. Are you going to come? For further reading: Psalm 34:18 Matthew 11:29,30 James 4:8 <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc. Please feel free to call (601) 833-5278 or Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org 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

What Was That Again?

What Was That Again?

by Russ Lawson

How many times have you said one thing, but someone understood you to say something else entirely? It happens doesn't it; far too often we are misunderstood. Sometimes it is because we do not communicate clearly, other times it is that the listener is not paying close enough attention.

For example: Many hymnals have a hymn called "Gladly the Cross I'd Bear."

It seems that one week when the church secretary was typing the Sunday bulletin; she asked the preacher which hymn would come just before the sermon. He replied with the hymn mentioned above, "Gladly the Cross I'd Bear."

The following Sunday the bulletin read: Hymn No. 134: "Gladly, the Cross-eyed Bear."

That's a funny story to illustrate an important point! Anyone paying attention should not have a problem understanding that there most likely were not any hymns about "Cross-eyed bears". How often however, has God spoken to us through His Word and we just didn't pay close enough attention. Yes, we have good intentions; however we are so busy, just like the rest of the world around us is. There is so much background noise in our lives that we thought we heard or read one thing; however in reality God had another message in mind for us.

It's kind of like the old fellow who was dozing in the back of the church building and the preacher said, "If you would rather serve Satan than God, then stand up and let your choice be known." Well all the old fellow caught was the "stand up," so he did. He looked around and noticed no one else was standing and said loudly, "Well preacher I don't know exactly what we're standing for, but it looks like you and I are the only ones for it."

God says through the apostle John: "This is love for God: to obey his commands" (1 John 5:3), but people seem to hear, "If you love me, you can do what ever you want, because I love you anyway." That's why I use Matthew 7:21 so often, because people just don't seem to understand that God requires a certain kind of life and morals to be acceptable to him. They think in all honesty that what they are dong is OK with God, but God says, there is a surprise coming for many people. But God says, they are going to be greatly surprised when he says I don't know you!

Far too many folks want to go to heaven without living according to God's directives and it just is not going to happen. Maybe that's why we read in the New Testament about 20 times a phrase something like what we find in Mark 7:16. Jesus says: "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear," (KJV). How about you, how well are you listening? Could it be you're still looking for the hymn about Gladly the Cross I'd Bear?

as seen in Russ Lawson's email devotional, "Messages From The Heart"

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 11.22

What Do You Hear?

What Do You Hear?

by Alan Smith

A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, "I hear a cricket."

His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!"

"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket."

"That's crazy," said the friend.

The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.

"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!"

"No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for."

"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise."

"Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you."

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.

"See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."

What's important to you? What do you listen for? Are there times that you fail to listen to God or see what God is doing in your life because you are focused on other things that are more important to you?

Jesus said, "For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear." (Matt. 13:15-16)

Amidst all the distractions of the world all around us, may our ears always be open to God's voice, and our eyes open to His glory.

This article by Alan Smith, Senior Pastor of the Helen Street Church of Christ in Fayetteville, North Carolina. You can visit his site at http://www.TFTD-online.com

From firstIMPRESSIONS Vol. 11.22

"He Rescues"

Coffee Break

"He Rescues"

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth." Psalm 145:18

This morning I woke up with one line of a song that we sing in church repeating over and over in my thoughts. "I called, You answered, and You came to my rescue." There is so much truth, hope and comfort in those few words.

When we call upon the Lord, He answers us. It doesn't matter if we call upon Him for help, for strength, for guidance, in a time of need, of trial, of adversity- He answers and comes to our aid. It doesn't matter how great the need is when we call, He does not lack in strength or ability to meet the need. How comforting to know that He will come to our rescue and not leave us on our own to try to deliver ourselves, solve our own problem or figure out a solution.

Are you in a place where you need to be "rescued" Rescued from grief, worry, fear, a financial burden, the pain of a broken relationship, confusion that continually clouds your thinking or from some besetting sin? Call upon the Lord. Trust Him to answer you. Believe that He will rescue you. Know that He loves you deeply and will not stay away from your cry. He will rescue you because when you call, the Bible says He draws near to you. When He draws near to you, then He is close enough to reach you and lift you out of whatever you are needing to be rescued from.

Have a great day. Call on the Lord, He will answer and He will rescue you.

For further reading:

Psalm 99:6; 44:6; 91:14,15

Isaiah 65:24

Jeremiah 33:3

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

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

"Whose Plan?"

Coffee Break

"Whose Plan?"

"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." Jeremiah 29:11

Our life consists of plans- one plan after another. The question is, "Whose plans are we going to follow?" We have plans for our lives- plans that will take us to bigger and better things. Other people have plans for us- they want to tell us what we should do and how we should go about doing it. The devil has plans for our lives- plans to destroy us. Then the Lord also has plans for us. Out of all those that we have listed above, the Lord is the only one who is truly qualified to make plans for us. His plans are good plans- they give us a hope and a future.

I want to ask you a question this morning, "Whose plans are you following?" If you are following the plans of the devil, you will be destroyed. If you are following someone else's plans for your life, you will wind up missing the best plan for your life. If you are following your own plans, you will eventually make a mess of your life. But if you are following the Lord's plan, you can't go wrong. His plans lead to eternal life and an abundant life while on earth. His plans are the only ones that leave us feeling fulfilled, satisfied and productive.

We have been given the freedom to choose whose plans we will follow. We can follow the wrong plans or we can follow God's plans. Perhaps you are struggling this morning with surrendering to God's plan for your life. If so, you are struggling against the one who loves you, cares about you and whose plans can only do you good and bring you lasting peace in the end. So surrender to His plan and gain hope and a future.

Have a great day. Out of all the plans that are presented to us, only God's plan can give us hope and a future.

For further reading:

John 10:10

Proverbs 3:6; 16:25

Jeremiah 10:23

Genesis 12:1,2

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

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

"The Root"

Coffee Break

"The Root"

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

When we have issues in our lives, most of us are guilty of dealing with just what we see on the surface, we never get to the root of the issue. When someone has an addiction problem, they work on the addiction. When someone has an anger problem, they work on anger management. When someone has a problem with relationships, they walk away from the relationship. They are only dealing with what is on the surface but never the real heart of the matter.

Anyone who has done any gardening- be it a vegetable garden or a flower garden- knows that when you have weeds in your garden, you don't just cut down the weed at the surface of the dirt, you have to dig up its root. If you don't, it will continue to come back and you will spend your time constantly cutting it down.

The root to these issues in our lives is "sin". So we must deal with the sin issue. We can't deal with sin on our own, we need Jesus. Jesus came to deal with sin. He took care of it at the cross. He won the victory over sin. He destroyed its work in our lives. He set us free from its captivity.

How to deal with the root? Go to God and confess your sin. Ask Him to forgive you and wash you clean from it with His blood. Once I pull up the weed that was in my garden, I am then able to work on making the plants that I want to grow healthier. Spiritually speaking, we do the same thing. We spend so much time dealing with the effects of the sin that we neglect our spiritual growth.

If you have a sin issue in your life, deal with it at the root level. Get it out of your life through the power of the blood of Jesus. Then you can work on making His fruit in your life "healthier".

Have a great day. Go straight to the root of the issue and deal with it there.

For further reading:

1 John 1:9

Matthew 1:21

Acts 5:31

Ephesians 1:7

Colossians 1:14

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

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@bellouth.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

"The Root"

Coffee Break

"The Root"

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

When we have issues in our lives, most of us are guilty of dealing with just what we see on the surface, we never get to the root of the issue. When someone has an addiction problem, they work on the addiction. When someone has an anger problem, they work on anger management. When someone has a problem with relationships, they walk away from the relationship. They are only dealing with what is on the surface but never the real heart of the matter.

Anyone who has done any gardening- be it a vegetable garden or a flower garden- knows that when you have weeds in your garden, you don't just cut down the weed at the surface of the dirt, you have to dig up its root. If you don't, it will continue to come back and you will spend your time constantly cutting it down.

The root to these issues in our lives is "sin". So we must deal with the sin issue. We can't deal with sin on our own, we need Jesus. Jesus came to deal with sin. He took care of it at the cross. He won the victory over sin. He destroyed its work in our lives. He set us free from its captivity.

How to deal with the root? Go to God and confess your sin. Ask Him to forgive you and wash you clean from it with His blood. Once I pull up the weed that was in my garden, I am then able to work on making the plants that I want to grow healthier. Spiritually speaking, we do the same thing. We spend so much time dealing with the effects of the sin that we neglect our spiritual growth.

If you have a sin issue in your life, deal with it at the root level. Get it out of your life through the power of the blood of Jesus. Then you can work on making His fruit in your life "healthier".

Have a great day. Go straight to the root of the issue and deal with it there.

For further reading:

1 John 1:9

Matthew 1:21

Acts 5:31

Ephesians 1:7

Colossians 1:14

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

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@bellouth.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

"Used In Big Ways"

Coffee Break

"Used In Big Ways"

"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:10

The cry of many Christian's hearts is that the Lord will "use them". They want to be "used" by the Lord to do great things. But each and everyday He opens up opportunities for them yet they "miss it" because they have their own idea of what that means and how they want Him to use them. Many are looking for Him to use them in some big, glamorous, open way where all can see.

Being used by God simply means "stepping up to the plate" to do whatever needs doing when it comes to your attention. One day a Samaritan was riding down a road and came upon a man who had been beaten by robbers and left for dead--- opportunity. A little servant girl discovered that her master Naaman had leprosy and told him about a prophet that could heal him-- opportunity. Giving a cup of cold water is not as small a thing as we think, it will receive a reward-- opportunity. Giving something to eat to a hungry person, or clothing to the destitute-- opportunity. Wiping the tears of the hurting, lifting up the hands of someone who is weak, a kind word when someone is feeling down, a gentle hug to someone who is feeling unloved-- opportunity.

The Lord gives us opportunities everyday to be used by Him to reach others with His love and reveal His glory. But we miss them because we are looking for some bigger, better work. Start taking time to notice what is going on around you. Look for "little" ways to touch someone's life, and do them. As you are faithful in the "little" opportunities that come your way, then the Lord can open up "bigger" opportunities.

Have a great day. Don't miss your opportunity to "be used" by the Lord because it isn't what you had in mind.

For further reading:

2 Kings 5:1-3

Matthew 10:42; 25:21

James 2:15,16

Luke 10:30-36

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

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