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SELAH Daily Devotions!

And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. 2 KINGS 7:3-5

Once again, God’s people find themselves in quite a predicament. NO! It was NOT THE DEVIL; BUT GOD, Who allowed the enemy to cage in the stiff-necked rebellious people of God! Nothing came in and nothing went out! The entire city was on lock-down!

Just wondering, has your life ever been so jacked up that you felt like you were physically, emotionally and spiritually constipated? I’m pretty sure that right about now, the wind-chill factor of the atmospheric condition in the building has shifted, huh? So I apologize for getting too real for some of you! But has your mind ever been so overwhelmed with so much stuff that your perspective became distorted by issues far beyond your control? Even if you could, you didn’t know how to get out? Have you ever been just stuck; can’t take in nothing and can’t move nothing out? Basically, your whole life seems to be shut down? Sometimes, we all need a good ol’ dose of HOLY GHOST castor oil to jump-start our lives!

God sent The Prophet Elisha to warn the people that calamity was heading their way. We tend to forget that while God is longsuffering and graciously gives us time to get it right, He is also The Righteous Judge!  Like some folk today, the people were looking to government leadership to get them out of their mess. But King Jehoram couldn’t help himself! So he rent his royal garments and clothed himself in mourning garments, attempting to convince the people that even if he didn’t know how to help, at least he was concerned for them! Uuumm sound uncomfortably familiar?

YET, when Elisha brought him a WORD from God, like some of us, when we don’t like the message, Jehoram decided to kill the messenger! But if you’re really walking with God, even in midst of a miserable situation, God will put limitations on what the enemy is able to do. It really doesn’t matter what your enemy desires to do to you, God Is Still in Control!

Ofttimes, in scripture, leprosy is symbolic of sin. Some sins can be secret, or at least we like to think so, but some is like leprosy, shows up where everybody can see it. You can’t dress it up or cover it up. It’s just out there, in plain view so everybody knows you messed up!  Have you ever felt rejected to the point that some folk avoided you like a plague, forcing you into exile? Aren’t you glad that Jesus ain’t afraid to touch you right where you’re hurting the most! No matter what you done, God still keeps calling out to you, ‘Come unto me, draw near to me, and I’ll draw near to you”!

According to today’s text, one of the lepers spoke up, “Why are we sitting here until we die? We all in the same jacked up situation! But since we got is each other, why don’t we at least come into some sort of agreement with each other? They began evaluating the situation and looking at their options. Option No. 1, “If we go into the city, there’s people but ain’t no food. We won’t die by ourselves, but we still gonna die!” Option No. 2, if we just stay here in this place we’re accustomed to, it’s familiar, but it’s still the place of no hope and no change! If we just keep doing what we’ve always done, then we gonna keep getting what we’ve always got! That’s insanity!

Option No. 3, “Surrender to the Syrian army”. Now, personally, I don’t think this would’ve been my choice, at least not right off the cuff! I mean, turning yourself over to the very ones that God was using to punish His people? Yet, sometimes, we miss the answer because it don’t look like what we’ve been expecting! But Baby, “jus cause it looks like you’re down to nothing; doesn’t mean that God is not up to something”! We still got options!

Not knowing what they were about to encounter, the lepers made a decision to do something! When they made a decision to step out on faith, they found out that God had already gone before them. Hence, while you trying to figure it out, God has already worked it out”! God had made the Syrian Army to hear “the noise’; supposing it was a great army coming after them, they got scarred and broke camp to escape The Armies of The Lord. They didn’t see nobody, but the Bible says, they heard something. #Didjaheardat?

Even when  you can’t hear God’s Voice, God can still speak to your enemies! And, suddenly, when God gets through speaking to them, they’ll drop everything they have and all you have to do is to show up in the right place, at the right time to pick up the spoil! Our God is still able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than you can ask or think.

And when you don’t know what to do, find yourself a promise in The Word to stand on while you’re waiting for God to show out! The ol’ saints used to say it like this, ‘if you take one step, he’ll take two!’ Sounds like they knew that the Lawd will make a way somehow!’ You may not be able to understand why you’re going thru, but  trust 2 know that God has already gone before you to open up a way out of no way!

Children, even if you’re scarred, be not dismayed, come on; bust a move anyhow, trusting that God will take care of you! If you can’t get up, then crawl, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t raise your hand, then move your finger, DO SOMETHING!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Good Morning Fam! GOTTA MOMENT? #ooohhhGLORRAAAA!

 

Precious Saints of The Most High God, we’re so excited that you’ve joined us today in the final Thursdays’ Corporate Fasting and Prayer for 2016!

As we entreat our Lord, we’re praying for the Saints everywhere! We understand that the enemy has launched a decree to destroy the Hope and Joy of God’s elect, particularly for the next generation! But GOD says that the violent shall pursue, recover and conquer everything that God has given us. In times like this we must remember that GOD has not left us defenseless! While The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but Mighty thru God for the pulling down strongholds! AS WE’RE PRAYING, WE’RE BELIEVING & DECREEING…

OOOOHH Sweet Wonder! Ooooh Sweet Wonder! Jesus! The Son of God! Ooooh Sweet Wonder! Ooooh Sweet Wonder! JESUS, THE SON OF GOD! FATHER, I stretch my hand to THEE! No other help I know! If THY withdraw THYSELF from me…where shall I go…
Abba Father, as we come before You today, In the Magnificent, All Powerful Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus, we’re determined to rejoice, praise and thank You for blessing us to see this day of 2016! Looking back, we know that it was no goodness of our own but solely Your Benevolence that has allowed us to yet be here to enjoy the abundance of Your Mercy, Your Grace, Your Power and Your Peace! Hence, our testimony is, that while 2016 has lead all of us through many dangers, toils and snares, You have kept us, covered in Your Faithful Love! Leaning and depending on The Sovereignty of Your Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotence, we’ve been able to overcome every obstacle and are yet standing!

Father, as bow, in Holy reverence before you today, we shall never fail to bless You for that Awemazing day that You touched us, opening our hearts, enabling us to recognize and receive the saving Grace in the Life, Death, Burial and Resurrection of Your Son, Jesus! We are fully persuaded that while there was absolutely nothing in us lovable nor worthy of this honor and privilege, because it pleased You, You choose us to be Your very own children!

Lord Jesus, we declare and decree that You Alone deserve all of The Glory, Honor & Praiz! For by Your Own Hand, You wrought Salvation, Deliverance, Breakthrough and Provision. We’re eternally grateful that, knowing our frame,Your Faithful Compassion continuously allows You to look beyond our human frailties, faults, iniquities and failures, seeing and yet ministering to every one of our need all day every day! Hallelujah!!!!

Abba Father, as we submit our hearts to Your watchful Eye, we offer up thanksgiving laced with precious praises to You today, for we revere and extol You as The Only Wise Savior and Lord of Life! While our future remains a mystery, we have courageous confidence that by Your Grace, You have equipped us with everything that we need to carry us through the days ahead, one day at a time.
Lord Jesus, You already know everything that’s happening in each of our lives, our families, our communities, our nation, therefore, we’re so grateful that You are yet in absolute control of all things! Father while we slept safely in our homes last night, somewhere in this world there were shootings, robberies, accidents and all manner of maladies, therefore we thank You, for keeping us alive! We’re fully persuaded that even amidst these days of impending chaos, anxiety, fear, confusion, deception and destruction, the safest place in this whole world is still in YOUR PERFECT WILL!

Father, touch our brother, touch our sister whose body has been afflicted by sickness and disease, especially the spirit of cancer, high/low blood pressure, heart disease, kidney, lung failure, satanically induced depression/oppression/addictions and rebuke and cast it out at the root, for Your Name Sake. Lord, your Word declares that your stripes have redeemed and healed us and we’re yet standing on your promises that the prayer of faith shall save the sick and raise them up, In Jesus Name!

Precious Lord, we ‘re believing that while we’re experiencing an unexpected shaking of this nation and the entire world, that appears that everything is falling apart, we have Your assurance that everything is falling right in place! You are setting up a massive exodus and deliverance!

Abba Father, because no man can come to the You except you draw them, we’re believing that a Spirit of Godly-repentance is swelling up all over this world resulting in the saving of multitudes of lost souls! Those who have walked away from You are being re-claimed today and will come running back into Your outstretched arms and receive You as their personal Lord and Savior! We’re trusting Holy Spirit is imparting a ‘COMMITED YES’ in their hearts and in their minds, blessing, directing and settling them into a local church home today, where they will be encouraged, nurtured, taught and their lives transformed by The Glory of The Lord! We’re believing that all of our unsaved loved ones and friends will be saved in the year 2017 and join our Eternal Family!

Lord, we pray for all who’re going thru a season of grief due to the lost of a loved one, those whose lives have been victimized and bankrupted by divorce, lost of employment, disappointment, hopelessness and despair! We plead the Blood of Jesus over demonic suicidal thoughts, Spirits of anxiety, oppression, depression and confusion, because we know that You are not the author of these confusing demonic thoughts and feelings, but You have given us, who have put our personal trust in Your Son Jesus, Your Righteousness, Love and Joy in The Holy Ghost!

Abba Father, as we entreat Your Presence, we lift up every believer yet holding on to your Hand by faith today, that you will release a double anointing of Your Divine Peace, Power, Supernatural strength, provision, prosperity and protection. Heavenly Father, we’re trusting You to strengthen and presevere us thru every test that You’ve allowed, confidently assured that You will bring us out restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward us as You have promised in your Word! Lord, as we walk through the valleys overshadowed with death, we pray that You anoint us, for such a time as this, with supernatural confidence, courageous empowerment and an overwhelming consciousness of Your Abiding Presence and the immutability of Your Word!

Heavenly Father, according to Your Will, we pray obediently, for the leaders of our nation, government, corporate, judicial, education, financial institutions and our churches! We’re believing You will touch their minds and break up the fallow hearts, speak to them in dreams and visions, let them know that You Who Sit Enthroned Above the Heavens is keeping record of the deeds of every man’s heart and will reward accordingly!

Father, as we lift up our spiritual leaders, we’re asking a special blessing upon each and every one of them who are yet standing on the wall proclaiming Your Word under the conviction and anointing of Holy Spirit. We pray that you will Grace them to be the examples in their homes, churches and community that will cause everyone who comes into contact with them to fall in love, trust wholly in and to live their lives serving You, Our Heavenly Father.

We pray, Heavenly Father, that You will stir up the hearts and minds of those who are professing Your Name,  increasing their desire to make our election sure, walking circumspectly in pursuit of an even greater personal, intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father through fellowship of Holy Spirit that we might prove what is the perfect and acceptable Will of The Lord Jesus for our lives!

Father we pray that every demonic-induced spirit of fear, failure, hopelessness and disappointment be defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and a Sound-mind be released now, in Jesus Name! We’re trusting that each morning of this new year Your children will awaken with assured grace to accomplish every assignment and earnest hope-filled tomorrows!

Father we now wait in confidence and quietness, trusting wholly that all workers of iniquity are suddenly trembling and departing in shame and defeat, because You have heard the voice of our weeping, our supplications and received our prayer as a sweet savor coming up before Your Sovereign Throne of Grace and Mercy!

Abba Father, we stand in agreement with You Who hears ours prayers and forgives our transgressions! Holy Father, because You have chosen us and brought us near to live in Your House, we shout with joy unto The One to Whom all men will come! We bow in obedient reverence before The Hope of all the earth, believing that as Your face shines upon us that, You are making Your ways and salvation known among all nations for You Guide and Rule justly!

Father, we thank You NOW, for WE believe that it is done! In The Exalted Name of Jesus. Amen 3X and It Is So!
Now every child of God who is standing in agreement with this prayer, GO TELL SOMEBODY THAT JESUS STILL LOVES and CARES FOR THEM 2!  HAVE A HOLY, HAPPY, PROSPEROUS & PRODUCTIVE 2017!

SELAH!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

GOOD MORNING Saints of The Most High! GOTTA MOMENT! AWEMAAZIN!

We’re so glad that you’ve joined us, once again, in our Thursdays’ Corporate Prayer and Fasting! We’re living in perilous times that vex even the souls of God’s Elect, nevertheless The Holy Bible promises that the effectual fervent prayers, of those who trust in The Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, shall make tremendous power available to prevail in the day of adversity! 

Just another day, that The Lord has kept me! Just another day, that The Lord has kept me! He has kept me from all evil, with my mind stayed on JESUS! Just another day….that….The Lord….Has kept me!  He’s a WONDER, in my soul, He’s a WONDER, in my soul, He’s a WONDER, IN MY SOUL, BLESS HIS NAME! HE’S A WONDER, IN MY SOUL…HE’S A WONDER, IN MY SOUL, HE’S A WONDER, IN MY SOUL…BLESSSSSS, BLESSSSS, BLESS HIS NAME! Let’s pray…
Almighty GOD, as we bow our heads and our hearts to thank You for this day we honor our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for the privilege that’s so graciously afforded us to enter into Your Throne Room finding Mercy and Grace to help in the time of need! Confident that You welcome us, we rejoice earnestly expecting that You are indeed listening to our prayers!
Heavenly Father, we thank You for our being able to see, and to hear, and to speak, and to feel, and to taste of Your goodness today and every day!

We’re blessed because You, being Holy and Righteous, continue to be such a loving, forgiving GOD, and such an understanding and caring Father. You have done so much for us, inspite of us… and You keep on blessing us. Lord forgive us this day for everything we have done, or said or thought that was not pleasing to You. Abba Father, we are sincerely sorry and humbly repent, asking for Your forgiveness trusting in Your Promise that You are Faithful and Just to give us, cleanse us in The Precious Blood of Jesus and restore our rightstanding as Your own children!

Sweet Jesus, we thank You for being The God of our Creation, Salvation,  Redemption, Deliverance, Breakthrough and Provision. We’re eternally grateful that because, knowing our fickled frame, Your Faithful Compassion allows You to look beyond our human frailties, faults and iniquities to see and minister to all of our need!

We pray, from a heart open to, depending and relying only on You, that Your outstretched Hand will touch us, renewing our strength, understanding and power to do those things that please You!

We pray that as Your eyes continuously search the hearts of mankind that You save the unsaved, put a sincere YES in their heart and in their mind that they will come to you today and receive You as their Lord and Savior! Lord Jesus, reclaim every back-slider, that has for whatever reason walked away from You. Stir up a Spirit of Righteousness in their hearts that provokes them to declare a committed YES! Order their steps to a local church home; place and settle them where they can be nurtured and encouraged to live out the rest of their lives exemplifying Your Grace and Glory in the midst of the depraved darkness of this world! In Jesus Name, Amen 3x!

Father, by faith, we commit our children, our children’s children into Your providential care! Lord, we realize that You have a plan and purpose for their lives too and we have the blessed assurance that their steps are yet being ordered by Your eyes!

Heavenly Father, stir up the hearts and minds of those who are professing Your Name that they will have a desire for an even greater personal, intimate relationship with Creator God through fellowship of Holy Spirit that they might prove what is the perfect and acceptable will of The Lord Jesus!

Father, we’re asking You to touch our brother, touch our sister whose bodies has been afflicted by all manner of sickness and disease, especially the spirit of cancer, high/low blood pressure, heart disease, kidney, lung failure, satanically induced depression/oppression/addictions and rebuke and cast it out at the root, for Your Name Sake! Lord, YOUR infallable WORD has decreed that the stripes that Jesus bore on His back has already redeemed and healed us and we’re yet standing on Your Eternal Authority as Creator and Ruler of the Ages, that the prayer of faith shall save the sick and raise them up, In Jesus Name!

Lord, please remember those who are being overlooked, held down and even abused by racial prejudice in this world. We’re believing You to intervene on our behalf, releasing miraculous Favor and Prosperity, unexpected promotions, opening up opportunities for entrepreneurship, increased education grants, lower interest mortgage rates, debt cancellations, book contracts and overturning legal decisions that unjustly confine us to biased judicial systems and give us the victory!

We ask that you continue to open the eyes of understanding so that Your people are not easily deceived by those who would desire to entrap your children in bondage once again to anything that You have delivered us from.

Knowing that You Sovereignly Rule and Reign over the affairs of mankind and absolutely nothings happens in this earth that takes You by surprise,  give us Your Peace that passes all understanding. While we may not know what tomorrow will bring, we take comfort, trusting in Your Word that You will never leave us nor forsake us! We praise and thank You for our President Obama and his family! We’re trusting that You will continue to cover him as You strengthen his personal relationship with You! Order his steps,  protect his family so that no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper and that his place of prominence in Your eternal destiny is secure.

Father, we lift up every government official, education, financial, judicial, health care and spiritual leader, asking a special miracle for each and every one of them who are yet standing on the wall proclaiming Your Word under the conviction and anointing of Holy Spirit. Father, we’re trusting and believing You to Grace them to be the examples in their homes, churches and community that will cause everyone who comes into contact with them to fall in love, trust wholly in and live their lives serving You!

Lord, we pray for every believer who is yet stretching their hands out to you,  clinging on to Your Hand, by faith today, that You will release Divine power, Supernatural strength and health, provision, prosperity and protection. We pray also Father, that You will preserve them thru the challenges ahead, and bring us out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward as You have promised as our inheritance according to Your Word.

Abba Father, as we pray, we declare and decree that every demonic-induced spirit of fear, failure, rejection, hopelessness and disappointment is defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Soundness of mind is being released now, in Jesus Name! We’re trusting that each morning Your children will awaken empowered with Assuring Grace to accomplish every assignment and as they lay down, they shall rest peacefully every nite, confident of earnest hope-filled tomorrows!

Father, we rejoice now in confidence and quietness, trusting wholly that all workers of iniquity are trembling and suddenly departing in shameful defeat, because You have heard the voice of our weeping, our supplications and received our prayers as a sweet savor coming up before Your Sovereign Throne of Grace and Mercy!

Father, because we know that You are still The MIRACLE MAKER, we thank, honor and praise You NOW, BELIEVING that every spoken and unspoken request and supplication that has been offered up before You today… IS DONE! IN THE EXALTED NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST! AMEN 3X!

Now, every soul that is standing in agreement, SEAL THIS PRAYER BY ENCOURAGING ONE SOMEBODY, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT JESUS DOES CARE!

SELAH!

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PUT A PRAIZ ON IT!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Luke 1:45-47

Have you ever wondered why it’s so much easier to clasp, with such enthusiasm, the worldly fables such as Hercules, Spider Man, The Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus and yet struggle to embrace the reality of The Unseen God? WOW!  Don’t shout me down, now…#ijs!

I suppose it has a lot to do with the other concept that folk have a tendency to deny, huh? Yall do know that everybody doesn’t believe that there’s a real devil that’s out to kill, still and destroy God’s most precious creation, humanity! Belief it or not, it’s still True! Nevertheless, our common enemy, Satan, knows that if we ever slip over into the realm of Faith to believe God, it releases God to do whatever He’s spoken over your life! Beloved, your potential to receive is only limited by what you’re able to believe! (Ref. Hebrew 11:6)

But Thanks Be To God! Our Heavenly Father, The Eternal Creator and Sustainer of Life has the uncanny ability to ignore what you and I think we know and do whatever HE purposes to do! Hence, therein lies the root of our challenge, looking beyond what we see and believing  and trust whateverrrr God says, huh?

The virgin, Mary’s statement typifies our innate tendency to swallow a camel but choke on a gnat! “How can this be since I know not a man” (Luke 1:34) But! We don’t have to be so hard on ourselves! We have lots of pressure from unseen forces to persuade us to focus on the insurmountable circumstantial evidence, personal deficits, past disappointments, failures and mistakes strategically designed to keep us from believing the Promises of God shall actually come to pass!

Howeverrrr! We must never underestimate The Immutable, Infallible, Absolute Reliability of The Word of God’s Power! (Ref. Hebrews 1:3) When God speaks, HE has the power to make it good! Every Word that God utters shall (cannot) fall to the ground. It MUST accomplish what it is sent to do and it shall not return unto Him void! (Ref. Isaiah 55:11)

If God has to interrupt nature to bring His Promise to pass, so be it! Ask Elizabeth and Zachariah! God had promised Israel that He was going to send The Messiah that they’d prayed for to deliver them from their oppressors and save His people from their sin ! Yet, when Zachariah heard the angel’s message that his wife, who’d been called barren, would conceive and bring forth his son, because of his doubt, he scoffed at this strange promise. “Now that don’t make no sense, how can such a thing happen? Therefore, God had to shut Zachariah’s mouth to keep him from spreading unbelief! Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:31 OMG! 

Sounds uncomfortably familiar, huh? Have you ever asked God for something but doubted that He’d do it?

Even if God goes silent for 400 hundred years, He doesn’t change His Mind! Trust to know…God remembers what He’s already told you, so don’t you forget! Like Mary, just keep calling those things that be not as though they already are! And watch God manifest it!  (Ref Luke 1:36) And in the fullness of time, God broke protocol and The Word became flesh and dwelt among us! (Ref. Galatians 4:4; John 1:14)

Beloved, God heard your prayers! Hold on to The Promise and leave the rest to Jesus! Is there ANYTHING too hard for God? ABSOLUTELY NOT! So defy and denounce Satan’s lies! Didjaknow?  Beloved, when you believe and trust God, you can wreak havoc and confusion upon the kingdom of darkness by praising JESUS…through the test!

NOW…OPEN YOUR MOUTH…OOOOHHH MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME AND LET US EXALT HIS NAME TOGETHER! IT’S ALL GOOD! #putapraizonIT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

MY CUP

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. Matthew 20:22-23

WOW! I’ll never forget that look that came across her face when I innocently reiterated that jealousy, envy, coveting and competitiveness had no place amongst the Saints of God! Was I really that naive or was I simply rightly dividing The Word of Truth? Either way, I must admit that there’s a whole lotta this stuff going on in the Body of Christ. And apparently, it started long before we came in, huh?

According to our scripture text, even those who literally walked with Jesus from the beginning of His Earthly ministry until His Ascension didn’t understand the real mission of The Kingdom of God in the earth. Mrs. Zebedee, the mother of James and John, went to Jesus, supposedly to worship Him, but was actually trying to get a hook-up for her boys. Seems like the more things change, the more they stay the same, huh? Hence, believe it or not, there are still folk today who play the same kinda religious games. Perpetrating, as if they’re following Jesus, but knowing their true motives,  Jesus also knows them that are His! Sunday after Sunday, folk will pack out churches everywhere; unfortunately, not out of a genuine personal love for Him or pure adoration for Who He Is, nor in sincere appreciation for all that He’s done, but rather for what they can get out of it! As if God is a Sugar Daddy! #Don’tshoutmedown! #ijs

Jesus warning the Mother, ‘be careful what you wish for, you just might get it! And chances are it won’t look like anything you thought it would.’ As a parent, naturally, we want our children to be successful, however, our personal desires must never take precedence over praying for God’s specific Will for their lives!

Turning to The Sons of Thunder, Jesus asked, ‘Can you drink the cup I’m going to drink?’ Both responded in ignorant arrogance, (having no idea what the true cost of The Anointing entailed) “We can!”  Finally, Jesus told them in so many words, ‘Ok, be it done unto you as you have said!’ And as history records, indeed they would! James would be imprisoned and eventually executed and John would be exiled for spreading The Gospel of The Kingdom!

Looking from the sidelines, perhaps bedazzled by the illusion of glitz and glamor, one might misinterpret the Glory of Transformation! (Ref. 1 Peter 1:16-18)  The lust for power, fame and wealth has lured many a soul to judge, criticize, complain and even compare themselves to someone that God’s using to carry out His Plan! However, wisdom suggests that until you’ve actually walked in their shoes, you don’t know the contents of the cup and the weight of the cross they’ve borne to prepare them for the Crown! Remember, to whom much is given, much is required!

Consequently,  21st Century Millenniums, who ascribe to the dictates of a ‘instant-gratification-go-getter-Burger King’ contemporary society, are ill-prepared for the challenges incurred while waiting on The Lord to promote them! In fact,  there are many who seek positions without persecution! Could this be the reason for so much back-biting, brown-nosing, coveting and competitions in churches, huh? You do know that  a slick suit, dob hat, pointed-toe leather shoes and an alligator briefcase does not denote a personal relationship with God anymore than carrying a BIG Bible, drapping your body in a prayer shawl, and wearing Red-Bottom  7 inch Stilettos equate one’s anointing?  That’s not what The Bible means by, ‘count up the cost’!  #4REAL!

Looking into The Cup, tasting the bitterness, seeing the pressure of Gethesemane, nevertheless, Jesus humbled Himself to the tyranny of human hatred, the bruising inflicted by the cat-of-nine tails, the shameful slander and mockery of His accusers, enduring the painful piercing of crucifixion, the unspeakable agony of being separated from His Father’s Presence, went through Hell for The Glory of redeeming you and I back  into rightstanding  with The God of Compassionate Grace and Mercy!  (Ref. Matthew 26:39) #Didjaheardat?

Beloved, Jesus’s Life was an illustrated sermon to teach us that real ministry means submitting to the process, making a courageous commitment to stand up for Jesus  in the face of testing and trials and power and authority based on serving rather than being served! Right? Question is, are you really willing to drink from His cup to follow Him?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

LOST & FOUND

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. Luke 15:20-24
The Gospels record 35 times that Jesus uses parables as a teaching aid. Literally, a parable is a story “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth. In today’s vernacular a parable is as an inspired comparisons, or simply put an earthly story with a heavenly meaning!

Unlike like so many 21st Century preachers,  Jesus wasn’t just trying to spice up the message to keep the crowds entertained. His parables had a two-fold purpose. First, to reveal the truth to those who wanted to know it and to conceal the truth from those who were indifferent! You see, Jesus already knew that everybody who followed Him didn’t do so for the same reason. People are still people, huh?

You do know that everybody who comes into the church building doesn’t come looking to know Jesus, right? Some come just for a ‘kidz-size happy meal and a prize’! While others, like the Pharisee and the scribes, only come to pick up a few stones to throw at Jesus. Notice how they accused Jesus, “Look at Him, This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Spiritually blinded by their preconceived biases, Jesus already knew that they would dismiss His parables as irrelevant nonsense.  Yet, there were also a few sincere seekers of Truth who would eventually receive insight and reap the benefit and comfort of His Words!

Anything that you respect and honor you will pursue! Perhaps, that’s why the Pharisees could not understand why Jesus cared about ‘tax collectors and sinners’. Yall know how you go off when you can’t find your keys or the remote control. You put out an all-points-bulletin and nobody in the house can get any relief until it’s found! When you really desire something with all of your heart, mind, spirit and soul, whatever it takes to get it, is worth it all!

The text says that The Shepherd is so excited that He’s found the sheep that He throws a party to celebrate the safe return and everyone around Him is rejoicing with Him! (Ref. Luke 15:6-7)  Imagine that! I know we don’t get excited when folk get saved anymore, huh? But that’s exactly what happened back-n-da-day!

The next story is about a woman who loses a coin and refusing to give up, she searches until nightfall. Desperately she’s turning every piece of furniture upside-down, looking between the cushions on the sofa, behind the refrigerator, until she found it. You can imagine the joy and the relief she experience when she found it! (Ref. Luke 15:8-9)

This chapter ends with a the more familiar parable of the Prodigal Son! Sometimes we can get so caught up in the drama of the son’s partaayin so hard until he ended up in the pigs pen, that we miss the intensity of The Father’s Love and Compassion for his lost child. This is a picture of The Heavenly Father’s response to those who have yet to accept the glorious gift of Salvation purchased by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ! This is why God pursues sinners and why everyone of us should rejoice when a repented sinner returns to the sheepfold.

Recovering a lost sinner requires effort and patience! However, often times we develop an acute case of selective spiritual amnesia and forget what it took for us to get our testimony, huh? Do you know that most sinners have no idea that God is looking for them and even fewer believe that He loves them?  When you look at what Jesus gave up to save us, how should those of us, who call ourselves His disciples, be any less engaged in searching for the poor souls who have yet to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord! #ijs! No, it’s not always easy but  gratefully JESUS believed the reward  well worth the effort!

Shamefully, too many Believers still think that soul winning is the Pastors and Evangelist job! But that’s not what The Bible says! ‘And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation’ 2 Cor. 5:18

Jus wondering, what are you doing to bring the lost to Jesus? Are you content to enjoy the privileges of being saved? Is your heart burdened for those who are still lost? Are you willing to get up off the padded pew of do nothing and go into the field and hunt for those who are still outside of the house? (Ref. Matthew 9:37) If Jesus still associates with sinners, why don’t you? WOW! LOST & FOUND!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

1 WORD

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ONE WORD

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
Lamentations 3:57

Some saints would have you to believe that since they’ve been saved, they’ve never experienced a moment of fear, grief or despair. Oh, yall know what I mean! Listening to their church testimony, you’d think that all their days were ‘goody, goody and howdy, howdy, cascading down tulip filled pathways’!  Okay, well Bless God, let me be the first to raise both my hands and confess, I not there yet. I guess I’m still a work in progress! But perhaps, I am not the only one, huh?

According to our text, Jeremiah, aka The Weeping Prophet, came to realize that neither his great love for nor his faithful obedience to God exempted him from suffering depression, sorrow and fear. Ironically, Jeremiah’s tears didn’t stem from personal defiance but rather the insolence of his fellow-countrymen. The prophet’s heart was broken and burdened because his beloved nation was facing imminent destruction due to their continuous rebellion against God.

Instead of God’s chosen people gratefully heeding Jeremiah’s warnings, the Prophet’s concern was repeatedly met with murderous bitter resentment. Jeremiah was beaten severely, thrown into an empty cistern, and left to die for daring to tell the people the Truth. According to the scriptures, there Jeremiah called out to God and God responded with  A GRACE WORD … ‘fear not!’

While there’s some degree of solace in knowing we, the Elect of God, are in this world, BUT we’re not of this world, nonetheless we, like Jeremiah, will also endure times of suffering due to the ungodliness of others. The degradation of morality and diminishing respect for life in general, often lead us down into pits of muck and miry clay. Relationships drive us to the edge and end of ourselves, through valleys of ‘don’t know what else we can do’ and onto the intersection of ‘helpless to change our condition’—yet we are never without this Hope—our deliverance is always just a prayer away! One short faith-filled “HELP ME, LORD JESUS!” releases The Power and The Glory of God—right on time, every time!

In the midst of your turmoil, has God ever whispered a Rhema Word  into your belly that instantly checked your spirit, jump started your hope and restored your peace, right?  Just One Word can flip the script, strengthen your heart, renew your mind, quicken your faith, stir up the Holy Ghost, Who empowers you with that second wind that catapults you to run on, convinced that, ‘Yeah Baby! WE GOT THIS!’ (Ref. Isaiah 40: 30-31)

Don’t be scarred! God’s near! Let Hell know WHO YOU KNOW, WHOSE YOU ARE AND WHOM YOU SERVE!

Oh yeah! ONE WORD FROM GOD CHANGES EVERYTHING!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

THE NIGHT SHIFT!

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the-night-shift

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:4

 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.  Genesis 28:15 ESV

 

Whether you’ve been walking with Jesus for a long time or just recently made your decision to follow Christ, none of us are excluded from faith’s stresses, test and trials! If you don’t have a clue about what I’m talking about, may I draw from dem ol’ skool Mothers’ terminology, “Baby, jus keep getting up in the mornin’ and going to bed at night, sooner or later you will encounter a season in your life when you’ll feel as though God has left you in the valley of the shadows of death to fend for yourself!”

I understand that this kinda theology may seem a bit strange, (not to mention unbiblical, after all we live in the Dispensation of Grace) to some Millenniums who’ve been spoon fed Gospel-Lite-Prosperity pablum prepared by the more sophisticated-socially-acceptable-all-ingratiating-all-inclusive preachers! But check The Book, it’s still in there! “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” 1 Peter 4:12

Yet! When you’re forced to trample through the turbulence terrains of this life, know, that your Heavenly Father is not a dead-beat absentee Father. God has left His Eternal Word as a Light to the 21st Century Saints! Hence, The Word of God is still well able to comfort, strengthen and encourage those who seek Him!

Precious ones, perhaps, at this reading, you find yourself smack-dab-in-the-middle of a loooonnnnggg night of overwhelming fear and anxiety,  yet Truth remains! Even when you’re unable  to trace God’s Face or feel His Hand, trust His Heart!

Sometimes, we’re so focused on the trauma of the moment that we forget that we have a real enemy who delights in secretly launching attacks against God’s elect, under the cloak of darkness with his diabolical wiles, strategically aimed to diminish your confidence and trust in God!  Nevertheless,  don’t fall for the okey-doke…Satan ain’t running nothing! Your God is Sovereignly watching over you 24/7! He never naps! Day and night are the same to Him! Every step you take is Divinely-ordered by The Lord! He’s already gone before you preparing designated rest areas along the road to revive and re-energize our spirit and soul! #Didjaheardat? IT’S TRUE!

Beloved, when it seems as if everything is falling apart, Holy Spirit says, ‘It’s falling right in place’! Abba Father is weaving each piece of your life together for your greatest good and His Highest Glory! And at the appointed time, He will flip it over to display His Magnificent Masterpiece! (Ref. Romans 8:28)

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2

Like Jacob, as we continue our pilgrimage through the gross darkness of this fallen world en route to the celestial city, we may all proclaim of our Savior “The God that led me all my life long” works THE NIGHT SHIFT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

HOPE UNDER SEIGE!

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hope-under-seige

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them. I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. Jeremiah 32:38-41

 

As a child, I vaguely remember a glimpse of pride swelling up inside whenever I heard someone say,‘this is the GREATEST nation in the world’! I suppose that’s what they mean by ‘let’s make this nation great…again, huh? But, that was before I became abruptly aware that there were two nations co-existing in one! #ijs

According to historical accounts, Courage and Confidence was once the hallmark of our nation! Yet, some say that the infamous catastrophic events of 911 has radically stripped away this lofty heritage and the hope-filled future legacy  that was once ascribed to the land of the power, peace and prosperity is now being besieged by the rampant rage of darkening clouds of an evil foreboding fear, doubt, anxiety, stress, guilt, shame, confusion and condemnation!

Well, it’s not my intent to debate the inevitable result of widespread deviation from the moral standards as defined by The Holy Bible. Howeverrrr, may I submit for your consideration, that without a holy reverence, a clear vision and a Divine impartation of understanding of WHO GOD IS & WHAT HE REQUIRES OF US, people’s strength will fail and their expectations of security perishes! The past has proven that without the restraint of law and order, destruction prevails! Well, like the ol’ skool preacha used to say, “I jus lost half my churrch!” Seriously?

Honestly, when we don’t understand Whose we are, we’ll be inclined to doubt God’s ability and even His willingness to help us. Void of genuine hope and unable to trust God’s Unfailing Love, we instinctively depend upon self to take care of our needs and satisfy the desires of our own hearts. And we all know how that turns out, right?

But those of us who dare to risk resentment, ridicule and rejection from those who will slander our righteousness, labeling us as unloving and intolerant, WE DEFY the prevailing opinions of the worldly in favor of the guidelines of the Ancient Landmarks, rejoice in hope, fully persuaded that if we suffer for Christ sake, we shall also reign with Him!  #CANIGETANGOODAMEN?

Through faith and hope, TRUE WORSHIPERS develop a singleness of -heart and mind, stemming from personal intimacy with The Lord Jesus Christ whereby we experience the Abiding Presence of God, trusting wholly in His Sustaining Grace!

Instead of conforming to the ways of the world, believers don’t bail out! Hence, in the face of the calamity and chaotic circumstances, we stand steadfast, rooted and grounded in The Promises, Provision and Power, persevering in the midst of devastation, famine and plagues, confident that we’re covered! Remember Goshen, God’s Protected Place? (Ref. Exodus 8:22)

Beloved, trust 2 know that when it looks like your world is falling apart, look again! Don’t allow fear to drain your faith! From Heaven’s perspective, everything is falling right in place!  Remember, Jesus has already gone into Tomorrow to prepare a table before you, right in the presence of your enemies! (Ref. Psalm 23:5) #Didjaheardat?

IT AIN’T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, K? YOU GOTTA HOPE BEYOND THIS WORLD!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

SLAVE 2 HOPE!

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African black hands in chains on white

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”…being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. Romans 4:18, 21

 

Do you remember, as a child, ever being warned by your parents (supposing to avoid the pain of disappointment),“Don’t get your hopes up”? For many of us, the devil was laying a foundation for years of pessimism, doubt, unbelief, hopelessness, low self-esteem, depression and despair! WOW! Who Knu?

Ever wonder why God told us not to walk by our feelings? Well, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably accumulated enough regrets, resulting from poor choices you’ve made listening to your fickle-feelings, to realize how irrational flesh can be, huh?

Let’s set the record straight! Sometimes, it’s difficult to ascribe a tag to feelings; feelings jus are! Directed by proper motivation, feelings are good! That’s why we need the Spirit of Discernment! Remember, when out of no where, you felt that bleep that kept on bleeping up  out of your spirit and something told you…‘don’t go that way, stop right now and turn around or call so-and-so, pray for him now?

Unfortunately, more often than not, we’re tempted to dismiss things if it doesn’t fit within the realm of our logic. Kinda like Abram’s first response to the burning bush! Yet, something pricked his curiosity to closely investigate and ultimately leading him into a personal encounter with The Supernatural Almighty God!

Abram over-ruling emotions and human reasoning, choosing to consider not what he could see (circumstantial evidence) but rather believed and reached for what was not seen! That was faith, yall!

Now, the world looks at this and calls it foolishness, weakness and denial! However, the scriptures reveal that Abram was clearly aware that except by Divine Intervention, it was impossible for a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman to conceive and birth a child! Because God does nothing in the earth until He gets a man to come into agreement with Him, have you ever wondered what if Abram and Sarai had continued to jus laugh off the promised as an impossible pipe-dream, if perhaps…???

No doubt over the next 25 loonnng years, Abram faced many demonic challenges tempting him to give up his hope of  living to see the manifestation of such a miraculous feat. Yet, against all hope, Abraham hope on! Oooh Glorraa2GAWD! God testified that because Abram believed that His God had the power to shift nature and call those things that be not as though they were, Abraham received the Promise and thus became the Father of our faith!

Howeverrr, how often have we insisted upon ignoring that still small voice of conscience to satisfy feelings of our own lusting, self-centered emotions driven by fear of ‘What if and What’s in it for me’? Even if it means forfeiting our Hope and God’s Peace?  OMG! The next time, perhaps we need to re-think before we act on them, huh? #ijs

Beloved, HONESTLY! This walk of faith that GOD EXPECTS is NOT REALLY all that unreasonable when your HOPE is firmly rooted and ground in Jesus Alone, consistently trusting, wholly relying upon HIS Supernatural Grace to strengthened us to walk out our faith, looking unto JESUS, obeying HIS teachings and patiently awaiting HIM to fulfill every Promise that HE has ever spoken over our lives! #Didjaheardat? SLAVE2HOPE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee