Category Archives: communion

KNOWING GOD KNOWS

1 Reply

KNOWING GOD KNOWS

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this, I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth. (1 Kings 17:24)
We’ve all heard it, probably said it ourselves! ‘We found Jesus’, as if He was lost, huh? It’s God who initiates the search and orchestrates the circumstances for the encounter. Truthfully, no man can know GOD except GOD reveals GODSELF.

I know we don’t often hear it preached these days; howeverrr, The Holy Scriptures still reveal to man The Wisdom of God! According to Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

God has so wondrously fashioned man so that the ultimate fulfillment of life can only be consummated through his pursuit of intimacy with his Creator! Unfortunately only a few are driven to forsake the lure of this world’s glitz and glamour to tread the least traveled remote pathways. But every once in a while, a isolated sojourner will catch a glimpse of The Hope that placing ones personal trust in Jesus makes available to any man!

But what is the fear of God? It’s the awe-inspiring adoring response to His Divine Character, HOLY (absolute sinlessness) and the reality of His Omnipotent Omniscient Omnipresence!

Only a fool denies the existence of GOD.(Ref. Psalm 14:1) Still too many, by failing to acknowledge Him, refusing to bow to His Majesty in their faithful obedient service, are determined to attain righteousness through their own understanding of good and acceptable behavior. And we all know how that turns out, k?

Today’s text illustrates God’s unmerited compassion to a widow in the midst of a distressing situation who dared to dismiss the visible, grab hold to the invisible (unseen to the natural eye) and take God at His Word!

Her initial response to the Prophet Elijah’s request and her acknowledgement of His God shows a measure of faith. When she did what the Man of God had required, she demonstrated that her faith had rose to another level. However, when she personally experienced the miraculous power of God by the resurrection of her son from the claws of death, her faith took an obvious quantum leap. It’s one thing to hear others testify of God’s Supernatural Power; but when you experience His Glory for yourself, you enter an exclusively different dimension of faith!

As believers in Christ, our earnest heart cry ought to be that everyone come to know who Jesus really is. But the reality is, that it’s incumbent upon each individual to pursue their own intimate personal relationship with the Creator. This relationship is only accessible through knowing The God Who Knows us!

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12

While the gods of this world work relentlessly to distract us away from seeking a personal revelation of Our Loving Father,  we must always remember, that our enemies can do absolutely nothing, except God allows! Hence, as The Good Shepherd safely guides us through the fires, floods and the storms of this life, these experiences allow us to gain a fresh insight into the length, dept and width of His Loving Kindness and the Sufficiency of His Grace to any who demonstrates personal trust in Him through a lifestyle of faithful obedience!

It’s perfectly acceptable to seek wisdom; but understand this, Godly Wisdom is ONLY cultivated through KNOWING GOD KNOWS! #PEACETHRUINTIMACY

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

MY BFF!

1 Reply

MY BFF

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

 

Being next to the oldest of seven kids, I can’t remember exactly when the desire for personal playmates sprouted. Perhaps, that’s why my social skills were noticeably under-developed when it came to fitting in with ‘other than sibling’ cliques. I guess you’d call that shyness, huh? Needless to say, I was generally the least likely to be picked first in just about everything! Every now and then someone would dare to look beyond the outward appearance and see a real me thereby forging relatively long-term fellowships! Hence, down thru the years I’ve learned to treasure my short list of BFF’s!

In retrospect, who knows what unknown paths of destruction The Sovereign Lord was re-directing me out of? Lord knows I’ve had my share of unrecognized ‘BUT GOD’ experiences and am eternally grateful that I survived to tell it! Topping the list will always be my day of personal revelation of The God who knows everything about me, from the inside out, and yet loves me unconditionally faithfully! Until I met Jesus, I never imagined that I was already accepted and beloved by the TRUE SOURCE of Life and Love! (Ref. Ephesians 1:6)

WOW! After all the time I’d spent trying to escape the pain, punishment and penalty of being born naughty by nature, only to discover that I could not do it on my own. It took The Power of God, to re-create and re-purpose me to live free to glorify my Creator! While we’re so busy with the ‘going and getting’ business of life, cluelessly running away from HIM, we miss His Voice drawing us to rest in His Presence, Power and Peace! Whoknu?

Before the foundation of the world, GOD The Father ordained that The RESTORER of EVERY breach, the BRIDGE from death to life, JESUS, to heal ALL the brokeness of our soul’s infirmities and to preserve us thru the EMPOWERING PRESENCE of HOLY SPIRIT, as we sojourn in this world awaiting the ultimate translation to our eternal reunion in Heaven!

Shamefully, in our relentless pursuit of the riches of this world (with no regard for the consequences), too often we neglect The One who is constantly pursuing us, longing to fulfill the intimate fellowship!

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27

Knowing that God intends for us to live happy, healthy and whole abiding in the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ allows you and I to enjoy  a lifestyle of unimaginable favor found only in an incomparable eternal personal relationship with the INFINITE new BFF, HOLY SPIRIT! #howboutU? #REALLY?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

PREDESTINED 2 UNCONQUERABLE LOVE

Leave a reply

PREDESTINED 2 UNCONQUERABLE LOVE

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

There are various perspectives on ‘predestination’ even amongst the Christian community. Some believe that God has earmarked certain ones to receive His gift of Salvation; while others believe that because The Omniscient Creator already knew those who would respond to this gracious offer by accepting the atonement offered by Christ, their salvation is inevitable! But for those, just like me, my philosophy is ‘I don’t know why Jesus loved me, I don’t know why He cared! I don’t know why He Sacraficed His Life, Oooohhh But I’m glad! So glad HE DID!’

 
I  don’t know about you, but I still get happy just thinking about being saved! I mean, knowing that there was absolutely nothing in my life’s repertoire that remotely merited so great a gift, but God summoned me to such Grace according to His own purpose, amazes the hell outta a wretch like me! To those who have an ongoing proclivity to engage in a self-loathing-guilt-shame-blame game, these words scribed by The Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter 8:28-39, offer  new perspective and continue to be a source of great comfort, confidence, strength and hope to po’ souls!

Do you understand, beloved, that in the Mind of God, you and I are not an afterthought? Oh Yeah! Before the foundation of the world God Soveignly called us to fulfill His ultimate purpose, to make us like His Son Jesus! WOW! I know, right? Knowing that The Omniscient God knew you would sin before you committed one sin, yet loved you and will always love you is beyond human comprehension, but it’s TRUE! Kinda sheds a new light on how and why Paul calls the painful test, trials and tragedies that we all experience in this fallen world, a light affliction, huh?

Can you imagine how Micael, Gabriel and the rest of the angels who have never failed to honor God feel about us? (Ref. Psalm 8:4) WOW! Crazy LOVE, right!

Now! We need to understand that there’s an Accuser who will never forget that you defected from his kingdom of darkness, volunteering to go to the other side, Jesus Christ! Satan’s tracking your every move, gathering infractions you’ve committed in order to charge you before The Righteous Judge, but don’t be fooled! You have an Advocate, Jesus! His Sacrificial Blood has already rendered the devil, defeated!

God promised those who trust in the riches of Jesus are secure in His Righteousness and Hope for His Redemption, need never fear His Rejection!

Precious Saints, the reality is, this same GRACE that saves us, empowers us to live to serve and honor The One who loves us eternally! #whatalife! UNCONQUERABLE LOVE!

 

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS

Leave a reply

PRAYN AND FASTING PIC

SELAH Daily Devotions! Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

GOOD MORNING FAMILY! GOTTA MOMENT?
Once again, we encourage you to join with us today in our Weekly Day of Corporate Prayer and Fasting between 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. Those of you who YET believe that Jesus is our Great High Priest, seated at the right hand of The Father, interceding on our behalf, let’s go in together, k?

 

BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME! BY THE GRACE OF OUR GOD, AS WE EMBRACE THE BREAKING FORTH OF A NEW DAY WITH JOY-FILLED HOPE, LET EVERYTHING THAT HATH BREATH GIVE HIM PRAISE! OOOHHH SWEET WONDER! OH SWEET WONDER,! JESUS, THE SON OF GOD! OOOHHH SWEET WONDER! OH SWEET WONDER, JESUS! THE SON OF GOD!
Our Father and our God, Who Reigns Forever, above the heavens and over all of Creation, we come boldly yet exceedingly grateful for this honor and privilege to offer up our prayers of petition, supplication with thanksgiving to The Only True Lord in The Precious Name of Jesus!

We’re immediately struck by Your Awesomeness and Your Wondrous Benevolence that you continuously show towards us all day, every day! Your Mercy and Lovingkindness testifies of Your tenderness to both those who confess You as Savior and Lord, and also to those who have yet to acknowledge Your Faithfulness and Righteousness to all of humankind! You alone are Worthy of The Highest Praise! Hallelujuah!

We take comfort and courage in Your Eternal Truth, THAT POWER BELONGS TO GOD! Therefore, as we place our personal trust in you, we’re confident that despite of the chaos that exists in this fallen world, our feet shall not BE MOVED! For our hope is in Your Omnipresence, Omniscience, Omnipotence and the Immutable Word that has been spoken before the foundation of the World!

We bless the day that You pierced our stony hearts, opened our blind eyes allowing us to see Your Glory in the Face of our Redeemer, Your First-Begotten Son, Jesus Christ! We praise You Heavenly Father for loving us beyond our desperately wicked sin-sick souls, so much so that You sent Jesus to sacrifice Himself to atone for the sins that we did that we might become your sons and daughters!

We humbly bow in obedience as our only reasonable response to such Great a Salvation, asking that You deliver us from temptation and keep us in the safety of Your Holy Will. For we recognize that our justification, our sanctification is rooted in Your Love and Your Power at work to, in and thru these vessels of clay!

Abba Father, we rejoice with unspeakable joy that our faith is built on nothing less than the Victorious Sacrificial Blood of Jesus that was poured out on The Cross at Calvary! And according to Your Word, The Blood Yet Prevails!

We pray that today it will reach down into the valley of desolation, despair, grief, hopelessness, sickness and disease, and lift up that unbeliever who is outside of The Arc of Your Covenant bound by their sin, destined for eternal destruction and draw them into a personal relationship with The God of All Salvation and Comfort. We ask that the eyes of their understanding be enlighted and that their hearts be filled with an everlasting YES LORD that the Word of God will have full access to every facet of their being, that they be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteous! We’re believing that Holy Spirit will guide them to the local church where they may be taught and trained in the ways of Holiness that they may be empowered to walkout each day in the way that is pleasing in Your sight!

Abba Father, we pray that the called out, chosen of God who are struggling to endure the challenges, tests and trials of co-existing in this fallen sin-lusing era, be strengthened, encouraged and renewed day by day by The Resurrection Power of Holy Ghost, that we might be A Light of Hope and a living witness to Your Faithful commitment to those who call upon THE ONLY Name given to save any man,The Excellent Name of Jesus!

Heavenly Father, we ask that You keep us close, hidden under Your Wings, for You are our Refuge where we rest in peace, admidst the turbulent times that we’re forced to contend with because of the rebellious nature of those who cleave to the dictates of unregenerated minds and degenerative desires of sin-lusting flesh, bent on perverting the truth of God and following the terminal dictates of Satan, the Liar and Deceiver.

We pray for the leaders in government, corporate, financial, health, and education institutions, communities and churches that they will be truly convicted and converted to rule justly, walk upright, and stand firmly on The Holy Bible, and not be bribed by fame, wealth, influence and power of this world, but be filled with the Love of Christ, to exemplify Righteousness in all of their affairs!

Lord, we’re grateful that when we run out of words,You Listen to the groanings of our hearts and grant unto us those things that You in wisdom, know what’s best for our highest good and Your Greatest Glory!

We are trusting and believing that it is so, in Jesus Name! Amen 3x!

BELIEVERS’ DELIGHT!

1 Reply

THE BELIEVERS' DELIGHT

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doeth he meditate day and night! Psalm 1:1-2 KJV

How well God must like you – you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon, you don’t slink along Dead-End Road, you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.2 Instead you thrill to God’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. THE MESSAGE

 

When the Holy Ghost pricked my heart with this text, immediately my mind went to the scripture about the sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha was complaining to Jesus ‘Lord, it ain’t right that Mary should be sitting in here with all yall, while I’m in the kitchen working trying to get this food ready’. However, I don’t think she expected Jesus to respond like He did, huh? Jesus didn’t rebuke Mary, but he told Martha that Mary had chosen, ‘the best part’. (Ref. Luke 10:42) Unfortunately, Martha’s got a whole lot of sisters and brothers out here, even those who are in the Kingdom of God!

I gotta confess, I was totally shocked when I realized that not everyone who’s name is written in The Lambs’ Book of Life, finds the WORD OF GOD delightful. I’m not trying to be sanctimonious or self-righteous, I’m just giving my experience, k?

The truth of the matter is, Satan wants to keep all of us, saved and unsaved alike, from the WORD OF GOD—By Any Means Necessary! He works deligently to distract us from spending time, reading, studying, and particularly, meditation and prayilng the Word.

Case in point, how many times have you made a decision (especially at the beginning of a New Year), that ‘This year, I’m gonna get in my Bible and see what God has promised me! I want to know what God wants to say to me. I want to know WHO GOD IS AND WHO I AM in him’. And what happens? Suddenly—out of nowhere, here comes something or someone that needs your immediate attention. Seriously, fires just seem to pop up everywhere you look, right?

Beloved, don’t take the bait! Somebody said, the best defense is a good offense! Hence, it’s important for us to hide God’s Word in our hearts, so that when challenges, tests, trials and tragedies interrupt our lives, instead of caving in to the pressure of temporary circumstances, out of our hearts will flow the Eternal Well-spring of Life, a confident assuring hope that our ‘God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Cor. 10:13) When we make time to fill our spirit, with the Immutable Word of God, we might bend, but we won’t brake!

We must remember that while the issues of life are often a surprise to us—nothing that has, is going on now, or will ever happen in our life, will ever make God say “OOPS! WHERE DAT COME FROM – HOW DID THAT GET PASS ME”! #didjaheardat? Com’on now!

As believers, we must be fully persuaded that The God we serve is SOVEREIGN! HE IS ULTIMATELY ABSOLUTELY COMPLETELY IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING. And when you know that you know this, YOU KNOW that SATAN AIN’T RUNNING NOTHING! In fact, before he can get to you—HE’S GOTTA GO THRU JESUS!

The scripture says, that ‘Greater is He who is in us, than who is in the world’. (1 john 4:4) and even when our own heart condemn us, “He’s greater than our hearts”. (1 John 3:20) WOW! Beloved, if you are truly Born-Again, Blood-Washed Believer, your spirit man is always on, we just need to stay tuned, and open to hear what the Spirit is speaking to our spirit. “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3

Truthfully, many of God’s people are so busy, (just like Martha) caught up in the grid of daily life, trying to get their children to sports activities, a promotion, a new degree, upgrade their house, car, purse or spouse that there’s rarely time left to fellowship with Jesus around His Word!

Precious one, when we take time, pausing to delight ourselves in His Presence, meditating in His Word, GOD Will direct your steps, instruct your hearts and lead us in the right pathways! God delights in our deligent seeking and rewards us with Grace to walk secure in His Peace, regardless of what’s going on around, and even on the inside of us.

I know it ain’t my business, but I’m jus say’n, WHAT DELIGHTS U?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

I NEED A DRINK!

1 Reply

I NEED A DRINK

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
They taught us in the ol’ church, first the physical then the spiritual! Most of us know that water is essential to our survival. Experts tell us that we can live without food a whole lot longer than we can live without water. As one who struggles to get near the recommended amount of water ingested daily, my 60 sumptin body quickly sounds the alarm, ‘you’re thirsty, fool! Drink some water’. Likewise, my spirit man has a innate personal service announcement alert system that lets me know that your soul is thirsting for The Living Water—JESUS!

Life has a way of siphoning out the wellspring of  joy, strength, hope, calm, favor, peace and sheer delight of being a Child of The Eternal Father. We can become so distracted by the happenings of daily duties, drama and disappointments, that the benefits of our new Life in Christ takes a backseat, to the stress, chaos, depression, mumuring and complaining.

Like the Samaritan woman, many of us we come to Jesus believing that will make life easier not understanding that Christ doesn’t promise us a life gliding into Glory on a flowery bed of ease, but the power to overcome life’s challenges by trusting in His Faithfulness! As you learn to walk with Jesus, knowing that Christ (your personal Savior and Lord) lives in you, changes you, empowers and enables you to live in continual, hopefilled-joy…REGARDLESS OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES! #WOW #Didjaheardat? 

However, this is not a one-and-done-once-a-week-only transition! The Apostle Paul, a faithful companion, sheds insight as to how we can keep the stream of living water ever-flowing in the midst of  the drought, famine, confusion and persecution that often encompasses us on this journey. “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” Ephesians 5:19

Saywhaaa? ‘Lady, you obviously don’t understand what I’m going through!’ Perhaps not, BUT GOD DOES! And not only does He know every detail but He’s the Only One who can solve every problem and bring you out better than you were coming in! The Ol’ Skool Mothers said it like this, “Baby, keep a song in your heart and a praise in your mouth, bcuz you’re gonna need it!”

Didjakno how doing this confuses hell? Imagine Satan’s hounds scratching their heads, having dealt that last blow, thinking that would surely make you turn away from trusting Jesus! Ha! Ha! But instead, as you remind yourself of how good God’s been to you, it awakens a fresh view of God!

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

Beloved, when you’re tempted to fall head-first into the pit of hopelessness and accept the devil’s invitation to your own private pity party, just remember, HOW GREAT IS YOUR GOD! He forgives all of your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion; satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. (Ref. Psalm 103:3-5) And suddenly, your well swells up and fear turns to trust, dispair gives way to hope, grumbling erupts into gratitude and your soul gets intoxicated on praise for all the blessings that God’s Grace avails! 

Aaaawwww shucks, SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE PRIMING THE PUMP, huh? ITZ ALL GOOD! GOD’S RESERVED AN UNLIMITED SUPPLY SO, GO HEAD..DRINK UP!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

YOUR ANSWER IS AT THE DOOR!

1 Reply

UR ANSWER IS AT THE DOOR

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she wa so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” Acts 12:13-14

 

According to Acts Chapter 12, the 1st Century Church was experiencing phenomenal growth as the Gospel spread. Not surprisingly, everybody was not excited about what God was doing! The people were leaving the synagogue in droves to follow the Message of this relatively new (and suspect prophet) Jesus Christ. The religious leaders were quite upset because their social and economic status was diminishing as the offerings were declining with so many of their big time supporters leaving the Temple. In order to gain political clout, recognition and favor within the Jewish community, King Herod Agrippa launched an all hands on deck campaign to quench the fire of this Gospel preaching by killing as many leaders of this so call “Christ Ones’ Movement”. Now, it’s Peter who was locked up awaiting execution. BUT GOD BLOCKED IT!

God sent an angel into the Maximum-Security Detention Center, where Peer was chained hand and feet in stocks under the watch of 16 armed guards assigned to secure one unarmed Preacha! WOW! I must point out that (unlike a lot of us) Peter was not up pacing the floor crying, ‘Why me, Lord’ or accusing God for letting this happen to him, but according to the text, Peter was sleeping so hard that the angel had to hit him forcefully just to wake him up! The Bible says, immediately the chains fell off of him. Everything happened so fast, Peter thought he was having a dream or a vision!

Once he came to himself and realized that he was free, Peter decided to catch up with his boys (who were most likely at John Mark’s Mother’s house) and let the know what The Lord had done. Unbeknownst to Peter, while he was locked up in prison, they were having a shut-in (all night prayer meeting)! While they were ernestly seeking God’s help on behalf of their brother, Peter knocked on the door! Rhoda, the servant girl, went to the door, seeing Peter, got so excited that she ran to tell the others and she forgot to open the door to let Peter in. When they finally opened the door and saw Peter standing there, the scripture say they were utterly astonished. Didjaheardat? They were praying to God, but not really expecting their prayers to be answered. #OUCH! Sounds like some of us, huh?

How many times have you, with your sanctimonious self, taken the time to pray for something not really expecting God to answer your prayer? Or worse yet, failed to recognize the answer when it came knocking at your door? Yall know, we have a tendency to allow what we’ve experiences in the past to get in our present circumstances and rob us of now faith!

God is Sovereign! Hence, His Ways are not our ways! We must remember that when we pray, we’re not praying to a mere mortal or some distant-disinterested,-sub-diety—BUT THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD WHO CAN DO ANY AND EVERYTHING! In fact, it grieves the Holy Spirit when He sends answers to our prayers and they’re returned to Him stamped ‘unclaimed’! When we pray we must know not only does God care about everything you care about, but He is willing and able to give you those things that you desire of Him, that’s according to His Word!

Precious Ones, don’t miss your breakthrough because it doesn’t look like what you were expecting. Don’t give up! Keep on praying; keep on knocking! Keep on believing! God’s listening and any moment now expect to be blessed! TRUST2KNOW; YOUR ANSWER WILL SOON BE AT THE DOOR!  SSHHHH! What’s dat?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

SURRENDER??

1 Reply

SURRENDER

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

 

Back in the old’n days, one of my favorite things to do was watching the westerns on our black and white tv’s. Yeah! Those good ol’ shootem ups (as Daddy called them)! The bad guys always wore the black hats and the good guys never lost a fight. I remember, there would always be that scene when the bad guys would be hemmed in a cabin, a barn, or a dead end road, surrounded by the posse of good guys, with no way out! The sheriff would call out, ‘We’ve got you surrounded, so throw your guns out!’ ‘And come out with our hands up!’ After a moment or two, you’d see a white hankerchief being waved out of a window or door and the bad guy would holler, ‘Don’t shoot, we’re coming out’! They’d come stumbling out of their hiding place with both of their hands in the air high above their heads to surrender. Boy, those were the days, huh?

Surrender! WOW! That word is almost as bewildering as ‘commit’, right?

We stand in the sanctuary with our hands lifted in the air sanngin, “I surrender all, I surrender all, all to Jesus, I surrender, I surrender all!” However, what does it mean to surrender to Jesus? Surrender is just another way to say, submit! Ooops dat didn’t help much, huh?

Even Christians sometimes find this task elusive. Although we love the idea of receiving Christ as our Savior, we struggle to master the concept of surrendering according to The Word of God! Could it possibly be, because it grinds up against our pride and the innate insatiable need of being in control? #ijs

One day Saul, found himself in a strange place. And he did just what a lot of us do when we hear the Voice of God calling us to another level of anointing. Saul went and hid behind some stuff! But because God’s Word must come to past, Saul could not stay there. Eventually, Saul came out from his hiding place, threw up both his hands, and surrendered to the Will of God for his life! (Ref. 1 Samuel 10:22)

What stuff are you hiding behind? What’s keeping you from surrendering to Jesus? Are you hiding behind fear and anxiety of failure or succes? Is it doubt and personal insecurities? Perhaps it’s self righteousness or your own will! Could you be using your family or friends as an excuse for not embracing your destiny? Or, do you need to come out from behind your past and your sins?

Perhaps today, you’re surrounded, hemmed in, backed into a dead–end—no—win—place, let me assure you it ain’t what it looks like! God’s got you just where He wants you. Trust2know, it’s gets a whole lot easier to surrender when you know that it’s JESUS calling you to come!

When you get the revelation that God is simply asking you to trust your entire being to the Faithful Loving Care of the Unconditional Lover of your soul, you can throw down any and everything that’s hindering you from moving into your next phase of His Glory and gladly run to the shelter of His Almighty Arms! Afterall,  you said you wanna be like JESUS, huh? Your life is not your own. Remember, you were purchased by The Blood of The Precious Lamb of God!

‘My Beloved, empty out your heart; give in to Jesus and submit your all to My Will for your life. Stop resisting and yield! Give Me the right of Way in your life!’ #didjaheardat?

MAKE TODAY THE DAY THAT YOU SURRENDER YOUR ENTIRE EVERYDAY LIFE TO YOUR GOD! LET PEACE BE YOUR ANCHOR AND YOU’LL DISCOVER THAT JESUS ALONE IS THE REST FOR YOUR SOUL!

DON’T BE SCARRED! HIS GRACE IS ALWAYS SUFFICIENT TO UPHOLD AND CARRY YOU THRU, BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE TO WHEREVER HE’S CALLING YOU TO! IN JESUS NAME. IT IS SO! SURRENDER!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

COME BACK 2 THE TABLE

Leave a reply

COME BACK 2 THE TABLE

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 1 Corinthians 11:29

 

At our church, it’s every 1st Sunday! The table has been prepared by Deac, anticipating the moment when the scripture will be read and Pastor will extend the invitation to the congregation to come to the table and partake of the bread (wafer) and the wine (grape juice). The charge is given, to let every man examine his/her self and let them eat of that bread and drink of that cup, lest you bring a curse upon yourself by mocking the Body and The Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! #heartpounding, huh?

Unfortunately, since we don’t know what’s residing in the hearts of our brothers and sistas, how many folk refrain because their own hearts have condemned them or not just because they don’t want others to think that they’re not in right-standing with Christ? Anyway, it’s not my business, right? #juswondering

Chances are even some God-fearing-sanctified-baptised-holy-walking-tongue-talking believers don’t really understand the significance of The Communion Table and wrongfully approach this feast as a religious traditon ritual. Hence, this is just something we do 1st Sunday! Oh, Precious Ones, there’s so much more taking place that meets the eye! Journey with me as the Holy Spirit lluminates the spiritual reality, intimacy and implications of this sacred fellowship with The Risen Savior!

The Communion Table is Divinely instituted to take us back to The Cross of Calvary and The Blood that was shed for the remission of our sin. When we come to The Table, we’re revisiting remembering the whipping posts where The Lamb of God was beaten with 39 stripes + 1  before He was nailed to an ol’ rugged Cross atop Calvary! While many who watched self-righteously believing that they were doing God a favor,  there were a remnant of others who knew that Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and the stripes that He bore in His flesh were for our healing!

When we come to the Communion Table, remembering the Cross, you gotta come correct! Not in pride nor condemnation; but in joy-filled anticipation, humbled by Jesus’ humiliation! Come, humbled by Jesus’ Holiness, His Faithful submission to death, hell, the grave and to His Father’s Will–in order that we could have a right to eat the fruit of Eternal Life!

Come to the table, remembering the falability of your humanity and the infallability of His Divinity, acknowledging that not only do I need The Atoning Blood to get saved, but to stay saved!

The Word of God reminds us that there’s a devil who’s constantly plotting against us, determined to stop us from living holy and righteous before God. He’s always lurking about us, awaiting the opportunity to sneak up, entrapping you with that sin that so easily besets you, drapping your heart with burdens of guilt, shame and condemnation destroying your peace! He’s strategically scheming to flood your mind with fear,worry and doubt, drainining your spirit of the Jesus’ joy, strength and hope! But the Communion Table, reminds you that just One Drop of The sanctifying Blood applied to the door post of your heart and mind is enough to shake off temptation, depression, gloom and doom and lift you up out of the pit of hopelessness and dispair!

When you drink of The cup of Redemption, your strength is refreshed, renewed and your holy boldness is restored, empowering you to repel the firey darts of Satan. When you eat The Body, remember you now stand clad in The Full Armor of God, declaring to the kingdom of darkness, ‘I refuse to deny the Testimony of Jesus on The Cross – I gotcha covered, IT IS FINISHED!

Beloved, the next time you partake of the Communion Table, let the Blood cleanse your heart of the guilt by acknowledging that it was your sin that betrayed Jesus, even since you’ve been saved. The devil will choke on that, because you know He certainly was planning to throw that back in your face, k?

But be of good courage, that’s why Jesus suffered The Cross, once and for all who will receive Him as the propitiation of their sin. As you eat His Body and drink His Blood, remember, Jesus prayed, knowing you’d fail Him again before you leave this world. That’s why He asked The Father to send you The Helper to live on the inside of you to empower you to live faithfully and obedient to His commandments!

As you fellowship with The Savior, hear His plea, ‘All I want you to do, when you are converted is go strengthen your brother! Go tell them how much I still LOVE them! Go tell them about My Blood that frees them from sin! Go tell somebody how I saved, healed and delivered you! Go tell one somebody that if Jesus was able to saved me, a wretch undone, He can saved anybody! WOW! #didjaheardat?

Maybe you need to come back to the table? C’mon, THE BLOOD STILL WORKS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

REST-DIRECTION!

1 Reply

REST-DIRECTION 3

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 25:1)

 

Sometimes, we find ourselves oscillating by the turbulent waves of adversity, drowning in the depths of desperation and despair. While we all know that trouble doesn’t discriminate, harassing the just as much as the unjust, somehow knowing doesn’t make suffering any less traumatic, especially to those of us who intentionally strive to live circumspect fully according to teaching of The Bible.

Perhaps this explains why many believers prefer to deny rather than acknowledge that occasionally they experience a wrath of depression that causes you to shrink back into self-imposed exile, shrouded by terror, isolation and false humility! But today, allow the WORD OF GOD to emancipate you from the burden of secretcy and shame!

Remember David?  Well, on several occasions, we find The Psalmist , crying out of the hub of his soul to his True Source of Salvation, The Living God?

As we follow The King in The Scriptures,  we see David relentlessly bellowing out his distress before his Friend, The Lord Adonai, uninhibited by reputation, shame nor guilt, but fully persuaded that this was indeed what pleases God the most, trusting honesty.

David’s intimacy with his God, was the foundation of his every prayer!

Beloved, during seasons of overwhelming circumstances, instead of running away from God, The Psalmist recognized the value and privilege afforded to him  and entreated God’s Compassionate Heart with the same hope-filled tenacity that he embraced during moments of ease.

We do well to understand that earnest sincere-honest-heart prayer stirs-up the atmosphere of Heaven releasing favor, and guaranteeing Divine Intervention.

Don’t insult God’s Omniscience with phony, fake emotional repetitions, as if He doesn’t already know your heart. Just follow the ‘man after God’s own heart’  and expose the nakedness of your heart, own your emotions and confess “But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?”  Psalm 88:13

GO ‘HEAD; GOD CAN TAKE IT!

Don’t just wallow in the muck and mire of fear, dread and desolation. Take full-advantage of the situation by reconnecting to The Shepherd! Recommit your life afresh to new purpose, focus and strength. Reaffirm the Foundation of God’s Inseparable Love, entrusting your heart to The Faithful Eternal Lord of Glory!

Truthfully, God orchestrates these momentary afflictions to set you up for Triumphant Victory. WHAA? #didjaheardat?

AAAAWWW! Rest-DIRECTION!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee