Category Archives: Divine Purpose

CHANGE YOUR MIND?

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CHANGE UR MIND

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3:19

 

I am straight Holiness/Pentecostal todabone; jus ask anybody who knows me in church! I mean, I’ll shout you down in a heartbeat! But guess what? The devil ain’t stud’n you getting your praise on shoutin’ and dancin’, flip’n over pews, in the church house, as long as you don’t change! That’s right, I’m talking about repentance! Don’t touch dat button!

Notice? You don’t hear a whole lotta preaching about REPENTANCE, lately!  Apparently it carries such a negative connotation that tends to provoke unpalatable feelings of fear, condemnation and frustration that some churches have opted out of traditional biblical teachings, preferring to  institutionalize a more contemporal all-inclusive perspective of church as a gathering apparatus for religious/social networking! SO, I totally getit! 

Howevvvvttttr, those of us who have already accepted the Gift of Salvation offered  through The Atoning Grace of Jesus Christ  need to realize is that while we  have been commissioned  to share  The Love of Christ,  none of us have been given the power nor responsibility to make a person repent, particularly by threatening  them that they’re going to Hell!   #Didjaheardat? “Done lost 1/2 my churrch!”

BUT!!!! IF  you let them know how good The Lord is and what He’s ALREADY done for US to make us right with God, there a good chance that they’ll want to know Him for themselves!

Before the days of name it and claim it, and blab it and grab it, when a true prophet spoke, the only thing he promised was the WORD OF GOD! Really, check your Bible? John the Baptist preached the same message every day, “prepare ye the way, repent and be baptized, for the Lord is at hand”. When The Apostle Peter left the upper room, filled with the Holy Ghost, he came preaching the same message, “repent”. Yall ain’t liking me nah, huh?

Some folk still believe repentance means going to the altar, echoing a confession and shaking the pastor’s/preacher/evangelist’s hand. But my beloved, genuine repentance is a matter of the heart and I don’t mean just feeling sorry. If you really want to experience authentic eternal fellowship with Jesus, you have to sanctify yourself through repenting from your heart.

2 Corinthians 7:10 explains, when a person truly repents, they’ll admit that they’re sincerely sorry for rebelling against God and living a sinful life; make a conscious commitment to change the way they live, turn their back AWAY FROM the devil and evil works, and TURN 2 JESUS, totally committing their lives to pleasing HIM and entrusting Holy Spirit to help them to keep their vow! 

Seriously, change your mind, change your life!

One of the best parts of repentance is taking back the personal power that we’ve allowed Satan to rule over our lives! Godly sorrow will make you stare the devil down and tell him in no uncertain terms,“No thank you, I don’t want to live like this anymore, it’s over! I DON’T BELONG 2 U, I BELONG TO JESUS! MY PAST IS COVERED IN THE BLOOD AND MY NEW LIFE IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! NOW , GET OUTTA MY FACE OR I’M GONNA CALL MY DADDY!

Beloved, don’t allow another moment of doubt, unbelief or fear cause you to forfeit the unimaginable blessings that God has prepared for us. (Ref. Jeremiah 29:11) The Bible says, the day you hear His Voice calling–just come! Didjaheardat? Can you hear HIM now?

C’mon SOMEBODY,  quickly! Please tell the devil, “ I CHANGED MY MIND!” GGGLLORRRAAA 2 GOD!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

IT’S A MATTER OF THE HEART!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Genesis 4: 6-8
From the human perspective, favor ain’t always what we expect it to be! #ijs #CANIGETAWITNESS?

 

However, as we acknowledge the Sovereignty of our Heavenly Father, Who does all things well, we can only rightly conclude that Father knows best! While, the frailness of our frame limits our capacity to see, speculate and judge one another by appearances and actions, “the spirit of man is the candle to The Lord.” (Proverbs 20:27) Hence, The Omniscient Creator knows the hearts of each and everyone of us! OMG!!!
God saw crouched within the heart of Cain a spirit of resentment and jealousy which lead to anger and ultimately sin and death! God asked Cain, “Why are you angry?”
Down thru the years, many Biblical Scholars and Theologians have offered many alternative explanations to clarify the disparity between what was an acceptable offering and why one was rejected while the other preferred. Now, I’m not necessarily suggesting that I’ve conclusively determined the answer, k? Nevertheless, may I submit for your momentary consideration that perhaps, it’s not that God despised Cain’s gift per se’, but could it possibly have been the intent that motivated his giving that caused God’s response? UUUMMMM???

God saw the worship-filled sincerity within Abel’s offering to Him! Apparently, Abel knew that everything that He had came from and belonged to God and trusting that whatever he relinquished to God, God was well able and willing to restore unto him exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond anything he’d dared ask or imagine! #Didjaseedat?

On the other hand, it appears that Cain was quite pleased with himself; having tilled the ground, planted seeds and painstakingly kept them watered until it yielded the fruit of his labor. Naturally, he would expect that God would favor his sacrifice over that which his brother had presented, right?

But before we start throwing rocks at Cain, how many times have we seen the favor of God on someone’s life and instead of rejoicing and celebrating The Goodness of God with them, we secretly accused God of being unfair, considering all that we’ve done for the sake of The Kingdom, not to mention how faithfully we’ve strived to follow His teachings, huh? SERIOUSLY? #BOOM #NUFFSAID!

Precious ones, God being a Master Economist, distributes heaven’s treasures according to our personal capacity and potential to produce and to be good stewards over all what He gives us, assuring our highest good and His Greatest Glory!

Don’t get it twisted! None of us like waiting, YET! In the Ingenious Sovereignty of His Own Will, Purpose always trumps pain and disappointments! God has Divinely orchestrated the terrains of our life journey to perfect in us the same Radiant Glory of our Kinsmen Redeemer Jesus Christ!

*For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 Nonetheless, His Ways continue to supersede our severely limited intellectual capacity to comprehend the length, width and depth and wonder of His Omnipotent Omniscient Benevolence!
“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3-4

 

Beloved, God has not forgotten you, a delay is not a denial and GRACE IS UNDESERVED FAVOR! TRUST2KNO, Saints, it’s not about what’s in your hands, but what’s in your hearts that pleases God! Secure your VICTORY with a thankful heart!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann E. Caffee

 

 

LIVING WATERS

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LIVING WATERS 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

He that believe on ME, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2

Because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen…” Isaiah 43:20b

 

In the natural, most expectant mothers anticipating blessed arrival of her new baby with unrestrained excitement, shops until she drops! At the same time, the realization that before she actually holds her beautiful bouncing bundle of joy in her arms, she must first endure the grueling discomfort and pain of labor and delivery, can’t help but cause a certain degree of apprehension.

Every woman who has had a baby knows that as the labor progresses, the pain intensifies. Although we’re unable to accurately determine what the baby goes through, we can safely assume, by reason of anatomy, making its way through some extremely tight places causes a certain amount of discomfort for the child as well. For nine months, the womb has been his home and now, he’s reluctantly forced to transition into the next level of life.

Hence, spiritually, our rebirthing process also requires intense laboring for deliverance. Every blood washed, born-again, child of the Living God has been impregnated with purpose and potential. However, making our transition from one realm of spiritual reality into another, (from grace 2 grace) ultimately involves some degree of violent struggle. The ol’ church used to say, no pain – no gain!

Consequently, as we matriculate from one level of spiritual maturity to the next, we’re forced to navigate through some tight circumstances. Sometimes, just as in the natural birthing process, in order to hasten the birth and avoid the complications and dangers associated with a dry birth, the doctor may deliberately puncture the embryonic sack. This process is called “breaking the water”.

Likewise, to ensure that a believer transitions spiritually into our highest potential, the spiritual mid-wife, The Holy Spirit, fills His chosen with soul refreshing, sweet living waters drawn from the Wells of Salvation! This water is called Joy.  (Ref. Isaiah 12:3) This joy is not a state of mind neither is it a fleeting emotion; but to a believer facing the challenges and afflictions incurred through famine and drought of  the desert storms of life, JOY becomes a Weapon of Mass Destruction!

Saints, whatever you’re going through, YOU ARE NEVER ALONE!  While weeping may endure for a night, God has promised, Joy is coming in the morning!  (Ref. Psalm 30:5) God has chosen you as HIS very Own BELOVED!  Keep in mind that in God’s Kingdom, purpose always trumps pain! TRUST2KNO, that pain you’re now experiencing  is only a sign that Holy Spirit has just induced your labor and your water is about to break! 

Don’t sweat the process, God is positioning you into the next stage of Abundant Everlasting Life! #SERIOUSLY !!!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

HIGHER PRAIZ!

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HIGHER PRAIZ 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Psalm 65:1-2

We have thought, “O God, on Your lovingkindness, in the midst of Your temple.According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness. Let Mount Zion rejoice. Let the daughters of Judah be glad, Because of Your judgments. Psalm 48:9-11

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. Psalm 134:2

 

Being Pentecostal, born and bred, means that I am accustomed, and I might add, an extremely willing participant, to exuberant praise and worship. So can you imagine my surprise, to discover that God-Honored Adoration is not necessarily limited to loud singing, hand-clappin’, foot-stomppin, shoutin’ and dancing to drum thumping, key-board tickling, guitar pick’n tunes escalating His Glory!

WHOKNU? There is a high praise in God, where the weary souls, thirsty and hungry for an escape from the chaos and confusion of this world’s clamor, finding rest, peace, security, strength and hope, fall prostrate into HIS PRESENCE!

There’s a secret place, a Cleft hued out in The Impregnable Rock of Salvation, where mere words are no longer necessary, and sighs are welcomed, giving way to hope-filled silence, birthing unspoken-bellows of acceptable obedient prayers and God-Centered Praise and Worship!

There is an epiphany where we all must ascribe to reach in God, where we practice appreciation and respect for HIM by disciplining ourselves, focusing our minds and making a conscious decision that regardless of my circumstances, I’m going to Bless God—not just for all of His Goodness to me—BUT for WHO HE IS!

In this lofty estate, time spent waiting on The Lord is no longer full of anxious frustration, but quiet peaceful resting in child-like confident anticipation, trusting that you’re being kept safely, far from your conspirators’ reach, hidden in The Glory of His WONDEROUS PRESENCE.

As God’s Chosen, you’re surrounded by a Fortress, whose Builder and Maker is The Creator of The Universe, where we can breathe easily, waiting patiently, for as long as HE says,  fully assured that everything we will ever need and hope for comes from HIM—JESUS!

#DIDJAHEARDAT? The Holy Spirit is calling! Be still, in that ‘Peace-Filled-Knowing’ that all of your Help and Hope of Glory abides in The All-Powerful God,  EL SHADDAI…your FATHER AND your GOD!  NOW THAT’S A HIGHER PRAISE! #WOW #AWEMAAZIN, huh?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

TIME OUT!

TIME OUT!

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37

 

“Time is filled with swift transition, Naught of earth unmoved can stand, Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.” (saanngn yall)
 
Remember that one? Probably not! It’s  the first verse to one of my favorite Gospel hymns (by Jennie Bain Wilson)! This song probes the core of every mortal’s soul provoking either aggravating or consoling intentional thought concerning its eternal destination!

While some would prefer to dismiss the  inevitable potency of its reality, there’s absolutely no escaping it. The most precious commodity in the earth is not silver, gold, oil or even real estate—BUT TIME!

While this New Millennium Theology teaches “time is money”; but I beg to differ!

Time is much more valuable than mere mammon. Granted you’d probably never notice the slightest hint of this, given the social media’s promotion of the extravagant lifestyles of the rich and famous. Nevertheless, I think it not robbery to propose that if you’d ask any one of this world’s wealthiest man or woman,  retrospectfully glancing back over their life’s times achievements, how much they’d be willing to barter for one solitary moment of unrefined, unrequited love; one night of tranquil serene rest unhindered by foreboding betrayal; one day of normality without drug induced sense of well-being, many would ardently confess—“ALL…I’D GIVE UP ALL!”

Hence, that’s the crucible of every one of our lives! What makes life meaningful and more importantly what in this life that’s truly worth dying for?  “If in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable.” 1 Corinthians 15:19.

But! Thanks Be To God WHO IS A MASTER ECONOMIST! He dispenses time and talents based on projected recompense. (Ref. Matthew 25:14-30)  Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4, NKJV).  GOD FORBID!


Beloved, we have been given the gift of time called ‘TODAY’ to fulfill God’s Purpose for our lives, one day and one step at a time!

Someone once said (and I am not quoting) “The only thing that’s certain is uncertainty. Life is change and change is growth and growth is evolving into the ‘being’ that God has created in us”. 

Sounds like a wise person would count up the cost and build your life on things eternal, huh? #ijs

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
 
BELOVED, TIME WAITS 4 NO MAN; DON’T WASTE IT—LIVE LIFE TO LAST ETERNALLY! REMEMBER, AT THE END OF THE DAY IT’S ALL ABOUT TIME!
 
SELAH!
 
Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!
 
Ann Caffee

 

THE HIGH LIFE!

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THE HIGH LIFE

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? Psalm 56:12-13

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11

A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it. Isaiah 35:8

 

The Bible is so real that it’s difficult to understand how so many folk yet consider it irrelevant to today’s contemporary society. Amassed within 66 Books, 929 chapters in the Old Testament and 260 chapters in the New Testament, GOD has captured every aspect of the human experience from eternity past, eternity present and eternity future!

Unlike many of my readers, I wasn’t born on the left-hand-back-pew of the church! In fact, I wasn’t even raised in a so-called Christian environment. Hence, I’ve lived on both sides of the Cross!  Therefore I’ve experienced both ends of the sin spectrum. I said all that to say, unequivocably, I truely believe in the miraculous, uncomparable , incomprehensible depth and breath of God’s Grace and Mercy to transform the life of the most ungodly into the sanctified!

Sometimes, life comes at us fast and hits you hard! Nevertheless, how we respond to the unexpected, is ultimately a matter of perspective! King Solomon, dubbed as the wisest man in the known world, having been set-up from birth to inherit God’s riches blessings, decided to turn away from following in the footsteps of his Father David. Like so many, who were raised up in the fear and admonition of the Lord,  preferring to fulfill his fleshy lusts,  Solomon eventually found himself plunging headlong into the endless pit of darkness, desperation and dispair!

While Salvation does not guarantee automatic exemption from experiening test, trials or tragedy, as followers of Christ, we have this assurance, absolutely nothing happens that ever takes GOD by surprise!

In fact, GOD knows our endings from the beginning! Not one smile is ever unnoticed nor is one tear ever undocumented. (Ref. Psalm 56:8) Nothing that you’ve been thru; nothing you might be going through now escapes His Watch!   However, God doesn’t promise that every day will be a stroll in the park on a sunny day dancing through flowery beds of ease, nevertheless, Beloved, it behooves us to be content and confident that “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Ref. Hebrews 13:5)

As you voyage through The Scriptures, you’ll discover that God’s servants were tempted, tested and tried by the same tactics and schemes that we are; all of which are strategically launched by our common diabolical enemy, Satan. Nevertheless, they  persevered and prevailed by the AWEMAZING GRACE  of  the self-same Good Shepherd that’s available to you and me.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8

Didjaheardat?

GOD has promised to supply everything we will ever need to overcome and conquer every and any thing that attempts to resist or prevent the absolute fulfillment of every vow that He’s spoken over our lives!

Don’t allow fear to limit your expectations of what GOD has prepared for you! Don’t let your past cause you to doubt or settle for less than He’s promised! Take care that your steps don’t become slack lingering too long in what’s behind. Keep moving forward; remembering what God has for you is always in front of you!

While Life continues to be a journey into unchartered territories, keep walking; fully persuaded that you are never alone. Yes! There will be some valleys to tread, some mountains to climb, some twists and turns to meander and some dead-ends to re-calculate from. Nevertheless, I encourage you to keep your hand in HIS HAND, confidently trusting in The Master of all Life; knowing that what’s ahead of you is always greater than anywhere you’ve been! IN THE END YOU WIN!

BELOVED, JUST KEEP WALKING, LOVING, LEARNING, LEANING AND LIVING! LIFE GOES BETTER WITH CHRIST! HENCE, DON’T OPT FOR THE ROAD OF LEAST RESISTANCE,  CHOOSE THE PATH THAT LEADS TO THE HIGH LIFE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

MORE JESUS!

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MORE JESUS!

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. Psalm 119:130

 

Back in my B.C. days (before Christ, y’all), I met this very special lady. Subsequently, Ms. Annette and I grew as close as two peas in a pod. Whoever coined the phrase “a little bit of country and a little bit of rock n’ roll” had to have met my friend “Anna” (self-identification of her alter-ego). By day, Ms. Annette was a successful-sophisticated-know-her-stuff-RN. BUT! By nite, that Hattiesburg-Mississippi-Black Water-Country-Ebonic-Talk’n-parta’-down-like it was 1999-Anna would emerge! And guess who would try to hang-out right with her? Exactly!

Evrrrr noticed, that if you spend a lot of time around someone you admire, who happens to have a strangely-peculiar personality, the strangely-peculiar affect they tend to have on you? Startlingly, without consciously realizing when nor how, (until my kids so happily pointed out to me) my conversation conspicuously became sporadically seasoned with some of the same words, same dialect and same mannerisms as my friend! Obviously, a little bit of “Anna” had rubbed off on me!

Didjaknow? It works the exact same way when it comes to strengthening your personal relationship with God! #4REAL!

As believers, the Father’s Plan is to mold us into the image of JESUS! The moment you are born again, Holy Spirit begins the process of Supernatural Empowered Transformation of our spirit until it looks just like Him. Spiritually,  when you sincerely ask God to forgive you of your sins and come into your heart, you were instantly changed on the inside; howevvvrrrrr, the progression of outward change depends largely upon us! #Didjaheardat?

Evidently, there’s a significant correlaation between the amount of time spent pursuing the things of the Spirit and the rate of our personal spiritual growth and development. If most of our time is spent satisfying the lustful desires of our  sin-loving flesh, inevitably our spiritual growth will be stunted!  Don’t shout me down nah! #ijs!

However, as you begin to separate yourself apart  from the worldly (carnal and ungodly) things of life (#sanctify) and deligently dedicate more time to studying The Word of God and mounting habitual alone-time with Him (consecrate), The Holy Spirit will ecstatically teach, guide and share Christ-Likeness with you.  Hence, He’s gonna rub off on you until His ways become your ways!

The more readily you yield the more of you to HIM, abiding in His Presence in prayer, meditating in His Word and surrending yourself in worship, you will be absolutely amazed at the miraculous change that will take place on the inside and out! I’m telling you, personally, you’ll hardly recognize that new man in the mirror! Seriously!!!

Truthfully, until you have a real-life personal encounter of The Divine-Kind, you are clueless of Who and Whose You REALLY ARE? Not to mention the worth and purpose that’s yet to be revealed in and through The GOD IN YOU!

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1 #Didjaheardat?

Ohh, by the way, guess who introduced me to Jesus Christ? Yep, Anna!  My friend has since gone HOME to be with The Lord, BUT THANKYA JESUS 4 unexpected Angels, huh?

I “D-DOUBLE-DARE” YA! LET MORE OF JESUS RUB OFF ON YOU!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

THE LAST LAUGH!

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THE LAST LAUGH

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Why the big noise, nations? Why the mean plots, peoples? Earth-leaders push for position, Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks, The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers: “Let’s get free of God! Cast loose from Messiah!” Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing. At first he’s amused at their presumption; Then he gets good and angry. Furiously, he shuts them up: “Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet Is spread for him on the holy summit.” Psalm 2:1-6 THE MESSAGE

So, rebel-kings, use your heads; Upstart-judges, learn your lesson: Worship God in adoring embrace, Celebrate in trembling awe. Kiss Messiah! Your very lives are in danger, you know; His anger is about to explode, But if you make a run for God—you won’t regret it! Ps. 2:10-12 THE MESSAGE

 

Since the initial act of high treason, which resulted in his being kicked out of Heaven, Satan has not ceased in his efforts to cast off the righteous restraints invoked by God! One might say, ‘He’s committed’, huh? Down thru The Ages, the Prime Minister of The Kingdom of Darkness has endeavored to recruit the most iniquitous, viciously wicked and evil of humanity to carry out his war against The God of Heaven’s Dominion in the earth!

Unfortunately, there’s been no shortage of available willing candidates for this dastardly deed! Hence, unbeknownst to those who, diabolically reject God’s holy commandments, eagerly gravitate to the lewd lustful perverted temptations of their own fleshly desires, are merely puppet prisoners dancing to the beat of their Master of Deception, Lucifer! While those who have enlisted as his leaders, rulers and foot soldiers, relishing in the arrogant ignorance of their presumed power, continue meticulously  plotting to make a mockery of The Lordship of God’s King, The Sovereign True and Living God, sitting Eternally Enthroned above The Heavens, laughs at the vanity of their futile attacks and the certainty of their inevitable destiny!

Didjaheardat? WOW!

Saints, granted, it’s not always easy to trust God! Especially when it seems that the unrighteous are prospering and we, who name the Name of Christ, are left behind to fend for ourselves, at their mercy! HOWEVERRRRR, can I submit this TRUTH, for your most earnest consideration? WE AIN’T IN HEAVEN, YET!

Beloved, God never promised us a trial-free life in the earth, however, HE PROMISES TO BE a TRIAL-PROVEN SAVIOR! “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deut. 31:6

OMG! #DIDJAGETIT? Everything that the enemy intends for evil, God will turn it around  and use it for our good!  (Ref. Genesis 50:20)

Precious one, The Creator and Sustainer of all LIFE, HOPE AND CONSOLATION has ESTABLISHED an EXECUTIVE DECREE that all those who embrace (kiss) THE SON, putting their absolute trust in HIS Saving Grace are already blessed! TRUTHBETOLD, we might not win every battle, but TRUST2KNO…WE SHALL WIN THE WAR! Check the back of THE BOOK! #ijs! #SERIOUSLY!

Satan, get a clue! LOOKS LIKE THE JOKE’S ON U! From where we’re seated, Devil, you ain’t never gonna win! As a Born-Again, Blood-Washed, God-Fearing- Believer, I shall never be defeated and I will never be denied! OUR GOD REIGNS 4EVER!

THE LAST LAUGH! #GAMECHANGER, huh?
SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THRIVE!

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THRIVE 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 KJV

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36 KJV

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. John 10:10 The Message

 

 SMH!!!!  Coming into another dimension of Revelation of the ‘almost too good to be true’ Gospel of Jesus Christ, my only appropriate response is shaking my head in wonder-filled absolute amazement!  I’m not a novice to this thing we call ‘Salvation’, by no means. I’ve been saved for more than thirty years! Yet, I’m almost embarrassed to admit it; nevertheless, for most of my walk with Christ, I’ve struggled secretly imprisoned by guilt and shame for sins I have committed. And I’m not just talking about those B.C. (before Christ). I’m talking about the since I’ve been saved stuff too! 

Just in case someone else out there knows what I’m talking about, I feel an urging in my spirit, compelling me to put myself out on blast just to let you know that there’s Hope for you also, and it’s “IN” Christ Jesus!

Now, don’t get it twisted!  I’m not trying to push the blame off on somebody else. I’m just acknowledging that for whatever reason I adapted a sense of ‘performance-based-legalism’ that followed me right into Christianity! Do good, get good—do bad, get bad!  This kind of thinking just about seals the deal—you’re doomed for failure and defeat, desolation and destruction because there’s no wiggle-room for our innately flawed human characteristics. You lie because you are a liar, you steal because you are a thief; you sin because you were born a sinner!

The Devil’s had a very long time to master deception and manipulation. Frankly,  he’s become quite proficient in using us against us! He cloaks his best handiwork in fostering our ‘self-righteousness, self-degradation and ultimate self-rejection’! Yall know how he just loves to throw a rock and hide his hand. Unfortunately there’s little need to change his tactics, after all, it still works!

TRUTHBTOLD, on our ‘bestest’ days, we still aren’t good enough to somehow deserve God’s Grace! BUT! That’s what’s so Great about Salvation! Even if we could, by accident, done some ‘right’ act it never would’ve equaled out all of the ‘wrong’ acts we’ve committed.

That’s why God sent Jesus!

God knew the first plan was not and never could work—because ‘they just don’t have it in them’! In Hebrews 10:18 Jesus said it something like this…”this new covenant will not be written on tablets of stone, but ‘I’m writing it in their hearts and in their minds’! Father, prepare me A Body… I, The Righteous One, will come to live in them and will empower them to become righteous and do right things the right way!

OMG, SMH…AGAIN! Didjaheardat?

It ain’t about ‘you’ it’s all about ‘JESUS’!!!

Beloved, it’s time to shut the devil down! How? By taking God at HIS WORD! Hence, God paid an hefty price to deliver our souls from the debt of sin! Don’t belittle the Sacrafice on the altar of false humility, self-pity, self-exclusion, as if it’s an act of penance!  Now, I mean no disrespect, we’re always to be grateful for every blessing God has bestowed upon us, howevvrrr, it’s not enuff to be content with ‘survival’ when God intended for us to live this life to the fullest, exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond any and everything we could every deserve! Hence, GOD wants us to THRIVE! That’s what causes those who’ve yet to receive HIM as Savior and Lord to take a closer look at The Christ In U and begin to envy the Glory of your Heavenly Father resting upon your life! #ijs!

Hence, why keep trying to earn something that God’s already given you for free? Just accept Jesus’ unmerited Love and Loyalty by living  your life to the fullest every day in HIM!

That’s what it means to be ‘BORN AGAIN’ …saved and set free! THAT’S THE REAL BLESSING…I’M NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO FULFILL OTHER’S LIMITATIONS OF WHO I AM, WHAT I’M WORTH AND WHAT I CAN ACHIEVE! YEP, I CAN LIVE FREE! NO MORE CHAINS HOLDING ME!

When we place our personal confident trust not in ‘self’ –not in what we can’t do to earn such Amazing Grace—BUT IN WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE, WE’RE FREE—TO BE, DO, HAVE and ENJOY EVERYTHING HE PURPOSED 4 US B4 THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD! IN OTHER WORDS–THRIVE!  YES…THRIVE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

SHOUT-OUT!

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SHOUT-OUT!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to Me.” Acts 18:9-10
Several years ago, The Grand Ole’ Church of God in Christ, came out with a slogan, guess what? Exactly! ‘I won’t be silent anymore!’  I wonder why I haven’t heard that one in a while! Especially in light of all the other voices that are bellowing out all kinds of crazy comments! #wink #wink!  Yall don’t mind granting a senior sista a few moments of folly, do you? AWESOME!

Have you noticed that every one and their cuzzins have come out of the colloquial closets, declaring and decreeing their rights. WOW! But where are the Saints? What’s the matter Zion? Perhaps, it’s got more to do with frustration and disenfranchisement than fear, huh? Them ol’ skool churrch Mothers were right! We’re living in times that will definitely try men’s souls. Seems as if everybody’s got rights…BUT THE CHURCH!

I ain’t scurred! Why are we the brunt of  such vicious accusations and slander, if we dare to uphold the moral standards clearly defined in The Word of God?  What happened to our freedom of speech rights? Why are we subjected to blatant mockery and defamation of character when we defend our Declaration of Dependance on The True and Living Creator of The Universe? #ijs The way things are going in America, we don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to freely speak-up for Jesus and not be martyred!

Last time I checked, The Holy Bible still says that there’d come a time when the people of God would be forced to make an individual conscientious decision, for Jesus I live, for Jesus I die! Well? Churrch, do we really believe The Word of God or are we pretending to fit in to get in?  Have we forgotten that the Ol’ Ship of Zion is not a cruiseliner but a battleship?  

It’s time to show this dark and dying world whatcha working with! Ain’t no where to run and no where to hide. The stage is set and the rubber is treading  the road. Timeout for playing church and teetering on the edge of the fence! You know what I mean;  “How close can you get to the world and still make it to Heaven?”  Baby, Either you’re all in THIS….OR UR OUTSIDE OF THE ARK! 

I still believe that the safest place in the whole wide world, IS IN THE WILL OF GOD!

Now, that’s just my two cents…do U, Boo!  BUT AS THE OL’ CHURRCH PREACHA USED TO SAY…AS 4 ME AND MY HOUSE….WE SHALL SERVE THE LORD!

TRUST2KNO! #SILENCEAIN’TBLISS! #datzmystoryugottaluvmehuh!  #NLOL #SPEAK-UP #SHOUT-OUT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee