Category Archives: Faith that Please God

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

UNDER THE INFLUENCE 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to god must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ Hebrews 11:6

The other day I heard someone say something that I thought was quite profound, at least thought provoking. It was said that “we are swirling towards eternity at the speed of life!” History is being written every day. Memories are being made, every day. Lessons are being taught and learned, every day. Attitudes are being formed and developed, every day.

As I began to think about this, several questions flooded my mind. First, does God’s Presence influence your life? If so, then howWhat impact has God’s Presence in you made in your circle of influence?

We love to sing the song, “Jesus You’re the center of my joy, all that’s good and perfect comes from You; You’re the Heart of my contentment, Hope for all I do….” But when the music stops and your feet hit the ground, how’s your walk? In other words, does your video authenticate your audio? #ijs!!!

The Bible does not merely ask us to have faith to believe that God does exist. Lucifer and his hord of demons believe that God exists, however they don’t follow Him! As bona fide, Blood-washed, Born-Again Children of The Most High God, our lifestyle should attest to fact that not only do we believe that He exits, but we  also believe that God is who He says He is, that God is with us, that God is for us and that God will perform every promise that He’s sworn by GOD-self towards us! (Ref. Hebrew 11:6)  Hence, if we desire to please The Lord we must walk out our lives under the influence of His Presence, adhering to HIS instructions and exemplifying our beliefs throughout the course of daily living! #Didjaheardat? #SERIOUSLY!!!

Does your character reflect the Presence of God in your life? Does the influence of God’s Presence affect the choices that you make? Does your life style reflect the influence of God’s Presence? Whose chances of ending up in Heaven have increased because of the impact that you’ve made upon their life? Whose chances of ending up in Hell increased because you are in their life? Now, since our response and our responsibility carry eternal consequences, may I suggest that you carefully and conscientiously ponder the depth of your soul before answering the aforementioned questions? 

We are living epistles (letters) and folk are reading our mail, every day! How is the Presence of God in you influencing your readers? Just a thought! #ijs (Ref. 2 Corinthians 3:1-3)

The Bible says, we are the salt of the earth. I believe that means that we ought to make someone who doesn’t know God, thirsty for a drink of The Living Waters(Ref. Matthew 5:13-14)

As Christians, our greatest desire should be to allow the influence of God’s Presence to be reflected on those around us so much so that it provokes them to envy  and thirst for The God that we worship and  ultimately seek to claim Him as their personal Savior and Lord! 

Looking back, perhaps there where many times when we almost, and unfortunately, even more times where we flat-out missed opportunities to Glorify God! Thanks Be To God!  IT MATTERS NOT WHERE WE START, BUT HOW WE END!  The ground around The Cross of Calvary is level to all!  With each new day, GOD SO GRACIOUSLY GIVES US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN, AGAIN! #WOW! 

As this year slips into eternity past, instead of lingering in the land of pouting and doubting remember that BUT…by God’s Grace!  KEEP IT MOVIN’! SPEND TODAY WISELY! LIVE EACH DAY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE! 

BELOVED, MAY YOU EMBRACE A PRODUCTIVE AND PROSPEROUS NEW DAY!

SELAH! 

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

MAKE IT THRU THE NITE!

MAKE IT THRU THE NITE SHIFT2

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 alone 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

Further,  when you’re forced to trample through the turbulent terrains of this life, know that your Heavenly Father is not a dead-beat-absentee Dad! God’s Eternal Word  has no shelf-‘life expiration date! It’s still Light to the 21st Century Saints and potent enough  to comfort, strengthen and encourage those who dare seek Him!

Precious ones, perhaps, at this reading, you find yourself smack-dab-in-the-middle of a loooonnnnggg night filled with overwhelming fear, anxiety and doubt, 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 and stop you take is Divinely-choreographed by The Maestro of Heaven! 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 around you is falling apart, Holy Spirit says, ‘It’s falling right in place’! Abba Father is weaving each tattered piece of your life together for your greatest good and His Highest Glory! And at the appointed time, He will flip it over  displaying His Magnificent Masterpiece! (Ref. Romans 8:28)

 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5

“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 immorality of this fallen world en route to the celestial city, may out faith remain steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of The sustaining power and Grace of  The Lord of all Life. Therefore, with uplifted hands, let us continuously proclaim of our Savior “The God that led me all my life long” works THE NIGHT SHIFT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

GOD DID IT!

 

GOD DID IT.1

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And thinkest thou this O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forebearance and long-suffering; not kowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:3-4

 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:24-25

 

A while ago, I heard a preacher confessing that at one time he was an avid believer and willing partaker of one of the greatest lies that Satan has perpetrated. As he went on to talk about his early perception of God, I began reflecting back on the  B.C. (Before Christ) in my own personal life, I humbly concluded, “You ain’t by yourself preacha!” If we would be honest, for real, a whole lot of us would have to raise both our hands and say “Amen 3X, Preacha!”

How many of you once believed that somewhere, way out there, there was a Great Big Ol’ Angry God, watching and recording every single thing you did? And when you had accumulated that mystical, unknown number of sins, His Hand of Wrath would suddenly appear from heaven, striking you down with a big sledge hammer, crush you and fling your po’ soul straight into the devil’s hell! Oh, C’mon nah; don’t play me like you never…

Perhaps you were with that other group—the self-righteous, who ascribe to the lie that when they get themselves together, they fully intend to start going to church but they’re not going to be no hypocrite, like all them other folk. They’re gonna be real about serving God! And we all know how that’s gonna turn out, huh?

Truth be told, this  sin-thing started way before any of us were born! Because of our original progenitor’s high treason against the Righteous instructions given by The Creator of Life, we are all born naughty by nature! Thus, every human born into the earth since our fore-parents’ willful rebellion is corrupted by an innate disorder called iniquity! Now, don’t look at me with that self-righteous attitude! (Ref. Ps. 51:5) 

But, it goes deeper! The Glory of Innocence that once covered Adam and us had now been disrupted by sin, exposing us to evil, guilt, shame and fear! That precious intimacy with God that man once enjoyed in Paradise was violently yanked from him plunging all of creation into gross darkness and utter chaos! And as they say, the rest is history, huh?

Now, just think about all those times GOD could’ve, should’ve, BUT didn’t serve you your just desserts! Remember all those unfulfilled promises you made (lies) just before GOD delivered you, againEvvrrr wonder, how many times God chose to withhold justice prefering to dispense Grace and Mercy towards us? WOW! Haven’t got a clue, huh? Neither do I! #ijs

Can we be for real? You and I will never, ever be good enough to remotely qualify as ‘acceptable’ to a HOLY GOD—SO….get over you! God already knew that we’d fall short numerous times, BEFORE AND AFTER WE RECEIVED JESUS!  That’s why, before we were even formed in our mother’s womb, God’s plan of Salvation was already established!

Ephesians 2:8 declares, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”! Didjaheardat? God never left it up to us! Salvation is God’s free gift.

That’s the GOSPEL! It’s called GRACE, YALL! And guess what?  This offer is still available to WHOSOEVER will humble themselves before God, acknowledge themselves as sinners who have no other Hope for Salvation but JESUS and accept His Amazingly-Gracious-Merciful GIFT OF FORGIVENESS!

NOW, don’t get it twisted! There is such a thing as frustrating the GRACE OF GOD! Hence, it behooves each of us to make a sincere concerted effort to daily live our lives doing those things that are pleasing to GOD! Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? GOD FORBID. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Ref. Romans 6:1-2)

I KNOW THIS SOUNDS 2 good 2 be true!  YET, IT IS! GOD ALREADY DID EVERYTHING NEEDED 2 SAVE ANY ONE OF US! THAT’S JUS HOW GOOD GOD IS! NOW??? WHAT’S UR EXCUSE, huh?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

GOD’S HELP!

GOD'S HELP B

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Ephesians 4:7

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8

 

OMG! Did we ever get dat twisted? GRACE that is!

Guilty! I remember it, just like Mama and probably her Mama and undoubtedly my own kids to theirs, asking, “DidjasayyourGrace?” God knows, we didn’t know! But now, knowing the true meaning and eternal value of GRACE, (God’s unmerited, unearned favor towards us) makes it even more Awemazzzin, huh?

 When Jesus conquered death, He ascended into Heaven and sent back to us the Precious Gift of Holy Spirit emboldening the Body of Christ (The Church), with everything we’d evrrr need to fulfill, not only our individual God-ordained purpose, but GOD’s Eternal Purpose in the earth—To colonize a God-Centered society giving Light and Life to a dark sin-filled world!

Howeverrr, didjakno that even today, some believers act as if Grace is simply a free pass to continue in sin?  SERIOUSLY! 

In essence, not only does such erroneous thinking usually lead to continuous rebellion, it completely misrepresents and dishonors Christ Jesus’ Sacrifice on The Altar at Calvary! Grace is more aptly recognized as God’s Divine Enabling Power Gifts, which He has Sovereignly equipped, measuring out to each believer, according to their specific tasks in The Kingdom of God!

While there are a variety of spiritual giftings, every gift is vital to the health of The Body! Hence, jealousy, envy, covetous and certainly competitiveness between our brothers and sister’s gifts is uncharacteristically absurd for a Christian, considering the Source is the same for each gift, The Holy Spirit! (Ref. 1 Corinthians 12) After all, these gifts are not given to boast in ourselves, but to boost up and to glorify The Kingdom of Heaven in the earth! That’s why the scriptures warn us that The BookKeeper is keeping track of every deed that is done in our bodies and one day we will all be judged for how we used our gifts to promote the advancement of The Kingdom of God to a lost and dying world! (Ref. 2 Corinthians 5:10)

Sounds to me like it’s a total abuse of time bickering and complaining about what somebody else has or doesn’t and even more foolish, wishin’ and hopin’ you had, huh? Hence, time might be more wisely appropriated by diligently seeking to discover our own ultimate “WHY and WHACHA COME HERE FOR!”

IN OTHER WORDS, WHATEVER GOD’S PUT ON YOUR HEART 2 DO 4 HIS GLORY, RECOGNIZE THAT HE’S FAVORED U TO WORK DAT THANG!  OH, AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE NAYSAYERS, WITH GOD’S HELP, FAILURE AIN’T EVEN AN OPTION!  #datzGRACE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

A FULL HOUSE

A FULL HOUSE

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psalm 23:5

 

Anyone that knows me, already know, if they ever wanna win a card game, don’t pick Ann as a partner. The only game that I evrrr remember having a remote chance of winning was “Go Fish” or “I Declare War”! Uuum, maybe God was trying to tell me something, huh?

Anyhow, I took the liberty of Googling what ‘A Full House’ meant and ascertained that “Any three cards of the same rank together with any two cards of the same rank. However, “Aces full of Kings” is a bigger full house than “Kings full of Aces.” Evidently, when comparing full houses, the rank of the three cards determines which is higher, huh? Oh well, as you’ve probably already surmised, none of that means a hill of beans to me because Mama said ‘scarred money never wins’ and SINCE my money was terrified!  #gotit? Therefore, I ‘d better stick to what I’m best suited for, huh? Catching souls and slamming demons!

According to the historical Eastern culture tradition, The Bedouin Law of Hospitality, when a host wanted to let his guest know that he was truly welcomed and that in his house there was plenty to accommodate the comfort and happiness to his guest, he’d ask the guest to lift up his cup and the host would pour the wine into it, and keep on pouring wine until it overflowed and spilled out onto the carpeted banquet floor. The guest would then know that he was doubly honored and abundantly welcomed!

As part of this hospitality, guests would also be anointed with oil, so that their robes emanated a delightful fragrance, indicating that the host would anoint his honored guest, not sparingly but to the extent that their heads would glisten in the candle-lights! Failure to do this was recognized as a deliberate rebuff and insult! WOW!

Now I get that this might be difficult for most of us westerners to comprehend, given the fact that for the most part, hospitality has become a lost art! #ijs!!! However, thankfully, with God, it’s a tradition that shall never go out of style.  Our Heavenly Father’s  Benevolence is exuberantly extravagant! He lavishes His gifts upon all who will embrace His Gracious Loving-kindness with up-stretched hands and open hearts, anxiously awaiting His unending ever-flowing river of compassionate providential care!

In the Scriptures, oil is a figure of God The Holy Spirit. While it’s the mission of our arch-enemy, Satan, to suppress the Children of God, enslaving you in small places, confining us to poverty, lack and diminished hope, joy and peace, The Holy Spirit intercedes on your behalf, ushering you into large lands flooded with showers of blessings! (Ref. John 10:10)

Needless to say, faith in Christ does not exempt believers from experiencing trying times of tearful sorrow, being wearied by disappointment and enduring dishonor and rejection of shameful lies! Nevertheless, we’re yet able to rejoice as The Spirit of God infuses our soul with joy and gladness, grace upon grace, love without measure and peace beyond understanding!

Beloved, God is not content with your being satisfied with just enough! He’s The King of kings and Lord of lords! Therefore as His Heritage, He’s chosen to give us more than we could ask or think! (Ref. Ephesians 3:20)  Didjaheardat card jus hit da table? #BAMM Amazing, huh?

Our Great Shepherd invites you to be seated at the table He has prepared today, making a public announcement to your enemies—‘don’t even try it,’ lifting His cup over your head, signifying that as His honored guest, you’re not just getting leftovers, but you’ve got the keys to the whole house to enjoy the finest of provisions!  #BOOM

Hence, TRUST2KNO, your God delights in running your cup over so that you can’t contain the blessings, and will be able to share with others so that His Grace is reaching more and more people, multiplying praises with thanksgiving from grateful hearts to overflow to the Glory of God. (Ref. 2 Corinthians 4:15) 

Well, whatcha say?

“HERE’S MY CUP LORD, I LIFT IT UP, COME AND QUENCH THE THIRSTING OF MY SOUL!” …DRINK UP!  NOW DATZ A FULL HOUSE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

HALLELUJAHHHH!!!

HALLELUJAH2!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 148:13-14

As a born-again and bred, Blood-washed, Holy Ghost baptized and filled in the Grand Ole Church of God in Christ, I know, personally, what it means when you hear the words ‘give honor to whom honor is due’! And if you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending one of their Holy Convocations or District meetings, I’m sure you do too! LOL!

Although we were trained in pulpit etiquette that once the podium is addressed the first time, it’s no longer necessary for every subsequent person to address the entire pulpiteers individually! At least, that’s what they told us. Nevertheless, some of us could not help ourselves from spending at least 8-10 minutes giving honor to ‘the Bishops, Superintendents, Pastors, Elders, District Missionaries, Evangelists, Deacons, Chairman of the Usher Boards, Choir Directors, Choir Member, Saints, Members and Friends before finally doing what they were asked to do!

Don’t get mad at me…on the inside, I’m still COGIC 2 DA BONE!

However, I’ve noticed that there’s only ONE NAME that’s uniquely and distinctly dignified with its own Exclusive Exaltation! And that’s the Name that’s above every other name that can ever be named! That name is JESUS!

When you understand the tremendous worth and exceedingly radiant glory impregnated in HIS NAME, the only acclamation that even comes close to befitting HIM is the ONE Divinely-inspired by the original praise and worship team (the angelic host) who continuously behold His Face, is ‘OH Glorraaaaa!’

Considering, according to Biblical Historians, the name YAHWEH was so sacred that uttering it was almost blashphemous, what an amazing honor that The Father has bestowed upon us that allows up to freely lift up The Name of His Son—JESUS! Awesome things happen, when you call upon Jesus because there’s extravagant power available to those who trust in the Name!

The world has purposed its own list of certain names that are synonymous with importance, wealth, fame, beauty, talent and intelligence such as Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Rockefellow, Haley Berry, Magic Johnson and Sigmund Freud, to name a few. And while these names may carry a certain degree of clout and access among man, it does not impress God in the least. But there is a name that over-rides and over-rules everything seen and unseen. Talk about name-dropping, huh?

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10)

No wonder, those who have been saved, healed, delivered and truly love the Lord, just can’t help but to worship the ONLY NAME WORTH praising at all—JESUS!

“ Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 150:6

#Didjaheardat? “HALLELUJAH!”

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

FACT OR FANTASY?

FACT OR FANTASY

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance, despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.We wait in hope for the Lord, he is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love, rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:16-22

 

WOAH! TIME OUT! Can we at least agree that there’s a strong possibility that prophesy is being full-filled right before our eyes, live and in living color, huh? WHO KNU? (Ref. Matthew 24:6)

Truth is, any given morning, we wake up to BREAKING NEWS  of the latest epidemic of civic unrest, chaotic rioting, murders, robberies, wars and rumors of wars, unraveling of corrupt political slanderers, traumatic earth-transforming global warming, firey earthquakes and floodings, threatening government shutdowns, human trafficking, corporate bankruptcy, lay-offs, hackers, sword-wailing–errorist bombings targeting soft-spots (bridges, restaurants, libraries, nite clubs, airports and schools), drug overdoses, suicides by cops and we can’t ignore the sporadic plane, train, bus and car crashes. It’s no wonder that so many of us are walking around bi-polarized with fear, anxiety, UN-diagnosed clinical depression coupled with post-election stress disorder, right?

While the world maintains it’s diminutive-demoralizing ‘a wishin and a hopin’ …‘we can only hope so’ ideology of GREATER days to come and Satan continues to infiltrate unregenerated hearts and minds with taunting lies and alternative facts that perpetuate hopelessness and despair, the saints cling desperately to the reality of the yet unseen Eternal Hope!

There’s no denying that it’s extremely difficult to not be frustrated as the wickedness of man profusely increases. Nevertheless, amidst the scorners, believers have an advantage that the world knows not of and a HOPE that reaches beyond this world! We know that NOW IS NOT ALWAYS! According to our Kingdom Constitution, the sufferings of this present time, are not worth even sweating over; compared to the glorious future that awaits us at His Appearance! (Ref. Psalm 33:10-11)

Although, sometimes, God allows the horsemen to trample over our heads. Nonetheless, when faced with the harshness of real-time woes, we don’t tap out but anchor our Trust in Hope! We know that it’s just a temporary set-up to catch our enemies off-guard to their imminent destruction and our inevitable Triumph! When we’re at our weakest, His Uncompromising Faithfulness to save, rescue and cover us is stronger than our momentary doubts! (Ref. 2 Corinthisans 2:14)

Unlike worldly hope, duped in the fantasy, “I am the master of my own destiny’, a believers’ Hope is rooted in a spiritually-inspired anticipation that whatever God has promised HAS TO COME TO PASS! Hence, this holy boldness, assured by every Promise given by The Eternal One, Who abides free from outside influence, is the launching pad to our Eminent Salvation, giving substance to our faith!

Little children, while it’s clearly impossible to turn a blind eye to the downward spiral of this 21st Century society, our spiritual discernment confirms that while it may seem as if things are falling apart, EVERYTHING IS FALLING RIGHT IN PLACE!  TRUST2KNO, nothing  happens that can everrr take God by surprise! The Eyes of The Lord are always looking on His Beloved and His Ears are ever attentive to the cries of those whose hearts revere and Hope in His Holy Name! WOW! Didjaheardat?

Obviously, we have every reason to rest secure, trusting in the Strength of God’s Unfailing Love! NOW DATZ A FACT! #JESUSISLORD!

 

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

prayn-and-fasting-pic

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

GM my Precious Bros. And Sistas! GOTTA MOMENT? GREAT GOD ALMIGHTY!

Didjaknow, that the only reason U R able to read this post is because Our Heavenly Father has blessed U 2 B alive 1 more day! And for that, please join me in exalting The Glorious Name of Jesus! As is out custom on Thursdays, we, The New Nations Worship Ministries Family encourage you to join us in our weekly day of Corporate Prayer and Fasting. Is there any among you sickly, or weak, afflicted, ill-treated or fainthearted, then as James 5:13 instructs, let’s pray!

Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God our Father! There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thy changes not; Thy compassion fail not; as Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be! Morning by morning new mercies I see; ALL I HAVE NEEDED THY HAND HATH PROVIDED—GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS, LORD UNTO ME!

 

Abba Father, it is with great joy that we entreat Thy Seat of Mercy today! Trusting confidently that You have afforded us this awesome honor and privilege not because we deserve it, but relying solely upon Your Loving-Kindness drawing us into Your All Encompassing Presence.  Precious Lord, we thankya for Your Faithful Obedience to please The Heart of The Father by sacrificing Your Life in our stead, that we might become Sons of The True and Living God! And for this cause, we bow in humble gratitude, fully aware that as we come before You, empty and void of anything that would warrant such awesome graciousness, but because Your Righteousness we are now the beneficiary of All that You are in the Eyes of God!

Father, we know that You already know everything about every single one of us, because You are Omniscient, Omnipresent, yet because You walked among us, allowing Your self to be tempted at all point as we are, You learned what we experience in these earthly tabernacles and can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities! Therefore, You are our Great High Priest, able to intercede on our behalf continuously searching and conveying the thoughts, intents, emotions and physical weaknesses that we’re often unable to articulate to The Father of All Grace and Comfort! We thankya Lord, for being A Very Present Help!

Lord, while we try to please You by trusting in Your Word, You know that sometimes, it’s difficult to over-ride the noise of the pestilence, the chaos of uncertainty and the pain of condemnation, guilt, and shame that seems to lure us into the valleys shadowed with danger, fear, anger, bitterness, anxiety, hopelessness and self-doubt! That’s why we gladly run to You, daily to find refuge, peace and restoration that You have prepared for any who would come to You in hope-filled assurance that You will never deny Your Word!

Heavenly Father, we shall forever bless You for continuing to renew our strength, understanding and power as we open our hearts to You, depending and relying only on You. As we yield our entire lives before You, we pray for those who are unsaved, believing You to ignite a Spirit of Godly-repentance that they may confess a “sincere YES” in their heart and mind that they will have a desire to come to You today and receive You as their personal Lord and Savior!
Lord Jesus, we’re believing You to put a “committed YES” in the heart and mind of every backslider that this will be the day that they come back to You and come back to YOUR local church where they will be loved, nurtured, trained in the Way of Holiness and determined to fulfill their God-ordained destiny.

Abba Father, please touch our brother, touch our sister who has been afflicted by any sickness and disease, including the spirit of cancer, kidney failure, high blood pressure, low blood pressure and rebuke and cast it out at the root, for Your Name Sake! We come into agreement with Your Word, declaring 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! And as You are strengthening these, we ask that you also invigorate, encourage and replenish the spirits, minds and bodies of those who are charged to care for their loved ones!
Lord, as always, we pray for every believer who is yet holding on to Your Hand by faith today, trusting that You will release Divine power, Supernatural strength, consolation, health, provision, prosperity, protection and Your Peace that surpasses understanding!

We ask Father, that You preserve each of us thru the tests that  we go thru, keep us constantly aware of YOUR PRESENCE and fully-confident that You will bring always us out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward as You have promised  in Your Eternal Word.

Sweet Jesus, we lift up every spiritual leader, asking an immediate manifestation of that special miracle for each and every one of them who are yet standing on the wall proclaiming Your Word under the  Power, Conviction and Anointing of Holy Spirit. Jesus, we’re trusting and believing 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 live their lives serving and glorifying You as Lord!

Father, as we lift up our children, our children’s children and by faith,  we cancel every scheme that Satan desires to inflict upon them, committing them into Your Providential Care, we realize that You have a plan and purpose for their lives too and we have the blessed assurance that their steps are being ordered by Your eyes!

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!

Sweet Jesus, we Thankya for making ways out of no way; opening doors that no man can shut and shutting doors that no man can open! Because of Your mercy we are not consumed, for when we are deceived and tempted to stray away from Your commandments, You lead, guide and direct our steps and stops to keep us as we walk among men with unclean spirits and unclean lips!

Knowing that You Sovereignly Rule and Reign over the affairs of mankind, we’re praying for those who are in the White House, Congress, Senate, FBI, CIA, DOJ and every government, corporate, judicial office, every police department, prison, health care, education leaders in our country! We ask that You visit them in the night time impressing upon them that Power Belongs to God and You distribute according to Your Will! Let them know that there’s an appointed time when every man shall stand before The Righteous Judge Who will judge every man according to the deeds they have done in their bodies!

Father, we thank You that Your Word proclaims that Righteousness Exalts Any Nation and Sin is a Reproach to any People. Therefore, as Children of Light, we are trusting in Your Promise of Divine Favor assuring us that no weapon that is formed against us shall prosper!

We pray that You shall 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 to that which You have delivered us from.

Abba Father, help us to understand that salvation only comes to those who trust in the Name of Your First Begotten Son, Jesus ALONE as the Only Power to save us.
Father, because this battle is not ours, we believe that every demonic-induced spirit of temptation, addiction, rejection, self-hate, suicide, fear and failure is already defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Sound-mindness is being released now, in Jesus Name!

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

Abba Father, we thank You, honor and praise You now, for we trust and believe that it is done! In The Exalted Name of Jesus. Amen 3x! It Is So! Hallelujah!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

FATHER KNOWS…BEST!

FATHER KNOWS BEST

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31-1

 
Uuuh forgive my intrusion into your alabaster box, howeverrrrr! Do you sometimes cry out, as I have, “God, don’t You see my tears? Can’t You see my broken heart? God, never mind me, but how can You bear to see the agony of my loved one? God, I know that You care. I just don’t understand why You don’t intervene in this situation right now. Why don’t You do something? And, God, why did you do that?”

Then, to my heart, I seem to hear His still, small voice whispering, “Ann, trust Me. I know what’s best.”

…And I’m left to wonder, “Why I would ever think that I know better than God what’s best for me or my loved one”, huh?

Perhaps, it’s humanity’s naivety to presume that once we surrender our hearts to The Saving Grace of Jesus Christ, life from that point on consists of floating down rose, hydrangea, tulip and lilly clad pathways of ease on our way to the Pearly Gates of New Jerusalem! Unfortunately, there’s nothing in The Holy Writ that remotely resembles such a scenario. In fact, there’s more evidence to support that following in the Footsteps of Jesus means swallowing big gulps from the cup of imminent suffering and sacrifice!

Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. Job 14:1

Don’t get it twisted!  I am not being sacrilegious nor am I craaazzzy! Trust me; I am not in the least implying that our Heavenly Father is aDead-Beat Dad or a Narcissistic Sadist! Quite the contrary! In the Ingenious Sovereignty of His Own Will purpose trumps pain! Hence, God has Divinely orchestrated the terrains of our journey to include sporadic detours through wilderness pit stops as well as ecstatically triumphant mountain top encounters to perfect in us the same Godly Character and Radiant Glory of our Kinsmen Redeemer!

Remember, His Ways are not our ways and His Thoughts supersede our severely limited intellectual capacity to comprehend the length, width and depth and wonder of His Omnipotent Omniscience! (Ref. Isaiah 55:8-9)

Yet, by Faith we know that all things work together for our highest good and His Greatest Glory! (Ref. Romans 8:28) Hence, in the end VICTORY BELONGS 2 JESUS!

#IJS! The quicker that I acquiesce to the prompting of The God In Me, the sooner my po-wearied-soul is encompassed about with the Comforting Presence, Joy and Peace of The Only Wise Savior and Lord of my Life! 

Father, since I know You want what’s best for me soooo, Lord whatever You’re doing, help my unbelief and give me the Grace 2 Trust U more !

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

RISKY BUSINESS

RISKY BUSINESS

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Hebrew 11:1

 

At the hazard of being sacrilegious or sounding debasing, may I submit for your consideration that today’s scripture text may very well be the Preamble to God’s Covenant between every born-again, blood-washed believer and The Almighty Creator and Sustainer of Life! Truthfully, no one enters into a personal relationship with God without faith and without it, it’s impossible to please Him. (Ref. Hebrew 11:6) Yet, quiet as it’s kept, one of the hardest things for a Christian to do is to live by faith and not by sight.

The difficulty may stem from its decisive departure from the profound proclamation of this world’s culture, i.e., “seeing is believing”. Whereas, when we come into The Kingdom of God, we are taught “believe to see the invisible achieve the impossible”! (Ref. Psalm 27:13) Perhaps that’s why Christianity tends to defy the logic of the more mentally astute intellectuals. Expressly, if I can’t see it, touch it, smell it, taste it…it can’t possibly be real. Undeniably, faith demands risks that not everyone is willing to take!

Biblical Faith commands a conscious decision based solely on our willingness to trust in An Invisible Maker’s ability and commitment to fulfill yet unrealized promises. Specifically, we must first believe that there is A Holy God; Who before the foundation of the world, Sovereignly made immutable promises to His Chosen people which history has established GOD’s absolute commitment to fulfill every last one of them forever!

Coming out from a world where integrity is at an all time low, sometimes “trusting” can be an almost insurmountable challenge to even the most sincere hearted saints. However, as you continue to walk with Jesus, you discover that He is indeed Trustworthy and Forever Faithful! As you spend time in fellowship with HIM through prayer and studying The Word of God, you’ll unearth a perfecting of your faith and a level of trust mounting just like yeast in fresh dough.

A Living Faith is trusting the Promises of God, despite all of the circumstantial evidence that testifies to the pointlessness of expecting these things to somehow work together for our good and His Greatest Glory!  Just when everything within incites us to abandon all hope, suddenly out of  the depts of our inner-most being, a supernatural unction swells up igniting a Divine Impartation of Hope against hope! (Ref. Romans 4:18)

Can you imagine where we would be if Jesus had looked at us and decided, ‘What’s the point? Dad, scratch that! Let’s just start over again with a new batch”?  In Hell, probably, huh? But Thank God! Our Heavenly Father refused to leave so Great a Task up to the fickleness of our flawed flesh! The Bible says, Jesus looked beyond all our faults, seeing our needs, faithfully submitted Himself to do His Father’s Will and humbly came down to secure Eternal Salvation for any who would trust and accept His Divine Provision, GRACE!

WOW! KNOWING WHAT SOME OF US WERE B.C. (BEFORE CHRIST)…NOW THAT’S WHAT YOU CALL, TAKING A RISK…SERIOUSLY!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Pastor Ann Caffee