Category Archives: Faith that Please God

MY CUP

my-cup

SELAH Daily Devotions!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

AN ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE!

acafy2014's avatarSELAH Daily Devotions

AN ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE

SELAH Daily Devotions!

You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me. Your widom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself “I am, and there is none beside me.’ Isaiah 47:10
I still remember, as a child being ushered from my classroom, thru the halls and down to the basement to the make-shift -fall-out-shelters. Despite of that lingering black cloud of fear looming over the atmosphere, most of the time folk went about doing life as usual. We hardly ever thought about the fact that there was a ‘cold war’ going on between our country and the Russians. That is, until the alarms went off alerting us to proceed immediately to the designated Bomb-Shelters! The thing is, we never knew whether it was just another drill or had the OTHER shoe finally dropped.

Like today, there’s a war going on all around us and…

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LOST & FOUND

lost-and-found

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

1 WORD

ONE WORD

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oh yeah! ONE WORD FROM GOD CHANGES EVERYTHING!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

prayn-and-fasting-pic

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Good morning Precious Saints of The Most High God! GOTTA MOMENT? AWESOME!

We’re delighted that you have joined in today as in our weekly Day of Corporate Fasting and Prayer. As we go before The Lord, please pray for the Saints everywhere! We understand that the enemy has launched a decree to destroy the Hope and Joy of God’s elect, particularly the next generation! But God says that the violent shall pursue, recover and conquer everything that God has given us. AS WE’RE PRAYING WE ARE BELIEVING & DECREEING…Our children are our gifts from God! The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but Mighty through God for the pulling down strongholds…

 

JUS ANOTHER DAY, THAT THE LORD HAS KEPT ME! JUS ANOTHER DAY THAT THE LORD, HAS KEPT ME! HE HAS KEPT ME FROM ALL EVIL; WITH MY MIND STAYED ON JESUSSSS! JUST ANOTHER DAY THAT THE LORD HAS KEPT ME! I’M SO GLAD THAT THE LORD HAS KEPT ME! I’M SOOO GLAAADDD THAT THE LORD HAS KEPT ME! HE HAS KEPT MMEEE, FROM ALLLL EEEVVVIIILLLLL, WITH MY MIND STAAAYYYEEDDDD ON JESUSSSSS! JUST ANOTHER DAAAAYYYYY THAT THE LORD, HAASSSS KEPT ME! OOOOHH, OOOOOHHHH, OOOOOHHHH, OOOOOOHHHH, OOOOOOHHHH, OOOOO, OOOO! MY SOUL SAYS YEESSSSS! MY SOUL SAYS YESSSSSS! MY SOUL SAYS YESSSSSSSSS! YEEESSSSSSS! YYYEEESSSS! YYYYESSSSSS  LORD…

 
Our Father and our God, as we come before You today, in the Magnificent, All Powerful Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus, we’re yet determined to rejoice, praise and thank You for blessing us to see this day ! Looking back, we know that it was no goodness of our own but solely Your Faithful Love that has allowed us to be here to see one more brand new day! Because of Your Benevolence, we thank You, Holy Father for the opportunity of today and to enjoy the abundance of Your Mercy, Your Grace, Your Power and Your Peace!

Father, with eternal gratitude we bless You for allowing us to enter into Your Throne Room, with hope-filled expectation, trusting You will entreat us graciously as we pour out the burdens that seem to overwhelm our hearts, releasing everything that concerns us to you!

Father, we come today blessing You for the day that You opened our hearts enabling us to recognize and receive the saving Grace in the Life, Death, Burial and Resurrection of Your Son, Jesus! We acknowledge that while there was absolutely nothing in us lovable nor worthy of this honor and privilege, BUT because it pleased You,You choose us to be Your very own children!

Abba Father, we are eternally grateful that You purposed in Your Heart and by Your Own Hand, to be The God of our Salvation, our Deliverance, Breakthrough and Provision. We’re thankful that You, intimately aware of our frame, yet Faithfully, Compassionately and Graciousiously continuously looks beyond our human frailties, faults and iniquities to see and minister to every one of our need!

Heavenly Father, we are so thankful that You knowing the very thoughts and intends of our hearts, see that our hearts are open to, depending and relying only on You! We’re believing for renewed strength, understanding and power that comes from trusting in Your Lovingkindness and Tender Mercy! Lord Jesus, because we know that You are Omniscient, Omnipresent, You already know everything about everyone of us, nevertheless You welcome us to come to You, to find Grace and Mercy, to comfort, strengthen and encourage us to hold on to every Word that You have spoken over our lives, before we were born.

Daddy, standing humbly before Your Sovereignty, before we go any further, we ask You to forgive us for everything that we, your children, have spoken, done and even thought that was not pleasing in Your sight. We thank You now because You have assured us that if we would confess our sins, You, being Faithful and Just, will forgive us, and wash us in The Precious Blood of Jesus, cleansing us from all unrighteousness, and restoring the breach that our disobedience has caused between our poor souls and our Lord and Savior, Jesus! Now, we ask Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf, our family, our friends, even our enemies, as we know that Your love is the same for each and everyone of us!

 

Abba, we know that You have instructed us, to look not at the temporary things, but to the eternal, yet because of the frailness of our flesh, we’re easily provoked and tempted to become overwhelmed by the cares of this world, allowing our hearts to be burdened with the pressures of this life! Lord You know that too many of us are wearied with fear, doubt, unbelief, sickness and disease, financial debt, broken relationships, unprovoked threats, depression, addictions, insecurities. Lord you know that sometimes we lose our focus on You causing our days to be spent beneath clouds of evil foreboding, while our nites are plagued with restlessness, despondency and hopelessness! Lord, keep us in Your Will, as only You can!

 

Lord, we thank You for being a Listening God! Because The Bible teaches us that Blood yet speaks, hence we are fully persuaded that Your ears are not deaf to the cries of our fathers, Grandfathers, husbands, brothers, sons, nephews and cousins all over this world, even these UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! Therefore, as Your ears are tuned into the blood of those who have been struck down in our streets and is still crying out from the cracks in the ground, we’re believing You are The God of  Perfect Justice and Vindication!

 

Sweet Jesus, because no man can come to the Father except you draw them, we ask that as Your eyes continue to search the hearts of mankind, that you draw and save the lost, reclaim every back-slider and direct their footsteps to their local church home today. We’re believing that all of our unsaved loved ones and friends will be saved and join our Eternal Family!

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

Lord, as we pray for every believer who is yet holding on to Your Hand by faith today, we’re trusting that You are releasing a double portion of Divine power, Supernatural strength and health, provision, prosperity and protection. Preserve them thru  every test, keep them constantly aware of YOUR PRESENCE and fully-confident that You will bring them out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward as You have promised them in Your Word.

Father we lift up our political, social, judicial, business, religious leaders, asking a special blessing upon each one! Grace them to be the  true godly examples in their homes, communities, marketplace and churches that will cause those who are in their sphere of influence to come to know, love, trust and to live their lives serving You, Our Heavenly Father.

Father we declare and decree that every demonic-induced spirit of fear, failure, hopelessness and disappointment be defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Sound-mindness be released now, in Jesus Name! We’re agreeing that each morning Your children will awaken with Assured Grace to accomplish every assignment and earnest hope-filled tomorrows!

Give us the confidence to know that because we belong to You, we’re never too far that You can’t see us, reach us, and shield us from anything that the devil would rail against us! Help us to understand that Your Name, Jesus is a Strong Tower, and those that You have declared the righteous run into it and are saved! 

Lord, there are so many other things, that we have yet to mention, but we’re trusting, believing You to fix it, Jesus, as only You can! Lord, we know that You are not just able, but willing to do anything that we ask, in accordance to Your Word, in Jesus Name! We thank you Father that as we walk through this day, depending on You for abundant life, divine health and Joy, and strengthen for whatever lies ahead  we shall forever give You all the Praise!

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

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

 

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

DON’T GET SIDETRACKED!

 

dont-get-sidebraked3

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.”…”Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:” Deuteronomy 29:9, 18-19 NIV

“All the nations will ask, “Why did God do this to this country? What on earth could have made Him this angry?”

Your children will answer, “Because they abandoned the Covenant of the God of their ancestors that He made with them after He got them out of Egypt; they went off and worshiped other gods, submitted to gods they’d never heard of before, gods they had no business dealing with. So God’s anger erupted against that land and all the curses written in this book came down on it. God, furiously angry, pulled them, roots and all, out of their land and dumped them in another country; as you can see.”

God, our God, will take care of the hidden things but the revealed things are our business. It’s up to us and our children to attend to all the terms in this Revelation.” Deuteronomy 29:24-29 The Message

OMG!  NOT AGAIN…What is it with us? While our spirit knows fully well that Your Ways are always the best for us, yet this ol’ fickle flesh is so easily tempted to …as if we could ever possibly improve on Perfection!

When are we gonna recognize that our Heavenly Father IS OMNISCIENT… dat means HE knows the end from the beginning? Even more important, you need to remember that HE IS GOD AND UR NOT! K?  Therefore, absolutely  NOTHING IN YOUR LIFE CAN EVER TAKE HIM BY SURPRISE! #DIDJAHEARDAT?

So you still think you got a better plan, huh?  

Okay! BUT…while you’re doing YOUDon’t let your guard down, lest there be hell to pay!

LORD, HELP US! Lord deliver us from us!  Father, when our circumstances contradict Your Promises, teach us to trust the Power of Your Word and how to activate it in our lives as we await Your Perfect Timing!  Lord Jesus, help us to stay focused on Your Word that we may see Your goodness in the land of the living! 

IF GOD SAID IT, THAT SETTLES IT…BELIEVE IT OR NOT! DON‘T GET SIDETRACKED!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

CHAINED OR CHANGED???

chained-or-changed-2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded, “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire. Luke 3:7-9

 

Ever asked someone, “Are you saved?” to which they responded, ‘matter-of-factly’,“uuuhhh…Mama told me I been baptized!” or “I belong to First Bed-Rock of The Divine Pentecostal Kingdom Fellowship” Don’t shout me down, now yall….jus wondering?

Seems to be a lot of that going around, huh? We’re living in a world where pretty much everybody’s ‘saved’! I mean, just look at the explosion of ‘Mega Ministries’, that have popped up in this country alone, right? Kinda makes you wonder why Jesus hasn’t returned! Well, may I submit for your consideration, while church attendance is a critical component of our spiritual development,church membership doesn’t make you a Christian any more than living in a garage makes you a car!

I understand how one might be confused, given the ‘mob mentality’ of the more contemporary theological persuasions of The New Millennium Era, that more means better. This is nothing new! According to our scripture text, it’s been going on since the days of John The Baptist! One might wonder, given the number of churches and folk who pour into the buildings any Sunday morning, why we don’t see much change as individuals, in our families, communities, even as a nation?

Simply put, too many folk try to cut across the field, by-pass the cross and creep into the Kingdom through an imaginary backdoor!

That’s why some imposters casually enter the church house,‘carrying their chains, tuck them quietly under the plush pews, sanng, shout, dance up and down the aisle, sit like a bump on a log while the sermon is presented, Hi-5 your neighbor 10x, turn around 7x, repeat the benediction, greet your neighbor, pick up your chains and get back out there and do what u gotta do’! #OHYESSHEDIDSAYDAT!!!

Beloved! Jesus came not to set up another system of legalistic religious rituals, but to restore the personal intimate relationship, severed by our First Parents, Adam and Eve’s rebellion against the righteous commands of The True and Living God! And when He ascended back to The Throne Room on High, Father God sent The Holy Spirit to live inside of anyone who makes a conscious decision to humble themselves, repent and put their personal faith in The Only Saving Grace of Jesus Christ! The indwelling Presence of The Spirit of Jesus, empowers us to live a holy, separated, consecrated life of triumphant deliverance in the midst of this dark and depraved world! Didjaheardat?

“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose,” Philippians 2:13

Sadly, despite the finished work of the Cross, Satan has yet been able to keep too many of God’s precious ones, illegally chained to stuff that Jesus has already secured their glorious freedom from!  

But that’s why we’re here, right? To shine out for God by spreading the Good News,“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36

CHAINED? OR CHANGED? #WOW

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

DEMAND & SUPPLY

demand-supply-2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (Matthew 7:7)

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6)

While there are undoubtedly many attributes that can rightly be ascribed to our Lord and Savior, may I submit to you that there’s one that is often neglected—Jesus The Master Economist! Jesus specializes in managing the world to ensure that nothing’s wasted, missing or lacking. Every Word that He speaks never returns to Him void but completes the very intent to which it is sent! (Ref. Isaiah 55:11)

Jesus is intentional! Jesus was commissioned to come into this earth by His Heavenly Father for a specific purpose; the expansion of The Kingdom of God in the earth. Strangely, though He chose to accomplish this seemingly impossible task by releasing the Seed of Potential into the hearts of His elect, thereby expanding the faith of humanity! “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels–a plentiful harvest of new lives.” John 12:24 NLT

The Master Carpenter has a habit of setting you up in custom-designed circumstances to stretch your faith. I believe that anyone of Jesus’ disciples would readily testify how Jesus was constantly pulling them outside of their comfort zone. Remember that day when Jesus was preaching out in the desert to about 20 thousand folk, and suddenly turned to them nonchalantly saying, ‘Ok, it’s getting late so let’s feed the people”. (Ref. Luke 9:16) Can you imagine them looking at one another shocked, confused and wondering which one of them had pre-ordered a banquet lunch before they left town?

And what about that widow of Zarepheth, finding herself hopelessly trapped in a desperate situation, resolved to fix this last meal for herself and her son—and diewhen suddenly interrupted by Elijah The Prophet, who insisted that she make him a pancake first! Yet, the scriptures tell us that her faithful obedience released an unexpected miracle that not only sustained her and her household but outlasted the famine! (Ref. 1 Kings 17:7-16)

Guess what, He’s still doing it today!

I know, we’ve all heard preachers preach (and it’s biblically correct) that God doesn’t put more on you than you can bear; however, we can’t deny thatsometimesssss, Jesus will ask us to do things that are way beyond our personal realm of possibility, comprehension and ability! Amen??? What we must come to realize is that we’re beckoned to these challenging predicaments, not to diminish us but to grow us! While uncomfortable to our flesh, they are God-ordained opportunities to experience the Supernatural Encompassing Sufficiency of God’s Presence, Power and Providential Care!

Beloved, Jesus invites you into these holy moments to prove that His Strength is made perfect in our weaknesses! (Ref. 2 Corinthians 12:9)

It behooves us to stop focusing on what you don’t have (deficiency) and set your attention towards WHO you do have, huh? If you will give God your trust, even if it’s no greater than a mustard seed, He will always exceed your expectations!#ijs

Sooooo, what’s going on in your life now, that’s too hard for you and Jesus to handle?

REMEMBER, ANY PROBLEM + JESUS = VICTORY! DEMAND & SUPPLY!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

BACK 2 THE FUTURE

BACK2 DA FUTURE2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls, But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Jeremiah 6:16

 

Okay! I gotta confess, our family might be a bit eccentric! But, c’mon, ever met anyone’s clan who wasn’t, huh?  YEAH, RIGHT! 

One of the personal proclivities of our household is the weekly (or daily for the patriarch) excursions to every thrift store within a 20 mile radius of our home. Overtime, the quest to recruit followers has been somewhat successful, amongst the older members of the family. However, the considerable efforts to pass down this soul rewarding heritage to future generations, have most often been met with extreme resistance! Obviously, the young’ns have yet to developed the palate necessary to distinguish (#appreciatethevalue) old from vintage!

Hence, may I submit for your consideration, that these same sentiments can  perhaps be attributed, spiritually, to the world at large! Don’t shout me down, now? Seriously! Given the spirit of this 21st Century Age of comtemporarized, unconventional, ambiguity, tolerance and self-motivated righteousness, apparently there’s little need and even less desire to conform to the irrelevant, antiquated dictatorship of The Holy Bible! After all, look what we’ve already done! Jus check out the mind-blowing accomplishments that we’ve attained just in the past 100 years, right?

To be honest, in a high-tech synthetic world of rockets, jets, cruiseliners, skycrapers and paved roadways, voice activated iphones and ipads…one might easily get caught up in a world where nature is generally overlooked! It’s no wonder that we tend to ignore The Creator and glorify creation! I mean, it’s kinda foolish to serve a God that you can’t even explain, when our sophisticated intellectual contemporary world appears to offer every kind of solutions to any problems that we face, right?

I’m sure you know by now that there’s always going to be plenty of folk around you who will tell you that ‘all you gotta do’ is keep on trying; pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and remember you da man 2 make it happen, right? But as good as that sounds, what do you do when you ain’t got no boots?

Life has a way of suddenly intruding upon, unannounced and uninvited, and dismantling the perfect 5-year plan that we’ve conjured up, leaving you at the crossroads of clueless, helpless and worse yet hopeless as how to recover and reconnect the broken pieces! It’s  usually at this point, that our Heavenly Father, reaches down into the pits of our vanity and depravity and draws us into a personal encounter with the Creator of Life, Love, Faith for Peace and Joy! It’s in this state that we discover that the true meaning and purpose for our being is to praise and glorify HIM!

As Holy Spirit begins to reveal Godself to you through The Word and intimate communion (prayer) the eyes of your understanding is enlighten and you recognize that the path for right living has already been marked out by God before the foundation of the world!

Unfortunately, even today, so few will choose to leave the glitz and glamour of the wide road, going their own way, and venture off to the old narrow pathways to follow in the footsteps of The OneTrue Shepherd! Those who have lost (or were never privvy to) God’s Perspective of their lives, tend to minimize the benefits of being set apart to manifest the Glory of God’s Mercy and Grace to a people living in a world filled with the emptiness of gross darkness, lost yet consumed with persuing a hell-bound life of eternal devastation and destruction!

Everyday, we’re forced to make numerous decisions, however there’re those which have eternal consequences. Are you going to choose the old ways (God’s) or will you continue forging on new paths of your own way?

Don’t get it twisted, JESUS is STILL the ONLY WAY LEADING TO PEACE AND REST FOR YOUR SOUL! #BACK2DAFUTURE!!!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

PRAYN AND FASTING PIC

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

GOOD MORNING FAMILY! GOTTA MOMENT? Awesome! Once again, we are excited to invite you to join us today, in our weekly day of Corporate Prayer and Fasting! SHALL WE PRAY?

 
Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus And to take Him at His Word! Just to rest upon His promise. And to know thus saith the Lord! Jesus, Jesus how I trust Him. How I proved Him o’er and o’er. Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh, for grace to trust Him more; Oh, for GRACE 2 Trust U more…We love U Lord, and we lift our voice; to worship U O my soul, rejoice! Take joy my KING, in what U hear, and let it be a sweet, sweet, sound in UR ears…let it be a sweet, sweet sound in URRR Ears…

 
Heavenly Father, we come one more time, to thank you for allowing us to see this day! We  have so much to thank You for, and because we refuse to take anything for granted, we praise You for our being able to breathe, see, to hear, walk, talk and even think to pray this morning! We’re so blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. Not only have You have done so much for me,  You keep right on blessing me over and over again! Abba Father, forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to Your Heart. I ask now for Your forgiveness, in The Precious Name of Jesus!

As we embrace the day ahead,  help us to start this day with a new attitude and loads of gratitude. Please keep us safe from all hurt, harm and danger. Let us make the best of each moment that You gift to us! Lord Jesus, clear our minds so that we can hear from You and cleanse our hearts that we may deny ourselves, trust and obey Your Will.

Help me Lord to not whine and whimper over things I have no control. Let me continue to see sin through God’s eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, quicken my spirit to repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the Gracious forgiveness of my  God!

And when this world closes in on me, please help me remember Jesus’ example — to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. Knowing that prayer is my best response when I’m pushed beyond my limits. I thank You also because I know that when I can’t pray, You listen to my heart and interpret every moan, groan and sigh of my spirit! Father, I thank You that despite of my fractures and dysfunctions , You are yet able to use me to do Your will ensuring The You Alone get The Glory!

Abba Father, continue to bless us that we may be a blessing to others. Keep us strong that we may help the weak.. Keep us uplifted that we may have words of encouragement for others. We pray for those who are lost and can’t find their way. We pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. We pray for those who don’t know You intimately. We pray for those who will delete this without sharing it with others. We pray for those who don’t believe that You sent Jesus, not to condemn us, but to convict us and to free us from the power, pain and penalty of Sin.

When we look back over our lives, we can’t help but cry out, Thankya for that Blessed Day when You opened our hearts and enabled us to believe and receive the revelation of the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ! We know that You are no respector of persons, and this Grace is yet available to any who will ask!

Father, we know that faith in God not only changes people, it changes me; and only You, O God have the Power to change things! We pray for all our sisters and brothers and for every family member in their households. We’re praying for peace, unity, love and joy in our homes. We believing that Your Divine Favor is being poured out upon everyone now and their faith is rising to a level that they’re faithful and obedient to pay their tithes as You have commanded, releasing supernatural abundance in the area of finances, enabling them to not only come of of debt but also because they put You first, all their needs are met. In Jesus Name!

Father, we’re lifting up our children, our children’s children by faith, as many of them are beginning a new school year, we’re committing them into Your care, realizing that You have a plan and purpose for their lives too; we have the blessed assurance that their steps are being ordered by Your eyes!

We bless you and thank you for President Obama and his family, Secretary Hilliary Clinton and her family. We thank you now that no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper.

We pray for every government, legislative,corporate and spiritual leader; that their hearts be continuously opened to hear and obey Your Will! Lord Jesus, we’re standing on Your Word as decreed that The government of this world shall rest upon Your shoulders and that You are The Eternal King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Father, we declare and decree that every demonic-induced spirit of sickness and disease, yokes of oppression, addiction, perversion, covetness, bitterness and resentment, unforgiveness, hopelessness, doubt and fear is defeated NOW because of Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Sound-mindness and Purpose is being released into the lives of Your people now, in Jesus Name!

Father, we wait humbly in confidence and quietness, trusting wholly that every worker of iniquity is trembling and departing suddenly, in shame, turning their backs in defeat and running away from Your people, because You have heard the voice of our weeping, our supplications and received our prayer as a sweet savor coming up before Your Sovereign Throne of Grace and Mercy!

Heavenly Father, we also ask that every eye that reads this, knows that there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than Our God. Give us hope-filled rest that every battle is in Your Almigty hands for You are El Shaddai!

We pray, Lord Jesus, that these words be conceived and received into the heart and every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willfully.

Abba Father,  we seal this pray with a Thank You NOW, believing that IT IS DONE! In The Exalted Name of  OUR REDEEMER, JESUS. Amen 3X and It Is So!

Now every child of God who is standing in agreement with this prayer, GO TELL ONE SOMEBODY THAT JESUS IS LORD 2 THE GLORY OF GOD OUR FATHER!