Category Archives: Growing in Grace

GOD WANTS AMERICA, BACK!

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GOD WANTS AMERICA BACK 3

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my ace, and turn from their wicked ways,then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

 

WELL, AMERICA’S GREAT AGAIN, huh?  WOW!

Today despite of all the  predictions, our Nation has survived one more surprise attack, huh?  Who knu that the greatest threat to our national security would come from within the borders of our own democratic system? Nontheless, they say, ‘Liberty For All’, right? Well, I suppose that depends on one’s personal perspective. Nevertheless, we can agree on this, Freedom is not free nor is it cheap!

Hence,  I declare and decree, in Order to form a more perfect Unity, establish true Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain. establish, stand steadfast, immovable always abiding in THIS TRUTH, that despite all of these sophisticated technological security advancements of  the 21st Century,  the safest place in the whole wide world yet remains “smack-dabb” in the middle of GOD’S PERFECT WILL!!!

While many families are still struggling to cope and recover from the distress of 911, the increase in the random killings of young students,  senseless massacre of innocent kindergarteners at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary,  bomb blasts  abruptly interrupting The Boston Marathon , suicide bombings at airports globally, lunatics open-firing on random citizens out enjoying a matinee movie,  afternoon shopping at the local mall and evenings at their favorite restaurants or niteclubs,  those who arbitrarily invade the sanctify of Bible Study and Prayer Meetings, and to add insult to injury, now there’s the unprecedented diagnosis of post election stress disorder!  The devastating sociological effect of the culmination of  each of these obviously re-enforce the new-now reality! America has changed forever! Consequently, that somewhat bi-partisant-nonchalant-attitude that we once held viewing  media broadcasts detailing the slaughter of civilians in other countries has given way to a national sense of restrained anxiety and anticipation.

The false sense of serenity that our nation once enjoyed has now converted to sporadic rampant acts of violence, devastation and destruction. In the after mass, we see a socieity of proud Americans struggling to present a united front, clinging, crying, comforting, praying together in an attempt to let the world know “We’re proud to be Americans; United we stand and God bless America”!

Now don’t shout me down! Trust me, I’m just as patriotic as anyone. I am grateful that God destined me to be born in this country. However, first and foremost, I’m a Christian; a citizen of The Kingdom of God! Therefore I am compelled to plead on behalf of all my fellow countrymen, “America, bless Our GOD!”

None can deny that God has been so merciful to America. Time and time again, God has proven Himself to be so near to us. Our nation’s history confirms that God has continuously reached out to assure us, “My children, we are in this thing together…forever. I am here to help you. I am your shield and your buckler; I am as close as the very breath you breathe. I am fully and totally committed to you.” Unfortunately, just like the Israelites in Bible days, this nation has persisted in boldly rejected GOD’s Way, insisting on doing things our way, legislating unrighteousness!

Well can I offer my most solemn suggestion; my fellow Americans, instead of trying to pass the buck, we need to repent. Why spend so much time, money and attention pursuing false gods? We don’t need another God to save us! We just need to turn back to the One True Foundation of this great nation. It’s time to bend our knees, bow our hearts, and surrender our praise and worship to The True and Living God our Lord Jesus Christ. Clearly, everything that we will ever need is in Him.

What’s the point of having another National Day of Prayer if we have no intention of changing? I mean, can you imagine the stinch that’s seeping into The Throne Room of His Grace and Mercy? #yukyuk! Awemazingly, The Living God is waiting for His Chosen People to humbly cry out in sincerity to Him, (actually repenting) and return to the Rock of our Salvation!Remember, God has promised that in the midst of troubling times, we’d find Him to be a Very Present Help.

“Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 1:3

WAKE UP AMERICA, IT’S WAY PASS TIME TO BLESS OUR GOD! GOD WANTS HIS AMERICA, BACK! #NUFFSAID!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

FACT OR FANTASY?

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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

 

RISKY BUSINESS

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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

 

 

WALK IT OUT!

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Wet shoe

 

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Jesus replied,“The time is coming, ma’am, when we will no longer be concerned about whether to worship the Father here or in Jerusalem. For it’s not where we worship that counts, but how we worship—is our worship spiritual and real? Do we have the Holy Spirit’s help? For God is Spirit, and we must have his help to worship as we should. The Father wants this kind of worship from us. But you Samaritans know so little about him, worshiping blindly, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes to the world through the Jews.” John 4:21-24 TLB

 

Unless you were born late last night or just landed on planet earth early this morning, you gotta recognize that this whole world has gone crazy! I don’t care who you are, where you live, how many tongues you speak in, you’ve gotta admit that stuff is going down around us today that Mama and Daddy ‘nem never could’ve imagined. We’re living in desperate times, huh?

You don’t have to be a bible scholar or seminary theologian, or even have the Holy Ghost to be able to discern the signs of the times. We are living in the last of the last days. And Jesus is soon to come. Amen 3x? #DON’T SHOUT ME DOWN!

Let me assure you, it matters not whether you’re young or old, everybody needs to know Jesus for themselves. It’s getting darker out here, and there’s no guarantee that you got all that time you think you have to get yourself together. But while you have today, we need to stop blaming or comparing ourselves with everybody else and figure out how to work out our own soul salvation! None of us should allow what nobody else is doing to distract us and make us miss Jesus, huh?

It doesn’t matter who’s in the White House, Senate, Congress, Court House, Jail House, Out House or who falls off the financial cliff, YOU need to be very sure that this world is not your Source of provision, comfort, joy and certainly not your peace! Them ol’ skool Mothers sanng, “My Hope is built on nothing less, but Jesus Blood and His Righteousness, I dare not trust the sweet frame, but wholly lean on JESUS NAME”!

Beloved, time is spirialing into eternity at the speed of LIFE! Hence, recess is over and time’s out for fakin’ it till you make it! We no longer have the luxury of procrastinating! You’ve gotta get off the proverbial fence and make a decision. Either you’re going to walk by faith or allow the cares of this lost and dying world to slamm, trample and sift your joy, strength and hope for better days to come. If the only hope you have is in this world, you’re destined to live a most miserable life! (Ref. 1 Cor. 15:19)

Saints, God has a better plan for His children. “I come that you might have life and that more abundantly” (Ref. John 10:10) Yet,  contrary to  the more palatable contemporized Gospel-Lite doctine, God’s Promises are conditional! As the CEO of your destiny, The Word of God must take priority over everything! Therefore, it’s not enough to hear the Word, you must believe it to the point that you live it; i.e by walking it out in your everyday life!  #Didjaheardat? #Seriously?

Stop allowing your intellect to compromise your faith in what God can do. This ain’t the first time, the odds have been stacked against you. Remember, what you see is only temporary, but the Word of God stands forever, eternally established and secure!

Precious One, worship God out of a spirit of faithful obedience. Encourage yourself, giving praise and Glorraaa to your God Who is Faithful and Powerful enough to keep every promise that He’s ever made.  Don’t stop til u getit, GETIT! #WALK IT OUT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WEIGHT ON THE LORD!

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weight on the LORD 3

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you;He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Isaiah 55:22

 

While glancing back at the TV screen on my way into the kitchen one morning, I couldn’t help but hear this early morning’s breaking news report that sometime during the nite, while most of us slept in the comfort and safety of our homes, a group of bomb-strapped terrorist had stormed into a Pakistani school house killing over 120 people, including a number of 1st to 6th grade students, teachers and anyone else who crossed their sight lines!  Filtering my hearing to the commentator, he continuied on saying that Isis had proudly stepped up, acclaiming responsibility for this heinous act in retaliation for a previous attack against their forces!

After reminding myself again, why I’m not an avid news watcher, I came up stairs to ask my husband whether or not he’d heard about it, and he had. Almost simultaneously, both of us asked “What is this world coming to”? ” It’s as if nothing is sacred, nothing is restricted by basic human morality!

Suddenly, the Holy Spirit cut into our conversation; “The End!” I repeated, as if the light had just been cut on. “The End!” The world, as we’ve known, is coming to an end,  in live and living HD color! Who nu? The 21st century generation would be eye witnesses to the actualization of the antiquated prophetic utterances of God’s servants.

I found myself praying, “Lord, as Pastors, preachers, teachers, evangelists, your servants, what are we supposed to do? How can we continue to preach trust and hope to comfort and encourage your people surrounded by the presence of lawless gross darkness? Especially when we ourselves are fainting, wearied, overwhelmed and being choked by the cords of cares and chaos!”

The Holy Spirit interrupted my self-induced saga; “Tell them about JESUS! After all He is The Only Hope of the World! Preach, JESUS! The Eternal Light that yet shines out of the darkness. Remind them that all these things MUST be before The Kingdom of God ushers in The New Life! Hail to the scattered sheep that NOW is the time for Salvation! Warn them that time is winding up, spiraling intently towards eternity and NOW is the time to prepare to meet their Master in peace; for He could show up at any minute!”

“Encourage your fellow-sojourners to take full advantage of these days, not trembling in fearful foreboding but celebrating God all day, every day!”

Suddenly my mind drifted back to the wisdom of those ol’ skool Churrch Mothers! ‘Babygurl, you need to wear this world like a loose-fitting overcoat, that you can drop off at a moment’s notice!’ That was their way of reminding us that we are not home yet! We’re still passing through this barren land on our way to Heaven!

Beloved, if all your hope is wrapped up in what you can collect, seeking man’s approval and striving to attain society’s standard of success, then my precious one, the best you can expect to see in this world is constant decadence of morality and amplified misery. But as The Redeemed, we have an resounding advantage over those who are yet in darkness. GOD IS STILL GOD!

Hence, God is not surprised at anything that’s happening! He Reigns Supreme Ruler over ALL His Creation, astutely aware and actively involved in the intrinsic detailed affairs of man-kind! And to top it all off, God loves us with an Everlasting Love that compassionately invites us to come boldly before His Throne daily to find Hope AND Help in HIS Mercy and Grace!

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast ,and which enters the Presence behind the veil…” Hebrews 6:19a

Therefore, Beloved, we do not give up HOPE! BUT!  As believers in The Testimony of Jesus Christ, we eontend for the faith, waiting patiently in earnest expectation, resting in quiet confidence and believing to see that THE ONE WHO HAS PROMISED IS FAITHFUL TO PERFORM!

Didjaheardat? WOW! WEIGHT ON THE LORD!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

UP & AT ‘EM!

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up-at-em

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Proverbs 24:16

 

LIES! LIES! AND MORE LIES!

Isn’t is jus annoying?  I mean, the constant bombarding of your mind with those pesty intimidating thoughts, strategically designated to taint your perspective and sabotage your peace. Unfortunately, sometimes, the video has been playing in our minds for so long, we just might get confused and start to believe that it’s prophetic, huh? Satan, aka da devil, knows fully well that he has absolutely no power to stop what God has planned for your future, yet, he’s determined to strip us of the Hope and Joy of our Salvation!

However, regardless of his deceptive tactics, Saints we must know that Satan is NOT God!

Since his first encounter with our foreparents, Adam and Eve, he’s become quite adept in manipulating our thoughts causing us to question the Faithfulness of God! How? Well, one of his favorite methods is using our Memories to provoke guilt, shame and self-unworthiness! You do know he’s been studying you from the moment you showed up in the earth, right?

Ever notice how the devil keeps bringing up your past mistakes and failures, reminding you of what you did and accusing you about what you should’ve done and didn’t? Oh Yeah!  He is the Accuser of the bretheren. (Ref. Revelation 12:10) Well, this morning I was reminded of something I heard many years ago ‘When the devil starts messing with your mind about your past, just remind him of his future!’

My Precious ones, we don’t have to tuck tail and squirm away in condemnation, as if that’s the end of our story. We can remind the devil that what happened back then was just a chapter setting me up for future episodes of coming attractions!  Remember, The Bible does say, let the redeedmed of the lord, tell their story!

You have been authorized to speak The Word of God with a holy boldness fueled by  confident assurance! You know, like James Brown, ‘SAY It loud! Say it proud! I don’t care whether the fat lady sanngs or not;  for the Blood-Washed Child of The Living God…Failure ain’t Final! In fact, tell ’em,  “I AM the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! I’m not in this thing by myself!  AND when I do stumble and fall, The GOD in Me enables me to fall forward, get back up and keep on moving into my destiny and God’s Purpose! (Ref. Colossians 1:27)

Beloved, take a stand! Let the devil know, ‘I am fully persuaded that whatever you’re planning to trip me up, give it your best shot, just like it didn’t work the last time, it won’t work this time either.(Ref. Isaiah 54:17)

If you really wanna shut his mouth, let ’em know that you know…“My God has ggggrrreeeaaaatt plans for me, for good and not for evil, and He swore by God-self, to bring me into an amazingly glorious future! And remember all that stuff you keep reminding me of, it’s covered, blotted out by the BLOOD!! I know it ain’t fair, it’s called‘favor’! (Ref. Jeremiah 29:11)

Now seal the deal! “One more thing, You Lyin’ Devil, I peeped the back of the Book, and the TRUTH is it ain’t looking that good for you! In the end, we win and you’re still a loser!

#BAMM! #shutdafrontdoor! Didjaheardat?  HOPE SO! UP & AT ‘EM!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

GREAT EXPECTATIONS!

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great-expectations

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  Micah 6:6-8

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 2 Corinthians 2:10

 

Well, at this writing, we are rapidly approaching the half-year marker of this new year that our God has so graciously allotted to us! Chances are, some of us have already dropped our bucket-list (resolutions) for this year, huh? While others, perhaps, are just so glad that we made it over, we welcome everything that the future can throw at us with open arms and a ‘anything that happens gotta be better than where I’ve been! #HaveIgottawitness?

I realize that for the self-righteous religious tribe, you’re still pumped, ready and determined to build upon last year’s successes and primed for the next dimension of your  personal aspirations and spiritual elevation! Howevvrrrr, for those of us, who truly love God with all of our hearts, spirit, soul and body, yet feel an intrinsic urging to apologize to Him each and every day because it’s a guarantee that at some point between the time you get out of bed and the time you crawl back into bed, you have inevitably fallen short of living up to God’s Righteous expectations of you, have I got some great news for you!

Life has trained us that the only acceptable way to embark upon each new beginning is with extreme gratitude, absolute humility and purity of hearts void of any resentment because God’s purposes did not live up to our best laid-out plans!

I know this seems a bit too ‘unconventional, irrelevant and unsound ol’skool theological’ to the 21st Century 7-11 spin of the New Millennium Church, nevertheless, given the fact that He is our Creator, God is perfectly justified in establishing specific standards of behavior for us to live by! Hence, it also stands to reason that because He has shown such unfathomable loving-kindness, tender-mercy and unmerited favor towards us, that the only reasonable response should be radical thanksgiving and faithful obedience! Yet, try as we may, left to our own efforts, we’re totally incapable of reaching this level of holy worship that God so richly deserves.

I mean, even those random days where we actually do some righteous things, will never equal out all our unrighteous thoughts, words and deeds! So we certainly can’t gloat on our egotistical star. However there’s yet Hope for our terminal dis-ease!

According to God’s Word, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

Truthfully, my precious ones, what God really expects from each one of us, is failure! And from sixty something years of personal experience, I can testify, with absolute confidence, that we can surely do! Royally! Can I get a Hallelujah and Amen 3x?

Dontchakno? It’s only when we come to the end of self and acknowledge our weaknesses that God is truly glorified!

For without Him, we can do absolutely nothing, however through Christ’s strength, we can do all things.(Ref. Matthew 19:26, Philippians 4:13) As long as we think we’re capable of doing anything on our own, we deceive ourselves and deny God the pleasure of delivering us from any and everything that is trying to hold us captive. That’s why The Bible encourages the weak to say I am strong. (Ref. Joel 3:10)

Therefore, it is with holy boldness and unspeakable joy-filled-anticipation, we humbly confess that the only thing standing between our strength and weakness, righteousness and wickedness, success and failure, is JESUS!

There is no failure in GOD! GLORRAAAA 2 GOD! Christ IN us, The Hope of Glory, guarantees our victory every single time! (Ref. Colossians 1:27)

Didjaheardat? WHO NU ACCOMPLISHING GOD’S  GREAT EXPECTATIONS WAS THAT EASY, huh?  ITZ A NEW DAY SO LET’S DO THIS!!!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

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prayn-and-fasting-pic

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Good Morning Fam! GOTTA MOMENT? #ooohhhGLORRAAAA!

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 

MY CUP

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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

LOST & FOUND

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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