Category Archives: HIS SUFFICIENCY

FIRED UP!

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FIRED UP!

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7

 

There’s a lot of teaching going around regarding Generational Curses. But, thankfully, we who have been crucified with Christ have also inherited The Generational Blessing!

Today, our scripture text finds The Apostle Paul urging his young protégé, Timothy to keep that same passionate desire that was passed down to him from his Grandmother, Loise, through his Mother, Eunice, and finally imparted to him through the laying on of his own hands!

Remembering the faithfulness and fervency with which these women embraced the Message and Ministry that was entrusted to them by the Grace of God, The Apostle Paul took great joy in sharing the rich heritage of this young pastor, knowing the importance of being equipped for the task set before him! Paul’s personal experience prepared and qualified him to effectively mentor Timothy to successfully overcome every obstacle that he’d face in walking out his pastoral call.

While many covet the charm, fame and prosperity that supposedly accompanies the title and position, Paul cautions Pastor Timothy to stay acutely aware that there’s a tremendous cost for the real anointing that follows the appointment! And it ain’t cheap! “Timothy, there’s a whole lot more to pastoring than preaching, brotha!”

I believe The Apostle was saying, “You better get prepared to be picked out to picked on. Everybody who says they’re with ya, won’t be!  Son,  I hate to tell ya, but a lotta them folk who’ll claim that GAWD sent them to help ya, will leave you in a heartbeat…when GAWD changes their assignment! ! #ijs!!! But that’s okay! As long as you never forget Whose you are and Who’s in you.  Rest assured, that because The Greater One—is in you, always; everything is gonna work out for you! Above all else, my son, keep this at the forefront of your mind, whatever is going on around you or what’s coming against you, don’t let the flame of the Holy Ghost die out!”

“Don’t allow the cares and challenges of this world to consume your heart and mind. Encourage yourself! Remember, EVERY DAY is not the same! There will be those days when you feel as if you can’t make it another further. But TRUST2KNO  GOD STRENGTH WILL BE PERFECTED THROUGH YOUR WEAKNESSES!  It’s the Love and Grace of God that will empower and sustain you to carry out God’s Purpose, bringing His Glory for and through your life! Carry on, my Son!”

#DIDJAGETIT? #AWESOME! #ijs #GODZGOTCHA!!!

STIR UP THE FLAME AND STAY FIRED UP!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

FILL ME UP LORD!

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FILL ME UP LORD3

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

 

In Ancient Near East, according to The Bedouin Law of Hospitality, it was the custom and duty to be hospitable to foreigners, strangers and travelers. The host was required by custom to provide food, water and shelter to the wayfaring traveler. In doing so the host was accepting the responsibility of protecting the traveler as long as he remains in his territory.

According to the historical Eastern culture tradition, 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 pure 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 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. However, thankfully, with God, it’s a tradition that never goes out of style. God’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 common arch-enemy, Satan to suppress the Children of God, enslaving you in small places, confined 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 trying times of tearful sorrow, wearied by disappointment, the 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) 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 guest, you’re not just getting leftovers, but you’ve got the keys to the whole house to enjoy the finest of provisions! 

Hence, 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 thanksgiving to overflow to the Glory of God. (Ref. 2 Corinthians 4:15)

Didjaheardat? Well, whatcha say?

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

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 Ann Caffee

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6

 

I wasn’t born and raised in the church like a lot of you. I was one of those who kinda fell up in the doors of the church after years of getting beat up and beat down by the devil’s abuse. But thanks be to GOD! The Gracious Compassion Savior took me in and saved me anyhow! Being naïve and overwhelmed with pure joy and gladness to be saved, I actually thought everybody would love, welcome, accept and celebrate with me, because they were so glad that I was now part of the family of God!

Needless to say, I was shocked to discover that people are still people—in and out of the church. I still remember Mother Annie Carter, (my 1st spiritual mentor) pulling me under her wing, warning me “Stay close to the praying part of the church, baby”.  At the time, I wasn’t quite sure what Mother was talkin about, howevrrrr, it didn’t take long for me to realize that only THE REAL TRUE GOD can make a saint!

Beloved, you see what I didn’t know was that the Church is a construction zone and the Master Builder is GOD! He doesn’t build His House with brick and mortar, but with flesh and blood (dirt and water)!  Through the Precious Blood of Jesus and the regenerating Power of THE WORD, Holy Ghost empowers ordinary, imperfect people to do extraordinary exploits!

While, some of us just need a few minor adjustments, others may require little more or even a major overhaul. TRUTHBTOLD, most of us were so jacked up that we needed a longer stay in the furnaces of afflictions than others before we’re done.  So don’t be surprized when you get a little too close to a brother or sista and get pricked by a thorn!

Always remember, there’s some good in the worst of us and some bad in the best of us, okay?  Nonetheless, we are all under construction according to The Master Carpenter’s specs and all of us  need the same GOD to help all of us!

Even if your intentions are just and honorable, sometimes helping people can hurt you! The Scriptures back this up numerous times!  Yes, even the most sainted, faithful and committed servants of The High God can become entrapped, disenfranchised, hopelessly discouraged and find ourselves retreating to dark caves or the backside of mountains and valleys.  It doesn’t matter how long or how far you’ve walked with The Lord, any of  God’s faithful-elect, can find themselves overwhelmed by the cares of this world to the point that you’re tempted to just give up and leave the church! #shuturmouth!

But, before you do something foolish, can I remind you of this one thing? There is NO PLAN B!

We’re it! God chose us name by name to expand His Kingdom in the earth, fully ware of the challenges of this seemingly impossible task.  That’s why He sent Holy Ghost to equip you to overcome!  Yep,  The Holy Ghost is your personal trainer! He takes your everyday life, places you on pathways strategically designed to stretch and strengthen your christian character, develop your trust, build up your confidence and fortify your commitment!

While it may not always look like God’s anywhere to be found, HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT THERE preparing you for a glorious future!  (Ref. Hebrew 13:5)

 BELOVED, TRUST2KNO, HELL CAN’T STOP ANYTHING THAT HEAVEN STARTS! GOD COMPLETES EVERYTHING HE STARTS!  UNDER CONSTRUCTION? UUUHHH… REALLY…MAKE SURE YOU’RE WEARING UR HARD HAT! #Didjaheardat?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 Ann Caffee

GOD SENSE!

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GOD SENSE

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.” Isaiah 45:8
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” Isaiah 45:22-25 KJV

Oh, c’mon, jus think about it? This is not your first trip to the ‘it jus don’t make no sense” place! Check out your own personal testimony. You know that it could not have been nobody but GOD who blocked ‘that’ or even carried you through ‘it’! After all, who else was there with you? In the midst of the chaos, when you almost lost your mind, God stepped in to sustain you, delivering you, empowering you to triumph over tragedy!

Yet, the instant that life takes an expected shift, you tend to develop that acute case of spiritual amnesia, huh? Don’t get it twisted! Believe me, I ain’t even pointing a finger atcha! Let’s just say, “Been there! Done that AND might be RIGHT THERE NOW!”

Nevertheless, one must conclude that apparently, these Divinely-Orchestrated spontaneous-Hic-Ups are essential to develop your personal trust in The Faithfulness of The Invisible Savior! Every single detour has been designed to prove His Eternal Love and Providential Grace towards you not only in this world but in the Ages to come! Unfortunately, just when you need it the most, these great theological revelations are often entrapped by cloud-covered bouts of dismal desperation, anxiety, foreboding fear, dread and hopelessness!

Hence, what can you do when life comes crashing down all around you, and all of the circumstantial evidence points to your imminent destruction and certain demise? How can you persevere when life as you’ve known rapidly decays into a murky mire of ‘non-sense’?

Do what every other Blood-Washed-Born-Again, Baptized-Believer must do—turn to The ONLY One Constant, Creator and Sustainer of everything, your True Source of Blessings, Power, Wisdom, Strength, Honor and Glory—GOD—YOUR GOD! The GREAT I AM!

Logically, to put your eternal destiny in the testimony of a man, born of a virgin claiming that she’d been with no man, who walked the banks of The Jordon River, healing the sick, feeding  well over 5 thousand with two fish and five loaves of bread, opening up blind eyes, casting out demons and devils, resurrecting dead people, muting the wind and the waves, voluntarily executed on Calvary’s Cross, being buried in a borrowed tomb for the weekend until He was raised from the dead early Sunday morning; and now has returned to His Thone in Glory to pray for you and me, huh? #nowdatdontmakenosense! 

YET! REMEMBER HIS-STORY! GOD-SENSE!

SELAH!

“Have a WONDER-FILLED day!”

Ann Caffee

R U OPENED, OR CLOSED?

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R U OPEN OR CLOSED 3 2018

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:17

Remarkably, in following the footsteps of Jesus,  you’ll inevitably discover that His Walk was earmarked with as much skepticism as was faith-filled devotion!  A closer review of The Sacred Scriptures we’ll see recorded many instances where the very ones who should’ve recognized Him were His greatest critics! Time and time again, the religious scholars tried to bait Jesus into disqualifying Himself thereby discounting the rumors that were spreading like wild fire throughout Capernaum and Galilee that He is the Promised Messiah!

They were particularly perturbed by Jesus’ repeatedly allowing Himself to be drawn into the company of what was considered ‘the misfits’ who didn’t deserve their time of day. And in their minds, any REAL Prophet would’ve known better!  Their own pompous arrogance prevented them from seeing The Light that was right before their eyes!

Unlike some of today’s Gospel Icons, Jesus did not look down on sinners, neither did He consider Himself too Holy to be in their presence. While Jesus had compassion for the sinner, He never condoned sin! In fact, He openly pronounced that His mission for coming to Earth was to call sinners to repentance! Perhaps, this in a nutshell explains why Jesus’ behavior was considered totally reprehensible to the religious leaders of that day, who considered themselves holier, therefore worthier than any of their subjects! Imagine Dat!

Unfortunately, far too many of the 21st Century Church still ascribe to this ill-begotten-theology as well. Although they don’t actually say it, their actions typify that loud and clear. 

Case in point, when my husband and I were called to begin a new work in the Vineyard, God placed it upon my heart to order a banner that would be placed on the roof the the building that said, ‘SINNERS WELCOME!’  Much to our surprise and dismay, we were rebuked by the people of God for displaying such an invitation! “Pastor, don’tcha mean, ‘ALL VISITORS ARE WELCOME!’ Well, then we were really confused  because the last time we checked, the Bible clearly and emphatically discloses that “all have sinned and fall desperately short of God’s Righteousness”!  (Romans 3:23) Hence, every single human born into this world, must come by the Cross in order to enjoy the Divine Heritage that Jesus labored to freely give us!

Truthfully, sometimes we, seasoned saints, forget who we once were. (Ref. 1 Corinthians 6:11) For Real…the only difference between a sinner and a saint is Repentance, the core of the Gospel! Thankfully, it’s not our own self-righteousness—BUT the pure goodness of God’s Grace that causes any man to repent! (Ref. Romans 2:4)

Seriously! Think about it; what good does it do to tell people they’re a sinner and if they don’t quit sinning, they’re going to hell. Well I can tell you as a regenerated Spirit-Filled ex-habitual-sinner, sinners already know that they’re sinners! What they don’t know is that before the foundation of the world, GOD provided a way off of that easily-accessible-fatalistic-dead-end-hell-bound slippery-pathway and a that they have been pre-approved for a fully-paid 1st ticket to Heaven through The Precious Blood of Jesus,  awaiting their acceptance! (Ref. Revelations 13:8)

The problem is, too many of us who have accepted The Sacrificial Lamp’s offering, have a tendency to become so closed minded and mute-mouthed that we refuse to get the message that “JESUS SAVES” out of the CHURRCH and into this lost and dying world!  #OHYESISAIDIT!

In other words, instead of putting THE GOOD NEWS ON BLAST,  a whole of  us are quite comfortably content living lives as  “Secret Servants” aka “Under-cover Christians”!

OH, C’MON NAH! RELAX! I’m not talking about ‘you’, UNLESS I’m talking about ‘you’! OPENED or CLOSED?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee