Category Archives: Jesus if All You Need

IT’S A NEW DAY!

IT'S A NEW DAY!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth, Shall ye not know it?   I will even make a way in the wilderness, And rivers in the desert?  Isaiah 43:19

Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6

 
 

I still remember when I would curse the breaking forth of the morning. It only meant another day filled with excruciating pain, sadness, discouragement and disappointment–just like all the others. It is no stretch of the imagination to figure out who had perpetuated those thoughts, okay?  But that was B.C. (Before Christ came into my life)!!!!  But by The Grace of God, today I stand as a living testimony to reality of The New-Life-Giving Power of God! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
 
Yessirreee Bob, this old gurl’s gotta  new attitude!  Coming from an extremely negative environment, I thought that this was just the way of the world. However, once I accepted Jesus, I learned that God’s Salvation’s Benefit Package included a completely different attitude, faith!  Yeah Baby, this new faith attitude is the heritage of the saints, the children of God! 
 
Once you recognize that you’re really in a personal relationship with the True and Living God, it’s actually possible for you to embrace each day with  joy, hopeful anticipation and confident assurance that this is a great day because God made it! Seriously,  it’s a new day!
 
Before you open up your eyes or your feet hit the floor, you have the power to dictate your day.  You can say,‘Good Lord, it’s morning already or Good Morning, Lord’. You choose whether to approach your day with joyful celebration and gratitude for  another opportunity to experience God’s Glory, Grace and Praise for what He’s already done, is doing now and for what He is about to do or you can claim fear, discouragement and defeat by murmuring and complaining. 
 
Don’t get it twisted. Even as a disciple of Christ, everyday is not the same; however each day you’re becoming new as you grow in the Wisdom, Knowledge and the Grace of God! That’s right saints, the new you makes the decision to enjoy this wonderful gift of present by refusing to allow past sins, past failures, past wounds and past disappointments, to keep you from moving forward into this brand new day! Didjaheardat?
 
The Ol’ Saints used to sing, ‘Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before!”  Don’t fool yourself, they lived through some very distressing times. Remember, The Great Depression!  Yet, amidst their adversity, they remained convinced that God was well able to keep them thru and to bring them out of anything that would unfold during a day!
 
When Jesus is your Shepherd, it doesn’t matter what happened yesterday.  God empowers each new day with new mercy, new grace and new faith to believe that today is the first day of the best of my life…because today is MY new day !

Soooooo, I decree and declare that Today, I have the mind of Christ! I believe that God is making a way out of no way, for me! Today, I believe that God is up to something that He’s never done before. Today, I expect to be strengthened, delivered and re-joyed! Today is another chance for me to do better and become more because today is another opportunity to get closer to Jesus!

Now if that doesn’t jumpstart your day, you better check your vitals and make sure you’re still living! OOOHHH GLORRRAAAAA!

HEY YALL, LIFE GOES BETTER WITH CHRIST! O HAPPY EVERYDAY!  IT’S A NEW DAY!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THAT’S LIFE!

THAT'S LIFE

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 
 

There’s one thing that each of us faces as we tread through this 21st Century, both believers or unbelievers, and that’s ‘The uncertainty”.  Yes, it’s pretty much a guarantee at some point during our day we will all face some degree of uncertainty.  Whether it’s wondering if we’ll have a job tomorrow,  will there be a massive storm or will the sun be shining, what will the traffic be like, what will I come home to, will I have the finances to take that much needed and earnestly anticipated vacation?
 
Life always entails a mist of mystery that one might reckon to a confusing road trip. Sometimes, we might know where we want to go, but we’re rarely aware of the congestion, structural delays, not to mention the inexplicable road signs that seem to hamper our getting from where we are to where we’re going.

I’m not trying to be flippant, neither attempting to diminish the level of frustration that we’re surely forced to endure, but if I might borrow from Frank Sinatra’s 1966 Hit Song, “THAT’S LIFE”!

It’s been my experience that The Divine Architect of our lives  generally doesn’t pre-announce the details of His Master Plan, nor does He tend to incorporate our suggestions (no matter how excellent we think they are), but works it all out, according to the Counsel of His own Will. (Ephesians 1:11-12) However, He does give us this confident assurance, that as we keep our focus and trust in Him, at the end of our journey we shall realize that every thing we’ve experienced has all been for our highest good and for His Greatest Glory! (Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11)

My fellow sojourner, as we make our way along life’s terrain, remember that our every step and stop has been lovingly ordered by The Good Shepherd who has committed His Presence to be with us always!!

SO, EVEN WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHY, WE DO KNOW HOW? THAT’S LIFE! 

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!
 
Ann Caffee

MEMORIES

MEMORIES

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When He slew them, then they sought Him; and they returned and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in His covenant. But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not; yeah, many a time turned He his anger away and did not stir up all His wrath. For He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind passeth away, and cometh not again. Psalm 78:34-39

 

A few years back, (but who’s counting, huh?) Barbara Strissand recorded a hit song entitled ‘Memories’. This song pricked the hearts of all of us! Hence, we all have memories of days gone by that lure us back to the way we were. For some of us, when certain ticker-tapes of past personal experiences cross our minds, immediately we smile.  Other flash-backs cause our hearts to flutter, skipping a beat or two, remembering when.  And then there are those special ones that yetstill prompt silent tears to crease our cheeks. Memories, huh?  Some are fading and some, we only wish we could forget. 

Like all of us, I indeed cling to God’s promises to keep my mind focused, sharp and sound.  That being my faith stance, I must confess that—every now and then—I have to cash in  what my kids call, one of my ‘senior moments’ vouchers.  Now don’t look at me in that tone of voice. Can we be for real?  I believe we all suffer a bout of ‘Spiritual Alzheimer’s’—every now and then.

Today’s scripture text recalls how the Israelites’ sporadic attacks of ‘forgetfulness’ provoked God’s wrath as He carried them through the wilderness.  Now don’t be so hard on them.  Truth be told, any one of us, drapped in this fickle-frail-flesh-frame, are just as prone to spiritual amnesia when it comes to recounting the wondrous works of God.

Time and time again, God has proven Himself a Faithful Provider, A Way-Out- of -No-Way, our Rock-in-A-Weary-Land, A Shelter-in our-Storm, A Strong Protector, Committed Redeemer and Eternal Hope of our Salvation. Yet, in spite of our own memories of all that God has already done, when faced with new challenges, does our response reflect a confident trust in our Compassionate Merciful God of All Grace?  Or do we suddenly forget to remember that if He Did It Before, He’ll Do It Again?
 
Even when we forget, God always remembers!  Memories!

SELAH! 
 
Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

SINGLE VISION

SINGLE VISION

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
(Matthew 6:22-23)

 

Have you seen that optical illusion photo of Jesus where you’re instructed to stare at the four dots continuously for about a minute, then look away to the light and watch the darkness evaporate revealing The Face of Jesus?

DID YOU SEE HIM YET… still too dark, huh?

Belief it or not, that’s a challenge for most believers? I mean, seriously! How can we be expected to focus on The Light of the World, when we are constantly encompassed and distracted by such gross darkness? As with most of the things Our Heavenly Father expects of us, it’s not always easy, yet if we make a conscious effort to disciple ourselves, it is possible!

We must stick  to the Living Word of Truth; not just on crisis days, but every day; as if our very lives depended upon it. And it does! Beloved, remember we’re strangers sojourning through this life on our way to a Glorious Family Reunion. (Ref. John 17:16) Jesus prayed to The Father that He would keep us in this world until He’s sent again to fully restore us to The Kingdom. Knowing fully well that we’d be hated by His enemies, just like He was while he walked this earth; Jesus asked The Father to put HIS Light in us to ensure that His followers would never be without His Presence. (Ref. John 17:15; Matthew 5:14)

The Apostle John wrote, “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. “ (1 John 1:7)

Remember, thou weary one, you are God’s Chosen! Despite the random patches of darkness, we are never abandoned. Jesus guaranteed that there will always be just enough light to guide us through these momentary afflictions! (Ref. Hebrew 13:5)

DON’T TRIP! STAY FOCUSED ON THE SON LIGHT! THAT’S RIGHT…SINGLE-VISION!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

DENY THE POWER?

The Earth Slowly Burns - Americas

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:5

 

Never! Is probably the initial response of most professing-salvation-sanctified-sainted-souls, even at the mere suggestion that we’d be included in ‘those’. Right? BUT!  Have we ever considered the remote possibility, if you will, the collateral damage of being so pre-occupied with ‘getting’ that we lose sight of what God has already ‘given’?

Remember that Ol’ skool churrch song, “Count your blessing! Name them one by one! Count your blessing, see what God has done!”? Think about it? The Israelites were taught to sing songs that rehearsed their history as a daily reminder of God’s loving care, strength and power as He delivered them out of Egyptian slavery, lead them through the wilderness into The Promised Land! A practice, no doubt even in this bustling 21st Century culture, one might find tremendously buffering amidst the new norm of environmental chaos, anxiety and stress.

Just imagine the possible ramifications of a daily allotment of time designated specifically to reflecting upon all the many blessings that The Lord has already so mercifully and graciously heaped upon us. WOW! What inevitablemind-blowing heart-filled  sense of Gratitude, huh?

Could this be what The Apostle Paul was alluding to “according to the power that worketh in us”? (Ref. Ephesians 3:20)

Could a grateful heart pave the way for that “Greater than” we could ask or imagine? Could our pre-disposed poverty-mindedness and perverted sense of unworthiness, steeped in false humility be denying God the opportunity to show-off in our lives? Could we be guilty of having a form of godliness? GOD FORBID!

HOW GRATEFUL IS YOUR HEART? IS THAT HOW GREAT YOUR GOD IS? DENYING THE POWER? NEVER, huh? #juswondering…

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

GOD WILL COME THRU

GOD WILL COME THRU

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And the redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. Isaiah 59:20)

 

Ever heard them ol’ skool Mothers say, “God’s never late and hardly ever early”? Well, if that’s supposed to make waiting easier, let me assure you, it doesn’t! What about, “A delay is not a denial and a failure is not final”. Granted, these proverbial acclaimations may work in a 11 a.m. Sunday Morning Service, with the musicians crankin’, the praise team rockin’ it and the saints shoutin’! But! What about when you leave the sanctuary and get home alone, again; and the evil one starts bringing up all the reasons why you ain’t  gonna make it through this time! And what if the test results confirm _____; and what if you don’t get accepted; and what if  she did have an affair; whatcha gonna do if He does want a divorce? Hence, ‘Hey you, where’s your GOD NOW!’

The ol’ saints used to sing, “He Delivers, Praise the Lord, He Delivers, Praise the Lord, I was bound by the power of the devil, but HE delivered, Praise the Lord”! Well, let me tell you why they were able to sing those kinda songs. They didn’t have a lot of money at their disposal, so if they got sick they couldn’t afford a doctor. If they had more mouths than food they couldn’t just whip out their credit card at the grocery store. When their car broke down, they couldn’t take it to Mr. Bill’s Auto Shop. And if John Edward got locked up, they couldn’t afford no bail or private attorney!  But, they had a God to pray to! And you know what? They found Him to be an ‘ON TIME GOD!’

Having no other recourse, but to wait on da Lawdd, they resigned themselves to stand planted on The Rock of Ages, not wishin’ and a hopin’; but trusting in the Strength of God’s Love despite what it looked like!

Needless to say, this kind of faith is hard to find in this “busy-booming-High-Tech-don’t need nobody-DIY” generation. After all we have so many other options. Why pray and have to wait on GOD? 

Because He is God and we are not! God has deliberately designated each step and stop necessary to cultivate our realization that we are His Creation; created to fulfill His purpose and without Him we can do absolutely nothing. (Ref. John 15:5) But through His Guidance and Power, all things are possible! (Ref. Philippians 4:13)

Yes, we all experience times when it jus feels like God has turned His Face and given our enemy the nod to ‘walk right over our head’. Except, considering the ambiguity of our emotions, is it really wise to rely upon such in the crucial moments of a time-sensitive-crisis? Exactly? Bible-Faith is based on solely upon The Sure Foundation; The Word of God!

God knows sometimes our flesh becomes weary! That’s why He dispatched Holy Spirit to hover close while we’re waiting for Him to move! (Ref. Isaiah 40:31) The reason God is never in a hurry is because He knows just what it takes to perfect His Will and His Glory in your life. He swore by GOD-SELF to never abandon or give up on you! (Ref. Deut. 31:8) So, why would you ever give up on Him? Am I right, about it? #ijs

Stop trying to figure everything out. Keep trusting and keep expecting your deliverance at any moment! Trust and know that ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough; Ain’t no river wide enough, TO KEEP GOD FROM GETTING 2 U! 

REMEMBER DAT! HE’S ALWAYS COME THROUGH 4 YOU!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

NO MERCY

NO MERCY

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour… Exodus 32:25-27 

 

Does anybody remember the movie ‘The Ten Commandments’ staring Charleston Heston as Moses? It’s been dubbed “Hollywood’s version” of God’s miraculous deliverance of the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, through the wilderness into the Promised Land of Canaan. From the Biblical perspective, once again we see God extending amazingly unmerited Lovingkindness and Grace to His rebellious disobedient people.

Now! Here’s where the TRUE story becomes a bit disconcerting! The Very Same God who brought them up out from under the cruelty of their Egyptian task masters, giving them a binding covenant from His Own Hand, laying out in explicit details how His people were to be a holy, distinct, separated people envied by all other nations because of their unique relationship with The One True God, apparently flips the script turning on the very same people that He’d personally chosen for Himself! But as you delve a little deeper, you see that other side of God’s Righteousness that we tend to close our eyes to—Justice! The Nerve of GOD, huh?

Evidently, there’s an inherent proclivity of our provocable flesh to profoundly resist accountability! IF it seems right and feels right, then just do it! But that type of logic fails to take into account the Sovereignty of our CREATOR GOD! Hence, He alone has the power and authority to establish the ways of man’s life. (Ref. Psalm 100:3) WE got some nerve!

Unfortunately, like our forefathers, The Israelites, we too have discovered that while, God allows us freedom of choice, when it comes to consequences of our decisions, we have no say so! The otherwise Loving, Caring, Benevolent Father of All Grace and Comfort has subjected Himself to His Word! In essence, sooner or later, all sinfulness must be reckoned with Justly without partiality! In other words, there is such a thing as frustrating GRACE! 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

The lines are being drawn daily, WHO’S ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

I know it’s uncomfortable for some, huh? Nevertheless, itzdatruth! GOD HAS ORDERED A DAY OF RECKONING!  DON’T GET CAUGHT WITH YOUR WORK UNDONE!  Make your reservations for Eternal Life before the expiration date!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17   

IF YOU ARE STILL ALIVE, THAT’S CONFIRMATION THAT THE OFFER IS STILL AVAILABLE…MERCY!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

GRATEFUL

GRATEFUL

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?1 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Matthew 6:30-32 

Whoa!!! Sometimes, you just got to put the brakes on life! Particularly in this 21st Century-go-getta- high-tech-higher-achiever-pop-culture! Relaxation is quickly becoming an ‘endangered art-form’ and if we don’t make it a deliberate priority, it’ll soon become extinct or at the very least an incidental phenomenon.

It’s easy to be enticed by the lure of the lust-filled-lifestyles of the rich and famous, especially when our own reality seems to be plagued with unrealized expectations layered by futility, frustration and disappointment. Commercialization, coupled with the collapse of viable standards of moral ethics within our communities favors the ideology of a self-centered-selfish-entitlement that fuels insatiable greed over contentment and gratitude towards GOD for HIS Faithfulness in meeting our basic needs.

The scripture  text describes the inevitable down-spiraling effect that such an attitude tends to harbor in the mindsets of those who live out their lives vicariously trying to compete and compare with the infamous “Jones’”. But those who know GOD and how GOD works, also know not to be so pre-occupied with ‘getting’ that we lose sight of what GOD is ‘giving’!

STOP! Failure to recognize GOD”S GRACE is generally ensued by Ungrateful Discontentment!  No wonder you can barely tell the saints from the aints, huh? #ijs 

Don’t worry about missing out on nothing. GOD’s GOTCHA! Relax and enjoy the PRESENT! BE GRATEFUL!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

YOUR WATER IS BREAKING

My Water Is Breaking

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

Saints, whatever you’re going through now, just remember while weeping may endure for a night, God has promised us that Joy is coming in the morning.  (Ref. Psalm 30:5) Beloved, keep this in the forefront of your mind, that if you’re experiencing pain, it is only a sign that God is moving and positioning you into the next stage of abundant everlasting life.

Don’t sweat the process, Holy Spirit’s just induced your labor and your water is about to break!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

EXTREME MAKEOVERS!

EXTREME MAKEOVERS!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

I beseech you therefore bretheren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world. But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Didja notice the new 21st Century rave sweeping across the nations of this world. It’s called ‘Makeovers’? We’re no longer stuck with what we got! Everywhere you look there’s someone, somewhere offering you another alternative. The media is bombarding our airways via TV, newspaper, magazines, and now social media the message, that not only do you have the right, but now you have the means to exercise your power of choice.

Technology has opened up all kinds of alternatives. Don’t like your nose? Lips too thin, chin too long? Hips to wide? No longer compatible with your mate/partner/gender–not a problem! If you’ve got the cash, they’ve got the solution! It’s no big deal. Right? They say, everybody’s doing a little nip-tuck thang.  While it’s being applauded by the ‘beautiful people’, it’s not just a ‘Hollywood thing’ anymore — even Mr., Mrs. and Ms. Average have caught on to this thing!

Can you see what’s happening in this world? The focus has become extremely top-heavy! Isn’t it time for you to make some changes in your own life? Is it time to lose some weight? I’m not just talking physically – but spiritually!

If you’re tired of the “same ol’ sameo”, same discontentment, same un-fulfillment, well then you don’t have to settle anymore!  Jus Go IT!

The Word of God offers a great solution to save you time, energy and yes, even money. The benefits are miraculous and guaranteed to last a lifetime, even throughout eternity!

The Master Architect has encapsulated on the pages of 66 Books specific directives to accomplishing extreme spiritual makeovers that don’t merely change your physical appearance but guarantee you will experience genuine enhancement of your character and your lifestyle.

Yes, it’s important to take care of our body. The Scriptures teach us that our body houses the Spirit of The Living God.(Ref. 1 Corinthians 3:16) However, physical exercise has its limitations, while a transformed mind has infinite value and potential with an unlimited guarantee benefits that are out of this world!  The Apostle Paul’s plea to the saints, admonishes us to get radical – BE YE SEPARATE—BE HOLY!

God never intended for His people to fit in with the world. We have been called out to be different, to be transformed and to transform the lives of others. Take life to the extreme and renew our minds by the Word of God.

What’s  makes this opportunity even more  awesome is that everyone is eligible. The only requirement is the willingness to open your whole heart, spirit, soul and body to the One who started that good work in you. (Ref. Philippians 1:6)

Go ahead! Make the decision to take your relationship with the Lord to the extreme.

Are you ready to become a faithful and committed Christian? Are you determined to live the life that others see more of Jesus and less of U?

Great, let’s pray and ask God for an extreme makeover!

Selah!

“Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!”

Ann Caffee