Category Archives: Joy

TRIAL-SIZED gODZ!

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TRIAL SIZED gODS

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. Exodus 20:3-5

 

I recognize that the mere suggestion of idol worship tends to rattle the righteous indignation in the spirit of a true Believer! As followers of Christ, we know how despicably foul such worship is in the nostrils of The Holy God of Heaven and Earth, RIGHT? And for the most part, we’d never consider breaking  such Holy Commandment! After all, we don’t bow down before carved images of God nor do we display at the entrances or scatter stone replicas of God throughout our homes or businesses, right? Yet, will closer investigation of our lives reflect closely guarded idols formed in the recesses of our most sacred imaginations?

According to the scriptures ‘O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ (Ref. Matthew 12:24)  Hence, while man will attempt to hide the true intents, insights and purpose for being, ultimately, his lifestyle will reflect the secret things of his heart and clearly define where their loyalty lies!

Do we worship our personal ‘trial-sized’ images of God?

Don’t look at me with that tone of voice! I see further explanation is in order! We have a tendency to make up our own images to represent who God is to us!  The problem is we will never be able to fit “The All Encompassing Is-ness of GOD” into the small-minded-frail-framed-carnal-comprehension of our temporal-flesh. In other words, it’s absolutely impossible for us to fathom “Unlimited Presence, Power, Perfection and Potential” within the limitations of our humanity!

While The Living God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient, HE can only be known through Divinely-Impartated-Revelation!

GOD reveals His character, His purpose and His plan for each of as we traverse through our individual life experiences. It’s the knowledge gained through following The Good Shepherd’s lead, cautiously climbing cloud-covered mountaintops and timidly trembling through the death-valleys of our everyday lives that we learn the rewards of faithful trust, patient obedience and the security of resting in The Eternal Hope!

Today’s takeaway?

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his… 2 Timothy 2:19

Therefore, Beloved, as you continue to set the Lord before you, you shall walk in HIS Everlasting JOY!

AMERICA, WHO IS YOUR GOD?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WHATZ REALLY REAL?

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whatz really real

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you. Isaiah 43:2-4

 

Time is hurling towards Eternity at the speed of life! And sometimes, life comes at you hard, fast and furious, huh?.

I mean, it can’t actually be almost 25 years ago? I blink and I’m sitting at my daughter’s bedside in the L & D Unit, only slightly aware of her antagonistic glares, but not the least bit intimidated nor daunted away from my mission. Time after time, warning her of each impending contraction (as if she really needed to hear me tell her), I cried out, “Get ready, Dawn, here comes another one! 

Was it really that many hours past before the birth of the most beautiful baby girl this side of heaven, Lil’ Miss Dasia? I can still summon up that joy and sheer magic just witnessing this small Wonder of God’s Glory. It can’t be 25 years ago or can it? One moment, she’s sitting on the front steps waiting for Pop-Pop; her first starring role in a kindergarten play; going to the Senior Prom; crossing the stage receiving her High School Diploma; packing up the car; going off to college,  graduation day and now she’s a certified bona fide high school teacher…WOOOAH!  C’mon nah! Well, I guess it must be, huh?

We treasure memories like those, right? Nobody expects those unannounced  life-altering chaotic interruptions. I mean; like waking up the morning refreshed, satiated in anticipation of what adventures are waiting to be unfolded during the course of this new day; totally oblivious to the impact of that 11:49 mid-day phone call, that 5:22 rush-hour accident on the Beltway, or that 2:15 a.m. Police knocking at your door, invading your ‘normal’  everyday  usual life in a way you never thought possible!

Suddenly! By the time your head hits the pillow again, every ounce of hope has been ripped out of you, fleeing to a place waaaaay beyond reach. That peace you enjoyed earlier that day somehow has become lost in the maze of extreme anxiety, depression, and hapless desolation. While something inside of you wonders, was that this morning?

Life has a way of slapping you smack-dab-in the middle of your face, no matter how strong you may think you are.  And then, COVID-19 rolls in trampling all those Prolific Prophetic Voices that went out to the religious community on Watch Nite 2019, inscribing the Pandemic of 2020 onto the pages of humanity’s history books! TRUTHBTOLD, there’s no way to be prepared for something like this, save -sanctified-Holy Ghost filled or not! Yet not one of us is exempt from the threat of drowning in an unexpected out of the blue situation. And of course, The Tempter doesn’t miss any opportunity to exploit our crisis and destroy our faith in what and WHO we do know.

The Israelites faced a similar dilemma in 2 Chronicles 2:12. Surrounded by their enemy with no way out, King Jehoshaphat did the only thing he could do, he cried out to The Lord. “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee.”

According to Romans 15:4, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Hopefully, as we struggle to  adapt to the rapidly evolving ‘un-usuals’ brought about by the experts recommendations designed to  keep us safe and well, we can glean from our forefather’s examples. When we’re challenged by those “we don’t know what’s real, why or what to do situations”, focus on what you do know! We do know WHO!

We know God is yet God! We know God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient! We know God is Ruler of All Creation! We know God is in complete control! We know He’s always Present with us and that All Power Belongs to God! We know God knows everything about everything! We know His LOVE is unconditionally faithful and irrevocably established forever!

We know that we have a Faithful Father Who’s Solemnly committed Himself to caring, comforting, protecting and restoring our righteousness, peace, our joy and Who is Divinely orchestrating every step and stop safely to our Heavenly home where we shall abide with Him forever!  #WOW #Didjaheardat? 

Don’t get lost in the quarry of the unknown. STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNO, BCUZ AT THE END OF THE DAY, ITZ REALLY IMPORTANT 2 KNOW WHATZ REALLY REAL 4 REAL! #IJS…

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

GOD REMEMBERS!!!

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GOD REMEMBERS2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid, for YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:2-3

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isa. 49:16

 

In light of the prevailing gross darkness, devastation and desolation taking place in our world today, I was incited to review the words of God’s Prophet, Isaiah, speaking to the remnant of God’s Chosen nation.

God’s people were facing eminent danger of massive destruction, yet we hear Isaiah offering a word of warning and a ray of hope that we’d do well to glean from today. The Prophet encourages them that no matter what’s happening around you, don’t be afraid, but keep trusting and praising our God!  Isaiah, knowing God inhabits the praises of His people, speaks to souls wearied by the consequences of unwise choices and reminds them that their only hope of deliverance was to remain steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of their Lord! (Ref. 1 Corinthians 15:58)

God is Holy, Righteous and Just! While He must punish the unjust, His Anger does not last forever! Unlike many of our earthly fathers, YAH is our Covenant-keeping God and remains a Faithful Father, Saving Strength, Shield, Provider and Redeemer to all who call upon Him! From His own Mouth, Abba Father promises to wipe away the tears from their faces and keep you in perfect peace because we trust in Him! (Ref. Isaiah 25:8, 26:3-4)

Beloved, when life is out of your control, rest assured, Jesus is always in control! The Eternal Word testifies that you are the apple of His eye and He has tatooed your name in the palm of His Hands forever. (Ref. Psalm 17:8; Isa. 49:16)

In the midst of these unsettling times,  there’s no denying the myriad of distractions that are attempting to cause even the most seasoned of saints to question whether or not The Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of All Life is really concerned about what’s going on down here amongst the gross darkness of a lost, unfaithful and rebellious world,  nevertheless, I adjure you to keep your eyes on Jesus, The Joy of your Salvation and your feet steadfast on THE WORD! Be confident of this very thing, He that has begun a GOOD WORK IS FAITHFUL TO COMPLETE IT UNTIL THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST! (Ref. Philippians 1:6)

Precious ones, when you can’t see no way, why not confuse hell and praiz JESUS anyhow! Don’tchaknow? At the mere mentioning of THE NAME OF JESUS demons tremble and the angelic host is put on alert!

Ooooh Yeah!  TRUST2KNO, The Great and Holy One of Israel is closer than ever before! Hence, don’t ever forget that YOUR GOD REMEMBERS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THE LIGHT HOUSE!

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THE LIGHT HOUSE 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. Nahum 1:7

 

One of those most prominent, yet illusive, desires of humanity is a sense of security! Thanks to our progenitors, Adam and Eve, the moment that we succumbed to Satan’s  diabolic deception, we got what we wanted but lost what we had! Scriptures reveal the absolute perfection that they enjoyed walking in The Will of Creator God! It’s nearly impossible for us to imagine but nevertheless, any and everything their pure hearts desired was readily available to them just for the asking, huh?  Howeverrrrr, the one thing God required of them was the same thing that the devil used to lure them away from what God commanded, faithful obedience!

Since mankind’s expulsion from The Paradise of The Garden Eden, we’ve been trying to find our own piece of peace in the midst of this sin-fated world we’ve been forced to inhabit. Adding insult to injury, from the moment Abel’s blood hit the earth, all of Cain’s descendants, were destined to sojourn throughout the earth, cursed and marked for The Righteous Vengeance of The Lord! This spirit of rebellion soon gave way to anger, spiraling into murder nailing the coffin shut for any hope of returning to the blissful state of innocence and intimacy that once endowed God’s Most Precious Creation!
Despite the culmination of 21st Century’s technological achievements and the once unimaginable creative creature comforts and conveniences, a quick glance at any day’s breaking news headlines, confirm that man’s aspiration for attaining such lofty state of uninterrupted serenity, equanimity and freedom from disturbances continues to evade us!

BUT! Thanks Be To GOD! Jehovah’s Loyal Love (refusing to be denied) ordained a Perfect Rest for anyone who cries out to Him earnestly, in sincere contrition for Salvation IN THE PERSON OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! (Ref. 1 Peter 1:20)

Granted, looking back from this side of Calvary’s Cross, it’s more convenient and certainly more self-serving to blame the horrid conditions of our world on the careless apathy of our first parents. And, depending on the weight of the trial or struggle, we just might point our fist toward God.  #ijs! After all, HE’S GOD and HE could’ve stopped sin in it’s track, right? Yet  gratefully, Wisdom and Grace soon deter us from persisting in such foolishness!

The truth of the matter is that the seed of sin has regenerated, thus degenerating our morality, perverting our sense of right and wrong to the extent that we can no longer trust in the arms of flesh, particularly our own hearts!

BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD! HALLELUJAH 3X!!!

In the midst of these perilous times, we need to know that God has prepared (by HIS Own Hand), a safe haven for those of us, who will place our personal trust, confidence and absolute reliance in the immutability of God’s Righteous Character: Holy, Just, Truth, Honor and Omnipotent Power!

When life is raging beyond what you can weather and the billows of  trauma, trouble  and trials threaten to devour you, remember there is a prepared place of refuge from the gross darkness!  As we learn to walk faithfully and obediently abiding  in Christ Jesus, God opens a way of escaping  the cares of this world to dwell under the Wings of Adonai,  finding consoling rest and safety from hurt and harm in this life and the in life to come!

“The name of the Lords a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10

Beloved, the moment we make a conscious irretrievable decision to not lean to our own interpretations, but determine to acknowledge, from the seat of your soul, that regardless of all of the circumstantial evidence, God’s Unfailing Love shall never forsake you, you will begin to experience unspeakable Joy and overwhelming Peace that jus don’t make no sense! Didjaheardat? Awemaazing, huh?

YEP! TRUST2KNO, WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE ARE AUDACIOUSLY RAVAGING YOUR SOUL’S PEACE AND THE FRENZIED SURGES OF UNCERTANTY ARE THREATENING TO MAKE YOU LOSE YOUR FOOTING, THERE IS A DEATH-DEFYING ROCK OF REFUGE, FOR THOSE WHO DARE TO COMMIT THEIR BEING TO THE FAITHFULNESS OF THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER, TO RUN BOLDLY TO THE LIGHT HOUSE…HIS NAME IS JESUS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

ITZ GOT 2 HAPPEN!

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ITZ GOT 2 HAPPEN

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Luke 1:45-47

 

Have you ever wondered why it’s so much easier to clasp, with such enthusiasm, the worldly fables such as Hercules, Spider Man, The Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus and yet when everything within you wants to embrace the reality of The Unseen God, it’s such a struggle? WOW!  Don’t shout me down, now…#ijs!

I suppose it has a lot to do with the other concept that folk have a tendency to deny, huh? Yall do know that everybody doesn’t believe that there’s a real devil that’s out to kill, still and destroy God’s most precious creation, humanity! Belief it or not, it’s still True! Nevertheless, the mutual advesary of all humanity, Satan, knows that if we ever slip over into that realm of Faith and actually believe God, it releases God to do whatever He’s spoken over your life! Beloved, your potential to receive is only limited by what you’re able to believe! (Ref. Hebrew 11:6)

But Thanks Be To God! Our Heavenly Father, The Eternal Creator and Sustainer of ALL Life, has the uncanny ability to ignore what you and I think we know and do whatever HE purposes to do! Hence, therein lies the root of our challenge, looking beyond what we see and believing  and trusting whateverrrr God says, huh?

The virgin, Mary’s statement typifies our innate tendency to swallow a camel but choke on a gnat! “How can this be since I know not a man” (Luke 1:34) But! We don’t have to be so hard on ourselves! We have lots of pressure from unseen forces hard at work to persuade us to focus on the insurmountable circumstantial evidence, personal deficits, past disappointments, failures and mistakes strategically designed to keep us from believing the Promises of God shall actually come to pass!

Howeverrrr! We must never underestimate The Immutable, Infallible, Absolute Reliability of The Word of God’s Power! (Ref. Hebrews 1:3) When God speaks, HE has the power to make it good! Every Word that God utters shall never ever (cannot) fall to the ground.! It MUST accomplish what it is sent to do and it shall not return unto Him void! (Ref. Isaiah 55:11) #Didjaheardat?

If God has to interrupt nature to bring His Promise to pass, so be it! Ask Elizabeth and Zachariah! God had promised Israel that He was going to send The Messiah (that they’d prayed so deligently for) to deliver them from their oppressors and save His people from their si ! YYYYEEETTTTT, when Zachariah heard the angel’s message that his wife, who’d been called barren, would conceive and bring forth his son, because of his doubt, he scoffed at this strange promise. “Now that don’t make no sense, how can such a thing happen? Therefore, God had to shut Zachariah’s mouth to keep him from spreading unbelief! Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:31 OMG! 

Sounds uncomfortably TOO familiar, huh? Have you ever asked God for something but doubted that He’d do it?

Even if God goes silent for 400 hundred years, He doesn’t change His Mind! TRUST2KNO…God remembers what He’s already told you, so don’t you forget! 

Like Mary, just keep calling those things that be not as though they already are! And watch God manifest it!  (Ref Luke 1:36) And in the fullness of time, God broke protocol and The Word became flesh and dwelt among us! (Ref. Galatians 4:4; John 1:14)

Dontchakno? God heard your prayers! Hold on to The Promise and leave the rest to Jesus! Is there ANYTHING too hard for God? ABSOLUTELY NOT! So defy and denounce Satan’s lies!  REMEMBER, Satan’s always plotting, but GOD’S PLAN WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL!

So put your doubts to rest and trust GOD! In fact, if you really want to wreak havoc and confusion upon the kingdom of darkness don’t wait for the fat lady to start singing, OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND JUS BEGIN PRAISING JESUS…THROUGH THE TEST!  #SERIOUSLY!

C’MON NAH! OOOOHHH MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME AND LET US EXALT HIS NAME TOGETHER! IT’S ALL GOOD! #putapraizonIT! #CUZITZGOT2HAPPEN!!!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THRIVE!

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THRIVE 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 KJV

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36 KJV

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. John 10:10 The Message

 

 SMH!!!!  Coming into another dimension of Revelation of the ‘almost too good to be true’ Gospel of Jesus Christ, my only appropriate response is shaking my head in wonder-filled absolute amazement!  I’m not a novice to this thing we call ‘Salvation’, by no means. I’ve been saved for more than thirty years! Yet, I’m almost embarrassed to admit it; nevertheless, for most of my walk with Christ, I’ve struggled secretly imprisoned by guilt and shame for sins I have committed. And I’m not just talking about those B.C. (before Christ). I’m talking about the since I’ve been saved stuff too! 

Just in case someone else out there knows what I’m talking about, I feel an urging in my spirit, compelling me to put myself out on blast just to let you know that there’s Hope for you also, and it’s “IN” Christ Jesus!

Now, don’t get it twisted!  I’m not trying to push the blame off on somebody else. I’m just acknowledging that for whatever reason I adapted a sense of ‘performance-based-legalism’ that followed me right into Christianity! Do good, get good—do bad, get bad!  This kind of thinking just about seals the deal—you’re doomed for failure and defeat, desolation and destruction because there’s no wiggle-room for our innately flawed human characteristics. You lie because you are a liar, you steal because you are a thief; you sin because you were born a sinner!

The Devil’s had a very long time to master deception and manipulation. Frankly,  he’s become quite proficient in using us against us! He cloaks his best handiwork in fostering our ‘self-righteousness, self-degradation and ultimate self-rejection’! Yall know how he just loves to throw a rock and hide his hand. Unfortunately there’s little need to change his tactics, after all, it still works!

TRUTHBTOLD, on our ‘bestest’ days, we still aren’t good enough to somehow deserve God’s Grace! BUT! That’s what’s so Great about Salvation! Even if we could, by accident, done some ‘right’ act it never would’ve equaled out all of the ‘wrong’ acts we’ve committed.

That’s why God sent Jesus!

God knew the first plan was not and never could work—because ‘they just don’t have it in them’! In Hebrews 10:18 Jesus said it something like this…”this new covenant will not be written on tablets of stone, but ‘I’m writing it in their hearts and in their minds’! Father, prepare me A Body… I, The Righteous One, will come to live in them and will empower them to become righteous and do right things the right way!

OMG, SMH…AGAIN! Didjaheardat?

It ain’t about ‘you’ it’s all about ‘JESUS’!!!

Beloved, it’s time to shut the devil down! How? By taking God at HIS WORD! Hence, God paid an hefty price to deliver our souls from the debt of sin! Don’t belittle the Sacrafice on the altar of false humility, self-pity, self-exclusion, as if it’s an act of penance!  Now, I mean no disrespect, we’re always to be grateful for every blessing God has bestowed upon us, howevvrrr, it’s not enuff to be content with ‘survival’ when God intended for us to live this life to the fullest, exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond any and everything we could every deserve! Hence, GOD wants us to THRIVE! That’s what causes those who’ve yet to receive HIM as Savior and Lord to take a closer look at The Christ In U and begin to envy the Glory of your Heavenly Father resting upon your life! #ijs!

Hence, why keep trying to earn something that God’s already given you for free? Just accept Jesus’ unmerited Love and Loyalty by living  your life to the fullest every day in HIM!

That’s what it means to be ‘BORN AGAIN’ …saved and set free! THAT’S THE REAL BLESSING…I’M NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO FULFILL OTHER’S LIMITATIONS OF WHO I AM, WHAT I’M WORTH AND WHAT I CAN ACHIEVE! YEP, I CAN LIVE FREE! NO MORE CHAINS HOLDING ME!

When we place our personal confident trust not in ‘self’ –not in what we can’t do to earn such Amazing Grace—BUT IN WHAT JESUS CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE, WE’RE FREE—TO BE, DO, HAVE and ENJOY EVERYTHING HE PURPOSED 4 US B4 THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD! IN OTHER WORDS–THRIVE!  YES…THRIVE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

GOT JOY?

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Jumping woman at sunset

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  John 15:11

 

If the only evidence that the prosecution had to convict us of being Christian was our countenance or our dispositions, our case would be thrown out and we’d get off scott-free! A lot of  church-folk are claiming salvation, naming the Name of Jesus and on their way to heaven anyhow, but most of them don’t seem to be enjoying the trip. If so, they forget to send an IM from their heart to their face!

One would think that if anybody should have joy, it’s the saints of the Most High God., right? But if the Saints are walking around with our heads hung down, broke, busted and disgusted with everything and everybody, then how can we persuade a lost world that life goes better with Christ? Don’t shout me down , now!

Don’t get it twisted, I’m not jus preaching to the choir, I’m talking to myself too. Since I’ve been saved, sanctified and walking with Jesus some thirty-sumptin years now, I learned that while it makes for a good shout, however, not everyday gets sweeter than the day before!  LIFE HAPPENS 2 the saints and the sinners!

Perhaps, some of us have become wearied on this journey  because we’ve mistakenly equated joy with happiness. While happiness is an emotional response based merely on enjoyable circumstances, joy is a constant internal state embedded in the Love of God, producing serenity and tranquility totally independent of external conditions.

Jesus looking from eternity past and seeing the many souls that would be saved, overwhelmed with joy made a conscious commitment to endure the pain, despise the shame, become obedient, even to death on the Cross of Calvary that His joy, might be poured out upon His people. (Ref. Hebrew 12:20) Guess what, that makes YOU the JOY of Jesus!

There’s more to Joy than goose-bumps. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is our strength”.

Jesus Joy is a weapon of mass destruction in the believer’s arsenal. Hence, Jesus Joy is empowerment to overcome any challenge with courage and confidence!

Just knowing that every promise in The Bible is ours to claim with the assurance that Jesus will never ever leave nor forsake us should make every Born-again, Blood-washed child of God’s heart swell up to the overflow with pure Jesus Joy until we can’t help but HOLLA and THROW UP BOTH OF MY HANDS! JUS REMEMBER, JEHOVAH HAS THE FINAL SAY!

Didjaheardat? JESUS OVER YOU! WOW,  NOW DATZ POWERFUL! C’MON NAH, U GOT JESUS, U GOT JOY!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

FAILURE AIN’T FATAL!

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FAILURE AIN'T FATAL

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

 

Isn’t is just annoying? I mean the constant bombarding of your mind with intimidating taunting thoughts designed to taint your perspective and ultimately sabotage your peace! #SERIOUSLY!!! Satan, aka da devil, knows fully well that he has absolutely no power to stop what God has planned for your future, nevertheless, he’s determined to strip away every ounce of  our in joy in the journey to our Final Destination…Heaven’s Glorious Salvation! Saints, regardless of his deceptive tactics, never 4get 2 remember, Satan is not GOD!  Notwithstanding, since his first encounter with our foreparents, Adam and Eve, he’s become quite adept in manipulating our thoughts and causing us to question the Faithfulness of God! How? Well, one of his favorite methods is to use your Memories!

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, I gotta few witness, huh? 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 shame as if that’s the end of our story. BUT, AGREE WITH YOUR ADVERSARY QUICKLY? #4REAL! When we  remind the devil that what happened back then was just a chapter setting me up for future episodes of coming attractions, it terrorizes the Hell of o him!  Hence, The Bible says, let the redeedmed of the LORD tell their story!

Beloved, didjakno that the last thing that Satan wants to come up against, is a BIBLE BELIEVING BELIEVER! BUT THAT’S HIS PROBLEM not yours!  You have been Divinely authorized to speak The Word of God with such tenacity, Holy boldeness and confident assurance that  it will actually change your current circumstances!  It’s True!  The CHRIST IN YOU empowers You to call those things that be not, as though they were!

WOW!  Didjaheardat? Sounds like it’s time to let the devil know up front, you ain’t scarred, huh? You know, like that great R&B Prophet  James Brown, ‘SAY It loud! SAY it proud! 

So the next time you feel like giving up, jus remind yourself that “I AM the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus;  I’m not in this thing by myself and GOD SAID, that I shoud Glory in mine infirmities because when I am at my weakest that’s when THE POWER OF GOD’s GRACE RESTS UPON ME! (Ref. 2 Corinthians 12:9)  OMG! #GAMECHANGER!

WORSHIPING WARRIORS TAKE A STAND!  Let the devil know, “HOLD UP! Today ain’t looking that good for ya, and TRUTHBTOLD, tomorrow either! SOOOO, whatever you’re planning to trip me up, U might wanna reconsider! *ijs…Chances are, just like it didn’t work the last time, it won’t work this time either.” (Ref. Isaiah 54:17)

“My God has GGGggrrreeeaaaatt 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)

“OOOOOh, Devil, QUESS WHAAA? UR STILL THE BIGGEST LOSER! I peeped  the back of the Book, and in the end, WE WIN! 

#BAMM!  #GOTTCHA! FAILURE AIN’T FATAL!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

GOD MATTERS?

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GOD MATTERS

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2
Is it just me, or have you noticed the newest 21st Century jargon? The sheer variety of objectivity seem to suggests that there has been an awakening in the consciousness of The Millennials that has shifted away from ‘It’s all about me’ to ‘a genuine concern for the well-being of other than self’! Or NOT! Okay yall, I might as well let the cat outta the bag. I’m referring to the popular trending idiom ‘MATTERS’.

Apparently, everything and the kitchen sink, has taken on a persona of distinctive significance. And there’s a T-shirt somewhere out there to prove it! Hey, I’m not judging, simply highlighting the obvious, k? If you ask anybody what are some of the things that they’re most interested in, it’s guaranteed that their responses would be endless. However, may I suggest that given the innate nature of humans to be drawn to individual preferences, in order to secure its fundamental security and uniformity, certain things are essential to the future of any society!

Obviously, there will be those who’d swear that being ‘pet parents’ is no different from parenting ‘live human children’ or wearing pants 25 inches below your waist-line to a job interview is as acceptable as nudity in a court room. As long as you’re comfortable with yourself, huh? Now that The Supreme Court has determined that regardless of sexual orientation, Love Matters! The capitalist affirm that it’s the bottom line that counts, not human rights! Hence Money Matters! Since, The NRA ascribes to ‘the right to bear arms’, above the ‘right to live in a safe neighborhoods’ thus—everybody’s packin! Billions of funds are being funneled to Animal Rights activists discretly away from those insidious issues of education, homelessness and hunger! Seriously!

Of course, we are not implying that as Christians we’re not supposed to have interests outside of the church. But! Does anyone care about what Matters to God? Well?

Looking at the more contemporary-all-embracing, newly-enlightened, come-as-u-r-stay-as-u-r doctrines of the 21st Century church, apparently, ain’t nobody got time for dat? It’s common place, now that church-folk tend to gravitate (assembling together) to like-minded sophisticated folk who prefer creature comforts above christian character! And if the ol’ skool preacha insists on sticking to those irrevelant antiquated suggestions of The Holy Bible and preachilng against SIN, well we can just Google the net and find another church that’s more condusive to our religious persuasions!

#DON’TSHOUTMEDOWNNAH!

Far be it for me to infer that Father GOD knows what’s best for His Children! However, isn’t that the reason that He drew us out of the world? God wants us to be happy and holy! That’s why He sent The Holy Spirit to live in us, leading and guiding us through the maze of a hellish world, instilling godly morals to assure that we get safely home to Heaven’s Glory! “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14

It’s perfectly understandable that an unregenerated person has no hope beyond this life, hence their universe is focused on accumulating a wealth of materialistic trinkets! However, where did so many carnal-minded christians come from?

I still remember when those who have a personal trust in Christ, peering through the clarity of the Scriptures, wore our earthly life as a loose-fitting overcoat, easily discarded and replaced by the robes of righteousness, laced with Love, Loyalty, Grace and Mercy as garments of praiz while eagerly awaiting The Trump of GOD to sound beckoning the Faithful TO COME UP HITHER! WOW! #GOALS #RAPTUREREADY #GODMATTERS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

GOD IS HOLY, BUT MINISTRY IS MESSY

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GOD IS HOLY BUT MINISTRY IS MESSY

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool—HE IS HOLY.

Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the LORD, and He answered them.

He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them.

You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives , on their deeds. Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at his Holy hill, For the LORD our GOD IS HOLY. Psalm 99:5-9

 

Considering all that God has done through the Life, Death, Burial and Resurrection of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, it’s just our reasonable service to esteem His Righteousness and exalt His Name as Awesome and Worthy of reverent adoring praise and worship! After all, except Jesus humbling Himself, leaving The Holiness, Glory and Majesty He’d known throughout Eternity Past, coming down to dwell among wormy humanity, we’d never know the Love, Justice, Equity and Righteousness of The Invisible Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient Living God and Creator!

And to think, He was so committed to fulfilling His Father’s plan and purpose for His most precious of all creation, He submitted Himself so graciously,  ignoring our rejection and despising the shame and bore the burden of our sin that we might become sons of God! #AWEMAAZING #GRACE

He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:11-12

Likewise, we who have accepted the Benefits of so great a Salvation, have been charged with the responsibility to carry out our Redeemer’s assignment that His Joy may be filled to the overflow! Unfortunately, as God’s Intercessors Moses, Aaron and Samuel discovered, the pathway of Righteousness is often plagued with test, trials, trauma and travesty! In other words, it’s not always easy to help those you’re assigned to minister to! Ministry is Messy!

Nevertheless, it behooves us to remember Whose we are and Who we’ve been called to serve!  In other words, since we represent Christ, we must take on the same character. It ain’t about making a name for ourselves but it’s about lifting up The Name of Jesus! This tremendous task requires compassionate gentleness, meekness, discipline, loads of tolerance and a whole lotta intentional knowing that Sinners sin and hurting people, hurt people!

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me!” John 15:19-21

Didjaheardat?

Beloved, if it had not been for the LORD, reaching way down and snatching you and I out of our miry clay, where would we be?  I don’t know about you, but my heart yet flutters  shamefully at such thoughts! BUT GOD, huh? Yes Lawd!

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness, shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthews 5:20

Never 4get, we are all called to be intercessors, if for no other reason but eternal gratitude! Hence, don’t be so easily offended but gird up the loins of your mind, strap yourself in the whole armour of God and report for duty!

TRUST2KNOW, without the test, there’d be no testimonies and without treking though the swamp of human misery, there’d be no ministry! #ijs…MINISTRY IS MESSY! #CARRYON!!!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee