Category Archives: Loyal

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Good Morning my Precious Blessed and Favored Ones! GOTTA MOMENT? AWESOME!!!

Didjakno, that the only reason you are able to read this post is because Our Heavenly Father has blessed you to be alive one more day? Yep! And for that, please join me in exalting The Glorious Name of Jesus! As is our custom on Thursdays, once again we, encourage you to join us in our weekly day of Corporate Prayer and Fasting! There are many sickly, weak, afflicted, ill-treated or faint of heart among us, therefore as James 5:13 instructs, let us utilize the honor and privilege afforded us by our Heaven Father!

 

WELCOME, INTO THIS PLACE! WELCOME INTO THIS BROKEN VESSEL! YOU DESIRE TO ABIDE IN THE PRAISES OF YOUR PEOPLE, SO WE LIFT OUR HANDS, AND WE LIFT OUT HEARTS AND WE OFFER UP THIS PRAISE UNTO YOUR NAME! WELCOME HOLY SPIRIT! WE ARE IN YOUR PRESENCE! FILL US WITH YOUR POWER…LIVE INSIDE OF ME! YOU’RE MY LIVING WATER, NEVERENDING FOUNTAIN! COMFORTER AND COUNSELOR, TAKE COMPLETE CONTROL…we bow down in HIS Presence…let’s pray…

 

Abba Father, it is with great joy that we entreat Thy Seat of Mercy today! Trusting confidently that You have afforded us this awesome privilege not because we deserve it, but based solely upon Your Loving-Kindness that continues to draw us into Your All Emcompassing Presence, we now come!

Sweet Jesus, we Thankya for Your commitment, to so  please The Heart of Your Father, that You willingly sacrificed Your Life in our stead, that we might become Sons of The True and Living God! And for this cause, we bow in humble gratitude, fully aware that  we come before You, empty and void of anything that would warrant such awesome graciousness, NEVERTHELESS,  because of Your Righteousness we are now beneficiaries of All that You are in the Eyes of the Creator of All Living things! OOOHHH GGLORRAAAA!
Father, we know that You already know everything about every single one of us, because You are Omniscient and Omnipresent, but since You walked among us, allowing Yourself to be tempted at all points as we are, You learned what we experience in these earthly tabernacles and because of Your personal experience, You now can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities! Therefore You are absolutely qualified and equipped to be our Great High Priest, able to intercede on our behalf, continuously searching and conveying the thoughts, intents, emotions and physical weaknesses that we’re often unable to articulate to The Father of All Grace and Comfort! We thankya Lord Jesus, for being our Very Present Help in troubling times!

Precious Lord, while we try to please You by trusting in Your Word with all of our hearts and minds, You know that sometimes, there’s a real struggle when we attempt to over-ride the noise of the pestilence, the chaos of uncertainty and the pain of condemnation, guilt, and shame that seems to lure us into the valleys shadowed with danger, fear, anger, bitterness, anxiety, hopelessness and self-doubt! That’s why we appreciate Your invitation and boldly run to You, daily, that we might find refuge, peace, strength and restoration that You have prepared for any who would come to You in hope-filled assurance that You will never deny Your Word!

Heavenly Father, we’re forever blessing You for continuing to pour out love, strength, wisdom, understanding and power as we open our hearts to You, depending and relying only on You. And as we lift our hands and our hearts yielded before You, remembering the glorious day when You quickened our hearts, lifting the veil allowing us to see Your Glory in the Face of our Precious Son, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we gratefully ask that You do the same for those who are yet lost, blinded by the darkness of this world. Lord, we’re believing You to ignite a spirit of Godly-repentance in the hearts and minds of the unsaved, that they may confess “sincere YES”, provoking a desire to surrender their lives to You today and receive You as their personal Savior and Lord!

Lord, as we bow before You, we’re lifting up every backslider, believing You to put a“committed YES” in their heart and mind that this will be the day that they come back to You and come back to the local church that You’ve assigned them to, where they will be greeted with lovingkindness, nurtured in the Will and Ways of Your Word, dedicating the rest of their lives to glorifying You in these last and evil days to a lost and dying world!

Abba Father, as we pray, we ask that You touch our brother, touch our sister who is afflicted by any sickness and disease, including the spirit of cancer, kidney failure, heart and lung disease, diabetes, high/low blood pressure, those in need of transplants, those suffering from knee, back, hip and shoulder pain, we pray that You will rebuke and cast out every symptom and trace of it from the root, for Your Name Sake!

As we align our faith to agree with Your Immutable Word, we decree and declare that by Your stripes we have been redeemed and healed! We stand on Your promises that the prayer of faith shall save the sick and raise them up! And as You are strengthening these, we ask that you also envigorate, encourage and replenish the spirits, minds and bodies of those who are charged to care for their loved ones In Jesus Name!

Father, as we lift up our children, our childrens’ children and by faith, we cancel every scheme that Satan desires to inflict upon them, we commit them into Your Providential care! We acknowledge that from their Mothers’ wombs, You have a plan and purpose for each one of their lives! Hence, we have the blessed assurance that their steps and stops are being Divinely ordered by Your eyes, therefore, NO WEAPON THAT’S FORMED AGAINST THEM SHALL PROSPER AND EVERY TONGUE THAT ARISES AGAINST THEM SHALL BE CONDEMNED, IN JESUS NAME! We now rejoice in Thy Salvation!

Abba, we lift up every Bishop, Apostle, Pastor, Overseer, Evangelist, Preacher, Teacher, Deacon, auxiliary leader and member! We ask that You encourage their souls with an immediate manifestation of that special miracle that they’ve been waiting, yet standing on the wall proclaiming Your Word under the Power, Conviction and Anointing of Holy Spirit.

Undergird them with Your Anointing and conviction to carry out their assignment, under the direction of Holy Spirit. Cover them as they go in and out amongst Your people and those who would seek to discredit, hinder and even destroy their faith, faithfulness and ministry,You have ordained. Grace Your menservants and maidens to be authentic examples of holiness, in their homes, churches and community that will cause everyone who comes into contact with them to fall deeply in love, trust wholly in and live their lives faithfully serving You! In Jesus Name, AMEN 3X!

Father, we know that You keep Covenant with those who keep covenant with you; therefore in the midst of looming darkness and despair, we pray that You stir up the hearts and minds of those who are professing Your Name, empowering them with a fresh desire for an even greater personal, intimate relationship with Creator God through fellowship of Holy Spirit that they might prove what is the perfect and acceptable will of The Lord Jesus!

Because You YET Sovereignly Rule and Reign over the affairs of mankind, we’re praying, as You have instructed us, for the leaders of our nation and the world, every government, corporate, judicial, education, financial, health care institutions, public service and military individuals!

We’re trusting that You are touching their minds and hearts, speaking to them in dreams and visions and letting them know that Power Belongs to God! Remind them that You Who Sit Enthroned Above the Heavens are keeping record of the deeds of every man’s heart and will reward accordingly! We believe that because their hearts are in Your Hands, their ears and hearts are being continuously opened to hear and obey Your Will! Lord Jesus, we’re standing on Your Word as decreed that The government of this world shall rest upon Your shoulders and that You are The Eternal King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Lord, we ask that You remember every believer who is yet holding on to Your Hand by faith today, trusting that You will anoint them with a double portion of Your Divine Power, Supernatural Strength, Consolation, Health and Wholeness, Favor, Provision, Prosperity, Protection and Peace. We pray for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones, broken relationships, marriage difficulties, wayward children, joblessness, irate supervisors, jealousy, bullying, dysfunctional family issues! We ask, Father, that You preserve us thru the tests that You have allowed us to go thru and keep them hidden in the secret place YOUR PRESENCE, resting confident that at the appointed time You shall bring them out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward as You have promised them in Your Word! For we’re fully persuaded that YOU, JEHOVAH HAS THE FINAL SAY!

Heavenly Father, while we know that there are many other things that we might bring before You, however because You are The Good Shepherd, we believe that every demonic-induced spirit of anxiety, temptation, addiction, rejection, self-hate, suicide, fear and failure, guilt and shame is already defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Sound-mindness is being released now, in Jesus Name!

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

Abba Father, we stand in agreement with THE SOVEREIGN ONE, Who hears ours prayers and forgives our transgressions! Holy Father, because You have chosen us to live in eternally in Your House, we shout with exceeding Joy unto The Hope of all the earth, believing that as Your face shines upon us, You are making Your Ways and Salvation known among all nations for You Guide and Rule justly!

 

Father, we thank You NOW, believing that it is done according to Your Perfect Will, we seal this prayer with a Holy Hallelujah, 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 SAVES!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 

 

WHAT? FAITH-Based INITIATIVE!!!

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WHAT FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE

SELAH Daily Devotions!

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:48

Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 1 Samuel 17:51

 

Honestly, still not sure when it happened! Anyhow, us ‘baby-boomers’, have witnessed some major transformations to the systemic culture of this nation and the world at large!  We’ve seen the  so-called ‘powers that be’ set into motion a myriad of legal and judicial orders, reforms and deregulations calling for separation of church and state, which under the radar, were unquestionably directed to push the very Presence of God out of the focus of our daily lives.

This Satanically-induced plot was introduced under the guise of safeguards to protect our human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of choice, etc. But while the flesh was enjoying its emancipation from the ‘antiquated codes of morality’ and moving into the land of parta hardy, it’s your thang, do what you wanna do, we were lured into a false sense of security. Never realizing that there would be consequences of this so-called liberation. When you eliminate God from the equation, what you’re left with is hell on earth!

Along with free love, free sex, free drugs, fast money, came increase in teen pregnancy, abortions, STD’s (and worse), drug addictions, divorce, fatherless homes, suicide, fraud, just to name a few by-products of an ‘it’s all about me’ generation! WHO KNU?

In January 2001, President George Bush signed an Executive Order establishing a program that would ‘Rally America’s Army of Compassion’ to stimulate and enable private, charitable and religious organizations to access federal funds for social service programs to address the rising challenges and concerns that the nation was experiencing. At least, these were the “TALKING POINTS”  of  what The White House Press Release report.

But in ‘laymen’s terms’, America was jacked up, unraveling at the roots, and they were clueless as to how to turn this mess around! Hence, somebody realized that the Church was the only real hope to preserve this nation. They invited churches and community leaders to come get this free money (grants) and do something to calm the restless beasts who were getting out of hand. Perhaps you’ve already guessed, this program was dubbed ‘Faith-Based Initiatives’.

#IJS! If the world got sense enough to know that God is the ONLY ONE who can fix the wiles of this world, what’s up with the real faith-based people—THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD? Decades have passed, and what’s changed? TRUTHBTOLD, this world has pludged deeper into the depths of apostacy than we ever could’ve imagined!  Looking through the lense of the natural eye, which is generally aimed at getting a few more dollars in my pocket, unfortunately many (saved and unsaved) are rallying around the insane partisan ideology of  “LET’S MAKE AMERICA GREAT…AGAIN!

What are we waiting for? When will we start taking some faith-based initiative and start walking in the power and authority that we shout about in the sanctuary?

According to today’s scripture text, 1 Sam 17:45-51, we see one individual, David, who was bold enough to actually put his faith to work to impact the environment and to make a difference in the lives of the people. May I submit for your consideration, that the underlying strength of Satan’s kingdom is the persistently passive complacent ‘Saint.’ His whole kingdom is utterly reliant upon what I call the ‘spirit of toleration’ that has many believers shut-up and locked down by a ‘victim mentality’. DON’T SHOUT ME DOWN, NAH? #ijs

The Apostle James says, ‘You show me your faith without works, and I’ll show you my faith by what I do’. (Ref. James 2:14-26). The devil is not impressed because your faith gets a bigger house, a new car, 20 credit cards—for a season.  While you’re walking around so high and lofty=minded, that thieving liar knows that with you paying 32% interest rates, any time he’s ready, he can pull the rug right out from under you!  However, what Satan really fears is ‘a BELIEVING BELIEVER’ who actually takes their faith to the trenches of the marketplace, hospital rooms, schools, court room, prisons, crack house, state house and certainly not into your own house!-

Unfortunately, many of God’s elect have become lethargic, disgruntled and are merely biding their time, waiting for Jesus to show up and rapture them off to Heaven? Can you imagine what could happen if instead of blaming God for what’s going on in the earth somebody would actually believe that God is Sovereign and satan ain’t running nothing?  Quess ain’t nobody got time for dat, huh?

Saints, this is war! Like David, when challenged by Goliath, we must stop waiting for the devil to make his next move. The Bible says, “Since the days of John The Baptist, the Kingdom of God has suffered violence, but the violent shall take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12)

It’s time for the Church to take the initiative and confront the devil on our terms! God has given us weapons of mass destruction that enables us to pull down Satan’s strongholds — THE WORD OF GOD, PRAYER & PRAIZ!  “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Those who recognize their Godly lineage and legacy, will not be content to sit behind the doors of the church, bracing for the devil’s next blow. There’s a remnant of true believers, who will activate their faith, as the Anointed Army of The Living God, and take dominion over the works of the kingdom of darkness!

Precious Warrior, God has not given us the spirit of fear, but a holy bodacious faith!

#SATANICSPOILERALERT! We ain’t scarred to let the devil know, “I am not losing my mind and I’m not giving in! I will bless The Lord at all times! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I’m fully persuaded that Greater is He that’s in me. I am more than a conqueror through Christ and ain’t no devil in hell gonna walk on the Jesus in me! NOW BACK UP OFF OF ME, YOU LYING DEVIL!”

Didjagetit? NOW, GET UP AND DO SOMETHING! TAKE SOME FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

U HARVEST WHAT U PLANT!

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U HARVEST WHAT U PLANT 2. 2018

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations! 3Then say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself. 4You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. 5Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and Ezekiel 22:1-5

In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord God. full of tumult. Ezekiel 22:23

Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and will do it. 15 I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. 16You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’” Ezekiel 22:12, 14-16

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:7-10

 

While, a lot of us readily agree that the most prominent characteristic of The Creator of Life is Love! However, there is that other part of GOD that we prefer to deny or attempt to IGNORE as being an EQUALLY intricate component of God’s Holiness…Justice! According to Ezekiel 22, God sends His servant, Ezekiel, to admonish the people of Jerusalem that their cantankerous sinfulness and unrelenting rejection of His Holy standard of Righteousness has provoked God to the end of Mercy! While this would break God’s heart to do so, they were about to personally experience the boiling point of frustrating The Grace of God and triggering the out pour of His anger…Wrath!

Ezekiel was tasked by God, The Righteous Judge, to inform God’s chosen of the list of charges indited against them. Jerusalem, once renowned as God’s Beautiful City of Peaceful Habitation, had now become infamously known as the Bloody City! Although Jerusalem’s sins were many, showing disregard for human life and leading to violence and death, their sinfulness didn’t exceed the bloodiness of the other pagan cities surrounding it! Yet, because they had the Word, prophets, and priests of God, they were justifiedly held to a much higher standard. However, like many of the 21st Century creme la crème have totally misinterpreted the purpose and intent of God’s blessings, assuming that somehow their physical attributes, heightened intellectual aptitude, financial wealth and elite social status entitles them to esteem themselves above everybody! Kinda reminds you of #45, huh? #SERIOUSLY!

God’s people erroneously believed that because God had claimed them as His own Holy Possession, they were exempt from adhering to His Commandments and excluded from Eternal judgment. They were absolutely convinced that they were IN LIKE FLYNN (or is it Flint)! In other words, we can do whatever we want, as long as we want to, and to whoever we want to… and there will be no consequences, after all God calls me, “MINE”! Besides that we got The Temple!

Over many generations, God had been graciously patient with their bullheadedness! However, after searching for someone to stand in the gap, interceding on their behalf, upholding The Righteousness of God to advert God’s judgment, yet finding not one who would commit to this lofty task, THEIR JIG WAS UP! Eventually, because of the wickedness of their own hearts, time ran out! As they continued to defile His Name with their importunate unfaithfulness, despising His Holy Things with gross idolatry, profaning The Sabbath and their blatant propensity to repulse God’s generous offer of repentance. As a result of their lack of obedience, rejecting His HOLY Code of moral ethics, lethargy for the disadvantaged and making a mockery of God before the gentile nations, FINALLY GOD said, “You Have Forgotten ME! That’s when God resolved to invoke The Sovereignty of HIS NAME!

God’s tactical reversal proved to His Beloved that there MUST be a difference between their own life or for the people they were called to serve! And while it’s extremely rare today to find ENOUGH circumstantial evidence to support it amongst the lifestyle of the saints and the sinner man, there IS A difference between the fate of the unclean and the clean!

God elected to remove the hedge of protection from around them and pour out His indignation upon them, He gathered them into a furnace of affliction! Ezekiel would warn all who rebel against God’s Will, violating the Law, would receive their just reward according to their own deeds! As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, the fury of God’s anger would be a consuming fire, refining and purifying their hearts corrupted by the dross of fleshy carnal lust, leaving only that which will glorify God! In the midst of the fire of God’s Wrath, “Ye shall know that I the LORD HAS DONE THIS! Hence, demonstrating that if we insist on having our own way, we will be rewarded with the harvest we have planted!

Unless you were born late last night or arrived on planet Earth early this morning, you’ve probably heard some folk making excuses to deceive themselves and relieve the guilt and shame of habitual disobedience. At the same time, depending on whose presence they happen to be in at any particular time, they’ll put on a show! Don’t get it twisted, we’ve ALL BEEN THERE! And as the ol’ skool Preacha said, “You might fool some of the people, some of the time…BUT U CAN’T FOOL GOD…NONE OF THE TIME! Remember, GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED! As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest…will not cease!

Every day that you wake up in the present, is seed time and the world to come (Eternity) is where we shall reap what we sow NOW!

When one forgets God and leaves his ways, the path into every kind of abomination opens before him.” (Alexander)

‘Cuse me, jus wondering? Does this whole scenario sound disturbingly familiar to EVERYDAY 2018 NEWS, OR IS IT JUST ME? I guess it’s true, huh? The more times change, the more we remain the same! I remember Grand Ma saying, ‘U NEED TO WEAR THIS OL’ WORLD LIKE LOOSE-FITTING OVERCOAT…AFTER ALL WE DIDN’T COME HERE TO STAY” #WOW! #IJS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

CONSIDER THE COST…

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CONSIDER THE COST.jpg

SELAH Daily Devotions!

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Psalm 116:12-13

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies 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

 

I’m not trying to start nuffin, BUT! Have you noticed that ‘hoof-n-mouth disease’ has reached pandemic proportions amongst so many church-folkes? #ijs

Perhaps that’s why other folk seem to so easily tell you what you should do in any given situation, ‘Because if it were me, I’d _____!” Someone once said, unless you walk in another man’s shoes, you’ll never appreciate the depth and weight of each footprint. Okay, I just made that one up, k? However, the point is, unless you personally experience each moment in every episode of that person’s journey, (which is virtually impossible) not from the perspective of a spectator, but as the starring participant, you can sympathize but not really empathize with them!

Even more perplexing is how long we struggle with submission to the commandments of The Only Savior as Lord of our lives! Could it be that we can never fully understand the passion of Jesus that caused Him, after being shamelessly mocked, brutally beaten, scorned and scourged all night then jokedly crowned with thorns, to make His way up Golgotha’s Hill, carrying that Ol’ Rugged Cross where His hands and feet were nailed, crucified for what you and I would do? Didjaheardat? #braintilt!

Awemazingly, the scriptures reveal that it was the Heavenly Father’s pleasure to see Jesus endure every second of this crushing death. (Ref. Isaiah 53:10)

Ever since the Garden of Eden, there are somethings that God never intended us to know. Why? Because He loves us too much to jus sit back and allow the fatality of sin to run it’s course, separating us from Him eternally? But, but? I know, that makes no sense at all!

We forget that His Thoughts are infinitely higher than ours and His Ways are incalculably above and beyond humanity’s limited capacity of understanding. (Ref. Isaiah 55:9) Astonishingly, Jesus agreed to this before the foundation of the world, and while we were yet sinners! (Ref.Romans 5:8) The Life dying in order for the dead to live? WOW! That’s Grace, huh?

According to Romans 12:1-2, all that God expects for so great a Salvation is for us to live out everyday, blessed, trusting in Him, as beaming reflections of His Love and Glory to a lost and dying world! Unfortunately, yet still many reckon that more than they are willing to give! (Ref. Luke 18:18-24)

However, there’s a remnant of believers who’ve sold out for the sake of The Cross and are gratefully committed to sacrifice their all to see more souls come into The Glorious Kingdom of God!

What shall U render? Well…HOW MUCH DO U OWE? #countupthecost

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

THE HEART OF THE FATHER!

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THE HEART OF THE FATHER

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

 
Uuuh forgive my intrusion into your alabaster box, howeverrrrr! Do you sometimes cry out, as I have, “God, don’t You see my tears? Can’t You see my broken heart? God, never mind me, but how can You bear to see the agony of my loved one? God, I know that You care. I just don’t understand why You don’t intervene in this situation right now. Why don’t You do something? And, God, why did you do that?”

Then,  in the midst of my lamenting heart,  I seem to hear His still, small voice whispering, “Ann, trust Me. I know what’s best.”

…And I’m left to wonder, “Hold up, Ms. Smarty pants, why  would  you ever think that you know better than God what’s best for yourself  or your loved one, huh?”

Perhaps, that kind of thinking is the product of humanity’s naivety to presume that once we finally surrender our hearts to The Saving Grace of Jesus Christ, from that point on life consists of floating down rose, hydrangea, tulip and lilly clad pathways of ease, on our way to the Pearly Gates of New Jerusalem!  Unfortunately, there’s nothing in The Holy Writ that remotely resembles such a scenario. In fact, there’s more evidence to support that following in the Footsteps of Jesus is more likely to parallel swallowing big gulps from the cup of imminent suffering and sacrifice! #SERIOUSLY!!!

Remember, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”  Job 14:1

Don’t get it twisted!  I am not being sacrilegious nor am I craaazzzy enough to dare imply that our Heavenly Father is a Dead-Beat Dad or some kinda Narcissistic Sadist! Quite the contrary!  I am fully persuaded that before the Beginning began, The Creator of Life, in the Sovereignty of His Own Will, determined that purpose trumps pain! Hence, God has Divinely orchestrated the terrains of our journey to include sporadic detours through wilderness pit stops as well as ecstatically triumphant mountain top encounters to perfect in us the same Godly Character and Radiant Glory of our Kinsmen Redeemer!

Remember, “His Ways are not our ways and His Thoughts supersede our severely limited intellectual capacity to comprehend the length, width and depth and wonder of His Omnipotent Omniscience! (Ref. Isaiah 55:8-9)

Nevertheless, by Faith, we know that all things work together for our highest good and His Greatest Glory! (Ref. Romans 8:28) Consequently,  as  Blood-washed, Born-again children of The Most High God, no matter what it looks like, in the end VICTORY BELONGS 2 JESUS! Thus, WE SHALL OVERCOME!  #DIDJAHEARDAT? #WOW!!!

 Beloved, thru test, trial, toil and tragedy, wisdom has revealed through experience that the quicker that you and I acquiesce to the promptings of The God In Me//You, the sooner our po-wearied-soul is encompassed about with the Comforting Presence, Joy and Peace of The Only Wise Savior and Lord of our Life! 

Holy Father, time and time again, You’ve  proven to be The Loving and Compassionate Shepherd who leads and guides my steps and stops according to what’s  best for me! Therefore, I humbly bow, submitting myself under Your Mighty Hands,  declaring and decreeing “Lord whatever You’re doing… don’t do it without me!  Abba, when my circumstances appear to contradict Your Promise and I am tempted  to doubt Your Faithfulness, please forgive me, help my unbelief and give me a double portion of Your Supernatural Grace 2 Trust  the Benevolence of Ur Heart  even more than what my natural eyes can see! In Jesus Name, AMEN 3X!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WEIGHT ON THE LORD…STILL!

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WEIGHT ON THE LORD...STILL

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

 

A few years back I shared a similar post. Yall remember, I testified about that morning  I’d began my morning routine of preparing my coffee, glancing casually at the TV screen and hearing the early morning’s BREAKING NEWS reporting 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! As I began filtering my hearing to the commentator, he continuied on to say that Isis had proudly stepped up, acclaiming responsibility for this heinous act in retaliation for a previous attack against their forces!

Precious Ones, this morning with a soul ladden with gut-wrenching sorrow, can I tell ya that the more things change, the more things stay the same! While we all hope and pray that these tragic incidents are just isolated bleeps on the scape of human history, it seems as if the worst just keeps on falling to new depths of low and lawlessness! Once again while the students of  a Parkland, FL HS were busy going out their daily class room activies,  a sin drenched soul stepped out of obscurity and began to assisinate at least 17 of his  former classmates!

Perhaps, my greatest sadness is buried in the reality that while  yet revolting, tragedy seems to have losted its fervidness to either shock or surprise us! 

I remember coming back up stairs that morning and asking 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!

Then quite suddenly, the Holy Spirit cut into our conversation with an astounding; “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 would’ve imagined that the enormity of the extremely wicked cruelty episodes would be repeatedly perpetrated against even the most naive amongs us?

Those of us who claim The Name of Christ truly believe that this ol’ world has already been judged and condemned, right? YET, how many of us genuinely expected that The 21st century generation would be eye witnesses to the actualization of the antiquated prophetic utterances of God’s servants., huh? #SERIOUSLY???

I can still recall 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!”

Then, Thanks Be To GOD, Holy Spirit so abruptly 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

Life is filled with change and challenges, and most of all unexpectaton! Nevertheless, our faith must be, rooted in The Certainty of The Eternal Love of God! 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?

YES, THE STRUGGLE IS REAL BUT GOD IS GREATER! WEIGHT ON THE LORD…STILL!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

TRUE LOVE???

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true-love

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21

 
WOW! Faithful Obedience, huh? Honestly, this should be the very heart-cry of every born-again, Blood-Washed Child of The Most High God! Right? After all, yall know that absolutely nothing in our personal repertoire is remotely worthy of such extravagant Loveliness that was extended towards humanity through the Sacrificial Atonement of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ! Hence, Unfailing Love and Truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! (Psalm 85:10)  In other words, God refused to let us go!

Yet, far too many who claim The Name of Jesus, consider the burden of denying their will in humble gratitude to The Lordship of Jesus Christ, more than they’re able to commit to for so great a Salvation! Don’t get me wrong, just about anyone will gladly run to Jesus for Fire Insurance, (Savior) but how many are willing to subject themselves to The Righteousness required by The Sovereign Creator?  Perhaps that’s what The Scripture  means by ‘Many are called but few are chosen’, #ijs (Ref. Matthew 22:14)

Of course, it’s never God’s Will that any should perish, however His Holiness will not allow sin to go un-judged! Strangely enough, some who confess Him as Savior in order to grab a ‘get outta-hell-free pass, think it totally unreasonable that God should expect them to live a holy and righteous lifestyle…everrry day!

Oh, you can’t always tell who they are on Sunday mornings with their hands lifted high in the air, jus like everybody else, but if you follow them home chances are you’ll hear them saying, ‘ain’t nobody perfect’ in an effort to make all kinds of excuses to justify their rebellion against the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Truthfully, only those who are driven by a personal hunger and thirst to know God intimately, will genuinely seek to please Him by putting to death the sin-lusting cravings of their fleshy appetites and surrendering to the new nature that yearns to obey His Word! Amazingly, God does not require anything of us that He’s not willing to help us to succeed! “And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:” (2 Corinthians 5:8) #Didjaheardat? WOW! NOW THAT’S GRACE!

Quite frankly, Beloved, due to the severe limitations of my finite intellect and limited verbal ability. such awesomeness is not easily described and I find myself gasping at the mere suggestion that I AM the object of such affection. Yet this Truth encompasses my spirit, soul and body and I embrace my wholeness and completeness, as I dwell in the Presence of The All-Knowing, All-Loving, Caring, Creator-Giver, Father of All-Life! FINALLY, TRUE LOVE!

WHEN LOVE IS REAL, IT FINDS A WAY. 
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SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WARRANTY GUARANTEED!

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WARRANTY GUARANTEED

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, we’re already 2 months into a brand new year that our God has so graciously allotted to us! Chances are, many 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 with a heart’s decree that ‘anything that happens gotta be better than where I’ve been! #HaveIgottawitness?

Nevertheless, I do realize that the self-righteous religious tribe, are still pumped, ready,  determined to build upon last year’s successes and primed for the next dimension of your personal aspirations and spiritual elevation! Howevvrrrr, for the rest of us, who truly love God with all of our hearts, spirit, soul, mind and body, must confess that beneath the surface of our confident exterior, somewhere deep within the pit of our subconscious consciusness, there remains an intrinsic urging to apologize to our Loving Lord, each and every day! Unquestionably, at some point between the time you roll out  and the time you crawl back into bed, you have inevitably fallen short of living up to God’s Righteous expectations! Fortunately, there’s yet hope for all of us! 

The certainty of Life’s uncertainties 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!  SERIOUSLY?

I know this seems a bit too ‘unconventional, irrelevant and marred by unsound ol’skool theological’ to the 21st Century 7-11 spin off  New Millennium Church, nevertheless, may I submit for your consideration, 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  stands to reason that because He has consistently shown such unfathomable loving-kindness, tender-mercy and unmerited favor towards us, that the only reasonable response should be radical thanksgiving and faithful obedience!  #ijs

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!  Therefore, it’s pure folly to dare gloat on our egotistical star. Right? BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, there’s yet Hope for our terminal dis-ease!

Honestly, 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  genuine Hallelujah and Amen 3x?

Trust2know, 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) THAT’S GRACE, YALL!

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!

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

WOW! WHO KNU FULFILLING GOD’S  EXPECTATIONS WAS THAT EASY! Christ IN us, The Hope of Glory, GUARANTEES VICTORY EVERY SINGLE TIME! #LET’S DO THIS!!!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

UNDER THE INFLUENCE

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UNDER THE INFLUENCE 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to god must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ Hebrews 11:6

The other day I heard someone say something that I thought was quite profound, at least thought provoking. It was said that “we are swirling towards eternity at the speed of life!” History is being written every day. Memories are being made, every day. Lessons are being taught and learned, every day. Attitudes are being formed and developed, every day.

As I began to think about this, several questions flooded my mind. First, does God’s Presence influence your life? If so, then how? What impact has God’s Presence in you made in your circle of influence?

We love to sing the song, “Jesus You’re the center of my joy, all that’s good and perfect comes from You; You’re the Heart of my contentment, Hope for all I do….” But when the music stops and your feet hit the ground, how’s your walk? In other words, does your video authenticate your audio? #ijs!!!

The Bible does not merely ask us to have faith to believe that God does exist. Lucifer and his hord of demons believe that God exists, however they don’t follow Him! As bona fide, Blood-washed, Born-Again Children of The Most High God, our lifestyle should attest to fact that not only do we believe that He exits, but we  also believe that God is who He says He is, that God is with us, that God is for us and that God will perform every promise that He’s sworn by GOD-self towards us! (Ref. Hebrew 11:6)  Hence, if we desire to please The Lord we must walk out our lives under the influence of His Presence, adhering to HIS instructions and exemplifying our beliefs throughout the course of daily living! #Didjaheardat? #SERIOUSLY!!!

Does your character reflect the Presence of God in your life? Does the influence of God’s Presence affect the choices that you make? Does your life style reflect the influence of God’s Presence? Whose chances of ending up in Heaven have increased because of the impact that you’ve made upon their life? Whose chances of ending up in Hell increased because you are in their life? Now, since our response and our responsibility carry eternal consequences, may I suggest that you carefully and conscientiously ponder the depth of your soul before answering the aforementioned questions? 

We are living epistles (letters) and folk are reading our mail, every day! How is the Presence of God in you influencing your readers? Just a thought! #ijs (Ref. 2 Corinthians 3:1-3)

The Bible says, we are the salt of the earth. I believe that means that we ought to make someone who doesn’t know God, thirsty for a drink of The Living Waters. (Ref. Matthew 5:13-14)

As Christians, our greatest desire should be to allow the influence of God’s Presence to be reflected on those around us so much so that it provokes them to envy  and thirst for The God that we worship and  ultimately seek to claim Him as their personal Savior and Lord! 

Looking back, perhaps there where many times when we almost, and unfortunately, even more times where we flat-out missed opportunities to Glorify God! Thanks Be To God!  IT MATTERS NOT WHERE WE START, BUT HOW WE END!  The ground around The Cross of Calvary is level to all!  With each new day, GOD SO GRACIOUSLY GIVES US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN, AGAIN! #WOW! 

As this year slips into eternity past, instead of lingering in the land of pouting and doubting remember that BUT…by God’s Grace!  KEEP IT MOVIN’! SPEND TODAY WISELY! LIVE EACH DAY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE! 

BELOVED, MAY YOU EMBRACE A PRODUCTIVE AND PROSPEROUS NEW DAY!

SELAH! 

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

IS FAIRNESS OVERRATED?

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IS FAIRNESS OVERRATED

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: Romans 1:21-26a

 

Oh, c’mon nah? Don’t be looking at me with that tone of voice! Even if we were too sccaarred to speak it out loud, chances are, we’ve all thought about it at some point in our lives, huh?

Particularly, when circumstances didn’t flow in the natural order of progression according to our personal logic! That’s when we tend to get all philosophical and put God on the witness stand! “Why would a Loving God send people to Hell? Why do innocent babies die? Why do bad things happen to good people?” Unfortunately, as Bro. Job can attest to, except thru Holy Spirits’ impartation of revelation, we’re fundamentally incapable of assessing the Ways and Means of our Sovereign Lord’s Infinite Wisdom and Knowledge. (Ref. Job 42:3-5) Am I right about it?

Amazingly, The Sustainer of everything, knowing the hopelessness of relying on the innate frailty of our flawed, fickled, self-centered frame, so graciously restrains Godself with compassionate patience, suffering with us through The Divine Maturation Process, until we arrive at the unity of faith implied by trusting in The Son of God! (Ref. Ephesians 4:13)

Howeverrrrr, TruthBtold, this type of interrogation is generally a direct result of a deliberate, self-induced distortion, rebellion and ultimate rejection of God’s Perfect Morality in order to justify our unmoral proclivity to satisfy the our own fleshy lust for wickedness and evil-doing! WELL? #Didjaheardat? Like the ol’ skool preacha said, “I jus lost 1/2 my church!”

According to Scriptures, Creation declares the reality of God. Barring some rare genetic malfunction, every human being born into the earth has an inner GPS (God’s Protection System) directly plugged into The Creator of The Universe,  otherwise known as a conscience. This inner sensory perception allows us to discern good from evil. Therefore, there’s no excuse for anyone to claim that they don’t know whether God exists or if He does exists, what He requires of their lives! Now, given that we are not robots, we all have the freedom and ability to suppress God’s moral standards in favor of our own or the world’s! And…such were all of us! (Ref. 1 Corinthians 6:11) Yet, the consequences of our erroneous decisions are completely out of our hands! And we all know how well that plays out, huh?

Beloved, there’s no denying how much God loves us! I mean, He was willing to sacrifice His Righteous Son to save us who so deserved the punishment for our unrighteousness! NEVERTHELESS HE CANNOT DENY HIS LOVE!

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. John 3:16

Yet to deny the other part of GOD’s Holy Nature, is down-right foolish!

Hence, stop trying to PLAY God! HE IS NOT THE ONE! Trust2kno…the last thing you ever wanna DO is make God angry! Seriously! It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! (Hebrew 10:31)

Beloved, God’s mercy awaits us every morning as He awakens us to embrace one more day! Unfortunately, we have no clue how long before Grace is frustrated. While it is yet today, Precious Ones, exercise your choice, accept Jesus as Savior and Lord! When it comes to your eternal destination…FAIRNESS IS OVER-RATED…CHOOSE LIFE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee