Category Archives: strength

EMPTY POTS

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EMPTY POT 2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? Isaiah 44:20

I can only imagine what’s going on in the mind and heart of Elohim gazing down the the portals of time from Eternity, seeing the massive gathering of Sunday Morning worshipers.

Look at us, over there we’re suited down in our St. Johns and over here in our Sean Johns. Got our weaves looking fresh jus like dat and our hair perfectly trimmed tight. Etienne Aigner shoes and our New York Yankees designer hats neatly tucked under the pews, just in case the person next to us gets a bit too unruly.

Once the policeman re-directed the traffic to turn left (because the parking lot was already filled to its capacity) finally, we’re glad to be seated in our favorite row. The stage is set! The sound-man gives the nod, the lighting is in sync with the Minister of Music and the Choreographer has gotten the attention of the Liturgical Dancers, we’re ready! Let’s Get It Done…BAMM!

Not so fast! I see ‘yall’, BUT where’s ‘The Glory’? Where are the God-Seekers? Who’s actually among us here to Honor HIM?

“What’s up with you asking us these kinds of questions? How could you miss HIM? Didn’t you see all those fine automobiles parked outside of this grandiose sanctuary? I bet if you tallied up the cost that was spent at the hair salons this week, you’d probably could buy a small nation. And you know the price for an authentic custom-tailored suit these days ain’t cheap, given inflation. Not to mention the small fortune the church puts out to fuel up our Pastor’s jet. You got some nerve asking about GOD! Obviously GOD has been good to us!”

Okay! Granted, you got a whole lot of stuff going on. You can afford to sit back on your laurels proudly contented and cozy, belly full and satisfied, enjoying the fruit of your successful accomplishments, and resting in the warm of your own fire. Man! that’s the life that God promised us or is it?

When was the last time you actually talked to The God you claim to belong to and serve? Did you even thank HIM for waking you up this morning, giving you the strength to get up (under your own volition) and the mind to brush your teeth with a toothbrush and not a hair brush? Have you really forgotten that there was a time when going to church on a Sunday morning never crossed you mind and the only cross you carried was dangling from your rear view mirror as a token protector for you and your property? Remember when the only word you read with any consistency was your horoscope?

Yeah, Buddy! What a life!

And you call those folk—who just can’t wait to get to Church, not just on Sunday mornings, but Bible Study, prayer meetings, whatever and whenever the doors of the church are open, they gotta be in The House, in fellowship with like-minded spirits after being amidst a bunch of God-Haters all week/day long, we who are desperate for the times of refreshment found only in the Presence of The Lord—out of touch with reality! REALLY?

Come, let’s reason this thing out together.

IS GOD BLESSED BY YOUR WORSHIP OR IS IT A STINCH IN HIS NOSTRILS?

EMPTY POTS, huh?

SELAH!

“Have a WONDER-FILLED day!”

Ann Caffee

 

GOD’S VOICE

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.  Galatians 1:15-16

In today’s scripture text, we hear the testimonial of The Apostle Paul in response to The Lord’s prompting to go spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. And we all know how that turned out, huh? 

GGGGLLLLORRRRRAAA 2 GOD! However, what stands out to me, is what Paul didn’t do!

The Apostle didn’t wait to get an Executive Order from The White House nor a congregational consensus before stepping out by faith. Instead of asking anybody what they thought about it, relying solely on his personal relationship with His Savior, feeling no need for further validation, The Apostle Paul immediately obeyed God’s instructions!

How about you? When you’ve heard from God, what’s your initial response? Before you move, do you have to survey the opinions of your family and friends? Does the fear of failure, embarrassment, humiliation or retaliation cause you to stagger at God’s Word? Are you willing to take a leap of faith and just do what you believe God is asking of you?

As believers, we’re sometimes reluctant to move out on a WORD FROM GOD. Not so much because we’re not trusting God, but more often than not, it’s because of a spirit of difiance deeply rooted in the lack of self-confidence in our own ability. Ooops…#noshedidn’t!

In an attempt to re-assure ourselves that we’re in God’s will, like Gideon, we will ask God for a sign and come up with some kinda obtuse fleece as further proof that it is actually God speaking. ( Judges 6) And while God so graciously granted Gideon’s request, twice, as believers, we must recognize that God often tests our trust and confidence by commissioning us to do what seems impossible!

That’s what our life in Christ is about. God doesn’t require us to walk by signs, but by hope-filled trust that whatever He asks us to do, by His Grace, we are well able to perform.

The Bible says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” John 10:27. As we entreat His Presence daily in prayer inquiring direction, thru diligent study  and meditation of His Word, we learn to distinguish His Voice from the chatter emanating from the world and He will teach you what He wants of you!

That’s why it’s so important to build an intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father and not just show up at The Throne Room for emergency visits! God really cares about you! He is not a dead-beat Dad nor is He willing to settle for weekend visitations! God wants to be actively involved in every aspect of your life, every day!

WHEN YOU KNOW HIM, YOU WILL KNOW HIS WILL!  WHEN YOU KNOW HIS WILL, YOU DON’T NEED TO CONFER WITH ANYBODY…BUT U GOTTA KNOW GOD’S VOICE! #canuhearMEnow!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

BUT, GOD!

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BUT GOD!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” Luke 8:22-25

 

Oh, I know you’re saved, sanctified, filled with the Precious Gift of Holy Ghost and do speak in tongues as The Spirit gives utterance! BUT! Since you’ve been saved, have you ever felt like saying to God, “Lord, I know You say it’s an honor to be recommended by God to the devil, BUT…here lately, it seems that I’m the only one you’ve been pointing out. If You don’t mind, next time, could you please recommend somebody else!”

Have you ever considered telling God, “Jesus, the next time you decide to pull down the hedge around me and giving Satan a shot at me, I’d appreciate at least a heads-up!” No? Jus wondering!

Unless you just landed on Planet Earth early this morning or were born late last night, you already know that storms are a natural occurrence on the sea of life, whether you’re saved or unsaved! In fact The Holy Bible tells us “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Job 14:1 Hence, as long as there is breath in your body, you will experience some measure of adversity and affliction, temptation and trial, distress and disappointment and choas and calamity.

Today’s text shares a story of an average day in the lives of Jesus’ disciples and their response to an unexpected storm that popped-up out of no where. Sounds a bit too uncomfortably familiar, huh?

As the text opens, Jesus having finished teaching classes, traveling from town to town and village to village, decided to take some ‘down-time’ and go across the lake to the other side to escape the crowds that normally followed him. He told His disciples, “Let’s go to the other side” and went to catch a nap. The disciples also seemed to be enjoying the calm atmosphere as the boat sailed on the smooth waters. Until, suddenly a terrible windy storm arose causing turbulent waves to come pouring into their small vessel, threatening to capside at any minute, killing everyone on the boat. Someone thought to wake up Jesus and cried out, “Master, Master, can’t you see we’re about to drown?” As if The Omniscient One had vacated the premises!

The Scripture goes on to say that Jesus, standing up, spoke to the wind and the waves, “Silence, Peace Be Still!” to which they had no other recourse BUT to obey The Master Creator! Turning to His disciples, Jesus sorrowfully inquired, “Why can’t you trust me?”

My Precious Sistas and Brothers, perhaps Jesus is posing that same question to you today. I know it’s been rough out there. I know you have a mindset to follow Jesus all the way, to love Him with all of your heart, soul and body, yet still storms keep hitting your life on the left and the right. But Beloved, Jesus won’t jump ship like some other people might. Jesus has promised to stay with you all the way across the Lake of Life. No matter where you are today, Jesus is always with you.

There are some lessons that prove vital to your personal maturity and intimacy through understanding the attributes of the God Whom you serve you, that can only be learned in the midst of the storms!

Could this be why the astonished disciples inquired, “What kind of Man is this?”

So the next time that Ol’ Deceiving Tyrant comes slithering around, threatening to destroy your hope, joy and peace, jap-slap ’em with this, “I hear ya knocking…BUT! GOD!”

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

THIS MEANS WAR!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

“Thou therefore endure hardness, a a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangled himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4

 

OMG! Do we ever love to sing those ol’ songs that tend to stir up our emotions and at the same time, placate the reality that each and any day of this life we might find ourselves on the front line of a battlefield. Most of us recognize, at least on some cognitive level, that when we enlisted into The Lord’s Army, that Ol’ Ship of Zion is a battleship and not some luxurious cruise liner! Yet, there’s an innately human propensity to glamorize our voyage to the ultimate conquest, Eternal Life with our Heavenly Commander-in-Chief.

Sometimes, you can forget that your very enrollment into God’s Kingdom demanded rebellion against your former ruler of The Kingdom of Darkness, Satan himself and his agents of disastrously diabolical deeds! And you know how hard you had to fight to get out from munder his domineering cruelty?  BUT for The Grace of God, you never could’ve, would’ve, should’ve made it, huh?

Nevertheless, sometimes—even, Born-Again-Blood-Washed Believers wearied by the cares of this world, become slouthful, letting down our guard, leaving a inch-sized crack in your armor exposing your vulnerability to the Satanic strategies.  How? Any good soldier knows the crucial necessity of assuring that your weapons are kept armed for optimal peformance and readily accessible in case of sneak attacks of your arch enemy. Therefore, it’s incumbent upon God’s footmen to engage in diligent daily exercises to ensure confident courageous valor!

According to the Scripture, The Apostle Paul, instructed his young protegee, “Timothy, your entire life’s experiences have been training ground for this assigment. And now, I admonish you to advance forward, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on the faith that was delivered down to you from your Mother and Grand-Mother. Son, this is a fight for your life! If you hope to succed in this mission, you must stay prayed-up! Pray every day and every way you know; pray about everything and every one!” “And above all, keep your faith energized and ablazed by The Power of The Holy Ghost, because this walk means you’re guaranteed to experience your share of suffering, simply for sharing The Gospel of Jesus Christ. BUT! If you will stay your life, focused, firmly faithful and rooted in the Love of Christ, regardless of what comes against you—your victory is imminent!”

The Apostle continues encouraging the young servant, “Timothy, run for your life, keep this commitment to the letter, don’t slack off and don’t ever give up. Arm yourself with the same mind as your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Epitome of a True Warrior of Faith!”

Beloved, perhaps today life has launched you smack-dab-indamiddle of a spiritual war zone, remember to hold fast to His Promises! Stand your ground and guard your treasure with your life! Be faithful and with holy boldness pass on His Word and The Grace of God will always keep you safe, secure and saved!

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” 2 Corinthians 10:4

B READY 2 RUMBLE…AFTER ALL, THIS MEANS WAR! 

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee