Category Archives: Trusting God

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

 

 

ACCOUNTS SETTLED?

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accounts settled2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

You know that if the house owner had known what night the burglar was coming, he wouldn’t have stayed out late and left the place unlocked. So don’t you be slovenly and careless. Just when you don’t expect him, the Son of Man will show up.”…The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he’ll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities! Luke 12:39-40, 47-48 THE MESSAGE

You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell a change in the season, the God-season we’re in right now. You don’t have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense, the kind you’d use if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you’d probably go to jail and pay every last penny of the fine. That’s the kind of decision I’m asking you to make. Luke 12:56-59 THE MESSAGE

A bystander said, ‘Master, will only a few be saved’?

He said, ‘Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires your total attention. A lot of you are going to assume that you’ll sit down to God’s salvation banquet just because you’ve been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives. Well, one day you’re going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you’ll find the door locked and the Master saying, ‘Sorry, you’re not on my guest list.’

You’ll protest, ‘But we’ve known you all our lives!’ only to be interrupted with his abrupt, ‘Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don’t know the first thing about me.’ That’s when you’ll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You’ll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God’s kingdom. You’ll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God’s kingdom. And all the time you’ll be outside looking in—and wondering what happened.

This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last.” Luke 13:23-30 THE MESSAGE

 

OMG… Didjaheardat? Think about it! It’s not that difficult! Just use a little common sense. If Time is the most valuable commodities you have in the earth, then why go to hell by default? Seriously!

Since, not one of us knows how much time we have left to spend in this life, it behooves every one of us to manage it wisely. In other words, don’t blow it presumptuously!

Let’s keep it real!  Face it, is, even on your bestest days, our score still isn’t high enough to merit a free pass through Heaven’s Pearly Gates. Truthfully, unless you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, at the end of the day, we’re all spiritually bankrupt and not one of us can afford the high price of low living.

BUT GOD has put a deal on the table that we’d have to be a fool to refuse. It’s called Salvation by Grace. By His Amazing Grace, The Father of Creation has offered and accepted The Blood of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus, as collateral to completely wipe out a debt that HE DIDN’T EVEN OWE, and one that we would never EVVRRRR be able to pay!

I know, sounds UNBELIEVABLE, but it’s TRUE! THAT’S THE GOSPEL!

It’s right there in John Chapter 3:16! “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.”

When we admit that we’re guilty of rebellion against His Righteousness, are willing to accept Jesus into our hearts and commit the rest our of lives to faithful obedience to His standards, GOD fixes the BOOKS! YES, IT’S ACCOUNTS SETTLED—PAID IN FULL! #didjagetit?  WHACHAWAITN4??? #slowbus,huh?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

U AIN’T RIGHT!

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U AINT RIGHT

SELAH Daily Devotions!

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Philippians 3:9-10

Are you proud of yourself!

Come on now; how many of us have, consciously or unconsciously, given ourselves a slight pat on the back or an inward nod because we did something better or knew more about something that no one else in our sphere of influence knew? Exactly!

Of course I’m not suggesting that we venture off to the other end of the spectrum and fall into self-debasement or self-loathing. I’m simply noting how easily the line between arrogance and self esteem can become blurred!

Taking pride in our successful accomplishments has its place in our lives. However when we over-compensate ourselves for what we’ve managed to attain to the point that we levitate through life as if our ‘performance’ gives us an edge above everyone else, WATCHOUT! You’re headed down a slippery ledge to destruction! (Ref. Proverb 16:18)

Sometimes even Christians find themselves ominously near the vicinity of Pharisee Blvd and Straight Street, when it comes to Righteousness. (Ref. Matthew 5:20) When our righteousness is based on our performance, we’ve missed it by miles! If we’re relying upon our good works to qualify us for a automatic ticket to Heaven, boy are we ever deceiving ourselves! When we equate our holiness according to the world’s standards, we’re sho nuff trippin’! So what hope do we have of reaching the lofty Pentacle of Acceptability to GOD?

Have I got some good news for you! There is a way to receive God’s Righteousness and it doesn’t involve anything that YOU can do on your own. It’s called Grace! Grace is God’s free Gift to us, something that we could never earn or merit—a right-standing with a Holy God!

God’s Righteousness is based solely upon personal acceptance, through faith in the finished works of Christ Jesus! The scripture say, ‘For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

There is a well-spring of exhilarating freedom in just taking God at His Word; knowing that you ain’t right, BUT…JESUS IS!

SELAH!

Have a WONDER-FILLED day!

Ann Caffee

SACRED TRUST

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SACRED TRUST!

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Psalm 91:14-15

Ever heard, (perhaps you’ve said it yourself) “I’ll forgive you, but I won’t forget!”? What I think the person’s really saying is, “To err is human, but trust is Divine”!

One of the most catastrophic casualties of any broken relationship is trust!

Personally, I believe that’s why God hates sin. Given the uncertainty of the expansive lapse of time and the incomprehensible impact of the devastationing consequences of their high-treason against El Elyon, any attempt to describe the weight  and wealth of this trusting intimacy and fellowship that Adam and Eve enjoyed with The Creator as unimaginable, would at best only be a severe under-estimation! #IJS

Nevertheless, The Bible does reveal sporadic glimpses into the pure delight of The Heavenly Father’s Heart strolling through The Garden in the cool of the day, the intimate communion with the most precious of creation, sharing secret Eternal Wisdom, proudly affirming and re-affirming man’s authority and dominion over all living creatures and expressing Loving-Providential Care towards that which was created in His Own Image!

Despite the palatable convenience and more advantageous point of view for man to deflate the effect of our transgressions, both in Heaven and in the earth, from God’s perspective sin corrupts! Therefore it demands separation from Holy. Hence, sin brutally interrupts the intimacy that God purposed between God-Self and humanity when He formed us! Thereby emphatically grieving the Holy Spirit of God! Yet, we have the audacity to describe our unrighteous infractions as ‘my little issue’, ‘a slip up’ or ‘to miss the mark’! WOW!

Fortunately for us, God’s love would not be denied! Today’s scriptures tells us that knowing the innate frailty and the proclivity of human flesh to fall hopelessly into the temptations of sin’s lure, The God of Compassion and All Comfort , determined to restore the sacred communion (trust) with His Family, sacrificed His Only Begotten Son, the 2nd Adam, to repair the breach ruptured by our rebellious nature. (Ref. John 3:16)

Even more awesome, is the reality that we, (the offender), have only to accept this free offer (made by the Offended), Salvation by Grace, by confessing a faithful-heart-filled prayer of repentance (Godly sorrow) and professing a solemn commitment to live each day of the rest of our lives wholly unto The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! 

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

WOW! #didjaheardat? NOW THAT’S AWEMAAZZIN! 2 KNOW GOD IS 2 TRUST HIS LOVE! SACRED, huh?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

GOD SENSE!

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GOD SENSE

SELAH Daily Devotions!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YET! REMEMBER HIS-STORY! GOD-SENSE!

SELAH!

“Have a WONDER-FILLED day!”

Ann Caffee

STAY IN TOUCH!

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STAY IN TOUCH

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live….And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole….But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.” Matthew 9:18, 20-21, 25

Sometimes, what you know doesn’t always get you where you want to go! Perhaps that’s why there’s so much emphasis placed on social networking today. You’d probably be amazed at how quickly certain doors that were once off-limits to you could now be opened to you, if you have the right connections, huh?

As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual, huh? According to today’s scripture text, one day a certain ruler came to Jesus standing in proxy for his daughter who had just died. Yet, despite of this tremendously desperate situation and the looming circumstantial evidence starring him in his face, taunting him to ‘just accept it’; it’s too late’, ‘you waited too long’; you might as well just accept the fact and go home and bury your baby gurl, the text says that this local official mounting up some audacious-faith, came bowing crying out to Jesus saying, “Jesus, if you would come to my house and simply touch my daughter, she will live!” Jesus recognizing that this man’s astonishing-faith expectantly looked beyond the natural, piercing through the impossible, grabbed hold to The Supernatural to acquire that which his heart desired. Jesus proceeded to follow the ruler home!

On their way, they passed a woman, suffering from a blood disease that literally left her leaking the very life out of her body, everyday for the past twelve years! Having heard that Jesus was close by, risking everything, including being stoned to death if she was exposed, she made her way through the crowd, determining in herself to get close enough to put her finger on Jesus’ Robe, knowing that her life would be restored. Jesus recognizing that certain faith-touch, and that corresponding pull on His Anointing, instantaneously released healing from His Being.

Jesus, glancing back over the huge gathering, fixed His eyes on this one woman, whose faith out-shined that of all the spectators, immediately began to comfort and encourage her to not be afraid! At that moment, The Great High Priest assured her that her courageous faith had made a Kingdom Connection. Hence, that which she had believed for, she’d become! Not only was she healed, she was made whole! (Ref. Hebrews 4:14)

Continuing on to Jairus’ house, pushing past the nay-sayers, the doubters, the unbelievers and the mockers, Jesus went to the young damsel’s bedside. Taking her hand gently, pulling her from the gripping clutches of death, He restores her to life! When the word of Jesus’ miraculous powers spread around town, it sent shock-waves of gossipers pouring through the streets and the surrounding regions proclaiming that The Kingdom of Heaven has come to dwell in the earth!

Be encouraged my precious ones! Regardless of what it looks like, despite how long you’ve had to endure this present situation, it’s just temporary! ( Ref. Romans 8:17-18) BUT JESUS IS NOT!

As fellow-partakers of the faith, “keep your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession”. (Ref. Hebrew 3:1)

GOD IS STILL LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO STRETCH THEIR FAITH WELL BEYOND THAT WHICH CAN BE SEEN, HEARD AND EVEN IMAGINED! TOUCH THE HEART THE COMPASSIONATE SAVIOR! …STAY IN TOUCH!

SELAH!

“Have a WONDER-FILLED day!”

 Ann Caffee

DEMAND & SUPPLY

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demand-supply-2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (Matthew 7:7)

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6)

While there are undoubtedly many attributes that can rightly be ascribed to our Lord and Savior, may I submit to you that there’s one that is often neglected—Jesus The Master Economist! Jesus specializes in managing the world to ensure that nothing’s wasted, missing or lacking. Every Word that He speaks never returns to Him void but completes the very intent to which it is sent! (Ref. Isaiah 55:11)
Jesus is intentional! Jesus was commissioned to come into this earth by His Heavenly Father for a specific purpose; the expansion of The Kingdom of God in the earth. Strangely, though He chose to accomplish this seemingly impossible task by releasing the Seed of Potential into the hearts of His elect, thereby expanding the faith of humanity! “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels–a plentiful harvest of new lives.” John 12:24 NLT
The Master Carpenter has a habit of setting you up in custom-designed circumstances to stretch your faith. I believe that anyone of Jesus’ disciples would readily testify how Jesus was constantly pulling them outside of their comfort zone. Remember that day when Jesus was preaching out in the desert to about 20 thousand folk, and suddenly turned to them nonchalantly saying, ‘Ok, it’s getting late so let’s feed the people”. (Ref. Luke 9:16) Can you imagine them looking at one another shocked, confused and wondering which one of them had pre-ordered a banquet lunch before they left town?
And what about that widow of Zarepheth, finding herself hopelessly trapped in a desperate situation, resolved to fix this last meal for herself and her son—and die when suddenly interrupted by Elijah The Prophet, who insisted that she make him a pancake first! Yet, the scriptures tell us that her faithful obedience released an unexpected miracle that not only sustained her and her household but outlasted the famine! (Ref. 1 Kings 17:7-16)
Guess what, He’s still doing it today!
I know, we’ve all heard preachers preach (and it’s biblically correct) that God doesn’t put more on you than you can bear; however, we can’t deny that sometimesssss, Jesus will ask us to do things that are way beyond our personal realm of possibility, comprehension and ability! Amen??? What we must come to realize is that we’re beckoned to these challenging predicaments, not to diminish us but to grow us! While uncomfortable to our flesh, they are God-ordained opportunities to experience the Supernatural Encompassing Sufficiency of God’s Presence, Power and Providential Care!
Beloved, Jesus invites you into these holy moments to prove that His Strength is made perfect in our weaknesses! (Ref. 2 Corinthians 12:9)
It behooves us to stop focusing on what you don’t have (deficiency) and set your attention towards WHO you do have, huh? If you will give God your trust, even if it’s no greater than a mustard seed, He will always exceed your expectations! #ijs
Sooooo, what’s going on in your life now, that’s too hard for you and Jesus to handle?
REMEMBER, ANY PROBLEM + JESUS = VICTORY! DEMAND & SUPPLY!
SELAH!
Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!
Ann Caffee