Category Archives: water

STORMS

1 Reply

 

STORMS

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. Psalm 27:4-5

 

Aaawwwww…Fantasy! Believe it or not, that’s where many escape to when the painful realities of life become much more than a person can bear!  Perhaps, this might explain why that 1965 Classic American Sitcom “I Dream of Genie” (staring Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman) drew such a faithful following!

Week after week families gathered around their b/w TV’s anxiously gasping for any momentary retreat from the real-time burdens facing our nation. I mean who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to have anything their heart desired suddenly appear simply by swiping a lamp, right?  Yep, those were the good ol’ days, huh?  I suppose that’s what He mean’t by “LET’S MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, too? #WOW!

History records President Lyndon B. Johnson struggling to lead the nation through a multiplicity of vexing controversial challenges and at the same time maintain some semblance of the homeland security that many cleaved to so dearly.

Remember, The First Combat Boots landing in Viet Nam and the Dominican Republic, the arrest of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King along with 2,600 others in Selma Alabama for demonstrating against voter-registration rules. Malcom X was shot to death in a Harlem rally, while the newly recognized Afro-Americans were rioting in Watts others were rudely awakened to the undeniable existence of racism in The Land of the Free? Yep! Yep! #thoseweredadays!

The point is,When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2

Truthfully, as long as we live and breathe on this earth, there will be storms of adversity. In today’s scripture text, the Psalmist offers a brilliant ray of confident hope, strength and encouragement to those who yet contend for the faith found only in an intimate personal relationship with The God of all flesh.

Having been victimized by jealously, hatred and malicious rejection from those closes to him on numerous occasions, David sticks out in history as a true, honest, God-revealing companion to the desperate and down casts. A recap of God’s servant’s life depicts one who repeatedly finds himself besieged by fear, doubt, betrayal, death and isolation from human kindness. Yet in the midst of chaos, terror and tragedy, The Shepherd boy/King, David discovers the Source of true solace under the watchful care of His Sovereign Lord!

 

Beloved, we’re living in a day in time where it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of hussle and bustle, striving for the world’s standards of successful accomplishments and accommodations! However,  in spite of those poignant pathetic prophetic voices declaring peace and prosperity, sometimes we are left trembling and shaken by the inscrutable ungodliness of the systems of this world! 

Nevertheless, the Prophet Isaiah reaffirms The Eternal Promise of The Covenant-Keeping Creator and Sustainer of All Life  offers comfort to souls weired by the tremors of unexpected intrusive earth-quaking episodes that befall the saints as well as the sinners! Come what may, TRUST2KNO, WE ARE NEVER ALONE! GOD IS ALWAYS AS CLOSE AS A WHISPERED PRAYER from a BELIEVER’S TRUSTING HEART!  #Didjaheardat?

The real evidence of a believers faith is not cuttin’ a step, how high we jump or how fast we’re ruuning around the churrch, but how faithfully we stand in the midst of the storms!

Beloved, as we keep our eyes pointed Heavenward,  The God of All Comfort has declared that we too will be blessed, revitalized and restored by that Peace that passes all understanding, swept over by the unspeakable Joy and resting assured in the Presence of the One Savior and Lord that David delighted in, Jesus Christ! THE PERFECT ANSWER TO EVERY STORM!

SELAH!
 
PAUSE, PONDER, PRAY & PRAIZ!
 
Ann Caffee

I NEED A DRINK!

1 Reply

I NEED A DRINK

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
They taught us in the ol’ church, first the physical then the spiritual! Most of us know that water is essential to our survival. Experts tell us that we can live without food a whole lot longer than we can live without water. As one who struggles to get near the recommended amount of water ingested daily, my 60 sumptin body quickly sounds the alarm, ‘you’re thirsty, fool! Drink some water’. Likewise, my spirit man has a innate personal service announcement alert system that lets me know that your soul is thirsting for The Living Water—JESUS!

Life has a way of siphoning out the wellspring of  joy, strength, hope, calm, favor, peace and sheer delight of being a Child of The Eternal Father. We can become so distracted by the happenings of daily duties, drama and disappointments, that the benefits of our new Life in Christ takes a backseat, to the stress, chaos, depression, mumuring and complaining.

Like the Samaritan woman, many of us we come to Jesus believing that will make life easier not understanding that Christ doesn’t promise us a life gliding into Glory on a flowery bed of ease, but the power to overcome life’s challenges by trusting in His Faithfulness! As you learn to walk with Jesus, knowing that Christ (your personal Savior and Lord) lives in you, changes you, empowers and enables you to live in continual, hopefilled-joy…REGARDLESS OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES! #WOW #Didjaheardat? 

However, this is not a one-and-done-once-a-week-only transition! The Apostle Paul, a faithful companion, sheds insight as to how we can keep the stream of living water ever-flowing in the midst of  the drought, famine, confusion and persecution that often encompasses us on this journey. “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” Ephesians 5:19

Saywhaaa? ‘Lady, you obviously don’t understand what I’m going through!’ Perhaps not, BUT GOD DOES! And not only does He know every detail but He’s the Only One who can solve every problem and bring you out better than you were coming in! The Ol’ Skool Mothers said it like this, “Baby, keep a song in your heart and a praise in your mouth, bcuz you’re gonna need it!”

Didjakno how doing this confuses hell? Imagine Satan’s hounds scratching their heads, having dealt that last blow, thinking that would surely make you turn away from trusting Jesus! Ha! Ha! But instead, as you remind yourself of how good God’s been to you, it awakens a fresh view of God!

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2

Beloved, when you’re tempted to fall head-first into the pit of hopelessness and accept the devil’s invitation to your own private pity party, just remember, HOW GREAT IS YOUR GOD! He forgives all of your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion; satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. (Ref. Psalm 103:3-5) And suddenly, your well swells up and fear turns to trust, dispair gives way to hope, grumbling erupts into gratitude and your soul gets intoxicated on praise for all the blessings that God’s Grace avails! 

Aaaawwww shucks, SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE PRIMING THE PUMP, huh? ITZ ALL GOOD! GOD’S RESERVED AN UNLIMITED SUPPLY SO, GO HEAD..DRINK UP!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee