Tag Archives: CAN

WHEN I Can’t, GOD CAN!

WHEN I CAN'T, GOD CAN 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb; He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Romans 4:19-22

 

As a remnant of the 20th Century Church, at the ripe ol’ age of 60 sumptin’  I’ve lived long and experienced and seen enough to have a much clearer understanding of why The God of The Bible adamantly commanded His Chosen Ones to resist amalgamating with those outside of covenant relationship with Him. (Ref. 2 Corinthians 6:17) And some of us thought that God just wanted to keep us from having any fun, huh?  Considering the way this world is headed, now we see the consequences of not distinguishing ourselves from unbelievers. Apparently, Father still knows best, huh? #SERIOUSLY

Unfortunately, many who profess Christ, remain double-minded and straddling the fence! I can only assume their current stance is peculiarly depending on the group they happen to be in the midst of. Of course, God never intended for us to strut around robed in a spirit of self-righteous-arrogance, with our noses in the air, as if we are somehow better than anybody else! Howeverrrr, spiritually speaking, as recipients of God’s Amazing Grace, it does make us better-off! Oh no she didn’t!!! OOOHHH YES, I DID!

What’s the matter Zion? Are we allowing the hourly massive influx of social-media reports of wide-spread chaos leave us so traumatized by predictions of doom and gloom that they have muted our praise and drained us of  ANY Hope? If we’re walking around with our heads hung down and hearts inundated with fear and anxiety; worried about how we gonna make it, then what separates us from the Gentiles? Don’t shout me down, nah?  #IJS…

Abraham,  God’s Proclaimed ‘Father of faith’, found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation. Not surprisingly, Abraham tried to fix the problem by himself. He ended up with an Ishmael (the child of the flesh) when God intended to give him Isaac (the child of Promise)!  Finally, after the drama and chaos had escalated to the point that Sarah gave him an ultimatum (it’s either her or me) suddenly, Father Abraham had an epiphany, ultimately resigning to the one viable conclusion, “the only hope that I have of this thing ever working is Divine Intervention.” In other words, “Lord, without YOUR GRACE, I can’t do this!”

OMG! Can we ever identify with Abraham! How many times have we been in a situation and we tried and tried, we cried and cried, murmured and complained, spent all we had and still came up short? It was not until we, like Abraham, made a conscious decision to stop depending on our inability, started relying on God’s Ability and turned it over to Jesus, that our hope was revived!

As the text says, when all human reasoning for hope was exhausted, Abraham hoped on and God brought life into his dead situation. (Ref. Romans 4:17-18) Hence, when we come to the end of ourselves, God steps in and does what seemed impossible!

Stop listening to that devil telling you, “it’s too late, you might as well accept the situation for what it is –eminent defeat!” He’s still is and willl always be a LIAR and THE FATHER OF LIES! My precious saints, don’t allow your present (temporary) circumstances cause you to doubt the Faithful Power of God’s Eternal Word. Why settle for seconds?  #ijs If you are Abraham’s seed, you are the heirs of righteousness! #didjaheardat? WOW!

Lift up your heads, O Ye Gates! You have been  ordained, anointed and authorized as agents of change! SO, gird up the loins of your mind AND walk this thang out, confident, courageous and fully persuaded that SINCE YOU ARE IN CHRIST, THE CHRIST IN YOU automatically gives you a Supernatural advantage over natural consequences! (Ref. Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 2:14)

TRUST2KNO, EVERYTHING GOD STARTS, HE COMPLETES! (Philippians 1:6) AND WHATEVER GOD PROMISES, HE IS WELL ABLE  AND WILLING 2 PERFORM! 

PRECIOUS ONE,  JUS LET IT GO, REMEMBER…EVEN IF I CAN’T, GOD CAN!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

I CAN’T, BUT GOD CAN!

acafy2014's avatarSELAH Daily Devotions

i-cant-but-god-can-3

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb; He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:19-22

As a remnant of the 20th Century Church, I’ve lived long enough to have a clearer understanding, why The God of The Bible adamantly commanded His Chosen Ones to resist amalgamating with those outside of covenant relationship with Him. (Ref. 2 Corinthians 6:17) And some of us thought that God just wanted to keep us from having any fun! Considering the way this world is headed, now we see the consequences of not…

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FAITH 4 NOW!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrew 11:1

 

Several years ago, I heard a teaching by Kenneth Copeland, reminiscing about his early experiences in the family church. Bro. Copeland said that just about every Sunday morning, it was pretty much guaranteed that you’d hear the Preacher say ‘you gotta have faith’, or ‘you need to increase youaith’, or ‘if it’s not of faith then, it’s sin’. Bro. Copeland remembered how frustrating it was because the Preacher never told them how a poor soul might procure this precious gift of faith!

Well, guess what? Not much has changed, huh? Even now, given the popularity of 21st Century prosperity doctrinal teachings, I’d venture to say that a whole of churchgoers are still confused about they can exercise true biblical faith in their lives. Contrary to New Millennium mysticism , faith is not a new theological doctrine reserved for the elect seminary scholars. God has given every one of us ‘a measure of faith’…and it’s a free gift, yall! No one can work hard enough or be good enough to earn or deserve it! But The Heavenly Father so graciously pours it into us when we open our hearts to HIM!

Simply put, Faith is a patient confident trust in the integrity and power of our Loving and Caring Heavenly Father!

Faith is the currency of exchange in The Kingdom of God! Duuhhh! God doesn’t need our money! EVERYTHING, including all the silver and gold belongs to Him! However, we need faith to get anything from Him. In fact, you can’t even approach God unless you believe that He exists and is able to do what you need Him to do for you. Sounds like it’s virtually impossible to please God without it, huh? (Ref. Hebrew 11:6)

Hebrews Chapter 12, dubbed The Hall of Faith, highlights several examples of ordinary men and women, who activated their faith and achieved extraordinary things thru God! Nevertheless, to relegate God’s Faithfulness to an historical phenomenon seems to suggest that He’s changed—and that’ll NEVER happen! (Ref. Hebrews 13:8) Perhaps that’s why Today’s text says now faith and not then faith, huh?

After all that God has done for us, trusting Him seems only reasonable! (Ref. Romans 12:1-2)

Did you know that your Heavenly Father is absolutely delighted when His sons and daughters genuinely trust in Him! Seriously!

Faith in God says, ‘Father I believe that You love me unconditionally and always have my best interest at heart. Even if it doesn’t look like it, I am fully persuaded that my God is working everything together for my highest good and His Greatest Glory!’ (Ref. Romans 8:28)

WOW! REMEMBER, IF HE did it before, HE WILL DO IT NOW! —NOW THAT’S FAITH!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

IF U THINK…U CAN THANK!

IF U THINK, U CAN THANK

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

“When I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all he has done for me,my soul cries out Hallelujah! I thank God for saving me!”

 

We’ve all heard that; some of us have even testified it ourselves. How many of us were clueless that this was really a verse of a song, and not a scripture? But datz okay! Regardless of it’s roots, reciting these words has pulled many drowning souls out of the depths of hopelessness and despair!

The master of deceit, Satan, flourishes in our proclivity towards selective amnesia. Whether it’s a self-induced defense mechanism or some type of ego-boosting-denial-syndrome, I don’t know. However, if we’re honest, every single one of us could testify we’ve scaled some mountains higher than we thought possible and drifted through seemingly impossible storms that “NOBODY BUT GOD kept us alive!”

Truthfully, that’s exactly what terrifies Satan the most. He knows that if we ever take the time to really think about how often The Power Twins, Mercy and Grace, showed up, just in the nick of time delivering us from danger, destruction and even death, praise and worship is imminent! And of course, that’s the absolute last thing the devil wants to endure is a bunch of happy trusting believers rejoicing and lifting up The Name of Jesus!

Well, guess what devil, you might as well pull out your earplugs, because God is raising up a nation of your worst nightmare,  reformed doubters-complainers, an honest-to-goodness -genuine BELIEVERS! Oh Yeah! We’ve come through some fires, been through some storms but we can truly say that God was with me all the way!

In fact, come to think of it,  everytime that I cried out to Him, Jesus heard me and saved me out of all my troubles! ( Psalm 34:6) And because of my personal history, I have learned how to lean and depend on Jesus! Therefore, I truly and profoundly declare and decree (with both hands raised) “I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES, HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MOUTH! (Psalm 34:1)

And guess what else, if you think I’m gonna keep this to myself, you must be an ol’ fool! I’m about to tell everybody, ‘come and see what the Lord has done for me!” THINK ABOUT IT…U GOTTA THANK HIM, huh?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

1 WORD!

ONE WORD

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.
Lamentations 3:57

 

Some saints would have you to believe that since they’ve been saved, they’ve never experienced a moment of fear, grief or despair. Oh, yall know what I mean! Listening to their church testimony, you’d think that all their days were ‘goody, goody and howdy, howdy’! Okay, well Bless God, I guess, I’m yet a work in progress. But perhaps, I am not the only one, huh?

According to our text, Jeremiah, aka The Weeping Prophet, came to realize that neither his great love for nor his faithful obedience to God exempted him from suffering depression, sorrow and fear. Ironically, Jeremiah’s tears didn’t stem from personal defiance but rather the insolence of his fellow-countrymen. The prophet’s heart was broken and burdened because his beloved nation was facing imminent destruction due to their continuous rebellion against God.

Instead of God’s chosen people gratefully heeding Jeremiah’s warnings, the Prophet’s concern was repeatedly met with murderous bitter resentment. Jeremiah was beaten severely, thrown into an empty cistern, and left to die for daring to tell the people the Truth. According to the scriptures, there Jeremiah called out to God and God responded with A GRACE WORD ‘fear not!’

While there’s some degree of solace in knowing we, the Elect of God, are in this world, BUT we’re not of this world, nonetheless we, like Jeremiah, will also endure times of suffering due to the ungodliness of others. The degradation of morality and diminishing respect for life in general, often lead us down into pits of muck and miry clay. Relationships drive us to the edge and end of ourselves, through valleys of ‘don’t know what else we can do’ and onto the intersection of ‘helpless to change our condition’—yet we are never without this Hopeour deliverance is always just a prayer away! One short faith-filledHELP ME, LORD JESUS!” releases The Power and The Glory of God—right on time, every time!

In the midst of your turmoil, has God ever whispered a Rhema Word that instantly checked your spirit, jump started your hope and restored your peace, right? Just One Word can flip the script, strengthen your heart, renew your mind, quicken your faith, stir up the Holy Ghost, Who empowers you with that second wind that catapults you to run on, convinced that, ‘Yeah Baby! WE GOT THIS!’ (Ref. Isaiah 40: 30-31)

Don’t be scarred! God’s near! Let Hell know WHO YOU KNOW, WHOSE YOU ARE AND WHOM YOU SERVE!

Oh yeah! ONE WORD FROM GOD CHANGES EVERYTHING!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

I LIVED!

I LIVED 2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD hath chastened me sore : but he hath not given me over unto death. Psalm 118:17-18

Everything living changes! #Didjaheardat?

From the moment of beginning, life evolves, progressively spiraling from eternity past through present towards eternity future. The Eternal Life-Giver sets into motion HIS own pre-determined course, every thing according to the counsel of His Will and Good Pleasure. (Ref. Ecclesiastes 3:1)

So why are we so taken aback by the sudden shifts?

Perhaps it has a lot to do with the often brutal abrupt interruptions to the comfort and security of familiarity. Be it pleasant or unpleasant, there’s something about humanity’s expectation of normal that enables us to resign to a certain sense of contentment. Some might call it the spirit of survival or resilience.

Pass the mic and every one of us could undoubtedly recite times of suffering some kinda personal tragedy, un-relentless abuse, myriad temptations, bona fide threats through which we’ve already come. But almost as fluently, we can enumerate with timeless ecstacy those experiences where closed gates were opened before us, night weeping gave way to the morning joy, mourning bowed to dancing and desperation succumbed to determination. And yet life goes on!

As children of faith we must recognize that wherever we are, we’re never alone! God has planted us there not to die, but to grow through our wildernesses. As we learn to trust and confidently submit to His Will, GOD gives us Grace to come out better and not bitter, stronger and wiser and with a new life-giving, soul-stirring, encouraging, strengthening, empowering—“COME SEE WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE!” testimony!

Nevertheless, we, God’s Chosen, continue in hope for that time when happiness is unchanging, fear and doubt is terminated, and the foreboding darkness is consumed by the all encompassing Eternal Light of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

“This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:23-24

IS THERE ANYBODY WHO AIN’T AFRAID TO ADMIT, “THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES, I ALMOST…BUT! I LIVED!”??? #bothhandsup, huh?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

MORE THAN THE I CAN C!

MORE THAN THE EYE CAN C!

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark 10:49-52

Jesus had spent the day in Jericho along with His Disciples. As was His custom, He’d taken full advantage of each opportunity to share and teach Kingdom Wisdom with them throughout the day as He mingled throughout the neighborhods enroute to Jerusalem.

A young man came running after Him anxiously inquiring,‘What can I do, God Master, to get in on this Eternal Life thing’. And Jesus reminded him that Moses has already told the Jews what God had commanded of them. To which the young man proudly affirmed, ‘Cool! I already got that covered from my youth up!

‘Well then’, Jesus continued looking him dead in his eyes with deep compassion, ‘One more thing! Go and sell everything you own and give it to the poor’. Suddenly every ounce of windy-arrogance deflated, leaving the young man grieved and hopless. Knowing in his heart of hearts that the cost was more than he was willing to pay, he turned and walked away from The Only Way of Truth and Life!

Jesus, breathing a sigh of lament, said, “It’s not easy for the ‘well-to-do’s’ to enter into TheKingdom.” Now, lookingat His Disciples,”It’s easier for a camel to go thru a needles eye than for the rich to get into God’s Kingdom”. One of the Disciples, feeling dazzled and disappointment, asked Jesus, ‘Master, if the rich and the famous can’t afford Eternal life, then what chance do the rest of us have?’

“None at all”, Jesus said, “if you’re trying to get there on your own merits. BUT EVERY CHANCE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU WILL ALLOW GOD TO DO IT FOR YOU!”

Later that day as they were leaving Jericho, picking up an entourage of cheering by-standers, they passed a blind man, Bartimaeus, sitting on the side of the road begging for help to support himself. Hearing the loud voices that usually accompanied Jesus wherever He went, he inquired of someone in the crowd, ‘What’s going on?‘It’s Jesus, The Nazarene!’, someone yelled back. All of a sudden, in an even louder voice, Bartimaeus cried out, ‘JESUS,Son of David; JESUS! HAVE MERCY ON ME’! His cry was so loud that the people tried to shut him up! But, Bartimaeus refusing to miss his moment of Divine Encounter, would not be confined nor intimidated by the approvation or opinions of the same folk who’d walked by him day after day, totally oblivious, unconcerned and irresponsive to his desperate plight!

JESUS STOPPED! Ordering His Disciples, “Call him to me!” Somewhat apprehensively, they turned to Bartimaeus, ‘Well, seems like this is your lucky day. The Master is calling you to come.’ Immediately, Bartimaeus throwing off his beggar’s coat, went close to Jesus.

When Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” Without hesitation, the blind-beggar responded, ‘Rabbi! I want to see!” Jesus being touched by this man’s God-Honoring faith and unwavering determination, compassionately responded “On your way! Your faith has saved and healed you!” Instantly, Bartimaeus’ sight was completely restored and he followed Jesus! Not only did he get what he wanted, but he got EVEN more than he’d dared to imagine!

FAITH IN GOD HEALS PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, RELATIONALLY, FINANCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY! MORE THAN THE EYE CAN C!

SELAH!

“Have a WONDER-FILLED day!”

Ann Caffee