Tag Archives: hopeless

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

prayn-and-fasting-pic

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

GOOD MORNIN’ FAM! GOTTA MOMENT! AWESOME!

Once again, we are delighted that you’ve joined us in our weekly day of Corporate Prayer and Fasting. We know that prayer still works, Amen? As we call on our God, we know that He will give His ear to us and answer each and every request, showing the Wonder of His Great Love to save by His Right Hand all who take refuge in HIM…shall we enter in?

Shine on me, shine on me; let the Light from the lighthouse shine on me. OOOOh, shine on meeee, shine on me; let the Light from the lighthouse…. shine ooooonnnn mmmeeee! I’m only human I’m just a man! Help me to believe in what I could be and all that I am…One day at a time, Sweet Jesus! That’s all I’m asking of You! Please give me the strength to do everything that I have to do! Yesterday’s gone, Sweet Jesus; and tomorrow may nevrrr be mine! Lord for my sake…Help me to take…one…day…at…a time….

 

Father in Heaven, here we are before You again! We come today with upstretched hands, outstretched arms and yielded hearts, so grateful for this day. We know that it’s only because of Your Amazing Grace and Tender Mercy, You have allowed us to enjoy one more day of life, health and strength. We’re thankful for every opportunity to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto You. We’re trusting You to provide everything that we need today to sustain us thru whatever challenges that unfold during the course of this day, knowing that You Alone are our God, Guard and Guide with embrace this day, fully persuaded that nothing shall overcome us because in You, Lord Jesus, we are more than conquerors!

Sweet Jesus, we stand humbly before Your Sovereignty, we ask You to forgive us for everything that we, your children, have spoken, done and thought that was not pleasing in Your sight. We thank You now because You have assured us that if we would confess our sins, You, Heavenly, Father being Faithful and Just will forgive us, and wash us in The Precious Blood of Jesus, cleansing us from all unrighteousness, and restoring the breach that our disobedience has caused between our poor souls and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Father, with eternal gratitude we bless You for extending Your Scepter towards us, allowing us to boldly enter into Your Throne Room, confident that You will entreat us graciously as we pour out the burdens that seem to overwhelm our hearts and releasing everything that concerns us. Lord Jesus, we know that You are Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, High Prist! You see and You already know everything about everyone of us, yet You have invited us to come to You, and find Grace and Mercy to comfort, strengthen and encourage us to hold on to every Word that You have spoken over our lives, before we were born.

We believe, as we implore Your Graciousness, Holy Spirit is interceding on our behalf, our family, our friends, even our enemies. Save and deliver those who are closes to destruction, comfort those who are in the pit of grief, hopelessness and despair; lift up the bowed down heads and strengthen the feeble knees of those who are yet calling out to You at this very hour all over this world!

Abba, we know that You have instructed us, to look not at the temporary things, but to the eternal, yet You also know the frailness of our flesh, and how easily we’re provoked and tempted to become overwhelmed by the cares of this world. You know how and why our hearts are burdened with the pressures of this life. Lord You know that many of Your children are wearied with fear, doubt, unbelief, sickness and disease, financial debt, broken relationships, unprovoked threats, depression, addictions, insecurities, and that too many our days are spent beneath clouds of evil foreboding while our nites are plagued with restlessness, despondency and hopelessness!

Lord Jesus, we pray that You will save, heal and deliver us speedily by Your Mighty Hand! Give us to know that because we belong to You, we are never too far that You can’t see us or can’t reach us! We’re so grateful that You are forever shielding us from anything that the devil would rail against us. Help us to understand that Your Name, Jesus is a Strong Tower, and the righteous who run into it and are saved!

Abba Father, as we open our minds and our hearts to You, please console us with Your Assurance, and Confidence that at The Name of Jesus, every knee must bow and every tongue confess that You are Lord! Grace Your children with hope-filled trust that You, Father, have committed Your Word towards us that no weapon that’s formed us shall ever prosper and except You allow it, no trouble, test or trial can come near us!

Sweet Holy Spirit, we are fully persuaded of Your Providential Presence and Power to turn everything around to work in our favor and to bring about exuberant testimonies and praizes of Your Eternal Magnificence, Honor and Glory!

Holy Father, we thank You now for listening to the hearts of everyone reading and praying with us. We thank You, Kind Sir, for hearing the hearts of those who have never trusted and accepted Your Son Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord! We are thankful that Holy Spirit is quickening that stony heart now and they are coming to You, humbled and obediently, now to receive Your Mercy and Grace to Save into their hearts and lives!

As we pray, we’re trusting that You are leading and guiding them to the local church, planting them in Your Vineyard, where they shall be taught and transformed by The Indwelling Power of Your Word of Life to take their position in The Kingdom of Heaven.

Lord, we are so thankful that You have declared that You are married to the backsliders! We ask You to drawn anyone who has been deceived by Satan and walked away from Your Face; prick their hearts with Godly-Repentance and a sincere longing to seek the comfort of Your Presence and rush to the safety of Your Loving Arms and the assembly of like-minded souls, committing the rest of their lives to being faithful servants of Your Kingdom!

Father, we pray for the elderly, the widows, the downcast who have born the heat of the day, and those who have pushed and prayed us through, Lord give them sweet peace!

Sweet Jesus, as we lift up our children and our children’s children, help us to remember that such were some of us! By faith, we decree and declare that every scheme that Satan desires to inflict upon them, IS HEREBY CANCELLED IMMEDIATELY! We commit them into Your providential care! Realizing that You have a plan and purpose for their lives. we have the blessed assurance that YOU HAVE A PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR EACH ONE OF THEM, EVERY STEP AND STOP IS BEING ORDERED UNDER THE WATCHFUL CARE OF YOUR EYES!

Abba, we lift up every Bishop, Pastor, Overseer, Apostle, Evangelist, Preacher and Teacher. Undergird them with Your Anointing to carry out their assignment!. We ask that You grant an immediate manifestation of that special miracle for each and every one of them who are yet standing on the wall proclaiming Your Word under the convicting Power and Anointing of Holy Spirit! Sweet Jesus, we’re trusting and believing that You will Grace them to be the examples in their homes, churches and community that will cause everyone who comes into contact with them to fall in madly love with You, trusting wholly in and committing to live their lives faithfully and obediently serving You! We plead The Precious Blood of Jesus over them as they go in and out amongst Your people! 

Lord, we pray for the leaders of governments world-wide, because their hearts are in Your Hands, visit them in the night season and command them to do Your Will. Lord Jesus, while man plans, GOD Prevails, therefore, 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!

Father, we believe that every demonic-induced spirit of destruction, temptation, selfishness, addiction, rejection, self-hate, suicide, fear and failure is already defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Sound-mindedness is being released now, in Jesus Name! We declare and decree that He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment. He who digs a hole and scoops it out will fall into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself and his violent schemes will come down on his own head!
In closing, we ask that You cover the hearts of Your people with a peace that surpasses all understanding and a confident expectation that our times are in Your Hands! Regardless of the deceitfulness of this world, You have promised to protect, provide and preserve the righteous who trust and obey Your Word! We ask that You continue opening the eyes of our understanding so that Your people are not easily deceived by those who would desire to entrap Your elect in bondage to anything which You have delivered us from! 

Lord, there are so many other things, that we have yet to mention, but we’re trusting that as You search the portals of our hearts, we’re believing You to fix it, Jesus as only You can! As we offer up this prayer, we wait in earnest expectation, praising and thanking You in advance, knowing that You are not just able, but willing to do anything that we ask, in accordance to Your Word, in Jesus Name! Amen 3x

All those who stand in Agreement with this Prayer, shout HALLELEUJAH!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

prayn-and-fasting-pic

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

GOOD MORNING FAM! GOTTA MOMENT? WOW!

Welcome 2 today! Our Heavenly Father has blessed u to be alive one more day! And for that, please join us as we exalt The Glorious Name of Jesus 2gether as is our custom on Thursdays’ Corporate Prayer and Fasting! Many are afflicted by a multiplicity of the cares of this world; yet Our Heavenly Father offers us the antidote to the maladies of this life. Therefore as James 5:13 instructs, let’s pray!

 

Welcome Holy Spirit! We are in Your Presence! Fill us with Your Power! Live inside of Me! You’re my Living Water! Never ending Fountain; Comforter and Counselor, take complete control! Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God our Father! There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thy changes not; Thy compassion fail not; as Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be! Morning by morning new mercies I see; ALL I HAVE NEEDED THY HAND HATH PROVIDED—GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS, LORD UNTO ME!

 

Heavenly Father, we come before You this day with hands raised in obeisance worshipful praise and hearts overflowing with joyful adoration! We thank You for being our Creator. Abba Father, we’re eternally grateful that You called us with a Holy calling, from our Mother’s womb, ordained us to be a child of Your Holy Family!  We’re forever thankful that from our Mother’s womb until this very moment You have been with us, providing all we’ve needed pertaining to life and godliness! We recognize that You Alone have kept us alive! For it is in You that we live, in You that we move. It’s in You that we have our very existence!

 

We bless You Heavenly Father, for even while we were yet sinners, Your Grace and tender mercies sustained us until You opened the eyes of our understanding revealing to us Your Wondrous Glory in the Face of Your Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus! You have been our Holy Habitation, shielding us from hurt and harm, dangers seen and unseen. You have been our God, Guide and Guard! When we look back over our lives, we can indubitably say, Lord, You have been better to me than I have been to myself and assuredly better than we could ever be to You!

 

Because of Your Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotence and Your Faithful Obedience to please The Heart of The Father by sacrificing Your Life in our stead, You rightfully reign as The Great High Priest! Therefore, we humbly  submit our souls to You, acknowledging the honor and privilege that we have been afforded to once again entreat Your Awesome Presence, with a holy-confident-boldness, casting all of our care upon You, trusting and believing that You Who care for us and will also perfect everyone of our concerns, according to Your Righteousness and Faithful Compassion!

 

We bow gratefully, crushed by the awareness of our own iniquities, before You, empty and void of anything that would warrant such awesome graciousness, but because of  Your Righteousness, we are now the beneficiary of All that You are in the eyes of Almighty God!

 

Lord,  knowing that You already know everything about every single one of us and because 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 can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities! Hence, You are 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, Compassion and Comfort! We thankya Lord, for being our Very Present Help!

 
Precious Lord, while we try to please You by trusting in Your Word, sometimes, it’s difficult to over-ride the noise of the pestilence, the chaos of uncertainty and the pain of condemnation, guilt, shame, rejection, discrimination and systematic injustice that seems to lure us into the valleys shadowed with death, danger, fear, anger, bitterness, anxiety, hopelessness and self-doubt! That’s why we gladly run to You, daily finding oasis of refuge, respite, peace and restoration  that You have prepared for any who would come to You earnestly expecting You will never deny Your Word!

 

Precious Jesus, as You search our hearts and minds, forgive us of every act, intent, thought or word that we have done that is contrary to Your Divine Will. We trust that You are faithful and just to look beyond the frailness, faultiness and flaws of our fickled flesh to forgive us and  wash us again in The Redeeming Blood of Jesus Christ, restoring the intimacy of our fellowship with You as Lord of our lives!

 

Sweet Jesus, because no man can come to You, except You draw him, we intercede for all those who are yet unsaved! Break up their stony hearts and ignite a Spirit of Godly-repentance that they may confess “a sincere Yes” in their hearts and minds! Quicken a desire to come to You today and receive You as their personal Savior and Lord!

 

Lord, as Your eyes continue searching the hearts of mankind,  put a “committed YES” in the hearts and minds of every backslider that today will be their day to run back into Your Longing Arms and to YOUR local church where they will be fully submission to the loving, nurturing teachings of Your Word, determining to live out the rest of their lives exemplifying The Wonders of Your Glory to a lost and dying world!

 
Holy Father, touch our brother, touch our sister who has been afflicted by any sickness and disease, including the spirit of cancer, kidney, lung, heart and liver failure, fibromyalgia, high/low blood pressure, satanically-induced perversions, addictions and mental disorders! Rebuke and cast it out at the root, for Your Name Sake!

 

We pray, Lord Jesus, believing that Holy Spirit will console, comfort, strengthen and heal all whose lives are yet being devastated by the recent storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and the ruthless acts of domestic terrorist in our nation and around this world! Reassure them, that there’s never a spot where Your Loving Arms cannot reach,deliver and restore them from any challenge that confronts them. 

 
As we come into agreement with your Word, declaring that by Your stripes we have been redeemed and healed, we stand firmly on Your Promise that the prayers of faith shall save the sick and raise them up, In Jesus Name! And as You are strengthening these, we ask that you also invigorate, encourage and replenish the spirits, minds and bodies of those who are charged to care for their loved ones!

 

Abba Father, preserve Your children thru every test and trial; keep us aware of YOUR PRESENCE, fully-persuaded to trust in You with all of their hearts, patiently leaning and depending on You, believing that trouble does have an expiration date and that at Your appointed time, You will bring us out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward as You have promised them in Your Word!

 

Father,  we commit the lives of our children, grandchildren and great-grand children to a thousand generations, declaring and decreeing by faith that every scheme that Satan desires to inflict upon them is REPEALED AND CANCELLED immediately! We plead The Blood of Jesus over them wherever they go, entrusting them to Your Providential care! Abba Father, because we realize that You have a plan and purpose for their lives also, we have the blessed assurance that their steps and stops are being divinely orchestrated by Your eyes, NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THEM SHALL PROSPER, in Jesus Name Amen 3x!

 

Father, we lift up every spiritual leader, asking that You encourage their faithfulness and grant an immediate manifestation of that special miracle for each and every one of them who are yet standing on the wall proclaiming Your Word under the convicting Power and Anointing of Holy Spirit! Sweet Jesus, Grace them to be the examples in their homes, churches and community that will cause everyone who comes into contact with them to fall in love with You, trust wholly in and commit to live their lives faithfully and obediently serving You!

 

As You Sovereignly Rule and Reign over the affairs of mankind, we’re praying for the leaders of our nation, government, corporate, judicial, educational, health care providers and every arena of our society! We’re asking  You  to touch their minds and infiltrate their hearts, speaking to them in dreams and visions alerting let them that The Goverment Rests Upon Your Shoulders and You Who Sit Enthroned Above the Heavens are keeping record of the deeds of every man’s heart and will reward accordingly!
Endow the hearts of Your people with a peace that surpasses all understanding and a confident expectation that our times are in Your Hands and regardless of the deceitfulness of this world, You have promised to protect, provide and preserve the righteous who trust and obey Your Word! We pray for restoration inbroken marital and family relationship! We ask that You continue opening the eyes of our understanding so that Your people are not easily deceived by those who would desire to entrap Your elect in bondage to anything which You have delivered us from! In Jesus Name, Amen 3x!
Abba Father, confirm Your Promises to us byconstanly manifesting signs of Your Goodness to us, that our enemies may see and be put to shame. For You, O Lord who searches minds and hearts will continue to shield, help, comfort and save Your servants whose hearts are upright before You.
Father, we declare and decree that every demonic-induced spirit of destruction, temptation, addiction, rejection, self-hate, suicide, fear and failure is already defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Sound-mindedness is being released now, in Jesus Name! We declare and decree that He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment. He who digs a hole and scoops it out will fall into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself and his violent schemes will come down on his own head!

 

Father, we rejoice in confident quietness, trusting wholly that all workers of iniquity are trembling and suddenly departing in shameful defeat! You have heard the voice of our weeping and our supplications and received our prayers as sweet savor coming up before Your Sovereign Throne of Grace, therefore You will not withhold Your Mercy from us! Your Love and Your Truth is a wall around us!

 

Abba Father, we align our spirits, soul and body with Your Eternal Word! Believing that our requests and supplications are done, we bow reverently before The Hope of all Heavens and Earth, believing that as Your face shines upon us that, You are making Your Ways and Salvation known among all nations! You Guide and Rule justly! Father, we seal this prayer In The Exalted Name of Jesus with our Alleleujah! Amen 3X!

 

Now every child of God who is standing in agreement with this prayer, GO TELL SOMEBODY THAT JESUS LOVES EVERYBODY AND CAN SAVE ANYBODY! #Didjaheardat?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 

GOD CONSCIOUSNESS!

GOD CONSCIOUSNESS 2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Proverbs 3:5-7

 
Dual Citizenship! Living in this world while at the same time recognizing that we’re aliens of another Kingdom, occupying this place in time as carriers of The Glory until the return of Jesus Christ, The King is absolutely-mind-blowingly-awemaazin, huh?

But! Sometimes, life comes at us so hard and so fast that we lose consciousness of the core of our faith—Truth—and find our hearts being ripped betwixt two realities. That confident heritage of the saints, is often disrupted by the intrusive presence of aggravating adverse circumstances!

Now, don’t get it twisted! I’m not saying that we forget we’ve been called and chosen by God to be instruments of righteousness at His bidding. Hopefully, most of us have long since gotten past that issue. We believe with all our hearts that one day we will live eternally in Heaven with our Father. But!!! It’s the meantime that keeps tripping us up! Our frail-flawed-fickle, self-centered-fleshy-nature keeps drawing us back to the ol’ days when we sat on The Throne of our hearts, making decisions and judgments according to what seemed right in our own minds! Can I getta Amen?

Remember when that ol’ man had nothing to restrain us from focusing all our time, thoughts and energy on getting whatever we wanted, whenever we thought we needed? We were clueless that we were actually being used by rulers of darkness, hell bent on pulling us away from The Omnipresence, Omniscience, Omnipotence Creator and driving us head first into a sink hole of fear, discouragement, hopelessness and failure!

YEP! We were oblivious to the enemy’s wicked scheme to entrap us; besieging our minds with his ticker-tape alerts forecasting the high probability of hurricane wind gusts, overcast skies of dread, gloom and doom! Unfortunately, for too many of us, Satan’s so competent with his devices that if we’re not careful, we will come into agreement with him, setting the course for fulfillment of the very thing we fear! Hence, when we surrender to our fears, we give validity to them, and worse yet, proving him (The Father of Lies) to be a true prophet!

That is until  Holy Spirit quickens us, reminding us that we’re no longer obligated or enslaved by our former Task Master! When we come to ourselves, purpose in our hearts, settling our affections on things above and acknowledge The Greater One abiding in us, we slam the devil down to his rightful place (under our feet)! Dontchakno? When YOU believe GOD, the tormentor has no choice but to back up off of ya!

When we activate the spiritual weaponry of warfare that God has armed every believer by commanding our minds to think of the Goodness of Jesus and all that He has done, continues to do and promises to do—the Joy of The Lord swells up in our hearts, illuminating our thoughts, erupting inevitable praise!Suddenly, The Glory of His Presence shows up filling our hearts and minds with a peace that passes all understanding! (Ref. 2 Corinthians 10:4 and Philippians 4:7)

Beloved, the next time that lying devil tries to steal your hope, jus throw THE ROCK at him and JUST THINK YOURSELF HAPPY WITH PRAISE!

“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3! Then pick up another rock and seal the victory! “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11)

YEAH BABY, datz GOD CONSCIOUSNESS! #BOOMUPSIDEURHEAD

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

IT’S THE GOODNESS OF GOD!

ITZ THE GOODNESS OF GOD

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And thinkest thou this O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forebearance and long-suffering; not kowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:3-4
A while ago, I heard a preacher confessing  that at one time he was an avid believer and willing partaker of one of the greatest lies that Satan has perpetrated. As he went on to talk about his early perception of God, I began reflecting back on the B.C. (Before Christ) in my own life, I humbly concluded, “You ain’t by yourself preacha!” If we would be honest, for real, a whole lot of us would have to raise our hands and say Amen 3X, Preacha!

How many of you once believed that somewhere, way out there, there was a Great Big Ol’ Angry God, watching and recording every single thing you did? And when you had accumulated that mystical, unknown number of sins, His Hand of Wrath would suddenly appear from heaven, striking you down with a big sledge hammer, crush you and fling your po’ soul straight into the devil’s hell! Oh, don’t play me like you never…

Perhaps you were with that other group—the self-righteous who ascribe to the lie that when they get themselves together, they fully intend to start going to church and but they’re not going to be no hypocrite, like all them other folk. They’re gonna be real about serving God!  And we all know how that’s gonna turn out, huh?

Just think about all those times He could’ve, should’ve, BUT didn’t serve you your just desserts. Remember all those unfulfilled promises you made (lies) just before He delivered you, again? How many times has God chosen to withhold justice and instead dispensed His Grace and Mercy towards us? WOW! Haven’t got a clue, huh? Neither do I!

Let’s be for real! You and I will never, ever be good enough to qualify as ‘acceptable’ to a Holy GOD—SO….get over you!  God already knew that we’d fall short numerous times.That’s why, before we were even formed in our mother’s womb, God’s plan of Salvation was already established!

Ephesians 2:8 declares, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”! Didjaheardat? God never left it up to us! Salvation is God’s free gift.

That’s the GOSPEL! It’s called GRACE and it’s still available to WHOSOEVER will  humble themselves before God, acknowledge themselves as sinners who have no other Hope for Salvation but JESUS and accept His Amazing Gracious Merciful Forgiveness! NOW THAT’S THE GOODNESS OF GOD!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

SHALLOW CHRISTIANITY

SHALLOW CHRISTIANITY

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we’ll be ready for HIM when HE appears, ready to receive Him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when He arrives. Once you’re convinced that he is right and righteous, you’ll recognize that all who practice righteousness are God’s true children. 1 JOHN 2:28-29 THE MESSAGE

 
It might surprise you! One of the greatest deterrents to advancing The Kingdom of God in the earth is not ‘da devil’ BUT ‘Shallow Christians’! What is that, you ask. Well they’re not that hard to recognize. In fact, they’re probably your pew partners. Whhhaaaa? #ikr! While they confess their faith in The Lord Jesus, their walk does not line up with their talk, and as a result, most likely they’re confusing many who’ve yet to invite Christ into their lives as Savior and Lord!

OOOHHH Yessss I did go there! I know how churrch-folk are adamant about not judging, right? But, for your own safety, the Bible says a tree is known by the fruit it bears! More importantly, God knows those who are His! (Ref. 2 Timothy 2:19)

The preaching and teaching of this Gospel of Christ is still the best way to get souls saved, but sometimes His PR staff could use a refreshers course on what it means to live deeply in Christ!

Rest assured, God is not mocked! (Ref. Galatians 6:7) While we might impress some people with our 11:00 A.M. Sunday morning tongue-talking, pew hopping, propha-lyin, shout’n and danc’n, GOD KNOWS the difference between those who are faking it ’till they make it and those who freely rejoice in the mercy, compassionate, longsuffering, unconditional Love of The Heavenly Father, yet acknowledge that sometimes they miss the mark and have yet to reach perfection!

Shallow christians hide behind shameless excuses to continue to satisfy their ungodly cravings, but a true child of God will be quick to repent. GOD KNOWS those who are genuinely striving everyday to mortify the wickness of their flesh and live a life that pleases HIM even at their own hurt! After all, we are living epistles! It’s our holy lifestyle  that will advertise and promote the True Answer to mankinds’ most dire and desperate need–THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, JESUS CHRIST!

I am by no means suggesting that this is easy nor is it a one and done thang! But God already took care of that too. He sent your Guardian, Holy Spirit, to live inside of you to teach and empower you to say no to sin and yes to righteousness!

Sometimes, it looks like Satan is gaining the upper hand, huh?  Beloved, don’t fall for the devil’s tricks and please don’t blame God! Trust 2 know, God ain’t scarred! Remember what happened when Jesus went to Hell, snatched the keys from his puny hands and got up proclaiming, ALL POWER IS IN MY HANDS?

God is raising up an army of disciples that no man can number; building a new nation of trusting believers who will obey His Voice; hewing out a courageous People who’re not ashamed to live righteously in the midst of darkness as a monument to HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, POWER AND MAJESTY!

Examine yourself? REPRSENT JESUS? LIVE DEEPLY?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

AIN’T NO QUIT IN ME

AIN'T NO QUIT IN ME

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

For our light affliction which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory… 2 Corinthians 4:17-18a

 

Someone, with far more wisdom than you and I, penned these words, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win!” Granted, we’re living in times that could easily tempt us to just fall apart, succumb to our dire situations and even begin to doubt God‘s ability to turn things around in our favor. Yet, Jesus never told us to rely on what we think, we see or even what we feel. The Word admonishes us to put no confidence in flawed fickle flesh, particularly our own. Believers walk by faith and not by what it may look like in the natural. Believers believe!

When the enemy comes upon us flooding our hearts with intimidating fear and discouragement, a spirit of super tenacity, and holy boldness, begins to flow up from the pit our inner most being and when it kicks in, it really doesn’t matter what we go thru, a true believer will refuse to throw up our hands and give in! The Ol’ Skool Church used to say, “I’m in it, to win it”! You see they knew something—I don’t care who sanngs, God Reigns, therefore it ain’t over until God says it’s over!

When it appears that the circumstantial evidence against us pretty much guarantees we’re going down for the count, we have a secret weapon on the inside of us that assures us the victory! Greater is He that is in me than anything that comes against me! (1 John 4:4)

The Apostle Paul, encouraging a troubled Corinthian Church, lets us know we’re don’t have to deny the severity of our situation, we just deny it’s  power to work against us. (Ref. Isaiah 54:17) Didjaheardat? Yes, it’s okay to acknowledge what’s happening, but don’t just stop with the bad stuff, remember Who we have going right for us.

Okay, we might be feeling some pressure, but we’re still standing! We might not have all the answers, but we know The One who does! Our circumstances might not be what we expected, but God already knew about it before He allowed us to be in it! It may seem that the burden is much more than we can take, but God’s Grace is sufficient! We might not know how long we’re be in it, but God knows! He’s predesignated a set time for our deliverance! And when God brings us out we don’t come out empty handed, but we come out with Greater Glory!

YEP! Believers may bend, but we don’t break! We hold fast to the Hope that is within us! (Ref. Colossians 1:27)

BELOVED, DON’T STOP, ‘TILL YOU GET IT! GET IT?

Seriously!  Obviously Satan didn’t get the text, huh? So you tell ’em, ‘Ain’t nobody got time 4 dat; check the back of the Book, WE WIN! Ain’t NO QUIT In ME!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

MEMORIES

MEMORIES

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When He slew them, then they sought Him; and they returned and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in His covenant. But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not; yeah, many a time turned He his anger away and did not stir up all His wrath. For He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind passeth away, and cometh not again. Psalm 78:34-39

 

A few years back, (but who’s counting, huh?) Barbara Strissand recorded a hit song entitled ‘Memories’. This song pricked the hearts of all of us! Hence, we all have memories of days gone by that lure us back to the way we were. For some of us, when certain ticker-tapes of past personal experiences cross our minds, immediately we smile.  Other flash-backs cause our hearts to flutter, skipping a beat or two, remembering when.  And then there are those special ones that yetstill prompt silent tears to crease our cheeks. Memories, huh?  Some are fading and some, we only wish we could forget. 

Like all of us, I indeed cling to God’s promises to keep my mind focused, sharp and sound.  That being my faith stance, I must confess that—every now and then—I have to cash in  what my kids call, one of my ‘senior moments’ vouchers.  Now don’t look at me in that tone of voice. Can we be for real?  I believe we all suffer a bout of ‘Spiritual Alzheimer’s’—every now and then.

Today’s scripture text recalls how the Israelites’ sporadic attacks of ‘forgetfulness’ provoked God’s wrath as He carried them through the wilderness.  Now don’t be so hard on them.  Truth be told, any one of us, drapped in this fickle-frail-flesh-frame, are just as prone to spiritual amnesia when it comes to recounting the wondrous works of God.

Time and time again, God has proven Himself a Faithful Provider, A Way-Out- of -No-Way, our Rock-in-A-Weary-Land, A Shelter-in our-Storm, A Strong Protector, Committed Redeemer and Eternal Hope of our Salvation. Yet, in spite of our own memories of all that God has already done, when faced with new challenges, does our response reflect a confident trust in our Compassionate Merciful God of All Grace?  Or do we suddenly forget to remember that if He Did It Before, He’ll Do It Again?
 
Even when we forget, God always remembers!  Memories!

SELAH! 
 
Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

B HAPPY…IN JESUS!!!

B HAPPY IN JESUS 2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

 

Many of us who have heard the 1988’s hit song, ‘Don’t Worry; Be Happy!’, written by Bobby McFerrin, remember that while it topped the charts in America’s Pop Music Culture, the song also came under the scrutiny of critics who felt that the lyrics were promoting a philosophy of denial to escape our unpleasant reality.

As Christians, we should be accustomed to the backlash often associated with our belief in the reality of The Invisible God!  Yet, when confronted by opposing views, we must remind ourselves that The Supreme One is always in control of every aspect of our being, and has promised to supply everything that we need to live abundantly in this present world! (2nd Peter 1:3)

Don’t get it twisted. We, the Body of Christ, are not denying the reality that we’re living in turbulent times. All over this world, people  are being inundated by the cataclysmic convulsions of the systems of this world causing epic fear, frustration and panic. We are certainly not suggesting that we’re to stick our heads in the sand and act as if we can mystically dismiss  what’s right before our eyes! Not at all, we’re still on earth, not Heaven!

However, what I am purporting is that because we know Truth, we confidently expect that someway–somehow you’re going to persevere  thru the tumultuous state of human affairs and  when you come out, you’re not gonna look like what you’ve been through! Remember, Goshen? (Ref. Exodus 9:26)

Today’s scripture reference reminds us how The Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent Master of our destiny takes care of the wildflowers who never spend a dime or a moment of time worrying and working, shopping and primping, and yet they’re fashionably arrayed such that would put the Parisian Designers to shame!

Unlike those who don’t know God as The Source of their life, health and strength, our personal faith history allows us to maintain a stance of  unwavering confidence!  As joint-heirs to The Kingdom of Heaven,  we don’t have to be so preoccupied and traumatized by what we’re going to eat or drink, how we’re going to keep a roof over our heads, how we’re going to pay our bills, that we lose focus on that we do know!  

Walking with our Shepherd, we’ve learned that reliance on His Faithfulness allows us to press courageously through any adversity, resting assured that the same God who delivered us in the past is the same God now—and is yet well able to carry us through this into our future victory again, and again!

Beloved, if God takes care of the birds of the air and flowers of the field, how much more will He provide for those created in His Own Image, huh? While sometimes  it seems as if the world is falling apart, remember, absolutely nothing happens except God allows! Fear not, little children! You’re never outside of God’s sight nor His reach. Our lives are hidden in Jesus and we’re sheltered under the Shadow of His Almighty Wings!  (Ref. Hebrews 13:5)

GOD’S GOTCHA! #didjaheardat?

SO? RELAX, DON’T WORRY ABOUT A THANG! BE HAPPY…IN JESUS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

DON’T LOOK BACK!

DON'T LOOK BACK

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

How oft did they provoke Him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel Psalm 78:40-41

Ever notice how memories have a way of distorting reality.  Somehow, once we’re no longer ‘there’  WE  have this proclivity  to delete all of the bad and ugly stuff that happened to us?

Have you ever wondered why in the midst of our tests and trials, how easily our minds revert back to an earlier time and subconsciously embellishes those former times as ‘the good ol days’?

Today’s scripture text, ‘them’ Israelites illustrate this innately human response to selectively reminisce over the episodes of history, particularly whenever we’re faced with the fear of the unknown.  Hence, the grass always looks greener and better on the other side, right?

It was only about a month after God had miraculously delivered over a million former slaves out from the cruelty of Egyptian bondage, when they began to feel differently about their utterly hopelessly distressful past circumstances.  The moment they were faced with a challenge, they began to murmur against Moses and Aaron and to make matters even worse, they accused God of bringing them out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness!  

‘We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.’ (Numbers 11:5-6)

…Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:1-3) 

Somehow, they dismissed the reality, like we often do, that God had just lead His Chosen People to freedom, faithfully, supernaturally supplying everything they needed, yet they failed to appropriately appraise God’s Eternal Presence and Divine Favor based on unfamiliar temporary circumstances.

Saints, the truth is, nothing that you’ve been thru; nothing you’re going thru NOW should make you want to turn back. Remember what happened to Lots’ wife? (Ref. Luke 17:32)

Don’t make the same mistake that our forefathers made. Don’t limit your expectations of God to your former experiences! We forget that God has a panoramic view of our lives! What God has for you is always in front of you!!  Don’t worry about what you can’t see, remember GOD’s guiding us by His Eyes! So keep moving forward!  If He ever did it before, trust Him to do it again!

Our God “is well able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or thing, according to the power that works in us”. (Ephesians 3:20). 

Beloved, trust 2 Know…your future won’t  even fit in your past!  What God has prepared for you is always greater than anything you’ve been thru! 

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

Check the end of the Book–YOU WIN! DON’T LOOK BACK! 

SELAH!
 
Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!
 
Ann Caffee

 

HE’S ALREADY THERE

HE'S ALREADY THERE

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” Psalm 139:7-12

At any time, completely unbeknown to us, we could find ourselves pinned to the pendulum of time, swaying violently from side to side, moment by moment, being extended to the furthers spectrum of either end, coming desperately close to the edge of sanity!

While our faith is demanding absolute confident trust (despite the mounting circumstantial evidence) that our Heavenly Father is in complete control, our inner-most consciousness is being tormented by the constant influx of those taunting threatening “what if’s”.

Unfortunately, most of the time our hearts tends to lean toward the most pessimistic catastrophic conclusion. To further compound an already desperately fragmented state of mind, there’s that unmentionable guilt and shame for even doubting God’s accessibility, ability, availability and even His willingness to intervene on our behalf!

I know! We’ve all been there. That’s the other part of our grandiose soul-stirring testimony that we are usually reluctant to share.

Yet, The Psalmist so adeptly and melodiously blends together the dangling, mangling emotions that one endures finding themselves in such a unpredictable predicament; giving us a model by which to navigate our way through the turbulence safely to the after side of life’s contrary oceans.

Not surprisingly, having walked with God for a while now, the Answer is always the same for any hopelessly-helpless,critically-chaotic circumstance.

In the midst of overwhelming uncertainties, set your eyes on The One Constant Creator and Sustainer of the seen and unseen. Jesus Christ; The Bright and Morning Star!

ITZ DA TRUTH!  Anywhere and everywhere you are, God is already there!

The ol’ folk used to sanng, “He’s too high, you can’t go over; too low, you can’t go under; too wide, you can’t go around”! Hence, there’s not a spot in the known universe where God is not!

So you see, whether you’re coming, or going, or smack dab in the middle of an unsettle ling situation, there is unspeakable joy and enormous comfort and strength in acknowledging THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT’S  Reassuring Presence!

The Psalmist further validating the foundation of every Christian’s faith, recognizes that even the most seasoned saints encounter season of glaring darkness; yet God is not intimidated nor His Will hampered! He works The Night Shift! Because darkness and light are the same to God, He is always able to see us; even when we can’t trace His Hand, we can yet trust His Heart! (Ref. Psalm 139:12)

God is too Great to figure out; too Wonderful to predict; too Marvelous to ignore and too Amazing to deny!

So you must simply, trust and thank Him for guiding you safely pass our past, sustaining you in your present, and carrying you securely into your future!

DON’T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, GOD IS ALREADY THERE!

SELAH!

“Have a WONDER-FILLED day!”

Ann Caffee