Tag Archives: Joy

WALK IT OUT!

Wet shoe

 

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Jesus replied,“The time is coming, ma’am, when we will no longer be concerned about whether to worship the Father here or in Jerusalem. For it’s not where we worship that counts, but how we worship—is our worship spiritual and real? Do we have the Holy Spirit’s help? For God is Spirit, and we must have his help to worship as we should. The Father wants this kind of worship from us. But you Samaritans know so little about him, worshiping blindly, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes to the world through the Jews.” John 4:21-24 TLB

 

Unless you were born late last night or just landed on planet earth early this morning, you gotta recognize that this whole world has gone crazy! I don’t care who you are, where you live, how many tongues you speak in, you’ve gotta admit that stuff is going down around us today that Mama and Daddy ‘nem never could’ve imagined. We’re living in desperate times, huh?

You don’t have to be a bible scholar or seminary theologian, or even have the Holy Ghost to be able to discern the signs of the times. We are living in the last of the last days. And Jesus is soon to come. Amen 3x? #DON’T SHOUT ME DOWN!

Let me assure you, it matters not whether you’re young or old, everybody needs to know Jesus for themselves. It’s getting darker out here, and there’s no guarantee that you got all that time you think you have to get yourself together. But while you have today, we need to stop blaming or comparing ourselves with everybody else and figure out how to work out our own soul salvation! None of us should allow what nobody else is doing to distract us and make us miss Jesus, huh?

It doesn’t matter who’s in the White House, Senate, Congress, Court House, Jail House, Out House or who falls off the financial cliff, YOU need to be very sure that this world is not your Source of provision, comfort, joy and certainly not your peace! Them ol’ skool Mothers sanng, “My Hope is built on nothing less, but Jesus Blood and His Righteousness, I dare not trust the sweet frame, but wholly lean on JESUS NAME”!

Beloved, time is spirialing into eternity at the speed of LIFE! Hence, recess is over and time’s out for fakin’ it till you make it! We no longer have the luxury of procrastinating! You’ve gotta get off the proverbial fence and make a decision. Either you’re going to walk by faith or allow the cares of this lost and dying world to slamm, trample and sift your joy, strength and hope for better days to come. If the only hope you have is in this world, you’re destined to live a most miserable life! (Ref. 1 Cor. 15:19)

Saints, God has a better plan for His children. “I come that you might have life and that more abundantly” (Ref. John 10:10) Yet,  contrary to  the more palatable contemporized Gospel-Lite doctine, God’s Promises are conditional! As the CEO of your destiny, The Word of God must take priority over everything! Therefore, it’s not enough to hear the Word, you must believe it to the point that you live it; i.e by walking it out in your everyday life!  #Didjaheardat? #Seriously?

Stop allowing your intellect to compromise your faith in what God can do. This ain’t the first time, the odds have been stacked against you. Remember, what you see is only temporary, but the Word of God stands forever, eternally established and secure!

Precious One, worship God out of a spirit of faithful obedience. Encourage yourself, giving praise and Glorraaa to your God Who is Faithful and Powerful enough to keep every promise that He’s ever made.  Don’t stop til u getit, GETIT! #WALK IT OUT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

HE LOVES ME!

HE LOVES ME

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

 

Back in the olden days, there was a street game (Yes, we actually played outside) and while the name of the game escapes me, I do remember the rules. We’d find a fresh yellow flower, which was no small feat in the hood, and then we’d proceed to slowly pull each individual golden petal apart from the stem while chanting the words,“He loves me…He loves me not…He loves me…He loves me not…HE LOVES ME!”
 
That’s exactly how some of us authenticate our relationship with Jesus! When our circumstances are all good (just as we like them), “He loves me”. Howevrrrr, when situations suddenly shift beyond our comfort level and/or ability to control, “He loves me not!”
 
Where did this come from? Let’s consider our first parents, Adam and Eve. When they obeyed the Voice of God, they enjoyed paradise—living life to the fullest. Everything they desired was theirs for the picking without their even asking. However the moment they began to doubt God’s faithfulness and willfully defied God’s instructions, they were thrust into an environment that God never intended for them to experience. The confident intimacy of God’s Presence was ruptured and for the first time, they found themselves radically disconnected, attempting to hide themselves from the Eternal Source of Life and Love! The enchantment they once knew was displaced by dread, fear, guilt, shame, doubt and insecurity! 
 
But The Eternal God of Love, refused to let go! The Omniscient Creator came looking for Adam.  
 
Where are you? Today? Are you discouraged and feeling detached from The True Source of Power, Hope, Joy and Peace? Are the cares of this world or un-confessed sin tempting you to hide from your Only Savior, Jesus? 
 
Come out from there! Lift your heart towards The King of Glory and be ye reconciled! (Ref. 2 Corinthians 5:20)
 
Don’tchakno?  When our Heavenly Father sees us, He’s looking at us through Lovingly Blood-Stained Eyes!  
 
Trust for sure, Beloved…Yes, HE LOVES ME, AND YOU! 
 
SELAH!
 
Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!
 
Ann Caffee

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

GOOD MORNING FAM! GOTTA MOMENT? GREAT!

Once again, we’re so happy that you’ve joined us in out weekly Thursdays’ Corporate Prayer and Fasting! We count it an awesome honor that The Creator of Heaven and Earth would allow mere humanity to communicate our desires, inquiries and supplications, fully expecting that He’s listening compassionately and intentionally to perfect our concerns, console our fears and dispel our doubts according to The Transforming Power of His Presence that is at work within us! #Let’sdothis…

I Need Thee Ooooohhh, I Need THEE! Evv’rrryy Hour, I Need Thee! Oooh, Bless ME NOW, My Savior, IIII Come toooo THEE! I NEED THEE OOOOHHH, I NEED THEE! EVERRRYYY HHOOOUUURRR I NEED THEE! OOOOHHH BLESSSS MEEEE NOW, MY SAVIOR…IIII COME TOOO TTHHHEEEE! So here we are to worship! Here we are to bow down; Here we are to say that You’re our God! You’re Altogether Worthy, Altogether Lovely, Altogether Wonderful to me! Shall we all pray?
Abba Father, here we are again! We’re so grateful that You have given us one more day to enjoy Your Life-Giving, Life-Gustaining Grace! We thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to sacrafice His Life that we might have an opportunity to live for and eternally with You! For we recognize that it was not because of any goodness of our own that we live, move and have our being, we quickly thank You, Father for another opportunity to embrace the richness of Your Lovingkiness and enjoy the unsearchable depth of Your Peace!

Heavenly Father, it is with unspeakable joy that we Thank You for being God of our Salvation, Deliverance, Breakthrough and Provision. With heartfelt humility and sincere gratitude, we acknowledge The Favor, Compassion and Faithfulness that continuously allows You, knowing our frame, BUT yet look beyond our human frailties, faults, failures and iniquities and minister to all of our need!

Lord, we stand humbly before Your Sovereignty, asking you to forgive us for everything that we, your children, have spoken, done and thought that was not pleasing in Your sight.We ask Holy Spirit, to intercede on our behalf, our family, our friends, even our enemies.

We thank You now because You have assured us that if we would confess our sins, You, Heavenly being Faithful and Just will forgive us, and wash us in The Precious Blood of Jesus, cleansing us from all unrighteousness, and restoring every breach that our disobedience has caused between our poor souls and our Lord and Savior, Jesus!

Father, we bless You for 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, releasing everything that concerns us. Lord Jesus, we know that You are Omniscient, Omnipresent, You see and You already know everything about everyone of us, yet You have invited us to come to You, for comfort and strength as You encourage us to hold on to every Word that You have spoken over our lives, before we were born.

From a heart open, depending and relying only on You, we offer up sweet precious praise toYou today, for renewed strength,understanding and power as we reverance You as our personal Savior and Lord.

Daddy, we must acknowledge that because no man can come to the Father except you draw them, we ask Holy Spirit, to intercede on our behalf, our family, our friends, even our enemies and pray that as Your eyes continue to search the hearts of mankind that You draw and save the lost! Quicken the Spirit of Godly-repentance in their hearts and in their minds that they will come to you today and confess a “sincere Yes” to your Grace Gift, believing and receiving You as their personal Savior and Lord!

Father,today we pray on behalf of anyone who has turned their back on You, walking in their own will, today we ask that You put a “Commited Yes Lord” in their heart and mind, free them to repent of their sin and come running back to You! We declare and decree that today every back-slider’s footsteps are being directed By Your Mercy and that You are planting and settling them into the church home that You’ve prepared and designated for their individual deliverance, growth and development!

Heavenly Father, we pray that you will touch our brother, touch our sister whose body has been afflicted by all physical, mental, spiritual sickness and diseases, we plead The Blood of Jesus against the spirit of cancer, kidney failure, heart conditions, high/low blood pressures, depression, demonic-induced oppressions of temptations, doubts, addictions, learning disabilities, low self esteem, and failure , and we rebuke and cast it out at the root, for Your Name Sake, Amen 3x! Lord, according to Your Word declaring that your stripes have redeemed and healed us we’re yet standing firmly on Your promise that the prayer of faith shall save the sick and raise them up, In Jesus Name!

Lord, we pray for every believer who is yet holding on to Your Hand by faith today, we’re trusting that You are releasing Divine Power, Supernatural Strength, Health, Provision, Prosperity and Protection. We’re praying also Father, that You will preserve them thru the tests that they must go thru and keep them constantly aware of YOUR PRESENCE, fully-confident that at Your designated time, You will bring them out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward as You have promised them in Your Word.

Give us to know that because we belong to You, we are never too far that You can’t see us or  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.

Dear Lord, open up our minds and our hearts, filling 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.

Father, we thank You, for fully persuading us 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!

Father we decree that every Satanic-induced spirit of fear and death is defeated NOW because of Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power, Sound-mindness and Purpose is being released into the lives of Your people now, in Jesus Name!

Father we rest in confident-quietness, rejoicing in hope and trusting wholly that all workers of iniquity are trembling and suddenly departing in shame and defeat knowing that You have heard the voice of our weeping hearts,  our inner supplications and have received every word of our prayer as a sweet savor coming up before Your Sovereign Throne of Grace and Mercy!

Heavenly Father, we thank You now, believing that IT IS WELL! In The Exalted Name of Jesus. Amen and It Is So!

Now, we encourage every child of God who is standing in agreement with this prayer, GO TELL ONE SOMEBODY THAT JESUS LOVES YOU! #FRONTLINEMINISTRY #CARE2SHARE

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 

 

YOUR WATER IS BREAKING!

My Water Is Breaking

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

“He that believe on ME, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

“Because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen…” Isaiah 43:20b

 

In the natural, most expectant mothers anticipating blessed arrival of her new baby with unrestrained excitement, shops until she drops! At the same time, the realization that before she actually holds her beautiful bouncing bundle of joy in her arms, she must first endure the grueling discomfort and pain of labor and delivery, can’t help but cause a certain degree of apprehension.

Every woman who has had a baby knows that as the labor progresses, the pain intensifies. Although we’re unable to accurately determine what the baby goes through, we can safely assume, by reason of anatomy, making its way through some extremely tight places causes a certain amount of discomfort for the child as well. For nine months, the womb has been his home and now, he’s reluctantly forced to transition into the next level of life.

Spiritually, our rebirthing process also requires intense laboring for deliverance. Every blood washed, born-again, child of the Living God has been impregnated with purpose and potential. However, making our transition from one realm of spiritual reality into another, (from grace 2 grace) ultimately involves some degree of violent struggle. The ol’ church used to say, no pain – no gain!

As we matriculate from one level of spiritual maturity to the next, we’re often forced to navigate through some tight circumstances. Sometimes, just as in the natural birthing process, in order to hasten the birth and avoid the complications and dangers associated with a dry birth, the doctor may deliberately puncture the embryonic sack. This process is called “breaking the water”.

Likewise, to ensure that a believer transitions spiritually into our highest potential, the spiritual mid-wife, The Holy Spirit, fills His chosen with soul refreshing, sweet living waters drawn from the Wells of Salvation! This water is called Joy.  (Ref. Isaiah 12:3) This joy is not a state of mind neither is it a fleeting emotion; but to a believer facing the famine and drought of the desert storms of life, joy is a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

Saints, whatever you’re going through now, just remember while weeping may endure for a night, God has promised us that Joy is coming in the morning.  (Ref. Psalm 30:5) Beloved, keep this in the forefront of your mind, that if you’re experiencing pain, it is only a sign that God is moving and positioning you into the next stage of abundant everlasting life.

Don’t sweat the process, Holy Spirit’s just induced your labor and your water is about to break!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Good morning Saints of The Most High God! GOTTA A MOMENT?’

We’re delighted that you have joined us today in our Weekly Thursdays’ Corporate Fasting and Prayer! As we come bowing reverently inYour Presence, we affirm Thee O Lord as our dwelling place throughout all generations, seeking refuge and rest in the Shadow of The Almighty God…

WELCOME HOLY SPIRIT! WE ARE IN YOUR PRESENCE! FILL US WITH YOUR POWER, LIVE IN SIDE OF ME! YOU’RE MY LIVING WATER, NEVER-ENDING FOUNTAIN, COMFORTER AND COUNSELOR! TAKE COMPLETE CONTROL…WITHOUT HIM, I CAN DO NOTHING! WITHOUT HIM, I WILL FAIL! WITHOUT HIM, MY LIFE WOULD BE DRIFTING…LIKE A SHIP, WITHOUT A SAIL….OOOOHHH SWEET WONDER! OOOOH SWEET WONDER! JESUS, THE SON OF GOD! OOOOHHH SWWEEETT WONDER! OOOOH SWEET WONDER…JESUS! THE SON OF GOD!

Bros. & Sistas, AS WE’RE PRAYING, WE’RE BELIEVING AND DECREEING…

Father in Heaven, here we are before You once again. We come today with outstretched arms, open hands and grateful hearts, for this is the day that You have made! Therefore, we’re rejoicing in The Splendor of Your Magnificent Glory! We know that it’s only because of Your Grace and Mercy, that we’re yet here! It’s because of Your love for us, You have allowed us one more day to enjoy life, health and strength.

We’re thankful for another opportunity to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto You. From our Mother’s womb, You’ve proven Yourself to be Faithful and True; therefore, we’re trusting You to provide everything that we need today to sustain us through whatever challenges that unfold during the course of this day! Abba Father, we fearfully acknowledge You Alone as our God, Guard and Guide!
Father, with eternal gratitude we bless You for allowing us to enter into Your Throne Room, with hope-filled expectation that You will entreat us graciously as we pour out the burdens that seem to overwhelm our hearts, releasing everything that concerns us to you! Lord Jesus, because we know that You are Omniscient, Omnipresent, You see and You already know everything about everyone of us, yet You continue to welcome us to come to you, to 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 even born!

Lord, from a heart open to, solely depending and wholly relying only on You for renewed strength, understanding and power!

Father, as You Sit Enthroned above all that is seen and unseen, You are aware of what’s going on in our world today and everyday! Nothing happens in our lives that can ever take You by surprise. Lord, You know that the hearts of Your people are being inundated with fear because of the evil, wickedness and deceitfulness of violent hateful men that surrounds us! Father, You also know the secret threatenings that are being perpetrated against those of us who have vowed to remain faithful and put our trust in You!

We offer the sacrifice of Thanksgiving to You now because You have assured us that if we would confess our sins, You, Heavenly Father will forgive us for our rebellious disobedience against Your Holy Commandments. Being Faithful and Just God, You 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!

Now, we joyfully ask Holy Spirit to intercede on behalf of our family, our friends, even our enemies, as we know that Your love is the same for each and everyone of us!

Sweet Jesus, remember those who are yielding our lives to Righteousness! Shield our nation, surround us with Mercy, protect us, cover us in Your Blood and keep us as we intercede for those who are yet being deceived by the Spirit of this world, yet trapped in the darkness of their own will! Jesus, open their hearts, give them eyes that see Your Glory and ears to hear Your Word.

We pray, that as Your eyes continue to search the hearts of mankind, save those who are yet lost in the darkness of this world and have not received You into their hearts and lives as Savior and Lord. We’re believing you to put a ‘sincere YES’ in their hearts and minds that this will be the day that they will come humbly to you, repenting and asking for Forgiveness and be born again into Your Kingdom!

Lord, we ask You to reclaim every back-slider who having been deceived by the Tempter has foolishly walked away from following You! Set them free them to repent of their sin and come running back to You! We pray that today will be the day that Holy Spirit will break up the fallow ground of their hears, putting a ‘COMMITED YES’ in their heart and mind to come back under the Ark of Your Covenant! Guide them and settle them into a local church home today where they will be nurtured, instructed, comforted and encouraged by the sincere milk of Your Holy Word. Give them a fresh desire to live faithfully, in Holiness and Godly, reflecting The Glory of Your Lovingkindness to everyone they encounter!

Father, we entreat You to touch our brother, touch our sister who’s body has been afflicted by all manner of sickness and disease, especially the spirit of cancer, kidney and heart disease, arthritis, high/low blood pressure, Alzheimer, fear, anxiety,doubt, unbelief, stress, oppression and depression! Rebuke and cast it out at the root, for Your Name Sake. Lord, because Your Word declares that by Your stripes we have been redeemed and healed, we’re yet standing on Your Promises that the prayer of faith shall save the sick and raise them up, In Jesus Name!

Lord, we pray for every believer who is being attacked on every hand by the fiery darts of our common enemy, Satan, but is yet holding on to Your Hand by faith today! Abba Father, dispatch a double portion of Your Divine Power, Supernatural Strength and Health, Provision, Prosperity and Protection. Encourage us Holy Spirit; stir up the Joy, Hope and Peace of Your Salvation!

Lord we pray that you will save, heal and deliver speedily by Your Mighty Hand, all those who are crying out to you, seeking Your Face at the very moment! Give us to know that because we belong to You, we are never too far that You can’t see us, reach us, and shield us from anything that the devil would rail against us. Help us to understand that Your Name, Jesus is a Strong Tower, and those that You have declared the righteous run into it and are saved! Open up our minds and our hearts, filling us with Your Assurance, and confidence that at The Name of Jesus, every knee must bow and every tongue confess that You are Lord and Reign Forever!

Grace Your precious 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. We thank you Lord, for fully persuading us of Providential Presence and Power to turn everything around to work in our favor and to bring about exuberant testimonies and praises of Your Eternal Magnificence, Honor and Glory!
Abba Father, as we pray, we’re believing that You will comfort Your children whose souls are being vexed by the blatant disregard of the leaders of this world to Your Righteous Commands and are willfully perverting and disobeying Your Laws, doing what seems right in their sin-lusting callous hearts and minds.

Heavenly Father, we plead the Blood of Jesus over the lives of our children, grandchildren. great-grandchildren and every generation until The Day of Your Return. Sanctify Yourself in their hearts that they may desire to please You rather than man. Even as You endowed The Three Hebrew Boys, with courageous-holy-boldness, help them to stand for You and not bow to the ways of this fallen world!

Lord, You already know, that sometimes we lose our focus on You causing our days to be spent beneath clouds of evil foreboding, while our nites are plagued with restlessness, despondency and hopelessness! Lord, we thank You for being a Listening God and even when we can’t find the words, You hear the moanings and groanings of our heart’s cry! Lord, we pray, keep us in Your Will, as only You can!
Father, we wait in confidence and quietness, trusting wholly that every worker of iniquity is suddenly trembling, and departing shamefully defeated, knowing You have heard the voice of our weeping, our supplications and received our prayer as a sweet savor coming up before Your Sovereign Throne of Grace and Mercy!

Father, we thank You, honor and praise You now, for we believe that IT IS DONE! Hallelujah!!! IN THE EXALTED NAME OF JESUS. AMEN 3X AND IT IS SO!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

THE NIGHT SHIFT!

 

the-night-shift

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:4

 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.  Genesis 28:15 ESV

 

Whether you’ve been walking with Jesus for a long time or just recently made your decision to follow Christ, none of us are excluded from faith’s stresses, test and trials! If you don’t have a clue about what I’m talking about, may I draw from dem ol’ skool Mothers’ terminology, “Baby, jus keep getting up in the mornin’ and going to bed at night, sooner or later you will encounter a season in your life when you’ll feel as though God has left you in the valley of the shadows of death to fend for yourself!”

I understand that this kinda theology may seem a bit strange, (not to mention unbiblical, after all we live in the Dispensation of Grace) to some Millenniums who’ve been spoon fed Gospel-Lite-Prosperity pablum prepared by the more sophisticated-socially-acceptable-all-ingratiating-all-inclusive preachers! But check The Book, it’s still in there! “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” 1 Peter 4:12

Yet! When you’re forced to trample through the turbulence terrains of this life, know, that your Heavenly Father is not a dead-beat absentee Father. God has left His Eternal Word as a Light to the 21st Century Saints! Hence, The Word of God is still well able to comfort, strengthen and encourage those who seek Him!

Precious ones, perhaps, at this reading, you find yourself smack-dab-in-the-middle of a loooonnnnggg night of overwhelming fear and anxiety,  yet Truth remains! Even when you’re unable  to trace God’s Face or feel His Hand, trust His Heart!

Sometimes, we’re so focused on the trauma of the moment that we forget that we have a real enemy who delights in secretly launching attacks against God’s elect, under the cloak of darkness with his diabolical wiles, strategically aimed to diminish your confidence and trust in God!  Nevertheless,  don’t fall for the okey-doke…Satan ain’t running nothing! Your God is Sovereignly watching over you 24/7! He never naps! Day and night are the same to Him! Every step you take is Divinely-ordered by The Lord! He’s already gone before you preparing designated rest areas along the road to revive and re-energize our spirit and soul! #Didjaheardat? IT’S TRUE!

Beloved, when it seems as if everything is falling apart, Holy Spirit says, ‘It’s falling right in place’! Abba Father is weaving each piece of your life together for your greatest good and His Highest Glory! And at the appointed time, He will flip it over to display His Magnificent Masterpiece! (Ref. Romans 8:28)

“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

Like Jacob, as we continue our pilgrimage through the gross darkness of this fallen world en route to the celestial city, we may all proclaim of our Savior “The God that led me all my life long” works THE NIGHT SHIFT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

ARISE & SHINE!

arise-and-shine1

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1-2

 

Face it, every day ain’t the same! Some of us can’t even remember the last time we popped out of bed, headed for the gates, fortified with the zeal to take over anything or anyone who dared to challenge our God-ordained authority in the earth!

I know we saanng that song last Sunday morning, some of us even cut a step, “I been running for Jesus along Time, and I’m not tired Yet!” But, once we left the Euphoric atmosphere of the sanctuary and went back to da real-world, chances are that behind the plastic smiles and the colloquial ‘Blessed and Highly Favored’ many of us were bowed down, burdened and overwhelmed by unimaginable weights of everyday existence! Hush!  Yall know we can’t admit it to them religious folk, huh?  After all, how we feel has absolutely nothing to do with our relationship with God! We’re supposed to walk by faith, not by our feeling, right?

I know a man who walked this earth over 2,000 years ago; Who was despised. rejected, tortured,spat on and left to die hanging between Heaven and Hell! Awemaazingly, most of His persecution came from the very ones He came to save, heal and deliver!  WOW! YET! He was willing to deny His feelings and endure it all to finish His assignment given by His Heavenly Father! WOW! And we think we have it rough, huh?

Nobody told us that this journey would be easy! In fact, the exact opposite is True. “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

Nevertheless, this same JESUS, illustrated to us, who dare to name the Name of Christ, how to take the hits and keep it moving! The scriptures reveal how our Savior was able to commit to God’s Process, even submitting to The Cross, death, hell and the grave! “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 #Didjaheardat?

Jesus did not focus on the moment, but He concentrated on THE BIG PICTURE! Hence, in The Kingdom of God, purpose trumps pain! Before the foundation of the world, Jesus was perfectly committed to His Father’s Redemption Plan! It was the Joy of ensuring the restoration of God’s elect back to The Kingdom that motivated Jesus! Thankfully, He did not consider the price too extravagant, but a small thing to fulfill the Father’s Love.

Please understand, it’s not our intent to minimize the severity nor enormity of the issues challenging the faith, hope and peace of 21st Century Saints. However, those of us who have walked with Jesus over these past three decades, know that there’s one thing that has not changed! That’s The Word of God! God has called us to be The Light of this World! We, who put our personal trust in Jesus , our Eternal King, are reflectors of God’s Loving-kindness and Faithfulness! C’mon now, we’ve ALL got some personal history to verify that trouble don’t last always! Joy is comin’ in the morning!

Seems like we got this thing kinda backwards, huh?  We say, the world’s in darkness, yet they’re laughing, partying, turnin it up! While, God’s people are walking around with our heads hung down and our backs humped over? Something is sho nuff wrong with that picture! We’re heirs, joint-heir of The Kingdom of God! This is our heritage—righteousness, peace and joy in The Holy Ghost!

Perhaps today, you find yourself in the midst of a long dark night, remember although you don’t see the sun, it’s still there! Beloved, if you’re experiencing a power shortage and need to be re-connected to The True Power Source, The Son, U NEED 2 KNOW…He’s STILL THERE! Bow your heart, lift your hands, reach up and receive The Glory! Afterall, He’s already paid the Bill! ARISE & SHINE 4 HIS MERCY ENDURES 4EVER!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

prayn-and-fasting-pic

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

GOTTA MOMENT?

Good Morning Family, once again, we are excited to ask you to join us today in our Thurdays Corporate Fasting and Prayer ! We know that there’s much to place before The Throne of Mercy and Grace personally and on behalf of our loved ones, friends and this entire world in which we live. As them ol’ skool saints used to say, “those who know the word and worth of prayer’ let’s us pray believing that God hears and answers according to the Power that works within us!

OOOOH HOW I LOVE JESUS! OOOHHH HOW I LOVE JESUS! OOOH HOW I LOVE JESUS! BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED MEEEE! HE IS SO WONDERFUL, HE IS SOOO WONDERFUL, HE IS SOOO WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL JESUS…WONDERFUL GOD… AND HERE WE ARE TO WORSHIP, HERE WE ARE TO BOW DOWN, HERE WE ARE TO SAY THAT YOU’RE OUR GOD! YOU’RE ALTOGETHER LOVELY, ALTOGETHER WORTHY, ALTOGETHER WONDERFUL! Shall we pray?

Almighty Lord God, in The Precious Name of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, we come together now thanking You for this day! For this is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! We bless You Lord Jesus for making a Way for us to approach The Throne of Mercy with a holy boldness and confidence that You sit on The Right Side of The God Who Is, Was, and Shall Eternally Be The One True God, Creator of Everything!

Heavenly Father, with eternal gratitude we bless You for allowing us to enter into Your Throne Room, hope-filled 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, we know that You are Omniscient, Omnipresent, You see and You already know everything about everyone of us, yet You have welcomed us to come to You, and find Mercy and Grace to comfort, strengthen and encourage us to hold on to every Word that You have spoken over our lives, before we were born! We ask that Holy Spirit, intercede on our behalf, our family, our friends, even our enemies. Lord, we stand humbly before Your Sovereignty, asking you to forgive us for everything that we, your servants, 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, Abba 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!

Lord, as we come reverently praying for all our sisters and brothers,  we ask that The Prince of Peace fill our hearts and our homes with peace, love, and joy! We ask , believing that You are The Author, Sustainer and Finisher of our faith, therefore we’re trusting that every eye that reads and says this Prayer come to know that there is no problem, no circumstance, no situation that is greater than our God, for You Father God are greater than all,  greater in all,  greater through all, and  greater upon all. For You Holy Father, are the Most High God, Almighty of all the Universes is truly the Greatest of All!

Father, we pray as you have commanded in Your Holy Word, for all our enemies, and those who have used and abused us, and have lifted up their hands and their tongue against us, we now forgive them for all they have done. In Jesus Name, for we are Children of God.
Abba Father, we are so grateful that as we continue to walk closely with You, we understand that every battle that we have ever encountered in our lives is always in the control of Your Loving Hands, for You, have Sovereignly Ordained everything to work together for my highest good and Your Greater Glory!

Lord, while we try to please You by trusting in Your Word, You know that sometimes, it’s difficult to over-ride the noise of the pestilence, the chaos of uncertainty and the pain of condemnation, guilt, and shame that seems to lure us into the valleys shadowed with danger, fear, anger, bitterness, anxiety, hopelessness and self-doubt! That’s why we gladly run to You, daily to find refuge, peace, restoration that You have prepared for any who would come to You in hope-filled assurance that You will never deny Your Word! Heavenly Father, we’re forever praising and Glorifying Your Name for continuing to renew our strength, understanding and power as we open our hearts to You, depending and relying only on You.

Sweet Jesus, as we yield before Your Face, we intercede for anyone who has not yet acknowledged You as The Only Way to receive Your Gracious Salvation!  Father, we’re believing You to ignite a spirit of Godly-repentance that infuses a “Yes” in their heart and in their mind and that they will have a desire to come to you today and receive You as their personal Lord and Savior! Father, we rebuke the spirit of deception, complacency, indifference and ask that You quicken  an urgency in them, knowing that You are coming back to judge the world sooner than they thought and we must be prepared to receive You in Peace!

We pray for every one who has, for whatever reason, walked away from You, be provoked by the anointing that is on our prayer, to come back to you today and that You will put a new ‘Commited YES LORD’ in their hearts and a willful obedience in their spirit to live the rest of their lives faithful and committed to Your WILL (WORD) and WAYS!

Father God, we ask that anyone reading this prayer, wondering why they even find themselves reading it, will bow their hearts toward You now, confessing their need for You in their lives, acknowledging Your Amazing Love towards them and in appreciation will invite The Lord Jesus Christ to come into my life and change my heart now!

Abba Father, we pray for the elderly, the widows, the downcast who have born the heat of the day, and have been those who pushed and prayed us through, Lord fill their hearts and minds with Your sweet Peace and unspeakable Joy.

Lord, we pray for the leaders of governments world-wide, knowing their hearts are in Your Hands, we believe that You will visit them in the night season and command them to do Your Will. Abba, we lift up every Bishop, Pastor, Overseer, Apostle, Evangelist, Preacher and Teacher. Undergird them with Your Anointing to carry out their assignment, under the direction of Holy Spirit. Cover them as they go in and out amongst Your people and those who would seek to discredit, hinder and even destroy their faith, faithfulness and the ministry You have ordained.

Father, as we lift up our children, our children’s children and by faith, canceling every scheme that Satan desires to inflict upon them, committing them into Your providential care, we realize that You have a plan and purpose for their lives too and we have the blessed assurance that their steps are being ordered by Your eyes!

Father, stir up the hearts and minds of those who are professing Your Name that they will have a desire for an even greater personal, intimate relationship with Creator God through fellowship of Holy Spirit that they might prove what is the perfect and acceptable will of The Lord Jesus!

We ask that You continue to open the eyes of understanding so that your people are not easily deceived by those who would desire to entrap Your children in bondage to that which you have delivered us from.

Father, we believe that every demonic-induced spirit of temptation, perversion, addiction, rejection, self-hate, suicide, fear and failure is already defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and Sound-mindness is being released now, in Jesus Name!

Father, we rejoice now in confidence and quietness, trusting wholly that all workers of iniquity are trembling and suddenly departing in shame and defeat, turning their backs from Your people, because You have heard the voice of our weeping, our supplications and received our prayers as sweet savor coming up before Your Sovereign Throne of Grace and Mercy!

Lord God, there are so many other things, that we have yet to mention, but we’re trusting, believing you to fix it, Jesus as only You can!

Father because Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, my Lord,  Savior, and Eternal King, we confess TODAY that I AM HIGHLY FAVORED BY GOD and man, I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, COVERED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND WALK IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST JESUS!

As we offer up this prayer we’re 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!

We pray that these words be believed, received and accepted into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every tongue that confesses them In  that Name of Jesus Christ!  Amen 3x! It is done! Alleluia!

NOW, BELOVED, GO TELL SOMEONE THAT JESUS STILL CARES!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

CHAINED OR CHANGED???

chained-or-changed-2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded, “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire. Luke 3:7-9

 

Ever asked someone, “Are you saved?” to which they responded, ‘matter-of-factly’,“uuuhhh…Mama told me I been baptized!” or “I belong to First Bed-Rock of The Divine Pentecostal Kingdom Fellowship” Don’t shout me down, now yall….jus wondering?

Seems to be a lot of that going around, huh? We’re living in a world where pretty much everybody’s ‘saved’! I mean, just look at the explosion of ‘Mega Ministries’, that have popped up in this country alone, right? Kinda makes you wonder why Jesus hasn’t returned! Well, may I submit for your consideration, while church attendance is a critical component of our spiritual development,church membership doesn’t make you a Christian any more than living in a garage makes you a car!

I understand how one might be confused, given the ‘mob mentality’ of the more contemporary theological persuasions of The New Millennium Era, that more means better. This is nothing new! According to our scripture text, it’s been going on since the days of John The Baptist! One might wonder, given the number of churches and folk who pour into the buildings any Sunday morning, why we don’t see much change as individuals, in our families, communities, even as a nation?

Simply put, too many folk try to cut across the field, by-pass the cross and creep into the Kingdom through an imaginary backdoor!

That’s why some imposters casually enter the church house,‘carrying their chains, tuck them quietly under the plush pews, sanng, shout, dance up and down the aisle, sit like a bump on a log while the sermon is presented, Hi-5 your neighbor 10x, turn around 7x, repeat the benediction, greet your neighbor, pick up your chains and get back out there and do what u gotta do’! #OHYESSHEDIDSAYDAT!!!

Beloved! Jesus came not to set up another system of legalistic religious rituals, but to restore the personal intimate relationship, severed by our First Parents, Adam and Eve’s rebellion against the righteous commands of The True and Living God! And when He ascended back to The Throne Room on High, Father God sent The Holy Spirit to live inside of anyone who makes a conscious decision to humble themselves, repent and put their personal faith in The Only Saving Grace of Jesus Christ! The indwelling Presence of The Spirit of Jesus, empowers us to live a holy, separated, consecrated life of triumphant deliverance in the midst of this dark and depraved world! Didjaheardat?

“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose,” Philippians 2:13

Sadly, despite the finished work of the Cross, Satan has yet been able to keep too many of God’s precious ones, illegally chained to stuff that Jesus has already secured their glorious freedom from!  

But that’s why we’re here, right? To shine out for God by spreading the Good News,“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36

CHAINED? OR CHANGED? #WOW

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

BACK 2 THE FUTURE

BACK2 DA FUTURE2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls, But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Jeremiah 6:16

 

Okay! I gotta confess, our family might be a bit eccentric! But, c’mon, ever met anyone’s clan who wasn’t, huh?  YEAH, RIGHT! 

One of the personal proclivities of our household is the weekly (or daily for the patriarch) excursions to every thrift store within a 20 mile radius of our home. Overtime, the quest to recruit followers has been somewhat successful, amongst the older members of the family. However, the considerable efforts to pass down this soul rewarding heritage to future generations, have most often been met with extreme resistance! Obviously, the young’ns have yet to developed the palate necessary to distinguish (#appreciatethevalue) old from vintage!

Hence, may I submit for your consideration, that these same sentiments can  perhaps be attributed, spiritually, to the world at large! Don’t shout me down, now? Seriously! Given the spirit of this 21st Century Age of comtemporarized, unconventional, ambiguity, tolerance and self-motivated righteousness, apparently there’s little need and even less desire to conform to the irrelevant, antiquated dictatorship of The Holy Bible! After all, look what we’ve already done! Jus check out the mind-blowing accomplishments that we’ve attained just in the past 100 years, right?

To be honest, in a high-tech synthetic world of rockets, jets, cruiseliners, skycrapers and paved roadways, voice activated iphones and ipads…one might easily get caught up in a world where nature is generally overlooked! It’s no wonder that we tend to ignore The Creator and glorify creation! I mean, it’s kinda foolish to serve a God that you can’t even explain, when our sophisticated intellectual contemporary world appears to offer every kind of solutions to any problems that we face, right?

I’m sure you know by now that there’s always going to be plenty of folk around you who will tell you that ‘all you gotta do’ is keep on trying; pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and remember you da man 2 make it happen, right? But as good as that sounds, what do you do when you ain’t got no boots?

Life has a way of suddenly intruding upon, unannounced and uninvited, and dismantling the perfect 5-year plan that we’ve conjured up, leaving you at the crossroads of clueless, helpless and worse yet hopeless as how to recover and reconnect the broken pieces! It’s  usually at this point, that our Heavenly Father, reaches down into the pits of our vanity and depravity and draws us into a personal encounter with the Creator of Life, Love, Faith for Peace and Joy! It’s in this state that we discover that the true meaning and purpose for our being is to praise and glorify HIM!

As Holy Spirit begins to reveal Godself to you through The Word and intimate communion (prayer) the eyes of your understanding is enlighten and you recognize that the path for right living has already been marked out by God before the foundation of the world!

Unfortunately, even today, so few will choose to leave the glitz and glamour of the wide road, going their own way, and venture off to the old narrow pathways to follow in the footsteps of The OneTrue Shepherd! Those who have lost (or were never privvy to) God’s Perspective of their lives, tend to minimize the benefits of being set apart to manifest the Glory of God’s Mercy and Grace to a people living in a world filled with the emptiness of gross darkness, lost yet consumed with persuing a hell-bound life of eternal devastation and destruction!

Everyday, we’re forced to make numerous decisions, however there’re those which have eternal consequences. Are you going to choose the old ways (God’s) or will you continue forging on new paths of your own way?

Don’t get it twisted, JESUS is STILL the ONLY WAY LEADING TO PEACE AND REST FOR YOUR SOUL! #BACK2DAFUTURE!!!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee