Tag Archives: Redeemer

MY DEVELOPING ROOM

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MY DEVELOPING ROOM 2

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

“ In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” Psalm 31:1-5

 

Ever been in that cavernous place,  isolated by loneliness and entrapped in a den of hopelessness, despair and Yes, even shame for allowing your circumstances to rupture the confident trust you enjoyed, just a short time ago?

Still confused how quickly things changed hurling you into this momentary pit of discontentment amassed by discouragement and terrorized by ‘what if”, huh?

Truthfully, like David, most of us have been there at some point in our lives! Honestly, quiet as it’s kept, even more of us have experienced extended stays! Yet, by the Grace of The Almighty God, we’ve learned that the way out is looking up! Benevolence always descends!  Hence, instead of focusing on what’s going on around you re-set your attention on The One Enthroned above The Heavens.

Gratefully, our Heavenly Father has gifted us with His Precious Holy Spirit! Not only is He able to investigate and translate the moaning of our sorrow-filled souls, but swiftly carries them to The Master’s listening Heart.

As we cry out to Him, much to our delight (yet usually unbeknown to us), Your Presence has crept in, invaded, overshadowed and decapitated the gloominess of this prison cell pulling me up and out of the web that had so easily ensnared my soul. Where fear, doubt and confusion once raged, Your quietness whispers words of consolation, infusing and invigorating my wearied soul with such sweet unspeakable joy. Straight away, my sullen countenance is overwhelmed by the Luster from Your smile as You, in passing, suddenly wink at me!

As we still ‘self’ to listen obediently, You instruct our heart to follow the leading of Holy Spirit into a state of Blissful Peace that’s so far beyond my own understanding. (Ref. Isaiah 26:3)

Coming to myself, I am subliminally aware of my surroundings, and what I believed to be prison is just another developing room where You’re secretly hiding me; making me all that You have destined me to BE—COMES! MY DEVELOPING ROOM! #PURPOSE

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 2 Corinthians 4:17 #Didjaheardat?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THE TOUCH!

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the-touch

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

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

 

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

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

On their way, they passed a woman, who’d suffered everyday for the past twelve years from a blood disease that literally left her leaking the very life out of her body! Having heard that Jesus was close by, risking everything, including being stoned to death if she was exposed, she made her way through the crowd, determining within herself to get close enough to put her finger on Jesus’ Robe, knowing that her life would be restored! The Compassionate Jesus, feeling that certain faith-touch, and that corresponding pull on His Anointing, instantaneously released healing from His Being!
Glancing back over the huge gathering, Jesus fixing His eyes on this one woman, whose faith out-shined that of all the spectators, immediately began to comfort and encourage her to not be afraid! At that moment, The Great High Priest assured her that her courageous faith had made a Kingdom Connection. Hence, that which she had believed for, she’d become! Not only was she healed, she was made whole! (Ref. Hebrews 4:14)

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

Be encouraged my precious ones! Regardless of what it looks like and despite how long you’ve had to endure this present situation, always remember NOW IS NOT ALWAYS! This test, trial, tragedy or temptation is only temporary! BUT JESUS IS NOT! (Ref. Romans 8:17-18)

Precious one, as a fellow-partaker of the Divine Faithfulness of our Holy Redeemer, I adjure you to not allow temporal facts to distract you from The Truth! Stay focused on Jesus, The Eternal King, The Great Apostle and High Priest of our confession! (Ref. Hebrew 3:1) NO WORD FROM GOD WILL EVER FAIL! (Ref. Luke 1:37)

Beloved, GOD IS STILL LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO STRETCH THEIR FAITH WELL BEYOND THAT WHICH CAN BE SEEN, HEARD AND EVEN IMAGINED! TODAY, IF YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP,  I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH THE HEART OF THE COMPASSIONATE SAVIOR!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

HONEST 2 GOD

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honest-2-god

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. Psalm 139:7-10

O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. Psalm 7:9

Sorry Father Adam, but once again this is on you! Because of our original progenitor’s high treason against the Righteous instructions given by The Creator of Life, we are all born naughty by nature! Thus, every human born into the earth since our fore-parents’ willful rebellion is corrupted by an innate disorder called iniquity! Now, don’t look at me with that self-righteous attitude! (Ref. Ps. 51:5) But, it goes deeper! Like Adam, the Glory of innocence that once covered us had now been disrupted by sin, exposing us to evil, guilt, shame and fear!

The precious intimacy with God that man once enjoyed in Paradise was violently yanked from him plunging all of creation into gross darkness and utter chaos!

Hence, there’s an inbred-inclination to cover ourselves with fig leaves attempting to hide from the Only True Source of Hope for deliverance and restoration!  The moment we allow our desire to satisfy the wickedness of self’s lust to take precedence over our desire to please God, the hedge comes down and all hell breaks out! And as they say, the rest is history, huh?

That’s why God hates sin! Don’t get it twisted like Eve and fall for the deception of the Tempter! Not because He’s trying to control us! Not because He’s arrogantly trying to keep us down! Not because He wants to keep us from enjoying ourselves! Not even because He’s Sovereign Lord! And He is! But God hates sin because it robs us of the freedom, peace and pure delight to openly commune with The Lover of our souls!

You do realize that God knew exactly where and what Adam had done when His Voice came walking through the Garden asking, “Adam, where are you?” God IS The All-Consuming Presence over space and time! There’s NO spot where GOD IS NOT! Someone once said, IF GOD MOVED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, HE’D BUMP STRAIGHT INTO GODSELF!

But do we also hear the pain of God’s Heart, knowing that He would have to evict His Family out of their home to keep them  away from certain eternal death and destruction...until JESUS came to our rescue? Do we realize that there’s no such thing as a little sin? SALVATION IS FREE BUT IT WASN’T CHEAP! #WOW! HONESTLY!

Yet, like David, sin perverts our mind and we foolishly assume that if we don’t tell God, He won’t figure it out!

Do you realize that confession benefits us more than it does God? “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” Psalm 119:67 You do know that we don’t pray to inform God, but we pray to invite Him to step into our misery and fix our mess!

When we confess our faults (sin) to God, He’s able to heal our broken and contrite spirit, revive the brittleness of our bones and clear our hearts, minds and souls of the debris that’s left behind by sin’s breach! It was a good thing that God revealed that He knew David’s sin, sending His servant Nathan allowed David to repent honestly before God, liberating him from the burden, torment, tragedy, grief and condemnation that resulted from harboring secret sin in his heart and hindering him from enjoying the fellowship of God’s Presence!

If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 #Didjaheardat?

Jus wondering? When was the last time you had some REAL face2face time with God? THAT LONG, HUH? Well, last time I checked, JESUS WAS STILL SEATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FATHER, WAITING AND WILLING TO INTERCEDE ON YOUR BEHALF! SOOO, WHACHA WAITING 4? HONEST2GOD!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WHATZ UR THANG?

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WHATZ UR THANG

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. Mark 10:21

 

This parable, commonly dubbed “The Parable of the Rich Young Ruler” is recorded in the each of the synoptic gospels. Most of the time when it’s preached, one of the first things that comes to our minds is “Oh shucks, here they go again trying to get my money”! But, hold on…there’s more meat to pick from that bone then our money!

As the scripture unfolds, Jesus is confronted by a young man running up to Him, kneeling down before Him, then asks Him a question. “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” In other words, ‘What can I do to be saved; what do I have to do to make Heaven my eternal home?” Jesus responded, ‘Why you asking me…the only one qualified to answer that question is God!’ And Jesus continues, ‘You know the commandments that Moses told you…you’re a Jew.’ And begins to quote from the 10 Commandments the 7th, 6th, 9th and the 5th Commandments.

Upon hearing this, the young man pompously proclaimes, ‘Oh that’s it, well I’ve been doing that since I was a kid, I’m straight then’. To which the Loving Shepherd responds, “One thing you lack; go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

The Bible teaches that when the rich young ruler heard these words, ‘he was grieved in his heart and went away sorrowful, because he had great possessions.’

Imagine that, ONLY One Thing! Now religious folk tend to think that Jesus was telling the rich ruler that his greed was enough to make him miss heaven. Some self-righteous others might say that his love of money outweighed his compassion for the welfare of his fellow human beings and that would disqualify him for heaven. However, might I offer, for your consideration, perhaps Jesus was trying to teach this young man (and what God is saying to us), is that the young man’s response was merely symptomatic of a greater issue—the failure to recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ and a lack of trust in God’s ability to take care of him! WOW!

While it is true that those who have great riches, fame, influence are more likely to put their confidence in their money and in themselves than those who are impoverished and have to depend on The Hand of God for their daily bread, Jesus was not teaching, as some assume, that only those who are living in poverty, barely making it from payday to payday, can go to heaven! The Devil is a Liar!

However, could Jesus have been saying that it is virtually impossible for any man to be saved apart from God’s Mercy, Grace and Power? With men, it is impossible …but not with God! (Ref. Mark 10:27)

I believe each us can think of somebody that we know, who didn’t make it, but truthfully, it could’ve, it should’ve, it would’ve been me and you, BUT GOD! “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”1 Corinthians 6:11

None of us know what tomorrow holds for us, but as you advance to the close of our God-ordained destiny for 2018, arm yourselves with this mindset, “But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (Ref. 1 Corinthians 9:27)

Hence, it behooves each of us to ask Holy Spirit to search our hearts, daily, and then give us enuff GRACE to let go of ‘that thang’ that He reveals to us that’s occupying the Throne of our hearts, reserved for God Alone! #ijs!!! #Didjaheardat? 

Remember, it only takes ONE THANG 2 EARN ETERNAL DESTRUCTION! BUT, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT JUST ONE DROP OF THE SANCTIFYING BLOOD OF JESUS STILL WASHES US WHITE AS SNOW! WHATZ UR THANG? #COVEREDWITHMERCY&GRACE

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE?

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PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7

 

At some point in each our lives, we’ve had those ‘fair-weather friends’ who have pledged, “I gotcha your back,  sis!” Only to discover that during the lean times, your comrades were no where to be found. Exactly! Then you can just about imagine how God feels about ‘fair-weather saints’, huh?

I know we just love to hear those grand ol’ sole turning testimonies that set the whole churrcch on fiya! However…when your feet hit the floor again, that testimony doesn’t carry much credence when your body is strong and healthy; you’ve got a great job that you don’t mind getting up early and staying up late, you got enough money stashed in the bank to cover all of your needs and then some; your wife’s treating you as the Lord of the Manor, the kids are obedient, well-mannered, excelling academically even honoring you in the market place. BUT!

When you run into the sanctuary, just glad to be in the number one more time; can’t wait to lift your voice and raise your hands to The God of your Salvation and bless His Name just like you don’t have a care in this world, knowing that folk are watching you in amazement because they know that at that very moment all hell is breaking out in your life—now that’s a testimony!

But you (and God) know that the only reason that you can praise Him in the midst of the furnace of affliction is because you’ve already been through the fire, already been through the floods and not only have you survived the storms but through it all you’ve developed an intimate relationship with The True and Living God! Now that’s the sho’ nuf’ truth!

Would you believe that some folk will try to dupe Him (as if that were possible) pretending to be faithful and committed? That is until they get that need met or that condition resolved then they no longer desire His Presence! God also knows those who are willing to submit their lives to Him not just for weekend visitations, but have REALLY granted Him Full Custody of their entire beings even to the point of suffering with Him that they might reign with Him! (Ref. 2 Timothy 2:12)

Oh, you may not know all of the Greek or Hebrew Names for God, but in the midst of a devastating situation, do you know how to touch the hem of The Great High Priest? Do you  know Him well enough to know that if you seek Him before the catastrophe hits your life, like the ol’ church used to say ‘just storing up your timbers’,  when trouble comes you WILL INSTINCTIVELY embrace it, fully persuaded, beyond any doubt. that absolutely nothing is too hard for your God? #ijs???

Beloved, because you were willing to seek HIS FACE in times of inconvenience,  GOD will continue to reveal GOD-SELF to you personally!  Now you can call on Him, not as The God of Abraham, Elijah, or Mama’s and Grandma’s God but my God?  Through consistent prayer, fasting,  study and meditating on GOD’S WORD, your relationship has matured to the point that  you can wait patiently for him to deliver you!  Seriously! When life comes flooding in, threatening your peace and joy, your heart no longer automatically defaults to fear and doubt! Hence, because you trust Him, without hesitation, you lift up your hands, raise your voice and bow your heart knowing that this SAME GOD of The Bible, is in fact ALSO living and reigning over your life! Ggglllooorrraaa 2 YAH!

So, if by chance you don’t know Him, personally, then it’s my pleasure to invite you to start seeking Him today! I can promise you THIS 4 SHO, that if you call on Jesus out of the sincerity of your heart, He will be found! PERSONAL ACQUAINTANCE? #FAITHFULFRIEND!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

FAIL FORWARD!

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FAIL FORWARD

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25

 

Isn’t is just annoying? I mean the constant bombarding your mind with intimidating thoughts to taint your perspective and sabotage your peace.  Satan, aka da devil,  knows fully well that he has absolutely no power to stop what God has planned for your future, yet,  he’s determined to strip us of the joy of our Salvation! Saints, regardless of his deceptive tactics, remember Satan is not God!  Since his first encounter with our foreparents, Adam and Eve, he’s become quite adept  in manipulating our thoughts to cause us to question the Faithfulness of God! How? Well, one of his favorite methods is to use our Memories!

Ever notice how the devil keeps bringing up your past mistakes and failures, reminding you of what you did and accusing you about what you should’ve done and didn’t? Oh Yeah!  Well, this morning I was reminded of something I heard many years ago ‘when the devil starts messing with your mind about your past, just remind him of his future!’

My Precious ones, we don’t have to tuck tail and squirm away in shame as if that’s the end of our story. We can remind the devil that what happened back then was just a chapter setting me up for future episodes of coming attractions! The Bible says, let the redeedmed of the  lord, tell their story! 

You have been authorized to speak The Word of God with confident assurance. You know, like James Brown, ‘SAY It loud! Say it proud! Failure ain’t Final!  In fact, because I AM the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and  I’m not in this thing by myself, Christ in Me enables me to fall forward! (Ref. Colossians 1:27)

Take a stand! Let the devil know, ‘I am fully persuaded that whatever you’re planning to trip me up,  give it your best shot, just like it didn’t work the last time,  it won’t work this time either.(Ref. Isaiah 54:17)

My God  has ggggrrreeeaaaatt plans for me, for good and not for evil, and He swore by God-self, to bring me into an amazingly glorious future! And remember all that stuff you keep reminding me of, it’s covered, blotted out by the BLOOD!! I know it ain’t fair, it’s called ‘favor’! (Ref. Jeremiah 29:11)

“Oh, Devil, can we talk? I peeped in the back of the Book, and I know in the end, we win and you’re still a loser!

 #BAMM! FAIL FORWARD!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

UNSHAKABLE LOVE!

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UNSHAKEABLE LUV

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

EVER since man left the Garden of Eden, God has been trying to show us how much He loves, misses and how badly He wants us to come Home to Him!

He spoke to a man Abram, through His Prophets, through visitations, dreams, signs, parables and innumerable unexplainable events. Finally, He spoke to us in the Person of His Only Son, Jesus! (Ref. Hebrews 1:1-3) Jesus, if you will, is GOD’s Illustrated Sermon, preached by The Father of All Creation, because LOVE refused to let go!

Now, understandably, given the limitation of our perverted perception of love, this Love makes absolutely no sense!

It’s almost unbelievable! But GOD’s ways are higher than ours and HIS thoughts are greater than ours. Therefore, humanity struggles to comprehend the infinite capacity of our Creator’s faithful, committed and unshakable love for us! Agape, GOD LOVE, can only be revealed through the Power of The Holy Ghost! (Ref. Romans 5:5)

At best, here’s a working definition of‘ ‘agape love’; “it’s The Love that’s just enough to meet you where you are, but is too full with compassion to leave you there and is only satisfied by lifting you up to where He is!’

It’s The Love that says, I don’t care what you do, what you don’t do, MY Love will never stop loving you! Just trust MY Love! Now that’s The Gospel of Jesus Christ!

You see, I’ve learned that threatening folk with hell to make them love Jesus is not enough to make them repent before GOD! I mean, you can’t win souls to Christ if you only tell them how bad they are and never tell them how Good Jesus is! It’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentance! (Ref. Romans 2:4) Now Ain’t that good news? Saints, datz The Gospel!

When people understand that ‘No-thing’ shall separate you/me from the LOVE of GOD IN CHRIST JESUS–It’s life-changing! (Ref. Romans 8:38-39)

Now, 4 the LUV OF GOD, why don’t cha’ run and tell that! God Love is For Ever Faithful! Datz UNSHAKEABLE LOVE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

FOOLISHNESS?

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FOOLISHNESS

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved; it is the power of God…for after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God; it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1Corinthians 1:17-18, 20

 

Granted, in this new millennium church age, some challenge the relevancy and even the validity of ‘The preaching of the Cross’!  After all, we have so much going on, so much information available to us, so much to accomplish and so little time!

Well, guess what? Contrary to contemporary pop culture, God knew before we knew how long and how far mankind would go to avoid accountability!

According to 2 Timothy 4:3, ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts.

In other words, the focus would no longer be how to live a holy and sanctified life, in this present world, but folk would religiously come to church to scratch an itch, you know, to satisfy their hunger for more and some more of the WORLD’S creature comforts.  Of course they’d use a more palatable vernacular, such as, “Give me a ‘word’ that will tell me how I can supersize my life!” Or perhaps, “I’ll give you a part of my ‘free day’ if you can make it worth my while; you know, cheer me up, make me feel good (bring on the hype)! “A’int nobody got time for foolishness!” And we’d certainly be remiss to ignore this one—“You can’t judge me, God knows My Heart!” 
 
I know we shouldn’t be shocked—but C’mon! This attitude prevailing amongst the household of faith? Yeah, I mean, we’re not talking about ‘worldly sinners’ we’re talking–Church Folks!

But to those of us who yet believe in the testimony of Jesus Christ and the Gospel message of that ol’ rugged cross, the preaching of the cross is not foolishness, but it is the Power of God to save the sinner man who will dare to believe that The Word of God is True.

Frankly, it’s easy to understand exactly why the Deceitful Destroyer works so diligently to keep humanity from The Truth.  If we were in his position, we wouldn’t want this Good News on blast in mainstream media, either!  Obviously!!  The Bible says, if they only knew ‘They never would’ve crucified Christ’ in the first place. (1 Corinthians 2:8) Well guess what, devil… ‘You’re over 2000 years too late’!
 
To the weary wanderer, The Cross is the Place of Refuge! To the lost, The Cross is the Center of the Universe, where Eternity collided with Time and Mercy and Grace unashamedly kissed each other! To the unlovable faint of heart, The Cross is The Power and Love of God openly revealed and freely offered in exchange for our rebellion against God! To the spiritually bankrupt, The Cross the Place of Welcomed Surrender– where, you give Him your all, He Gives You His All!

To those who’re trapped in darkness, The Cross is where the Light of GOD’S Amazing Grace is still shining—beckoning us  before the day of gross darkness overtakes you—COME!

OH YEAH! THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING! So who’s the real fool?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

 

INVITATION ONLY

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INVITATION ONLY

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

For the commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into the heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it, and do it?’ But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. Deuteronomy 30:11-14

 

Who in this world would wanna make God’s Grace soooo complicated and difficult to acceptt? Dat lying devil, of course!  The last thing Satan wants a lost sinner to recognize is that God is the ONE who initiated Salvation IN THE 1ST PLACE and makes it available to all who will repent and return to The Maker of Heaven and Earth!  Appealing to the SIN that so easily besets us, ‘PRIDE’, Satan  manipulates our thoughts, enticing the lusts of our flesh to do those things which are unseemly, then slams the door condeming us to fear, doubt and utimate, logical, justifiable terminal  self-rejecting eternal damnation!

Uuuuummmm? So what exactly was Moses saying?  

Moses, God’s appointed Covenant Mediator, was telling God’s Chosen nation that God, knowing the inadeqacy of human’s frame, has always planned to restore His  wayward children back into right-relationship to Godself, independent of our  puny efforts to warrant such Wonderous Gift of Love!  

“And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendents, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”…For the LORD will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book. “(Detuteronomy 30:6, 9b-10)

This is the core of  every true Gospel preaching! It’s encouraging diligent seeker to say the welcoming word to God—“Jesus is my Master”! Hence, embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what He did in raising Jesus from the dead.  That’s it!  #didjaheardat?   

You’re not “doing” anything!  By simply calling out to God from a grateful and sincere heart, you’re trusting Him to do it for you. With your whole being you embrace God’s Mercy, setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between Him and me!” That’s  the essence of SALVATION, yall!  

The word that saves is right here, as near as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest. It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us and IN US!

Scripture reassures us, “No one who trusts God like this—heart and soul—will ever regret it.” It’s exactly the same no matter what  your religious affiliation may be! When any soul is depending solely upon The Cross of Jesus,  we receive all the benefits of the same God for all of us! God is no respecter of person! He demonstrates the same incredible generosity to everyone who crys out for help. “Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.”Romans 10:13 THE MESSAGE  

AWEMAZING, huh?

GOD doesn’t bumrush HIS WAY in and crash your party, but Graciously awaits HIS Personal Invitation from YOUR heart to HIS heart!

Is GOD welcome in your house?  Is GOD welcome in your LIFE? Have you invited THE SAVIOR into your heart?

Your  SALVATION is as close to YOU as your TRUSTING heart’s cry! 

Shhhhh!  didjaheardat knocking?  REALLY? #whatRUwaiting4?
 
REMEMBER, SALVATION COMES BY  INVITATION ONLY!  #HALLELUJAHHHH!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

STAY N IT 2 WIN IT!

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STAY IN IT 2 WIN IT!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Apparently, somewhere along the way, many of today’s contemporary Christians have picked up the erroneous impression, that The Road of Salvation is a meticulously manicured lawnscape—free of sticks and stones, crabgrass and weeds, lumps and humps and especially parasital insects.

Now! Given my extreme paranoia of bugs, I certainly don’t profess to be no expert in the science of horticulture, however I don’t think it would be going too far out on a limb to suggest that our neighbor’s lusciously green tarp (that we so yearn for) involved a certain moderate-to hard-working-up-sweat-hands-dirty-knee-dropping-diligence and discipline. Right?

So what makes us think that the most important road-trip we’ll ever take, our journey from Earth to Glory, would be a choreographed Boogaloo-Down-Broadway?

I can’t tell you how many times I find myself reminding myself that all of those ‘cheering witnesses’ we stagger at in Hebrews 11’s Hall of Faith, were just plain ordinary everyday folk, just like you and me, who faced the same struggles, tests and trails that we confront. Yet, because they kept their eyes focused on the prize, they overcame their life’s challenges, successfully!

While we understand, at least on some level, the reason that The Apostle Paul compares our walk with Jesus to a race, we have a tendency to think of it as a sprint, rather than a marathon! Okay, here’s how it is—it ain’t a one and done thing! The Master Husbandman, The Sovereign Creator, GOD, has allowed certain interruptions, along our way, that are strategically designed to develop and grow us up into perfect spiritual maturity.

The scriptures reveal that our forerunner, God’s Son, JESUS, learned obedience through his sufferings. (Ref. Hebrews 5:8)

Now, don’t get it twisted; this doesn’t mean that Jesus was ever disobedient to His Father, but rather, His suffering enabled him to intimately-identify with what we endure in our wilderness experiences!

Paul instructs us to study how Jesus did it and follow His lead. Begin with stripping down—laying aside anything that would slow us down—like un-repented sin, unrealized fears, unspoken doubts and worries  and concentrating on the Joy at the completion of the mission.

The mission for which HE was SENT, Salvation, Redemption and Restoration of God’s  most precious creation—us—empowered Our Lord to look past the pain and the shame of The Cross and not quit until He’d Won our Victory!

My brothers and sisters, seeing we have such A Great High Priest, who promised to be with us all the way, don’t give in to that lying Accuser, Satan.! 

Take a big whist of that ‘second wind’  (GRACE) and discipline your mind, body and spirit and keep it movin’. After all, we’re not just hurling aimlessly toward a phantom mirage; this is a sure thing we’re running after! 
God has planned a Great Celebration at the finish line for us! STAY IN IT TO WIN IT!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee