Tag Archives: salvation

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

prayn-and-fasting-pic

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

GM FAM! GOTTA MOMENT! AWESOME! Once again we are delighted to have you join us today in our Weekly Corporate Prayer & Fasting. There’s absolutely no doubt that it’s praying time! We count it both an honor and a privilege to seek The Face of Our Lord for instruction, courage, and help to walk circumspectly, lifting up the BLOOD-STAINED BANNER, 2 BRING GLORRAA2GAWD in the midst of these very trying times! #CARE2SHARE

 

Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly Dove, Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love. And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise; Without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived, When we shall leave this place…OOOH Sweet Wonder; OOOOHHH Sweet Wonder, JESUS THE SON OF GOD! OOOOHHH SSSSWEEET WONDER! OOOOHHH SSSSWEEET WONDER! JESUS THE SON OF GOD!

 

ABBA FATHER, once again Your children stand before You with our hands lifted up, our hearts leaning towards Your Majestic Throne and our mouths filled with glorious praise and adoration! For this is the day that You have made and we shall continue to rejoice and be glad in it! We know that it’s only because of Your Loving-Kindness that we are yet here in the land of the living. We bless You for You alone are worthy of all the gloraaa! U alone are worthy of all the praiz! For there is and never shall be NONE LIKE YOU!

As we come into Your Presence, we bow in humility at Your Amazing Grace that You continue to pour out upon us! Only You can look beyond our faults and yet minister compassionately to satisfy every need and desire! Your Unfailing Love flows daily to the just and the unjust alike! For through the ages there’s yet a universal cry coming up to Your ears that acknowledges, ‘IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE LORD ON OUR SIDE, OUR ENEMIES WOULD HAVE SWALLOWED US UP’!

FATHER, hear us as we proclaim, ‘HALLELUJAH TO THE LAMB OF GOD’!

Sweet Holy Spirit, we’re eternally grateful that You welcome and encourage each of us to seek a personal, intimate, intense and effective relationship with The Triune GOD! For it is in You that we live, move, breath and having our being! For You are the source of all that we are and ever hope to be. Father, we repent now for every and anything that we’ve done, thought and said that failed to come up to Your Holy Will, statutes and purpose for our lives. Wash us over again in The Blood of Your Son, Jesus that we might be cleansed from our iniquities. Restore our covenant relationship for You are our Righteousness, Redeemer and our King!

Let the prayers of the righteous prevail and let everything and anything that our enemies bring against us scatter. Father, we thank You for what You are about to do that is exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask or image. For You are our Joy, for You have given us Love, Power and a Sound-mind. We thank You for the contentment that flows from godly-repentance; we thank You for being a Very Present Help In troubling times! We thank You for strength, goodness, kindness, mercy and grace to preserve us that patience may yield it’s perfect fruit of righteousness in and through us!
We thank You Heavenly Father, that we do not look like what we’ve been through! Thankya for never leaving us or forsaking us through the temptations, test, trauma and drama, the good and the bad, the dark days and sleepless nights You stayed right there by our side letting us know that You Love us! Sweet Jesus, You are a Wonder in my soul! You are Alpha and Omega, The King WHO CAN NEVER BE ignored, dismissed or DE-throned! For You are King of kings and Lord of lords!
Abba Father, we thankya for everything You brought us out of, for every time You put us on the wheel in order to mold, make and shape us according to Your Will. We believe that because Your Ways are higher than ours, Your Thoughts are beyond our finite comprehension, that You are always leading and guiding our steps and our stops, assuring safe passage from glory to glory! We trust that while none of us enjoy suffering, weeping endures for a night but JOY does come in the morning!

Father, we lift up our brother, our sister whose body has been afflicted by all manner of sickness and disease, touch them from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet, rebuking and commanding that every tissue, muscle, blood vessel and organ be restored to it’s proper function! As You walked this earth healing all who were sick, feeble, lame we know that You’re Well Able to do the same right now! Your Word declares that Your stripes have redeemed and healed us and we’re yet standing on your promises that the prayer of faith shall save the sick and raise them up, In Jesus Name! Amen 3x!

Abba, we ask that You encourage and comfort the souls of Your Elect who are overwhelmed with fear, distraught by grief, doubt and worry because of the things that are going on in our personal lives and in this ungodly world systems! Preserve us thru every test and trial; keeping us constantly aware of OMNIPRESENCE, fully-confident that all trouble does have an expiration date and that at Your appointed time, You will bring them out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward as You have promised them in Your Word.

 

Precious Lord, remember the elderly, the widows, the abused, the downcast, the outcast, all those who have born the heat of the day, those who pushed and prayed us through! 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! Send Assurance that we are never alone, and never without Your Very Present Help!

Dear Lord, we believe that as we praise and Glorify Your Name, everything else MUST come subject to Beautiful, Healing and Victorious Name of JESUS! We decree and declare that at The Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that JESUS IS LORD over, in and through all! Even as we lift up Your Name, You are calming all our fears, soothing all our doubts and solving all of our problems.

Sweet Holy Spirit, because no man can come to the Father except You draw them, we thank You for hearing the hearts of those who have never trusted and accepted Your Son Jesus as Savior and Lord! Quicken that stony heart now with a ‘SINCERE REPENTING YES’ that they shall come to You humbled by Your Lovingkindness, in obedience to Your call and receive Your Mercy and Grace to Save. We pray now that You are leading and guiding them to the local church, planting them in Your Vineyard, where they shall be taught and transformed by Your Word of Life to take their position in The Kingdom of Heaven.

Lord, we ask You to put a “COMMITTED YES” in the heart and mind of every backslider! Let today be the day that they come back to You and come back to YOUR church where they will submit their lives to the sound teachings of Your Word, and learn to love and live their lives walking to please You First!

We thank You for forgiving us and saving us from us! We thank You for interrupting our Adamic DNA by infusing The Precious, Perfect, Sacrificial, Atoning, Substitutionary Blood of Jesus, that completely eradicates and renders null and void every curse, sin, spirit of iniquity, perversion, poverty, sickness and disease that may be lying dormant in our bodies and hearts, releasing us from the power, penalties and punishment of our ancestors. We thank You for giving us the authority to speak life to every dead situation and bind, frustrate tiredness, weariness and release strength, prosperity, Divine Health, Increased Wealth and Wholeness in every area of our Being! FOR WE TRUST AND BELIEVE THAT HE WHOM THE SON SETS FREE IS FREE IN DEED!

We Thank You Holy Spirit for the Divine Impartation of a second wind that is now swelling up in our spirits, minds, souls and bodies, that’s not only changing every adverse situation that we’re facing but is also changing us for the better, empowering us to live the GOOD, ABUNDANT LIFE that You purchased for us! We thank You for the fresh anointing that’s falling from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet, casting down all ungodly imagination, destroying every yoke, lifting every burden, empowering and equipping us to fulfill our God-Ordained assignments. We thank You Heavenly Father for the Spirit of Excellence that glorifies Your Name. We thank You for the confident Hope that YOU ARE WATCHING OVER YOUR WORD AND WILL PERFORM EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN OVER OUR LIVES!

Dear Lord, we bow in obedient reverence before The Hope of all the earth, believing that as Your face shines upon us that, You are making Your ways and salvation known among all nations for You Guide and Rule justly! We thank You now, believing that it is done! In The Exalted Name of Jesus we seal our prayer with a spirit-inspired Hallelujah! Amen 3X and It Is So!

Now every child of God who is standing in agreement with this prayer, GO TELL SOMEBODY THAT JESUS LOVES AND CARES FOR EVERYBODY!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 

 

LIVING IN TODAY!

 

LIVING N 2DAY

SELAH Daily Devotions!

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

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left. Lamentations 3:23-24 THE MESSAGE

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

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

Simply put, Faith is a patient confident trust in the integrity and power of our Loving and Caring Heavenly Father to do for us everything He’s promised in His WORD!

Faith is the currency of exchange in The Kingdom of God! Duuhhh! God doesn’t need our money! Everything, including all the silver and gold already belongs to Him! However, we need faith to lay hold to anything that pertains to life and godliness that we need from Him! In fact, you can’t even approach God unless you truely believe not only that He does exist but you must be fully persuaded that GOD  is able to do what you need Him to do for you. Sounds like it’s virtually impossible to please God without it, huh? (Ref. Hebrew 11:6)

Hebrews Chapter 11, dubbed The Hall of Faith, highlights several examples of ordinary men and women, empowered by faith, who were able to achieved extraordinary things thru God! Unfortunately, we have this innate proclivity to relegate GOD’S FAITHFULNESS to an historical phenomenon, which suggests that HE’S CHANGED and what HE DID BACK IN THE BIBLE DAYS WAS FOR THEM AND WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN! (Ref. Hebrews 13:8)  HOWEVER, that’s not what THE BIBLE says! Check it out, the text says ‘NOW faith’ not THEN faith’!!!

Beloved, take a moment to glance back over your own life. After all that God has done for us, even B.C. (Befoe Christ) it’s seems foolish not to trust Him…NOW! Like the ol’ skool Preacha said, “Am I right about it?” 

Did you have any idea how much it actually blesses our Heavenly Father’s Heart knowing that His precious sons and daughters genuinely trust in Him to do life every day? Seriously!

Faith in God says, Father I believe that You love me unconditionally and will always have my best interest at heart. Even if  all the circumstantial evidence doesn’t look like it, I have this Eternal Hope that Your Loyal Love towards me will never forsake me nor abandom me! Therefore, by faith, my heart is thoroughly convinced, COME WHAT MAY, MY GOD IS WORKING EVERYTHING TOGETHER FOR MY HIGHEST GOOD AND HIS GREATEST GLORRAAA! (Ref. Romans 8:28)

NOW talk back to that lyn’n devil! ‘SATAN, IT AIN’T GONNA WORK TODAY & TOMMOROW AIN’T LOOKING THAT GOOD 4 U, EITHER!  IF YOU KNOW WHATZ GOOD 4 U, U’LL BACUPOFF ME!

 #Didjaheardat? TRUST2KNO, IF HE EVRRR DID IT B4, HE WILL DO IT NOW! —WOW! THAT’S FAITH 4 LIVING N TODAY, huh? #IJS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WALKING IN THE LIGHT!

WALKING IN THE LIGHT

 

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

You belong to the light and live in the day. We don’t live in the night or belong to the dark. 1 Thess. 5:5 CEV

 

Face it, every day ain’t the same! Is that ever an understatement! When was the last time you popped out of bed, headed for the gates, fortified with the zeal to take over anything or anyone who dared to challenge your God-ordained authority in the earth! Dat long, huh?

I know we jus 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! UbettaHush! 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 feelings, right?

Over 2,000 years ago, there was a man who walked this earth; He 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! Imagine that? YET! Despite of all that, He was willing to deny His feelings and endure it all to finish His assignment given by His Heavenly Father! And we think we have it rough, huh? 4REAL!

BUT WHO TOLD U, that the journey from earth to Glory would be easy? It certainly wasn’t Jesus! “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

JESUS’ life was an illustrated sermon, to those of us who’d dare to name the Name of Christ, on how to take the hits and YET 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 refused to focus on the moment, but with every step He took, His concentration remained fixed on THE BIG PICTURE! Hence, The Master Teacher taught us that in The Kingdom of God, purpose trumps pain! Before the foundation of the world, Jesus was perfectly committed to His Father’s Redemption Plan! The Joy of ensuring the restoration of God’s elect back to The Kingdom was His primary motivation! Aren’t you eternally glad that JESUS didn’t consider the price too extravagant, but a small thing to fulfill the Father’s Love?

It’s not our intent to minimize the severity nor the enormity of  issues challenging the faith, hope and peace of 21st Century Saints. LORD KNOWS, those who’ve walked with Jesus these past three decades, know that tremendous changes have taken place, howevrrrr, there’s one thing that has not changed! The Eternal Word of God! God knew from the beginning what NOW would be! God has called us to The Kingdom for such a time as this, to be The Light of this World! Consequently, in the midst of this lost, dying and hell-bound world, we, who put our personal trust in The Saving Grace of Jesus, are called to be reflectors of God’s Loving-kindness and Faithfulness!

Frankly! Some times, it seems like we kinda got this thing backwards, huh? We say, the world’s in darkness, yet they’re the ones laughing, partying, turnin it up! While, God’s people are walking around with our heads hung down. backs humped over and hearts weakened by doubt, uncertainty and quivering in fear to tell anybody about our GOD?Something is sho nuff wrong with that picture! #IJS! We’re heirs, joint-heir of The Kingdom of God!This is our heritage—righteousness, peace and joy in The Holy Ghost! (Ref. Romans 14:17)

I know we think we’re too sophisticated now to have Testimony Service, BUT! C’mon now, STOP acting like this is your first rodeo! Y’ALL KNOW, every single one of us gotta enuff personal history to unequivocally verify that trouble don’t last always! Joy is comin’ in the morning!

Perhaps today, you find yourself in the midst of a long dark night, and try as you might, you can’t see the sun NO WHERE, remember it’s still there! Likewise, if you’re experiencing a power shortage and feeling disconnected from The True Power Source, JESUS, The Son of The Living GOD, remember HE’S STILL THERE! (Ref. Heb. 13:5) Selah!

BELOVED, JUS BOW YOUR HEART, LIFT YOUR HANDS, REACH UP AND RECEIVE ALL THE LIGHT YOU WILL EVER NEED TO WALK IN THE GLORY OF HIS PRESENCE! AFTER ALL, HE’S ALREADY PAID THE BILL! ARISE & SHINE 4 HIS MERCY ENDURES 4EVER!

SELAH!
Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

 

WEIGHT ON THE LORD…STILL!

WEIGHT ON THE LORD...STILL

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you;He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Isaiah 55:22

 

A few years back I shared a similar post. Yall remember, I testified about that morning  I’d began my morning routine of preparing my coffee, glancing casually at the TV screen and hearing the early morning’s BREAKING NEWS reporting that sometime during the nite, while most of us slept in the comfort and safety of our homes, a group of bomb-strapped terrorist had stormed into a Pakistani school house killing over 120 people, including a number of 1st to 6th grade students, teachers and anyone else who crossed their sight lines! As I began filtering my hearing to the commentator, he continuied on to say that Isis had proudly stepped up, acclaiming responsibility for this heinous act in retaliation for a previous attack against their forces!

Precious Ones, this morning with a soul ladden with gut-wrenching sorrow, can I tell ya that the more things change, the more things stay the same! While we all hope and pray that these tragic incidents are just isolated bleeps on the scape of human history, it seems as if the worst just keeps on falling to new depths of low and lawlessness! Once again while the students of  a Parkland, FL HS were busy going out their daily class room activies,  a sin drenched soul stepped out of obscurity and began to assisinate at least 17 of his  former classmates!

Perhaps, my greatest sadness is buried in the reality that while  yet revolting, tragedy seems to have losted its fervidness to either shock or surprise us! 

I remember coming back up stairs that morning and asking my husband whether or not he’d heard about it, and he had. Almost simultaneously, both of us asked “What is this world coming to”? ” It’s as if nothing is sacred, nothing is restricted by basic human morality!

Then quite suddenly, the Holy Spirit cut into our conversation with an astounding; “The End!” I repeated, as if the light had just been cut on. “The End!” The world, as we’ve known, is coming to an end, in live and living HD color! Who would’ve imagined that the enormity of the extremely wicked cruelty episodes would be repeatedly perpetrated against even the most naive amongs us?

Those of us who claim The Name of Christ truly believe that this ol’ world has already been judged and condemned, right? YET, how many of us genuinely expected that The 21st century generation would be eye witnesses to the actualization of the antiquated prophetic utterances of God’s servants., huh? #SERIOUSLY???

I can still recall praying, “Lord, as Pastors, preachers, teachers, evangelists, your servants, what are we supposed to do? How can we continue to preach trust and hope to comfort and encourage your people surrounded by the presence of lawless gross darkness? Especially when we ourselves are fainting, wearied, overwhelmed and being choked by the cords of cares and chaos!”

Then, Thanks Be To GOD, Holy Spirit so abruptly interrupted my self-induced saga;Tell them about JESUS! After all He is The Only Hope of the World! Preach, JESUS! The Eternal Light that yet shines out of the darkness. Remind them that all these things MUST be before The Kingdom of God ushers in The New Life! Hail to the scattered sheep that NOW is the time for Salvation! Warn them that time is winding up, spiraling intently towards eternity and NOW is the time to prepare to meet their Master in peace; for He could show up at any minute!”

“Encourage your fellow-sojourners to take full advantage of these days, not trembling in fearful foreboding but celebrating God all day, every day!”

Suddenly my mind drifted back to the wisdom of those ol’ skool Churrch Mothers!Babygurl, you need to wear this world like a loose-fitting overcoat, that you can drop off at a moment’s notice!’ That was their way of reminding us that we are not home yet! We’re still passing through this barren land on our way to Heaven!

Beloved, if all your hope is wrapped up in what you can collect, seeking man’s approval and striving to attain society’s standard of success, then my precious one, the best you can expect to see in this world is constant decadence of morality and amplified misery. But as The Redeemed, we have an resounding advantage over those who are yet in darkness. GOD IS STILL GOD!

Hence, God is not surprised at anything that’s happening! He Reigns Supreme Ruler over ALL His Creation, astutely aware and actively involved in the intrinsic detailed affairs of man-kind! And to top it all off, God loves us with an Everlasting Love that compassionately invites us to come boldly before His Throne daily to find Hope AND Help in HIS Mercy and Grace!

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast ,and which enters the Presence behind the veil…” Hebrews 6:19a

Life is filled with change and challenges, and most of all unexpectaton! Nevertheless, our faith must be, rooted in The Certainty of The Eternal Love of God! Therefore, Beloved, we do not give up HOPE! BUT! As believers in The Testimony of Jesus Christ, we eontend for the faith, waiting patiently in earnest expectation, resting in quiet confidence and believing to see that THE ONE WHO HAS PROMISED IS FAITHFUL TO PERFORM! Didjaheardat?

YES, THE STRUGGLE IS REAL BUT GOD IS GREATER! WEIGHT ON THE LORD…STILL!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

IS JESUS A DISTANT LOVER?

IS JESUS A DISTANT LOVER

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, …let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-20, 22

 

To mimic my granddaughter, ‘back in da olden days’, R&B artist, Marvin Gaye, recorded a song entitled, “Distant Lover”OMG, did we EEVVVRRR parta on that one!

Sadly, this title typifies the relationship between many Christians and Jesus. Too often those who proclaim Jesus as their personal Savior, The Hope of Eternity yet remains a  DISTANT Lover!

When The Holy Book clearly tells us that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ–once for all! ( Hebrews 10:10)  Hence, when we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, every obstacle that stood between us and His Presence is rolled away. It seems kinda foolish to settle for religion when we could have a relationship! I mean, right?

We must understand the essence of the ETERNAL TRUTH ! 

God promised and accepted Jesus’ Sacrificial death as atonement for our unrighteousness!#Didjaheardat?  In  other words, the debt we owed and could not payJesus paid in full, therefore, releasing us from the curse of the law! (Galations 3:13)  Now unless you think your good deeds have somehow merited God’s forgiveness and earned you a seat at Heaven’s Banquet Table, knowing this should just bless your sin-worn soul!  #ijs WOW!  That’s Grace! 

That means, we’re now free to enter into a Divine Intimacy with the Lover of our soul—the Creator and Sustainer of Heaven and Earth without fear of rejection or retribution! Sounds pretty good to me, huh?

My Precious saints, this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

You know those times when you become overwhelmed by the cares of this world and it appears as if God is so beyond your reach, well guess what? It’s just feels like that! But the truth is, even when we can’t trace Him, God is never far from anyone who seeks Him with a sincere heart.  Our Compassionate Father knows when we can’t quite make it up to touch Him, so His Love so graciously reaches down to lift us up to Him. (Hebrews 4:15)

This is the essence and the joy of our salvation!

Today, Beloved, God is inviting you to call upon Him with confident assurance that when you cry out to Him with a humbled, repentant heart, He will hear you and He will come close to you. Remember, The Word is nigh thee, even in your mouth!  (Romans 10:8) Didjaheardat?  TRUST2KNO, He’s always just one prayer away!  If you need Him now; call Him now! Didjaheardat?  JESUS IS CALLING! 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

He doesn’t have to be a Distant Lover!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

HE NEVER 4GETS!

HE NEVER 4GETS!

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid, for YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:2-3

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isa. 49:16

 

In light of the prevailing gross darkness, devastation and desolation plaguing our world today, threatening to sapp the Light and Life out of us, I was incited to review the words of God’s Prophet, Isaiah, speaking to the remnant of God’s Chosen nation.

God’s people were facing eminent danger of massive destruction, yet God sends His Man-Servant Isaiah, offering a WORD of warning and hope that we’d do well to glean from today! The Prophet encourages them  ‘that no matter what’s happening around you, don’t be afraid, but keep trusting and praising our God!’ Isaiah, knowing God inhabits the praises of His people, speaks to souls wearied by the consequences of unwise choices reminding them (and us)  that their (#our) only Hope of Deliverance was to remain steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of their Lord! (Ref. 1 Corinthians 15:58)

God is Holy, Righteous and Just! YET! While He must punish the unjust, His Anger does not last forever! Unlike many of our earthly fathers, YAH, is The Covenant-Keeping God! He remains a Faithful Father, Saving Strength, Shield, Provider and Redeemer to all who  call upon Him! From His own Mouth, Abba Father promises to wipe away the tears from their faces and keep you in perfect peace because we trust in Him! (Ref. Isaiah 25:8, 26:3-4)

Beloved, when life is out of your control, rest assured, Jesus is ALWAYS IN CONTROL!

The grass withers, and the flowers fade, nevertheless GOD’S WORD IS ETERNAL!  (Ref. Isaiah 40:8) The King of Glory has declared and decreed that you are the apple of HIS Eye! He has sworn by His GODSELF, tatooing your name in the palm of HIS HANDS, HE SHALL NEVER EVER FORSAKE NOR ABANDON YOU!  (Ref. Psalm 17:8; Isa. 49:16)

In the midst of these unsettling times, I adjourn you to keep your eyes on Jesus, The Hope of your Calling and The Joy of your Salvation! Precious ones, when you can’t see no way, why not confuse hell and praiz JESUS anyhow!  At the mere mentioning of THE NAME OF JESUS, demons tremble and the angelic host is put on alert! Didjaheardat?

Ooooh Yeah! TRUST2KNO,  God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NLT)

The Book already said there’d be days like this BUT IN THE END WE WIN! Those of us who have put our personal trust in The Redeemer know that The Great and Holy One of Israel is closer than ever before! Hence, our hearts joyfully cry out, “EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS”! AMEN! NOW…occupy ’til HE COME! Don’t U EVER  forget that YOUR GOD NEVER EVER 4GETS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

TRIAL SIZE gODs!

TRIAL SIZED gODS

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. (Exodus 20:3-5)

 

I recognize that the sheer suggestion of idol worship tends to rattle the righteous indignation in the spirit of a true Believer! As followers of Christ, we know how despicably foul such worship is in the nostrils of The Holy God of Heaven and Earth. And for the most part, we’d never consider breaking this Commandment. After all, we don’t bow down before carved images of God nor do we display at the entrances or scatter stone replicas of God throughout our homes or businesses, right? Yet, will closer investigation of our lives reflect closely guarded idols formed in the recesses of our imaginations?

According to the scriptures  ‘O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’ (Ref. Matthew 12:24) Hence, while man will attempt to hide the true intents, insights and purpose for being, ultimately, his lifestyle will reflect the secret things of his heart and clearly define where their loyalty lies!

Do we worship our personal ‘trial-size’ images of God?

I see further explanation is in order! We have a tendency to make up our own images to represent who God is to us. The problem is we will never be able to fit “The All Encompassing Is-ness of GOD” into the small-minded-frail-framed-carnal-comprehension of our temporal-flesh. In other words, it’s absolutely impossible for us to fathom “Unlimited Presence, Power and Potential”within the limitations of our humanity! #Didjaheardat?

While The Living God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient, HE can only be known through Revelation!

GOD reveals His character, His purpose and His plan for each of as we traverse through our individual life experiences. It’s the knowledge gained through following The Good Shepherd’s lead, cautiously climbing cloud-covered mountaintops and timidly trembling through the death-valleys of our everyday lives that we learn the rewards of faithful trust, patient obedience and the security of resting in The Eternal Hope! 

Today’s takeaway?

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his… 2 Timothy 2:19

Remember what the ol’ saints said, ‘Take the Lawd Gawd withya everywhere you go, cuz U gonna need HIM!” Therefore, Beloved, I encourage you to continue to set the Lord  before you and you shall surely walk in HIS Everlasting JOY! 

AMERICA, WHO IS YOUR GOD? WOW! Ooops! #ijs

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

 

prayn-and-fasting-pic

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

GOTTA MOMENT? GREAT GOD ALMIGHTY!

Once again, we invite you to join us at The Altar of Prayer. As we come into one accord, eternally grateful to Our Heavenly Father, Who has so graciously given us one more opportunity to entreat The Wonder of His Presence and Mercy through the privilege of Prayer! We approach Him with a Holy Boldness trusting that as we open our hearts towards Heaven, He is extending His Scepter towards us! Shall we pray?

JESUS, JESUS! THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NAME! MASTER, SAVIOR, JESUS! LET THE HEAVENS AND EARTH PROCLAIM! KINGS AND KINGDOMS SHALL ALL PASS AWAY! BUT THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR NAME! OH SWEET WONDER! OH SWEET WONDER! JESUS, THE SON OF GOD! OOOOHHHH SWEET WONDER! OOOOOOH SWEET WONDER, JESUS, THE SON OF GOD!
 

Precious Lord, once again we humbly come before You thanking You for allowing us one more new day of Mercy and Grace! For we know that it is nothing that we have, could or would’ve done that deserved such lovingkindness, but it’s only because of Your Sovereign Will that we live, move and have our very being! We dare not take any of Your blessings for granted! Therefore, we bless Your Name for watching over us last nite and waking us up this morning, saved, safe and clothed with a right mind to do those things that are pleasing in Your sight!  We understand that none of us have arrived at perfection, yet You have done so much  and keep on blessing us! Therefore,  Father, we ask You to forgive us for anything we have done, spoken or thought that was not pleasing to You. We have absolutely nothing to offer to suffice such mercy, but total reliance upon The Sacrificial Atonement of Your Son, Jesus Christ!

Abba Father, we bless You for keeping us safely tucked under Your Wings, from all hurt, harm and danger. As we start this day, give us an attitude of gratitude. Clear our minds and hearts from the clutter of this ungodly world, so that we can hear Your Voice leading, guiding and instructing us as we go out and come in! Help us to make the best of each moment to be be a witness reflecting The Glory of Your Light to this dark, lost and dying world!

Let us not whine and whimper over things we have no control over, but in everyting to give thanks for this is Your Will concerning us. We know that whatever happens, You’re able to turn it around for our highest good and Your Greatest Glory! As we continue to see sin through God’s eyes and acknowledge it as evil, when we sin, let us be quick to repent, and confess with our mouth any wrong doing, and receive the forgiveness of God that cleanses us from the guilt and shame of unrighteousness.
And when this world closes in on, draw us into Your shadow where we find a quiet space to seek Your Peace and Power. Give us the confidence to know that when we’re pushed beyond our limits and can’t seem to find the proper words to pray, You listen to our heart and interpret every moan and groan of our spirit.

Abba Father, continue to bless us that we may be a blessing to others. Keep us strong that we may help the weak.. Keep us uplifted, encouraging our souls that we may share words of encouragement to those who need comfort and assurance that You are with them also!

Sweet Jesus, we pray for those who are lost and can’t find their way. We pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. As we pray for those who don’t know You intimately, we Bless Your Holy Name for that glorious day whenHoly Spirit opened our eyes, breaking up our fallow hearts, revealing Your Son, JESUS, allowing us to believe and trust HIM as The ONLY ETERNAL SAVIOR AND LORD! Knowing that no man can come to you, except You draw them, we ask that Holy Spirit prick the hearts of all those who have yet to acknowledge You as their personal Savior! Create in them a clean heart and renew in them a right spirit that they may confess a “sincere YES” to Your free gift of so great a Salvation!

Quicken the hearts of the backslidders who have drifted away from Your Will, convict them to cry out in Godly-repentance, “Father, forgive me, save me from myself and restore me back to the sheepfold!” Holy Spirit, You Who search the hearts and minds and know those who are sincere today retrieve their souls from the Kingdom of Darkness! Lead them to a local church home where they we be loved, nurtured, taught the Bread of Life, empower them thru the Baptism of Holy Spirit that they may live the rest of their lives, denying self and glorifying Your Name!

Precious Jesus, we know that only God changes people and things. We pray for all my sisters and brothers, for every family member in their households and all of their friends. We decree and declare peace, love, joy, wisdom and wholeness in their homes and into their lives! Father we’re believing that every one of Your children whose body is being attacked by all manner of sicknesses, disease, mental disorders, drug addictions are being healed at this very moment. For Your Word has decreed that You were wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities and by Your Stripes we were healed!

We’re decreeing that as Your people align their lives with Your Word, You shall  supply all of our needs according to Your Riches in Christ Jesus! As we intercede on behalf of our brothers and sisters, we’re believing that there’s an immediate release of miraculous Favor and Prosperity, unexpected promotions, opening up opportunities for entrepreneurship, increased education grants, lower interest mortgage rates, supernatural debt cancellations, book contracts and overturning legal decisions to giving Your people sudden victories! In Jesus Name! Amen 3x!

Lord, we’re believing You, our Source of everything that pertains to life and godliness, to preserve Your elect in the midst of every tests that we through! Father, we’re looking towards the hills from whence cometh all our help, crying out, “Send now help from Zion! 

Lord, we lift up every believer who is experiencing grief, emotional anxiety and weariness, those who have been victimized by senseless killings, those who are caretakers of ailing loved ones, those who are struggling to remain hopeful as they sit at the bedsides of those whom the doctors have gone as far as they know, yet today they’re determined to hold on to Your Hand by faith today! As You remember our brothers and sisters whose lives have been ripped apart by fires and mudslides, storms, floods and earthquakes; both natural and spiritually, Father, keep us constantly aware of YOUR PRESENCE, fully-confident that You shall bring everyone of us out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed, restored and recovering every reward as promised in Your Word!

We thank You for comforting and assuring us that regardless of who is seated in the oval office, congress or supreme court, YOU ARE ETERNALLY SEATED UPON THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH AND ABSOLUTE POWER BELONGS TO YOU!

Therefore, in faithful obedience, we lift up the political, legislative, military, judicial, social service, business, religious leaders! Dear Jesus, we’re trusting You to visit them in the nite seasons with signs, visions and dreams touching the hearts of each one of them! Grace them to be the holy humble examples in their homes, marketplace, communities and churches and to this world that will cause those who are in their sphere of influence to repent, love, trust and live everyday of life serving and glorifying You, Our Heavenly Father!

Holy Spirit, as we pray, we’re believing that every demonic-induced spirit of fear, failure, rejection, hopelessness and disappointment be defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit Love, Joy, Peace, Power and a Sound Mind is being released now, in Jesus Name! We’re trusting that each morning Your children will awaken empowered with assuring grace to accomplish every assignment and sleep peacefully every nite, confident of earnest hope-filled tomorrows!

Lord, we wait in confident quietness, trusting wholly that suddenly, every worker of iniquity is trembling in fear, shame and defeat, running away from Your people, knowing that in spite of their threats, 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, in faith with exceeding joy, we submit this prayer to The King of Glory, honoring, thanking and praising You, BELIEVING that every request and supplication that has been set before You today… IS DONE! IN THE EXALTED NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST! AMEN 3X!

Now, every soul that is standing in agreement, SEAL THIS PRAYER BY ENCOURAGING ONE SOMEBODY, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT JESUS CARES!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

A PERSONAL KEEPER!

 

A PERSONAL KEEPER

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help…The lord is your keeper; The lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night. The lord will protect you from all evil…

PSALM 121:1; 5-7

 

If there’s one word that historians will attribute to cumulate this 21st Century Age it’s mostly likely be ‘grind’! #ijs! Ever notice how the millennials are always busy trying to get somewhere to do so much? I suppose that’s what being ‘goal oriented’ means, huh? Problem is that you miss so much of life on your way to getting to what you’re getting to! Gone are the days when folk looked forward to just relaxing! Seriously!

According to the scripture text, the pilgrims of old strived to meet the same needs and desires that we have, however, unlike the ‘fast-and- furious-go-get-it-for-myself’ mentality of today’s contemporaries, they recognized the value of preparing for personal encounters with the Only One Who could assure them of attaining  ultimate eternal success! As they ascended the pathways en route to the Temple, they geared-up their hearts and minds to enter into His Presence with songs of praise and adoration! I can hear ya nah! ‘AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME 4 DAT!’ Really?

Chances are, the reason you’re still struggling to reach the epitome of ‘higher ground’ is because You still think you can do it all on your own! But God never intended man to do life independent of GODSELF! The saints of ol’ understood that without Him, I can do nothing!  Jesus is The Master Architect of man’s destiny! The heart of a man plans his way, but God establishes his steps! (Proverbs 16:9)

It’s been said that backndaday, the landscape of the hillsides were laden with numerous gods, in order not to exclude anyone from their individual right to put their trust in their personal preference, regardless of the inevitable hoping for help that would never come! Sounds uncomfortably  familiar, huh? Yet, there were a remnant of believers who lifted up their eyes, gazing towards Jerusalem, focusing all of their faith-filled prayers to The True and Living Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all Life, Jehovah! 

“He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.” Psalm 146:6

Many choose to deny the reality that there is a real devil who’s committed (for lack of a better term) to his 3-fold mission; strategically designed to impede the progress of God’s elect with a myriad of tests and trials, threatenening to demolish all hope of ever successfully achieving your goals and fulfilling your God-ordained purpose and destiny!  Nevertheless, when the inevitable happens, they’re confronted with these questions,  “What, NOW?”, “Where do I look? Who do I turn to?”  My Beloved, may I submit for your most earnest consideration, “If it’s not JESUS then you’re on treading on some very slippery ground!”

In case there’s any doubters left among the naive or  insurrectionists, we’re living in those times that Big Mama ‘nem called ‘the last of the last days’! Check the social media newsfeed! Reads like the Bible Prophecy materializing in real-time!  Hence, it behoves us to remember that God does not have ‘grand-children’! So, Mama might have, Daddy might have, BUT GOD BLESS THE CHILD WHO HAS ITS OWN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS! #IJS

By the way, don’t be in such of a hurry? Remember, how long He waited on you? What we generally think are delays are actually God’s mercy and grace allowing us the space for our faith to mature, converting our perspective to align with heaven and preparing us to live eternally in HIS PRESENCE! #GOAL!
In the meantime, stop complaining and doubting God! TRUST2KNO, EVERYTHING that you’ve gone through was divinely orchestrated to prepare you for what you never believed possible!

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

This is the confidence of the faithful and obedient followers of Christ, wherever we are GOD IS! Standing in the shadow of the Almighty, our trust is firmly fixed in The ETERNAL GOD who is always aware of everything that concerns us, the Source of all our strength and able to keep us from all evil…FOREVER! 

Uuuuhhhh, #Didjaheardat? Awemaazing!

NOW RELAX! JESUS IS YOUR PERSONAL KEEPER!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

 

 

I NEED A DRINK!

I NEED A DRINK

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink–even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk–it’s all free! Isaiah 55:1 NLT
Remember what they taught us in the ol’ church, first the natural then the spiritual? Most of us know that water is essential to our survival. Experts tell us that we can live without food a whole lot longer than we can live without water. As one who struggles to get anywhere near the recommended amount of water ingested daily, my 60 sumptin body quickly sounds the alarm, ‘you’re thirsty, fool! Drink some water’. Likewise, my spirit man has a innate personal service announcement alert system that lets me know that your soul is thirsting for The Living Water—JESUS!

The journey of Life has a way of siphoning out the wellspring of joy, strength, hope, calm, favor, peace and sheer delight of being a Child of The Eternal Father. We can become so distracted by the happenings of daily duties, drama and disappointments, that the benefits of our New Life in Christ takes a backseat, to the stress, chaos, depression, mumuring and complaining. Oh, is that too real 4 U? #ijs!

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

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

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

Didjakno how doing this confuses hell? Imagine Satan’s hell hounds scratching their heads, having dealt that last blow, thinking that one would surely make you give up all hope and turn away from trusting Jesus! Ha! Ha! But instead, as you remind yourself of how good God’s been to you, suddenly, the flood gates burst erupting exuberate praise out of your belly, awakening a fresh view of GOD! #GREATGODALMIGHTY!

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

Precious one, when you’re tempted to fall head-first into the pit of hopelessness and accept the devil’s invitation to your own private pity party, just remember, HOW GREAT IS YOUR GOD! He Alone forgives all of your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion; satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. (Ref. Psalm 103:3-5)

And suddenly, your well swells up and fear turns to trust, dispair gives way to hope, grumbling flares-up into gratitude and your soul gets intoxicated on praise for all the blessings that God’s Grace avails!

Guess what? You don’t have to pay a dime for this experience? If you’re really thirsty, it’s free for the asking! #Seriously! 

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

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee