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PECULIAR?

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AIN'T DAT PECULIAR 3

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9

 

If you’re a card-holding member of the baby-boomers community, you probably remember R&B recording Artist, Marvin Gayes’ 1965 hit song, “Ain’t That Peculiar!”. This song went on to become one of his best known signature solo-hits.

Now, of course we all realize that the object of the writer’s (Smokey Robinson) affection is a two-timing-unfaithful-serial-cheating-significant-other-who-would-never-return-his-misguided- affections, but if we read the last verse, perhaps we might express this same peculiar sentiment when we consider Our Savior’s heart towards His Beloved Creation –Man-kind. “I know love can last through years…But how can love last through tears?”

While the world looks at Christians as being peculiar, stupid, unintelligent, weak-minded, poverty-stricken individuals, who are desperately looking to escape reality with fantasy, GOD’s interpretation of peculiar differs drastically. According to the bible, peculiar not only means strange, but also connotes the exclusively chosen, uniquely selected, belonging to and set-apart for HIS Divine Purpose. Only God has the uncanny ability to hand-pick the foolish for Christ to confound the world’s wise and astute, bringing Praise and Glory to God!

WHO NU? Believers are God’s Very Own Special People! #didjaheardat? WOW! Seriously!

One of the most strangely awemazing things about God’s People is the reality that God ordained, before the foundation of the world, that He would have HIMSELF a people, who would be different from the world around them. Different because they’d be born-again, by The Spirit of God, adopted and transformed by the Indwelling Holy Spirit! Hence, you can’t even take credit for your own ELECT- Royal-Position!

It’s ALL GOD!!! GOD even gave us The Faith to trust in Him and it’s only by GOD’s GRACE that we are empowered to live holy, separated and sanctified thru HIS SPIRIT!

You already know that none  (not one) of us could ever live righteously enough to deserve this GRACE! BUT! While we were yet weak, powerless and enslaved to sin, at the appointed time, a LOVING FATHER sent and sacrificed HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, JESUS, not to save us IN our sin, but to save us FROM our sin, reconciling us back into HIS KINGDOM FAMILY! (Ref. Romans 5:8) OH YEAH! THRU THE  SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONING DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, WE HAVE BECOME GOD’S PERSONAL INHERITANCE! #CANUBELIEVEIT?

WHOOAAAA!  I GUESS GOD’S LOVE DOES LAST THROUGH TEARS! NOW DATZ PECULIAR, HUH?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

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GOOD MORNING FAM! GOTTA MOMENT? AWEMAZING!

So glad that you’ve joined us for the first Thursdays’ Corporate Prayer and Fasting of 2017! This is the day that The Lord has made and we shall rejoice and be glad in it! For there’s no doubt in our mind, that if it had not been for The Lord on our side, our enemies would’ve swallowed us up! Yet, in the midst of chaos, confusion and corruption that many of us experienced in 2016, we’re yet standing strong, proclaiming that our God is Greater!

As we enter into The Majestic Throne Room of our Eternal King, our hearts cry, “O Lord, now I see it’s You I need, and with Your help,  I’m denying self and putting my hand in Yours!” “I’ll just say YES! You lead the way. I am not afraid of what it means for me to say; Ummmm, this life You gave, is not, my own! I am trusting YOU LORD to hear MY YES, and lead me on!!!!!!!! YES LORD, YOU ALONE ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAIZED and HONORED!” Shall we pray…
Father in Heaven, we come today with outstretched arms, open hands and grateful hearts 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! Because of Your love for us, You have allowed us one more day to enjoy life, health and strength. We’re grateful for this 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, today, we’re trusting You to provide everything that we need to sustain us thru whatever challenges that unfold during the course of this day! Abba Father, we’re confidently content knowing that You Alone are our God, Guard and Guide! 

Father, we bless You for allowing us to enter into Your Throne Room, with hope-filed expectation and as we pour out these burdens that seem to overwhelm our hearts, releasing everything that concerns us into Your Hand, You will entreat us graciously! Lord Jesus, because we know that You are Omniscient, Omnipresent, You see and You already know everything about everyone of us, yet You 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 born!

Daddy, before we go any further, standing humbly before You, we’re asking You to forgive us for everything that we, your children, have spoken, done, or failed to do and even thought that was not pleasing in Your sight. Because You have assured us that if we would confess our sins, You, being Faithful and Just, will forgive us,  wash us in The Precious Blood of Jesus, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and restore the breach that our disobedience has caused between our poor souls and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, we thank You now! Sweet Holy Spirit, we ask You to intercede on our behalf, our family, our friends, even our enemies, as we know that Your love is the same to each and everyone of us!

Abba, we know that You have instructed us, to look not at the temporary things, but to the eternal, yet  because of the frailness of our flesh, we’re easily provoked and tempted to become overwhelmed by the cares of this world, so that our hearts are burdened with the pressures of this life! You already know that some of us are wearied with fear, doubt, unbelief, sickness and disease, financial debt, broken relationships, unprovoked threats, oppression and depression, addictions, proclivities and insecurities. Lord You also 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, keep us in Your Perfect Peace with a mind to submit to Your Will, as only You can!

Lord, we ask that You save, heal and deliver all those who are crying out to You, seeking Your Face at this very moment, speedily! 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 Confident Hope that at The Name of Jesus, every enemy shall bow and every tongue shall confess that You are Lord!

Sweet Jesus, as we embark upon The New Year of 2017,  grace your children with hope-filled trust that You,  Heavenly Father, have committed Your Word towards us that no weapon that’s formed us shall prosper and except You allow it, no trouble, test or trial can come near us. We thank You Lord, 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!

Abba Father, thank You now for listening to the hearts of those who have never trusted and accepted Your Son Jesus as Savior and Lord! Thankya Holy Spirit, for only You can quicken that stony heart and provoke a Spirit of Godly Repentance that enables us to come, humbled by Your Lovingkindness, in faithful obedience to Your call! We thank You for every soul who is now receiving Your Free Gifts of Mercy and Grace to Save. We pray for every backslider who has turned away from Your Favor and find themselves outside of You Covenant, we ask now that You lead and guide them to the local church, plant them in Your Vineyard, where they shall be taught and transformed by Your Word of Life and Love to take their position in The Kingdom of Heaven!

Father, we pray for those whose lives are distraught by grief and fear, the elderly, the widows, the care-givers, the downcast, all who have born the heat of the day,  who pushed and prayed us through! Father, give them sweet peace! 

Lord, we pray for every believer who is yet clinging to Your Hand! By faith, we’re declaring and decreeing that You are releasing Divine power, Supernatural strength and health, provision, prosperity and protection. Father, we’re trusting You to preserve them thru every trial and test; keep us, Lord Jesus, constantly aware of YOUR PRESENCE and fully-confident that at the appointed time, You will always bring us out wholly restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward You have promised in Your Word!

Father, we thank You for an outpouring of a double-portion of Your Divine Favor upon each and every one of your children who are seeking employment, promotion, prompt approval for student/car/home loans and assure them that YOU are YET HE, Jehovah Jareh, who shall supply all of their need according to Your Riches in Glory!

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

Lord, we pray for the leaders of governments world-wide, remembering that their hearts are in Your Hands, we’re trusting You to 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 ministryYou have ordained.

Lord, 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! Lord, we know that You are not just able, but willing to do anything that we ask, in accordance to Your Word, in Jesus Name!

As we offer us this prayer, Father we wait in confidence and quietness, rejoicing in hope and trusting wholly that all workers of iniquity are suddenly trembling and departing in shameful defeat, because 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 NOW, for down deep in our souls, WE believe that it is done! We seal this prayer In The Exalted Name of Jesus Amen 3X! Hallelujah!

Now every child of God who is standing in agreement with this prayer, GO TELL ONE SOMEBODY THAT THE DEVIL IS STILL A LIAR & JESUS STILL LOVES AND CARES 4 YOU 2!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

THURSDAYS’ PRAYERS!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Good Morning Fam! GOTTA MOMENT? #ooohhhGLORRAAAA!

 

Precious Saints of The Most High God, we’re so excited that you’ve joined us today in the final Thursdays’ Corporate Fasting and Prayer for 2016!

As we entreat our Lord, we’re praying for the Saints everywhere! We understand that the enemy has launched a decree to destroy the Hope and Joy of God’s elect, particularly for the next generation! But GOD says that the violent shall pursue, recover and conquer everything that God has given us. In times like this we must remember that GOD has not left us defenseless! While The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but Mighty thru God for the pulling down strongholds! AS WE’RE PRAYING, WE’RE BELIEVING & DECREEING…

OOOOHH Sweet Wonder! Ooooh Sweet Wonder! Jesus! The Son of God! Ooooh Sweet Wonder! Ooooh Sweet Wonder! JESUS, THE SON OF GOD! FATHER, I stretch my hand to THEE! No other help I know! If THY withdraw THYSELF from me…where shall I go…
Abba Father, as we come before You today, In the Magnificent, All Powerful Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus, we’re determined to rejoice, praise and thank You for blessing us to see this day of 2016! Looking back, we know that it was no goodness of our own but solely Your Benevolence that has allowed us to yet be here to enjoy the abundance of Your Mercy, Your Grace, Your Power and Your Peace! Hence, our testimony is, that while 2016 has lead all of us through many dangers, toils and snares, You have kept us, covered in Your Faithful Love! Leaning and depending on The Sovereignty of Your Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotence, we’ve been able to overcome every obstacle and are yet standing!

Father, as bow, in Holy reverence before you today, we shall never fail to bless You for that Awemazing day that You touched us, opening our hearts, enabling us to recognize and receive the saving Grace in the Life, Death, Burial and Resurrection of Your Son, Jesus! We are fully persuaded that while there was absolutely nothing in us lovable nor worthy of this honor and privilege, because it pleased You, You choose us to be Your very own children!

Lord Jesus, we declare and decree that You Alone deserve all of The Glory, Honor & Praiz! For by Your Own Hand, You wrought Salvation, Deliverance, Breakthrough and Provision. We’re eternally grateful that, knowing our frame,Your Faithful Compassion continuously allows You to look beyond our human frailties, faults, iniquities and failures, seeing and yet ministering to every one of our need all day every day! Hallelujah!!!!

Abba Father, as we submit our hearts to Your watchful Eye, we offer up thanksgiving laced with precious praises to You today, for we revere and extol You as The Only Wise Savior and Lord of Life! While our future remains a mystery, we have courageous confidence that by Your Grace, You have equipped us with everything that we need to carry us through the days ahead, one day at a time.
Lord Jesus, You already know everything that’s happening in each of our lives, our families, our communities, our nation, therefore, we’re so grateful that You are yet in absolute control of all things! Father while we slept safely in our homes last night, somewhere in this world there were shootings, robberies, accidents and all manner of maladies, therefore we thank You, for keeping us alive! We’re fully persuaded that even amidst these days of impending chaos, anxiety, fear, confusion, deception and destruction, the safest place in this whole world is still in YOUR PERFECT WILL!

Father, touch our brother, touch our sister whose body has been afflicted by sickness and disease, especially the spirit of cancer, high/low blood pressure, heart disease, kidney, lung failure, satanically induced depression/oppression/addictions and rebuke and cast it out at the root, for Your Name Sake. Lord, 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!

Precious Lord, we ‘re believing that while we’re experiencing an unexpected shaking of this nation and the entire world, that appears that everything is falling apart, we have Your assurance that everything is falling right in place! You are setting up a massive exodus and deliverance!

Abba Father, because no man can come to the You except you draw them, we’re believing that a Spirit of Godly-repentance is swelling up all over this world resulting in the saving of multitudes of lost souls! Those who have walked away from You are being re-claimed today and will come running back into Your outstretched arms and receive You as their personal Lord and Savior! We’re trusting Holy Spirit is imparting a ‘COMMITED YES’ in their hearts and in their minds, blessing, directing and settling them into a local church home today, where they will be encouraged, nurtured, taught and their lives transformed by The Glory of The Lord! We’re believing that all of our unsaved loved ones and friends will be saved in the year 2017 and join our Eternal Family!

Lord, we pray for all who’re going thru a season of grief due to the lost of a loved one, those whose lives have been victimized and bankrupted by divorce, lost of employment, disappointment, hopelessness and despair! We plead the Blood of Jesus over demonic suicidal thoughts, Spirits of anxiety, oppression, depression and confusion, because we know that You are not the author of these confusing demonic thoughts and feelings, but You have given us, who have put our personal trust in Your Son Jesus, Your Righteousness, Love and Joy in The Holy Ghost!

Abba Father, as we entreat Your Presence, we lift up every believer yet holding on to your Hand by faith today, that you will release a double anointing of Your Divine Peace, Power, Supernatural strength, provision, prosperity and protection. Heavenly Father, we’re trusting You to strengthen and presevere us thru every test that You’ve allowed, confidently assured that You will bring us out restored, renewed, refreshed and with the reward us as You have promised in your Word! Lord, as we walk through the valleys overshadowed with death, we pray that You anoint us, for such a time as this, with supernatural confidence, courageous empowerment and an overwhelming consciousness of Your Abiding Presence and the immutability of Your Word!

Heavenly Father, according to Your Will, we pray obediently, for the leaders of our nation, government, corporate, judicial, education, financial institutions and our churches! We’re believing You will touch their minds and break up the fallow hearts, speak to them in dreams and visions, let them know that You Who Sit Enthroned Above the Heavens is keeping record of the deeds of every man’s heart and will reward accordingly!

Father, as we lift up our spiritual leaders, we’re asking a special blessing upon each and every one of them who are yet standing on the wall proclaiming Your Word under the conviction and anointing of Holy Spirit. We pray that you will Grace them to be the examples in their homes, churches and community that will cause everyone who comes into contact with them to fall in love, trust wholly in and to live their lives serving You, Our Heavenly Father.

We pray, Heavenly Father, that You will stir up the hearts and minds of those who are professing Your Name,  increasing their desire to make our election sure, walking circumspectly in pursuit of an even greater personal, intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father through fellowship of Holy Spirit that we might prove what is the perfect and acceptable Will of The Lord Jesus for our lives!

Father we pray that every demonic-induced spirit of fear, failure, hopelessness and disappointment be defeated by Your Anointing and that the Spirit of Love, Power and a Sound-mind be released now, in Jesus Name! We’re trusting that each morning of this new year Your children will awaken with assured grace to accomplish every assignment and earnest hope-filled tomorrows!

Father we now wait in confidence and quietness, trusting wholly that all workers of iniquity are suddenly trembling and departing in shame and defeat, because 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!

Abba Father, we stand in agreement with You Who hears ours prayers and forgives our transgressions! Holy Father, because You have chosen us and brought us near to live in Your House, we shout with joy unto The One to Whom all men will come! 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!

Father, we thank You NOW, for WE believe that it is done! In The Exalted Name of Jesus. Amen 3X and It Is So!
Now every child of God who is standing in agreement with this prayer, GO TELL SOMEBODY THAT JESUS STILL LOVES and CARES FOR THEM 2!  HAVE A HOLY, HAPPY, PROSPEROUS & PRODUCTIVE 2017!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

 

ARE WE THERE, YET?

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R WE THERE YET

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. Deuteronomy 2:3

 

You’ve probably heard or seen the movie entitled “ARE WE THERE YET?”

Many of my fellow kinsmen in Christ have found ourselves trapped in this dilemma (whether or not we’re willing to acknowledge it publically or even privately). What am I talking about? In a hurry, but going nowhere fast! While many who  has professed a sincere desire to obediently follow after the heart of God, life has a way of teaching us that it’s not a ‘one and done’ phenomena but more like ‘a little by little’ process, huh?

Two of the greatest deterrents to successfully reaching our goals are contentment and indulgence! I’m not trying to negate the validity of The Apostle Paul’s revelation “Not that I speak in respect to want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content (Philippians 4:11) GOD FORBID! However, if we linger here too long, our contentment becomes a comfort zone that could potentially diminish our hope, dreams and drive for attaining better…there!

God promised to bring His Chosen people into their good land, flowing with milk and honey! But they got so comfortable going around Mount Horeb that they were willing to settle for a piece of God’s Promise! This was unacceptable! So God intervened reminding them that not only is partial obedience is disobedience but it also robs Him of the opportunity to fully express His Glory!

Oh yeah, the Israelites were free from Egyptian slavery. They’d seen with their own eyes Pharaoh and his army drowned in the Red Sea! That’s all good, right? But God had told them GREATER WAS COMING! Now,  we can’t keep pointing our fingers at them Israelites without looking back over our own lives and recognizing how many times we settled for less than God was offering. Remember when they said, ‘a piece of a man is better than NO MAN at all’, huh? How did that work out for ya? Okay?

Have you noticed how the New Millennium church has gotten away from praying for deliverance these day?  Don’t shout me down, yall! #ijs! Perhaps, it’s because true deliverance requires discipline! And we all know, ain’t nobody got time for dat! We want everything now! So to appease our conscience we settle for indulgence, ‘I ain’t what God wants me to be, BUT…at least I ain’t where I used to be’! Huh? Don’t  you look at me with dat tone of voice!

But Thanks Be To God Who is still able to redeem the time! God said, “It’s time to head northward! Shake the dust of compromise off your feet and keep it moving—FORWARD”!

Didjaheardat? God IS reminding us that “the race is not given to the swift neither to the strong, But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved”Matthew 24:13  Hence, as long as you have breath in your body,  you have a chance to possess everything GOD Promised, as long as you don’t give up. Oohhh Glorraa!!!

Beloved, today God is inviting you to exhale the fear and doubt and inhale the Breath of His GRACE and getta steppin!

It’s timeout for just singing about it! Pull yourself up out of the pit of complacency, procrastination and stagnation and GO GET UR BLESSING!

Why settle for little when God’s promised you BIG! ARE YOU ‘THERE’ YET? SERIOUSLY?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Cafee

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!  #Didjaheardat? FAIL FORWARD!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

JESUS CARES!

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jesus-cares

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who knows my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me. Psalm 142:3-4,7

 

LIFE happens!  Whether we embrace it or ignore it, time is spiraling into eternity at the speed of life. Most of us do our best to respond to the inevitable uncertainties maintaining an assemblance of confidence and control! Amen? Howevvrrrr, there are those uninvited episodes when the roof just comes crashing down and the very foundation of your being quakes uncontrollably leaving you traumatized by tragedy and utterly destroying every ounce of normalcy!

The subscript of today’s scriptures says this text was penned by David finding himself victimized by Saul’s inner insecurities and covetousness, hiding in a cave, imprisoned by the hopelessness of circumstances beyond his control! I know it’s socially inappropriate for us to discuss such matters publicly, BUT! Since it’s jus us, have you ever been ensnared by a state of desperation, despair and hopelessness, and try as you might, couldn’t muster up enough strength to pull yourself up out of a pit full of depression?

I realize that this might be a stretch,  BUT! Have you ever been surrounded by a crowd of people, simultaneously isolated and paralyzed by inner fears, feeling as if no one really cared about you? Of course, we realize who the originator of these irrational thoughts and conflicting emotions is, that ly’n devil, right? ‘Cuse me, may I submit this thought for your consideration, right here? I believe that the same God who Divinely orchestrates our mountaintop experiences also schedules sporadic excursions through death-valleys! Yet, you must understand that everybody is not assigned to your hardships and struggles! Hence, you have to be careful who is privy to your vulnerabilities!  Uuuh, remember, Job’s frienemies?

It’s during these times that we need a freedom that’s only accessible through a personal intimate relationship with The Overseer of your soul! Isn’t it just good to know that when the Bible invites us to take it to the Lawd in prayer, that it includes the bad, ugly and indifferent as well as the good and wonderful! Why waste time acting as if You need Jesus to meet you in the penthouse, when you’re stuck in the cellar?#ijs, God already knows everything about everything! He’s jus waiting for you to speak up!

It just delights our Heavenly Father’s heart, knowing that we trust Him to BE GOD in, through and over our lives!  Didjaheardat? DATZ JUS HOW MUCH HE REALLY LOVES AND CARES ! #AWEMAAZIN, huh? I KNOW HE CARES 4 U & ME! GIVE YOUR ALL 2 JESUS!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

ARISE & SHINE!

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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

IS GOD FAIR???

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: Romans 1:21-26a

 

Okay! Don’t be looking at me with that tone of voice! Even if we were too sccaarred to speak it out loud, chances are, we’ve all thought about it at some point in our lives, huh?

Particularly, when circumstances didn’t flow in the natural order of progression according to our personal logic! That’s when we tend to get all philosophical and put God on the witness stand! “Why would a Loving God send people to Hell? Why do innocent babies die? Why do bad things happen to good people?” Unfortunately, as Bro. Job can attest to, except thru Holy Spirits’ impartation of revelation, we’re fundamentally incapable of assessing the Ways and Means of our Sovereign Lord’s Infinite Wisdom and Knowledge. (Ref. Job 42:3-5) Am I right about it?

Amazingly, The Sustainer of everything, knowing the hopelessness of relying on the innate frailty of our flawed, fickled, self-centered frame, so graciously restrains Godself with compassionate patience, suffering with us through The Divine Maturation Process, until we arrive at the unity of faith implied by trusting in The Son of God! (Ref. Ephesians 4:13)

Howeverrrrr, Truth be told, this type of interrogation is generally  a direct result of a deliberate, self-induced distortion, rebellion and ultimate rejection of God’s Perfect Morality in order to justify our unmoral proclivity to satisfy the our own fleshy lust for wickedness and evil-doing! WELL? #Didjaheardat? Like the ol’ skool preacha said, “I jus lost 1/2 my church!”

According to Scriptures, Creation declares the reality of God. Barring some rare genetic malfunction, every human being born into the earth has an inner GPS (God’s Protection System) directly plugged into The Creator of The Universe, commonly called a conscience. This inner sensory perception allows us to discern good from evil. Therefore, there’s no excuse for anyone to claim that they don’t know whether God exists or if He does exists, what He requires of their lives. Now, given that we are not robots, we all have the freedom and ability to suppress God’s moral standards in favor of our own or the world’s! And…such were all of us! (Ref. 1 Corinthians 6:11) Yet, the consequences of our erroneous decisions are completely out of our hands! And we all know how well that plays out, huh?

Beloved, there’s no denying how much God loves us! I mean, He was willing to sacrifice His Righteous Son to save us who so deserved the punishment for our unrighteousness! NEVERTHELESS HE CANNOT DENY HIS LOVE!

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. John 3:16

Yet to deny the other part of his Holy Nature, is down-right foolish! Hence, stop trying to PLAY God! HE IS NOT THE ONE! Trust 2 know…the last thing you ever wanna DO is make God angry! Seriously! It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! (Hebrew 10:31)

Beloved, God’s mercy awaits us every morning as He awakens us to embrace one more day! Unfortunately, we have no clue how long before Grace is frustrated. While it is yet today, Precious Ones, exercise your choice, accept Jesus as Savior and Lord! When it comes to your eternal destination…FAIRNESS IS OVER-RATED…CHOOSE LIFE!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

OUT ON A LIMB…

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:5-10

 

According to the latest statistics of The US Census Bureau regarding the world population in 2016, there are approximately 7,346,235,000 people on earth, as of August 23, 2016! These numbers are expected to increase at a rate of 1.13% annually! WOW! Who Knu?

Have you ever gazed up at the night sky  and wondered, ‘IS THERE ANYONE WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT ME?’ Oooh, I’m not saying that You don’t know that GOD is REAL and believe that HIS WORD IS TRUTH! But, I’m just wondering if you’ve ever entertained the thought, given the enormity of individuals inhabiting Terra Firma, ‘What’s the chance that God has time to be concerned about what’s going on in my life, at any given moment? I mean, something like 1 in 7 billion? YET! That’s exactly what The HOLY BIBLE says! While many are called, The God of all flesh chooses us, name by name!

Perhaps, Zacchaeus pondered these very thoughts before risking public humiliation in front of the ever increasing crowds of folk who followed this new Prophet from Galilee! Being the Chief Tax Collector, he was already ostracized as it was. Yall know how folk feel about the IRS. Unless it involves a refund check, huh? Even though Zacchaeus was at the top of his profession and apparently extremely wealthy, we can safely assume that he didn’t have a whole lot of real friends. But for reasons, yet undisclosed by Scriptures, when he heard that Jesus was passing through town, Zacchaeus was driven by a passionate desire to get close to Jesus!

Now, we know that nothing Jesus did was by happenstance; wherever He went, He was sent on assignment. Nonetheless, who would  ever expect Jesus to make time out of His busy schedule for a face-to-face encounter with the likes of Zacchaeus! According to historical accounts, Jesus, Himself had testified that it’s easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into Heaven. (Ref. Matthew 19:24) No! It’s not because The Father just wants poor folk, but because most wealthy people believe that everything they’ve accomplished, they’ve achieved on their own. So there’s no reason to submit to nobody—especially an Invisible Superior Being. After all, when this life is over, it’s over! Right?

Apparently, life had led Zacchaeus to the inevitable conclusion, ‘With all that I have, it’s still not enough to make me whole. Something missing, and from the stories I’ve heard, perhaps this MAN, JESUS, can fill the gaping hole in my life!’  Zacchaeus’ decision was eternally life-changing for himself as well as his family! He determined within himself that he would not allow anything to stand between his soul and His Savior. Hence, he ran ahead of the crowd, climbed a sycamore tree and went out on a limb to make sure that he didn’t miss Jesus!

I must confess, having grown up vertically challenged, I know what it’s like to be the runt of the pack, never quite measuring up to the crowd, as if you had a choice in being who God created you to be!

Unfortunately, the crowds aren’t the only things that keep some people from getting close to Jesus.! What about, pride, self-righteousness, education, careers, drinking and druggin, adultery and fornication, lying and cheating? And we can’t forget what would happen when the people we hang out with find out that we’ve given our lives completely over to Jesus 4 REAL! Yeah, sometimes we might have to climb over a whole lotta stuff to get to Jesus, huh? Nevertheless, like Zach, sooner or later everyone must answer, why am I here, where am I going and what am I going to do about Jesus? Whether we decide to accept or reject the Savior’s free gift of Grace, not one of us can remain indifferent!

Zach said, ‘I’m going to do whatever I need to do to get to the only ONE, who truly knows me, loves me and believes that I was worth dying for!’ Amazingly, Jesus knowing exactly where Zacchaeus was, spoke to him specifically as if He was the only person that He’d come to see! The Good News is…Jesus doesn’t play favorites! #didjaheardat?

Beloved, you are somebody special to Jesus! The Ol’ Skool preacha said, “He left His Home in Glory, came down thru 40 and 2 generations, was mocked, jailed, beaten, crucified, died, was buried, went down to hell before ascending back to Heaven, to be seated at the right side of The Father Eternally! There now, as our Great High Priest, He intercedes on our behalf, pleading for mercy, forgiveness and grace, waiting for you and I to come to the end of ourselves and seek SINCERELY after Him with all our hearts, minds, body and spirit!

The next question is, what risks are you willing to take to reach Jesus? What are you willing to let go of to lay hold of everything that Christ has prepared for you? How far are you willing to go to get closer to Him? #OUTONALIMB! #REALLY?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

DON’T GET SIDETRACKED!

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SELAH Daily Devotions!

“Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.”…”Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:” Deuteronomy 29:9, 18-19 NIV

“All the nations will ask, “Why did God do this to this country? What on earth could have made Him this angry?”

Your children will answer, “Because they abandoned the Covenant of the God of their ancestors that He made with them after He got them out of Egypt; they went off and worshiped other gods, submitted to gods they’d never heard of before, gods they had no business dealing with. So God’s anger erupted against that land and all the curses written in this book came down on it. God, furiously angry, pulled them, roots and all, out of their land and dumped them in another country; as you can see.”

God, our God, will take care of the hidden things but the revealed things are our business. It’s up to us and our children to attend to all the terms in this Revelation.” Deuteronomy 29:24-29 The Message

OMG!  NOT AGAIN…What is it with us? While our spirit knows fully well that Your Ways are always the best for us, yet this ol’ fickle flesh is so easily tempted to …as if we could ever possibly improve on Perfection!

When are we gonna recognize that our Heavenly Father IS OMNISCIENT… dat means HE knows the end from the beginning? Even more important, you need to remember that HE IS GOD AND UR NOT! K?  Therefore, absolutely  NOTHING IN YOUR LIFE CAN EVER TAKE HIM BY SURPRISE! #DIDJAHEARDAT?

So you still think you got a better plan, huh?  

Okay! BUT…while you’re doing YOU…Don’t let your guard down, lest there be hell to pay!

LORD, HELP US! Lord deliver us from us!  Father, when our circumstances contradict Your Promises, teach us to trust the Power of Your Word and how to activate it in our lives as we await Your Perfect Timing!  Lord Jesus, help us to stay focused on Your Word that we may see Your goodness in the land of the living! 

IF GOD SAID IT, THAT SETTLES IT…BELIEVE IT OR NOT! DON‘T GET SIDETRACKED!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee