Tag Archives: struggles

LOYAL LOVE!

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MORNING GLORAAA

 

ETERNAL TRUTHS!

 

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life, Weeping may endure for a night, BUT joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

O, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful. And fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage. And He shall strengten your heart, All you who hope in the LORD. PSALM 31:23-24

If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who He is!  2 Timothy 2:13

TRUTHBTOLD, PAIN AND SUFFERING IS A PART OF THI# LIFE! However, those of us who have placed our personal faith in The loyalty of our Heavenly Father’s Love and commitment to preserve us thru times of hardship always have a reason to hope and trust that precariousness of these temporary times of adversity fail in comparison to the CERTAINTY of The God of Heaven’s deliverance!

Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I Am GOD, and there is no other! I have sworn by MYSELF; the Word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return… Isaiah 45:22-23

#Didjaheardat? #WOW!!! GOD’S LOVE REMAINS FAITHFUL 2 HIS WORD, EVEN WHEN WE’RE NOT!

ETERNAL TRUTH! #CARE2SHARE

DENY THE POWER?

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The Earth Slowly Burns - Americas

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:5

 

Never! Is probably the initial response of most professing-salvation-sanctified-sainted-souls, even at the mere suggestion that we’d be included in ‘those’. Right? BUT!  Have we ever considered the remote possibility, if you will, the collateral damage of being so pre-occupied with ‘getting’ that we lose sight of what God has already ‘given’?

Remember that Ol’ skool churrch song, “Count your blessing! Name them one by one! Count your blessing, see what God has done!”? Think about it? The Israelites were taught to sing songs that rehearsed their history as a daily reminder of God’s loving care, strength and power as He delivered them out of Egyptian slavery, lead them through the wilderness into The Promised Land! A practice, no doubt even in this bustling 21st Century culture, one might find tremendously buffering amidst the new norm of environmental chaos, anxiety and stress.

Just imagine the possible ramifications of a daily allotment of time designated specifically to reflecting upon all the many blessings that The Lord has already so mercifully and graciously heaped upon us. WOW! What inevitable–mind-blowing heart-filled  sense of Gratitude, huh?

Could this be what The Apostle Paul was alluding to “according to the power that worketh in us”? (Ref. Ephesians 3:20)

Could a grateful heart pave the way for that “Greater than” we could ask or imagine? Could our pre-disposed poverty-mindedness and perverted sense of unworthiness, steeped in false humility be denying God the opportunity to show-off in our lives? Could we be guilty of having a form of godliness? #OMG!  #GOD FORBID!

HOW GRATEFUL IS YOUR HEART? IS THAT HOW GREAT YOUR GOD IS? DENYING THE POWER? NEVER, huh? #juswondering…

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WHATZ REALLY REAL?

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whatz really real

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you. Isaiah 43:2-4

 

Time is hurling towards Eternity at the speed of life! And sometimes, life comes at you hard, fast and furious, huh?.

I mean, it can’t actually be almost 25 years ago? I blink and I’m sitting at my daughter’s bedside in the L & D Unit, only slightly aware of her antagonistic glares, but not the least bit intimidated nor daunted away from my mission. Time after time, warning her of each impending contraction (as if she really needed to hear me tell her), I cried out, “Get ready, Dawn, here comes another one! 

Was it really that many hours past before the birth of the most beautiful baby girl this side of heaven, Lil’ Miss Dasia? I can still summon up that joy and sheer magic just witnessing this small Wonder of God’s Glory. It can’t be 25 years ago or can it? One moment, she’s sitting on the front steps waiting for Pop-Pop; her first starring role in a kindergarten play; going to the Senior Prom; crossing the stage receiving her High School Diploma; packing up the car; going off to college,  graduation day and now she’s a certified bona fide high school teacher…WOOOAH!  C’mon nah! Well, I guess it must be, huh?

We treasure memories like those, right? Nobody expects those unannounced  life-altering chaotic interruptions. I mean; like waking up the morning refreshed, satiated in anticipation of what adventures are waiting to be unfolded during the course of this new day; totally oblivious to the impact of that 11:49 mid-day phone call, that 5:22 rush-hour accident on the Beltway, or that 2:15 a.m. Police knocking at your door, invading your ‘normal’  everyday  usual life in a way you never thought possible!

Suddenly! By the time your head hits the pillow again, every ounce of hope has been ripped out of you, fleeing to a place waaaaay beyond reach. That peace you enjoyed earlier that day somehow has become lost in the maze of extreme anxiety, depression, and hapless desolation. While something inside of you wonders, was that this morning?

Life has a way of slapping you smack-dab-in the middle of your face, no matter how strong you may think you are.  And then, COVID-19 rolls in trampling all those Prolific Prophetic Voices that went out to the religious community on Watch Nite 2019, inscribing the Pandemic of 2020 onto the pages of humanity’s history books! TRUTHBTOLD, there’s no way to be prepared for something like this, save -sanctified-Holy Ghost filled or not! Yet not one of us is exempt from the threat of drowning in an unexpected out of the blue situation. And of course, The Tempter doesn’t miss any opportunity to exploit our crisis and destroy our faith in what and WHO we do know.

The Israelites faced a similar dilemma in 2 Chronicles 2:12. Surrounded by their enemy with no way out, King Jehoshaphat did the only thing he could do, he cried out to The Lord. “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do; but our eyes are upon Thee.”

According to Romans 15:4, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Hopefully, as we struggle to  adapt to the rapidly evolving ‘un-usuals’ brought about by the experts recommendations designed to  keep us safe and well, we can glean from our forefather’s examples. When we’re challenged by those “we don’t know what’s real, why or what to do situations”, focus on what you do know! We do know WHO!

We know God is yet God! We know God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient! We know God is Ruler of All Creation! We know God is in complete control! We know He’s always Present with us and that All Power Belongs to God! We know God knows everything about everything! We know His LOVE is unconditionally faithful and irrevocably established forever!

We know that we have a Faithful Father Who’s Solemnly committed Himself to caring, comforting, protecting and restoring our righteousness, peace, our joy and Who is Divinely orchestrating every step and stop safely to our Heavenly home where we shall abide with Him forever!  #WOW #Didjaheardat? 

Don’t get lost in the quarry of the unknown. STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNO, BCUZ AT THE END OF THE DAY, ITZ REALLY IMPORTANT 2 KNOW WHATZ REALLY REAL 4 REAL! #IJS…

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

SUPER VISION!

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SUPER VISION

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey–the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Exodus 3:7-8

 

Has God’s Promises ever seemed too good to be true? C’mon nah, I’m talking to some REAL-FOLK! Seriously! The reason being, our interaction with the physical world is naturally limited to the realm of our five senses! What we see, touch, feel, taste and smell is how we perceive the reality of the world around us! Unfortunately, there’s always much more going on than the natural man can conceive! For example, you can feel the breeze but what does the wind look like? Technicians can take a picture of a brain, but who can know the mind, BUT GOD! The stethoscope can hear the heartbeat, but can’t determine when you’re broken, hard-or faint-hearted! #ijs!!

Have you ever felt discarded or deserted, even by GOD? Well, let me assure you, you’re not alone! According to the historical events relayed in our scripture text, The Hebrews, God’s Chosen, who finding themselves smack-dab-n-da-middle of circumstantial evidence that most likely caused them to experience these very same emotions! For 450 years they lived enslaved to their Egyptian captors who took great pleasure in inflicting intolerable pain and suffering, intentionally rationing food and water only when they deemed necessary to keep them totally dependent upon their Hard Task Master’s will! Can you imagine the shame and hopelessness they, God’s Elect, having to endure the consequences of their rebellion and ensuing result of God’s Justice, with no end in sight? Howevrrr, even when they couldn’t detect His Presence, GOD’s LOVE abides Faithful!

 

Having lured His Servant, Moses to the backside of Mt. Horeb and startling him with a strange phenomenon, the Bush that refused to be consumed, God commissioned him to go tell “MY” people that ENUFF IS ENUFF!  (That’s contemporized AEC Version) “I’ve seen their oppression, I’ve heard their cry,  bottled every tear,  heard every prayer and NOW I AM COME to shut Pharaoh down and DELIVER you out of the hand of your enemy!” Not knowing whether or not his Israelite brothers would even listen to him, being a escaped felon hiding out in a foreign land, but Moses heeded God’s Word and shared it with his fellow-captives. Much to Moses’ amazement, the people grabbed hold to The Promise with all of their hearts and began shouting and dancing in the streets, celebrating the GOOD NEWS, believing that THE WORDS THAT MOSES SPAKE CAME STRAIGHT FROM GOD’S MOUTH!

Eventually, the message got to Pharaoh’s Palace, nevertheless, he took it as a grain of salt. After all, this was not the first time that these ignorant slaves had started these silly rumors in an effort to keep HOPE ALIVE! Pharaoh was convinced that it’s JUS FAKE NEWS! But for those who had endured 450 years of GOD’s SILENCE IN THE MIDST OF GROSS DARKNESS, IT WAS LIFE AND LIGHT!

 

The Bible says, “My Sheep know MY VOICE AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME”! (Ref. John 10:27) “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) When you begin to look beyond what your natural eyes can see and your vision is filtered through the lens of FAITH, YOU COME2KNO THAT IT AIN’T ALWAYS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! While the world’s systems operates on the principle “I’ll BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT”, GOD’s Kingdom operates by a higher standard, “I WILL BELIEVE TO SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING!” (Ref. Psalm 27:13)

When you place your personal trust in The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and The God of Jacob, faith opens you up to experience SUPER VISION, exposing things that are not seen as though they already exist! God’s Word is filled with exceeding great and Precious Promises that are greater than anything that the oppressor threatens! Oh, remember what happened to that arrogant obstinate Pharaoh and His Army? Right, THEY ALL DROWNED IN THE RED SEA! (Ref. Exodus 14:28-29) #ijs!!

 

BELOVED, WHEN WE TRUST GOD WITH ALL OF OUR HEART, MIND, SOUL AND SPIRIT, we discover POWER that’s out of this world that erupts A HOPE-FILLED PRAISE, an ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE THAT ‘I AM, WILL CERTAINLY BE WITH U’, and A CONFIDENT HOLY BOLDNESS THAT PUTS THE DEVIL ON NOTICE OF HIS IMMINENT DEMISE!

TRUST2KNO, NOT MATTER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, IF GOD SAID IT, IT’S GOTTA HAPPEN! Didjaseedat? YEAH, SUPER VISION!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann E. Caffee

PERSISTANCE PREVAILS!

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PERSISTANCE PREVAILS2

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

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

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

 

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

When the enemy comes upon us flooding our hearts with intimidating fear, worry, doubt and discouragement, we must not ALLOW it to reign, but we remember that we, as Born-Again, Blood-Washed-Baptized-Spirit-filled Children of The Most High God, have been empowered to pull down strongholds and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!  (Ref. 2 Corinthians 10:5) When we acknowledge WHO WE ARE, IN CHRIST, a Spirit of Super Tenacity, and Holy Boldness, begins to flow up from the pit our inner most being and when it kicks in,  TRUST2KNO, it really doesn’t matter what we go thru, a true believer will refuse to throw up our hands and give in! 

The Ol’ Skool Churrch used to say, “COME WHAT MAY, I’M IN IT, 2 WIN IT”! You see they knew something that’ll  still work in this new millennium Age—I don’t care who sanngs,  OUR God Reigns, therefore it ain’t over until God says it’s over! #Didjaheardat?

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

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

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

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

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

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

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

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

 

 

REMEMBER GOD?

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REMEMBER GOD 4

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. Psalm 77:6-10

 

That’s Life! The ol’ skool church used to tell us, “Everyday ain’t the same, baby!” I guess that was their way of warning us to expect some days when your heart is overflowing with the Joy of the Lord and your mind is so consumed with the Peace of God that you can hardly restrain yourself from bum-rushing unsuspecting strangers who happen across your path, giving them a big hug and spewing out your testimony of how good life is and how Great your God is!

BUT! Then, there will be other days, when all hell is breaking out around you, the thief has broken into your world, robbing you of your joy, destroying your peace and killing every ounce of hope that the future will be any better than now! And to add insult to injury, the devil will send his lying prophet to your heart inquiring, “Where is your God now?” “Has God had enough of your mess?” Sound uncomfortably familiar, huh? Yep, been there and got a few T-shirts!

Life can be a complexing compilation of complaints and comfort! And guess what, believers are not exempt from either. For example, just look at King David, the God-Proclaimed ‘man after God’s own heart’. While David enjoyed an especially unique relationship with The God of Creation, he was also no stranger to abuse, resentment, rejection, bitterness, jealousy and anger steming from family, friends and enemies!

Time and time again, David sought refuge in the cavernous hillsides, surrounded by blood-thirsty enemies who relentlessly pursued him, barely escaping with his life through valleys overshadowed by death.

Inevitably, there would be days when the chaos of his life would come crashing down upon his wearied soul already overburdened by waves upon waves of unending oppression from every side, leaving him entrapped by desperation, depression and desolation. Nevertheless, David unable to find solace in the midst of his tears, humbly directed his soul to retreat to the One True Source of All Comfort!

Remembering days long past, the hours upon hours spent communing with The Lord, reminded David that no matter where he was, he was never away from The Presence of His Faithful Shepherd. Recounting the wondrous personal experiences with The Almighty God, leading and guiding him to green pastures, watching over him while he rested beside oasis of cool water, protecting him from ravenous beasts, singing songs as they fellowship throughout the nights, encouraged David’s heart, reassuring him of God’s Promise to love and keep him all the days of his life!

Isn’t it amazing how sometimes, just the thought of God can catapult the most grievous soul into The Throne Room of Grace and Mercy, igniting volcanic eruptions of pure worship and praise? Just a moment of intentional seeking and faith-filled prayer can immediately release a believer from the damnable clutches of fear and dread, thrusting you into the sanctity of confident trust inspiring earnest joy-filled expectation of HIS EMINENCE!

A lifetime of experiencing The Amazing Grace and Unrelenting Love and Faithfulness of his God kindled David’s heart to pen this personal testimony that  continues to console the wounded,  inspire contentment, bring solace to fractured hearts and nourishment to lean souls even to this day! 

“I was young and now I’m old, but I have never seen the righteous left all alone, have never seen their children begging for bread.” Psalm 37:25

Given the unstabilzed state of this 21st Century society, it’s no wonder that so many are facing seemingly impossible challenges, be it physical, finanancial, emotional or spiritual! Nevertheless, it’s just good to know that regardless of the circumstances, your life is hidden in The God of Life—The Impregnable Rock of Ages—JESUS!

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO, REMEMBER GOD!  #GETIT?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

STAY N IT 2 WIN IT!

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STAY IN IT 2 WIN IT!

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

 

…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee