Tag Archives: yourself

ENVISION YOURSELF

Leave a reply

ENVISION URSELF

 

SELAH Daily Devotions!

Where there is no vision the people perish. but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18

Many of you are familiar with this scripture, huh?  Perhaps, you’ve seen it displayed across your pulpits to pronounce your church leader’s vision statement or to introduce the theme for a new year. However, in light of what’s happening in our world today, please allow me to contemporize the general perspective of the text.

Undoubtedly, we’re experiencing what the ol’ skool church dubbed ‘times that try men’s souls’! We’ve seen transition, and in some cases, major upheavals of the foundation pillars of contemporary society. The collapse of financial institutions followed by instability of the housing market; unprecedented political changing of the guards, uncertainty of employment status and education aspirations, judicial reformations and/or redefinition of civil morality have all contributed to pandemic paranoia.

Given the accumulative complexity of the aforementioned, it’s no wonder that people—in and out of the church—are running out of hope! Without hope for the future, there is nothing motivating you to move forward.

WOW! Kinda looks like the Word of God is right, all along, huh? The domino effect of a Godless society is inevitably moral chaos! History substantiates that without God’s Guidance, there’s no restraint to any people limited only by their own understanding. But GOD, unlike a lot of us, didn’t just leave us hanging out there, left to our own devices. That’s not the end of the story. The text continues…BUT he that keeps the law—happy is he!

God’s Living Word, our Eternal Hope of Glory, assures us, who place our personal trust in Jesus, that no matter how distressing our circumstances appear to be, in the end—we win!

Brothers and sistas, in Christ, we have 66 Books of Prophetic Utterance to live by. The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, (Romans 10:8). If you don’t like what’s happening in your life, open up your mouth and re-frame your life. Prophesy to yourself—say what God says… ‘BE STILL MY SOUL, HOPE THOU IN GOD. HOPE THOU IN GOD’S WORD!’

GOD SAYS, ‘I know the thoughts I have toward you. I have made preparations to bless with good and not curses of evil. My precious child, if you only knew the details, you’d be so excited, encouraged and filled with hope for your future!’ (Jeremiah 29:11) 

‘Oh, BY THE WAY, DON’T WORRY ABOUT YOUR HATERS, AT MY MOST STRATEGIC TIME, I WILL BLESS YOU OPENLY; THAT WAY, MY GLORY WILL BE MAGNIFIED!

I WON’T ALWAYS REVEAL EVERYTHING, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS—THE END WILL BE FAR GREATER THEN YOU EVER IMAGINED– A GRAND FINALE!

NOW I NEED YOU TO AGREE WITH ME. JUST SAY, AMEN!”

ENVISION YOURSELF! C?

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

DON’T SELL YOURSELF CHEAP!

1 Reply

DON'T SELL URSELF CHEAP!

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 marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

 

Granted, given the peer pressure of this 21st Century society that we live in, it ain’t no easy task, howeverrr, sometimes, we just gotta learn how to appreciate ourselves for the fearfully, wondrously and gloriously made creations of God that we are! (Ref. Psalm 139:14) #ijs!!!

 For some of us, by the time you get to Jesus, you’ve already suffered years of psychological damage, mis-use and abuse. As the psalmist said, we’ve been ‘ buked and scorned, lied on, cheated, talked about sure as we’re born; slammed and crushed by life that you’ve subconsciously de-valued yourselves so much so that when you hear some preacher say ‘God loves you’, your initial response is an overwhelmingly cynical—REALLY? But the Good News is that God is not intimidated by  your fragile-self-incriminating state. He specializes in restoring broken things!

As you continue to feed on The Word of God, through the enabling Power of The Holy Spirit, your eyes are opened to Truth and astonishingly, you will begin to see yourself through the “blood stained” Savior’s eyes. As God’s relentless Loving-kindness and Amazing Grace begins to penetrate the callousness of your heart, you get a revelation of the Magnificent Compassion that your Heavenly Father has toward you. Honestly, It’s almost unbelievable!

Come to think of it, no one BUT The Creator can determine the true worth of His creation! Remember, God Himself  deliberately and intentionally chose you in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world! Once you have accepted God’s Love, there’s no need to crave validation from anybody else. REALLY! 

NOW AIN’T THAT AWEMAAZING? 

ITZ DA TRUTH!  BELOVED, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT ‘THEY’ SAY,  IN GOD’S EYES YOU’RE INDELIBLY PRICELESS! DON’T SELL YOURSELF CHEAP!

SELAH!

Pause, Ponder, Pray & Praiz!

Ann Caffee

WHAT’S THAT SMELL?

Leave a reply

WHAZ DAT SMELL

SELAH Daily Devotions!

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.” Leviticus 10:1-3

You wouldn’t be the first person to accuse us Newton’s of having a peculiar sense of humor, okay?

But I gotta admit that’ I do so get a kick out of watching that strange look that suddenly appears on the face of the sales clerk at the department store’s perfume counter after she offers me that scented card to smell to which I immediately, ever so politely, of course, inform her, “Oh, don’t bother! I haven’t been able to smell nothing in years!” Then I hit her with, “ I had sinus surgery and they removed all of my smellers!” They normally respond, unspoken of course; “then what da heck are you doing at this perfume counter?” To which I offer, “I just like to smell good!” Considering the high cost of the most popular fragrances today, obviously I am not alone!

Unfortunately, this sentiment doesn’t always spill over into the spiritual realm. According to today’s scripture text, God doesn’t not appreciate neither does He accept any ol’ kind of worship! The Nerve of God, huh? Absolutely! Ain’t nobody else God BUT GOD! Hence, He Alone gets to set the parameters of Holy Worship!

Nevertheless, with us being so suchy much, we tend to have our own opinions about everything, including what’s acceptable service and worship of God. As if we could possibly have the spiritual fortitude to pick and choose what’s holy and unholy, huh?

Although, sometimes, you can’t really tell who’s who. We’ve become so proficient in covering up our true scent—at least between the hours of 11-1:30 on Sundays! But try following some of us to the parking lot—confusion-with a capital C!

Aaron’s son’s Nadab and Abihu are startling examples, of what foul worship can cost us! But they aren’t the only ones in the Holy Writ who profaned the sanctity of God’s Commandments. In fact, man-kind has a long history of being outright obstinate when it comes to following God’s Ways, completely ignoring that other side of God’s Righteousness, Justice!

NEWS FLASH!!! God hates Sin! Sin is a stench in God’s Nostrils! Sin separates us from God! BUT DO WE REALLY CARE?

Not according to Jeremiah 5 “Right and wrong mean nothing to them. They stand for nothing, stand up for no one; throw…Do you think I’ll stand by and do nothing about this?”… “Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures against a people like this?”

What does your praise small like when it hits GOD’s nostril! Does it exude a sweet smelling aroma…or as my grand-baby likes to say “uuhhhh DISGUSTIN’!” SMELL CHECK! OMG! WHAT’S THAT SMELL? #IJS

SELAH!

“Have a WONDER-FILLED day!”

 Ann Caffee