Tea Time with Jeremiah

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

My Tea Cupp Prayers is all about using God’s Word as a conversation starter as you sit down with Jesus for a cup of tea and prayer. My favorite verses come from the Psalms, but there are great verses throughout the Bible which I also love. Jeremiah offers some of the most heart-felt verses.

If we think we are going through tough times, we should look at Jeremiah. According to John MacArthur in his study Bible (page 1059), “Jeremiah has been known as the ‘weeping prophet,’ living a life of conflict because of his predictions of judgment by the invading Babylonians. He was threatened, tried for his life, put in stocks, forced to flee from Jehoiakim, publicly humiliated by a false prophet, and thrown into a pit.”

Here is a fellow who knew pain and suffering, yet had a dedication to God’s calling on his life. This is a prophet we can trust with words for talking with God. And so I picked out a few verses for you today. Perhaps you will discover even more as you read Jeremiah. Have a blessed TEA TIME with Jeremiah and Jesus!

Today’s TEA CUPP: Try these verses from Jeremiah as conversation starters for your prayer time today.

T for Thanks:

Praise the Lord of hosts,

For the Lord is good,

For His mercy endures forever. Jeremiah 33:11 (NKJV)

E for Exalt:
Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. Jeremiah 32:17 (NKJV)
A for Admit:
For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.  Jeremiah 31:34 (NKJV)

C for Call:
Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see,

And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,

And walk in it;

Then you will find rest for your souls…”  Jeremiah 6:16 (NKJV)
U is for Understanding our story:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

Before you were born I sanctified you... Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV)

P is for Promises:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)
P is for Petitions:
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;

Save me, and I shall be saved,

For You are my praise. Jeremiah 17:14 (NKJV)
Extra verses for wives to pray for their husbands:
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

And whose hope is the Lord.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,

Which spreads out its roots by the river,

And will not fear when heat comes;

But its leaf will be green,

And will not be anxious in the year of drought,

Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJV)
 Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. 
Quote from The MacArthur Study Bible, 1997, Word Publishing, Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Tea with My Best Friend

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15 (NKJV)

My favorite time of the day is the first hour of the morning when I have TEA with my Best Friend. We sit together on the sofa, I read His Word in the Bible, and then I use His Word for a conversation starter, as I talk with Jesus. This is my quiet time. This is my prayer time. This is my tea time with my Best Friend.

Jesus tells us in the book of John that we are His friends. In John 15:15 He says, “I have called you friends.” Isn’t that great news! Doesn’t that touch your heart? The Creator of the universe and Savior of your soul is your Friend. Jesus is always beside us, just waiting for us to chat with Him.

How might your conversation with Jesus go? There are so many stories in the Gospels you can use, from Peter to the woman at the well. Or, perhaps you would like this dialogue Jesus had with a blind man…

Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” Luke 18:39-42 (NKJV)

One morning I shared the blind man’s request with Jesus. I said, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”

And Jesus replied, “Jenny, what do you want me to do for you?”

I answered, “Lord, may I receive Your healing, and publish My Tea Cupp Prayers, and fulfill Your call. And may all on my prayer list love You.”

And Jesus answered, “Receive your good health, Your faith has made you well.”

Today’s TEA CUPP: Have TEA with your Best Friend today! Call to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Hear Jesus ask you, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And pour out your heart to Him.

But to You I have cried out, O Lord,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You. Psalm 88:13 (NKJV)

Tea in the Morning

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up. Psalm 5:3 (NKJV)

My dear Tea Cupp friends, today I want to encourage you to have TEA with Jesus first thing in the morning, as the sun is rising. I know days get hectic, and some mornings the baby wakes up sick, and all kinds of other events clutter the morning hours. But we are better armed for the battle, if most days we start by meeting Jesus for a quiet cup of tea.

Can you set the alarm a half hour early? Don’t check your smart phone or the the news. Just heat the tea kettle, pour yourself a hot drink, and curl up on the sofa with your Bible and mug. Here you will find the Word you need for the day. Here you will find strength for whatever you face. Here you will find grace and mercy and joy and peace and wisdom and power and…….we find it all at the foot of Jesus’ cross, in God’s Word, the Bible, in the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

There are so many benefits to having a quiet time with Jesus at the beginning of each day. Here are a few…

Jesus is First! We always want our priorities to match our lives and vice versa. If we really want Jesus to be first in our lives and hearts, we have to put Him first each day. Give your Best Friend the start of your day!
Before the chaos. We know how the unexpected can happen every day. The phone rings with bad news, or maybe it is good https://onhealthy.net/product/lexapro/ news that takes time to relate. The washing machine overflows. There is a knock at the door. So many things can happen as the day goes on. Meet with Jesus early before the chaos of the day.
A fresh start. If you’re like me, there is always something from yesterday that needs forgiving, a wrong thought, a wrong word, impatience, etc. Ask Jesus for forgiveness and strength for the new day. Maybe this day will go better!
Marching orders for today. It’s sure good to get directions for the day, before it begins. If Jesus has a special calling for you, you’d like to know so you can be ready. Sometimes He reminds me to text a friend or pray for a family member. Other times there is a bigger call. Keep a notebook handy to jot down any messages.
Leave your worries with Jesus. Perhaps you couldn’t sleep last night because you were worried. Don’t let those worries ruin your day. Pour out your heart to Jesus and leave those worries with Him. Petition the Lord for all on your prayer list. Know that God has you covered today.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Come, come sit at His feet this morning. Pour a cup of tea. Start your day with Jesus.

In the Morning When I Rise Give Me Jesus

Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters… Isaiah 55:1 (NKJV)

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38 (NKJV)

Prince of Peace Tea

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (NKJV)

Last summer, in our family’s efforts to give up carbonated beverages with high-fructose corn syrup, we found this delicious beverage at our local store, Peace Tea. Though the artwork on the cans is expressive of the 60’s with peace symbols and “V” fingers, the name gave me an idea.

I quickly fetched two cans from our recycling bin and snapped a photo for my website. What could be a better flavor for My Tea Cupp Prayers than Peace Tea? Wasn’t Jesus the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)? What can we learn by drinking Peace Tea?

My lovely Wednesday morning Bible study ladies teach me so much! Our current study is on the book of Romans, and we just completed Chapter 5. We learned how we, like the first man Adam, would have inherited God’s wrath because of our sins. BUT, because of our faith in Jesus, instead we inherit PEACE and eternal life.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV)

As soon as we ask God for forgiveness, we have peace with Him. Even if we don’t feel at peace, we have peace because of Jesus. And nothing can snatch us from His hands! Nothing!

For I am persuaded that neither https://tramadolmain.com death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things http://ambienbuy.net present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

So why might we still not feel peaceful, even though we have peace with God? It’s this fallen world we live in! As long as we live in this world of sin, we will have troubles, the Bible promises that:

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NKJV)

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. Matthew 10:34 (NKJV)

So, what are we to do? Keep praying! Keep having TEA with Jesus each day. Pour out our hearts to Him and let Him take our troubles, filling our cups to overflowing with the Prince of Peace Tea.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Sip a Prince of Peace Tea CUPP today. Ask God for forgiveness and the gift of His peace. Let Jesus take your worries. May the Holy Spirit fill your cup to overflowing!

Afraid to Tell

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

afraid to tell So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Mark 16:8 (NKJV)

It happens every spring when I read the Easter story from the book of Mark. I’m taken back to a time when I said nothing to anyone, because I was afraid. Perhaps you have a similar story.

We were at a church camp conference in Georgia with the theme, “This is My Story.” Whenever there was a lull between events, the crowd would launch into a lively rendition of the old hymn. “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long…” The song still rings in my heart almost two decades later.

Between singing and game workshops, maintenance manuals, recipe exchanges and all the other information you need to run a church camp, there was a delightful morning Bible study. I wish I could remember the name of the speaker who led this, an energetic, Asian-American dynamo. She ran us through the life of Jesus in the book of Mark, because that is Mark’s pace. She explained to us how most scholars believe the last twelve verses were tacked on later, so Mark 16:8 is really the final verse. And what does this verse tell us?

So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Mark 16:8 (NKJV)

Who were these people? Mark 16:1 tells us they were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome who brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body. They didn’t know how they would move the big stone that blocked the tomb. So when they arrived, they were so surprised to see the stone already rolled away. An angel in the tomb told them, “He is risen!”

Isn’t that the best news of all! Would you run tell all your friends? Well, according to Mark, these women were afraid and didn’t tell anyone at first. I wonder how many of us are like that. Do we know the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection, but are too scared to tell others?

The Bible study speaker challenged me to not be afraid to tell my story. That very day I wrote my story in my journal. The next Christmas I sent it out with our Christmas cards. Today I continue to look for ways to tell others about the love of Jesus, how He saved me by dying on the cross, and that He is risen. Many days, I’m still afraid, but the Holy Spirit nudges me to share more and more. Are you being nudged, too?

Today’s TEA CUPP: Read Mark 16 today. Celebrate the Good News that Jesus is Risen! Then find someone to tell the Good News of how Jesus has helped you.

But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.” Mark 16:6 (NKJV)

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

Who Cares???

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

question-questions_answers_5 A pastor who is often a special speaker at our church, travels with a business card that asks, “Who Cares? If you die and go to hell, who cares?”

Right on his business card he answers this tough question with 7 answers:

# 1 – God cares: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

# 2 – Jesus cares: For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. Matthew 18:11 (NKJV)

# 3 – All people in heaven care: I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7 (NKJV)

# 4 – All saved people care: And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Revelation 22:17 (NKJV)

# 5 – All people in hell care: That he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment. Luke 16:28 (NKJV)

# 6 – I care: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

# 7 – Do you care? If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: My friend, after reading the answers to #1-6, I hope you will answer a big “YES” to #7! God, Jesus, the saints, the sinners, including me, all want you to follow Jesus. Please join me in confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Dear Jesus, I believe in You! Please be Lord of my life. I believe You died for my sins and God raised You from the dead. I ask for your forgiveness. I look forward to eternal life with You in heaven. Please help me to live each day for You from this day forward. Thank you, Jesus. I love you! Amen.

A very happy and blessed Easter to you, dear friend!

Special thank you to Rev. Dr. Samuel G. Karunanithi from Living Word Church in Bridge City, Texas!

When God says, “No”

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV)

When God says, “No,” it hurts. I know, because He has said, “No” to me. Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience, whether it was losing a baby to miscarriage, losing a loved one to cancer, losing a job or home or family member. All these parts of life hurt, especially if you’ve prayed about them and trusted these situations to God. Every corner of our souls cry in pain when God says, “No.”

But, my friend, there is hope. Did you know God also said, “No” to David, Paul, and Jesus? David was the man after God’s own heart from whose seed our Savior came. When his first baby with Bathsheba was sick, David prayed and fasted and wept (2 Samuel 12:16). But God took that baby. Bathsheba’s next baby, Solomon, became the heir to David’s throne and the wisest king of Israel.

Paul was God’s chosen vessel to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, authoring many books of the New Testament. Yet at one point Paul had a thorn in his flesh. Three times he asked God to remove the thorn, but God said, “No.” God proclaimed, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness,“ (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul had to be content with God’s grace to endure.

Jesus, God’s only Son, was on His way to the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins. He knew the pain before Him and the grief it would bring to His followers, yet He also https://www.wnymedical.com/cialis/ understood it was the only path to save us. Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will,” (Mark 14:36). And God in His silence said, “No,” for Jesus was then led to the cross.

One day when reading these verses from my Bible, I was grieving over a recent “No” from God. I realized that if God said, “No” to David, Paul and Jesus (some of the greatest men in history), I certainly shouldn’t feel so awful when He says, “No” to me. I need to follow their example and say, “Thy will be done,” claiming God’s grace to see me through each day.

I can’t promise that God’s “No’s” will get any easier, but perhaps with this outlook we can all make it through another day. Remember, when God said, “No” to Jesus, He said “Yes” to all humanity, providing the perfect sacrifice for our sins. God’s “No” was a gift of love.

Today’s TEA CUPP: God knows what’s best, so I’ll accept God’s “No’s,” and keep on praying.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2 (NKJV)

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 (NKJV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Empty Plate

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

“But the days will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.” Luke 5:35 (NKJV)

An empty plate. An empty tea cupp. What is happening here? It must be time for fasting, giving up food and beverages while praying.

Sometimes God calls us to fast. I’m reminded of this every year when I read the book of Esther. In this great history, we see how God allowed Esther to become queen to save her people, the Jews, from annihilation. When Esther realized this was her duty, she asked her maids and others to pray and fast with her (Esther 4:16). For three days and nights they had no food or water. The end result was God saved the Jews.

One might wonder what to do during a three day fast. Should we pour out our hearts to Jesus on day one? What about days two and three? While there is no right way to pray and fast, we can find a good plan in 2 Chronicles 20. In this this history, King Jehoshaphat learns of an impending battle with his enemies. He declares a fast for all Judah. During the fast, there are three parts to his prayers:

1) Exalt: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? 2 Chronicles 20:6 (NKJV)

2) Claim God’s Promises: …You will hear and save….the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:9,15 (NKJV)

3) Petition: O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You. 2 Chronicles 20:12 (NKJV)

What if we use this formula for a three-day fast? The first day we exalt Jesus, praising Him for being our Savior. The second day, we claim God’s promises, underlining and repeating them from our Bibles. And the third day, we pour out our hearts to Jesus, asking for help with whatever trouble we are facing. Even Queen Esther went to see the king on the third day of fasting. She found favor in his sight as he asked, “What is your petition?” (Esther 5:1-7)

On the evening of the third day, we must open our ears and listen, for God will give us our call: ... Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord… 2 Chronicles 20:17 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Is God calling you to fast for a time? Is there something big in your life that needs more than a little prayer? I encourage you to try this three day fast and let God do His amazing miracles. Then you can go forth singing.

So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayers. Ezra 8:23 (NKJV)

Holding Up My Heart

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

Sometimes I do not pray in words-
I take my heart in my two hands
And hold it up before the Lord-
I am so glad He understands.
– by Nicholson, Our Daily Bread, September 23, 2014

Do you ever find yourself too busy or overwhelmed for prayer? The prayer list is too long, the time is too short, your heart is sorrowful, you don’t have the words? My friend, this is the time when you will truly find Jesus, when He will meet you right where you are.

My dear friend Jill in Ohio shared with me so long ago how she handles a busy morning. Some days she just holds up her prayer list to the Lord and says, “Take this Jesus, You know what’s on it.” I thought, “Really, can we do that? Is that okay?”

Then came the days that I ran out of time for my prayers…sick kids, sick me, new baby…so I tried Jill’s advice. I lifted up my prayer list to Jesus, asking Him to take it, and He did! Now occasionally in my prayer journal, instead of writing out sentences of prayers, I’ll draw a picture of me lifting all these people up to God. It is so good to put them all in His hands and leave them there!

Today’s TEA CUPP: My friend, won’t you lift your heart to Jesus today? You may call out names and concerns one by one, or just give it all to the Lord at once. God promises to hear all our prayers.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 (NKJV)

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

Packed with Promises

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

Are there times when making yourself a cup of tea, that you add a heaping spoonful of sugar or an extra dab of honey? Or, perhaps you have cookies with your tea? It seems there are moments when we truly need a little extra sweetness to carry us through the day.

God gives us extra sweetness in His Word. He must know we need a big dose of His promises to carry us through the ups and downs. Romans 8 is one of those passages that is simply packed with promises! So, if you need a big serving of God’s sweet promises, I recommend Romans 8 for you today. Let’s take a look:

We are not condemned:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (NKJV)

God’s Spirit is in us:

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

The Holy Spirit helps us pray:

God works all things for good:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

God is for us:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (NKJV)

Jesus is praying for us:

It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:34 (NKJV)

We are more than conquerors:

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37 (NKJV)

Nothing can separate us from Jesus!

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: I like to underline favorite verses in my Bible as I read. If the verse is one of God’s promises, I put a “P” in the margin next to it. Underline these promises in your Bible today, along with any others you find. Hide these promises in your heart and claim them as your own.