Some One is Coming!

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Jennifer Grace

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)

Guests are coming! Visitors are coming! Such news can cause excitement in a home, looking forward to a beloved family member or friend. If the house is a mess, though, it can cause anxiety, rushing around, trying to straighten up for the soon arriving person.

Our family prepares guest houses for visitors to Montana. Sometimes we have a very short time between the departure of one family and the arrival of another. We have to hurry to mow the lawns, water the flowers, make the beds, clean the bathrooms, and so on. There is quite a sense of accomplishment and thankfulness when we get it all done on time.

Often we don’t know who is coming to the home, but other times we are told in advance. Occasionally it is the owner, or the mother-n-law, or some other important person. While I’m cleaning the house, I think, “The owner is coming! I have to get this clean.” I imagine the mother-n-law from old TV shows, wearing white gloves as she runs her finger along the mantle. I just know I will miss a speck of dust or a fly, and I don’t want to disappoint her.

There is another Guest arriving to our world soon. The Bible promises us:

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him… Revelation 1:7 (NKJV)

This Special Guest is Jesus. I wonder if we live our lives as we do preparing guest homes, thinking about HIS arrival? Jesus promised He is returning. Do we go about each hour thinking, “Jesus is coming!” Do we wash ourselves clean so we’re ready for His return? Do we make sure our lives are in order, cleaning the sin cobwebs out of our hearts?

I take great comfort in knowing that though I might not have every speck of dust and fly cleaned up before Jesus’ return, I don’t have to worry. Because I am His child, He has washed me clean and declared me forgiven. I can look forward to Jesus’ coming with great joy and anticipation.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Are you ready for Jesus’ return? If you haven’t already, ask Him to be your Savior and Lord today. Invite Him into your heart to clean out all the dust and sin. Claim His promise of forgiveness and eagerly wait for His return, spending TEA time with Jesus each day.

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” Revelation 22:12 (NKJV)

Filthy Rags

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Jennifer Grace

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags… Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV)

I started a new job this summer, helping my husband with his property management business. We prepare guest houses and yards for visitors to this beautiful part of Montana. It is a family under-taking with our kids doing lawn care and household tasks. My job is to help when there is cleaning.

Each home has a cleaning closet with all the necessary supplies, including a box of clean rags. One by one I use the rags to wipe the kitchen, dust the living room, and scrub the bathrooms. I’m always grabbing a new rag to make the house shine. Sometimes my husband uses one of my damp rags to wipe down the blackened grill outside. By the end of my shift, I depart with a bucket of grungy rags to wash and return the next time.

The other day I came across this verse from Isaiah about filthy rags. Whereas I would like to be one of the clean rags in the closet, Isaiah says all my good deeds are like filthy rags to God! He’s not talking about my sins, he’s referring to the good things like baking cookies for a neighbor and sending a card to a sick person. My righteousness is like the grimy bucket of dirty fabric I bring home from these cleaning projects. Oh, what a sobering thought!

The Message Bible says it like this:

We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated.
Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. Isaiah 64:6 (MSG)

With God’s Word telling us we’re no good, what hope do we have? We have the hope of Jesus Christ! He promises to wash away all our sins and make us clean and new and righteous, so that one day we can stand before God, not as filthy rags, but as those who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

“Though your sins are like scarlet,
      They shall be as white as snow;
      Though they are red like crimson,
      They shall be as wool. “ Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:14 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: As you go about your cleaning tasks at home or work today, remember Isaiah’s words about filthy rags. Let’s confess our sins to God and let Jesus wash us white as snow.

“Foot-in-Mouth” TEA

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Did you ever have a cup of “Foot-in-Mouth” tea? That bitter taste of shoe-leather just stays with you all day, even all week. It’s the kind of tea you drink again and again, wishing you had never had it the first time. Oh, this happens to me sometimes. The wrong words come tumbling out, and then over and over again I replay those words in my mind, trying to erase them from my memory. What can we do at a time like this? Come to Jesus.

It’s time to sit down with Jesus for TEA CUPP prayers and focus on the “A” today. Let’s ADMIT our sins to Jesus, who already knows them anyway. Give Him all the wrong words and let Him wash away the hurts with His special “Foot-in-Mouth” anecdote…God’s Word…

First, He convicts us with His Word…

The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. Matthew 12:36 (NIV)

But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. Matthew 15:18 (NIV)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:8-10 (NIV)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9 (NKJV)

Then, I ask for His forgiveness…

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know….
Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:3, 6 (NIV)

My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, LORD, how long?

Turn, LORD, and deliver me;
save me because of Your unfailing love. Psalm 6:3-4 (NIV)

Jesus promises me my sins are forgiven…

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:48 (NIV)

“I, even I, am He who blots out
your transgressions, for My own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25 (NIV)

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 (NIV)

Finally, I pray that I won’t drink “Foot-in-Mouth” TEA again…

I said, “I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin. Psalm 39:1 (NIV)

“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. Job 6:24 (NKJV)

Set a guard over my mouth, LORD;
keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3 (NIV)

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in Your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

No more shoe-leather…a fresh new day…God bless you, my friends!

The Third Son

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. Luke 15:21

Are you familiar with the story of the prodigal son, the son who took his inheritance from his father and squandered it on loose living? He had an older brother who was disgusted that his dad threw a party when the lost brother returned home. But are you aware of the third son?

Can you find the third son in the story? My pastor gave a sermon one Sunday where he pointed out the three sons. It had never occurred to me before. First let’s meet the sons you know again. The famous prodigal son is the younger son. He is the offender who is lost in his passions, a man in need of much forgiveness. His older brother is the offended because he never got a party for all his hard work. This older son is lost in his pride, also in need of much forgiveness.

My pastor explained the third son is the one who is telling the story, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb, paid the sins of the other two sons, and my sins, and your sins, and the sins of the entire world. Jesus paid our sins by His death on the cross, preparing the way for us to be restored to our Father in heaven.

And our Father in heaven has a party for every lost sinner who returns to Him.

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

When I was in elementary school, my church choir performed a musical about the three “Lost” parables (the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son). I can still remember the tune and the words:

“There is more joy in heaven for one lost soul who has found his way,
than for all ninety-nine who have never gone astray.”

Today’s TEA CUPP: Let heaven have a party tonight! Read the entire story in Luke 15:11-32. During your TEA CUPP time today, come before Jesus, ADMITTING your sins, asking Him to forgive you and be your Savior and Lord forever, for all eternity. Just like the Father, He welcomes you with open arms.

It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found. Luke 15:32

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

My TEA CUPP Prayers

Praying God's Word … Inviting Ladies to TEA with the King of kings!

Category Archives: Admitting

Some One is Coming!

Filthy Rags

“Foot-in-Mouth” TEA

The Third Son