My Best Friend Jesus

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)

I always wanted a best friend. When I was three years old I had a friend down the block named Susie Brown. We played together, watched Sesame Street, planted pieces of wicker to grow a pretzel bush, and got into her sisters’ things. It was fun to have such a close friend. But then Susie moved to Texas when I was six.

Over the years God sent other friends to fill Susie’s place…Andi, Michale, Jennie, Jennifer, Mary Anne, Jean, Laura, Sarah, Becky, Jill, Lisa, Nancy, Jodi, Cindy, Susan (all very special to me!!!)…but they had other friends, too. It seemed no one needed a best friend.

Yet today I encounter folks with best friends. My scrapbook buddy had a surprise 40th birthday party given by her best friend from high school. My neighbor was driving to Saturday morning coffee with her life time best friend, a weekly date. There still are best friends in the world, after all.

With my Christmas card basket full of cards, I know I do have friends. But none are best friends. Who will be my best friend? God tells me it is Jesus.

Jesus is the One who is ALWAYS there for me. He never lets me down. He holds me when I’m sad and wipes away my tears. He carries me on days that I can’t carry myself. On happy days, He is there to share my joy. When I mess up, He forgives me right away. He promises to never leave me nor forsake me. I’m so thankful that Jesus is my best friend!

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)

Today’s TEA CUPP: May the words of this old hymn bring us comfort and joy today, as we have TEA with our best friend Jesus…

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there. By Joseph M. Scriven, 1855

Crying Out to God

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1-2 (NKJV)

My favorite devotion book, Our Daily Bread, had a wonderful devotion a few weeks ago called “Crying Out to God.” Sometimes our hearts are so overwhelmed for our children, our families, our friends, and our country. All we can do is cry. Jesus hears us and comes to us. And so I share this devotion link with all those who need Him to hear today…

http://odb.org/2013/02/15/crying-out-to-god/

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

Tea Cupp Measuring Spoons

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38 (NKJV)

My dear friend Jodi gave me these measuring spoons a few years ago. Aren’t they neat decorated with tea cups? I use them often for measuring and baking.

The other day I was looking at these spoons again and recalled a devotion I heard at Awana a long time ago.

Awana is a children’s Bible program that meets weekly to bring boys and girls to Christ. It’s name comes from 2 Timothy 2:15 – Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed. The children play games, memorized Bible verses, and have a council time each week. (To find an Awana near you, check their website: http://www.awana.org/

Once when our older children were still in Awana, I came early to pick them up and heard the council time devotion. The pastor had several spoons and shovels and a bag of M&Ms. I can’t remember exactly how he worded it, but the point was, which size spoon or shovel would you like to be given M&Ms? THE BIGGEST ONE, of course!

Well, that is the size shovel we should be using to give to others, also. We shouldn’t give because we expect blessings in return. But we should give because we are so full of God’s love we want to share it with others. AND we should use the BIGGEST shovel we have!

Bakers know that when you measure flour, you scoop it gently and level it with a knife, never pressing it down. But when you measure brown sugar, you pack it into the measuring cup, pressing firmly to get as much sugar as possible. That is how this verse from Luke tells us to measure what we give others — pack it down and give as much as we can! AND God promises we will be blessed!

Today’s TEA CUPP: What size spoon are you using to share with others? Let’s all try to use a bigger spoon today!

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)

Daddy’s Date Bars – GF

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Jennifer Grace

A neat way to pray for someone is to bake them a treat or take them a meal. While you are cooking, you are thinking of that person and praying for him/her! Here is a treat I’m baking for my Daddy to take on our next visit. Get well, Daddy!

Daddy’s Date Bars (gluten free variety)

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped dates
1 and 1/2 cups water
3/4 coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 and 1/2 cups oats (gluten-free)

Cook dates and water in a small saucepan over low heat until thick. Cool. In a medium bowl, combine coconut oil and sugar. In another bowl, combine salt, baking soda, brown rice flour, sorghum flour and xanthan gum. Add flour mixture to butter and sugar, along with oats. Mix until crumbly. Press half the crumb mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread cooled dates over filling. Drop remaining crumb mixture over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool, cut and share!

I like to store these in the frig so they last longer. You will want to bake a batch of these for your holiday gatherings!

Dates remind me of the question, “What date is Jesus returning?” Scripture tell us…
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Mark 13:32 (NKJV)

I Thirst

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Jennifer Grace

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” John 19:28 NKJV

Up again in the night for another feeding, I sat in bed nursing our new baby. Though I had just sipped some water, my throat was still dry, since nursing requires a great deal of fluids.

“I thirst,” I mused. And then I thought of Jesus and His words from the cross. “I thirst,” He whispered weakly. The people heard and offered Him vinegar on a sponge. Then Jesus died for our sins.

This is Jesus who proclaimed “I am the Living Water.” Yet on the cross He thirsted. When Jesus said, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” perhaps at that moment He was alone, a perfect Man, the spotless Lamb, not God the Living Water. For at that moment God had left Him so He could die for our sins. Thus Jesus thirsted.

This is what our Jesus did for us. Thank You, dear Jesus. May I remember what You did for me on the cross every time I thirst. Amen.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Read Matthew 27:45-54. Thank Jesus for His gift of life. Remember Jesus every time you thirst.

But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14 NKJV

Petitions: With my whole heart

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Jennifer Grace

Today’s TEA CUPP: Praying God’s Word.

Here is a verse to pray today as we POUR out our hearts to Jesus, giving Him our PETITIONS.

I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O LORD!
I will keep Your statutes. Psalm 119:145 (NKJV)

Promises: For our children

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Jennifer Grace

Today’s TEA CUPP: Praying God’s Word.

Here’s a PROMISE from God’s Word to claim during our TEA CUPP time with Jesus today:

But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear Him,
and His righteousness with their children’s children. Psalm 103:17 (NIV)