Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.Psalm 78:35 (NKJV)
When all seems hopeless, Remember the works of the LORD!
Remember how He created heaven and earth from nothing by His Word.
Remember how He gave Abraham and Sarah a baby in their old age.
Remember how He rescued the Israelites from Egypt with severe plagues and mighty signs and His outstretched arm.
Remember how He fed His children in the desert with bread from heaven and water from the Rock.
Remember how He parted the Red Sea and washed away the enemy.
Remember how He knocked down the walls of Jericho with a mighty trumpet blast.
Remember how He heard the prayer of barren Hannah and blessed her with baby Samuel.
Remember how He heard Esther’s fasting and prayers and rescued His people from destruction.
Remember how He closed the lions’ mouths for Daniel and walked in the fire with Shadrack, Meshach and Abed-Nego.
Remember how God sent His Only Son Jesus, born of a virgin, to be our Savior,
Remember how Jesus healed the sick, fed the 5000 and called Lazarus out of the grave.
Remember how Jesus willingly shed His blood and died on the cross for our sins.
Remember how He rose from the grave and beat death and the devil forever.
Remember how He has carried you through every trial and heartache.
Remember how He promised to prepare a place for you in heaven.
Remember how He ascended to the clouds and promised He is coming again in the same way to take us to Himself.
Remember.
Today’s TEA CUPP: Dear sister, read Psalms 78 and 105 to remember how faithful God is to His children. Remember how faithful He has been to you. Thank and praise Jesus for His faithfulness today. Tell a friend what you remember.
And I said, “This is my anguish; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds.Psalm 77:10-12 (NKJV)
Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.Ecclesiastes 12:6 (NKJV)
Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, becauseyour redemption draws near. Luke 21:28 (NKJV)
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV)
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Hebrews 3:14 (NKJV)
Steadfast. Stout-hearted. Strong-willed. Stubborn. Stiff-necked — all such similar character traits that can set us at our best our worst. Which do we want to be today? Steadfast and Stout-hearted!
Sisters, if ever there was a time in history to stand firm, it is now. We want to be steadfast with our feet grounded in the Word of God. We want to be stout-hearted, going forth bravely for the cross of Christ. We want to be strong-willed, in line with God’s will, not giving in to the tyranny around us.
Imagine a gigantic boulder in the midst of a mountain river in spring time. The snow-melted water comes thundering down the mountain, but the boulder does not move. It stands fast through the summer sun and is stout-hearted in the fall as it heads into another winter. That is what we are to do today.
What is the trouble? Though many of us have felt a call to be Esther at various times in our lives, I don’t think we every thought it would be for the same reason that Esther faced. Vaccine mandates are being thrust upon us. I think Esther said it best:
For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Esther 7:4 (NKJV)
And what is our crime? We are Christians who will not allow the abortion-tainted death shot to be injected into our bodies. I exhort you to remain steadfast in your hope of Jesus coming. Do not give in to the evil around us. In Romans, we are told to present our bodies holy to the Lord. We can’t be holy if we have baby parts injected into us!
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Corinthians tells us to not be deceived, that we should glorify God in our bodies, that we are His temple…
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived… But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God… Glorify God in Body and Spirit.. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!… Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.1 Corinthians 6:9-20.
Perhaps you want to ask God as Gideon did:
…O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles…Judges 6:13 (NKJV)
Ezekiel and Jeremiah answer the question, saying we are stiff-necked (2 Kings 17:14) and stubborn (the negative version of steadfast and stout-hearted):
…they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’Ezekiel 2:4. (NKJV)
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the doom that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks that they might not hear My words. Jeremiah 19:15 (NKJV)
So, what can we do? We can pray! We can confess our own sins and the sins of our nation:
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.Psalm 51:10 (NKJV)
Then he said, “If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance.”Exodus 34:9 (NKJV)
We can praise the Name of Jesus:
O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Psalm 108:1 (NKJV)
We can ask Jesus to keep us steadfast with these verses:
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.Psalm 57:7 (NKJV)
We shall not fear when evil news comes:
He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.Psalm 112:7 (NKJV)
Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?Psalm 94:16 (NKJV)
He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Psalm 121:3 (NKJV)
And if you are thinking we should mask up again, please read 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, because the veil is taken away in Christ! And if you need a prayer, pray Psalm 60 with all your heart to the Lord, for through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies!!!
Today’s TEA CUPP: Dear One, be steadfast. Be stout-hearted. Be in God’s will and Word always. Do not be deceived. Do not give in to the tyranny. Stand firm to the end, for at the end is Jesus and eternal life. Pray through all the Psalms (Psalm 80 and 83 are good ones I prayed recently). Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight. (2 Samuel 10:12),
Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.Philippians 4:1 (NKJV)
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men” Acts 5:19 (NKJV)
…hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Hebrews 3:6 (NKJV)
Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.Psalm 125:1 (NKJV)
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 (NKJV)
If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard…Colossians 1:23 (NKJV)
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NKJV)
But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:13
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.2 Peter 3:17 (NKJV)
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.1 Corinthians 16:13 (NKJV)
Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.2 Chronicles 30:8 (NKJV)
God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 7:11 (NKJV)
Every age needs Jesus. Every age needs Jesus, not just every age of person, from babies to grandparents, but also EVERY AGE as in every time in history. Recently I was reading the book of Judges where people did “what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). In this Bible book, God’s people continually strayed away from Him, so God sent prophets to call them back. Reading the book of Judges is much like reading a newspaper today, so many heart-breaking stories.
A long time ago, I made a list of Bible Stories I don’t like and Judges 19-21 was at the top of the list. If you want to ready the bizarre, you should read these passages. This story brings up so many questions, like why didn’t the man protect his wife? Why did he cut her up into 12 pieces? Why did the Israelites think it was okay to steal wives for the Benjaminites? These questions might spark your curiosity enough to read this Bible selection! Yet the answer for every question is the same, the people did “what was right in their own eyes.”
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. Psalm 7:9 (NKJV)
Hundreds of years after Judges, Acts 25:13 shows us more wickedness. In this passage, the Apostle Paul was brought before King Agrippa and Bernice. This royal couple was another example of people doing “what was right in their own eyes” for Bernice was King Agrippa’s sister. Their marriage was against God’s law. Paul, like the prophets before him, took full advantage of his time before the king, giving his testimony and declaring, “…repent, turn to God, do works befitting repentance” (Acts 26:20).
Many times in the Bible we see where God honors the faithful and the wicked are punished. Jeremiah 35 is such a place. The Rechabites had been told by their father Jonadab to live in tents and not drink wine. They were obeying their earthly father. Jeremiah told them, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever” ’ ” (Jeremiah 35:16-19). What a blessing for this family because of their faithfulness!
Dear One, Let God’s Word reassure you. When Jesus was born, the Romans ruled that part of the world. Joseph and Mary had to travel miles to be counted by those Romans. And just at that time, the Father had His Son be born to a virgin, in a stable, because there was no room in the Inn. God sent GREAT HOPE at a time when it was needed most, to a poor couple, in a barn with animals, all living under Roman rule. That precious Baby grew to be the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life for us on the cross and rose again on Easter morning, opening the door of heaven for all who believe in His Name.
Dear One, don’t you think He can do the same today? This certainly is another time in history when people are doing “what is right in their own eyes.” Ungodly marriages, abortion, murders, rioting, sinful leaders… As we look at the tragedy in Afghanistan, the damage of hurricane Ida, the fires and smoke in the West (shrouding our beautiful mountains daily), the continuation of vaccines and Covid, we might lose hope, but we won’t! We hold onto God’s promise to send His Son Jesus to right the wrongs and reign on high eternally! For every age needs Jesus!!!
Today’s TEA CUPP: Please pray with me…Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth we cry to You. Our hearts are overwhelmed for the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished! We claim Your promise that the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, for You are coming on the clouds. You are with us in every trial and tribulation, through every fire and storm. You are our Great Hope and Healer and Savior. Come, Lord Jesus, come. (Psalm 61:1-2, 2 Samuel 1:27, Psalm 49:14, Matthew 24:30, Revelation 22:20)
...We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22 (NKJV)
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Revelation 22:20-21 (NKJV)
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. Psalm 50:2-3 (NKJV)
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.Galatians 3:24 (NKJV)
It’s back to school time for many youth across our country. As they bring lessons home, some students may find they are struggling in one subject area and need a tutor. I was a tutor for a few years, welcoming students into my home after school to help with math and reading homework. Much like a piano teacher who gives lessons, I only saw my pupils for 30-45 minutes each week. We got through a good chunk of homework that was due the next day, but I never felt we were making big progress in our brief time together. I pray my students saw Jesus in me and my family, and that is the lesson they remember the most!
These pupils needed the daily care of a tutor or parent to help them press on in their studies, much like we need Jesus daily to guide us. Just as 45 minutes of tutoring a week might not make a difference to a math student, an hour in church each week may not grow a believer. We need to be in God’s Word and praying EVERY DAY, listening to His Voice through the Holy Spirit, submitting to His will, fighting the good fight of faith.
Paul shows us in Galatians how that’s what God was doing through the Law — constantly tutoring us, showing us the right way, guiding us forward. And since none of us can follow the Law perfectly (For all have sinned, Romans 3:23), God sent His Only Son Jesus to save us and fulfill the Law. Now we live not under Law but under His grace!
…for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20 (NKJV)
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.Romans 6:14 (NKJV)
What is this Law? It is the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses after he led God’s people out of Egypt, 430 years after God rewarded Abraham with a promise because of his faith. Abraham’s faith led to the Law, which led to the Law showing us our sin, which led to our need for a Savior, which led to Jesus coming, which leads to our faith in Him!
We need the Law to show us our sins and to lead us to Jesus. John MacArthur, in his study Bible, provides additional insight into the Law as our tutor. In MacArthur’s notes for Romans 3:31, he explains how our salvation through faith does not nullify the Law, but rather shows its true importance. Our faith in Christ provides the payment for the penalty of death required by the Law. And our faith in Christ fulfills the original purpose of the Law, to serve as a tutor. In his notes for Galatians 3:24, MacArthur tells how the Greek word for tutor denotes a slave whose duty it was to take care of a child until adulthood. They took children to school and watched over their behavior constantly, making children long for the day they would no longer have a tutor. I love John MacArthur’s quote, “The Law was our tutor which by showing us our sins, was escorting us to Christ.”
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus taught His disciples so many truths, but the one thing they specifically asked Him was, “teach us to pray.” Perhaps prayer, most of all, is where Jesus tutors us the most.
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”Luke 11:1 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP: A new school year is upon us. Read Romans 3 with a heart open to tutoring. Let us commit to pray daily for children, grandchildren, neighbor children, and teachers in our towns. May they all be guided and tutored by the Word of God and His Holy Spirit. And may Jesus return to schools in the USA! May God also bless the homeschool families. And may we all continue to be tutored by Jesus until He returns!
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end. Psalm 119:33 (NKJV)
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments. Psalm 119:66 (NKJV)
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)
Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.Job 22:22 (NKJV)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)
Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.Psalm 86:11
Thank you to David Kim and Carrie from Discovery Church for this beautiful song!
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.Psalm 143:8 (NKJV)
I awoke early at our campsite to have my tea time with Jesus before the day began. We had arrived a bit later than expected the night before. After setting up the pop-up camper and preparing supper, we realized the propane stove was not working. So, just before 9 p.m., the family ate our anniversary dinner of taco salad with cold beans and then tumbled into sleeping bags. We prayed that Daddy could fix the stove in the morning when there was daylight. And guess what, he did and we had hot French toast for breakfast! Isn’t the Lord kind?
Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You. Psalm 17:7 (NKJV)
We were camping in a pristine mountain forest at a place called Crystal Lake Campground. There was only one problem, the lake was missing! It had dried up! A lovely nature trail went around the “lake” that was no longer there. Thankfully, the campground host had maps, and the boys hiked to this beautiful Crystal Cascade waterfall. Isn’t that another example of the kindness of the Lord, to pour out His Living Water upon us when our souls are thirsty (Psalm 63:1)? In my quiet time I read this verse from Psalm 17:7 and thought of all the times God had shown us His Marvelous Lovingkindness when traveling…
Twice, before reservations were allowed, we arrived late to the Many Glacier Campground in Glacier National Park, only to find it already full. We walked and drove around, looking for a spot. We sat at a picnic table and prayed. And guess what, both times we got a spot! A Park ranger came by and said a family didn’t show up, we could have their spot.
So many times when we were out of money or groceries and I needed to fix dinner when the kids were little, God helped me come up with a recipe with the few ingredients we had left.
And every time we had a vehicle break down, God sent someone to rescue us. Our first minivan broke down in the middle of Nebraska on a trip from Colorado to Iowa, right next to a KOA campground where the kids enjoyed swimming. A tow truck driver was available to tow us the next day all the way to our folks in Iowa. Isn’t God so good!
And yet those bits of Lovingkindness are just a tiny taste of the Marvelous Lovingkindness our Lord Jesus did for us on the Cross. While we were yet sinners, God looked down from heaven and saw us and loved us (Romans 5:8). He saw how we were lost in our sin and could never obey all His law. Yet He loved us and carried out the plan He had since before time began, sending His Only Son Jesus to die for our sins. Jesus shed His blood for us and endured the pain of the cross (Hebrews 12:2) for you, and for me and for all who believe in Him. On the third day He rose from the grave, defeating sin, satan, and death, once and for all, opening the door of heaven for all believers. Now that is Marvelous Lovingkindness! Let’s rejoice in these blessings…
He has prepared a campsite for us in heaven (John 14).
He has a hot meal ready, Jesus, the Bread of Life (Psalm 22:26, John 6:35).
And our vehicle won’t break down on the way, for He Himself will come to carry us home! (Psalm 17:15, Psalm 23:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:17) Hallelujah! God be praised forever and ever and ever!
Today’s TEA CUPP: Read these verses about our Lord’s Lovingkindness. Take time today to write a verse in Your prayer journal and thank the Lord for all the times He’s showered You with His Marvelous Lovingkindness.
Because Your lovingkindnessis better than life, My lips shall praise You. Psalm 63:3 (NKJV)
You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts.Jeremiah 32:18 (NKJV)
Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old. Psalm 25:6 (NKJV)
Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.Psalm 36:10 (NKJV)
Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. Psalm 40:11 (NKJV)
Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.Psalm 51:1 (NKJV)
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NKJV)
Every day I kiss Jesus. I finish the first part of my morning TEA time, reading God’s Word. I always try to let Him speak before me, opening my Bible to read as I take a sip from my steaming mug. My readings include Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms, providing many verses that speak to my current needs. Right now, I’m following the M’Cheyne Bible Reading plan, which actually has me reading in four places. By the time I finish reading, my cup of tea is either cold or long gone. I write down the verses God shows me in my prayer journal and close my Bible, giving it a kiss before setting it down, much as I always kissed our babies before laying them in the crib.
Why did I start kissing my Bible? Is it because it is as precious to me as those long-grown babies? Is it because it is the Word of God, Jesus who gave His life for me? Is it because it is the only Hope we have in the crazy world? There are probably many reasons. And yet, as I kiss His Word, I realize Jesus first kissed me.
Every believer has the kiss of Jesus upon her forehead. He has given you His Holy Spirit in your heart as a guarantee. After He writes “My Beloved daughter” on us and seals us with the kiss of His Holy Spirit, we become a letter to all the world of God’s great love. That’s why when you are at the grocery store or park or anywhere and see another believer, Jesus shines from her eyes, and you know and she knows that you are both children of the Heavenly Father, you both have been sealed with His kiss.
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men. 2 Corinthians 3:2 (NKJV)
Do you know when Jesus was kissed by the Father? I imagine that’s what the dove was doing at His baptism. When John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan River for repentance of sins, along came Jesus who had never sinned. John didn’t think he should baptize his perfect cousin, but Jesus insisted, setting the example for all believers. God had already told John that the One on whom His Spirit rests would be the Savior of the world (John 1:33). And that is just what happened when Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove and a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son.”
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.Ephesians 1:13 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP: Read about Jesus’ baptism in Mark 1:9-11. Oh, Jesus, this is our story, too. You established us, anointed us, and sealed us with Your Holy Spirit like an envelope. We have a seal on our hearts declaring, “Beloved of God,” “God’s Child,” “Saved by Jesus,” “Redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb.” And no one, no one, can remove the seal and snatch us from Your hands. Yet people can still read the letter inside. We are Your letter to the world, proclaiming the Good News of Your salvation, Jesus. Hallelujah! This is my story! Amen.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. Psalm 2:12 (NKJV)
O Jesus, I love You! I kiss Your feet and wash them with my tears. I hug and kiss You with my prayers. I run to You like a little girl to her Daddy, climbing on Your lap. Oh, I want to stay in this safe place. You love me and all Your children. You are gentle with us, but to the wicked You are a terror. You are Great, Mighty, all-seeing, Savior God! Nothing is too hard for You. I love You, Jesus. Amen.
…Greet one another with a holy kiss.1 Corinthians 16:20 (NKJV)
Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 5:5. (NKJV)
They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. Revelation 22:4 (NKJV)
Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. Psalm 85:10
. . . and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.Luke 7:28 (NKJV)
And he arose and came to his father. Butwhen he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.Luke 15:20 (NKJV)
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.My Father,who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.John 10:28-29 (NKJV)
Thank you for stopping by My TEA CUPP Prayers. If you enjoyed today’s devotion, you might also like to read last week’s Come to the Wedding Feast and God Loves You.And speaking of weddings and kisses, this week my husband and I celebrate our 32nd anniversary. All glory be to God!
Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner;my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ Matthew 22:4 (NKJV)
“Come to the wedding!” Dear Sister, the wedding of all eternity is coming soon and YOU are invited! Jesus is making the crowning preparations right now, putting the finishing touches on His mansions, watering His garden of fruit trees, sending out the final invitations, praying for us as He anticipates the Day He will come to marry His bride, the Church.
Perhaps you missed a few weddings this past year. With plagues and shutdowns, many weddings were postponed or abbreviated. My son and his beautiful bride pared their wedding down from 200 friends and family to 25 close family members to celebrate within the guidelines of their town. I was very thankful to attend this lovely event, even with the smaller numbers, because we had missed his sister’s wedding when she eloped. I was sad about this for a long time until Jesus comforted me with these words:
Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’”Revelation 19:9 (NKJV)
Dear One, even if we miss every wedding this year, we can rejoice, for we are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! Hallelujah! What a glorious Day that will be! Let us all be ready for that great and eternal Day! Let us prepare right now so that we are ready. Let us be forgiven and washed in the blood of Jesus and put on His pure white dresses (Revelation 19:8). Let us fill our lamps with the oil of His word (Matthew 25:1). Let us watch and pray for we don’t know when the time will come (Mark 13:33).
Until now, the Lord has been very gracious to us in waiting for more people to turn to Him (Isaiah 30:18). Yet we can see the Day of His coming approaching, as evil is called good and good is called evil, and our world heads in a downward spiral of moral decay, even within the Church. Listen to God’s Word from Saint Matthew…
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.Matthew 24:30 (NKJV)
Saint Luke also describes many of these signs that the Wedding is almost at hand. From wars to earthquakes to pestilences to persecutions and more… God’s Word says, “So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:31). Oh, Sister, the time is certainly near, won’t you please come to the Wedding?
Over and over, as we read our Bibles, Jesus invites us to “Come!” When you have TEA with Jesus each day and believe in His Name, you are accepting His call, and He quenches your thirst with His Living Water (Rev. 21:6, John 4:14). From the Old Testament to Revelation, the invitation is always there:
Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat…Isaiah 55:1 (NKJV)
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.Psalm 34:11 (NKJV)
Come toMe, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Matthew 11:28 (NKJV)
And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.Mark 6:31 (NKJV)
…“Come and see.” John 1:46
Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ? John 4:29 (NKJV)
Oh, dear friend, won’t you please accept His invitation? Jesus so fervently desires you to be there, as He desired to eat the Last Supper with His disciples (Luke 22:15). RSVP “Yes” today! In recent years we have online wedding registries, where you can meet the bride and groom, view engagement photos, see the bridal party, RSVP you are coming, find a motel, look at the guest list and gift ideas, etc. Imagine if there were such a website for Jesus’ wedding! We could view photos of Jesus in heaven, see His Church, meet the Saints who will return with Him, say “YES!” we are coming, check out the mansion arrangements, see who else is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and admire the crowns we will bring to cast at the feet of our Groom, Jesus Christ. Fun as that sounds, our Bible, God’s Word, is the best place for us to get a glimpse of our Lord’s wedding.
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.Revelation 19:7 (NKJV)
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.Revelation 21:2 (NKJV)
As we read Revelation 21, I think of the old movies where the bride is married in her own home. At just the right moment, when all the guests are in place, she appears at the top of a long stairway, gracefully descending to take the arm of her groom. Saint John paints a picture for us, “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). Imagine that Glorious Day when Jesus takes the Church to be His bride, will you be there?
Jesus tells the story of a Great Supper in Luke 14:15-24:
Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,andsent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and themaimed and the lame and the blind.’And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.For I say to youthat none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” Luke 14:16-24 (NKJV)
Don’t make excuses, the time to say YES is TODAY! Accept Jesus! Come to the Wedding, my friend. Let us hasten the day of His Wedding by praying with John in Revelation 22:20, “Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
…Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP: Dear Sister, there are so many beautiful wedding stories in the Bible. Spend time this week reading each of these: Matthew 22:1-14, Matthew 25:1-13, John 2:1-11, Revelation 21, and Genesis 24. Your daily TEA time with Jesus is preparing you for this Glorious Wedding Day. Rejoice that YOU are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place…the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the Lord of hosts, For the Lordis good, For His mercy endures forever”…Jeremiah 33:10-11 (NKJV)
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13 (NKJV)
The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly…Zephaniah 1:14 (NKJV)
They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. Luke 13:29 (NKJV)
…Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God! Luke 14:15 (NKJV)
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,butwhoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give himwill become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14 (NKJV)
I have two beautiful songs for you today, ladies! While looking up the second hymn, I came across this beautiful Catholic hymn based on Isaiah 55:1. I can just see all the faithful coming forward to receive the Bread and Cup, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus, while hearing this song. The invitation is for all who hunger and thirst for righteousness and put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And someday we will share the Cup anew with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven!
O let all who thirst Let them come to the water And let all who have nothing Let them come to the Lord Without money, without price Why should you pay the price Except for the Lord? (John Foley, 1978)
And Jesus said, “Come to the water, stand by My side, I know you are thirsty, you won’t be denied; I felt every teardrop when in darkness you cried, And I strove to remind you that for those tears I died.” (Hymn, author unknown)
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NKJV)
Dear One, Perhaps you have seen a theme in my trilogy of devotions. A few weeks ago I shared, “God Hears, Dear One” for some might wonder if God is hearing our prayers as our country crumbles. Last week I wrote, “Fear Not, Dear One” to encourage you in the face of scary news. Today I share “God is Near, Dear One” to remind you He is right here with us in the battle.
Do you remember the good old Christmas hymns? Many of them ask Jesus to come… “Come Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free“… and “Oh, Come, Oh, Come Immanuel…” What does Immanuel mean? It means God with us! And He came as a Baby and grew to be a Man and walked this earth and shed His blood and died for our sins on the cross and rose again. When Jesus went to heaven He sent His Holy Spirit to be our Helper. God is really with us!
Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 (NKJV)
How can we know God is with us? Open our Bibles and read His Word. With a daily Bible time we read God’s amazing story and promises. We are so blessed when we fill up on God’s Word each day. We know the Lord will meet us in our Bible time for He promises us in James…
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you….James 4:8 (NKJV)
Isn’t that a wonderful promise? If we draw near to God by reading HIs Word, He will meet us there. When we open our Bibles, it’s like opening the door and inviting Jesus in for tea. But we must do this TODAY and every day! Tomorrow might be too late. Isaiah tells us to seek the Lord while He may be found…
Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.Isaiah 55:6 (NKJV)
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)
Perhaps one way to assure ourselves God is near, is to invite Him into our quiet tea and Bible time. We might begin by praying “Thy Kingdom come” from the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:10, or “Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus” from the end of Revelation 22. We could sing one of the Christmas hymns, “Oh, Come, Oh, Come Immanuel” or the third verse from Away in a Manger, “Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me forever and love me, I pray..”
We should also claim the promises found in God’s Word that reassure us He is here…
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go…Genesis 28:15 (NKJV)
Yet You, O Lord, are in our midst, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us! Jeremiah 14:9 (NKJV)
The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)
“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. Zechariah 2:10 (NKJV)
During this time of plagues and losing loved ones, we especially need God’s Word to comfort us and reassure us He is near…
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.Psalm 34:18 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP: God is near, dear one! He really truly is! Underline these promises in your Bible and write them in your prayer journal. Be assured that Jesus is with you always and will never leave you nor forsake you!
…lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.Matthew 28: 20 (NKJV)
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)
I hope you will enjoy this lovely rendition of Fanny Cosby’s “I Am Thine O Lord” where the chorus repeats, “Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord…” That’s what we want, to draw near to our Savior Jesus….
O, the pure delight of a single hours that before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to the cross where Thou has died, Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to Thy precious bleeding side. (I am thine, O Lord verse 3, by Fanny Crosby, 1875)
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV)
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.John 6:44 (NKJV)
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith… Hebrews 10:22 (NKJV)
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13 (NKJV)
You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth. Psalm 119:151 (NKJV)
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. Psalm 46:5(NKJV)
The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. SelahPsalm 46:11 (NKJV)
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.Psalm 73:23-24 (NKJV)
But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works. Psalm 73:28 (NKJV)
I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.Leviticus 26:11-12 (NKJV)
It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24 (NKJV)
Dear Sister in Christ, Have you been meeting with Jesus each morning for a TEA CUPP and wondering if He’s really been there listening? Have you been reading His Word, listening for His Voice, wondering if He is hearing as you pour out your heart to Him? Does a family member still have cancer? Is a marriage still breaking? Is a couple still waiting for children? Is a prodigal child still lost? We might feel like Job and Habakkuk and the Psalmist who cried out…
I cry out to You, but You do not answer me…Job 30:20 (NKJV)
O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.Habakkuk 1:2 (NKJV)
O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.Psalm 22:2 (NKJV)
I was wondering this same thing myself as my health declined and our country continued a downward spiral. Was the Lord really hearing my prayers? How could I know for sure? By searching His Word! And so, each morning, I jot down any verses that promise me God hears my prayers. I share a selection of these with you today to encourage you!
And God heard the voice of the lad…Genesis 21:17 (NKJV)
So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.Exodus 2:14 (NKJV)
...And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.Exodus 22:27 (NKJV)
You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows. Job 22:27 (NKJV)
…For He hears the cry of the afflicted. Job 34:28 (NKJV)
I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill.Psalm 3:4 (NKJV)
…The Lord will hear when I call to Him.Psalm 4:3 (NKJV)
Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear.Psalm 10:17 (NKJV)
I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.Psalm 17:6 (NKJV)
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. Psalm 34:15 (NKJV)
The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29 (NKJV)
He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you.Isaiah 30:19 (NKJV)
…I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. Isaiah 41:17 (NKJV)
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12 (NKJV)
...And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven…Nehemiah 9:27 (NKJV)
Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. John 9:31 (NKJV)
…your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. Acts 10:31 (NKJV)
For the eyes of theLord are on the righteous, And His ears are opento their prayers; But the face of theLord is against those who do evil…1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP: Today I want to assure you, God hears you, dear one! He knows your pleas for healing. He catches every tear for your prodigal children and broken marriages. He hears our petitions for the lost. He welcomes your cries for our nation and world. Look up these verses in your Bible and underline your favorites. Mark them with a “P” for Promises. Claim them as promises Jesus has made to you. Then pour out your heart again for He hears you!!!
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’… Isaiah 58:9 (NKJV)
O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name... Nehemiah 1:11 (NKJV)
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)
He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Psalm 147:4 (NKJV)
Remember the story of Abraham, how God told him to count the stars? This is one of my favorite Sunday school stories for preschoolers. Children have no trouble believing God’s promise that Abraham will have many kids. They love to sing, “Father Abraham, had several sons…” with arms and legs going in every direction. And there are so many fun star crafts we can make to remind us of God’s promise. But as the years go by, I realize how much more there is to this story. This is not just for preschoolers, this is the HISTORY of God’s people, His chosen nation, the Israelites. We who are Christians are counted as having come from Abraham’s seed, because we have faith like Abraham. And the best news is we get to share in God’s promise to Abraham!
Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered. Psalm 40:5 (NKJV)
We first meet Abraham (who was originally called Abrahm) in Genesis 11 with Noah’s family tree. Abraham is listed as a descendent of Noah’s son Shem (Gen. 11:27). In Genesis 12 we get the first glimpse of God’s promise to Abraham, when God commanded…
…”Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”Genesis 12:1-2 (NKJV)
In Genesis 15, God gave Abraham the Promise again…
Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Genesis 15:5 (NKJV)
We must remember that this promise came when Abraham had no children! How could God make him have so many descendants? Abraham didn’t question God, he only believed. And so did his wife, Sarah. For we read in Hebrews 11…
By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.Hebrews 11:11-12 (NKJV)
Abraham couldn’t count all the stars for it would be like counting all the grains of sand on the seashore. If we continue reading in our Bibles, we learn how Abraham and Sarah begot Isaac (one son) in their old age (Gen. 21). Isaac and Rebekah begot two sons, Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:24-33). Jacob and his wives begot twelves sons (Gen. 35:22-26). And by the time Jacob was an old man, there were over 70 family members who went with him to Egypt (Gen. 45:27). 430 years later, the Israelites had become over 2,000,000 people. That’s 603,500 men age 20 and older, plus their wives, children, and the Levites (Exodus 12:40, Numbers 1:46). Just as Abraham could not imagine or count this when he had no children, neither can we count all the blessings God gives to us.
The Lord your God has multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. Deuteronomy 1:10 (NKJV)
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand. Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP: Read about the day God promised Abraham many children in Genesis 15. If you’d like to read even more, Stephen gave a stunning recap of Abraham’s story and Israel’s history in Acts 7, and Psalm 105 is also a beautiful recount. With the promise, Abraham also received a vision of the dark days in Egypt and the rescue of God’s people. We are part of that promise! God has rescued us from our dark days of sin and is bringing us to the Promised Land. Hallelujah! Oh, dear one, our blessings, like Abraham’s, are as many as the stars! How many can you count and thank Jesus for today?
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. Luke 1:49 (NKJV)
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ Exodus 32:13 (NKJV)
You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 28:62 (NKJV)
For He remembered His holy promise, And Abraham His servant. He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness. He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, And they inherited the labor of the nations, That they might observe His statutes And keep His laws. Praise the Lord! Psalm 105:42-45 (NKJV)
You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your word. Psalm 119:65 (NKJV)
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.Jeremiah 33:22 (NKJV)
P.S. I didn’t plan for this devotion to run right before the 4th of July weekend, but God must have planned it! As you see the stars in our flag, remember God’s promise to Abraham and thank Him for the blessings of living in the USA. As you go camping, look up at the summer night sky and see if you can count the stars. Thank God for every star and blessing.
Then they remembered that God was their rock,
Steadfast. Stout-hearted. Strong-willed. Stubborn. Stiff-necked — all such similar character traits that can set us at our best our worst. Which do we want to be today? Steadfast and Stout-hearted!
God is a just judge,
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 (NKJV)
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 
Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner;
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NKJV)
It shall come to pass
