Rock Tower

rock tower2

…Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan… Joshua 4:3

Finding new ways to praise Jesus always brings me joy, and I hope it brings Him joy, too.  Since I like to journal my prayers, I write my verses for exalting and praising the Lord right in my journal. One day I read the story of God parting the Jordan River so Joshua could lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Before the waters returned to the Jordan, Joshua had the leaders of each of the twelve tribes bring a rock from the riverbed to create a tower as a reminder of their miraculous crossing.  Joshua actually made two towers, one at Gilgal, their first campsite in the Promised Land, and one in the very midst of the Jordan River where the priests stood with the Ark of the Covenant (Joshua 4).

Other Old Testament saints also used rocks to worship Yehovah God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Jacob was running from his brother Esau, he laid down to rest on a stone and dreamed of a ladder going up to heaven.  Upon waking, Jacob set up a stone pillar and poured his oil of praise on it…

 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel… Genesis 28:18-19

 Later, when the Ark of the Covenant was in jeopardy, the Prophet Samuel set up a stone and called it Ebenezer, declaring, “Thus far the Lord has helped us” (1 Sam. 7:12).  It’s interesting to note that Samuel’s ministry took him through both Bethel and Gilgal (1 Sam. 7:16) where I wonder if he could still see Joshua’s and Jacob’s rock towers?

One day, after reading these stories, I drew a simple rock tower in my prayer journal with twelve rocks. Then I chose these prayer verses from the Psalms, underlining the words that describe God:

 I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

Each of the underlined words I wrote on the twelve rocks in my prayer journal sketch, raising my own Ebenezer of praise and remembrance to Jesus.  We don’t worship the rocks, but we worship the One who is the Rock, who has brought us thus far. We can trust Him to guard and guide us forever.

As I exalted my Jesus, He also showed me I had nothing to fear as I faced the tasks of the day. With such a Rock tower as my Friend, I could hide in Him and be safe.  He would be my shield and fortress and strength through another busy day. My praise to Him became a promise from God for me.

 For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?  Psalm 18:31

 You may like to read about the miraculous day the Israelites entered the Promised Land in Joshua 3-4.  Notice how they followed the Ark into the river bed. We must always follow God’s Word, too. And since we are talking about exalting, notice how in Joshua 3:7 the Lord promises to exalt Joshua in the eyes of the people, and in the following verse, Joshua exalts the Lord (Joshua 3:10, 13).  Joshua proclaims, “…the Living God…the Lord of all the earth…”

 Today’s TEA CUPP: Try drawing your own rock tower in your prayer journal today.  Draw 12 stones in a pile.  On each stone write a word describing God or giving Him praise.  Read 1 Peter 2:4-8 for a very special Stone and 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 for more words of praise for your rock tower. Claim God’s promise to be your Rock throughout the day.

The Lord lives, Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.  Psalm 18:46

  •  My hope is built on nothing less
  • than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
  • I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
  • But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
  • On Christ the solid Rock I stand;
  • All other ground is sinking sand,
  • All other ground is sinking sand.
  • (Edward Mote, 1834)

(See also 1 Samuel 2:2, 1 Chronicles 29:11, 2 Chronicles 20:6, Psalm 34:1-3, Psalm 61:2, Daniel 2:35, Matthew 21:42, Luke 19:40, 1 Corinthians 10:4, 1 Peter 2:6)

 Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson

TEA with the Romans

RomansYou just received an invitation to TEA with the Romans!  

Who: You

When: Tomorrow morning

Where: Your house

What:  TEA with Jesus and the Romans

Come as you are!

But you just aren’t sure, do you really want to have TEA with these ancient dudes in white sheets?  The Romans are the ones the Apostle Paul was writing to when he penned the New Testament Book of Romans.  All the words in this book are God’s Word, read first by the Roman Christians.  What a blessing for us to share in these inspired verses, using them as conversation starters as we have TEA and prayer with Jesus.  Won’t you join in?

T is for Thanksgiving
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:8 (NKJV)

I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:25 (NKJV)


E is for Exalting
Oh, the depth of the riches both of  the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Romans 11:33 (NKJV)

 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36 (NKJV)

To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Romans 16:27 (NKJV)

A is for Admitting
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23(NKJV)

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14(NKJV)

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)

 That 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)

C is for Call
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 (NKJV)

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 12:2 (NKJV)

Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NKJV)

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:18 (NKJV)

U is for Understanding
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, Romans 1:9 (NKJV)

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)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

P is for Promises
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)

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)

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)

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 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 8:37-39 (NKJV)

 For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13 (NKJV)

P is for Petitions
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NKJV)

…The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP:  Wrap up in a white sheet if you like!  Sit down with Jesus and the Romans for TEA today!

Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

Snowball Truths

snow1Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  Mark 13:31

Two truth snowballs hit me one day.  I was planted on the sofa by the window where I always sit for my TEA time with Jesus.  That day’s Bible reading took me to Mark 13.

Jesus was talking about the trials of the end times.  He told His followers:

 And pray that your flight may not be in winter. Mark 13:18 (NKJV)

As I read this, I glanced out the window at two feet of new March snow.  Oh, I was so tired of winter! We had such a hard season already, and now we had more snow.  To imagine fleeing tribulation in winter would be awful.  Yet persecuted Christians in other countries already endure such tragedy.

Jesus doesn’t often tell us specifically what we ought to pray except here, “Pray that Your flight won’t be in winter.” And so, since Jesus told me to, I prayed that I would not be fleeing in winter.  I prayed my loved ones and I would all be with Him before any tribulation comes. And Jesus promised me in Revelation 3:20 that He will keep me from that hour of trial. This promise is also for you!

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10 (NKJV)

A few hours later, I was at church for our Sunday service.  One of the songs was Amazing Grace with the verse:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.snow2

That afternoon, since the sun was shining and the temperature had risen, I went for a walk along the cleared highway, noticing the snow was already being eaten by the Chinook winds blowing from the mountains.  The song from church popped into my head, “The earth shall soon dissolve like snow…”

If you haven’t seen a Chinook wind’s work, please see the photos in this devotion.  The first is on a Thursday when we received almost two feet of snow. The second is three days later on Sunday when I noticed the Chinook winds starting to eat the snow.  The last is on Wednesday just six days after the two feet of snow hit us, not a speck to be seen!

The snow dissolved in a matter of hours and days!  That is what will happen to the earth in the last days, according to Scripture…

snow3But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.  2 Peter 3:10 (NKJV)

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1 (NKJV)

Can you imagine that?  All of a sudden, Jesus will come like a thief in the night.  The heavens and earth will be burned up with a loud noise, and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. It could happen quicker than our snow melted!

Today’s TEA CUPP: I encourage you to read Mark 13 and Revelations over the next few days to get a bigger picture of the end times.  The battles and judgments are not something we want to endure.  Let’s look with joy and hope to Jesus’ promise of taking us to heaven first.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NKJV)

Ten and nine, eight and seven,
Six and five and four,
Call upon the Savior while you may;
Three and two, coming through the clouds in bright array,
The countdown’s getting lower every day.
(a favorite Awana song)

Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

My TEA CUPP Prayers: The Book

book cover

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

My TEA CUPP Prayers: The Book!

Dear TEA CUPP Friends,

I’m so happy to announce My TEA CUPP Prayers Book is finally here and has won the devotional category of the Christian Author Awards!  So many years and so many prayers went into this book. All praise and glory to Jesus!

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Psalm 103:1 (NKJV)

 My TEA CUPP Prayers is available in print from the publisher Xulon and from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You may view your ebook right now from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  Apple users may find it on iBooks. Thank you for all who are interested!  I’ve listed a few more ways to get my book at the end of this article, including how to recieve an autographed copy :-).

These 77 Devotions were compiled over the past 15 years as I prayed and raised my children.  The book invites you to a daily TEA time with Jesus.  Each week I share with you a different part of the TEA CUPP acronym, helping you pray by using God’s Word. Every message includes a “Today’s TEA CUPP,” encouraging you in your prayer life.  I pray this book brings you closer to Jesus as you meet with Him each day for TEA.

A peek at the back of the book jacket:

Who: You
When: Today
What:  TEA with Jesus
Where:  Your house
Why:  Because Jesus longs to hear from you
How:  Just open your BIBLE and your heart

Dear Friend, 
YOU are invited to TEA with Jesus TODAY!!!  “Come to Me,” Jesus calls in Matthew 11:28.  Please accept!  Allow God to draw you into a daily TEA time with Jesus through this 77-day devotional.

My TEA CUPP Prayers is an invitation to women everywhere to sit down daily with Jesus for a cup of tea.  The TEA CUPP acronym provides the parts of prayers, as we use the BIBLE to talk with our Lord.  Here new Christians discover a way to draw nearer to Jesus and old Christians taste a new flavor for their prayers. Women will dig deeper into God’s Word, come closer to Jesus by meeting with Him each day, and unleash the power of the Holy Spirit through their prayers.

T = Thanksgiving
E = Exalting His Name
A = Admitting my sins
C = Calling for my life
U = Understanding my story
P = Promises (Claiming God’s)
P = Petitions (Pouring out my heart)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

What’s next? Now I am compiling Mom’s TEA CUPP Prayers as a second devotional book, with more recent writings. I also have dreams of other projects as God allows. I’m available to come speak to your ladies’ group and invite them to TEA with the King of kings. Thank you for praying for me!

Today’s TEA CUPP: Remember, if you feel unworthy of an invitation to TEA with our Lord, Jesus shared water with a scandalous Samaritan woman when Jews did not associate with Samaritans, and men did not speak to the women.  Jesus certainly is ready to meet with you.  Behold, He stands at the door and knocks.  My friend, please say, “Come in, Lord Jesus, come in.”

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)

p.s.  A few more ways to get a copy of my book:  In Big Timber, Montana, it is available at The Coffee Stop, Touch of Sunshine, The Fort and Tumblewood Teas for $15.  If you’d like me to mail you a copy, please send a check for $20 (for postage) to my address on the contact page and I will mail you one. It will include an autograph and bookmark.  May God bless you!

Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

Promises Outside My Window

My Tea Cupp PrayersFor since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.  Romans 1:20 (NKJV)

I am spoiled.  I live in South Central Montana where the scenery never ceases to be beautiful, where God’s creation forever proclaims His glory.  And I get to see it all outside my morning window.

As I sit on the sofa for TEA with Jesus each morning, I read my Bible, glancing out the window as I ponder His Word.  There in the early morning light are God’s promises, echoing what I’ve read in His Word.

The last star of the night is still shining above our old barn.  God declares:

  I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. Revelation 22:16 (NKJV)

Two deer wander through the late-winter field, looking for some early spring plants to nibble.  I tell God:

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
 Psalm 42:1 (NKJV)

The mountains on the horizon beyond the fields catch the first rays of dawn.  And I lift up my eyes and pray:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

Patches of snow still frame our yard, having drifted under the eaves of the barn.  God promises:

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)

Brave lily plants already poke through the bare ground, promising spring is on the way.  And God says:

While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease. G
enesis 8:22 (NKJV)

The big blue morning sky stretches from East to West, as far as I can see.  And I rejoice as God proclaims:

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

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1 (NIV)

Today’s TEA CUPP:  Head outside for a nature walk today, looking for glimpses of God and praying as you walk. Oh, Jesus, You gave us this beautiful world to enjoy and to teach us about You.  Thank You for Your wonderful promises in Your creation and in Your Word.  I love You, Jesus!

Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011

Sharing Your Heart

heart

I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill.  Psalm 3:4 (NKJV)

It’s okay to share your heart with God. When things are going wrong, do you ever feel like you can’t complain or tell the Lord how you really feel? You can.  The Bible gives us clear examples of God’s people sharing their hearts with Him.

Let’s look at Moses.  In Exodus 32, Moses spent 40 days fasting on the mountain with God.  When he came back down to the people, Moses found them in all kinds of trouble. God wanted to blot the Israelites off the planet.   But Moses pleaded with God…

Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 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.’” So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people. Exodus 32:11-14 (NKJV)

First Moses asked God, why?  Then he reminded Him of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  And guess what?  God relented from the harm He had planned!  Isn’t that amazing?!  All because Moses prayed and shared His heart with God.

Let’s look at another example from the New Testament.  Jesus was so busy healing and teaching God’s people, that He didn’t have much extra time.  Then into His tiring schedule came a Gentile woman, begging for healing for her daughter.

 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”

But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:21-28

This was a Gentile woman, not even one of the Israelites, who believed that Jesus had the power to save her daughter.  She was not discouraged by the disciples.  She was not discouraged when Jesus said He was sent for Israel.  Instead, she worshiped Jesus and begged for His help.  And when Jesus still questioned her, the woman had a ready reply, that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table.  What awesome faith!

Today’s TEA CUPP:  Share your heart with Jesus.  As you have your tea time today, read God’s Word and let Him speak first, then use a Psalm or the words of this Gentile lady, to plead your case with the Lord. And may Jesus say to you, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.”

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)

I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare before Him my trouble. Psalm 142:2 (NKJV)

 

Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

Sipping your TEA

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Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NKJV)

My TEA CUPP friends,

Some of you might just be getting started with prayer, or perhaps you want a fresh way to communicate with God. So today I want to share a few more ways you can use the TEA CUPP.

The basic idea is to meet each day with Jesus, the King of kings, for TEA.  As you share your TEA CUPP with Jesus, you use His Word as conversation starters and the TEA CUPP acronym to remind you of things to talk about:

T = Thanksgiving
E = Exalting
A = Admitting
C = Calling
U = Understanding my story
P = Promises (Claiming God’s)
P = Petitions (Pouring out my heart to the Lord)

At various times I’ve sipped my TEA with Jesus in different ways.  My favorite method is to do it all every morning before my family wakes up.  There is always something to be thankful for, praise Jesus for, some sin needing forgiveness, etc.

After the birth of a child, or during a long illness, when time was short or I just didn’t feel well, I prayed one part for each day of the week (Sunday – Thanks, Monday – Exalt, Tuesday – Admit, etc.).  Then I would still pray my petitions each day, too.

Another way to sip the TEA CUPP might work well for busy moms and working ladies.  This method is to sandwich your day in prayer.  Try having TEA in the morning when you first wake up and the CUPP at night right before you go to bed.  Soon, you will be talking to Jesus throughout the whole day!

Today’s TEA CUPP: Remember, there is no “magic” method for prayer.  This is just a way that works for me, and God put it on my heart to share it with you.  Jesus is knocking, will you invite Him in for TEA?

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)

p.s.  For examples of prayer verses to use for conversation starters, please check out these recent links:

Revelation Verses

James Verses

Isaiah Verses

Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

The Beginning of Prayer

prayThen men began to call on the name of the LordGenesis 4:26b (NKJV)

Every new year I begin reading my Bible all over again.  The excitement of Jesus reigning in Revelations during December is replaced with the beginning of the world in Genesis during my January readings.

I follow the history of creation and the birth of mankind.  I cringe as Adam and Eve give in to the serpent in the garden,  hiding from God in the bushes. I imagine how hard it must have been to be the first parents with boys fighting and one kills the other (Cain and Abel).  I rejoice when God gives Adam and Eve another son, Seth, to heal their hurting hearts.

And then I come across this amazing verse:  “Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.”  (Genesis 4:26b).  Adam and Eve already spoke to God when they were hiding in the garden.  Cain also talked back to God when he questioned, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  (Genesis 4:9). Yet at this point, people began lifting their pleas to Him. They were calling on the name of the Lord.

I wonder what those early prayers were like?  We’re they frantic yells, “Help me, God!”  We’re they more poetic like the Psalmists in the Old Testament, who poured out their hearts https://www.wnymedical.com/buy-accutane-acne/ along https://xanaxcost.com with their cries?  Just this morning I was reading one of those Psalms, Psalm 17, and it gave me just the right words to cry out to Jesus:

Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.  Psalm 17:1-2 (NKJV)

Another favorite cry of my heart is…

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)

Aren’t you glad that people began calling on the Name of the Lord so long ago, leaving us God’s Word as an example so we can call on Him, too?  We can share our hurting hearts and happy moments and anything we want with Jesus.  He is always there to listen.  Thank you, dear God, for your invention of PRAYER!

Today’s TEA CUPP:  When did prayer begin for you? Thank God for that moment when you first heard His voice and answered Him.  Give Jesus the glory for the prayers He has answered in your life.   prayer_kid

New King James Version (NKJV)The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
 

My Christmas Revelation Tea

christmasrevelations And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Revelation 8:4 (NKJV)

I love this time of year when I’m at the end of my Bible, soaking up the Book of Revelation. As children are anticipating Christmas, I’m reading about and anticipating Christ’s second coming, the return of Jesus.  Though I need the Christmas story in Luke’s gospel and Mary’s blessed response to God’s call, I also yearn to spend my December tea time sipping the book of Revelation.

So, I invite you to join me for My Christmas Revelation TEA.  You could sip the entire CUPP on Christmas Eve as you prepare for your family gathering.  You could sip one part of the CUPP each day between Christmas and New Year’s Day in preparation for a blessed new year.  Or, you might even pray these prayers as a way to greet the new year in January.  However you share your tea time with Jesus, you will be blessed.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Let us all prepare out hearts for coming of our Lord.  Today I give you a few verses for a Revelation TEA CUPP. You may find more verses to underline in your Bible that you enjoy praying, too. Use these verses as conversation starters as you chat with Jesus each day over a CUPP of TEA.

T is for Thanksgiving
We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. Revelation 11:17 (NKJV)

E is for Exalting
 You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created. Revelation 4:11 (NKJV)

Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested. Revelation 15:3-4 (NKJV)

A is for Admitting
 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. Revelation 2:5 (NKJV)

C is for Call
Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Revelation 3:11 (NJKV)

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.  Revelation 22:17 (NKJV)

U is for Understanding
I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Revelation 3:8 (NKJV)

P is for Promises
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7 (NKJV)

For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:17 (NKJV)

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)

P is for Petitions
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)

The Morning Star

morning-starAnd I will give him the morning star. Revelation 2:28 (NKJV)

The morning star…I see it almost every morning over the barn behind our house.  I curl up on the sofa by the window, sipping my Jesus tea and reading God’s Word.  Glancing outside I smile at the sky, talking to the Lord.  And there, above the barn, twinkling back at me, is the brightest morning star! Then, soon after, the sky lightens, the day dawns, and I view the mountains beyond Montana fields.

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.  2 Peter 1:19 (NKJV)

One morning in my usual quiet time spot, I was studying this verse from 2 Peter 1:19 about reading the Bible.  Peter explains God’s Word is a light that shines in a dark place.  How this world needs His light!  We all must keep digging into His Word and shining His light to others.  And someday, Jesus will come and we won’t need the lights in the sky anymore.  For He will be our dawning light and His Morning Star will shine in our hearts.  Though we celebrate now the advent before Christmas, we are always in the season of advent, preparing for Christ’s second coming.

Today’s TEA CUPP:  Of all the presents that could come your way this Christmas, my prayer for you, My TEA CUPP friend, is the gift of His light in your heart.  Sit by a window in the early morning hours, as you read your Bible, and invite Jesus to be the center of your advent season, your Christmas holiday, and your life.

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16 (NKJV)

Scripture from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.