Today’s TEA CUPP:
PETITIONS: How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever?… Psalm 89:46 (NKJV)
How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long https://newhorizonacademy.net/female-viagra/ will You hide Your face from me? Psalm 13:1 (NKJV)
Now to Him who is able to do iMmeasurably More than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
My friend Tobie came to the door again the other day with armfuls of baby clothes. Her nephew is growing and they are passing on what he has outgrown. I’m so blessed to receive these lovely baby items. Friends found out that God has answered our prayers — after 11 years of praying we’re having another baby! I’m overwhelmed by their generosity. And it was just one day in spring that I whispered a prayer to Jesus asking for clothes.
First my friend Jessica came with maternity clothes and then baby clothes, then Tobie, then Amy, then Crystal. God is so good! My maternity mutterings turned into immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine. Thank you, Jesus, for taking such good care of us, please bless my dear friends!
Our pastor preached recently on this verse from Ephesians. I love God’s promise to do iMmeasurably More than we can ask or imagine. Isn’t that an amazing promise? I call it my “M&M prayers.”
How does this work? I’ve been praying so much. I can’t pray anymore. I give it all to Jesus and I claim His promise from Ephesians 3:20-21 to do iMmeaurably More. That’s it. Dearest Jesus, Please take this prayer concern and do iMmeasurabley More than I can ask or imagine. I know you can Move Mountains, Lord. Thank you, dear Jesus.
It’s fun to read other versions of the Bible and find out how they express this M&M prayer…
“exceeding abundantly above”
“far beyond”
“far more”
“far exceedingly above”
“all things more abundantly”
“far more abundantly”
“infinitely more”
“much more”
“more plenteously”
“above and beyond”
“far more abundantly beyond”
I still wonder why other prayers I’ve prayed everyday for years, God has yet to answer. I prayed over a decade for our church camp to be blessed with campers and finances, and instead groups canceled. We pray for loved ones to return to God’s path, and they are still wandering from it. I shared this concern with my friend Claire and she knew just what I meant. Claire replied,
“When my husband Pete was dying of cancer, I prayed for a miracle. A man in my office received a pack of pens one day and exclaimed, ‘Oh, good! I’ve been praying for pens.’ I’m thinking, ‘God hears prayers for pens and not for Pete!’ It doesn’t make sense!”
Yet over 10 years later, God is using the hurts of Claire’s life as she reaches out to help others who are hurting in prison ministry. God is doing exceeding abundantly above what we could imagine. I pray that He also will do far beyond what I can dream for the church camp that continues on without us. I pray that He will do infinitely more for our loved ones than I could ever hope or pray. And I know that He loves me, because He heard my maternity mutterings, and has blessed me and our baby with clothes after 11 years of prayer. Thank you, dear Jesus.
Today’s TEA CUPP: iMmeasurably More…M&M Prayers. How are your prayers today? Have you prayed all you can pray? Are you discouraged? Just as a bag of M&Ms brings joy to the chocolate lover, let your M&M prayers bring joy to your soul. Give it to Jesus and ask Him for iMmeasurably More today.
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 (NIV)
New International Version (NIV)Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
Today’s TEA CUPP:
PETITION: I call to You, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to You. Psalm 88:9 (NIV)
Today’s TEA CUPP:
PETITION: Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name. Psalm 86:11 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP:
PETITION: LORD, You are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to You.
May my prayer come before You;
turn Your ear to my cry. Psalm 88:1-2 (NIV)
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8 (NKJV)
The TEA CUPP just isn’t big enough any more.
My friend Claire works in Denver, Colorado with girls going in and out of prison. They deal with gangs, drugs, abuse and family members who keep them in this cycle. The TEA CUPP just isn’t big enough to hold all the prayers needed for these girls…for our friends with cancer…for all our friends out of work…for college students struggling to find their way…for children serving in the military…for churches falling away from God’s Word…for countries leaving their Christian foundations…for families splitting apart…for souls searching for salvation that only can be found in Jesus…
And so Claire suggests we bump up My TEA CUPP Prayers to GALLON WATER JUG Prayers. We need more and bigger prayers to keep the enemy at bay. My son began swim lessons this week and as I looked at the pool I thought, “We need SWIMMING POOL Prayers.” Yet, that also may not be big enough. Perhaps we need OCEAN Prayers to cover all the hurts and hopes in this world.
This is why all of our prayers are so important. When a church sends out a prayer request, together our little TEA CUPP Prayers can make a GALLON WATER JUG Prayer, or a SWIMMING POOL Prayer, or even an OCEAN Prayer. Together we can shake the heavens with our prayers!
But truly it isn’t the size of our prayers that matters, it’s the size of our God. And He is the greatest in the universe! God promises in His Word, that He will hear and answer our prayers…
By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas. Psalm 65:5 (NKJV)
God also promises that if I have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for me. He will hear and answer my TEA CUPP Prayers. But on the tough days, I’ll be praying Claire’s GALLON WATER JUG, too.
Today’s TEA CUPP: What about you? Are you overwhelmed by the prayer needs in your world? Meet with Jesus each day for TEA and share your heart with Him. Trust Him to be big enough to take care of your prayers, even when your faith is as small as a mustard seed.
Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 (NIV)
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable. Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
Today’s TEA CUPP:
PETITION: Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me. Psalm 86:6-7 (NKJV)
Today’s TEA CUPP:
Petition: Have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you. Psalm 86:3-4 (NIV)
Today’s TEA CUPP:
Petition: O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God. Psalm 83:1 (NIV)
Today’s TEA CUPP:
Petition: O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Psalm 84:8 (NKJV)