Sipping your TEA

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Jennifer Grace

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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

The Beginning of Prayer

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Jennifer Grace

Then men began to call on the name of the Lord. Genesis 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.

My Christmas Revelation Tea

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

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

Posted on December 1, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

And 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)

Every Perfect Gift

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

christmaspresent1 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17 (NKJV)

With the coming of Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping, how good it is to remember that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights! Let us thank Him for these marvelous gifts, and put aside all else.

Today I give you “Tea Time with James” to ring in the Thanksgiving and Advent season. James is another book with incredible verses. You may like to read James yourself and underline more verses for your prayer time. Take some time to sip TEA with Jesus, thanking Him for His gifts, and sharing your joys, sorrows, sins, and celebrations. Use these verses as conversation starters for your prayers. Be blessed, My TEA CUPP friend…

T is for Thanksgiving

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights... James 1:17 (NKJV)

E is for Exalting

…the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17 (NKJV)

A is for Admitting

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10 (NKJV)

C is for Call

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22 (NKJV)

U is for Understanding

Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14 (NKJV)

P is for Promises

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... James 4:8 (NKJV)

P is for Petitions

…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: May your prayers be effective and fervent and avail much for God’s kingdom today! Happy Thanksgiving and Advent season!

Praying Forever Prayers or TEA with Isaiah

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

2x8n It’s a delightful day when I sit down to read my BIBLE, and the section I’m reading has all the verses I need for my TEA time with Jesus. It’s such a blessing to underline my favorite verses and then pray them back to Jesus, while pouring out my heart to Him. I THANK Him for His many blessings, I EXALT Him as my Savior, I ADMIT my sins and ask His forgiveness, I listen for His CALL, I UNDERSTAND my story, I claim God’s PROMISES, and I lay before the Lord my PETITIONS, all using God’s Word.

Isaiah promises, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)
Wow! That’s an amazing promise for praying BIBLE verses! God’s purposes will be achieved!

And Isaiah also proclaims, “The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NKJV)
God’s Word is forever! So when we pray God’s Word, we are praying forever prayers. Now that is awesome.

And so today I give you TEA TIME with ISAIAH. It was inspiring to pick the verses, because there are so many good ones. I challenge you to read Isaiah with pen in hand and underline even more verses for your prayers. You will have a very precious TEA CUPP with your Savior.

T is for Thanksgiving
O LORD, You are my God.
I will exalt You,
I will praise Your name,
For You have done wonderful things; (thank You, Lord, for these wonderful things…)
Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. Isaiah 25:1 (NKJV)

E is for Exalting
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory! Isaiah 6:3 (NKJV)

… And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

A is for Admitting
“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the LORD,
“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)

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25 (NKJV)

C is for Call
“You are My witnesses,” says the LORD,
“And My servant whom I have chosen,
That you may know and believe Me,
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
Nor shall there be after Me.” Isaiah 43:10 (NJKV)

U is for Understanding
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hand. Isaiah 49:16(NKJV)

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV)

P is for Promises
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

P is for Petitions
Then I said, “Lord, how long?” Isaiah 6:11 (NKJV)

O LORD, be gracious to us;
We have waited for You.
Be our arm every morning,
Our salvation also in the time of trouble. Isaiah 33:2 (NKJV)

Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see...Isaiah 37:17 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Use the above verses for a special TEA TIME with Jesus today. Read the book of Isaiah over the next several days, underlining even more verses and promises. Thank the Lord for His Word.

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)

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)

… For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. Isaiah 56:7 (NKJV)

Tea with Two Verses

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (NKJV)

Have you ever read your Bible and got stuck on just a few verses? Those verses jump out at you as something God has for you today. You underline them, you ponder them, you ask, “God what’s this all about?” Jesus must really enjoy when He gets our attention as we dig into His Word.

I love it when the verses I underline have all the parts for My TEA CUPP Prayers. The verse above from 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 is like that. First I noticed the “thanks” and put a “T” next to it in my Bible. Then I realized God was calling me to smell good and put a “C” for calling next to “fragrance of Christ.” As I kept digging, soon all the parts of My TEA CUPP Prayers were there. And so I share with you today, TEA in TWO VERSES:

T for Thanks:

Now thanks be to God who…

(Dear Jesus, thank You for Your many blessings…)

E for Exalt:

…the fragrance of His knowledge in every place…

(Father, be glorified in every place I go today…)

A for Admit:

…and among those who are perishing…

(Jesus, forgive my sins and save all who are perishing…)

C for Call:

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ…

(Dear Lord, please help me smell good to You and to all I meet today…)

U is for Understanding our story:

…and through us diffuses…

(Jesus, this is my story, You are using me to spread Your fragrance to others. Thank you for letting me help You!)

P is for Promises:

…always leads us in triumph in Christ…

(Oh, Lord, I claim your promise for triumph and victory through Jesus Christ…)

P is for Petitions:

…among those who are being saved.

(Now Jesus I lift up to you all the saints, all my family, all on my prayer list…)

In Jesus’ precious Name I pray, Amen.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Won’t you join Jesus today for TEA with TWO VERSES? May the aroma of your TEA time stay with you all day.

God Loves You!

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. John 16:27 (NKJV)

Long before there were Emoji with every face and feeling, there were simple yellow smiley faces with four words, “Smile, God loves you!”

Do you remember seeing these on bumper stickers and binders? They always brought a smile to my face and the thought, “That’s nice.”

But one day when I was reading the book of John, it hit me. John 16:27 proclaims that the Father Himself (God) loves me, because I believe in Jesus. All because I love Jesus and believe He came from God, God loves me! Even if I mess up today and all my friends send me frowny emojis, God loves me. He will never stop loving me. He loves me forever into eternal life in heaven, because I love Jesus and believe He came from God. What a wonderful promise.

The beauty of His promise is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus died for all our sins before we were even born, or knew Him, or believed in Him. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends (John 15:13). That is an amazing love I hold dear in my heart forever.

Today’s TEA CUPP: My friend, God’s promises are for you. Believe in His Son Jesus and love Him with all your heart. Tell Him you love Him today! Smile, God loves you!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

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)

...I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved. Romans 9:25 (NKJV)

Garden Minestone Soup

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

Yes, the Lord will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase. Psalm 85:12 (NKJV)

Today is the first day of fall, and we are still bringing in veggies from our garden. What a fun summer we had watching it grow, setting out sprinklers on super-hot days, and bending over to pull weeds (well, we ignored many of them!). Now we are enjoying the fruits of our labors and trying to find creative ways to incorporate all these veggies into our meals. Thank you, Jesus, for our garden!

Here is one of our favorite soups which uses at least seven ingredients from our garden. The original recipe came from The first Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen (1977). I modified her recipe to fit our garden and taste buds. Garden minestrone soup doesn’t take long to prepare. Enjoy this on a crisp fall day!

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 to 2 cups celery, chopped (I like extra)
1 to 2 cups carrots, circles or half-circles
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 to 2 cups zucchini, diced
1 cup green pepper, chopped
2 cups tomato juice
3 1/2 cups water
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup dry gluten-free pasta
Fresh parsley

Putting it Together:
In a big soup pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until soft, but not brown. Add the carrots, celery, and garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add pepper, oregano, and basil. Cover and cook over low heat 5-8 minutes while you prepare more veggies. Add zucchini, green pepper, tomato juice, water, and garbanzo beans. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes. Add tomatoes and 1 more teaspoon salt. Now turn up heat and bring soup to a boil. Add the gluten-free pasta and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Serve topped with fresh parsley from your garden. Hmm, hmm, taste those blessings!

While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease. Genesis 8:22

We still need the Key

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

key Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV)

If you’re like me, you have a ring of keys…one key for the house, one for the car, one for the post office box, etc. We make sure we have our keys wherever we go, and we get very distressed if we can’t find them!

Well, after driving a minivan with oil leaks and miles to indicate driving around the equator 10 times, our family had to look for a different vehicle. My husband found a used minivan one state away. So for Labor Day weekend, we packed up the camping supplies and headed that way to take a look.

The car salesman located the vehicle for us and pulled it around so we could test drive it. The van was already running when we climbed in and buckled our seatbelts. So weren’t we surprised when we drove down the road and noticed there was no key! How could it run with no key?! A funny light was also blinking on the dashboard.

When we returned to the car shop, the salesman confessed he had forgotten to take the key fob out of his pocket. The light on the dashboard was to warn us not to drive away without the fob. If we had turned off the car, we wouldn’t have been able to turn it on again.

This keyless entry is a concept brand new to our old vehicle minds. There have always been keys. It made me wonder how other events would be viewed in a keyless society. Will people think they can get into heaven without the key? If someone else opens heaven’s door, can we just walk in? If our friend has the fob in his pocket, can we get in with her?

Oh, my Tea Cupp friend, I want to be sure you have the key to heaven. Jesus is the Key. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). And to all who receive Jesus, to those who believe in His Name, He gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

Today’s TEA CUPP: If you have the Key to heaven, share it with a friend. If you need the Key to heaven, pray to Jesus right now. Welcome to God’s family!

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20 (NKJV)

…These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”. Revelation 3:7 (NKJV)