When God says, “No”

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV)

When God says, “No,” it hurts. I know, because He has said, “No” to me. Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience, whether it was losing a baby to miscarriage, losing a loved one to cancer, losing a job or home or family member. All these parts of life hurt, especially if you’ve prayed about them and trusted these situations to God. Every corner of our souls cry in pain when God says, “No.”

But, my friend, there is hope. Did you know God also said, “No” to David, Paul, and Jesus? David was the man after God’s own heart from whose seed our Savior came. When his first baby with Bathsheba was sick, David prayed and fasted and wept (2 Samuel 12:16). But God took that baby. Bathsheba’s next baby, Solomon, became the heir to David’s throne and the wisest king of Israel.

Paul was God’s chosen vessel to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, authoring many books of the New Testament. Yet at one point Paul had a thorn in his flesh. Three times he asked God to remove the thorn, but God said, “No.” God proclaimed, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness,“ (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul had to be content with God’s grace to endure.

Jesus, God’s only Son, was on His way to the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins. He knew the pain before Him and the grief it would bring to His followers, yet He also https://www.wnymedical.com/cialis/ understood it was the only path to save us. Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will,” (Mark 14:36). And God in His silence said, “No,” for Jesus was then led to the cross.

One day when reading these verses from my Bible, I was grieving over a recent “No” from God. I realized that if God said, “No” to David, Paul and Jesus (some of the greatest men in history), I certainly shouldn’t feel so awful when He says, “No” to me. I need to follow their example and say, “Thy will be done,” claiming God’s grace to see me through each day.

I can’t promise that God’s “No’s” will get any easier, but perhaps with this outlook we can all make it through another day. Remember, when God said, “No” to Jesus, He said “Yes” to all humanity, providing the perfect sacrifice for our sins. God’s “No” was a gift of love.

Today’s TEA CUPP: God knows what’s best, so I’ll accept God’s “No’s,” and keep on praying.

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)

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

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 (NKJV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Runner’s Stance

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith… Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

Way back in junior high, my P.E. coaches were Ms. Newby and Mrs. Knutson. They led us in many exercises and drills to prepare us for track season. Most memorable to me, out of all their wisdom, is the runner’s stance.

The runner needs to look relaxed while running around the track, even at full speed or while exhausted. Arms are to be at greater than 90 degree angles, shoulders down, and hands open loosely. Ms. Newby described it as holding a tea cup! She told us to lightly pinch our thumbs and first fingers together and poke out our pinky fingers, just as if we were having tea with the queen. By holding our hands just so, we didn’t clench our fists and were, therefore, more relaxed.

As I went running one day recently, the Lord reminded me of that junior high tea cup. I wondered how the runner’s stance compares with the Christian’s stance. As the runner leans forward, pressing on to the finish line, the Christian looks up to Jesus, pressing on to eternal life (Philippians 3:13-14). While the runner wears out her shoes in the race, the Christian wears out his knees in prayer. Yet both raise their arms in victory to the Lord.

There are all kinds of stances for prayer, but my favorite is curled up in the corner of our sofa. There, wrapped in a blanket and hugging a mug of hot water, I share my TEA CUPP time with Jesus. First I read His Word, the Bible, letting Him speak to me. I underline special verses as I read. Then I choose a favorite verse to pray back to Jesus, beginning my conversation with the Lord. From thanks to petitions, I pour out my heart to Him. Instead of having tea with the queen, I’m sharing TEA with the King of kings.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Dear friend and athlete, I invite you to hold the TEA CUPP. Along with “holding a tea cup” while running, meet each day with Jesus for a CUPP of TEA. Let His Word encourage you, giving you all you need for today.

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV)

Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Philippians 2:16 (NKJV)

Holding Up My Heart

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

Sometimes I do not pray in words-
I take my heart in my two hands
And hold it up before the Lord-
I am so glad He understands.
– by Nicholson, Our Daily Bread, September 23, 2014

Do you ever find yourself too busy or overwhelmed for prayer? The prayer list is too long, the time is too short, your heart is sorrowful, you don’t have the words? My friend, this is the time when you will truly find Jesus, when He will meet you right where you are.

My dear friend Jill in Ohio shared with me so long ago how she handles a busy morning. Some days she just holds up her prayer list to the Lord and says, “Take this Jesus, You know what’s on it.” I thought, “Really, can we do that? Is that okay?”

Then came the days that I ran out of time for my prayers…sick kids, sick me, new baby…so I tried Jill’s advice. I lifted up my prayer list to Jesus, asking Him to take it, and He did! Now occasionally in my prayer journal, instead of writing out sentences of prayers, I’ll draw a picture of me lifting all these people up to God. It is so good to put them all in His hands and leave them there!

Today’s TEA CUPP: My friend, won’t you lift your heart to Jesus today? You may call out names and concerns one by one, or just give it all to the Lord at once. God promises to hear all our prayers.

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)

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

“Thank you, dearest Jesus”

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13 (NKJV)

A miracle happened in our town last week. You had to be there to believe. It was one of the worst days of winter with deep snow and sub-zero temperatures. One look out the window made you just want to sit at home by a fire. But we couldn’t. A special event was planned for some dear friends. Their son Jake needs a kidney transplant. A small group organized a benefit dinner and auction to help raise money for his expenses.

I arrived at 4:45 p.m. to set up my cook book table, another fundraiser for Jake. A few people were gathered here and there around the American Legion, looking at auction items and visiting. Servers were busy lining up roasting pans, lovingly prepared that morning. Long blue tables set up by Jake’s 4H club the day before, waited expectantly for guests. Would all those chairs fill?

By 5:15 p.m., more people came through the door, shaking the snow and cold from boots and jackets. People began to sit at the tables. At 5:30 p.m. our pastor said grace and folks started going through the food line. Pulled-pork sandwiches, potatoes, coleslaw and goodies filled their plates. And the people kept coming through the door. I imagine some people lost their seats to new arrivals when they were up getting their food.

By 7:00 p.m., the Legion was jam-packed, with hardly any standing room, the food was mostly gone, and the auction began. Items were donated from people in our town, our county, and across our state! What was planned as a three hour event, lasted for six hours, with folks finally heading home at 11:30 p.m. We later learned that in those 6 hours, 600 people came and $60,000 was raised to help Jake. That’s $100/person and $10,000 an hour! Wouldn’t you call that a miracle?

Why did this happen? Because God wanted it to happen! He blessed this event because all glory was given to Him by Jake’s mom and dad, Wendy and Ode. This family is so dear, always https://tramadolmain.com giving so much to others…baking cookies, taking a meal, driving someone to an appointment, helping with ranch chores, praying for us… you name it! And so we all wanted to give back to them.

The same day as the auction, Wendy received the incredible news that she is a perfect match to give her son Jake a kidney. I was so happy for her, I cried. I realized on my way home, that even though we all wanted to give so much to Jake, we can’t out-give his mom who gets to give him the gift of life twice!

And I know Wendy will want me to tell you, the same is true with Jesus. Jesus also gives us the gift of life twice…once when we are born and once when we are born-again, confessing that Jesus is Lord.

So many of us want to give back to Jesus, for all He has done for us, for washing away our sins and giving us the hope of eternal life. We want to give offering at church, we want to teach Sunday school, serve cookies, help a neighbor…all things Jesus wants us to do.

But when it comes down to it, we can’t out-give God. For He gave His only Son. We just have to accept His free gift and say, “Thank you, dearest Jesus.”

Today’s TEA CUPP: Please keep praying for Jake, Wendy, Ode and all their family. Next week doctors will remove one of Jake’s kidneys and he’ll go on dialysis to clean up his system. Then this spring, his mom will give him a kidney. Thank you for your continued prayers.

If you’d like to support the family by purchasing a cook book, you can stop by or contact the Big Timber Evangelical Church (PO Box 696, Big Timber, MT 59011). Cookbooks are only $15, full of small town delicious cooking!

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 1 John 4:9 (NKJV)

The Sweet Forever…My Story to Come

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living. Psalm 27:13 (NKJV)

The Sweet Forever is in my dreams today. So many times in the “U” part of My TEA CUPP Prayers, I focus on Understanding my story in the past. The above verse would take me to a sad time in life, reminding me of when I almost lost heart. One day when reading this passage I realized, I need to focus on seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! “My Story to Come” is what I must remember. Oh, hallelujah, what a glorious day that will be!

What will heaven be like? The Bible tells us…

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2 (NKJV)

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1 (NKJV)

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:16 (NKJV)

They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 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. Revelations 7:16-17 (NKJV)

Rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20 (NKJV)

At church recently we sang this beautiful old hymn about the land beyond the river. I want to remember this each moment…how I will see my Savior Jesus’ face when I cross the river someday. This is “My Story to Come” that I long for me, for our children, for all my family and friends.

There’s a land beyond the river
That we call the sweet forever
And we only reach that shore by faith’s decree
One by one we’ll gain the portals
There to dwell with the immortals
When they ring those golden bells for you and me.

When They Ring Those Golden Bells for You and Me

Today’s TEA CUPP: My dear TEA CUPP friend, do you think of that day when you will pass from this life into the next one? If you believe in Jesus, you will live eternally with Him in heaven. That is why I spend time each day with Him having TEA, so I can get to know my forever Lord better. Won’t you do the same?

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11 (NKJV)

Pouring a Pot of Precious Promises

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

Through these He Has given us His very great and precious promises… 2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)

Today I sit with Jesus and let Him fill my CUPP. His teapot is brewing full of precious promises. I see the steam rising and smell the delicious aroma. I hold out my CUPP and pray, “Jesus, please pour me some TEA?” He slowly tips the pot, filling my CUPP to overflowing with His precious promises.

I try to keep up with Him, repeating each promise as it comes…

…And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)

…In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33(NKJV)

…“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

But then I ask Jesus to slow down, I might have to savor these promises and come back for more tomorrow. My little human brain is trying to remember and embrace each one. Jesus understands, letting these precious promises soak into me. He will always be there with more for my every need…for comfort, for peace, for trials, for a friend, for heartaches…Jesus has a precious promise for everything. Thank You, dearest Jesus!

Today’s TEA CUPP: My friend, today as you read God’s Word, underline the precious promises you find. Ask Jesus for a cupful to carry you through this next week. It will be a most delicious CUPP of TEA!

Then they believed His PROMISES
and sang His praise. Psalm 106:12 (NIV)

Filling the Bowls

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelations 5:8 (NKJV)

Filling the bowls, that’s what I’ve been doing lately. During the holidays there are always bowls to fill…treat bowls on the counter, soup bowls on the table, baskets of bows for gift wrapping… I thank the Lord for helping me fill these bowls!

Before Christmas, I am almost to the end of my Bible, since I read through the Bible each year. This puts me in Revelations. One morning in December, I was reading Revelations 5…and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints...and God showed me how I am filling bowls with my prayers!

Every prayer I say…in the morning when I rise, at meal times with our family, when I read my emails and pray for friends and family, in the evening when I tuck our kids into bed, at night when I lie awake…every prayer is filling one of the golden bowls. These bowls are brought before the Lamb as a pleasing offering to Him. Wow!

One day as our family said grace, I contemplated this. The warmth from my soup bowl (or was it my oatmeal?) reached up and touched my cheeks. I asked the Lord to let our prayers rise up to Him from golden bowls, touching Him, also.

Today’s TEA CUPP: My dear prayer friend, your prayers are filling bowls, too! This day, this very day, sit down with Jesus for TEA and pour out your heart to Him. May our TEA CUPPS be incense before the Lord!

Let my prayer be set before You as incense,
The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:1 (NKJV)

My Hiding Place

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7 (NKJV)

The website I use for clip art has hundreds of pictures on most topics. It is handy to find photos that are just right for my articles. When I searched for “Hiding Place,” though, it only gave me one photo…a dog burying his bone.

I had to laugh, because Jesus is my hiding place. I’m not sure if I’m the bone and He is the hole in this picture? Some days I just want to hide from the world, get away from the hurts and pain. I pray Psalm 32:7, You are my hiding place, Jesus, You protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Let me hide in You today, Lord!

Or, I might pray one of these verses…

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings. Psalm 17:8 (NKJV)

The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms;
He will thrust out the enemy from before you,
And will say, ‘Destroy!’ Deuteronomy 33:37 (NKJV)

There have been several times in my life when I’ve needed these verses. I remember the day I was taken away in an ambulance. It was the first time I lost a baby and we almost lost me, too. I was so scared until the ambulance people put me in a stretcher. The stretcher was U-shaped fabric, hugging my body as they carried me out the door. I continued to feel that hug for the next month. God’s everlasting arms must be like that. Though I do not like troubles, the feel of having the Lord so close, being in His hiding place, is one I always treasure.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Are you going through a rough time? Sometimes the holidays remind us of past sorrows, and can bring sadness rather than joy. Please look to the Lord, dear friend. Curl up in His Hiding Place, read His Word, sip a TEA CUPP with Jesus each day.

You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word. Psalm 119:14 (NKJV)

We can’t always Understand

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NIV)

The “U” part of My TEA CUPP Prayers is all about UNDERSTANDING our stories, so we can share how God has helped us with others. But as I read this verse in my Bible one day, I realized we can’t always understand.

There are some parts of His Plan that I will never comprehend until I see Jesus face to face, and perhaps by then it won’t matter anymore. For now I struggle with un-answered prayers, seeing children from church leave God’s path for a time, babies dying…I just don’t understand. But I can pray for God’s peace and for me to do what is right. Instead of having a testimony to share, I can be a testimony in these tough situations.

Our church sponsored a village in the Philippines as a mission project. The day I was writing this, an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude rocked their little island. People are dying, buildings are destroyed, century-old churches lie in ruins. And it is hard to understand. Can God use this great tragedy to bring more people to His Kingdom? Can our church be a testimony yet in this tough situation? Yes!

Jesus tells us in Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God!” Jesus continues,

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:23-24 (NKJV)

I might not UNDERSTAND, but I can BELIEVE!

Today’s TEA CUPP: Is there an event in life you are struggling with right now, something tough you just don’t understand? Jesus understands. Give it to Him during your TEA CUPP prayer time today. Believe that He will bring good out of it all.

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)

My Cup

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot. Psalm 16:5 (NKJV)

You may have heard it asked before, “Is your cup half full or half empty?” If you answer “half full” you are an optomist. If you answer “half empty” you are a pessimist, or so they say.

My cup is full of my family…I thank Jesus each day for them…Kent, Kallie, Jacob, Kevin, and Joel. I love them all! But with two graduated and moving, I might feel my cup is becoming half empty. Perhaps they will return with spouses and children and my cup will be full again :-)!

What about my TEA CUPP? This is my time each morning with Jesus, when I read my Bible and pray to Him. If My TEA CUPP is half full or half empty, I’m not doing my job! Did I oversleep and skip my Bible reading? Did I neglect to pray for those on my list? Oh, I want My TEA CUPP to be full to overflowing, so that http://www.healthsupportyou.com/viagra/ when I am finished, my cup overflows to others.

I’m reminded of the old days when my parents would drive their car to a full-service gas station. “Fill it with regular, please,” my dad would say. While the attendant pumped the gas, he would also wash the windows and even check the oil. Our prayer time should be like this. When we sit down with Jesus each morning, we should first pray, “Fill me up, please, dear Jesus.” Then we open our Bibles. While reading His Word, we are washed clean and given a tune-up for the day ahead. My TEA CUPP is full and I’m ready to serve Him.

…My cup runs over. Psalm 23:5 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: How about you? Is your cup full? Read your Bible each day, asking Jesus to fill you up.

My TEA CUPP Prayers

Praying God's Word … Inviting Ladies to TEA with the King of kings!

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