Ten Maidens

Posted on May 11, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning…You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him. Luke 12:35, 40 (NIV)

Many of you know the story in Matthew 25 about the ten maidens. Five were wise and five were foolish. They were all supposed to trim their lamps and await the bridegroom. Five had oil in their lamps and five did not. When the bridegroom came, the five foolish maidens were trying to buy oil and missed Him. Jesus tells us in verse 13 (NIV), “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Isn’t it sad to read what He said to the foolish maidens? “I do not know you.” Oh, how heart-breaking to not enter the kingdom of heaven for all eternity. Why didn’t Jesus know them? Had they not given their hearts to Him? Had they not spent time with Him, reading His Word and praying? I would want to share my oil with them, but Jesus says, “I do not know them.”

Jesus asks in Luke 18:8 (NIV), “…When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

Oh, I want to be like the five wise maidens, keeping my lamp full of oil and ready for Jesus coming. I need to share my oil now with others before He comes. Perhaps my lamp is my TEA CUPP, and the oil is God’s Word. Each day during my quiet time when I drink of His Word, I am filling my TEA CUPP inside me. When I pray for others and tell them about Jesus, I am sharing oil now, before it is too late. And when He comes, Jesus and I will be like old friends. He will say, “Well done,” for we have enjoyed a cup of tea together every day.

Matthew 25:1-13 (GW)

A Story About Ten Bridesmaids

¹“When the end comes, the kingdom of heaven will be like ten bridesmaids. They took their oil lamps and went to meet the groom. ²Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³The foolish bridesmaids took their lamps, but they didn’t take any extra oil. ⁴The wise bridesmaids, however, took along extra oil for their lamps. ⁵Since the groom was late, all the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶“At midnight someone shouted, ‘The groom is here! Come to meet him!’ ⁷Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready.

⁸“The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out.’

⁹“But the wise bridesmaids replied, ‘We can’t do that. There won’t be enough for both of us. Go! Find someone to sell you some oil.’

¹⁰“While they were buying oil, the groom arrived. The bridesmaids who were ready went with him into the wedding hall, and the door was shut.

¹¹“Later the other bridesmaids arrived and said, ‘Sir, sir, open the door for us!’

¹²“But he answered them, ‘I don’t even know who you are!’

¹³“So stay awake, because you don’t know the day or the hour.

Make it a Date!

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 2 Timothy 1:3 (NIV)

Today I’m issuing you a challenge to make a daily date with Jesus. When will you have your next TEA CUPP time with the Lord? Write it on your day-planner. Enter it in your Blackberry. Send yourself a text message. Write down…

1) Your next TEA CUPP time with God – make it a date!
2) A favorite Bible verse you would like to use in prayer.
3) And on a book mark (a folded sheet of paper works great!), list some people & situations you want to talk to God about at your TEA CUPP time.

Make a date with Jesus every day and you will be blessed!

Petitions with your family

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

Pray without ceasing. That is quite a command! When My Tea Cupp time in the morning is complete and my day begins, how can I keep praying throughout the day? This is when we can invite our families into the habit of praying. Here are a few ideas for incorporating petitions with our families during the day. I hope you will share your ideas, too.

Book Mark: I keep a book mark in my Bible that reminds me to pray for my family and others. We have a book mark for our family devotions, too. If you’d like one of my books marks, just send me a message and I’ll mail one to you.

Graces: Saying grace at meal times is a great way to reconnect with family members and with God. At breakfast, take turns saying a longer prayer. At lunch and dinner we usually say a lively prayer like you might say at camp (I’ll post those sometime soon!).

Christmas Cards: We have a tradition of drawing a Christmas card out of our mail basket each day and praying for that person or family. We usually begin around Valentine’s Day or the first of Lent, because most people have sent their Christmas cards by then. It is fun to read them over again in the spring, and pray for our friends and family. Some http://www.healthandrecoveryinstitute.com/soma-carisoprodol-muscle-relaxant/ years we’ll send a postcard to people saying we prayed and other years we’ll just pray.

Bedtime prayers: I like to say a bedtime prayer with my kids when I tuck them in at night. We started this when our oldest child was just a baby in her crib. So, it is something the kids just expect to happen. I think their days would feel incomplete if we sent them to bed without a prayer. My son Jacob talks to me before the prayer about things that are concerning him. Then we lift up those prayers to Jesus so he can have a good night sleep.

Prayer partners: We live at a church camp. Each summer a great group of college students comes to work here. On Sunday evenings we draw names out of a basket and pray for that person all week. It is a great way to lift up each other in prayer. I imagine you could do this with any of your groups…Bible study group, ladies’ group, scrapbook club, etc. Support your friends and carry them to Jesus by having prayer partners.

What are ways you like to spread My Tea Cupp Prayers throughout the day with your family?

Something Far Better

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Something Far Better

My favorite devotion book to begin my TEA CUPP time each morning is Our Daily Bread. There is a link in the left side-bar where you can read today’s devotion from Our Daily Bread. Above is a link to a devotion from 2002. Often when I especially like a devotion, I will put a star by it or rip it out of the book and save it for later. This devotion is one of those.

“Something Far Better” from Our Daily Bread tells the story of a man who ordered items from a mail-order catalog…I won’t tell you more, because I want you to read it for yourself. Just know that “Something Far Better” than what we can ask or imagine, is what we should petition the King of kings for each day:

“A man who lived far out in the country bought his clothing from a mail-order catalog. At the bottom of the printed order form he noticed this statement: “If we do not have the article you ordered in stock, may we substitute?”

The first time that he wrote “yes,” they sent him something that was worth double the price of the article he had requested. The company explained, “We are sorry we do not have the article in stock which you ordered. We are sending you something better at our expense.”

After that, the man said he always printed out much more boldly the word “yes” at the bottom of the order https://www.ncmh.info/klonopin-clonazepam-medication/ blank. He knew he would not be disappointed by the substitution.

So too, when we pray to God, it is good to tell Him that we are quite willing to let Him take our weak prayers and answer them according to His will. Too often we pray and do not see our requests answered because we selfishly “ask amiss” (James 4:3). Instead, we need to examine the motives of our hearts and trust Him to give us exactly what we need. We can be sure that when we do He will send us something far better, yes, “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).” —Henry G. Bosch

As we lift up our petitions to God each day, we might find ourselves disappointed that we don’t always get what we want. This has happened to me several times and I still get sad before I remember that God has a better plan, even though I might not like it or understand it at the time. Let’s all work to trust that what God has planned is “Something Far Better.’

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)

National Day of Prayer

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

http://nationaldayofprayer.org/

Hello friends,

Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer. This day is set aside to remind us to pray for our country, our elected leaders, our armed forces, our schools, our churches and all we hold dear. Check out the above website for more information or to find an event near you. This is an opportunity to join with other Christians to petition our Father in heaven.

As you pray for our country, perhaps some of these verses from God’s Word will be helpful…

May the LORD our God be with us as He was with our fathers; may He never leave us nor forsake us. 1 Kings 8:57 (NIV)

“Save us, O God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to Your holy Name,
that we may glory in Your praise.” 1 Chronicles 16:35 (NIV) & Psalm 106:47 (NIV)

Give ear, O God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name. We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name.” Daniel 9:18-18 (NIV)

O LORD, be gracious to us;
we long for You.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress. Isaiah 33:2 (NIV)

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV)

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. Revelation 22:21 (NIV)

“Yes!”

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. ” 1 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)

This week we are searching for God’s Promises in His Word. I just love what He says about His own promises: They are “Yes” in Christ! God says “Yes” to all His promises!

Which of God’s promises are you claiming this week? Here are a few of my favorites…

A promise for athletes and all of us…

“With God we will gain the victory,
and He will trample down our enemies.” Psalm 108:3 (NIV)

A promise for farmers and ranchers…

The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest. Psalm 85:12 (NIV)

A promise for our children…

But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear Him,
and His righteousness with their children’s children–Psalm 103:17 (NIV)

A promise for guidance…

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

A promise for protection…

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

A promise God loves me…

The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. John 16:27 (NIV)

A promise God will always provide…

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

A promise Jesus is coming again…

For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV)

A promise for using God’s Word in prayer…

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. Mark 13:31 (NIV) & Luke 21:33(NIV)

Please share your favorite promises from God’s Word. Say “Yes” to God’s promises today.

The Birthday Psalm

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Perhaps you have been reading My TEA CUPP Prayers website this week, and also reading your Bible and wondering where God’s story is in there for you. I want to share with you what I call “The Birthday Psalm.” Just about everyone can find her story wrapped up in the words of this beautiful psalm. I encourage you to read it every year on your birthday, to remind yourself that you are a beautiful daughter of the King, created especially for His purposes. Perhaps you want to write it out in a birthday card for a friend, too. Happy Birthday Psalm to you!

Psalm 139 (NIV)

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

New International Version (NIV)

Here I Am, Lord

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

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

Have you ever noticed how certain churches have a favorite hymn they love to sing? And whenever you hear that song, you think of that church? That happens to me because we used to move so often.

A long time ago we lived in a dear little town east of Cincinnati, Ohio. While there we attended a church who loved Jesus. Their favorite hymn was “Here I Am, Lord.” I remember as the choir led us with their beautiful voices, I would join in the chorus from my pew, and in my heart truly be saying, “Here I Am, Lord!” It is no surprise then that God called us away from that church and little town to move across the country to serve Him.

As you read God’s Word and underline verses and pray about your call, be ready to proclaim “Here I Am, Lord” and be prepared to go wherever Jesus sends you (whether that is next door or around the world). Where is He sending you today?

Here I Am, Lord (words by Daniel L Schutte)

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.

I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have born my peoples pain.
I have wept for love of them, They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

Amen.

New International Version (NIV)

His Way, Not My Way

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

HOME

Hello, prayer friends! I just arrived home from an amazing weekend at Women of Faith in Billings, Montana! I met new and old friends from around Montana, and heard some of the most inspirational messages, given by ladies God has gifted to encourage us in our faith walk. You can visit the link above to find an event in your area. I highly encourage you to attend! Natalie Grant mentioned this verse below, during her concert. I had chosen this same verse last month to write about my experiences. And so I jump ahead a bit today to the “U” section of My Tea Cupp Prayers, as I use God’s Word to help me Understand my story.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Prayers. I believe in prayers. I believe in Jesus. I believe Jesus meant it when He said, “Ask and you will receive.” When things don’t go my way, I wrestle with God. I’m a grumpy kid who is not getting what she wants from her Father. I can’t see the big picture. But God is teaching me.

Two summers ago, my friend Anna mentioned to me that she was expecting again. This would be her fourth child. Anna asked me to pray it wouldn’t be twins. I had already been praying for eight years for more children, and seven years before that I had prayed for our son Kevin. I had even written to three friends who love babies and asked them to pray for me. So, I couldn’t pray for Anna not to have twins; that just seemed like a double blessing to me. So, I prayed, “God, please give Anna a healthy baby, and if you need to give someone twins, please give them to me.”

At the same time, I thought I’d try out specific prayer. I’d heard God likes us to be specific. So, I prayed for specific twins, one blonde, one red head, one boy, one girl, blue eyes, healthy, hearts for Jesus, to be born in Livingston, Montana on May 17, 2009 at 3:07 p.m. Yes, I was that specific. In order for this to happen, I needed to be expecting by fall 2008. As September of that year came and then October, I thought, well maybe they will be premies. Then winter came with still no babies-on-the-way, and a job lay off instead. I just about gave up on praying, but my husband kept on praying. Then late in the spring of 2009, just before the time I had specifically prayed our babies to be born, we miraculously became pregnant. After nine years of waiting, I was so joyous that God had heard our prayers.

In July 2009 we went to our first doctor appointment. The doctor had trouble hearing the baby’s heartbeat, so he wanted to do an ultrasound. I thought, “O good, now he will see there are two babies in there!” Instead, there was just one cute little baby shape, with no heart beating. After praying nine years for more children, to be told in the doctor office that my baby didn’t have a heartbeat, my first thoughts were, “Doctor, you are so wrong, I prayed for this baby.” But as reality set in, my soul cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It crossed my mind to abandon my prayer time with God the next day. But the next morning I was up with the sun as usual, sitting on my corner of the sofa, mug of hot water in hand, reading my Bible with God. Even I was amazed that God didn’t let go of me, as we waited over a week for the miscarriage that nearly took my life. We named our baby Gloria Anne, in hopes that God’s name would be glorified.

Just a month later we became pregnant again. I hardly dared to hope that this baby was twins. In mid October 2009 we found out that this baby also didn’t have a heartbeat. This time we had to wait three weeks for the miscarriage which took six weeks to complete, well into December. We named this baby Angelica May, because she is now with the angels and was due in May 2010. The whole time I was wondering, “Why do I have to go through this again, Lord? Is there something I didn’t learn the first time around?”

In September 2009 we planted a cherry tree in our front yard in memory of Gloria Anne. Now the tree is in memory of both our babies. It wasn’t until we ordered the plaque to put on a rock by the tree that it hit me. The plaque says

“In Memory, Our Babies, Gloria Anne, Angelica May, 2009”

With their names together on the plaque I realized, we had our twins. They did not come when I asked. They were not healthy. I never saw the color of the hair or their eyes. Even their names were ones I had never thought of before. Even though I know that someday in heaven I will hold them in my arms, I ache, while learning that God’s ways are not my ways, and His thoughts are not my thoughts.

Judges 6:13 (NIV) says “O my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles?” I often pray this petition as I wrestle with God in prayer. Because I didn’t get my way, I think His miracles aren’t there, but they are. His miracles are in a hug from a sister in Christ, the box of chocolates sent by an old friend from high school, the prayer shawl knitted by our church, the DQ Buster bars delivered by our neighbors, the money for doctor bills slipped to us by friends, the card box decorated in pink for our baby, my husband washing the dishes for me, the prayers of so many, and the hope I still have in my heart. Yes, God sent His miracles. His ways are just much higher than my ways…and I’m still praying.

My TEA CUPP Prayers

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

Tag Archives: christian prayer

Ten Maidens

Matthew 25:1-13 (GW)

A Story About Ten Bridesmaids

Make it a Date!

Petitions with your family

Something Far Better

National Day of Prayer

“Yes!”

The Birthday Psalm

Here I Am, Lord

His Way, Not My Way