Tag Archives: God’s Word in Prayer

The Greatest Prayer

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 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV)

There are so many wonderful prayers in God’s Word, the Bible, but perhaps one of the most moving is the one by Jesus in John 17.  This prayer comes from the depths of our Savior’s heart and soul.  Jesus pours out his heart to His Father as He prepares Himself for His coming crucifixion.  John 17 has three parts: 1) Jesus prays for Himself, 2) Jesus prays for His disciples, and 3) Jesus prays for all believers (you and me!). Jesus shows His love for His Father, His disciples, and for all of us yet to come.

How can we share in Jesus’ prayer in John 17?  Start by reading the chapter and underlining verses God shows you.  Which ones speak to you the most?  Are any verses calling you to action?  Copy these verses in your prayer journal and pray over them with Jesus, asking for His direction.

As you soak up John 17, you will notice there are many elements of prayer, we should follow from Jesus:

  • First, that the Father is glorified (John 17:1,5).
  • Second, that we finish the work God has sent us to do (John 17:4).
  • Third, that we pray for our loved ones, as Jesus prayed for His (John 17:15).
  • Fourth, that believers may be one and filled with God’s love (John 17:21, 26).
  • And fifth, that we go into the world that the world may know Jesus (John 17:18, 23).

Today’s TEA CUPP: How can we accomplish all this?  How about one step at a time? In the days leading up to Palm Sunday, pray that the Father and Son are glorified.  Pray the very Words from John 17:1. Then as you go through the Holy Week between Palm Sunday and Easter, ask God what work He has for you to finish (John 17:4).  On Easter, pray for your loved ones as Jesus prayed for His (John 17:15). Continue to pray over John 17 in the weeks following Easter, lifting up your heart to Jesus. You never know where God will lead you.  My Bible study friend Carol, a regular gal whom God has uniquely prepared, is leaving Montana, USA for a Jesus Film prayer walk in East Africa. Wow!  That’s what prayer can do!

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” John 17:1 (NKJV)

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

 

Four Verses for TEA

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I love finding all the parts of my TEA CUPP in just one section of the Bible. It’s a refreshing way to pray, using these few verses to pour out my heart to Jesus.  Today’s verses come from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the fourth chapter, verses 4-7.  Many of you are familiar with these famous words:

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NKJV)

T for Thanksgiving

…but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving…  Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

E for Exalting:

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

A for Admitting:

Be anxious for nothing… Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

 C for Calling:

Let your gentleness be known to all men… Philippians 4:5 (NKJV)

U is for Understanding our story:

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding… Philippians 4:7 (NKJV)

P is for Promises:

...The Lord is at hand. Philippians 4:5 (NKJV)

…will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7 (NKJV)

P is for Petitioning:

…let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: My Bible study leader, Terry, says we should chew on God’s Word as a cow chews her cud, over and over again. This week, chew on Philippians 4:4-7, praying in order of the verses, or in order of the TEA CUPP for variety.  By the end of the week, you may have it memorized and can pray it anywhere!  Be blessed in Philippians, my friend!

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

Turn and Live

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…“Therefore turn and live!”  Ezekiel 18:32 (NKJV)

One of the toughest parts of My TEA CUPP Prayers might be the letter “A” for Admitting our sins.  It can be hard to admit when we’ve done something wrong, said the wrong words, done the wrong thing, broken one of God’s commandments, and fallen short of the glory of God.  It can be especially hard to even admit we need forgiveness, but we do.  For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  We’re all in need of the forgiveness that only Jesus can provide.

Yet there is Good News! Though admitting our sins is tough, we are cleansed, our burden is lifted, and we have joy and peace again.  Jesus bore our sins for us on the cross at Calvary so long ago.  When we believe in Him, He washes away all our sins and makes us His child.  Isn’t that Good News?!  So, today, if you’ve been skipping this part of your TEA time with Jesus, I urge you to turn and live!

Turn from your sins, admit them to Jesus, repent and live a new life, walking with Jesus. This sin stuff is not new, it’s as old as Adam and Eve and the serpent.  God’s people, the Israelites, fell into it often. God’s Old Testament prophets warned the people, as did Ezekiel:

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” Ezekiel 18:30-32 (NKJV)

Are you ready to turn and live?  How can you do it?  James tells us so well in his New Testament book.  James says…

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:7-10 (NKJV)

Did you hear James’ points? 1) Submit to God. 2) Resist the devil. 3) Draw near to God (having TEA with Jesus each day is a great way to do this!). 4) Cleanse and purify your heart (by admitting your sins, weeping, and asking Jesus’ forgiveness). 5) Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord.

And did you see Jame’s promises?  1) The devil will flee from you. 2) God will draw near to you. 3) And God will lift you up!

Today’s TEA CUPP:  Turn and Live!  Dearest TEA CUPP Friend, whether you are a new believer, old believer, or a seeker, there is always something to admit to Jesus.  Give Jesus that last sin you’ve been hanging onto, let Him wash it away and give you a new clean heart.  Turn and Live!

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)

For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”  Ezekiel 18:32 (NKJV)

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

My Lazarus Tea

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My Tea Cupp Prayers

John 11 tells the miraculous story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the grave. Lazarus had been dead for four days.  Before his death Lazarus was sick, but Jesus didn’t come.  Why did Jesus wait to visit? — So that God would be glorified!  In this amazing account, John describes how Jesus was moved to tears, yet continued His ministry, comforted the sisters, and raised Lazarus to life.  So many good verses are found in this passage that we can use in our prayers.  I call this, “My Lazarus Tea.”

T for Thanksgiving
…And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” John 11:41(NKJV)

E for Exalting:

When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” John 11:4 (NKJV)

A for Admitting:

But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. John 11:10 (NKJV)

 C for Calling:

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”  John 11:40 (NKJV)

U is for Understanding our story:

She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:27 (NKJV)

P is for Promises:

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” John 11:23 (NKJV)

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. John 11:25 (NKJV)

P is for Petitioning:

…“Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” John 11:3 (NKJV)

…“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” John 11:21-22 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Read John 11 and the miraculous story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the grave. Underline your favorite verses and use them as conversation starters as you pray with Jesus today.  You might use one of the verses above, or perhaps the Bible’s shortest verse, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) Then tell Jesus about something that’s making you very sad right now.  Let Him comfort you with His promises.

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

Someone is Praying for You!

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Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25 (NKJV)

Someone is praying for you, my friend!  Someone is praying for you!  I promise you that right now, someone is really and truly praying for you.

I know what you are thinking, “Not me, why would anyone pray for me? You are mistaken.”  But I promise you, it is true, someone is truly praying for you.

Now, I can’t tell you all the people who are praying for you, because that is a surprise.  It could be an aunt, a grandpa, a grandchild, a neighbor, a person at the grocery store, or someone who goes by your house everyday.  You could be totally oblivious to these prayers as Job’s first children were (Job 1:5), but the prayers are still happening. And I can tell you Two who are praying for you:

1) Jesus is praying for you!  Can you believe it?  It is true!  Romans 8:34 promises us that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God, making intercession for us.

It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:34 (NKJV)

Wow, isn’t that something?! Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, is praying for you!  How does that make you feel?  This question was asked at a Bible study I attend and the ladies had some wonderful answers:  “Mind-boggling, blessed, He cares that much for me, nothing is impossible, He knows what I need before I ask, He hears us, we are just specks in eternity, specks in the universe, yet He hears us!”  And how does it make me feel?  I wrote that day, “O Jesus, thank You!  To think I sit having TEA with You every morning and You take my requests to the Father!  Thank You, dearest Jesus!”

2) Who else is praying for you?  The Holy Spirit is praying for you!  Even if we mess up our prayers and get it all wrong, the Holy Spirit is there, translating what our hearts really meant to the Father.  Isn’t that good news?!  You don’t have to pray just the “right” prayer.  The Holy Spirit will take care of making it “just right” for God.  The Spirit is praying for you!

 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)

A recent example of this for me was when my Daddy was dying.  I definitely didn’t have it all together as my voice cracked in tears.  I was trying to pray the Lord’s Prayer over the phone with Daddy, as my sister held the phone to his ear.  Somewhere around “debtors” or “temptations” I messed up, not remembering which version I was on…yet I know the Holy Spirit interceded at that very moment and heard our prayers and took my dear Daddy to heaven.  For as soon as we ended the call, my sister texted, “He’s gone.”  And there I sat on the sofa between my two boys, crying tears of sadness and joy, that God let us all be together in my Daddy’s final moments.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Jesus and the Holy Spirit are both praying for you, taking your requests to the Father.  Rest in this amazing promise today!  Then pray with confidence, knowing God is on your side. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (NKJV)

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

My Love TEA

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Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8 (NKJV)

It’s Valentine’s Day!  What a perfect day for a CUPP of Love TEA!  I know, sometimes we might not feel very lovable, when we are grumpy and everything is going wrong.  But those times are when we need His love the most, to wash away our sins and restore us with His Holy Spirit. Then we are able to share His love with others.  Please heat the kettle and put a heaping spoonful of Love in your CUPP today!

Here are some  Love Bible verses to get you started in your prayer time with Jesus this Valentine’s Day and the whole month of February…

T for Thanksgiving

I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications. Psalm 116:1 (NKJV)

E for Exalting:

 I will love You, O Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1 (NKJV)

Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97 (NKJV)

Therefore I love Your commandments
More than gold, yes, than fine gold! Psalm 119:27 (NKJV)

A for Admitting:

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Luke 16:13 (NKJV)

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19 (NKJV)

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

 C for Calling:

 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.  Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34 (NKJV)

Let all that you do be done with love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NKJV)

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Ephesians 5:2 (NKJV)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 (NKJV)

U is for Understanding our story:

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NKJV)

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

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV)

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NKJV)

P is for Promises:

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)

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

P is for Petitioning:

Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. Psalm 119:159 (NKJV)

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. 1 Corinthians 16:24 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: God loves you, my TEA CUPP friend!  He loves you so much that He died for you and all the world.  Soak yourself in His amazing Word and love today.

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

Praying God’s Word Again

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Bible…God’s Word

The words of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times. Psalm 12:6 (NKJV)

Again and again I want to share with you how you can use Bible verses, God’s Word, to pray to Him. That’s what My TEA CUPP Prayers is all about, sitting down with Jesus for a CUPP of TEA every day, reading His Word to let Him speak first, underlining your favorite verses, then using those verses as conversation starters as you pour out your heart to the Lord.  All you need is a Bible.  You don’t need my book or this website or anything else, just God’s Word.

So, please sit down with Jesus right now and open your Bible.  Here are some verses to get you excited about reading His Word:

1) The Bible, God’s Word, comes from God and is meant for us to study and learn:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)

2) God’s Word is so powerful!  It’s alive!  It’s sharper than any knife or sword, digging into the deep parts of our hearts and souls:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

3) God’s Word is forever and ever and never changes:

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:18 (NKJV)

…The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
But the word of the Lord endures forever. 1 Peter 1:24-25 (NKJV)

4) God promises to put His Word in your mind and write it on your heart and you will be His!

…I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Hebrews 8:10 (NKJV)

5) We should learn and memorize as many verses as we can.  Then we won’t wander off God’s path into bad situations.

Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)

6) If we keep God’s Word in our hearts, we will know God’s will, and can ask anything in His Name:

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7 (NKJV)

7) And when we have verses saved up in our hearts, we can start a conversation with Jesus from anywhere, pouring out our hearts, petitioning for our loved ones.  We can even use a verse like Psalm 28:9 to give us creative ways to pray for family members, instead of just saying, “bless.”

Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever. Psalm 28:9 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP:  Hide God’s Word in your heart today!  Write a verse in your prayer journal to remember each week.  Use these verses to pray.  For example, using Psalm 28:9, I could pray, “Save my loved ones (list by name), bless our children (list by name), shepherd them also (in these specific situations), and bear with me (and all my faults) forever!” Give it a try with your own favorite verses and keep putting God’s Word in your heart!

...Your word is truth. John 17:17 (NKJV)

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

My Two Daddies in Heaven

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One month ago today my Daddy went to be with Jesus.  I’ve been wanting to write them both a letter…

Dear Daddy and Daddy,

You are both in heaven now.

My Father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. You’ve always been there from the beginning of time, creating this world, knitting us together, watching over us, saving us through the precious blood of Your Son Jesus, guiding us with your Holy Spirit, and covering us with Your wing.  You gave me the best earthly Daddy and planned that now was a good time to take him to be with You. And, of course, I wrestle with Your plans as Jacob wrestled the Angel so long ago.  Did you really need my earthly Daddy right away?  Yet I’m so very thankful he is with You!

You are both in heaven together, Father God and Daddy Jon.  How’s it going up there?  I imagine the Creator of the Universe and the professor are having some good scientific discussions.  Are there more than seven colors in the rainbow?  Are you doing any experiments with quartz crystals and refracted light?  Can you look at the stars through a telescope or are they right beside you? Is Father God explaining how He made all this cool stuff out of tiny particles, or does it not really matter anymore?  Are you enjoying friends and family, Daddy?  I imagine you have no more pain in your hip or knee, and you are so strong, carrying our babies on your shoulders.

I’m so thankful you are both together now.  Thank you, Father God, for giving me time with my Daddy in his last days here.  Of course, I’d still like one more visit, one more chat around the kitchen table, one more hike in the forest, one more story with Grandpa on the sofa, one more chess game with Jacob.  But those last days were special when I asked Daddy if he loved You and he squeezed my hand.  Oh, Jesus, thank You for letting Him be Yours!

Oh, Daddy, I keep thinking you are taking a nap or have run an errand, that soon you will come down the stairs for your 10 O’clock coffee and work on the crossword puzzle.  I want to send you an email about everyone who came to see you and how Mommy held up beautifully, but maybe you already know this.  Karen was with you every day, researching your condition and talking to nurses.  Reid and Scott flew all the way from opposite coasts to be with you, then flew back to their wives, Carmen and Cheryl, who drove with them to your service.  George came for the longest time and took care of Mommy and the home-front as you knew he would, and surprised us all by singing “Swing Low” at your burial.

All your grandkids came for the service, even Bess made it from Russia and Jacob flew in from Cyprus.  And your great-granddaughter Kennedy Grace brought everyone joy with her smiles and running around the sanctuary. Nathan and Jacob shared wonderful memories at your service and Kevin played a moving Pachelbel’s Canon in D and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.  Kevin also collaborated with family members to present a Grandpa slide show.  Kallie, Emily, Joel, Lennie, Kent, Wendy and Jenny Anne and many friends, neighbors and people from your department also braved the weather to cheer up Mommy and remember you. Father God kept us all well and safe through the worst snow and roads and even when it was zero degrees and the snow was falling at the cemetery, He was there with us.

Oh, Jesus, thank You that Daddy was 85 when You took him to heaven, just like Caleb was 85 when he entered the Promised Land. Thank You that Daddy used to play “Them Bones” on the banjo, and now You are breathing new life into his bones.  Thank You for preparing this place for Daddy in heaven and now he is there with You.  And thank You that goodness and mercy followed Daddy all the days of his life, and now he dwells in Your House forever.

I love you both!  I miss you, Daddy!  Father God, please take good care of Daddy until you call the rest of us home and we have that great big family reunion.

Love, Jenny Grace

 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.” Ezekiel 37:5 (NKJV)

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3 (NKJV)

 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)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever. Psalm 23:6 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 (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)

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”  Luke 23:43 (NKJV)

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

TEA with Hebrews 13

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The goal of My TEA CUPP Prayers is to get you reading your Bible, listening to God, underlining verses that speak to you, and using those verses as conversation starters as you pray and have TEA with Jesus each day.  Eventually, all you will need is your Bible and you can share My TEA CUPP Prayers with a friend to get her started.  Inviting ladies to TEA with the King of kings…that’s our mission.  You are invited, my dear TEA CUPP friend.  Here are some verses from Hebrews 13 to get you started today…

T for Thanksgiving
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

E for Exalting:

 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

…the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant…through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21 (NKJV)

A for Admitting:

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have…Hebrews 13:5a (NKJV)

 C for Calling:

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV)

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:16 (NKJV)

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV)

U is for Understanding our story:

So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6 (NKJV)

P is for Promises:

…For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5b (NKJV)

P is for Petitioning:

Grace be with you all. Amen. Hebrews 13:25 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Soak yourself in Hebrews 13 today.  Read the chapter.  Underline your favorite verses.  Use these verses to pray with Jesus, pouring out your heart to Him. Keep this routine every day as you read your Bible and find more verses that God shows you.  May God bless you, dear friend!

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

Be One of the Faithful

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 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God. Ezekiel 14:14 (NKJV)

Sometimes the books of the Old Testament prophets can be long and difficult to read, with much prophecy and destruction, because God’s people kept turning away from Him.  But there are still good verses tucked in there to exhort and encourage us in our walk with God.

The verse above from Ezekiel 14:14 was one of these that caught my eye.  When we read, “Noah, Daniel and Job,”  we feel connected, since most of us have heard their stories: Noah’s Ark, Daniel and the Lions, The Patience of Job.  The following verses remind us of each one.

…Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. Genesis 6:9 (NKJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Daniel 6:10 (NKJV)

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. Job 1:1 (NKJV)

A just man who walked with God, a man of prayer, a blameless and upright man…These are all great Bible heroes, strong in their faith.  So, what does Ezekiel 14:14 tell us?  It says that even if those three faithful men were there, they would only save themselves and no one else from God’s impending destruction.

What does this mean for us?  John McCarthur says in his notes on Ezekiel 14:14, “one man’s righteousness is no protection for another.” (MacArthur, 1997) We can’t take comfort that we live in a country founded under God, or that our neighbor attends church, or that our grandmother prayed for us.  We must make the decision for ourselves, confess Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raise Him from the dead, and we will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Even if we hangout with our pastor’s family or Bible study leader, though these are very good things to do, we won’t be delivered.  We must “hang out” with the King of kings, the Savior of our souls, God’s only Son who gave His life for our sins on the Cross, pouring out His blood to wash us clean.  We must be friends with Jesus.

Today’s TEA CUPP:  Be friends with Jesus.  Have TEA with Him each day, reading His Word, the Bible, pouring out your heart to Him in prayer.  As you begin this new year, ask God to help you walk with Him each day as did Noah, Daniel, Job, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Ruth, and so many others Bible heroes.

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. James 2:23-24 (NKJV)

MacArthur, J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc. (p. 1168)

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

Many thanks to my Discipleland Sunday school curriculum for the Bible hero pictures I enjoy each week in our classroom!