Another Pot of Precious Promises

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Jennifer Grace

These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. John 16:1 (NKJV)

God’s blessings to you on your new year, dear sister in Christ! I hope your year is off to a good start. Perhaps like me you woke up with a terrible cold on January 1 and thought all the new year’s hopes and resolutions had gone out the window! But Jesus is merciful and healed my cold and gave me strength to press on and send my next book, More TEA CUPP Prayers, back to the publisher for the third time. HalleluYAH! All glory to Jesus!!! How I pray that it can be ready for you by Resurrection Sunday!

Ten years ago, I wrote a short devotion called Pouring a Pot of Precious Promises, written on a day I came across several promises in my daily Bible reading. As I was reading the book of John again in December, John 16 surprised me with many promises from Jesus, too. I thought, “we will have to pour another pot of precious promises for the ladies!”

I hope you’ll read John 16 for yourself and discover perhaps even more words that touch your heart. John 16 came at a sad time for Jesus. He knew He would soon go to the cross to die for our sins. (John 17 contains His last prayers for us all before He was betrayed). Jesus knew His disciples would need the promises recorded in John 16. If the disciples needed them then, I believe we also need these promises for 2024.

First, lets look at some of the not-happy promises…

The enemy will try to make us stumble (16:1).
The enemy will put us out of the churches (16:2).
The enemy will try to harm us (16:2).
We will have sorrow (16:20).
In the world we will have tribulation (16:33).
Somethings we can’t bear to hear now (16:12).

Do you find most of those promises are hard to hear? Me, too! Let’s keep reading, because Jesus gives us His comforting promises:

He will send us a Helper, the Holy Spirit (16:7).
The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement — sounds like a great revival! (16:8).
The Holy Spirit will guide us in all truth (16:13).
The Holy Spirit will tell us things to come (16:13).
The Holy Spirit will glorify God’s Son Jesus (16:14) — that way we’ll know it’s the Holy Spirit!
In a little while we will see Jesus (16:16) — Oh, what a glorious Day!
Our sorrow shall be turned to JOY! (16:20, 16:22).
Whatever we ask the Father in Jesus’ Name, He will give us (16:23).
The Father Himself loves us because we believe in His Son Jesus (16:27).
Jesus is our peace (16:33).
Be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world! (16:33).

Dear one, please be of good cheer, Jesus truly has overcome the world. He already conquered death and the devil when God the Father raised Him from the grave on the third day. He opened the door of heaven for all who believe in His Name. We can trust Him completely for He has a good, good plan.

Today’s TEA CUPP: Pour a pot of these precious promises in your teacup today, dear sister. You will need them this coming year. Read John 16 in your favorite Bible version. Then, write the most precious promises from your Bible in your prayer journal or on notecards on your bathroom mirror. Keep reading His Word and holding onto Jesus’ promises every day!

p.s. If you want to begin a new Bible reading plan this year, I’d like to recommend the M’Cheyne Daily Bible Reading Plan. I made some special bookmarks to use in this well-loved plan.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NKJV)

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 1Corinthians 15:3-4 (NKJV)

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9 (NKJV)

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Hebrews 2:14 (NKJV)

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 (NKJV)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

All Things Work for Good

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Jennifer Grace

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)

All things, All things, All things! Not just some things or most things or things that are especially important, but ALL things work together for good! That’s what God’s Word promises us in this well-known verse from Romans 8:28… 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.

I love God. I love His Son Jesus. I am called according to His purpose and so I claim this promise. That’s what the first “P” in the TEA CUPP is for, claiming God’s PROMISES. Dear sister, you can claim it, too! You are called to be His daughter and He has great plans for you!

As I was reading the book of Joshua in my Bible this month, I saw a beautiful example of this promise. After their amazing victory in conquering Jericho in Joshua 6, the Israelites suffered a crushing defeat in Joshua 7 because one man Achan had kept the enemy’s accursed booty. The Lord was angry at Achan’s disobedience, so He did not go with Israel’s army to defeat Ai that first time. Once Achan confessed his sin (Joshua 7:20) and received his punishment (Joshua 7:26), the Lord God was no longer angry and could once again go with Israel’s army to fight the battles.

In the first battle, Joshua sent about three thousand men who were quickly chased away by the people of Ai. This is where Romans 8:28 came in! God used even the failed first battle at Ai to trick the enemy. In the second battle, He had Joshua station ambushes on the far side of Ai, unbeknownst to the people of Ai. Then Joshua himself lead the group that marched up as at the first.

Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that we shall flee before them. For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them. Joshua 8:5-6 (NKJV)

The Israelite’s followed the plan. When the people of Ai chased Joshua’s army they fled as in the first battle, then the ambush attacked the city and set it on fire! When the enemy looked back at their city, their hearts melted and Joshua’s army turned back and pursued them all. Read Joshua 8 for all of this exciting story! It’s so neat how God let their first failure trick the enemy and they won the second battle! HalleluYAH! Praise Yehovah!

Yet, that is not the only Biblical example of Yehovah God working all things for good… what about God turning Sarah’s barrenness into the miraculous conception and birth of Isaac. What about David’s sin with Bathsheba producing the wisest king Solomon and the continuation of the genealogy of our Messiah, Jesus? What about the prophet Daniel returning with the remnant to Jerusalem? What about Paul’s shipwreck bringing salvation to the sailors and island people? And most of all, what about God turning the sin of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit into a Seed that would one day be our Savior, Jesus Christ?

And so, I claim Romans 8:28 as a promise for my life. Nine months ago, I had to flee my home due to mold. The enemy has been pursuing me in all kinds of ways… health issues, homelessness, pains, tears, despair, loss of pets… but like Joshua, I seek the Lord and keep pressing on and claiming His promise to work even this for good. We are more than conquerers through Him who loves us!

Just look how God has blessed us this summer… my old Bible study leader invited our animals and us to stay on her property. A friend from our fellowship loaned us their beautiful camper. With food and clothing we are content, yet still we pray for that new home Jesus is preparing. Yes, we still have tears. Yes, we still have dark nights. But we are confident that, yes, God will work all things together for good because we love Him and we are called according to His purposes!

Dear one, how can you claim this promise in your life today? If you are in a difficult relationship, God will use it for good. If your children are prodigals, God will use it for good. If you are broke, God will use it for good. If you are hungry, God will use it for good. If you are hurting, God will use it for good. If you are sick, God will use it for good. If you are mourning for a loved one, God will use it for good. If you made a big mistake, God will use it for good. If you are homeless, God will use it for good. if you are lonely, God will use it for good. If you are brokenhearted, God will use it for good. In ALL things God works together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes!

Today’s TEA CUPP: Read the amazing miracle in Joshua 8 today! Use the enemy’s strategy against him in your own battles, claiming victory through our Lord and Savior Yeshua Messiah!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

For thus says the Lord: ‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.’ Jeremiah 34:42 (NKJV)

For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands. Psalm 92:4 (NKJV)

You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:68 (NKJV)

He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NKJV)

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37 (NKJV)

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NKJV)

My God Grocery Store

Posted on February 4, 2022 by Jennifer Grace

He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty. Luke 1:53 (NKJV)

Today’s topic is GROCERIES, something we all need every day! But a little note before I get to that: There were three current event topics the Lord put on my heart as the new year began… vaccine passports, the mark of the beast, and grocery shortages. Recently, I received a message from a reader who did not want to hear about these things for they brought her fear and anxiety. I’m so sorry that all the news is not good news, just like God’s Word is a mixture of wonderful promises for believers and terrible wrath for the unbelieving. Sometimes we must talk about these hard subjects which ultimately push us closer to Jesus for His love and comfort. If you are fearful, I encourage you to read Fear Not, Dear One. If you need comfort, remember that God is Near, Dear One. If you are discouraged, Look up to Jesus and keep reading His Word, using your favorite verses to pray back to Him. If you are still undecided about Jesus, I urge you with all my heart to Get on the Ark and Come to the Wedding. May Jesus bless your tea time, dear one. And thank you for understanding that I must say what the Lord has put on my heart, for if I remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for God’s children from another place, and I and my house will perish, for the Lord has called me (and you!) for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). Now, let’s talk about those groceries…

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. Amos 8:11-2 (NKJV)

For over a year now, we’ve been hearing about the possibility of grocery shortages. At first few believed it, but now, especially in highly-populated areas, people are beginning to notice empty store shelves. Like most predictions, if it doesn’t happen right way, people quit believing. “Didn’t Jesus say He is coming soon?” some scoffers may taunt us. Yes, He did, and I still believe Him! For with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day (2 Peter 3:8).

As I was reading the book of Revelation last year, I noticed it also prophesies a time of grocery shortages. This comes with the third seal in Revelation 6. Now some say the Church will be raptured (taken to heaven) between Revelation 3 and 4. Yet others see the rapture occurring between seals five and six. No matter your thoughts on when the rapture could occur, it seems best to prepare as if we stay until the end of the tribulation, yet pray for Jesus to spare us from this time of trial and take us sooner.

...and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. Mark 13:8

When I was a little girl, I saw my first example of storing up for a grocery shortage, while playing at the neighbor’s house across the street. This family happened to be Mormon. In their basement were extra shelves stocked with canned goods, much like a grocery store. I asked my friend about it, who kindly explained that their group required all families to keep a storeroom in case there was ever a grocery shortage. That was 50 years ago, what a good idea!

As I began to hear of shortages and supply-chain issues last year, I kept my eyes open for what God’s Word says about groceries, jotting down His promises. We should not be surprised that our Lord has MUCH to say about food! For Jesus, the Bread of Life, who provided for the Israelites in the wilderness with His special Manna – “Bread from Heaven,” knows how to care for His children. Be sure to read all the way to the end of this devotion for many encouraging Bible food stories. I do not want you to be anxious, for He has so many promises for us about groceries!

Write these promises on notecards and post them in your kitchen cupboards this week:

And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Genesis 22:14 (NKJV)

And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day. Genesis 48:15 (NKJV)

So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. Exodus 16:18 (NKJV)

For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ” 1 Kings 17:14 (NKJV)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies… Psalm 23:5 (NKJV)

The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Psalm 34:10 (NKJV)

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. Psalm 37:19 (NKJV)

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:5 (NKJV)

For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:9 (NKJV)

He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant. Psalm 111:5 (NKJV)

The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing. Psalm 145:15-16 (NKJV)

Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. Psalm 146:7 (NKJV)

The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the wicked. Proverbs 10:3 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26 (NKJV)

Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh. Luke 6:21 (NKJV)

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Luke 12:22-23 (NKJV)

And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Luke 12:29-31 (NKJV)

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

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

Now that your cupboards are full of God’s food promises, guess what He wants you to do? The Lord calls us to share our food:

But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”… Mark 6:37 (NKJV)

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Psalm 37:3 (NKJV)

He who has a generous eye will be blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor. Proverbs 22:9

And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.” 1 Kings 17:13 (NKJV)

For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in. Matthew 25:35 (NKJV)

He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Luke 3:11 (NKJV)

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

What else does He call us to do? He calls us to work hard and stock up for the hard times…

Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. Proverbs 6:6-8 (NKJV)

He calls us to plant gardens:

The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. Genesis 2:6 (NKJV)

This shall be a sign to you: You shall eat this year such as grows of itself, And in the second year what springs from the same; Also in the third year sow and reap, Plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. 2 Kings 19:29 (NKJV)

God also gives us petitions to pray for food:

Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11 (NKJV)

…Give me neither poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9 (NKJV)

Arise, cry out in the night,
At the beginning of the watches;
Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him
For the life of your young children,
Who faint from hunger at the head of every street. Lamentations 2:19 (NKJV)

And, dear one, He calls us to be encouraged by His many food miracles. How about reading one of these stories each day this week. Take comfort in God’s Word. Go to God’s Grocery Store and eat His Words today. Here are a few stories to encourage you:

Bread from Heaven, Exodus 16
Elijah and the Widow, 1 Kings 17;
Three Food Miracles, 2 Kings 4.
Prices Drop Overnight, 2 Kings 7;
Feeding the 5000, Matthew 14:13-21;
Don’t Worry, Luke 12:22-28;
Finally, Remember what brought the Prodigal Son home — food! Luke 15:11-32. We decree right now, in the name of Jesus Christ and the blood He shed on the cross that the coming grocery shortages will bring all repentant prodigals home. HalleluYAH!

Today’s TEA CUPP: Now, dear one, I want you to be especially careful. Remember how Esau sold his birthright for just one bowl of lentil stew (Genesis 25:34, Hebrews 12:15-16)? Do not sell your birthright to heaven for a trip to the grocery store! Do not take the mark of the beast to buy groceries! Trust in the Lord, claim these promises, read the miraculous stories, keep feeding on God’s Word and He will provide all you need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV)

I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread. Psalm 37:15 (NKJV)

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NKJV)

Moreover those who were near to them, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys and camels, on mules and oxen—provisions of flour and cakes of figs and cakes of raisins, wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel. 1 Chronicles 12:40 (NKJV)

And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth. Micah 5:4 (NKJV)

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV)

I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:12 (NKJV)

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

God is Near, Dear One

Posted on July 21, 2021 by Jennifer Grace

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NKJV)

Dear One, Perhaps you have seen a theme in my trilogy of devotions. A few weeks ago I shared, “God Hears, Dear One” for some might wonder if God is hearing our prayers as our country crumbles. Last week I wrote, “Fear Not, Dear One” to encourage you in the face of scary news. Today I share “God is Near, Dear One” to remind you He is right here with us in the battle.

Do you remember the good old Christmas hymns? Many of them ask Jesus to come… “Come Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free“… and “Oh, Come, Oh, Come Immanuel…” What does Immanuel mean? It means God with us! And He came as a Baby and grew to be a Man and walked this earth and shed His blood and died for our sins on the cross and rose again. When Jesus went to heaven He sent His Holy Spirit to be our Helper. God is really with us!

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 (NKJV)

How can we know God is with us? Open our Bibles and read His Word. With a daily Bible time we read God’s amazing story and promises. We are so blessed when we fill up on God’s Word each day. We know the Lord will meet us in our Bible time for He promises us in James…

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

Isn’t that a wonderful promise? If we draw near to God by reading HIs Word, He will meet us there. When we open our Bibles, it’s like opening the door and inviting Jesus in for tea. But we must do this TODAY and every day! Tomorrow might be too late. Isaiah tells us to seek the Lord while He may be found…

Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near. Isaiah 55:6 (NKJV)

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)

Perhaps one way to assure ourselves God is near, is to invite Him into our quiet tea and Bible time. We might begin by praying “Thy Kingdom come” from the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:10, or “Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus” from the end of Revelation 22. We could sing one of the Christmas hymns, “Oh, Come, Oh, Come Immanuel” or the third verse from Away in a Manger, “Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me forever and love me, I pray..”

We should also claim the promises found in God’s Word that reassure us He is here…

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go… Genesis 28:15 (NKJV)

Yet You, O Lord, are in our midst,
And we are called by Your name;
Do not leave us! Jeremiah 14:9 (NKJV)

The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. Zechariah 2:10 (NKJV)

During this time of plagues and losing loved ones, we especially need God’s Word to comfort us and reassure us He is near…

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: God is near, dear one! He really truly is! Underline these promises in your Bible and write them in your prayer journal. Be assured that Jesus is with you always and will never leave you nor forsake you!

…lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28: 20 (NKJV)

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

I hope you will enjoy this lovely rendition of Fanny Cosby’s “I Am Thine O Lord” where the chorus repeats, “Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord…” That’s what we want, to draw near to our Savior Jesus….

O, the pure delight of a single hours that before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to the cross where Thou has died, Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to Thy precious bleeding side. (I am thine, O Lord verse 3, by Fanny Crosby, 1875)

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)

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44 (NKJV)

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith… Hebrews 10:22 (NKJV)

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13 (NKJV)

You are near, O Lord,
And all Your commandments are truth. Psalm 119:151 (NKJV)

God Hears, Dear One

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Jennifer Grace

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)

Dear Sister in Christ, Have you been meeting with Jesus each morning for a TEA CUPP and wondering if He’s really been there listening? Have you been reading His Word, listening for His Voice, wondering if He is hearing as you pour out your heart to Him? Does a family member still have cancer? Is a marriage still breaking? Is a couple still waiting for children? Is a prodigal child still lost? We might feel like Job and Habakkuk and the Psalmist who cried out…

I cry out to You, but You do not answer me… Job 30:20 (NKJV)

O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, “Violence!”
And You will not save. Habakkuk 1:2 (NKJV)

O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent. Psalm 22:2 (NKJV)

I was wondering this same thing myself as my health declined and our country continued a downward spiral. Was the Lord really hearing my prayers? How could I know for sure? By searching His Word! And so, each morning, I jot down any verses that promise me God hears my prayers. I share a selection of these with you today to encourage you!

And God heard the voice of the lad… Genesis 21:17 (NKJV)

So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. Exodus 2:14 (NKJV)

...And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious. Exodus 22:27 (NKJV)

You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows. Job 22:27 (NKJV)

…For He hears the cry of the afflicted. Job 34:28 (NKJV)

I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Psalm 3:4 (NKJV)

…The Lord will hear when I call to Him. Psalm 4:3 (NKJV)

Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear. Psalm 10:17 (NKJV)

I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;
Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Psalm 17:6 (NKJV)

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry. Psalm 34:15 (NKJV)

The Lord is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29 (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)

…I, the Lord, will hear them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. Isaiah 41:17 (NKJV)

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12 (NKJV)

...And in the time of their trouble,
When they cried to You,
You heard from heaven… Nehemiah 9:27 (NKJV)

Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. John 9:31 (NKJV)

…your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. Acts 10:31 (NKJV)

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil… 1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Today I want to assure you, God hears you, dear one! He knows your pleas for healing. He catches every tear for your prodigal children and broken marriages. He hears our petitions for the lost. He welcomes your cries for our nation and world. Look up these verses in your Bible and underline your favorites. Mark them with a “P” for Promises. Claim them as promises Jesus has made to you. Then pour out your heart again for He hears you!!!

Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’… Isaiah 58:9 (NKJV)

O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name... Nehemiah 1:11 (NKJV)

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)

Promises from Under the Table

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Jennifer Grace

This week, I continue sharing keynote chapters from my next book, More TEA CUPP Prayers (Thank you for your prayers for me to finish it!). Each weekly devotion is focused on a Bible lady to draw you into your prayer time with Jesus. I pray these are a blessing for you!

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:28 (NKJV)

If you’ve been doubting if you can talk with Jesus and if He will hear your prayers, today’s devotion is for you! If you’re at the end of your rope and are coming to Jesus in one last desperate plea, you are like the Canaanite woman. If you’re ready to humble yourself and even crawl under the table for Jesus, you are the one He wants to give His promises.

Dear Sister, the first “P” in the TEA CUPP is all about claiming God’s PROMISES and Jesus wants to give these promises to YOU! Now this lady to whom I’m about to introduce you could have been a great one for the “U” section, as she had quite a story. She’s also a marvelous example of our last section (P for Petitions which we’ll get to next week). But today we will see how she claimed God’s PROMISES.

The Canaanite woman’s story begins in Matthew 15:21. If you are familiar with Old Testament history, you may remember how Joshua lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. The people living there were the Canaanites, and in the book of Joshua we read how God’s people were instructed to drive them all out. (The story goes even farther back to Genesis 9:25, where Noah said, “Cursed be Canaan,” because Canaan’s father Ham, Noah’s second son, had seen Noah’s nakedness). And so, as they entered the Promised Land, each tribe was supposed to help remove this enemy, but they never finished the job. Thus, many Canaanites remained in the land of Israel with God’s people, bringing us to this story with Jesus.

Jesus and His disciples were passing through the region where the Canaanite woman lived. News of Jesus’ miracles must have preceded His arrival, for the woman hurried right up to Jesus and begged, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

Can you imagine this lady’s anguish? Her daughter was possessed by demons. Perhaps many of you have experienced the same thing, having a child who is rebellious, or depressed, or with an eating disorder or any other illness. You have tried everything, but Jesus is the only one who can help your child and you.

So, she cried out, “O Lord, Son of David!” How does she know He is Lord? How does she know Jesus is The Son of David? Because she has heard of His miracles and God has put this in her heart. For Jesus is the Promised One, the Messiah, who was descended from David. He has so many names: Son of David, Son of Man, Son of God. Yet, she chose the name which showed He belonged to David, Israel’s great king.

And you’ll never guess what Jesus said in reply: NOTHING. He said nothing! Has God ever been silent with you? Many Bible people cried out to God about this…

I cry out to You, but You do not answer me… Job 30:20 (NKJV)

O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?… Habakkuk 2:1 (NKJV)

Even the disciples were unsympathetic, encouraging Jesus to send the woman away. That would have been the end of me. I would have left in tears. But SUDDENLY, the disciples’ comments woke up Jesus. Perhaps He had been waiting to see if they had learned anything from His parables to help her. Or, perhaps He was waiting to see if the woman was sincere in her request. Whatever the reason, the waiting was over! Jesus then explained to the woman that He had been sent to save the people of Israel. Did this stop the Canaanite woman? NO!

Once again, I would have left in tears, but this brave lady truly knew who she was addressing, for at this point in her story she came and worshiped Jesus! She worshiped the Son of David, the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ! And she begged Him again, “Lord, help me!”

Jesus, still teaching the disciples and testing her faith, and though I would think wanted to help her at that very moment, delayed again, saying, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs,” meaning He was only to give His bread, His body, to the children of Israel.

A third time, I would have been crushed and left in tears, but the Canaanite woman, with courage and boldness for which I long, answered Jesus, the Son of God, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Oh, dear one, if this Canaanite woman could speak up to Jesus, don’t you think you can, as well?

And this is where we get the happy ending, for Jesus answered this desperate lady, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21-28)

My friend, let the Canaanite woman’s story inspire you to talk to Jesus! Yes, YOU can talk to Jesus. He came first to the children of Israel, but then for all the children of the world, and that means YOU! And YOU can claim the promise He gave to the Canaanite woman…”O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.”

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. John 6:37 (NKJV)

Dearest Jesus, I come and worship You. You are the God known from eternity past to eternity future by all Your awesome works. You created the whole earth and the cattle on a thousand hills are Yours, yet You seek after me, the one lost sheep. You are the God-Who-Sees me. I will be glad to sit under Your table and be fed the scraps of Your love and wisdom. But no, You invite me to sit AT Your table and dine with You! Oh, Jesus, I claim Your promises! Amen

They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. Luke 13:29 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Read the entire story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28. Claim Jesus’ promises. Whatever you are praying, whatever it may be, claim God’s promise, Let it be to you as you desire! And claim these promises below that He really, truly hears your prayers.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers… 1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV)

Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear. Psalm 10:17 (NKJV)

You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you… Job 22:27 (NKJV)

Thank you for stopping by My TEA CUPP Prayers. If you enjoyed today’s devotion, you might also like to read other excepts from my next book: Esther’s Great Calling, The Red Cord: Rahab’s Story, Washed Clean like Mary Magdalene, and Exalting Like the Alabaster Lady.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

I cried out to God with my voice—
To God with my voice;
And He gave ear to me. Psalm 77:1 (NKJV)

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” Genesis 16:13 (NKJV)

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)

The Door of Hope

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Jennifer Grace

…O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles… Judges 6:13 (NKJV)

Do you feel like you’ve been walking through the Valley of Achor, the Valley of Trouble? With coronavirus all over the world, cancer in young children, and so many uncertainties (like can a person buy toilet paper and will there be a job tomorrow?), people everywhere have been walking through a dark valley.

Did you know there is really such a valley in our Bibles? We read in Joshua 7 how the children of Israel were defeated in one of their early battles as they tried to claim the Promised Land. What happened? Why wasn’t God helping them? Well, it turned out one of the Israelites had taken some of the accursed treasures at the first battle and hidden them in his tent. Because of his sin, God was withholding His blessings. Joshua found out and the Israelites stoned the man. That place was given the name, the Valley of Achor (Trouble).

What sins are we hiding in our tents today? We need to look at our own hearts and the heart of our country and confess these sins to the Lord. We need to run through our towns with our prayers as incense to stop the plague (Num. 17:46-50, Psalm 141:2, Rev. 5:8). We need to turn to God in prayer, every one of us, seeking His forgiveness and blessings, and He will see us safely through even this storm and restore our nation.

My friends, we have a great hope. With every punishment, God gives us a promise. When God kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, even then He gave a promise that someday His Seed would bruise the head of Satan, a Savior would be coming. And today, even now, God promises the Valley of Achor will become a door of hope.

I will give her …the Valley of Achor as a door of hope… Hosea 2:15 (NKJV)

He will not leave us in this valley. Even those who are on their deathbeds can receive God’s promise as did the thief on the cross…

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me. Psalm 138:7 (NKJV)

What is this Door of Hope? Who can save us from this valley? Where can we find these promises? It is Jesus, the Son of God who died for the sins of all the world, tearing the veil in the temple, over 2000 years ago. But He didn’t stay dead, on the third day He rose again opening for all who believe the door of heaven. And there we find eternal forgiveness, peace and joy.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13 (NKJV)

God is still on the throne. Jesus is still risen from the tomb. The Holy Spirit is still here to help and encourage us. And, we have our Bibles – God’s Word, God’s great love story. Open your Bible and open the Door of Hope.

Today’s TEA CUPP: What hope have you seen in your valley of trouble? A kindness from a friend or stranger? Good Samaritans helping neighbors? I pray that most of all you see Jesus! Who can you be a door of hope to today?

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9 (NKJV)

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)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

Claiming Christmas Promises

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Jennifer Grace

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)

Merry Christmas, dear TEA friends! Today I have the gift of promises from God’s Word for you. These promises all come from the Christmas story in our Bibles. Consider each promise a present for you to unwrap today and always. No matter what your circumstances, you can claim these as your very own…

For with God nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:37 (NKJV)

…your prayer is heard… Luke 1:13 (NKJV)

…He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. Luke 1:15-16 (NKJV)

He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Luke 1:17 (NKJV)

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:30 (NKJV)

And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:33 (NKJV)

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. Luke 1:45 (NKJV)

…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (NKJV)

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. Luke 1:14 (NKJV)

Today’s TEA CUPP: Pour a pot of these precious Christmas promises today. Pick your favorite and write it in your prayer journal, on a note card on your bathroom mirror, or in a Christmas card to a friend. Claim this promise to carry you into the new year. Tell Jesus all about it in your quiet time with Him today. Merry Christmas, dear TEA friend!

Bible Mom: Elisha’s Promise to the Shunammite

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Jennifer Grace

Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” 2 Kings 4:16

Our Bibles are full of promises. According to Bibleinfo.com there are 3573 promises! That’s a lot of promises! When we read God’s Word each day we can discover these promises, underline them, pray about them, and claim them for our own. That’s what the first “P” of the TEA CUPP is all about: Claiming God’s Promises.

But I have to tell you a story, a story about me claiming a promise that was for someone else, one that is probably not included in the 3573 Bible promises that are for everyone.

When our second child was born, God put the desire in my heart for more children while I was still in the hospital holding our new born baby boy! But this was a problem because my husband and I had talked about only having two children. I wasn’t a prayer warrior then, but before our son turned one, I was reading a One Year Bible and learning how to pray. Six years later I was still reading the One Year Bible when I came across this story of the Shunammite woman.

Though she doesn’t have a name, this lady lived in the town of Shunem. She was a notable woman who was able to provide food and lodging for the prophet Elisha. Every time Elisha came to town he would stay with her. So Elisha wanted to bless the Shunammite woman and her husband in a special way.

Now you must understand, I’d been reading my One Year Bible every day for six years. I had read this story several times before. But this year a particular verse jumped out at me. When Elisha told the Shunammite woman, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” I underlined the verse and claimed it as a promise for me. And guess what, exactly nine months later God gave us our son Kevin Jon. All praise be to God!

In the following years when I was reading my Bible, I would come to that promise and wonder if I could claim it again, wish I could claim it again, not sure if it would be greedy to claim the Shunammite’s promise more than once…but eventually I did claim it, over and over, and finally, after 11-1/2 years, God gave us another son. I’m sure the Shunammite mom had no idea someone would be borrowing her promise thousands of years later!

Today’s TEA CUPP: God’s Word is packed with promises for us to discover and claim…promises of peace and perfection and provision, promises of hope and help and heaven. As you read your Bible today, look for God’s promises, underline them, put a letter “P” next to them, and claim them for your own. Tell Jesus, “I claim this promise!” Here are a few to get you started…

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)

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:13 (NKJV)

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. John 10:28 (NKJV)

p.s. And next week, our Kevin Jon, who is now 19 years old, leaves on his second international mission trip, this time to the Philippines. And so I claim this promise for Kevin and his team…

For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11 (NKJV)

My Coat

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Jennifer Grace

We all need coats, especially this time of year in the northern United States. Each day as we don our coats to head outside, we might contemplate the coats in the Bible. Did you know there are so many Bible coats?

The first coats: It all began when Adam and Eve listened to Satan the snake, ate the forbidden fruit, and realized they were naked. Because they had disobeyed God, Adam and Eve could no longer stay in God’s perfect garden. But before He kicked them out of Eden, God made clothing for Adam and Eve out of animal skins. When God killed his dear animal friends, that was the first time blood was shed for sins, pointing to the day when Jesus would shed His blood for our sins on the Cross. Adam’s and Eve’s animal skin coats were the first coats in the Bible.

Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
Genesis 3:21 (NKJV)

More coats: Flip forward a few pages in Genesis to the story of Joseph. In this passage, Joseph’s father Jacob gave him a beautiful coat, making his brothers very jealous and leading to his slavery in Egypt. A second coat in Potiphar’s house got him thrown in prison (Genesis 39). John MacArthur in his Study Bible tells us that Joseph was a type of Christ, pointing us to Jesus. Both had their coats taken from them and were falsely accused. Both Joseph and Jesus were shepherds of their Father’s sheep. Both were dearly loved by their Fathers, but hated by their brothers. Both were placed with two other criminals, one who was saved and one who was lost. And both Joseph and Jesus forgave those who wronged them and saved their nations. What men had intended for evil, God turned to good. And their coats played a big part of the story.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
Genesis 37:3 (NKJV)

A Spirit-filled coat:: Next jump ahead to Elijah in 2 Kings 2:13. Here Elijah’s protegee Elisha waited to see Elijah go to heaven. Finally, after following Elijah everywhere, Elisha watched as God took Elijah up in a whirlwind. When he was gone, Elisha found Elijah’s cloak on the ground. He picked it up and took it with him and God gave Elisha double the Spirit of Elijah!

He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
2 Kings 2:13 (NKJV)

A clean coat: Then in the book of Isaiah, long before Jesus even brought us salvation, Isaiah proclaimed we will have a garment of praise! We are clothed in garments of salvation and covered in robes of righteousness! Oh, what joy! Oh, what a promise!!! And again the prophet Zechariah promises that God gives us a clean robe.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 (NKJV)

Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
Zechariah 3:4 (NKJV)

The wrong coat: The prophet Zephaniah cautions us to beware of wearing foreign apparel. We must be wearing the robe Jesus gives us. This warning is echoed again in Matthew when Jesus tells the story of a king having a wedding party…

And it shall be,
In the day of the Lord’s sacrifice,
That I will punish the princes and the king’s children,
And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.
Zephaniah 1:8 (NKJV)

But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 22:11-13 (NKJV)

The healing coat: Also in the New Testament, time after time Jesus heals and heals and heals. The people who follow Him long to just touch His coat for healing. So I pray for all on my prayer list who are need of Jesus healing, to just touch the robe of Jesus and be healed like the people in Matthew 14…

And begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.
Matthew 14:36 (NKJV)

A royal coat: And finally, flip to Revelations where Jesus returns to marry His bride the church. And just like He clothed Adam and Eve, Jesus provides the wedding garments for His bride. He gives us the whitest most beautiful robe of all, washed clean by His precious blood.

And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Revelation 19:8 (NKJV)

So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:14 (NKJV)

Oh, Jesus, I don’t deserve it, but You gave it to me anyway — Your beautiful coat, pure and white and every color of the rainbow all at once! Oh, Jesus, what a miracle! You take our filthy rags and make us beautiful!

Today’s TEA CUPP: My dear friend, put on the righteous robe which Jesus has given you. Thank Him for His forgiveness and healing. Stay away from the wrong coats. Look up these fantastic coat verses in your Bible today. And welcome the day when Jesus comes again to clothe us all in white robes and take us home!

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
(The Solid Rock by Edward Mote,1834)

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin
And be washed in the blood of the lamb
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean
O, be washed in the blood of the lamb.
( Are you Washed in the Blood? Elisha A. Hoffman, 1878)

Thank you for stopping by My TEA CUPP Prayers!

If you enjoyed today’s devotion, you might also enjoy A Tale of Two Coats and Filthy Rags.

My TEA CUPP Prayers

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

Tag Archives: Promises (Claiming God’s)