My Tea Time With Jesus

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)  Now may the Lord of peace  Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. Job 22:21 (MSG)  Give in to God, come to terms with Him  and everything will turn out just fine.

Psalm 12:2 Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. Not at all close to “Love thy neighbor as yourself” from scripture. As shocking as verse 2 is, if we use the word ‘neighbor’ as I as taught = anyone outside of our home. Literally next-door, but also in the community, state, country, and even the world around us! Jesus and the disciples repeat this phrase or concept a LOT! Mark 12:31, Matthew 22:39, Matthew 19:19, Galatians 5:14, James 2:8, Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:9, Romans 13:10 – “love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is fulfillment of the law.” I confess, I’ve said something nice out loud, but in my head, thought something else – Yikes!! I guess, I never considered it as a “lie” – but that’s exactly what it is! I think the ‘harboring deception’ part is a bit out of my reality – but I totally get it! Saying something nice to someone’s face, but inside being jealous o...

Jesus Calling May 25 th    Perfect! Just like it is - nothing more to add to it - it fits perfectly in my life today!! Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) For the  Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Psalm 34:19 (NLT) The righteous person faces many troubles, but the  Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Proverbs 24:10 (NIV) If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! (MSG) If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. (GNT) If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed. (NLT) If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. Well now. Talk about perfect timing. I am struggling with something right now. My lack of abilities that I “thought” I had. The feeling of being very inadequate and not representing myself accurately as I “thought” my skills were. The “strength” written here, to me represents “faith” – and I feel I have a pretty good amount of faith, normally. I have TOTAL faith in the Lord, but not as much in myself I guess LOL. I realize as read through this chapter of the Proverbs, that it isn’t about me at all. It is about our heart and faith, Who we trust in, and what we stand on in our beliefs. Well, I believe that the Lord brought me to this position, and He provided the knowledge that I ...

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT) Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. Deuteronomy 20:4 (GNT) The Lord your God is going with you, and He will give you victory. Philippians 4:13 (GNT) I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. Isaiah 43:4 (NLT) Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. I am feeling a bit inadequate today. Well, all last week really. Add last week to this week, and the feelings got even bigger and more powerful. Well, they “were”. I feel that we are SO blessed/lucky to be able to look up scriptures in our bibles that focus on truths to our feelings, emotions, situations, and even our circumstances. I am printing these, and taking them with me today. They will be what I continually read and dra...

The little yet mighty book called "Jesus Calling by Sarah Young is SO awesome!! God's timing is always SO perfect!! She writes from a place of God speaking right to us! It is pretty neat! And, it always seems to fit at just the right time.  Here is May 19th I want you to know how safe and secure you are in My Presence. That is a fact, totally independent of your feelings. You are on your way to heaven; nothing can prevent you from reaching that destination. There you will see Me face-to-Face, and your Joy will be off the charts by any earthly standards. Even now, you are never separated from Me, though you must see Me through eyes of faith. I will walk with you till the end of time and onward into eternity. Although My Presence is a guaranteed promise, that does not necessarily change your feelings. When you forget I am with you, you may experience loneliness or fear. It is through awareness of My Presence that Peace displaces negative feelings. Practice the ...

Isaiah 21:4 (NIV) My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me. This chapter contains prophecies against  Babylon ,  Edom  and  Arabia . However, this verse jumped out at me for a different reason. First of all, I had a bit of an MEF (mind’s eye flash) of sitting on a porch overlooking the vast sky towards a big open space. Watching the sun set. Actually sitting there anticipating the setting sun and all of the colors that will be painted across the sky at twilight. How amazing and beautiful the sky becomes each and every night, as God uses it to create a magnificent canvas of art for us to enjoy! I am absolutely amazed each time I see His wonderful sunsets! Then the MEF changed. These verses reminded me of the times I have lost loved ones. How that beautiful night sky became a symbol of the fear, yes even horror of the night to come. The beauty might as well have turned to ashes at that moment ...

Isaiah 55:8-9 (MSG) “I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God ’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. (NIV) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. This totally makes me think of husbands and wives. Men and women. Parents and children. Bosses and or co-workers… We all have different ways than the other of doing things. We normally think our way is right or the best way to accomplish the task. However, we can at least see and understand the other point of view (usually lol). When we work with someone on a project, we can at least see the desired outcome. Yet, with God – His ways of going about things is usually NOT at all like we would go about something! When w...

Proverbs 17:1 (NASB) “ Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife. ” What is it like at your dinner table? Do you even sit at the table together as a family? Sadly, most of us have gotten out of this amazing habit. Instead, we are eating either in front of the TV or at a computer. No real conversations with other people. How about the table when it is a holiday? When you are gathering family members for the day, or even just a few hours, what are the conversations like when it is time to eat? Do you sit down together at one big table, or at smaller ‘groupings’ of tables? Do you all just pick a spot and eat off your lap? What are the conversations that go on at these gatherings? My husband and I experienced holiday gathers a bit different from each other. Yet, now as an adult, I can see where certain people gathered together, while others avoided “those conversations” with other people. I remember one of my first holidays while ...

Proverbs 16:1-2 (NIV) To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord  comes the proper answer of the tongue. 2  All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord . (MSG) Mortals make elaborate plans, but  God  has the last word. 2  Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God  probes for what  is  good. (NASB) The plans of the heart belong to man, b ut the answer of the tongue is from the  Lord . 2  All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the  Lord weighs the [ a ] motives. (NLT) We can make our own plans, but the  Lord gives the right answer. 2  People may be pure in their own eyes, but the  Lord examines their motives. I love using these four versions of the bible to see how verses are translated. It is so interesting how sometimes just using a thesaurus makes such a big difference. It would probable help a TON ...

Reading in the little, yet powerful book, "Jesus Calling" - this just fit perfectly for today. A simple truth we ALL need to listen to and believe. I AM A MIGHTY GOD. Nothing is too difficult for Me . I have chosen to use weak ones like you to accomplish My purposes. Your weakness is designed to open you up to My Power. Therefore, do not fear your limitations or measure the day's demands against your strength. What I require of you is to stay connected to Me, living in trusting dependence on My limitless resources. When you face unexpected demands, there is no need to panic. Remember that I am with you . Talk with Me, and listen while I talk you through each challenging situation. I am not a careless God. When I allow difficulties to come into your life, I equip you fully to handle them. Relax in My Presence, trusting in My Strength. Luke 1:37; 2 Corinthians 12:9

Acts 11 Wow! If Peter had not had the special vision he had, hadn’t trusted God and His Holy Spirit for saying it was ok to go with the men that will be knocking on his door, and if he had not shared what God encouraged him to share – none of would be Christians today! Well, I guess that is not fully true! LOL Because God would have used someone else to spread this truth too ;-) What struck me about Acts chapter 11, was that there were several steps to this confirmation, that ALL people are offered and can accept the GIFT from God of salvation! Breaking the long practiced traditions throughout history. Can you imagine?!?! Living life a certain way for as long as you can remember. Following (well, what you can) all of the ‘rules’ and ‘traditions’ – and then to have it all turned upside down with one dream/vision?!?! Wow MEF (mind’s eye flash) just now: we live this way now. People learn and pass down what they learn and live as a child. Good, bad or indifferent. We all repeat the ...

Romans 10:9-10 and 13 (NLT) 9  If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.    13  For “Everyone who calls on the name of the  Lord  will be saved.” That’s it plain and simple! Being ‘saved’, going to heaven, having life after death, getting to have a personal relationship with Jesus, having God’s Holy Spirit live and dwell in you to guide and direct your life…. It really IS this simple. Openly say with your mouth out loud to someone, that you believe that God sent Jesus to be your Savior, that He died and was buried and then God rose Him on the 3 rd day – you will be saved. Believe this. It is not the “works” you do, how nice or kind you are, how ‘good’ you are, how much money you have and give away, how much you help the poor, h...

Matthew 9:27-31 (MSG)    27-28  As Jesus left the house, He was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with Him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!” 29-31  He touched their eyes and said, “Become what you believe.” It happened. They saw. Then Jesus became very stern. “Don’t let a soul know how this happened.” But they were hardly out the door before they started blabbing it to everyone they met. I’ve heard and read this story several times, but today, a few different things jumped out at me. 1) the 2 men were blind “following” Him. 2) the men followed Him INTO the house, not actually invited in. 3) ‘become what you believe’. 4) Jesus became stern. 5) the men quickly became blabber-mouths.   First: If you know anything about someone that is blind, you know that their other senses are heightened! I’m sure these men were f...