My Tea Time With Jesus

Ever feel like you need a “promise” that just hits the right spot at the right moment? Well, with my surgical intervention (weight loss surgery) adventure, these verses came like a BIG megaphone from God right to me at just the right time! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. When I was contemplating having weight loss surgery, I was in a LOT of prayer! Of course I cried out asking God if this was really a way to help me, and see if He had any promises for me through it. I was actually in the book of Nehemiah at the time when they were rebuilding the temple. How the Lord provided a way for them through the king with not only permission but an abundance of needed materials! Well, these two verses came up after I had a “come to ...

Proverbs 25:23 (NLT) As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger! Have you ever been around someone that likes to “talk about others”? Or, have you been around someone that shares “secrets” that they SAY is between the two of you? How about someone that says they have a “prayer request” and they give way more information then necessary to pray for someone? There are at least 32 verses in the bible that talk about gossip. Which means, if we need to have a “reminder” to NOT gossip, we can have a new one EVERY DAY, plus a few to spare ;-) I have been on the other end of gossip a few times in my life, and it stinks! The anger and hurt it causes, especially when it is repeated, actually causes anger. However, I have been around people that have chosen to gossip, and as I look around, I notice ‘other people’ having the angry face. I think as a follower of Jesus, it is very important what comes out of our mouths! Especially when we are in the presen...

Have you ever been to a “live event” like a concert, or special speaking engagement, or even a religious event? How was your excitement level BEFORE you went? What about after? Well, here in 1 John, we get to experience what it was like to actually live, breathe, eat, and walk right alongside of Jesus! I really like the way these two versions express what and why John writes to us… 1 John 1:1-4 NLT – 1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.   2  This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.   3  We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jes...

We have troubles, this is true. However, we have permission to ask for and receive gifts from God! Isaiah 40:29 NLT: He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. MSG: He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. GNT: He strengthens those who are weak and tired. ESV: He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. These verses are promises from our amazing God, our heavenly Father, our Daddy! I counted on this verse many of times! One was right out of my weight loss surgery. I wondered “what have I done?!” and was SO tired and drained (which is actually normal at first). But I cried out this prayer to my Daddy, and He answered it! No big long prayer needed. Just simply repeat this verse to Him. Asking for Him to bless you with it. That’s the amazing and interesting thing to me about my relationship with Jesus – when I find verses that are EXACTLY what I need in that moment of time – I repeat...

We can NOT make “light” dark. We CAN make darkness light. John 3:19-21 (MSG) “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.” Had a bit of a MEF (mind’s eye flash) on this. The world zoomed in and surrounded me. My space, my little spot here on the earth. I look around, and there is “light” – the light of day, a new day. It is light in weight, fresh, new, beaming with expectation of the day. Joy and peace seem to be like a blanket over and around me. I look up to the sky, and try to see where the switch is to make it “dark” – there isn’t one. Then flash – it is night....