My Tea Time With Jesus

Have you ever smelled a bad perfume? Have you ever smelled someone trying to cover up their smell with perfume? Have you ever been drawn to someone or somewhere by the slight scent of smell? 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 MSG – Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse. NLT – 15  Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.   16  To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. I had an experience of perfume smelling differently on different people several years ago. It was one of the few perfumes I could actually wear, and ...

Does it ever seem like the easiest thing on earth takes the most courage to do?! Truly, having faith and believing in Jesus and His love for us, is SO easy – yet the hardest thing to do and accept for so many of us! 1 John 2:28 (NLT) And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when He returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from Him in shame. Well, this is something I am sure ALL of us can relate to! There was a bit of a MEF (mind’s eye flash) with this verse. Seeing people coming to Jesus. Some are running towards Him with excitement and joy, peaceful faces, bright shining eyes, love exploding from every part of them. Other people are hanging back, heads tilted down, eyes looking away from His welcoming. Shame, regret, remorse… many feelings flooding over and through them as they shrink back even though the want to inch their way towards Him. Then, the most amazing thing happens – He moves TOWARDS them! One by one, He opens up His ar...

Have you ever just wanted to NOT mess up in things, or with people, or anything to do with daily living? Do you want to be “perfect” in living life? Well, while we are here walking and talking on this earth, it ain’t gonna happen! Nope – we are human, it cannot. 1 John 1:8-10 (NLT) 8  If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.   9  But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.   10  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His word has no place in our hearts. No matter how “good” we try to be, we ALL mess up and do things that, according to God, are wicked and sinful. Matching our daily life to the 10 commandments, we all fall short. None of us is perfect. To be perfect, is to be dead. So, to say “we have not sinned” is actually breaking Gods commands just in saying THAT. Sure, as we get older, follo...

1 John 1:6-7 (TPT) 6  If we claim that we share life with Him, but keep walking in the realm of darkness, we’re fooling ourselves and not living the truth.  7  But if we keep living in the pure light that surrounds Him, we share  unbroken  fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, continually cleanses us from all sin. Boy isn’t it easy for us to lie and fool ourselves?!?! How many people are walking around wearing a Christian T-shirt for everyone to see on the outside, but on the inside, they are a big black, dark, empty hole?! When we seem to “claim” things to others, but do differently in private, we are lying to ourselves about being a follower of Jesus Christ. When we keep living in a way that fills us and surrounds us in darkness, that too is a lie! Oh sure, we may have said the sinner’s prayer and invited Jesus into our lives, but we are NOT living in that truth of being saved from eternal separation from God! The...

Have you ever wondered “why” things happen the way the do? Why someone that is seeking selfish glory can prosper, while someone more humble seems to suffer? In the end, it doesn’t matter. God uses ALL things for His good purposes and for His glory. Reading Paul’s words in Philippians is very encouraging. Philippians 1 Vs. 11: May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ —for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Vs. 15: It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. Vs. 18: But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. Vs. 28-29: 28  Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God him...