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....

Have you ever looked at a natural catastrophe and actually seen beauty? Or in the middle of a storm, looked out and listened to the sounds whirling all around? Psalm 29:3-9 (NLT) 3  The voice of the Lord  echoes above the sea.      The God of glory thunders.      The  Lord thunders over the mighty sea. 4  The voice of the Lord  is powerful;      the voice of the Lord  is majestic. 5  The voice of the Lord  splits the mighty cedars;      the  Lord  shatters the cedars of Lebanon. 6  He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;      he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox. 7  The voice of the Lord  strikes      with bolts of lightning. 8  The voice of the Lord  makes the barren wilderness quake;      the  Lord  shakes the wilderness of ...

Lord, set me free from negative emotions. Psalm 34:17-18 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. I have this little book written by Stormie Omartain, she has a whole series of books on The Power of Praying - they are really good!! Well, this little book I got this out of is called A Book of Prayer - 365 Prayers for Victorious Living. Hubby and I are experiencing something, from someone near and dear to our hearts - that is just SO hard to accept, or explain. Sitting down with Jesus, He has touched our hearts, that this person is hurting and has lashed out due to the pain they are going through. Yet, here we are stuck with negative emotions that keep flooding into our mind and heart over and over. It is doubly hard to witness, because it affects one of our children. Our hearts are broken at this loss of friendship. Yes, I feel it is part the ...

Do you wish you were smarter at making decisions? Do you ever wish you had just the right answer for things? Do you ever try and "fix" things on your own and not ask for help? James 1:5-6a is the perfect answer ;-)  NLT - If you need wisdom, ask your generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. MSG – If you don’t know what you are doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. GNT – But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, whi will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. If, when , we/I need wisdom (or anything!), we/I am just to simply ask God, our/my Father! He LOVES helping and giving us things! He will NEVER put us down, or get mad at us for wh...

  When you lift up praises, what type of aroma does it bring? Strange thing to think, right?! Are you speaking and thinking things that lift up nice pleasing aromas to the Lord? Or are you lifting up smells like the garbage dump? 2 Kings 14:3-4 3  Amaziah did what was pleasing in the  Lord ’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the example of his father, Joash.   4  Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. Even tho King Amaziah was a godly man and did right in the eyes og God, he didn’t FULLY do what was right. He left all of the high places the people created with false gods and false religions – offerings and sacrifices still stunk up the air that rose up to God. I wonder what would happen, if our country would TRULY turn back to God?!?! Can you imagine ALL false religions and their churches (high places) being torn down? I mean, if God directs it, He...

What if we could have super-human hearing? What if we could actually hear like the Bionic Woman could back in the 70's? 1 Kings 19:9b, 11-12 (GNT) Verse 9b – Suddenly the Lord spoke to him, “Elijah, what are you doing here?” Verse 11 – “Go out and stand before Me on top of the mountain,” the Lord said to him. Then the Lord passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks – but the Lord was not in the wind. The wind stopped blowing, and then there was an earthquake – but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Verse 12 – After the earthquake there was a fire – but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a soft whisper of a voice. After the Lord asked Elijah a question, knowing what and why he was there, knowing in advance what Elijah was going to say even – the Lord called him to do something so that he could show His great and mighty power. Not to destroy Elijah, but to show him living THROUGH it! The Lord “passed by” E...

Sometimes when things happen, we try and run – only to be running in circles. 1 Kings 19:4 Elijah walked a whole day into the wilderness. He stopped and sat down in the shade of a tree and wished he would die. “It’s too much, Lord,” he prayed. “Take away my life; I might as well be dead!” How many times do we “run” from something, and then BEG God to take us?!?! Only after we feel we’ve “had enough” – yet, it was (or is) in our own power that we ran and tried to do it our way. How many times have we done like Elijah (who JUST had the power of God and did miracles from God with the alters) – got up and “ran” in a direction of our own choice, THEN, when we finally call out to God, He has us GO BACK?!?! What?? Notice though, that the Lord provided shade, food, water and encouragement in the verses that follow. Even though we “step out of bounds” or go “off course”, Jesus comes right along-side and gets us going right again! Jesus always provides a way of escape for us, e...

Sometimes, lessons we learn, are not only for us – but for others as well. Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to Me, you must strengthen your brothers. Jesus, knowing what was about to happen (the trial and Peter denying Him) – didn’t pray for it NOT to happen, but that through it, Simon Peter’s faith would not fail! Peter “could” have gotten stuck in guilt, shame, depression – but he didn’t!! THEN, Jesus knowing he was going to serve Him, knew he was going to turn back – Jesus encouraged Peter to “strengthen your brothers” – what a blessing we have to see backwards at the other end! We have this too! When we make poor choices and fall away from Jesus, He KNOWS we will be back! And we are to encourage and strengthen those who are following after us when we “learn something” from what we experienced. This seems like “shared life lessons” to me. Jesus prays this for us too – guaranteed! Ahhh to not have t...

Proverbs 27:12 (MSG) Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later. When we surround ourselves with good-willed people “friends”, they usually contribute to us being ‘sensible’ – however, it’s the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” (our enemy) who makes us foolish and unthinking. When I go somewhere with a friend that I have no business going, this is NOT sensible, wise, mature or adult of me! Using the excise that it is “retail therapy” is a BIG FAT LIE! It is actually feeding into my being selfish, and helps me stay in denial. Example: A friend I ALWAYS get into trouble with, Suzie, calls me up on my day off. I only have this day to catch up on my chores and plan for the week ahead. She invites me to “do something fun – shopping” unlike the work I need to stay home and focus on. I’m tempted, but tell her, no – I don’t have the money to go shopping, and really need to stay home. She agrees and we hang...

Do you cringe when you do something by accident and someone curses at you or flips you off? Proverbs 26:2 NLT – Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. GNB – Curses cannot hurt you unless you deserve them. They are like birds that fly by and never light. According to the Lord, His promise in His word says, that people can curse at us all they want – and if we are undeserving of it – they won’t stick! Well, now, that is VERY comforting to me! Even have someone cure at you. About you? Even in your direction? Hurts right?! Sometimes shocking, sometimes devastating – and yet other times it’s like water running off a ducks back. Do NOT let the enemy help in throwing darts at you! You are a child of God, a princess or prince! You HAVE the full armor to protect you! You do NOT deserve curses towards you – SO, they cannot hurt you. They won’t stick! “I’m rubber you’re glue…” well, this is where it actually fi...

Sometimes we don't really see ourselves in the mirror of life. Sometimes we envy what we see on the outside of others' life. However, it is the heart that determines the destination. Proverbs 23:17-19 Verse 17 Don't be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life. Verse 18 If it is, you have a bright future. Verse 19 Listen, My child, be wise and give serious thought to the way you live. This reminds me of a sermon, where the pastor addressed the issue of sinful people being successful. "Sinful people are under the control and power of the devil. When they die and stand before God, earth will have been the only heaven they will ever see or experience. For Believers, earth is the only hell they will ever see or experience." We all will experience living eternally in a kingdom: kingdom of darkness or kingdom of light. You see, if we focus on the Lord and our relationship with Him, and the Kingdom yet to come, (even here i...

Why are bad habits so hard to break up with?! Why are good habits so easy to let go of?! Proverbs 22:24-25 "Do not make friends with a hot tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared." I am sure you have heard the saying, "you become like those you hang around with", right? I learned an interesting fact not to long ago. We ALL dream, hope, and believe that WE can be the ones that remain strong, determined, assured in our position on things - right?! Well, it truly doesn't take much to knock off us our pedestal! It is WAY easier to get knocked off of a high place, then it is to stand firm up there. That is, if you are alone. Bad morals corrupt good standards - for sure!! The lesson I learned with an experiment with some friends, was on a rock. Not that high of one (just in case lol) - but a high enough place that it was a hard thing to climb up and or jump down. We learned that strength a...

Ever play the "see who can be the quietest the longest" game? I remember thinking that the person who held out the longest was SO smart! Like, how did they do it?!?! Proverbs 21:23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. Wow! How many times has my "not speak before you think" filter failed me?!?! And yes, MANY times, by my quick talking and not hearing out the whole situation - my hasty words have been wrong! (shaking head in sad remorse) Prejudged thoughts seem to always lead to wrong outcomes on my part. I'm learning to "stop" my thinking, even my actions, and LISTEN to the full situation and THEN speak. It is not easy to back pedal, rewind, or delete our words! Much easier to "think before we speak" = guarding our mouth and tongue, and then have the choice/option to speak up or not. That is right, we have a choice to hold our tongue and guard the words that come out. Another verse says, when w...