TEA WITH GODTea with God is like tea time with a friend. The preparations are similar and the anticipation of being together to have time to share with each other is there. Every week I will try to have a verse for you to meditate on and memorize. I really hope you will make a cup of tea and sit down to have "tea with God" as you read the weekly devotional. These verses will reflect on God's heart and what He wants to do in your heart. God is in the heart changing business and He loves you and wants to have a heart relationship with you. My prayer is that when you sit down to have tea with God, you will come to know His heart. June 16, 2010 Haggai 1:5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, "Consider your ways!" Have you ever gone through a dry spell in you spiritual life, your marriage, your relationships, your job? Why does this happen and what causes it and can it happen to believers? Haggai challenged the people of his time who were experiencing these situations to "consider their ways". In other words, think about what you are doing. Read Haggai. It is only two short, but powerful chapters. Haggai's people were building their own homes instead of God's temple. They were even using the materials for God's temple for their homes. This was very disrespectful behavior towards God. We are God's temple if we belong to His Son. We must not give our energies to improving our temple--our home, our finances, our entertainment. We should not be using things intended for God's purposes for our own personal pleasure or benefit. We need to examine our priorities to make certain that we do not neglect the things of God that strengthen and build us up. That's why we need to make studying God's word the number one priority in our life. God cannot bless us if we are not obedient to His word. Obedience always comes before blessings. June 9, 2010 Ezekiel 48:35 The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, "The LORD is there." JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH means The LORD is there. Remember, in bibical times a name usually described the character of the one who bore it. Therefore, when God named this city (Jerusalem) Jehovah-shammah, He was assuring His people that He, Jehovah, would be there. This was a message of encouragement to His people in captivity. It assured them of a future and gave them hope. In the Old Testament God's glory resided in the temple. When Israel sinned and would not repent, God's glory left the temple and did not return for 400 years. (Ezekiel 10-11) When God's glory returned, it returned in Jesus. However, Israel would not accept Him as their Messiah and they crucified Jesus. But, Jesus arose and ascended into heaven. Before He left He promised to come again and He promised each believer the Holy Spirit. God's glory remains on earth inside of each person who accepts Jesus as their Savior and Lord. The great news is Jesus is coming again and we, as believers, will reside with Him. Jehovah-shammah (The Lord is There) is the name of the city in which we will reside. Do not be absorbed by your captivity (whatever situation you find yourself in). Rather, be absorbed with your God. I hope you have enjoyed this study on God's name and that you will pray them often so as to retain what you have learned. May you have a blessed week in the Lord. June 2, 2010 Jeremiah 23:6 This is His name by which He will be called, the LORD our righteousness. JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU means The Lord Our Righteousness. What does righteousness mean? It means being in a right relationship with God. How do we get in this right relationship? By accepting His Son, Jesus, as Lord and Savior in our lives. We have a heart that is "more deceiful than all else and is desperately sick, who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds." (Jeremiah 17:9-10) Righteousness in man requires a new heart. And man can have a new heart! We get that new heart through Jesus when we invite him into our lives. Can we be right with God? Only by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. May 26, 2010 Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. JEHOVAH-RAAH means the Lord is My Shepherd. A shepherd takes care of his sheep. The welfare of sheep depends solely upon the care they get from their shepherd. He gives them all that they need. Sheep are dumb animals. They will graze themselves off a cliff, that is why they need a shepherd. We have the Lord our Great Shepherd. In Him, we find all that we need. What is the result of following our Great Shepherd: Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6 May 19, 2010 Psalm 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. JEHOVAH-SABAOTH means The LORD of hosts. When you come to the end of your strength and need deliverance, you might seek refuge in a place that seems unnatural to you. You might turn to Jehovah-sabaoth. It is God's name for man's extremity. This is a name for those who find their resouces inadequate in the midst of a struggle. This name of God meets failure and offers deliverance. Read 1 Samuel 1 about Hannah and the birth of Samuel. Hannah ran to her Jehovah-saboath when she could not bear any children. Deliverance is there for you as well--whatever your situation! May 12, 2010 John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. JEHOVAH-SHALOM means The Lord is Peace. If you want God's peace you must aquaint yourself with Him and His word. In John 14:27 Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." If Christ says that He has already given us peace, why aren't we living like we have peace? If we are trusting God, we need not fear the outcome of any situation. If we are trusting God, we need to keep our focus on God and we are to be "anxious for nothing" (Phil. 4:6). If we trust God, our heart should not be troubled and we should have peace. John 16:33 says "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage (means cheer up); I have overcome the world." We are "in Christ" and, therefore, we can overcome the world and all of its hatred. When we yield ourselves to Christ and trust Him, He enables us to be overcomers and gives us peace. He will keep you in perfect peace when your mind is stayed upon Him (Isaiah 26:3). May 5, 2010 Exodus 31:12-13 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know the I am the LORD who sanctifies you. Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you." JEHOVAH-MEKADDISHKEM means The LORD Who Sanctifies You. Sanctify means set apart, holy, and saint. God sanctifies us when we are born again. He tells us in Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2 that we are to be holy as He is holy. This is a command from God. We are to be holy. Since it is God who sanctifies us (makes us holy), He gives us the power to live a holy life. What does a holy (or sanctified) life look like? We need to have a deep personal encounter with God. We need to be reoriented back to God at every level of life. To do this we need to get into God's word daily and listen to what He tells us through His word and then change our life accordingly. Nothing in scripture burdens the heart of God more deeply than sin in the hearts and lives of His people. Psalm 24:3-5 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. When you are obedient to match your life with what God tells you, you will change how your dress, what you read, what you watch on TV, what movies you go to, where you go, how you sepnd your free time, and how you spend your money. God is calling you to be sanctified (holy). Will you answer? April 29, 2010 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. JEHOVAH-NISSI means The Lord My Banner. A banner was an ensign or pole that was carried at the head of a military band or body, to indicate the line of march, or the rallying point. This means Jehovah-nissi is our rallying point and goes out before us into battle. If we are born again we are in a constant battle with the flesh. For the flesh sets its desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition one to the other; that you may not do the things that you please. Galations 5:17 The battlefield is our mind. Satan wants to rule. If we compromise with the flesh, we have lost the battle. We can run to our Jehovah-nissi and let Him go before us into battle and when that happens the battle is already won. One other verse I want to share: And the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Mark 4:19 Worries of the world are the anxieties that bring disruption to the personality and the mind. When we let the worries of life cloud our minds it draws us away from Christ, Bible study, fellowship with believers, prayer, and focus on God. Choke the word literally means to "overpower the profession and practice of the gospel." It makes our walk unfruitful. Worries of life are what drag us away from Christ and Jehovah-nissi. We need to be good soldiers of Christ Jesus. We need to run to our Jehovah-nissi and not get out in front of the banner. April 22, 2010 Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for Thou are my praise." JEHOVAH-RAPHA means The Lord Who Heals. What is the source of sickness? God permits sickness (2Kings 20:1). He allows sickness (Isaiah 19:22; 53:5). God causes well-being and creating clamity (Isaiah 45:6-6). God wounds and heals (Deuteronomy 32:39). What is the cause of sickness? There is a direct relationship between sin and sickness. All sickness is result of the original sin in the garden. Before that, there was a perfect environment. If man had not sinned, there would be no sickness. All physical or emotional sickness is NOT a consequence of personal sin. Sometimes it is caused by other people's sin. we suffer because of our own sin or another's sin. Sometimes we suffer so that God might be glorified (John 9:1-3) or for the cause of Christ. Sometimes we suffer because we have not examined ourself (1 Corin. 11:27-32). What kinds of sickness are there? Physical, emotional and spiritual. Sometimes the whole land was sick (2 Chron. 7:14). There is no health because of sin (Ps. 38:1-3). What is the cure for sickness? God (Jehovah-rapha) is our healer (Exodus 15:27). God is the source of healing (2 Chron. 7:14; Is. 19:22; Ps. 147:3; Ps. 103:1-3). Jesus is the source of healing (Matt. 8:16-17; Is. 53:5; Luke 4:18). By Jesus' wounds we are healed (Luke 4:18; 1 Peter 2:24-25). We can be healed of physical, emotional, and spiritual sickness if we would turn to Jesus, God, our Jehovah-rapha. April 14, 2010 Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. The names we will be touching on are being compounded with Jehovah which shows the very essence of His Being which is to love, to give, and to be more than self-contained. JEHOVAH-JIREH means The Lord Will Provide. The word provide means to "see to it". What does God provide? First and formost is a way back to Him through Jesus Christ. The first time we see God as Jehovah-jireh is a picture of a father offering his own son on Mount Moriah. This was when Abraham offered Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22:1-19. As the verse above states, God provides everything we need. Psalm 37:4 reads, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." The word delight means to attach oneself to. The Lord answers the desires or petitions of those who delightfully serve Him. When you truely delight yourself in the Lord your desires are the same as His. Do you go to God with your every need? Do you give God time to provide it? Instead of focusing on what your don't have, do you focus on what you do have? Everything we will ever need is provided to us through Jehovah-jireh. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephs. 3:20-21) April 7, 2010 Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" JEHOVAH means the Self-Existent One. When you see "LORD" in all caps that means Jehovah or YHWH or Yawah. He is the eternal I AM, the Alpha and the Omega, the same yesterday, today, and forever. All of life is contained in Him.He is Jehovah, the self-existent, covenant-keeping God. God remains unchanging and faithful throughout all generations. Trust in His name. March 31, 2010 HAPPY EASTER! CHRIST HAS RISEN! HALLELUIA! Genesis 15:2 And Abram said, “O Lord God, what will Thou give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” ADONAI means Lord. When you see “LORD” in all caps that means Jehovah. When “Lord” has only the “L” capitalized, that means Adonai. It literally means Lord or Master. If Jesus is your Adonai, He is Lord and Master over your life. If Master, then you need to be in complete obedience to Him. If we are born again, we need to have a servant’s attitude. A servant obeys everything his master tells him. We are to have that same attitude. How do we know what He requires of us? We read His word daily. If we are born again, we have the Holy Spirit living within us to teach us. Praise the Lord! HALLELUIA! HE IS RISEN! March 24, 2010 Genesis 17:1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.” EL SHADDAI is The All-Sufficient One. He is the mighty or powerful one. He can provide everything we need. He withholds nothing from those who love Him and obey Him. March 17, 2010 Genesis 16:13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “Thou art a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” EL ROI is the God Who Sees. The verse above is about Hagar when she runs away from Sarah. Read the whole chapter to see how this verse fits in context. The omnipresent God is there, and His eyes are not shut. He isn’t asleep. In Psalm 121:3-4 God says “He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” These truths will be your comfort, your healing, your sanity, your hope, and your protection against the fiery darts of the enemy. March 10, 2010 Genesis 14:20 And blessed by God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. EL ELYON is the name that designates God as the sovereign ruler of all the universe. The name means The God Most High. He is in control and all things are under His dominion. Nothing can happen in His universe without His permission. Although we have been given a free will, still God rules and overrules so no person or other being can go against His plans. El Elyon rules supremely over all. Knowing this, what have we to fear. El Elyon tells us many times in Scripture not to fear. Next time you are anxious run to El Elyon and know that He is The Most High God. March 3, 2010 Deuteronomy 10:17 The LORD your God [Elohim] is the God of gods. . . ELOHIM is the first name of God we will study. El means "mighty" or "strong" and is used for any reference to gods, including Almighty God. Elohim is the primary Hebrew word translated "God" in the Old Testament. The him ending of Elohim is very significant. In the Hebrew language it is a plural ending indicating more than one. Elohim is the name for God as Creator. It is used in Genesis 1:1 and could be translated, "In the beginning Gods created the heavens and the earth." Does the construction of the Hebrew word mean that there is more than one God? No! "The LORD [Jehovah] is our God [Elohim], the LORD is one" (Deut. 6:4) God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit--the blessed Trinity--created the heavens and the earth. One in essence, in character, yet three person united as one. Even in the creation of man we see the Godhead working. In Genesis 1:26 we read, "Then God [Elohim] said, 'Let Us make man in Our image.'" The Us refers to more than one! So if God is the creator, who created us? Elohim of course. Why did He create us? In Isaiah 43 we read, "Thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel. . .. I am the LORD your God [Elohim]. . .. you are precious in My sight. . .. everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made" (Isaiah 43, 1, 3--4, 7). Revelation 4:11 says, "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will (pleasure) they existed and were created." You have been created for His glory, for His pleasure. Your life is to be lived in such a way as to reflect Him, to show the world the character of God--His love, His peace, His mercy, His gentleness. Your are to live for Him, to accomplish His will. February 24, 2010 Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it and is safe. I am starting a new Bible study on the names of God and each week I will share this with you. Today I would like to answer two questions. Why study the names of God? Why was I created? To know God's name is the to know Him. In the Jewish culture names were very important. God's name reveals His character, His attributes, and His nature. It is hard to trust God if you don't know Him. Through these next few weeks I hope you get to know your God and learn to trust Him more. Why were you born? Isaiah 43:1, 3-4,7 says "whom I have created for My glory . . . whom I have formed . . . whom I have made." Revelation 4:11 says we were "created for His will (pleasure)." We will get into this more next week. February 12, 2010 Happy Valentine's Day Galations 2:20 I have been cruicified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me. If we expect God to be concerned about the details of our lives, we must pay attention to the details of His instructions. Just as Moses followed every detail down to the size of the pegs used in the construction of the tabernacle, we too must follow the instructions of Jesus laid out in the New Testament. I encourage you to spend time each day with the Lord to find out the detailed instructions for your life. January 30, 2010 Happy New Year! Matthew 20:16 Thus the last shall be first, and the first last. Did you ever wonder what this means? I know every time I have read that verse, it is also in Matt. 19:30, Mark 10:31, and Luke 13:30, I wondered what it actually meant. If you read it in context, which I hope you will do, it has to do with serving Jesus. How long we have served Jesus, become a believer, whether it was at the first of our lives or the last of our lives, and our attitude is what this verse is about. Those who are first in their own eyes would end up last. Avoid the wrong motives for service. Serve out of love not because of the rewards you will receive in heaven. Serve from the heart because God searches for a heart that is totally His. If you are serving from the heart you won't care about how long the other person has been a believer and the fact that you have worked longer and harder. You will rejoice because he will be in heaven with you. Rejoice that people are being saved not matter how young or how old. Praise the Lord and be thankful that you are saved and ask for a longer time to serve Him. Read Eph. 6:5-8. It is all about a heart attitude.
December 22, 2009 HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING Hark the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new born King. Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Luke 2:9-14 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Herald means: • Royal or official messenger • A person or thing that comes before • A person or thing that proclaims or announces • To give tidings of; proclaim • To signal the coming of; usher in So these Herald Angels were bringing or proclaiming the glad tidings: I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the King. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. Second stanza: Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Colossians 1:15 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. Third stanza: Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness. Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings. Malachi 4:2 But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like claves from the stall. Application: Angels were present at Christ’s birth and throughout His ministry on earth, at His death, resurrection and at His ascension. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing—Glory to our new born king This is the season we celebrate his birth, bask in the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. As you share Jesus this season let your heart sing. Join the triumph of the skies; with angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem.” May God richly bless you and yours this Christmas season. Merry Christmas and thank you for all your support and good wishes this year.
December 16, 2009 Philippians 2:2-4 Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Psalm 130:7 O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love and an overflowing supply of salvation. This time of year we reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ. I read a quote by William Hendricksen: "So poor was he that he was constantly borrowing: a place for his birth, a boat to preach from, a room for the Lord's supper, a tomb to be buried in. Moreover, he took upon himself a debt (Isaiah 53:6--'the guilt and sins of us all')." When you think of Christmas, set aside the parties, gifts, family celebrations and think about how Christ's coming into this world as a poor infant child has impacted your life. December 10, 2009 How did December get here so fast?! Psalm 148:1-6 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars! Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds! Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being. He established them foreve? and forever. His orders will never be revoked. This is a season for rejoicing and praising God for sending His only Son to earth to save us from our sins. If all creation is praising God, shouldn't we? Nov. 29, 2009 1 Thessaloians 5:16-24 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is GOD'S WILL FOR YOU in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form (appearance) of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you (make you holy)entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. {Emphasis and explanations are mine.} Verse 19 Do not quench the Spirit. The Spirit is fire in your soul. Do not quench it. Stoke the fire and get it burning brightly so others can see your light and be drawn to it. Nov. 25, 2009 This is Thanksgiving and time to remember all the blessings God has bestowed on us. There are many Psalms about God's blessing to us. Psalm 8:5 You crowned us with glory and honor. Psalm 29:11 The Lord blesses his people with peace. Psalm 91:11 For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. But, the Psalms also remind us repeatedly to bless God. Psalm 16:7 I will bless the Lord who guides me. Psalm 66:8 Let the whole world bless our God and sing aloud his praises. Psalm 100:4 Give thanks to the Lord and bless His name. How do we bless God? By praising Him and acknowledging Him as the source of all we have. When we praise Him we mirror His blessings toward us. But, make sure you pass on His blessings to others. Pray God's blessings on your family, church, neighbors, and even your enemies. How can you be a blessing to someone today? Have a Happy Thanksgiving and may God richly shower His blessings on you and yours. Nov. 21, 2009 Ezekiel 43:12 This is the law of the house: its entire area on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. The New Living Translation of this verse reads And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the hill where the Temple is built is holy. Yes this is the primary law of the Temple. One of the lessons God has been teaching me is "you are to be holy as I am holy." Also, anything that touches God's altar is holy. When we present our bodies as a living sacrifice and lay it on God's altar (Rom. 12:1-2) it becomes holy. Our bodies are the holy temple. The appropriate question is what am I doing with this holy temple or holy body?
Nov. 11, 2009 I want to say thank you to all you veterans that read my site. Thank you for giving your time and your energy to make my life safer. May God richly bless you. Hebrews 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. You know from your reading in 1 John that one of the ways we can know that we belong to Jesus is by our fruits. Did you ever stop to think that some of those fruits are fruit of lips? Fruit of lips means sacrifice of praise. When we present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2), all parts can produce fruit. Our spiritual sacrifice is continual praise to God. The words of praise from our lips, coming from our hearts, is like beautiful fruit laid on the altar. Take time today and every day to offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of lips. Nov. 2, 2009 Once again I must apologize for not getting on here sooner. I don't know where the time goes. Continuing on with the tests: 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Test 5: 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things of the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. We are not to love the things of the world. where do you spend most of your time? What has first, second, third priority in your life? Test 6: 1 John 2:23; 4:15 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God. How do we deny the Son? We deny the Son every time we disobey His commandments. How do we know what He wants us to do? Read and study your Bible. Read and obey! This has given you a start in how to test yourself. Continue reading 1 John. There are many more tests to see if you belong to Jesus. May you have a blessed day in the Lord. September 23, 2009 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Test No. 2: 1 John 2:6 The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Are you walking as Jesus walked? Are you reading the word daily and walking as God commands us to walk? Test No. 3: 1 John 2:7-8 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand I am writing a new commandment to you which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. We are to walk in the light of God's word. We are not to walk as the world walks, but shine our light and love on this unbelieveing world and show them the way to Jesus. Test No. 4: 1 John 2:9-10 The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. We are to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. If we do not, we are in darkness. We cannot even love God. September 10, 2009 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. When you have read these verses, did you ever wonder what the test is that you are supposed to pass? In Matthew 7:22-23 Jesus says, "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And the I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'" How do we know Jesus won't say that to us? In 1 John 5:13 John says "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life." So how can we know we have eternal life and what test are we supposed to pass? During the next several devotionals, I will share with you from 1 John what these tests are. Test 1: 1 John 1:5-7 And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship (we are saved) with Him and yet walk in the darkness (sin), we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. The test is are you claiming to be saved and not following God's commandments? If you are not walking in God's commands, you are not walking in the light and do not belong to Christ. How do you know how God wants you to live--by reading His word daily and talking (praying) to Him daily. August 18, 2009 Psalm 103:1-2 Praise the Lord, I tell myself; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget the good things He does for me. We need to be remembering the good things God has done for us. Remember how He has helped us in the past and strengthened us and provided for us. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, "Memory is very treacherous, by a strange perversity--it treasures up the refuse of the past and permits priceless treasures to lie neglected." Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. (Phil. 4:8)
August 13, 2009 Psalm 100:1-3 Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. A little 9 year old boy spent a year carving and crafting a toy boat. When he finished he took it to the river to test it, but a strong wind blew it far away from him. A some time later, he was walking by the stores in a mall and saw his boat in the window of one of them. He went inside and told the owner that was the boat he had made. The owner said he was sorry but he had bought the boat from someone who had found it and he had to sell it to get his investment back. The boy worked very hard to earn money to buy the boat. When he had earned enough money he went back to the store and bought the boat. Cradling the boat he said, "I made you and I bought you. You are twice mine." God made us and Jesus laid down His life for us to buy us back for the one who made us. So, as the Psalm says, "We are his"--twice. August 10, 2009 Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23 Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." My question to you today is, does God know you? If you invited God to tea would He come? Basically what I want you to think about is: how does your life line up with God's word and how does your life-style line up with the commands from Jesus? Do you know that God wants you to live a holy and righteous life? How do you do that? First, are you saved? Have you repented and turned from your sins and believe that Jesus is God's Son sent to earth to save us from our sins? Have you made Jesus your Lord and Savior? Second, are your living your life in light of God's word and obeying His commands? "And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." (1 John 3:23-24) Read all of 1 John 3. Read God's word and get to know Him and obey what He is telling you. July 18, 2009 Isaiah 42:17 They shall be turned back and be utterly put to shame, who trust in idols, who say to molten images, "You are our gods." I know last time I talked about idols, but I have one or two more things to say about them. Do you worry? Worry means you are not trusting God. I know that it is hard not to worry, but God's word tells us He is in control of everything and that means everything that is touching your life. Also, read these chapters and mark every reference to idols, graven images, etc. Think on these things. Don't let the evil one carry you into bondage because of idols. July 9, 2009 Isaiah 46:9 "Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is no one like me." It seems Wednesday comes too fast these days. I missed it again. Today I would like you to read Isaiah 44:24 to 46:13. God has spent 6 chapters in Isaiah (41-46) talking about idols. An idol is anything that comes before God in your life. It can be money, your family, food, TV, what you read, music, even worry because if you are worried you are not trusting God who says, "Do not fear." Ask God this week to show you where you have idols in your life without even realizing it. Also ask Him to help you remove those idols so you can deepen your relationship with Him. The repeated phrase in these chapters is "I am God and there is no other." July 4, 2009 A letter to you from God: Dear (add your name here): Return to Me for I have redeemed you. Love, God June 24, 2009 Isaiah 43 There are other lessons and promises to be learned from chapter 43. Please read it while you are enjoying a cup of tea with God and then refer back to the following. Verses 1-7 God planned all things for His purpose.
He redeemed His people and upholds them.
He tells us what is to come.
So what is there to fear?
Knowledge from God’s Word about Him is key to handling fear.
The Lord warned Israel of coming judgment for their sin, but also that He would be with them when it happened.
He promised salvation to them when He gathers them from all the nations at the end. Verses 8-13
What do you learn about God’s sovereignty from these verses? Is it a comfort to you? God told His people that the gods of the nations cannot declare what is to come as He does. Again there is a contrast between idols and the Lord God. No other gods No savior besides Him He is from eternity He alone delivers; none can deliver from His hand He acts according to His own will, and none can reverse it. There is none among the nations who can declare things before they happen. God declared, saved, God said that His servant Israel is His witness to what He says and does.
Believers in Christ are also His servants and witnesses to the world of Who He is and what He’s done. Therefore we need to know what He says to tell others. May you have a great day in the Lord. Meditate on what He has already done for you while you sip your daily cup of tea! June 17, 2009 More of God's promises to you from Isaiah 43. 1 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! If you ever wondered why you were created, Isaiah 43:7 answers that question. Go to your Bible and read the whole chapter with verse 7 in context.
June 5, 2009 I can't belive it has been so long since I have been here. I am teaching a class on Isaiah and I will share with you the promises from God to Israel that are also to us as believers. God has laid these on my heart and I want you to know them and believe them. It is my prayer that you will look these up and believe that God gives these same promises to you if you will believe and obey Him. Isaiah 40:31 Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. As you read these verses, insert your name after every "you" that you read. For instance, "I have chosen you (add your name) and not rejected you (add your name)" and then believe it.
October 23, 2008 Psalm 81:13-14 "Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. Even though this was written for Israel, we, as believers, are grafted in, so it is for us also. With presidential elections just around the corner, we need to believe this promise from God. Turn this into a prayer for America. Also, turn Daniel 9:4-19 into a prayer for America. Don't forget to vote. October 8, 2008 Psalm 37:19, 24, 39,40 They (the righteous) will not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they will have abundance. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble. And the Lord helps them, and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in Him. In these days of economic woe, God has not been caught off guard. He knows everything that is happening. We, as believers, need not worry or fear because we know God is in control. Psalm 37 is a great Psalm when you begin to lose your focus on God and focus on what is happening around you. It is hard not to worry but remember "if God is for us, who is against us?" (Rom. 8:31) Don't lose focus and don't look down or around, keep you eyes on Jesus, your Lord and Savior. September 14, 2008 Micah 7:7 But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. When the storms are raging around you and you feel as if you will be swept away and drowned, you need to keep focus on God: September 2, 2008 James 2:9-12 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultry," also said, "Do not commmit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. Just because we are saved and chosen by God and have God's grace does not mean we can live or act in whatever way we want. We are to be doers of the word as well as hearers of the word. (James 1:22) We are to speak and act as those who are judged by the law of liberty. We need to show God's mercy to the world, just as we are shown mercy. Those that are hearers and doers of the law of liberty, this man shall be blessed in what he does. (James 1:25 underline added) August 29, 2008 Still on Amos 8:11-12 "Behold days are coming," declares the Lord God, "When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord. And people will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they will go to and fro and seek the word of the Lord, but they will not find it." Pastors today are preaching sermons that tickle the ear in order to build their church. They have forgotten that the Church belongs to Jesus Christ and He said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock (Jesus) I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not over power it." Matt. 16:18. Ezekiel 7:26 Diaster will come upon diaster and rumor will be added to rumor; then they will seek a vision from a prophet, but the law will be lost from the priest and counsel from the elders. What about you? Are you in the word daily? Are you able to line up what your pastor is preaching with the word of God? God tells us in 2 Tim. 2:15 that we are to "be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. Beloved, I pray that you are doing just that. August 27, 2008 Amos 8:11-12 "Behold days are coming," declares the Lord God, "When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord. And people will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they will go to and fro and seek the word of the Lord, but they will not find it." How tragic it would be not to have the word of God to read. People today think they can live as they please and do not know that it is God who gives them their next breath. What about God's people? When God's people reject His word, He sometimes judges them by taking away His word and leaving them to go hungry as they live on substitutes. What about you? What are you doing with God's word?
August 14, 2008 Psalm 118:19-20 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter through it. Cross reference this verse with the following: Isaiah 26:2-3; Psalm 15:1-2; Psalm 24:3-4; Psalm 140:13; and Isaiah 35:8-10. Open the gates. . . the one that remains faithful may enter. Who may enter? He who walks with integrity and works righteousness and speaks truth in his heart. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and not sworn deceitfully. Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy name; the upright will dwell in Thy presense. And how will we reach this gate? On a highway, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way. And fools will not wander on it. No lion will be there, nor will any vicious beast go up on it; these will not be found there. But the redeemed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy; sorrow and sighing will flee away. Our road ends when we come into His glory and we can worship King Jesus. The road is a happy way, don't get discouraged or weary. The Holy Spirit encourages us and God's grace is sufficient. Don't look around, don't look back, just keep your eyes on Jesus. August 6, 2008 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. There is a new phenomenon that is happening in the church. It is called the emerging church. Pastors are claiming that the Word is outdated and needs to be updated and the church needs to be marketed like big business today to fit the needs of the now enlightened people. In effect, the Word is being watered down so that it is palatable for everyone--no one is offended by its message and everyone leaves church happy. The word sin is not even used anymore. Big named preachers want all religions to come together and form one church, "after all, we all serve the same God, we only get there on a different path up the mountain." You know from the Word that this is not true, but even believers are being deceived into believing it. My encouragement to you is to read the Bible and study it so that, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Also, that you may not be deceived. Everytime you hear the word preached, make sure it lines up with what scripture says and the only way you will know what scripture says is to study it. May God richly bless you in your study today and always. If any of you are living in the Reno area, I am going to lead a Precept Bible study on Isaiah starting Wed. Sept. 17. If you are interested, email me here and I'll send you further information. August 1, 2008 Read Malachi. I know I usually only give you a verse or two, but God has impressed upon my heart to have you read the book of Malachi. Pay particular attention to what He says about the priests. If you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ you are part of a kingdom of priests unto God. What kind of priest are you? List what God says about the priests that "despise My name" and another list of what God says about those who fear Him. Malachi 1:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Do you give others instructions according to God's word or do you make God's word fit into today's current philosophy?
July 30, 2008 Acts 12:8 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and roused him, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands. This chapter of Acts talks of the miracle of Peter being rescued from jail, just before he was to be executed, by God. This chapter is a prime example of the fact that God is in control of the universe. That would include you and me. God controls everything in my life and He has spent the past year showing me this. Believing this and letting God have every part of your life, is what faith is all about. I have had to trust Him even when I didn't get any feedback from the situation. Even when I thought that nothing was happening and this was the hardest part because I didn't think He had the situation in control. Just because I couldn't see what was happening didn't mean God wasn't at work. I had to trust that He would answer my prayers and I had to give Him time to work. God did work and is still working. God is in control. Praise the Lord! Will you take that step of faith and let God work in your life? July 16, 2008 Forgive me for taking so long to update this page. God has been working in me and changing me and I would like to share with you my journey on learning what faith really is. In this world where the church has become seeker-friendly and world-market-oriented, God is still interested in those who are truely His. 1 Kings 6:16 So he answered, "Do not fear for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Fear is mediatating on the lies of Satan. Faith is meditating on the Word of God. By faith we need to take God at His word and move on from there.
July 9,2007 1 Sam. 2:27, 30 For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. Our God is a covenant-keeping God. He promises to honor those who honor Him. Each generation must decide: 1. Do you believe God? 2. Would you remain faithful to the covenant God made with you? 3. Would you bring your life into the covenant relationship that you have entered with God? 4. Would you listen to God, hear His voice, and obey Him? 5. Do you now expect God to do mighty works through you, as He had done with your fathers? This is the message Samuel delivered to Eli. He was telling Eli he had a choice. So do you. We each have 24 hours in a day. Useage of time is the key. Will you use your time to honor God in your relationship with Him? It is not a matter of activities but you heart relationship with Him and your obedience to all God in Christ has commanded you. May God richly bless you this week while you have your tea time with Him.
June 13, 2007 Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do Thy will for Tou art my God; let Thy good Spirit lead me on level ground. Faith is obeying in spite of consequences--resting on God's faithfulness. Learning to trust God only comes when we grow into a deeper relationship with Him. We can only do His will if we know what it is. To find out what it is requires discipline on our part and getting into the Word daily. Reading the Word and having a cup of tea are both soothing to the soul.
May 22, 2007 Psalm 143:1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Thy faithfulness, in Thy righteousness. Having tea with God is your quiet time with God. It is your time to pray and listen to what God has for you. True prayer means that we serve God, not that God serves us. Tell him what your needs are and praise and worship Him and let Him work out His perfect plan for your life.
May 9, 2007 Psalm 116:7-8 Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For Thou has rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. Are you anxious? God promises to give us His peace if we will just trust Him. He wants our all. Today, let His Holy Spirit guide and direct you and you will experience His peace. Over your cuppa tell God what your anxieties are and let Him have them. He can then give rest to your soul.
April 28, 2007 Luke 6:12 It was at this time Jesus went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. Are you making time for God? Are you letting Him talk with you? He can still your fearful heart. Are you afraid to let go? Why? Because we don't want to lose control. That's pride in its rawest form. We are afraid God cannot handle or understand the situation we are in. We think God won't love us enough to meet our needs. He can and He will and He loves you more than you can ever imagine. Take time to sit quietly with Him over your cuppa tea.
April 19, 2007 Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee. Fear and faith (trust) cannot live in the same heart. If the enemy can make you afraid, he has almost won the battle. The battle field is in the mind. God is in control of the whole universe, which means He controls everything that happens to one of His own (you if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior.) When we are afraid we are not trusting Him to take care of us as He promises He will. When fear enters your heart, turn it over to God and tell the enemy he has no control over you because you belong to Jesus and He has control of your life. Learning to trust God completely is a life long process. May God richly bless you today.
October 25, 2006 1 Kings 10:9 Blessed be the Lord your God who delights in you. God created the world for us to enjoy and to enjoy it with Him because the Lord delights in us. Spend time with God. Learn His character. Get to know Him deeply. Ask Him to give you new insights into Himself. Delight yourself in Him as He delights in you.
October 18, 2006 Proverbs 14:30 A tranquil heart is life to the body. Tea time is intimate and makes you feel safe. In this age of chaos, we find a sense of safety as we turn to Jehovah Nise, our banner, our rock. The calmness of tea is a picture of what God wants your life to be as you take time to know Him. He wants to give you His peace that passes all understanding.
October 11, 2006 Take time to thank God for the blessings He has given you and for what He is going to do for you today. And then you heart will be glad and you will be singing His praises.
October 4, 2006 God is a refuge for us. He wants you to share your heart with Him. He wants you to tell Him about your husband, kids, jobs, work, church, and your feelings. Don’t think that God doesn’t already know all of this. He wants to hear it from you. Voicing your feelings and cares and everything that goes on in your life has the affect of de-stressing you. God listens like on one else. He listens to our words and listens to our unspoken words—those you have buried deep within your heart. God listens to our hearts when we have run out of words. You see when you begin to open up to God—you allow Him into your heart. God can begin working in your heart to make it totally His and begin to change you into the image of His Son. A heart that is totally His. That’s what God wants. Allowing God into your heart allows Jehovah Rapha to heal any of the wounds and pain that you have buried there. God will work as you trust Him and let Him have His way. Your hope is in the power of God. Tea time with God is sharing your heart with God. When tea time with God is over, it is time to whisper a quiet thank you.
September 15, 2006 Jeremiah 24:7 I will give them a heart to know Me. Tea nourishes our bodies as God nourishes our soul. Reading His word while we sip our tea gives us a renewed strength, refocusing our priorities, realigning our life to match God’s purpose for our life. God reminds us of His great love for us. He sits on His throne and He is in control and we can find freedom in that fact and feel our troubles slipping away as we smell the fragrance in the cup and then taste the tea that we have been waiting for. You will begin to see your life change over the teacups. When you do sit down with a friend to have tea, you begin to share your hearts with each other. You talk about husbands, kids, jobs, work, and church, everything that you are involved in. God wants this same kind of intimacy with you. September 6, 2006 Psalm 28:7 My heart trusts in Him and I am helped; therefore, my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. When we take tea with God we draw away from the world and unwind. We soak up the serenity of being in God’s presence, aware of the beauty of creation around us. The author Gail Greco once penned “Somehow taking tea together encourages an atmosphere of intimacy when you slip off the timepiece in your mind and cast your fate to a delight of tasty tea and listening to the voice of God as He delights in you.” Trust God with your problems and let Him work out the results. Turn them over to Him and let Him give you the "peace that passeth all understanding."
August 30, 2006 1 Samuel 16:7 Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. When we look into the tea liquor after the leaf has agonized, we see a clear liquid unspoiled by any impurities. That is what God is looking for in our hearts when we allow Him to refine us and make us like Jesus. Steeping tea = preparing to meet with God There is no hurry with tea. The water must boil, the tea leaves must steep. It is the same way with God. We must come to Him without hurry. We must let Him fill our hearts with His presence. When He does, our minds relax and we can learn to enjoy our time with Him. All this slowness takes so little time. But once you do slow down you will begin to see God’s blessings in your life. When we view the little things with thanksgiving even they become big things.
August 23, 2006 Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. There is an interesting “tea term” that is used in relation to Chinese teas. The term is known as “the agony of the leaf” and refers to the time in which the leaf is unfurling in the heated water and releasing its precious oils into the liquor. Observing this “agony” is very important to the Chinese tea lover. It is by observing the leaf’s “agony” that the experienced tea drinker is able to tell that the leaf was properly and caringly folded, flattened, rolled or twisted—therefore the “agony” predicts the quality of the liquor. The leaf is “agonizing” over giving up its precious cargo of aromatic and flavorful oils. Its sole job to this point has been to keep these oils safe. This is similar to what God does for us. It is part of the refining process of our hearts. The refining process God puts us through to release the past allows Him to heal our hearts and change them. He is in the process of making us more like His Son, Jesus Christ.
August 16, 2006 Jere. 17:10 I, the Lord, search the heart. While tea is steeping you can be steeping yourself in His word. Steeping is like coming into His presence, waiting for the brew to be made, knowing it is going to be exquisite. It is like waiting for God to speak to you knowing it will be such a sweet, peaceful moment. Give your day over to the Lord and rest in Him, knowing that He has everything in control.
August 9, 2006 1 Thess. 5:16-18 Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you through Christ Jesus. Just as our bodies need a hearty breakfast to start the day, our spirit also needs a hearty breakfast in the word. A regular time of prayer, especially in the morning hours, prepares your heart and makes you sensitive to the ways and things of God. During the day, with the pressures and stresses that we face, our bodies as well as our spirits need a lift. What better time to stop and have tea with God. Having tea literally forces us to slow down. As we find beauty in our surroundings, in the flowers, in our friends, stop and praise God for His creation. August 2, 2006 Psalm 84:2 My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Take the time to pray to bring His peace into your heart before returning to the hustle and bustle of the rest of your day. Sit quietly and let God speak to you through His word. Let this time become a ritual--a time you have set aside to share your heart with your Savior. Give thanks to the Lord for sharing this tea time with you. Turn the rest of you day over to Him and let Him have it, thanking Him for your ability to succeed. You can also use this time to rejoice over everything that He has given you today to help you through the day.
July 26, 2006 Psalm 119:2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their hearts. God wants to spend time with you. Invite Him to tea. Seek Him with all your heart. Having tea, by its very nature, is a slowing down process. Waiting for water to heat and tea to steep causes you to slow down because you have to wait on this process. You can’t hurry it. This is a time when you can begin to prepare your heart to meet with God. What better time to stop and have tea with God. Having tea literally forces us to slow down. I’m not talking about a 45 second dunk of a tea bag in microwaved hot water. I’m talking about brewing a pot of tea and sitting down in a quiet spot and enjoying it. (45 sec. = average amount of time people steep a tea bag) During this downtime, our spirits are longing for time with our Savior. Time to be in His presence and drink in His love and strength. Like tea that revives our energy, quiet time with God revives our spirits.
July 19, 2006 Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. Elizabeth Knight wrote in her book Everything I Know I Learned Over Tea, “Preparing your heart for God allows those times when you are together to be rich, meaningful, warm and flavorful.” What keeps friendships alive and well? Spending time together. If we don’t spend time in the word how can we learn to know who God is and what His character is? One must take time in the preparation of tea in order to enjoy the tea. It is the same way with God. One must take time in reading the word and in prayer to enrich our friendship with God.
July 12, 2006 Psalm 23 Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. When we spend time with God He fills our cup to running over. It is being in God’s presence that fills the heart to the brim with joy. Before your guest arrives for tea, you prepare a place where you can take tea. A place where you can talk without being disturbed. When you set out your teacup you can set one out for God. You will also need to have your Bible, a pen, and your journal. One of the lessons we learn in life is that we should always take care of the things we love. If we want friendships to last than we must invest time and energy into that friendship. We need to invest time and energy into our relationship with God. If we don’t, the still whisper of the Holy Spirit in our hearts soon grows almost too dim to hear.
We must spend time in the word and tuck it away in our hearts so we will recognize when God is speaking to us.
July 5, 2006 Deut. 4:29 Seek the Lord your God and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. All it takes is an invitation. Listen to the quiet whispering of the Spirit. Seek God with all your heart and you will find Him. God is asking to spend time with you. Inviting God to tea is inviting God into your heart. The most beautiful part of tea time with God is the sound of His voice, the feeling of His presence, and the friendship He is developing with you as He changes you into the image of His Son. Ancient Proverb: The path to heaven passes through the teapot. I think this is because of the ceremony of making and sipping tea. Special time of closeness begins with putting a kettle on to boil and pulling out the tea tray. It's not tea itself that speaks to the soul, its sharing your heart with the Lord. When we feed on God's word and make time for Him, what fills the cup is irrelevant.
June 28, 2006 Psalm 105:3 Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. When you take the time to invite a friend for tea, you make preparations even before that person arrives. You issue an invitation—either formally, over the phone, by email, or in person. When you invite God to tea, what you’re really seeking is time alone with him and this makes your heart glad. So much in our culture can be done without really being there—without being mentally and emotionally tuned into the people around us or the task at hand. We can go to entertainment events or even to church and sit side by side without truly connecting with one another. Even today you may not really be here. When we offer tea to someone, we are also offering ourselves. This is what we do when we ask God to tea. We are offering ourselves—all of ourselves to Him. You see, having tea is slowing down—the process cannot be rushed. A Loving Recipe for a Perfect Cup of Tea 1 willing friend who loves to sit and share 1 grateful heart to have a friend that cares 1 beautiful garden to show us God is near Many wonderful memories of times shared through the years Lots of smiles and laughter to brighten up our days Many prayers that we prayed for each other along the way Author Unknown God is always there whenever we want to have tea with Him. He is only waiting for us to ask. Return to Tea With God top of page. Return to Tea Business Guide home page. |