A CUP OF TEA!

Do you like tea? Is your cup empty?

The love of the LORD JESUS is better than the most desirable cup of tea that can fill the cup of your heart to satisfaction!

You are fairer than the sons of men;

Grace is poured upon Your lips;

Therefore God has blessed You forever.

Psalm 45:2

The Bible says, since all of us have sinned and fallen away from our relationship with the Almighty GOD, His wrath abides on us.

Who can stand before His indignation?

And who can endure the fierceness of His anger?

His fury is poured out like fire,

And the rocks are thrown down by Him.

Nahum 1:6

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple

saying to the seven angels,

"Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God

on the earth."

Revelation 16:1

Now the great city was divided into three parts,

and the cities of the nations fell.

And great Babylon was remembered before God,

to give her the cup of the wine

of the fierceness of His wrath.

Revelation 16:19

 But GOD has made a way for us to be connected with Him once again, by pouring out His wrath on His own Son, when He carried all the sin of all of mankind on Himself on the cross. 

 Then Jesus came with them

to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible,

let this cup pass from Me;

nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What?

Could you not watch with Me one hour?

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."

Matthew 26:36-42

Our Savior drank the cursed cup of all the sin and evil of mankind. It was such a difficult task for the Pure and Holy Son of GOD! He drank of that cup by pouring out His soul unto death.

 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:12

Now we have this momorial in Holy Communion as a Church which is the Body of CHRIST. We come under the new covenant in His blood by which we receive forgiveness of sins and newness of life in CHRIST JESUS!

 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; 

do this in remembrance of Me." 

 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. 

This do, as often as you drink it, 

in remembrance of Me."

1 Corinthians 11:24-25

By drinking the cup of curse on our behalf, the LORD JESUS has made the cup of blessing available to us.

 The cup of blessing which we bless, 

is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? 

The bread which we break, 

is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 10:16

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

Psalm 62:8

Although GOD is great and Holy, He is a GOD of love Who understands each one of us. Therefore we can come before the LORD humbly to pour out to Him, whatever is in our heart. Then, as we wait on Him humbly like a cup placed below the spout of the tea pot, He fills our heart with His graceous love!

 Now hope does not disappoint,

because the love of God has been poured out

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:5

  But when the kindness and the love of God

our Savior toward man appeared,

not by works of righteousness which we have done,

but according to His mercy He saved us,

through the washing of regeneration

and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

whom He poured out on us abundantly

through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Titus 3:4-6

Hannah poured out her soul to the LORD and received the blessing of a son in answer to her prayer.

 And Hannah answered and said, 

"No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. 

I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, 

but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:15

 And she said, "O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, 

I am the woman who stood by you here, 

praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, 

and the Lord has granted me my petition 

which I asked of Him. 

Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; 

as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord." 

So they worshiped the Lord there.

1 Samuel 1:26-28

We can never outgive GOD! The more we give of ourselves to Him, and the more we give for the work of His Kingdom, the more He pours out on us!

 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, 

That there may be food in My house, 

And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, 

"If I will not open for you the windows of heaven 

And pour out for you such blessing 

That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Malachi 3:10

You prepare a table before me 

in the presence of my enemies; 

You anoint my head with oil; 

My cup runs over.

Psalm 23:5

Recently we heard a testimony from a lady who said, "Since my husband received the LORD JESUS into his life and was baptised, we are receiving so much, we don't know how to handle it!" 

The message that was given that day at the service was about wisdom. This lady was very receptive to the word and knew that GOD had spoken to her clearly about asking Him for wisdom to handle the blessings He was pouring out on them!

When our cups are filled with the love and blessings of the LORD, we become like teapots to pour into the lives of others!

All of us are like teapots, having some kind of tea in us and there are many empty cups around us, waiting to be filled!

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,

as He sat at the table,

a woman came having an alabaster flask

of very costly oil of spikenard.

Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

Mark 14:3

What shall I render to the Lord

For all His benefits toward me?

I will take up the cup of salvation,

And call upon the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord

Now in the presence of all His people.

Psalm 116:12-14

As followers of our LORD JESUS, we are also called to drink of the cup of suffering for the sake of others in intercession and ministry and good works. When we drink the cup of selflessness and give ourselves to be used by the LORD, He takes us as a teapot and uses us to pour out His goodness to others.

The mother of James and John desired great positions for her sons as they followed JESUS. But He spoke to her about the cup of suffering He was about to drink, and as His followers, they would have to drink! Now we know that James and John drank that cup of suffering in serving their Master and laying down their lives for the sake of the Gospel! 

 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons 

came to Him with her sons, kneeling down 

and asking something from Him. And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, 

"Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, 

one on Your right hand and the other on the left, 

in Your kingdom." But Jesus answered and said, 

"You do not know what you ask. 

Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism 

that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, 

"We are able." So He said to them, 

"You will indeed drink My cup, 

and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left 

is not Mine to give, 

but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."

Matthew 20:20-23

That was the life of the apostle Paul who served GOD with all his heart.

Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering

on the sacrifice and service of your faith,

I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Philippians 2:17

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

2 Timothy 4:6

 Even as we continue to wait on the LORD and receive from Him His love and goodness, may we be His instruments, pouring out such love to others!

Tea Pot I Am A Little Tea Pot Nursery Rhyme With Animation with Lyrics | Baby Rhymes | Nursery Poems

A poor widow's jar of oil

 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves." So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil." Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."

2 Kings 4:1-7

This woman was bereaved, indebted and was in fear of losing her two sons to slavery. What a hopeless situation! In her desperation, she reaches out to the prophet of GOD. 

While we live in this fallen world, most people we meet are spiritually dead and many of them are in slavery and bondage to the devil. Even many Christians are living under the oppression of the enemy.

Whatever our situation, whether we need comfort, finance, guidance or legal advice, we should first seek the counsel of GOD before running to man. Only GOD is able to save us from the wiles of the devil and set us free.

 "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."

GOD begins His work of restoration with what we do have.

This woman would have had plenty of empty vessels. Her flour bin, oil jar, sugar bowl, rice bag, milk bottle, spice containers, fruit bowl, cereal boxes, dish washing and laundry detergent containers and so on. Each time she saw these, she would have been preoccupied with the emptiness of her life! She became consumed with self pity. She had nothing to offer even her sons.

Is your life empty? It may not be financial need, but spiritual and emotional need that makes you feel worthless and empty.

You may feel so empty and desperate.

Don't worry about the nothing, but do something with the one thing you have!

The one thing this poor woman had was a jar of oil.

Do you have the Oil of the  Holy Spirit in yourself - in your Jar of clay? 

 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42

The LORD JESUS counselled the rich young ruler, thus:

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

Mark 10:21

Following a mission trip, the LORD asked His disciples, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing."

Luke 22:35

That one thing we need is faith that connects us to the One Who is Faithful for eternity.

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"Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels...

The woman was asked to borrow empty vessels from everywhere from all her neighbors. Rather than being preoccupied as to how she could have her empty vessels filled, she began to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors! She did not realise that her neighbors also had empty vessels! All their vessels were not full.

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 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5 

Has the Holy Spirit been poured out in your heart? 

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7

The Holy Spirit has also been poured out on us abundantly!

We must spend time with GOD in prayer and His word so that we may receive His Spirit of love into us and on us so that we may pour out to others His love through good works.

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And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.

When we reach out to others with love, we will find many broken and empty lives. When we walk around with a spiritual mindset, the Holy Spirit will enable us to see people in need. We should then 'borrow in our mind' those empty vessels and take them into our  prayer closet and shut the door behind us. Through prayer and intercession, our hearts will be filled with GOD's love for the people. When we pray as led by the Holy Spirit, the burden will lift and we will know that our prayer has been answered. That jar is then full! We can leave that person - that jar aside and take on another jar - another person to the LORD in prayer!

 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5:14-15
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There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased

GOD's goodness and blessings will keep flowing into our lives as long as we allow them to  flow through us to others, just like the oil in the jar of the woman.

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Go, sell the oil and pay your debt

The woman went to the neighbors and returned their jars which were now full of oil! She sold the oil and they paid her for it. That income settled her debt.

All of us are indebted to GOD because He paid the price through the LORD JESUS to save us from eternal damnation. He has bought us for Himself. We can never repay the LORD but He desires that we give our lives to Him that He might live through us.

We may have to leave the comfort of our home to bring a blessing to someone. In answer to our own prayers for our neighbors and others, the Holy Spirit may lead us to acts of kindness. We may be prompted to send a text messages, call or visits someone in need. Thus we become channels of GOD's love and allow Him to fill their hearts with His love. We may be asked to leave our own child briefly to minister to a needy child of someone else. Thus, there is enlarging of our spiritual family and we gain many souls for GOD's Kingdom.

Those who are blessed through our ministry, will also bless us in practical ways and with gifts. They become channels of GOD's provision to us!

 So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."
Luke 18:29-30

When we seek to put the LORD first in our lives and love Him above all and walk in obedience to Him, He gives us much more than what we let go of, for His sake. GOD is no man's debtor. We can never outgive Him!

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and you and your sons live on the rest."

When we put the Kingdom of GOD as priority and seek to serve Him and live for His purpose, He promises to meet all our earthly needs as well. 

 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:31-34

Let us therefore focus our mind on GOD's Kingdom and give ourselves to live for Him each day and experience the abundance of His provision and love.

BE BLESED AND BE A BLESSING!

 

Progressing in PRAYER!

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POUR OUT 

 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. 

For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 

Therefore do not be like them. 

For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Matthew 6:7-8

When we pour out before the LORD, what is in our hearts, we experience His love being poured out into our hearts. We must not use meaningless or repetitive words in prayer. The words we use in prayer and the manner with which we approach GOD are indications of our relationship with Him. 

SINS

If we are burdened with our sin, we can release that burden at the foot of the cross. The LORD JESUS went to the cross, shed His precious blood and willingly died that cruel death to take the burden of the sin of mankind. He removes our transgressions far from us and casts our sins into the sea! When we receive His forgiveness, our hearts are cleansed of guilt and shame and replaced with His love and peace.

Who is a God like You,

Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19

When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden.

I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"

And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Psalm 32:3-5

For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:11-12

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:7-9

 Now hope does not disappoint, 

because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts 

by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:5

CARES, BURDENS

We can also pour out all our doubts, fears and anxieties to the LORD.

casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you;

He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; 

nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." 

Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 

And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. 

Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Luke 22:41-44

Even our LORD JESUS poured out His agony to His Father at the garden of Gethsamene. GOD always answers those prayers and gives us a solution - out of it or strength and help to go through it.

INTERCESSION

We can even bring the hurts, sins and sicknesses of others and place them at the foot of the cross and intercede on their behalf.

Anger, cruelty, ridicule, mockery, spitting, whipping and shame were cast on our Saviour. He prayed and released forgiveness to those who cruelly treated Him and crucified Him.

This was symbolic of the sin of all of mankind that the LORD has taken on Himself and released forgiveness and made salvation available for all, for all eternity!

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

And they divided His garments and cast lots. Luke 23:34

 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, 

leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 

"Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; 

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; 

when He suffered, He did not threaten, 

but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

1 Peter 2:21-23

Now He expects us to do the same and be intercessors.

 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 

  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 

  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

John 20:21-23

And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice,

"Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:59-60

PRESENT your PETITIONS

 And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. 

I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, 

but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 

Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, 

for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now." 

Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace, 

and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him." 

And she said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." 

So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad….

 And she said, "O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, 

I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. 

For this child I prayed, 

and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. 

Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; 

as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord." 

So they worshiped the Lord there.

1 Samuel 1:15-18, 26-28

 Do not be anxious about anything, 

but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, 

present your requests to God. And the peace of God, 

which transcends all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

PEACE

We must bring our petitions to the LORD with faith and thanksgiving. As we also listen, He will make clear to us the path we must take. When our hearts and minds are aligned and yielded to the LORD’S will, the peace that passes all understanding will be our experience!