Teacanheal With Jacqueline Perr Sipologist

10/30/2024

Today’s devotional-

What Do You Believe About God?
by JOHN MARK COMER
Author of God Has a Name

“The LORD [Yahweh] came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD [Yahweh].”
Exodus 34:5 (NIV)

What you think about God will shape who you become.

But often what we believe about God says more about us than it does about God. The most ancient, primal temptation, going back to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, is to decide for ourselves what God is like and whether we should live into His vision of human flourishing or come up with our own.

The Scripture writers come at it the other way around. From Moses to Matthew, they assume we have no idea what God is like. Jesus spent the bulk of His time on earth helping religious people see that a lot of what they thought about God was wrong. Jesus often observed, “You have heard it said …” followed by, “But I say to you …”

In the Old Testament as well, there are climactic moments when we get a brand-new vision of who God is. We witness one of those moments in Exodus 33 in a conversation between God and Moses, who had a unique relationship with the Creator. God “would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11a, NIV).

So Moses asked God to go with the Israelites every step of the way on their journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in a new land. Then he got even bolder: “Now show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18, NIV).

Moses asked to see God, in person, for who He really is. For Moses, "head knowledge" wasn’t enough. He wanted to experience God.

God graciously told Moses he couldn’t see God’s face or he would die, “for no one may see [God] and live” (Exodus 33:20, NIV). But God also said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD [Yahweh], in your presence” (Exodus 33:19a, NIV).

God was saying He’d reveal His identity to Moses. He’d let Moses in on His inner God-ness, the deepest reality of His being.

So Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sinai. Then we read some of the most astonishing words in the Bible: “The LORD [Yahweh] came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD [Yahweh]” (Exodus 34:5).

This has staggering implications for how we relate to God. This means God is a person — a relational being. Not an impersonal energy force or a chapter in a systematic theology textbook or a world religion. He wants to know and be known.

We often hear “a personal relationship with Jesus” as a cliché, but I don’t think we have any clue just how explosive this idea is.

If you find it hard to believe that God wants a relationship with you or that God is so much more than what you believe Him to be, know this: Simply showing up to experience God is a step in the right direction.

Start by borrowing Moses’ prayer: Show me Your glory.

Yahweh, You want me to know You. Show me the beauty of who You are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

06/03/2024

So happy that summer is here ! I love 💕summer teas, what about you ?

06/01/2024

June specials

05/02/2024

Are you in need of some Mother’s Day ideas 💡? Let me know be your personal shopper 😊

Need a shopping link just let me know 😊

05/02/2024

Avail for a short time need a shopping link let me know

04/02/2024

Today’s devotional-

God Has Not Forgotten the People You Love
by JUNE CHAPMAN
COMPEL Training Member

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”
Psalm 13:5 (ESV)

Please save her, Father. I beg You to open her eyes to Your love for her. Please shine Your light in dark places, and incline her heart to follow Jesus as Lord.

On my knees, through tears, I begged God for my friend’s salvation. I’d brought her name to Him for years — and not just hers. My list of names was very long, indeed.

I’m still praying for many friends and family members to come to faith. I’m praying they recognize their separation from God and accept His free, gracious gift of salvation. I desperately desire for God to call these lost sheep to Himself.

But waiting for that day feels so hard.

As I was praying for my friend that night, grief and worry threatened to consume me. Eventually, I had to face some hard questions. I trusted that God heard my cries, but … had He forgotten my loved ones? Had He forgotten the names I’d placed before Him?

In Psalm 13, the psalmist, David, wondered if God had forgotten his concerns too. He was wrestling with sorrow in his waiting and desperately called out to God just as I do. “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1, ESV).

David begged for change and the Lord’s intervention, but the time had not yet come. Rather than giving in to defeat, allowing disappointments or disillusionment to crush him, David did something unexpected.

He said, “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:5-6, ESV).

In the face of his fear, David resolved to trust God’s steadfast love. He rejoiced in salvation, recognizing it as a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). He knew the Lord cared for him, and so he sang even in his waiting.

Our Father cares about all people as His image bearers. He formed us in the womb and has numbered the hairs on our heads (Psalm 139:13-16; Luke 12:7). If we care so greatly for our loved ones, how much more can we trust our Father to care deeply and compassionately for each of them as His creations? We can rest in the truth of 2 Peter 3:9 today:

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (NIV).

In the Lord’s timing, He established David as king of Israel. Fourteen generations later, through David's family line, Jesus was born. Through David’s patient waiting, the Lord was working out all things for good.

God loves your friends and family immeasurably. He hasn’t forgotten them. He’s patiently, powerfully and mercifully pursuing lost hearts so that many might come to know Him. In the meantime, we can trust and rejoice in His steadfast love.

Dear God, thank You for loving my loved ones and remembering each of their names. Please remind me of Your tenderhearted patience, and fill me with peace as I watch Your Kingdom grow. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

04/01/2024

Today’s devotional -

Take Courage in the Storm
by SARAH FREYMUTH

“But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’”
Matthew 14:27 (NIV)

Already it’s a squall of a day — emotions all tangled, deadlines looming before I even begin on my projects, and a constant worry in the back of my mind that God may not be in a hurry to help me out of my latest fear.

My spiritual boat is battered, far from the safety of shore. How I long to take control of it all, but the waves come fiercely, tossing my heart about.

When life’s storms rage, we can feel absolutely helpless, as if one more wave will knock us out of the boat and into the water. We get frantic and afraid, wondering if we’ve been forgotten.

But somewhere among the mist and moonlight, a figure appears. Moving toward us on top of the waves. As if nothing ruffles Him. His eyes are fixed on us, His hand turned toward us. Who is this who faces the swelling water and slashing rain and does not falter?

“Take courage! It is I,” Jesus tells us in Matthew 14:27. He says, “Don’t be afraid.”

Jesus has come for us. His steps are steady, purposeful. He knows exactly where we are in our storms and will stop at nothing to see us through. The winds of struggle may blow straight at us, fierce and menacing. But Jesus comes straight to us, standing on top of what we fear.

There is nothing we can’t face when the Lord who stilled the sea longs to still what rages within us. He comes to be with us, stepping right into our storms without hesitation. This is who He is.

He even invites us to step out of the boat and onto the waves, in direct opposition to our hearts’ terror. He calls us with one simple word: “Come” (Matthew 14:29a, NIV).

And we have the chance to let our faith be bigger than our fear, to walk toward the One who stands with hands outstretched. The God who walks on water to meet us will not let us sink.

Do you believe He is willing to walk into your storm, into the waves that roil? Do you trust Him enough that when He extends His invitation, you get out of the boat in faith?

Friend, we are safe in His arms.

God directs our steps and makes them secure. We don’t have to worry about where we’re going because we know who guides us. It’s OK to admit we’re afraid or out of our element. The more out of sorts we feel, the more we can lean into God, who gives us all we need along the way. He is walking toward us in the storm; let’s allow Jesus to calm the seas of our hearts.

Father, my heart is aching today. The storms of life are tossing me about, and I am afraid and weary. Stretch my faith through the comfort of Your presence. Thank You for being in control of my life; I can trust You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

03/31/2024

Today’s devotional-

There Is Space for All Your Emotions This Easter
by RACHEL MARIE KANG
March 31, 2024
Lee en español
“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.”
John 20:11 (ESV)

We pray these words will prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of our risen Savior.

One year ago, I drove 600 miles to visit my grandfather’s grave. As I stood there, torn between emotions and shivering in New York’s below-zero wind chill, I couldn’t even shed one tear.

When I think back to this moment, I remember oscillating between grief — knowing I’d never again hug my grandfather on this side of heaven — and joy as I reflected on his life and legacy.

This Easter, I know I’m not the only one who feels an intermingling of sadness and joy. I know I’m not the only one carrying gratitude for all that is good while simultaneously cradling grief for all that is lost … and seemingly still being lost.

We rejoice, celebrating our risen Savior.
We grieve as this month marks the fourth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We rejoice, praising God for healing, provision and redemption.
We grieve as relationships strain, illnesses increase and wars wage on.

We’re wounded, yet we wonder. We hurt, yet we hope. We feel afraid, yet we stand in awe — both of life and of Christ. This is what it means to be human — our hearts are a holy holding of every God-given emotion.

It’s like when Mary Magdalene wept outside Jesus’ tomb, the stone rolled away and His body gone. “But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb …” (John 20:11). She wept, unsure of where Jesus’ body lay. She wept, possibly replaying flashbacks of Jesus’ suffering on the cross. She wept, likely bewildered by the chaos and confusion of it all.

Still, while Mary wept, she also wondered: “and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb” (John 20:11). She wondered, looking again to see if her Rabbi was in the tomb. She wondered, seeking a glimmer of hope. She wondered, keeping faith though she wept through grief.

And the risen Jesus, with two simple questions, made a sacred space for Mary’s story. He asked her, “‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” (John 20:15, ESV) … as if to acknowledge both the hurt she felt and the hope she held. Perhaps this is what I needed that day as I stood at my grandfather’s tomb — someone to make space for it all.

This Easter, maybe your heart is holding equal parts hurt and hope. You’re afraid and in awe of all you carry, whether from stories in the headlines or in your own home.

Whatever emotions you carry into this day, know that Jesus not only saves you from your sins, but He also simply sits with you — in your joy, grief, fear and wonder.

Jesus is the One who overcame the grave and the One who comes close to us.

Jesus is the One we praise and proclaim until — hallelujah — His Kingdom comes.

God, You stand with us in our sorrow. You walk with us when all is right in the world. We will praise and preach Your name, always telling others of the power of Your great love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

03/29/2024

Today’s devotional-

For Joy, Jesus Endured
by SARAH FREYMUTH

“… let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Editor’s Note: Today’s devotion is part of a special series for Holy Week! From March 24 (Palm Sunday) to March 31 (Easter Sunday), each devotion will focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ resurrection. We pray these words will prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of our risen Savior.

It comes as a whisper. A spoken thought in the crowd. What to do with this man who claims to be King? Two words resound, swim through the sound waves to consume the sea of people gathered:

“Crucify him” (Mark 15:13-14, ESV).

Octaves rise, and tempers boil. This man with gentle eyes claims to be the Messiah. He promises to save Israel, to lead His people. But He has not given the masses the change they believed was coming. Instead, He speaks of living water (John 7:38) and a narrow gate to a wide-open eternity (Matthew 7:13-14). He preaches about loving neighbors and turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-40).

The religious leaders won’t have it, and with a resigned sigh, Pilate acquiesces to the crowd's demand. Jesus is sentenced to die.

The convicted Comforter is led away, and soldiers flog and mock Him. A twisted crown of thorns. A scarlet robe. Sneers of, “Hail, king of the Jews!” (Matthew 27:29c, ESV).

And then the cross. To “crucify” means to put to death by nailing or binding the hands and feet to a cross. It means to destroy the power and dignity of the condemned, to mortify, to treat cruelly. They beat nails into Jesus' skin, strap Him to pieces of wood. They tell Him that if He is truly the Son of God, He will get Himself off of that cross (Matthew 27:39-43).

But the Son stays silent, His breathing ragged, labored. He hangs — not to prove a point or amaze the crowds. He hangs for joy.

What joy is there in jeers, bruises and abandonment? What kind of love compels Jesus to stay on that terrible cross?

A love that endures.

“… Jesus [is] the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

For the joy set before Him, He endured pain, humiliation and solitude because He knew that through His sacrifice, we could have life with God forever. Jesus hung for us, to pay the price for everything we’ve done wrong or will ever do wrong. He took the punishment we deserve, experiencing anguish like we have never known and will never know if we trust in Him for salvation. In Christ, we have right standing with God once and for all.

Jesus’ love compelled Him to endure the cross and empowers us to endure our own difficult situations. Our Savior sympathizes with us because He has gone through suffering and death and has come out on the other side. We, too, have an assured hope of coming out on the other side because Jesus has already gone before us.

Imagine this moment: Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven, breathing shallowly. With the air left in His lungs, He releases His spirit (Matthew 27:50). It is finished. He has made a way for us to be reconciled to God. Joy awaits all who believe in Him.

Words cannot describe what Jesus went through to save me. I can’t even fathom the darkness and hurt that fell upon Him, the weight He carried. Thank You, Lord, for giving us Jesus and for His willingness to sacrifice Himself for us all. I hang all my hope on Him because He hung for me. Thank You that He endured the cross so I can come close to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

03/27/2024

Today’s devotional-

Leaning Into the Power of Asking Questions
by DORINA LAZO GILMORE-YOUNG

“Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’”
Matthew 21:24 (NIV)

Editor’s Note: Today’s devotion is part of a special series for Holy Week! From March 24 (Palm Sunday) to March 31 (Easter Sunday), each devotion will focus on the events leading up to Jesus’ resurrection. We pray these words will prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of our risen Savior.

My daughter was recently struggling with a decision a teacher made. All the confusion, frustration and misunderstanding came tumbling out as she unpacked the details for me. This decision came at a cost to my daughter and other students.

My instinct was to call the teacher and defend my daughter. However, I decided it was more important to coach my girl on how to articulate her concerns respectfully and ask good questions.

Jesus was a master at asking purposeful questions. He used questions to teach, defend, challenge, make people think, meet people in their grief, and help center the stories of those who were often treated as outsiders.
Jesus asked a lonely Samaritan woman at a well, “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7, NIV) and engaged her in conversation, revealing Himself for the first time as the Messiah.

Jesus asked a chronically sick man, “Would you like to get well?” (John 5:6, NLT), having him consider what he believed before receiving healing.

“But what about you? … Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked Peter in a poignant moment with His disciples before facing His death on the cross (Matthew 16:15, NIV).

After His resurrection, Jesus asked two unassuming men on the road to Emmaus: “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” (Luke 24:17a, NLT).
Jesus modeled how to use thoughtful questions to foster understanding, build relationships and deepen faith among the people around Him.

During Holy Week, the chief priests and elders came to Jesus and challenged His authority to turn the tables in the temple and teach the gospel. Jesus didn’t argue but responded to their questions with a pointed question:

“I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” (Matthew 21:24-25a, NIV).

The leaders were stumped. They knew if they answered that John’s baptism was from heaven, Jesus would ask why they didn’t believe him. They also knew if they answered “human origin,” then their own people, who believed in John the Baptist as a prophet, would turn against them. They had maliciously hoped to trap Jesus with their challenges, but instead He trapped them in their questioning.

Friend, can you think of a time in your life when you were unsure of how to handle a situation?

When you experienced something frustrating or witnessed an injustice?

When you longed to overcome a rift in a relationship?

Jesus isn’t scared of our questions or doubts; in fact, He welcomes them. Questions are a powerful way to engage, respectfully challenge and even care for others. Don’t underestimate the power of a question.

Dear God, please give me wisdom in the difficult situations I’m facing today. Help me to form thoughtful questions, and give me the courage to ask them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

03/23/2024

Today’s devotional-

Fear Not: I Will Help You
by KORI DE LEON
Author of Upheld

“fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

Have you ever found yourself, amid life’s challenges, feeling as though the weight of the world is pressing down upon you?

In today’s world, marked by uncertainties, unrest and persecution, it’s easy to become burdened by concerns. When you add your personal struggles — financial pressures, the demands of parenthood, caregiving for aging loved ones, and health issues — it often seems like there's no end in sight.

It’s precisely during these trying times that God steadies our hearts. He is a strong and loving Father who tells His children not to worry or anxiously look about but to call out to Him and wait with humble expectation for the help He provides.

When you were a child, maybe you witnessed your earthly parents’ desire for you to grow up confident and secure. But even so, parents often experience the frustration of being unable to provide the specific help their children need. This is where God distinguishes Himself remarkably and gloriously, as often repeated throughout Isaiah:

“… For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9, ESV).

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you …” (Isaiah 41:10).

God assures us of His boundless capacity and joy in helping us! The above scriptures brim with divine “I wills,” and it’s truly remarkable to understand that God doesn’t want us to be consumed by fear. Instead, He urges us to shed the weighty cloak of fear and dread, much like discarding yesterday’s worn-out clothes.

But how do we do this? When we look at the troubling things all around us in the world, how do we exchange fear for faith in our invisible Father? God encourages us to meditate on the image of being held by His hand:

“… I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

When life gets chaotic and we’re teetering on the edge, let's picture God right there with us, a caring Father steadying His child as she navigates rough and uncertain terrain. Instead of giving in to despair or frantically searching for help, let’s remember the promise that God is present, ready to help and support us. Then we can pray, calling out to our Father and waiting with humble expectation for the help He’ll provide.

As we read Isaiah 41:10 and so many other parts of God’s Word, we uncover the countless beautiful ways in which God supports His people. Let’s walk together in the hope and comfort of God’s upholding love today.

Heavenly Father, in times of doubt and fear, help us remember Your unwavering presence and pleasure in helping Your children. Strengthen our trust in Your righteous hand that strengthens and supports us through life’s challenges. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

03/21/2024

Someone needs to hear this besides me this morning

Music video by Koryn Hawthorne performing Speak the Name Dove Awards Performance feat. Natalie Grant. (P) 2018 Provident Label Group LLC, a division of Sony ...