Sippy-Cup Christianity

 

Would You Squeeze Through A Wide-Open Door!?! 

Would You Only Eat One Grape A Day 

When You Have Unrestricted Access 

To A Flourishing, Abundantly Productive, Vineyard!?! 

Would You Drink From A Sippy-Cup 

When You Live Next To A Spring Of Sweet, Ice-Cold, Water!?! 

If You Answer 

"No, Not A Chance!" 

Then Why In The Name Of All That 

Is 

Holy, Just, And Good 

Are You, Me, We Visiting With The Lord Christ 

Only When We Are In Dire Straits 

And 

Not Doing So As A Habit, A Practice, A Way Of Life!?! 

Jesus Christ Spreads A Table Before Us!

 

Jesus Christ Is The Creator God

The King Of Love

The Good Shepherd

The King Of The Universe 

And

Any Table That He Spreads Before Us 

And

In The Presence Of Our Enemies 

Is 

Going To Be Beautifully Appointed

Infinitely Long

And 

Abundantly Laid 

So That We May Feast Now 

And

Eternally! 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, 

We Have A Problem! 

We Are Looking Through Finite Eyes

With Fraught Feelings 

At The Table Spread By The Infinite God! 

Please Help Us To Look Up Higher

See Clearer

Smell Deeper

And 

Taste The Unimaginably Good, Good

Very Good Things That

Come From Your Giving Heart And Hands! 

Please Cleanse, Refine

And

Re-Educate Our Taste-Buds 

So That We Will Ever Choose

With Knowledge, Wisdom, And Understanding 

To Eat And Drink Deeply Of

Your Goodness Always! 

AMEN!!!

You're Not A Bassett Hound

Since The Lord Jesus Is Your Strong Arm 

And 

Is Also The God Who Protects You From Enemies 

Seen And Unseen

Known And Unknown

Near And Far

Unexpected And Underestimated

And 

You Trust Him 

Because 

You ... By Experience

Have Come To Personally Know His Personality

And

His Love And Power 

Why In The Name Of All That Is Holy 

Are You Walking Around Looking Like 

A Droopy-Eyed, Put-Upon, Bassett Hound!?! 

Where Is Your Song Of Praise And Rejoicing!?! 

Beloved, 

Let Us Not Sell 

Our Love And Worship Of Our Lord Christ Short 

Just Because 

Our Ears Are Itching

Our Noses Are Twitching

Our Eyes Are Blurry

Our Legs Are Numb

Our Fingers Have Become As Frozen Claws

And 

Our Brains Are Seemingly Burping! 

Our Loving God Is! 

Our Gracious Lord Can! 

Our Gentle Master Cares! 

Our Kind King Reigns And Rules 

And

Glory Be To Jesus

He Forgets Not His Own! 

Please Never Forget That 

All Things Work Out For Us 

Who Passionately Love The Lord! 

Please Always Remember That 

It Is Jesus Christ Himself Who Says 

Bring Your Burdens And Leave Them With Him:

He Gave Us The Holy Spirit Of Truth As Our Comforter 

So Sing For Joy 

And 

Praise The Lord Of Life 

And

Let Satan

His Fallen Angels

And 

His Licensed Emissaries Be Damned! 

Jesus Christ Saves: 

Raise Up Your Head! 

Peace!

VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Keep Close To The Lord Christ!

Worldly Wisdom Says:

 

"Keep Your Friends Close

And

Your Enemies Closer!" 

Jesus Christ 

Is 

Our Forever Friend 

And

Satan

Is 

Our Forever Enemy! 

Jesus Christ Creates, Recreates

Saves, Redeems, Revives

Regenerates, Cleanses, Helps, Heals, Blesses

Uplifts And Elevates! 

Satan Deceives And Destroys! 

Jesus Christ The Righteous Says: 

Draw Near To Me

And

I Will Draw Near To You 

And

Be Your Shepherd

Lord, God And Kind King

And

Lead You Gently Safely Home

To Life Everlasting! 

Satan The Damned Says: 

"You Are As God! 

Do What Feels Good! 

Do You! 

Rest When You're Dead!" 

Beloved, 

Worldly Wisdom 

Is 

Not Wise 

And Is Not

For Anyone Who Has Taken The Hand Of Jesus Christ 

And 

Is Living Under The Banner Of The Blessed Hope! 

The Way Of Our Forever Friend Does Not Include Self

Selfishness

Self-Serving Or Self-Aggrandizement! 

Please Stay Away From Satan

The Enemy Of Your Soul

The Accuser Of Our Brethren

Who Wants You To Be As He Is: 

Homeless, Stateless, Condemned 

And 

Damned! 

Satan Wants You Dead! 

Jesus Christ Purchased Everlasting Life For You 

With Everlasting Love! 

Stick Close To King Jesus 

And 

Live Forever! 

JUST A LIL' REMINDER: "... In The Presence Of My Enemies!"

Prophets, Priests And Kings Are Anointed With Oil 
And 
We Of The Household Of Faith 
Are Anointed By The Holy Spirit 
And 
All Of Us Are Set Apart For Use ... Holy Use! 

Please Let Us Consider The Blessing Which Attends Us: 
The Lord Of Life, Earth And Glory 
"Daring" To Show Us 
In The Very Presence Of Our Known-Rabid Enemies
- On A Table - It Ain't Going To Be Small
All The Good And Perfect Gifts That He, Himself
Is 
Spreading Out For His Children Who Dare, No
Who Delight In Loving 
And 
Leaning On Him
And 
Learning From 
And 
Obeying His Holy Word! 

Beloved, 

In The Day When Circumstance 
Is 
Being Unkind ... Even Cruel
Please Remember That Your Cup Of Heavenly Blessings 
Is 
Overflowing Even When You Can't Physically See It
Or The Dear One Who Is Filling It!

Consider This ...

The Promise Of Blessing 
Was Purchased For Us 
And 
Is Sealed With Jesus Christ's Innocent Blood: 
Believe The Word
Live The Holy Life 
And 
Prosper! 

The Lord Christ

Has Done

And

Is Doing

All The Heavy Lifting:

All We Have To Do

Is

Accept The Offer

And

Accede To The Will Of Almighty God!!

Just A Lil' Reminder ...

Please Remember That 
Working Faith Causes Our God To Show Up: 
His Blessing Cupboard Can't Be Cleaned Out 
And 
Your Cup Of Blessing Can't Run Out! 

Be Faithful! 
Be Prayerful! 
Be Thankful!
Be Obedient And ... Be Blessed! 

Be At Peace

With

And

In

The Eternal God!!

HAPPY SABBATH + Do Fuh Do!?!

Far Less Confidence
And
Far More Confidence
Were Brethren  ... Equals
But 
With Far More Confidence
Being The Child On The Distaff Side!

Far Less Confidence
Was The Favorite Child ... Obviously
And
He Had A Veritable Gold Spoon In His Mouth
A Silver Platter At His Right Hand
And
An Army Of Sycophants
Dogs-Bodies
Groupies
Hangers-On
And
The Usual Yes-Men Fixers
To "Make It Happen!"

He Was So Very Used To Having "It!" His Way
That He Had Placed Allllll His Confidence
In Mere Man!

He Liked It Like That
Because
His Heart Was Greedy
Gross
Fat
And
He Had No Use For The God
Who Had Given Him His Head
Upon Which To Place His Favorite Hat!

On The Other Hand
Far More Confidence
Knowing The Facts Of Life
And 
Having Experienced
What Comes As A Result Of The Lay Of The Land
And
Having Had His Faith Severely Tried
Had Learned Patience!
It Was Doing In Him A Perfect Work
And
Because He Knew That His Salvation
Comes As A Result Of His Getting Out
From Under Godless Rule
He Had Cast His Cares On Shepherd Of Rest
King Of Love
And
Is Well And Truly Blessed:

No Sin Is Too Big To Confess

And

No Sin Is Small Enough To Be Hidden!

Far More Confidence
Had Decided To Have Far More Confidence
In God Is Able
Because
He Knows That God Is Able Cares
Blesses
Guides
Chides
Comforts
Protects
Directs
And
Always Knows Best!
God Is Able Is The Good Father!

One Day

Far More Confidence Met Itsa Lipogram

Who Encouraged Him 
To Write A Statement Of His Faith

Minus The Use Of The Letter "E"!

In Far More Confidence's Mind

He Concluded That The Excluded "E"

Stands For No Evil

And So

He Wrote:

Our Lord

Is Always

Faithfully Caring For Us

And

Graciously Supplying Us

With His Gifts Of Loving Favor

So I Am ... With Wisdom

 Will-Surrendered

Walking Sagaciously

In Lord Shiloh's Holy Sight! 

He Did Not Gain Any Friends For That Bold Statement

But

That Was Nothing Unusual

Since He Usually Walked Alone

Depending For Comfort

On The Ever-Present Companion 

By Sight Always Unseen! 

He Made His Bed And He Lies Comfortably On It

Because

He Who Gave Him Life

Was Beside Him ... Holding His Hand

Leading, Feeding
Revealing The Light

Present Always At His Right Hand! 

He Became Persona Non-Grata!

From Then Onward

His Faith Firmly Fixed

His Eye Seeing Salvation

His Heart Holding Hope

He Looks Ever To His God

The Lord Of His Life

- Unerringly -

Ignoring The Barbs And Bites Of This Life
- From His Own Brethren Turned Adversaries -

Knowing ... By Faith

That He Will Survive This Life Of Strife! 

He Has Chosen To Daily Stick To The Good Book:

Because

It Does Not Become A Christian To Get Down And Dirty 

Doing Things Vile 

To Settle Scores With Our Adversaries
Who Would Even Deny Us Our Own Life! 

Brethren, Beloved

We Who Believe The Living Word Of God 

Must Do All To Rise Above Our Natural Inclinations 

To Indulge In A "Do Fuh Do" 

And, Instead

Choose To "Kill" With Kindness

Giving A Soft Answer ... To Turn Away Wrath

Extending A Helpful Hand

And 

Recognizing That 
But For The Available Grace Of Almighty God 

We Could And Would Be Acting 

Just The Same As The Unrepentant Evil-Doer
Who Hates Us Because We Love The Lord! 

Face The Facts ...

Doing Evil Is Instinctive 

But

Doing Good Is A Personal, Christ-Like, Choice!

Choose To Do That Which Will Please The Lord Who Loves Us! 

Do Good And Bless Yourself Today

And 

Always
Against Instinct And Tradition! 

Don't Cultivate The Satanic Soul-Blight! 

Choose Ever ... Always

The King Of Love ... Our True Shepherd

To Joyfully Delight! 

Choose To Bless Your Enemies ... In Jesus' Name!

It Is Not Going To Be Easy To Do

But

It Will Always Be Right

In The Holy God's All-Seeing Eyesight! 

Do Good

And

Good Will Attend Thee!!!