What's In Your Cup!

What’s in your Cup?

Have you ever wondered what’s in your cup. I have a porcelain cup with many beautiful colors and it is trimmed in gold. It was given to me as a gift and I could tell it was an antique. Upon closer examination I noticed small lines on the inside of the cup. This caused me to reflect upon what the cup had gone through and to examine the cup a little more closely. Jesus did this in Matthew 23: 25-26, he addresses the scribes and Pharisees. He tells them “woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter that the outside of them may be clean also.” There are things that may contaminate bloodlines or family histories also, such as diabetes, alcoholism, abuse, neglect, depression.

After, examining the cup can you see the cracks the wear of time, and the stains. Time is out of our control. Residue is what is left behind after use of the cup even after washing it. Simply put residue in a cup contaminates what comes out. Residue builds up over time and clings to the pores of a cup and is hard to remove without adding an abrasive.

We may ask our child to wash the dishes and they may not remove all the residue from the cup. What is left behind is quit damaging when it has been allowed to set in. These are somethings that are considered residue. Do you drink of the cup of a lie, backbiting or is your cup filled with the work of the flesh. What’s in your cup? Galatians 5: 19-21; Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations(jealousies), wrath, strife, seditions(divisions), heresies, enveyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like. Somethings are only removed by someone with a trained eye. Jesus can see the stains or flaws in that expensive cup because its being examined by the on seen eye of God. Clean your cup! God works from the inside out!

When cleaning a cup naturally abrasives are used to remove stains, scum and film left behind inside the cup. We must hear the Word and receive by faith what the Spirit is saying to the church to start to remove some of the residue inside our natural bodies. The Word is sharper than a two edged sword it cuts coming and going Hebrews 4:12. Sometimes removing residue clinging to the cup or yourself is necessary before you can see the cups beauty or the beauty within yourself. Once you been washed in the word of God, now it’s time to stir up our pure thoughts, work up those layers of debris with the truth which cling and are stuck on. Since we are washed in the blood of the Lamb, some Hallelujahs need to enter your cup and be received without contamination. Now that the word has made you pliable you have to keep applying the word because it’s getting rid of the residue of lying, fornication, wrath etc. Yes I know we go through things and we say what Mom and Dad didn’t do! Move past it, you have a new Father now, your Father is able to supply all your needs according to His riches in glory Philippians 4:19.

Don’t cling to the past press toward a brighter future or as Paul would say toward the mark of a higher calling. Each day with Jesus is better than the day before. Move toward a cup that is without a spot or blemish. It can be clean on the inside as well as the outside and you can be a light that need not be hidden. Walk a little closer with Jesus. Examine your cup daily to build your faith and confidence in Christ Jesus. You can possess the Fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. It is up to you to keep your cup clean. When you feel your cup becoming dirty or may have a spot, quickly refill your cup with more of the Spirit of God!