I would like to take this opportunity to tell a little bit about my call to preach. Thus answering the question above. For I have often times used the title "Cupbearer to the King" when referring to myself. I do not wish for anyone to misunderstand what I mean by this statement. It is an honor to serve the King of Kings is this manner. Thus I would like to describe my duties in service. I realize that all men have not the same purpose or responsibilities in the Kingdom of God and it is not my intent to place my self of above others by using this title.

I was saved on July 26, 1986, after preaching five years and graduating from college, with a degree in Bible.(Ask for a free copy of my testimony). After my salvation the love and grace of God towards me was exceedingly great, and my desire to tell what God did for me was increasing. While at a camp meeting(MDCM) God began to speak to me through a message that Bro. Mike William's was preaching. The message concerned being a Cupbearer for the King as found in the scriptures 1 Kings 10:5. The passage is describing the house of Solomon and all his attendants. " And the meat of his table and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord:....." In his explanation of what a cupbearer was he went to book of Psalms 116 . I will never forget those words as God began to speak to my heart. "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?" I was so full of God's love and grace I began to ask God the same thing that David did ," what Shall I do " As soon as those word came out of my mouth the next verse gave me my answer! Yes, God I will be your cupbearer and bear the cup of salvation to the world. At that very moment I knew what I was and knew what I was to be doing. I would bear the Cup of Salvation to a lost and dying world .

Since that time , the Lord has done more explaining to me about what a cupbearer actually is. The explanation can be found in the verse in Psalms 116:13. David said "I will take..." which is to say that he would bear up or lift up in a way which would exalt and magnify the cup of salvation. One must be careful to note that he said he would lift the CUP of salvation, not just salvation. This is because David realized that man can not obtain salvation without the means by which it is given to him. A cup is a vessel by which something like water is carried in.When a person is thirsty he does not ask for a cup, but he asks for water. However, when it is brought to him the water is contained in a cup or some other vessel. I am making note of this because people need salvation, not a cup. But , you cannot have salvation without the right vessel to receive it in.

In Jerimiah 2:13 it says " For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living water, and hewed them out cisterns , broken cisterns, that can hold no water." As was in the days of Jeremiah so it is today. We have forsaken God and turned to ways of taking salvation to men, which cannot hold or contain salvation. There are not many ways for a man to be saved, just one way. That way would be God's way which is set forth in his word. A way that was chosen from before the world and is valid for every generation. We do not need new methods for a new generation, we just need the old method, that has always worked from generation to generation. David said he would lift up THE cup of salvation, not A cup.

A cupbearer is one who first knows what the cup of salvation is. He then , to the best of his ability, exalts this cup above all other cups. For this cup is the only way that men can receive salvation. It is his responsibility to carry or bear this cup to the children of the King, so that they might taste of his great salvation. In conclusion, I hope that I have explained in some small way what a cupbearer is and at the same time caused others to want to be a cupbearer to the King of Kings. I realize that I have not exhausted the subject of the cup of salvation, but it is my intent to give further explanation in later articles. If future information or articles would interest you please feel free to ask for them or check out the rest of our website.  You may write me by e-mail.

Last Update: 08/12/99