“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you.” 3 John 2

Dear mates, I pray that ya may enjoy good health and all may go well with ya. It gives me great joy ter hear ’bout yer faithfulness ter tha truth and how ya continue ter walk in it. I ‘ave no greater joy than ter hear that my mates and crew be walking in Skipper and his Son’s true and righteous ways.

Please send others along thar way in a manner that honors Skip. It be fer tha sake of tha Son that ya and them others went out. Ne’er ferget, we ought ter always be accommodating to folks who work fer tah truth.

I do call yer attention ter them who be gossiping maliciously and command they cut it out. Imitate what be good, not evil. Now then, ’till I arrive back in port and kin speak with ya plainly ter yer face, stick ter tha Son’s instructions and way. Keep ter Skipper’s Code of Conduct.

Fair winds and following seas, mate. May peace and mercy be yer mark as Skipper’s crew.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. – 1 John 3:2 (1 John 3)

How great is tha love Skipper has heaped on us? Why, Skip loves us so much he calls us his children. Ever one who has tha hope of being in Skipper’s family, ‘ill end up being jest like Skip. That feller or lass purifies themselves, just as Skip be pure. They don’ keep on wallowing in mud and sin, of that ya kin be sure.

Tha reason tha world don’ know Skip—and tha reason them in tha world hates us—be that they don’ know Skipper. A good many thinks they do. Some even be hired on as priests and pastors, teachers and leaders. But they don’ know Skip, not really. They spout stuff about tha Son and Skipper and spin a good yarn like they believe Skipper’s words, but then they go and say stuff like Skip ne’re meant what he said.

Feller who says that be calling Skip a liar.

Ever one who sins breaks Skipper’s Code of Conduct. In fact, lawlessness, which be less law, be sin itself.

Skip showed himself ter us through his Son. He done this so as ter take away our sins. In tha Son, thar be no sin. Not a lick.

No one who really lives in Skipper keeps on sinning. Not and feel good about it. That guilt of sinning ‘ill be ter much. Don’ even ‘ave ter get caught by Skipper ter feel bad. Ya just know in yer heart ya let down yer Father, Skip, and that be enough ter cause ya ter cry.

No one who continues ter sin has either seen, heard, or knows Skipper or his Son. Tha Son says as much: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day [when judgement comes], ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Harsh words from tha Son, but ne’re ferget this. When tha Son speaks, Skipper speaks, and when Skipper speaks, tha Son speaks. They be one in tha same.

This be a great mystery that only them with Skipper’s Spirit be able ter understand.

Think on this: when tha Son appears, we ‘ill be like him. We ‘ill see him jest as he is. Don’ be cogitating ‘bout what ya will look like. That not be tha most important thing. Tha main idear be that ya ‘ill get ter see tha Son—which really be Skip—in all his glory.

Such a thing ‘ll take yer breath away, of this ya kin be sure.

Everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. – 1 John 2:16 (1 John 2)

Doth not love tha world. Things of tha world be shiny and pretty ter look at, but our cravings fer ‘em come from tha devil.

That black-hearted snake be more crafty than any creature Skipper made. Right off he tricked Eve. He pointed ter some fruit and said, ““Did Skipper really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

But that not be what Skipper said ah tall. That scoundrel be twisting Skipper’s words like serpents ‘ill be known ter do. Thar be plenty of trees Eve and Adam could ‘ave eaten from, if they had a mind ter. Skipper only pointed out thar be but one off limites and it in tha middle of the garden.

But when Eve saw that the fruit of tah tree be fit ter eat and pleasing ter her eyes, and good fer gaining wisdom, she took a bite. From thar man’s passage veered off course something terrible.

This be tha way things always go. A good many folks who deny tha Son and his authority go out from our crew ever day. They ne’re really belonged ter us. It be hard to know sometimes what be in a feller’s heart, don’ ya know.

But ya have been smeared with tha Son’s tanning oil, so ter speak. Anointed and appointed by tha Holy One. Ya know all things ‘cause of him. Ya know that truth ‘cause of him. Tha smearing on of his Holy oil remains on ya and his truth remains in ya. With that Holy Ghost of Truth, ya know ‘bout all things. His oil not be counterfeit like some knock-off brands knaves and reprobates peddle on tha wharf.

If ya looking ter test who really be one of tha Son’s crew, watch what he does. Them born of tha Son does what be right. Them born of tha world does what seems right by tha world, but be contrary ter Skipper’s Code of Conduct. Them born of tha world says they be in Skipper’s crew, but hate thar brother and sister and most other folks who don’ agree with ’em. If a feller or lass be coated in tha Son’s oil, they ‘ill correct with gentleness, not with harsh words.

A good many ‘ave gone off and hurt folks by treating Skipper’s words like it be tha cat o’ nine tails. Watch out fer folks like this. If ya see one beating a feller with Skip’s Code of Conduct, kindly ask him ter stop.

Skipper’s words be a book of love, not a book of tha lash.

The Word of Life appeared.- 1 John 1:2 (1 John 1)

I write ter ya so ya will not sin. Our fellership be with Skipper and with his Son.

Skipper be light. Tha Son be light. In Skip thar be no darkness a’tall. If we claim ter have fellership with Skipper but refuse ter obey his commands, we stumble around in darkness like a drunk who be thinking himself upright and sober. If we claim we hain’t ne’er sinned, we lie. Lie ter ourselves. Lie ter others. Lie ter Skipper. Tha Holy Ghost of Truth not be in a feller like this, ya may lay ter that.

Tha Word of Life ‘as come. Come ter ya, it has. Be fer ya, he is. Only ya gots ter stop lying ter yerself and accept that tha course ya plot not line up with tha course Skipper says ter sail. Our course be crooked as a serpent’s back. Skip’s course be straight as a main mast.

Straighten up, now, mates. Brace yer back against tha main mast and see if ya measure up ter Skippers’s Code of Conduct. And if ya don’ , stop lying ter yerself and pray this prayer:

Lord, search me. Let tha Word of Life shine harsh on me. Reveal all tha sin in me. Deal with me as severely as ya ‘ave ter and with as much mercy as ya kin.

Whoever says, “I know the Son,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.- 1 John 2:4 (1 John 2)

I write ter ya because tha Word of Skipper lives in yer and because ya have overcome tha evil one.

Any feller who claims ter be in tha light but hates his brother be stuck in darkness. All who claims ter live in tha Son must walk upright in tha Son. This means we love our brothers and sisters and neighbors and enemies and all who speak i’ll of us and give us tha backhand and lash.

And how kin ya know yer showing love? Here be one way. Might sound easy, but a good many folks kin not bring themselves ter say this prayer.

Lord, help me ter love ______ with tha same grace and mercy, tenderness and compassion, kindness and care that you have for ______. Change my heart for ______ to be your heart for ______. Change my view of ______ to be your view of ______. Help me to see ______ the same way you see ______.

Except fer loving folks like Skip loves ’em, how else do we know we be in tha Son? Well now ya might think that be obvious, but it not be. If we obey Skipper’s commands ya be nearer tha Son than not, of that ya kin be sure. But if a feller says, “I know tha Son!” but behaves like he hain’t ne’er heard of Skip’s Code of Conduct, then he be liar and worse: slandering tha good name of Skipper. Tha Holy Ghost of Truth not be in a feller of such stripes, ya may lay ter that.

Once ya not know that Code and behaved in any old manner that seemed fitting, but then Skipper give ya his words. Once ya read and seen how ya lined up with Skip’s standards fer crew, ya made a course correction, ya did. Straightened up, ya did. And with tha Holy Ghost of Truth in ya, set a course ter follow tha Son all yer days.

This be how ya overcome tha evil one: turn ya back on him and high tail it tha other way. Then turn yer face ter tha Son and keep ter Skipper’s Code.

Not saying it’ll always be easy, but sailing in tha Son’s light be a good deal easier than sailing in darkness, ya may lay ter that.