Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
I smiled when I read "loving like brothers and sisters". There was not a lot of love between my sisters and I growing up. There is now, but not then.
I have heard of a "secret shopper" program where a retailer will send in shoppers that work for him to see if the sales employees do their job correctly and provide the level of service expected by the owners. Verse two tells me that God has Angels roaming the earth providing opportunity for us to "get it right". Show hospitality to all. Treat others as you would want to be treated.
3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Tying mistreated and suffering together, I get the impression that the writer is speaking of brothers in prison for Christ. It is easy for us to forget them because visiting a prison is a pain. I know this because a friend of mine went to prison for a crime he did commit. 6 years he was there. We did write, but I never visited him because of the time commitment that would be involved. As I type those words, my reasons sound hollow.
4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
So many Christians think they can play with sexual immorality. They always get burned. Sex is a gift from God to married couples. Unless fulfilled within the context of marriage, the sexual act, though fun, will leave you empty and you will continually crave more and more till your appetites are beyond control. God will judge any such person.
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you never will I forsake you.”
6 So we say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
God will provide your needs. Chasing after money will not bring you happiness. It too will only lead to emptiness.
With God, the creator of the universe at our side, what could possibly happen the he does not chose to allow? I sometime wonder why I fear so much.
My the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
God will provide your needs. Chasing after money will not bring you happiness. It too will only lead to emptiness.
With God, the creator of the universe at our side, what could possibly happen the he does not chose to allow? I sometime wonder why I fear so much.
My the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment