You’re Welcome
"He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body. Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me" (Job 19:13-19)
Thought For Today:
Have you ever felt like a stranger in your own home? I've attended churches where I felt like a stranger in the house of God. Many people have shared that they didn't feel welcome in churches because of their appearance. In many instances, Christians seem to forget the Word of God. The writer of Hebrews tells us,"Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:1-2). Some saints harbor bitterness, disagreements, envy and hatred to the point that they go out of their way to avoid others. But yet they say they are Christians. James tell us, "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace" (James 3:13-18). Job felt like a stranger in his own house. He said everyone was turning against him. Maybe this is the reason backsliders find it so hard to come home, they feel like strangers in their own house. Again, James tells us, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors" (James 2:8-9). Always remember the golden rule, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matthew 7:12). Make sure you aren't the one making people feel unwelcomed.
