Love in the Christian sense is not sentimentality; it is not a gushing, emotional indulgence of some loved one.  Love is what we see in the cross.  It is what Christ showed when he laid down his perfect life for sinners.  It is important to bear in mind that it is love for sinners.  Jesus does not mean the kind of love that we so commonly have in mind when we use the term, a love for someone whom we find supremely attractive (sinners are not attractive to a holy God).  Nor is it a love for those bound to us by natural ties, such as family members (God is not bound by natural ties to sinful people).  Nor is it the love of friendship, a love drawn out from us by those we find congenial (God does not find sin or those who practice sin congenial).  A love for sinners means a love that proceeds from the fact that God is love; he loves because it is his nature to love.

 

And redeemed sinners love because it is their nature to love.  Not their old sinful nature, but the result of the “new creation” that takes place when they put their trust in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).  That means a complete transformation….I imagine that this transformation is never one hundred percent in this life.  But every real Christian knows that Christ transforms.  And the closer we live to God, the more loving we become.  We who are  Christians love, but not because it has been our good fortune to come across some highly attractive people.  We love because we have become loving people ourselves, people who love because we have been loved, not because of the merits of the people we encounter on our way through life. ( By Leon Morris: Expository Reflections on the Gospel of John, 523–524)

The “good old days” were not always so “good”, nor as easy as some folks think. However, there are some things about “the good old days” that I really miss. Near the top of the list is hospitality. I remember that, as a young Christian, we would either have someone in our home or be in someone’s home nearly every Sunday. I’ll never forget the wonderful times we had together and how it aided in my spiritual growth. I was reminded of this when I read the following article from “Turning Point”.

Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth, missionaries to China, practiced “Open-House Evangelism.” Since the Chinese were curious to see the interior of their home, the Goforths opened their house for tours. Visitors came from miles around. Jonathan would give a brief presentation of the Gospel, then Rosalind would speak with the women afterward. On one single day, more than 2,000 people showed up; and during a particular five-month period, some 25,000 people came to visit. Rosalind later said, “Some may think that receiving visitors is not real mission work, but I think it is. I put myself out to make friends with the people and I reap the results when I go to their villages to preach.”

Few of us would invite 25,000 people to tour our home, but too many of us overlook the gift of hospitality. It’s a great blessing to open one’s home, and family, and table to those in need–whether the need is financial, spiritual, or relational. If it’s impossible to open your home, there are lots of other ways to be hospitable. Just remember that hospitality is one mark of a generous life.

Entertaining says, “I want to impress you with my home….” Hospitality, seeking to minister, says, “This home is a gift from my Master….” Hospitality aims to serve.(Karen Maines).

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Philippians 3:13

“Post-it-notes” have been popular ever since their invention. It seems that man has always had a problem with his memory, and he does some strange things to overcome it–like “tie a string around your finger”,etc. By the way, it usually doesn’t get any better with age!

The fact of the matter is that God knows we have difficulty remembering things that are important. An example of this is found in Deuteronomy 6:3-12, where God instructed Israel to write His words in various places around the house. I guess you could say that it was God who invented the post-it-notes. I thought about this when I recently read an article by the late Adrian Rogers, entitled “Staying Focused on God’s Plan for Your Life”. Here’s what he wrote:

The devil would love to get you distracted and get you off the course on which God has placed you. God has something He wants you to do and you had better not substitute the good for the best. Find out what God wants you to do and refuse to be distracted by the devil. You need to say as the apostle Paul said, “This one thing I do!” Know what it is that God wants you to do and do it with all your strength for His glory!

Take a few minutes to write out a mission statement about your life focusing on “that one thing” (TOT) that you think God has called you to do. Then, post the letters TOT everywhere to remind yourself to stay focused on the calling of God in your life.

That’s a pretty good idea. We need all the help we can get when it comes to keeping our focus on the main thing. Some seem to have forgotten the purpose for which they exist and they waste their life in pursuit of things that are of secondary impotance. Paul said,”For to me to live is Christ”. What is it for you? What is “TOT” for you?