June 27th, 2020

Loving like Jesus
 
                                                  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, - Phil 1:3
 
    Note how constantly love thinks of those loved. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you”.  Paul could not measure the love that he felt for the Philippian Christians. When a mother and father go away from home for a vacation and leave a child behind, can you imagine their not thinking of their child, not wondering how their child is getting on? When a husband must go on a trip an leave his wife, if he loves her, he thinks of her often. If you have a loved one in the hospital, you think of that one all the time.
 
    Do you, in the fellowship of your church, think like that of one another? “I think my God upon every remembrance of you.” How constantly and how intimately love thinks of those loved. Paul says, “I have you in my heart.” Everywhere I go, I carry you around with me, as I think of you, your needs, your successes, and your work. What a wonderful love was this!
 
    What a difference this kind of warmth and fellowship makes in the church today. “I think my God upon every remembrance of you.” What warmth of affection and love there was in this wonderful group-between Paul and themselves and between themselves and Paul. Such a love should characterize the fellowship we have of one another.
 
    In the second century, Aristides described Christians to the Emperor Hadria in the following manner: "They love one another. They never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If they have something they give freely to the man who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home, and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don't consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit, in God."
 
     It was said of Jesus, "…having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end."  John 13:1
                                               
 
Some Truths for Living…
 
At one time William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, wanted to send a message to his fellow workers around the world.  A long cablegram would have cost too much money, so he sent only one word.  It was "OTHERS "!
 
A writer for a great newspaper once visited India. While there he met a missionary nurse who lived among the lepers and ministered to their needs. He noticed how tender and loving she was to those poor souls.  Looking at her in amazement, the reporter commented, 'I wouldn't wash their wounds for a million dollars!' 'Neither would I,' said the Christian worker, 'but I gladly do it for my Savior.  The only reward I'm looking for is His smile of approval!'"
 
A little fellow had been sent to his room because he had misbehaved.  A short time later he came out and said to his mother, "I've been thinking about what I did and I said a prayer."  "That's fine," she said, "if you ask God to make you good, He will help you."  "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me be good," replied the boy, "I asked Him to help you put up with me.
 
Pastor Rudy