He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me.

– Matthew 10:40

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

Now it is the late period of the last days. Many brothers and sisters are waiting for the Lord’s second coming. However, we dare not receive those who preach the gospel to us because of fearing to be deceived by false Christs. Let’s have a discussion about whether we should receive the strangers who preach to us. The Lord Jesus said, “He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward” (Matthew 10:41). “Whoever shall receive this child in my name receives me: and whoever shall receive me receives him that sent me” (Luke 9:48). The Lord Jesus said clearly that receiving the messengers who preach the gospel is receiving the Lord, and is doing the will of God. The Bible records: Abraham received three strangers, and then he had a son when he was one hundred years old. Lot received strangers, and when Sodom was destroyed, he and his two daughters survived. Rahab the harlot received strangers, and she and the others in her house were spared. The poor widow from Zarephath received a stranger, the prophet Elijah, and then the bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry; and when the son of the widow was seriously sick, Elijah prayed to God and cured him. All of those who received strangers obtained God’s grace unawares. So we shouldn’t refuse to receive strangers because of fearing to be deceived by false Christs. This practice is not after God’s heart. Since nowadays we are all waiting for the Lord’s second coming, when someone preaches to us, we should seek and investigate with a humble heart. This is the Lord’s requirements of us and the attitude we believers should possess.