The "Let Us" series continued....in which I look up and comment on every mention of "Let US" in the NT...

Let us be hospitable to one another without begrudging or griping. If a brother or sister (or stranger) has a need - meet the need joyfully, remembering it is "better to give than to receive". Do they need a place to sleep? Give them your bed (or couch). Do they need to be clothed? Give them yours, or buy them some. Do they need food? Feed them! Daily if you must. The only time you do not help someone in need is when the Holy Spirit tells you not to - for example, bringing a homeless stranger into your home. My wife and I have done it with no problems whatsoever, still, especially when our daughters were young, we had them sleep with us, just to be cautious but of course, the Holy Spirit can be completely relied on, always, to warn us of potential danger. Another policy my wife and I follow is that all decisions must be agreed upon by both of us, concerning ministry.
In my experience, most churches are not need centered. They are unable or better put, unwilling to meet people's needs, spontaneously, at the Holy Spirit's request. Most churches get poor marks for meeting the needs of their own congregations, much less a stranger's needs. I was just told a story the other day of a young family of four that faithfully attended a church for years, tithing and giving offerings the whole time. Then one day the dad lost his job and had to move his family to another state. He asked his church for help with moving expenses and they refused. I now of another man who attended a denominational church for years, even working for them. He had a wife and child. One day, he suddenly became ill with an aggressive form of cancer - he had to quit his job while getting treatment. He was living in housing provided by the church. As soon as he could no longer work for them, they kicked him out of his house, even though unbelievers working for them rallied around him and offered to give up rooms in their homes, the church refused and still kicked him to the curb. He died a few month's later - exiled from the denomination he called home for the last decade of his life. I cannot understand how anyone, knowing how they treated this man, could continue attending this denomination's churches. For that matter, it is a shame on the American churches, and a indictment against Christianity as a religion, that there are any homeless people at all in the richest country on earth. I lament the fact that every city and town in America is filled with dozens upon dozens of churches - that could all be used to house and shelter the homeless, yet they do not. They often have such beautiful buildings, easily able to house and feed the homeless, on the floor on mats, on cots or even on pews - just giving them a warm, dry, safe place to spend the night would be such a great kindness, yet they do not. Some may invite the poor to a food pantry, but not to their feasts where they would have to fellowship with them and treat them with respect, as equals. We should esteem the poor and weak more highly than ourselves. More often than not, the cruelest people I've met are those who claim Jesus Christ as their savior. Reader - if anyone claims they're a Christian, ask to see their ID card - "If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he IS A LIAR; for he that loveth not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? He who loveth God (must) love his brother also". This is God's command and it is the hallmark of every Christian, it is our ID, our identity, simple though this may sound - our love for one another and all men, is what makes us His disciples "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another". If you cannot genuinely love me, if your love for me, a Jewish Apostle, is superficial, then do not claim to be my brother in Christ for of a truth, you are not of the same Body i am of. I say "Jewish Apostle" because there is so much animosity in many denominations towards Apostles and Prophets and towards Israel - "replacement theology" is running rampant, you know, God has replaced Israel with the Church (not true) and He's replaced Prophets with Pastors (also not true). You know who has replaced them? Satan, of course.