The Power of Hospitality (2) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo



Topic: The Power of Hospitality (2)

Dear Reader,

What a wonderful week and what a unique opportunity to share with you the thoughts of God for the now!

In the last edition, I began sharing on the theme, “The Power of Hospitality.” I said that hospitality is a virtue from God. God’s plan for you includes hospitality. God’s divine design is to open the hearts of people everywhere it is practised.

Hospitality connects your heart with God’s heart. It is a hidden power reserved by God, for those who dare to practise it. In this unique edition, I shall be looking at “Our Motivation to Practise Hospitality.”

What is our motivation for practising hospitality? Does it come from a memory of the past and a hope for the future? Leviticus 19:33-34 says: And if a stranger sojourns with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

The instruction that God gave them was to love strangers “for you were strangers, in the land of Egypt.” Why should a person love strangers just because he has been a stranger? Perhaps he shouldn’t, but that’s not the point. The point is that they were strangers in Egypt, but aren’t any more! Why? Because, the Lord your God has been so good to them.

Hospitality, according to Apostle James, is an act that gives substance to our faith. The Bible rightly puts it this way:  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? (James 2:14-16). Your profession of faith will not benefit anyone you could not reach out to physically.

Looking Back

When you look back, you remember that you owe your life to God’s act of hospitality. When you remember the point you started from, you will not grumble at helping others, who might be at that your starting point. As a born again Christian now enjoying the benefits of salvation, remember that you were once an alien in the ‘Egypt’ of sin and death. But God sacrificed His Son as the Passover Lamb on the cross (1 Corinthians 5:7), to give us eternal life (Ephesians 2:5). Thus, the Lord has blessed you so that you can bless others. Open the door of your heart to welcome those that are cold out there. Let the heat of the love of God keep them warm. The Bible says: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid… (Matthew 5:14-16). Your light will shine, if you are hospitable.


Looking Forward

Then, you can look forward to the future and see yourself in the hands of the God of love who will meet all your needs in the wilderness of life. Also, look forward to the time your children will be aliens in a strange land, will need someone to take them in and they will eat of the harvest of your sown seed of hospitality.

What Happens When You Practise Hospitality?

When you practise hospitality, you experience the joy of becoming an extension of God’s hospitality; which will be the other way round if you lack hospitality. Also, when you practise hospitality, you experience the thrill of God’s power conquering your fears, stinginess and self-centeredness. The liberating power of God’s hospitality makes us new and radically different kind of people, who love to reflect the glory of His grace in the lives of others.

Hospitality is born out of love and God is love. You need to know God to be hospitable to people around you. Are you born again? Are you ready to accept Jesus Christ into your life? If you are set to become a child of God then, pray this prayer of faith with me: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in the Lamb’s Book of life. Thank You Lord for saving me.”

If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, congratulations, you are born again! You are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).


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