How To Be Happy In Your Home (2) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo
Topic: How to be Happy in Your Home (2)
Dear Reader,
It is a wonderful time in God’s presence. Last week, I started sharing with you on how you can be happy in your home. This week, I will be teaching on Hospitality: the Gateway to a Happy Home.
What is Hospitality?
Hospitality is the friendly, generous reception and entertainment of guests or strangers, especially in one’s home. It is the willingness to share, with discernment, what God has given you. This includes sharing your home, finances and food with others. Hospitality is an attitude of stewardship, knowing fully well that you do not own anything but you are merely the caretaker and God is the real owner.
He desires that you share His love with others, and all these must be done in reverence and gratitude to Him. Likewise, in relationships, you can be hospitable yet honour the boundaries of others; sharing all you have without strings attached. This will convince them that you are a Christian thereby leading to the growth of the Church. The Word of God says: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2).
Hospitality also enables you contribute to the development and growth of your family, friends, and fellow Christians; it is the door to discipleship. Without hospitality, discipleship will be limited because it is an integral part of the Great Commission that Christ gave us as a Church. (Matthew 28:18-20). You must be willing to go beyond your defined needs, comforts, and ideals to provide an environment that contributes to the physical and spiritual growth of people around you. Furthermore, we must understand that hospitality is not a gift; rather, it is a call to us all!
One of the most important calls that Christ gave His church is to show hospitality towards people. We are His ambassadors who He uses as His welcoming arms to draw people from outside into His presence! He is the Seeker; we are the ones He seeks, and sometimes we are the ones He uses to seek others (It is God’s desire that all His children be saved, yet it is only a few that accepts His grace). It is the role of the Holy Spirit to save people, and we are the instruments through which He works. So, we must be a church that welcomes not only believers, but also those who may never have been inside a church before. This ministry of hospitality is about being His ambassador on the earth.
As a single person, you can also be hospitable. Rebecca was a perfect example of hospitality. When Abraham’s servant came to Mesopotamia to take a wife for Isaac, he said a prayer to God:…Let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down your pitcher, I pray you, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give your camels drink also: let the same be she that you have appointed for your servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that you have showed kindness to my master (Genesis 24:14). Abraham’s servant knew that Isaac belonged to a hospitality addicted family. Thus, he prayed for a kind and hospitable wife for him. He knew that any woman who would offer water to a stranger and his camels would be a hospitable person. The criteria for his choice were not based on possessions, height, beauty or education; but a warm and loving heart.
Singles who are hospitable will certainly welcome their life partners unknowingly. Do you believe God for a life partner? How hospitable are you? The choice is yours!
Let brotherly love be the reason for reaching out to others (Romans 12:10/13). Brotherly love makes hospitality easy, it makes you want to reach out to others and give them a helping hand and it is also what makes you want to share what you have with others. This was the strength of the first century church; no one had a need among them. Those who had, eagerly distributed to others who had none; they shared all things in common (Acts 2:44-45). As a result of this display of brotherly love, God’s power was evident in their midst. You need to be sold out to hospitality; it’s the path to God’s presence in your marriage and home.
However, the grace to be hospitable is available when you give your life to Christ. You do this by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. If you want to receive this grace, could you please say this prayer of faith with me? “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”
Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are born again and 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 to 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)
