The Power Of Hospitality, Faith and Generosity

Introduction

God always blesses those who dare to trust Him, and allow Him to work through them. In the Bible passages for today we see two people with different life circumstances, and how they responded to the prophets of God in a similar way as their circumstances allowed. We also see the effect of their actions and how God intervened in their lives.

Abraham And The Angelic Visitors

; ;

This is a well known story in their Bible. Three ‘men’ visited Abraham one afternoon. His reaction when he saw them approaching tells much about him. He was hospitable, generous and kind(). It was in the middles of his hospitality that he found out that these were angelic visitors who came to announce to him that the time of the fulfilment of God’s promises to him (). The promise was fulfilled as God had spoken (). It was from this incident that we got the instruction in ().

Elijah And The Widow of Zarephath

; ;

The focus here is on the widow who took care of Elijah during the time of famine. Though she had only what she considered to be their last meal (). Her poverty did not deter her from being generous to the prophet of God. She clearly showed faith in the God of Elijah. She immediately acted on the word of Elijah. Can you act on the word of God? If I, through the Word of God, ask you to do something will you do it? We must begin to act on the Word. The result of the widow’s obedience and generosity to Elijah was a remarkable miracle. God sustained her, her son and Elijah, miraculously through the famine. God can sustain you through any situation. You must trust in Him even in the simplest things.

Elisha And The Shunammite Woman

;

The Shunammite saw Elisha and perceived that he was a prophet of God. She spoke to her husband and they decided to make provision for Elisha’s comfort. This is a very beautiful story. They prepared a well equipped room for the prophet of God. Elisha stayed there for many days. When he asked what he could do for her, she said, “Nothing. Don’t worry. We are fine” But when Elisha perceived that she had no child, the prophesy concerning that came (). And she had a son.

You see, when you are generous, and hospitable, you are sowing a seed. The result will come during harvest time. While you wait, you have faith in God (). This woman never knew the things that lay ahead for her! She was a woman of faith in God. Her family took care of Elisha for quite a time. Now another problem arose, the child died, perhaps of sunstroke (). But her faith did not fail. Her son came back to life ().

Listen to the word of God to you (; ; ; ; ).

In Luk

Luke 6:38 KJV 1900

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Romans 11:35 KJV 1900

35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

Proverbs 19:17 KJV 1900

17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; And that which he hath given will he pay him again.

2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV 1900

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV 1900

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall himself be watered also. Faith in God, hospitality and generosity are the recipe for sustained divine blessings. You are looking for divine blessings? You are expecting to prosper by godly means? You are expecting divine intervention in the affair concerning you? You are looking to be properly guided in a world that is increasingly godless? Then hear the word of the Lord and follow it. God is no respecter of persons. If you fulfil the conditions, He will bless you ()!

Galatians 6:7–10 KJV 1900

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.