Ben Franklin said "Fish and company stink after three days."

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:13 NIV)
This is one of the blessings that John and I have received, the gift of hospitality. If you come to the farm, there is always a guest - I try and keep food for the "regulars" and they all know where my stash is! Khyle and I were up til almost midnight last night on the computer - Cody went to bed early! Daddy Don is still here for harvest and shares the basement quarters with Cody. Jaima had cousins here all weekend. Bible study here on Friday - it's amazing how many different types of people God brings through our front door. (Or the garage door, if you've been here enough to know - you come through the garage and you're more than a visitor, you're family! - Plus you can see our mess!) Pastor Kent explained the gift of hospitality to me. I thought it meant having a clean house and welcoming people. He said, it's welcoming people even when your house is a mess! AMEN

Ben Franklin said "Fish and company stink after three days."
Spiritual Gift of Hospitality Defined
The spiritual gift of hospitality is the ability to welcome strangers and entertain guests, often in your home, with great joy and kindness so that they become friends. Hospitality is supposed to include one's family (1 Tim. 5:8), friends (Prov. 27:10), Christians (Gal. 6:10), and strangers who may not be Christians (Lev. 19:34).

People with the Gift of Hospitality
These people tend to have an "open home" where others are welcome to visit. This gift is often combined with the natural talents of interior design, cooking, and event planning. Importantly, hospitality is NOT to be extended to false teachers and the like, who are a danger (2 John 10-11).

Hospitality in Scripture
Jesus spent time befriending social outcasts (Matt. 11:19), often ate with His disciples, and has welcomed us into the family of God, which includes an eternal home (John 14:2) and an eternal party (Isa. 25:6-9; Rev. 19:6-9). Elders and pastors are commanded to exercise hospitality (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8). Peter enjoyed the hospitality of Simon (Acts 9:43) and Cornelius (Acts 10:48). Paul enjoyed the hospitality of Lydia (Acts 16:15) and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:34).

Do You Have This Gift?•Do you enjoy having people in your home?
•Do you enjoy watching people meet and have fun at parties and events you helped to plan and host?
•Is your home the kind that most people feel comfortable in and drop by to visit unannounced?
•Do you feel that something is really missing in your life when you cannot have guests into your home?
•When you think of your home do you view it from the perspective of guests who will visit?
•Do you consider your home as a place of ministry?

from the website http://www.theresurgence.com/Driscoll_Spiritual_Gifts_Hospitality

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