11 Things... As A Guest

Love you all, praying for you. 

I just love God's Word.  It is truth, and life, and wisdom.  Have you ever been invited to someone’s house?  For dinner, an afternoon, or a few days? 
 
Eleven Things You Need To Know As A Guest -  1 Pray, 2 Communicate, 3 Bring, 4 When You Arrive, 5 Serve, 6 Listen, 7 Pray Over Them, 8 Inspire, 9 Leave It Better, 10 Sow A Seed, 11 When You Leave 
 
#1  Pray.  Pray for them before you arrive.  Start praying for them and their family from the time you know you will be visiting.  Your love for them will grow by the time you arrive.  It will greatly impact your time together.  Ask God to use you to bless them, and to show you how to serve.  Every visit in someone’s home is a mission’s trip.  Matthew 10:41 – “Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person, will receive a righteous person’s reward.”  God has good for them!  He will use you to bless them!  Pray first, and His blessing will come. 
 
#2 Communicate. Communicate your arrival and departure plan, and any changes as they occur.  Honor their time by allowing them to prepare for your arrival.  Don’t surprise them by being too early, and don’t leave them hanging in limbo, waiting for you to show up.  Give them a thirty minute warning.  I Corinthians 16:5-7 – “After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you – for I will be going through Macedonia.  Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter…  I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you if the Lord permits…”  Time with people is valuable.  As a guest, you’re on a mission.  God is sending you to love them! 
 
#3  Bring.  Bring a Gift as God leads, and a thank you card with you.  Ask God what meaningful gift you might bring; whether monetary (God is not running low) or a personal gift suited to them, or a spiritual gift of some kind.  It doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy, God has the perfect gift to bring.  He is a Giver, He loves us.  Romans 1:11 – For I long to see you, so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.
 
#4  When You Arrive.  Pray before entering – ask the Holy Spirit to help you show the Love of Jesus in every interaction. Pray that every word out of your mouth will only be life, and submit them to Him.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead every conversation.  Appreciate – Thank your host, and find something about their home to genuinely complement them about.  Notice – Read the room – listen spiritually, what are you walking into… peace, contention, discouragement?  God will reveal to you how to minister to the needs of this family and the people who are there.  They are precious to Him.  Notice the need.  John 5:6 – When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew he had been in that condition a long time, he said, “Do you want to be made whole?”  Be sure you greet everyone personally.  Play the 100 Game – Eye contact communicates the love of Jesus for them.  100% eye contact for the first six seconds, with increasing warmth in your eyes and smile -  so they know you really see them, are focused on them, and value them.   Six to seven seconds is good, long enough to make them feel like they are important, but not too long to make them feel awkward. The way you greet them, is their first impression of you and opens the door for further conversation as God provides the opportunity. 
 
#5  Serve.  You are there to serve, ask God to show you how.  Matthew 20:29 – Just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 
 
#6  Listen.  Listen to their heart.  Review the Relationship Topic – 11 Things... About Listening.  Go Five Deep.  Five sincere follow-up questions prompted by their last comment, to encourage them to explain further what they just shared with you.  It doesn’t have to be five exactly – Five Deep means your goal is to go deeper.  Briefly interject you own thought as it relates to what they are saying, so they don’t feel like they’re being interviewed… But sincere further questions reveal your interest in them personally.  Invite them to share the joys and challenges they are facing in life right now.  Love them by hearing their heart.  Give the gift of listening.  What is the goal of Listening?  To love them.  What is the goal of each conversation?  To help them discover their testimony.  The things God is doing in their life because He loves them - whether they know Him yet or not.  Why is that the goal?  Because when you’re gone, it will remain.  They’ll overcome with it. 
 
#7 Pray over them – Ask God to reveal His perfect timing.  And ask the Best Question Ever  (Review the PRISM Topic – Best Question Ever).  “What do you need most from God today?” (or this week), as God leads.  If it’s not a close relationship, you might preface it by asking, “Can I ask you a personal question?" (Don’t wait for the answer just go right into the best question ever).  God so often uses this question to open the window to their heart.  He will use you in this moment to minister His love and truth and grace, praying over them by the Holy Spirit, the very words of God into their life.  God will use your faith and obedience, to literally speak His words to them through your voice.    
 
#8 Inspire – Inspire them to complete a project they wouldn’t have undertaken without your motivation and help.  Let the Holy Spirit lead this opportunity – don’t force it.  When most guests leave, there is work to be done.  You can be the opposite.  Be the guest that helps them get work done!  More than they thought!  you can marshal the troops, as God leads, bring great enthusiasm and fun to a project that can be a great blessing for your host. 
 
#9 Leave It Better  – than you found it.  Whatever room you stay in,  leave it looking cleaner than when you arrived.  Make the bed, straighten the furniture, clean, dust (find a dust rag, or a sock, or your towel, they’ll wash it when you leave anyway).  Declutter without re-arranging their stuff.  Be sure you do a ‘final glance.’  When anyone comes into the room you left, they should say, “Wow, what a blessing to have them come.”  Give the parents the opportunity to train up their children, by pointing to your example. 
 
#10 Sow A Seed  – Leave a gift as God directs.  Ask God, confirm with Him.  At least leave a Thank You Card, expressing your appreciation.  Ask God what you could say that would encourage and speak life into them.  
 
#11 When You Leave  – Express your sincere, heartfelt appreciation, it’s not convenient having guests.  Affirm them in the things they do well, and how God is using them greatly to bless others.  Help them discover their testimony, direct their attention to Him and His love for them.  Pray over them before you leave, their family, and their children, God’s purpose and plan for them.  Declare His promise for their good. 
 
Whenever God sends you as a guest to someone’s home whether for a meal or for a week, He is sending you on a mission.  Know the purpose that He has for you in this visit.  Ask Him, He will tell you.  Ask God to direct your steps, how to serve, and what He wants you to leave behind.  Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, to the needs of your host, and be quick to obey.  Be the hands and feet of Jesus.  You represent you and your family, but you really represent Christ.  Jesus only did what His Father told him to do.  He laid down his life, He always preferred others over himself.  He loved the unlovely.  He washed feet.  He ministered to needs, he brought healing and words of life.  He fulfilled His purpose everywhere He went.  Likewise, God is sending you as a guest.  

Love you all, 
dad​