The holidays are upon us
and though we would love for everything to be cheery and bright, in reality
many of us will face some awkward situations. Here’s five keys to help us:
1. GIVE IT TO
JESUS, THE MASTER OF CELEBRATIONS. It’s like Peter had already been to holiday
after holiday with the same results. He was pretty sure it would be the same as
before. But when he did his best to give it to Jesus, everything changed. In
Luke 5 Jesus told Peter to “launch out into the deep, and let down your nets
for a draught.” They hadn’t caught any fish all night and he couldn’t see
getting the nets dirty again. Also he knew that if he tried fishing in the day
he’d probably get nothing. “Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the [one]
net” (Lk 5: 4-5).
Even Peter’s small amount of true trust got results in a wonderful
way. “And
when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes (vs. 6) and he
was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which
they had taken” (vs. 9).
Jesus knows how to do celebrations. When he was at the wedding in Cana,
they ran out of wine. The party was turning sour and Jesus turned the water
into wine and made it sweet again. Who’s to say He wouldn’t do that for us??
2. RETREAT TO GOD AS OFTEN AS YOU NEED TO. Sometimes when we get into
tense situations or conversations, the best thing to do is excuse ourselves for
a few minutes and go to the restroom or take a short walk: Retreat.
The King James Version of Psalm 91: 9 tells us to make the Most High our
habitation. The Hebrew word translated “habitation” means “retreat.” It goes on
to say that because we retreat to Him “He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in
all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot
against a stone” (vss. 11-12). Stones represent the natural world.
During
the holidays we have so many opportunities to get trapped in conversations that
engender strife. We get tripped up on those stones thrown into our paths. But
we can be willing and ready to physically take a quick retreat to somewhere
else to talk to God and He will send His angels to keep us in the Lord’s way so
we don’t crash into the stones, getting offended or offensive.
3.
BLESS THOSE AROUND YOU AND ANYONE WHOSE NAME COMES UP IN CONVERSATION. God
created every person with something marvelous in mind. So no matter what little
we think a person seems to be doing toward that goal, we give them an open door
by praying, “God bless them and help them to be able to do Your perfect will
for their lives, in Jesus name. Amen.” The holidays are as good a time as any
to give people a little more sympathy and empathy. Remember that if you gossip
about others, for sure others will be gossiping about you too.
4. GET
YOUR BODY BLESSED. Going into situations where we’re uncomfortable because of
incidents or feelings from the past, tend to make us vulnerable and weak and
susceptible to old soul wounds. These can make us feel badly, think badly and
act badly, which can quickly take a toll on our physical bodies as well.
Pray
this: “God help my body to do and be as You God intended it to be.” Ephesians
4:16 says, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted
by that which every joint is supplying, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, making increase of the body unto the edifying of itself
in love.” That’s a good one to pray too.
5. GET YOUR MOUTH BLESSED. One of the biggest tricks Satan pulls
with family and friends is to get us to say something we later regret. Proverbs
18: 21 tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the
tongue.” Once
said, it’s out there and nearly irretrievable unless we almost immediately ask
forgiveness and even then it’s awkward. The best way to avoid this is to get
your mouth blessed. Pray, “Lord, help my mouth to be blessed to only say what
You intend.”
To review: 1. GIVE IT
TO JESUS, THE MASTER OF CELEBRATIONS, 2. RETREAT TO GOD AS OFTEN AS YOU NEED TO, 3. BLESS THOSE AROUND YOU AND ANYONE
WHOSE NAME COMES UP IN CONVERSATION, 4. GET YOUR BODY BLESSED, 5. GET YOUR MOUTH
BLESSED.
These are 5 keys that will really help us this holiday
season. The number 5 in the Bible
represents God’s grace. Let His grace give us amazing holiday times.
Love, Carolyn
CHRISTMAS IS COMING. Take a look at my assortment of books and
booklets: http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=WINGS%20Carolyn%20molica&linkCode=ur2&tag=jmbcsds-20&linkId=XQMVLVZYNBLYAGEM
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