It's that time of the year again! People are preparing for festive holiday dinners and get-togethers. The Thanksgiving holiday seems to kick off the chain of seasonal events! The children are busy making out their Christmas lists, the malls are gradually becoming more crowded, decisions are being made about where to spend the holidays, and the bank account is swiftly decreasing.
During all this hussle and bussle, it is very easy to get stressed out, depressed, bombarded, and most of all—sidetracked!
When I say sidetracked, I'm referring to your personal time with God. Most of us are guilty of getting so caught up in our Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday planning that our quality time with God takes a back seat for a while. "There's just not enough time in a day!"
Who has time anymore, especially during the holiday months, to read the Word? If there is any time spent with God, it might be reading a couple of scriptures before you go to bed. Then, we wonder why we're so stressed out, our mind is uneasy, we're out of money, and we're overwhelmed with everything we need to do.
Joshua 1:8 says,
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
I think we could all use some prosperity and success this year in our holiday shopping. When people think of Thanksgiving, they think about giving thanks, about family and friends, and about reflecting on how blessed we are to live in this wonderful country. When people think of Christmas, we think of joy, peace and hope.
Holiday Realities Must Begin With God
But in reality, statistics have shown that depression, stress, suicides, and divorces are more dominant during the holidays than any other time of the year. Take Christmas for example. Christmas is not like it used to be. It is so expensive to celebrate Christmas nowadays. Most people get into serious debt during the holidays and never seem to get out.
That's why it is so important that you begin each and every day with the Lord no matter how busy you are. When you start your day by praying in the Holy Spirit and fellowshipping with the Lord, you'll be full of peace, patience (for standing in those long cashier lines), and joy to face the day ahead.
Have you ever had your car battery run down? When that happens, you have to get jumper cables in order to recharge the battery, right? When you get run down spiritually, praying in tongues does the same thing for your spirit. It builds you up and makes you strong again just like recharging a battery.
Jude 20 says, "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost." Spending time with God is like eating. You have to eat in order to have strength and energy. If you don't eat, you'll die. It's the same thing with the Word of God. The Word must be digested every day in order to keep your spirit strong and full of joy. Without the Word, your spirit will wither away.
Don't let the stress of cooking, planning, buying, decorating, and shopping for the holidays get you down this year. Let the joy of the Lord rise up on the inside of you and enable you to enjoy this time of the year. Proverbs 15:15 says, "But he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."
Feast On God's Word
In order to obtain this merry heart, you must feast daily at God's table. Don't just eat your midnight snack with the Lord; feast daily with God. Enjoy three full meals a day. Psalms 23:5 says, "Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."
Do you have enemies this holiday season? It could be finances, sickness, family problems, depression and the list goes on.... If you don't spend time in the Word, you will not have the strength to overcome these enemies in your life. They will overcome you.
The Word says that God sits in the heavens and laughs at His enemies until they become His footstool. The only way you can laugh at your enemies (problems) is to know what the Word says about them, and that joy from the Word will give you inner strength to overcome every obstacle in your life.
Don't let Satan get the best of you this Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season whether it be by attacking your finances, your family members, your health or simply by attacking your time with God.
Make it a point to feast daily at God's table this year, not just at Christmas, but every day of the year! In doing so, you will experience a stress-free, enjoyable holiday season!
| Carolyn Savelle | |
| Web site: Jerry Savelle Ministries International | |
 Carolyn Savelle, wife of minister and author Jerry Savelle, is a highly anointed teacher of the Word of God.Carolyn has an incredible testimony of growing up her entire life under the power and anointing of Jesus. She was reared in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she heard preachers such as Oral Roberts and William Branham. Throughout her life she has witnessed God’s miraculous power. At the age of eight she heard the voice of God calling her into the ministry. God spoke to her and said, "One day you will marry a man who will preach the gospel and you will be missionaries in Africa." Her husband, Dr. Jerry Savelle, is now a world-renowned evangelist and teacher of the Word of Faith. Throughout her life, Carolyn has been a bold and powerful minister of the Word of God. Her teachings have blessed thousands and made a profound impact on the lives of people throughout the world. | |
http://www.cfaith.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3311:feasting-at-gods-table&catid=117:thanksgiving&Itemid=67
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