How about you? What are you singing these days? Truth is, we all can relate to the “Joy-killers” in our lives. We all have to deal with them. Joy-killers never take a holiday off. Neither do our hurts, natural disasters, and many other things beyond our control.

Here is what I know about Luke 2:9-11. The good news of Jesus and what He means to me dispels all the fears in my life and causes me to have great joy.

The good news of why Jesus came in the first place is a perfect picture of how there is no fear in love but perfect love cast out all fear. 1 John 4:18

The problem with us keeping the focus on our dysfunction is that we could easily miss what Christmas is all about. We could easily miss why Jesus came in the first place. We could miss the real reason why we celebrate the birth of a savior.

The antidote to “This Is Us” is found in Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

On this Thanksgiving holiday, I want you to know that you are loved, valued and appreciated.

People don’t care so much about what you know. They want to see if you are willing to live out your beliefs and convictions.

They want to see if you are willing to live out what you know when the pressure is on, when the heat is turned up, when the storm is raging and the battle and struggle is real for you.

People want to see how you handle adversities, setbacks and disappointments. They want to see what your answers are for the hope you now have.

Psalms 40:1-3 I waited patiently on the Lord, He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him."

Christlikeness is not produced by imitation, but by inhabitation!

If we are going to be successful in this war, then we better learn who the real enemy is and how he operates so we can overcome him in Jesus name!

How different would your life be if you looked at prayer as a gift and not a spiritual discipline or something we do every now and then?

By choosing God’s word and His promises over my life and my circumstances, I have found that God is faithful and God is good, and the more I trust in Him the more I find Him to be a loving generous, gracious, healing God who loves me!!!

The qualification for praising the Lord is your breath. If you can breathe you can praise, and you should praise. The more you praise the Lord, the more peace you will have. The less you praise the Lord, the less peace you will have.