"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

— Matthew 18:20

There is something special that happens when God's people come together for worship. Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).

One of the ways we express our worship is through our singing. You may not like to sing, but worship is not an art form; it is a heart form. When we sing, God is looking at our hearts. We may have professionals who lead us in worship, but I think God cares about our hearts more than anything else. Worship is a form of prayer, so we want to reverently come before God and honor Him. And He will bless it when we remember Him in this way.

Worship also can be a witness. I think it is a powerful testimony when a believer can worship in the midst of pain, like Paul and Silas, who sang praises to God in prison after their backs had been ripped open from being beaten. Or Job, who worshiped and said, "Blessed be the name of the Lord" after he lost his children, his possessions, and his health. It is a witness, because the world watches and says, "How can they worship at a time like that?"

The Bible talks about offering a sacrifice of praise to God. Quite frankly, there are times when I don't feel like praising God. But I don't praise God because I feel like it. The Bible says, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever" (Psalm 107:1). So at times when you are not feeling like it, if you will give praise and worship to God, even the sacrifice of praise, it can be a powerful testimony to a lost and watching world.

"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

— Matthew 2:2

The very word "Christmas" has been emptied of its meaning, drug through the gutter, and given back to us, minus its power. Some prefer to use the more politically correct terminology at this time of year, like "Happy Holidays," "Merry Xmas," or even "Happy Winter Solstice." But I actually think those things are not as bad as the person who says, "Merry Christmas" with no idea whatsoever of what Christmas really means.

I think we should cancel the version of Christmas that is filled with hype and endless activity leading to exhaustion, the version that gives little to any thought of Christ. We should cancel Christmas and instead celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I still believe in Christmas, but not in the holiday as our culture celebrates it. I believe in the real message of Christmas, which is the birth of our Lord.

Maybe you are bracing yourself for a tough Christmas. Maybe you think Christmas won't be as good this year as it was before. But what if this Christmas were better than any Christmas you have ever experienced, because you have been freed from the pressure of having to get stuff? That could be a really good Christmas. It could actually be the most wonderful Christmas of your life.

The primary message of Christmas is this: God is with us. Isaiah 7:14 tells us, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Immanuel means, "God is with us."

So the message of the season is not, "Let it snow" or even, "Let us shop." The real message of Christmas is, "Let us worship." That is what the wise men came to do. And that is what we should be doing as well.

"For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' "
— Acts 27:23–24


There are a number of analogies in the Bible that illustrate how we belong to God. For instance, we are called the bride of Christ. We are also compared to sheep that belong to a shepherd. Jesus said that He is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep (see John 10).

Sometimes we romanticize sheep, not realizing they are among the stupidest animals on earth. It should not inflate us with pride to know that we are compared to sheep. But it does remind us that just as a shepherd keeps watch over his sheep, God watches over us.

We are also compared to children. Romans 8:15 says, "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' " Abba was the affectionate cry of Hebrew children for their fathers. Even in Israel today, you will hear children calling their fathers "Abba." It is loving. It is endearing. It is close. And we have that kind of access to God.

Finally we are referred to as God's actual property. We read in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" God has reassured us of this by putting His seal on us as a king would seal his property. We belong to God.

An older gentleman who was known for his godly life was asked what he does when he is tempted. He replied, "Well, I just look up to heaven and say, 'Lord, your property is in danger.' "

You are God's bride. You are His sheep. You are His child. You are His property. So rejoice!

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

— 2 Corinthians 4:8–9

Sometimes people think they will have smooth sailing as long as they are in the will of God. But that wasn't true of the apostle Paul. He seemed to face every kind of adversity imaginable, from enemies who tried to destroy him to physical suffering to being shipwrecked three times.

We all will have shipwrecks in our lives in some way, shape, or form. The reality of life is that we are either coming out of a storm or we are going into one. That is just the way it is. There are times when we will have smooth sailing. There are times when the sky will be blue and the sun will be shining. There will be beautiful moments in our lives in between the storms. Thank God for those moments.

But the reality is that we can live a prosperous life in the will of God and still face conflict. Paul went through a shipwreck on his way to Rome, but he had a prosperous journey by the will of God because of what it ultimately accomplished. That is a different definition of prosperity than we may normally think of.

It has been said that you can't direct the wind, but you can adjust your sails. I cannot control the world. I would love to if I could. Nor can I control the circumstances that come my way. But I can control my reaction to them. I can redirect my sails and adapt.

We all will face storms, difficulties, and even shipwrecks. So it is time for us to develop our sea legs and not focus so much on how to avoid storms, but on how to get through them, how to survive them, and how to learn the lessons that we can only learn in such places.

"And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

— Acts 20:35

When you are very young, you are usually preoccupied with what you are getting for Christmas. But as you get older, you start learning the joy of giving, and you actually find that it is indeed more of a blessing to give than it is to receive.

We need to learn to be generous with everything that God has given to us. Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38). You can't outgive God.

So let's learn the joy of giving. Let's learn the joy of giving of our time, our resources, our talents and abilities—whatever God has given to us. Some hoard what God has given them, not wanting to give, not understanding that as you give out, more is given to you: "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself" (Proverbs 11:25).

It helps me when I can help you. It blesses me when I can bless you. And I will let you in on a little discovery I have made: I am probably more blessed giving than those who are receiving. If you apply that principle yourself, then you will learn a wonderful secret: the joy of giving in every area of your life. Have you discovered that secret yet?

We don't know how long we will live. But I believe that if we live each day as unto the Lord, then we won't have to worry about the length of our lives. So make every day count. Don't waste your life. Give out of what God has given you. Live your life well.