Maybe because you fill yourself with the wrong kind of news. This is not a political message at all, but if all you do is fill yourself with news from talk radio or the internet you will believe everything is ruined. Why?

1. Bad news sells. Would you watch The Weather Channel if you new the skies would always be sunny.

2. Criticism is easy.

But there may be other reasons why this joy fails to fill your heart. You may serve another king. You may serve a tyrant. I want to encourage you to serve a better king.

Is His Name above Every Name?

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Many of us functionally live under another name. We do not give the name of Christ that pre-eminence in our life. The fact that the king of all the earth is pleased with us means nothing to us, if someone else is disappointed.

Last week I watched a documentary on John Lennon making his first solo album. The songs were devastatingly honest. The first song on the album featured literally screaming, to the point that recording it would leave him hoarse every day. He screamed, MOTHER, YOU HAD ME, BUT I NEVER HAD YOU. MOTHER DON’T LEAVE ME, DON’T LEAVE ME. The album ended in absolute bitterness, I don’t believe in Hitler, I don’t believe in Jesus, I don’t believe in Kennedy, I don’t believe in the Beatles, I only believe in me.

Are you still living to please your mother? Does the thought of her disapproving look send shudders down your spine?

Are you still living to satisfy your father, proving that you work as hard as he did. Or worse, are you living to prove that you are different from him. Does the mere thought of your father make you want to poke out your chest and say, see I’m not like you?

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Are you still pretty? Are you still trying to earn a seat at the table with the pretty people in your school?

How do you feel when you turn out the lights at night? Did you do good enough today? Did you get an A today? Is the name above every name your name? Does the thought of failing your own standards drive you? If you never achieve your dreams, will you be able to sleep at night?

Until you make Jesus the name above every name in your life, you will never enjoy the hope, joy and peace that are yours. I’m not trying to ruin your relationships, I’m trying to get you to serve a better king. Then you will be free to love without feeling the slave like need to please.