Salvation is all about the grace of God. There is absolutely nothing that you can do to save yourself or earn God's favor.

With my natural communication abilities, I could probably gather a crowd even without the Spirit.

Yes, it is God who works in you. And, yes, there is work for you to do. Yes, the Spirit empowers you to do the work. And, yes, you do the work.

Honestly, when I read the Scriptures, I really believe the Lord puts a heart in us when we become believers.

The message of the Bible is not about God in Heaven who wants to take from you. It's about God who wants to give to you.

Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing.

He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a 'Christian' without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd.