Jesus tends to his people individually. He personally sees to our needs. We all receive Jesus' touch. We experience his care.

Every time we equip the church with a verse, chapter or a story from the Bible, we're really placing another weapon in the hands of the Holy Spirit that He uses to challenge and strengthen the church. I think that's very important.

Look at the Bethlehem birth. A king ordered a census. Joseph was forced to travel. Mary, as round as a ladybug, bounced on a donkey's back. The hotel was full. The hour was late. The event was one big hassle. Yet, out of the hassle, hope was born. It still is.

Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks.

You can climb too high for your own good. Linger too long at high altitudes and your hearing dulls and your eyesight dims.

It works well for me to go ahead and prepare the sermon with a chapter in mind. What that does is to force me to be very thrifty in my language, tighten up my words and not ramble so much. It puts some fiber in the sermon.

[There is] a great book from Ravi Zacharis, a scholar from India, and its called Jesus Among Other Gods. I havent read that one, but I know Ravi really well, and I know its a good book.