We get angry when we feel like God owes us a better life than we have.

The Gospel is news of what God has done to reach us. It is not advice about what we must do to reach God.

It seems almost oxymoronic to believe that this new idealism has led to a new pessimism about marriage, but that is exactly what has happened. In generations past there was far less talk about "compatibility" and finding the ideal soul mate. Today we are looking for someone who accepts us as we are and fulfills our desires, and this creates an unrealistic set of expectations that frustrates both the searchers and the searched for.

To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible’s teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn’t have any views that upset you. Does that belief make sense? If you don’t trust the Bible enough to let it challenge and correct your thinking, how could you ever have a personal relationship with God? In any truly personal relationship, the other person has to be able to contradict you.

The world can’t save itself. That’s the message of Christmas.

God so loved us and hates suffering that he was willing to come down and get involved in it.

We are called not simply to communicate the gospel to nonbelievers; we must also intentionally celebrate the gospel before them.