Jesus experienced homelessness at Christmas so that we could experience a love we could never lose.

Rejoicing and repentance must go together. Repentance without rejoicing will lead to despair. Rejoicing without repentance is shallow and will only provide passing inspiration instead of deep change.

The very fact that we have access to God's attention and presence should concentrate the thoughts and elevate the heart.

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

The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.

Real love, the Bible says, instinctively desires permanence.

Only on the cross do you have a totally holy God and a totally loving God.