It is remarkable that in all of his writings Paul's prayers for his friends contain no appeals for changes in their circumstances.

On the cross Jesus was treated as an outcast so that we could be brought into God's family freely by grace.

In the christian view, the ultimate evidence for the existence of God is Jesus Christ. If there is a God, we characters in his play have to hope that he put some information about himself in the play. But Christians believe he did more than give us information. He wrote himself into the play as the main character in history, when Jesus was born in a manger and rose from the dead.

We have to be careful not to elevate our preferences to moral standards and judge others by them. We only do so to feel superior.

When Jesus looked down from the cross, he didn't think “I am giving myself to you because you are so attractive to me.” No, he was in agony, and he looked down at us - denying him, abandoning him, and betraying him - and in the greatest act of love in history, he STAYED. He said, “Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing.” He loved us, not because we were lovely to him, but to make us lovely.

Many people think of the Bible as a book of moral teachings with stories sprinkled through to illustrate the teachings. But it's a lot BETTER THAN THAT...the Bible is a single true story with teachings sprinkled through to illustrate the story.

To love our success more than God and our neighbor hardens the heart, making us less able to feel and to sense.