Jesus lost all his glory so that we could be clothed in it. He was shut out so we could get access. He was bound, nailed, so that we could be free. He was cast out so we could approach. And Jesus took away the only kind of suffering that can really destroy you: that is being cast away from God. He took so that now all suffering that comes into your life will only make you great. A lump of coal under pressure becomes a diamond. And the suffering of a person in Christ only turns you into somebody gorgeous.

To truly become Christians we must also repent of the reasons we ever did anything right.

Christmas is an invitation by God to say: Look what I've done to come near to you. Now draw near to me...I want to be a friend.

If you're avoiding sin and living morally so that God will have to bless you and save you, then you may be looking to Jesus as a teacher, model, and helper, but ironically you are avoiding him as Savior. You are trusting in your own goodness rather than in Jesus for your standing with God.

Forgiveness always comes at a cost to the one granting the forgiveness. To not retaliate is to absorb the cost.

Most apologetic books are really written for Christians, even the ones that purport to be written for non-believers.

To pray is to accept that we are, and always will be, wholly dependent on God for everything.