Religion poses a danger of creating division or intolerance between groups of people. However, the gospel of Jesus lead us to three things: humble service, reconciling behavior that is neither patronizing nor self-righteous, and a love toward people who hold different beliefs than we do.

We must have a strong inner life of fellowship and intimacy with Jesus if we are going to have a strong outer life of ministry

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

Happiness is a by-product of wanting something more than happiness-to be rightly related to God and our neighbor.

Trust is accepting what God sends into your life whether you understand it or not.

Unless we believe the gospel, we will be driven in all we do-whether obeying or disobeying-by pride ('self-love') or fear ('of damnation'). Apart from 'grateful remembering' of the gospel, all good works are done then for sinful motives. Mere moral effort may restrain the heart, but does not truly change the heart. Moral effort merely 'jury rigs' the evil of the heart to produce moral behavior out of self-interest. It is only a matter of time before such a thin tissue collapses.

Faith is not primarily a function of how you feel. Faith is living out and believing what truth is despite what you feel.