When we consider the promises of Christ, risking everything we are and everything we have for His sake is no longer a matter of sacrifice. It's just common sense.

We don’t go to Scripture for permission to do what we think is best, but for direction to do what He says is best.

I couldn't really jet off to the States on a whim and a prayer.

Accept Him? Do we really think Jesus needs our acceptance? Don't we need Him?

Despite the obvious qualifications of all of Jesse's other sons, God appoints the unlikely David to become the king of Israel.

The call of Christ is to deny ourselves and to let go of our lives. To relinquish control of our lives, to surrender everything we are, everything that we do, our direction our safety our security is no longer found in the things of this world. It is found in Christ. And that is great risk when it comes to the things of this world.

The key is realizing - and believing - that this world is not your home. If you and I ever hope to free our lives from worldly desires, worldly thinking, worldly pleasures, worldly dreams, worldly ideals, worldly values, worldly ambitions, and worldly acclaim, then we must focus our lives on another world.