SURRENDER TO LOVE

 

On this long journey of love and nerve,
Bound by the cross to follow Jesus Christ,
Choose every day whom you will serve, 

Just don't be surprised if you lose your life.

The more you love the more you will grieve,
There is no escaping the onset of death;
But as we surrender our hearts to holy love,
God's providential promise is our strength.

Surrender to Love - Lift holy hands to Heaven,

Release ALL the stuff that binds you to Earth;

Press on by FAITH through all of life's storms,

For @ the journey's end is an eternal treasure.

Life Lives On in the Freedom of Forever Love!

Take Up Our Cross In the message "Shiny Stones" we saw how we are often trapped by the seductive temptations of the world and kept from a truly free life - a life found only through complete surrender to Jesus; "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).  This may seem a little radical - maybe only something for those "really serious" Christians - but God's Word clearly sets this as the standard for all His children. Matthew 10:38 "Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me." Luke records similar words as Jesus spoke to a large crowd: "and anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:27).  Jesus also said that anyone who would come after Him must "take up his cross daily and follow" (Luke 9:23). But what does it mean to take up our cross?  I've heard people refer to a hardship or difficult situation as "my cross to bear," but God's Word contains no such reference.  The cross has only one Biblical association: Death!  The only time anyone would carry their cross was when they were about to die. Yes, we are called to die.  But the call is not to a physical death - this death will eventually come to us all, and there's never a need to hasten its arrival.  The call of Jesus is to a death of "self," the old sinful nature with its evil desires, dreams, and ambitions: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in this body, I live by faith in the Son of God" (Galatians 2:20). We are called to a death which leads to true contentment and peace.  But this death is not a one time event; we are called to die daily!  And this death is never easy.  Don't be surprised when every day seems to breath life into our old nature - when we begin to talk, act, and think contrary to the way of Christ.  When this occurs, simply praise God for the conviction of His Spirit, take up the cross once again, and continue to follow down His path. As we "die" and completely surrender control to God, temptations of the world lose their pull and anxieties lose their source of concern.  As we no longer live, we no longer focus on the cravings of our flesh nor about what tomorrow may or may not bring.  As Christ lives in us, the enemy loses their ability to effectively attack - they are no longer attacking us but Christ...and He always wins! Our call is to become a follower of Jesus Christ and be transformed into His image.  But to follow we must die!  Let's become His worthy disciple as we love Him and trust Him with all our heart.  Let's set aside all that is not directed by God and take up our cross. Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries   *****************************************************  Archive  |  Blog  |  Support   Subscribe  |  Invite  |  Feedback and Prayer    Verses of Encouragement      Find us on Facebook        Mail from GDWM is only sent to those who subscribe (free of cost) or by invitation from friends.  Please unsubscribe if these messages are no longer desired.  We absolutely do not support unsolicited E-mail. Scripture references: The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. *****************************************************

On Oct 10, 2017 3:06 AM, "A Slice of Infinity" <slice@sliceofinfinity.org> wrote:

View this email in your browser The Risk of Love Actuarial science is the discipline that applies statistical methods to assess risk of disability, morbidity, mortality, fertility, and other life-contingencies. Generally, actuaries are employed by insurance companies or risk management firms to calculate the 'risks' associated with insuring individuals against life's catastrophes. Actuarial science offers accurate and razor-sharp predictive power in order to prevent capital loss for those very companies. There are always exceptions, of course, that confound even actuaries. These 'outlier' events come unannounced. So rare are these exceptions that a theory was developed to explain their occurrence. The Black Swan Theory developed by Nassim Nicolas Taleb suggests that surprise events have major and long-lasting impact.(1) The recent mass-shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada; 2001 terrorist attacks; the Pacific tsunami in 2004; the stock-market crash of 1987; not even a seasoned actuary could have predicted these events with any level of confidence. The result of the unexpected can be a deep and pervading fear. In the case of the Las Vegas shooting, the assailant does not fit any of the typical 'mass-shooter' profiles. The fear that results creates a deep suspicion of others since it appears anyone can become a mass-murderer. Yet, as dramatic and horrific as these events are, they are still rare 'outlier' events. But their impact is long-lasting on the individual and public psyche. Francisco Goya, The Madness of Fear (La locura del miedo), etching on paper, 1819-1823. In my own life, for example, I have come to fear airplane travel—particularly, I fear the worst possible scenarios regarding airplane travel—despite the fact that the odds are much higher for my getting in a car accident when I go to the grocery store. When I swim in the ocean, I fear a shark-attack more than I fear the more likely event of drowning. These are the 'black swan' events that haunt me. They are rare and infrequent outliers but their impact on me is as significant as the potential sighting of a real black swan in my front yard; an unlikely but extraordinary occurrence, indeed. Intellectually, we understand that we are much more likely to die from heart disease—the number 1 killer in the U.S. and around the world according to the CDC and the WHO.(2) Yet, we do not generally react with the same kind of fear to the more likely and pervasive threats to our lives. According to recent statistics, 7.4 million people around the world died from heart disease, while 32,658 persons died world-wide in terrorist related events.(3) Yet our deepest fears seem to center on that which is a more remote possibility. In my own case, I have often wondered what contributes to these deep fears—fears of largely remote possibilities— that continue to impact my life in negative ways. Is it that they are completely outside of my control or influence? Is it that they highlight my utter vulnerability? Is it that I have some psychological deficiency or a spiritual lack? Do I simply not have enough faith? Or enough love? Whatever the contributing factors, my tendency is to live by fear far more often than I live with hope. Jesus encouraged his followers not to be anxious but to trust in the God who could be trusted even in the face of our anxieties. Hope, contrary to what many might believe, is not the absence of fear but often arises in the midst of fear. It is both that which anchors us in the midst of the storm, and that which compels us to move forward—however ploddingly—toward goals, our neighbors, and the God whom the apostle Paul names the "God of hope" in his letter to the Romans. We hold on to hope even as we understand that living involves risk—all kinds of risks from the commonplace to the extraordinary. Hope can often feel like a desperate clinging to the God who is mysterious, and of whom we have no control. Following in the teaching of Jesus, the epistle of John seems to indicate that fear is the opposite of love. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love" (I John 4:18). Yet to love, of course, implies risk since love can be rejected and scorned. Our attempts to love are misunderstood, unfulfilled, or unrequited. Yet, in order to love we must trust and hope even with the risk involved. While there is no direct connection between a lack of love on my part and my fear of dying in an airplane crash, there are other very real fears for which this directly applies. My fear of the 'other' whoever the 'other' might be; my fear of speaking what is difficult, but likely true; and my fear of putting concrete action behind what I profess all seem tied to the difficulty of loving as Jesus loved. His was a costly love that encircled even those who would eventually call for his death. His was a bold love that risked even when that risk cost him his life. Many in our world today would see Jesus as a fool. Naïve and trusting to the point that it got him killed. The foolishness of the cross and the weakness of God is all they can see, as the Apostle Paul noted in his letter to the Corinthians.(4) Yet, to love—even when it appears to be foolish like loving those we fear, or those deemed 'enemies'—is the centerpiece of Jesus's life and teaching. But we cannot love when we are afraid. Moreover, loving as Jesus loved does not guarantee that our worst fears will not be realized or that the unexpected will not happen; it is not the actuarial near-certainty or risk avoidance. Instead, loving Jesus guarantees living with risk that encourages a freedom from fear and boldness to follow in his footsteps.   Margaret Manning Shull is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Bellingham, Washington.   (1) Nicholas Nassim Taleb, "The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable," The New York Times, April 22, 2007. Accessed January 10, 2016. (2) World Health Organization, "The Top Ten Causes of Death," Updated May 2014. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Heart Disease Facts," Updated August 10, 2015. (3) Svati Kirsten Narula, "More people died from terrorism last year than ever before—and mostly in these five countries," The Economist, Nov. 18, 2015. Accessed January 10, 2016. (4) See 1 Corinthians 1:18-30.   Read in browser » More Slice: Life, Death, and Incarnation Seeking Mystery Love Stories In Pursuit The Love of People A Slice of Infinity is aimed at reaching into the culture with words of challenge, words of truth, and words of hope. If you know of others who would enjoy receiving A Slice of Infinity in their email box each day, tell them they can sign up on our website at www.rzim.org. Copyright © 2017 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, All rights reserved. RZIM and Ravi Zacharias periodically send emails to those interested in the latest events and other ministry opportunities. Our mailing address is: Ravi Zacharias International Ministries 3755 Mansell Road Alpharetta, GA 30022 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences