Commitment

Commitment

Total Commitment
The difference in a contribution and total commitment is usually the difference in failure and success.
A chicken and a hog were walking past a church building one day when they noticed the Sunday morning sermon posted on the outside bulletin board, "Helping the Poor." They walked a ways when the chicken suddenly came across with a suggestion. "Say, Brother Hog, why don't we give all the poor people a nice breakfast of ham and eggs?" The hog thought a moment and replied, "That's all right for you to say because for you it is only a contribution, but for me, it's total commitment!"
Jesus succeeded in His mission because He was totally committed to the task before Him. He was willing to give up everything, even His life, for the cause He believed in. No one really succeeds in life until he reaches the point that he is willing to lay down his life. Jesus said, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone." Disraeli said, "Nothing can resist a will that will stake even existence for its fulfillment!"

Leaving the Ground
There is no such thing as partial commitment. When the pilot of a giant airliner is speeding down the runway, there is a certain point where he cannot decide to remain on the ground. When he crosses that line, he is committed to the air, or the plane crashes disastrously. That pilot cannot change his mind when the plane is two-thirds of the way down the runway.
Unfortunately, our churches are filled with members who "have never left the ground." They have been sitting there for years and years gunning their engines.

True Revival
We hear much about revival these days, but the heart of revival is the Lordship of Christ. A mere emotional upheaval, a spurt of religious excitement, is not revival. When Christians become convicted of rebellion against the rule of Christ in their lives, confess their sins, renounce self, take the cross and let Jesus have the first and last word in everything, that is revival, by whatever name you call it.

Motivated by Conviction
Jonathan Edwards inaugurated the great spiritual awakening in colonial America because he was possessed by a conviction. "Resolved that all men should live to the glory of God," he wrote in his diary at the age of nineteen. Then he added, "Resolved, second, that whether others do this or not, I will." Jonathan Edwards was possessed by a great conviction.
William Booth's marvelous work with the Salvation Army was motivated by a conviction. He wrote in the autograph album of King Edward VII these words, "Some men's ambition is art, some men's ambition is fame, some men's ambition is gold. My ambition is the souls of men."
The same truth appears in the lives of men and women in every field. One of today's most prolific writers is W. Phillip Keller. His books on faith as seen through the eyes of nature have been phenomenally successful, particularly A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. In his autobiography, Keller describes the beginning of his writing career. His desire to write motivated him to use his space time to produce a book manuscript. He worked on it for hundreds of hours. He explained, "I would actually write and rewrite steadily for the next eleven years of my life before a single line was ever accepted for publication." Why did he do it? Because of a conviction that drove him.
Few have earned universal acclaim like Paderweski, whose name is synonymous with excellence on the piano. He would often play a bar of music forty or fifty times before a performance to get it right. After playing before Queen Victoria, he received this word of praise, "Mr. Paderewski, you are a genius." Paderewski responded, "That may be, but before I was a genius, I was a drudge." Why such discipline? Because of the conviction which controlled him. -Brian L. Harbour

Sure-Footed
As a young man in Europe, Donald Grey Barnhouse did considerable mountain climbing in the Swiss Alps and in the more dangerous and difficult French Alps. Roped together with other young men, he scaled many a peak; his snapshot book records moments of difficulty and peril that later made him wish to restrain others who might venture into similar places. Th e first time he went out with a young Frenchman, son of a pastor, and a young Swiss bank clerk, they gave him sound advice. "You have two hands and two feet," they said, "and that makes four. Always be sure that three out of the four are firmly on the rock. It is the only rule of safety."
This advice is also the rule of spiritual safety in our Christian life. In one of the Psalms, David told of slipping feet. He had been looking at men and their circumstances. He saw the righteous suffering and the wicked flourishing, and he could not understand; he was, in fact, dismayed. He had looked at men and their doings instead of looking at God. It is as dangerous to take your eyes from the Lord in spiritual things as it is to take your feet from the rock in mountain climbing. The Souls of Men
David Brainerd had such an intense compassion for souls, and was so concerned for their salvation, that he said, "I cared not where or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could but gain souls for Christ. While I was asleep, I dreamed of these things, and when I awoke, the first thing I thought of was this great work. All my desire was for the conversion of the heathen, and all my hope was in God." When Will Revival Start?
Gypsy Smith was once asked how to start a revival. He answered, "Go home, lock yourself in your room and kneel down in the middle of your floor. Draw a chalk mark all around yourself and ask God to start the revival inside that chalk mark. When he has answered your prayer, the revival will be on." Why not covenant with God to draw that private circle?

Baptism Identifies the Believer
Jesus says to identify new believers with God through baptism. Baptism in the Bible is used to mean identification (1 Corinthians 10:1-2; Romans 6:3-4). The relationship between water baptism and spiritual baptism is similar to the relationship of a wedding to a wedding ring. The ring doesn't marry you, but it clearly identifies the wearer as one who is married. The ring identifies one who has made a total, lifelong commitment to another person.
Baptism, then, identifies us with Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection into new life. This identification is not only with Christ but also in the name of the Father and Holy Spirit. This is significant because it shows that our lives are to be totally encompassed by the Triune God.

Just Drifting!
The Book of Hebrews declares that "we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip" (Hebrews 2:1). Another way of translating the final phrase of this verse is, "lest we drift away."
Nothing in the world is easier than drifting. No person drifts upstream, only downstream. It is so easy. All you do is sit back and relax and let the boat go. You are soon lulled into a lazy stupor, not caring where you go. You may not even be aware you are drifting until it is too late and the boat is on the rocks. Satan is very wise. He seldom urges a Christian to leave the church or to give up his faith in the Lord. Instead he causes us to relax, rest on the oars, and drift along in the Christian life.
All around us are Christians who have drifted into a state of coldness and indifference. They have stopped caring about others who need to hear the message of God's saving grace.
Are you drifting? Wake up now! Grab the oars and pull. Your active concern is needed as we seek to lead others to find Christ and His will for their lives.

Sacrifice
The story of Polycarp, Smyrna's bishop who studied under the Apostle John, comes to mind. Adamantly committed to the saving lordship of Jesus, which left no room for bowing to the empire, Polycarp was arrested and sentenced to death. Actually, he was given a chance to step out of the fire. The Roman proconsul gave Polycarp the choice of cursing the name of Jesus and worshiping Caesar to save his skin or continue embracing Jesus to his death. "Swear," said the proconsul, "and I will set you at liberty. Reproach Christ." Polycarp replied, "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" After the proconsul threatened him again with the specter of burning at the stake, Polycarp added, "You threaten me with fire which awaits the wicked in judgment to come and in everlasting punishment. Why are you waiting? Come, do what you will." As they approached him and prepared to tie him to the stake to be burned, he shouted, "Leave me as I am, for He who gives me power to endure the fire, will grant me to remain in the flames unmoved even without the security you will give by the nails." Loosely bound, with flames flashing about him, Polycarp prayed, "O Lord God Almighty, Father of Thy beloved Child, Jesus Christ...I bless Thee that Thou has granted unto me this day and hour, that I may share, among the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Thy Christ, for the resurrection to eternal life." And so on February 23, A.D. 155, Polycarp paid the price. Then he went to heaven. The pay off is worth the price.
Then there was Patrick Hamilton who studied under Martin Luther in Wittenberg. He literally ignited the Reformation in Scotland. As he burned at the stake in 1527, he said, "As to my confession, I will not deny it for awe of your fire, for my confession and belief is in Jesus Christ...I will rather be content that my body burn in this fire for confession of my faith in Christ than have my soul burn in the fire of hell for denying the same."

Ending and Beginning
Revelation 1:8 reads, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord."
Have you ever given thought to how many things about us are constantly ending and beginning? For example, today will end with the beginning of night and night will end with the beginning of tomorrow. Our Lord is both the beginning and ending of everything! 2 Corinthians 5:17 speaks to us about some endings and beginnings within our own lives: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passing away, and all things are becoming new."
For the believer, there is a constant change going on. Life is being re-shaped. It begins in a new-birth experience and as we grow in the Lord, this new life constantly changes, as we are reshaped into the image of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

Looking at the Goal
The snow covered the ground, and three young boys were playing in it. A man said to them, "Would you like to try to race, with the promise of a prize for the winner?"
The boys agreed, and the man told them that his race was to be different. "I will go to the other side of the field," he said, "and when I give you the signal, you will start to run. The one whose footsteps are the straightest in the snow will be the winner."
As the race commenced, the first boy began looking at his feet to see if his steps were straight. The second lad kept looking at his companions to see what they were doing; but the third boy just ran on with his eyes fixed on the man on the other side of the field.
The third boy was the winner, for his footsteps were straight in the snow. He had kept his eyes on the goal ahead of him.
A long time ago, another man using similar words taught the same principle. It was Paul who said, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

Soaring Like Eagles
For thousands of years the eagle has been respected for its grandeur. When you observe its flight, its great wing span, and the power of its claws, it is inspiring, to say the least. In Proverbs 30:18-19, Solomon says, "There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not. The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the mist of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid." The eagle does not travel in flocks nor do they conduct themselves irresponsibly. Strong of heart and solitary, they represent qualities we admire.
The eagle mates for life and returns each year to the same nest, making necessary repairs and additions. He takes his role to provide for his family and protect them from danger, and teaches the little eaglets to fly. With all this: responsibility, liberty, beauty, stability, and a lot more admirable traits of the eagle's makeup and such qualities, we agree with Solomon's view that it is nothing short of wonderful. The eagle is committed to that which he is destined to do, without concern for what is below him.
I would that we all were committed to our obligation of teaching and preaching the gospel as the eagle is committed to soaring in the heavens of God. If we could soar as the eagle without regards to the little petty issues of this life and do those things Jesus would have us to, we could have so much rest and contentment in doing those things that are required. We only have a few years to spend on this little planet, few are the ones who decide to ignore the average and fight against the pull of the mediocre magnet. Let's face it. It's tough! As the motto goes, "It's hard to soar like an eagle when I'm surrounded by so many turkeys." "Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spread them as we should" (Psalms 90:12).

Proof of Sacrifice
When I speak of sacrificial giving, I mean giving that is measured and motivated by the cross of Christ. It is nothing less than giving at its best.
Perhaps a story from the past will illustrate what I mean. Early in the nineteenth century the king of Prussia, Frederick William III, found himself in great trouble. He was carrying on an expensive war; he was endeavoring to strengthen his country and make a great nation of the Prussian people. But he did not have enough money to accomplish his plans. He could not disappoint his people, and to capitulate to the enemy would be unthinkable.
After careful reflection he decided to approach the women of Prussia and ask them to bring their gold and silver jewelry to be melted down and made into money for their country. He resolved, moreover, that for each gold or silver ornament he would give in exchange a bronze or iron decoration as a token of his gratitude. Each decoration would bear the inscription, "I gave gold for iron, 1813."
The response was overwhelming. And what was even more important was that these women prized their gifts from the king more highly than their former possessions. The reason, of course, is clear. The decorations were proof that they had sacrificed for their king. Indeed, it is a matter of history that it became unfashionable for women to wear jewelry. So the Order of the Iron Cross was established. Members of this order wore no ornaments, save a cross of iron for all to see.
The church today needs an army of people who are so committed to the King of Kings that sacrifice becomes a way of life! Such an army would do exploits for God. Such an army would hasten the coming and reign of "the King eternal, immortal, invisible (the) God Who alone is wise" (1 Timothy 1:17).

Living Proof
Can a young Marine, body shattered by the weaponry of modern warfare, rebound and turn personal defeat into personal victory?
Lt. Clebe McClary recounts his courageous story of rebuilding his devastated life. During his tour of duty in Vietnam he suffered the loss of one eye, his left arm, and subsequently underwent 33 operations to retain usage of the remainder of his body.
Today Clebe McClary is in the service of the Lord's Army, traveling the world over, attesting to personal faith in Jesus Christ. His life shows that he genuinely embodies a personal vow which he took upon entering the Marines: "Any mission assigned will be accomplished in a superior manner, no matter what the obstacles."

Singleness of Heart Required
It is always fascinating to read of wholehearted human endeavor-amazing stories of total dedication. For example, the U.S. Marines conduct a supersecret sniper program in Quantico, Virginia. The school admits 25 men for an eight-week course of 16-hour days. Very few pass. To graduate, each goes on a mock mission into a well-defined area where instructors search for the sniper. If they can find him, they can fail him.
To get in range of the target, a sniper may move forward at a rate of one inch per hour. He may sit for days absolutely still, despite cold, rain, insect bites, and fear. No one gets out without singleness of heart ("School for Snipers," U.S. News and World Report, 21 April 1986, p. 61). We expect that kind of intensity from Olympic champions, concert pianists, doctoral candidates, and everyone else at the highest levels of human achievements. Likewise, God expects it when we come back to Him. God deserves singleness of heart because He is God! Most of us intend to come back to God-sometime. But we fail because our intention never becomes intense. To Have and to Hold
Commitment. It is a word that we seem to be hearing a lot about lately. One automobile manufacturer says that they are "committed to excellence." Professional athletes, business persons, executives, etc., are all committed to their occupations.
Recently, I read a story of commitment that touched my heart and made me think of commitment in marriage. Most married people have affirmed a commitment to their spouse that goes something like this:
"...To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part...."
Robertson McQuilkan's commitment in marriage was severely challenged when his wife, Muriel, contracted Alzheimers disease. Mr. McQuilkan was president of a Bible college and seminary when he was faced with a mountainous decision. He could not continue as president and take appropriate care of his wife who at this point could only speak in phrases and words and was prone to irrational behavior. She was afraid when she was not with her husband. Even his most trusted and godly friends advised him to put his wife in an institution for the sake of his ministry. After all, how could he retire when things were going so well and he was only 57 years old?
When the time came, McQuilkan's decision was firm. It took no great calculation. It was a matter of integrity. He commented, "Had I not promised, 42 years before 'in sickness and in health... till death do us part'?" Later he would go on to write of the joys and blessings he had received as a result of the special time spent with Muriel.
Commitment is a foundation for successful Christian living. The Lord is going to stand behind His promises-He is committed to what He has said and done. For the Christian there can be nothing less. Commitment is an absolute necessity.
A photographer tells of a young man who wanted duplicate copies of his girlfriend's picture. The photographer noticed the following inscription on the back of the portrait, "My dearest Tom, I love you with all my heart. I love you more and more each day. I will love you forever and ever. I am yours for all eternity." Signed, Dianne. "P.S. If we ever break up, I want this picture back."
We who have been saved have professed our love for Christ and for others. We belong to Christ. There can be no P.S. in our life given to God. We can never break up with Him. We are His. We belong to Him-forever.

What Is the Lord's Surname for You?
"He surnamed ...he surnamed" (Mark 3:16-17).
This is a very suggestive story. To three of His twelve Apostles He gave surnames. Perhaps He did the same for all. We do not know. The action in regard to these three is illustrative. Perhaps He even does the same for His own. If so, one wonders how He is surnaming us. The idea is purely speculative, but it is speculation on a profitable level, especially in the light of these revelations.
"Simon He surnamed Rock." This Simon was impulsive, restless, inconsistent, lacking cohesion. Yet He surnamed him Rock. The name was an indication of his unrealized natural capacities; and of the Lord's ability to realize them. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, He surnamed Sons of Thunder. They were men of gentle, filial nature, quiet men, content to abide at home in the service of their father. Yet He surnamed them Sons of Thunder; men of authority and power. The principle was the same. In James was the capacity to be so loyal to a Master and a cause as to die for them. In John was the mystic power which would make him a seer, and an interpreter of the great things of life. The Lord was able to bring these things to realization, and to employ them for His own glory in cooperation with His service.
And so again we wonder: what is He naming us? The consideration is for the hour of lonely communion with Him. In such an hour we shall discover that His surnaming is ever based upon two things; first, our capacities as the result of our first birth; and secondly, His power to realize those capacities. We shall find, moreover, that His power becomes operative when we are wholly yielded to Him. A Hymn of Marriage
The question is asked, "Is there anything more beautiful in life than a boy and girl clasping clean hands and pure hearts in the path of marriage?" And the answer is given, "Yes-there is a more beautiful thing; it is the spectacle of an old man and an old woman finishing their journey together on that path. Their hands are gnarled but still clasped; their faces are seamed but still radiant; their hearts are tired and bowed down but still strong. They have proved the happiness of marriage and have vindicated it from the jeers of cynics." Is This You?
Late one December, an elementary school principal said to his teachers: "Let's all write our New Year's Resolutions about how we can be better teachers, and I'll put them on the staff bulletin board. In that way, we can be mutually supportive in our efforts to keep those resolutions." The teachers agreed, and when the resolutions were posted, they all crowded around the bulletin board to read them. One of the young teachers in the group suddenly went into a fit of anger. She said, "He didn't put up my resolution. It was one of the first ones in. He doesn't care about me. That just shows what it's like around here." On and on she ranted and raved. The principal, who overheard this from his office was mortified. He hadn't meant to exclude her resolution. Quickly rummaging through the papers on his desk, he found it and immediately went to the bulletin board and tacked it up. The resolution read: "I resolve not to let little things upset me anymore." Resolution, but no commitment!

Steadfastness in View of Suffering
Jesus "steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51, Luke 9:53). He had a definite destination, and He knew what it held for Him. It meant Jerusalem with its sorrow, Gethsemane with its travail, the judgment hall with its injustice and shame, the cross with its anguish, and even the hiding of the Father's face. For Jesus there was no royal road to the throne of Israel. For Him the only path lay by Jerusalem and Calvary. It was a long and weary road, but Jesus took every step. He was tempted to turn aside from His goal, to be sure, and He was tempted in His sufferings. His friends wished to draw Him aside from His sufferings. Peter rebuked Him when He spoke of them. Satan tried to perplex Him, and His own soul trembled when the time for His crucifixion came. Yet, He knew that He had reached "the point of no return," and He proceeded in the midst of the storms of sin and doubt about Him to go toward the cross where He would be victor once and for all.
Those who have crossed the ocean have been impressed with the way the huge oceanliner keeps its bow to the sea, and, in spite of wind and wave, holds to its course. No sound is more reassuring than the steady throb of the huge engine. In looking at Christ's life, one thing that impresses us is His steadiness. He was never shifting, or even driven about. The throb of His life was constant and perfect.

Straddling the Fence
When I was in grade school, my family visited some friends who owned a farm in Kentucky. After we were there several days, I jumped at the chance to ride their horse, Prince. However, having never ridden a horse before, and realizing the horse was much larger than he looked from a distance, I proceeded cautiously.
Being an intelligent fourth grader, I decided to play it safe by climbing a wooden fence next to where the horse was standing and mount him from there. With one foot on the left side of the top fence rail, I threw the other leg over the horse who was on the right side. Immediately the horse began to sidle slowly away from the fence. Now I hadn't planned on that, and I needed to make a hasty decision. You see, I wanted both to ride the horse and to hold on to the security of the fence. Needless to say, after my legs had stretched as far as they would go, I fell face down on the ground.
You would think such an experience would teach one a lesson. Yet in the years that followed, I would still find myself trying to "straddle the fence." And the results would always be the same as that first experience. Only the fence wasn't on the farm in Kentucky-it was the fence between commitment to Christ and the world. And believe me, the falls from this fence hurt a lot more. Save yourself a lot of pain-don't try to straddle the fence. The Greatest Ability
There are great abilities that people acquire, cultivate and demonstrate. In the service of God there is one ability that is the greatest ability of all. What is it? Is it sociability, compatibility, accountability, adaptability, or reliability?
The greatest ability is availability. If we are not available to God, no matter what other kind of ability we have, it is no good. Ability without availability is a liability.
What does availability mean? It means to place one's self totally, absolutely, completely at God's disposal for Him to do anything and everything He wants to do in us, through us, with us, for us, when He chooses. Anything less than that is putting restrictions on God and writing fine print in your commitment contract to Jesus Christ.

Allegiance Confirmed
When Queen Victoria of England reigned as Empress of India, the Maharajah of Punjab was a little boy. To show his allegiance, he sent her a magnificent diamond. It became one of the crown jewels and was safely kept in the Tower of London. When he became a man, he went to London to pay his respects to the Queen. The young man asked the Queen if he could see the diamond. The precious jewel was brought in and presented before the Indian prince. Then, taking the diamond and kneeling before the Queen, he said with deep emotion, "Madam, I gave you this jewel when I was too young to know what I was doing. I want to give it again, in the fullness of my strength, with all my heart, and affection, and gratitude, now and forever, fully realizing all that I do."

Wanted...Men!
There is a story to the effect that a certain society in South Africa once wrote to David Livingston, "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you."
Livingston replied, "If you have men who will come ONLY if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come even if there is no road at all." The Go of the Great Commission
When our Lord said "go," He did not ask us to sit down and evaluate what the chances were that we would return. Two Coast Guardsmen were preparing to engage in a rescue attempt of two fishermen lost in a storm. Someone shouted out to them: "Don't go out there. You may never get back." One of the guardsmen replied, "We don't have to get back, but we have to go."

One-Legged Missionary
A one-legged school teacher from Scotland came to J. Hudson Taylor to offer himself for service in China.
"With only one leg, why do you think of going as a missionary?" asked Taylor.
"I do not see those with two legs going," replied George Scott.
He was accepted. When Obstacles Confront Us
The successful man lengthens his stride when he discovers that the signpost has deceived him; the failure looks for a place to sit down. Thomas Edison did not sit down and give up when his first efforts to find an effective filament for the carbon incandescent lamp met with failure. He lengthened his stride! He sent men to China, Japan, South America, Asia, Jamaica, Ceylon, and Burma in search of fibers and grasses to be tested in his laboratory.
Luther Burbank, the plant wizard, did not quit when obstacles blocked his way. At one time he personally conducted more than 6,000 experiments before he found the solution.
George Westinghouse was treated as a mild lunatic by most railroad executives. "Stopping a train by wind! The man's crazy!" Yet he persevered, and finally sold the air-brake idea.
James Watt built model after model of his steam engine before he got one that worked efficiently.
Every man gets on the wrong road at times. He comes down hills, rough roads, and dangerous detours. What he does when he meets these obstacles determines his destiny. The world never hears from those who look for a place to sit down and quit.

Yes! You Can!
As we drove up the steep, winding road in the Cave of the Winds near Colorado Springs, we came suddenly to a narrow passageway between high rock walls through which it looked as if the car could not possibly go. But facing us was a sign which said: "Yes, you can! Millions of others have!" And so, driving carefully through, we soon came to a wider roadway.
So many times we face seemingly insoluble problems and impossible situations. But we can know that God is able to open ways before us which are now hidden from our view. We may hear God's message to us: "Yes, you can! Millions of others have gone this way. Be of good cheer. Trust in the Lord and go ahead!"
Heavenly Father, when we face difficult times, help us to trust in You to show us the way through. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Anybody for a Walk?
Paul Rogers of Centerville, Tennessee, has done some calculating of just how far the Apostle Paul walked in his efforts to spread the gospel. According to Acts, he took three missionary journeys. The second of these alone amounted to three thousand miles, two thousand of which would have been on foot. The average daily distance of a traveler of that time was about twenty miles, with a Roman Inn being located every 20 to 25 miles along the road. These inns were unbelievably filthy, immoral, and bug-infested. Paul traveled through snowy mountain passes and spring floods. He walked through areas famous for harboring robbers and criminals. He braved wild beasts which imperiled every traveler. The travel recorded in Acts 16 alone would have covered 740 miles. That of chapter 15 would be 500 miles. And to think he was walking not for his own health, but for the spiritual well-being of others! A Stumbling Block
A missionary society was deeply impressed by the courageous devotion of David Livingstone who worked single-handedly for God in Africa. The society wrote to Livingstone: "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to send other men to join you." Livingstone replied, "If you have men who will come only if there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all."

Thy Will at Any Cost
In 1925, Betty Stam said: "Lord, I give up my own purposes and plans, all my own desires, hopes, and ambitions, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever. I hand over to Thy keeping all of my friendships; all the people whom I love are to take second place in my heart. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Work out Thy whole will in my life, at any cost, now and forever. To me to live is Christ. Amen." Nine years later on December 8, 1934, Betty and her husband, John Stam, calmly and bravely laid down their lives for Christ when they were martyred by Chinese Communists.

Humble Commitment
Sophie, the scrub woman, was a Christian. One of the gentlemen in the large building where she worked said to her, "Say, Sophie, I understand that you are a Christian." "Yes, sir, I am a child of the King," was her immediate reply. "Oh! So you must be a princess, since God is your King." "I sure am." "Well, if God is your Father, and you are a princess and a child of the King, do you not think that it is beneath your dignity to be found here in New York City scrubbing these dirty steps?" Not being daunted Sophie replied, "There is no humiliation whatsoever. You see, I am not scrubbing these steps for my boss, Mr. Brown. I am scrubbing them for Jesus Christ, my Savior!"

Dying to Self
A wealthy university graduate chose to live frugally in a single room, cooking his own meals. As a result he was able to give two million dollars to foreign missions. In explanation of his choice he wrote these words: "Gladly would I make the floor my bed, a box my chair, and another box my table, rather than men should perish for want of knowledge of Christ." I am not suggesting that all Christians are called upon to forfeit the normal comforts of life; only, when God calls them to a life of sacrifice, they be willing to leave all and follow Him.

Christian Manliness
The history of missions is full of examples of Christian manliness. We think of Dr. Paul Carlson who served as a medical missionary in the Congo. He compassionately sought to heal the most loathsome of tropical diseases as he preached Christ as the only cure for sin. For several years he worked in the midst of increasing political ferment, preaching and living the gospel in which he so wholeheartedly believed. Even when he was arrested, he continued to treat the wounds of the rebels who had captured him. Under sentence of death, he bore himself heroically and died boosting another missionary over the wall to safety. The prevailing attitude of missionaries everywhere seems to be summed up in the words of one mission board secretary who commented, "It shows merely that we must go back."

Fresh Warriors
"Baptized for the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:29) does not mean that living believers could be baptized in place of those who had died unbaptized. What Paul was actually seeking to convey here is that only those who were willing to be identified with the dead in martyrdom for Christ's sake, as well as with Christ in His death and resurrection, could be described as "those baptized for the dead."
But why does Paul use the words "for the dead?" Let us examine this phrase carefully. The first word, "for," is huper in Greek, which basically means "over" or " above." The literal translation of this phrase would be "baptized over the dead"; that is to say admitted publicly into the visible Church of Christ, as if the dead bodies of those who were similarly admitted into the Church before them and had died for Christ were lying beneath their feet. Metaphorically, it means in the prospect of death and as a continuance of the testimony of those who have heroically died for the faith.
Compare what happens on a battlefield. It is strewed with the bodies of those who fought and perished nobly; but the contest is still raging, and fresh combatants are continually pressing into the action. These, as they come up, may be said to be initiated into the battle over the bodies of those who have bled and died before them. Now this world is a spiritual battlefield. The contest between sin and righteousness, which commenced so soon after the fall, has been waging from generation to generation. It is waging still, and it will continue till sin and Satan are overpowered, and death is swallowed up in victory. Many, in bygone ages engaged in this warfare, have fallen on the battlefield, fighting the good fight of faith. Fresh combatants, however, at the summons of the great Captain of our salvation are continually pressing forward to occupy the places of the slain and bravely maintain the contest. These, by the rite of baptism, were admitted to the position they now occupy as constituted Christian soldiers. With reference either to the past or the future-the deaths which have already occurred or their own death most certainly to occur-it may be said that they are either "baptized over the dead" or "baptized in the prospect of death." In this way the meaning of the expression becomes clear.

Courageous Christian
Chrysostom, the ancient Church Father, was a beautiful example of true Christian courage. When he stood before the Roman Emperor, he was threatened with banishment if he still remained a Christian. Chrysostom replied, "You cannot, for the world is my Father's house; you cannot banish me."
"But I will slay you," said the Emperor.
"No, but you cannot," said the noble champion of the faith again, "for my life is hid with Christ in God."
"I will take away thy treasures." "No, but you cannot," was the retort; "in the first place, I have nothing you know anything about. My treasure is in heaven, and my heart is there."
"But I will drive you away from man, and you shall have no friend left." "No, and that you cannot," once more said the faithful witness, "for I have a Friend in heaven from whom you shall not separate me. I defy you; there is nothing you can do to hurt me."

Value of Popularity
The gatekeeper at the railroad station demanded that everybody present his ticket before going through the gate to the train. From those who could not find their tickets readily there was much grumbling and swearing. One watching the scene said to the gatekeeper, "You don't seem to be very popular with the crowd." He cast his eyes upward to the floor above, where the superintendent's office was, and said, "I don't care anything about being popular with this crowd; all I care about is to be popular with my superior." A Willing Sacrifice
"How much is your salary?" a Muslem asked a mission school teacher who had once followed the crescent instead of the cross. "Five dollars a week," was the answer. "Why, you could get ten times that in a government school!" "Yes, but I do not teach for money; I teach for God." "Well-are those all the clothes the missionaries provide? Don't you have a robe also?" The humble teacher looked down at his cotton shirt and trousers. "No, these are sufficient," he replied. The Muslem shook his head. "I never thought there was anything to this Jesus religion," he observed thoughtfully, "but there must be if a man will give up his robe and his lawful wage for it." Could it be that the gospel is impeded because we are more concerned about food and clothing than reaching others with the gospel of the grace of God? This is what Christ meant when He said, "Woe unto you that are full!"

Willing to Suffer
A converted native was to be baptized in a river. The missionary took a long spear with him into the swift current to steady himself. Inadvertently he stabbed the foot of the convert beneath the water. The man neither spoke nor moved. After the ceremony when the accident was discovered, the convert was asked why he had kept silent. "I thought it was part of the ceremony," he replied. In a way he was right. Baptism should be an external expression of willingness to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ in whose Name the believer is baptized.

Take This Poor Indian Too
An incident is related of a missionary who came into contact with a proud and powerful Indian chief. The chief, trembling under conviction of sin, approached the missionary and offered his belt of wampum as atonement. "No!" said the missionary, "Christ cannot accept a sacrifice like that." The Indian departed, but soon returned offering his valuable rifle and the most beautiful skins he had taken in hunting. "No!" was the reply, "Christ cannot accept those either." Again the Indian went away, only to return with a conscience more troubled than ever. This time he offered his wigwam, together with his wife and child-everything for peace and pardon. "No," was the reply even to this, "Christ cannot accept such a sacrifice." At this the chief seemed utterly oppressed; but suddenly he somehow sensed the deficiency, for, lifting up tearful eyes, he cried out, "Here, Lord, take this poor Indian too!" That is the only condition for fellowship with Christ. A Committed Servant
One of the greatest servants of Christ was Dr. Temple in England. A young clergyman who was being sent by Dr. Temple to a very difficult parish turned to him and said, "Dr. Temple, why do you send me there? Don't you know how difficult it is? It'll kill me if I go there." You know what Dr. Temple's reply was? "Well, you and I do not mind a little thing like that, do we? If what God has set for us to accomplish will require our lives, we should be willing to give our lives."