Cornerstone

John 12:23-27 (25)

David Augsburger writes in Sticking My Neck Out that when James Calvert went out as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the captain of the ship sought to turn him back. “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages,” he cried. Calvert only replied, “We died before we came here.” (p. 154)

The paradox is that we must go down before we can go up. We must surrender before we can serve. If you would serve Jesus you must follow Him. His way led to a cross.

This type of commitment brought great men of God to express their heart desire:

Evangelist George Whitefield said, “O Lord, give me souls, or take my soul.”

Missionary Henry Martyn cried, “Here let me burn out for God.”

Missionary David Brainerd declared, “Lord, to Thee I dedicate myself. Oh, accept of me be Thine forever. Lord, I desire nothing else; I desire nothing more.”

Evangelist Dwight L. Moody implored, “Use me, then, my Savior, for whatever purpose and in whatever way Thou mayest require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel; fill it with Thy Grace.”

Reformer Martin Luther prayed, “Do Thou, my God, stand by me against all the world’s wisdom and reason. Oh, do it! Thou must do it. Stand by me, Thou true, eternal God!”

Missionary “Praying Hyde” pleaded, “Father, give me these souls, or I die.”

Dr. Gayle Woods

Acts 10:34-38 (38)

In 1871 H. M. Stanley went to Africa to find and report on David Livingstone. For several months he traveled with the missionary. During this time he observed Livingstone’s patient compassion for the African people. Except for Jesus, Livingstone had no reason to sacrifice his life for these backward people. Stanley wrote in his journal, “When I saw that unwearied patience, that unflagging zeal, and those enlightened sons of Africa, I became a Christian at his side, though he never spoke to me one word.”

Peter stated in Acts 10:38 that Jesus worked among the people healing them and doing good because God was with Him. Do you work daily to take the message of salvation to the lost? Do you work daily to show Gods love by making the lot of the needy and hurting more bearable?

You say, “Why should I?” I like the humble attitude of John Brodie, former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. He was asked why a million-dollar player should have to hold the ball for field goals and points after touchdown. “Well,” said Brodie, “if I didn’t, it would fall over.” The work needs to be done. Are you going to do it? Jesus did His work because God was with Him. Does that mean that if we dont God is not with us?

Dr. Gayle Woods