Cornerstone

John 3:16

No one can out give God. He began at Creation. There He gave mankind life. He gave all that was necessary to sustain human life. Beyond that He gave mankind a chance and a choice whereby humanity could have a great life enjoying an intimate relationship with God.

The human race failed to see the significance of the chance and the choice that was theirs for the taking. A few came to know God in a special way. In time God gave again. This time He gave His only begotten Son who came to die on a Cross so that once again mankind could know the offer of a chance and a choice. The offer is still available to all who will accept it. The offer extends a chance to those who will make a choice to enjoy a great life in Christ.

In addition to these tremendous gifts God gave mankind the Church. The Church is the sum total of those who have made a choice to enjoy an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Because of His sacrifice on the Cross forgiveness is available to any who will turn from sin and allow Him to be the Lord and Savior of their life.

But God continued to give. He gave the Church the Comforter. The Holy Spirit, known also as the Comforter is given to the Church so that all who have been forgiven of a sinful life and have rejected sinfulness to live for Christ can now know an abundant life. Once again God has given us a chance and a choice. This choice is to admit the corruption of the nature as a result of the original sin in the Garden, asking God to cleanse the nature while filling the void with the fullness of Himself. Life in the Spirit is known in full as the believer is made as God originally intended mankind.

No one can out give God. It is for us to receive. He only expects obedience and complete submission to His will in return.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Romans 4:16-25 (25)

Robert Coleman tells a gripping story in his book “Written in Blood.”

The doctor explained to little Johnny that his sister, Mary, had the same disease he had recovered from two years earlier. Marys only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had previously overcome the disease. They both had the same rare blood type, so Johnny was the ideal donor.

“Would you give your blood to Mary?” the doctor asked.

Johnnys lower lip started to tremble. Finally he said, “Sure, for my sister.”

Soon the procedure was begun. As the nurse inserted the needle into his arm, Johnny’s smile faded. He watched the blood flow through the tube.

With his voice quivering Johnny finally broke the silence. “Doctor, when do I die?”

It was then that the doctor realized why Johnny had hesitated when he’d agreed to donate his blood. He’d thought giving his blood to his sister meant giving up his life. In that brief moment, he’d made his great decision.

Johnny didn’t have to die to save his sister. Our condition more serious than Mary’s, however, and Jesus had to give not just his blood, but his life. He died on the cross that we might be forgiven of our sinfulness and have eternal life.

Dr. Gayle Woods