Cornerstone

Col 2:6-12 (7)

To be complete in Christ means that we are settled in our Christian experience, we are supported in our endeavor to develop in character, our faith in God is strengthened, we are learning the precepts of Scripture, and we overflow with thanksgiving to our Lord.

Leighton Ford, once said, (Leadership, Vol. 4, no. 1) “God loves us the way we are, but he loves us too much to leave us that way.” We have not always been complete in Christ, and the paradox is that even when we are complete in Christ we are not complete. The Christian life must be maintained. Our feet must not moved from the Rock on which they stand, the development of Christian character must ever continue, our faith must constantly be reinforced, the Scriptures are never total absorbed in their entirety, and unfortunately our thanks is often slow in being manifested. Our Christian life must be maintained and unless it continually grows it cannot be maintained.

Something we must continually remember is that it is not all our work. We are not making ourselves Christians. We are involved in the process of Gods handiwork but the job is not entirely up to us. J Sidlow Baxter expressed it like this:

What God chooses, He cleanses.

What God cleanses, He molds.

What God molds, He fills.

What God fills, He uses.

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