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Years ago, Anabel and I bought an English bulldog named Bubbles. We'd leave Bubbles in the house while we were away. Our homecoming was a grand reunion of jumping, whining, wiggling with joy, etc. (Bubbles, that is, not Anabel). The second order of business was to let Bub out the back door to water the grass.
On a couple of occasions when we came home, Bub didn't meet us. We searched futilely. Then I looked under the bed. There was Bub holding her breath with fear. I couldn't get her to come out. Then Anabel discovered what the problem was. There was a huge puddle by the kitchen door where Bub's bladder warranty had expired.
I play the role of god in this story; Bubbles is the Christian. Bub couldn't understand that since I knew her heart was pure I had already forgiven her if she had an accident. I knew when we left for work daily that her heart wouldn't think, Oh boy! and she'd mark all the furniture. She felt guilty; "her sin had separated her from her god;" so she hid under the bed. She didn't know she was forgiven! Her "sin" had not made me scowling, arms-folded-across-chest angry. She didn't understand that I'd already settled such problems before they happened.
You, on the other hand, are no animal. You have the capability--are indeed accountable--to seek the truth from God about His method of forgiveness. ("My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"--Hosea 4:6). "Bill, are you telling me that I'm free to sin all I want to?" How much do you want to? YOU DON'T WANT TO! Although you're tempted to sin, you don't want to live that way! Why? Because you have God's laws written on your reborn heart (Heb. 10:16)! You desire to please God! Do you understand now why God has removed you from under His Law (Rom. 6:14)? Did your lights just turn on? What difference will this make in the way you live? May I make a suggestion? Why not begin by crawling out from under the bed?
[Excerpted from What God Wishes Christians Knew About Christianity, Bill's book available at Lifetime.org.]
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About this Plan
Has your faith become more of a burden than a source of joy and rest? The Christian life is not difficult to live. It's impossible to live! God never intended for you to live it. Jesus Christ is the only one who who has ever successfully lived the Christian life, and His plan is to live it through you. We expend so much energy spinning our wheels, trying to live for God instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to live through us. In this deeply personal, encouraging devotional plan, Anabel Gillham comes alongside you to teach you how to allow Christ to express His overcoming life through you on a moment-by-moment basis. It will remind you of who you are in Christ. It will open the floodgates of God's grace, guiding you to experience true rest and freedom in the midst of the storms of life.
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