Running Without the Bottle - Wednesday August 28, 2013
The god of this world has blinded the minds of the un-believing so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4
It felt good during our morning run to get rid of the sports drink bottle so I didn't have to carry it any longer. I felt free to run naturally. I knew from previous runs what it was like to run without it, so I looked forward to ditching it in the trash. What if I had always run with a bottle in my hand? I would not know what it would be like to run without it, to be free.
Unbelievers have always run with a bottle in their hands -the bottle of sin. They have never known life without the hindrance of sin, deception, and self. We do because Jesus Christ set us free! "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:32,34,36). Therefore those outside of Christ will never know the answer to violent crimes, abortion, drug and alcohol addition, marriage problems, or welfare. Why? They don't understand the cause-sin, the bottle.
Don't let yourself get sucked into fruitless discussions about politics or philosophical issues with unbelievers. Proverbs instructs us to "Abandon the quarrel before it breaks out" (Proverbs 17:14). What do you expect from unbelievers? They think and act like unbelievers because they ARE unbelievers! They are deceived. Just like we used to be, the god of this world has blinded their minds. What they really need is new life in Jesus Christ! Let's love them enough to tell them how!
Submitted by:
Stephen Scott Nelson
Atlanta House Churches
Atlanta, Georgia
One-Year Reading Plan:
Job 28:1-30:31
2 Corinthians 2:11-17
Psalms 42:1-11
Proverbs 22:7
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