A thrilling Christianity vs. a boring one

by Nolan Harkness, Christian Post Contributor |
PHOTO: PIXABAY

To me there is nothing more exciting in all of Christian-dom than to be led by the Spirit of God. The scriptures declare that "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14 KJV)

Wow, I remember how bored I was in church growing up as a kid. Boring, boring, boring, I thought. I couldn't wait for it to be over. My mom kept mints or gum in her purse and part way through each week we got handed a mint, which was a high point in the service!

I happen to be an Eagle Scout, a fisherman, a hunter, a certified scuba diver, a photographer, and a dozen other things too numerous to mention. For me life in general is way too boring to waste it doing mundane things! I want to live at the cutting edge of life and I want to live life to the fullest! However all those things are empty at the end of the day. True excitement comes when we follow God's Spirit. Scott Wesley Brown back several years ago had a song that said; " Some people want to live within the sound of chapel bells but I want to run a mission a yard from the gate of Hell." Whenever God the Father preordains for me to be a part of something He puts a plan together in the Holy Spirit, and well buckle up cowboy, it's always thrilling ride full of faith, depending on miracles, as the hand of the Creator of the universe directs my every step! I love it!

I say all that to say how sad it is to see professing believers stuck in a religious rut. Boring, boring, boring! I was asked some time ago to teach the Adult Sunday School class in my home church. The topics were revival and being revived by the Holy Spirit in our personal lives. One morning I asked the question, "How many of can remember when God recently impressed on our hearts something specific He wanted us to do? There were about a dozen adults present. Because I have many years of history there, I felt I knew a lot about everyone's life. I just expected several hands to shoot up, but nothing! No one! I then surmised that somehow they misunderstood the question, so I asked it again.

By this time I was starting to scan back and forth for one taker. I was still anxious for that one brave soul to bring in that first powerful testimony. Finally a hand began to creep out slowly from a fuzzy Syracuse hoodie and began to climb as if it was being hand cranked up by a come-along. I said excitedly; "Yes brother, what can you share with us that God has done for you recently?" "Well, he said, about thirty years ago God helped me quit smoking!" I wanted to say "thirrrrrrrteeeee YEARS ago! What has God done thirty minutes ago?" But I was polite! I said "Thank you brother for sharing! The truth was that in that room that day we had a group of professing Christians who were not currently being led by the Spirit of God. You see when most Christians backslide, they do not backslide into a deep pit of the world's sin. They backslide into religious practice. Instead of following the Spirit of God, they follow the spirit of clod! Or simply put the spirit of their own flesh, which is religious works.

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