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There are many misconceptions about the Christian life, and one is that it is boring. The truth is the Christian life is where we find true joy and lasting peace, hope and contentment. These things...
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Is the Christian life supposed to be boring? Jesus has promised, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (Jn. 10:10). "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." (Jn. 15:11 NKJV). Also read whole of the book of Philippians especially 4:4-7. From outside, Christian life might be looking like a drudgery, killing all joy of the world. But in the background of eternity human physical life is but a dot in eternal time and space. Let us reason: Human life at the most is average one hundred years. Out of one hundred years we sleep about 33 years and about the same 33 years have to be spent in the drudgery of studying and working. The childhood and old ages take, How many years? You decide. Rest of the time people of flesh would like to indulge in satisfying the cravings of flesh. Again, ask any farmer, how much time he/she has to spend from the time of sowing and harvesting, and from harvesting to the fruit reaching to the dining table. The Bible is a down to earth practical book. The hundred years given to human being is a kind of decision making period. After hundred years there is either painful eternal death or joyful eternal life. For joyful eternal life the Bible is asking and inviting you to an hundred years of disciplined and committed to God life in Christ. Is it too much, considering eternity? Is Christian life boring? Just read books of the Gospel, how full of activity is Jesus' life. His life is not boring, and we are invited to that type of life, full of activities.
Boredom is a state of mind, not a physical experience. A true Christian loves themselves and their neighbor in the same way. There is no place for boredom, or worry, or hate; just an opportunity to love!
"Persecution against Christians today is actually worse than in the first centuries of the Church, and there are more Christian martyrs today than in that era. This is happening more than 1700 years after the Edict of Constantine which gave Christians the freedom to publicly profess their faith." -Pope Francis, June 27, 2014 In 1996, seven trappist monks were kidnapped from a monastery in Algeria, killed two months later. In 2009, ten churches were attacked and vandalized in Malaysia after a court decision was given to allow non-Muslim publications to use the word "Allah". In 2010, a Catholic Church was attacked in Iraq during Sunday evening mass, leaving 58 people dead. On Christmas Eve 2011, Bishop Umar Mulinde was attacked by a Muslim extremist, who threw acid on his face in protest of Mulinde’s vocal criticism of the Ugandan parliament’s proposal to grant legal recognition to sharia courts. Last week, 21 Christians were kidnapped and beheaded in Libya. Is the Christian life supposed to be boring? The question is too ironic.
The answer to the question lies in a true understanding of what the Christian life is in reality. The believer has received eternal life, the greatest possible blessing a human can possess. She has the gift of the Holy Spirit meaning that the Spirit of wisdom, insight, and power rests on her. The believer belongs to a global community of God's called out ones, the church, which though with it's many flaws, still has the most loving, faithful and trustworthy people on earth. In addition to the above, the Christian has God's dependable Word, with exceeding great and precious promises, accessible through faith and prayer. Finally, the believer has the Blessed Hope of the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus; he will spend eternity with God forever. All this is anything but boring. Even the challenges and persecutions of the Christian life are loaded with adventure. You might get to travel in a basket over a city wall, or survive an earthquake which opens the jail where you are held, or get to meet the Emperor! No, the Christian life is not boring - especially if you fully commit to Jesus and His kingdom cause, which I personally consider the greatest enterprise on earth. But for the half-hearted, partial surrender will prove to be painful surrender.
How can Christianity be boring if we are genuine followers of Jesus Christ? Look at his life and ministry as recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These are action packed adventure stories and Jesus said “Follow Me!” If our Christian life is boring, then, in my view, we have not given God first place in our lives. We have allowed the culture of our world to dictate our priorities and how we spend our time. In other words, we have not grasped the vision of what God wants to accomplish on planet earth through the church that Jesus established. Every moment of our lives the Holy Spirit has a Mission Possible for us to accomplish. He is waiting for us to listen to his instructions. When we ignore him the mission opportunity is lost. Let’s have a look at God’s vision – his Mission for us, as recorded in the bible. Vision 1 – Salvation Jesus commission to every member of his church is recorded in Matthew 28;19-20). We make disciples of all nations and teach them to obey Jesus. Why is this so important? “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).” Jesus first disciples accepted their mission and within 300 years, they had transformed the entire Roman Empire. So what does this mean for each Christian today? God wants to use us to save every person that is in our circle of influence. But this is impossible we say! Is anything impossible for God? When we consult the Holy Spirit, listen to his instructions and follow his lead, he will execute the strategy required to win every person to Jesus Christ. All that is required of us is willingness, faith and obedience; the Holy Spirit does the rest. How can this be boring? Vision 2 – Grace In his life and ministry, Jesus showed us what it looks like when God’s grace is poured out upon the human beings of God’s creation. He taught his disciples what this grace looked like and how to deliver it. Then he sent them out to practice. Thousands of people in a very short period of time were touched by God’s grace and experienced his love. So, what does this grace look like? In Isaiah 61:1-2 we read “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor… When Jesus sent out his disciples, how did he instruct them “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. (Luke 9:1-4).” How can this kind of life be boring? The Holy Spirit knows exactly what form of God’s grace each person needs; he is just waiting for us to be willing to deliver it. Vision 3 – Transformation Jesus came announcing the kingdom of God had come, it was near everyone and would soon be in all believers. His birth, life, ministry, suffering, death and resurrection defeated sin, death and all powers of evil. Jesus firmly established God’s kingdom on earth through his body – each local Christian church. God’s vision is to redeem the world he created and restore the paradise he intended before the fall into sin. How do we complete this mission? Firstly, we execute on Vision 1 & 2. Secondly, we live God pleasing lives that radiate justice, righteousness and holiness. We fight against all forms of injustice. We obey God’s commandments and resist every form of evil. We separate ourselves from the ways of this world and commit ourselves daily to completing the good deeds that God has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13).
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