Sermon Note: As The Spirit Moves

Often times, I talk out loud to God, especially when I am home alone.

While walking and talking and doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen, I paused to watch something on Mythbusters.  What I saw and the fact that God is so good that He would point out these natural thngs that have spiritual implications, has inspired me to capture these "Sermon Notes" as blog entries.

So from now on (or at least until I change it or forget) whenever you see a blog entry that starts with "Sermon Note", this is what it will be.

Okay, so I was watching an episode of Mythbusters where they are trying to fool the contraband sniffing dogs.  I watched most of the episode off and on, but the part that I stopped to watch was where they determined that they couldn't fool the dog so they switched to trying to full the handler.  So...they wrapped the contraband in a actual dirty diaper that had been sitting for a week, put it in a ziploc and then put it in a piece of luggage.  After a few moments the dog found the bag and gave the signal.  The handler (a man) started opening the bag, saw what it was and proceeded  to pull the contraband out. 

Insight gained.  The handler, knew the dog well enough to totally trust what he/she (the dog) said.  Even at the onset of what looked undesirable or potentially wrong, the handler went ahead with the task because he knew and trusted the dog.

As we know God more and more and trust Him more and more, we should get to the point where we recognize the move of the Spirit and then follow through.  Understand though that this isn't an instant development upon accepting Christ into your life, this is a process of developing a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.  The play out of our lives, when viewed in retrospect, should show supporting evidence of who God is.  Thus, as we get to know God, we should be able to move confidently in the Spirit; doing what God would have us to do no matter the circumstance, no matter what it looks like.

You Have To Be More Aggressive

When I was about 8 or 9, I played on an indoor soccer team.  After weeks of practice and trying to master the skills associated with soccer, I found myself mostly sitting the bench only playing a couple of minutes at the end of the game.  Granted it was my first time playing soccer, and I realize I didn't have the skills that a lot of the other players had, but I felt like I was being slighted and my quite demeanor and cowadice dictated that I would never ask the coach to put me in or let me play more.  My response at that age was more along the lines of feeling sorry for myself and thinking that I couldn't do it.

I remember one Saturday game, while the game was ongoing, I was basically sitting on the bench looking forlorn.  I look up to see my dad walking torward me from around the outside of the field.  I get up and meet him as he is walking and he takes one look at me and says, "What's wrong?"  My response was to tear up, lean into him for the expected consoling and comfort that I always recieve from him, and declare (whine) "I never get to play."

As he embraced me, I very distinctly remember him speaking these words to me..."son, you have to be more aggressive."  I will admit that at the time, this enlightenment did not take root.  It wasn't for a couple of years still when I would understand the intent of his advice and put it into practice.  I will admit, (with great delight) that once I integrated this advice into my person...it became a permanent, persistent feature of my personality.  Eventually shyness went away, sports became fun, and I set out to accomplish everything I did with a confidence that I was going to not only succeed, but that I was going to be the best there was.  Obviously, being the best there is at something didn't always pan out, but that mindset runs deep and it still is at the forefront of most of my endeavors.

Even today, as an adult, a lot of my drive is motivated by being "the best there is."  In a lot of areas, competition with others is uncalled for so I compete with myself and the excepted norms.  For example, I would never compete with other preachers to see who's best, but I do push myself to know God more and more so that I can be more and more effective as His servant.  Most areas of my life get the same or similar type efforts.  I have often been recognized for my intensity which is in large part part of my drive to be the best there is.  In love, in life, in work, in play, in spirit, in every positive area...I don't want to be adequate, or even good.  I want to be the best there is!

I realize that part of my aggression is provoked by pride, and I realize that to much or the wrong type of pride can be hazardous, but I am confident that keeping God first will keep me in a place of confidence without slipping over to the pride path that leads to destruction.

So reader...how aggressive are you?