ON BEING NORMAL

Just finished an amazing book by author Francis Chan entitled: "Forgotten God" reversing our tragic neglect of Holy Spirit.  The final afterword  began with these words:  "My hope and prayer for you, the readers, is that church people don't try to normalize you."  That really struck a chord in my soul.  It seems over the years I have been walking the path of a radical follower of Yeshua that many have tried to quench the Holy Spirit's fire in me.  One pastor even went to the point of telling me as I was radically worshiping the King of Kings that I was calling attention to myself not evening knowing the true cost of the praise I was lavishing on the One who had set me free, who had taken my feet from the miry clay and had set them on a solid rock.  Or another church staff member telling me I was saying to many "Amens" in the service and that is was beginning to be difficult for him to edit them out of the radio and television broadcasts!  Others who would look at me with disdain and reproach telling me by their looks that I should tone done my enthusiasm and passion for God because they don't do that kind of thing in their church.  Sad thing is that it is not their church!  Instead of deadening passionate and radical Christ followers we should celebrate and join the Spirit's movement in and through them.  Chan goes on to say:  "This is not about one specific way of living radically.  It is about discerning and obeying the Spirit's voice, especially when He asks you to do something that is hard, and little beyond "normal" and that requires sacrifice.  This is a two-fold thing; It is both about encouraging others to obey the Spirit's leading's and about listening and obeying His leading in your own life.  Do you feel bold and powerful?  Whether your answer is yes or no, all of us need to ask for more courage and boldness."  Yes, their are days when I feel like I would like to go back to what the world and the church call "normal" but it does get boring so I go back to being the me God created.  One who is a man after God's own heart, one who is a worshiper in Spirit and in truth, not a perfect man, but one who truly wants to be a passionate, radical follower of the Rabbi!