I Found God… in the Red Light District

Yesterday was the culmination of too many amazing encounters, I just had to stop and put these thoughts on paper.  And if you are confused by the title of this post, don’t worry, just keep reading and it will all make sense.

If the amazing weather, great company, and an incredible day spent outside climbing at Foster Falls wasn’t perfect enough…   It got even better when shared with new friends, and what seemed to be nearly half of my student staff.  Even though our group started out as four, we ran into another small party of ours early in the afternoon and met some new friends not long after.

Ally, Sam, and @JacuiBA were taking Kaley climbing outside for her 18^th birthday. We stopped to chat, I sang “Happy Birthday” in Espanish, and then made our way towards the Red Light District (The name of a small section of wall at Foster Falls) where we were going to eat lunch and wait our turn to get some climbing in.  It wasn’t too long till the girls made their way towards the Red Light District as well, where we to ran into more friends from Chattanooga.  Finally, after eating a quick lunch… we spent most of the early afternoon climbing, enjoying good company, and talking about God.

So there I was, ironically enough, in the “Red Light District”… climbing a route called “Timeless Christian Values”…  and listening to my student staff share in an incredible conversation about Christ with some friends we met only an hour before. I heard conversations of God’s faithfulness and provision, as well as some incredible facts about the Bible and some of its “hidden” messages.  With all this going on, I sat there thinking about all of the incredible people I’ve met within the last few weeks and could help but sit there completely amazed at this Spirit of God that brings complete strangers together in amazing community.  

While getting ready to hike out Andrew made a comment that this day was probably the closest thing he has experienced to heaven on earth… I may just have to agree.

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Oh how I love talking to people about God, even listening to others talk about God makes me “smile real big” inside.  I don’t know if anything else brings me more happiness than when two people who have spent absolutely no time together can talk for hours about the goodness of God.  It reminds me of the unity that Paul talks about in Romans 15.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

The bottom line… God is faithful, that is all there is too it.  He is so many other amazing things as well, but in my life (and I bet in yours too) he has most certainly been faithful.

This last month I’ve been asking God for “community”, and his response to these prayers has been incredible… I guess finding God in the Red Light District really made me realize just how faithful God has been this last year.  Special thanks to all who’ve been able to share in these amazing experiences, you guys have truly been a testament to God’s faithfulness in my life.

Romans 15:5-6

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Positive Thinking

Okay, I realize that a few of my last postings have had a negative subject line… but really the truth behind all that seems “negative” is quite encouraging.  In all of our failings, sufferings, fears and doubts, God never intended for us to do all of this alone.  In my shortcomings, struggles, and fear of God asking me to live uncomfortably I have been reminded of one of God’s promises to all of us…  I’m not talking about the warm and fuzzy grace and love either (well, not in the sense our minds are conditioned to think).  I’m talking about the promises of the Holy Spirit.

While I am in the process of strengthening my relationship with the Holy Spirit and better understanding His gift, I usually fail to recognize one important truth.  The Spirit is God in us.  Really, He is in us and he never leaves, and He is always there to help guide me in my decisions (that is, when I let Him) and he is always there to convict me when I am not living out God’s will in my life. 

We have been promised so much strength and comfort it’s hard to believe I have spent any time at all worrying and stressing over things that are really quite insignificant.  If you haven’t read what we have been promised by the Holy Spirit I urge you to read the Gospel of John, chapters 14-16.

The quick list God has promised me (and you):

·      Anyone who has faith in Jesus will do even greater things than He did, can I get an amen? (John 14:12)

·      He has given us the Holy Spirit to be with us forever!  He will live with us and in us! (John 14:16-21)

·      He will teach us and remind us of all that Jesus told us, this is something I need constantly.  (John 14:26)

·      If we remain in Jesus, and intentionally live out his teachings, we can ask whatever we want and it will be given us.  I believe as we live intentionally for Him, our dreams and passions begin to line up more closely with God’s will for our life. (John 15:7)

·      He will testify the greatness of Jesus, through us.  I love it when “I” say or do things that are unexplainable, things that can only be explained by the power of God…  and the only explanation is the Spirit in me.  (John 15: 26)

·      He will convict the world of guild in regards to sin and righteousness.  While this seems like the gloom of what we have been promised, conviction is a good thing!  Without conviction we have no longer allowed God to work on our hearts. (John 16: 8)

·      He will guide you into all truth.  If this doesn’t comfort you I don’t think anything will.  At a time in my life where I am very unsure of what is coming next, I am confident that God will remain faithful in this promise and look for  (John 16: 13)

·      He will reveal to us the glory of God, even though I don’t think I can fully grasp this concept the thought of it excites me. (John 16:14)

What does all of this mean for me?  It means that I will never have to struggle, fall, or make tough decisions on my own.  It means that when I ask God for wisdom and guidance he will give it, and he will encourage me towards truth.  It means that even though I may become distracted, I will be convicted in the areas of life I need to remove sin.  It means that when I struggle to make the connection that I can never escape God’s presence (Psalm 139) that the Holy Spirit will be there to remind me how to live like Christ.

It always sounds so simple on paper; just remember Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit. And hopefully the simple realization of God’s promises to me through the Holy Spirit will change things… I am confident they will.  Even though these struggles and distractions will never fully go away, I will never have to deal with them alone.  How’s that for a positive thought?

Verse of an undetermined period of time:

John 14:15-17

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him or knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Do I really want this?

“What if God does show up but then he asks you to go somewhere or do something that’s uncomfortable?”

Francis Chan- Forgotten God

When we submit our lives to God, to be “subjects of His will”, are we really ready for all that he has planned for us?

As followers of Christ, in a society that may not always share our beliefs, we are going to be called to situations that are uncomfortable. God may call us to minister to an area or people group where the quality of life is not nearly as comfortable as that which we’re used to. Am I fully aware of the discomfort that I may be subject to, or do I just want the feel good sensation of “grace”? Am I prepared to trust that what God has planned for me is so much better than what I may believe to be comfortable or safe? Am I Ready?

It seems like such an easy question, one that I feel I would readily respond, “Yes, of course!” But in my own reflections, I believe anyone would struggle with this question and what it might mean. We worry about little things all the time, like what to wear or what to say… why wouldn’t we worry about what God may ask us to do or stop doing, or where He could ask us to go. While the Church does, and should, preach all the great messages of salvation and grace, I feel I have not been challenged to pursue other important subjects. Subjects that may result in a little “discomfort” at times… like trust, faith, evangelism, and patience… to name a few.

When it comes down to it, I do not feel that I have fully surrendered my life to allow the Holy Spirit to remove the fear in my life, but I believe I am in the process. While I wish for the Spirit of God to work in and through me, and I believe fully that He does, I still struggle with thoughts of what others believe… both Christ followers and those who aren’t. I struggle with the thought of rejection of some of my closest friends when I share my beliefs. I struggle with the thought that I may be called to give up everything. Even though right now it is easy to say, “Here I am Lord, send me…” I hope that I will be ready when the Lord asks me.

I say “when”, instead of “if”, because I believe all of us will be called to something much greater, and more “uncomfortable” than we know. Please do not think that the Lord will call all of us to give up everything, but he will call us to a life that goes against what much of society believes, and even what many churches may consider right and acceptable. The greatest thing about this calling in our life is that God has also promised us something amazing, the Spirit of Truth (the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, God in us). Pursuing this promise has proven to be one of the greatest benefits to my relationship with God, and has also removed a lot of fears I have over God’s calling in my life… My fear has turned into excitement in many cases, with the anticipation of growing so much closer to Him.

So I will ask again, do I really desire God to show up when I ask Him? Absolutely, and I hope He shows up for you as well. It is my prayer that the Spirit is so alive in my life (and yours) that what seems uncomfortable now, would not be uncomfortable at all, but exciting and adventurous.