Adventure – From A Pastor's Heart

Most men love adventure! Whether it’s the quest to run and complete a 50K, to climb and repel a sheer rock wall, to soar through a canyon like a bird (Wingsuit – Base Jumping Video), or thread the Bonsai Pipeline and all with a GoPro camera, I’m sure each of your have your definition of adventure!

We had the privilege of hosting two men of adventure this past weekend at our local church. One man, Dave, left a comfortable position in West Virginia to move his family without the promise of full financial support to a larger city, Raleigh, North Carolina, to start a church in the inner city near North Carolina State University. The other man, Mike, left the comfortable confines of Florida, doing what he loved, and moved to southern Spain for several years. While there, he learned the Spanish language and helped to plant churches while raising a family of four. Seven years ago, he moved to the Basque country of northern Spain to an area steeped in tradition and a completely different language. Once again, to help a church and serve in an already established ministry among the Basque people as well as other internationals. Both of these men are just ordinary men who have given their lives to Christ, a life of adventure of faith and courage. Trusting daily for the supply of God’s grace and watching the Lord always provide spiritually, mentally, socially, financially, and emotionally.

You want adventure? Give your life as a disciple to completely follow Christ! Jesus said as recorded in Luke 14:26-27, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” A disciple of Christ . . .

Risks his life for Christ.
Walks by faith in Christ.
Lives by the Word of Christ.
Give his life to proclaim and pursue Christ.
Goes wherever Christ leads him to go.
Trusts his life to Christ for now and eternity.
Suffers and stands for the cause of Christ.
Learns of Christ “while sitting at his feet.”
Bears the cross and the reproach of Christ.
Serves all for the sake of Christ.
Willingly surrenders his family to Christ.
Give his all to Christ.
Lives for the day he will see Christ.
Prepares for the day when he will stand before Christ.

Now, men, that’s a life of adventure! That’s a life filled with purpose! And your Servant Leader, Conqueror, Shepherd, King, Armor, and Captain of your salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ, always leads you in His triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14)!! And He records it all on His eternal “GoPro” in order to reward you one day at the greatest moment of your life outside of your personal salvation!

So today, if you are men who have been truly born again (John 1:14; 3:16; 14:6), then let’s join Dave and Mike and live a life of adventure with Christ! The rush of base jumping, kayaking, running, or other extreme sports can be satisfying and fun, but it only last for a short while. Adventure for Christ lasts a lifetime, is every day, and has eternal rewards! Are you ready for some real adventure?

Last night while eating supper in a local Lawrenceburg, Indiana, restaurant, I had no problem hearing the conversation of five men at a nearby table. They, too, were out-of-towners and in the area on business. Their ego level was at a fevered pitch! They were doing what men love to do—talk about their exploits, their trips, their adventures, their accomplishments—and all accompanied with laughter and big words (fortunately no swearing)!! Now, before I go any further, I am a man, and the point of this blog is not a negative swipe at my own kind! Easy now.

As I overheard bits and pieces of their triumphs, my mind was drawn to the greatest adventure of life; the most daring of all exploits; the trip of all trips; the primo race of life—–living as a sold-out follower of Jesus Christ who walks by faith and not by sight! As you read Hebrews 12:1, your mind is set on the great cloud of witnesses. Then the writer takes you to the summit, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). We are exhorted to continually keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, turning from all other distractors. He is the Author, Originator, Leader, Guide, Pioneer, and Finisher, Perfecter, End, Completer, Goal of our faith. As the NLT translates it, Jesus, on Whom our faith depends from start to finish. Where all others failed, Jesus succeeded! Jesus conquered sin, death and hell! He is now seated at the Father’s right hand, the place of ultimate authority, the place of full joy, the place of eternal pleasures!

We are running a race that has already been won! We are following in the footsteps of the Ultimate Champion! He is our Supreme Reward! Even in the worst of times, we can walk by faith and not by sight because the Captain of our salvation is the Leader and Completer of the Faith and our faith. You will be misunderstood, mocked, maligned, and misjudged, but preach the Gospel, stand for Christ, go where He calls you, stand tall for Him, go against the humanistic current, lead your family for Christ, pray boldly, sing loudly, study the Word fervently, give freely, and live by faith!!!!! Now, that’s adventure living!!!

By Faith