Faith is an Adventure

[Bill5612]

Howdy Folks,

I used to get really mad when I was lost while driving. My poor wife has had to suffer through several of my ‘which way do I go’ meltdowns. I really hate the feelings of fear and confusion that wash over me when I don’t know where I am and which direction I should be going in. But I have found a way to defeat these feelings. I try to replace them by filling up my head with the idea that I am on an adventure. Instead of cursing myself and the world, I try and think about how I’ve never been to this place before and the houses are really interesting and maybe we’ll stumble onto a new and wonderful place that we may want to return to again and again. Strangely enough this strategy has worked. I am much calmer when we are wandering around. We are not lost, we are experiencing an adventure. The thing is, by their very nature, adventures can be very stressful.

The story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50 is one huge adventure. It is such a compelling story it was made into a Broadway show and Movie. I call the Joseph story an adventure because it has all of the classic elements of one. It has heroes and villains. It features the suffering and possible death of the innocent. It has God coming to the rescue of our troubled hero just in the nick of time. The guilty are brought to justice and then forgiven. It all ends in a wonderfully happy ending. Who could ask for more?

The story of Joseph and his fabulous coat does point out to us some sobering aspects of the adventurous life. Joseph is left to die in a well. Joseph is left to rot in prison. Joseph suffers in anguish over his family reunion. It’s not all a bed of roses for the man is it? Most adventure stories in the Bible are the same way. Ruth’s faithfulness causes her to face poverty, Jeremiah’s preaching causes him to be thrown into a cistern, and Daniel’s stubbornness gets him a date with some pretty big kitty cats. The apostle Paul was thrown into prison so many times he could have written a cookbook on Jailhouse Cuisine. And don’t assume that adventures end happily. Jeremiah was forced into exile in Egypt; Stephen the evangelist was stoned to death and the last we see of Paul, he is under house arrest awaiting a death sentence. No happy endings in any of these stories.

The problem I see is that many people demand and/or expect that the adventure of faith never have any downside and always has a happy ending. Joel Osteen has a new book out; “Every Day a Friday, How to be Happier 7 Days a Week”. What a bunch of baloney. There is nothing in the Bible that promises the faithful 24-hour-7-day-a-week happiness in this lifetime. Instead, the Bible promises those of us who are willing to take the leap of faith that God will be with us as we struggle through a life of adventurous ups and downs.

Consider the words of Jesus;

The upside: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The downside: Be on your guard against men; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. Matthew 10:21-22

More upside: Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1

More downside: If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. John 15:18

Get the picture?

Like Joseph we are on an adventure of faith. Also like Joseph, it is not going to be easy. The only promise of happiness and victory is when we leave this world and enter the next. In the meantime the faith that God gives us will help us to face the ups and downs of this life. That same faith gives us the surety that no matter what we face, God is with us in the struggle.

So the next time you feel like you are lost, just embrace the adventure.

God bless you,

Pastor Bill
FBC-Rahway.org

 

[Jpark]

Interesting premise/presentation.

I'd like to add more to that:

The upside: 1 Peter 4:14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

The downside: 2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

God's perspective/verdict:

Mark 10:29-30 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.

Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Conclusion: Persecution is a sign of salvation/God's blessing/favor/interest.

The upside: Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.

The downside: John 16:2 They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.

God's perspective/verdict:

Acts 5:38-39 So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

Luke 24:7, John 3:27, John 19:11, Acts 2:23

Conclusion: Persecution is evidence of God's presence (Luke 17:21, Matt. 18:20).

So yes faith is an adventure as you call it. One does not have it easy on adventures. He must endure things.

However, I disagree that the promise is only given after this life. See Job 42. It is given in greater measure in this life, abundant in eternal life.

 

[1-4 All OurGodAll 4-1Sad]

I like 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
Romans 8:5
Romans 12:2
Proverbs 23:7
Mark 10:45

 

[Emmy]

Dear Bill5612. You are right, Faith can be an Adventure, and it does teach us great things. Paul told us: " So faith, hope, love abide; but the greatest of these is Love." Jesus told a Lawyer in Matthew: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then Jesus points out this great Truth: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." I cannot resist to make the point, that Love surpasses even Faith, and the point I am hoping to make: Why is Love so very slowly recognised, as the greatest and strongest weapon, we Christians possess? Jesus will give us His Joy and Love, and the Holy Spirit will give us His Love, also. Jesus told us to: " ask and ye will receive," and after thanking God, we start sharing all Love and Joy with all around us. God will see our sincere efforts to follow His Commandments to love an care, and God will bless us, and also Know that we love Him: by following His Commandments to love. Perhaps you can help me understand "Why is Love, selfless and no conditions asked, so easily and openly overlooked, and even disregarded?" I ask this humbly and with love, Bill. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[1Mind1Spirit]

Love is selfless because we are to love others the same as we love ourselves.
Sometimes we love by simply walking honestly among unbelievers and setting an example because we would like them to come out of the darkness of sin and death as we have done.Jesus said they would know those of us who have faith in God by seeing the love we have for one another.We are not to love to show God that He should now bless us.Faith and the ability to love are givin' to us by God, and the work we do is a manifestation of this faith.It is now our righteousness and is givin' to us to strengthen our hope to stand firm till the end.We are saved by Grace through faith which is the gift of God and the works we now do are not our own but are the righteousness of God because they stem from the measure of faith givin' us by Him, which we did nothing to deserve.Take the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
Jesus said go thy way your faith has saved you.Here is a woman saved before Christ was crucified.God gave her the faith, and she showed her faith by the works she performed.God is our redeemer and his righteousness that he ascribes to us is salvation. How can they preach except they be sent.We have nothing that we did not receive.

 

[1-4 All OurGodAll 4-1Sad]

Love is selfless because we are to love others the same as we love ourselves.
Sometimes we love by simply walking honestly among unbelievers and setting an example because we would like them to come out of the darkness of sin and death as we have done.Jesus said they would know those of us who have faith in God by seeing the love we have for one another.We are not to love to show God that He should now bless us.Faith and the ability to love are givin' to us by God, and the work we do is a manifestation of this faith.It is now our righteousness and is givin' to us to strengthen our hope to stand firm till the end.We are saved by Grace through faith which is the gift of God and the works we now do are not our own but are the righteousness of God because they stem from the measure of faith givin' us by Him, which we did nothing to deserve.Take the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
Jesus said go thy way your faith has saved you.Here is a woman saved before Christ was crucified.God gave her the faith, and she showed her faith by the works she performed.God is our redeemer and his righteousness that he ascribes to us is salvation. How can they preach except they be sent.We have nothing that we did not receive.

For real.Good one.Like that type of thinking.Love the truth.

 

[Anthem40]

It is a funny thing, that following your heart and allowing yourself to enjoy life leads you in the right direction.

Good on ya for realizing that!

 

[Emmy]

Dear Jpark. Yes, Faith is an adventure, but we can suffer through it: except if there is Love, too; Faith without Love is meaningless. Paul tells us: " Faith, Hope, and Love, abide, but the greatest of these is Love. For all who have faith and dare use it without love, it can bring much pain or heartache. I say this humbly and with love. Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ. P.S. I could not resist this meaningful warning.