Adventure in the Ascent
To the adventure in Him... This phrase has been a rallying cry for me and my circle of friends for years. We were designed for intimate relationship with God. Jesus made this possible through His sacrifice on the Cross. The veil was torn, and we were invited beyond. We were created for a grand adventure in which we come to Him in repentance, maintain intimacy, learn of Him, walk His path, and ascend the hill of the Lord. Let's ascend together and experience the adventure with God. There's more...
Adventure in the Ascent
Father’s Day- Fathers Called to be Sons
“Train up a child in the way he should go—but be sure you go that way yourself.” -Charles Spurgeon
“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” -Billy Graham
Scripture: Psalm 103:13, Malachi 4:5-6, Proverbs 22:6, John 1:12, Ephesians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 11:1
- The Fatherlessness Epidemic:
- Fatherlessness is a root cause of societal issues like crime, poverty, and behavioral disorders, as evidenced by U.S. Department of Justice statistics (e.g., 63% of youth suicides, 71% of high school dropouts from fatherless homes).
- Malachi 4:5-6 warns of a curse if fathers’ hearts are not turned to their children, highlighting the need for godly “fathers” to rise up.
- Sonship as the Foundation:
- To be a godly father, one must first be a son of God, resting in relationship with the Heavenly Father (John 1:12).
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- Accepting Jesus and walking in sanctification enables fathers to reflect God’s heart, as Jesus did (John 5:19).
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- Charles Spurgeon: “Train up a child in the way he should go—but be sure you go that way yourself” (Proverbs 22:6).
- Reflecting the Father’s Heart:
- Godly fathers imitate God’s character (Ephesians 5:1), revealing His love, compassion, and action to their children and others (Genesis 1:26).
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- Fathers should live authentically, confessing failures and modeling repentance (Proverbs 24:16), so children see faith in action.
- Action-Oriented Love:
- Like the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), godly fathers act extravagantly, breaking cultural norms to love and pursue their children.
- Jesus was about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49); fathers should act out of love, teaching, mentoring, and serving (John 3:16).
- Imitating Christ as an Example:
- Paul urges, “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Fathers must model faith through devotion, prayer, and service, inviting others to follow their example (Philippians 4:9).
- D.A. Carson: “Do you ever say to a young Christian, ‘Do you want to know what Christianity is like? Watch me!’”