Life's Greatest Adventure

Most people love adventure. Kathy and I are always talking about the adventures of Kathy & Robert. We look at life as an adventure.

Many people try to fill their lives with adventures...

Many people try to fill their life with money, power and fame.

To live life’s greatest adventure, you don’t need any of that.

Life’s greatest adventure has nothing to do with luck, money, influence or your good looks… or lack of it. But it’s more satisfying & exciting than all of the incredible thrills you can imagine.

John 10:10 NKJV

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The thief is the devil who uses our culture to wage war against you. He wants you to care only about yourself, gaining stuff for yourself, making sure you are entertained, filling your belly, ...

The abundant life is not

a life full of pleasure

a life filled with amusement

a life filled with adventures

But your enemy will trick you into believing that these things are the abundant life. However, know he wants to destroy your life, steal your joy and kill you if he can.

He will make you think that it’s alright, I can drink just one...

He will make you think, I can smoke this, after all it’s legal...

He will make you think, I can take this… no one will miss it.

He will make you think, I can sell this and get caught up on my bills...

He will make you think, I can talk to her/him… my spouse won’t care.

He will make you think, I can look at this, it’s just video … I’m not cheating.

He will make you think, I can buy this car… b/c I can afford the note.

You have an enemy who wants to Kill, steal and destroy your life. And if you give him an opening into your life he will.

Matthew 7:13–14 NLT

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Mastt 7:13-14

You can do anything you want on the way to destruction. Your enemy will convince you that you have a right to do...

Matthew 7:13–23 NLT

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. 15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. 21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Matthew 7 NLT

1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. 6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you. 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. 12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. 13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. 15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. 21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ 24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

Matt &:13-23

:13-23

Jesus said he come to give you an abundant life.

Jesus said he come to give you an abundant life.

To begin Life’s greatest adventure, you need a personal relationship with God.

He is the creator of life.

You need to know

God loves you and wants a personal relationship with you.

God loves you

John 3:16 The Living Bible

16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God wants you to know him personally.

John 17:3 NLT

3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

God created you and is excited about you

Psalm 139:13–14 NLT

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

So why is it that so many people do not have a personal relationship with God?

Your sin keeps you from having a personal relationship with God.

All of us have sinned.

Romans 3:23 The Living Bible

23 Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal;

What is sin?

James 4:17 NLT

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Sin is doing wrong and not doing what God wants us to do.

Sin is also our selfish attitude of ignoring or even outright rejecting God.

What happens when we sin?

Your sin causes a gap between you and God.

Isa

Isaiah 59:2 NLT

2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.

The penalty for your sin is death, which means eternal separation from God.

Romans 6:23 NLT

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Whats the solution for your separation from God? Whats the solution to your sin problem?

Kathy with the Palestinian guy

Jesus died and rose again so that your sins could be forgiven.

Jesus

1 Peter 3:18 NCV

18 Christ himself suffered for sins once. He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty to bring you to God. His body was killed, but he was made alive in the spirit.

Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins.

Romans 5:8 NLT

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Jesus rose from the dead, which proves He can forgive you.

1 Corinthians 15:3–6 NLT

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

Jesus bridges the gap between God and you.

1 Timothy 2:5 The Living Bible

5 That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together,

Jesus is the only way to have a relationship with God.

John 14:6 NLT

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

How can yo begin a personal relationship with God?

You must personally trust Jesus Christ to you your Savior.

John 1:12 The Living Bible

11 Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them.

Trusting Christ means you turn to God from your own way of living.

Acts 3:19 The Message

19 “Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you,

Trusting Christ means you receive God’s gift of salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NLT

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Receiving Jesus is not something you can earn. It’s not just an emotional experience; nor is it just agreeing with your mind that Jesus is the Son of God.

It means total trust by an act of your will.

Here’s my question today...

Are you ready for a personal relationship with God?

Where would you place yourself?

Where would you place yourself? I don’t have a relationship with God.

Where would you place yourself? I don’t have a relationship with God. I would like a personal relationship with God.

Where would you place yourself? I don’t have a relationship with God. I would like a personal relationship with God. I have a personal relationship with God

You can begin your personal relationship with God by simply expressing yourself to God through prayer:

Dear God, I know that my sin has separated me from you. Thank you that Jesus died in my place and rose again to be my Savior. I turn from my sin and trust Jesus to forgive me. Come into my life and lead me. Thank you for giving me a relationship with your forever. In Jesus name. Amen.

What’s next?

Your Trust in Jesus begins a lifelong relationship!

God will never leave you!

Hebrews 13:5 The Living Bible

5 Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never, never fail you nor forsake you.”

God completely forgives your sin!

Colossians 2:13–14 NLT

13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

God guarantees that you’ll go to heaven.

1 John 5:13 NLT

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

God gives you the Holy Spirit to enable you to live the Christian life.

Galatians 5:25 The Living Bible

25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Listen

You can depend on God and His Word as you go through Life’s Greatest Adventure.

Now that you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you must realize that God will always be committed to you. His word, the Bible, is completely true. Trust it.

Because life is full of ups and downs, you must rely on the factual promises of God’s Word, not on your Feelings. Good Feelings will come and go, but the fact that God loves you, forgives you and promises eternal life in heaven will never change.

Roller coaster ILL - Your faith in the fact that a roller coaster will keep you safe during a wild ride causes you to act by getting into the seat. During the ride, you might feel like you are falling out, but the fact is the seat and safety bar keep you secure.

Get ready to experience Life’s Greatest Adventure.

You trusted Jesus as your Savior, now let Jesus be your Lord.

L - Learn everything you can about Jesus.

2 Peter 3:18 The Living Bible

18 But grow in spiritual strength and become better acquainted with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be all glory and splendid honor, both now and forevermore. Good-bye. Peter

John 14:15 NLT

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.

O - Obey God in every area of your life.

John 14:15 NLT

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.

:!5

R - Rely on God’s Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:16–17 NLT

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

D - Decide to be like Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:10 NLT

10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

C