The Awesome Adventure

The Awesome Adventure

Surrendering all that you are to Jesus does not mean that you will have an easy life. With Christ as your Lord and Savior, you now represent the message of the Bible – Jesus Christ is the one and only way to a right relationship with God. Most who have heard or will hear the good news about Jesus Christ and His love for the world are offended; they reject the truth as lies, bigotry, hatred, narrowmindedness…

• John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
• John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
• John 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
• Matthew 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

But we press on. In His truth, strength and love we persevere. We find joy and peace through obedience to Him and satisfaction in seeing His plans fulfilled. Each time another lost soul comes to salvation in Christ, we praise His name and thank Him for His unending love for all. Nothing and no one can separate us from His love. We endure persecutions with rejoicing, knowing that heaven is the ultimate destination for all who love Him.

• Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
• 1 Peter 3:13-14 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”
• Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The trials and tribulations, the triumphs and thanksgivings, the high and lows, the peaks and the valleys, each Christian must take up their own cross and follow where the Lord Jesus leads. And although it is impossible to characterize the individual experiences of every Christian, here are some common aspects of the awesome adventure experienced by those who walk with Jesus.

Awareness

• Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
• Creation declares God’s existence (Psalm 19:1-6, Romans 1:18-20). But the truth about Jesus Christ cannot be figured out by observing nature – the gospel message of salvation is contained in the Words of God (The Holy Bible). To become a follower of Jesus, a person must be exposed to the gospel.

Acknowledgement

• James 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
• A person must not dismiss the truth. The Holy Spirit of God uses the truth of God’s Word to draw the heart of those who don’t know Jesus as Savior.

Acquiescing

• Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
• When drawn to Christ by the Spirit of God with the truth contained in the Word of God, a person must make a decision about how they will respond.

Acceptance

• Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
• Agreeing with the truth of God’s Word through a profession of faith in Christ to God leads to spiritual rebirth – a new and eternal life in Christ.

Absorbing

• Psalm 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
• Digesting the Word of God is a vital part of maturing as a Christian. Personal study time, listening to sermons, personal or group Bible study, devotions, etc. can all play an important part in growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Acumen

• Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
• A new way of thinking, a new focus, looking at life through the lens of truth which is God’s Word; scripture changes your perspective and understanding of life and eternity. Truth gives you purpose.

Application

• James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• Learning more about God is a good thing; but genuine faith results in loving works. Faithful obedience means doing what God requires of His children.

Appreciation

• 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Recognizing who God is and what He has done for you and others results in humility and gratitude.

Ambassador

• 2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
• Christians are the earthly representatives of God’s Kingdom. People will draw conclusions about God and His church based on how we conduct ourselves.

Awkwardness

• Romans 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
• Everybody sins (falls short of God’s standards and expectations); that includes Christians. That is why God had to come to earth as a man (Jesus) to pay the debt for our sins by dying on a cross. But Christians, with the power of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit and by obeying the Word of God out of love for Jesus, should sin less and less as they mature. Sin is very uncomfortable for a true follower of Jesus. Confession brings cleansing and restoration.

Anticipating

• John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
• Christians live in a state of joyful and confident expectation for the time when they join Christ in Heaven.

Advocating

• Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
• Christians share the truth of God’s love with others.

Attainment

• Colossians 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
• Only those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior will spend eternity in Heaven.

Want to learn more?

Want to live The Awesome Adventure?

Read the Bible.

Attend a Bible Believing Christian church.

Seek God with all your heart

Respond when He draws you to Himself!

Prayer

Father God, please encourage Your children in their walk with You. Please draw those who don’t know You into a reconciled loving relationship through Jesus Christ. I praise Your holy name and ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and my Savior. Amen.

The Best Science Book Ever

The Best Science Book Ever

The other day I was on a long drive and stumbled across a radio program that was discussing ‘The Best Science Books of 2016’. Seeing how I have always really liked science, I decided to listen in. The host of the program and his two guests were very intelligent and informed. Not only did they discuss their favorite books from the last year, but they also took time to talk about different styles and purposes of writing about science: books that explain/teach, books intended to persuade, science novels, children’s science books, etc. The program also included calls from listeners who mentioned their favorite science books and added to the discussion.

As interesting as some of the discussion was, it didn’t take long before I found myself very saddened by what I was hearing. Without fail, all the discussion and commentary on this program discounted the absolute truths found in ‘The Best Science Book Ever’, The Holy Bible. Without acknowledgement or apology, the fundamental premise of this program was to dismiss the possibility of God and the truth of His Word by celebrating the brilliance of man and the glory of human theories and discoveries.

‘But how can you trust the results of your process when before you even defined your hypothesis, began your research, conducted your experiments, documented your observations, performed your analysis, confirmed your results, reached your conclusions, and shared your findings, you rejected a viable fundamental premise?’, I asked myself.

When you discount the possibility of God,

any evidence or conclusions that suggest the existence of God

are dismissed as either erroneous or ridiculous.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning

God created the heavens and the earth.

As much as I would like to use the rest of this devotion to share scripture about how God created all things out of nothing, made the stars and other heavenly bodies, gave life to every living creature, created man in His own image, and so much more; that is not what this devotion it about. And as much as I want to provide you a list of scripture about how God alone has the authority and power to violate the created order He established (miracles), that is not the purpose of this devotion. And though I believe that impartial science proves the existence of God, I won’t be expounding on that subject either.

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

I seriously considered calling into the radio program.

I really wanted to engage in the discussion and share the truth as given to us by God through creation and scripture.

I strongly desired to make the case that the Holy Bible is The Best Science Book Ever.

But I didn’t call in.

I thought it was a waste of time and effort.

I felt certain that I would be disregarded or dismissed.

And though I didn’t fear ridicule or criticism, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to clearly articulate what the Bible has to say about these matters.

Why would they listen to me?

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world

His invisible attributes are clearly seen,

being understood by the things that are made,

even His eternal power and Godhead,

so that they are without excuse,

Bottom-line:

• Instead of trusting in the power of God’s Word
• Instead of relying on His Spirit to work through me
• Instead of stepping out in faith

I judged the hearts of those I should have shared His Word with!

Matthew 7:1-2

“Judge not, that you be not judged.

2 For with what judgment you judge,

you will be judged;

and with the measure you use,

it will be measured back to you.

I discounted the power of God’s Word!

Isaiah 55:11-12

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

This devotion is:

A Confession

• I evaluated the situation from my perspective instead of trusting God.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

A Praise

• Not matter how many times I fail Him, He is always there for me!

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, 

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Prayer

Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.