The Danger of Drifting

The Dangers of Drifting

Proverbs 27:8 As a bird wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

You will never serve God by accident.

Drifting affects every age bracket.

The following story is from a fishing magazine

            Two young men were out on a fishing expedition on a boat. While they were fishing they got caught up in the drift of the ocean and one man said, to the other man don’t you think we’ve drifted to far? The other man said, NO man, I’ve drifted this far before so don’t worry about it. I got a 70-horse power motor on the back of this boat. I got enough power to solve the drifting problem.

            The story said, they went out and got away from the shores of safety. And the coast guard came by and said there’s a storm coming, and you guys have gone and got in the drift. IF you have any sense about you, you’ll fire up your boat and get back to the docks before the storm gets here. After the coast guard left one guy looks at the other and says, see they think we e are retarded, they don’t think we know how far we can drift without going to far. He acts like this is our first time going out on the water. I’m sick of these dictators telling us we’re drifting to far. You run your boat the way you want, and I’ll run mine the way I want to. I got as much wisdom as the coast guard ever dared to have.

            In just a matter of moments the storm came. The wind blew and one of the men said fire up the motor and he went to start it. But the motor would not start. The angry winds of the angry sea grabbed their fishing boat and thrust it out into the surrounding waters. Six days later the boat was found. Both men were still on the boat. One had died, and his body had rotted and exploded. The other was so dehydrated that he was passed out and Nye unto death.

A great thought came to mind, there is a great danger in drifting from God.

Several months after this incident took place, the man had gotten a little better and had lived. He was still in the hospital when they did the interview and the interviewer asked him;

And outline for a life lesson (sermon) from a fishing magazine.

1.      What was the reason for drifting?

There are 3 reasons for drifting.

1.      The current pulled on us so slow that we didn’t really know how far gone we were.

Sin starts out a slow-moving process.

2.      We were more interested in pleasure than we were direction.

The man said, I didn’t care which way the boat was going. I was just interested in having some fun.

3.      We had a power shortage.

When we left the shores of safety we had enough power to get us back.

But we got to drifting and then we lost all our power.

The man said, if I had of been more sensitive to the wind I would have been able to get back to the dock before the storm ever got to us.

He said, if I had of been sensitive to the wind I would have missed the storm.

2.      The result of drifting.

What happened when you got out on the open water

1.      We became delirious.

When you become delirious you don’t hear right. You don’t see right, and you don’t walk right. You don’t function like you used to.

You become real weak, when you become delirious.

2.      We became dehydrated.

No fluid. Lost our tears. No burden.

It would be bad to die of thirst, when you are surrounded on all sides by water. We were surrounded by water. But it was salt water. Very bad.

It’s not only important to have water, but you have got to have the right kind of water.

3.      Then we died.

Two men left on the boat that morning. But only one made it back.

When you just jump out, there’s a 50% chance you may never make it back.

The man that was interviewed will never be normal again because of what happened to him.

He will carry scares with him the rest of his life.

When we leave the safety of Gods shores and drift away we face the same predicament.

3.      What is the remedy for drifting?

1.      Do not be controlled by the current.

Water only runs one way and that is down. If you get in the current, you are going to go down.

2.      Do not hang around friends that are controlled by the current.

I would not hang around anyone who would rather feed my flesh that feed my Spirit.

Do not run around with anyone who lives in the flesh.

3.      Keep the LIGHT HOUSE in view at all times.

The man said, I knew we were gone when I looked out over the horizon and I could not see the light house. I knew we were gone.

What will keep you from drifting every morning when you get up.

A.    Stay close to the light house.

B.     Keep your eyes on Jesus.

4.      Keep extra fuel on board just in case a storm comes up.

                  Take more fuel than you need.

5.      Do not think it cannot happen to you.

6.      Do not judge how far you have gone by looking at the other boats.

It doesn’t matter if everybody is drifting that is no excuse for you to.

7.      Do not ever get mad at the coast guard for warning you about drifting.

The preacher warns you because he cares.

Thank God you have a preacher that will tell you when you are drifting.

There are three things you need on your boat in order to never drift.

1.      You need an anchor………………..That is the Savior.

2.      You need the power……………….That is the Spirit.

3.      You need a compass………………That is the Scripture.

Keep all three of these and you will stay close.

Sunday Morning Sermon at First Freewill Baptist Church, in Hayesville, NC 1994.

By : David M. Shuler