Have You Taken a Detour?

  • Ways that you know you have drifted away from God.
    •                    Love for Christ Fades
      • If we find we don’t love Jesus as much as we once did – we have slipped away from Christ.

      • Revelation 2:4 states “I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love.” (NIV)

        
    • We Do Wrong
      • If we are Christians we should not desire to sin for we are commanded to be Christ-like.  Our desires should be to represent the One who gave himself up for us
      • Galatians 2:20 states “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (NIV)
    • We Grow Lukewarm/Showing Apathy towards things that matter to God
      • Revelation 3:15-16 states “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (NIV)
      • The ones that are spiritually cold cannot pretend that they are all right. The spiritual needs of those that are cold are obvious.
      • The ones that are lukewarm may have just enough religion to make them think that they are okay

 

  • When we drift away from God, He still loves us and will never leave us.  

  • Every Christian who drifts away can comeback into fellowship with God.

  • We miss out on so much when we drift away from God, for instance:

      • God's blesings

      • Peace of God

      • Sense of being forgive

      • Assurance of God's guideance

      • Christian influence on friends and family

      • Focus and Purpose for life

    •  When we come back to Him we can have all of this! 



  • If you find that you have drifted away here is how you can come back to God.

    • Reflect

      • Think about when you first got saved – the spiritual goals and promises that you made.

      • Revelation 2:5 states “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.” (NIV)

    • Repent

      You should feel regret and sorrow for drifting away from God. Revelation 2:5 

    • Confess

      • Confess to God that you have drifted away from Him and ask Him to forgive you.  Discuss your desire of mending your relationship.

        • 1 John 1:9 states “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)

        • 2 Chronicles 7:14 says: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (NIV)

      •  Live for God
        •  Revelation 2:5 states “…do again the things you once did.” (NIV) 
        • Here are some examples:
          • Pray – We should pray everyday. 
            • Luke 18:1 (NIV) says: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
          •  Read the Bible – We should read the Bible everyday. 
            • Psalm 119:97 (NIV) says: “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.”
            • Psalm 119:11 (NIV) says: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
            • Psalm 119:105 (NIV) says: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."
            • Attend Church Regularly
              • Hebrews 10:25 (NIV) says: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
            • Strive to Obey Christ – Always strive to be Christ-like. 

              • John 15:14 (NIV) says: “You are my friends if you do what I command.”

              • John 14:21 (NIV) says: "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

                

                
            

            


You can Pray this Prayer or a Prayer of confession and recommitment:

“Dear God, I miss you in my life. I confess that I have drifted away and I’m sorry I let it happen. I ask for your forgiveness. I renew my love and commitment to you. Thank you for calling me back. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.”

 

Congratulations on your decision!

 

* NIV = New International Version



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