Drifting Thru Life — Welcome Detweiler

The Danger of Drifting Without Decision

Many people's failures are largely due to their lack of decision. They are satisfied to go through life like a ship without a definite course marked out for it. Over the seas a large number of ships are constantly passing to and fro.

Approach any one of their captains and he can tell you exactly where he is going. You would be very much surprised to meet a ship's captain who is simply going and he knows not where, who does not care in what latitude he sails, and who answers all your inquiries by carelessly saying, what does it matter?

I am trusting the winds and the currents to take me where they will. Such indifference would be considered the sheerest madness. In every department of life it is the same, in business, in politics, and in society.

The men who are esteemed are those who can be depended upon to make decisions where and when they are necessary. No man is a successful leader or executive who lacks this ability. And in private life it is not less important.

We all are frequently faced with situations in which a decision is important. To drift with the current for the seamen means shipwreck and death. For all who are given to it, drifting spells danger. All this will be readily admitted by any thoughtful person.

Spiritual Drifting and the Stakes of Eternity

But there is one department of life in which many seem to think that the very opposite is true. Where the soul's interests are concerned, they are content to drift. Eternity is involved, but they treat its solemn issues as if nothing at all vital were at stake.

They are not only undecided, but are satisfied to remain so. Now, if such an attitude is considered reckless in temporal and comparatively unimportant matters, what shall we say of it where so much is at stake?

It is the most inexcusable folly. There is a certain story that comes to us concerning a sergeant who approached a young lieutenant fresh out of the West Point. He sat at his desk in a Midwest Army base, and the sergeant told the lieutenant that his wife wished to see him.

"'What about?' asked the officer. "'She's pretty sick, sir. Will you see her?'. The lieutenant went to the sergeant's quarters and stood beside the bed. The frail young woman said, "'You know, every day I lie in this bed and hear, Hep, two, three, four.

"'What does that mean, lieutenant?'. "'All that it is, Hep, two, three, four. "'What are they, where are they going?'. "'Oh, I suppose to mess, or formation, or maybe to target practice,' said the officer.

"'Isn't it wonderful that they know where they are going?' exclaimed the young woman. "'I wish I knew where I was going. "'I count the designs on the wall when the post doctor says I have thirty days.

"'After that, I won't be here. "'Where am I going, lieutenant?'. The officer returned to his quarters, and for the first time he prayed. He prayed that God would spare the life of the sergeant's wife, and she would live to know where she was going.

Here we have a picture of many, many people today, and this would include religious people, for I am sure that many very religious people are in exactly this condition. They have to say, I do not know definitely where I am going.

Isn't that a shame? Especially when God in His word has made it very clear that He wants us to know. I wonder if you know that this little verse is in the Bible. Maybe you know John 3 .16 and the 23rd Psalm and so on, but here is a very important verse near to the close of your Bible, 1 John 5 and 13.

Assurance of Eternal Life Through God's Promise

"'These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, "'that ye may know, K-N-O-W, that ye have eternal life.'. Isn't that a wonderful verse? I wonder if you know. If you don't know, if you are compelled to say, I hope I am saved, I think I am saved, I am reasonably sure that I am saved, if that's all you can say, you do not have peace.

You may have a measure of peace as long as you have a healthy body, but when you come into the condition of this sergeant's wife, when you are faced with a doctor's report that there are only 30 days more ahead, and then you'll have to leave this scene, I tell you, in that hour, you will see the value of knowing.

I insist, those who are going to heaven, have the privilege of being sure and certain that they are on the way to heaven. Now, of course, if we listen to the religions of men, who tell us that it's your good life that takes you to heaven, then I can see a good reason why we can't know.

For we never know if we've done good, a sufficient good to take us to heaven. But then, if we turn away from the ideas of men and listen to God's word, He plainly tells us that it's not by works at all, it's by the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, of our substitute.

Salvation Through Christ's Substitutionary Atonement

My sins demanded eternal death, and I cannot be forgiven, I cannot be saved, unless some substitute dies in my room instead and makes atonement for my sin. There's where the wonderful gospel message comes in.

The Lord Jesus Christ came down from the ivory palaces of glory. He loved you, He loved me, He loved every sinner in the world. And He loved that person and proved His love and expressed it in the shedding of His own precious blood.

He laid down His life voluntarily that He might offer life to dead and perishing sinners. That's wonderful. I can be saved through the work of another. And my passport to heaven is the precious shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And since no one has ever been able to find a flaw in the work that Christ did on Calvary's cross, then I can say my getting to heaven is as certain, as sure, as the value of the blood of Christ. Find a flaw in His atoning sacrifice, and you find a flaw in my salvation, and I can't be sure.

But you'll never find a flaw in the atoning work of Christ at Calvary. He did a perfect work, He is a perfect Savior, and He has satisfied God's throne. He offers a full and a free salvation to all who will put their trust in Him.

Trusting Christ Alone and Receiving New Life

I wonder, my friend, if you have ever rested your soul completely, 100%, on the Lord Jesus Christ who loved you and died for your sins, you're depending upon that and nothing else to take you to heaven.

If so, then you are within the compass of God's word that says those who do that can know and they are assured, they are guaranteed that they have everlasting life. And of course, a new life immediately follows.

When I realize that I'm a hell-bound sinner, and I cry to God for salvation, and I see in Christ my salvation completed, I trust Him. That will produce in me a change. I am devoted to that man who loved me enough to die for me.

And my whole interest in life is focused upon that person. I want to do the things that please Him. If a conversion is from the heart, there always follows a changed life. And I trust that you will experience this changed life, this new birth, this divine life that God wishes to impart to the soul.

Preparing to Meet God and Choosing the Savior

It may be that there is one in my audience who is seriously facing this question. It may be that you are realizing that the decision of your eternal destiny is very important. There are words in the Bible, commands such as, Prepare to meet thy God.

Be ye therefore ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man comest. These verses indicate that you are not prepared, that a decision must be made, that you must turn to the Savior. And if you are a careless, indifferent man, if you are given to indecision, if you think it's a very intelligent thing to know about temporal things and not to know about your eternal destiny, oh my friend, it's the highest of folly.

I hope that you will heed the warning. Will you not give earnest consideration now? If you will, you may be saved. The Lord Jesus has made ample provision for your deliverance from coming wrath. From the glory of heaven He went to the cross of shame and bore in unspeakable anguish for you the vengeance of heaven due to your sins and poured upon Him the spotless victim.

He bore your sins in His own body in the tree. Now, God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Greater love never has been and never will be known. A greater salvation could not be provided and a greater welcome than that extended to the sinner is impossible.

The Invitation to Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior

He longs to make you His. He extends a full and frank and free forgiveness to all who are ready to receive Him as Lord and Savior. God wants to take the control of your life. Your life has been aimless thus far but He wants to pilot you into His eternal bliss.

What is your decision? Will you receive Him as your Lord and Savior this very hour? I trust you will not be guilty, like many in this world, of being undecided when such a great issue is before you. A wonderful Savior stands at your heart's door.

He's ready to save you, He's willing to save you and He's able to save you. And all there's left for you to do is to admit Him and the moment you do, you enter into the bliss and the realm of the possessor of eternal life.

I ask you for your soul's sake, for the good of your life here on earth, for your family's sake, trust the Lord Jesus Christ and be a new creature in Christ Jesus. May God add His blessing to His precious Word.

Amen.