5 Things That Cause Us to Drift Spiritually (crosswalk.com)

1)  An Out-of-Control Schedule.

Ephesians 5:16
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

One of Satan’s greatest weapons against our generation seems to be his ability to make good people busier than ever before. We so often sacrifice the best things in life by spending time doing things that are just “pretty good.”

If you desire to walk closely with God, you will absolutely, necessarily have to begin by taking a close look at your calendar. It is likely that you are currently doing too much. And it is also likely that your overly hectic schedule is affecting your relationship with God. So take out your pruning shears and begin to cut out any activities you can that will allow you to focus more time on your relationship with your Creator.

2)  Misplaced Affections

1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Be careful not to set your heart on things that really don’t matter. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen good people lured away from church life because they have fallen in love with things or activities that have no eternal merit. For example, children’s sports can certainly be a thrilling activity for your kids to pursue. But if those sports begin to adversely affect the spiritual involvement and development of your family, then pull the plug immediately.

3)  Discouragement

During the past couple decades that I have served as a pastor, I have often watched Satan using his weapon of discouragement to drag people away from spiritual activities. I have seen it many more times than I can number.

When the trials of life cause a person to become discouraged, he often begins focusing on those problems and takes his eyes off of Christ. It reminds me of when Peter walked on the water. He did great until he took his eyes off of Jesus and began looking at the waves beneath him and the clouds above him.

It is important for you to know that when life’s clouds grow dark and your trials become fierce, that is the time to run TO Jesus and not FROM Him.

4)  Abundance

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

We Americans are so fat with our own prosperity that we often make wealth our god and not the true King of heaven. This has also been a recurring theme throughout the entire Bible. People struggle, God blesses them, they become prosperous, and then they depart from God. Ironic, isn’t it?

The chances are great that you probably do not feel like you are prosperous. But the reality is that nearly all Americans are extremely blessed and have more abundance than the vast majority of the population of the planet. If you are an American, you are most likely already a “One-Percenter” (wealthier than 99% of the world’s population).

People of abundance often choose recreation over worship. Why go to church if you could be out golfing, boating, camping, or going to movies or sporting events?

Satan wants us to be prosperous, because our prosperity and abundance often lure us away from our Creator.

5)  Parasitic Sins

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Many people begin to drift away from God, because they have sins in their lives that cause them to feel guilt when they show up at church. And they feel reluctant to pray or read their Bible when they know they have these issues in their lives.

Recently, I stumbled upon the most revolting video I’ve ever seen (through my Facebook news feed). The video showed an eye surgeon removing a parasite from a human eye. I won’t go into detail. That brief description alone is enough to send chills down the spines of many. All I can say is that the video was even worse than what you’re thinking right now!

When I watched that video, it dawned on me that many people have sins in their lives that are damaging them just like parasites in one’s body. And those sins will almost certainly affect your spiritual vision.

The solution here is not to run/drift from God. The key is to confess your sin to God who will restore you and make you whole again (1 John 1:9)!

How have you done in your journey with God over the past year or the past few months? Have you drifted? Now is the time to return. Call out to God before you are so far from the shore than you lose all sense of spiritual direction.

Why Garden Grove?

So I made my decision that Alex, Cinzia, and I attend Garden Grove SDA Church, a church 50 miles from our place. After 6 years of attending Burbank SDA Church, I thought some change would be good. My needs and my family's needs have changed. Here are my reasons, in random order.

1. It's a dynamic church. There are so many activities. Every Sabbath is special. They have mission trips every year, there is always something new..There are just so many things to look forward to!

2. Pastor is a good administrator. Pastor Dan Smith is such a nice guy. He does not treat us just a number even if the church is the largest in Orange County. He is a people person, good preacher, and loved by all,

3. There is a huge Filipino group, but it's not mainly a Filipino church (which I prefer). The Filipino group has its own activities too - retreats, Sabbath potlucks, afternoon services, and karaoke on Saturday nights. I miss being an Adventist in the Philippines, and it is a blessing to be surrounded by Filipinos. However, I do not want to be overwhelmed by their presence, which I am not, because it's not mainly a Filipino group.

4. Alex's relatives are there. I like hanging out with Tia Melitza's famiy. They are so caring and concerned. She is so sweet as well. If we are not in the Filipino potluck, they are there to accommodate us. Her sister's family is there too. And, oh, Tia Melitza is Cinzia's pediatrician.

5. The sermons are heaven-ward. They are uplifting, and they make me hopeful. The first time I heard Pastor Dan preach, I knew those are the kind of sermons I needed. I grew up in the church, I need "meat."

6. Music is great!

7. Children's programs are excellent! Cradle room is designed as Garden of Eden because that's what the theme of their lesson.

8. There is a good number of Hispanics, which is good for Alex and Cinzia as well.