Bad Advice: Part 1- "How to Drift from God" with Craig Groeschel - Life.Church

How to Drift from God – “Bad Advice,” Part 1

Scripture References

Primary text

• Matthew 13

Other references

• Psalm 63:1
• 1 Corinthians 15:33
• James 1:14-15
• Hebrews 2:1
• 1 John 2:15
• Isaiah 29:13
• Revelation 3:1
• Revelation 2

Overview

Craig Groeschel opens the series by showing how easy it is to slide away from intimacy with God without ever deciding to. Using Jesus’ parable of the sower, he asks listeners to locate themselves among the four soils, then offers intentionally “bad advice” that, if followed, guarantees spiritual drift. Once the drift is exposed, he points to Jesus’ cure: repent and return to the practices of first love so that our lives become “good soil” that bears a supernatural harvest.

Main Points

1. Recognize the Drift

• Many once felt closer to God—hungrier for Scripture, eager for church, bold in prayer—than they do today.

• Illustration: A married couple who used to sit shoulder-to-shoulder in the truck; years later she’s by the window. The husband answers,

  “I wasn’t the one who moved.”

• If our passion has cooled, God hasn’t moved; we have.
• Hebrews 2:1 warns us to “pay the most careful attention… so that we do not drift away.”

2. Four Kinds of Soil (Matthew 13)

• Path: Word heard but never understood; the evil one snatches it away.
• Rocky ground: Joyful start yet no roots; troubles scorch the life out.
• Thorns: Good intentions strangled by worries and the deceitfulness of wealth.
• Good soil: Word heard, understood, and multiplied 30/60/100-fold—an unheard-of harvest that only God can produce.

• Question: Which soil describes my current state?

3. “Bad Advice” – Five Sure Ways to Drift from God

1. Neglect time with God
   • Skip Scripture, prayer, worship, and spiritual disciplines.
   • “Do not enroll in a YouVersion plan; let the Bible collect dust.”
2. Hang around the wrong people
   • Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).
   • Choose friends who drag you down rather than sharpen you.
3. Give in to temptation
   • Sin is “fun until it’s not.” Let desire conceive, give birth to sin, and finally to death (James 1:14-15).
   • Tell yourself, “This is just the way I am,” and keep hiding it.
4. Love this world more than God
   • Chase materialism, status, hobbies, and social media envy (1 John 2:15).
   • Obsess over things that won’t last; treat earth as home instead of heaven.
5. If all else fails, fake it
   • Master Christian lingo, attend sporadically, raise a hand during worship, but let your heart stay far away (Isaiah 29:13).
   • Jesus’ verdict on Sardis: you “have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1).

4. Good Advice – The Way Back

• Jesus to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2): “You have forsaken the love you had at first.”
  1. Consider how far you’ve fallen.
  2. Repent – turn back toward what is highest.
  3. Do the things you did at first.
• First-love practices may include: daily Scripture, continual prayer, joyful worship, sharing faith, serving with spiritual gifts, fasting, generous giving, and prioritizing Christ’s church.
• When we draw near to God, He draws near to us; hearts become good soil again.

Key Truths

• Spiritual drift is subtle; neglect, not rebellion, usually causes it.
• The condition of the heart (soil) determines the impact of God’s Word.
• You cannot live the right life with the wrong friends.
• Hidden sin always matures into some form of death.
• Repentance plus first-love action restores intimacy and fruitfulness.

Response

• Examine where you have moved away from God.
• Repent: turn back and ask for His forgiveness and power.
• Re-engage foundational disciplines—Scripture, prayer, worship, fellowship, serving.
• Seek out relationships that push you toward Christ.
• Reject temptations quickly; bring struggles into the light.
• Choose eternal priorities over temporary pleasures.

Closing

Craig challenged every listener who has cooled in passion to recognize that God stands ready to receive them. The path home is not complex:

“Repent and do the things you did at first.”
The Father celebrates prodigals who return, transforming repentant hearts into fertile soil that can produce a harvest beyond imagination.

Prayer

Pastor Craig led the church in thanking God for revealing drift, asking forgiveness for neglect, and inviting the Holy Spirit to rekindle first-love passion that bears lasting fruit.

Resources

• YouVersion Bible App & Reading Plans
• Bible App for Kids Curriculum