Avoiding Spiritual Shipwreck
Words of Faith 4-21-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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1 Timothy 1
[18] Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, [19] holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. [20] Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

In the ancient world, very few things were as frightening as a shipwreck. The sea was a vast and menacing unknown that stole people away. Many families were affected by those "lost at sea." The very idea of being stranded or lost at sea, completely vulnerable and helpless, was about as ominous and scary as it could get. There was no Coast Guard rescue team. No search from the air. It is still a frightening thought today, even with those things.
So how does a shipwreck occur? No one ever plans for a ship to sink or be battered to pieces, but later, the reasons are usually painfully clear. Historians suggest that the Titanic probably sank because of pride as she arrogantly steamed at full throttle into icy waters. Other ships may wreck because they ignore weather reports and are in a terrible storm. Still, others sink because they needed to carefully check the charts and find themselves on rocks or shoals.
Paul says that the same is true of our life of faith. We never set out to sink, but we can end up in big trouble. We can all think of great Christian lives that have been shipwrecked, some famous names, and local friends. How does a life of faith clearly committed to God end up shipwrecked? It is often the result of the very same things that sink sea vessels.
Some Christians head into icy waters at full throttle, ignoring the danger just below the surface. The enemy loves to tear into the hull of our faith unexpectedly. Others find themselves in a storm that was clearly forewarned if only they had listened. Others end up on rocky shoals that could have easily been prevented.
How do we avoid shipwrecking our faith? How do we "fight the good fight," as Paul put it?
Paul said first, hold onto faith. Never stop trusting wholly and completely in God. The beginning of the end is usually the point at which we become prideful and start trusting in ourselves.
We are never beyond the place of humble prayer before the Almighty. There is no voyage that we do not need Him to chart. There is no direction that we do not need to consult with His Word. We are never beyond listening to Him. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Second, keep a good conscience. This is absolutely critical. Conscience is our sensitivity to God and His leading. Conscience, carefully informed by the Word of God, is our primary navigation instrument in life. Conscience is our moral compass and sextant. Conscience is our GPS telling us exactly where we are, where we have been, and where we are going. When we ignore our conscience and enjoy a season of sin, we effectively spray paint over the sensors! Paul called this a "seared conscience" (1 Tim. 4:2). We will get to that later.
For today, how are you doing in the task of navigation? Have you consulted the high command for your charts? Are your instruments of navigation in top order? Now is the time to sharpen up both.

Lord, chart the course before me. Warn me of the dangers below the water and above. Guide me toward Your destiny. I am trusting wholly in You. Keep my conscience clear and sensitive to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.