07/10/2020
Are we double minded, approaching our faith in one manner, while leading a different life in the world? On the Sabbath do we praise God, and say that we will put no other God before Him, then walk back into our homes and businesses placing our possessions, and gold, above all else? Do we pray fervently when desperate, but mumble mindless prayers over our meals each day when there is plenty? If we live in such a way as this we are lost indeed.
“Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?”
James 3:11 ESV
James is speaking here of controlling our tongue, and how we can find ourselves both blessing and cursing someone with the same mouth. When our mind is fixed on Jesus Christ we speak of love, obedience, and salvation, but when we are angry, jealous, or catering to our own desires, we speak wrongly and curse one another. In this way we allow the same mouth, and the same mind, to flail about unbridled, and to swing back and forth, unchecked, in the wind. We are double minded. So which of these two persons will we be judged to be at the moment of our final judgement?
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
James 1:6-8 ESV
Hearing and doing God’s will requires that we be of one mind with Him. When we give way to our own desires, and begin to consider how we can obey God, and yet fold our own wills into His plan... we are lost. It is well known that a single gallon of oil can pollute a million gallons of water, and so it is when we pollute God’s perfect will with our own. We might feel that what we want, or what we are doing is insignificant, but it isn’t... even the tiniest of our desires can spawn spiritual death.
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
James 1:14-15 ESV
I used to play baseball, and I loved that sport. I learned many lessons during the years I played the game, several of them I was able to apply to my spiritual life, but one of the most useful was this: unless a team is playing as one, they will never be all that they can be. Sure, you can have a superstar who hits home runs, but if he doesn’t know who to throw the ball when on the field then the team suffers, or if he can’t stand in the batter’s box and take a walk when the team needs him to... then the team loses. Placing the needs of the team above our own desires wins games. Serving God’s will is much the same; if we place our desires before His then we might look big for a moment, but in the end our faith is shown to have suffered, and Jesus says He knows us not.
“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Matthew 7:22-23 ESV
A double minded person is someone that the Lord finds distasteful. We read of God’s disdain for those who are unable to commit themselves to him in multiple books, and verses. One of the most quoted is the scripture from Revelation that speaks of us as lukewarm water...
““‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
Revelation 3:15-16 ESV
So where do we stand in our faith? Who‘s will do we serve each day? When unbelievers look at us do they see a man or woman of God, or just another worldly person chasing after the things that mankind desires? Will those around us see us glorifying God, and want what they see in us, or will we be looking at them, and want those worldly things they have? We need to decide if we are hot or cold in our faith, but we need to make that choice before it is too late. If we face judgement as double minded people, then we are just as lost as if we had chosen the world. So many of us fool ourselves into believing that we can lead a partial life of faith but that is just another lie of Satan... another bite of Eden’s bitter fruit. How will we answer when Elijah requires us to choose?
“And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”
1 Kings 18:21 ESV
Prayer:
Father thank you for your will, and plan for our lives. Thank you Lord for your Son Jesus who teaches us how to obey, and do your will without doubting. Help us Father in our unbelief so that we will be of one mind with you, and pleasing in your mouth. Help us to choose either hot or cold, and lead us to make the right choice; the righteous choice. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Great are you whose will for us is perfect, and whose patience is long suffering. Wonderful is your love for us, and long suffering are you in your desire that we love you with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Glorious are you who holds the world in the palm of your hand, and yet, by your grace, sent your Son Jesus to redeem us, your Holy Spirit to guide us, and Elijah to ask us to choose. We pray that all men choose wisely, and live their lives completely in accordance with your will, and their faith in you, but we ask that you have mercy on the souls of those who doubt... lead them to you Father, and remove their double mindedness. Keep our faith strong, and Help us obey your will now, and forevermore; without our desires, or the world’s temptations causing us to stumble.
““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Matthew 6:24 ESV
Rich Forbes