A Double Minded Man (2)

A Double Minded Man

Text: James 1:2–8 (KJV 1900)

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 4:6–8 (KJV 1900)

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

I. The Children of Israel were double-minded at Kdesh-barnea.

* As my mind wandered through the Word of God while I was pondering our text this morning I remembered an example from the Bible of a people who were double minded.

* I thought of the Israelites, God’s chose people who could have entered the promised land in just 3 days journey, but instead wound up wondering around in the wilderness for 40 years simply because they failed to believe God!

* God had miraculously delivered them form Pharaoh of Egypt and had parted the Red Sea so they walked to safety on dry land!

A. The Red Sea represented salvation and deliverance from sin.

* We are not to be double minded about sin this morning! * If you have been saved this morning, you have been delivered from the law of sin and death.

* If you have truly been born again this morning, and the Spirit of God has moved in to take up residence in your soul, the power of sin has been destroyed and no longer has power over you!

Romans 8:2–3 (KJV 1900)

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Romans 6:17–18 (KJV 1900)

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 6:13–14 (KJV 1900)

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

* The lost man has no choice but to live in sin.

* He is controlled by sin.

* The Bible says no man can serve two masters this morning, either you are serving sin this morning or you are serving God.

When Holy Spirit of God inters a man, He changes that man and makes Him a new creation!

* No longer is that man controlled by sin, but He has been delivered form the power of sin!

* My friend you don’t have to live under the power of sin.

* There is no room in the church for a double minded Christian that has not made up his mind that he will not let sin control his life.

* If you are saved this morning, but you continue to live in sin, you are a double minded Christian!

* Our text says don’t think that god will do anything for you!

For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

B. You don’t need to be double-minded about your salvation this morning.

* If you have been saved this morning you have put on the helmet of salvation!

* You can know for sure, without a doubt that you are saved this morning!

* My friend I don’t care what you have been taught in the past,

* I don’t care if I say I don’t think anybody can know for sure,

* The Bible this morning tells me that I can know for sure, without a shadow of a doubt that I am saved this morning!

1 John 5:10–14 (AV)

10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

14 And this is the confidence that we have in him…

Hebrews 6:17–19 (KJV 1900)

17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast… * My friend if you are struggling with salvation this morning I want you to know that it is the will of God that you know without a shadow of a doubt that you are saved! * A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!

* If you are struggling with weather you are saved or not the safest thing that you can this is assume that you are not saved and come down this isle when the invitation is given and let me take the Bible show you how to be sure you are saved!

C. Israel stood at a crossroads looking and couldn’t make up their mind.

* The children of Israel found themselves in the place of indecision this morning!

* God had already commanded the children of Israel to go in and conquer the promised land.

* God wanted them to go in take the land, not by sight by by faith in the Word of God!

* like most Baptist churches, instead of simply obeying the Word of the Lord, the Israelites decided to form a committee!

* They consulted man instead of God.

* They followed the majority, which is wrong most of the time.

* My friend I want you to know that if you are on God’s side, your are on the side of the majority!

* Elisha’s servant leaned that those who are for are for us are more that those who are against us!

Hebrews 12:1–3 (KJV 1900)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

* They were supposed to go ahead in faith.

* If they had gone ahead in faith, they would have won the victory.

* That’s why the Bible says that “Faith is the victory” this morning!

1 John 5:4 (KJV 1900)

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

* By faith you will quench the fiery darts of the Devil!

Ephesians 6:16–17 (KJV 1900)

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

* Instead of moving forward in faith, the children of Israel stood still and wandered aimlessly in the wilderness for 40 years!

* My friend there are many Christians in the church this morning who after they were saved have never moved ahead in faith and are wandering around aimlessly in the wilderness of life!

* Like the children of Israel, they have been there for a long time! They have no victory! They are living in defeat!

* These double minded disobedient church members are wandering around with no purpose in life.

* They are being tossed back and forth by the circumstances if this life.

* If you have never made up your mind that you are going to move out in faith and serve God unwaveringly, then my friend you, like the children of Israel will die in an aimless existence, and never live in the victory that God has prepared for all those who serve Him single-mindedly.

* My friend the Holy Spirit of God this morning, by the Word of God is telling you it’s time for you to make up your mind this morning.

* A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!

* It is time for every man in this church to say like Joshua, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

* My daddy didn’t suggest to me that I ought to go to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night!

* His mind was made up! And he made up my mind for me! And his mind was made up for my mother! My father had made up his mind that everybody under his roof would be in church every time the doors were open!

* It time for the men in our churches to make up their mind who they are going to serve!

* The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways!

* I remember as a sixteen your old boy when God brought me to my Kedesh Barnea!

* I remember in the word of God when Jesus told Peter that he needed to be converted!

* My friend we have churches full of people this morning who have made professions for Christ. Our churches are full of people who claim they are saved!

* What we need this morning are people who have not only been saved, but have been converted!

* I’m talking about people who have moved out from the red sea experience of salvation and moved forward!

* We need men and women, boys and girls this morning who have decided that they will no longer be double minded! That have made up their mind that hell or high water they are going to serve God!

D. Israel looked at the circumstances when they should have kept their eyes on the Word of God!

* The Word of God is the cure for double-mindedness!

* I love this Bible this morning!

* We need people who have made up their mind that the Bible is the Living Eternal Word of God!

* We need people this morning that have made up their mind that the Bible is without error! Flawless, divine in origin, and sent directly from the mouth of God to the hearts of mankind!

* We need people who will stand up for the inerrancy of the Scriptures!

* We need people who will stand up for the inspiration if the Bible!

* We need people this morning who will make up their mind that they are going to obey what is in this Bible!

* We need people this morning who will allow the Word of God to make a difference in their life!

* We need people this morning who believe that this Bible has the answer for every problem that mankind has ever had and ever will have!

* God had already told them they were going to have the victory!

* They that be for us are greater than those who are against us.

II. Elijah had become double–minded because the thought He was all alone.

* My friend this morning the worse place a Christian can be is at his own pity party!

* When we begin to take our eyes off of Jesus the one we are supposed to be following, the Devil will cause us to begin to look at ourselves!

* I love to read the story of Elijah of how when that wicked king Ahab and his wife Jezebel, wanting to be like the other nations around them, caused the children of Israel to be double minded.

* Elijah stood and told the people of God, “How long halt you between to opinions? If God is God, then serve Him! If Baal is god then serve him! Make up your mind! Stop being double minded!

* A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!

* My friend turn with me and listen to the words of Elijah!

1 Kings 18:17–40 (KJV 1900)

17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said,

How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

(Paraphrase here)

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

* I want to bring your attention to a little phrase in Elijah’s speech. Elijah here sounds like He is on fire for God, but there is a little problem in the heart of Elijah that begins to reveal its self in our text.

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

* We see here the beginnings of a great pity party in the mind of Elijah!

* As the story goes on old Jezebel threatens Elijah and tells him that before the day is ended she was going to have him killed just like he killed her prophets of Baal!

* After this great victory in calling the God’s people back to them, Elijah himself falls into the trap if double mindedness!

* Elijah begins to pout and feel sorry for himself! After running in the strength of the Holy Spirit for 40 days, we find Elijah alone in a cave having a pity party!

1 Kings 19:9–18 (KJV 1900)

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

* My friends, I asK you this morning what brought this mighty man of God to this cave feeling sorry for himself?

* I tell you this morning is was double mindedness.

* A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!

* My friend if this sermon finds you in the place where you like Elijah, have run and hid from God, I say to you the same thing God said to the prophet Elijah..

What doest thou here, Elijah?

* What are you doing in that cave of self pity! Get out of there!

* Make up your mind right now that you are going to come down this isle and confess your self pity to God, and get your eyes off of your self and back on God this morning!

* A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!

III. Jonah was double-minded because he didn’t like God’s will for his life. * We all know the story of how God called the prophet Jonah to preach to that great Assyrian city of Nineveh.

* God had a plan for Jonah. It was God’s will for Jonah to preach to the city of Nineveh.

* We all know how the story of Jonah goes this morning. Jonah decided he didn’t like God’s will for his life so he decided he was going to go another way!

* Jonah thought he could just hop on a boat and just sail away from the will of God.

* There was something that Jonah didn’t count on that day when he got on that boat.

* Jonah did not realize that you cannot hide from God’s will for your life! God’s will for you is going to follow you wherever you go this morning!

* There are people here in under the sound of my voice that God has called you to do something for Him.

* Now I know that God, when He envisioned Blue Springs Baptist Church before the foundations of the earth were laid, did not intend for the preacher to

- Take up the offering

- Work on the building

- Clean the church

- Teach all the Sunday school classes

- Lead the choir

- Drive the bus

- Visit all the nursing home

- Run the audio visual equipment for the services

- Sing all the special music

- Sing all four parts of harmony in the congregational numbers (at the same time)

- Change all the diapers in the nursery

- Visit all the sick

- Pray for everybody’s father, mother, sons, daughters, grandmother, grandfather, first cousins, second cousins, neighbors, your pet gerbil, and the corns that hurt your feet!

* The preacher should be willing to do all of these things! But the Word of God tells me that God has not called the preacher to do everything abt Blue Springs Baptist Church!

* If the preacher finds himself having to do all these things, then somebody is not doing God’s will for your life!

* God did not save you this morning to set there in the pews ever Sunday looking at me like a calf looking at a new gate!

* If you don’t know what God’s will is for your life then get off your sorry… “padded pew” , you thought I was going to say something elese didn’t you?

* If you don’t know what God’s will is for your life, then get off your padded pew and find out what God wants you to do in Blue Springs Baptist Church.

* The pews are reserved for people who need to get right with God!

* The pews are reserved for people who need to get saved!

* If you are already saved and right with God this morning, then get off the pew and start doing something for God!

* If there is no Sunday school class to teach, then build one!

* If there is no youth group to lead, then get off that pew and go out and build one!

* If there is no bus route to drive for, then get off your padded pew and make one!

* If there is no nursery for folks to take the little ones so they can hear the Word of God then start one!

* If there is no foreign mission program then start one!

* If there is no visitation program then start one!

* If there is no women’s Bible study, then start one!

* If there is no radio broadcast then start one!

* What are you doing? Waiting around for the preacher to do everything in the church?

* When there arose a need in the early church to visit the table of the widows and the fatherless, did they hire another assistant preacher to help the pastor?

* What did the apostles tell the folks that were complaining that something needed to be done about the widows being neglected? They said “look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.”

Acts 6:1–7 (KJV 1900)

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

* Back to Jonah. I know that God has not called the pastor of Blue Springs Baptist Church, not matter who he may be, to do everything in the church!

* There somebody here that is like Jonah this morning. They know that God has been dealing with their heart about doing something for Him at Blue Springs Baptist Church, but they think that they can run from God’s will!

* My friend learn the lesson of Jonah this morning- “You can run, but you can’t hide!” God’s will will follow you everywhere you go until you either you obey the voice of God, or God has to send you out into the wilderness for 40 years until you are ready to serve Him!

* Why don’t you quit running from God’s will this morning and come down this isle and make a commitment to God to do what He has spoken to your heart about doing for Him!

* A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!

IV. Job was double minded because of trials.

* When the book of Job starts out we find Job double minded because of his trials.

Job 10:1–3 (AV)

1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. 3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked? * Are you weary and ready to quit on God because of some terrible trial that you are going through this morning? 1 Peter 4:12–19 (KJV 1900)

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

1 Peter 1:3–7 (KJV 1900)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: * Because Job was angry with God he began to question God.

* Are you angry with God because of some great and terrible trial in your life?

* In the end, Job made up his mind to trust God even when He couldn’t see God’s purpose behind his trials!

* A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS! Job 13:15 (AV)

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Conclusion:

* We have been talking about having a community revival in the past weeks.

* We will never see revival until we make up our minds about some things.

1). We need to make up our minds that we are going to believe the Bible! That the Bible inspired by God, God breathed. That the Bible is the everlasting, infallible Word of God!

2). We need to make up our minds right now that we are going to stop following the world, and take up our crosses and follow Christ Hell or high water, no matter what the circumstances!

* Jesus said that anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Him is not worthy of Him.

3). Every individual in this church needs to make up his or her mind, right here and now, that they are going to find out what God has called you to do at Blue Springs Baptist Church- and then do it with all our hearts- all our minds- with everything we have.

* What the Lord needs today is Christians that have their mind made up that they are going to serve the Lord.

* If God has spoken to you by Word and moved on your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, why not come down this isle and renew your commitment with God this morning. * This will be the starting place of a revival sent from God this morning.

* BECAUSE A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS!