OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 2023
DATE: MONDAY NOVEMBER 20TH 2023
TOPIC: DON’T BE DOUBLE-MINDED
MEMORISE: “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” – (James 1:8
READ: ISAIAH 29:13-16 (KJV)
13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
MESSAGE:
To be double-minded is to be a hypocrite – one minute, you act a certain way and the next, you are someone else. You say something here and something contrary elsewhere. That is double-mindedness and a sign of an impure heart, according to James 4:8: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded”.
Matthew 5:8 says only the pure in heart will see God, so double-minded people will not make it to heaven. To be pure means to be of a single content. When people talk about pure cotton or pure wool, it means it does not contain any other kind of material. Purity, therefore, implies singleness of mind and purpose. One of the reasons I love dogs is that you can tell when they’re happy or angry. They have no pretense at all. Unfortunately, when it comes to human beings, they can smile at you and yet plan to kill you.
To be pure means no pretense (James 5:12). That is when your ‘yes’ is ‘yes’, and your ‘no’ means ‘no’. If you stand for something, stand for it all the way. In Luke 9:59-62, Jesus Christ gave us an illustration of this when He said the moment you have placed your hand on the plough, there must be no looking back. In Luke 16:13, He puts it another way: “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon”. If you are serving one master today and serving another tomorrow, you are double-minded. Choose who your master is and stand by him all the way. If you want to serve God, then don’t serve money, or visit a witch doctor in secret; serve God and God alone.
As for me, I am serving the Lord Jesus Christ and I am going with only Him all the way. I tell you again brethren, whatever God does not do for you, no one else can do it. Many of us have not been getting full benefits from the Lord Jesus Christ simply because we are double-minded. James 1:6-8 says the double-minded should not even expect to get anything from God. Don’t be double-minded.
REFLECTION:
Search your heart to see if you have been a hypocrite in any way and repent if you find yourself guilty.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 20-21
HYMNAL: 20 – STAND UP! STAND UP FOR JESUS
1. Stand up! stand up for Jesus,
Ye soldiers of the Cross!
Lift high His royal banner;
It must not suffer loss.
From vict’ry unto vict’ry
His army shall He lead,
Till ev’ry foe is vanquished,
And Christ is Lord indeed.
2. Stand up! stand up for Jesus,
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict,
In this His glorious day;
Ye that are men now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger,
And strength to strength oppose.
3. Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you,
Ye dare not trust your own:
Put on the gospel armor,
Each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger,
Be never wanting there.
4. Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
The strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle,
The next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh,
A crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory
Shall reign eternally.
