Quote from Forum Archives on April 2, 2004, 6:15 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at www.theburningbush.org

The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 13,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

04.02.04

Curing Double-Mindedness

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw
near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners;
and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - James 4:7-8.

Sadly, the Passion of the Christ is no longer playing at a movie theater
near us. The Passion did have a long run compared to many movies; however,
it would have been nice if it could have stayed on through Easter at least.
Instead, it appears that “Hell Boy” has replaced it. Now I don’t know what
the replacement movie is about but the title seems to say it all.

What a drastic change! From Christ demonstrating His love through sacrifice
to a movie in opposition to all that He represents. Our culture is
bi-polar - a large segment loves what is right and a large segment loves
what is wrong. Or, is it the same segment of the population that loves both?
This is even worse that we want what is good on one hand but also want what
is bad. It would be interesting to poll those going to see “Hell Boy” to ask
them if they had also viewed the “Passion.” I think we know the sad answer
is that many will watch both movies.

The Psalmist said that he hated the double-minded (Psalm 119:113). It seems
to be God’s attitude as well at least toward the attitude of
double-mindedness. The Psalmist goes on to say, “But I love Your law. You
are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word (Psalm
119:113b-114).”

If we are one of those who have a love for the good and a love for the bad,
all rolled up in us how do we ever change to single-mindedness? The Psalmist
gives us direction when he says in Psalm 119:112, “I have inclined my heart
to perform Your statutes forever, to the very end.” He then says, “I love
Your law,” and says a few words later, “I hope in Your word.” The Word of
God which is the “Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17)” appears to be the
weapon of choice against double-mindedness.

James adds, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” But there is
something more that is needed. There is an evil that has crept into our
hearts and lives that must be dealt with. It must be confronted. It must be
shown the door and pushed out into the street. James says, “Cleanse your
hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” We cannot do
this by ourselves but we must want it in our hearts and then we can come to
our Lord Jesus confessing our sins (1 John 1:9) and he is faithful and just
to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Once we have been cleansed and purified, what do we need to remain in that
condition? We need to continue in His Word, saturating our hearts, and minds
so much so, that it runs over into every area of our lives and out into the
lives of those around us.

Let us rise up against this evil of double-mindedness that has invaded our
lives and push it back into the hell from which it came. Through His power
and for His glory!

Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 300 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm