Hello my friends:

The title of today’s episode is “Double-minded people”

James 1:6-8 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.

We are to walk in pure faith.  If we allow our faith to waiver, we can become double-minded. Have you ever been at a crossroads in life, not knowing which way to go?  It helps sometimes to seek direction from someone who is wise. When I am trying to decide which way to go.  I can normally see both sides of a situation, so it is easy to get confused.  But I have to take a step back and get past the sympathy, empathy, and emotions of the situation before I can logically decide.

When we ask for God to do something, we believe he will …until circumstances start looking the opposite way. Then, if we are not careful, doubt will creep in and cause us to waiver in our faith. God moves for those who believe, but when we doubt, he will not move for us.  We need pure faith, not mixed with anything else.

Take the mustard seed, for example. Many say if we have a little bit of faith that is all we need. But it is not about the size as much as the mustard seed is pure.  It grows when planted but will not mix with any other herb. Therefore, mustard is pure.

The seventeenth chapter of Matthew has a story of the disciples who tried to cast out the devil but could not. After the man brought his son to Jesus, he cast out the demon, and the boy was cured.

 Matt 17:19-21 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?  20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

A mustard seed grows quickly. It produces fruit quickly. And also makes a bush large enough for the birds to nest in or to hide in from predators. Our pure faith can grow a tree for people to take shelter in when they need God. We can have faith for others when they cannot have faith for themselves. Like the people who peeled back the roof and lowered their sick friend to Jesus.  The man was too sick to have much faith on his own, but they had faith that Jesus was going to heal him.  Jesus did.  This is why we ask others to pray for our situations.  Sometimes, we lack faith because we are too close to a situation. It is easier to have faith for others than for ourselves.

The twenty-first verse says this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.  In other words, we need to have a close relationship with the father.  We need to have our God Focus. Fasting is not about doing without food, it is about having power over our flesh. When we deny our flesh, we gain control over our impulses. It is about strengthening our spiritual man. The closer we walk to God, the less control our flesh has over us.  

We are in a constant battle of flesh vs spirit.  If we are strong in faith, with pure faith, we too, will have the power to cast out devils. But if we are weak in faith and it is not pure faith, then our fleshly ego may get in the way. If we walk in pure faith, we understand that things God does through us has very little to do with us.  Let me say that again: the things God does through us has very little to do with us. It is all about Jesus. It is up to us to learn how to have PURE FAITH and to not be double-minded.

Until next time, BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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