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James 1:6-8 - A Divided Heart Is Not a Happy Heart.James 1:6-8 (NKJV) But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.James 1:6-8 (NIV) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:6-8 (ESV) 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. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. WORD STUDY Double minded. literally, "two souled." This word describes the waverer of v. 6. His mind is divided between the call of earthly pleasures and the call of unswerving loyalty to God. In Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan characterized this kind of person as Mr. Facing-both-ways. The "double minded" man possesses two "souls," or two loyalties. Compare the Hebrew expression, "of double heart" (see 1 Chron. 12:33). No doubt James cherished in his mind the words of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, "No man can serve two masters" (Matt. 6:24). The "double minded" man halts between belief and unbelief, whereas the man with singleness of purpose does not hesitate at all. [SDA Bible Commentary] INTRODUCTION Divided loyalty leaves a person as unsettled as the restless waves. If you want to stop being tossed about, rely on God to show you the best path. Ask him for wisdom, and trust that he will give it to you. Then your decisions will be sure and solid... A person with divided loyalty is not completely convinced that God's way is best. Such a person treats God's Word like a merely human source and reserves the right to follow it or not. He or she vacillates between allegiance to subjective feelings, the world's ideas, and God's commands. If your faith is new, weak, or struggling, remember that you can trust that God's words to you are accurate, final, and best. To stabilize your wavering or doubtful mind, commit yourself wholeheartedly to whatever he says. [Life Application SB 2019] COMMENTARY PEARLS God Will Not Accept A Divided Heart. His law requires supreme love to God, and unselfish love to our neighbor. If men and women allow mind and body to be so worn down by constant and excessive labor that this law is disregarded, they commit sin. They are serving other gods before the God of Heaven; for when some other object usurps the devotion that belongs to God, that object becomes an idol; and that to which is given the freshest hours of the day, the closest thought and study, the greatest skill, is that which is dearest and most valued. ST July 3, 1884, par. 3 God Will Not Occupy A Divided Heart or reign from a divided throne. Every rival that holds the affections and diverts them from the God of love must be dethroned. The Lord demands all that there is of us, and there must be no reserve. Christ has purchased us, we are His heritage, and we are to be honored by being co-laborers with Jesus Christ. Wear the yoke with Christ, and daily walk with God. How shall we do this? By laying hold upon the help which God has provided. The Lord has said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7). Manuscript 60, 1894. TMK 63.3 "No Man Can Serve Two Masters." We cannot serve God with a divided heart. Bible religion is not one influence among many others; its influence is to be supreme, pervading and controlling every other. It is not to be like a dash of color brushed here and there upon the canvas, but it is to pervade the whole life, as if the canvas were dipped into the color, until every thread of the fabric were dyed a deep, unfading hue. "If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness." Purity and steadfastness of purpose are the conditions of receiving light from God. He who desires to know the truth must be willing to accept all that it reveals. He can make no compromise with error. To be wavering and halfhearted in allegiance to truth is to choose the darkness of error and satanic delusion. Worldly policy and the undeviating principles of righteousness do not blend into each other imperceptibly, like the colors of the rainbow. Between the two a broad, clear line is drawn by the eternal God. The likeness of Christ stands out as distinct from that of Satan as midday in contrast with midnight. And only those who live the life of Christ are His co-workers. If one sin is cherished in the soul, or one wrong practice retained in the life, the whole being is contaminated. The man becomes an instrument of unrighteousness. DA 312-313 re Mat. 6:24 No In-Between With God "No man can serve two masters." We cannot serve God with a divided heart. Bible religion is not one influence among many others; its influence is to be supreme, pervading and controlling every other. It is not to be like a dash of color brushed here and there upon the canvas, but it is to pervade the whole life, as if the canvas were dipped into the color, until every thread of the fabric were dyed a deep, unfading hue... He who desires to know the truth must be willing to accept all that it reveals. He can make no compromise with error. To be wavering and halfhearted in allegiance to truth is to choose the darkness of error and satanic delusion. Worldly policy and the undeviating principles of righteousness do not blend into each other imperceptibly, like the colors of the rainbow. Between the two a broad, clear line is drawn by the eternal God. The likeness of Christ stands out as distinct from that of Satan as midday in contrast with midnight. And only those who live the life of Christ are His co-workers. If one sin is cherished in the soul, or one wrong practice retained in the life, the whole being is contaminated. The man becomes an instrument of unrighteousness. DA 312-313 re Mat. 6:24 You are asking about Ellen G. White's teachings on a divided heart and happiness. While the specific phrase "a divided heart is not a happy heart" may not be directly quoted, the underlying idea is strongly present in her writings. Ellen G. White emphasized that a divided or half-hearted approach to the Christian life leads to difficulty, doubt, and darkness, preventing individuals from experiencing true peace and happiness. She stated that "God will not accept a divided heart. He wants the whole man". This concept is reiterated in her writings, highlighting the importance of unconditional devotion and a wholehearted commitment to God. In contrast, she notes that happiness is found in selfless service and in fulfilling God's purpose, emphasizing that "the more unselfish his spirit, the happier he is". The source of true joy is in having Christ formed within the soul and loving God and others above all else, which naturally leads to a unified, joyful life. AI re EGW first two comments above LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY Matthew 6:24 - You Cannot Compromise with God; It's All or None. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20051228-1202.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |