Temple Baptist Church - 9-7-2014
1 Chronicles 12:23-38
Introduction:
A. In these verses, we find a listing of the men of war from each tribe that came to David and helped him to take the kingdom after the death of Saul.
B. There are many admirable attributes mentioned concerning these me but, as I continue our series on the Heart, I want to draw your attention to verse 33. Of the tribe of Zebulun, we find 50,000 men described as not having a “double heart.” This speaks of allegiance and determination!
C. Their allegiance was to David and David alone! Their minds were made up and they would fight for him to death. These men were determined to follow the leadership of their King and do whatever was necessary to see him back in his proper place upon the throne of Israel.
D. Double hearted is the opposite of determined hearted. We are certainly soldiers and have a wonderful King who needs to be rightly enthroned within our hearts.
1. A Double Hearted Man Cannot Make Up Him Mind Who To Serve - Matthew 6:19-24 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: 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. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man 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. (Treasures are precious things!)
2. A Double Hearted Man Is Continually Looking Back To The Old Life - Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
3. A Double Hearted Man Cannot Be Depended Upon In Times Of Trouble - James 1:8 A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.
E. When we determine what we are going to do in a certain situation ahead of time, it helps us to rightly react when the time comes.
F. Paul was a man of determined heart.
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
2 Corinthians 12:15a And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;
Philippians 1:20-21 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: (Paul was not a super Christian. He was simply a man who made up his mind and determined in his heart that his life would be spent for Christ.)
G. In order to have a stable, determined heart, I believe that one of the keys is to be pre-determined! I have often said that I have determined how I will react or act in certain cases such as someone breaking into our home with us there that will allow me to act without having to think about it.
Some Things We Should Pre-Determine
1. We Need To Pre-Determine to not quit – 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (I have seen some of my friends and fellow preachers quit over the years because of hurt and disappointment. I understand that bad things to come and we sometimes come out on the “short end of the stick.” A pre-determined heart will help us to “stay the course” during and after these storms of life. Yes, life is hard but God is still good and gracious to all of us and is worthy to be served.)
2. We Need To Pre-Determine to not compromise – Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (Things are in serious spiritual decline and, as the song writer said, “Change and decay in all around I see.” We watch as men of God see serious decline in numbers and the liberal, worldly churches gaining in numbers. The natural tendency is to let down because all of us want to see physical growth in our churches. When the Lord died, He died virtually alone; when John the Baptist died, he died virtually alone; when the disciples died, they died virtually alone; so what makes us think that our straight preaching and adherence to the Old Paths will make us popular. Even in Jeremiah’s day, the people refused to walk in them!)
3. We Need To Pre-Determine to not be brought under the power of things not expedient – 1 Corinthians 6:12 - All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. (Notice that these things that are “not expedient” are not sinful in nature. They are things that will distract us from the main purposes. We need to keep our hand to the plough and our eye on the Point, Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we will be too busy with the things that do not matter, which are temporal, to be involved in the things that do matter and are eternal.)
4. We Need To Pre-Determine to not misuse our liberty and offend our brother - 1 Corinthians 8:13 - Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. (One of the important things when in war is to identify the enemy. You are not my enemy. I am not your enemy. We should learn to live in the love that brings about unity within the church.)
5. We Need To Pre-Determine to glory in our infirmities – 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (I will not complain. Trust the Lord with our health and wealth!)
6. We Need To Pre-Determine to not fear men – Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (A resolve to fear God and serve Him in spite of personal attack from those who would stop us.)
7. We Need To Pre-Determine to not be a burden, but a blessing – 2 Corinthians 12:14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. (Seek the welfare and good of others without having to be seen or recognized. Just try to be a blessing to each in any way that we can.)
8. We Need To Pre-Determine to be faithful - Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Someone once said, “The greatest ability is dependability!” What a blessing to see people who are busy, have troubles, and remain faithful!)
Conclusion: Solution to double heartedness - 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.
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