My Mind Is Made Up!
Joshua 24: 15(b)
:but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Romans 4:20-21
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Every Christian, including me, has at one time or another, Face difficult times and trying times and sad to say, there have been many who have turned their back on the Lord as a result. But by God’s amazing grace, I intend to remain faithful to the Lord.
There have been times when pressures have done their best to crush me.
There have been times when temptations has done its best to ensnare me.
There have been times when circumstances have done their best to frustrate me.
There have been times when adversaries have done their best to overthrow me.
There have been times when my fears have done their best to get possession of me.
There have been times when my disappointments have done their best to discourage me.
And there have been many times that the Devil himself, has done his best to destroy me…But I want you to know this morning that my mind is made up… I am going to serve the Lord!!!
There have even been times when the critics have done their best to condemn me.
There have been times when the unbeliever have done their best to deceive me.
There have been times when gossipers have done their best to ruin me.
Believe it or not there have even been times when some relatives have tried their best to persuade me to live their ungodly/ or wicked lifestyle but my mind is made up… I am going to serve the Lord! And that’s that…No matter what!
In all probability, I have faced or experienced about as much as the average Christian has. Sometimes I feel like more but I am not turning back…
Yes just like you this morning, I have had times in my life where burdens seemed too heavy for me to bear. But my mind is mind up!!
There have been times when my problems seemed too perplexing for me to even solve. But my mind is made up!
Is there anybody in here this morning with a made up mind! No matter what may or may not come your way you are going to serve the Lord!
I know that sometimes even the enemy may seemed too big and too fierce for us to face but is your mind made up!
I know sometimes hardships may seemed too great but is your mind made up!!
I know the pain in all our lives may seem at times too great or even to severe for us to endure. Nevertheless I want to encourage you to have a made up mind to serve the Lord through it all!
I want you to know this morning as I stand before you in my own personal life there have been a few days that were so dark and dreary. But my mind is made up!
There have been some sleepless nights that were long and lonely. But my mind is made up!
There have been trials in my life that were very fierce at times. But my mind is made up!
There have even been times in my life were people were jealous of me, because of it they try to ruin me and my family. But my mind is made up!
Listen to me this morning that even in my life there have been some situations that have also been quite embarrassing to me and my family. But my mind is made up!
Believe it or not this morning, there have even been a few church members who were very difficult to pastor. Nevertheless, my mind is made up… I am going to keep serving the Lord!
I want you to know this morning that there are a few things in life that I have discovered that I am quite sure of and that is this…
A person can live for God….IF YOU WANT TO.
A person can overcome Temptation…IF YOU WANT TO.
A person can withstand the storms of life…IF YOU WANT TO.
A person can quit bad habits…IF YOU WANT TO.
A person can resist the devil…IF YOU WANT TO.
A person can defeat depression…IF YOU WANT TO.
And the best thing I have discovered in life is that a person can have unspeakable JOY within your heart and life…IF YOU WANT TO.
All you have to do is have a made up mind to serve the Lord! Come what may it does not matter because you have a mind up mind.
Paul said in the book of Philippians Ch3VV13-14, “13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.
All brother Paul was saying is I have got a MADE UP MIND TO RUN THIS RACE FOR THE LORD!
I’m telling you this morning it is a good thing to have a made up mind to serve the Lord!!!
For even James teaches us as he write in Ch1Vv5-8 that we should have a one track mind, and be not double minded. He said, “5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 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”.
Oh I tell this morning that, MY MIND IS MADE UP! I AM GOING TO SERVE THE LORD!
Where do I find strength to have a made up mind! When I read Gods word I gather strength!
Consider the patriarch Abraham in (Genesis 2). He evidently HAD A MADE UP MIND! For the Scriptures declare that he “STAGGERED NOT AT THE PROMISES OF GOD”! I am quite sure that it wasn’t easy for him…
To get up and get ready on that notorious morning and head for Mt. Moriah.
To prepare for the greatest trail of his entire lifetime.
To travel that three day journey to the place of sacrifice.
To build the altar and to place wood upon it.
To wipe the tears from his eyes, or to steady his trembling hands.
I am sure it was not easy for him to bind his son and lay him upon the altar of sacrifice.
And I am sure this morning that wasn’t easy for him to lift up the sacrificial knife to slay his promised son! But he had a made up mind and a holy determination to please God no matter what the cost may be!
This morning as many of you sit here in this church. I know it may not be easy for you to go where God wants you to go. It may not be easy to face what God wants you to face. It may not be easy to do what God wants you to do. It may not even be easy sometimes to say what God wants you to say. It may not be easy to live like God wants you to live. It is never easy to make any can of sacrifice in life. That is why it is called a sacrifice. This means we have to put fleshly desires aside and have a made up mind to serve the Lord! You may even think it that it is not going to be easy to even be all that God wants you to be and you are right. This Christian race is not an easy race! If it is somebody tell where that scriptures is at! God never made us that promise. You will never read nowhere in His word…I say unto you now you have me life will be much easier!
But what it does say in Philippians Ch4Vv13, “13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me”.
So this lets me know this morning that we can make it! We can be all Christ wants us to be. If we have a made up mind to trust in Lord! Abraham prove it can be done and we can too!
I tell you this morning MY MIND IS MADE UP!
When I read 26 books later after Gen, in the book of Daniel Ch3. I find three Hebrew boys that had a MADE UP MIND! The reason I know this because regardless of what decree was established, they were going to serve God.
Regardless of what threats they face, they were going to serve God.
Regardless of what suffering they may encounter, they were going to serve God and only God.
Regardless of what everybody else was doing, they were still going to serve God.
Regardless of what was the popular thing to do, they were determined to serve God.
Regardless of what the outcome may be, they were still going to serve God.
And regardless of how hot the fire burned, or of how tender their flesh seemed to be, they were going to still serve God. Now, this would certainly require A MADE UP MIND!
I can’t help but to believe this morning that some people only serve God because of what they get from God. This means that they will serve God as long as everything runs smoothly. They will serve God as long as their needs are continually supplied. They will serve God as long as they are satisfied and contented, but no longer. They will serve God as long as everything in going THEIR way, otherwise they want. They will serve God as long as there is no opposition. As long as everybody encourages them and pats them on the back they will keep serving the Lord. Oh don’t let me forget some will serve the Lord as long as the sky remains blue, or should I say as long as the sun stays shining!
But these people really do not have a made up mind to serve the Lord! Because what I have come to find out is…..
When opposition occurs, they quit serving the Lord.
When difficulties arise, they become discourage.
When problems develop, they begin to doubt God.
When disappointments come, they develop bitterness towards God.
When burdens become heavy, they’re ready to give up.
When friends forsake them, they are quick to blame God.
When Satan, as a lion, roars, they tremble with fear and despair!
When must have A MADE UP MIND!
Since we looked at the 3 Hebrew boys, I cannot leave out the book of Daniel without reminding us that Daniel himself had his mind made up! In Ch6Vv10 he had his mind made up to serve the Lord! To him, apparently made no difference who heard him praying. Who laws were established. What penalties were involved? Who strongly opposed him? How it may affects his relationships? He did not care about what position he may have held. And it apparently made no difference to him. How hungry and vicious the lions were? He was DETERMINED to serve the Lord!
Unless our minds are made up to serve the Lord REGARDLESS, as was Daniel’s.
Then eventually we will….
Yield to the desires of the flesh!
Submit to the temptations of sin!
Succumb to human reasoning!
Return to our former lifestyles whatever they were.
Give in to the everyday stress and strain.
Surrender to peer pressure and popular opinions.
And unless our minds are MADE-UP to live for the Lord, then we will eventually become so discouraged that we will just give up trying and go back. Just as it says in 2Peter Ch2Vv22, “22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire”.
All Peter is saying here is that if we do not have a made up mind then we are rejecting Christ. Because Christ is the only true road to salvation and without salvation we have no hope. Without a made up mind to serve Christ we are like a man sinking in quicksand who refuses to grab the rope that was thrown to him, instead of having a made up mind to serve Christ. We will be throwing away our only means of escape!
When I read again in God’s word about 20 chapters after the book of Daniel over in the New Testament. In 2 Corinthians Ch11Vv24-33, I see were the Apostle Paul must have had a MADE UP MIND!
For Although…
He received forty stripes minus one, five times, he didn’t give up.
He was beaten with rods three times, he didn’t give up.
He was once stoned and left for dead, he didn’t give up.
He was shipwrecked three times, he didn’t give up.
He was in the deep all day and all night, he didn’t give up.
He was in dangerous waters, and the wilderness, he didn’t give up.
He was in the mist of dangerous robbers and of his own country men, he didn’t give up.
He was in danger of the Gentiles and also among false brethren, he didn’t give up.
He faced weariness, painfulness, sleeplessness, hunger, and thirst. Still he didn’t give up.
He encountered the cold and nakedness, he didn’t give up.
He suffered psychologically, as well as physically, he didn’t give up.
He encountered hardship after hardship, and trial after trail, he didn’t give up!
He was jailed, imprisoned, and eventually executed, HE STILL DID’NT GIVE UP! You talk about a MADE UP MIND TO SERVE THE LORD!
As I get ready to close this morning my sisters and brothers, if you don’t hear nothing else I have said, listen closely to me…..
To enter those gates of pearl.
To walk down those streets of gold.
To partake of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
To wear a white robe of righteousness.
To hear the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”
To be a joint heir with Christ.
And if we ever plan to rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years,
Then we BETTER have a MADE UP mind for that is what it is going to take.
There is simply no room for debate… it will require a MADE UP MIND for us to,
To run and not be weary. Isa. 40:31
To walk and not faint.
To run the race that is set before us. Heb. 12:1
To fight a good fight of faith.(2 Tim 4:7)
To finish the course.
To keep the faith.
And, it will require a MADE UP MIND if you intend to stand up for Jesus, REGARDLESS of our circumstances!
If we plan to make heaven our eternal home, it will require…
More than just an occasional prayer.
More than just attending church.
More than just giving your tithes and your offerings.
More than just reading a few verses of Scripture.
More than just knocking on a few doors.
More than singing a few Gospel songs.
And it will also require more than just bowing at the altar for a few minutes.
Although all of these things may be good and proper…Yet I believe that it will require a MADE UP MIND TO SERVE THE LORD and A MIND THAT STAYS MADE UP!
AS I go to my seat this morning is there any made up minds in the house! I have to say this, I HAVE MADE UP MY MIND… I TRULY WANT TO SEE JESUS!
Regardless whether anyone else wants to or not.
Regardless of what it might cost me physically, psychologically, or even financially.
Regardless of however heavy or cruel the cross I must bear!
Regardless of how long the journey may be, or of what enemy I must face.
And I want to see JESUS….
Regardless of how many afflictions, and disappointments, and burdens, and difficulties and hardships, and obstacles, and battles I must encounter in order to do it.
MY MIND IS MADE UP!
CHRIST HAS HIS MADE UP TO DIE FOR ME OUT ON AN OLD RUGGED CROSS!
