Make Up Your Mind
(Divorce Series)
Scripture Reference: James 1:8
James 1:8 - A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
INTRODUCTION
First of all I would like to say that when God ordered me to start this series on divorce I ran just like Jonah. I never wanted to teach on divorce because I already know that I will be attacked in that area in my own life as soon as I begin this work. I have been praying harder than ever over my marriage because I knew that I would yield to God and allow Him to have His way on my life and that I would soon be teaching on divorce. I am so thankful that He gave me His word that He would preserve my marriage as I teach on this God-forsaken topic.
Because of the laws that govern our land I am sure that there will be many to disagree with my teaching on this subject.
I am sure that many will also disagree with me because they have entered into a divorce and decided that it was the best answer for the problem.
Furthermore others will disagree with me because I too have been divorced and if I was such a subject matter expert I should have been able to save my own marriage.
Now that we have those three reasons out of the way we can move forward in the full knowledge that I understand where you are coming from when you disagree. However I must be obedient, I fear the wrath of God more than your judgment against me.
MAIN BODY
I am directing this teaching to the men because I do not now neither will I ever understand the reasoning behind many of the decisions that women make. So I can never truly advise a woman on what type of decision to make outside of giving her the word of God.
Anyone that knows me knows that I simply detest the thought of a divorce. I would not hope that my worse enemy would ever have to face the decision on whether or not to enter into a divorce with his wife.
It seems as though Satan leaves a little red button always near you that you can press if the pressure gets too great and you can get a divorce with no repercussions.
This is a lie from the pits of hell.
Satan has even come up with an easy reason to get a divorce and I fell prey to this reason myself, the court system calls it “Irreconcilable differences”.
What in the world is this? I researched the meaning behind this ghostly term and it means that it is impossible for the two people to agree or come to terms.
Where in the holy bible does it say that God can not? (Well it does say that he can not lie) So who can only be behind this reason? (Satan)
Don’t get me wrong, I know that there are some evil, mean and nasty people out there that do some evil, mean and nasty things
I couldn’t imagine being a judge and hearing all of the different cases that come before them and then hear a guy like me say that there should never be a divorce.
I was once a social worker and I saw so many cases of sexual abuse and physical abuse that I could not sleep at night. How are these people of God being tricked into doing such ungodly acts? Don’t they know that they are going to have to face the ultimate judge?
This concept of standing against divorce must seem completely insane. I mean truly you must believe that divorces are sometimes necessary or we would have protest groups in front of court houses the same as we do in front of abortion clinics.
First of all, I am totally convinced after talking to several candidates of divorce that God shows us everything that we need to know about a woman before we get married. Disagree with me if you want but you had a good idea of all of the things that your wife is into now.
However before you got married you promised God that you could work through it. So what happened? Who’s breaking their covenant you or God? I shouldn’t ask that question because if there are any people like me out there then they truly believe that even God can’t fix their marriage from time to time.
I have come to realize after all of my talks with various men of several ethnic groups and different ages that the nucleus for the desire for divorce stems from the same source.
UNSTABLENESS
The best way for me to describe this word to you is to give you the definition of stable. Which is the opposite of this word.
Stable- Firm and dependable; subject to little fluctuation (wordweb)
Listen if you are unstable you can never be trusted by anyone around you to include yourself
How can a woman decide to love a man who is unstable
Today is - tomorrow is not
I thank God that he has given me the liberty to offer you a cure for this sickness
The cure is for you to make up your mind
When you can’t make up your mind you are double-minded
And the book of James says that a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways
The best thing that I can compare an unstable man to is a storm at sea.
If you have ever been on or near the sea then you have probably witnessed waves crashing against everything. You can study and watch an ocean for a hundred years yet you will never know which way the next wave is going to go. You will never know when the next wave is going to come.
Are you a wave that can be useful to bring the ship to the shore or are you a tidal wave that will destroy everything in it’s path
Some may think that I am exaggerating with this example but I am not even giving a clear picture, your unstableness is much worse.
Since I have been alive I have seen a great deal of destruction caused by water and wind to entire cities. Places have been classified disaster areas simply because of the mixture of water and wind.
Are you creating a disaster area with your unstableness?
Now if your family is riding on your boat and your are intentionally causing tidal waves with your unstable mind then your wife is right. It only makes common sense to jump ship for safety.
The next thing I want to do is to offer you advice on what to make up your mind on.
You need to make up your mind that you love your wife
The bible says that we must love our wife like Christ loved the church
What if every time we did something wrong God threatened to divorce us? Could we love such a God?
Another thing which is harder to digest but we have to realize. The bible never orders the woman to love her husband. I know that this seems crazy but it is true. I have searched for the scripture but the bible does not say so.
Some women are rejoicing saying, “I was right” but don’t forget your wedding vows. At least I hope you used the ones set forth by the theology of the people of God and not your own passionate mind set. I hope that you didn’t cast your future on some love notes that you made up. If you did this is truly a reason to renew your vows and use the authorized ones that were issued through divine intervention from God.
CONCLUSION
Satan is on the attack saint.
He wants to destroy your marriage and he will give you anything (or so it will seem) if you simply let go.
You have to make up your mind right now to hold on.
Repeat after me men:
From this day forth
I have made up my mind
That I will love my wife
(Let’s say that again)
From this day forth
I have made up my mind
That I will love my wife
So help me God
Amen
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, I love you. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to serve you in the capacity in which you have offered. I sincerely apologize for all of the problems that I have caused in the family that you have blessed me with by being so unstable. From this moment and for the rest of my life I pray for the stability that it takes to show the wife that you have blessed me with the same type of love that you have shown me. Thank you God and I love you. I pray that your receive this prayer from your humble and loving servant. Amen
Thank You. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane Sr.
