U Is For Undivided Series

Introduction

1. I don’t know if you have ever “felt torn” between 2 decisions...

perhaps you are planning to go out for supper...

you may feel torn whether to go to chinese or mexican...

if you end up at the chinese restaurant...

you might feel torn between ordering the moo goo gai pan...

or the Kung Po Chicken...

Another way of talking about it is “riding the fence”...

At some point, we will be electing a new president...

and you may be “riding the fence” on who you should vote for...

Still another way to describe it is “mixed feelings”...

We are trying to decide what to do for our summer vacation...

We feel like we should go to Indiana to see our relatives...

But we don’t really like the long drive...

So, Kay and I have mixed feelings about what we should do.

2. I’m sure that all of us have had “mixed feelings” about something...

at sometime or another...

During those times...it’s nice to finally come to a decision...

And then to feel like you chose wisely...

the Chinese Restaurant had a special deal that day...

Or you greatly enjoyed your family vacation..and where you went...

Or the president you voted for led the country in the way that you approve of...

3. Certainly it’s appropriate to be indecisive at times...

and there’s nothing wrong with riding the fence on certain issues...

But there are some things that are very important...

In fact, they are of crucial importance...

and on those things...

we can’t afford to be “riding the fence”...

we must be decisive...

we must choose and choose wisely...

under the leadership of the Holy Spirit...

4. In our continuing study of the Biblical ABCs...

We come to the letter U...

U stands for “undivided”...

According to the dictionary...

1 not divided, separated, or broken into parts.

2 devoted completely to one object:1

If the student is staring out the window and the beautiful spring day...

it is unlikely that he is giving his teacher his undivided attention...

5. Undivided is only found 4 times in the Bible...

and we will look at each of the 4...

and we will find that these 4 verses speak to 3 things that are NOT to be divided or separated...

(we will read the text as we come to it)

Text: 1 Chr 12:33, Ps 86:11, Eze 11:19, 1 Cor. 7:35

1. Undivided Loyalty (1 Chr. 12:33)

A. 1 Chronicles 12:33 says, “men of Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty--50,000”

Saul grew jealous of David and David’s success...

eventually, Saul tried to kill David...

David had several opportunities to kill Saul...

but he wouldn’t do it...

But he certainly welcomed the support of anyone who would support and defend him...

B. In 1 Chronicles 12:17, David tells the men, “If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you."

David needed people he could depend on...

He didn’t need people who were riding the fence on whether to support Saul....or David...

He needed people who were loyal...

The fact that he had 50,000 men who were undivided in their loyalty to David...

I’m sure that was great relief to David...

C. We value people who are loyal to us...

if you have a spouse who is faithful to you...

that is a great blessing...

but if you have a spouse who is UNfaithful to you...

then that is very painful...

2. Scripture also talks about an Undivided Heart (Ps 86:11, Eze 11:19)

A. In Psalm 86:11 David says, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

David, as a Soldier and as a king...

would value people who were loyal and devoted to him...

And David recognizes the importance of that same loyalty being offered to God...

He prays to the Lord and asks that God give him an undivided heart...

He wanted his heart to be completely sold out to God...

He didn’t want to “feel torn” about his relationship to God...

He didn’t want to “ride the fence”...or have “mixed feelings”...

He didn’t want to serve God when he was in the Temple...

But when he was with his friends he would act differently...

He wanted to serve God when everything was going great...

and he wanted to serve God when it seemed like the whole world was against him...

And, there were times in David’s life that it felt that way...