In the Book of James, chapter 1 verse 8 the Lord tells us that “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” In Matthew 5:8 that same Lord said: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” In Proverbs 23:7 He tells us that “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.”

Let us lay the groundwork for this series by understanding that, Biblically speaking, “mind” and “heart” are one in the same. We think with our mind. In Proverbs 23:7 we are told that we think with our heart–mind=heart. A surprising number of people believe that heart transplant patients take on the minds of their benefactors.

In James 1:8 the Almighty states that a double minded person is unstable in everything he/she does. Biblically and intellectually, the two terms mean that one cannot decide whether a course of action or a belief is right or wrong. At one time or situation an act or belief might seem right, in another time or situation it might seem wrong. The Lord speaks to this phenomenon in Proverbs 14:12 where He warns that “There is a way that seems right to a man, but that way leads to destruction.” If that man is double minded he might later feel that such an action would be wrong. When following the Lord there are times when right and wrong are difficult to determine. Our intellect tells us that a course of action makes sense, even spiritual sense, when in fact it might lead to disaster, and visa versa.

Throughout this ministry I have gone to great lengths to make the Word of God as practical and as usable in daily life as possible. Having lived in Satan’s world for 77 years and having served God for many of those years, I have experienced many of the same situations as my readers and listeners. As I have stated on several occasions, the Lord has often placed me in certain situations in order to teach me truths that I can pass on to others. At other times He has allowed me to follow my own thinking which have invariably led to failure. Each situation has resulted in a “teaching moment.” In each case the primary one needing to be taught is your humble servant.

One of the lessons we must all learn involves our natural “feelings.” I will now make a statement that is right in any and all situations: YOU CANNOT TRUST YOUR FEELINGS WHEN DETERMINING RIGHT AND WRONG. The man referred to in Proverbs 14:12 “feels” that a certain way is right. In other words, it “seems” to be the way to go. The question is, what made him “feel” a certain way? What made that way “seem” right. The source of his feelings and seemings can cause him to place too much emphasis on his immediate desires, wishful thinking or needs, none of which are legitimate indicators of the rightness or wrongness of an action. Another Truth needs to be emphasized here: EVERYTHING IS EITHER RIGHT OR WRONG, GOOD OR BAD, OF GOD OR NOT OF GOD. The Lord stated this Truth in Matthew 12:30: “He who does not gather with Me, scatters abroad.” On another occasion He stated that he who was not against Him was for Him. This “black or white–no gray” truth tends to fade from our consciousness when a personal need or want is allowed to dominate our thinking. In every situation in which a spiritual tug of way takes place relative to doing or not doing, we must determine the sources of those “tuggers.”

One of my favorite sayings is this: “Satan screams; God whispers.” Having heard both voices on numerous occasions, I can assure you that the devil’s voice is much more forceful than that of the Lord. Also, he always agrees with our self-satisfying desires, needs, etc. and assures us that what we want to do is indeed right because our need or want must be met. One of his best hooks is the “truth” that we can satisfy our desires and please God in the process. An equally deadly hook is that we can knowingly sin and get away with it because we are “saved.” Either of these mind-sets will “seem right” to one who is not in perfect sync with the Lord. L.J.