To be or not to be……Equally “Yoked”
Have you ever gone shopping, found the “perfect” outfit dressed on a store manikin and thought…That is it that is the outfit for me!!! Then you begin the task of finding each piece in your size, never mind that the manikin is not a “reality” size person, so therefore it does look fantastic hanging there. You find all the pieces in your size and off to the dressing room you go. You put the best outfit in the world on, all the while the sales clerk is telling you how fabulous you look, you take a peek in the mirror and BAM you are sold! Yes it is more than you had planned on spending, but hey you look great right?!Now the event is here and you are dressing in your new killer outfit, only to find the shirt is a little too tight, the pants, well they now seem to sag in areas you hadn’t noticed at the store. The color complexly fades your skin tone out and you find yourself very uncomfortable in the “fantastic” outfit the sales clerk sold you on. You don’t understand, it looked great at the store! How many times in our lives has the devil, (the world’s sales clerk) sold us an outfit (a relationship) that doesn’t fit us. I can tell you, I bought from him several times in that department and actually brought home 3 different out fits (marriages.) YEP that’s right I have been married three times. Each one was completely different than then other and did not resemble each other at all.
God’s word tells us in 2 Corthians 6:14-15 14 do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[a]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? I am not saying that my “outfits” did not believe in Christ, what I am saying we were not equally yoked and therefore did not fit. One outfit’s shirt may have been too big, one the pants sagged and the other was too tight. Of course each time I did not seek God and then after my choice was made, the vows were said, I then told God…Ok this is my “outfit” and it’s not fitting right, so I need you to make the alterations please! And the whole time ….IT WAS ME!!!!! Not the “outfit” I picture this scenario in my mind……Using the movie Apollo 13 as a reference. When Tom Hanks tells NASA after the explosion on the space craft…”Houston we have a problem” Houston’s response….Say again Apollo. I can just imagine my guardian angel calling up to God and saying “Father God, we have a problem” and God responding…”Say again Angel” and then my angel screaming…..SHE IS DOING IT AGAIN!!!!!!How many times in our lives, have we all not sought after God in making “purchases” in our lives? It looks great in the store window of life, the sales clerk (Satan) says we look fabulous in it and we are so excited to have what we want now that we do not wait on God to make the purchase for us. Instead we run out and “grab” the first thing we think would look great in our life. Not thinking beyond that moment. Then after the, I look great, life is grand feeling is over, we realize the “outfit” does not fit. And then here comes that nasty ol’ sales person, whispering in your ear, you know you can’t return that outfit , it’s too late, you have already taken off the tags and it’s pass the 30 day mark….So now we feel like we have to keep it, but we can’t wear it anymore…..It doesn’t fit. In reality, when we are in an unequally yoked relationship, Satan is telling his lies….You can’t walk out now, God will never forgive you. Who would want a 3 time divorcee, how can YOU of all people stand on a platform and speak about God’s word when you yourself didn’t listen to him??? BING O!!! That is why I can stand here and tell you my “shopping” story. Because through my wrong twist and turns in life, my mistakes, lapse of judgment, clinging to my fleshly emotions instead of seeking God ,I am able to tell you…….GOD does still love me and you for all the goof ball things we have all ever done in life. Even when we are so dead set on having something or someone in our life, God loves us any way. What does it mean to be equally yoked? Merriam Webster Dictionary defines “yoked” as “to become joined or linked” *In the bible days when people plowed their fields, they used an equal yoke. Meaning, two oxen or two mules. It was an equal yoke and the animals would pull a straight line. They would not use an oxen and a mule. Or a mule and a cow as it was not an equal yoke and the line would be crooked. This doesn’t mean that God wants us to cut everyone out of our lives; however it does mean that we are to fellowship closest to the ones that have the same faith as we do. God wants us equally yoked in our faith, not material things. * (defined in Answers.com) Deuteronomy 22:10 tells us “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey together.”God’s word tells us in Deuteronomy 22:9 9 do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.What does this verse mean? To me, I see the vineyard as my life, the seeds that have been planted are the words of God, and the other seeds were those of the world. By having both “seeds” planted in my life, the seeds of the world began to take root and smoother out the “seeds” of God. The crops that had already grown in my life were “defiled”, thus meaning worldly ways were over taking my fruits and I began to nurture the “seeds” of the world and allow the seeds of God to die. Without proper nurturing a plant will die. Without proper fellowship and study of God’s word, those seeds will die. My seeds were not equally yoked!!The good news is that once I began to get back into the word of God, my seeds began to flourish. And the more I confess God’s word over my life and my family’s life the stronger my “crops” grow. However I had to remove unequally yoked relationships from my daily life. Don’t get me wrong, I have friends whom I love dearly and would never cut them out of my life. However I don’t fellowship with them on a daily bases. I no longer water that crop! I pray for those that are not equally yoked with me, I lend an ear when they need encouragement and speak love in their lives. I am planting Godly seed into their lives, but it is up to them to nurture those seeds. Part of Satan’s sale pitch is that we can walk into an unequally yoked person’s life, and “love” them into our world per say. However that is a snare, or trap of his. Once you begin to allow seeds of the world to be dropped in your crop, they take root and slowly those roots smoother out the seeds of righteousness in our lives. I don’t believe I ever did that with the intent of becoming unequally yoked, but when you are not nurturing your Godly seeds, (going to church, reading the word, fellowship with others of your faith) your seeds begin to die. I don’t want to plow my field anymore with ox and mule! I want my lines straight!!!! My challenge for you all today is to seek God, ask him if there is any relationship in your life that you are not equally yoked with. Ask the Lord if there is any “seeds” that you need to stop nurturing. Allow him to flourish your crops. Once we all allow God to be our planter, our fruits will not be defiled, but instead grow to their fullest potential!!!
God’s word tells us in 2 Corthians 6:14-15 14 do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[a]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? I am not saying that my “outfits” did not believe in Christ, what I am saying we were not equally yoked and therefore did not fit. One outfit’s shirt may have been too big, one the pants sagged and the other was too tight. Of course each time I did not seek God and then after my choice was made, the vows were said, I then told God…Ok this is my “outfit” and it’s not fitting right, so I need you to make the alterations please! And the whole time ….IT WAS ME!!!!! Not the “outfit” I picture this scenario in my mind……Using the movie Apollo 13 as a reference. When Tom Hanks tells NASA after the explosion on the space craft…”Houston we have a problem” Houston’s response….Say again Apollo. I can just imagine my guardian angel calling up to God and saying “Father God, we have a problem” and God responding…”Say again Angel” and then my angel screaming…..SHE IS DOING IT AGAIN!!!!!!How many times in our lives, have we all not sought after God in making “purchases” in our lives? It looks great in the store window of life, the sales clerk (Satan) says we look fabulous in it and we are so excited to have what we want now that we do not wait on God to make the purchase for us. Instead we run out and “grab” the first thing we think would look great in our life. Not thinking beyond that moment. Then after the, I look great, life is grand feeling is over, we realize the “outfit” does not fit. And then here comes that nasty ol’ sales person, whispering in your ear, you know you can’t return that outfit , it’s too late, you have already taken off the tags and it’s pass the 30 day mark….So now we feel like we have to keep it, but we can’t wear it anymore…..It doesn’t fit. In reality, when we are in an unequally yoked relationship, Satan is telling his lies….You can’t walk out now, God will never forgive you. Who would want a 3 time divorcee, how can YOU of all people stand on a platform and speak about God’s word when you yourself didn’t listen to him??? BING O!!! That is why I can stand here and tell you my “shopping” story. Because through my wrong twist and turns in life, my mistakes, lapse of judgment, clinging to my fleshly emotions instead of seeking God ,I am able to tell you…….GOD does still love me and you for all the goof ball things we have all ever done in life. Even when we are so dead set on having something or someone in our life, God loves us any way. What does it mean to be equally yoked? Merriam Webster Dictionary defines “yoked” as “to become joined or linked” *In the bible days when people plowed their fields, they used an equal yoke. Meaning, two oxen or two mules. It was an equal yoke and the animals would pull a straight line. They would not use an oxen and a mule. Or a mule and a cow as it was not an equal yoke and the line would be crooked. This doesn’t mean that God wants us to cut everyone out of our lives; however it does mean that we are to fellowship closest to the ones that have the same faith as we do. God wants us equally yoked in our faith, not material things. * (defined in Answers.com) Deuteronomy 22:10 tells us “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey together.”God’s word tells us in Deuteronomy 22:9 9 do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.What does this verse mean? To me, I see the vineyard as my life, the seeds that have been planted are the words of God, and the other seeds were those of the world. By having both “seeds” planted in my life, the seeds of the world began to take root and smoother out the “seeds” of God. The crops that had already grown in my life were “defiled”, thus meaning worldly ways were over taking my fruits and I began to nurture the “seeds” of the world and allow the seeds of God to die. Without proper nurturing a plant will die. Without proper fellowship and study of God’s word, those seeds will die. My seeds were not equally yoked!!The good news is that once I began to get back into the word of God, my seeds began to flourish. And the more I confess God’s word over my life and my family’s life the stronger my “crops” grow. However I had to remove unequally yoked relationships from my daily life. Don’t get me wrong, I have friends whom I love dearly and would never cut them out of my life. However I don’t fellowship with them on a daily bases. I no longer water that crop! I pray for those that are not equally yoked with me, I lend an ear when they need encouragement and speak love in their lives. I am planting Godly seed into their lives, but it is up to them to nurture those seeds. Part of Satan’s sale pitch is that we can walk into an unequally yoked person’s life, and “love” them into our world per say. However that is a snare, or trap of his. Once you begin to allow seeds of the world to be dropped in your crop, they take root and slowly those roots smoother out the seeds of righteousness in our lives. I don’t believe I ever did that with the intent of becoming unequally yoked, but when you are not nurturing your Godly seeds, (going to church, reading the word, fellowship with others of your faith) your seeds begin to die. I don’t want to plow my field anymore with ox and mule! I want my lines straight!!!! My challenge for you all today is to seek God, ask him if there is any relationship in your life that you are not equally yoked with. Ask the Lord if there is any “seeds” that you need to stop nurturing. Allow him to flourish your crops. Once we all allow God to be our planter, our fruits will not be defiled, but instead grow to their fullest potential!!!
OUCH..... that was painful, but true.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, truth is painful, however when we embrace that truth, we are set free! God bless you!!
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree with this more!!!! Preach it girl! This is SO important and yet how many times did we do the direct opposite?! I thank God for opening our eyes to this particular subject!!!
ReplyDelete