RTW March 7

Unequally Yoked

In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people.
Numbers 25:3

 

 

My Takeaways

Something Old

 

Something New

Tsamad  means to fasten together (figuratively) and to serve (mentally).

Yoke

  • a frame fitting the neck and shoulders of a person, for carrying a pair of buckets or the like, one at each end.
  • an agency of oppression, subjection, servitude, etc.
  • an emblem or symbol of subjection, servitude, slavery, etc., as an archway under which prisoners of war were compelled to pass by the ancient Romans and others.

Something to Do

Yoke myself to Christ.

 

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15 Comments

  1. How God is using you to teach His word! I am so blessed to be a part of this Bible Study. How I want to be yoked with the one true God!

  2. Another great and, for me, very timely teaching. Thank you for your transparency! You encouraged me to really intentionally draw nearer to God. I realized I’ve been keeping him at arm’s length due to some disappointing circumstances. But this is precisely the time I need to be drawing closer and being completely honest with Him. Thank you for the encouragement! P.S.- I love that you allow your dog to be with you while taping-would love to see her whole face!

  3. Wendy thank you so much for your teaching this morning. It really hit home. I am having such a hard time fighting off a past idol that has popped back up in my life. It has been present on and off for over 17 years. I pray about it daily but it has such a strong hold on me. What can I do? I ask anyone reading this to please keep me in your prayers if you would. Thank you

    1. Once we become Christians the Holy Spirit resides in us. We now have His power to combat anything in this world opposed to God. But our part in this is to yield. In Paul’s letters he tells the churches to “put off the old and put on the new” . We are to put to death the deeds of the flesh. Crucify them as he puts it in Galatians. One of the deeds of the flesh is idolatry (Gal. 5:20). I am not sure what your form of idolatry is but His Spirit is in you to fight this battle. In 1 Cor. 10:13 says:” no temptation has overtaken us that is not Common to man. God is Faithful….. And will provide a way of escape…..” Elsewhere the Word tells us to “walk in the Spirit” . That is a day by day continual process. How? We must put on our armor, we must pray for His help, we must meditate on His word so we have it available when needed as a “sword” to combat the evil one. The Holy Spirit is powerful but we must yield to His voice. We cannot know His voice if we aren’t in the Word. Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for your instruction, so that through perseverance and encouragement of the scripture we might have hope. 2 Peter 1:3-4 …. His divine power has granted us everything pertaining to life and godliness…. He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by last. My advice would be to continue in His Word and pray for His help. Maybe do a word search on this form of “idolatry” you struggle with and see what God’s Word says about it. God is Faithful. Praying for you. Hope this encourages you to persevere in hope!

      1. Denise,
        Thank you so much for your prayer today. I have been praying for understanding of the Holy Spirit. Yesterday I walked around thinking Gods word says the Holy Spirit is our comforter, how do I experience that comfort, nudging of the Spirit and it’s power that disciples of Christ should possess? I know that the nudging I have felt so much this year has to be the Holy Spirit. I want so much to experience Gods truth and to live it more than ever. Enormous blessings to you!!?

    2. When I have the same situation pop up again and again, I have come to believe it is a “test’ for me and my prayer always is: Dear God, Please help me to get through this situation victorious…..I simply don’t want to continue going through this situation again and again”!
      Prayers and blessings!
      Carolyn

  4. God give us all the strength to resist any idols and worship you, our one true God.
    Something to do
    Be zealous in living for God.

  5. Wendy,
    I too have always looked at the Israelites differently. I could not understand their ungratefulness, their grumbling, their statements to Moses and Aaron; that is until this year as you bring analogies of their actions, and relate it so beautifully to my/our lives!
    As I am going through a period of “wait and see”, I so need to be “tighter yoked” to my Lord! I truly want His Will and Plan, and yet at this time, when there is so much that is questionable in my personal and business life, and even though I read His word, pray and have my quiet time, I believe He is asking more of me!
    TODAY, I’m putting the other side of the Yoke on my shoulders and will walk step by step with my Lord!! “Please help me Jesus”!

    Thank you for your exhortation through your personal testimony…….this definitely is from the Lord to me today!!!

    Blessings and prayers
    Carolyn

  6. Loved today’s lesson! Thank you, Wendy, and all who commented.

    “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

    From David Guzik Study Guide:
    – The yoke of Jesus is easy and light as compared with the yoke of others.
    – The yoke of Jesus is easy and light as long as we do not rebel against it.
    – The yoke of Jesus has nothing to do with worries that are forbidden to us.
    – The yoke of Jesus does not include the burdens we choose to add to it.

  7. Thanks Wendy! I really loved today’s lesson. Now, I have a clearer picture of what unequally yoked actually means. I just love Little House on the Prairie, so now I have the image of Charles Ingalls and the ox and the wooden thing on their shoulders in my mind when I think about yoke. My something to do- is to be Yoked to Jesus and to draw closer to Him like never before and to never let go of Him.

  8. Yoke always worked up a negative feeling in me but not anymore if I see it as being yoked to Jesus. His yoke is light and exactly fitting for me. As I choose to submit to that yoke I will also not feel it as a burden anymore, for the loving boundaries that it sets up for me are there for my protection and for my overall spiritual, physical and soul health. And out of this overall health will come healthy actions no matter how my circumstances may be… I love the image of walking in sync with Jesus. There is still a long way to go for me but I take it one step at the time…

  9. My Takeaways: After reading other scriptures yesterday about Balaam (trying to figure him out) I realize that these sexual sins and idolatry are all his idea.

    Something Old: I read Numbers 31:16 yesterday “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people.” Also Revelation 2:14 “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed the Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.”
    So there we have it, Balaam’s true colors. He was not that God loving person he appeared to be yesterday. Balaam tried to curse Israel and could not; but now, they are cursed because of their sin against the Lord.  Essentially, after his failure to curse Israel, Balaam said to Balak: “I cannot curse these people. But you can get them to curse themselves through enticing them to rebel against their God. Send your prettiest girls among them, and tell them to entice the men of Israel to immorality and idolatry.” And it worked.

    Something New: Numbers 25:10-11
    Phinehas couldn’t help himself, he was zealous for God’s honor. He loved God dearly. He couldn’t stand to see what was happening. If I am becoming more and more like God, shouldn’t sin anger me too? I’m not saying what he did was appropriate. But I do believe anger is often justified when God’s principles are at stake.

    Something To Do: I can’t let my desire for fun and pleasure cause me to loosen my spiritual commitment. I can’t relax my standards in order to justify my desires. I can’t tolerate sin just to appear open minded. I am to lead people to God. I must love God enough to stand up for righteousness and do what is pleasing and honorable to Him.

  10. Oh Wendy !! I love your daily lessons. I may not reply but everyday the Lord is teaching me something thru his word and your message. I too desire to be joined or yoked with God and turn away from what the world tempts
    me to everyday. God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. I so appreciate your transparency and admitting your weakness to those of us who struggle and yet share the victory that only Jesus can give us !

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