Fresh Bread* March 29: Entangled

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be ENTANGLED again with a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1, NKJV)

No one engaged in warfare ENTANGLES himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Timothy 2:4, NKJV)

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again ENTANGLED in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. (2 Peter 2:20, NKJV)

The Message Bible seems to make this Scripture frighteningly clear:
“If they’ve escaped from the slum of sin by experiencing our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then slid back into that same old life again, they’re worse than if they had never left. Better not to have started out on the straight road to God than to start out and then turn back, repudiating the experience and the holy command. They prove the point of the proverbs, A dog goes back to its own vomit and A scrubbed-up pig heads for the mud.” (2 Peter 2:20-22)

Last Sunday, I saw a young child get her hair tangled in the earring of her mother. Almost everyone who observed what had happened either stopped to try to untangle her hair or simply lend his or her moral support to the crying child. My heart went out to her, as she had no idea how she got herself tangled up in such a painful situation. At her age, one would have to believe that it was an accident. Yet, it could happen again. If this were to occur, folks would probably feel even worse because we all understand that this toddler clearly does not understand what she’s getting herself into, nor how she got herself so entangled.

But we are neither infants nor toddlers! As we enter into our consecration this week, I believe God is going to provide us freedom from sins that have entangled us. Through the Spirit’s revealing and bondage-breaking power, this is going to be a tremendous season in our lives. Then the question will be: After the Holy Spirit untangles us from the mess (vomit & mud) in our lives, will we voluntarily choose to return? Will we return to messy habits? Will we return to relationships that “messed up” our lives? Will we return to messy places, places that drag us backwards?

The word “entangled” means: mixed up, bewildered, burdened, caught, clogged up, complicated, compromised, confused, disheveled, embarrassed, ensnared, entrapped, hampered, impeded, jumbled, knotted, muddled, perplexed, puzzled, set up, snagged, swindled, trapped, twisted, and unsettled.

After this consecration, please stay untangled because there’s nothing attractive in any of these definitions.

*During the Consecration (April 1st – 12th), Fresh Bread will be prepared daily. If you would like to receive a copy by email, please send your e-mail address to freshbread-subscribe@groups.ptspice.org