TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS

Trying to serve good and evil will never work.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

I want you to really meditate on that statement above, because this text is not only applies to our personal relationships, it also applies to our spiritual relationship as well.  However, for this writing let’s deal with the personal side of our life.

A man may do some service to two masters, but he will be truly devoted to only one.  God requires the whole heart, and will not share it with the world.  He, who holds to the world and loves it, must despise God; he, who loves God, must give up the friendship of the world.

The same rule holds true for relationships, whether married or dating.  If you have made a commitment to someone, you are expected to fulfill that vow.  You are expected to love the one you made the commitment to.  Do not settle for loving the one you are with if things don’t work out.  I say; until you can be with the love God brings into your life, give your love to the Lord.  Don’t settle for less. When you get married, the two of you become one.  Your marriage (love) is honored by God.  For better or worse, in sickness and health, and until death do you part.

What about before you get married?  Well, if you can’t handle being committed to a person when you are dating, what makes you think you are ready to handle seeing the same person the rest of your life?

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterer's God will judge.

Yes, you will be judged whether or not you are married; you will be judged. Now let’s talk about being torn between two lovers in a relationship.

You are in a relationship; you have been in it for a while, and you have become very comfortable with each other; I mean really comfortable.  You know how it is, things may have become dull, no excitement anymore, or things may not be going the way you thought they would.  So your mind begins to wonder, and oops along comes an old friend (someone you once had a thing for).  Someone who pushes all the right buttons.  Someone who made you almost forget you even had kids at home (oh yes, there are some women who have done this).  Someone who made you forget you had to go to work the next day, so now you are calling in sick.  Now your mind begins to wonder.  Do you still have a mind?  You begin to wonder if he can still make you feel the way he used to? 

So you say why not give him a call, nothing wrong with a phone call.  Right?  The phone call leads to lunch, nothing wrong with a little lunch.  After all you do have to eat, don’t you?  You start to talk about old times, nothing wrong with that.  Lunch leads to another casual meeting after work.  Nothing wrong with that, after all you are out in public (way out).  Do you see where this is heading?  Ok, some of you can’t see where this is leading so let me keep going.

You continue to reminisce about old times; nothing wrong with that, after all you’ve needed a little pick me up.  Then he buys you a little gift to remember him by; it's just a little gift…  Ok, let me ask you this, “What level of Hell are you going to take this relationship to?”  I want you to know there are different levels you can take it to.  If nothing was wrong with what you have been doing, why haven’t you told your fiancé or husband?  Why do you feel guilty when you go home?  You said nothing was wrong with it.  Yeah right.  If you truly respected and loved the person that you are committed to you would have shared everything with him from the beginning.  Right?  Ok, then something must be wrong with what you were doing.

You say I don’t understand that old love was rekindled?  No, old love wasn’t rekindled, but new lust was.  If you say that you are still in love with the former person, then you need to examine the relationship you are in now.  You can’t be in love with both of them.  Let me remind you:  Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

IS IT LOVE OR LUST?

You are thinking with the wrong thing.  Stop thinking with your heart, it will deceive you.  I didn’t say it, God did: 

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Neither your heart nor your mind is committed to the Lord if you feel you have to continue with this outside relationship.  If you can’t get him out of your system, ask God for help.  He can and He will help you.  Your heart is telling you that there is nothing wrong with what you are feeling, it’s ok.  Again, I say don’t listen to your heart.  Says who?  Says the word of the Lord.

Matthew 15:19 (BBE) For out of the heart come evil thoughts, the taking of life, broken faith between the married, unclean desires of the flesh, taking of property, false witness, bitter words:

You can’t please God and satan at the same time.  Serving Godwould be surrendering what you're doing to the Lord and asking Him to help you resist what you are feeling. 

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Serving God would be to love Him with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and yield not to temptation.  Serving satan would be to continue to sneak around thinking that no one will ever know or be hurt.  Continuing to allow him to tempt you, to make you think that as long as you ask for forgiveness each time, it’s ok.  Oh my, has satan got you fooled.  That’s not true repentance.  Repentance means you confess your sin(s) to the Lord, you’re remorseful about what you have done, and you DON’T DO IT ANYMORE.  I don’t know what the enemy has been telling you to make you think that you can continue in your sin, and not pay the price.  However, I do know what God says about it.  Your slipping into darkness will lead to death.

James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

I know you may think that no one else is experiencing what you are going through.  That what you are going through is only happening to you, and there is no way can get out of it.  Ooh how satan has been whispering in your ear.  You see even in the midst of your temptation, God still has you on His mind.  He has made a way for you to escape; oh yes, He will not leave you to die in your sin.  He has made a way for you to escape all you have to do is ask Him.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

SO WHAT’S IT GOING TO BE? 

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO HATE? 

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO LOVE?

Now, let’s look at this situation from another angle, continue reading…..

(**Side note: I know normally we would have a “word of encouragement, and an inspirational reading following the story, but I felt it was important to keep you focused on what could happen if you continued to allow yourself to stay in the relationship you’re in.)