Overcoming Bitterness in our Lives
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Transcript
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Introduction
Introduction
Every one of us will go through difficult times
We will all have people hurt us
We will all be chasten or disciplined by God v11
The question will be how are we going to respond to that?
We have two options
We can respond with love and forgiveness
Or we can respond with bitterness
We can let things go or
We can bottle it up and make a list of all the people that have wronged us and figure out how we can get revenge
So I would like to ask you today
Do you have bitterness in your life?
Against your parents because they didn’t treat well
They restricted your freedom
Against others in your church or your life
Because they offended you or talked bad about you
Against your ex
Or against your boss
Maybe you are bitter against God because of some bad things that have happened in your life
You might think
Why would a good God allow something so evil to happen to me
What have I ever done to deserve this
Here in this passage we see that the Bible is talking about a root of bitterness
In the context of this passage the Bible is talking about running with patience the race set before us
Then it says that we should not despise the chasening of the Lord
Those difficult times are permitted by God for a reason
The chastening of God gives us the fruit of righteousness
And then we arrive at this verse
It says looking diligently
When you enter the house with carrying your kids with the lights off
You might look diligently or watch out for the toys
We must be looking out
Watching lest a root of bitterness spring up and defile us
So let’s take a moment and consider what bitterness does in our lives
What bitterness does to us
What bitterness does to us
It controls us
It is like a root
It might start small but it will finish up destroying us
The tree in middle of a rock
It troubles us
You stop thinking about others and helping others
You can only think about what others have done to you and how you hate them
You are not thinking about how you should grow and improve in your life because you are consumed by something that happened in your past
You are not thinking about the future because you live in the past
Movies with bitter people
It contaminates or defiles us
What does it mean with something is defiled?
It means to make something unclean or impure
In spanish it says contaminado or contaminated
The double dippers
They are defiling or contaminating the food
And that is what bitterness does to us
We are not happy
We are always complaining of our problems
We always hold others responsible for our problems
Just like nobody wants to eat that contaminated food no one wants to be with us because we have been contaminated by bitterness
Cows eating bitter weed
Who do we have bitterness against?
Who do we have bitterness against?
Against others
Your parents and family
Against former friends and acquaintances
Against your ex
Against your co workers or boss
Against God
For something that happened in your past
For the death of a friend
For something bad that is happening right now in your life
Against the church
Many people have bitterness against the church
Because they were hurt by someone from the church
Against ourselves
For the mistakes that we have made
For our lack of self control
How should we respond
How should we respond
Remember that vengeance belongs to God
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
God is the owner of vengeance
It belongs to him
We are not responsible to give out vengeance
We shouldn’t take God’s place
We should trust in Him
We should turn the other cheek
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
We can’t keep score in life
We can’t keep a list of all the people that have hurt us
We can simple turn the other cheek
We can stop responding
Remember that we have been forgiven
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
We messed up and sinned against God
But God didn’t give us what we deserved
He forgave us
The forgiven forgive
What can we do to remove the bitterness from our lives
What can we do to remove the bitterness from our lives
Change our manner of thinking
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Remember that God can use all things for our good
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Maybe not for our comfort
Maybe not for our pleasure
But always for our good
The things that I do with Jaxon for his good
Remember that we have the victory in Christ
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Bitterness is a sin
But our old man is crucified with Jesus
We don’t have to serve sin anymore
We can have victory
We already have the victory in Jesus
Conclusion
Conclusion
If you have bitterness in your life today decide that you will remove it and throw it out
Change you way of thinking
Forgive the people that have hurt you or are hurting you
Remember that you have the victory in Christ
