What To Do When Bitterness Takes Over

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What To Do When Bitterness Takes Over

August 25, 2024 • Pastor Brody Christian

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"All bitterness starts out as hurt, and your emotional pain may well relate to viewing whoever or whatever provoked this hurt as having malicious intent. When a person becomes bitter, there’s often a sense of betrayal about how life has treated them. A victim mindset can take hold.

The problem snowballs when the hurt, bitter person gives in and gives up. Instead, taking action can make the difference between an isolated life and a connected one.

Anger and resentment is what we are likely to experience whenever we conclude that another has seriously abused us. Left to fester, that righteous anger eventually becomes the corrosive ulcer that is bitterness.

HEBREWS 12:14-15 NIV

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

QUALITIES OF BITTERNESS

1. BITTERNESS IS A HIDDEN DESTROYER

BITTERNESS IS LIKE DRINKING POISON HOPING IT KILLS YOUR ENEMY

AN INVISIBLE ROOT ALWAYS YIELDS VISIBLE FRUIT

2. BITTERNESS ALWAYS POISONS OTHERS

HEBREWS 12:15 NIV

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

DEFILE MANY – GREEK WORD – MIAINO – STAIN, POLLUTE, OR CONTAMINATE

HATRED AND HOLINESS CAN’T COEXIST IN THE SAME HEART.

HOW DO YOU KILL A ROOT OF BITTERNESS?

1. EXPOSE THE OBJECTS OF YOUR BITTERNESS

EPHESIANS 5:11 NIV

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

YOU CANNOT HEAL FROM WHAT YOU ARE UNWILLING TO ADMIT.

HEBREWS 12:15

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

1. CANCEL THEIR DEBT

MATTHEW 18:21-35 NIV

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him.25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

3. SPEAK A BLESSING OVER THEM

LUKE 6:27-28 NIV

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Bless – speak well of

EPHESIANS 4:31-32 NIV

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

NO OFFENSE

August 18, 2024 • Pastor Brody Christian

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE CHRISTIANITY ISN'T WORKING??? JOHN 14:1-4 NIV “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5-6 NIV Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. LUKE 19:1-9 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. 3 Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2019%3a1-10&version=nasb1995#fen-nasb1995-25736a]sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 And he hurried and came down and received Him [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2019%3a1-10&version=nasb1995#fen-nasb1995-25738b]gladly. 7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2019%3a1-10&version=nasb1995#fen-nasb1995-25739c]to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2019%3a1-10&version=nasb1995#fen-nasb1995-25740d]will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2019%3a1-10&version=nasb1995#fen-nasb1995-25740e]will give back four times as much.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” JOHN 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%203%3a16-17&version=nasb1995#fen-nasb1995-26137a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. IF GOD DIDN’T SEND JESUS TO JUDGE THE WORLD…HE DEFINITELY DIDN’T SEND YOU TO JUDGE THE WORLD

No Offense

August 11, 2024 • Pastor Brody Christian

EPHESIANS 4:26-27 NIV 31-32 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. EPHESIANS 4: 26-27 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. BEING OFFENDED IS INEVITABLE. LIVING OFFENDED IS A CHOICE. FOOTHOLD – (GREEK) TOPOS – A PLACE OR ROOM THE THREE D’S OF THE ENEMY - DIVIDE FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND CHURCHES - DISTRACT CHRISTIANS FROM THEIR MISSION - DISCREDIT YOUR WITNESS Ephesians 4:26 – don’t let the sun go down on your anger THE DAY OF YOUR HURT, SHOULD ALSO BE THE SAME DAY AS YOUR HEALING EPHESIANS 4:29 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 1. NEVER CALL NAMES 2. NEVER RAISE YOUR VOICE 3. NEVER GET HISTORICAL 4. NEVER SAY “NEVER” OR “ALWAYS 5. NEVER THREATEN DIVORCE 6. NEVER QUOTE YOUR PASTOR DURING A FIGHT VS. 31NIV 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. VS 32 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. IT TAKES TIME TO LOVE UP CLOSE IF YOU JUST WANT TO BE RIGHT ALL THE TIME, YOU’RE FORFEITING GOD'S CALL TO BE LOVING PSALM 139:23-24 NIV Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. EPHESIANS 4:32 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Unshakeable facts; That God Is Good

August 7, 2024 • Pastor Bracken Christian

God will never use what he redeemed you from to teach you a lesson. Ps 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Ps 27:13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Seven Facts That Demonstrate That God Is Good! 1. God’s goodness is to undo Satan’s evil. Jn. 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” God is the Source of goodness; Satan is the source of evil 2. God’s goodness created everything “good.” We know God is good because He called everything He made in Genesis 1 “good.” Jesus came to restore the good... He’s called the good shepherd. 3. God’s goodness is His glory. Ex. 33: 19, 22 “I will make all my GOODNESS pass before you.” Then He said, “You will stand on the rock while my GLORY passes by…” We know God is good because His very nature shines as goodness and light from His presence. 4. God’s goodness is His pleasure. Luke 12:32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” We know God is good because He derives great pleasure from being good to us! 5. God’s goodness never changes. James 1: 17 “Every GOOD GIFT and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is NO VARIATION or shadow due to change.” WE KNOW GOD IS GOOD BECAUSE HE DOESN’T CHANGE 6. God’s goodness is fathering. Mt. 7:11 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him” We know God is good because of our parents' example. 7. God’s goodness leads you to repentance. Rom. 2:4 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” We know that God is good because He spends so much time patiently waiting for us to change!