Let God Reveal It

Let God reveal it, let grace remove it, let good replace it

Bitterness is always wrong! It does not matter what wrong has been done to you.

Justice....
God giving what we deserve
Grace....
God forgives
Mercy....
God not giving us what we deserve

Pursue peace, forgive one another. When there is a need to forgive someone, forgiveness benefits the person that has been wronged as well as the one who did wrong.

THE GERMINATION OF BITTERNESS

The seed of bitterness is a hurt.
The hurt may be intentional.
The hurt may be unintentional.
The hurt may be imagined.
The hurt may be God’s chastisement.

Hebrews 12:5-11
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

The soil of bitterness is a heart that harbors hostility.

THE DEVASTATION OF BITTERNESS
Hebrews 12:15
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled

The root of bitterness is underground and easy to hide.

Characteristics of a bitter person….
Very sensitive
Has little or no gratitude
Will harshly criticize or vainly flatter
Holds grudges
Mood swings

Hebrews 12:15
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled

The fruit of bitterness....
It will affect you physically.
It will affect you emotionally.

Proverbs 15:17
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

It will affect you spiritually.

Hebrews 12:14
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Bitterness has a chain reaction.
Ephesians 4:26
26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger
Ephesians 4:30-31
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Bitterness….
Harboring hurt
Wrath….
Bitter and hurt smoldering
Anger….
Outward hurt
Clamor….
Loud speaking

James 3:6
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Evil speaking….
Speak hateful
Malice….
Desiring to hurt someone


THE ERADICATION OF BITTERNESS

Let God reveal it.

Psalm 139:23-24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Let grace remove it.

Hebrews 12:15
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled

Let good replace it.

Hebrews 12:14
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Ephesians 2:8
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Col.3:13
13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.


Thanks to Adrian Rogers for this wonderful teaching!