BITTERNESS

PROVERBS 14:10 – THE HEART KNOWETH HIS OWN BITTERNESS; AND A STRANGER DOTH NOT INTERMEDDLE WITH HIS JOY.

BITTERNESS IS DEFINED AS ANGER, DISCONTENTMENT, HEAVINESS, CHAFE. CHAFE MEANS ANNOYED, IRRITATED.

EPHESIANS 4:31,32 – LET ALL BITTERNESS, AND WRATH, AND ANGER, AND CLAMOR, AND EVIL SPEAKING, BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE: AND BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD FOR CHRIST’S SAKE HATH FORGIVEN YOU.

SO IT SEEMS, IN THESE VERSES, BITTERNESS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH UNFORGIVENESS.

IT IS STANGE TO ME THAT A WOMAN LIKE HANNAH COULD BE STRUGGLING WITH BITTERNESS:

I SAMUEL 1:10 – AND SHE WAS IN BITTERNESS OF SOUL, AND PRAYED UNTO THE LORD, AND WEPT SORE.

IF YOU RUN A WORD SEARCH, YOU WILL FIND THIS BITTERNESS IN HANNAH WAS THE SAME KIND OF BITTERNESS SCORNED IN EPHESIANS 4:31.

TO FIND OUT WHY HANNAH WAS BITTER, WE HAVE TO READ I SAMUEL 1:2-8 – AND HE (ELKANAH)  HAD TWO WIVES; THE NAME OF THE ONE WAS HANNAH, AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER WAS PENINNAH: AND PENINNAH HAD CHILDREN BUT HANNAH HAD NO CHILDREN. 

AND THIS MAN WENT UP OUT OF HIS CITY YEARLY TO WORSHIP AND TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD OF HOSTS IN SHILOH.

AND WHEN THE TIME WAS THAT  ELKANAH, OFFERED (WENT TO WORSHIP), HE GAVE PENINNAH HIS WIFE, AND TO ALL HER SONS AND DAUGHTERS, PORTIONS:

BUT TO HANNAH HE GAVE A WORTHY PORTION (WE COULD SAY A DOUBLE PORTION); FOR HE LOVED HANNAH: BUT THE LORD HAD SHUT UP HER WOMB.

AND HER ADVERSARY ALSO PROVOKED HER SORE (TORMENTED HER), FOR TO MAKE HER FRET, BECAUSE THE LORD HAD SHUT UP HER WOMB.

AND SHE DID SO YEAR BY YEAR, WHEN SHE WENT UP TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, SO SHE (PENINNAH PROVOKED HER); THEREFORE SHE WEPT AND DID NOT EAT.

THEN ELKANAH HER HUSBAND SAID TO HER, HANNAH, WHY WEEPEST THOU? AND WHY EATEST THOU NOT? AND WHY IS THY HEART GRIEVED? AM I NOT BETTER TO THEE THAN TEN SONS?

NEITHER OUR JOYS NOR OUR SORROWS CAN BE WHOLLY SHARED WITH ANOTHER; NO PERSON STANDS IN SUCH INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH US, OR CAN PUT THEMSELVES SO ENTIRELY IN OUR PLACE, AS WE FEEL WHAT WE FEEL.

THERE ARE MANY DARK SPOTS, MANY GRIEFS, OF WHICH OUR BEST FRIENDS KNOW NOTHING; THE SKELETON IS LOCKED IN THE CUPBOARD, SO-TO-SPEAK, AND NO ONE HAS THE KEY BUT WE ALONE.

BUT WE CAN TURN WTH CONFIDENCE TO JESUS WHO KNOWS US BEST, WHO WEPT HUMAN TEARS, AND BORE OUR SORROWS, AND WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE.

HE HAS TAKEN HIS HUMAN EXPERIENCE WITH HIM TO HEVEN. AND WHEN WE TAKE OUR FEELINGS AND HURTS TO THE LORD, AND BEGIN TO FORGIVE AND SURRENDER THAT THING THAT HAS WORKED ITSELF FROM UNFORGIVENESS TO BITTERNESS OF HEART, WHOLLY TO THE LORD, WE FIND JOY THAT, ALSO, NO ONE ELSE CAN SHARE.

HE IS NOT A STRANGER TO “GRIEF TURNED TO JOY.”

THERE IS A SAYING, “NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES SO WELL AS HE THAT WEARS IT;” AND ANOTHER, “TO EVERYONE, HIS OWN CROSS SEEMS HEAVIEST.”

WHEN A PERSON’S MIND IS SENSITIVE IT IS EASILY DEPRESSED BY GRIEF; BUT WHEN IT IS ELATED BY JOY, IT SHOULD RECEIVE IT’S PLEASURE AND RELIEF WITHOUT ARROGANCE AND RUDENESS.

IN CHAPTER I OF Ist SAMUEL, WE FIND HANNAH PRAYING, AND VOWING TO TH LORD IF HE WOULD GIVE HER A SON, SHE WOULD GIVE THE CHILD TO THE LORD ALL HIS LIFE. SHE WAS PRAYING, WITH ONLY HER LIPS MOVING, BUT HER VOICE WAS NOT HEARD.

ELI, WHO THOUGHT SHE WAS INTOXICATED, TOLD HER TO QUIT DRINKING, BUT SHE ANSWERED THAT SHE HAD NEVER DRANK WINE NOR STRONG DRINK; THAT SHE WAS SORROWFUL IN SPIRIT.

SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS NOT A WICKED WOMAN, BUT THAT SHE WAS POURING OUT HER SOUL BEFORE THE LORD.

ELI RESPONDE BY SAYING, “GO IN PEACE, AND MAY THE LORD OF ISRAEL GRANT YOUR PETITION WHICH YOU HAVE ASKED OF HIM.”

VERSE 20 – HANNAH BECAME PREGNANT AND IN DUE TIME BORE A SON AND NAMED HIM SAMUEL (HEARD OF THE LORD), BECAUSE, SHE SAID, I HAVE ASKED HIM OF THE LORD.

WHEN BITTERNESS SETS IN, IT IS SEEN AS A VIOLATION TO THE WAYS OF GOD, FOR GOD HAD A PLAN AND PURPOSE. 

WHEN IN HER TROUBLE, HANNAH WAS LED TO PRAY FERVENTLY, AND HER PRAYER WAS ANSWERED: GRIEF AND SORROW AND BITTERNESS GAVE PLACE TO REJOICING. THE FAMILY WAS BENEFITTED; AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD WERE GREATLY BLESSED. 

SO IN HIS WONDERFUL WORKING, GOD “TURNED THE CURSE INTO BLESSING”!!

    *Part II coming soon.

 

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THE SLEEPING PRIEST

1 SAMUEL  3:1-14   AND THE CHILD SAMUEL MINISTERED UNTO  THE LORD BEFORE ELI. AND THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS PRECIOUS IN THOSE DAYS: THERE WAS NO OPEN VISION.

AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME, WHEN ELI WAS LAID DOWN IN HIS PLACE, AND HIS EYES BEGAN TO WAX DIM, THAT HE COULD NOT SEE.

AND ERE THE LAMP OF GOD WENT OUT IN THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD, WHERE THE ARK OF GOD WAS, AND SAMUEL WAS LAID DOWN TO SLEEP.

AND THE LORD CALLED SAMUEL: AND HE ANSWERED, HERE I AM.

AND HE RAN UNTO ELI, AND SAID, HERE AM I; FOR THOU CALLEST ME, AND HE SAID, I CALLED NOT: LIE DOWN AGAIN, AND HE WENT AND LAY DOWN.

AND THE LORD CALLED YET AGAIN, SAMUEL AND SAMUEL AROSE  AND WENT TO ELI, AND SAID, HERE AM I; FOR THOU DIDST CALL ME. AND HE ANSWERED, I CALLED NOT, MY SON; LIE DOWN AGAIN.

NOW SAMUEL DID NOT YET KNOW THE LORD, NEITHER WAS THE WORD OF THE LORD YET REVEALED UNTO HIM.

AND THE LORD CALLED SAMUEL  AGAIN THE THIRD TIME, AND HE AROSE AND WENT TO ELI, AND SAID HERE AM I, FOR THOU DIDST CALL ME, AND ELI PERCEIVED THAT THE LORD HAD CALLED THE CHILD.

THEREFORE ELI SAID UNTO SAMUEL, GO, LIE DOWN: AND IT SHALL BE, IF HE CALL THEE, THAT THOU SHALT SAY, SPEAK, LORD; FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH, SO SAMUEL WENT AND LAY DOWN IN HIS PLACE.

AND THE LORD CAME, AND STOOD, AND CALLED AS AT OTHER TIMES, SAMUEL, SAMUEL, THEN SAMUEL ANSWERED, SPEAK; FOR THY SERVANT HEARETH.

AND THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL, BEHOLD, I WILL DO A THING IN ISRAEL, AT WHICH BOTH THE EARS OF EVERY ONE THAT HEARETH IT SHALL TINGLE.

IN THAT DAY I WILL PERFORM AGAINEST ELI ALL THINGS WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN CONCERNING HIS HOUSE: WHEN I BEGIN, I WILL ALSO, MAKE AND END.

FOR I HAVE TOLD HIM THAT I WILL JUDGE HIS HOUSE FOR EVER FOR THE INQUITY WHICH HE KNOWETH; BECAUSE HIS SONS MADE THEMSELVES VILE, AND HE RESTRAINED THEM NOT.

AND THEREFORE I HAVE SWORN UNTO THE HOUSE OF ELI, THAT THE INQUITY OF ELI’S HOUSE SHALL NOT BE PURGED WITH SACRIFICE NOR OFFERING FOR EVER.

THIS LOOK’S LIKE THE CHURCH IN AMERICA, THERE IS ANOTHER GOSPEL BEING PREACHED IN AMERICA. IT IS A SOFT GOSPEL OF NO REPENTANCE.

JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACHED REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND.

JESUS PREACHED REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PRESENT.

JESUS PREACHED TO MOST OF THE CHURCHS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION REPENT.

JESUS SAID HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHS.

TODAY MANY LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THE FLESH, AND THE FALSE PROPHETS SAY OF THE CHURCH TODAY, I AM RICH AND INCREASED WHIT GOODS AND ARE IN NEED OF NOTHING.

AMERICA NEEDS A REVIVAL OF REPENTANCE, WE LOOK FOR PREACHERS WITHOUT THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY GOLF AND TALK SPORTS.

THE WORD OF THE LIVING GOD ANOINTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RARE TODAY EVEN ON TELEVISION.

WE ENJOY MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS TO STIRR OUR FLESH.

IN ELI’S DAY THE WORD OF GOD WAS RARE, VISIONS WERE INFREQUENT.

ELI WAS IN HIS PLACE, BUT HE WAS LYING DOWN.

HIS SPIRITUAL EYES HAD GROWN DIM.

ELI HAD LAID DOWN THE WORD, HIS EYES WERE DIM, WHEN GOD TRIED TO SPEAK, HE SPOKE TO SAMUEL NOT ELI.

ELI HAD TRAINED SAMUEL RELIGIOUS CERMONY BUT NOT HOW TO HEAR GOD.

THATS WHAT PREACHERS WHO COME OUT OF UNIVERSITYS, AND DONT KNOW HOW TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD, THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO TRAIN OTHERS HOW TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD.

WHEN YOU LAY DOWN THAT WHICH IS PRECIOUS, YOUR SPIRITUAL SIGHT GROWS DIM. YOUR VISION IS BLURRED, THEY BECOME FLESH PEOPLE WITH RELIGIOUS MIND SET.

THE LAMP GOES OUT, THERE IS NO ANOINTING, JESUS REDEEMS US, WITH THIS COMES RESPONABILITY TO KEEP THE LAMP BURNING. THE LAMP IS NOT SUPPOSE TO GO OUT. WE ARE TO KEEP OIL IN OUR LAMP.

ELI WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE VISION AND REVELATION, BUT HE WAS DISOBEDIENT, AND SPIRITUALLY LAZY. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY NOT RELATIONSHIP OR OBEDIENCE.

THINGS OF GOD HAD BECOME COMMON TO ELI.

DAVID ALSO GOT TO THIS PLACE. HE TRIED TO MOVE THE ARK WITH A PRAISE AND WORSHIP TEAM, MUSIC AND SHOUTING. DAVID DIDNT SEEK GOD’S WAY BUT MOVED THE ARK ON A NEW CART. DEATH CAME TO HIS EFFORT, CONFUSION AND FEAR, STOPPED DAVID.

THEN DAVID SOUGHT THE LORD, DAVID HAD TO GO TO THE WORD TO GET IT RIGHT.

NUMBERS AND NOISE DOESNT MEAN GOD APPROVES OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING.

I LIKE NUMBERS AND I LIKE NOISE, BUT I WANT A PASSION FOR THE ONE I AM PRAISING, I MUST LEARN HIS WAYS , DEVELOPE HIS NATURE AND CHARACTER IN ME, FIND HIS PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE AND OBEY HIM IN HOLY LIVING.

ELI’S FIRE HAD GONE OUT, NO ATTENTION TO THE NEED OF OIL.

NO MORE SPEAKING FOR GOD, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SPEAKING TO GOD.

ELI DIDNT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE ANOINTING ON HANNAH, HE THOUGHT SHE WAS DRUNK.

SAMUEL DON’T KNOW GOD, AND GOD TRIES TO SPEAK TO HIM, ITS LIKE THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.

YOU CAN’T GIVE TO OTHERS WHAT YOU DON’T POSSESS. GOD SPOKE TO SAMUEL THREE TIMES.

FINALLY ELI REALIZED IT WAS GOD SPEAKING TO SAMUEL.

GOD TOLD SAMUEL I’M GOING TO DO A NEW THING IN ISRAEL.

WHEN GOD DOES A NEW THING HE JUDGES THE OLD.

GOD JUDGED EGYPT BEFORE HE MOVED ISRAEL TOWARD THE PROMISED LAND.

GOD JUDGED SAUL WHEN HE RAISED UP DAVID.

GOD JUDGED THE PHARISEES WHEN HE RAISED UP JESUS.

SOMETIMES WE WANT SOMETHING NEW FROM THE LORD, BUT WE HAVEN’T BEEN FAITHFUL IN OUR PRESENT ASSIGNMENT.

THE CHURCH WANTS A NEW MOVE OF GOD, BUT THEY HAVEN’T BEEN FAITHFUL IN THEIR PRESENT ASSIGNMENT. WE ARE SUPPOSE TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, BUT WE HAVE TRIED TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF OUR SUPER STAR PREACHERS. THEREFORE PEOPLE HAVE THE CHARACTER OF THEIR PREACHERS, INSTEAD OF THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST OUR KING.

I AM NOT A PROPHET, BUT WHEN GOD BEGANS TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT OUR SINS LIKE HE DID ELI, JUDGEMENT IS ABOUT TO COME.

IT GOT TO THE PLACE WITH ELI HE WAS NOT LISTENING, GOD RAISED UP A SAMUEL. GOD TOLD SAMUEL WHAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO ELI ABOUT AND HOW HE WAS GOING TO JUDGE HIM AND HIS HOUSE.

HE TOLD SAMUEL ABOUT ELI’S SINS, HIS REBELLION AND THE JUDGEMENT COMING.

THE AXE IS ABOUT TO FALL ON AMERICA, AND IT IS BECAUSE WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE GONE TO SLEEP CONCERNING RIGHTEOUSNESS AND RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.

ITS NOT THE JUDGES FAULT NOR THE POLITICIAN, ALLTHOUGH  GOD WILL JUDGE THEM FOR THEIR DECISIONS, ITS OUR FAULT FOR LACK OF PRAYER AND POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO STOP SATAN.

REVIVAL IS AMERICA’S ONLY HOPE.

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY HAS TAKE OVER MAINLINE  DENOMINATIONS. SIN RULES IN THEIR LEADERSHIP.  LEADERS WHO DONT’ KNOW CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOUR. THEY RULE THROUGH SATANIC AUTHORITY AND DENY THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD OF GOD.

THEY CALL GOOD EVIL AND EVIL GOOD, THEY DO SOCIAL WORK BUT NO WORK OF THE CROSS.

I THANK THE LORD FOR THE REVIVAL GOING ON IN MOBILE ,ALABAMA. I HOPE THIS REVIVAL SPREADS AROUND THE WORLD.

2CHRONICLES 7:14 IF MY PEOPLE WHICH IS CALLED BY MY NAME, SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELVES, AND PRAY, AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND.

HOW AMERICA NEEDS A HEALING IN OUR LAND. AFTER 9-11 OUR LEADERS PRAYED ON THE CAPITOL STEPS AND YET WE CAN’T PRAY IN OUR SCHOOLS IN JESUS NAME. THEY SANG GOD BLESS AMERICA. GOD HAS ALREADY BLESSED AMERICA, AMERICA NEEDS TO BLESS GOD WHIT REPENTANCE.

I THOUGHT AFTER 9-11 WE WOULD HAVE REVIVAL, BUT THE CHURCHS FILLED UP FOR ABOUT THIRTY DAYS AND THEN IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. I THOUGHT IF THERE IS A RECESSION, PEOPLE WILL COME BACK TO GOD. BUT THAT DIDN’T WORK EITHER.

AMERICA WHAT WILL IT TAKE?

 

   

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