BITTERNESS PART II

MANY TIMES, WE JUST CAN’T ACCEPT THE TRIALS AND EVENTUAL END OF OUR TROUBLES AS AN INCREASE IN OUR LIVES. ALL WE CAN SEE IS THE NOW. USUALLY OUR TRIALS ARE ONLY A FORERUNNER OF THE JOY TO COME. WHEN IT CONCERNS WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT US, IT IS REJECTION BY THAT PERSON’S ACTIONS THAT TROUBLES US THE MOST, EVEN IF WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS UNTRUE.

IN HANNAH’S CASE, SHE DIDN’T RETALIATE AGAINST HER HUSBAND’S OTHER WIFE (POLYGAMY WAS TOLERATED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT FORBIDDEN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT), BUT PATIENTLY ENDURED ALL THE REPROACHES CAST UPON HER, YET SHE WEPT AND DID NOT EAT.

THERE WAS A REASONING IN THE MIND OF PENINNAH FOR HER TORMENT OF HANNAH: BECAUSE HER HUSBAND LOVED HANNAH MORE. SHE HAD FALLEN INTO A STATE OF JEALOUSY, BY WHICH SHE JUSTIFIED HER ACTIONS.

IF WE COULD JUST “GET-IT”, THAT GOD CARES ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT  GOES ON IN OUR LIVES, AND, AS A CHRISTIAN, WE HAVE THE PROMISE THEY WILL TURN OUT FOR OUR GOOD, WE WOULD HAVE JOY IN THE KNOWING THAT IT WILL NOT STAY THE WAY IT IS NOW, BUT THAT GOD WILL SOMEHOW TURN IT ALL AROUND.

ANOTHE EXAMPLE OF BITTERNESS IN THE BIBLE, IS ABOUT SIMON WHO WAS A SORCERER. HE WAS IN THE GALL OF BITTERNESS. WHY?  BECAUSE WHILE HE WAS A SORCERER, BEFORE HE RECEIVED SALVATION, IT WAS SAID ABOUT HIM, WHEN HE BEWITCHED THE PEOPLE, “THIS IS THE GREAT POWER OF GOD.” BUT AFTER SALVATION, HE NO LONGER HAD THE EVILPOWER.

ACTS 8:9-11; 13; 18-22 – BUT THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN CALLED SIMON, WHICH BEFORE TIME IN THE SAME CITY USED SORCERY, AND BEWITCHED THE PEOPLE OF SAMARIA, GIVING OUT THAT HIMSELF WAS SOME GREAT ONE:

TO WHOM THEY ALL GAVE HEED, FORM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST, SAYING, THIS MAN IS THE GREAT POWER OF GOD.

AND TO HIM THEY HAD REGARD BECAUSE OF LONG TIME HE HAD BEWITCHED THEM WITH SORCERIES (WITCHCRAFT).

THEN SIMON HIMSELF BELIEVED ALSO; AND WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED, HE CONTINUED WITH PHILIP, AND WONDERED, BEHOLDING THE MIRACLES AND SIGNS WHICH WERE DONE.

AND WHEN SIMON SAW THAT THROUGH LAYING ON OF THE APOSTLE’S HANDS THE HOLY GHOST WAS GIVEN, HE OFFERED THEM MONEY.

SAYING, GIVE ME ALSO THIS POWER, THAT ON WHOMSOEVER I LAY MY HANDS, HE MAY RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST.

BUT PETER SAID UNTO HIM, THY MONEY PERISH WITH THEE, BECAUSE THOU HAST THOUGHT THAT THE GIFT OF GOD MAY BE PURCHASED WITH MONEY.

THOU HAST NEITHER PART NOR LOT IN THIS MATTER, FOR THY HEART IS NOT RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

REPENT THEREFORE OF THY WICKEDNESS, AND PRAY GOD, IF PERHAPS THE THOUGHT OF THINE HEART MAY BE FORGIVEN THEE.

VERSE 23 – FOR I PERCEIVE THOU ART IN THE GALL OF BITTERNESS, AND IN THE BOND OF INIQUITY.

THEN ANSWERED SIMON, AND SAID, PRAY YE TO THE LORD FOR ME, THAT NONE OF THESE THINGS WHICH YE HAVE SPOKEN COME UPON ME.

WHAT HAPPENED HERE? WHY WAS PETER SO UPSET WITH SIMON? BECAUSE ALL THE GIFTS AND CALLINGS OF GOD ARE FREE, AND NONE COULD BE OBTAINED BUT THROUGH GOD, AND NOT FOR A PRICE. JESUS HAD ALREADY PAID THE PRICE ON THE CROSS.

SIMON HAD GIVEN UP HIS UNHOLY GIFT OF WITCHCRAFT, BUT HIS FLESH STILL LOVED THE EXCITEMENT OF THE SUPERNATURAL AND THE ATTENTION IT BROUGHT HIM. HE SAW SOMETHING THAT WAS MANIFESTED ON THOSE RECEIVING THE HOLY GHOST AND THAT THE HOLY GHOST CAME ON THEM IN SUCH A SUPERNATURAL WAY THAT OTHERS SAW SOMETHING HAPPEN, THAT HIS FLESH WANTED THIS POWER.

BUT WHAT WAS HIS BITTERNESS? I BELIEVE THAT HE NO LONGER HAD THE POWER TO THRILL PEOPLE LIKE HE ONCE HAD, AND SEEING THOSE WHO HAD THE POWER OF GOD ON THEM, HE WAS JEALOUS: WHICH IS A PART OF BITTERNESS.

THE GALL:  A PERSON, A WICKED PERSON, WHOSE LIFE AND BEHAVIOR IS OFFENSIVE TO GOD. I T MEANS THIS WAS THE DEEPEST KIND OF BITTERNESS, BECAUSE IN HIS MIND HE WAS ASSOCIATING THE EVIL SUPERNATURAL WITH THE DIVINE.

HEBREWS 12:15 – LOOKING DILIGENTLY LEST ANY MAN FAIL OF THE GRACE OD GOD; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP TROUBLE YOU, AND THEREBY MANY BE DEFILED  (OR HOW YOU ACT AFFECTS THOSE WATCHING YOUR LIFE).

THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS, IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED BITTERNESS THAT COULD SPRING-UP UNEXPECTEDLY AT ANY TIME AND TROUBLE THE PERSON WHO POSESSES IT. IT CAUSES THEM TO SAY THINGS THAT CAUSES DISCORD IT THE BODY OF CHRIST AND FAMILIES, AND CAN DEFILE MANY.

THOSE WITH IT, MOST OF THE TIME, DON’T BELIEVE THEY HAVE IT, OR DON’T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE IT, BECAUSE IT IS SO EMBEDDED DOWN DEEP WITHIN. IT HAS TAKEN ROOT IN THEIR PERSONALITY, AND HAS BECOME A PART OF THEM.

TO GET RID OF IT, THEY HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THEY HAVE IT, AND ASK GOD TO EXPOSE IT TO THEM; CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE; AND BAPTIZE THEM WITH LOVE.

BUT MOST OF THE TIME, ALARMINGLY, THEY HAVE HAD IT SO LONG, THEY WANT TO KEEP IT. SO, MANY ARE DEFILED AND ARE AFFECTED, OR SHOULD I SAY INFECTED.

EVEN IF YOU SUSPECT YOU HAVE A PORBLEM, ASK THE FATHER TO SHINE A LIGHT ON IT, AND SHOW YOU IF ONE EXISTS. IF IT DOES, GIVE IT TO GOD AND ASK HIM TO DELIVER YOU. ASK HIM WHAT CAUSED IT TO TAKE ROOT, AND EXPOSE IT TO YOU. THEN FORGIVE.

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THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND

MATTHEW 3:2  –  AND SAYING, REPENT YE: FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.

JOHN THE BAPTIST, THE COUSIN OF JESUS, THE FORERUNNER OF THE KING IS SPEAKING HERE.

HIS PURPOSE WAS TO ANNOUNCE THE APPEARING OF THE MESSIAH.

HIS PURPOSE WAS TO PREACH THE PREPARATION OF THE HEART TO RECEIVE HIM.

THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND, OR IS PRESENT.

THE LORD IS ENTERING INTO THE LIVES OF PEOPLE, SETTING UP HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE EARTH.

REDEMPTION WOULD BE COMPLETED AT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST THE KING.

REVELATION OF THIS REDEMPTIVE ACT OF GOD WAS BEING REVEALED TO JOHN THE BAPTIST’S FOLLOWERS.

JESUS TAUGHT AND PREACHED THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

MATTHEW 4:17 –  FROM THAT TIME JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH, AND TO SAY, REPENT: FOR THE KNIGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.

THE KINGDOM IS PRESENT: REPENT, HAVE A CHANGE OF MIND, THE MESSIAH IS HERE WITH GRACE AND TRUTH.

JESUS WAS SAYING, I HAVE COME UNTO MY OWN JEWISH PEOPLE, RECEIVE ME, I AM THE PROMISED MESSIAH: KING JESUS.

THE SAME MESSAGE IS BEING PREACHED AND TAUGHT TODAY: REPENT OF ANY HOPE OF EVER ENTERING INTO GOD’S KINGDOM WITHOUT KING JESUS.

GOD’S GOVERNMENT IS THEOCRATIC. GOD IS SOVERIGN.

GOD’S GOVERNMENT IS NOT A DEMOCRACY: A GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE.

GOD’S GOVERNMENT IS NOT A REPUBLIC: GOD DOESN’T ANSWER TO THE MAJORITY.

GOD ISN’T VOTED IN TO OFFICE; AND HE CANNOT BE VOTED OUT.

NO TELEVISION PERSONALITY CAN SOVERIGNLY TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN BE SAVED, UNLESS THEY SAY WHAT THE KING SAID.

NO COLLEGE PROFESSOR CAN TELL YOU HOW TO BE SAVED UNLESS THEY TELL YOU WHAT THE KING SAID.

NO RELIGIOUS LEADER CAN TELL YOU HOW TO BE SAVED UNLESS THEY TELL YOU THE WORDS OF THE KING.

IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.

IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED MAN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.

HE CREATED EVERYTHING WE SEE AND DON’T SEE.

GOD IS THE SOVERIGN AUTHORITY, HE WILL SET UP A LITERAL KINGDOM ON THIS EARTH SHORTLY.

TO ENTER INTO HIS KINGDOM, YOU MUST DO IT HIS WAY, NOT MAN’S WAY, NOT THE DEVIL’S MANY WAYS: WHICH IS ALL DECEPTION AND LIES THAT SEND PEOPLE TO HELL; BUT THE WORD’S OF THE KING IN HOLY SCRIPTURE.

JOHN 14:6 –  JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME.

WE MUST HUMBLE OURSELVES LIKE A CHILD, AND ASK JESUS TO COME INTO OUR HEART, AND ACCEPT HIM BY FAITH AS OUR REDEEMER: AND GOD’S GOVERNMENT WILL ENTER INTO YOUR HEART.

HIS CONSTITUTION IS THE BIBLE; THE WORDS OF THIS BOOK WILL COME OFF THE PAGES INTO YOUR HEART.

PRAY, AND ASK GOD TO FILL YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND POWER.

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