WEBVTT 13:23.100 --> 13:25.700 Good evening everyone, welcome to Anchor Baptist Church. 13:25.700 --> 13:29.600 It is time to go ahead and get started for our first hymn this evening. 13:29.600 --> 13:33.580 Turn if you would to 364. 13:33.580 --> 13:36.900 Hymn number 364. 13:36.900 --> 13:37.900 Standing on the promises. 13:37.900 --> 13:38.200 Thanks for watching! 13:41.000 --> 13:46.000 364-364, standing on the promises. 13:54.500 --> 13:57.340 364 altogether, let's sing it out. 13:57.340 --> 14:02.180 Standing on the promises of Christ my King, 14:02.180 --> 14:06.740 through eternal ages let his praises ring. 14:06.740 --> 14:11.020 Glory in the highest I will shout and sing. 14:11.020 --> 14:15.460 Standing on the promises of God. 14:15.460 --> 14:15.960 Standing. 16:27.200 --> 16:31.200 Heavenly Father, we thank you for the save, for another opportunity to gather together, 16:31.200 --> 16:36.000 to sing praises unto you, to hear preaching from your word. Lord, I just thank you for all the 16:36.000 --> 16:39.760 salvations that were had and the seeds planted this afternoon. I pray that you would just be 16:39.760 --> 16:44.480 with those that got saved and with those planted seeds both. I pray for this service that everything 16:44.480 --> 16:49.440 would continue to be done decently in an order and that you would be the focus and the reason 16:49.440 --> 16:53.120 for everything that we do here tonight, that we would just remember that in our hearts. 16:53.120 --> 16:55.040 These things we pray in Jesus' name, Amen. 16:55.200 --> 16:59.360 For our next hymn, turn if you would to number 15, 16:59.360 --> 17:01.840 Lead Me to Calvary. 17:01.840 --> 17:04.840 Hymn number 15, 17:04.840 --> 17:08.080 1-5, Lead Me to 17:08.080 --> 17:09.080 Calvary. 17:17.800 --> 17:19.800 15, let's sing it out together. 19:45.700 --> 19:48.800 that's sounded like a baptist church this evening great singing 19:48.800 --> 19:51.220 great playing thank you brother appreciate that 19:51.220 --> 19:54.300 uh... this time we go through our announcements you need a bulletin raise 19:54.300 --> 19:57.460 your hand and usher would be glad to bring you one 19:57.460 --> 20:01.700 as those are being passed out we do have our bible memory passage of the week 20:01.700 --> 20:06.740 which is second timothy chapter number two verse nine keep working on that 20:06.740 --> 20:09.220 bible memory passage there on the inside 20:09.220 --> 20:12.100 our soul or i'm sorry our service times are listed there 20:12.100 --> 20:13.700 Sunday morning at 1030. 20:13.700 --> 20:19.220 Sunday evening at 430 and our Wednesday Bible study through Mark at 7. 20:19.220 --> 20:20.860 Below that is our soul winning times. 20:21.500 --> 20:28.140 As I mentioned this morning, there's a change to the Tuesday ladies time that's now going to be meeting at location. 20:28.140 --> 20:35.740 So if you normally go to that time, keep in mind, Ms. Nikki will send out the address in the church signal group for that in advance. 20:35.740 --> 20:39.100 Then we also have our soul winning stats below. 20:39.100 --> 20:43.340 And we did have seven saved today. So great work out there. 20:43.340 --> 20:46.940 Even in this heat, seven people getting saved is a great number. 20:46.940 --> 20:49.420 So appreciate you participating in soul winning. 20:49.500 --> 20:55.500 Below that we have our online visitor card there as well as our online giving information 20:55.500 --> 20:57.300 and our prayer list. 20:57.300 --> 21:02.220 Please do give me updates and requests through our email if you have anything you want to 21:02.220 --> 21:03.220 add. 21:03.220 --> 21:06.820 And even if you have one on there for a long time, if you just send an update every once 21:06.820 --> 21:10.820 in a while just so I know it's still something that you'd like prayer for, that would definitely 21:10.820 --> 21:11.820 be helpful. 21:11.820 --> 21:14.380 So we got that updated there. 21:14.380 --> 21:15.200 at the back. 21:15.600 --> 21:20.000 We've got an update about our soul winning marathon that we had yesterday in Shawnee, 21:20.000 --> 21:26.640 which was really receptive. Great turnout. We had 26 soul winners with 18 salvations. 21:26.640 --> 21:32.240 So that's a great weekend of soul winning so far. Definitely thankful to see how the Lord worked that out. 21:32.400 --> 21:36.880 Also, we have our upcoming events next Sunday evening is the men's preaching night 21:36.880 --> 21:41.640 Make sure to sign up in the back if you want to participate in that and then afterwards 21:41.640 --> 21:45.960 We'll have a potluck and just game night fellowship fun time together 21:46.700 --> 21:52.860 We do have September 19th is our next soul winning marathon in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. 21:52.860 --> 22:00.220 And that is the Osage Indian Reservation territory area. So we're looking forward to giving that area a shot. 22:00.220 --> 22:05.180 Then October 10th, we have a Joplin, Missouri soul winning marathon, 22:05.180 --> 22:11.740 teaming up with Straight Paths Baptist Church and Soul or not Soul winning Baptist Church, Kansas City Baptist Church. 22:12.200 --> 22:18.200 Then October 24th is the Orr Family Farm. Just a great fun day of fellowship on that day. 22:19.080 --> 22:25.480 October 31st is the Chili Cook Off. November 7th is the Enid Oklahoma Soul Winning Marathon. 22:25.480 --> 22:28.920 So make sure to mark your calendar for those things. Lots of great events coming up. 22:28.920 --> 22:33.560 That's going to be it for our evening announcements. This time we'll go to our third song together. 22:36.000 --> 22:40.680 For our third song this evening, turn if you would to 160, 22:40.680 --> 22:44.480 Crown Him with Many Crowns. 22:44.480 --> 22:50.240 Hymn number 160, 160, Crown Him with Many Crowns. 22:59.900 --> 23:01.900 160 let's sing it out all together 25:25.000 --> 25:27.000 Ephesians chapter number four. 25:27.000 --> 25:29.000 Ephesians chapter number four. 25:59.800 --> 26:05.840 Ephesians chapter 4, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy 26:05.840 --> 26:11.840 of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, 26:11.840 --> 26:16.840 forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond 26:16.840 --> 26:18.000 of peace. 26:18.000 --> 26:22.480 There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. 26:22.800 --> 26:30.200 1 Lord, 1 faith, 1 baptism, 1 God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, 26:30.200 --> 26:31.200 and in you all. 26:31.200 --> 26:37.200 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 26:37.200 --> 26:42.400 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts 26:42.400 --> 26:43.680 unto men. 26:43.680 --> 26:48.520 Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts 26:48.520 --> 26:49.020 of the Earth. 26:49.600 --> 26:56.720 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. 26:56.720 --> 27:02.560 And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers 27:02.560 --> 27:08.320 for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 27:08.320 --> 27:12.400 till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, 27:12.400 --> 27:16.800 unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. 27:17.200 --> 27:21.800 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind 27:21.800 --> 27:28.280 of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cutting craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. 27:28.280 --> 27:33.440 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, 27:33.440 --> 27:38.480 even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which 27:38.480 --> 27:39.480 every joint supply. 27:40.000 --> 27:46.840 According to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love 27:47.200 --> 27:54.820 This I say therefore and testify in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind 27:55.180 --> 28:01.300 Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them 28:01.620 --> 28:06.560 Because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over and 28:07.400 --> 28:11.040 to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness, 28:11.040 --> 28:14.380 but ye have not so learned Christ. If so be 28:14.380 --> 28:18.480 that ye have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 28:18.480 --> 28:22.280 that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, 28:22.280 --> 28:25.000 which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. 28:25.600 --> 28:30.400 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which after God has 28:30.400 --> 28:35.920 created in righteousness and true holiness, wherefore putting away lying, speak every man 28:35.920 --> 28:39.440 truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 28:39.700 --> 28:46.300 Be ye angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. 28:46.300 --> 28:52.800 Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, 28:52.800 --> 28:55.500 that he may have to give to him that needeth. 28:55.500 --> 29:01.500 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, 29:01.500 --> 29:04.300 that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 29:04.500 --> 29:07.060 and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, 29:07.060 --> 29:09.940 whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 29:09.940 --> 29:15.700 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, 29:15.700 --> 29:21.060 with all malice, and be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, 29:21.060 --> 29:24.900 even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you." 29:24.900 --> 29:26.100 Let's pray. 29:26.100 --> 29:29.460 Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the salvation this afternoon. 29:29.460 --> 29:30.580 I pray that you would help. 29:30.800 --> 29:34.580 Pastor, I was a preaching edifying sermon for us that you would fill in with your spirit 29:37.500 --> 29:41.820 Man, all right, Ephesians chapter number four. Let's start reading together in verse 31 29:42.540 --> 29:49.820 Notice this command here. It says let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away 29:50.300 --> 29:56.780 From you with all malice. So here we have some commands in god's word of putting away 29:57.260 --> 30:00.860 some things from us one of the things listed there is 30:01.560 --> 30:04.640 Bitterness and so the title of my sermon is put away 30:05.500 --> 30:10.220 Bitterness put away bitterness even in a crowd like this 30:10.220 --> 30:14.740 It's very likely that there's some people in this room today that are currently struggling with 30:15.260 --> 30:20.300 Bitterness in some sort of area of your life whether that is just resenting 30:20.660 --> 30:26.340 Certain areas of your life situation, maybe your finances maybe some relationships in your life 30:26.580 --> 30:33.420 Maybe being bitter against other people, but I want you to notice that the Bible gives us a command to put away bitterness from 30:33.500 --> 30:38.940 And if you're not struggling with that today, you know what we live in a tough world and you probably will struggle with it at 30:38.940 --> 30:44.340 Some point in your life and you know, we need to make sure that we're obeying this command here now. What is bitterness? 30:44.420 --> 30:48.580 Here's the dictionary definition. This is the 1828 Webster's dictionary 30:48.980 --> 30:52.820 This is the definition of bitterness that it gives in a figurative sense 30:53.540 --> 30:54.680 extreme 30:54.680 --> 30:55.600 enmity 30:55.700 --> 31:00.340 grudge hatred or rather an excessive degree or 31:00.980 --> 31:03.100 implacable nests of passions and 31:03.860 --> 31:10.180 Emotions just not being able to brighter than bridal the negative feelings that you have the malice or even hatred 31:10.500 --> 31:15.420 That you could have towards someone not being able to placate that passion and emotion 31:15.900 --> 31:22.460 And then it says as the bitterness of anger for example, Ephesians 4 31. So like this dictionary 31:22.460 --> 31:28.780 saying hey, where are we getting this this idea from from the bible Ephesians chapter 4 verse 31 now 31:29.100 --> 31:37.260 Remember hearing in the old IFB I've heard many preachers say this statement that that being bitter is like drinking poison and 31:37.500 --> 31:39.820 Expecting the other person to fall down dead 31:39.900 --> 31:45.740 You know there is some truth to that because of the fact bitterness definitely does affect us personally 31:46.200 --> 31:52.020 If you've ever been bitter, you know how vexing it could be how it could literally affect your sleep 31:52.120 --> 31:55.680 It could affect your health it could affect your focus 31:55.680 --> 31:58.520 It could affect your just effectiveness as a servant of God 31:58.520 --> 32:06.120 And so I'm gonna give you tonight four reasons why you should put away bitterness from the Word of God number one 32:06.800 --> 32:11.480 Bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit. This should be reason enough right here 32:11.900 --> 32:16.220 is the fact that the Bible says that bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit of God. 32:16.220 --> 32:19.940 Notice what the Bible says in verse 26. It says, 32:19.940 --> 32:23.100 Be ye angry and sin not. 32:23.100 --> 32:26.580 Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, 32:26.580 --> 32:30.060 neither give place to the devil. So look, 32:30.060 --> 32:34.200 being angry is not the same thing as being bitter. 32:34.400 --> 32:37.300 You can be angry without sinning. 32:37.300 --> 32:39.900 But notice that a godly anger, the Bible says, 32:39.900 --> 32:43.900 don't let your son, don't let the son go down on your wrath. 32:43.900 --> 32:47.400 So where anger is differentiated from bitterness, 32:47.400 --> 32:50.000 is anger could be a one-time event. 32:50.000 --> 32:52.300 You're mad about an acute situation. 32:52.300 --> 32:55.900 Whereas bitterness is you're just angry day to day. 32:56.100 --> 33:03.100 You just have this vitriol, this negative feeling, this hatred even, just from day to day to day. 33:03.100 --> 33:07.100 And you know what? That is a sin. That is wrong. 33:07.100 --> 33:11.100 And so look, there's a time and a place for righteous anger, 33:11.100 --> 33:15.100 but let's be honest, a lot of the anger in this world is unrighteous anger. 33:16.000 --> 33:20.760 And a lot of the beefs that people have between each other is not over a righteous cause, 33:20.760 --> 33:23.000 it's over an unrighteous cause. 33:23.000 --> 33:27.720 Over envy, bitterness, and strife, and this is something we need to be careful of. 33:28.300 --> 33:35.100 I'm just gonna read for you. Ecclesiastes verse, I'm sorry Ecclesiastes 7 verse 9 says, 33:35.100 --> 33:41.420 be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry. Right? So don't get quick to get angry. We should be 33:41.420 --> 33:47.660 slow to wrath. We should not be people that are easily provoked. Charity is not easily provoked. 33:47.660 --> 33:53.340 We should have thick skin. Right? You know, let's be Baptist that could actually handle some words, 33:53.340 --> 33:56.220 handle people stepping on our toes, not easily offended. 33:56.300 --> 34:03.340 Don't be quick to be angry. Why for anger resteth in the bosom of fools, right? 34:03.340 --> 34:08.600 It's not that oh if you ever get angry, you're a fool, but the foolish person anger just rests there 34:08.900 --> 34:13.420 He doesn't fix the problem. He doesn't confront issues. He doesn't let things go 34:13.460 --> 34:18.980 He just allows anger to rest in his bosom. The Bible says that's a foolish thing to do 34:19.700 --> 34:25.620 Look at verse 28 of Ephesians 4, let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, 34:25.620 --> 34:30.500 working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 34:31.140 --> 34:33.780 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. 34:34.300 --> 34:40.260 But that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers notice this and 34:40.620 --> 34:45.580 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you're sealed under the day of redemption 34:45.580 --> 34:50.460 And then what's the next breath in the Bible here Bible says don't grieve the Holy Spirit? 34:50.580 --> 34:53.980 What's the next thing let all what bitterness? 34:54.700 --> 35:02.860 Wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice 35:03.160 --> 35:08.420 So here the Bible tells us hey don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God by the way which you're sealed unto the day of redemption 35:08.420 --> 35:12.080 Right we're always saved just because you grieve the Holy Spirit of God doesn't mean you lose it 35:12.080 --> 35:18.020 You're just grieving the Holy Spirit of God. How is it that people grieve the Spirit of God by hanging on to bitterness? 35:18.600 --> 35:24.100 Why? Because when someone's bitter, you're often going to see a combination of other sins as well. 35:24.100 --> 35:28.100 Like wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking. 35:28.100 --> 35:30.100 Right? It's the Bible saying put away the bitterness, 35:30.100 --> 35:33.600 put away all these things because you're grieving the Holy Spirit of God. 35:33.600 --> 35:35.100 Now what does it mean to grieve? 35:35.100 --> 35:37.100 Someone asked me this recently, so I'll just tell you. 35:37.100 --> 35:42.600 Grieve means to give pain of mind to, to afflict, to wound the feelings of. 35:43.000 --> 35:46.280 To offend to displease to provoke. 35:46.600 --> 35:46.840 Right? 35:46.840 --> 35:52.040 So you are upsetting in a sorrowful way, or you could be upsetting in an angry way. 35:52.120 --> 35:53.240 The Holy spirit of God. 35:53.480 --> 35:57.160 The bottom line is the Holy spirit of God does not like it when we are bitter. 36:01.200 --> 36:05.200 It upsets him, makes him mad, makes him sorrowful. 36:05.200 --> 36:08.640 God does not like it when his children are bitter. 36:08.640 --> 36:09.560 And why is this? 36:09.560 --> 36:10.760 Here's why. 36:10.760 --> 36:13.720 Because of the fact that the reason people are often bitter 36:13.720 --> 36:17.160 against other people is for some sort of offense 36:17.160 --> 36:21.300 or perceived offense, and you are refusing to forgive. 36:21.700 --> 36:28.960 Whereas God knows all of your offenses and knows all of your problems and forgives you anyway 36:29.160 --> 36:30.960 That's why it makes him mad 36:30.960 --> 36:34.120 That's why it grieves him is because he sees all your problems 36:34.120 --> 36:41.680 And this is just my perception of people who are bitter is that bitter people have an extreme lack of self-awareness 36:43.100 --> 36:50.940 Because they're so obsessed with everyone else's problems that are making them bitter that they have forgotten all the garbage that they do 36:51.260 --> 36:56.260 And all the problems that they have all the sins that they commit they just have lacked self-awareness 36:56.700 --> 37:02.700 Whereas the Holy Spirit knows all of your sins knows all of the problems you have and yet God forgives you 37:03.460 --> 37:05.200 Anyways, look at verse 32 37:05.400 --> 37:09.960 I'm not just making this up. Look what it says. It says and be ye kind one to another 37:11.440 --> 37:17.740 Tender-hearted that means you know you should you should want to get issues right as soon as possible like you should make it easy 37:17.920 --> 37:19.800 to reconcile with someone 37:19.900 --> 37:23.200 It's not like, you know, I like what Pastor Mejia recently said. 37:23.200 --> 37:26.200 It's like he's saying that even when he has like fights with his wife, 37:26.200 --> 37:29.100 he wants her to be able to save face, you know. 37:29.100 --> 37:32.200 He wants her to be able to apologize. He's like, hey, it's all good, right? 37:32.200 --> 37:34.300 You don't even, you don't got to get on your knees and grovel. 37:34.300 --> 37:37.100 You don't got to sit here and grovel or beg or anything like that. 37:37.100 --> 37:39.700 It's like the slightest attempt to get things right. 37:39.700 --> 37:42.000 He's just ready to get that right between him and his wife. 37:42.000 --> 37:44.300 Why? Because you don't want to have bitterness, right? 37:44.300 --> 37:47.100 And that's what it means to have a tender heart, right? 37:47.100 --> 37:47.900 Someone appa- 37:47.900 --> 37:52.500 You're just immediately like I forgive you right and of course we're talking about a sincere apology right? 37:53.340 --> 37:54.400 tender-hearted 37:54.400 --> 37:57.200 notice forgiving one another even as 37:57.940 --> 38:02.660 God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you right so here 38:02.660 --> 38:09.940 The context is explaining to us why it grieves the Holy Spirit of God when we are bitter is because Christ has forgiven you 38:10.500 --> 38:18.020 The way that Christ has forgiven you is in a very tender-hearted way, right? God did not say hey walk through 38:18.220 --> 38:20.220 Crawl through a bed of nails 38:20.300 --> 38:25.500 Crawl through a bed of broken glass and do all this stuff and then maybe I'll forgive you 38:25.500 --> 38:28.560 No, it's just whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved 38:28.980 --> 38:34.980 It's just Lord be merciful to me a sinner. It's just God. Please forgive me and he just forgives us just like that 38:35.400 --> 38:41.480 Right and even after salvation, you know, the bible teaches that he is faithful to forgive us our sins, right? 38:41.560 --> 38:46.520 And all we got to do is just confess our sins to god ask him for forgiveness and we can just have that fresh 38:46.920 --> 38:53.320 Slate in our relationship. He's tender-hearted. He's ready to forgive us. God is not going to be bitter towards us 38:53.720 --> 38:55.200 And aren't you thankful for that? 38:55.300 --> 38:58.200 Aren't you thankful that God is not one of these hard-hearted 38:59.260 --> 39:05.940 Unforgiving people because honestly we don't deserve God's goodness. He gives it to us what by his grace 39:06.380 --> 39:10.760 The fact that we don't deserve it and you know what if I want God to treat me that way 39:10.760 --> 39:15.620 I need to treat other people that way. I need to be tender-hearted. I need to be ready to forgive 39:15.740 --> 39:17.740 This is the attitude that we should have 39:18.100 --> 39:24.840 As Christians go to Luke chapter 18 Luke chapter 18 now. I had already mentioned that bitter individuals lack self-awareness 39:25.300 --> 39:28.440 Okay, and there's there's a story that I think is really gonna illustrate this 39:30.580 --> 39:32.760 Luke 18 verse 9 39:35.660 --> 39:37.800 Jesus is teaching here says in verse number 9 39:38.600 --> 39:45.520 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous 39:45.520 --> 39:46.960 and despised others. 39:46.960 --> 39:47.960 You know what? 39:47.960 --> 39:49.420 These are holier than thou's. 39:49.420 --> 39:52.600 These are people that think they are better than everyone else. 39:52.600 --> 39:55.320 You know these people are a smoke in God's nose. 39:55.320 --> 39:56.320 They're smoking his eye. 39:56.320 --> 40:01.000 It is annoying to be around people that just think they're better than everyone else. 40:01.000 --> 40:03.600 And this person is just trusting in himself, despising others. 40:03.600 --> 40:04.400 Look at verse 10. 40:04.700 --> 40:10.620 Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. 40:10.620 --> 40:14.940 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. 40:14.940 --> 40:15.940 That's kind of weird. 40:15.940 --> 40:23.100 God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 40:23.100 --> 40:25.540 or even as this publican. 40:25.540 --> 40:27.580 I fast twice in the week. 40:27.580 --> 40:30.020 I give tithes of all that I possess. 40:30.400 --> 40:36.880 And notice and the publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven 40:37.280 --> 40:42.400 But smote upon his breast saying god be merciful to me a sinner 40:43.120 --> 40:47.120 I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other 40:47.920 --> 40:52.160 For everyone that exalted himself shall be abased and he that humbleeth himself 40:52.720 --> 40:54.300 Shall be exalted 40:54.500 --> 40:58.420 So notice this this Pharisee had a lack of self-awareness 40:59.180 --> 41:04.060 Because how he perceived himself is not the same way that God perceived him 41:04.260 --> 41:10.400 He looked at himself as man. I'm so great. I'm so wonderful. I do all these great things man 41:10.400 --> 41:14.720 I fast two times a week. I tithe of everything that I possess God 41:14.720 --> 41:20.640 I'm just so thankful that I am not like these other men what unjust this guy thinks he's just 41:21.200 --> 41:22.920 This guy thinks he's righteous. 41:22.920 --> 41:25.240 The Bible says there's none righteous, no not one. 41:25.240 --> 41:27.760 There's none that doeth good, right? 41:27.760 --> 41:29.320 And this guy thinks he's good. 41:29.320 --> 41:30.440 He thinks he's awesome. 41:30.440 --> 41:33.600 He has this warped self-perception of himself, 41:33.600 --> 41:37.600 and so he doesn't feel the need to ask God for his mercy, 41:37.600 --> 41:39.400 to be forgiving unto him. 41:39.400 --> 41:42.480 He's basically going to God, just tooting his horn, saying, 41:42.480 --> 41:44.280 look how great I am, God. 41:44.280 --> 41:46.160 What kind of a prayer is that? 41:46.160 --> 41:48.400 God, I thank you that I'm awesome. 41:49.000 --> 41:51.000 Right? And these are the preachers that get up and say, 41:51.000 --> 41:52.680 be awesome as I am awesome. 41:52.680 --> 41:55.240 These are the people that post, be awesome as I am awesome. 41:55.240 --> 41:57.040 You know, these people are wicked. 41:57.040 --> 42:00.240 But notice the publican, which the publican is not someone 42:00.240 --> 42:01.960 who's respected in society. 42:01.960 --> 42:04.560 They're viewed as traitors for teaming up and working 42:04.560 --> 42:05.640 for the Roman government. 42:05.640 --> 42:06.720 They're a tax collector. 42:06.720 --> 42:08.720 No one likes these people whatsoever. 42:08.720 --> 42:11.560 So he's got no warped perception of himself. 42:11.560 --> 42:14.360 He has a humble view of himself, as we all should. 42:14.600 --> 42:19.880 And he just smites on his breast and he says God be merciful to me a sinner and notice that that man 42:20.360 --> 42:22.360 Was justified in the eyes of god 42:22.680 --> 42:27.320 God liked that person and right so look there's two types of people that come to church 42:27.400 --> 42:30.600 I'm talking about two types of safe people that come to church 42:31.000 --> 42:35.980 There are people that come to church and are ready to hear a sermon and think about every other person in the room 42:36.400 --> 42:39.200 And they're ready to think about every other person in their life. 42:39.200 --> 42:41.000 And oh man, that's a good point pastor. 42:41.000 --> 42:45.100 Because my mom is like this, and my dad, and my brother, and this person, and my neighbor. 42:45.100 --> 42:46.900 But you know what they're really doing is they're just saying like, 42:46.900 --> 42:50.600 I'm so glad that I'm not like all these unjust people in my life. 42:50.600 --> 42:52.900 Man, I'm so glad pastor that I'm great. 42:52.900 --> 42:54.100 And I'm wonderful. 42:54.100 --> 42:55.800 There are people like that that go to church. 42:55.800 --> 42:58.800 Then there are other people that show up to church and they're like, 42:58.800 --> 43:00.500 God, just be merciful to me. 43:00.900 --> 43:03.400 God, I know what the preacher is saying is true. 43:03.400 --> 43:04.900 Hey, I know it's stepping on my toes. 43:04.900 --> 43:06.320 And God, I just need your mercy. 43:06.320 --> 43:09.320 And God likes that person. 43:09.320 --> 43:12.360 God looks at that person and justifies that person. 43:12.360 --> 43:15.320 So it's not like you just do a checklist. 43:15.320 --> 43:17.040 And if you're doing the things on the list, 43:17.040 --> 43:18.560 God is somehow pleased with you. 43:18.560 --> 43:20.100 He cares about your heart. 43:20.200 --> 43:23.360 And if someone is sinful and they know they're sinful, 43:23.360 --> 43:24.760 they're asking God for mercy, 43:24.760 --> 43:26.560 they're trying to strive to be a better person, 43:26.560 --> 43:28.160 you know, God's gonna give grace to that person. 43:28.160 --> 43:29.840 God likes that person. 43:29.840 --> 43:31.960 You know, when someone is freshly saved, 43:31.960 --> 43:33.720 they're probably not gonna be immediately living 43:33.720 --> 43:36.640 as separated of a life as people who have been saved 43:36.640 --> 43:38.320 and serving God for a long time. 43:38.600 --> 43:45.800 But you know what? If that person is humble in his heart, he wants to learn, he wants to grow, he takes the preaching and applies it to himself. 43:45.800 --> 43:48.840 You know, that's a better heart than someone who thinks they've arrived. 43:48.840 --> 43:51.640 Who thinks the preaching just is never about them. 43:51.640 --> 43:54.600 You know, these people that complain about the preaching being against them, 43:54.600 --> 43:57.400 you should hope that the preaching is against you every once in a while. 43:57.400 --> 44:00.440 Because you should want to grow! You should want to get better. 44:00.440 --> 44:05.480 What kind of an idea is this? I'm going to go to church and the preaching's never going to apply to me? 44:05.800 --> 44:08.100 I'm gonna hear a sermon that's never gonna be about me. 44:08.100 --> 44:10.020 It's like, who do you think you are? 44:10.020 --> 44:11.420 Have you just arrived? 44:11.420 --> 44:13.180 You just prayed us with yourself 44:13.180 --> 44:15.320 and thank God about how awesome you are? 44:15.320 --> 44:17.140 You lack self-awareness, my friend. 44:17.140 --> 44:19.380 Go to Matthew chapter number 18. 44:19.380 --> 44:20.580 Matthew chapter number 18. 44:20.580 --> 44:21.740 But you know what? 44:21.740 --> 44:24.820 You should realize that if God decided 44:24.820 --> 44:26.960 to have the same hard heart. 44:26.960 --> 44:27.100 you 44:27.200 --> 44:34.080 Critical spirit towards you that you have towards others that would put a lot of people in this world in a really bad situation 44:35.280 --> 44:39.440 Right. I mean hey the way you judge is the way you'll be judged, right? 44:39.440 --> 44:41.800 And so we want to be merciful if we want that mercy from God 44:42.420 --> 44:44.420 Matthew 18 verse 21 44:44.880 --> 44:52.720 Then it came Peter to him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times 44:52.720 --> 44:54.720 Right. So Peter just wants an exact number 44:55.300 --> 44:58.780 like man these people are just pissing me off how much do I have to suffer them 44:58.780 --> 45:00.660 how long do I have to put up with them 45:00.660 --> 45:03.660 how many times do I have to forgive seven times 45:03.660 --> 45:07.240 Jesus sayeth unto him I say not unto the seven 45:07.240 --> 45:10.260 until seven times but until 70 45:10.260 --> 45:13.780 times seven I believe that's 490 can I get an amen on that 45:13.780 --> 45:17.100 alright therefore is the kingdom of heaven 45:17.100 --> 45:21.000 likened unto a certain king which would take account of his servants 45:21.000 --> 45:27.520 When he began to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 45:27.520 --> 45:33.440 But for as much as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, 45:33.440 --> 45:37.440 and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 45:37.440 --> 45:39.800 Boy, that would be a scary situation. 45:39.800 --> 45:45.300 If you earn debt, and you can't pay, and the collateral to pay back your debt is your life, 45:45.300 --> 45:45.800 and your wife. 45:46.100 --> 45:49.140 and your children and your home and everything that you possess. 45:49.140 --> 45:54.660 This would be terrifying. And so his answer is notice the servant therefore fell down 45:55.380 --> 45:59.380 and worshiped him. By the way, worship means to get low, to lower yourself to 46:00.180 --> 46:03.460 saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay the all. 46:04.260 --> 46:07.620 Then the Lord of that servant notice was moved with compassion. 46:08.200 --> 46:12.000 Loosed him and forgave him the debt and of course 46:12.000 --> 46:15.000 This is a picture of how God has forgiven us of our sins 46:15.280 --> 46:21.080 We have this debt of sin that we cannot pay and if God 46:21.520 --> 46:24.200 Exacted of the of that sorry that of us 46:24.280 --> 46:28.160 You know what would be required our life our soul in hell for all of eternity 46:28.440 --> 46:30.920 And you know if your wife had to pay for her sins 46:31.000 --> 46:36.200 Her soul would be required of her and your children if they had to pay for their sins their soul would be required up 46:36.200 --> 46:40.160 But guess what God has forgiven us completely. He has just wiped it out 46:40.840 --> 46:46.140 Then it says in verse number 28, but the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants 46:46.180 --> 46:53.240 It's like a subcontractor or something which owed him in hundred pence and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat 46:53.820 --> 46:59.320 Saying pay me that thou owe est boy talk about a lack of self awareness 47:00.500 --> 47:07.420 You just owed 10,000 talents you fell in your face and begged for mercy you got that mercy now 47:07.420 --> 47:14.480 Someone owes you way less and you're putting your hands on their throat and just exacting every little thing of them 47:14.780 --> 47:17.060 You lack self-awareness big time 47:18.300 --> 47:21.820 Notice it says in verse number, which verse are we on here 30? 47:22.800 --> 47:27.080 29 and his fellow servant fell down at his feet and besought him saying have 47:27.680 --> 47:33.080 Patience with me and I will pay thee all same thing that the other guy said and he would not 47:33.520 --> 47:37.940 But win and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt 47:38.600 --> 47:45.160 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry and came and told unto their lord all that was done 47:45.640 --> 47:50.520 Then his lord after that he had called him said oh thou wicked servant 47:51.000 --> 47:54.840 I forgave thee all that debt because thou desireest me 47:55.480 --> 48:02.360 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant even as I had pity on thee 48:03.080 --> 48:05.960 And you know how we could apply this is to us and to god 48:06.400 --> 48:12.160 Right? So if God looks down and he sees that he has forgiven you, number one of all of your sins, 48:12.700 --> 48:16.700 And then on a day-to-day basis as we sin we go to God we ask for forgiveness 48:16.780 --> 48:20.720 He wipes the slate clean we have a renewed fresh relationship with him 48:20.720 --> 48:25.980 And he sees all the mercy that he's bestowed upon us and then he sees you wanting to exact 48:26.380 --> 48:31.820 Every little transgression out of your brothers out of your sisters out of your friends 48:31.820 --> 48:34.800 You know what he thinks of you. He thinks you're a wicked person 48:35.500 --> 48:37.980 He says now wicked servant 48:38.500 --> 48:46.940 How is it that I showed you all this mercy, all this compassion, and you want to exact much less that was owed of this person? 48:46.940 --> 48:48.740 You know what? That is a wicked attribute. 48:49.540 --> 48:54.260 And here's the thing I've noticed the most wicked people in life are the most unforgiving people. 48:54.800 --> 49:00.920 It's just reality and that matches what the Bible says people who have no self-awareness. They're holier than now 49:00.920 --> 49:06.360 They think they're better than everyone else. They think they're so righteous, but in their unforgiveness 49:06.360 --> 49:10.120 It is revealed that they are super wicked. That's what the Bible teaches 49:10.840 --> 49:16.620 He says in verse 34 and his Lord was look at that Roth. I don't want God to be angry at me 49:16.620 --> 49:18.620 I don't want God's wrath to be on me 49:19.100 --> 49:24.540 Notice delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him 49:24.540 --> 49:27.180 You know what God could do to us. He could deliver us unto 49:27.820 --> 49:32.680 Chastisement whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourge it every son whom he received it 49:32.680 --> 49:36.460 You know when kids when our kids do wrong against us and we forgive them 49:36.460 --> 49:41.540 You know sometimes you see them try to play Lord over each other and when that happens it makes us bad as parents 49:41.900 --> 49:44.900 It's like, wait a second, you just barely got spared of a spanking. 49:44.900 --> 49:47.100 And now you're wanting judgment on your sisters? 49:47.100 --> 49:48.900 Now you're wanting judgment on your brothers? 49:48.900 --> 49:51.000 It's like, that makes us mad as parents. 49:51.000 --> 49:54.600 Because if we showed mercy to one, they should want mercy extended to others. 49:54.900 --> 49:59.460 But a lot of people are fine receiving mercy from God, but then they want to see God just cloud up and rain 49:59.860 --> 50:05.700 On every person for every minor little thing. Here's the scary verse verse 35 so likewise 50:06.260 --> 50:12.020 Shall my heavenly father do also unto you if ye from your hearts 50:12.580 --> 50:15.620 Forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses 50:16.500 --> 50:18.500 God is going to hold you to account 50:19.000 --> 50:24.200 The way that God treats you is often a reflection of how you have been treating other people. 50:24.200 --> 50:25.200 Amen, that's right. 50:25.200 --> 50:29.520 And some people, you know why some people get chastised way more than other people? 50:29.520 --> 50:34.280 Not necessarily because they commit more sins though, of course that could be the case sometimes. 50:34.280 --> 50:38.620 But oftentimes it's just because you're a super unforgiving person and you want to exact everything 50:38.620 --> 50:39.920 out of everyone else. 50:39.920 --> 50:41.700 You don't ever want to show mercy to everyone else. 50:41.700 --> 50:45.060 So God has to come down harder on you because he's going to treat you the way you treat 50:45.060 --> 50:45.620 other people. 50:46.200 --> 50:53.640 Go to Hebrews 12. I said number one bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit number two bitterness troubles you 50:54.920 --> 50:56.920 bitterness troubles 50:57.000 --> 51:00.520 You what are we talking about four reasons to get rid of your bitterness? 51:00.840 --> 51:04.860 Number one it grieves the Holy Spirit of God. That should be reason enough 51:05.000 --> 51:10.240 That God's upset with it. God doesn't like it when we're unforgiving and so we should want to be forgiving people 51:10.240 --> 51:16.180 But you know what number two in case you need a more selfish reason being bitter affects you it troubles you 51:16.760 --> 51:18.720 Look at verse 15 51:18.720 --> 51:24.920 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness 51:25.760 --> 51:28.680 Springing up notice these words trouble you 51:29.500 --> 51:31.700 It does not fix your situation. 51:31.900 --> 51:34.820 It does not get you the justice that you are looking for. 51:35.020 --> 51:37.900 It does not get punishment or vengeance 51:38.100 --> 51:40.220 on someone else by you being bitter. 51:40.420 --> 51:41.940 It troubles you. 51:42.140 --> 51:43.820 It affects you. 51:44.020 --> 51:45.820 Go to Colossians, chapter number three. 51:52.000 --> 51:54.000 Now here's the thing, what's a good example of this? 51:54.000 --> 51:59.000 Many people stop serving God because they get bitter. 51:59.000 --> 52:04.000 Many people stop going to church because they had some sort of drama with another church member. 52:04.600 --> 52:11.980 Right many people just stop serving God because they have a negative experience in church and they become these church hurt individuals 52:12.200 --> 52:14.200 They become these recovering 52:14.600 --> 52:20.040 Fundamentalists where it's like hey, I went to church and my pastor rebuked me and now I'm a recovering fundamentalist 52:20.040 --> 52:24.800 But here's the thing is that you just getting out of church for the rest of your life is harming you 52:25.560 --> 52:28.440 Like listen the train is going on without you 52:29.000 --> 52:34.540 Like if you just leave church you get backslidden you get bitter you're bitter at the pastor 52:34.540 --> 52:40.300 You're not in church anymore. You know what? We're still here serving serving God. We're still here winning souls 52:40.580 --> 52:46.600 We're still here getting stuff out of the preaching of God's Word being filled with the Spirit loving one another 52:46.600 --> 52:48.600 You know, you've hurt you've hurt yourself 52:48.800 --> 52:51.800 Right people think like I'm gonna get back at church by leaving the church 52:51.800 --> 52:54.840 It's like bro. This church is here to serve you like you're hurting yourself 52:55.600 --> 52:58.240 Like, people think they're God's gift to the church. 52:58.240 --> 53:00.440 It's like, no, this church is a gift to you. 53:00.440 --> 53:02.240 You're not a gift to God's church. 53:02.240 --> 53:05.040 God's church is a gift to you and to me. 53:05.040 --> 53:06.840 And it's like you by leaving church, 53:06.840 --> 53:09.440 you are hurting yourself, period. 53:10.640 --> 53:12.360 Okay, here's another example. 53:12.360 --> 53:14.920 What about being bitter against your spouse? 53:14.920 --> 53:16.800 Look at Colossians 3, verse 19. 53:16.800 --> 53:21.040 Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them. 53:21.300 --> 53:25.660 I mean, the last person on earth you should want to be bitter against is your spouse. 53:25.660 --> 53:26.660 You know why? 53:26.660 --> 53:28.340 You're the one that has to live with them. 53:28.340 --> 53:30.900 Oh, I'm going to be bitter against my spouse. 53:30.900 --> 53:34.100 Okay, you're the one that's going to have to live in a miserable marriage. 53:34.400 --> 53:39.860 You're the one that's gonna have to have an angry and contentious wife. Oh, like it doesn't affect me 53:39.920 --> 53:44.600 Like I'm over here having a great time. I'm over here getting great meals. I'm over here 53:44.600 --> 53:50.280 Just enjoying my life enjoying my marriage. Look if you get bitter against your wife, you know who you're hurting is yourself 53:50.900 --> 53:56.660 Like what a foolish thing like, oh I'm gonna get back at my spouse by just being super angry and bitter. 53:56.660 --> 53:58.660 It's like, look you've only got one spouse my friend. 53:58.660 --> 54:03.780 You're stuck with that person and you are hurting your own marriage by being bitter against them. 54:03.780 --> 54:07.620 That's why the Bible says, hey don't do it. Love your wives. Don't be bitter against them. 54:07.620 --> 54:11.860 Go to Genesis 4. Let's look at some examples of people that get bitter. 54:18.200 --> 54:22.920 Genesis chapter 4. Notice verse 1 it says, 54:22.920 --> 54:27.880 And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain, 54:27.880 --> 54:32.600 and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. 54:32.600 --> 54:36.440 And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 54:36.440 --> 54:41.160 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground 54:41.160 --> 54:43.160 an offering unto the Lord. 54:43.500 --> 54:50.260 Abel he also brought the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof and the 54:50.260 --> 54:57.420 Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain into his offering 54:57.420 --> 55:00.600 he had not respect 55:00.700 --> 55:07.700 Why is this? Of course, because by Adam sacrificing the lamb, it's picturing the Lord Jesus Christ. 55:07.700 --> 55:12.700 And by Cain bringing up the fruit of the ground, that is picturing works salvation. 55:12.700 --> 55:17.700 And God says that he did have respect to one offering, he did not have respect to another. 55:17.700 --> 55:19.700 By the way, God does not respect every religion. 55:19.700 --> 55:25.700 And notice the response of Cain. It says this, and Cain was very wroth. 55:26.100 --> 55:31.300 and his countenance fell. He's getting all upset. He's getting all angry. He's getting all bitter. 55:31.300 --> 55:37.060 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou rough? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest 55:37.060 --> 55:44.020 well, shalt thou not be accepted? And he's saying like, Hey, like, why are you having a bad attitude? 55:44.020 --> 55:48.900 Why are you getting angry? Why are you getting upset? If you just change to do the right thing, 55:49.460 --> 55:50.740 aren't you going to be accepted? 55:51.500 --> 55:58.020 It's like this is like out soul winning people will get super angry people will get so defensive people get bitter like wait 55:58.020 --> 56:04.380 You're telling me that my mom's religion and my grandma's religion and my great-grandma's religion of Catholicism is wrong 56:04.380 --> 56:06.820 And they're counting its falls and they get mad 56:06.820 --> 56:11.700 It's like bro don't get mad all you have to do is change and believe the right thing and you're gonna be saved 56:12.220 --> 56:18.780 And it's all gonna be good, right? But what does it do you what good does it do you to get better nothing? 56:19.300 --> 56:20.940 Does it change your situation? 56:20.940 --> 56:23.240 Does it bring God's favor towards you? 56:23.240 --> 56:23.900 No. 56:23.900 --> 56:28.300 And God's like, bro, just do the right thing and you'll be accepted. 56:28.300 --> 56:31.600 Notice, and if thou doest not well, sin lieeth at the door, 56:31.600 --> 56:36.700 and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 56:36.700 --> 56:40.040 Look, if you're bitter about something, here's the best thing to do. 56:40.040 --> 56:41.500 Just get better. 56:42.200 --> 56:49.760 Instead of getting bitter get better. You're upset that you were corrected that you believe something wrong 56:49.760 --> 56:50.200 Okay 56:50.200 --> 56:55.400 Well hear your options your options are to get mad about it get bitter about it get all down in the mouth about it 56:55.400 --> 56:57.400 And nothing changed 56:57.400 --> 57:01.480 Nothing get better about your life or to say like wow I was wrong. I made a mistake 57:01.480 --> 57:05.600 I should change my opinion and now believe what's right, and then you'll be accepted 57:06.000 --> 57:11.520 This works in personal relationships. This works at the job. This works in your marriage 57:11.520 --> 57:16.600 You know what would help you is if once in your life you just said you know what I did wrong 57:17.160 --> 57:23.240 I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I did this. I am NOT gonna do that anymore. You'll be accepted, right? 57:24.040 --> 57:28.140 Isn't this what we do to God like hey God I did this wrong. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me? 57:28.140 --> 57:29.700 You know, he never says no 57:30.000 --> 57:31.840 He's not gonna be like, no, I'm not for you. 57:31.840 --> 57:33.840 He just, he forgives you, right? 57:33.840 --> 57:36.000 And it's like, many people in life, 57:36.000 --> 57:37.760 you know, they would probably have better relationships 57:37.760 --> 57:40.600 with their boss, their spouse, their family, their friends, 57:40.600 --> 57:42.100 if just for once in their life, 57:42.100 --> 57:44.900 they admitted that they were wrong and just said, I'm sorry. 57:44.900 --> 57:46.580 And then things could be fixed. 57:46.580 --> 57:49.040 But instead they choose to get bitter. 57:49.040 --> 57:52.000 And that bitterness gets hold in their life, 57:52.000 --> 57:53.440 that root goes deep, and you know what, 57:53.440 --> 57:56.160 it ends up happening, it ends up leading to murder. 57:56.160 --> 57:57.800 Ends up leading to killing his brother. 57:57.900 --> 58:00.800 Okay, we'll get to that a little bit later. Go to first Samuel 18 58:01.440 --> 58:07.800 Verse Samuel chapter 18 someone grows up in a false religion. They hear the gospel. They shouldn't get mad 58:07.800 --> 58:12.720 They should just accept the gospel if you get corrected for believing something wrong or doing something wrong 58:12.720 --> 58:15.880 You shouldn't get mad. You should just fix the issue and get better 58:17.000 --> 58:22.840 Okay, you're hurting yourself. If you don't look at first Samuel 18 verse 5 first Samuel chapter 18 verse 5 58:23.300 --> 58:27.300 And David went out with us, whoever Saul sent him, behaved himself wisely. 58:27.300 --> 58:32.300 And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, 58:32.300 --> 58:35.300 and also in the sight of Saul's servants. So David's well liked. 58:35.900 --> 58:40.540 And it came to pass as they came when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine 58:40.540 --> 58:46.380 that the women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with 58:46.380 --> 58:51.340 tablets with joy with instruments of music. Notice how the narrator says they were coming 58:51.340 --> 58:55.420 to meet King Saul. It's not like these ladies didn't like King Saul. It's not like they weren't 58:55.420 --> 59:01.900 there to give him honor and respect and celebrate as a nation the nation's victory for the Lord. 59:02.500 --> 59:04.580 But notice the words they sing here, it says, 59:04.580 --> 59:08.420 and the women answered one another as they played and said, 59:08.420 --> 59:13.420 Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands. 59:13.540 --> 59:17.380 Right, so of course they're there to give honor to Saul, 59:17.380 --> 59:20.540 but David just got done killing Goliath. 59:20.540 --> 59:22.500 And you know what, it's okay to celebrate 59:22.500 --> 59:23.740 the hero of the hour. 59:24.000 --> 59:28.520 David's not trying to hurt Saul. David's not trying to usurp Saul's authority. 59:28.900 --> 59:33.180 David is trying to fight the battles of the Lord. And you know what he says? 59:33.180 --> 59:38.320 Hey, you come to me with a sword. You come to me with all of your your armor. 59:38.320 --> 59:39.800 He says I come to you the name of the Lord. 59:40.200 --> 59:42.200 He's like, hey, is there not a cause? 59:42.200 --> 59:43.560 Is there not a cause for this battle? 59:43.560 --> 59:45.280 Like David has the right heart. 59:45.280 --> 59:47.320 David is fighting the battles of the Lord 59:47.320 --> 59:49.360 just because he loves God. 59:49.360 --> 59:52.200 He doesn't want to see the enemies of God defying Israel. 59:52.200 --> 59:54.440 He's not doing this out of a vendetta 59:54.440 --> 59:55.800 against his father-in-law. 59:55.800 --> 59:58.560 He's not doing this to try to attack Saul. 59:58.560 --> 59:59.960 He's just trying to serve God. 59:59.960 --> 01:00:01.800 You know, these people are celebrating 01:00:01.800 --> 01:00:03.240 the hero of the hour. 01:00:03.240 --> 01:00:05.200 There's nothing wrong with that, right? 01:00:05.600 --> 01:00:09.440 But look at his reaction verse 8 and Saul was very 01:00:10.060 --> 01:00:17.200 Roth he's getting better and the saying displeased him and he said they have ascribed unto david ten thousands 01:00:17.520 --> 01:00:23.280 And to me they have ascribed but thousands and what can he have more than the kingdom notice in saul? 01:00:23.680 --> 01:00:26.340 I'd david from that day and forward 01:00:26.900 --> 01:00:32.260 But listen Saul what sense does it make to get angry at David to get bitter at David? 01:00:32.260 --> 01:00:36.940 How is that gonna help you in your life? Cuz let me help you out. God is with David 01:00:37.520 --> 01:00:41.800 God is blessing David. David is gonna go on and do great things for God 01:00:41.800 --> 01:00:47.500 So when you put yourself in opposition to David, you're putting yourself in opposition to God 01:00:48.040 --> 01:00:50.000 How is that helpful to your life? 01:00:50.300 --> 01:00:52.300 How is that going to advance your kingdom? 01:00:52.300 --> 01:00:54.300 How is that going to help you to hold on to power? 01:00:54.300 --> 01:00:56.300 It's not. 01:00:56.300 --> 01:00:59.300 And you know what? Getting bitter against your brothers and sisters in Christ 01:00:59.300 --> 01:01:01.300 is only going to harm you. 01:01:01.300 --> 01:01:03.300 It is only going to harm you. 01:01:03.300 --> 01:01:06.300 You know why some people don't get much out of church? 01:01:06.300 --> 01:01:08.300 It's because they have bitterness in their hearts. 01:01:08.300 --> 01:01:10.300 And you know what? It is a bad... 01:01:10.300 --> 01:01:12.300 I've heard Pastor Anderson preach this and I agree. 01:01:12.300 --> 01:01:15.300 One of the worst people you could be bitter against is your own pastor. 01:01:16.300 --> 01:01:22.900 Because your pastor is here feeding you the Word of God teaching you the Bible trying to help you trying to help you make 01:01:23.220 --> 01:01:28.580 Application in your life and the things that are being taught from behind the pulpit will help your life 01:01:29.060 --> 01:01:32.880 Will help you grow but some people even though the message is true 01:01:33.020 --> 01:01:37.620 Don't want to hear it just because they're bitter at their own pastor and you are hurting yourself 01:01:38.700 --> 01:01:42.740 You are harming yourself when people say oh, I'm just not growing in that church 01:01:42.740 --> 01:01:47.220 I'm just not getting something out of it. Honestly a lot of times. It's just you're telling on yourself 01:01:47.540 --> 01:01:54.800 You're telling on your own heart because here's a room full of other people who are growing who are getting something out of the preaching 01:01:54.800 --> 01:01:59.140 You know why because they're not bitter against the man of God. They're not bitter against the pastor 01:02:00.100 --> 01:02:05.620 Look at verse 9 it says in Saul I David from that day forward and it came to pass on tomorrow that the evil spirit from 01:02:05.620 --> 01:02:12.360 God came upon Saul and he prophesied in the midst of the house and David played with his hand as at other times and there was a 01:02:12.360 --> 01:02:20.100 Javelin in Saul's hand and Saul cast the javelin for he said I will smite David even to the wall with it and David avoided out of 01:02:20.100 --> 01:02:22.100 His presence twice by the way 01:02:22.100 --> 01:02:28.080 That's often a good thing to do when someone's super bitter is to avoid that person not be around them because they 01:02:28.100 --> 01:02:35.580 could try to do you harm and Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him and 01:02:35.580 --> 01:02:38.100 was departed from Saul. 01:02:38.100 --> 01:02:43.360 So Saul internally knew he knew that God had departed from him and this caused him to feel 01:02:43.360 --> 01:02:47.640 what fear he could feel the kingdom slipping from him. 01:02:47.640 --> 01:02:52.380 He could be he know I know that God is on David's side but instead of just saying you 01:02:52.380 --> 01:02:53.780 know what I better just get right then. 01:02:54.200 --> 01:02:58.440 Better just be on David's side. Hey, we're team. We're serving God together 01:02:58.760 --> 01:03:03.640 We both want the Philistines destroyed. We all should be rejoicing that Goliath has been destroyed 01:03:03.640 --> 01:03:07.200 but instead he just eyes him tries to kill him and 01:03:07.680 --> 01:03:13.680 Internally is afraid of him because he knows that God is on his side and it's like it's so silly for us to get bitter 01:03:14.120 --> 01:03:19.080 Over trivial little things with our brothers and sisters in Christ because we should be fighting the Philistines together 01:03:19.900 --> 01:03:22.400 We should be going after the enemies of God together. 01:03:22.400 --> 01:03:25.300 And look, this church should be unified. 01:03:25.300 --> 01:03:28.700 We should be a united front, believing the same doctrines, 01:03:28.700 --> 01:03:31.400 having the same goal of going out and preaching the gospel, 01:03:31.400 --> 01:03:34.500 and bitterness will cause harm to a church. 01:03:34.500 --> 01:03:36.700 It absolutely will. 01:03:36.700 --> 01:03:40.000 So there's a few ways that you could approach bitterness. 01:03:40.000 --> 01:03:43.300 One, if you're bitter about a situation going on, 01:03:43.300 --> 01:03:46.800 repent of the things that you did wrong. 01:03:47.500 --> 01:03:51.660 Repent of the things that you did wrong. 01:03:51.660 --> 01:03:54.940 You know why? Because you cannot control other people. 01:03:54.940 --> 01:04:00.180 You cannot control your spouse, your friends, your pastor, your parents, your extended family. 01:04:00.180 --> 01:04:01.740 You cannot control other people. 01:04:01.740 --> 01:04:03.220 So here's what you have to do. 01:04:03.220 --> 01:04:06.900 You have to repent of the things that you did wrong. 01:04:07.400 --> 01:04:11.400 And I believe that God will see this person wants to take accountability, 01:04:11.400 --> 01:04:13.900 this person has a sincere heart, and God will bless you. 01:04:13.900 --> 01:04:16.400 That's what you need. You need God's hand on your life. 01:04:16.400 --> 01:04:20.400 You need to make sure you're not being like Saul, where God's hand is being removed from you, 01:04:20.400 --> 01:04:23.400 and you end up being all paranoid and scared. 01:04:23.400 --> 01:04:25.400 Here's another thing you could do. 01:04:25.400 --> 01:04:29.300 Is you could confront the person you are bitter against privately. 01:04:29.900 --> 01:04:35.980 I'll read for you Matthew 18 verse 15 moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between 01:04:36.060 --> 01:04:40.460 The and him alone if he shall hear thee thou gained thy brother 01:04:40.860 --> 01:04:45.740 I have seen unfortunately many many many many times. I'm not thinking about one two three situations 01:04:45.740 --> 01:04:50.240 I think about many situations that i've seen where people skip this step 01:04:50.900 --> 01:04:56.680 Here's the thing you really really if if you even need to address it you really need to follow this step of going to 01:04:56.680 --> 01:05:01.180 Someone privately because because one reason is because that this often ends the issue 01:05:01.500 --> 01:05:07.640 Right when you confront someone privately that often just squashes it gets rid of it. Also. It shows good faith 01:05:08.360 --> 01:05:12.060 Shows good faith that hey, I want to get things right. I want things to be nice 01:05:12.340 --> 01:05:17.820 What does not show good faith is when you start telling one two, three, four five of your girlfriends? 01:05:18.500 --> 01:05:21.620 about problems that you're having with another person 01:05:21.620 --> 01:05:23.460 and then confront that person, 01:05:23.460 --> 01:05:25.260 that is not showing good faith. 01:05:25.260 --> 01:05:28.020 That is showing that you wanna go gossip about someone. 01:05:28.020 --> 01:05:30.380 Or when you just surprise someone 01:05:30.380 --> 01:05:32.100 and just bringing in all these multiple parties 01:05:32.100 --> 01:05:33.580 without even talking to you first, 01:05:33.580 --> 01:05:36.180 it seems more like you wanna get a gotcha 01:05:36.180 --> 01:05:38.460 rather than I wanna fix the situation. 01:05:38.800 --> 01:05:41.600 And again, I'm telling you, I've seen this many, many times. 01:05:41.600 --> 01:05:42.400 And you know what? 01:05:42.400 --> 01:05:47.200 Conflicts are a lot harder to resolve the more people that are involved. 01:05:47.200 --> 01:05:51.600 The less number of people involved, the easier it is to fix conflict. 01:05:51.600 --> 01:05:54.500 Why? Because you're helping people save face. 01:05:54.500 --> 01:05:56.500 Right? I remember that sermon of Pastor Mejia. 01:05:56.500 --> 01:05:58.700 He's like, I want my wife to save face. 01:05:58.700 --> 01:06:00.700 Right? I don't need her to grovel. 01:06:00.700 --> 01:06:02.400 I just like, oh, you want to get things right? 01:06:02.400 --> 01:06:03.600 Let's fix it. Let's fix it. 01:06:03.600 --> 01:06:05.400 Let's, you know, renew our relationship. 01:06:05.700 --> 01:06:08.600 Here's another option you have, go to Mark 11. 01:06:08.600 --> 01:06:09.440 Let it go. 01:06:10.420 --> 01:06:11.960 That's a great option. 01:06:11.960 --> 01:06:14.760 That is the option that I recommend that you take. 01:06:16.860 --> 01:06:20.020 Not to say there's never a time to confront. 01:06:20.020 --> 01:06:22.000 God gives us that process for a reason. 01:06:22.100 --> 01:06:27.660 There is times to confront, but let me say this, the vast majority of the times where 01:06:27.660 --> 01:06:32.760 people have strife and end up being bitter is over minor trivial things that should have 01:06:32.760 --> 01:06:34.980 been let go. 01:06:34.980 --> 01:06:42.420 Mark 11 verse 25, and when ye stand praying, here's a command, forgive if ye have ought 01:06:42.420 --> 01:06:43.500 against any. 01:06:44.100 --> 01:06:49.460 that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 01:06:49.460 --> 01:06:54.500 Now I understand that in Matthew 18 the Bible says if he repent forgive him, 01:06:54.500 --> 01:06:59.460 but you also have the option to forgive whether they apologize or not. 01:06:59.700 --> 01:07:05.540 And let me tell you this, my default in life, my recommendation to you is that you just 01:07:05.540 --> 01:07:09.580 forgive anyways, whether they apologize or not, in your heart. 01:07:09.580 --> 01:07:14.420 I'm not saying restore relationships, restore trust, but at least in your heart, forgive. 01:07:14.420 --> 01:07:15.420 Why? 01:07:15.420 --> 01:07:18.500 Because I want God to be as forgiving to me as possible. 01:07:19.100 --> 01:07:24.740 Want God to be as merciful to me as possible. So in my heart whether or not people apologize 01:07:24.740 --> 01:07:26.740 I want to do my absolute best 01:07:26.740 --> 01:07:30.540 I'm a human being I could fail but I want to do my absolute best to let things go 01:07:30.780 --> 01:07:35.500 To not hold on to bitterness because I don't want God just exacting every little thing out of me 01:07:36.460 --> 01:07:39.740 Psalm 18 go if you would to Psalm 18. Why is this? 01:07:46.900 --> 01:07:48.260 Here's why you should let things go. 01:07:49.060 --> 01:07:56.580 Psalm 18 verse 25 with the merciful, thou will show thyself merciful with an upright man. 01:07:56.860 --> 01:07:59.820 Thou will show thyself upright with the pure. 01:08:00.340 --> 01:08:01.940 Thou will show thyself pure. 01:08:01.940 --> 01:08:05.780 So, hey, if you have good intentions, if you have good faith, God's going to act that way towards you. 01:08:06.020 --> 01:08:07.060 But here's the other part. 01:08:07.340 --> 01:08:10.740 But with the forward, thou will show thyself forward. 01:08:11.200 --> 01:08:15.040 You want to be contrarian. You want to be the unforgiving servant. 01:08:15.040 --> 01:08:20.080 You want to exact every little thing out of every single person of everyone who's ever wronged you. 01:08:20.880 --> 01:08:22.640 Well, I guess God's going to be that way for you. 01:08:23.280 --> 01:08:27.680 And someone who has any brain cells in their brain should fear God enough to realize, 01:08:27.680 --> 01:08:30.080 I don't want God to act that way towards me. 01:08:30.600 --> 01:08:31.880 Now here's what I'm not saying. 01:08:31.880 --> 01:08:35.080 What I'm not saying is let people just walk all over you 01:08:35.080 --> 01:08:38.400 and abuse you and do horrific things to you 01:08:38.400 --> 01:08:40.800 and just maintain the exact same relationships 01:08:40.800 --> 01:08:42.320 and the same level of trust. 01:08:42.320 --> 01:08:44.680 Look, sometimes trust is broken 01:08:44.680 --> 01:08:46.680 and that can take a long time to rebuild. 01:08:46.800 --> 01:08:48.760 Sometimes people need to be cut off. 01:08:48.920 --> 01:08:51.760 Sometimes people need to be cast out of the church. 01:08:51.920 --> 01:08:52.220 Okay. 01:08:52.440 --> 01:08:56.720 But if there comes a point of forgiveness, you should just start over with a 01:08:56.720 --> 01:09:01.760 fresh piece of paper and just allow people to build back trust over time. 01:09:01.800 --> 01:09:02.400 Be merciful. 01:09:02.400 --> 01:09:02.480 Why? 01:09:02.480 --> 01:09:04.280 Cause I want God to be that way towards me. 01:09:05.400 --> 01:09:06.840 Go if you would to Hebrews chapter 12. 01:09:11.500 --> 01:09:14.500 Number one, I said bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit. 01:09:14.500 --> 01:09:16.900 Number two, bitterness troubles you. 01:09:16.900 --> 01:09:20.360 Number three, bitterness defiles others. 01:09:20.360 --> 01:09:22.100 Bitterness defiles 01:09:22.300 --> 01:09:28.660 Others look at verse 15 again Hebrews 12 15 looking diligently less any man fail of the grace of God 01:09:29.020 --> 01:09:31.020 lest any root of bitterness 01:09:31.300 --> 01:09:33.420 springing up trouble you and 01:09:34.660 --> 01:09:40.260 Thereby many be defiled. Here's the thing. Yes bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit 01:09:40.460 --> 01:09:45.260 Yes, bitterness affects you but bitterness also affects everyone around you 01:09:46.000 --> 01:09:48.000 Because you know what there's no hiding when you're bitter 01:09:48.460 --> 01:09:52.620 Everyone knows when you're bitter everyone can see it and your down attitude 01:09:53.120 --> 01:09:58.920 Affects the people around you and when you're just bitter against your church and bitter against your pastor 01:09:58.920 --> 01:10:05.880 You know that's gonna do is gonna sew division in the church where it's not just affecting you. It's not just affecting the Holy Spirit 01:10:05.880 --> 01:10:11.080 It's also affecting other people. Let's prove this again with these stories Genesis chapter 4 01:10:11.700 --> 01:10:14.700 Genesis chapter number four. 01:10:20.200 --> 01:10:21.800 Genesis 4 verse 2. 01:10:21.900 --> 01:10:23.340 Let's read this again. 01:10:23.440 --> 01:10:24.340 Verse 2. 01:10:24.340 --> 01:10:24.500 you 01:10:24.700 --> 01:10:29.400 And she again bare his brother Abel, and Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller 01:10:29.400 --> 01:10:30.400 of the ground. 01:10:30.400 --> 01:10:34.300 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an 01:10:34.300 --> 01:10:39.740 offering unto the Lord, and Abel he also brought the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat 01:10:39.740 --> 01:10:40.740 thereof. 01:10:40.740 --> 01:10:44.900 And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering. 01:10:44.900 --> 01:10:47.840 But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect. 01:10:47.840 --> 01:10:51.200 And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell, he was getting bitter. 01:10:51.200 --> 01:10:52.440 the Lord said in the Cane. 01:10:52.700 --> 01:10:54.140 Why art thou wrought? 01:10:54.140 --> 01:10:55.860 Why is thy countenance fallen? 01:10:55.860 --> 01:10:57.980 Thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted. 01:10:57.980 --> 01:11:00.820 And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. 01:11:00.820 --> 01:11:02.220 And unto thee shall be his desire, 01:11:02.220 --> 01:11:03.500 and thou shalt rule over him. 01:11:03.500 --> 01:11:06.500 Verse eight, and Cain talked with Abel his brother, 01:11:06.500 --> 01:11:08.780 and it came to pass when they were in the field 01:11:08.780 --> 01:11:13.180 that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him. 01:11:13.180 --> 01:11:14.000 You know what that is? 01:11:14.000 --> 01:11:16.100 That's bitterness defiling others. 01:11:16.200 --> 01:11:19.000 because bitterness was not just grieving the spirit of God, 01:11:19.000 --> 01:11:23.080 bitterness was not just troubling Cain and causing his feelings to be hurt, 01:11:23.080 --> 01:11:26.680 causing his countenance to fall, it also affected his brother 01:11:26.680 --> 01:11:32.520 when that bitterness in his heart turned into envy, which turned into cold-blooded murder. 01:11:33.240 --> 01:11:36.040 And that's the thing about bitterness. That's the scary thing about bitterness, 01:11:36.040 --> 01:11:41.320 is it starts as bitterness, then it turns into envy, then it can turn into much worse sins. 01:11:41.800 --> 01:11:43.800 Right? How about adultery? 01:11:43.800 --> 01:11:47.300 People get what? Covetous of their neighbor's wife. 01:11:47.300 --> 01:11:51.800 And that covetousness could often have been started by bitterness in their own marriage. 01:11:51.800 --> 01:11:56.800 They get bitter at their wife, they start coveting another wife, then they go down the road to what? Adultery. 01:11:56.800 --> 01:12:01.800 You know, right here, Cain, he's bitter, he's angry that God's mad at his sacrifice. 01:12:01.800 --> 01:12:04.800 Instead of getting things right, he's envious at his brother. 01:12:05.300 --> 01:12:07.300 that God is pleased with his sacrifice. 01:12:07.300 --> 01:12:11.300 And instead of getting things right, it leads to him murdering his brother. 01:12:11.300 --> 01:12:13.300 This is why I say you can't hide your bitterness. 01:12:13.300 --> 01:12:14.300 You can't hide it. 01:12:14.300 --> 01:12:18.300 Because it comes out with people attacking righteous individuals. 01:12:18.300 --> 01:12:25.300 And it's like, you know how I know all these ex-New IFB losers are completely just in the gall of bitterness? 01:12:25.300 --> 01:12:30.300 It's because you see them constantly attacking righteous men. 01:12:30.600 --> 01:12:38.940 And it's like you cannot hide it buddy you are mad that you can't replicate the success of men like pastor Anderson and other good pastors 01:12:38.980 --> 01:12:45.120 You are mad that you're preaching completely sucks, and you can't get anyone to listen to you 01:12:45.120 --> 01:12:50.920 You can't get any sort of following and instead of saying man. What am I doing wrong? How can I get better? 01:12:50.920 --> 01:12:56.800 How can I have access to this power of God that this preacher has instead they attack good men of God? 01:12:57.700 --> 01:13:04.620 Often openly often backhandedly and subtly and what's it called vague booking all these vague bookers 01:13:05.180 --> 01:13:09.920 But look my friend God's power is not restrained to able 01:13:10.320 --> 01:13:16.760 God's power is not restrained to King David God's power is available to all of us if we seek him 01:13:16.760 --> 01:13:21.220 You know what's stopping people from having God's power their own wicked attitude 01:13:21.600 --> 01:13:24.800 their own sinful, backslidden, bitter heart. 01:13:24.800 --> 01:13:27.000 And it's like, bro, you should look at people 01:13:27.000 --> 01:13:29.500 that are succeeding and you should cheer them on 01:13:29.500 --> 01:13:32.300 and you should see what you can learn from them. 01:13:32.300 --> 01:13:36.000 And you should say, God, I want to be used like that. 01:13:36.000 --> 01:13:39.300 Hey, God, can you use someone like me to do a great work? 01:13:39.300 --> 01:13:41.840 Hey, God, can you use a little church like ours 01:13:41.840 --> 01:13:43.840 to reach thousands of souls for Christ? 01:13:43.840 --> 01:13:46.580 God, could you give us your power like you gave this man 01:13:46.580 --> 01:13:48.520 instead of attacking good men? 01:13:49.100 --> 01:13:56.220 People that spend their whole life attacking good men do nothing. I'm talking about you Spencer Smith 01:13:56.660 --> 01:14:01.160 You failed missionary. So you sit in the basement with your fat body? 01:14:01.780 --> 01:14:05.380 Attacking good men of debt men of God who've been dead for 25 years 01:14:05.620 --> 01:14:07.820 I mean what kind of a freak? 01:14:08.420 --> 01:14:15.180 Obsesses over a man who's been in the grave for 25 years. I'm talking about pastor Jack Hiles a bitter person 01:14:15.800 --> 01:14:19.800 A person who's probably envious at the success that pastor Jack Hiles had. 01:14:19.800 --> 01:14:25.200 A man who's probably envious at the great works of God that are still being done today 01:14:25.200 --> 01:14:28.320 by Hiles Anderson graduates all over America. 01:14:28.320 --> 01:14:31.200 And instead of asking yourself like, man, how could God use me like that? 01:14:31.200 --> 01:14:33.720 How can I do something wonderful for God like that? 01:14:33.720 --> 01:14:36.080 No, instead you're going to make a bunch of podcasts. 01:14:36.400 --> 01:14:39.260 Based off hearsay like some sort of gossiping woman 01:14:39.480 --> 01:14:45.040 You're gonna take all this hearsay and just repeat lies about him that he's an adulterer when there is zero 01:14:45.360 --> 01:14:49.160 Evidence that pastor Hiles ever committed adultery zero 01:14:49.520 --> 01:14:54.360 It is nothing but hearsay and just gossip is just like what a loser 01:14:55.280 --> 01:14:57.600 And you know what our enemies are the exact same way 01:14:58.400 --> 01:15:04.380 Look at the enemies of the of the new ife look at the ex new ife preachers. They all suck at preaching 01:15:05.040 --> 01:15:12.160 Their sermons are terrible. They're constantly preaching false doctrine. They're super boring. They're filled with lies 01:15:12.280 --> 01:15:18.300 They're filled with false accusations. They don't make any sense. They team up with a bunch of weirdos 01:15:18.300 --> 01:15:23.400 It's like why would I want to be a part of these people when bitterness is just pouring out of their hearts? 01:15:24.400 --> 01:15:26.400 It's so obvious to see, folks. 01:15:27.400 --> 01:15:30.400 The answer is to get better, not bitter. 01:15:30.400 --> 01:15:31.400 That's the answer. 01:15:31.400 --> 01:15:32.400 Let me read for you. 01:15:32.400 --> 01:15:33.400 Proverbs 6, 16. 01:15:33.400 --> 01:15:35.400 These six things that the Lord hate. 01:15:35.400 --> 01:15:37.400 Yea, seven are an abomination unto him, 01:15:37.400 --> 01:15:39.400 a proud look, a lying tongue, 01:15:39.400 --> 01:15:41.400 and hands that shed innocent blood, 01:15:41.400 --> 01:15:44.400 and heart that diviseth wicked imaginations, 01:15:44.400 --> 01:15:46.400 feet that be swift in running to mischief, 01:15:46.400 --> 01:15:48.400 a false witness that speaketh lies, 01:15:48.400 --> 01:15:51.300 and he that soweth discord among brethren. 01:15:51.900 --> 01:15:58.220 The Bible says that God hates that God hates and despises when people go around trying to so 01:15:58.620 --> 01:16:03.020 Discord among brethren. Look if you don't like someone just stay away from them 01:16:04.220 --> 01:16:08.780 If you don't like someone to stop listening to them if you don't like someone you don't have to preach for them 01:16:09.260 --> 01:16:14.800 How weird is it that these ex new ifb people have like literally preached for these pastors that they've always hated 01:16:15.200 --> 01:16:18.240 but they've just used flattery to hide their hatred in their heart? 01:16:18.240 --> 01:16:21.600 What kind of a weirdo wants to go preach for someone that they don't like? 01:16:21.600 --> 01:16:24.960 Like it's very obvious that Pastor McMurtry has always despised the new IP. 01:16:25.680 --> 01:16:29.760 He's always hated these guys. He's just been envious, but he's literally even preached here. 01:16:30.720 --> 01:16:34.240 I mean that's just weird. I would never want to go preach for someone I don't like, 01:16:34.880 --> 01:16:36.560 but I don't like someone I'm just not going to preach for them. 01:16:37.000 --> 01:16:39.120 But I'm also not going to go around telling everyone, 01:16:39.120 --> 01:16:40.560 hey, I'm not going to preach for this person, 01:16:40.560 --> 01:16:42.520 or this person, or this person, and give you a list 01:16:42.520 --> 01:16:43.600 so you can know all the people. 01:16:43.600 --> 01:16:44.100 Why? 01:16:44.100 --> 01:16:46.000 Because we don't want to sow discord. 01:16:46.000 --> 01:16:48.440 There could be people that I don't necessarily like. 01:16:48.440 --> 01:16:49.060 But you know what? 01:16:49.060 --> 01:16:51.760 I'm rooting for them to do great things for God. 01:16:51.760 --> 01:16:53.360 I want them to do great things. 01:16:53.360 --> 01:16:54.360 I'm cheering them on. 01:16:54.360 --> 01:16:55.320 They're winning souls. 01:16:55.320 --> 01:16:58.680 As Pastor Anderson said, let those soul winners cook. 01:16:58.680 --> 01:16:59.520 Someone's a soul winner. 01:16:59.520 --> 01:17:00.160 Let them cook. 01:17:00.160 --> 01:17:00.500 Yeah. 01:17:00.600 --> 01:17:04.360 Right? Don't get in the way of them. Don't cut down fruit-bearing trees. 01:17:04.360 --> 01:17:09.000 Look, there's so many guys in the old IFB that preach all sorts of weird junk that I disagree with. 01:17:09.000 --> 01:17:12.440 But it's just like, hey, they're winning souls, so just let them do their thing, man. 01:17:12.440 --> 01:17:16.360 They're not hurting anyone. Let them do their thing. There needs to exist an old IFB. 01:17:16.360 --> 01:17:19.960 There needs to also exist the special forces here, the new IFB. We need both. 01:17:21.400 --> 01:17:27.160 Go, if you would, to James chapter four. James chapter number four. 01:17:31.600 --> 01:17:33.600 James 4, look at verse 1. It says, 01:17:33.600 --> 01:17:36.600 From whence come wars and fighting among you? 01:17:36.600 --> 01:17:40.600 Come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members? 01:17:40.600 --> 01:17:43.600 Ye lusts and have not, what does it lead to? 01:17:43.600 --> 01:17:47.600 Ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain. 01:17:47.600 --> 01:17:52.600 Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 01:17:53.800 --> 01:17:58.120 Right? So a lot of these guys, you know, they would solve a lot of their problems and do much better in life 01:17:58.600 --> 01:18:03.480 Instead of getting envious and lusting after other people's things that they can't have 01:18:04.120 --> 01:18:10.520 And that leading them to killing or in our you know situation metaphorically just attacking your brothers and sisters in christ 01:18:10.680 --> 01:18:13.960 You don't be better. What if you just ask god to become better? 01:18:15.080 --> 01:18:18.940 What if you said like god give me more wisdom god help me to become a better leader 01:18:19.200 --> 01:18:20.640 God help our church to grow. 01:18:20.640 --> 01:18:22.240 God help us to reach more people. 01:18:22.240 --> 01:18:25.040 God help us to do a great work for you in this generation. 01:18:25.040 --> 01:18:28.560 God help use me in some sort of great way to do something great. 01:18:28.560 --> 01:18:30.880 Have you ever thought about just asking God? 01:18:30.880 --> 01:18:33.200 No, instead you just want to attack your brethren. 01:18:33.200 --> 01:18:34.720 You want to come after them. 01:18:34.720 --> 01:18:35.840 You want to lie about them. 01:18:35.840 --> 01:18:37.120 You want to drag them through the mud. 01:18:37.120 --> 01:18:39.040 You want to go on your little whisper campaigns. 01:18:39.040 --> 01:18:40.560 And God's not going to bless that. 01:18:42.400 --> 01:18:48.400 Notice verse 3, you ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts. 01:18:48.400 --> 01:18:53.400 You know why, you know, real men of God get great things done for the Lord? 01:18:53.400 --> 01:18:56.400 Because they're not trying to do the work of God to fulfill their own lusts. 01:18:56.400 --> 01:19:01.400 They don't have some sort of power lust, some sort of fame lust, some sort of money lust. 01:19:01.400 --> 01:19:06.400 There's actually real sincere people in this world, believe it or not, that are actually on their face begging God for His power 01:19:06.400 --> 01:19:09.000 so that they can do a great work for God. 01:19:09.000 --> 01:19:13.480 Reach people for God and build great works for God, you know, those people actually exist 01:19:14.040 --> 01:19:19.100 But you know in the minds of these envious people they can't understand that because they are a bunch of frauds 01:19:19.680 --> 01:19:21.680 They're in the ministry for the wrong reason 01:19:21.680 --> 01:19:27.440 They don't get the attention they're seeking because they're seeking attention and God's like I'm not gonna bless this person 01:19:27.440 --> 01:19:30.920 They want attention. Meanwhile, oftentimes people who really aren't seeking attention 01:19:31.240 --> 01:19:36.300 Do get attention because they're trying to give the glory to God James 3 01:19:37.100 --> 01:19:38.800 James, chap number three. 01:19:41.500 --> 01:19:48.220 Here's the last point number four why you need to get rid of bitterness is because bitterness can harm your health 01:19:49.100 --> 01:19:50.940 bitterness can harm 01:19:50.940 --> 01:19:52.700 your health 01:19:52.700 --> 01:19:56.460 Notice what the bible says here. It says but if you have bitter what? 01:19:57.160 --> 01:19:58.460 envying 01:19:58.460 --> 01:20:04.380 And strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth 01:20:04.460 --> 01:20:08.060 Keep that phrasing in mind and go to proverbs chapter number 14 01:20:08.900 --> 01:20:15.020 Proverbs chapter number 14 noticed how bitterness and envy are connected. 01:20:15.460 --> 01:20:18.800 Starts with bitterness leads to envy. 01:20:19.060 --> 01:20:24.600 Oftentimes the reason why people hold onto bitterness is because they're 01:20:24.640 --> 01:20:26.920 envious of other people, right? 01:20:27.040 --> 01:20:31.640 People say, you know, how come this person gets to have the promotion and I don't. 01:20:32.000 --> 01:20:35.000 How come this family gets to have a baby and I don't? 01:20:35.000 --> 01:20:38.000 How come this man gets to get ordained and I don't? 01:20:38.000 --> 01:20:41.000 How come this person gets to have church growth and I don't? 01:20:41.000 --> 01:20:45.000 What are they doing? They're bitter because they're envious of what other people have. 01:20:45.000 --> 01:20:49.000 With that in mind, Proverbs 14, look at verse 30, it says, 01:20:49.000 --> 01:20:53.000 A sound heart is the life of the flesh, 01:20:53.000 --> 01:20:58.000 but envy the rottenness of the bones. 01:20:58.300 --> 01:21:02.700 Right? So having a sound heart, that's like your main arbiter of health right there. 01:21:02.700 --> 01:21:05.100 I mean, if your heart is failing, you're dying. 01:21:05.100 --> 01:21:07.900 Your health is wrecked if your heart is not healthy. 01:21:07.900 --> 01:21:11.500 And if your heart is healthy, the Bible says, that's the life of the flesh. 01:21:11.500 --> 01:21:16.000 Having a healthy heart, having a sound heart, but that's contrasted against what? 01:21:16.000 --> 01:21:20.000 Envy, which is the rottenness of the bones. 01:21:20.000 --> 01:21:23.900 You know what I think this is teaching? Is that envy can literally kill you. 01:21:24.600 --> 01:21:29.920 Envy can literally harm your health. Why is that because when you're envious and you're bitter 01:21:30.240 --> 01:21:34.600 Like I said when you've gone through this before when you felt this it's very vexing to you 01:21:35.320 --> 01:21:41.440 When you're bitter when you're envious you often cannot sleep you often can't focus 01:21:41.780 --> 01:21:47.560 You can't eat you're just losing your mind. You're struggling. You know that is that's actually affecting your health 01:21:48.400 --> 01:21:51.800 And people who are just super bitter, super envious, 01:21:51.800 --> 01:21:55.040 you often see them just having a hard time with health. 01:21:55.040 --> 01:21:57.300 And you know, you see the cheerful old person, 01:21:57.300 --> 01:21:59.800 they're often just spry, and they have energy, 01:21:59.800 --> 01:22:00.800 and they're able to do stuff, 01:22:00.800 --> 01:22:02.240 because they're a happy old man, 01:22:02.240 --> 01:22:03.740 or they're a happy old woman. 01:22:03.740 --> 01:22:04.580 You know why? 01:22:04.580 --> 01:22:06.640 Because they haven't held on to bitterness. 01:22:06.640 --> 01:22:09.540 If someone makes it to old age happy, 01:22:09.540 --> 01:22:11.140 that's by choice. 01:22:11.140 --> 01:22:12.920 Because they have plenty of opportunities 01:22:12.920 --> 01:22:14.200 in their life to get bitter. 01:22:14.400 --> 01:22:15.480 or to get envious, right? 01:22:15.480 --> 01:22:16.800 You don't make it 80 years, 01:22:16.800 --> 01:22:18.400 and it's just like everything went perfectly. 01:22:18.400 --> 01:22:20.520 Nothing went wrong, no one ever lied about me. 01:22:20.520 --> 01:22:23.040 I never lost anything, I never had any struggles. 01:22:23.040 --> 01:22:24.440 You make it long enough in life, 01:22:24.440 --> 01:22:26.080 it doesn't even take that long to be honest. 01:22:26.080 --> 01:22:28.000 There's gonna be reasons for you to get bitter 01:22:28.000 --> 01:22:29.400 if you choose. 01:22:29.400 --> 01:22:31.600 And if someone's happy in their old age, 01:22:31.600 --> 01:22:33.760 it's because they chose to be happy. 01:22:33.760 --> 01:22:35.760 It's because they just made the decision to what? 01:22:35.760 --> 01:22:37.280 Put away bitterness. 01:22:37.280 --> 01:22:38.880 And if you don't put away bitterness, 01:22:38.880 --> 01:22:40.520 it could literally kill you. 01:22:40.520 --> 01:22:41.900 It could literally affect your health. 01:22:42.500 --> 01:22:44.740 Go to 1 Peter 5. 01:22:44.740 --> 01:22:45.740 So what's the answer? 01:22:45.740 --> 01:22:50.360 Well, look, some of your problems in life you can control, some you cannot. 01:22:50.360 --> 01:22:54.680 For things that you can control, get better, not bitter. 01:22:54.680 --> 01:22:59.560 Christianity is not a zero-sum game where someone else's gain is your loss. 01:22:59.900 --> 01:23:02.900 God blessing another person is God not blessing you. 01:23:02.900 --> 01:23:04.900 God promoting someone else is God not promoting you. 01:23:04.900 --> 01:23:06.900 That's not how Christianity is. 01:23:06.900 --> 01:23:09.900 The same Holy Spirit that enables other men to do great things 01:23:09.900 --> 01:23:11.900 can enable you to do great things. 01:23:11.900 --> 01:23:14.900 The same Holy Spirit that allowed churches of the past 01:23:14.900 --> 01:23:16.900 to grow and do great things, 01:23:16.900 --> 01:23:19.900 that same Holy Spirit is available to us today. 01:23:20.400 --> 01:23:21.780 But what are we lacking? 01:23:21.780 --> 01:23:26.160 We're lacking a lot of people that get on their face and beg for God's power and ask, 01:23:26.160 --> 01:23:28.840 hey, God, reveal to me how I could get better. 01:23:28.840 --> 01:23:30.320 God, what can I change? 01:23:30.320 --> 01:23:31.800 God, how can I grow? 01:23:31.800 --> 01:23:32.800 Search me, oh God. 01:23:32.800 --> 01:23:33.800 Know my heart. 01:23:33.800 --> 01:23:35.640 See if there be any wicked way in me. 01:23:35.640 --> 01:23:38.560 We have more Christians today coming to church saying, I thank you that I'm not as other 01:23:38.560 --> 01:23:38.840 men. 01:23:39.300 --> 01:23:45.100 That's the problem. That's the difference between real ones and fake ones. 01:23:45.100 --> 01:23:49.100 Okay? For things, also I want to say this, the Bible says in Romans 12-15, 01:23:49.100 --> 01:23:52.100 rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with them that weep. 01:23:52.100 --> 01:23:54.100 Be happy for other people's success. 01:23:54.600 --> 01:23:56.760 Do not be envious of other people. 01:23:56.760 --> 01:23:59.600 If people get promoted, be happy for them. 01:23:59.600 --> 01:24:02.900 Two people are applying for the same job, they get the promotion, you better assist 01:24:02.900 --> 01:24:05.000 that person when they're in a new position. 01:24:05.000 --> 01:24:08.100 Help them, want them to succeed, don't want to see them fail. 01:24:08.100 --> 01:24:10.880 Don't look at your brothers in Christ and want to see them fail. 01:24:10.880 --> 01:24:12.080 Want to see them torn down. 01:24:12.080 --> 01:24:14.140 Rooting for your brother's failure. 01:24:14.140 --> 01:24:15.400 You shouldn't have that attitude. 01:24:15.400 --> 01:24:17.300 Be happy when other people are blessed. 01:24:17.300 --> 01:24:19.840 When people are sad, be sad with them. 01:24:19.840 --> 01:24:21.200 Commiserate with them. 01:24:21.400 --> 01:24:23.800 And then of course things that are out of your control. 01:24:23.800 --> 01:24:26.680 The only thing you could do is just give those things to God in prayer. 01:24:27.640 --> 01:24:29.160 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 5. 01:24:30.040 --> 01:24:33.960 It says, likewise, the younger submit yourselves unto the elder. 01:24:33.960 --> 01:24:38.200 Yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility. 01:24:38.400 --> 01:24:42.320 For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. 01:24:42.320 --> 01:24:46.080 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, 01:24:46.080 --> 01:24:54.720 that he may exalt you in due time. Verse 7, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. 01:24:55.100 --> 01:25:00.100 God cares about our needs, about our trials, about our struggles. 01:25:00.100 --> 01:25:02.100 He knows that we are just flesh. 01:25:02.100 --> 01:25:04.100 He knows that we are weak. 01:25:04.100 --> 01:25:07.800 And look, there's some things in life that you cannot change at all. 01:25:07.900 --> 01:25:13.080 I'm sure every single person in this room has a situation where it's like I'm not happy about this situation 01:25:13.340 --> 01:25:16.960 I've done what I can there's nothing I could do about it 01:25:16.960 --> 01:25:20.560 Well, here's your answer right now is cast all that stuff on God 01:25:20.700 --> 01:25:26.600 Give the Lord all of that stuff in prayer and just say blessed be the name of the Lord thy will be done 01:25:26.600 --> 01:25:30.060 I'm moving on with my life, but do not get bitter 01:25:31.400 --> 01:25:37.640 You are going to have issues in your life that if you choose to can make you to become bitter 01:25:37.760 --> 01:25:41.200 But let me warn you if you do that you're grieving the Holy Spirit of God 01:25:41.760 --> 01:25:43.960 If you do that you are harming yourself 01:25:44.440 --> 01:25:50.640 If you do that you will harm the cause of Christ and if you do that you can literally harm your own health 01:25:51.100 --> 01:25:56.380 You can lead yourself to an early great. So you know what we should do what the Bible says we should do put away 01:25:57.000 --> 01:26:03.340 Bitterness, let's pray lord. Thank you for your word. Thank you for the word of god that could just comfort us and instruct us through difficult times 01:26:04.060 --> 01:26:07.580 Lord, I pray that every single person in here would have a humble heart before you 01:26:08.060 --> 01:26:12.300 That we would ask you regularly to search us to help us to become better people 01:26:12.780 --> 01:26:17.600 Help us to approach preaching with how we could get better instead of constantly thinking about others 01:26:18.000 --> 01:26:21.200 Help us to have a soft heart towards you and to never get bitter. 01:26:21.200 --> 01:26:24.400 And help us to love each other and to be a unified church. 01:26:24.400 --> 01:26:26.160 And in Jesus name we pray, amen. 01:26:35.000 --> 01:26:38.360 This evening turn if you would to 162 01:26:42.900 --> 01:26:51.060 hymn number 162 162 to God be the glory. 01:26:56.300 --> 01:27:00.460 162 let's sing it out together