1 00:00:01,290 --> 00:00:02,890 Well, it's good to be back with you 2 00:00:02,890 --> 00:00:04,210 again today on Eagle's Wings. 3 00:00:04,390 --> 00:00:07,310 I trust that Jesus Christ is very special 4 00:00:07,310 --> 00:00:07,790 to you. 5 00:00:08,350 --> 00:00:09,750 He's very special to me. 6 00:00:10,410 --> 00:00:11,330 For he saved me. 7 00:00:11,650 --> 00:00:13,110 He took me out of a life of 8 00:00:14,550 --> 00:00:18,150 self and sin some number of years ago 9 00:00:18,150 --> 00:00:20,150 and has done a new thing in my 10 00:00:20,150 --> 00:00:20,550 life. 11 00:00:21,070 --> 00:00:22,870 And through all of his working and everywhere 12 00:00:22,870 --> 00:00:24,630 he's sent me and all of the stuff 13 00:00:24,630 --> 00:00:28,810 somehow or another he's put me together today 14 00:00:28,810 --> 00:00:29,410 with you. 15 00:00:30,090 --> 00:00:32,090 And I trust that this time will be 16 00:00:32,090 --> 00:00:33,050 a blessing to you. 17 00:00:33,950 --> 00:00:35,670 I never know where I'm going to be 18 00:00:35,670 --> 00:00:36,970 from week to week. 19 00:00:37,050 --> 00:00:38,750 Never know where I'm going to preach or 20 00:00:38,750 --> 00:00:39,450 not preach. 21 00:00:40,090 --> 00:00:41,590 Never know what state I'll be in. 22 00:00:43,670 --> 00:00:46,450 Along with my family, we have yielded ourselves 23 00:00:46,450 --> 00:00:48,250 to be available to the Lord for him 24 00:00:48,250 --> 00:00:50,650 to use us as he sees fit. 25 00:00:51,550 --> 00:00:55,350 And about two years ago we moved away 26 00:00:55,350 --> 00:00:57,370 from our pastorate and have gone into a 27 00:00:57,370 --> 00:01:00,630 revival ministry, a ministry of helping churches. 28 00:01:00,870 --> 00:01:03,290 We took the first year off basically for 29 00:01:03,290 --> 00:01:06,350 our family to spend time with our children, 30 00:01:07,150 --> 00:01:09,130 to prepare them for this time. 31 00:01:09,850 --> 00:01:11,890 We didn't know exactly how deep God would 32 00:01:11,890 --> 00:01:14,210 take us into this area, but he's taught 33 00:01:14,210 --> 00:01:16,510 us to let go of many things, to 34 00:01:16,510 --> 00:01:18,470 deal with many things, to give up many 35 00:01:18,470 --> 00:01:18,910 things. 36 00:01:19,530 --> 00:01:21,530 And every time we've given up something he's 37 00:01:21,530 --> 00:01:23,410 replaced it with more of his grace and 38 00:01:23,410 --> 00:01:24,670 his goodness and his presence. 39 00:01:24,670 --> 00:01:27,170 You know last week I was talking with 40 00:01:27,170 --> 00:01:29,490 you about restitution if you were listening to 41 00:01:29,490 --> 00:01:30,070 the program. 42 00:01:30,570 --> 00:01:34,510 I just can't overemphasize how important it is 43 00:01:34,510 --> 00:01:36,330 to be clean spiritually. 44 00:01:37,330 --> 00:01:41,370 It's very key that you deal with sin 45 00:01:41,370 --> 00:01:42,110 in your life. 46 00:01:43,070 --> 00:01:44,970 And Heavenly Father, I pray for my friends 47 00:01:44,970 --> 00:01:49,170 today listening that Jesus Christ will be all 48 00:01:49,170 --> 00:01:50,050 they want. 49 00:01:50,050 --> 00:01:53,170 He's all they need, but he that he 50 00:01:53,170 --> 00:01:54,750 will become all they want. 51 00:01:55,150 --> 00:01:57,790 And Father you guide our time on the 52 00:01:57,790 --> 00:01:59,930 air, you direct us as to what we 53 00:01:59,930 --> 00:02:03,050 share, the subjects we talk about, and I 54 00:02:03,050 --> 00:02:04,530 pray for my friends listening. 55 00:02:04,650 --> 00:02:06,590 There may be one without Christ as their 56 00:02:06,590 --> 00:02:08,789 Savior, and I pray that you would speak 57 00:02:08,789 --> 00:02:11,430 to them that Jesus is what they need. 58 00:02:11,850 --> 00:02:13,650 That they would come to a point, even 59 00:02:13,650 --> 00:02:16,030 right now, where they would repent of their 60 00:02:16,030 --> 00:02:18,190 sin and turn and ask Jesus to come 61 00:02:18,190 --> 00:02:18,950 into their life. 62 00:02:20,050 --> 00:02:21,630 Do what you want now, Father, during this 63 00:02:21,630 --> 00:02:22,730 time in Jesus' name. 64 00:02:23,370 --> 00:02:23,630 Amen. 65 00:02:25,450 --> 00:02:27,150 Amongst all of the things that are going 66 00:02:27,150 --> 00:02:29,850 on in the world, there's nothing more serious 67 00:02:29,850 --> 00:02:31,390 than sin in your own life. 68 00:02:32,450 --> 00:02:34,030 And as I've been talking to you about 69 00:02:34,030 --> 00:02:36,630 this, I feel like the Lord today would 70 00:02:36,630 --> 00:02:38,150 have me share a little bit with you 71 00:02:38,150 --> 00:02:42,570 about the destructive elements or effects of bitterness. 72 00:02:43,330 --> 00:02:45,830 I have some notes from a good preacher 73 00:02:45,830 --> 00:02:49,310 friend of mine, Evangelist by John Musser on 74 00:02:49,310 --> 00:02:51,310 bitterness, and the scripture is full of bitterness, 75 00:02:51,550 --> 00:02:53,230 and you can just find all kinds of 76 00:02:53,230 --> 00:02:55,350 illustrations of bitterness all around us. 77 00:02:56,470 --> 00:02:58,470 But if you're praying for revival, and that's 78 00:02:58,470 --> 00:03:00,470 what this program is geared for, for a 79 00:03:00,470 --> 00:03:03,590 revival in our nation, and it's got to 80 00:03:03,590 --> 00:03:05,490 start somewhere, and the best place to start 81 00:03:05,490 --> 00:03:07,250 is in my heart and in yours. 82 00:03:07,710 --> 00:03:09,090 And I have a burden for our churches. 83 00:03:09,710 --> 00:03:12,170 So many of our churches are not seeing 84 00:03:12,170 --> 00:03:12,970 souls saved. 85 00:03:12,970 --> 00:03:14,810 We're not dealing with things in our lives. 86 00:03:14,910 --> 00:03:17,770 We're not making restitution, and we're inviting demons 87 00:03:17,770 --> 00:03:19,290 in, and that's why I'm offering to you 88 00:03:19,290 --> 00:03:22,450 a booklet on on rock music. 89 00:03:22,950 --> 00:03:25,350 If you would like to receive this, you 90 00:03:25,350 --> 00:03:28,230 write to me, send a donation of five 91 00:03:28,230 --> 00:03:30,690 dollars to help cover the cost, and I'll 92 00:03:30,690 --> 00:03:31,490 send you this booklet. 93 00:03:31,610 --> 00:03:34,810 And also anytime anybody writes me, I usually 94 00:03:34,810 --> 00:03:36,890 send them a copy of the booklet Revival 95 00:03:36,890 --> 00:03:40,350 or Ruin that I wrote about almost six 96 00:03:40,350 --> 00:03:43,010 years ago, about how God worked in our 97 00:03:43,010 --> 00:03:44,730 part of the country in revival where it 98 00:03:44,730 --> 00:03:46,730 went for seven months, and that booklet deals 99 00:03:46,730 --> 00:03:49,650 specifically with what God did in our church. 100 00:03:50,150 --> 00:03:52,050 But it went through the state for seven 101 00:03:52,050 --> 00:03:54,010 months, and it's continued on even today in 102 00:03:54,010 --> 00:03:54,650 different areas. 103 00:03:55,310 --> 00:03:56,750 One of the things that we're trying to 104 00:03:56,750 --> 00:03:58,610 focus in on in this area of revival 105 00:03:58,610 --> 00:04:00,310 ministry is how to keep it going in 106 00:04:00,310 --> 00:04:00,790 the church. 107 00:04:01,550 --> 00:04:03,550 And I've been reading a book, an old 108 00:04:03,550 --> 00:04:05,990 book, it's 130 years on revival, and I'm 109 00:04:05,990 --> 00:04:08,430 learning some new truths and principles about it. 110 00:04:08,750 --> 00:04:10,550 Many of the old revivals went on for 111 00:04:10,550 --> 00:04:13,150 years after it hit in a land or 112 00:04:13,150 --> 00:04:15,510 a city or an area of the country. 113 00:04:15,610 --> 00:04:17,410 It went for years, and we're having to 114 00:04:17,410 --> 00:04:19,290 relearn these principles, these things. 115 00:04:20,290 --> 00:04:23,890 But let me cover this with you before 116 00:04:23,890 --> 00:04:25,790 we share with you something about bitterness. 117 00:04:31,180 --> 00:04:34,940 The Bible says, Behold, the Lord's hand is 118 00:04:34,940 --> 00:04:39,000 not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his 119 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,240 ears heavy, that it cannot hear. 120 00:04:41,860 --> 00:04:45,320 But your iniquities have separated between you and 121 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:47,840 your God, and your sins have hid his 122 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:51,160 face from you, that he will not hear. 123 00:04:51,820 --> 00:04:54,660 That's from Isaiah 59, 1 and 2, and 124 00:04:54,660 --> 00:04:57,140 if you know anything about the Bible, Isaiah 125 00:04:57,140 --> 00:05:00,320 58 is to me a key revival passage 126 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:01,000 before that. 127 00:05:02,460 --> 00:05:04,940 The first step in preparing the way to 128 00:05:04,940 --> 00:05:07,160 pray for revival is dealing with the sin 129 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:09,180 in one's own life. 130 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:11,700 And a good way to start is to 131 00:05:11,700 --> 00:05:13,580 keep a pencil and a notepad handy while 132 00:05:13,580 --> 00:05:15,940 you're praying, or you're reading the scripture, and 133 00:05:15,940 --> 00:05:18,680 anything that constantly comes up to interrupt your 134 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,200 communion with the Lord should be noted. 135 00:05:20,980 --> 00:05:22,820 You know what Paul said in Acts 24 136 00:05:22,820 --> 00:05:23,260 16? 137 00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:26,640 He said, and herein do I exercise myself 138 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,420 to have always a conscience void of offense 139 00:05:30,420 --> 00:05:33,040 toward God and toward man. 140 00:05:33,540 --> 00:05:36,600 A very good principle to practice. 141 00:05:37,460 --> 00:05:39,540 Anything that the Spirit of God keeps bringing 142 00:05:39,540 --> 00:05:41,400 up to you over and over again in 143 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,480 your conscience is something that you probably need 144 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:46,140 to deal with. 145 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:49,680 I read of a story how in Argentina 146 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:51,380 there were two men in a church who 147 00:05:51,380 --> 00:05:53,060 had not spoken to each other in 15 148 00:05:53,060 --> 00:05:56,160 years, and they were brought to see how 149 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,340 that displeased the Lord, and they were reconciled. 150 00:05:59,340 --> 00:06:01,560 And then a nurse in another church was 151 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,920 making some side money doing abortions, and God 152 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,020 convicted her of it, and she vowed that 153 00:06:09,020 --> 00:06:10,120 she would do it no more. 154 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,520 Then she took her kit of instruments, and 155 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:13,880 she drove her car out on a big 156 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,200 bridge that spanned a river coming down from 157 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:17,660 the east side of the Andes, and she 158 00:06:17,660 --> 00:06:19,740 stopped the car and tossed the instruments over 159 00:06:19,740 --> 00:06:21,160 the railing and into the river. 160 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:23,840 Dealing with what the Spirit of God had 161 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:25,060 spoke to her about. 162 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,700 A well-to-do couple invited a lady 163 00:06:28,700 --> 00:06:30,220 friend to have dinner with them in an 164 00:06:30,220 --> 00:06:34,500 expensive hotel in downtown Buenos Aires, and the 165 00:06:34,500 --> 00:06:37,000 hall leading into the dining room sparkled with 166 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,260 luxury, and the floor was beautifully tiled, and 167 00:06:40,260 --> 00:06:42,180 there were huge plate glass mirrors on the 168 00:06:42,180 --> 00:06:44,880 walls, and along one side was a row 169 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,500 of magnificent flowering potted plants. 170 00:06:48,980 --> 00:06:54,760 And after the meal, this lady, when three 171 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:56,800 of them came out, they paused in the 172 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,640 hallway to admire the flowers, and the single 173 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,560 lady thought that one of the flowers was 174 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:03,920 especially pretty. 175 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,420 So she glanced up and down the hall, 176 00:07:07,140 --> 00:07:10,440 and then as her British brethren would say, 177 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,620 she pinched the flower pot in awe. 178 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,420 She took the flower, the pot in awe, 179 00:07:14,500 --> 00:07:15,660 she took it out, put it in her 180 00:07:15,660 --> 00:07:17,100 car, and took it home. 181 00:07:18,020 --> 00:07:19,700 And a few weeks later, God tapped her 182 00:07:19,700 --> 00:07:21,920 on the shoulder and asked her, how come? 183 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,240 Has God ever done that to you? 184 00:07:25,780 --> 00:07:27,300 Maybe he's doing that to you right now. 185 00:07:27,380 --> 00:07:28,700 He's just saying, why'd you do that? 186 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:30,220 Why'd you say that? 187 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:32,480 And even though she was sick with a 188 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:34,000 bad cold, she got out of her bed, 189 00:07:34,260 --> 00:07:35,940 she went back down to that hotel, and 190 00:07:35,940 --> 00:07:37,360 she paid for her sin. 191 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:40,540 How come? 192 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:42,040 Why'd you do it? 193 00:07:42,500 --> 00:07:43,360 Why'd you say that? 194 00:07:44,100 --> 00:07:45,920 And the Spirit has been talking to maybe 195 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,380 some of you for years on something. 196 00:07:48,980 --> 00:07:49,480 A habit. 197 00:07:50,700 --> 00:07:53,760 You know, making an apology or a restitution 198 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:55,780 is one of the most difficult things a 199 00:07:55,780 --> 00:07:57,400 believer is asked to do, and that's probably 200 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,220 why we don't see it going on in 201 00:07:59,220 --> 00:07:59,700 our churches. 202 00:08:00,380 --> 00:08:01,720 But without it, you're not going to have 203 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:02,140 revival. 204 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:03,960 You're not going to see God's fullest blessing. 205 00:08:04,980 --> 00:08:07,900 But just here, we can offer a word 206 00:08:07,900 --> 00:08:09,840 of encouragement and consolation to you. 207 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,720 In most cases, where the Lord has squeezed 208 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,680 us into asking forgiveness, he will have gone 209 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,380 ahead and worked in the heart of the 210 00:08:18,380 --> 00:08:20,280 other person so that the injured party may 211 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,320 receive you in a way that you've not 212 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:22,800 imagined. 213 00:08:24,340 --> 00:08:26,220 Sunday nights in the church that we're in, 214 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,180 the pastor opens it up most of the 215 00:08:28,180 --> 00:08:31,780 time for testimonies, what God's doing, and many 216 00:08:31,780 --> 00:08:35,820 times they share how God has worked in 217 00:08:35,820 --> 00:08:37,299 an area where they went back to make 218 00:08:37,299 --> 00:08:37,919 restitution. 219 00:08:38,100 --> 00:08:39,760 And the stories are amazing. 220 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:42,100 Amazing the things that happen. 221 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:43,360 All kinds of things happen. 222 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:45,060 People get saved when they go back to 223 00:08:45,060 --> 00:08:45,940 make restitution. 224 00:08:46,780 --> 00:08:48,960 The people, they drop their jaws. 225 00:08:49,500 --> 00:08:51,420 They just, their mouths fly open when somebody 226 00:08:51,420 --> 00:08:52,900 comes up and tells them to do that. 227 00:08:53,260 --> 00:08:55,100 It is something that's so unheard of, but 228 00:08:55,100 --> 00:08:55,840 it's so powerful. 229 00:08:56,580 --> 00:08:57,760 A humbling of ourself. 230 00:08:58,780 --> 00:08:59,760 You remember last week? 231 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:02,960 How frightened Jacob was when he got the 232 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:04,660 news that his brother Esau was coming to 233 00:09:04,660 --> 00:09:05,660 meet him with 400 men? 234 00:09:05,980 --> 00:09:06,720 I shared that with you. 235 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,500 But God did something in Esau's heart so 236 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:11,500 that when they met he, he was actually 237 00:09:11,500 --> 00:09:13,120 delighted and hugged Jacob. 238 00:09:14,260 --> 00:09:16,840 Jacob lived in fear of nothing. 239 00:09:17,580 --> 00:09:18,780 Esau's heart had melted. 240 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:21,800 Now if you've not quite had the courage 241 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:23,900 to to straighten up some sin in your 242 00:09:23,900 --> 00:09:26,440 life, and you're invited to participate in a 243 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,640 time of prayer, it might be wiser to 244 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:31,020 decline than to risk short-circuiting the prayer 245 00:09:31,020 --> 00:09:31,860 of the entire group. 246 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,040 I believe many of our prayer meetings are 247 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:39,640 just shams, because we know there's somebody there 248 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,120 with sin in their life, and we're letting 249 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:42,000 them pray with us. 250 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:44,360 We're tolerating sin. 251 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:47,980 Now, let me talk with you about prayer 252 00:09:47,980 --> 00:09:49,700 for revival a little bit more before we 253 00:09:49,700 --> 00:09:51,120 go into our study today. 254 00:09:52,860 --> 00:09:55,920 But Dr. Torrey said, it's not necessary that 255 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:57,500 the whole church get to pray and to 256 00:09:57,500 --> 00:09:58,040 begin with. 257 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,060 Great revivals always begin in the hearts of 258 00:10:01,060 --> 00:10:03,000 a few men and women whom God arouses 259 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,500 by His Spirit to believe in Him as 260 00:10:05,500 --> 00:10:07,580 a living God, as a God who answers 261 00:10:07,580 --> 00:10:09,960 prayer, and upon whose hearts He lays a 262 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,680 burden from which no rest can be found 263 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:16,020 except in importunate crying to God. 264 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:18,940 You say, well, I don't know of anybody 265 00:10:18,940 --> 00:10:20,040 else I can pray with. 266 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:21,920 Well, that might be the case. 267 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:24,780 But that's no reason why you can't pray 268 00:10:24,780 --> 00:10:25,800 yourself for revival. 269 00:10:25,940 --> 00:10:27,520 Pray that God will give you somebody to 270 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,060 pray with you for revival. 271 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:31,680 Perhaps the Lord will put you in contact 272 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:33,320 with one or two others in your area 273 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:34,100 who would be interested. 274 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:36,500 You know, even though He might not do 275 00:10:36,500 --> 00:10:38,440 that, you can still be a David Brainerd. 276 00:10:38,860 --> 00:10:41,040 He prayed alone in whole villages of Indians, 277 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,000 men, women, and children all turned to the 278 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:43,200 Lord. 279 00:10:43,560 --> 00:10:45,700 James Frazier in Burma also prayed alone with 280 00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:47,440 the exception of a few of his relatives 281 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,080 on the other side of the world in 282 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,000 England, and some 20,000 of the Lai 283 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:53,260 Su people came to the Lord. 284 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,640 So if there's one, two, three neighbors or 285 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:58,360 your friends that have an interest in prayer 286 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,640 for revival, then start a little prayer meeting 287 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:01,720 with them. 288 00:11:02,180 --> 00:11:04,360 Small prayer meetings are more flexible than the 289 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:05,160 large ones anyway. 290 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:07,620 It's easier to agree on the time to 291 00:11:07,620 --> 00:11:08,560 get together and all that. 292 00:11:08,660 --> 00:11:10,460 So pray for revival for America. 293 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:12,300 Pray for revival for your church. 294 00:11:13,380 --> 00:11:15,520 Many Christians, I believe, have the notion that 295 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:17,200 the more people they can induce to come 296 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:18,380 to a prayer meeting, the better. 297 00:11:18,900 --> 00:11:20,200 That's not necessarily true. 298 00:11:20,700 --> 00:11:23,140 You never know in a large meeting how 299 00:11:23,140 --> 00:11:24,200 many Aikens you have. 300 00:11:24,580 --> 00:11:26,320 Read Joshua chapter 7. 301 00:11:26,980 --> 00:11:30,480 One preacher said, he said, I once had 302 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,200 what I thought was a nice prayer group 303 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,100 only to learn that one of the women 304 00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:35,760 who prayed the loudest was the cook in 305 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:36,920 a house of prostitution. 306 00:11:38,180 --> 00:11:39,280 So you just pray. 307 00:11:39,420 --> 00:11:41,960 You start praying that God will send a 308 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:44,880 revival in your life, in your church. 309 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:46,620 And if you like this booklet, you write 310 00:11:46,620 --> 00:11:48,600 to me on rock music. 311 00:11:48,940 --> 00:11:50,920 I believe many of our churches are inviting 312 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:52,240 demons into their churches. 313 00:11:52,660 --> 00:11:54,580 Many of the young people are confused. 314 00:11:54,580 --> 00:11:55,740 There's two standards. 315 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,020 They're not being taught what's right. 316 00:11:58,140 --> 00:12:01,840 And they're they're being taught what's wrong and 317 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:02,600 it's destroying them. 318 00:12:02,680 --> 00:12:03,960 They're wondering why they have no power. 319 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:05,460 You ever wondered why your church is not 320 00:12:05,460 --> 00:12:06,820 sending out missionaries anymore? 321 00:12:07,340 --> 00:12:09,760 We've compromised so much, accepted the ways of 322 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,360 the world so much into our lives. 323 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:14,920 Now, as we go into this new year 324 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:19,060 and we're just getting started this month, one 325 00:12:19,060 --> 00:12:22,620 of the most destructive sins that I know 326 00:12:22,620 --> 00:12:22,920 of. 327 00:12:24,740 --> 00:12:26,000 Is that of bitterness? 328 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,400 You can get out your Webster and Webster 329 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,960 will define bitterness as having a sharp, generally 330 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,960 disagreeable taste, painful as a bitter experience, severe 331 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,880 as bitter, cold, cruel, stinging as bitter words. 332 00:12:40,820 --> 00:12:44,600 The Greek word for bitterness, Piazzo, means to 333 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:45,080 squeeze. 334 00:12:45,820 --> 00:12:48,360 Actually, it will squeeze the life out of 335 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,360 you, out of the person that's bitter. 336 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:54,420 That person is always hurt more than the 337 00:12:54,420 --> 00:12:56,920 one that they're against, means to squeeze, to 338 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,100 seize, to officially arrest or in hunting to 339 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:02,860 capture, to apprehend, to catch, to lay hand 340 00:13:02,860 --> 00:13:05,020 on, to take, also to pack, to press 341 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:06,580 down from strong. 342 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:08,140 Are you bitter? 343 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:10,480 Are you bitter? 344 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,480 The Bible says, if you'd like to turn 345 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:15,440 in your Bibles to Ephesians 430, and I'm 346 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,160 going to take you through many passages that 347 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:22,800 we are to let all bitterness, we're to 348 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,440 let all bitterness be put away from you. 349 00:13:26,580 --> 00:13:27,700 Ephesians 4. 350 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:30,500 Thirty one. 351 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,000 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and 352 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:36,940 clamor and evil speaking be put away from 353 00:13:36,940 --> 00:13:39,340 you with all malice. 354 00:13:40,500 --> 00:13:43,160 Have you ever thought about this thing of 355 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:43,480 bitterness? 356 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:44,740 Are you bitter? 357 00:13:46,100 --> 00:13:47,020 Are you bitter? 358 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,400 It is the attitude that refuses to make 359 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:52,860 reconciliation with others. 360 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:54,540 Last week and today, I've talked with you 361 00:13:54,540 --> 00:13:55,920 a little bit on reconciliation. 362 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:58,560 I will not go to them, to them. 363 00:13:58,640 --> 00:13:59,620 They offended me. 364 00:13:59,900 --> 00:14:00,700 I am right. 365 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:01,340 They're wrong. 366 00:14:01,580 --> 00:14:02,500 They can come to me. 367 00:14:04,620 --> 00:14:08,380 That, my friend, is the attitude of bitterness. 368 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,340 First of all, bitterness has a conforming process 369 00:14:12,340 --> 00:14:14,760 and not a transforming process. 370 00:14:14,980 --> 00:14:16,500 If you know what the scripture says in 371 00:14:16,500 --> 00:14:18,720 Romans 12, Paul said, I beseech you, therefore, 372 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,460 brethren, by the mercies of God that you 373 00:14:21,460 --> 00:14:24,920 present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable 374 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:26,940 unto God, which is your reasonable service. 375 00:14:27,380 --> 00:14:29,860 And do not be conformed to this world. 376 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,620 I propose to you that bitterness is part 377 00:14:34,620 --> 00:14:37,340 of this world, but be you transformed by 378 00:14:37,340 --> 00:14:39,060 the renewing of your mind that you may 379 00:14:39,060 --> 00:14:41,520 prove what is that good and acceptable and 380 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:42,680 perfect will of God. 381 00:14:43,020 --> 00:14:47,460 Bitterness has a conforming process, not a transforming. 382 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,660 The word of God, as you saturate yourself 383 00:14:50,660 --> 00:14:52,200 on that and you think on the word 384 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,060 of God, you become what you think. 385 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:56,480 As a man thinks, so he is. 386 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,040 So if you're bitter against somebody, that's the 387 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,880 area you're going to conform to. 388 00:15:02,780 --> 00:15:05,460 It conforms us actually to this age, which 389 00:15:05,460 --> 00:15:07,060 is under the control of Satan. 390 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,680 So we're not to be conformed to this 391 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:14,500 age, we're not to to take on the 392 00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:17,960 shape of this age and the patterns of 393 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:18,360 thinking. 394 00:15:19,100 --> 00:15:23,180 I was looking at Ephesians chapter 2, verse 395 00:15:23,180 --> 00:15:23,900 2 and 3. 396 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,780 Paul said in verse 1, And you had 397 00:15:26,780 --> 00:15:29,040 be quickened who were dead in trespasses and 398 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,420 sins, wherein in time past you walked according 399 00:15:31,420 --> 00:15:34,420 to the course of this world, according to 400 00:15:34,420 --> 00:15:35,860 the prince of the power of the air, 401 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:37,800 the spirit that now worketh in the children 402 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:38,840 of disobedience. 403 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,400 Among whom also we all had our conversation 404 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,600 in times past, in the lust of our 405 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:46,820 flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and 406 00:15:46,820 --> 00:15:49,160 of the mind, and were by nature the 407 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:50,800 children of wrath, even as others. 408 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:56,120 Bitterness is a conforming process to the flesh, 409 00:15:56,740 --> 00:15:59,320 to the lust of our flesh, to the 410 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,200 desires of the flesh and of the mind. 411 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:04,720 It's from the world, it's actually from the 412 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:05,020 pit. 413 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:09,740 Bitterness, Satan is a bitter, bitter fallen angel. 414 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,520 Very bitter, bitter people, if you get around 415 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,560 them, they spoil your fun, they spoil your 416 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,580 party, they spoil the atmosphere, they are angry 417 00:16:19,580 --> 00:16:20,820 inside, they are bitter. 418 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:24,220 Do you know one? 419 00:16:25,580 --> 00:16:26,520 Are you one? 420 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,960 It is actually enmity with God. 421 00:16:31,650 --> 00:16:37,640 The Bible says, in Romans 8, 5, and 422 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,500 let me just inject bitterness in the place 423 00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:41,140 of flesh. 424 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:46,060 For they that are after the flesh do 425 00:16:46,060 --> 00:16:47,480 mind the things of the flesh. 426 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:49,260 For they that are after bitterness do mind 427 00:16:49,260 --> 00:16:50,140 the things of bitterness. 428 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,120 But they that are after the spirit, the 429 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:52,780 things of the spirit. 430 00:16:52,780 --> 00:16:54,540 For to be carnally minded, or let's say 431 00:16:54,540 --> 00:16:57,960 to be bitterly minded, is death, but to 432 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,920 be spiritually minded is life and peace. 433 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,640 Because the carnal mind, that bitter mind, is 434 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,119 enmity against God. 435 00:17:05,980 --> 00:17:07,599 For it is not subject to the law 436 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:10,339 of God, neither indeed can be. 437 00:17:10,900 --> 00:17:13,300 It's not from God, it's not subject to 438 00:17:13,300 --> 00:17:13,819 the law of God. 439 00:17:13,940 --> 00:17:17,960 Bitterness actually is meditating upon evil, which is 440 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:19,460 strictly forbidden in the scripture. 441 00:17:20,420 --> 00:17:23,200 Strictly, God has strictly forbidden us to do 442 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:23,420 this. 443 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,180 If you turn over to Philippians, in chapter 444 00:17:26,180 --> 00:17:29,900 4, the Bible tells us that we are 445 00:17:29,900 --> 00:17:32,660 to meditate on those things which are good. 446 00:17:34,460 --> 00:17:39,500 Philippians chapter 4, starting actually with verse 1, 447 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:41,100 you come on down through there, in verse 448 00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:42,640 4, you are to rejoice in the Lord. 449 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,120 In verse 6, you are to be careful 450 00:17:45,120 --> 00:17:47,920 for nothing, but in everything by prayer and 451 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:49,200 supplication with thanksgiving. 452 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,480 Let your request be made known unto God, 453 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:53,940 and the peace of God, which passeth all 454 00:17:53,940 --> 00:17:56,560 understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through 455 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:57,240 Christ Jesus. 456 00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:00,860 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things 457 00:18:00,860 --> 00:18:03,740 are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things 458 00:18:03,740 --> 00:18:07,080 are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things 459 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:08,840 are of good report, if there be any 460 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,860 virtue, if there be any praise, think on 461 00:18:11,860 --> 00:18:12,940 these things. 462 00:18:12,940 --> 00:18:15,360 Those things which you have both learned and 463 00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:17,520 received and heard and seen in me do, 464 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:19,780 and the God of peace shall be with 465 00:18:19,780 --> 00:18:20,120 you. 466 00:18:20,360 --> 00:18:22,040 So you might ask yourself, as you're thinking 467 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,080 on something, does it fit into the category 468 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,580 of Philippians chapter 4, verse 8? 469 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:28,900 Is it true? 470 00:18:29,460 --> 00:18:30,060 Is it honest? 471 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:30,720 Is it just? 472 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:31,720 Is it pure, lovely? 473 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:33,080 Is it of good report? 474 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:34,540 Just think on that. 475 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:36,180 If it doesn't fit in with it, drop 476 00:18:36,180 --> 00:18:36,420 it. 477 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:37,420 Get rid of it. 478 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:38,580 It'll destroy you. 479 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:43,620 Meditating upon that which is evil is actually 480 00:18:43,620 --> 00:18:47,880 taking poison into your own soul, which will 481 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,740 actually destroy the spiritual life which is within 482 00:18:51,740 --> 00:18:52,360 you. 483 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:55,300 We're to think on those things which are 484 00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:55,700 good. 485 00:18:56,260 --> 00:18:59,780 Love thinketh no evil, 1 Corinthians 13, 5. 486 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:01,260 It doesn't dwell on the evil. 487 00:19:01,940 --> 00:19:05,040 The opposite of love is bitterness and evil 488 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:06,400 which is at enmity with God. 489 00:19:06,860 --> 00:19:08,640 For God is love, 1 John 4, verse 490 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:08,740 8. 491 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,260 Let me share with you in our remaining 492 00:19:11,260 --> 00:19:13,600 time today some consequences of bitterness. 493 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:16,640 Maybe God can use this in your life, 494 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,340 or maybe you can take something that might 495 00:19:19,340 --> 00:19:21,620 help somebody else that's bitter, and you can 496 00:19:21,620 --> 00:19:22,360 minister to them. 497 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,380 I have actually six consequences, if we can 498 00:19:25,380 --> 00:19:26,040 get through them. 499 00:19:26,380 --> 00:19:29,600 First of all and foremost is broken fellowship 500 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:30,300 with God. 501 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:33,460 If you turn over back to 1 John, 502 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:39,740 chapter 1, and verse 6, the Scripture tells 503 00:19:39,740 --> 00:19:45,420 us about our fellowship with God, that if 504 00:19:45,420 --> 00:19:48,240 we say we have fellowship with Him and 505 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,460 walk in darkness, we lie and do not 506 00:19:51,460 --> 00:19:51,960 the truth. 507 00:19:52,100 --> 00:19:54,320 Actually we are not practicing truth. 508 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,980 1 John 2, 9 and 11 says, Whosoever 509 00:19:58,980 --> 00:20:01,040 is born of God does not commit sin, 510 00:20:01,540 --> 00:20:03,260 for his seed remaineth in him, and he 511 00:20:03,260 --> 00:20:05,240 cannot sin, because he is born of God. 512 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,440 In this the children of God are made 513 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:09,300 known, or manifest, and the children of the 514 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:09,520 devil. 515 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,780 Whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, 516 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,160 neither he that loveth not his brother. 517 00:20:16,460 --> 00:20:18,120 For this is the message that you heard 518 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:20,280 from the beginning, that we should love one 519 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:20,600 another. 520 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,300 You know that you cannot love someone with 521 00:20:24,300 --> 00:20:25,580 bitterness in your heart. 522 00:20:26,740 --> 00:20:28,740 You have a false love, you have a 523 00:20:28,740 --> 00:20:30,280 hypocritical love. 524 00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:32,760 You have a Judas type love, when you 525 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:34,320 come up to your brother and put your 526 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,020 arm around and say, Boy, it's good to 527 00:20:36,020 --> 00:20:38,020 see you, but yet you've got something in 528 00:20:38,020 --> 00:20:38,940 your heart against them. 529 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,560 That is a Judas type love, and it 530 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:43,240 will betray. 531 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:47,320 Broken fellowship with God, you can't fellowship with 532 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:47,720 your brother. 533 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:49,860 This type of bitterness is one of the 534 00:20:49,860 --> 00:20:51,920 sins that grieves the Holy Spirit most. 535 00:20:52,460 --> 00:20:54,820 In Ephesians 4, 30, we are to put 536 00:20:54,820 --> 00:20:58,200 aside, let all bitterness, all of it, be 537 00:20:58,200 --> 00:20:59,280 put away from you. 538 00:20:59,980 --> 00:21:03,260 Secondly, not only is there broken fellowship with 539 00:21:03,260 --> 00:21:05,320 God one of the consequences of bitterness, broken 540 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,140 fellowship with God, but also broken relationships. 541 00:21:08,420 --> 00:21:10,040 How many of you know of a family 542 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,660 member, a spouse, or a friend, or someone 543 00:21:12,660 --> 00:21:14,860 in a church, or a whole church that's 544 00:21:14,860 --> 00:21:18,360 split, or an organization, or whatever, that has 545 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:19,800 this problem? 546 00:21:20,420 --> 00:21:21,260 Somebody's bitter. 547 00:21:21,740 --> 00:21:24,420 Bitterness toward one person will defile all your 548 00:21:24,420 --> 00:21:26,180 relationships, if not dealt with. 549 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:28,280 It will just defile you. 550 00:21:28,340 --> 00:21:30,080 Just a little bit of dirt in your 551 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,340 glass of water will dirty it up. 552 00:21:33,740 --> 00:21:36,440 I'm turning over to James, chapter 3. 553 00:21:37,300 --> 00:21:40,400 James, chapter 3, in verse 6, James said, 554 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:42,200 And the tongue is a fire, a world 555 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:42,860 of iniquity. 556 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,500 So is the tongue among our members, that 557 00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:48,300 it defileth the whole body, and setteth on 558 00:21:48,300 --> 00:21:50,380 fire the course of nature, and it is 559 00:21:50,380 --> 00:21:51,400 set on fire of hell. 560 00:21:51,460 --> 00:21:54,140 And we wonder why God's not blessing in 561 00:21:54,140 --> 00:21:54,540 our church. 562 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,080 We wonder why we're not seeing very many 563 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:57,600 saved. 564 00:21:59,060 --> 00:21:59,540 Bitterness. 565 00:22:00,340 --> 00:22:03,100 There's some deacon in your church that's bitter 566 00:22:03,100 --> 00:22:05,440 against another one, or bitter against the preacher. 567 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,700 Or, Lord, help us if the preacher's a 568 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:09,220 bitter preacher. 569 00:22:09,580 --> 00:22:11,380 I have run into bitter preachers. 570 00:22:11,460 --> 00:22:12,980 I was talking to one last summer. 571 00:22:13,740 --> 00:22:14,020 Bitter. 572 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,060 Bitter against one of the deacons in the 573 00:22:16,060 --> 00:22:18,220 church, and been there for 23 years. 574 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,740 23 years that had been going on. 575 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:23,000 Wow. 576 00:22:24,580 --> 00:22:27,480 No wonder the world isn't impressed. 577 00:22:29,620 --> 00:22:30,740 Broken relationships. 578 00:22:31,460 --> 00:22:34,680 But also, another consequence of bitterness is a 579 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:35,500 broken spirit. 580 00:22:36,660 --> 00:22:39,120 Job said in Job 21.25, And another 581 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:42,100 dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and 582 00:22:42,100 --> 00:22:43,600 never eateth with pleasure. 583 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:49,540 Self-destruction, mental suicide, entraps our own spirit 584 00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:51,360 in bondage and frustration. 585 00:22:52,460 --> 00:22:55,900 What a frustrating thing it must be to 586 00:22:55,900 --> 00:22:58,780 have a close relative that you have to 587 00:22:58,780 --> 00:23:00,100 avoid to stay away from. 588 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:01,820 Is it worth it? 589 00:23:02,980 --> 00:23:05,720 Is it worth it to go through life 590 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:06,180 like that? 591 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:07,640 My friend, life is short. 592 00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:09,340 It's just a vapor. 593 00:23:11,360 --> 00:23:12,540 It's just a vapor. 594 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:14,740 And then it's gone. 595 00:23:16,940 --> 00:23:18,740 And so many times we boast in our 596 00:23:18,740 --> 00:23:19,480 own pride. 597 00:23:20,020 --> 00:23:21,000 We say, I'm right. 598 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,300 But now you rejoice in your boastings. 599 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:24,720 All such rejoicing is evil. 600 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,160 And I will not move. 601 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,320 I'll stand my ground till hell freezes over. 602 00:23:31,420 --> 00:23:34,700 We say, until they come to me, I 603 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:35,500 won't go to them. 604 00:23:36,580 --> 00:23:37,040 Wow. 605 00:23:38,740 --> 00:23:42,000 You won't see revival in your life or 606 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:43,740 your church with that kind of attitude. 607 00:23:43,820 --> 00:23:44,920 A broken spirit. 608 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:48,120 And then the logical thing to follow next 609 00:23:48,120 --> 00:23:50,300 is a broken health. 610 00:23:51,340 --> 00:23:52,720 The fruits of bitterness. 611 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,700 We have lives that are shipwrecked. 612 00:23:56,020 --> 00:23:57,440 We have hurt loved ones. 613 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,740 We have destruction, confusion, and sickness. 614 00:24:01,780 --> 00:24:03,500 You know, all these things can lead to 615 00:24:03,500 --> 00:24:04,380 premature death. 616 00:24:04,460 --> 00:24:06,740 I was just reading, if I can get 617 00:24:06,740 --> 00:24:09,080 over to it, in 1 Corinthians 11. 618 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,040 You know, before you have communion, your pastor 619 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:13,740 will read, and many times he'll read 1 620 00:24:13,740 --> 00:24:14,500 Corinthians 11. 621 00:24:15,620 --> 00:24:17,020 1 Corinthians 11. 622 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:19,360 And verse 28. 623 00:24:20,340 --> 00:24:22,760 Paul said, But let a man examine himself, 624 00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:25,000 and so let him eat of that bread 625 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,040 and drink of that cup. 626 00:24:26,100 --> 00:24:29,240 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth 627 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,460 and drinketh damnation to himself. 628 00:24:32,700 --> 00:24:36,980 I know of one preacher, that a high 629 00:24:36,980 --> 00:24:39,200 percentage of his time is in the hospitals. 630 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,020 Going from hospital to hospital to hospital. 631 00:24:41,020 --> 00:24:43,780 There's probably four or five hospitals around in 632 00:24:43,780 --> 00:24:44,240 his town. 633 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:47,280 And they haven't dealt with these things in 634 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,000 his church for a long time. 635 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,140 And I wonder how many of those people 636 00:24:52,140 --> 00:24:54,100 in those hospitals from his church, and there's 637 00:24:54,100 --> 00:24:57,340 a high percentage of them, just fit into 638 00:24:57,340 --> 00:24:58,060 this category. 639 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:00,400 To bring damnation to themselves, not discerning the 640 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:00,880 Lord's body. 641 00:25:00,980 --> 00:25:03,840 For this cause many are weak and sickly 642 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:05,340 among you, and many sleep. 643 00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:08,260 And that doesn't mean they're cut and seized. 644 00:25:08,780 --> 00:25:10,000 That means they're dead. 645 00:25:11,260 --> 00:25:13,600 Paul said, If we would judge ourselves, we 646 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:14,480 should not be judged. 647 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:16,220 But when we are judged, we are chastened 648 00:25:16,220 --> 00:25:18,260 of the Lord, that we should not be 649 00:25:18,260 --> 00:25:19,320 condemned with the world. 650 00:25:19,780 --> 00:25:21,520 Bitterness is of the world. 651 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:22,640 It's of Satan. 652 00:25:22,740 --> 00:25:23,660 It's of the flesh. 653 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:26,620 And when it's allowed to come into your 654 00:25:26,620 --> 00:25:28,720 life or into the church, it poisons. 655 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:30,960 Why do we allow poison? 656 00:25:31,060 --> 00:25:32,660 Would you allow somebody to walk into your 657 00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:35,360 home, put a little strychnine in all of 658 00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:37,020 your glasses of water? 659 00:25:37,020 --> 00:25:38,560 You say, No. 660 00:25:40,100 --> 00:25:42,740 But actually we are being poisoned to death. 661 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:46,540 We had some wheat checked out here just 662 00:25:46,540 --> 00:25:47,320 a few weeks ago. 663 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:49,260 A friend of ours went to a biochemist 664 00:25:49,260 --> 00:25:51,940 and checked out her wheat and our wheat 665 00:25:51,940 --> 00:25:53,960 and found out that each of it had 666 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:56,800 a little trace, just a slight, slight trace 667 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,960 of strychnine, and it comes from the fertilizer, 668 00:25:59,140 --> 00:25:59,480 I guess. 669 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,880 Many of us are slowly poisoning ourselves to 670 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,800 death with certain foods that we eat, too 671 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,700 many sugars, which I like sweet things and 672 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:12,480 have to watch it, but bitterness is a 673 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,660 poison more deadly than strychnine. 674 00:26:15,460 --> 00:26:17,320 And over a period of time, it will 675 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:18,140 break your health. 676 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,660 You can have a broken spirit, broken relationships, 677 00:26:21,900 --> 00:26:23,940 broken fellowship with God, broken health. 678 00:26:24,300 --> 00:26:26,680 There's a fifth thing that it does. 679 00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:28,520 It gives place to Satan. 680 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:31,920 It means to oppress, to afflict, to torment 681 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:32,260 us. 682 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,320 Actually, if you have bitterness, you can give 683 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,640 him a legal right to come into your 684 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:38,940 life. 685 00:26:39,060 --> 00:26:40,980 The Bible says, Neither give place to Satan. 686 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:43,400 Giving him the legal right to afflict and 687 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:45,200 to devour us, to destroy us. 688 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:47,880 If you have bitterness, you actually are giving 689 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:49,000 him the legal right. 690 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:50,620 Neither give place to the devil. 691 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:52,900 It means don't give him a chance, an 692 00:26:52,900 --> 00:26:55,420 opportunity, or a foothold, or a loophole. 693 00:26:55,940 --> 00:26:57,700 That means a legal right because he'll take 694 00:26:57,700 --> 00:26:58,340 it every time. 695 00:27:00,990 --> 00:27:05,890 Ephesians 4.30 For not to grieve the 696 00:27:05,890 --> 00:27:06,950 Holy Spirit of God. 697 00:27:07,730 --> 00:27:09,690 I wonder how many times we've grieved him 698 00:27:09,690 --> 00:27:11,110 with our bitterness. 699 00:27:11,910 --> 00:27:14,510 And the last thing in closing is it 700 00:27:14,510 --> 00:27:16,910 can bring us into mental imprisonment. 701 00:27:17,390 --> 00:27:23,130 I was reading over in Proverbs chapter 5, 702 00:27:23,270 --> 00:27:24,070 verse 21. 703 00:27:24,750 --> 00:27:26,770 For the ways of man are before the 704 00:27:26,770 --> 00:27:27,610 eyes of the Lord. 705 00:27:27,890 --> 00:27:29,430 521, 522, and 523. 706 00:27:29,990 --> 00:27:31,630 Before the eyes of the Lord, and he 707 00:27:31,630 --> 00:27:34,090 pondereth all his goings, his own iniquities shall 708 00:27:34,090 --> 00:27:35,910 take the wicked himself, and he shall be 709 00:27:35,910 --> 00:27:38,010 holden with the cords of his sins. 710 00:27:40,050 --> 00:27:42,510 He shall die without instruction, and in the 711 00:27:42,510 --> 00:27:44,390 greatness of his folly he shall go astray. 712 00:27:44,730 --> 00:27:47,310 I was noticing one thing there. 713 00:27:47,390 --> 00:27:48,950 It says he shall be holden with the 714 00:27:48,950 --> 00:27:49,870 cords of his sins. 715 00:27:50,450 --> 00:27:53,230 Our own sins can act like a rope 716 00:27:53,230 --> 00:27:54,810 and imprison us. 717 00:27:56,150 --> 00:27:58,470 Peter said that Simon the sorcerer was in 718 00:27:58,470 --> 00:28:00,630 the gall of bitterness and in the bond 719 00:28:00,630 --> 00:28:01,310 of iniquity. 720 00:28:02,350 --> 00:28:04,150 And he hollered out to Peter to pray 721 00:28:04,150 --> 00:28:04,670 for him. 722 00:28:06,210 --> 00:28:09,650 I just wonder, in closing up, as I've 723 00:28:09,650 --> 00:28:11,650 shared this little Bible study with you today, 724 00:28:13,470 --> 00:28:15,730 there wouldn't happen to be a bitter spirit 725 00:28:15,730 --> 00:28:17,050 in you, would there? 726 00:28:17,310 --> 00:28:18,310 I'd hope not. 727 00:28:18,770 --> 00:28:20,570 I run into so many people that are 728 00:28:20,570 --> 00:28:20,730 bitter. 729 00:28:20,870 --> 00:28:21,790 You look in their face. 730 00:28:21,890 --> 00:28:22,750 You can read people. 731 00:28:22,870 --> 00:28:23,810 They're like a book. 732 00:28:24,270 --> 00:28:26,910 You can't hide the pages of your life. 733 00:28:27,030 --> 00:28:27,850 They're on your face. 734 00:28:28,430 --> 00:28:29,490 And they're in your eyes. 735 00:28:29,590 --> 00:28:31,390 I've been talking with some people in the 736 00:28:31,390 --> 00:28:31,970 last few weeks. 737 00:28:32,090 --> 00:28:33,250 I was with them this week at a 738 00:28:33,250 --> 00:28:33,510 funeral. 739 00:28:34,150 --> 00:28:36,290 And fear is all in their face and 740 00:28:36,290 --> 00:28:36,970 in their eyes. 741 00:28:37,290 --> 00:28:38,950 And they've done something against God. 742 00:28:39,470 --> 00:28:41,730 And they've invited Satan into their lives. 743 00:28:42,170 --> 00:28:44,350 They've given place to Satan. 744 00:28:44,350 --> 00:28:47,090 And their lives read like a book of 745 00:28:47,090 --> 00:28:48,350 fear and torment. 746 00:28:49,450 --> 00:28:53,130 My friend, let me pray for you. 747 00:28:54,070 --> 00:28:56,230 Lord, I pray, if there's one today listening, 748 00:28:56,390 --> 00:28:58,150 that they would come to you and confess 749 00:28:58,150 --> 00:28:58,390 it. 750 00:28:58,790 --> 00:28:59,430 Get rid of it. 751 00:28:59,690 --> 00:28:59,930 Forgive. 752 00:29:00,550 --> 00:29:01,270 It's not worth it. 753 00:29:01,630 --> 00:29:02,970 I pray that you'd set them free. 754 00:29:03,810 --> 00:29:04,990 In Jesus' name. 755 00:29:06,130 --> 00:29:07,610 Well, I trust that this has been a 756 00:29:07,610 --> 00:29:08,150 help to you. 757 00:29:08,270 --> 00:29:09,430 Just a little Bible study. 758 00:29:09,430 --> 00:29:11,990 We've been dealing with the subject of reconciliation. 759 00:29:12,450 --> 00:29:14,830 And bitterness is one of the chief sins 760 00:29:14,830 --> 00:29:16,270 in our age. 761 00:29:16,650 --> 00:29:17,750 In all ages, probably. 762 00:29:18,770 --> 00:29:20,570 And until next time, I trust that God 763 00:29:20,570 --> 00:29:21,530 will richly bless you. 764 00:29:22,070 --> 00:29:22,930 My friend.