35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17

KEY PASSAGE:

In UNDERSTANDING how bitterness come in…

In PROTECTING ourselves from becoming bitter… KEY PASSAGE: In UNDERSTANDING how bitterness come in…

In DEALING with bitterness… KEY PASSAGE: In UNDERSTANDING how bitterness come in… In PROTECTING ourselves from becoming bitter…

In UNDERSTANDING how bitterness come in… In PROTECTING ourselves from becoming bitter… HEBREWS 12:14-16 KEY PASSAGE:

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Romans 12

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Romans 12

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Romans 12

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Hebrews 12

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 2 Timothy 2

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Hebrews 12

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Hebrews 12

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Hebrews 12

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Corinthians 3

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Hebrews 12

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. Exodus 34

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Hebrews 12

A Biblical Prescription For Overcoming Bitterness

1. Stop JUSTIFYING it and CALL it what it is…

1. Stop JUSTIFYING it and CALL it what it is…SIN!

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1

2. REPENT of the sin of failing to receive and apply the GRACE God gave to you to keep you from getting bitter.

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God… Hebrews 12

3. HUMBLE yourself before the Lord, because humility is His pipeline to “MORE GRACE.”

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4

4. APPLY the grace He gives you by making a conscious and willful decision to allow the Lord to RID you of your bitterness and its resulting negative characteristics.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: Ephesians 4

5. FORGIVE the person to whom your bitterness was directed with the same FORGIVENESS God granted you because of Christ.

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4