1. Aren’t You Rooted in Bitterness? Hebrews 12: 14-15 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;

2. Bitterness Destroys –Ahithophel – II Samuel 17:1-2 1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: –David’s and Absalom’s advisor –Bathsheba was Ahithophel’s granddaughter for his father, Eliam, was his son. II Sam11:3

3. When Hushai, Absalom’s other advisor who secretly supported David, had his counsel approved over Ahithophel, he killed himself –II Samuel 17:23 - And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. Bitterness causes results –Antisocial: –Proverbs 14:10 - The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. Selfish, inconsiderate of others, withdrawn from others, indifferent or adverse to conventional standard of social behavior

4. –Lack of grace orientation: Job 9:17-18 - For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness. “ Why God let his happen to me?” He didn’t understand God’s plan. – Bitterness motivates complaining: Job 7:11 - Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

5. –Bitterness motivates gossip: Psalm 64:3 - Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: –Bitterness ruins other peoples’ lives: Hebrews 12:15 - 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; (emphasis) Solution for Bitterness –Confession of sin: I John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

6. –Filling of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5: 22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. –Study and Mediation on God’s Word: Psalm 119:11 -Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Forgive: Matthew 6:14-15: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

7. –Joseph: Genesis 50: 17 - So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. 20: But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. –Forgiveness gives you the freedom