Equipping Women to Uproot Bitterness Shelbi Cullen

Transcription

1 I. A Stry f Bitterness Equipping Wmen t Uprt Bitterness Shelbi Cullen II. A Definitin f Bitterness A. What Is Bitterness? A feeling f and, caused particularly by perceived unfairness in suffering r by adverse circumstances. 1 Bitterness is unreslved, anger and resentment. It is the result f anger changing frm an experience t a. Bitterness is seething and cnstant. Bitter peple carry the same burdens as angry peple, but t a greater extent. 2 The Bible says that bitterness is a resentful, attitude which cuts and pricks thers as well. T put it anther way, bitterness is the result f respnding imprperly r unbiblically t an. Bitterness is the result f dwelling t lng n a. 3 B. Believers, Yu Didn t Learn Christ This Way! (Eph. 4:1-32) 1. Therefre 2. Walk 3. Pikria (Gk#4088) i. Resentful state f mind, harshness, r a settled hstility that pisns the whle inner man Abandn Bitterness and Be Becming Kind, Tenderhearted & Frgiving 1 Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictinary f Bible Themes: The Accessible and Cmprehensive Tl fr Tpical Studies. Lndn: Martin Manser. 2 (Julie Ganschw, Feb ) 3 Pril, Lu (2008) Bitterness: The Rt That Pllutes 4 Warren Wiersbe, Be Rich (Clrad Springs: Victr, 1979). 1

2 III. Evidences f Bitterness (Matthew 15:19) A. Withdrawal B. Cmplaining, Gssiping, r Slandering C. Difficulty in Reslving Cnflicts. D. Distrusting E. Repaying Evil fr Evil IV. Getting T the Heart f Bitterness 5 (James 4:1-3) A. I Desire B. I Demand T whatever we lk fr any gd thing and fr refuge in every need--that is what is meant by gd. T have a gd is nthing mre than t trust and believe in him frm the heart T whatever yu give yur heart and entrust yur being that I say, is really yur gd. (Martin Luther) Hw t discern if yur desire has becme a demand: 1. What are yu preccupied with these days? Is this thing n yur mind mrning and night? 2. Hw wuld yu finish this sentence: If nly I had then I wuld be fulfilled, happy, and secure? 3. Where d I put my trust? 4. When a certain desire is nt met, hw d I respnd? With frustratin? Anger? Bitterness? Or depressin? 5. Is there smething I desire s much that I m willing t hurt thers t have it? 5 Ken Sande, Peacemaking fr Families (Carle Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2002). 2

3 C. I Judge D. I Punish V. Wrking-Out Bitterness A. Repent Befre Gd 1. Biblical Definitin a. Turn Back r Returning 2. Thmas Watsn s Dctrine f Sin a. First there is S f Sin b. Secnd there is S fr Sin. c. Third there is C f Sin. d. Fur there is S fr Sin. e. Five there is H fr Sin. f. Six there is T frm Sin. 3. Biblical Illustratin f Repentance Psalm 51 a. David ges t Gd first (v. 1) b. David has a sight f sin (vv. 3-4) c. David accepts respnsibility fr his unbiblical thughts and actins and pleads fr ttal frgiveness (v. 1-3) d. David has a biblical view f sin (v. 5) e. David has a strng desire t recncile his relatinship t Gd (vv ) f. David desires t bring glry t Gd by teaching the rebellius abut Gd s merciful ways (v. 13) g. David wants what Gd wants frm him which is a humble spirit and a cntrite heart rather than external service (vv ). B. Renew Yur Mind (Hebrews 4:12; Jhn 15) 1. Cnsume the Gspel Truths (Ephesians 1-2; Cl. 1-3; Rmans 1-11) 2. Check Yur Heart (Matthew 7:3-5) 3. Cnsider the Members f Yur Earthly Bdy as Dead t Sin (Rm. 6:1-11, Cl. 3:5-9, Gal 2:20) 3

4 C. Reaffirm Righteusness (Eph. 4:1, 32) 1. Walk in Kindness (Eph. 4:32, 1 Cr 13:4) a) Be Becming Gracius (chrests) (1) Chse t refrain frm saying unkind things abut yur ffender. (2) GenChse t lk fr active Gd-hnring ways t be a blessings tward yur ffender. 2. Walk in Tenderheartedness ( 1 Pet 3:8-9, Cl. 3:13) a) Be Becming Cmpassinate (eusplagchn) (1) Chse t refrain frm repaying evil fr evil. (2) Put n a heart that is cmpassinate 3. Walk in Frgiveness ( Cl. 3:13) a) Be Becming Bearing Up (charizmai) (1) Chse t treat the ffending party graciusly. D. Read Biblical Resurces 1. The Transfrming Pwer f the Gspel by Jerry Bridges 2. Bitterness: The Rt that Pllutes by Lu Pril 3. Unpacking Frgiveness: Biblical Questins and Deep Wunds by Chris Brauns 4. Frm Frgiven t Frgiving by Patrick Mrrisn 5. Help! I Want t Change by Jim Newheiser 6. Peacemaking fr Families by Ken Sande 4

5 Fr Further Study: 1. Lk up the fllwing verses. What were the circumstances f these individuals? What seems t be at the heart f their bitterness? Did it manifest r lead int ther cmplicated sin? Genesis 4:1-8 (Cain) Esther 5:1-9 (Haman) 2 Samuel 13 (Absalm) 2. Bitterness can als be a manifestatin f a lw view f Gd. Read Ruth 1: What is she respnding t? What is she frgetting abut the Lrd? What principle can yu glean fr yur wn life r that f yur cunselee? 3. Generally speaking bitterness is a manifestatin f a hurt that yu have chsen t dwell n t lng. It may be an indicatin that yu have nt truly frgiven the ne that has hurt yu. Accrding t Luke 17:3-10, when is frgiveness granted? Des this text indicate which party is cmmanded t g the ffended r the ffendee? Accrding t Matthew 18:32-34, hw is the unfrgiving slave characterized? Why is it appalling fr a Christian nt t frgive anther? Hw des knwing that yu ve been frgiven an unpayable debt mtivate yu t frgive thse that have ffended yu? Read Isaiah 43:25 and Jeremiah 31:34. When we frgive, what are we essentially ding? When yu truly frgive smene, what prmises are yu essentially making see a few belw and add yur wn. Yu prmise nt t impute yur ffender s trespasses against him. Yu prmise nt t dwell n the ffenses. Yu refuse t cultivate bitterness. 4. What s ne take-away frm the talk n bitterness and/r further study that yu d like t apply t yur life? 5