June 3, 2012

Bitterness: May 30, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2012.

BITTERNESS

DEFINITION:

Anger; disappointment at being treated unfairly; resentment.

SCRIPTURE:

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Acts 8:23.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Bitterness is one of the most destructive of human emotions. Bitterness stems from the greedy desire for something that we feel has been unfairly denied to us. Bitterness results in anger and resentment that can lead us to do sinful things and can lead to our downfall. There are many situations in life today that causes bitterness. They include economic concerns, losing a job or even a home, family disagreements, jealousy of others, coveting what someone else has, etc.

Bitterness sneaks into a person’s life when they start losing their communication with their Lord. For others bitterness is part of a person’s life because they never have had a relationship with God.

In the eighth chapter of Acts (verses 5-25), we read about Philip, a follower of Jesus, who became an evangelist in Samaria. Philip, like many of the followers of Jesus had left Jerusalem to escape persecution. He continued, wherever he went, to preach the gospel message. Philip was preaching to people that were listening to false prophets who were teaching a false religion and urging false confessions.

Among them was a man named Simon, who used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria by claiming that he was the great power of God. The people followed him because he amazed them with his magic. The scripture tells us that when Simon heard Philip preach and saw him perform great miracles that he repented and believed in Jesus and was baptized.

Peter and John came to Samaria to help Philip and to pray for him in this revival. When Peter and John laid hands on the believers they received the Holy Spirit. Simon wanted to buy this ability and he offered them money so he could perform the same miracles.

It was Peter who saw that Simon’s heart was not right in the sight of God. He told Simon that he needed to repent and ask God to forgive him of his wickedness. Peter told Simon that he saw that he “was full of bitterness and a captive of sin.”  Simon was still tied up in the bond of iniquity even though he professed to be a believer. Like Simon, many people today claim to be saved but still cannot get free of their sinful ways.

The point is made very clear in this incident with Simon. Simon’s life was filled with hypocrisy, trying to fool people that he was something that he was not. He wanted to be known as the great man of God but for his own selfish purpose.

As so often happens, Simon became bitter because he was denied what he thought he should have. In Ephesians 4:30-31 we are told to get rid of all bitterness and anger because it grieves the Holy Spirit.

Where do you stand in your life? Are you bitter because of circumstances in your life that are not going well? If you are, it is sin in God’s sight and now is the time to ask for forgiveness as Peter told Simon to do. God is willing and waiting to forgive you. You are the one that needs to take that step and the Lord will change your bitterness to joy.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Ecclesiastics 10:10:

If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.

PRAYER:

Help me to get rid of any bitterness in my life. Help me to realize that bitterness serves as a divide between You and me. May our family be an example to others, never showing bitterness but always showing the love of God through our words and deeds.

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