Are You Willing to Risk Heaven Over Bitterness???

“…he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and whatever he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3

We can all be like a tree that is firmly planted, well watered, produce fruit and prosper. 

Tree roots reach deep into an unending moisture supply.    As Christians, we are planted along a river bank.   God is our unending source of energy, power and divine moisture.  We have a choice in life to become rooted and grounded in the love of God or to contaminate our supply.  

A root of bitterness can damage our growth in Christ.  Our tree will become barren and will eventually die.

Bitterness settles in when the circumstances in our life contaminates our heart.  We cannot control the circumstances that come our way, but we can control our attitude towards them.   We can control our reactions to the trials we encounter.

A lot of people allow their past to control and contaminate their future.  The bitterness sets in and their future will not be any better than their past.

Bitterness pollutes your future.

Bitterness will birth a negative attitude, cynicism, jealousy, hatred and anger, just to name a few.  Heb. 12:15 says, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and by it many be defiled.”  Bitterness causes offense and wounds!    Bitterness does affect those around us.

 

Some people try to cover up their negative, bitter attitude with being overly kind.  We have all seen trees with their roots exposed above the ground.  The root of bitterness will surface and you will be exposed.

Rom. 3:13-18 explains the depth of bitterness, and one way it is exposed:

“…their throat is an open grave with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their path, and the path of peace have they not known.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

An asp is a small snake that is very poisonous—deadly.  

A bitter person, who claims to know Jesus, is aware of God’s word but they lack the fear---reverence of God to stop or change.   They feel their pain and anger is more important than God.  They don’t even see that they are in disobedience to His word because their thoughts are consumed with them. 

They have deceived themselves into believing God has forgiven them for their sins so they are justified to hold a grudge or harbor unforgiveness.

Their bitterness controls them, not God’s word.

What have you sacrificed because you refuse to let go of your bitterness?

What price are you willing to pay to hold on to unforgiveness, anger, jealousy and hatred?

Are you willing to risk heaven over bitterness?

Is it possible to get left behind due to the sin of bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, jealousy, anger, control, manipulation?  

 How much sin would it take to get left behind?

Remember, there is NO sin in God nor is there sin in His presence.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  Psalm 51:10