3. How Does Love Overcome Bitterness...•1 Sam 18:20-21, 25 - Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give

Agapao = to take a deep caring interest in someone or something; deliberate choice to do what is in the best interest of another

LOVE

3. How Does Love Overcome Bitterness?

August 18, 2019

How does Satan work to destroy us?

• As a young Christian, you may not understand the dangers in the “works of the flesh”

• Consider the “angry family” characteristics (Gal. 5:19-21)


• Gal. 5:19-21 - Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.


• You might be surprised to see how many Christians would fall over time

• These works can cause you to lose your mind! • God tells us that we must “major” in guarding our

hearts! • Prov. 6:23 - For the commandment is a lamp, And

the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,


• We win the battle of the mind when we allow God’s word to produce the fruit of the spirit in our hearts. (Gal 5:22-23)

• This says fruit and not “fruits” - we must possess all!

The Love of God teaches us how to think

• When we are emptied and transformed by God’s

love, then we will respond to all things differently! • 1 Cor 13:4-7 - Love suffers long and is kind; love

does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


• In the things that we experience we can choose

to emotionally react or thoughtfully act out of love. • This is very difficult and requires diligent teaching

and thought. • God’s love teaches us that God knows what

happens to us and we should give God those things that we cannot change. (Mt 11:28-30; Lk 12:6-7)

• Matt. 11:28-30 - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

• Luke 12:6-7 - “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.



• When anger gives way to bitterness men can lose

the ability to reason! • When men are stirred emotionally they can easily

forsake sound men. • Gal 4:16-17 - Have I therefore become your

enemy because I tell you the truth? 17 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.


• When men are stirred to anger they can easily

forsake sound teaching. • Gal 5:8-10 - This persuasion does not come from

Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.


• You can see the rash, unmerciful way they speak

and act. (Gal 5:13-16)

• Gal 5:13-16 - For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.



• Have you ever had to deal with an angry man in

your life? • We have a great example of this situation in King

Saul and David. • How can we keep from becoming like the

unreasonable, angry man?

We will be tested in life by angry & unreasonable people.

• God will let you be tested by unfair people! • There are many things and many people that we

cannot change! We must know our limitations! • 1 Cor. 3:5-7 - Who then is Paul, and who is

Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.


• Some work by intimidation and guilt to get their own way.

• It is not uncommon to have an enemy without a cause! (Ps 35:19-21; 69:4)


• Ps 35:19-21 - Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. 20 For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land. 21 They also opened their mouth wide against me, And said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”


• Ps 69:4 - Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it.


• A Christian’s effectiveness can be blocked to one who has listened to gossip! Unjust people will believe it.

• The man who loves will believe all things and be just.

• Prov 18:17 - The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.


• A person can do you wrong and then hate you!

• Prov 26:28 - A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

• Saul became David’s enemy because of envy. (1 Sam 18:7-9)


• 1 Sam 18:7-9 - So the women sang as they danced, and said:“Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.” 8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward.


• David would do anything for Saul! Even though David tried to help, this was something completely beyond David’s ability to change.

• David has God’s love as his foundation. He kept his eyes on the Lord! (Ps 17:1-2, 7-8)


• Ps 17:1-2 - Hear a just cause, O Lord, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. 2 Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.

• Ps 17:7-8 - Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them. 8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,

• Paul asked to be delivered from unreasonable men.

• 2 Thess. 3:2- and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.


Bitterness can overtake a child of God

• When bitterness overcomes a person, Satan takes control of the heart.

• Eph 4:26-27 - “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil

• You must let the desire for personal vengeance go. • Rom 12:19 - Beloved, do not avenge yourselves,

but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

• When you fail to do this it will take over your heart like a cancer.

• A bitter man will hide his motives! He will also lie to himself.

• Prov 10:19 - In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

• Sadly, some will come to you as a friend and have a heart of bitterness. Some will view you as a competitor. (Prov 27:6)


• Prov 27:6 - Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful

• Saul pretended to care for David but actually wanted to harm him.

• He pushed for David to marry one of his daughters as an “honour” to him but his real motive was for David’s harm. (1 Sam 18:17, 20-21, 25)


• 1 Sam 18:17 - Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord's battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”


• 1 Sam 18:20-21, 25 - Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21

So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today… 25 Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king's enemies.’ ” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.


• David learned the difference between what Saul said and his motives.

• An angry man will blindly sacrifice his family for his anger.

• Eph 6:4 - And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.


• Many “unsolvable problems” among God’s people are a result of bitterness.

• When you are angry you can easily accept false doctrine because of you hatred of “legalistic brethren.” (Deut 29:18-19)


• Deut 29:18-19 - so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; 19 and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.


• You become poison! If you stay like this it is just a matter of time before you leave “sectarian brethren” and take others with you.

• Prov 14:10 - The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.

• Please do not closely associate with an angry man. • Prov 22:24-25 - Make no friendship with an angry

man, And with a furious man do not go, 25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.


• The heart of bitterness will slander and gossip. • Psa 64:2-5 - Hide me from the secret plots of the

wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity, 3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words, 4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear. 5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter; They talk of laying snares secretly; They say, “Who will see them?”


• Psa 35:19-21 - Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. 20 For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land. 21 They also opened their mouth wide against me, And said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”

•


• We need to be careful who we open our ears to! • 1 Jn 3:14-15 - We know that we have passed from

death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

• Anger is easily spread. If you lose control of your heart you can easily change your doctrinal beliefs! (Prov 29:22; 15:1)


• Prov 29:22 - An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.

• Prov 15:1 - A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Bitterness can overtake a child of God How Love Overcomes Bitterness

• Jesus is love and he showed us how to overcome angry men.

How Love Overcomes Bitterness

• 1 Pt 2:19-23 - For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

•


• God’s love helps me keep my hurts in perspective. • Heb 12:3-4 - For consider Him who endured such

hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

• I want Jesus in control of my life! Love lets me let go and move on!

• Love lets me see the terrible fruits the angry person will experience.


• They will have problems with relationships. • Prov 25:21-24 -If your enemy is hungry, give him bread

to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you. 23 The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance. 24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.


• They will tear down what they work hard to build up. The ones most affected by anger will be your family.

• Eph 6:4 - And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

• We gain wisdom in how to defeat it. (Prov 16:32; James 1:19-20)


• Prov 16:32 - He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

• James 1:19-20 - So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.


• Love lets adversity draw us closer to God. • Psa 27:11-14 - Teach me Your way, O Lord, And lead me

in a smooth path, because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence. 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!


• While your enemy frets and plots in his self-defeating bitterness, you can move on and rejoice in the manifold love of God.

• Psa 23:4-6 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.


• You also will draw closer to Christians! God’s love will not let you down

• 2 Thess 3:5 - Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ

• Let God’s love free us from the bondage of bitterness.

• Eph 4:31-32 - Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

ConclusionHow to Become a Christian

Hear: John 6:45; Romans 10:17; Rev 1:3 Believe: Heb. 11:6; Jam. 2:24; Mark 16:16 Repent: 2 Cor. 7:10; Luke 15:7; Acts 2:38 Confess: Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10 Be Baptized: Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38;1 Pt 3:21-22

Live Faithfully: Matthew 7:21-23; Rev. 2:10

Documents

3. How Does Love Overcome Bitterness...•1 Sam 18:20-21, 25 - Now Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul said, “I will give