Note: Many of the notes came from the book Pilgrims Promise: Getting out of Egypt and Getting Egypt Out of Us by Bryan Cutshall
Getting to the Promise Land: Dealing with Bitterness and Murmuring
Theme:
Text: Exodus 15 - 17
Exo 15:23-25 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. [14] (24) And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" (25) So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them,
Even though the enemy was dead, the bitter memories of Egyptian slavery were kept alive in the active files of their mind.
What is bitterness? Bitterness is the cancer of the soul.
Defined: Resentment (also called ranklement or bitterness) is the experience of a negative emotion (anger or hatred, for instance) felt as a result of a real or imagined wrong done.
How does bitterness get in?
Heb 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
Bitterness usually enters through hurt.
Bitterness can affect your health.
Overcoming Bitterness
Exo 15:26 and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you."
When Hurt – Release
1. Decide never to bring up the offense. Only as referene never as accusation
2. Believe that God will bring justice in due season.
What Scripture Says
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many" (Hebrews 12:14,15).
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:31,32).
"When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly" (I Peter 2:23).
"Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing..." (Luke 23:34).
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14,15).
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:14-21).
Getting Rid of Murmuring
Php 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
Exo 16:1-3 And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. (2) Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. (3) And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
The Company You Keep
You can determine what you will be like in 5 years by:
1. The books you read
2. The decisions you make
3. The people with whom you associate with.
2Th 3:11-14 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. (12) Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. (13) But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. (14) And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.
The Wilderness of Sin
The word Sin here is not as the same as we would think as sin. This is just the name of a city. But the word Wilderness or Rephidim means bottom. This is what happens when we murmur we hit bottom.
Complaint or Constructive Criticism.
This does not mean that we don’t offer an opinion when something is wrong. But we learn constructive criticism. We lean to have an answer or at least be willing to help.
The problem is they had started a habit of complaining which lead to a downward spiral.
Look at Miriam’s progression:
1st Complaining about circumstances.
2nd Complaining about people.
3rd Complaining about those with authority who are in leadership.
4th Complaining against the case of distrusting God.
Exo 16:8 Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord."
Exo 17:2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?"
Exo 17:5-7 And the Lord said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. (6) Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. (7) So he called the name of the place Massah [16] and Meribah, [17] because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
How to Cure Murmuring
1. Start saying the right things. It is not just enough to stop saying the wrong things.
2. Practice Encouragement
God’s Cure
Exo 17:8-16 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. (9) And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." (10) So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (11) And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. (12) But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. (13) So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (14) Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." (15) And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; [18] (16) for he said, "Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
Getting Rid of Stress
