What is your bitterness? (Exodus 15:22-27)
22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
Moses just led the Israelites through the Red Sea
He did this on dry land, not muddy but 100% dry land
One of the greatest water miracles ever recorded in the Bible just happened 3 days ago
Pay attention to the 3 days
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
After 3 days of traveling through the wilderness, they came to Marah
They was not able to drink the water b/c it was bitter
Scripture says that it was bitter. Not sure if it was sour, poisonous etc etc, just know that they was unable to drink it
My question I want to ask you today is what in your life is bitter
This message can be a huge help to us today if we will humble ourselves and admit that we have bitterness in our heart
Some churches will not sit on certain aisles b/c they are bitter towards someone sitting on the row
It goes on in church all the time
Someone parked in my Parking Spot, SIT IN MY SEAT,
SANG MY SONG, THEY LIKED SO AND SO POTATO SALAD BETTER THAN MINE
Do you hear how crazy this sounds?
Not even going to talk about work (co workers)
Home (spouses) (siblings)
Oh Yeah, it happens
I will ask you again, what has you bitter?
Bitterness is a silent killer
It will destroy your health, your wealth, your family, - IT WILL DESTROY YOU
Bitterness becomes resentment
Resentment becomes hatred
I am talking to you from experience, when you have all 3 of these in your heart
It is a recipe for disaster - it will take you down a road that you don’t want to travel
And if you don’t get it under control
It will take something from you
What are you willing to give up
Your testimony, family, friends, wealth or your life
B/c it will take one if not all of those
Bitterness is one of Satan’s popular attacks
See, he won’t hit you from the front, he is to smart for that, he is coming at you from the side when you can’t see it coming
He uses bitterness b/c he can keep it going, all he has to do is plant that seed in you of someone who wronged you or did evil against you
Some of you are thinking, I have no idea of what you have been through
And you are absolutely correct, I don’t - but I do know how he attacks and he doesn’t play fair at all
Keep your head on a swivel and you will start to see the attack
When you do, call them out, Don’t give him the satisfaction of robbing your joy
James 4:7
Stop doing the work for Satan, he is not going to quit, so make him at least work for it
We are helping this cat out way to much - He is wearing us out with this bitterness
Ask God to yoke up with you and resist that dude
He is strong but God is stronger
It is time that we stop bowing down to Satan and submit ourselves to God
We can’t stop the thoughts that Satan drops on us but we can control how we respond
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
Remember when I told you to remember the 3 days traveling
It has literally been 3 days since one of the greatest miracles occurred and now they are complaining
The Israelites must be Baptist?
B/C we are the biggest complainers at times
We live in the greatest country and we are the most dissatisfied people on Earth
Truth be told, if we are a Christian, we have NO reason to complain about anything
B/C we have the greatest gift of salvation and we get to spend eternity in heaven
That is why we truly have no reason to complain
25 And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
Notice that Moses cried out to God
He didn’t say anything to the Israelites when they was complaining
He was used to that
Moses cried out saying they are thirsty, they are going to die, its been 3 days with no water, I don’t know what to do
God then showed hime a tree? Did you hear that? Did you hear that? Did you hear that?
Moses had to look past the bitter water to see the tree
We have to look past our bitterness
I’m going to say something pretty rough Get over it! Let it go!
Again, I am not downplaying your situation why you are bitter
I am saying you are going to have to look past the bitterness to see what God has for you
Moses threw the tree into the water and it became sweet
Not only did it become sweet, it had extra electrolytes, it had everything that they needed in order to keep going
Is that not God right there
He gives you everything that you will possibly need to keep going
The air that you breathe is not b/c some human is doing something with the ozone
It is safe to breathe b/c of what God does with it
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
If you will just listen to God very carefully, do what is right in his eyes and keep his commandments
He will not put the diseases upon you that he has the Egyptians b/c he is God that healeth.
27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
Now they have arrived at Elim and have 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees
They have set up camp
When they started out they didn’t have enough water, then God gave them just enough and now he has given them more than enough
What is it that you didn’t have enough, then he gave you just enough and now more than enough?
