WEBVTT - Beating Bitterness 0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:03.680 Welcome to the Joe lous Deine Podcast. Help Let's continue 0:00:03.720 --> 0:00:06.280 to share the message of hope with those all over 0:00:06.320 --> 0:00:10.360 the world. Visit Joeloustin dot com slash give Hope to 0:00:10.440 --> 0:00:17.880 give a gift today. 0:00:23.200 --> 0:00:25.880 Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:28.600 your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please 0:00:28.640 --> 0:00:31.280 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:00:31.480 --> 0:00:34.080 These are the finest people in all of Houston, Texas, 0:00:34.200 --> 0:00:37.040 right here at Lakewood, and we'd love to have you sometime. 0:00:37.840 --> 0:00:39.880 I'd like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:43.120 about this lady that was stopped at an intersection. A 0:00:43.200 --> 0:00:46.120 man came up asking for money. She dug in her 0:00:46.120 --> 0:00:49.120 purse and found a dollar bill. She rolled down her 0:00:49.159 --> 0:00:52.559 window said sir, I'm not giving you this because you 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:55.640 deserve it. I'm giving it to you because it makes 0:00:55.680 --> 0:00:58.680 me happy. He looked at her and said, ma'am, why 0:00:58.680 --> 0:01:02.080 don't you give me twenty dollars and thoroughly enjoy yourself? 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:05.880 Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:01:06.200 --> 0:01:08.560 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:01:08.640 --> 0:01:11.080 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.839 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:01:13.880 --> 0:01:17.920 of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my 0:01:18.040 --> 0:01:22.280 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:25.960 God bless you. I want to talk to you today 0:01:26.000 --> 0:01:30.039 about beating bitterness. We all go through things that are 0:01:30.040 --> 0:01:33.840 not fair. People do us wrong. We didn't get the promotion, 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:38.000 came down with an illness. You can't stop life from 0:01:38.040 --> 0:01:41.960 happening to you, but you can choose how you respond. 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:45.280 If you hold on to the hurt, you go around 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:48.480 dwelling on the offense, thinking why did they say that 0:01:48.560 --> 0:01:51.680 about me? Why did I lose my loved one? Why 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:54.840 did that friend walk away? Then you're opening the door 0:01:54.920 --> 0:01:58.960 to bitterness. When you're bitter, it affects every area of 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:03.520 your life. Bitterness poisons your attitude to where you see 0:02:03.560 --> 0:02:08.519 things in a negative light. Bitter people don't have good relationships. 0:02:08.919 --> 0:02:12.160 They're easily offended. They'll jump down your throat for the 0:02:12.200 --> 0:02:16.359 smallest thing. It's not you, it's the bitterness coming out. 0:02:16.960 --> 0:02:19.880 You may have a good reason to be bitter something 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:23.600 was unfair, but holding onto it is only going to 0:02:23.639 --> 0:02:27.040 make it worse. It's going to steal your dreams, rob 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:31.400 you of your joy. Bitterness can keep you from your destiny. Now. 0:02:31.400 --> 0:02:34.520 I know people that are still bitter over something that 0:02:34.600 --> 0:02:39.359 happened thirty years ago, Bitter because they were mistreated growing up, 0:02:39.800 --> 0:02:43.400 Bitter because a relationship didn't work out. You have to 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:47.520 let it go. God sees what's happening. He knows what 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:51.240 wasn't fair, He knows who walked away, and he knows 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:53.960 how to make it up to you. He knows how 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:57.480 to bring you out better. Let it go and trust 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:01.880 him to be your vindicator. The longer you hold on, 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:05.440 the harder it is to get rid of. The more 0:03:05.520 --> 0:03:08.240 you dwell on it, the more you relive it, the 0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:11.400 more you let it bother you, the deeper it gets planted. 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:16.560 The key is forgive quickly, let go of things you 0:03:16.600 --> 0:03:20.320 don't understand, quickly when the questions come up, why did 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:23.880 this happen? This isn't fair? When you feel the bitterness 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:27.160 trying to take root, right, then, God, I'm turning this 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:30.200 over to you. I know you're my vindicator. I know 0:03:30.280 --> 0:03:32.720 you'll make my wrongs right. You said you'd give me 0:03:32.760 --> 0:03:37.280 beauty for these ashes I found. Bitterness is always knocking 0:03:37.360 --> 0:03:40.839 at the door. You didn't get the contract. Bitterness will 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:43.680 come have a chip on your shoulder. That's not fair. 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:48.280 The medical report wasn't what you wanted. Bitterness will show up. 0:03:48.520 --> 0:03:51.800 You prayed, you believe, Why didn't God answer your prayer. 0:03:52.120 --> 0:03:55.720 That's bitterness trying to come in at the office. A 0:03:55.800 --> 0:03:58.360 coal worker says something to try to make you look 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:01.880 bad in front of people. Just a little offense, just 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:04.960 a small seed. If you ignore it, no big deal. 0:04:05.760 --> 0:04:08.640 But if you start dwelling on it, start thinking of 0:04:08.680 --> 0:04:11.760 how you can pay them back next time you see them, 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:15.160 you give them the cold shoulder, then that little seed 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:18.880 will begin to take root. Before long, it will grow 0:04:19.200 --> 0:04:22.560 and pollute other areas of your life. That's why it 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:27.080 says in Hebrews, make sure that no root of bitterness 0:04:27.240 --> 0:04:32.600 springs forth and causes trouble, and many become contaminated by it. 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:36.919 Notice it refers to bitterness as a root. You can't 0:04:36.920 --> 0:04:41.279 see a root. It's hidden, it's underground. But here's the problem. 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:45.520 A bitter root produces bitter fruit. If you have a 0:04:45.600 --> 0:04:49.120 root of bitterness, it will contaminate your life. Now. I 0:04:49.160 --> 0:04:52.240 know a young man that became disgruntled with his employer. 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:55.720 His boss was an older man, and he didn't feel 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:59.360 like he'd been treated fairly. He moved on to another state, 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:02.599 but over the years he never let it go. He 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:06.920 became more and more offended, kept talking about it, bringing 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:10.360 up all the ways he wasn't treated right. His boss 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:13.680 was good to him, he was generous and kind. There 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:16.760 were just little things. This young man kept dwelling on, 0:05:17.440 --> 0:05:21.120 blowing it out of proportion because he wouldn't let it go. 0:05:21.600 --> 0:05:26.640 That small offense turned into a root of bitterness. He 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:31.520 used to be happy, fun to be around. Now he's bitter, souring, 0:05:31.760 --> 0:05:35.480 has a chip on his shoulder. It's affecting his relationships, 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:41.440 it's affecting his career. Proverbs says, guard your heart with 0:05:41.640 --> 0:05:46.359 all diligence, for out of it flew the issues of life. 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:50.400 One of our most important responsibilities is to keep our 0:05:50.400 --> 0:05:55.159 heart pure. Life is too short to live offended, not 0:05:55.360 --> 0:05:59.320 forgiving bitter over what didn't work out. You have to 0:05:59.360 --> 0:06:02.920 guard your heart. It's easy to let what's on the 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:07.600 outside get on the inside. It takes discipline to say, 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:10.520 I'm not going to dwell on that offense. I'm not 0:06:10.560 --> 0:06:13.760 going to go around feeling sorry for myself because something 0:06:13.760 --> 0:06:18.560 didn't work out. You only have so much emotional energy 0:06:18.680 --> 0:06:23.000 each day. It's not an unlimited supply. Do you know 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:26.400 how much energy it takes to hold a grudge? To 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:31.480 go around offended, that's wasting valuable energy that you need 0:06:31.600 --> 0:06:36.200 for your dreams, for your children, for your destiny. Quit 0:06:36.279 --> 0:06:40.159 letting what's on the outside get on the inside, start 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:44.159 guarding your heart. The apostle Paul had plenty of opportunities 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:47.920 to live offended. He said, in one place, Alexander the 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:52.400 Coppersmith did me great wrong, but I'm not worried. I 0:06:52.440 --> 0:06:55.960 know God will pay him back. That's a mature attitude. 0:06:56.080 --> 0:06:59.760 Somebody did me great wrong, but I'm not upset, not bitter, 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:02.760 don't have a chip on my shoulder. I know God 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:05.920 is fighting my battles. I know God will be my vindicator. 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:10.280 What's interesting is you can't see a root, but a 0:07:10.400 --> 0:07:14.280 root is where the tree gets life. We see the outside, 0:07:14.360 --> 0:07:17.400 the leaves, the branches, but the roots are what's feeding 0:07:17.400 --> 0:07:22.960 the tree. When your roots are healthy, positive, hopeful, then 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:28.360 that's feeding you encouragement, life, strength, hope. The problem is 0:07:28.840 --> 0:07:32.040 if you have bitter roots, you're not being fed the 0:07:32.120 --> 0:07:35.520 right things. You wonder why you don't have any energy, 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:39.200 why you don't laugh anymore. Why you don't dream like 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:43.480 you used to. It's because those bitter roots are feeding 0:07:43.480 --> 0:07:48.800 you bitterness, self pity, anger. That's draining all the strength, 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:52.160 the passion, the joy. They're feeding you what they are. 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:56.160 The good news is you don't have to live with 0:07:56.280 --> 0:08:00.160 bitter roots. You need to ask God to show you 0:08:00.560 --> 0:08:04.560 what's causing you to be bitter. Maybe there's somebody you 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:08.040 need to forgive. Maybe it's a dream that didn't work 0:08:08.080 --> 0:08:11.480 out you're still sour about it. Maybe it's a mistake 0:08:11.560 --> 0:08:15.120 you made and you're still beating yourself up. If you'll 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:19.160 be honest with yourself and say, God, help me to 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:23.000 get rid of this root of bitterness. God, I'm still 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:26.400 angry over what happened when I was ten, still sour 0:08:26.560 --> 0:08:29.920 over the person that left, still grieving over my loved 0:08:29.960 --> 0:08:33.240 one that I lost twelve years ago. God, I don't 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:36.360 want to be bitter. I want my passion back. I 0:08:36.400 --> 0:08:38.600 want to love again like I used to. I want 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:41.600 to dream again. God help me to let it go 0:08:42.040 --> 0:08:45.920 and move forward. That's the first step to getting rid 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:49.480 of a bitter root. Find out what it is and 0:08:49.600 --> 0:08:52.120 ask God to help you. You can't do it on 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:56.120 your own. Ask him to help you forgive the person 0:08:56.160 --> 0:08:59.720 that hurts you. Ask him to help you release the bitterness, 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:04.800 the resentment. When you get those contaminants out, you'll not 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:07.480 only feel the weight lift off of you, but you'll 0:09:07.520 --> 0:09:11.240 get your joy back. You'll start dreaming again, and you'll 0:09:11.240 --> 0:09:14.960 see the new things God has in store. Years ago, 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:18.560 there was a great outbreak of disease in a small 0:09:18.679 --> 0:09:23.520 village in Africa. People were being overcome by nausea and sickness. 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:26.280 After a couple of months, it was so bad people 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:30.520 started dying. Word quickly reached the main city and they 0:09:30.559 --> 0:09:32.760 sent out experts to try to find out what the 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:37.440 problem was. After several days of testing, they discovered their 0:09:37.559 --> 0:09:42.560 water was contaminated. This little village got its water from 0:09:42.559 --> 0:09:47.440 a mountain stream. The researchers began to travel upstream to 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:50.520 find out where the problem was. They traveled for days 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:54.160 and days and didn't see anything wrong. They finally came 0:09:54.200 --> 0:09:57.920 to the source of the stream. Everything on the surface 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:01.880 looked fine. They decided to send some divers down to 0:10:01.920 --> 0:10:05.640 get as close to the source as possible. Much to 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:10.600 their surprise, they found a big mother pig and all 0:10:10.640 --> 0:10:13.920 of her piglets were stuck right there at the source. 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:17.720 Somehow the pigs had fallen in and drowned and became 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:22.400 wedged right at the opening. Now all this crystal clear 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:27.320 water was being contaminated as it flowed past the dead pigs. 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:31.080 All they had to do was removed the pigs, and 0:10:31.120 --> 0:10:34.560 once again the water was perfectly fine. It's the same 0:10:34.640 --> 0:10:38.280 principle in life. We all have unfair things that happened, 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:43.960 things we don't understand. Too often, instead of forgiving the 0:10:44.000 --> 0:10:47.160 people that hurt us, instead of letting go of the wrong, 0:10:47.720 --> 0:10:52.360 we've held on to it like those pigs. It's contaminated 0:10:52.400 --> 0:10:56.400 our stream. We wonder why we're negative, why we can't 0:10:56.400 --> 0:10:59.440 get along in relationships, why we keep losing our temper. 0:10:59.559 --> 0:11:02.560 We think this is just who I am. No, that 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:05.880 is not who you are. You were created in the 0:11:05.920 --> 0:11:10.440 image of God. He made you to be happy, healthy, whole, secure, 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:15.760 not bitter, angry, resentful. You need to go back and 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:19.840 get rid of what's contaminating your stream. You need to 0:11:19.840 --> 0:11:23.480 find those pigs, forgive the people that did you wrong. 0:11:24.240 --> 0:11:27.400 They hurt you once, don't let them continue to hurt you. 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:31.760 They can't stop your destiny unless you allow them to. 0:11:32.760 --> 0:11:35.800 You're not forgiving for their sake, You're forgiving for your 0:11:35.880 --> 0:11:41.000 sake so your stream doesn't stay polluted. Quit reliving that 0:11:41.120 --> 0:11:44.400 dream that didn't work out, that business that failed, the 0:11:44.480 --> 0:11:47.800 contract that didn't go through. Let it go. God has 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:51.520 another dream. That was a test. You had to go 0:11:51.600 --> 0:11:54.559 through those closed doors before you could come to your 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:57.959 open doors. It may not have been fair, but God 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:02.080 saw what happened. Get rid of the pigs if you'll 0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:05.679 turn it over to him. Start dreaming again, start believing again, 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:09.480 start hoping again. God will pay you back for what 0:12:09.600 --> 0:12:12.960 didn't work out. He's going to open doors you never 0:12:13.040 --> 0:12:16.199 dreamed would open. He's going to bring people better than 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:20.360 you ever imagine. What's in your future is much greater 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:25.200 than anything you've lost. Now my challenge. Don't let a 0:12:25.320 --> 0:12:29.480 dead pig keep you from your destiny. Don't let a 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:33.640 bitter root contaminate your life. It's time to move forward. 0:12:34.440 --> 0:12:38.319 It's very freeing when you can let things go. Say God, 0:12:38.440 --> 0:12:41.679 they did me wrong, but you're my vindicator. I had 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:45.040 a disappointment, but I know you'll turn what was meant 0:12:45.040 --> 0:12:47.600 for my harm and use it to my advantage. I 0:12:47.679 --> 0:12:50.880 lost a loved one. Yes I still miss them, but 0:12:50.920 --> 0:12:53.359 I'm not going to live better the rest of my life. 0:12:53.480 --> 0:12:56.120 I know they're with you and you have a new 0:12:56.160 --> 0:13:00.920 beginning for me. That's how you beat bitterness. Guard your heart. 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:05.439 You don't let what's on the outside get on the inside. 0:13:05.480 --> 0:13:09.480 In the Scripture, a lady named Naomi had some tough times. 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:12.920 She was living in a city called Moab. She was 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:17.320 a widow, her husband had died. Years later, both of 0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:21.880 her sons were killed, and sometimes life doesn't seem fair. 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:25.520 You have more than your share of bad breaks. It's 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:28.280 easy to get bitter and give up on your dreams. 0:13:28.840 --> 0:13:31.559 But God wouldn't have allowed it if it was going 0:13:31.640 --> 0:13:36.120 to keep you from your destiny. Yes, it's difficult, but 0:13:36.200 --> 0:13:39.800 God promises he will give you grace for every season. 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:42.800 He won't let you go through more than you can handle. 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:46.160 When that bitterness comes, you have to put your foot 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:49.240 down and say no, I'm not going there. I know 0:13:49.360 --> 0:13:52.200 God is still in control. I know his plans for 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:55.880 me are for good. What you're going through may not 0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:58.920 be good, but God knows how to bring good out 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:01.560 of it. But every thought will tell you it's never 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:04.000 going to get better. You might as well be bitter. 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:08.520 Don't believe those lies. You wouldn't be alive unless God 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:11.320 had something amazing in front of you. He has a 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:15.520 purpose for you to fulfill. Naomi had gone through so 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:19.240 much she thought she was done. She even changed her name. 0:14:19.960 --> 0:14:26.280 Naomi means my joy. She changed it tomorrow Marra means bitter. Now. 0:14:26.320 --> 0:14:29.560 When people called her Naomi, she would tell them, don't 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:33.680 call me that, call me Marrow. I'm bitter, I'm broken, 0:14:34.360 --> 0:14:37.240 my dreams are shattered. Just let me live in my pain. 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:41.760 She let the bitterness get on the inside. Maybe she 0:14:41.840 --> 0:14:44.400 had a reason. She had been through a lot of losses. 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:48.680 But just because you've been through loss, does it mean 0:14:48.880 --> 0:14:51.720 you're not going to win again? Does it mean you've 0:14:51.720 --> 0:14:55.080 seen your best days? You may have had bad breaks, 0:14:55.520 --> 0:14:59.160 but don't change your name. God is not finished with you. 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:04.720 Enemy doesn't have the final say God does. Naomi moved 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:08.320 back home to Bethlehem. Her daughter in law, Ruth, went 0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:12.640 with her. I can imagine when her friends saw. They 0:15:12.640 --> 0:15:16.280 came running out Naomi. I can't believe it's you, she said. 0:15:16.320 --> 0:15:19.800 Don't be happy for me. I went out full, but 0:15:19.840 --> 0:15:22.880 I'm coming home empty. She was saying, I went out 0:15:22.880 --> 0:15:25.560 with my husband, my two sons, but look now it's 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:30.000 just me. Have you ever gone out full big dreams, 0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:33.040 big goals, but things didn't work out the way you 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:37.280 had planned. The marriage didn't make it, pregnancy didn't last, 0:15:37.640 --> 0:15:41.760 contract didn't go through. Like Naomi, you could easily be bitter. 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:46.640 Here's how merciful God is. Even though Naomi thought she 0:15:46.800 --> 0:15:49.760 was done, even though she gave up on her dreams, 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:54.520 God said, in effect, Naomi, you started in joy, and 0:15:54.560 --> 0:15:57.480 you're going to finish in joy. You may have changed 0:15:57.480 --> 0:16:00.600 your name, but I didn't change your name. You had 0:16:00.640 --> 0:16:04.600 trouble in Moab, don't worry. I have a blessing waiting 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:09.680 for you in Bethlahem. What's interesting is, even though Naomi 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:14.680 changed her name, the scripture never refers to her as Morrow. 0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:19.840 It keeps calling her Naomi. Have you changed your name 0:16:20.000 --> 0:16:24.280 so to speak, tomorrow? Are you living bitter negative thinking 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:27.680 about everything that didn't work out? Do yourself a favor, 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:31.080 Get rid of those names you put on yourself and 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:33.960 go back to being who God created you to be. 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:42.240 God didn't change your name. He still calls you blessed, prosperous, favored, healthy, strong, victorious. 0:16:42.680 --> 0:16:45.840 Go back to your original name. You may have had 0:16:45.880 --> 0:16:49.360 trouble in Moab, so to speak. But get ready, God 0:16:49.480 --> 0:16:53.440 has a blessing waiting for you in Bethlahem. Instead of 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:57.920 sitting around bitter, Naomi started helping her daughter in law Ruth. 0:16:58.480 --> 0:17:01.680 There was a man Ruth was in in and Naomi 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:05.520 started giving her relationship advice. She told Ruth, put on 0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:08.840 this perfume, wear this outfit, and go see this man 0:17:08.960 --> 0:17:14.240 named Boas. Naomi turned her focus away from her own 0:17:14.359 --> 0:17:19.080 problems and started helping somebody else, Her joy began to 0:17:19.119 --> 0:17:22.720 come back. When you're tempted to be bitter, one of 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:25.399 the best things you can do is get your mind 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:29.879 off yourself and go be a blessing to others. Ruth 0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:34.040 ended up marrying Boas They had a baby named Obed. 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:38.960 When Naomi saw that little baby, she was so excited. 0:17:39.480 --> 0:17:43.359 It was like something breathed new life, new purpose back 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:48.000 into her spirit. The scripture says a son was born 0:17:48.240 --> 0:17:52.119 to Naomi wasn't even her baby, but she took that 0:17:52.240 --> 0:17:55.280 little baby and raised him like he was her own. 0:17:56.200 --> 0:18:01.000 This once bitter woman was now more full filled than ever. 0:18:01.560 --> 0:18:05.760 She never dreamed she would be that happy again. God 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:10.639 is saying, my blessing is going to override your bitterness. 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:13.920 My favor is going to make up for your pain. 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:18.560 What God has planned for you. Cannot be stopped by people, 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:23.119 by bad breaks, by loss. Even if you change your name. 0:18:23.560 --> 0:18:26.880 God is so merciful, He's still going to do something amazing. 0:18:27.280 --> 0:18:29.640 He's still going to get you to where you're supposed 0:18:29.680 --> 0:18:34.159 to be. Mark sixteen. Jesus had just been crucified in 0:18:34.800 --> 0:18:38.720 Mary Magdalene and another Mary went to the tomb early 0:18:38.800 --> 0:18:42.720 one morning to put perfume on his body. They wondered 0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:45.280 how they were going to roll the stone away, but 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:49.280 when they arrived, the stone was already moved. They walked 0:18:49.280 --> 0:18:52.720 in the tomb saw a young man dressed in white. 0:18:53.040 --> 0:18:56.639 Was an angel. They were afraid. He said to them, 0:18:57.080 --> 0:19:01.320 you're looking for Jesus, but he is not here. He 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:05.720 has risen. He has gone ahead of you to Galilee. 0:19:05.920 --> 0:19:10.000 There you will see him. Notice he is not here. 0:19:10.760 --> 0:19:14.840 He is there. The angel was saying, in effect, I 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:18.000 know this looks bad. I know you're hurting. I know 0:19:18.080 --> 0:19:23.040 you're disappointed, but don't stay here. Something better is waiting 0:19:23.080 --> 0:19:27.680 for you there. In other words, here is the disappointment, 0:19:28.560 --> 0:19:31.359 Here is the bad medical report. Here is the dream 0:19:31.400 --> 0:19:35.720 that didn't work out. If you stay here, you'll be discouraged. 0:19:36.119 --> 0:19:40.280 You have to go there. Sometimes, the reason God doesn't 0:19:40.280 --> 0:19:44.800 comfort us in the here, in the disappointment, is because 0:19:45.160 --> 0:19:48.360 He doesn't want us to stay where we are. Yes, 0:19:48.440 --> 0:19:53.200 the loss is painful, Yes, the setback wasn't fair. But 0:19:53.280 --> 0:19:57.520 God is not here. He's gone ahead. He's waiting for 0:19:57.560 --> 0:20:01.280 you there. God is not in your past, in what 0:20:01.440 --> 0:20:05.120 you lost, in what didn't work out. He's in your future. 0:20:06.040 --> 0:20:10.639 Don't get stuck in here, move forward into there. There 0:20:10.760 --> 0:20:14.320 is where vindication is. There is where new beginnings are. 0:20:14.760 --> 0:20:17.960 There is where you'll find your healing. If the two 0:20:18.040 --> 0:20:21.040 Marys would have stayed at the tomb in self pity, 0:20:21.280 --> 0:20:24.000 I can't believe this happened. They would have never seen 0:20:24.160 --> 0:20:27.400 the there, they would have never seen the Lord. Are 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:30.760 you living in the here while God is waiting for 0:20:30.800 --> 0:20:35.040 you there? Are you stuck in a disappointment, bitter over 0:20:35.080 --> 0:20:39.000 a bad break, angry over what didn't work out. It's 0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:43.080 time to leave here and go there. There is where 0:20:43.160 --> 0:20:46.199 God is waiting for you. There is where the blessing is. 0:20:47.119 --> 0:20:51.680 The disappointment is simply a season. It's not the rest 0:20:51.720 --> 0:20:55.239 of your life. God has already gone ahead. God has 0:20:55.280 --> 0:20:58.680 already lined up the next chapter. Your house was damaged 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:02.600 in the storm, that's here. Yes, that's disappointing. The good 0:21:02.680 --> 0:21:06.399 news is God has gone ahead. He's waiting for you there. 0:21:06.720 --> 0:21:10.679 He has restoration already lined up. This is what my 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:13.679 father had to do. He'd been pastoring a church for 0:21:13.760 --> 0:21:17.240 many years, and he was very successful, had just built 0:21:17.240 --> 0:21:20.520 a beautiful new sanctuary. He was on the state board 0:21:20.560 --> 0:21:24.600 for his denomination. On his way up, my sister Lisa 0:21:24.720 --> 0:21:28.560 was born with something like cerebral palsy. My dad began 0:21:28.720 --> 0:21:32.240 to search the scriptures in a new way. He found 0:21:32.280 --> 0:21:35.359 how God is a healer and how he came that 0:21:35.400 --> 0:21:40.040 we might live an abundant, victorious life. He started sharing 0:21:40.080 --> 0:21:44.720 that with his congregation, but much to his surprise, they 0:21:44.720 --> 0:21:48.680 didn't like his new message of faith, victory and healing. 0:21:49.160 --> 0:21:53.919 It didn't fit in their denominational teaching. Back then. People 0:21:54.200 --> 0:21:57.800 my father had known for years suddenly turned on him. 0:21:58.720 --> 0:22:03.200 Lifelong friends wouldn't speak to my parents anymore. My father 0:22:03.320 --> 0:22:06.680 ended up having to leave that church. Was so disappointed. 0:22:07.200 --> 0:22:10.240 Never dreamed he'd have to start all over. He could 0:22:10.240 --> 0:22:13.639 have been bitter, God, why'd you let this happen. I 0:22:13.760 --> 0:22:17.480 was being my best I was honoring you like Mary. 0:22:17.840 --> 0:22:21.560 He was in the here. He didn't understand it, and yes, 0:22:21.640 --> 0:22:25.399 the here wasn't fair. But what he couldn't see was 0:22:25.440 --> 0:22:29.359 God had already gone ahead. God had already lined up 0:22:29.440 --> 0:22:34.040 Lakewood and was waiting for him there. If my father 0:22:34.600 --> 0:22:37.200 would have stayed in the here, he would have missed 0:22:37.240 --> 0:22:42.439 his destiny. He left that church, started Lakewood with ninety people. 0:22:42.840 --> 0:22:45.120 That was over fifty years ago, and here we are 0:22:45.160 --> 0:22:49.800 still going strong. What am I saying? The here is 0:22:49.840 --> 0:22:55.439 not the end. The disappointment, the loss, the betrayal, that's temporary. 0:22:56.160 --> 0:23:00.000 God has already gone ahead. Don't let bitterness hold you back. 0:23:00.920 --> 0:23:04.720 Don't sit around in self pity. Move forward into there. 0:23:05.400 --> 0:23:08.639 There is where God will pay you back. There is 0:23:08.680 --> 0:23:10.960 where he'll do more than you can ask or think. 0:23:11.600 --> 0:23:14.680 Luke fifteen is the story of the prodigal son. This 0:23:14.760 --> 0:23:18.560 young man took his inheritance and left home. He wasted 0:23:18.640 --> 0:23:23.120 all of his money, living wild, partying, making poor decisions. 0:23:23.560 --> 0:23:26.760 Finally came to his senses and decided to go back home. 0:23:27.359 --> 0:23:30.080 His father came running out to meet him and welcomed 0:23:30.160 --> 0:23:32.919 him with open arms. He was so glad to have 0:23:33.000 --> 0:23:36.080 his son back. He told his staff to go kill 0:23:36.119 --> 0:23:39.640 the fatted calf. They were going to have a party. Well, 0:23:39.680 --> 0:23:43.400 the older brother was out in the field working when 0:23:43.440 --> 0:23:47.240 he heard all the music the dancing. He asked someone what 0:23:47.440 --> 0:23:51.480 the celebration was all about. They told him, your brother 0:23:51.560 --> 0:23:55.200 has come home. We're having a party to welcome him back. 0:23:56.119 --> 0:24:00.520 Verse twenty eight says the older brother became a angreed 0:24:01.000 --> 0:24:05.360 and refused to go in. His father came out pleaded 0:24:05.359 --> 0:24:08.719 with him, Come on, son, come in, your brother is 0:24:08.760 --> 0:24:12.600 back home. He said, Dad, I've worked for you all 0:24:12.720 --> 0:24:17.480 these years, been slaving away. I always do what you ask, 0:24:18.000 --> 0:24:21.560 but you've never given me a skinny goat, and yet 0:24:21.640 --> 0:24:24.680 you go and kill a fatted calf for after all 0:24:24.800 --> 0:24:28.520 he's done. You can hear the bitterness in his spirit. 0:24:28.840 --> 0:24:31.280 It's not fair. You haven't treated me right. I'm not 0:24:31.320 --> 0:24:35.600 coming into your party. Here's my point. The party went 0:24:35.640 --> 0:24:40.199 on without him. His bitterness didn't stop the party. It 0:24:40.400 --> 0:24:45.160 just kept him from going into the party. Sometimes we're 0:24:45.160 --> 0:24:50.160 holding on to unforgiveness, anger, resentment, thinking that it's hurting 0:24:50.240 --> 0:24:53.840 the other person. The truth is the party is still 0:24:53.880 --> 0:24:58.320 going on. It's just hurting us. Are you letting bitterness 0:24:58.600 --> 0:25:01.320 keep you out of the party? Are you letting a 0:25:01.359 --> 0:25:06.000 disappointment keep you from enjoying today? Why don't you let 0:25:06.040 --> 0:25:09.960 it go and come on into the party. Life is happening, 0:25:10.400 --> 0:25:14.320 there's a celebration going on. Today is a gift. Don't 0:25:14.359 --> 0:25:16.879 let a bad childhood keep you out of the party. 0:25:17.560 --> 0:25:21.280 Don't let a divorce a breakup cause you to be 0:25:21.400 --> 0:25:24.600 sour and sit on the sidelines. Come into the party. 0:25:25.280 --> 0:25:30.440 Start dreaming again, start loving again, start believing again. We 0:25:30.520 --> 0:25:33.640 have no guarantee that we're going to be here tomorrow. 0:25:34.440 --> 0:25:38.040 Life is fragile. Time is too short to live offended, 0:25:38.400 --> 0:25:41.919 bitter in self pity. God knows what you didn't get. 0:25:42.320 --> 0:25:44.720 Quit trying to get people to pay you back, and 0:25:44.800 --> 0:25:46.879 go to God and he'll make it up to you. 0:25:48.119 --> 0:25:51.400 If you'll come into the party, if you'll get rid 0:25:51.480 --> 0:25:55.720 of what's contaminating you. I believe and declare you're going 0:25:55.760 --> 0:26:00.840 to experience a new sense of freedom, better relationships, joy 0:26:01.200 --> 0:26:05.600