WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:19.179 I would like you to turn in your Bibles this morning to Ephesians chapter 4. 00:00:19.179 --> 00:00:19.179 00:00:19.179 --> 00:00:27.699 How many of you have ever wondered what it would be like to come to come to a church and not hear 00:00:27.699 --> 00:00:28.320 ! 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:44.280 I would like you to turn in your Bibles. 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:56.880 A man who says that believes that God has spoken clearly to His people and that God wants to 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:09.560 be heard and that hearing God makes a difference in the lives of His people. 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:10.560 Amen? 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:10.560 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:10.560 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:11.560 Amen. 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:12.560 Amen. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:13.560 Amen. 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:14.560 Amen. 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 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00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:15.560 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:48.960 This morning, Holy Father, we gather because of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:50.340 --> 00:01:56.920 We gather as people who have been blessed beyond our full comprehension at this point 00:01:56.920 --> 00:02:00.180 because it doesn't yet appear what we shall be, 00:02:00.299 --> 00:02:06.700 but the day is coming when we will stand in the presence of Christ and enjoy Him forever. 00:02:06.700 --> 00:02:21.240 And as we wait, we are blessed to have Your Word in our hand, to have Your Spirit in our heart. 00:02:22.640 --> 00:02:30.159 And so with humility, we ask that You would work in us, that Your Word would have free course, 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:32.560 and that it would bear fruit in us. 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:44.800 That as a result of hearing the preaching of the Word of God, 00:02:45.620 --> 00:02:50.560 that our lives would be affected, that we would be different, 00:02:51.340 --> 00:02:58.159 that the unbelieving world would see that difference and ask us a reason for the hope that lies within, 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:06.719 and that we, as the woman at the well or the man born blind or so many other individuals, 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:12.539 would be able to say, it's because of Jesus that I am the way that I am. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:18.620 There was a time, but that's gone and passed. 00:03:18.620 --> 00:03:24.360 And I know Christ as my Savior, and He's the one who makes a difference. 00:03:26.980 --> 00:03:34.759 Now give to us the power of Your Spirit that Christ would be exalted. 00:03:35.819 --> 00:03:36.280 Amen. 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:44.099 Well, as we look at Ephesians chapter 4, verse 31 and 32, 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:50.319 I would like to, in some ways, compare it to what happens in a fairly good Bible lesson. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:54.780 If you are reading through a book at the end of some books, 00:03:54.780 --> 00:03:58.159 the author will put some summary statements, 00:03:58.379 --> 00:04:03.280 little things that help you kind of remember and press it together so it's fixed in your mind. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:10.379 And what we are looking at here in the last two verses is Paul giving us just a little overview 00:04:10.379 --> 00:04:17.019 of what really takes place when the work of God is playing out in an individual's life. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:24.500 And incidentally, he touches on something that every single one of us here are far more familiar with 00:04:24.500 --> 00:04:26.160 than we'd really like to admit. 00:04:27.899 --> 00:04:31.920 Let me read the passage and have you follow along in your own copy of the Scriptures. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:32.379 It says, 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:42.800 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from among you with all malice. 00:04:43.960 --> 00:04:55.460 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 00:04:55.459 --> 00:05:05.620 Now, I'll tell you in advance that our attention to the particulars of these two verses really are going to show us an example 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:10.439 of how powerful the inner thoughts of a man really are. 00:05:11.500 --> 00:05:14.479 Now, we could recite a passage such as Proverbs where it says, 00:05:14.599 --> 00:05:16.120 As a man thinks in his heart, what? 00:05:16.819 --> 00:05:17.560 So is he. 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:21.019 Or we could also recite another passage where Jesus says this. 00:05:21.019 --> 00:05:21.379 He says, 00:05:21.699 --> 00:05:25.780 A good man out of a good treasure brings forth good things, 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:29.780 and an evil man out of an evil treasure brings forth evil things. 00:05:29.980 --> 00:05:32.959 Out of the heart, we could say that one as well, couldn't we? 00:05:33.100 --> 00:05:36.340 Out of the heart, the mouth speaks. 00:05:36.339 --> 00:05:45.060 And so we recognize this morning as we take up this passage that what we think about works its way into what we do. 00:05:45.639 --> 00:05:48.979 What we think about works its way into what we do. 00:05:49.779 --> 00:05:55.639 And so you can stop just for a moment right at this moment and kind of take a millisecond to stop and think, 00:05:55.739 --> 00:05:57.899 Okay, so what are most of my thoughts like? 00:05:59.599 --> 00:06:01.059 What do I think about the most? 00:06:01.060 --> 00:06:05.800 What occupies the space and time of my inner thoughts? 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:10.819 Now, we may be thinking things completely different than anybody else's suspicions. 00:06:10.860 --> 00:06:11.379 Am I right? 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:16.360 Shakespeare rightly said, he says, 00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:21.079 This, one may smile and smile and still be a villain. 00:06:22.180 --> 00:06:22.620 Right? 00:06:24.180 --> 00:06:28.939 I can smile and have the most devious and deceitful of thoughts. 00:06:28.939 --> 00:06:30.719 And Paul says here, 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.899 Hey, listen, understand, what's inside comes outside eventually. 00:06:35.339 --> 00:06:39.439 Now, I don't want to be overbearing on a little bit of literary device, 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:48.100 but very interesting, actually, 31 and 32 are kind of a beautiful illustration of something that we tend to miss today. 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:53.399 When we want to highlight something so that we remember it, 00:06:53.420 --> 00:06:57.819 or we want to really draw attention to it for the sake of sticking it in our minds, 00:06:57.819 --> 00:06:59.000 what do we usually do? 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:01.839 We take out a pen, and what do we do? 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:07.980 In our own copy, we underline it, or we grab a yellow marker or something like that, 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.639 or if we were actually working on the computer or something, 00:07:11.779 --> 00:07:15.740 we would bold the text and maybe put it in italics, 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:17.800 you know, things that, ooh, that's important. 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:23.100 In the ancient world, they didn't have those things, 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:32.699 and so they had to rely on audible signals or means of handling the text or the passage 00:07:32.699 --> 00:07:34.879 so that people really, oh, this is important. 00:07:35.819 --> 00:07:39.580 Now, one of the most obvious ones that you know is when Jesus, 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:41.720 if you're reading in the King James, He said what? 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:42.680 Verily. 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:42.800 Verily. 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:46.160 So a double verily means what? 00:07:47.019 --> 00:07:48.660 It's bold with underlining. 00:07:48.740 --> 00:07:49.319 You got that? 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:54.139 What we're dealing with here is a very interesting pattern of thought 00:07:54.139 --> 00:07:59.319 that was used in the ancient world so that people could, oh, yeah, pay attention. 00:07:59.500 --> 00:08:00.379 I got this one. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.259 Let me just give you a broad overview. 00:08:03.259 --> 00:08:11.399 What we have here is that Paul moves from the inner thought of a man to his behavior, 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:18.399 and then in that's verse 31, the inner thought, right, bitterness, work our way into behavior. 00:08:18.899 --> 00:08:26.819 Then verse 32 is the outer behavior then coming back to the matter of what the inner heart is like. 00:08:26.819 --> 00:08:34.960 I'm not going to overplay that, but just kind of remind you that this is a passage that the Spirit of God really wants to get soaked in. 00:08:35.319 --> 00:08:39.700 It wants it to be kind of formative, and it wants the Spirit of God. 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:40.919 It's not an it. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.539 Apologize for that theological mistake. 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:46.679 The Spirit of God wants you to be this way. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:48.580 It wants you to be this way. 00:08:48.580 --> 00:08:59.700 And as I said, we are all, every one of us, familiar with the two little statements, passages that we're looking at in verse 31 and 32. 00:08:59.860 --> 00:09:08.780 So let's begin there in 31 and recognize that what the text is telling us is that we're to refuse inner attitudes that produce harmful fruit. 00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:20.299 As Paul really brings this whole section of chapter 4 to a conclusion, he places emphasis on what we are like inside as believers. 00:09:22.339 --> 00:09:26.079 I do want you to recognize that this passage was written to those who know Christ. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:41.440 And it's a reminder to us who have received the blessing of salvation that even though we are saved, if we are not careful and obedient to the Lord Jesus, we can allow some pretty nasty things to fester inside. 00:09:41.520 --> 00:09:42.040 Isn't that right? 00:09:44.780 --> 00:09:51.520 We're called to clean out every bit of bitterness from our mind and heart. 00:09:51.520 --> 00:09:52.379 Look at the passage. 00:09:52.379 --> 00:09:59.879 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from among you with all malice. 00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:11.740 Amazingly, just a small bit of bitterness will end up doing what any infection that is unchecked in the human body would do. 00:10:12.820 --> 00:10:14.980 Bitterness is a spiritual infection. 00:10:14.980 --> 00:10:30.600 And just like unchecked infection ends up being challenged to the entire being, so unchecked bitterness becomes something that has a profound influence on the soul of an individual. 00:10:32.259 --> 00:10:39.180 The Greek word that is used here for bitterness is one that is descriptive of something that is inedible or poisonous. 00:10:39.179 --> 00:10:58.159 The Greeks used it to describe not only something that was inedible or poisonous, but also the poisonous inner attitude of an individual who had a longstanding resentment and an inner animosity towards a certain individual or individuals. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:07.059 I want you to recognize that a bitter person nurses the offense that took place at one time. 00:11:07.059 --> 00:11:21.219 The bitter person longs subtly and internally to see righteousness descend and judgment come down on the individual who has harmed and caused them grief. 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:33.439 And that bitter person has a tendency to view life in relationship to that person that they are embittered towards with a cynical and a sharp, ill-spirited attitude. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:48.380 I want you to turn back just for a moment to Romans chapter 3 verse 14 and recognize that Paul actually uses the issue of bitterness as an identifier, one of the characteristics of the unregenerate soul. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:56.180 There in verse 14 it says, 00:11:56.180 --> 00:11:59.380 Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. 00:11:59.379 --> 00:12:05.100 Have you ever been around individuals and learned that over time what's inside comes outside? 00:12:05.179 --> 00:12:05.659 Isn't that right? 00:12:06.700 --> 00:12:14.539 I mean, out in the lobby when we're having our brief little discourses out there, for the most part, none of us really dump our laundry out there. 00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:17.799 I mean, our conversations are civil. 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:19.080 They're courteous. 00:12:19.460 --> 00:12:24.080 We talk about things that are really meaningful like the weather and how the Buckeyes did. 00:12:24.179 --> 00:12:27.159 You know, things that the world revolves around. 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:29.539 But inside, what could be going on? 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:31.559 There could be a whole lot of baggage. 00:12:33.500 --> 00:12:44.319 And here Paul identifies the fact that one of the things that really characterizes the unregenerate person is that the issues of the inside really eventually come out and can be seen. 00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:51.319 Now, sadly, and we recognize this is the reason the passage is written, is that believers can fall into bitterness as well. 00:12:51.320 --> 00:13:04.180 And bitterness is something that Paul points to here as an inner mindset that we as believers need to guard ourselves against because to allow bitterness to fester is something that is... 00:13:04.180 --> 00:13:05.180 Now, listen to me carefully. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:09.260 And all of you, I want you to stop just for a second and do a little bit of check. 00:13:10.060 --> 00:13:11.040 Are you saved? 00:13:11.900 --> 00:13:12.620 Don't... 00:13:12.620 --> 00:13:13.379 I am, I am. 00:13:13.400 --> 00:13:14.280 That's not what I'm looking for. 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:15.100 Are you saved? 00:13:15.180 --> 00:13:15.900 I'm saved. 00:13:16.900 --> 00:13:17.500 Oh, good. 00:13:17.500 --> 00:13:21.100 So, how are you doing at managing bitterness? 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:24.419 That's what we're dealing with this morning. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:34.000 Those who are believers have the instruction of the Word of God that bitterness is not to be an operating principle in their life. 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:38.059 Will we have reason to be bitter? 00:13:38.059 --> 00:13:44.459 If you're drawn breath, things won't go your way. 00:13:44.699 --> 00:13:45.139 Surprise. 00:13:46.319 --> 00:13:57.399 And when things don't go your way, sooner or later, you begin picking up some of the iron filings and nails in the tires and other things that can lead you to become an embittered person. 00:13:58.719 --> 00:14:00.179 And Paul says, stop, stop, stop. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:01.239 Don't be doing that. 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:04.099 Let all bitterness be put away. 00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:10.659 Here are a couple of signals that bitterness has a foothold in your life. 00:14:12.019 --> 00:14:13.240 Are you following me? 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:22.340 You keep remembering the hurts and offenses and hold on to them like Shylock thirsting for judgment. 00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:34.139 You keep on holding on to the offenses and hurts of life, and you keep on nursing them with a desire for revenge. 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:45.200 You find it hard to hope good for those that have offended you. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:53.460 In fact, you're a little irritated with the fact that God is far more patient with them than He should be. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:55.480 Right? 00:14:56.820 --> 00:15:06.040 If I were God, I would have done the Sodom and Gomorrah thing, or at least I would have let them have the experiences of Job. 00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:18.879 You know, there are actually a great deal of challenge in the area of life in relationship to bitterness because of this. 00:15:19.439 --> 00:15:25.699 We know that relationships and life itself is marked by incredible disappointments and heartaches. 00:15:26.179 --> 00:15:33.980 And invariably, when these things strike our heart and our being, there is the natural tendency to allow bitterness to grow. 00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:39.560 Let me add a little note here, and I want you to recognize this is worth remembering. 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:41.539 Bitterness is the inevitable. 00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:43.200 Now, what do I mean by inevitable? 00:15:44.420 --> 00:15:45.220 It's going to happen. 00:15:45.940 --> 00:15:50.399 Bitterness is the inevitable outcome of not dealing with offenses biblically. 00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:52.159 Let me say that slowly. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:57.500 Bitterness is the inevitable outcome of not dealing with offenses biblically. 00:15:57.500 --> 00:16:09.919 Now, having said that, I would suspicion that there are some of you here that have a fairly well-developed pattern for dealing with disappointments and heartaches. 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:24.919 In fact, your methodology of dealing with disappointments and heartaches is a lot like the little grade school child who was taught that when your clothing catches on fire, what do you do? 00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:28.039 Brain-dead people know. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:29.559 Stop, drop, and roll, right? 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:39.199 And so, remember I said bitterness is the eventual and inevitable outcome of not dealing with the challenges and heartaches of life in a biblical fashion. 00:16:39.339 --> 00:16:47.779 So, what does the Bible teach us we should do when we are confronted with difficulties and disappointments and heartaches? 00:16:47.839 --> 00:16:48.579 What should we do? 00:16:49.739 --> 00:16:53.059 Don't tell everybody else because they're just thinking it themselves. 00:16:53.059 --> 00:16:55.199 But the first thing we should do is what? 00:16:56.259 --> 00:17:03.139 Remind ourselves of who is on the throne and who is in control and who is doing what exactly needs to be done at the moment. 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:09.879 God abides in heaven. 00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:18.519 Is there anything at all that comes into your life that has not first been filtered through His loving hands and He decides, you know what? 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:26.779 I want to test Tim Knoyer's humility this morning and so I'm going to allow the schedule not to go His way or I'm going to allow someone to say something. 00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:27.839 Do you follow what I'm saying? 00:17:27.859 --> 00:17:28.299 It happens. 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:34.160 And we sing that song, Twilight Paris, God is on the throne. 00:17:35.379 --> 00:17:36.319 You know, it's a good song. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:38.839 Good theology, just hard to practice. 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:45.200 And so, we remind ourselves that God is on the throne and secondly, we remind ourselves that God has a plan. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:47.519 And when He says there's a problem, what do you do? 00:17:47.819 --> 00:17:48.559 Listen to me. 00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:55.539 You go and talk to everybody that's not part of the solution and let them know how miffed you are. 00:17:58.019 --> 00:17:59.140 I tell you what. 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:11.960 We would reduce the periodic ripples on the pond in this fellowship if what we would do is exclusively follow Scripture 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:20.600 and when we have a problem, go directly to the person who created the problem and let them know we're happy to help them solve it. 00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:24.140 All of God's people said, amen. 00:18:24.980 --> 00:18:25.220 Okay. 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:33.620 So, when you hear someone mouthing off about somebody else being a problem, what should you, God-loving soul that you are, say? 00:18:34.779 --> 00:18:35.640 Here, here, here. 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:41.259 Here, you say this, hey, how did it go when you talked to Bubba? 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:42.480 Is there any Bubba in here? 00:18:42.620 --> 00:18:43.140 Hold on. 00:18:43.520 --> 00:18:43.620 Okay. 00:18:44.040 --> 00:18:47.380 How did you go when you, how did it go when you talked to Bubba? 00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:53.320 Because I sense the idea that you want to invite me to go with you to solve the problem. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:56.840 No, I just want you to know how irritated I am. 00:18:56.839 --> 00:19:07.099 Bitterness is inevitable outcome when we don't deal with problems biblically. 00:19:08.220 --> 00:19:13.459 Third, and mark this down, bitterness ends up affecting others. 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:16.500 It ends up affecting others. 00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:23.859 I want you to look in your Bible to Hebrews chapter 12, verse 15. 00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:30.839 How many of you wish that your life was fairly easy? 00:19:30.939 --> 00:19:32.019 I mean, at least in comparison. 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:36.339 I mean, how many of you know other people in this church that have no troubles, no problems? 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:45.339 You kind of look every now and then with envy and think, oh, I wish my life were like, you know, Tom Parsons. 00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:48.699 He's never had a problem in his life. 00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:56.059 I mean, you know, or, you know, I would like to be like Quentin Kenoyer, you know what I mean? 00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:59.400 And we're always thinking that that person has it easy, right? 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:00.279 That's what we're thinking. 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:01.460 Can I tell you something? 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:06.940 If you're God's child, he is deeply invested in seeing that you grow in grace. 00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:12.299 Listen, he will spare no expense to take care of the issues you're struggling with. 00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:20.359 And sadly enough, most of the issues that I'm struggling with are little sin issues, and guess how he deals with them? 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.559 First, he taps me on the shoulder. 00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:25.000 You know, hey, Tim, I'd like you to work on that. 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:27.139 Yeah, whatever, later. 00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:30.680 Then he goes and gets a little bigger stick. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.480 How many of you have been there? 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:37.419 Hebrews chapter 12 is 13. 00:20:37.659 --> 00:20:38.720 I'm sorry, I said 12. 00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:40.639 But no, it's chapter 12. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:49.100 Beginning there in verse 7 and carrying on down through 15, it talks about the fact that God uses challenges to deal with us. 00:20:49.320 --> 00:20:52.740 And when he is chastening us, guess what the temptation is? 00:20:52.800 --> 00:20:53.440 Verse 15. 00:20:53.780 --> 00:20:54.740 Underline it in your Bible. 00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:59.300 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God, that no root. 00:21:00.020 --> 00:21:01.200 Either you get the grace. 00:21:02.040 --> 00:21:05.980 All right, I understand you're working in my life, and I appreciate that. 00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:09.880 You either get the grace, you get the idea that he's doing something good, 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:11.500 or you go towards bitterness. 00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:14.340 That's it. 00:21:18.340 --> 00:21:20.800 Be careful that you don't fall to the root of bitterness. 00:21:21.040 --> 00:21:24.780 It springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled. 00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:35.539 The person who allows bitterness to establish in their heart will eventually allow it to fester in their soul, 00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:38.700 and they will harm not only themselves but other people. 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:53.759 Last month or so, I have ended up reading three or four different articles on the issue of the fact that there is a fair percentage of children who grow up in Christian homes, 00:21:53.860 --> 00:21:57.700 young people who grow up in Christian homes, and eventually have nothing to do with the church. 00:21:57.700 --> 00:22:06.299 And it's been interesting, the different propositions that have been put out there as to what would radically change this. 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:11.299 And I've got to tell you, it's not programs or place or anything else. 00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:19.380 At the heart of it, I think one of the things is, is there are many kids who end up in the car on Sunday morning and come to church but never come to faith. 00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:23.080 And so when they can drive on their own, guess what many of them do? 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:26.040 They follow where their heart is. 00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:34.840 But I think another thing that is a real contributor is that kids grow up and watch their dads and moms not solve problems biblically. 00:22:36.860 --> 00:22:43.500 And when they watch that model over time, they think, well, hey, I don't know why I've got to put up with this. 00:22:44.820 --> 00:22:46.300 Can I tell you something, parents? 00:22:46.299 --> 00:22:55.339 If you let bitterness fester in your life, it'll affect the ones you love the most. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:57.859 That's what the Bible says. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:07.220 Well, as we look at the passage, we recognize that going back to that text in Ephesians, and let's go there if you would, please, 00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:19.860 that where bitterness is allowed to fester and it's unchecked by the work of grace, it will end up producing some very recognizable fruit. 00:23:19.859 --> 00:23:24.319 And he uses a couple different words to describe these things. 00:23:24.419 --> 00:23:32.119 You look there at the passage in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 31, it says, let all bitterness, and then he says, and wrath and anger. 00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:34.519 I'll just break it down. 00:23:34.619 --> 00:23:41.659 The word wrath is talking about something that is an explosive nature, just blows up. 00:23:41.660 --> 00:23:51.440 And I've actually been around individuals who kind of excuse their blowups by, well, that's just the way I am. 00:23:52.460 --> 00:23:52.779 Okay. 00:23:53.620 --> 00:23:55.800 Well, here's the wonderful news. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:58.960 If you are a believer, you don't have to stay the way you am. 00:24:00.060 --> 00:24:00.800 Do you understand that? 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:07.599 In fact, if you am the way you am still after you've been saved, there may be a problem in what really you think happened. 00:24:09.659 --> 00:24:14.419 Because when Christ gets a hold of our life, change had better happen. 00:24:16.980 --> 00:24:21.680 And Paul says, hey, listen, you've got to get rid of that bitterness because wrath. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:31.200 And then anger, anger is a smoldering inner fire that seethes on the inside and only in time produces its fruit. 00:24:33.019 --> 00:24:37.820 Believers can live with wrath and anger, but eventually it comes out. 00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:39.660 Eventually. 00:24:40.840 --> 00:24:47.940 I'll never forget several years ago in pastoral ministry, there was a situation where I ended up in a family's home. 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:49.360 This was 10 years ago. 00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:54.279 And I remember I was visiting because they'd said to me, well, we're going to leave the church. 00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:55.059 I said, why? 00:24:56.539 --> 00:25:03.359 And after we had talked and gone through the civil courtesies of, well, I'm glad you're here and blah, blah, blah, I said, what's really the cause? 00:25:03.659 --> 00:25:04.259 Do you know what they said? 00:25:05.819 --> 00:25:09.979 They said, well, this person did this to me. 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:12.059 I said, oh, I am sorry. 00:25:12.399 --> 00:25:13.539 When did this happen? 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:25.879 When we got down to the reality of it, the event had happened 17 years behind them letting me know. 00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:32.519 The individual who had created the offense, I think it passed away or it left. 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:38.160 And here they were festering over this thing that had taken place. 00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:39.039 Remember what I said? 00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:42.119 Bitterness is the outcome of not dealing with problems, what? 00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:43.639 Biblically. 00:25:44.879 --> 00:25:46.000 17 years. 00:25:46.660 --> 00:25:52.700 Eventually, unchecked bitterness will produce unhappy fruit. 00:25:52.700 --> 00:25:58.019 Well, we also recognize that bitterness boils out on the lips. 00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:03.360 There in 31, it says, wrath and anger, clamor and slander. 00:26:04.620 --> 00:26:11.080 The word clamor is a word that's just talking about those outbursts that are loud, abusive, and insulting. 00:26:13.100 --> 00:26:16.900 I kind of chuckle at people who tell me, well, I just say what I think. 00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:29.280 And I have come to realize that people who say what they think are actually in most cases pretty selective about where they are when they say what they think. 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:42.560 As we were driving back yesterday evening from the men's retreat, Darren and I were in the car, and we actually saw, what was it, two or three state police officers that were, they'd pulled people over for speeding. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:47.679 Now, I didn't pull up next to them to hear how the conversations went. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:58.119 But I imagined that the conversations were marked by a certain level of civil courtesy. 00:26:58.339 --> 00:26:59.319 Do you know what I'm saying? 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:01.259 Things like, yes, officer. 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:03.039 I'll get that out. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:04.059 I've got it right here in the back. 00:27:04.659 --> 00:27:06.240 Yeah, here's my license. 00:27:07.179 --> 00:27:09.980 You say I was going 80 and a 40? 00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:11.099 Yes, officer. 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:12.839 Okay. 00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:23.059 One of the things that I have noticed is that these people that just say what they think, for the most part, they don't. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:26.500 They say what they think they can get away with. 00:27:27.919 --> 00:27:33.079 And Paul says, listen, don't be one of these individuals that's shooting your mouth off. 00:27:33.079 --> 00:27:38.139 Now, the word clamor is backed up by another word. 00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:39.259 It says here slander. 00:27:39.399 --> 00:27:46.339 And slander is that which attacks the character and the well-being of another individual and aims to do them harm. 00:27:46.339 --> 00:27:51.240 Is that something that should characterize believers? 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:52.079 And what's the answer? 00:27:52.819 --> 00:27:54.859 The answer is absolutely not. 00:27:56.099 --> 00:27:57.159 So here's the question. 00:27:57.160 --> 00:28:15.920 How many of you in the last, well, being that you're such a good group of people, I'm going to give a wider, how many of you in the last entire year, 365 days, have had to go to someone else in this fellowship and say, would you forgive me? 00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:18.080 That's not what I should have said about my brother. 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:19.019 How many of you had to do that? 00:28:19.060 --> 00:28:19.519 Raise your hands. 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:22.599 I'm counting right now. 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:25.900 One, two, three. 00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:26.900 I got my hand up. 00:28:27.099 --> 00:28:28.319 You know, I've had to ask forgiveness. 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:29.160 Four. 00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:33.420 Boy, the rest of you, your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. 00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:34.099 I'm impressed. 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:36.379 Okay? 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:40.599 So, clamor, blowing up. 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:45.400 Slander, oh, saying those little things that are harmful. 00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:47.240 Well, let's move on. 00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.200 Let's move on. 00:28:50.139 --> 00:28:55.859 Verse 32 says, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:58.099 Good fruit comes from a forgiven heart. 00:28:58.819 --> 00:29:00.440 Hey, everybody look up. 00:29:00.639 --> 00:29:01.539 Don't want you to miss this. 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.259 Go slow. 00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:08.440 Good fruit comes from a forgiven heart. 00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:12.039 Let me say it again, really slowly, so I want you to get the connection. 00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:16.700 Good fruit comes from a forgiven heart. 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.279 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:31.139 Paul refers to three positive spiritual character traits that are clear and can be seen in a person's behavior. 00:29:32.139 --> 00:29:39.700 To be kind to one another refers to being polite and gentle, not being abrasive or brusque. 00:29:40.619 --> 00:29:45.500 I remember hearing someone say to me, well, sarcasm is my love language. 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:46.339 Not true. 00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:48.200 Not true at all. 00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:54.180 Any person who says that is a person who needs a check. 00:29:55.399 --> 00:29:57.720 The Spirit of God does not produce sarcasm. 00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:58.480 Would you agree with that? 00:29:58.980 --> 00:30:09.740 And since the Bible makes it explicitly clear that love is from God, a person who kind of excuses their sarcasm on the basis of, well, that's just the way I communicate, I don't buy it. 00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:14.759 Being kind, polite, and gentle. 00:30:15.079 --> 00:30:15.559 Tenderhearted. 00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:21.419 It means to have compassionate feelings for other people and to act on those compassions. 00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:34.640 When Jean Bowling, my dear sister in the Lord, called me at 1130 on Thursday night, I've got to tell you, I've known Jean for probably 28, 27 years. 00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:40.500 There are some of you here who have known Jean and watched her four girls grow up and get married and move off. 00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:48.240 And when Jean called me Thursday night and just with a broken heart said, my grandson hung himself. 00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:51.160 Do you know what I felt like inside? 00:30:51.160 --> 00:31:06.519 Pastors have a pathological fear of doing funerals for children and for suicides. 00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:11.500 Would I do a funeral in either of those cases? 00:31:11.620 --> 00:31:12.140 Absolutely. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:14.660 Because I was called to be a shepherd. 00:31:14.660 --> 00:31:21.600 But when Jean Bowling poured her heart out to me, my heart was just moved. 00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:23.880 And yours is too, isn't it? 00:31:24.460 --> 00:31:26.820 You stop and think, oh, Lord. 00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:34.640 Third, there in 32 it says, forgiving one another. 00:31:35.360 --> 00:31:36.460 Now, stop just for a moment. 00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:38.860 Why would it be necessary to forgive one another? 00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:43.759 I mean, after all, Christians are kind of people who have arrived spiritually. 00:31:43.900 --> 00:31:44.840 We've all got it together. 00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:46.740 We're all nice all the time. 00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:49.759 We never say anything that's misunderstood, right? 00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:53.420 Or worse yet, we never say anything we shouldn't. 00:31:54.120 --> 00:31:57.240 We're just, you know, the cat's meow when it comes to perfection. 00:31:58.460 --> 00:32:02.840 Well, I only saw about seven or eight of you raise your hand, you know, so I'm thinking the rest of you got it together. 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:03.960 But here's the deal. 00:32:03.960 --> 00:32:07.840 For those of us who don't have it together, we've got to work at forgiving. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:14.819 And forgiving presupposes that something happens in lasting relationships. 00:32:15.140 --> 00:32:16.000 Guess what it is? 00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:17.559 Offenses. 00:32:18.940 --> 00:32:22.559 There are things that go south when you're close to people. 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:26.139 It is much harder. 00:32:27.879 --> 00:32:42.119 It is much harder to live in community than it is to be isolated in terms of dealing with the issues of sin. 00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:46.460 Now, what I want you to understand is that I desperately need to be with you. 00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:49.759 And you help me in my spiritual walk. 00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:56.380 But let me tell you, keeping you at a distance is one of the ways that you don't offend me and I don't offend you. 00:32:56.819 --> 00:33:02.960 But when we get close and we get to know each other, we do things that cause harm and grieve one another. 00:33:03.299 --> 00:33:05.480 And so forgiveness has to play out. 00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:14.860 Forgiveness, say this carefully, is absolutely essential for lasting relationships. 00:33:15.900 --> 00:33:20.140 Now, let's come to the absolute gem of the text. 00:33:20.140 --> 00:33:31.080 You look there at the last part, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. 00:33:32.660 --> 00:33:34.320 I want you to get this. 00:33:35.620 --> 00:33:40.400 The believer is motivated to forgive by the cross. 00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:47.580 The believer is motivated to forgive by the cross. 00:33:50.140 --> 00:33:51.540 I want to add a little thing here. 00:33:52.180 --> 00:33:55.000 I want you to turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 18. 00:33:56.580 --> 00:34:00.700 This, if I were, hey, everybody smile because these are things you're going to use for counseling other people. 00:34:00.780 --> 00:34:01.340 Would you do that? 00:34:01.720 --> 00:34:08.340 I want you to write down two different passages so that the next time you are around someone, not you, but someone else, 00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:15.320 who is struggling with forgiveness, you can use these two passages to coach them through the brutality of reality. 00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:15.980 Okay? 00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:27.119 We're in Matthew chapter 18, verse 21 through 35, and we're in Romans chapter 12, beginning there in verse 17 and carrying through to 21. 00:34:27.320 --> 00:34:27.679 You got it? 00:34:27.740 --> 00:34:28.699 I'll say it again slowly. 00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:35.039 Matthew chapter 18, verse 21 through 35, and Romans chapter 12, verse 17 through 21. 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:41.320 Mark what it says. 00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:49.740 Going back just for a moment, we're going to be in the Matthew passage just for a second, but in the passage in Ephesians, Paul says this. 00:34:49.840 --> 00:34:54.600 He says, you are to forgive as God has forgiven. 00:34:55.320 --> 00:35:03.860 That little word as suggests that our forgiveness is to be as generous and gracious as God's forgiveness of us has been. 00:35:03.860 --> 00:35:11.280 But Matthew chapter 18, and I'm going to give you the absolute abbreviated version of this. 00:35:12.380 --> 00:35:17.280 But Matthew chapter 18 is one of those classic illustrations where Peter said what the rest of us were thinking. 00:35:18.940 --> 00:35:26.039 Jesus has been teaching about, you know, dealing with problems in the church, and Peter, I know, I know, I got it. 00:35:27.620 --> 00:35:29.019 I'll forgive seven times. 00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:31.559 That's it. 00:35:31.559 --> 00:35:34.980 Seven times was the number of perfection. 00:35:35.880 --> 00:35:37.279 And I got it. 00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:38.119 Seven times. 00:35:38.299 --> 00:35:39.279 And what did Jesus say? 00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:41.119 Hang around. 00:35:41.639 --> 00:35:43.059 You got a lot more to do than that. 00:35:43.820 --> 00:35:49.559 And then Jesus told a story, and his stories were always things that kind of dug in and helped make the point. 00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:58.400 And Jesus told the story about a man that owed an insurmountable debt that he was forgiven of. 00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:06.840 In the passage, it speaks about the matter of owing this 10,000 talents, just a gargantuan number. 00:36:07.680 --> 00:36:08.180 He was forgiven. 00:36:08.179 --> 00:36:16.440 And as soon as he is forgiven, he walks out and bumps into another guy who owed just a little paltry sum to him. 00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:20.739 And he grabs the guy, and he hangs on to him, and he throws him in prison. 00:36:20.739 --> 00:36:25.899 Because the thing you could do in the old days is when someone didn't pay their debt, you threw them in prison. 00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:32.660 Now, let's go to the end of the story, because it's always real good to see what happens. 00:36:32.659 --> 00:36:43.379 When he throws this other person in prison, the Lord finds out about his unforgiving spirit, and he has him come in, and he says, 00:36:43.579 --> 00:36:50.619 You wicked servant, verse 32, I forgave you all, A-L-L, all, all, all, all. 00:36:50.699 --> 00:36:53.399 I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 00:36:53.400 --> 00:37:01.220 How many of you, when you came to Christ, you bared your soul and said, Listen, will you forgive me for all of my sins? 00:37:03.220 --> 00:37:04.619 And Jesus forgave you. 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:07.760 Listen to me. 00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:13.980 He had to die on the cross to satisfy the judgment of God against your sins. 00:37:13.980 --> 00:37:26.480 And you cried out and said, In fact, listen to me, nobody ever comes to genuine faith apart from coming with that kind of brokenhearted spirit and says, Listen, forgive me for all of my sins. 00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:29.800 Salvation is not just a little bit of self-improvement. 00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:40.800 It is a person coming and declaring the absolute spiritual bankruptcy of their soul and saying, Jesus, I deserve to die, and you died for me, and I trust what you've done. 00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:42.099 I want you to forgive me. 00:37:43.019 --> 00:37:43.460 Forgiven? 00:37:43.980 --> 00:37:44.699 Forgiven. 00:37:47.340 --> 00:37:54.900 And when the Lord finds out this unforgiving, petty person's attitude, He brings them in there and says, You know, look at verse 33. 00:37:55.320 --> 00:37:58.900 Should you not have shown mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you? 00:37:59.940 --> 00:38:12.519 What do you have going for you that you can exercise an unforgiving spirit towards someone else when you have been forgiven of all of your sins through the blood of Christ? 00:38:12.519 --> 00:38:17.739 Now we come to verse 34. 00:38:17.739 --> 00:38:18.259 Verse 34. 00:38:18.259 --> 00:38:23.079 And in His anger, His master delivered Him to the jailers. 00:38:23.319 --> 00:38:27.459 Probably a more, I like the rendition a little better, to the tormentors. 00:38:27.459 --> 00:38:29.439 That's the word, tormentors. 00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:43.079 Remember what I said at the beginning? 00:38:43.079 --> 00:38:49.699 Listen, this passage deals with something that every one of us in here have to deal with on a regular basis. 00:38:49.699 --> 00:39:00.759 We are either people who, by the grace of God, are overwhelmed by the forgiveness that we have received in Christ, 00:39:00.760 --> 00:39:23.400 or we allow bitterness, resentment, disappointment, irritation, to begin leading us to withdraw from fellowship and our involvement. 00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:29.559 We begin to distance ourselves, and inside what festers is bitterness. 00:39:35.019 --> 00:39:45.940 So, if you're sitting here this morning, and truthfully, you can think of one or two people that should have heard this sermon that weren't here. 00:39:45.940 --> 00:39:56.820 Or you can think of a couple people that you really wish God would be a little more clear in dealing with, okay? 00:39:57.559 --> 00:39:58.880 By the way, here's a nice prayer. 00:39:59.280 --> 00:40:01.740 When I am praying properly for other people, here's the way I pray. 00:40:01.960 --> 00:40:04.920 When I'm struggling with a person who's done me wrong, here's the way I pray. 00:40:05.059 --> 00:40:08.099 Lord, will you be as merciful to them as you have been to me? 00:40:08.220 --> 00:40:08.980 Can you say that? 00:40:09.200 --> 00:40:11.000 Write that down because you don't want to forget this one. 00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:14.579 Lord, will you be as merciful to them as you have been to me? 00:40:14.780 --> 00:40:16.340 Did I deserve any of his mercy? 00:40:16.420 --> 00:40:16.980 What's the answer? 00:40:17.059 --> 00:40:17.320 No. 00:40:17.619 --> 00:40:20.079 Has he been long-suffering and patient with Tim Kenoyer? 00:40:20.179 --> 00:40:20.579 Yes. 00:40:27.420 --> 00:40:28.599 Let's bring it to a close. 00:40:30.780 --> 00:40:33.199 If you are here today and you are a believer, 00:40:36.199 --> 00:40:37.599 to put it on the point, 00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:43.360 you are either overwhelmed this morning by the forgiveness you have received in Christ Jesus, 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:50.000 and the outcome of being overwhelmed with that is that your characteristics are recognized 00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:55.259 in the fellowship as being marked by tenderness and gentleness, 00:40:56.779 --> 00:40:58.980 compassion, forgiveness. 00:41:01.420 --> 00:41:06.279 Or you are here this morning and the Spirit of God takes this passage and says, 00:41:06.280 --> 00:41:11.300 this is what I want from my children. 00:41:11.640 --> 00:41:12.500 And you know what you say? 00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:16.420 We sing that sweet little song, speak, O Lord, right? 00:41:17.380 --> 00:41:22.160 As we come to you, we want to receive the Word of God. 00:41:22.260 --> 00:41:23.140 And here's the key. 00:41:23.600 --> 00:41:24.960 Be kind preaching. 00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:27.900 Preaching is declaring, thus saith the Lord. 00:41:27.900 --> 00:41:29.680 And then God's people say, 00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:31.480 all that thou hast said, 00:41:31.559 --> 00:41:32.360 not Tim Kenoyer, 00:41:32.680 --> 00:41:34.079 all that thou hast said, 00:41:35.160 --> 00:41:37.480 we will do. 00:41:39.220 --> 00:41:41.880 There are some of you here today that do not know Christ. 00:41:44.119 --> 00:41:45.400 The truth of the matter is, 00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:47.119 is that your life is marked 00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:49.079 by bitterness. 00:41:49.079 --> 00:41:52.239 And can I tell you something? 00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:57.199 Until you come to the one who grants complete forgiveness for all of our sins, 00:41:57.400 --> 00:42:03.619 you will never be able to overcome the inner reservoir of bitterness. 00:42:05.119 --> 00:42:06.279 So what's the answer? 00:42:06.599 --> 00:42:07.759 When you've had enough, 00:42:08.019 --> 00:42:08.639 do you know what you do? 00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:11.000 You humble yourself and say, 00:42:11.440 --> 00:42:13.980 I am desperate to have the power of God. 00:42:14.420 --> 00:42:15.039 First of all, 00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:16.679 forgive me for my sins 00:42:16.679 --> 00:42:18.679 and change me. 00:42:19.719 --> 00:42:20.679 Let's close in prayer. 00:42:22.940 --> 00:42:23.799 Without anyone...