A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (September 25, 2017)
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (Hebrews 12:14-15)
In the medical world it is recognized that certain diseases can be passed on to others. They are called contagious or communicable diseases. There are numerous ways these diseases are passed on but the bottom-line is that another person can be infected by what you have. It’s the same way in the Spirit. We can be infected by something someone else has. The only difference is it may be good or it may be bad. It could lead to life and freedom or it could lead to sickness and death.
Bitterness is one of those spiritual diseases that can infect many adversely. In our “Scripture for the Day” it tells us that if we let bitterness take root in us we can defile many. The Greek word for defile here is “miaino” which means to contaminate, taint, or sully. We live in a time where people are bitter about everything. Some don’t even know what they are bitter about. They are just bitter. Some think they have a good reason to be bitter and can give you a list a mile long of things that justify their bitterness. The problem with that is that God could give you a list a mile long of what He could be bitter about toward you, but, Oh yes, He forgot about those things when you were born-again. It’s called grace.
As a Christian, you have no right to be bitter. It is not an emotion that produces any good benefits. In fact, bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit. It fails to recognize the grace of God that was freely given to you.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:30-32)
We should always remember that it is the “goodness of God” that leads men to repentance. You and I are called to infect people with goodness and not bitterness. We are grace people, not people that stay mad and angry at everybody. We have been given grace (unmerited favor) by Jesus Christ (the King of Kings and Lord of Lords) who suffered and died on a cross so we could be free. Jesus had every right to be bitter but said, “Forgive them Lord for they know not what they do”.
Bitterness, hate, and anger lead to chaos and destruction. Grace and goodness lead to peace and freedom. There are heavenly benefits if we sow grace and goodness. There are no heavenly benefits if we sow bitterness and anger.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:2-23) No bitterness here! That is why we grieve the Holy Spirit when we operate in bitterness.
Let’s walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.
