NEVER BE BITTER WITH GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MARCH 21, 2023.

SUBJECT: NEVER BE BITTER WITH GOD!

Memory verse: “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." (Matthew 11 vs 6.)

READ: Job 9 vs 4; Isaiah 45 vs 9 - 10:

Job 9:4: God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against Him, and prospered?

Isaiah 45:9: Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?

45:10: Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth?’

INTIMATION:

Some people are harboring hidden anger and resentment at God for certain areas of their lives where they have felt cheated or disappointed. While so many others harbor resentment toward God over their appearance, background, unanswered prayers, past hurts, and other things they would change if they were God. Even some others often blame God for hurts caused by others, and consequently create "their hidden rift with God." These people usually ask God, "Why me." Why not you? Until we mature enough to understand that God uses everything for good in the lives of believers, we would be entangled in such bitterness toward God at our own detriment. We need to confess those hidden anger and resentment, and repent.

When we are bitter with God, we create the greatest barrier to friendship with Him. Usually when one is in an unfavorable or difficult situation, some will say, “Why would I want to be God's friend if He allowed this thing in my life?” The remedy, of course, is to realize that God always acts in your best interest, even when it is painful and you don't understand it. But releasing your resentment and revealing your feeling is the first step to healing. The wise and right thing to do when you are in doubt or bearing any resentments, because of happenings around you, is turn to Him in all honesty, and not turn away from Him.

Everything that moves you to question the integrity of God, or His love for you must be destroyed, so that the altar of your heart can be prepared for the fire from heaven. While preparing your heart to approach God in prayer, one of the things you must guard against is offenses. So many have their conscience ensnared with offenses toward God or man, and all they do in prayer is nothing but complain, and murmur. When you are offended in God, you turn Him against yourself; and if God is against you, who will save you? If you despise Him, who will lift you?

When you are offended in God or man, you bear iniquities in your heart that inhibits God from hearing you (Psalm 66 vs 18). Many are stranded because of offenses. When they stand in prayer, they justify themselves against God. They say, "Lord, I have acted in my best attitude, and have done everything that You commanded. Only You haven't done your part." In other words, they count themselves faithful and God unfaithful. But the Bible says, "...Let God be true but every man a liar..." (Romans 3 vs 4.) Anything that makes you to murmur against God is moving you against your destiny. You can't expect Him to answer your prayers when your heart is full of complains and offenses toward God or man. 

In our memory verse, Jesus said that those who do not take any offense in the Lord are fortunate and blessed. Jesus said that when John the Baptist that sat in prison, and began to have some doubts about whether Jesus really was the Messiah. John thought in his heart that if his purpose was to prepare people for the coming Messiah, then why was he in prison when he could have been preaching to the crowds, preparing their hearts. John expected that the coming Messiah should be able to save him from prison. 

When John the Baptist’s disciples came and put his question before Jesus; "Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?" Jesus knew that he was already offended in Him. He asked the disciples to go back to him with the good news of His exploits—the blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Obviously, that would have offended John the more because he already had heard all those evidence that indicated the real identity of Jesus, and wondered why He didn't want to save Him from prison. 

It is noteworthy that it was in the same prison and the same Jailer that held Paul and Silas. They were doing the work of the Messiah when they were arrested and jailed. But they didn't get offended both toward God or the men, but instead sang and praised God while in there, and God came in His Might and saved them. But forJohn, he was eventually beheaded when the King's daughter, on the advice of the mother, asked for his head in a platter.

Romans 8 vs 28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." So, set your heart right before Him. Count Him faithful in all things. Refuse to complain, but rather let God know that you have no alternative beside Him, and that you are ready to hang on till your answer comes from Him. Any attempt to step away from God, is stepping into doom for you. Certainly, there is no unrighteousness with God! (Romans 9 vs 14.)

Let your conscience be as that of the apostle Paul who said, "This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men." (Acts 24 vs 16.) Give your destiny motion by clearing off every offense from your heart, to establish a thoroughfare to heaven in prayers. This is the way to maintain a good communication line with God.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the Lord, the Creator of all things. All that happens are already known to You, and You allow them for Your purposes. Give me the grace to have a conscience free from offenses toward You and men, that I may pray through to heaven, and be worthy of Your blessings accordingly, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!