Throw Out the Bitter Life for a Better Life

T= hrow Out the Bitter Life

F= or a Better Life

<= o:p>

Jonah 1:1-12

1 But = Jonah was greatly displeas= ed and became furious.
² He prayed to the L= ord: “Please, Lord= , isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place.= Jnh 1:3 I knew that You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to become angry, rich in faithful love, and One who relents from = The bracketed text has been added for clarity. <= span class=3Dindent>disaster.<= /span> Ex 34:6; Nm 14:18;= Neh 9:17
= ³ And = now, L= ord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live= .”
⁴ The Lord= asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
⁵ Jonah left the city and sat down east of it. He made himself a shelter there and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city.
= ⁶ Then= the L= ord God appointed a plant, =3D either a castor-oil pl= ant or a climbing gourd and it gr= ew up to provide shade over Jonah’s head to ease his discomfort.= Lit <= span style=3D'mso-bookmark:essm'>to deliver him from his evil J= onah was greatly pleased with the plant.
= ⁷ When= dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, and it withered.
⁸ As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching ea= st wind. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he almost fainted, an= d he wanted to die. He said, “It’s better for me to die than to live.”
⁹ Then God asked Jonah, “Is it right for you to= be angry about the plant?” “Yes, The bracketed text has been added for clarity. ” he replied. “It is right. I’m angry enough to die!”
¹⁰ So the Lord= said, “You cared (had compassion on) about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night= .
11 Should I not care about t= he great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people = Or men who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?= 221;

1.   Disappointment

= A.&n= bsp;            Defined

“to be made unhappy by= the failure of one’s hopes or expectations”

= B.&n= bsp;            Described

Two categories: circumstances or people<= o:p>

= C.&n= bsp;            Developed

Brings discouragement=

= D.&n= bsp;            Directed

Often blames others (not at fault)

2.   Anger

  &nbs= p;     Ephesians 4:22-32

you took o= ff Or Jesus. This means: take off (as a co= mmand) your form= er way of life, the old man that is corrupted by deceitful desires;
23 you are being renewed Or desires; renew= (as a command) in the sp= irit of your minds;
24 you put on<= span class=3Dfntext1> Or minds; and put on (as a command) the new m= an, the one created according to God’s likeness. The bracketed text has been add= ed for clarity. Col 3:10 in righteousness and purity of the truth.<= span style=3D'font-size:18.0pt;line-height:150%'>
25 Since you put away lying, Speak the t= ruth, each one to his neighbor, Zch 8:16 because we are members of one another.
26 Be angry and do not sin. Jms 1:19–20 Ps 4:4 Don’t let the sun go= down on your anger,
27 and don’t give the Devil an opportunity.
28 The thief must no longer = steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has somethin= g to share with anyone in need.
29 No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, Lit for the building up of the need in order = to give grace to those who hear.
30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit, who sealed you Or = Spirit, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander m= ust be removed from you, along with all wickedness.
32 And be kind and compassionate to one anothe= r, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you Other mss read us in Christ.

=

HOW IT OPERATES=

A.  &n= bsp; Anger is permitted but not commanded.

B.  &n= bsp; Anger can be appropriate and good.

C.  &n= bsp; Anger must be temporary.

D.  &n= bsp; On-going anger becomes a grudge.

E.  &n= bsp; On-going anger leaves us vulnerable to the Devil.

F.  &n= bsp; On-going anger is a sin.

G.  &n= bsp; On-going anger develops bitterness.

H.  &n= bsp; On-going anger can lead to public verbal outbursts.<= /p>

I.  &n= bsp;   On-going anger can lead to slander.

J.  &n= bsp; On-going anger leads to a malignant disposition.

CURE FOR IT

A.  &n= bsp; Kindness or compassion

B.    Tender hearted

C.    Forgiving=

3.    Bitterness or Resentment

  &nbs= p;     Hebrews 12:12-17

Therefore strengthen your tired= hands and weakened knees,
¹³&= nbsp;and make straight paths for your feet, Pr 4:26 so that what is lame may not be dislo= cated, but healed instead. ¹⁴ Pursue peace with everyone, and holine= ss—without it no one will see the Lord.
¹⁵&= nbsp;See to it that no one fa= lls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble Dt 29:18 and by it, defiling many.
¹⁶&= nbsp;And see that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who = sold his birthright in exchange for one meal.
¹⁷&= nbsp;For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears.

        A.    Caused by a lack of God’s grace in one’s life

        B.    Resides deeply in one’s heart<= o:p>

        C.    Grows and makes itself apparent<= o:p>

        D.    Creates troubled relationships and caus= es division

        E.     Infects others with bitterness=

        F.     Erodes and destroys godly character

        G.    Exempts us from God’s blessing on= our lives

        H.    Results in depression, lack of purpo= se, and burnout

<= /o:p>

        &= nbsp;   CURE FOR IT

        A clear conscience<= /u> toward God and man

        A persevering commitme= nt to forgive



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