The Silent Killer
Mike Johnson
Doctors sometimes refer to high blood pressure as “the silent killer” because people often do not know they have it until the damage happens. This article is not about our physical health but rather about another silent killer condemned in the Scriptures, “bitterness.” Like high blood pressure, it often goes unnoticed by others, and sometimes, a person who has this spiritual “disorder” may not fully realize it. Therefore, we must “put on the cuff” from time to time and check our “bitterness level.”
We speak of something being bitter when it has a sharp or unpleasant taste. Mentally, however, bitterness is ongoing pain, hurt, and mental anguish felt by people due to past events or circumstances. It is resentment held on to — a resentment that has become rancid and rotten. It is said, “Bitterness is loss frozen in resentment.” It grows out of a refusal to let go when someone or something is taken from us. People get hurt because of difficult circumstances, events, or other people; they hold on to that hurt, which turns into bitterness.
From the Old Testament, Naomi is an example of a person who became bitter due to various setbacks in life. In the book of Ruth, we learn that Naomi, along with her husband and two sons, went to Moab to live because of a famine in Judah. Her sons married two women — Orpah and Ruth. Over time, her husband and two sons died. Naomi’s losses made her bitter. She said, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” (Ruth 1:20-21). The name Naomi signifies “pleasant” or “amicable”; the name Mara, which she wanted to be called, means “bitter.” Note the number of times in these two verses that she blamed God for her misfortunes. Naomi allowed her losses to cause her to become bitter. Often, people allow difficult circumstances to cause them to become bitter against others and, sometimes, even against God.
Hannah is another Old Testament example of bitterness. She was married to Elkanah, who had another wife besides her. Hannah was unable to bear a child and was very sad as a result. Elkanah’s other wife was able to have children, which seemed to cause resentment between the two women. Although Elkanah treated Hannah well and loved her dearly, she deeply grieved, and he could not console her. I Samuel 1:10 says she was in “bitterness of soul.” This situation is another example of the circumstances of life causing bitterness. To Hannah’s credit, however, she turned to the Lord during this challenging time. She asked God for a child, which she would give to the Lord, and God granted her request.
Hebrews 12:15 is one of several New Testament passages that warn against bitterness. It says, “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” A “root of bitterness,” like the root of a tree, can be below the surface and not detectable by others. Eventually, it will show itself, producing the fruits of bitterness, such as evil speaking, anger, and hatred. Bitterness, as the text says, can defile others, as well. It can hurt relationships and can even cause disunity within a congregation.
Colossians 3:19 speaks of the danger of bitterness within marriage as it says, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.” Instead of having resentment toward his wife, he is to love her. When bitterness exists, proper love is lacking. Problems often occur between a husband and a wife, and when issues go unsettled, ill feelings can fester into resentment and bitterness. Some disagreements must be discussed and resolved, but minor differences should be quickly forgotten. Sometimes, couples must learn to “forget about it” or “get over it.” If not, bitterness can develop, destroying any relationship, especially a marriage.
Bitterness is a sin, and we must put it away. Ephesians 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” Sometimes, someone will say, “With what has happened to me, I have a right to be bitter.” The Bible says you do not. Some people, for example, say they cannot stop gambling, committing fornication, or drinking. It may be difficult, but people can stop these sins. In the same way, although it may not be easy, people can get rid of bitterness. God does not require the impossible.
How do we put away bitterness? Ephesians 4:32 makes it clear we should replace it with kindness, forgiveness, and compassion. We must have enough understanding and compassion in our hearts so there is no room for bitterness. The verse also tells us we are to forgive one another, “even as God in Christ’s forgave you.” Sometimes, it is tough to forgive, but we must. Even if a person will not repent, the Bible teaches that we are to love our enemies (Mt. 5:43-44) and that we are to overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:17-21). Finally, we must repent and pray (Acts 8:22) to receive forgiveness.
Many of life’s dealings can cause bitterness: the deaths of loved ones, sickness, difficult circumstances, and people hurting or mistreating us. We must realize that life is full of hurts; it always will be. We must never allow ourselves to be the “victims” of other people’s offenses. Bitterness has been called “the nest that the devil digs into our soul.” We should put it away for our good and the good of others.
_________
The Walls of Jericho
R.J. Evans
In Joshua 6:1-6, the Israelites were instructed by the Lord to march around the city of Jericho once each day for six days. The priests were told to bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark, and on the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times, and when the priests blew the trumpets, all the people were to shout, and the wall of the city would fall down flat. The remainder of chapter 6 tells of their obedience to God’s instructions, the wall falling, and the city being destroyed.
Marching around a city thirteen times in seven days, blowing trumpets and making a great shout — who ever heard of such a thing? The wall was of such considerable size that houses were built upon it (Josh. 2:15). How safe the inhabitants of Jericho must have felt. How easy it would have been for the soldiers and commanders on the walls to laugh and ridicule the marchers as they encompassed the city. But suddenly, on the seventh day, there was an incredible event — the walls fell! (v. 20).
Now, how did the walls fall? Was this some common military procedure that had been used successfully in the past? Absolutely not! “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days” (Heb. 11:30). Yes, it took great faith to carry out such an unusual command. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). It took faith in “things not seen” — “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
But there are skeptics who laugh and mock at the events recorded in Joshua 6. They say it is absurd to believe that the walls of Jericho fell down after the Israelites marched around them. However, let us consider the following portion of information taken from Halley’s Bible Handbook, New Revised Edition, pp. 159-161:
Dr. John Garstang, director of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem and of the Department of Antiquities of the Palestine Government, excavated the ruins of Jericho in 1926-36. He found pottery & scarab evidence that the city had been destroyed about 1400 B.C., coinciding with Joshua’s date, and, in a number of details, dug up evidence confirming the Biblical account in a most remarkable way. “the wall fell down flat” (20). Dr. Garstang found that the wall did actually ‘fall down flat.”
There are many lessons learned from Jericho:
- We learn that God’s ways are not our ways(Isa. 55:8). Man would have planned some scheme to allow a few to enter the city and open the gates or build mounds, use sling shots to pick the soldiers off the wall, use ladders, etc.
- We learn the meaning of grace. “And the Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor’” (Josh. 6:2). Yes, it was a gift, but it involved active obedience. The same is true today — salvation is a gift from God (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8), yet certain conditions must be met (Matt. 7:21; Jn. 6:29; Mk. 16:16; Lk. 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; Eph. 2:10; Heb. 5:9).
- We learn the meaning of obedient faith(Heb. 11; Jas. 2:24).
- We learn that God’s way will work no matter how foolish (in man’s eyes) it may seem(1 Cor. 1:18-31).
The Apostle Paul told the Romans that “whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). The Israelites placed their faith and trust in God when they marched around the city of Jericho. We place our faith and trust in God when we are baptized for the remission of our sins (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). When we faithfully obey the Lord we can hope for and enjoy the blessings and rewards He has promised (Matt. 6:33; Rev. 2:10). Again, we emphasize — “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days” (Heb. 11:30).
__________
God’s Inspired Message
Mike Johnson
In I Thessalonians 2:13, Paul wrote, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” Negatively, he states they had not received his preaching “as the word of men”; positively, they had received it as the “Word of God.” Paul was thankful they had accepted him as an inspired teacher of God’s Word.
There are other passages in I Thessalonians where Paul points out his message was from God. In chapter 4, he revealed that the commandments taught were “through the Lord Jesus,” and the person who rejected their teaching “does not reject man, but God who has also given us his Holy Spirit” (vs. 2, 3, 8). Later, when instructing them about the second coming of Christ (4:15), Paul said, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord ….”
Paul and other inspired individuals spoke God’s message. The Holy Spirit guided them (Eph. 3:3-5, 2 Tim. 3:16-17), and they wrote God’s Word down so we might have it today. I Corinthians 2:12-13 also says, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The NASB renders the last part, “combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
What is your attitude toward God’s Word? Do you look at it as a message from God? How we view God’s Word will directly affect how we respond. If we do not consider the Scriptures as a message from God, we often do not conform our lives to its teaching when there is a conflict with our practice. If we view it as being from God, there is a higher chance we will do what it says, no matter what. Furthermore, we should consider Scriptural preaching or teaching as commandments from God. We need to welcome SCRIPTURAL TEACHING as THE WORD OF GOD and THEN OBEY IT!
__________
Changing the Label Makes
Sin More Dangerous
One of America’s great needs is to recognize sin for what it is. We are too prone to explain it away or to soften its horrors.
Wilbur Chapman tells of a distinguished minister who preached on sin, and one of the leading members came to talk to him in his study. He said to the preacher, “We don’t want you to talk so plainly about sin because the more our boys and girls hear you talking about sin, the more easily they will become sinners. Call sin a mistake if you will, but do not speak so plainly about it being just plain outright sin.”
The preacher took down a small bottle marked “POISON” from the shelf and showed it to the visitor. It was a bottle of strychnine. He said, “I see what you want me to do. You want me to change the label? Now, suppose I took off the label marked “Poison” on this bottle and put on some mild label, such as “Oil of Anise,” don’t you see what happens? The milder you make the label, the more dangerous you make the poison!”
“That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the LORD; who say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits’” (Isaiah 30:9-10).
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).
Author Unknown
__________
|
|
A Living God
Alan Smith
A defendant was on trial for murder. There was strong evidence indicating guilt, but there was no corpse. In the defense’s closing statement, the lawyer knowing that his client would probably be convicted, resorted to a trick: “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all,” the lawyer said as he looked at his watch. “Within one minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom.”
He looked toward the courtroom door. The jurors, somewhat stunned, all looked on eagerly. A minute passed. Nothing happened.
Finally the lawyer said, “Actually, I made up the previous statement. But you all looked on with anticipation. I therefore put it to you that there is reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed and insist that you return a verdict of not guilty.”
The jury, clearly confused, retired to deliberate. A few minutes later, the jury returned and pronounced a verdict of guilty.
“But how?” inquired the lawyer. “You must have had some doubt; I saw all of you stare at the door.”
The jury foreman replied: “Oh, we did look, but your client didn’t.”
Oops! It was evident from the way he acted that the defendant didn’t really believe the victim was still alive. Let me ask you a question: As the world looks at our lives, is it evident to them that we believe in a living God?
Oh, I know we’ve made the case, we’ve argued the evidence, we’ve proclaimed the truth that “Our God, He is Alive!” But the world may be looking not so much at the evidence we present, as our demeanor, to see if it matches what we say we believe.
“For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:10-12).
May it be evident to the people around us by the way we act that we serve a LIVING God!