Beyond Bitterness

 

Beyond Bitterness

Revelation 8: ¹⁰ Then the third angel blew his trumpet. A large star, burning like a torch, dropped from the sky and fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. ¹¹ (The name of the star is “Bitterness.”) A third of the water turned bitter, and many people died from drinking the water, because it had turned bitter.

 

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After the hike, I was thirsty. We got back to the campsite and there was a water pump. We gathered around it in delight! I cupped my hands under the pump as someone raised and lowered the handle. I got excited hearing the pump rumble, but when the water came out, it was brown and rusty!

 

• Initially the water was rusty.
• We could not drink the water until the pump lines were cleared.
• We had to boil the water to make it drinkable.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, heard the third angel blow the trumpet. Then a star hit earth, contaminating a third of fresh water sources. This was the third of seven steps to continue to take down Satan’s kingdom.

 

My Observations:

• GOD will make the earth an uncomfortable place to live.
• Satan tempted JESUS with the things of this world, BUT GOD will tear down what he could offer.
• Believers in JESUS will not have to thirst, because GOD will supply living water.

 

Bitterness is a problem. I mean, when GOD uses bitterness to destroy something, it must be bad. I can have bitterness in my heart that isn’t good. I can see the injustice of a people group or remember what someone did or did not do to me or for me and react in a bitter way. Bitter is a sharp, pungent, taste or smell.  GOD has a remedy for bitterness.

 

JESUS died for my sins, even the bitter ones. HIS grace is sufficient to cover my sin of bitterness. HE is willing to reshape my heart instead of allowing it to be hardened towards any one person. HE can change any heart, and it starts with mine.

 

Challenge

• Are you surprised by what the writer saw?
• Have you ever tasted bitter water?
• Will you seek to understand GOD’s plan so you can remove any bitterness from your heart towards “that” person so you can allow GOD into your heart today?