Get Better or Get Bitter. That is the subject of a sermon that I am working on. You can help me by suggesting some scriptural support and suggested points.

The Bible teaches us that even Jesus learned obedience by the things that He suffered. In facing adversity we can become BITTER or get BETTER. The only difference between those to words is one vowel in the second position, "I" or "E". I choose the "E". Thank's for your help.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2001

Answers

In the first chapter of Ruth the 20th verse, Naomi after returning to her land in Bethleham, says to change her name to Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. There is a wonderful lesson in that. Naomi was bitter, but the Lord had not dealt betterly with her. She thought she had nothing to offer, because she had lost so much. But God saw in the future and what she brought back with her, was her daughter-in-law. Jesus was to come from that line of descendents.

I just read this scripture today and wondered if you could use this.

In Christ, Carmen

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001

Thank you! Point number one. Very good, this will preach.

Blessings

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001

Dear Rev. Paris,

You are too good to me!! This is the first opportunity that I have ever had to help a minister prepare a sermon. Thank you very much. My methodology for problem solving involves seeking the will of the Holy Spirit. I have observed that I have difficulty in waiting on the Holy Spirit to give me an answer. However, He has shown me time and time again that he will answer me when he gets ready. He has also shown me time and time again that I will get what I need when He decides so and I may get what I want if He thinks it is the best thing for me to have. Might I suggest that you and your congregation employ a similar methodology. I am certain that if you do that no one will be able to give you a better sermon than the Holy Spirit. I wish you much success on Sunday. Thanks again for asking.

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001

JazzMan, It WAS the Holy Spirit who told me to do this! So the Holy Spirit wants to use you, please let go and let God!

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001

Dear Rev. Paris, You are absolutely correct in saying that the "Holy Spirit wants to use you" !!! He wants to use me and you and all of us christians but too many times we(flesh) get in His way by not praying and fasting about His master plan for our lives. I have observed that some sermons are man's interpretation of the scriptures and not the Holy Spirit's interpretation of His word. You are correct again in saying that I need to let go and let God!!! I am constantly fighting the spiritual battle in my mind between my human nature(flesh) and the Holy Spirit by daily prayer, ocassional fasting, bible study, and meditation. We as christians need to be constantly humbling ourselves to the Holy Spirit so that His master plan for our lives can be accomplished.

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

Rev. Paris is an inspiration and one thing that I do know about him is that he is "Spirit Led!" And I thank him for that, for he has been a wonderful mentor for me and my church. And has encouraged me to listen to God. Preaching is a combination of a lot of things, God, what is happening in the church, and what is happening in the world. Toss in suggestions from the congregation, and personal themes that you would like to address and the sermon can get complicated. I was intrigued by Rev. Paris "Sermon Title" for the title alone told me it was from the "Holy Spirit" this topic has a lot of implications, healing, acceptance, imitating, Christ, commandment of love and our relationship with self and others. Wow! I thought, I am glad I did not get that assignement;-) But Pastor Paris has taken it on. God Bless him. I want to share a story about my sermon yesterday. I had planned on preaching on David and Goliath. I was quite excited, for I had one member in mind that was having a hard time and I wanted to encourage her. It was really a good sermon! But at 6:30 AM on Sunday, God told me to preach the lectionary reading for that day. I was not thrilled because I had to do research and get my sermon together. Yesterday's reading was about Saul being transformed into Paul the Apostle by Jesus, he lost his eyesight for three days and when he got it back he was transformed into following Christ. I got to church early and a mother and daughter came for the first time. They were unhappy with the church they were attending, for they felt they were being transformed by Christ and wanted to have a personal relationship with Christ. I almost fell on the floor. For I realized God knew they were coming!! By the way the other person I was thinking about for my David and Goliath sermon, didn't even show up for church:-) Jazzman we as pastors do the best we can. Be patient with us:-)

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001

Dear Rev. Paris and Rev. Rogers,

Both of you sound like you were offended by me suggesting that you and your congregations pray constantly and submit yourselves to the Holy Spirit so that God's master plan for your lives can be accomplished. For I know that neither me or you can do anything better than God almighty. It was not my intent to insult you in giving this advice. I was merely trying to offer wisdom. I am baffled as to why any christian would be offended if he or she was told constantly to pray and fast and seek the will of the Holy Spirit on all matters. This is sound advice and I welcome this advice from my friends constantly. As a matter of fact, they are not friends if they don't give me this kind of advice.

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, May 01, 2001

Jazzman I cannot speak for Pastor Paris but you did not offend me. To the contrary your post and other posts are always uplifting. It sounds like what I was trying to say did not come out right. I am sorry, I was trying to share with you the process that God used with me on Sunday for my sermon. For I had my plan and God had his plan! And he was definitely right. I wanted you to know you were right when you talk about the movement of the holy spirit when it comes to sermons. Sorry Jazzman if my previous post suggested anything other that agreement with you!

-- Anonymous, May 01, 2001

Brother JazzMan,

Not offended but highly amused that you would assume that I needed to be advised to allow the Holy Spirit to lead me. The implication was that solicting materials for a sermon on this BB was somehow not according to the Spirit. The same God that used a jackass to deliver his message to a reluctant prophet can use any method He wants to get His message to a preacher, willig or not.

Jesus took his sermons from the circumstances and situations around Him in nature and if he had delayed His first coming to this day, the internet and BBs would have been topics addressed by Him. For example, can't youy see the "birds of the air" flying by as He teaches that the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.

The fact is that the sermon "Getting Better of Getting Bitter" is being preached by you and others to you and others including me. I daresay the someone has already been blessed by the topic and responses. One day, when the Lord says so, I will delivery it to the congregation.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2001