Bitterness

Decendants of Esau

The first eight verses give us details about Esau and his family; his wives who he chose from the women of Canaan (vv. 1-3), his sons (vv. 4-5), and his enormous wealth (vv. 6-8). Esau was Edom and the Edomites were his descendants. He had three wives, Adah, Oholibamah and Basemath …

Grieving God’s Spirit by The Way we Live

We can grieve the Holy Spirit by the way we live. Paul’s advice is sound because the longer we postpone mending a quarrel, the less likely we are ever to mend it. If there is trouble between us and anyone else if there is trouble in a Church or a fellowship or any society …

The Curses For Disobedience

Moses reminds Israel that they are not naive concerning idolatry (vv. 16-18). They had seen it in Egypt and then had fallen into idolatry along the way to the promised land. Because of this they should watch out for this sin when they entered the promised land and faced new temptations…

Job Wished He Could Die

This chapter records the first great outpouring of complaint by Job, and not one of his visitors, that broke the seven days of silence. As he spoke, it was not with a casual greeting to his friends or small talk. His former positive manner has turned to bitterness, his pati …

IllustrationResolving a Conflict After 30 Years

An elderly man comes to a pastor one day and asks if the pastor would perform a wedding for him. The pastor asks who he is going to marry. The man then tells how he and his wife to be have been married before. They had been married to each other. Then he tel …

IllustrationRestoring a Strained Relationship

One New Year’s Eve at London’s Garrick Club, British dramatist Frederick Lonsdale was asked by Symour Hicks to reconcile himself with a fellow member. The two had quarreled in the past and never restored their friendship. “You must,” Hicks said to Lonsdale. &quo …

IllustrationFanny Crosby a Victorious Christian

Warren Wiersbe wrote a book called Victorious Christian about a woman named Fanny Crosby. Crosby was the author of over 8000 songs including several that we sing today. In fact she wrote so many that she had to write under pseudonymns just so she could get more of her songs into …

IllustrationSigmund Freud Died at The Age of 83 Bitter And Disillusioned

Armand M. Nicholi, M. D. , professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, explains that Sigmund Freud died at the age of 83, a bitter and disillusioned man. Tragically, this Viennese physician, one of the most influential thinkers of our time, had little compassion for …