Seven Steps to Turn Bitterness Into Forgivenessi

[Torah]

I posted this a long time ago and I think it is good enough for repeating

Part one

suffering is the pain that is required in order for true healing to take place (cf. I Peter 4:1 “Therefore, since
the Messiah suffered physically, you too are to arm yourselves with the same attitude. For whoever has suffered
physically is finished with sin.”). Suffering can be God’s reminder that we have violated His ways (cf. Ps
119:71 “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”). Suffering is the fertile soil
into which into which the Almighty transplants every growing Believer. (cf. I Peter 5:10 “And the God of all grace,
who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you
strong, firm and steadfast.”). Suffering is preparation and confirmation for future leadership. (See 2 Tim. 2:12).
Suffering is also God’s way to draw others to Himself (cf. 1 Peter 3:18 “For the Messiah himself died for sins, once
and for all, a righteous person on behalf of unrighteous people, so that he might bring you to God. He was put to death
in the flesh but brought to life by the Spirit”). SUFFERING IS OUR CALLING WHEN ANOTHER PERSON OFFENDS US.
What are the consequences of persistent bitterness
1. PHYSICAL-chemical imbalances
· lower resistance - Nu 5:27 “And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that,
if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter
into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a
curse among her people.” Viruses and germs will not hurt us if we are not weakened by guilt or bitterness.
90% of all illness are caused by lack of love and bitterness!
· aching teeth - muscle tension caused by bitterness and anger cause additional pressure (muscle contractions)
when the teeth come together.
· hard facial features - Bitter people look stern and sullen, therefore, women, you cannot afford to get
bitter! Women may also have trouble keeping weight off, but hormones are brought back into balance
when bitterness is released.
· bone diseases - Quality of life is related to the health of the blood (cf. Lev 17:11 “For the life of the
flesh is in the blood”). Bitterness and anger affect the bones (see Prov. 17:22) and therefore, the blood,
since this is where the blood is manufactured.
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL-depression
· Depression is an emotional drain, i.e., using up our emotional energy.
· A quick look at Eliahu and Jonah: they all used their emotional energy for anger reasons (they asked
God to take their lives!). New mothers (in postpartum depression) are also susceptible to this kind of
drain. In fact, this is why the Psalms were written¾to restore us from depression.
· Bitterness is a continual drain on our emotional system and we need to stop this leak ASAP.
3. SPIRITUAL IDENTIFICATION - when you are bitter you create an emotional focus and
* YOU BECOME JUST LIKE THE PERSON YOU ARE BITTER TOWARD *
Illustration: A young father was called to correction by the youth director in a congregation. After listening
to the elder’s reprimand, the younger man was very wroth causing the elder to remark: “You are
just like your father.” “I will never be like my father,” remarked the young man. “My father was
a drunkard and I don’t drink, he was unfaithful to my mother and I am faithfully married, and he
neglected his children but I am my children’s best friend. How can you say such a thing?” Yet the
elder was absolutely correct in his assessment. Would you like to know why?

[Torah]

Part 2
Here is what happens. When you say ‘I will never be like somebody’ the word ‘like’ is a standard of comparison.
You are comparing yourself to that person and they become your measurement. Are you not unwise because
you measure yourselves among yourselves and by yourselves? (see 2 Cor. 10:12) That’s the first issue,
but that alone will not do it, but the bitterness will. For when you are bitter, that binds you together by giving
you an emotional link and focus, and that’s what is going to do it. That focus has two sides and that’s what
the son did not realize. He was focusing on his father’s visible faults. The visible faults of the father involved
his drunkenness, his neglect, his unfaithfulness. But what he didn’t realize is that underneath these faults were
root attitudes. That father was very bitter at his father, and the son was also very bitter at his father. The father
was a very proud person, the son was a very proud son. The father was very selfish, the son was also
very selfish. The same attitudes that the father had, the son had. And this director of this youth work that this
man was in he saw the father’s attitudes and he saw the son’s attitudes causing him to say ‘you’re just like
your father.’ Not in outward action, but in inward attitudes. And that is exactly the way it happens. Scripture
says you cannot love God and hate somebody else¾that’s not even possible. You are only capable of one
emotional focus at a time. The reason that is true is because God will use these people as mirrors to let us see
our rough edges. They are ‘like the hand of God.’ And to say “I am bitter at the hand of God” and at the
same time say “I love God” doesn’t work. We need to recognize that God uses these people to reveal my ungodly
attitudes, and to confess them, and keep my focus away from visible actions. We need to focus on root
attitudes and go to that person and say: “will you forgive me for my pride, my selfishness, my bitterness.”
And once we ask them to forgive us and clear these things up, then we are able to build an emotional focus
around the Lord and clear the whole thing up.
What Steps Can I Take to Conquer Bitterness?
I want to make this as practical and as clear as possible. These seven steps all need to be followed. You might
want to organize them a little differently, that’s fine, but just make sure you do not miss some of these. These
seven steps are a little bit like the seven dips in the river Jordan that Naaman (whose name means pleasantness)
was told to take in 2 Kings 5:14. When Naaman, full of Leprosy began to dip down in the river Jordan, do you
think that after each dip he came up and he had a little less leprosy? I personally do not. I personally believe that
when Naaman came up after the sixth dip he still had all his leprosy. I don’t believe he got rid of his leprosy until
he went down that seventh time and came up. Scripture says: “You will seek me and you will find me when you
seek for me with all your heart.” Yet so many people today are really bitter, ultimately, really at God and have
lost their hope in being a Believer because they said they tried it and it didn’t work. More and more, I see people
who have dipped six times, and it didn’t work. And it won’t work because Satan will do all he can to stop you
from that seventh time. We go only so far, and we stop. The get right up to the door of success and then they
walk away. And then they say “well that didn’t work” and they try something else. And nothing else is going to
work except that last step... So I urge you to follow through in each one of these.
1. REPENT OF TEMPORAL VALUES
The very fact that we are bitter, you see, no matter what people do to damage us, no matter what ¾ damage
our bodies, damage our possessions, damage our reputation is all temporal. Sha’ul said “I take the spoiling of
my goods with joy...” (see Hebrews 10:34) They damaged Yeshua, they beat Him, they punched Him...
Scripture says that which is seen is temporal but that which is not seen is eternal (see 2 Cor. 4:18). Therefore
there is nothing that you and I can see that is eternal. So if we have the loss of money, or reputation, or possessions
or health or whatever, that is only temporal. And we have got to make a real distinction that we cannot
become focused on temporal things. That is why Sha’ul said ‘I’d like to stay here but it is far better to go
and be with the Lord.’ What’s the worst they can do? Kill the body? Then you go and get to be with the Lord
soon... Sha’ul said that to die is to gain, because there is a crown of righteousness waiting for those who suffer
for righteousness. So the worst they can do will only give a greater eternal reward.

[Torah]

Part 3

said: “Why, these wicked Sabeans and Chaldeans. Let’s get a posse together and go after them...” But what
did he say. He said: “...Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave,
and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Not the Chaldeans, not the Sabeans, God hath
taken away, Baruch Hashem Adonai... That is why God said: “...Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there
is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he
holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
Here was Yosef, who was able to say about his brothers in Gen 50:20: “But as for you, ye thought evil against
me; but God meant it unto good...” There are indeed people that mean it for evil for you and me. But can you
say: “they meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”
Here was king David forced out of his city by his own son Absalom. And along a long dusty road a wicked
man named Shimei (see 2 Sam 16:13) picked up stones and hurled them at David and his men as he cursed
them. David’s general said: “why should this dead dog curse you, you are the king. Give me the word and I’ll
go over and take out his head.” And what did David say? “Don’t you dare touch him. Because God has bidden
him to curse me this day. It may be that God will look upon my affliction and reward me good for the evil
done against me this day.” What an amazing insight by David, the man after God’s own heart. David understood
the ways of God. God is not responsible for the cursing but God used the wrath of man to praise Him,
and the remainder of wrath, He restrains. So the next time somebody curses you, offends you, or even thinking
of those who have, can you look upon them as agents in the hands of a loving, wise, holy God. Who is
actually out to accomplish His greater purposes through these people apart from their own understanding.
They did not know what God was doing.
Illustration: A story is given about the conquering of the West and the beautiful Monterrey bay. And it was a
most gorgeous property. As the early settlers came out, this man said this is just the perfect spot,
the land of our dreams. He decided to go back east and bring his family and so he send his trusted
friend up to the claims office and gave him the money to place his claim on this beautiful property
on the ocean. He went back and told his family of this beautiful opportunity and they couldn’t
hardly wait to get out there and he came and showed it to them. After finding his friend to get the
claim, his friend said “I liked it too. So I claimed it for myself and claimed some other property for
you, up on the mountain there.” You talk about dreams crashing down! He and his family went up
the mountain to their barren, desolate place that had been claimed for them. And up there they
discovered the richest gold vein that was ever discovered.
God knows how He can use even the wrath and the cheating of people to bring about the best in your life if
we would only let Him.
4. Thank God for His ultimate purpose Through the Offenses (1 Thes. 5:18)
We would immediately say, “But I am not thankful.” God is not telling us to be thankful, He is saying “In all
things give thanks.” He didn’t say “In all things be thankful.” Instead He said “ In all things give thanks.” This
works by faith and trust, even before I am thankful, I can thank God for His ultimate purposes in allowing
these things to happen. We can say “God I do not understand why You did this, but I am going to thank You
because You do all things well. No good thing will You withhold from those that walk uprightly.”
n God does protects His own.
In Matt 10:28-29: “Aren’t sparrows sold for next to nothing, two for an assarion? Yet not one of them will
fall to the ground without your Father’s consent. Aren’t sparrows sold for next to nothing, two for an assarion?
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s consent. O Ye of little faith.”

[Torah]

Part 4
Here was Job. Job had the Sabeans come and kill his servants and steal his flocks and the Chaldeans came and
killed other of his servants and captured his herds and other tragedies, all at the same time. And he could have said: “Why, these wicked Sabeans and Chaldeans. Let’s get a posse together and go after them...” But what
did he say. He said: “...Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave,
and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Not the Chaldeans, not the Sabeans, God hath
taken away, Baruch Hashem Adonai... That is why God said: “...Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there
is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he
holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
Here was Yosef, who was able to say about his brothers in Gen 50:20: “But as for you, ye thought evil against
me; but God meant it unto good...” There are indeed people that mean it for evil for you and me. But can you
say: “they meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”
Here was king David forced out of his city by his own son Absalom. And along a long dusty road a wicked
man named Shimei (see 2 Sam 16:13) picked up stones and hurled them at David and his men as he cursed
them. David’s general said: “why should this dead dog curse you, you are the king. Give me the word and I’ll
go over and take out his head.” And what did David say? “Don’t you dare touch him. Because God has bidden
him to curse me this day. It may be that God will look upon my affliction and reward me good for the evil
done against me this day.” What an amazing insight by David, the man after God’s own heart. David understood
the ways of God. God is not responsible for the cursing but God used the wrath of man to praise Him,
and the remainder of wrath, He restrains. So the next time somebody curses you, offends you, or even thinking
of those who have, can you look upon them as agents in the hands of a loving, wise, holy God. Who is
actually out to accomplish His greater purposes through these people apart from their own understanding.
They did not know what God was doing.
Illustration: A story is given about the conquering of the West and the beautiful Monterrey bay. And it was a
most gorgeous property. As the early settlers came out, this man said this is just the perfect spot,
the land of our dreams. He decided to go back east and bring his family and so he send his trusted
friend up to the claims office and gave him the money to place his claim on this beautiful property
on the ocean. He went back and told his family of this beautiful opportunity and they couldn’t
hardly wait to get out there and he came and showed it to them. After finding his friend to get the
claim, his friend said “I liked it too. So I claimed it for myself and claimed some other property for
you, up on the mountain there.” You talk about dreams crashing down! He and his family went up
the mountain to their barren, desolate place that had been claimed for them. And up there they
discovered the richest gold vein that was ever discovered.
God knows how He can use even the wrath and the cheating of people to bring about the best in your life if
we would only let Him.
4. Thank God for His ultimate purpose Through the Offenses (1 Thes. 5:18)
We would immediately say, “But I am not thankful.” God is not telling us to be thankful, He is saying “In all
things give thanks.” He didn’t say “In all things be thankful.” Instead He said “ In all things give thanks.” This
works by faith and trust, even before I am thankful, I can thank God for His ultimate purposes in allowing
these things to happen. We can say “God I do not understand why You did this, but I am going to thank You
because You do all things well. No good thing will You withhold from those that walk uprightly.”
n God does protects His own.
In Matt 10:28-29: “Aren’t sparrows sold for next to nothing, two for an assarion? Yet not one of them will
fall to the ground without your Father’s consent. Aren’t sparrows sold for next to nothing, two for an assarion?
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s consent. O Ye of little faith.”

n Offenses reveal wrong attitudes in us
Parents do not cause their children to be selfish, children reveal their own selfishness. Scripture says:
“foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.” So these things just reveal the heart of the problem.
n Loses teach us true contentment
Contentment is realizing God has given me everything I need for my present happiness. In 1 Timothy
6:6 “Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have.”
Illustration: One very wealthy man was asked one time, “How much money does it take to make a
man satisfied and content?” He gave a very astute answer. He said, “Just a little bit more.”
Man will not be satisfied by riches. So can you thank God, even if you don’t know them, for His purposes
in allowing problems in your family that are beyond your control, losses that took place, accidents
that took place, and other thing. Even people that have hurt you deeply...
5. Comprehend the magnitude of our debt to God
People who wrong us they have a debt to us. But you know that compared to our debt to the Lord, it is little.
In last week’s message we saw Yeshua’s story in Mathew 18 and the consequences that God will impose
upon us when we do not forgive everyone their sins against us from the heart. We cannot afford to not forgive
others their offenses toward us!
How many of you have prayed the Lord’s prayer? Can I see a show of hands. Thank you. You know what
you‘ve prayed? “Father forgive me my trespasses in the same way I forgive those who trespass against me.”
What you are saying is that if you do not forgive somebody else, you have already prayed “God don’t forgive
me.” God does hear and answer prayer.
6. Realize that God will punish the offender (see the entire book of Psalms)
One of the reasons why we have to bring an offender to justice is because that is part of the healing in the one
who has been offended. That is why God has the law officers as ministers of God to bring to justice those who
offend. What do you do if the one who has offended you is not being brought to justice? That’s where you
read the Book of Psalms. We should be reading 5 Psalms daily, corresponding to the day of the month. For
example, today you would read Psalms 12, 42 (12+30), 72 (12+60 or 42+30), 102 (12+90 or 72+30) and 132
(12+120 or 102+30), tomorrow 13, 43, 73, etc. And you can also read 1 Proverb a day corresponding to the
day of the month. (On the 31st of the month you read Psalm 119 and Proverbs 31). It is amazing how you see
these themes resound. One of the powerful messages in Psalms is that God will punish those who offend you.
If man doesn’t, then God will. God will discipline and punish them in ways that man cannot. And it is important
to know that. But since God is going to take care of their punishment, “Vengeance is mine I will repay
saith the Lord.” He promises to do it. And since He is going to do that then...
7. Voluntarily invest a treasure in our offender
This is the seventh dip. This is the one that most people never do. And so they get right up to the point of success
and they back away and they never get freedom from bitterness. The seventh one is THE most difficult.
We can forgive, but we do not often have joy and gratefulness like we should. Why? This step is the most
critical!
Illustration: A football player married a very delightful woman. This bride, for her wedding, was given a beautiful
set of china. But because they had to travel (because of his football games) she asked her
mother in law if she could store those dishes in her home until they could get established in her
own home. As they were traveling around the country, they visited a relative one day and while she was helping with the dishes, she opened up the cabinets to put the dishes away and to her surprise,
there was her entire china set! Now you ladies can just imagine her emotions when she
learned that the mother in law had let them use it. The nervous relative giggled a little bit and said:
“you probably notice something, you recognize them don’t you? We figured you were not using
them and why let them go to waste, so we are using them, until you need them.” And she found it
very difficult to overcome her bitter spirit. That is, until she did the seventh step. She considered
the matter and decided she would actually earn the money herself and she went out and she
bought a special piece to go along with that china set. She wrapped it up and she sent it to that
relative. She said, “Here is a piece for you, a gift for you to keep to remember me by.” And she
said that when she sent that gift to them as a gift that they would keep after they returned the
other, she immediately lost her bitterness. She had a new love for them.

[Torah]

Part 5
she immediately lost her bitterness. She had a new love for them.
Do you know why? Because God designed us and He knows how we function. In Matt. 6:21 “For where your
wealth is, there your heart will be also.” And because she invested a treasure, a real treasure from her own work,
in the life of that relative her heart, her affections were also where her treasure was. And she had a new love
for that relative.
Illustration: A couple was in a business partnership. {I will plea with you men to NOT get in a business partnership,
they are Scripturally wrong! They cause so much bitterness! If you need additional information,
see me afterwards} This partner had scammed (stolen) them with $27,000. They asked
the wise rabbi, “Should we take him to court? We can go to court and get our money back. Yet
Scripture says we shouldn’t sue, especially being Believers, what should we do?” The rabbi said,
“What you do is invest something of value in his life. What does he need?” “Well,” they said,
“One thing is that he is so financially in trouble and that is why he did what he did and he wants to
move, but he doesn’t even have the funds to move.” So the couple decided to call up and volunteer
to give him $3,000 for moving expenses. It seems so ridiculous, doesn’t it? They didn’t mention
anything about the $27,000 but they said, “We know you are financially struggling and if
you’d like, we’ll give you the $3,000 for your moving.” The partner accepted it. A year later the
couple found the rabbi and explained what happened. Number 1, that night after they gave that
gift, they had the first good night sleep they had ever had since being married, and especially the
wife. Many people who have been damaged like this in financial (and other) situations and they
can’t sleep. They are so bound up with bitterness they can’t sleep and then they lose their health,
and then they have a lot more problems financially with ill health than if they had gotten all the
money back anyway. And she had a peaceful night sleep. Number 2, they had a new love for that
former partner because they had invested treasure in his life, voluntarily. The $27K was involuntary,
that didn’t count, but the $3K was voluntary and they had new love. Number 3, God blessed
them when they gave it. They said that God has blessed their business, they have gotten back the
$3K, the $27K, even far more than had even imagined! All in one year!
Illustration: A set of farmer brothers were irrigating their field, so they dug up and dammed a stream so that
they could have the necessary water. During the night, a neighbor would come and put a hole in
their dyke and drain the water so that it would irrigate his field instead. The brothers got up the
next morning and saw what the neighbor had done, forgave their neighbor and repaired the dyke
to start the process over. After three nights of this happening they said, “We do not have any joy,
we are forgiving, but it is not working.” They went to their rabbi and asked what was wrong. The
rabbi said: “You do not have any joy, or love because you are not going far enough. If you want
joy and love you must begin to irrigate your neighbor’s field.” They didn’t think that sounded
right, but they decided to do it. Next morning they woke up early and began hauling water to the neighbor’s field and made the most amazing discovery. Every hour they spent on the neighbor’s
field they got greater and greater joy and love for their neighbor. A few days their neighbor came
by wit tears and said: “You men are Believers, aren’t you? I want to become a Believer like you”
So where your treasure is, your heart will be also. This is the basis of genuine love, joy and peace.

[Torah]

Part 6
I want to become a Believer like you”
So where your treasure is, your heart will be also. This is the basis of genuine love, joy and peace.
n Allows the possibility of a second mile witness (Matt. 5:41)
Illustration: One day about 2,000 years ago a 15 year old Messianic Jewish boy went into a business
district in Yehudah. A hated Roman soldier came into the business district and started
looking around. The boy knew what the soldier wanted as he began to look around and
put down his heavy pack. The soldier was looking for a Hebrew boy, 12 years or older,
because the law was in that day, that the Roman soldier could conscript any Hebrew boy
12 years or older to carry that heavy military pack 1 mile in any direction the soldier
wanted. The soldier said to that boy: “Come over here.” The boy wanted to run. But he
knew that if he ran they’d catch him and whip him. That was the punishment for trying to
get out of it. So reluctantly he went over to the soldier. The soldier said, “I am going
down that road.” So the boy picked up the heavy pack and began walking down the road
with him. On the way he remembered the teaching of Messiah Yeshua, “If your enemy
compels you to go a mile, go with him two.” That was the background of that teaching.
The boy thought, “I can’t figure this out. It is bad enough we have to go one mile with
this hated Roman soldier. Why should we go two?” But he decided he would obey first
and understand later. {The boy was familiar with the Torah concept of Naase V’Nishma
which our forefathers had used at Mt. Sinai). Did you know that God has designed the
Scriptures to be FIRST OBEYED THEN UNDERSTOOD. That is the Hebrew mind.
God told Abraham first you obey then you’ll understand. The American mind is first we’ll
understand then we’ll think about obeying. That is why we miss so much in Scripture.}
That boy decided he would obey, whether he understood or not. At the end of the mile
the soldier said: “Well you can put the pack down and I’ll take it from here.” The boy
said: “I’ll be happy to carry it an additional mile for you.” The soldier said: “You do not
have to carry it another mile.” But the boy said: “I’d like to.” As they began that second
mile, what is the first question that soldier asked: “Why are you doing this?” The boy was
then able to explain the teaching of our Lord Messiah Yeshua. That second mile went so
fast! At the end the boy and the soldier shook hands and smiled. As the boy was returning
to his village he realized what happened. He said: “I walked 1 mile and discharged my responsibility,
I went the second mile and met a friend and witnessed for my Lord.”
And thus, true witnessing begins on the second mile. Because that is when people starting asking: “How come
you are doing what I wouldn’t do?” They then ask for the reason for the hope that lies in you, and be ready to
always give an answer. That is exciting!
n Gives us motivation on the job
One day Yeshua told a parable about servants in Luke 17:7-10:
“If one of you has a slave tending the sheep or plowing, when he comes back from the field, will you say to
him, ‘Come along now, sit down and eat’?8 No, you’ll say, ‘Get my supper ready, dress for work, and serve
me until I have finished eating and drinking; after that, you may eat and drink.’9 Does he thank the slave because
he did what he was told to do? No!10 It’s the same with you—when you have done everything you were
told to do, you should be saying, ‘We’re just ordinary slaves, we have only done our duty.’ ” Now wait a
minute if somebody worked all day long in the field, came in and made dinner and served it he would
be a very special servant. Why did the Lord Yeshua say: “We are just ordinary slaves.” Yeshua exBeth

plained it in the next phrase: “Because he did only what was required of him (that is his duty).” Do
you know that if you are working for a company and you only do what is required of you God says
you are an unprofitable employee. Its only as you do beyond what’s required of you that you become
a profitable employee. And there are things you can do even beyond the work. You can have a
gratefulness and a loyalty and be an encouragement and as you do things that are beyond what is required
of you, then the job goes faster. God can bless you the way he wants to. So many exciting rewards
will come if you’d just go beyond what you’re required to do.
n Conquers bitterness (Matt. 5:40)
What do we do about a man that was sued by his wife for divorce and the judge required the man to
give the wife $100 per week. And every time he gives that money he’s bitter. What do we tell him to
do to conquer his bitterness and develop genuine love for his former wife? We tell him what it says in
Mathew 5:40: “If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well!” That is if you
are sued at the law, and the judge tells you to give your shirt, not just give your shirt but give your
coat also. In other words Yeshua is saying if this means the coat off your back, you make sure you
follow this principle. You go beyond what is required of you. Don’t just give $100 per week, give
$115 or $110 or $120, anything over $100. If you only give $100, you do not get rid of your bitterness.
If you give more, then you get rid of your bitterness.
Illustration: One day a man and his wife came out of a restaurant and a robber came and asked them
for their money. He got out his wallet and gave him the $7 dollars he had left, As the
robber was leaving he remembered he had change in his pocket and called him back saying:
“Sir, wait a minute, I have this change in my pocket.” The robber came back and as
he got the $0.70 he had in change he asked: “Why are you doing this?” The man answered:
“Because everything I have belongs to God and I want you to have this.” The
robber exclaimed: “Well if it belongs to God, here take it all back.” And he went away...
When we do things God’s way, we get God’s results. Let us bow for prayer (in the prayer below I will lead
you through these seven steps. I pray you will listen to the Ruach and get rid once and for all of all your bitterness.
When you do, remember to give God the glory and praise and worship Him who is able...)

Our Jewish people said: VeNaase Ve Nishma
That is WE MUST FIRST OBEY, THEN UNDERSTAND.

Prayer: I know you’ve been hurt, offended, wounded. And I know how easy it is to hang on to these hurts, to nurse them, to hold grudges. It would be so powerful though, if
we could right here and now take these seven steps. Would you with your whole heart just now say: “God I repent of temporal values. I’m bitter because I am focusing on
temporal things not eternal character. I recognize that I have had an attitude of ungratefulness. I’ve expected things from You that I really shouldn’t expect. And I’ve never
viewed my offender as your agent but only as an independent enemy of mine and now I view him as Your agent to accomplish Your bigger purpose. I want to thank you right
now for your ultimate purpose through that damaging. And I realize that if you gave me my just due I would be destroyed immediately, so I fully now forgive the offense(s)
of this person. Compared to what I have done to You, it is mild. And Lord I also realize that You will bring this person to justice. If not in a court down here in the court of
heaven. And Lord what do you want me to do to voluntarily invest something of value in his life. Ask God for wisdom in what He wants you to invest. It doesn’t have to be
money. Maybe a prayer or encouragement or protection or assistance or a poem or a card, whatever you can invest of value that person can recognize as having value and will
you purpose to do it? If you that are here can say, I will fully forgive my offender(s) and purpose to follow these steps especially investing something of value (the seventh dip
in the Jordan) in my offender, give me wisdom Lord and give me grace to do it. If that is your prayer right now and you know with all your heart will you raise your hand up
and down and give the Lord and His Holy Spirit a vote of confidence in your commitment.
Heavenly Father thank you for Your great forgiveness to us for our great offenses to You. And thank you for giving clear directions from your word on how to conquer bitterness.
I pray that You will free every single person here tonight from every shred of bitterness and replace it with genuine love and genuine forgiveness that You might
accomplish that special blessing that You promised in Your Word for those who do this. We thank You in Yeshua’s name and for His sake. Amen!

Beth T’fillah Kol Simcha May 12, 2000
Gainesville, Florida Shabbat Teaching