Wormwood is bitterness.
In the last days, many professing Christians will be victims to the root of bitterness growing in their hearts and choking love.
Seeing lawlessness increase causes a righteous soul to despair, even to the point of bitterness towards other people.
Don't drink the waters (spirit, knowledge, doctrine) turned to wormwood, but living waters that proceed from God's throne!
We must root this out if it's taken root in us and not drink of such a spirit.
Instead, we should fill ourselves with God's living word of faith, hope, and love and build one another up in a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind!
Our flesh must be on the cross, for we are crucified with Him - not other people, for we do not wrestle against the flesh and blood of others.
We await our Saviour; we await the Kingdom of peace, joy and righteousness He builds within us to be established physically here on earth when He returns!
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Matthew 24:12
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
Hebrews 12:15
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;
Revelation 8:11
The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
Deuteronomy 29:18
so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood;
@IsraelJacob1985 That's a good verse, we are not under the law, but led by the Spirit and fulfil its righteous requirement, observing ourselves in a mirror - the Perfect Law of Liberty!!! Freed from sin and self to live for Him who loved us and gave Himself for us!
Entering the sufferings of Christ means to follow Him in taking up my cross and denying myself.
No one can follow Him in His physical sufferings. Imitating that through religious ritual or even flagellation is NOT what it means.
It is when do not do my own will, but God’s will that my flesh which is crucified by faith has to experience the reality of that faith and be denied into death.
Not only when tempted to obvious sin (lie, sexual sin, steal, boast, gossip, envy, greed), but like Christ when evil is spoken of me, when I am excluded, disrespected, not thanked, not appreciated, rejected that I enter His suffering and commit myself to the Father. I suffer against taking offence, reacting in the flesh, exalting my self, revenge, malice - choosing His word over my feelings and taking every thought captive.
Then, I am raised to new life!!! I receive His life within, and my life in this world is laid down. Joy and peace increase within - His Kingdom!
“though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;”
Hebrews 5:8 KJV
“that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
Philippians 3:10 KJV
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”
1 Peter 4:1 KJV
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:15 KJV
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
The way is narrow but widens the smaller we become, and in the casting off of ourselves we find greater freedom in Christ.
Not freedom to sin but freedom from the burden of self that stopped us from living life the full in doing His will.
@Kimberl75663012@3xTrumper And as a result: Humbly patient, not grabbing at the earthly, not greedy or covetous - and so to such the earth can be entrusted in the end:)
The greatest man who ever lived made Himself of no reputation.
And we have the privilege of following Him down into true lowliness of mind and heart, and entering the everlasting Kingdom where peace, joy and righteousness abound.
@johnq753 Hello:) I know Him and I am not a madman 😅 Not sure what evil you may have suffered because of a ‘Christian’ perhaps, but if you yearn for liberation from self and from sin, God can reveal Christ to you if you ask Him.