Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.
Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Number one tonight, I want you to notice this in our passage of James chapter three. Number one, resentment is a heart issue. Resentment is a heart issue.
Now notice what the verse says. But if ye have bitter envying and strife. We're not just talking about here the word envy as if that, hey, you have what I want. I wish I had that.
I wish my life was like your life. We're not talking, bitter envy is a whole different ballgame here in the Greek. And what we want to understand today is we're talking about deep seated. And may I say sometimes resentment can be envious. Resentment can be that you've hurt me and yet you're being blessed and I'm not. You did me wrong and yet your life seems to go on wonderful and I'm the one struggling with all these things. So a lot of times, I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but resentment can almost fester into an envy. And I resent you and I'm mad because what you've done is still hurting me but you're going on. You're moving on. You have everything else in front of you and it seems as if you're not hurting. I'm the one hurting and yet you're the one that did it to me and I didn't deserve it. And yet my life is the one still being covered up by this and you don't seem to be bothered at all. Bitter envying, notice this, and strife.
Where? In your hearts. You know, a lot of times he's not saying that this is just going to cause strife everywhere in your life. Many times it does. But what we find resentment causes, it's internal. That there is literally strife inside. There is a constant tension there. Even when something good happens in life, we can't fully enjoy it because we're still angry or hurt because of this.
There's this cloud over everything. And notice what he says, but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. I want you to understand something tonight that resentment, you might think, is an issue of what the person did to you. But resentment, which we talk about very similar with bitterness and contention, all those different things. Many times it's heart issue, not their issue. What they did was wrong.
And what they did, God does not approve of. But our reaction to it becomes an internal issue of the heart. And that's what we've got to understand tonight. A lot of times a person wants to break free of something, but they don't understand that it's really an issue in their heart. Yeah, but preacher, I just can't get it out of my mind, but it's not a mind issue.
It's a heart issue. Yeah, but it still keeps bothering me. Well, the reason it keeps bothering you is because it's still in your mind.
The reason it's still in your mind is because it's in your heart. And that's what we have to understand. Notice number two, resentment is not just a heart matter, but resentment is a source matter. Now you're familiar with this passage, but let's break it down through this perspective.
I think it really opened it wide open to me. Notice if you would, verse 15, this wisdom descendeth not from above. Now notice that phrase, from above. What's going on in your heart, this bitter envying and strife in your heart. It did not come from above. In other words, God didn't give that to you. That didn't come from God.
That's not even a godly thing. And you and I have to understand that what we feel of our resentment and bitterness and different things. We've got to understand the source. Where does that come from? It came because this person did such and such.
But I really think it goes further than that. Where is the source? Notice what he says. This wisdom cometh not from above. In other words, we think real wisdom and only wisdom comes from God. But why does he call this wisdom? He refers to the opposite of wisdom as wisdom also. This wisdom cometh not from above. Now he tells us later the wisdom that does come from above. But he says this wisdom, what does he mean?
It's a way of thinking. When he uses this word wisdom here, he says you're processing the information, feeling like you're justified to have this bitter envy and strife in your heart. That is not from God. And you and I have got to understand it that we might say, listen, this isn't my heart perch and I just can't help it.
But you need to know, number one, it is a heart issue. And number two, God didn't give that to you. That's not from God. And if we've got something in us that is not from God, we need to figure this thing out.
And we've got to deal with this. Notice in verse 15 this resentment is a source matter. He tells us what the source is.
Now this is great. Look at this. This wisdom descendeth not from above. Notice first he says but is earthly. That means this, it's flesh driven. The things going on in your heart and mind right now are not spirit driven.
They're flesh driven. What does earthly mean? Of the earth.
Guess what you and I are. We're of the earth. Our flesh is of the earth. By the way, guess that's where our flesh is going to stay when we die.
Our spirit and our soul is what goes to heaven. But you and I have to understand when he says earthly means this kind of wisdom didn't come from above. Let me tell you where it came from. It came from your flesh. This harboring things and resentment and bitterness different things that we have in our life. You and I need to understand the source of where that comes from is our flesh. We feel like we've been done wrong.
We were wounded. And it literally is something that comes not from God. Not from the spirit. But it comes from the flesh. It's earthly. Notice secondly he says sensual. The source of this is sensual.
What does it mean? Well, earthly means flesh driven, sensual means emotion driven. Resentment is an emotionally driven thing. By the way, you don't need to trust your emotions. Are you all with me tonight? Say amen. Don't trust your emotions.
They will lead you wrong every time. This sensual, what does it mean? It means you are controlled by your senses. And all through the Bible, especially in the New Testament, we are told not to conduct our life in a way that constantly feeds our sensual desires. You are a physical person. You are an earthly person. And that is going to create physical and earthly desires. And he said this that literally why you're harboring this kind of thing in your heart is because you are letting your emotions take over. Now nobody wants to admit that, but it's true. Listen, you find yourself a bitter person, an angry person.
Let me tell you what has gone on. At some point, the trust left your trust being in God and trusting him and letting him take care of it and it moved to where now your emotions are controlling you. And how many of you know emotions are a good thing? They're a wonderful thing and God can use emotions. But it is, we are made, God said that God is in our heart. We are to be led by the Holy Spirit.
We are not to be drunk with wine as in excess, which means taken over by something else. We are to be filled with the Spirit of God and emotions battle the Spirit of God. And if you and I allow our emotions to control us, it's going to lead us down a path that God is not leading.
Our emotions. He said the source is earthly, the source is sensual. Notice this thirdly, it's devilish. That is Satan driven. I mean, it's not just flesh driven. And by the way, when something's flesh driven, it's going to turn into emotional driven. And if you let your emotions take over, guess who's going to land on your emotions? Satan will. And before long now, you are thinking the way Satan wants you to think. It starts with a little thing, even in church, you get offended by something, upset by something. You know, they didn't mention me or they didn't do this or they haven't asked me to do such and such.
And the other person, they've asked them to do it 10 times, whatever the case might be. And if you are not careful, that's going to turn flesh driven. And you're going to think, well, I was done wrong. This wasn't fair to me.
I've not been driven. That's all flesh. That has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit of God. We are to die to self, God says. That is flesh driven.
And as soon as we become to be flesh driven, guess what's going to take over? Our emotions. Well, I don't feel like they appreciate me. You ever felt that?
I don't feel that people value me. Hey, by the way, you don't think a pastor doesn't think that sometimes? We all think that sometimes. But if you go on your feelings, then you are being controlled by the sensual. And that doesn't come from above. It's coming from your emotions. And if you allow those two things to happen, watch out.
Guess what? Satan's getting ready to take over. Good people have made very bad decisions because of this thing right here. Resentment is a hard issue. Resentment is a source issue.
I want you to notice number three. Resentment is a discernment issue. Now look at verse 16. Four, where envying and strife is, remember where he said it's in your heart. He says where envying and strife is, what is the result? There is confusion in every evil work. Can I tell you what bitterness in your life can do and resentment in your life can do? It can make you a very confused person. It's hard for you to really discern anything. It's hard to really get clear direction on anything.
And I'll tell you why. Being emotionally driven is what has brought this on and emotions go up and down. And once you allow one area of your life to be controlled by your emotions, guess what's gonna happen soon? You're gonna allow other areas of your life to be controlled by your emotions. If your emotions control this area, guess what, before long, you're gonna allow the emotions to control your marriage. You're gonna allow your emotions to control your job. You're gonna allow emotions to control every relationship.
You're gonna allow emotions to control what you think about this person and that person. Now you got a chip on your shoulder and you're just looking around to see that everybody's trying to woo me. Everybody's against me.
And before long, guess what's going on? There's confusion inside. You can't trust anybody and I don't trust anybody and I don't really know what's going on and I feel like, is this God telling me this or is this myself telling me this or is this my friends telling me this?
Listen, a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. It means this, that where that envying and strife is in your heart, it brings confusion and notice what else, every evil work. It allows Satan to start working in your life.
Can I tell you something, folks? Satan has no authority in your life. If you're saved, look at me tonight.
We're not gonna be here long. If you're saved, Satan has no authority in your life. He can only do what you allow him to do. And as soon as you and I become flesh-driven and emotion-driven, we now have opened the door for him to work in our lives.
Now here's a problem. It's very hard for Satan to work in your life and God to work in your life at the same time. That's when you can sit in church. God can't do one thing to your heart because your mind is so full of everything that you're upset about, resentful of, bitter of, and now your emotions are gonna take over. And now that I let my emotions control how I feel about this person, now I'm gonna sit in church and I'm gonna let my emotions control how I feel about church people, how I feel about the church, how I feel about Brother Nick, how I feel about Brother Frank and his dumb jokes he tells on Sunday nights every once in a while. How they feel about Brother David and his stupid power tool and everything else. I know it would never influence you on how you feel about me, but I'm talking about these individuals. Oh, trust me, I know how Satan can bring on resentment towards the preacher.
I know. Who's that guy think he is? Think he's funny? Think he's funny?
Do you think he's funny? If you and I are not careful, as soon as we become flesh driven, very soon we will become emotion driven. And then the next step is Satan driven.
And good saved people can be used by Satan to do horrible things because he's the one working in their life. The confusion of resentment. You know, I hate to say it, but I think a lot of individuals, maybe even sitting here tonight, you can, and we wouldn't know this, but maybe you would know if there's some stuff you're harboring or hanging onto. I think you could probably really look back at a little bit of a history of your life and say, you know, I see how it has brought confusion.
Half the time, I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. I want you to notice number four, resentment is a wisdom matter. Now please get this, look at verse 17, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. He said, listen, your way of thinking right now, that whole internal envying, bitter envying and strife and all that, that didn't come from above. And he tells us the sources that they came from. He says, but the wisdom that is from above, the way of thinking, the way of conducting your life that is from above, he describes it here.
Now I think this is interesting and I'll tell you why. I'm gonna give you this list briefly. But every one of these things are the antithesis of resentment. Every one of these things I'm getting ready to give you is the antithesis of what you feel like doing when you have resentment.
When you are bitter, let's look at it. Please just, even if you don't, I am dealing with this preacher and I don't like being told, just hold on, just look at this with me if you would. Look if you would at verse 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, which means this, it's not from the flesh, it's not from the emotions, it's not from Satan, it's from God, it's pure. The thinking you've been in is not pure.
It's clouded with emotion, it's clouded with flesh, it's certainly clouded with satanic power. He says, but let me tell you what is from above, it's pure, it's clean. But notice what he says first, he says it's peaceable. You know what one of the first things resentment will take from your life is peace. He said, let me tell you how your thinking should be centered around first, he says peaceable. Do you notice he didn't say peace?
He said peaceable. Do you know you can be peaceable and not always have peace? You can be a peaceable person and not be at peace with everyone. Because there's just some people and they're not gonna be at peace with you.
There's just some people they're gonna fight everything that, I don't care what you do, they're gonna find something wrong and they're gonna fight. God didn't say that you have to create peace, by the way, he's the only one that can create peace. That comes from him. But he said that we are to be peaceable. When you have resentment, you don't feel like making peace with someone. The reason you have resentment is because you've refused to try to make peace with them. Do you all get it?
Light bulb, say amen. He said this, that the wisdom from above is the opposite of what you're feeling right now. What's from God is the opposite of what you feel right now. And God doesn't give all the excuses to be peaceable unless this person, no, no, no, he said it's peaceable. The wisdom that's from above, the way of thinking and believing that's from above is peaceable. In other words, does your best, tries your hardest to be at peace. Notice secondly, he says is gentle.
Gentle. Tell you what, if you get a bunch of resentment, bitterness in your heart, guess what? You get a chip on your shoulder. And before long, guess what? You have this chip on your shoulder and just waiting for somebody else to try to do me wrong like that person did 30 years ago.
And you look at every person as a potential person to do what that person did. And the moment it even sniffs like someone else is getting ready to do that, what do we do? We pounce.
Gentleness is gone. Notice the next one. Approachable. What does he say?
Easy to entreat. What does that mean? It means to be approachable.
Can I tell you something? When a person is full of resentment, they are not approachable. And be very, very careful that you give off a vibe of being approachable. Now, I'm not saying you gotta go, hey, hey, you know, hey, hey, you know. I didn't say be an idiot. Be an idiot. I said, don't be weird. Nobody's going to want to come near you.
But what did God say? The wisdom that's from above is approachable. Easy to be entreated. Are you easy to be entreated?
Most of us would say, I am sometimes. Can I tell you what resentment and bitterness will do? It will make it to the point that you are not easy to entreat. And what happens when you and I are not easy to entreat? No one entreats.
And then now what do we do? Everybody's against me. Nobody's friendly.
Nobody comes talks to me. It's everybody else's fault. Are you with me?
Say amen. You see, a lot of times, a person doesn't even realize, there might be some real deep-seated unhappiness there. There is a resentment and unhappiness. There's something there, and guess what?
It just pours out, I'm not happy. And that is a hard person to approach. And you're going to resist the very thing that you probably need, is love from others.
But the message they get is, stay away. Notice here what he says, full of mercy, merciful. What often times can happen with a person that has resentment and bitterness, look at me please, get this, they give no free passes. Anybody ever had a bad day? I don't know what's going on with you guys today, but I have a new church apparently. Everybody's perfect today. I don't know what's going on.
I'm the only rotten one here apparently. Anybody ever have a bad day, raise your hand. Thank you. Some of you are having it right now.
I understand. I heard that my friends came back. Are the fields here? Where you at?
There's Doug. Let me tell you what happened, because I am an honest person, and I am transparent. So I was at a store in Greensboro. I will not say what name of the store was. It has the word home and the word at in the name.
That's all I'm going to say. And I was in there trying to get some stuff for the house. Kayden's in the hospital. He's coming home, blah, blah, blah. Got to meet Doug and Mrs. Fields, and I'm so glad they're here today.
Even came back tonight. They're already more faithful than a lot of our members. Isn't that great? It's just wonderful. No, I'm picking. Well, it's true.
But you're here, but. So let me tell you what, after I got to meet them and just enjoy meeting them, what a wonderful time. The friendships they may have watched you for years, and all.
I mean, it couldn't have been. I just love them already and just felt an instant are my spirit bore witness with their spirit, and they're just precious people. And they went on shopping, and I still had some more things to get. But thank God they left the store. Because I had everything in my buggy, and I got to the checkout line. There's only two people left. Because I had everything in my buggy, and I got to the checkout line. There's only two people on the line. Twenty-seven minutes later, I was still standing in the line. I had three items. The checkout lady was, I mean, to the point they were talking, and literally the checkout lady got out her phone, and the other lady got out her phone.
They're swapping contacts, just talking about whatever. We're just standing here, another lady in front of me. I mean, 27 minutes went by. Finally, the one in front of me got to go. There's nobody else in the store, and that's exactly why.
Everybody was at home because it's better than to be here. I'll tell you that. So I waited for that person. Took another 15 minutes. I mean, this lady, oh my word, of the devil. Anyway, it was just pitiful. So I had my buggy. I'm getting really frustrated. Lord, you brought good, wonderful Christian people by to meet me.
I need to make sure I need to be an example, blah, blah, blah. So finally, she gets done. Over 30 minutes, I have just two people.
Over 30 minutes. I was tracking it, trust me. So finally, they leave, and I pulled up to the... The lady says, hey, I'm sorry about your weight. In my mind, I thought, if I say no problem, that gives a free pass, and there's no free passes here right now. I'm upset.
I want her to know I'm upset, but I don't want to be a jerk. So I just didn't say anything. So I pulled up the first item, and I said, here, I said it's on the rack with 50% off.
Beep. Oh, it's not on sale. I said, but it's right on the rack. No, it's not on sale. I said, are we going to go check it?
No, it's not on sale. Now, she just yacked it up with two ladies in front of me. Now she doesn't want to talk.
She said it's not on sale. And I just said, ma'am, I have physically been in this store as long as I could possibly be any place. Thank you. And I left my buggy, and I walked out. I just couldn't take it anymore. I just said, if I stay here, I'm going to lose it. Thank God I met them before all that happened. Thank God they were gone. Anybody ever have a bad day?
Yeah, I had one. Here's the issue. When you're full of resentment, guess what? We can't just have a bad day with you.
We don't hand out free passes. I've already been wounded. I've already been hurt. We don't let the husband have a bad day. We don't let our wife have a bad day. We don't let the kids have a bad day. We don't let our friends have a bad...
If you and I are not careful, guess what? Mercy quickly leaves with resentment. Resentment is the opposite of every one of these things that we've given. Now remember, resentment is the opposite of being peaceable. Resentment is the opposite of being gentle. It's the opposite of being approachable.
It's the opposite of being merciful. And notice this big one. He says fruitful. Good fruits. Full of good fruits. The wisdom from heaven is full of good fruits. Guess what resentment will do in your life?
It will absolutely kill all fruit. You gotta look around. Is your life bearing fruit? And if it's not, something's in the way.
Something has cut off that connection. Is there fruit? He says here, listen, the type of thinking and living that comes from heaven bears fruit. Resentment can choke the fruit out of our life. Notice what he says next.
This is interesting. Without partiality. He says when you're living the way God wants you to live, there is no being partial. Can I tell you what resentment brings? It brings partiality.
We don't want to be around certain kinds of people. Oh, they remind me of this. Well, we're already so wounded that we have no patience. And can I tell you something?
A person that is resentful turns into a very critical person. They're very partial. Now, they would never say it. Oh, I'm not a judgmental person.
Have you ever heard that one? If you feel like you gotta tell me that, you are. Well, now, I'm not being judgmental, but they, yes, you are. Without partiality, but here's, look at this, look at this big one. Without hypocrisy. And here it is.
Look at me. We think we're okay to hold resentment because we don't, we would say this, I've never done to anybody what they've done to me. The problem is that can be very hypocritical. How do you know?
Well, preacher. I mean, there are many that have been, you know, sexually abused, physically abused. Listen, I understand all that, but do you know that there are a lot of times in our life we wound somebody and we don't even know it? There's times in life we hurt somebody and wounded them, we don't even know it.
And you know what? Resentment can always, all of a sudden, resentment can make a person feel I'm the victim, I've always been the victim, I am the victim, and that's hypocritical. It's basically you saying that I've always been the victim, I've never been the one that caught. Yes, you have. We all have. And here he is saying, listen, what's interesting, he gives this long list for living right and biblical, but he simply says this, that, listen, the wisdom that's going on in your life right now, this bitter envying and strife, let me tell you, it's not from above, it's coming from your flesh, it's coming from your emotions, and it's coming from Satan himself.
Let me give you the barometer how you can get over it. Look at these things. Are these things in your life? Are you peaceable? Are you gentle? Are you approachable? Are you merciful?
Are you a fruitful person? Can you say that you're without partiality, without hypocrisy? It's not always finding fault in someone because they've done me wrong. Do you know oftentimes there are some people that just can't wait to find somebody that's done them wrong, just almost proved to themselves that everybody's against me. That is hypocritical. It's finding fault in others constantly. I want you to notice last, resentment is a reaping matter.
Now please get this. Look at verse 18. And the fruit of righteousness. Now what did he just say? Listen, when you're living the way that God says to live, it brings fruit. And so he gives this little further explanation here. He says, this is how fruit comes.
Look at this. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. You want to start being fruitful again, make peace with your past.
You want to start being fruitful again, make peace in your life. Listen, you're going to have to make peace with what that person did to you. It wasn't peaceful what they did, but it is now up to you to make peace. And you might not even be able to make peace with a person. That's fine. God just said, be peaceable.
But let me tell you how that fruit comes. It is sown in them that make peace. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kirtland Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kirtlandbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.
