Some years ago some USA servicemen were serving in Korea, and they were sharing accommodation. They always tried to get one of the locals to do the housework the cleaning, cooking etc.; but they always discovered that these local people were fond of stealing and pilfering. One day a new man came to them and they thought they would put him to the test. So the first morning he got up he found that his slippers were nailed to the floor. He just took the nails out and got on with his business without saying a word. The second morning he got up he found that the USA had put marmalade on all the door handles, still he got on with his work. The third morning was the worst of all, for when he opened his bedroom door a large bucket of water fell on his head and completely drowned him, but still he said nothing.

The fourth morning the soldiers brought him in and told that they had been testing him, and now he had got the job and they would pay him well. He said, " You mean to tell me no more nails in my slippers: no more jam on the door handles: no more buckets of water on my head." The soldiers replied, " No its all over you've passed the tests !" " Good," he said, " then me no more spit in your soup." Its hard to stop some folk nourishing their grudges. In my years of ministry I have met elder brothers and sisters who have preferred nursing their anger to enjoying the fellowship of God and His people.

My .... the only worse thing than a child trying to act like an adult is an adult acting childish. And nothing makes a person look more childish than bitterness.

Many believers whose lives would otherwise be fruitful, are marked by bitterness: resentment and anger. ( Gal 5:20 Eph 4:31) Harbored in their hearts, the blight of bitterness pervades and permeates the entire life, so that every virtue is rendered ineffectual by this vice. And though the Word of God insists that this matter of bitterness be dealt with, many Christians are content to put up with the condition believing that this is something which cannot be remedied or cured. The result ? Bitterness exists in Christian families between relative and relative ! Bitterness exists in Christian churches between fellow-believers. Bitterness exists in Christian circles between church and church. My .... these things ought not to be and in the light of the miracle performed by Elisha there exists no reason why bitterness should longer mar any believers life and testimony. I want to direct your attention this .... to this account of the bitter waters made sweet and I want to see in this account an incident that the highlights THE PROBLEM OF BITTERNESS ! Notice here:

Look at ( 2:19) Elisha was still at Jericho, near the Dead Sea, about five miles west of the River Jordan. It is a hot, barren and extremely hostile environment. When the Jewish guides take you to Jericho they walk you around the mound that marks the ruins of the ancient city conquered by Joshua. Do you recall that it was Joshua who pronounced a Divine curse on Jericho ?

He said, " Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho." ( Jos 6:26) But this Divine prohibition was flouted in the reign of King Ahab the apostate King of Israel for " In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho." ( 1 Kings 16:34) And what was God's response ? He revealed His displeasure by making Jericho's water unwholesome and its ground barren ! This was (1) Now I want to notice several things about this problem. Notice the people of Jericho:

There is complete honesty in the setting forth of all aspects of the condition. Here is a statement of things as they actually existed. These citizens drew Elisha's attention to the ADVANTAGEOUS PROSPECTS of the area. " The situation of this city is pleasant." ( 2:19) The area could made be fruitful. The earth could bring forth plentifully. Jericho was so situated that it could be a paradise on earth. Yet this was not the whole truth. There was a significant " but," in the story. Here we have the ADVERSE ASPECT of the area. " But the water is naught and the ground barren." ( 2:19) Instead of being a garden Jericho was a wilderness, and it was all down to the fact that the water from the spring was bitter. Now the Hebrew word which is rendered, " the water is naught," ( ra ) is a much stronger word than the English conveys.

In the great majority of cases this word is translated

" evil " ( Gen 6:5 Prov 8:13) and " wicked," no less than 31 times. It signifies not only evil but that which is harmful or injurious to others. ( Ps 144:10) Indeed the marginal rendering of the word barren is " causing to miscarry." In other words these waters caused the cattle to cast their young, the trees to shed their fruit before it was mature, and even the women to be incapable of bearing children. The bitterness of the waters had brought barreness to the land. So they come with their problem to Elisha and they bring all the facts right into the open ! My .... as a church we may have many things going for us, but listen if the blight of bitterness pervades the fellowship instead of growth there'll be retardment: fruitfulness .... barreness: garden .... wilderness ! What about you personally ? Have you become an embittered believer ? Could it be that you're outwardly successful, but there is no fruit of the Spirit evident in your life ? Could it be that you're gifted: talented: knowledgeable but there is no evidence of the Spirit's working in and through your life ? (a)

To solve the problem of the bitter waters ! No doubt, these men had taken many measures and tried many methods, but still the spring set forth bitter, brackish water. They were at the end of their resources. They were ready to admit their inability to heal the spring.

Do you know something ? That's a major step forward

in healing the problem of bitterness ! Have you come to this place ? The place where you totally admit that you're unable to deal with this problem ? Or are you still trying to deal with the problem in your own strength, daily turning over a new leaf ? Resolving that things will be different from now on, only to discover that the spring of your life is still bitter, still brackish ? (a) (b)

Elisha ! ( 2:19) The people of Jericho turned to the right man for help. We noticed earlier how the school of the prophets recognised the new anointing on Elisha. " They said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha." ( 2:15) Elisha was therefore requested to do something about their problem. When was the last time the church was asked to do anything by the world ? Christians are regarded as fools: fakes and charlatans. We are rarely consulted for our views on anything of importance, let alone the answers to the nations ills ! But Elisha was a man who could make a difference. His very presence affected his environment. He was a thermostat rather than a thermometer unlike so many believers who merely reflect conditions where they live and work, rather than reforming them !

My .... the presence of even ten believers in a city should have incalculable effect .... it would have saved the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction.

( Gen 18:32) Here we see what just ONE man could do.

To be a Christian is to be a key person in the world situation today, but we have to make OUR PRESENCE FELT ! Ills: Vance Havner once said, " The same church members who'll yell like Commanche Indians at the football game on Saturday, or at the church dinner, will sit like wooden Indians on Sunday." My .... its not just Christians we need: its Christians of the right kind !

And mark it well .... the man who is in touch with God will always be sought out by those in need. Others will be made conscious that he has the answer to their problems. Oh, Christian workers are you approachable?

Are you living in conscious and continual enjoyment of Heavens resources? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit, daily being sought out to give help to those who are beaten and baffled with personal problems?

Picture the secne. The citizens of Jericho have come frantically and feverishly to the prophet. They have stated their problem to Elisha. What did they expect him to do ? Did they think that he would simply speak a word, and the miracle would be wrought. Did they anticipate some wonderful display of divine power to heal the spring ? Elisha simply says: " Bring me a new cruse and put salt therein." ( 2:20) He was saying to them that there ought to be:

" Bring me a new cruse." ( 2:20) Can you imagine the look on the faces of these inquirers ? " A new cruse .... what does he want with a new cruse ? Does he think this is the way to work a miracle ? I've never heard of such a thing ! I don't see any point to it." Let's pause for a moment and apply this to the problem of bitterness in the life of the Christian. You see in many ways has the problem of bitterness: conflicts: personality clashes been approached. There has been THE PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH. In recent years psychology has been trumpeted as having the panacea for all the ills and infirmities of the human spirit. But there needs to be A NEW APPROACH ! Still again, there has been THE PHYSICAL APPROACH ! Often

we are told that the various manifestations of bitterness in the human heart are but products of a sick body, but surely the body is not to be blamed for every expression of sinful self ? Again, there has been THE LOGICAL APPROACH ! How we delight to be able to refute arguments: solve problems: answer questions solely on an logical and intellectual plane ! But a NEW APPROACH is desperately needed !

What is this new approach that is needed ? What is the

" new cruse "? My .... we need to approach the problem of bitterness, indeed each problem in the Christian's life from THE SPIRITUAL STANDPOINT ! Elisha demanded an object that could be found in every kitchen, a cruse but he demanded a NEW cruse ! For far too long the SPIRITUAL APPROACH presented to us in the WORD OF GOD has been neglected and even rejected. Every Christian's home may have a BIBLE, but we need to apply the BIBLE anew to our problems.

We need to procure a " new cruse," the Bible needs to become a new Book to us: we need to see it as God's Word to us in our problems: we need to get back to the
" old Book that is ever new." There needed to be (a)

" Bring me a new cruse and put salt therein." ( 2:20)

Salt was used primarily for two purposes in the ancient world: as a preservative, to arrest corruption, and as an additive, to bring out the flavour in food and help with digestion. What does the salt represent ? Well, we've suggested that the NEW CRUSE may be taken as a spiritual and Biblical approach to the problem of bitterness. Surely then the salt represents some Word of God which is applicable and relevant to the problem at hand. You see the man of God, the man who is touch with heaven, through the discernment of the Spirit, is able to select from the Scriptures those verses which relate to the problem, and then through the dynamic of the Spirit is able to apply their teaching immediately to the problem. My .... its is not sufficient to have a " new cruse," the Word of God it must be filled with salt: it must be a Word from God which is relevant to the problem. My .... have you ever seen a man of God with a new cruse filled with salt solving the problems of young and old believers ? I have ! Is that a ministry that you could engage in ? Is this a ministry that could you exercise ? Could you bring the Word of God to bear on the problems of others and be a help to them ? Well, what happened when Elisha threw the salt in ? (1) (2)

Look at ( 2:20-21) The problem was solved and the waters were healed. Now its interesting to notice that this miracle:

How scrupulously Elisha guarded the interests of His Master ! He said, " Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters." ( 2:21) He did not claim any of the credit or honour for himself. He was only the humble channel of the healing power of God and he ascribed all the glory to Him ! Is that what you do ? When you see spiritual healing come to sinners who are spiritually sick and come to saints who are seriously bitter do you give God all the glory ? Listen to what God says: " I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another." ( Isa 42:8) Are you willing for that ? (a)

Look at ( 2:22) This was nothing superficial or temporary but an effectual, permanent change. ( Eccl 3:14) Dare we look for such a divine intervention in our lives ? Dare we look for such a definite permanent cure in our case ? Well, the NT calls upon us in no uncertain terms: " Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you .... " ( Eph 4:31) And the verb demands a once-for-all putting away of the sin of bitterness. Why ? Because a spirit of bitterness DISPLEASES THE SPIRIT OF GOD: ( Eph 4:30) DIVIDES THE PEOPLE OF GOD:

( Heb 12:14-15) DESTROYS THE WORSHIP OF GOD: ( Matt 5:23-24 Ps 66:18) Therefore " Let all bitterness .... be put away from you." And my .... what God commands of us He is ready to empower us to do.

Illus.: During a conference of pastors and missionaries in South Vietnam in 1966 the Holy Spirit moved in great power. After one evening session the delegates continued in prayer into the early hours of the morning.

Many were convicted of specific sins and wrong attitudes and relationships. Then conviction turned to mutal confession. Quietly one pastor would go to another acknowledging his wrong and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Missionary went to missionary: pastor to missionary and missionary to pastor as the tears flowed, fellowship was restored and hearts were fused in fervent love. Eternity alone will reveal what that time of spiritual adjustment meant to the progress of the Gospel in Vietnam. Are you still an embittered believer ? Do you need to apply the salt of Gods Word to the spring of your life that you may be healed ? Do you need to go to your brother and sort things out ?