Encouragement

No Complaints

by Mindy Galloway
10/11/15
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No Complaints!!

Philippians 2:14 instructs us to do all things without murmurings and disputings:

The word murmuring is defined as sullen dissatisfaction with things, and in the KJV is referenced as complaining.  This dissatisfaction is often caused by thirst, hunger, or fear. 

Examples

Thirst – Exodus 15:24

Here the Israelites wondered three days in the wilderness of Shur without finding water.  After hearing their complaints, Moses cried unto The Lord.  The Lord responded by leading Moses to a water resource and the people were relieved of their thirst.  The complaints were silenced.

Hunger – Exodus 16: 2, 3, 8

Here the Israelites have reached the fifteenth day of freedom from Egypt and now wonder in the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Sinai.  The Israelites begin to complain of hunger stating at least in Egypt they were fed and ate until they were full.  They then accuse Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to die of hunger in the wilderness.  Moses responds that God will provide them meat for the evening and bread for the morning so that they KNOW He is God.  God provided quail for the evening and manna for the morning.  The people were relieved of their hunger.  The complaints again were silenced.

Fear – Numbers 14: 1-4

Here the Israelites complained out of fear.  The report from 10 of the 12 spies sent to survey the promise land spoke of giants inhabiting the land.  So fearful were the people that they conspired to seleve a captain to take them back to captivity.  They purposed to ignore The Lord who refreshed them when thirsty, fed them while hungry, preserved them from the plagues of Egypt, brought them through a wet sea – on dry land, and assured them He would provide a land flowing of milk and honey.  Hence, the ten spies that brought back the bad report, inflicting fear upon the multitude, died of a plague.  Once more, the complaints were silenced.

The moral of all the examples is that we serve a God of provision, who will give to us liberally, withholding nothing, if we will serve Him in spirit and in truth.  How can we complain if we trust in His word?  God knows what things we have need of, before we ask of Him.  He says blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be fed.  He simply instructs us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto us. 

If we believe God’s word, what reason do we have to complain?  If we believe God’s word, what purpose have we in our wilderness period than to be an example to others in the same period who know not how to walk in faith? 

Getting back to our key scriptures we’re instructed to do all things without murmuring and disputings.  Disputings here is taken from the Greek word dialogismos, pronounced dee-al-og-is-mos, and means without doubt. 

Why do we need to do everything without doubt?  Because doubt reflects an absence of faith.  Hebrews 11:6 reminds us

v6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.   

I know that the lost will retort ‘why do we need to please God’ and I assure you those are the very same people still searching for the reason behind man’s existence.  For the faithful, we need remember Revelations 4:11.

v4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

The bottom line, what we need to hold onto is …

1. 
   

   For His pleasure… are we created



2. 
   

   We can’t please Him, without being faithful



3. 
   

   We show lack of faith, when we show doubt or disputings



4. 
   

   We show a lack of faith when we murmur which reflects a sullen dissatisfaction

Why are we here?  We are here to please God.

How do we do that? By being faithful.

What is one way to show our faith?  By doing all things without murmuring and disputings.

Are there other ways?  Yes… and new days to write about them… please stay tuned.

For today focus on NO COMPLAINTS!!!

Be Blessed!!!