MUTE
THE MURMURING
BREAD
4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and
again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We
remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons,
leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite;
we never see anything but this manna!” 7 The
manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 The
people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a handmill or crushed it
in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like
something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the
camp at night, the manna also came down. 10 Moses heard the
people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD
became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. Numbers 11:4-10 (NIV)
9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did--and
were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were
killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were
written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12 So,
if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13 No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he
will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:9-13 (NIV)
9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will
be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! James 5:9 (NIV)
26 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How
long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints
of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, As surely as I live, declares the LORD,
I will do to you the very things I heard you say: 29 In
this desert your bodies will fall--every one of you twenty years old or more
who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not
one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home,
except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As
for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in
to enjoy the land you have rejected. 32 But you--your bodies will fall in this desert. 33 Your
children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your
unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert.” Numbers 14:26-33 (NIV)
16 These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow
their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for
their own advantage. Jude 1:16 (NIV)
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so
that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a
crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as
you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ
that I did not run or labor for nothing.
Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV)
7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.
See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how
patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be
patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t
grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is
standing at the door! James 5:7-9 (NIV)
BUTTER
“Grumbling is the
hum of the fallen human heart, and often a hallmark of Christian’s indwelling
sin.” Scott Hubbard
“Grumbling is more
than the voice of discontentment. It is
also the voice of unbelief. We grumble
when our faith in God’s good purposes falters.
Unwilling to trust that God is crafting this disappointment for our
good, we have eyes only for the painful now.” Scott Hubbard
“Grumbling is the luxury of self-absorption at someone else's
expense.” Dr. Harry Reeder
“‘Unfair,’ says some voice within us. ‘That’s not right,’ says another. Desires become expectations; expectations
become rights. And instead of bringing
our disappointments to God, and allowing His words to steady us, we let unmet
desire fester into discontentment. We
grumble.” Scott Hubbard
“Her example was the antithesis of
complaining, that ‘woe is me’ tendency to grouse, grouch, and
grumble. Complainers are usually contentious instead of content, tear down
instead of building, and wear others out emotionally. A complainer’s lack
of contentment is often caused by a tendency to compare themselves to others.
Complainers are often people who relive ugly situations and perceived
injustices over and over in their minds. They are unwilling or unable to
let past events or hurts go. Complainers keep reloading
their minds with negative thoughts and often live in depression, despair, or
darkness. Pastor Harry Reeder puts it
like this, ‘Selfish, self-absorbed, self-centered people are despairing,
despondent, and depressed.’” Donna
Evans
“Stop resisting Him. Stop resenting Him. Stop complaining. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Stop demanding what you want. Stop focusing on the outer wrappings of
yourself and your circumstances. Adjust
your attitude. Change your mind about
things, about yourself, about others and about Him. Relax in total trust. He knows what He’s doing. Unwrap the package! Let go and look up! Let Him open the eyes of your heart. Open your eyes!” Anne Graham
Lotz
“Never settle for a god who cannot satisfy you in a prison cell.” Marshall Segal
HEART SAVOR
·
Grumbling
shows our lack of faith in God Who ever has our best interest at heart in every
circumstance He allows.
·
God does
not like murmuring and complaining.
·
We are to
embrace what He allows with joy. Patience
in the moment comes from gratitude for the moment.
