In these last years before Jesus returns to the earth and not before the Great Tribulation that He spoke of (that most of us may have to endure the majority of), too many people in the true church today live on the fringes of a relationship with God.

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Most do not read their bibles, fewer pray or even think about the Lord, and the life they believe is a “Christian” life is fraught with worldly distractions, unchecked sinful habits, doubts about God, and fears about tomorrow. I know this by how people talk about God or do not, how they spend their personal free time, by the complaints they have about their lives, and the attitude and language they use (words of doubt and the use of vulgarities).

In short, very few that think they are followers of Jesus are not showing the clear signs of being sanctified—spiritual maturity and being made holy as God is holy.

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† Leviticus 20:7 Sanctify (qadash: be [get] clean, consecrate) yourselves therefore, and be ye holy (qadosh: a saint/holy one): for I am the LORD your God. 8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.

† 1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober (watchful, abstain [not a winebibber {made drunk by the world}]), and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy (pure, blameless, consecrated to God) in all manner of conversation (behavior); 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

𝕀 Mentioned Complaints About God;

I mentioned complaints about God; that is what we are going to address today. We have all done it and probably more than a few times even if it was never spoken out loud. Let me cut to the chase of what you-need-to-know about such complaining and then unpack this bottom line of a dangerous error affecting our spiritual lives:

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Complaining about God out loud or in our minds is ...
-1- due to an undeveloped faith in God and ...
-2- the Lord hears and despises our murmuring.

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† Psalm 106:13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. 16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD. 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. 18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. 20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. 21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. 23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. 24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: 25 But murmured (grumbled, rebelled) in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.

† 1 Corinthians 10: [Paul picks up on this and warns us:] 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye (grumble), as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. [These things and others cost us needed grace from God, the “leanness of the soul”.]

† Matthew 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word (useless, inactive, lazy, barren; from a negative work of the tongue) that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified (rendered just or innocent), and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (pronounced guilty).

We fail to understand how our spoken words and even our private thoughts can affect our lives and those of others. Few have come to appreciate how important it is that we be guarded about what our lips speak as a result of what our minds haphazardly conclude—even halfheartedly and maybe not really meaning it but they are still idle words.

Our thoughts and uttered words have power for good or for evil, and even as a Christian, we can speak evil and not realize it and even release curses upon ourselves of others—and many of us often do.

𝕁ust A Few Examples: • That thing just scared the life out of me! • I just know I’m going to get sick because so many people coughing and sneezing. • I’m feeling ill. • He deserves to [have this or that] happen to him. • You just look so discouraged—or you look sick. • I’m sick and tired of [this or that…]. • I nearly died laughing when I heard [this or that…] • [Because of grief or discouragement some say] I wish I were dead—or I’d be better off dead. • I just know that it’s going to happen to [me or him or her or us]. • If you do that, you’ll be sorry!

Now another very unwise thing to allow in our thoughts or to speak out loud is to complain about God, which is the opposite of objectively talking to God about things that you do not understand by asking for help and wisdom and for mercy and grace.

Our God does not like murmuring or complaining about what He does or does not do when we find ourselves caught in the ebb and flow of the hard circumstances of life.

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† Numbers 11:1 And when the people complained (mourned), it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. [An absence of the mercy and grace they could have had.] 2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.

† Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night [They bemoaned where God had brought them and disapproved what He was trying to do.]. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. . . [And God’s response?] 27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur (be obstinate and in words complaining, grudging) against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. [Now take note!]

† Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

I restate again what it is at the heart of our complaints about God, what is the quintessential issue—and I hope that you will you listen and your heart will hear and understand!

At the heart of the matter of our murmurings about God is a lack of faith—true faith and trust in God. Just like a skilled doctor knows exactly what must be done to correct a problem that might also involve some pain—we must trust the doctor to do what is needed.

If believers will trust God and in what His Word teaches us as a people believing in the eternal God and His Savior Jesus, we would not cast dispersions against Him. That is to make harsh or unfair criticisms against Him, to express the opposites of faith in God, which are foolish accusations and doubt and unbelief; faith does not pull-back from His healing touch or the needful conditions He initiates that are meant for our good.

Sometimes these are things that go against the grain of what we wanted Him to do.

𝕎e must guard against thinking or saying things like these: • Why did you allow this happen, God? • I didn’t think He would let this happen! • I couldn’t wait any longer so I handled the problem my own way. • Where were you God when I needed you? • I’m not sure God can do anything about this. • I can’t see how prayer will solve anything.

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† Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking (vilification against God), be put away from you...

† 1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking (defamation, backbiting), 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby…

† Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar (falsifier,utter untruths); as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Such thinking and speaking “foolish accusations and doubt and unbelief” causes what small faith one apparently has to be eroded and it also affects others by what they perceive or hear as a lack of trust in God—and then doubts arise in them, too.

Unbelief and mistrust in God is a contagion that moves from our mind to our emotions and from what we feel to our will(ingness) to go God’s way.

An absence of true faith in God is also infectious among others and must be shunned in our own hearts and minds because it is like the sneeze of a cold or flu that sends forth doubting droplets into the air through our voice and lips, doubts which fan-out in all directions into the ears of others and—is heard by God also.

When we murmur involving God’s involvement it is a slap to His help and is a self-erected roadblock to His grace. It is a sneeze that does not elicit the typical “God bless you” by others—but blasts forth subliminal doubts about God because what others hear below the surface is a loud and clear, “Why-God? Where are You when I need you the most?”

𝕎hat we should think and say out loud is something like this

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† Hebrews 13:5 ...he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Perhaps you would say, “Well, I do not think or speak against God”, to which I might suggest that to not read God’s Word and obey it, is to silently complain.

To not pray is weak faith quietly murmuring that He does things His way and not how we want them to be done; and about prayer, believers silently retort: “I’ve found that praying makes no difference, so why bother?”

Actually, even if we do not discern it, God does more when we pray then when we do not; but again, that takes faith to understand and to rest in that spiritual reality.

To refuse to complain about God is an act of faith in Him. To deny our thoughts or the words of our foolish grievances against God is to honor Him in His omniscience and perfect wisdom and His love for us by His Word that declares that He will work all things for our good. It is overcoming the flesh and the spiritual accusers against the Lord by the thoughts and words of our testimony of His faithfulness.

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† 2 Corinthians 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

† Mark 5:35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

† Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12 And they [they = us] overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

𝕎hat's the conclusion to this ... Complaining about God?

What is the conclusion to this matter of complaining about God? It is a matter of weak faith and there are only two ways that I know of from experience to cure that problem: Heavy doses of the written Word of God (“faith cometh by hearing and hearing of the Word of God”) and by cooperating with the training agenda God has for your life that through difficulties and challenges and hardships you go to God, pray about such things, ask for and expect His help on His terms and in His time, and trust Him to help with answers.

𝕋wo good closing passages to meditate on this week are ...

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† Psalm 77:1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. 4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. 7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? 8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. 10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. 13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? 14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. 15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people. . .

† Jonah 2:[From the belly of a great fish, Jonah prays:] 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

Brothers and sisters, let us beware of complaining about God lest we forfeit the mercy and the grace He would bestow upon us in our times of trouble. Guard your thoughts and words!

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~ Brother Scott ... With ... The Right Word^© ... For Today~

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