INSULTING GOD’S LOVE

“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.”–Numbers 21:5–7

In the church today we often divide sins into two categories: those we think are really bad, and those that don’t seem to us to be all that serious. Often people draw that line precisely between the sins that really tempt them and the ones that don’t. That way they feel good in evaluating themselves compared to those around them, but that doesn’t change the way God views sins. He hates all of them, even the ones we deem to be “little” sins. And one of the worst of those that we so often overlook or excuse is complaining.

Mark Twain said, “Don’t complain and talk about your problems. Eighty percent of the people won’t care and the other twenty percent will think you deserve them.” But complaining is far worse than just ineffective—it is wrong.

Complaining reveals that we are not thankful for the multitude of blessings that we have received. The way God views complaining is vividly illustrated for us by the poisonous snakes God sent among the Israelites when they complained about God’s provision for them. God had graciously freed them from slavery, taken them across the Red Sea, and fed them with manna from Heaven, yet they still complained. It is not an “acceptable” sin. Every time we murmur and complain, we are insulting God’s love and care for us. (Daily in the Word)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

LIVING FOR JESUS      
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”– Philippians 1:21

We read about heaven, we hear sermons about heaven, we sing about heaven; but still we are apprehensive about death. God has built into us a desire to live, and it should be our goal to be able to say with the Apostle, “to live is Christ.” Even with the remarkable experiences Paul had with the Lord he was still pressing toward the mark and desired to know Christ more intimately. May we each day in our fellowship with our Savior become more like Him in our walk and more dedicated in His service.

But as Paul continued to labor zealously in the kingdom of God, he thought and wrote a lot about heaven. He wrote that our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to come. He informs us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and that we shall forever be with Him. No wonder, then, he would write, “to die is gain.”

It meant to gain freedom from the weaknesses of the flesh so that he would never again have to say, “O wretched man that I am!” He would gain the joy of living with Christ forever; he would gain the benefits of the inheritance which is reserved for all the saints.

He felt, though, a conflict. He had a desire to depart and to be with Christ but also saw it was needful to remain and minister to the churches. Surely, as God’s children, we should long to be with the Lord, but see there is work to be done here and want to labor faithfully until we are called home.–Baptist Bible Hour

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

COMPLAINING

“ And when the people complained, 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.“— Num 11:1

Having recently confessed to being guilty of complaining more than should, I could not help but be convicted by this and sensing a need to share it with others. May God help us all to conquer the bad habit of complaining.

    

J. R. Miller wrote:There are people who can speak of little else, but the unpleasant things in their own experience. If you ask them about their health, or even unfortunately put your salutation in the form of “How do you do?” you get as an answer, a description of many ills and infirmities to which they are subject, instead of any cheerful reciprocating of your greeting. All their ordinary conversation is filled with dolorous ( causing or expressing grief)rehearsals of discouraging things. They have keen eyes for the unpleasant happenings, and never fail to mention them to others.

We all have troubles, things in our daily personal life, that are vexing and annoying; sometimes things that are painful and burdensome. But we should not talk about them. We have no right to scatter our briers and thorns about us–so that others’ feet may be torn by them. It does us no good, and it does others immeasurable harm!

Silence about ourselves, should be a rule almost without exception. Especially should the rule never to complain, be an absolute one. No matter how poorly we have rested through the night, we need not tell the whole family about it at breakfast. Patient bearing of the portion of life’s ills which comes to us–is the characteristic of ideal Christian living.

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346