Grumbling, Complaining ... never a good thing!

Imagine living with the Israelites and being in Moses shoes having to lead them out of Egypt and slavery to the promised land. No wonder Moses was frustrated and literally wanted to die.  He was fed up with God's people.  God was also getting pretty angry with them too but kept His "cool - sort of) and we see Him disciplining His "kids" a number of times in their wanderings ... a journey that should have taken only a few short months to do.

Imagine having to put up with people grumbling, complaining and rebelling all the time.  This happened over and over again.  This type of "cancer" even spread to Aaron and Miriam as they began to question Moses' position and authority resulting in Miriam being punished and becoming leprous for 7 days and forced to live outside the camp.

Moses even grumbled (under his breath) when He didn't follow God's instruction for providing water and angrily stuck the rock.  This act of disobedience was punished by God not letting him enter the promised land!

Later when Moses sends out 12 spies to check out the land, 10 of them bring back a report saying that the people are too big and we could never beat them and take their land.  But Caleb and Joshua had a different report ... with God on our side there was no problem entering into the land of promise.  The people believed the majority and they grumbled and complained again about their situation and they end up paying for their mistake.  They get to wander around for 40 years until everyone under the age of 20 dies off and they never stepped foot into the promised land. Only Caleb and Joshua and the young folk would get to enter.

Grumbling and complaining do not allow you to receive God's blessing.  He hates this type of attitude from his children.  It shows that you don't trust Him and that you have a rebellious heart.

So what should we do and what characteristics or attitudes should we be incorporating into our lives to please God?  Paul could have been a grumbler and complainer based on the situations he found himself in but he wasn't because he wanted to be like Christ.  He gives the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi and us some great practical instruction.  If you have the time, I would encourage you to read the entire book of Philippians slowly.  Here are a just a few things that counteract grumbling, complaining, and a rebellious heart.

1. Rejoice in the Lord, be anxious for nothing, pray about everything with thanksgiving, ... Philippians 4: 4-9






2. Learn to be content  in whatever circumstances you are in (like Paul was)  Philippians 4:11



3. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus ... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Phillipians 2:2-13



4. Do all things without grumbling and disputing. Philippians 2:14


Paul says "practice these things" (Philippians 4:9).
This is excellent advice for shepherds who want to be good examples to their flocks who are watching and following and learning from them.

So ... don't be a grumbler and complainer as the consequences are terrible!  Be like Paul and Christ Jesus.  The reward is out of this world.

Moses A Man of "X" Uses to a Man God Uses

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

When God calls us to do something for Him, our typical reaction is often like Moses.  Who Me!  I can't! Can you get someone else to do it!  We often feel inadequate for the job he has for us.  If that's the way you feel, you are actually the perfect person for the job.  God can use you!  He becomes all we need when we are weak. You simply becomes His mouth piece, His ears and eyes, and His hands and feet. He gives you the words to speak.  He instructs you on what actions to take and He works through you displaying His power so that others will recognize that God is present and is accomplishing the work by His mighty hand ... and that He indeed is I AM and that "He will" do what He says He will do. Mind you, things work out this way only when we spend time with God, talking to Him and listening to Him, as Moses surely did when he was placed in His leadership position.

Once Moses actually saw God demonstrating His power and using him despite his personal weaknesses and feelings of inadequacy, Moses learned to trust Him and depend on Him for whatever was needed.  He becomes one of the greatest leaders in history (in our eyes) but in God's eyes he is recognized as being the humblest man on earth.  Numbers 12:3 - "Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth."  It is probably a good thing that God never said that to his face ... as pride would have probably crept in!

Moses became a man that God could use because he learned to completely depend on God and he spent much "face to face" time with God talking to Him and listening to Him and doing what He says.  We also learn that when He failed to follow God's instructions, there were consequences. God didn't allow Moses to enter the promised land because he disobeyed (once) but we also know that we will surely see Moses in His Kingdom when we are called to spend eternity there.

Also remember that before God called Moses to deliver His people, Moses had tried to deliver his people in his own strength and might 40 years earlier.  He failed, he ran away and became a "nobody" in man's eyes and he could hardly put two words together anymore because of spending all his time leading "dumb" sheep.

As leaders of our small groups, we need to learn to spend much time with God and depend on Him for what we have been called to do.  We "can't" but He can through us because He is I AM.  Like Moses and Paul we can learn to say, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." - Philippians 3:14.  James also exhorts us and reminds us to "Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you." -James 4:10