Word for the Day October
27
By:
Evang. Cascille Hammack
"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
Philippians 4:11
God does not like when we complain and murmur. The Israelites constantly
complained and murmured about their circumstances, and they all perished in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb were the only
two who were allowed to enter the Promised land because they did not complain but trusted God to do all He said He would do
in blessing them. They believed Him, in spite of what they saw in the natural realm. They knew God is faithful
and He will fulfill all of His promises to us.
God disapproves of malicious words spoken. In 3 John 1:9-11, John describes
what he was enduring by someone who used their mouth to attempt to discredit the work God was doing through him.
John describes his actions, "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.
So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that,
he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend,
do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not
seen God."
In Exodus 16:8, Moses warned the Israelites, as they complained about God's provision
for them in the desert, "You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the
bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against
us, but against the LORD."
1 Cor. 10:10
recounts the result of Israel murmuring against the Lord, "And do not grumble, as some of them did--and were killed by
the destroying angel." 1 Cor. 10:11 further explains, "These things happened to them as examples and were
written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come."
God has warned
us not to complain about our circumstances and fellow Christians. He has made plain that when we complain, we are complaining
against Him as He ordains our circumstances. He has recounted for us the result of such actions in the lives of the Israelites
in the desert and the resulting judgement upon them. Our trials are a test of our faith in Him. Let us not fail
the test by murmuring and complaining. James 1:2-4 exhorts, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever
you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish
its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." At the time of our trial, let us remember
Romans 5:1-5, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of
God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love
has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."