Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. (Numbers 11:1-2)
In America we love our freedoms.....and honestly they are many...but as a Christian American I wonder do any of those freedoms change? Before anyone thinks this is my attempt to curb, shut down, or even take a jab at the myriads of political rhetoric posted on social media....I'd caution you to pause, simply because complaining happens far outside those boundaries.
I mean we can be found complaining about any and everything. And remember there is a difference between making A COMMENT, verses COMPLAINING. One is isolated...the other one is a frequent topic of conversation. From our kids poor decisions, to the amount of work, or hours of work we are asked to fulfill. We complain about taxes & the gov't. We will complain about the preacher, and the teachers. We complain about the worship or the worshippers. We complain about the neighbors and even the neighborhood, and at the end of it all......how does GOD feel about complaining, or more specifically about OUR, his chosen peculiar people complaining??????
We see the Israelites complain throughout the scriptures, we find Job complaining (7,10), we see that there are times the Lord saves us during times of crying out, but it appears by and large that our suffering increases when we complain or murmur against what He is attempting to teach us. Remember in Deut. 1:34 God became angry when His people were complaining. Remember the Israelites ended up in bondage to the Egyptians because of their own sins. Remember the 3 days journey turned into 40 years of wandering, because of complaining. Jesus rebukes the people in John 6:43 to stop complaining. It even says in 1Cor. 10:9-10 that we shouldn't be found murmuring or we too will get destroyed..... James 5:9 cautions us to not complain for we will be judged. Philippians 2:9 Paul instructs us to do EVERYTHING without complaining and arguing.......now if this wasn't a punch to my/our guts.........so how should we be in a culture such as ours........ I recently heard from a dear brother JJ Bond that maybe after accepting Christ everyone needs some duct tape put over their mouth to force us to have to actively live out our faith, before getting in trouble with our words.....not a bad idea, since the tongue is so hard to tame. So again, how are we to exist in such a perverse culture?
PAUL penned it best...Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Col. 4:5-6 In other words......never expect non-believers to conduct themselves as WE are suppose to conduct ourselves....this is a yoke we can't put on them. So knowing that they aren't believers we should be gracious, and kind in our conversation as to win them over with our love, after all it was some one's love & genuine concern for us that won us into the faith in the first place. NOW GO & SHOW the LOVE OF CHRIST ALIVE in you. LGLP
6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2Tim. 4:6-8
I don't care who you are, or what you believe, or how old you are....we are all fighters! The questions are WHO ARE WE FIGHTING FOR, and WHAT WEAPON WORKS BEST to achieve your desired outcome of winning?
Babies pre-post natal are fighting to live from the moment of conception. People are fighting for the rights of the unborn. The Gay/Lesbian Community are fighting for equal rights. Civil Rights are still being fought for and debated about. Couples are fighting for their marriages. Kids fighting for their parents to stay together. Soldiers in the armed services are fighting for ____________________. Name your party they are fighting for their cause. Students are fighting, teachers are fighting, civil servants are fighting, animals are fighting (being endangered).....I mean prayerfully you get my opening drift we are all fighting but I go back to my questions WHO........and WHAT?
Paul says his life has been poured out.....much like Christ's bleeding upon the cross had given his all for the sake of all of humanity past, present, and future.....Paul said his life has been poured out as an offering to GOD. Some of you maybe reading this right before going to bed, others will catch it in the morning but did you live today as if you were pouring it all out for GOD? Or was it to advance your career, or your agenda, or was it to position you to get more glory? Remembering we are all fighting.......are you fighting with the end in mind, that you desire to bring people together, or is it totally an US vs. THEM, and the them are those that believe differently than you.....them are those that vote differently than you.....them are those who ___________________________.....and I just want to make sure I'm not sending mixed signals.....are those in fact breathing individuals or is it the rulers of darkness, the principalities, you know the imps of the adversary....cause surely......you aren't leveraging the war against flesh & blood are you?
Secondly, I wanna talk weaponry: YES I DO, especially during a time of heated gun law reform debates, etc. Peter took out his weapon when they seized his teacher, and sliced off the ear of a servant officer. What did Christ do? Did he cheer on Peter's attempt to defend his cause? Did he hang his head and say " You done did it now...Ol Pete....you are in trouble"? Did He call the others to draw their swords...(mind you the company that came to seize him were heavily armed) ....NO....what He did was called them to all pause......not so he could break free and show them how it was done. Not so he could call the angels from heaven to come to his aide.....no....He asked them for time so that he could tell Peter to put his weapon, the WRONG WEAPON, away...then He gave His attention to Malchus....to demonstrate care, concern, and love by healing what seemed to be his immediate hurt. People are hurting all over the world....some in our own households....will you lay down your cause, to champion Christ's? When 911 happened it was the retaliation that got families through the grieving process, it was love, love of their fellow man/woman that gave comfort in many forms. Today, another horrific assault was unleashed from the pits of hell in Boston.....and how we respond will either hurt or heal those affected.
I'm not joining your cause......whatever that is, because I'm too busy trying to pour out my life EVERYDAY as a drink offering to fulfill Christ's mission to us all to LOVE GOD, and LOVE PEOPLE....and to do that....I have to lay down the wrong weapons, and use the one HE gave me, a heart that desires to see His will done on Earth as it is in HEAVEN. I believe that is at the ESSENCE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT! IF LOVE BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS....then I think that's what I need to reload up on, in order to WIN THIS WAR FOR SOULS, THE LOVE OF CHRIST! LGLP
