WHY RISK EVERYTHING FOR MURMURING & COMPLAINING

1. Why risk everything for murmuring and complaining

a) Meaning

i) Murmuring is a sound that murmurs while complaining is the act by which someone complaints.

ii) A murmur is a quiet, blurred sound often heard from a distance. You say something so quietly that your words can't be understood. You might be complaining about something. A murmur is often a sign that someone's not pleased.

b) The danger

i) Never murmur and complain! You may get what you wish for just like the Israelites got the food they craved in full. The Israelites were killed because of it.

Numbers 21:5-6
And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

Numbers 14:26-30
Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron, “How long will this wicked assembly keep complaining about me? I’ve heard the complaints of the Israelis that they’ve been murmuring against me. So tell them that as long as I live—consider this to be an oracle from the Lord—as certainly as you’ve spoken right into my ears, that’s how I’m going to treat you. Your corpses will fall in this wilderness—every single one of you who has been counted among you, according to your number from 20 years and above, who complained against me. You will certainly never enter the land about which I made an oath with my uplifted hand to settle you in it, except for Jephunneh’s son Caleb and Nun’s son Joshua.

c) Admonition

Jude 1:16
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

1 Corinthians 10:9-12
Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

d) What does the Bible say?

Philippians 2:13-15
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

James 5:9
Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

1 Peter 4:8-10
Above all, love each other warmly, because love covers many sins. Welcome each other as guests without complaining. Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

e) What can you do?

a) Do the things you know you can do in good faith. Don't try to do the things you know you won't be able to do. Leave them to God. Know that the results of the eventual outcome is from Him.

f) Give thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:18  
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.