Controlling Your Mouth

TITLE: CONTROLLING YOUR MOUTH

TEXT: I THESS. 5:18

INTRO: Out West, a cowboy was driving down a dirt road, his dog riding in back of the pickup truck, his faithful horse in the trailer behind. He failed to negotiate a curve and had a terrible accident.

Sometime later, a highway patrol officer came on the scene. An animal lover, he saw the horse first. Realizing the serious nature of its injuries, he drew his service revolver and put the animal out of his misery. He walked around the accident and found the dog, also hurt critically. He couldn’t bear to hear it whine in pain, so he ended the dog’s suffering as well.

Finally he located the cowboy --who suffered multiple fractures--off in the weeds. "Hey, are you okay?" the cop asked. The cowboy took one look at the smoking revolver in the trooper’s hand and quickly replied, "Never felt better!"

Many people lose out on the glory and power of God in their lives because they have an attitude problem. They do not know how to handle adversity without complaining.

ILL. “Ya’ll pray for me the devils been riding my back all week”(No weapon formed against me shall prosper)

A negative attitude can steal your joy and rob you of your blessings. We sing the old song “I went to the enemies camp”. Many of us are our worst enemy. Satan is sitting their saying I never took it you dropped it.

Num 11:1

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 14:27-30

27"...How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?

28..as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all...from twenty years old upward, which have murmured against me,

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land,..."

Numbers 21:4-6 (MURMURING BROUGHT THE FIERY SERPENTS)

4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

5 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.

6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died."

I. MURMURING BRINGS DESTRUCTION TO OUR LIVES

A. COMPLAINING IS DESTRUCTIVE IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

1. Numbers 14:27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

2. Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

3. Many of us don’t have a daily devotional, we have our daily grip and grumble to God time.

- God it just is not fair

· They don’t have to go through trials

· They don’t deal with problems like I do

· They don’t struggle like I do

- Maybe they don’t because they don’t complain

- Maybe they have learned the secret of the Philippians 4 attitude

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

- Must decide if we are going to fellowship with our problems or our God, the answer to our problems.

B. COMPLAINING IS DESTRUCTIVE IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUTHER

1. The number 1 reason for marriage break-ups COMPLAING

2. You cannot feel affection or warmth or closeness to someone you are always complaining about.

· Complement each other every day

· Focus on the positives of others

· If you don’t someone else will

3. Who wants to be around someone that is always complaining

ILL. Don’t complain and talk about all your problems--80 percent of people don’t care; the other 20 percent will think you deserve them.

Mark Twain.

C. SOME ARE CRONIC COMPLAINERS

ILL. A man sat down to supper with his family. They prayed over the meal, thanking God for the food. But during the meal he complained about the toast, the coffee, and the eggs. His young daughter questioned him, "Dad, do you think God heard your prayer today?" He answered confidently, "Of course." Then she asked, "Well, do you think God heard what you said about the toast, the coffee, and the eggs?" Not so confidently, he answered, "Why, yes, I believe so." The little girl concluded, "Then which do you think God believed, Dad?"