#2 LITTLE FOXES: COMPLAINING, GRUMBLING, MURMURING
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch: YouTube: Wade Hughes)
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: (imperative command)
BIG FOXES CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
Foxes can carry disease. They are carriers of rabies and various infections. Foxes can carry bacteria that is spread when dogs or cats get near the dry feces from the foxes. Foxes have been known to attack humans, children and pets. Foxes are territorial and they have been known to defend their territories. Foxes are probably more dangerous to pets than to humans. Foxes are known to get in hen houses. Foxes are also known for chasing cattle until they over heat and then the cows are vulnerable.
HAVE YOU HEARD THE STORY OF A LITTLE GIRL THAT CARRIED A BABY FOX HOME TO THE FARM HOUSE?
She loved that baby fox. It was so cute. The girl loved the bushy tail and the baby fox loved to play and cuddle with the little girl. The girl begged her dad let me keep this baby fox. I promise to bottle feed and care for the little fox. The dad knew the potential of any wild animals. Please, daddy, please. Against the dad’s better judgment he allowed his daughter to keep the fox. The baby fox stayed in a box beside her bed. It was so cool to watch the girl and the fox playing together. The family had 200 chickens. The little fox would lay and watch the chickens. The little girl found her pet cat covered with blood, dead under the porch. What happened? Before too long the farmer started missing a few chickens. They raised chickens and sold eggs and chickens. Then the farmer started missing more and more chickens. One day the girl caught the fox with a chicken in its mouth. She ran to try to set the chicken free. The fox turned on the girl and growled at her. She thought the fox will not hurt me. The fox tore into the flesh of the girl and the smell and taste of the blood released the wild desires that was inbred in him. The farmer saw the fox attack his daughter. He ran and got his shotgun. He had to kill the fox. As the fox was dying, the girl was crying. The father had thought the fox would not kill my chickens or hurt my daughter. The little girl and her father learned foxes are wild animals and can be very dangerous.
WHAT ABOUT BABY FOXES? LITTLE FOXES? CAN LITTLE FOXES BE DANGEROUS?
All wild animals have the potential to be dangerous. We should not play games with wild animals by inviting them in our yards or in our homes.
DO WE REALIZE THAT IN THE SPRING GROWTH OCCURS. IN OUR LIFE, IN OUR FAMILIES AND IN OUR CHURCHES WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! WE TEND TO FOCUS ON BIG FOXES. WHAT ABOUT LITTLE FOXES?
Song of Songs 2:15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
In the Song of Solomon HE WARNED THAT LITTLE FOXES CAN BE VERY DESTRUCTIVE AND DO MUCH DAMAGE.
1. First off little foxes eat the TENDER GRAPES before they are ripe.
2. There is a larger problem than eating the fruit. Little foxes NIBBLE AT THE ROOTS OF THE VINES.
3. When little foxes eat and dig at the roots the vineyard will die and there will be no grapes. NO ROOTS, NO FRUITS!
LITTLE FOXES RUIN GROWTH AND FRUIT PRODUCTION. ARE YOU GROWING? ARE YOU REACHING UP FOR MATURITY? WHEN SOMETHING IS ALIVE IT SHOULD GROW AND BEAR FRUIT. FRUIT IS OUR GOAL AND PURPOSE. OUR ENEMY DESIRES TO HINDER THE GROWTH AND LIMIT TO STOP FRUIT PRODUCTION.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
*GROW: natural development, increase, change progress, maturity, expand, increase, to encourage, advance.
*MATURITY: fully develop, become responsible, sensitive, willing to change, to develop emotional, mental, social and spiritual.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WILL PROMOTE GROWTH.
1. WE MUST REALIZE GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME. 2. GOOD HEALTHY GROWTH RARELY IS ACCIDENTAL. GROWTH REQUIRES PLANNING AND ACTION. 3. WE PLANT THE SEEDS BUT THE HARVEST WILL NEED PATIENCE. 4. TO GROW WE MUST KNOW OUR PURPOSE, FOCUS ON THE GOAL! 5. PLANT GOOD SEEDS.
WE HAVE STUDIED HOW WORRY IMPEDES THE ETERNAL DESIGN FOR YOUR LIFE. (See part #1) NOW LET US REASON TOGETHER ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS COMPLAINING AND MURMURING CAN BE TO DESTROY THE ROOTS AND FRUITS.
Consider: is constant complaining and griping a sin? Is complaining a sign of selfishness?
*HABITUAL: doing constantly, repeating behavior, reinforce actions by repetitive practice.
*MURMUR: a low, soft, continuous, whine, grumble, growl, critical.
*COMPLAIN: express annoyance, to be dissatisfied, to tell of grief, bad moods.
*CRITICIZE: someone that finds faults, judges, disapproves, condemns, to insult, words that cause tension.
*GRUMBLE: to complain in a bad-tempered way, discontent.
*GRIPE: COMPLAIN IN A PERSISTENT, IRRITATING WA.
TO CONSTANTLY COMPLAIN IS INDIRECTLY DECLARING GOD IS NOT FAITHFUL AND LOVING.
THERE IS A PAYDAY FOR MURMURING AND COMPLAINING. ONE YEAR FOR EACH DAY OF COMPLAINING!
Numbers 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
JESUS HEARD MURMURING AND COMPLAINING CONSTANTLY.
John 6:41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
MOSES’ SISTER MIRIAM AND AARON COMPLAINED ABOUT MOSES’ CUSHITE WIFE. HIS OWN FAMILY COMPLAINED ABOUT THEIR SISTER IN LAW.
Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
Numbers 12:10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
Moses intercedes for Miriam. Moses says HEAL HER NOW. God says: 7 days of punishment for complaining.
WHEN YOU WALK OUT IN ANGER, YOU ARE FACING TROUBLE. WHEN YOU GRUMBLE AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PREACHER, YOU ARE COMPLAINING AGAINST GOD.
Exodus 16:8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.
CONCLUSION: THERE ARE LITTLE FOXES THAT WILL EAT THE TENDER FRUIT AND NIBBLE AT THE ROOTS UNTIL WE ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE.
COMPLAINING CAN BECOME HABITUAL. THE MORE YOU COMPLAIN THE MORE YOU WILL COMPLAIN. COMPLAINING REVEALS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEART. COMPLAINING SHOWS INGRATITUDE AND UNTHANKFULNESS. GOD’S PEOPLE COMPLAINED AGAINST HIM AT LEAST 15 TIMES IN EXODUS.
Murmuring, whining, complaining and griping are some of the most prevalent sins in the church. Murmuring causes division, strife and stress in the family and in the church. We need the Holy Spirit to help us overcome the habit of complaining. Complaining and whining comes naturally when we find faults.
IS COMPLAINING AN INSTINCT OR LEARNED BEHAVIOR?
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
CONSIDER: WHY DO PEOPLE PRACTICE COMPLAINING?
