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?"
ILL. A monk joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first 10 years his superior called him in and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" The monk replied, "Food bad." After another 10 years the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, "Bed hard." Another 10 years went by and again he was called in before his superior. When asked if he had anything to say, he responded, "I quit." "It doesn’t surprise me a bit. You’ve done nothing but complain ever since you got here."
- It is what you are focused on
· There is no perfect church
· There is no perfect job
· There is no perfect man
· There is no perfect woman
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
- Just as much a promise as “give and it shall be given”
- Must decide to focus on positive
D. COMPLAINERS ARE THEIVES
1. Complainers are stealing our treasure
2. Stealing our joy, spirit, and virtue with complaining
MICHAL (David’s wife) 2Sam 6:20-22
a) Didn’t like David’s dance before the Lord
b) Criticized his praise and thanksgiving
c) Michals in the church today criticize the way we praise
d) They don’t like it when you get excited
QUEEN ATHALIA (Joash’s Grandmother) 2Kings 11
a) She thought she had destroyed all the kings descendants
b) She got furious when the people rejoiced over Joash
c) She criticized their reason for praising the Lord
d) Athalia’s in our church criticize our reasons for praising
e) They don’t like it when you get something and they don’t
MRS. JOB (Job’s wife) Job 2:9
a) Why don’t you just curse God and die
b) She criticized the timing of Job’s praise
c) These people are ignorant and short-sighted
d) They don’t want anyone praising the Lord when there is trouble
PHARISEES Matt 21:16
a) Do you hear what these children are saying in front of us?
b) They criticize the place where you praise the Lord
c) They are ritualistic and only want you praising in church
d) They look at you strange when you walk down the aisle of store
singing hymns
e) They tell you they don’t like your humming and singing
II. PRAISING BRINGS GOD’S BLESSINGS
Joshua 6:16&20
16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when t1he priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city...
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and...the wall fell down flat...and they took the city.
- The walls did not fall until they shouted
2 Chr 20:21-22
21 And when he (Jehoshaphat) had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
- Victory was not won until they worshipped
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
- Those stocks did not come off until praise went forth to God
A. THE BLESSING MAY BE OBVIOUS
ILL. THANKSGIVING BROUGHT AN OVERFLOW
F. B. Meyer was pastor of Christ’s Church in London at the same time that G. Campbell Morgan was pastor of Westminister Chapel and Charles H. Spurgeon was pastor of the Metropolitan Chapel. Both Morgan and Spurgeon often had much larger audiences than did Meyer. Troubled by envy, Meyer confessed that not until he began praying for his colleagues did he have peace of heart. "When I thanked God for them and prayed for their success," said Meyer, "the result was that God filled their churches so full that the overflow filled mine, and it has been full since."
B. THE BLESSING MAY BE DISGUISED
1. THANK GOD FOR THE FLEAS
Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place relates an incident which taught her this principle. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded and flea infested. Their Scripture reading that morning in 1 Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters. Corrie at first flatly refused to give
thanks for the fleas, but Betsy persisted. She finally succumbed. During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings without guard interference. It was several months later when they learned that the guards would not enter the barracks because of the fleas.
C. IT’S ALWAYS BEST TO PRAISE THE LORD
II Kings 4 The Shunammite woman got it She understood how to focus on the power the presence and the blessings of God.
· SHE WAS A SATISFIED WOMAN
· DID NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING
· NOT A WORD FROM THE KING
· NOT A WORD FROM THE HEAD OF THE ARMY
· DON’T GET ME EXCITED
· HE DIED
· IT IS WELL
- NOT TALKING ABOUT HER CIRCUMSTANCES
- NOT FOCUSED ON PROBLEM
- FOCUSED ON POWER THAT FIXES THE PROBLEM
- WHAT SHE WAS SAYING IS THAT IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
· HER SPIRIT WAS VEXED (NOT THAT SHE DIDN’T HAVE EMTIONS ABOUT IT)
· BUT SHE LINED HER MOUTH UP WITH THE POWER NOT THE PROBLEM.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS: FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU.
