January 27, Exodus exodus 15:22 - 18:27

When I was delivered of panic attacks, depression, and anxiety on April 12, 2008, I was also delivered of grumbling and complaining. From that day forward, I paid attention to symptoms. When I spoke in a complaining or grumbling way, I noticed I would feel the same symptoms I felt before I was healed. So I just quit speaking it out. I would think it of course. (Who doesn't ever have a negative thought?) But I would quickly switch my thinking around to grateful thoughts. I did this to preserve my sanity! 

I would ask myself this question. Can I fix it? If the answer was yes, I would fix it asap. A no answer? Then I would lay it at the foot of the Cross and leave it there. I determined not to waste another second worrying, grumbling, or complaining about something I couldn't fix. I have continued to use this solution and I have been worry free, and panic and anxiety free for almost five years.

Does it make you feel better about a bad situation when you complain about it? Oh, temporarily it does, because it feels good to get it off your chest.  

Speaking of getting stuff off your chest... Please, folks, heed my warning. ONLY get stuff off your chest when you talk to God. I read in a magazine (I don't remember which one - I think it was Good Housekeeping) there was a survey done, and they found when people talk to other people about their problems, in a large percentage of the cases, they felt worse. Why? Most of the time our "friends" just tell us what we want to hear. "What was done to you was so wrong!", or, "I would never put up with that!", etc. Why? Either because they have only heard YOUR side of the story, or they don't want to deal with your response if they tell you the truth (which you probably don't want to hear). Now of course the whole picture changes if you are in a terrible delimma which is truly wrong and/or abusive. In that case, you must prayerfully seek Godly counsel, and act accordingly. 

I tell God everything. I dont worry about what He may think of me, because He knows what I'm thinking anyway. He doesnt always give me an immediate answer, but He listens and I KNOW He is working on my behalf! And He clarifies my thinking. And He tells me the truth, not just what I want to hear! (His word has ALL my answers!) And I know He has my best interests at Heart!!! He has NO HIDDEN AGENDA!!!

Okay so anyway these ungrateful people complained ALL THE TIME. 

Exodus 15:22-27, 16:1-17:7 Amplified Bible (AMP)

^"22 Then Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea and they went into the Wilderness of Shur; they went three days [thirty-three miles] in the wilderness and found no water.

²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink its waters for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah [bitterness].

²⁴ The people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

²⁵ And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree which he cast into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There [the Lord] made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them,

²⁶ Saying, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God and will do what is right in His sight, and will listen to and obey His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord Who heals you.

²⁷ And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there by the waters.

16 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they left the land of Egypt.

² And the whole congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,

³ And said to them, Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from the heavens for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

⁵ On the sixth day they shall prepare to bring in twice as much as they gather daily.

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all Israel, At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out from the land of Egypt,

⁷ And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, for He hears your murmurings against the Lord. For what are we, that you murmur against us?

⁸ And Moses said, [This will happen] when the Lord gives you in the evening flesh to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumblings which you murmur against Him; what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.

⁹ And Moses said to Aaron, Say to all the congregation of Israel, Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your murmurings.

¹⁰ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud!

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses,

¹² I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites; speak to them, saying, At twilight you shall eat meat, and between the two evenings you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.

¹³ In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay round about the camp.

¹⁴ And when the dew had gone, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a fine, round and flakelike thing, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground.

¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said one to another, Manna [What is it?]. For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.

¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: Let every man gather of it as much as he will need, an omer for each person, according to the number of your persons; take it, every man for those in his tent.

¹⁷ The [people] did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

¹⁸ When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack; each gathered according to his need.

17 All the congregation of the Israelites moved on from the Wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and encamped at Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.

² Therefore, the people contended with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said to them, Why do you find fault with me? Why do you tempt the Lord and try His patience?

³ But the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?

⁴ So Moses cried to the Lord, What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.

⁵ And the Lord said to Moses, Pass on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the rod with which you smote the river [Nile], and go.

⁶ Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at [Mount] Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

⁷ He called the place Massah [proof] and Meribah [contention] because of the faultfinding of the Israelites and because they tempted and tried the patience of the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not?

Can you believe these people? God did miracle after miracle for them and they just kept complaining. To be honest, I have NO DESIRE to help someone who is muttering complaints under their breath. Please, just look me in the eye and we can talk about your challenge and I will do my best to help you!

This verse stood out to me. 

^"And Moses said, [This will happen] when the Lord gives you in the evening flesh to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumblings which you murmur against Him; what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord." Exodus 16:8 

When we complain and mutter under our breath about those in authority over us, we are speaking against God. Think about it.

Let's take it further. When we complain and mutter under our breath about ANYONE (our spouse, child, parent, brother, sister, co-worker, neighbor), we are speaking against God's precious children. Let's just stop the complaining. Period. The complaining fuels our negative feelings toward that person. Oh and what if the loved one is hearing your mutterings? This can be very hurtful to your relationship! Just take it to God. Leave it there.

"Dear God I just want to be joyful and grateful! No matter what my day brings! Deliver me from the evil habit of complaining! You are God and I choose to trust You with my life! Thank You for healing me and delivering me! Thank You for shedding Your precious blood for me! You alone are worthy! You do ALL things perfectly! I give You ALL the glory and honor, In Jesus' name, AMEN."

This is my all time favorite worship song!!!! When everything is going wrong, JUST GIVE GOD SOME CRAZY WORSHIP!!!!! You'll feel something (the Holy Ghost) stir up inside of you and you'll have a great rest of the day!!!