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It is easy to murmur and complain because of the trials and hardships that
come our way, but if we change our thinking and see the many blessings that
are in our life, we will soon find our problems are minuscule compared to
the good things in our lives. We must realize that the good greatly
outweighs the bad and our attitude should reflect this fact. We shouldn't
overlook the many good things in our life and choose to complain over the
few negatives that are in our path presently. The Lord wishes for us to
magnify Him above all things and not allow the spirit of murmuring and
complaining to take root in our hearts. (Psalm 16:5-11) (Psalm 34:1-4)
The Lord has wonderfully created us and has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings. He gives us all that we need and no good thing will God
withhold from those who love Him. We are to give praise and thanks to the
Lord for the infinite number of blessings that we've received throughout
our life. Be encouraged to be one who praises God for the blessings in
your life giving glory and honor to Him for meeting your needs and setting
your feet on His solid ground. (Psalm 139:14-18) (Psalm 84:11-12)
I hope this message encourages your heart to be one who blesses God not
allowing murmuring and complaining to take root in your heart. Bless the
Lord at all times and let His praise continually be in your mouth.
BECOMING A WEEDER
It was a beautiful Sunday morning and the parking lot at the church was
filled with people milling around and greeting each other and catching up
on what had happened since they saw each other last. I heard clips of
conversation here and there as I entered the church to meditate before
services began.
“The devil has really been attacking me this week.” said one.
“Yes, I know just what you mean.” said another. “He has been attacking me
from all sides. Why, the car broke down and my son had to walk to school
and football practice all week. Then my daughter chipped a tooth when she
got in a fight with her EX-best friend and I had to see an attorney about
getting the girl's parents to pay the dentist bill.”
“How horrible for you!” said the first. “I know just how you feel. We had a
flat tire this morning and Jim had to change it before we could come to
church. The devil really tried to keep us home this morning. Sally refused
to come because that new girl at the beauty parlor gave her an awful perm
and to top it off it turned her hair a greenish color. I told her to wait
to perm it after she colored it. Yes, the devil has really been attacking
us from all sides.”
These conversations were going on all over the place. So many people, so
many problems. Then I heard a small voice inside me and looked to see
Granny Smith standing there.
“Hello, how are you this morning?” she asked me through that big smile that
was always on her wrinkled face.
“Well, I've felt better and I've been worse. So I guess I don't have
anything to complain about.” I said, and then we laughed.
“I can't complain either,” she said. “The Lord has really blessed me. I
have a home and enough to eat and four wonderful children. I can't drive,
but Brother Joe makes sure I get to church.” She continued to recite her
blessings to me and it made me feel good to see her in such good spirits.
Granny is eighty-years-old and has a hard time walking because she is so
stooped over from the pain of her arthritis. Her hands are gnarled from
years of hard work. She raised her four children by the sweat of her brow.
Her husband died when her youngest was just six months old. She never remarried.
Granny continued to tell me of her week. “The doctor told me I have
cancer.” She said. “He said that I wasn't strong enough to survive the
treatment. I have been praying for the strength to tell my children. I
don't know how to break the news to them. I want them to know that I am
ready to go to be with my Lord and not to worry about me. This is just
another blessing in disguise,” she said. “I will be with my Lord in a place
where there is no pain and sorrow.”
As Granny spoke, I thought of all the times that I complained about little
things that went wrong. Here was a child of God who really had problems and
yet there was no complaint of the devil attacking her. She trusted God to
do what was best for her and knew that He would never let her down.
She had told me once, “People give the devil too much credit. Satan may
have planted the seeds of sin and discontent in the Garden of Eden, but we
are the ones who make the choice to either water those seeds or pull up the
weeds. I want to be a weeder, not a waterer.”
Let's all be weeders and not waterers. With each little weed we pull, we
can make the world a better place. Let's not give the devil credit.
During my depression, my Uncle, 'a shouting preacher', needed a new pair of
shoes, but had no money to buy them. He looked at the hole in his shoe,
stuck his finger through it, jumped up and shouted, “Praise the Lord, I'm
on my feet again!” He was thankful that he could walk.
He was a weeder. I want to be one, too.
By Patricia Briggs O'Dell
We are to remember what the Bible says in Psalm 118:24 “This is the day
which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” No matter
what comes our way and no matter how discouraging a situation may seem, our
countenance should reflect our confidence in God's ability and goodness to
straighten and uplift our spirit to be a people of praise and not complaint.
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Matthew 12:35-37 Jesus declares “A good man out of the good treasure of the
heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure
bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that
men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned.”
Philippians 2:2-3 “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same
love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou
mayest love the LORD Thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and
that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of
thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy
fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: I KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem190.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: VALERIE'S TESTIMONY
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony116.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
