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Amen. Right, so Numbers chapter 11, and let's look at verse 1 again, that's our verse of the week, Numbers 11 and verse 1, which reads 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. Now when I read Numbers 11 I feel to flick back to chapter 10 to see what I missed. I don't know if you've ever done this before but sometimes you know especially when I first was reading through the Bible I get to Numbers 11 and I think what's just happened in Numbers 10? Well the answer is nothing. They've been in the wilderness you know of Sinai by Mount Sinai receiving the many commandments from the Lord. The book of Leviticus is covering all of these different statutes and ordinances and commandments then at the end of chapter 10 it says this in verse 33, chapter 10 and verse 33 says, and they departed from the mount of the Lord three days journey and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days journey to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day when they went out of the camp and it came to pass when the ark set forward that Moses said rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it rested he said return o Lord unto the many thousands of Israel. So it's all kind of looking good at this point then suddenly chapter 11 begins with this where we just read chapter 11 of verse 1 then just out of nowhere says 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. The title of my sermon today is stop complaining, stop complaining. I'd like to pray before we continue with this message. Father thank you for your word thank you for the great examples you give us in scripture of the sort of behavior that we want to avoid and the repercussions for that. Please help me to preach this message that you've put on my heart just loudly and clearly and boldly and accurately help everyone to have attentive ears to what you've got to say Lord and really want to you know apply it to their lives going forward from this day. Lord Jesus' name for all this Amen. Right now just in case anyone's wondering this isn't what some might call a reactionary sermon so in case you look around going right who's at it now is it is the church murmuring and complaining? Not that I'm really aware of I don't think we have a problem about or at least anymore I don't think we have this sort of problem right now I don't think that as far as I'm aware maybe other people are sitting here going little do you know yeah but I don't think we do so it's not that sort of sermon it's actually a sermon I ultimately I want people to apply to their whole lives okay it's not just about church life as well because complaining is a problem yeah and complaining is something that I don't know there used to be an old saying in England which was sort of mustn't grumble and I think that's kind of gone out the window for most in this country I think it's more sort of you know must grumble you know people are just complaining and finding fault and problems with everything almost like you know you're showing your boldness I was saying this someone earlier almost like you're kind of displaying your boldness by complaining you know and you better complain you better have a problem with this and have a problem with that but that's not how God wants us to be we're gonna look at that we're gonna look at that with this sermon now where we are in numbers a level one here it feels like like I said this complaining is out of nowhere you just suddenly go to numbers eleven one and it's like whoa what will suddenly happen here God suddenly burning them up yeah and you know what's even happened well it's not actually out of nowhere because the children of Israel already have a history of this okay and go back to Exodus 14 where they've just finished the first Passover all the first born in Egypt have died the children of Israel have been set free it's a picture of salvation but the bondage of Egypt is is now hot on their toes yeah or hot on their heels sorry more like that that bondage of sin can still destroy your physical life can't it yeah look when you got saved amen yeah you there's no no longer the eternal punishment looming for your sin however you could still fall back into the physical bondage of sin can't you and here you know the Egypt that that picture of of the bondage of sin is kind of chasing him down Exodus 14 and verse 9 says this Exodus 14 9 but the Egyptians pursued after them all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army and overtook them in camping by the sea beside Pihah Hyrath before Beelzebon and when Pharaoh drew nigh that the children Israel lift up their eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraid and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord and they said unto Moses because there were no graves in Egypt has out taking us away to die in the wilderness wherefore has thou dealt with us to carry us forth out of Egypt is not this the word that we did tell the in Egypt saying let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians and that we should die in the wilderness now admittedly they did have the Egyptian army bearing down on them they were scared right they saw no way out they're kind of by the Red Sea thinking what on earth you know what's going on now they had just witnessed the ten plagues of Egypt yeah how God released them with these amazing signs and wonders but this was a high-stress situation wasn't it okay they weren't a match for the Egyptian army they're just thinking what no so we could possibly give them a bit leeway here couldn't we I don't think anyone here is I don't think so it's had like you know a huge army bearing down on them and all they've got behind them is kind of you know an ocean or at least a small ocean to see whatever you want to call it well verse 13 says Moses said unto the people fear you not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show you today for the Egyptians whom whom you have seen today ye shall see them again no more forever the Lord shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace and sure enough Moses through the power of God he performs an amazing miracle doesn't he parts the Red Sea it is amazing they walk through the dry land in the middle of the the sea with it like a wall on either side of them and then eventually once they get through he then destroys the Egyptian army okay this must have been absolutely amazing imagine being actually witnessing that first hand yeah absolutely amazing he destroys them all then verse 30 jump forward verse 30 where it says thus the Lord saved Israel that day after the hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore and Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant Moses so after this they sing this song of praise to God yeah Miriam even gets the timbrels out it's kind of party time now jump forward a chapter 15 in verse 22 chapter 15 in verse 22 where it says so Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea and they went out into the wilderness of Shur and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water so we're only three days on okay with three days on they haven't found any water and and look point being they didn't find any water okay it's not that they've gone three days without water I think I'm right about this that that everyone heard the rule of threes before when it comes to survival so they say you could do three days without water you can do three weeks without food and you can do I think three months is it three months or is it three years without company anyone know have I got that right I think that's it isn't it is that right brother Dan you had your hand up you heard that before it's a longer yeah with the okay but basically they say three days without water right okay now it's not look these people will have come out from Egypt with stuff with them they're taking pots and pans and other things okay so it's not that they're at this point of about to die okay however they have gone three days without being able to refill and everything else and get their water right okay verse 23 then says that when they came to Marar they could not drink of the waters of Marar for they were bitter therefore the name of it was called Marar which means bitterness so this this obviously wasn't a coincidence this is why they now call it Marar okay then just having to turn up at place it was called bitterness yeah okay that's why it was named Marar now it's either for me it's either salted or it's maybe got this high metallic concentration that makes water bitter either way it was undrinkable okay and the people murmured against Moses saying what shall we drink okay now this is the first use of the word murmur or murmured you know one of the derivatives of that and rather than an out-and-out complaint this is more subtle okay they're asking a question but really they're complaining with the question okay Webster's 1828 says to murmur is to grumble to complain to utter complaints a low half articulated voice you know that sort of thing grumbling it's quiet to utter sullen discontent so they're showing discontent by the question yeah with at before the thing which is a cause of discontent okay so so they're murmuring at this problem we're not having something to drink now this isn't official complaint time so it's not that they've come up gone we've got a complaint this is something amongst them that they're murmuring they're showing discontent it's a more subsequent but it's still complaining okay so they're complaining to each other or even to him eventually it's done quietly less directly okay it's three days since the party of the Red Sea okay don't don't don't miss that okay he's just part of the Red Sea God's just giving them this massive victory and already they're mowing complaining however look they were thirsty they're in the wilderness they're in the desert okay they're thirsty they're in the desert you could again you could sympathize can you you could say look I got a few days now that funny any water they're thinking how long are we gonna last yeah this isn't right so they start murmur and complaining verse 25 says and he cried unto the Lord talking about Moses and the Lord showed him a tree which when he had cast it into the water so it cast into the waters the waters were made sweet there he made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he proved them and said if thou will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God and will do that which is right in his sight and will give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes I will put none of these diseases upon me which I've brought upon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee so the Lord shows that he can make bitter water sweet he can provide all they have to do is listen to his commandments listen to his statutes verse 27 says and they came to Elam where were 12 wells of water and three score and ten palm trees and they encamped there by the water so the twelve and a seventy providing for their knees needs I'm sure there's a sermon in there but we're not we're not going to go go kind of sidetrack here okay surely that's the end of the complaining now isn't it look he's just now provided them palm trees and wells of water well no chapter 16 starts with more the same so chapter 16 and verse 1 says and they took their journey from Elam and all the congregation of the children Israel came into the wilderness of sin which is between Elam and Sinai on the 15th day of the sick of the second month after the departing out of the land of Egypt and the part the congregation on the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and the children Israel said unto them would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh pots and when we did eat bread to the full for a year brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger now it's hunger this time okay and and and what are they doing they're starting to look favorably on their time in Egypt aren't they so now they're starting to go they've just said when we sat by the flesh pots in verse 3 when we did eat bread to the full but was it a good time in Egypt it sure as hell wasn't a good time in Egypt but they're starting to now have a bit of a selective memory as to what life was like as a moment complain verse 4 says then said the Lord unto Moses behold I will rain bread from heaven for you and the people should go out and gather a certain rate every day that I may prove them when they will walk in my law or no it shall come to pass on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily and most in Aaron said unto the children Israel even then you shall know that the Lord brought you out from the land of Egypt and in the morning when you shall see the glory of the Lord for that he hearth your murmurings against the Lord and what are we that you murmur against us the most said this shall be when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat in the morning bread to the full for the Lord here if your murmurings which she murmured against him and what are we your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord and here's a key point when it comes to murdering and complaining who are we really complaining about so every time we murmur and complain in life who are we really murmur and complaining at verse 2 it says in the whole congregation children Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness verse 3 says and the children of Israel said unto them would God we had died by the hand of the Lord and land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh pots when we did eat bread to the full for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger so the the the obvious answer some might say well their murmur against Moses and Aaron they're complaining about Moses and Aaron but who gave them Moses and Aaron God who ordained leadership God God in fact gave them he hand-picked Moses and gave him and then got Aaron to obviously help out be his mouthpiece especially at the beginning it was God and is a is a thing when we complain about many areas of life who ordained your mums and dads kids here as the bosses in your home who ordained them as the boss God who said in Ephesians 6 1 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right God God ordained them as leaders in your home God ordained them as the boss who ordained husbands as a boss in your family God who said in Ephesians 5 22 wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord God that's it's God who ordained that who ordained your employer as a boss in your workplace God who said in Ephesians 6 5 servants be obedient to them that are your master called to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ God God who ordained men to lead churches God who said in Hebrews 13 17 obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for yourselves as they that must give account they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you the same God that set most an hour and over the children of Israel there's only one God and God ordains the leadership God ordains those people in your life God has ordained so many of those situations that we end up complaining and murmuring about you say well they were murmuring specifically about provision yeah that's what some might say I'll go well yeah but they were murmuring specifically about the provision that's why they're murmuring against God so what's your excuse what's your excuse because these people were scared they were thirsty they were hungry what is it that we all murmur and complain about that your parents won't let you do foolish things that they care about you how many kids murmur about that complain about the fact that their parents care about them that they judge the thousand sibling argument slightly wrong and punish you more this time is it really a reason to be complaining and murmuring because who you really murdering complaining about God because he ordained them as the boss he ordained them as a judge in your household that your husband or wife isn't perfect that's what so many people murmur and complain about that that they've got as many faults as you do which is really what it comes down to doesn't it that your boss at work can be as bad a boss as you are as an employee that's usually what it's about isn't it but I can't believe they're not a better boss than I have an employee or that your pastor has as many imperfections as you do as a church member yeah fancy that you ain't a perfect church member your boss is not a perfect pastor and yet so often people think they're somehow justified to complain a murmur about this stuff and you know what I think we should kind of appreciate how long-suffering God actually is right because he was long-suffering with them and he it seems like he's more long-suffering with us because we complain about stuff that's got nothing on this yet we often look at these stories we look at the children how could they you know those children is I think in our mind we're kind of still equating modern-day Jews with them as well aren't we so it's just are those Jews you know but this is a different these people are actually God's people okay not some imposters some infiltrators over in Israel these are God's people and they seem to have a little bit more justification for their complaining their memory than we do right and he was patient here wasn't he he provided them with with manna bread from heaven and even the next chapter where we're having been told that they're actually murmuring against the Lord they still continue so we've just seen they've been told yeah you're not murdering against us you're murmuring against the Lord look at Exodus 17 and verse 1 and all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of sin after their journeys according to the commandment of the Lord and pitched and referred him and there was no water for the people to drink wherefore the people did chide Chinese to scold or contend with Moses and said give us water that we may drink and Moses said unto them why chide ye with me wherefore do ye tempt the Lord so he's reminded them again who they're continuing with isn't it he's saying again it's not me it's God verse 3 and the people thirsted therefore water and the people murmured against Moses and said wherefore is this that thou has brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst and Moses cried unto the Lord saying what shall I do unto this people they be almost ready to stone me and the Lord said unto Moses go on before the people and take with thee of the elders of Israel and thy rod wherewith thou smote us the river take in thine hand and go behold I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb and thou shalt smite the rock and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink and Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel and he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah which is temptation and chiding again I think named afterwards because of the chiding of the children Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying is the Lord among us or not so plenteous in mercy long-suffering because what happens after this he then gets in victory against Amalek and shortly after that they end up at the bottom of Mount Sinai which is basically where we are in Numbers 11 because we then just have this this long passage of Scripture where where look we haven't suddenly moved on okay it's actually you've got basically for me you've got the end of Exodus you've got the whole of the book of Leviticus and then you've got the beginning of the book of Numbers and it's all the commandments that are going forth at Mount Sinai whether it's up in the mount or down in the in the tabernacle of the congregation and we and we're getting all of this stuff but but it's not a long period of time that passes right numbers 11 go back to numbers 11 now verse 1 and it says 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 so what's changed what's changed now because he was pretty he was pretty merciful wasn't he he was forgiving he kept answering their murmurings their complaints and giving them the things that they were murmuring and complaining for he's gone from letting it go let it go let it go to now the fire of the Lord burning among them what's changed you know what happened between Exodus 17 numbers 11 a ton of commandments a ton of commandments the second half like I said of Exodus all the way through Leviticus the beginning numbers is the law being given and in Luke 12 48 after turn about the parable of the faithful steward Jesus says but he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes for unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more and by this point they've been given much delivered from Egypt saved from certain death watered fed watered in the wilderness that he'd given them a lot hadn't he and now and now they've been delivered the words of the living God how to live righteously how to please him and that's where we're at isn't it that's where all of us are and maybe he's been long-suffering with many of us here maybe since you got saved and he started providing for you and he gave you the Word of God he maybe got you out of your old life right maybe he helped you kind of get rid of some of those old sins those old ways of life he's watered and fed you with the words of God he's told you how he wants you to live hasn't he yeah if you're sitting here in this church and you've been here for any time well he's been telling you from from this pulpit at least and hopefully you've been reading your Bible as well right but what if you're still complaining what if you're still murmuring after all of that well verse 1 says 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 look something that we need to make clear God's not some genie in the lamp okay God's not this genie in the lamp that you just asked what you want if he doesn't and if you don't get it you have a hissy fit okay that's not the God of the Bible that's the God that the world wants to portray him as that you could be angry when everything doesn't go right for you in life that somehow he's to blame and he's at fault that's not the God of the Bible God's not a henpecked husband did you know that God's not a henpecked husband that you just keep having a go at every time things don't go how you think they should that's not our God is it Psalm 47 2 talks about the Almighty God and it says for the Lord most high is terrible he is a great king over all the earth that's the God of the Bible not some hippie floating around in a dress saying peace peace peace tell me what you want no the God of the Bible is something different isn't it okay when you read the Bible you should start to get an appreciation for who God is and you don't want his anger being kindled do you yet how often do we still complain and moan and murmur about things not going how we think they should not love like we deserve better like you deserve better do we deserve better anyone here thinks that they they deserve salvation in the first place I know I don't anyone here thinks up that oh well not okay I might not deserve salvation right now I deserve to have my whole life laid out exactly as I want it no we need to we need to get off our high horses don't we we need to learn to a bit of humility and just say whatever I get praise God praise God because I'm but a worm yeah what do I deserve now look you could go too far with this it just and and completely do yourself down and look yeah we're all capable we should try try our best to be something that that you know that people can respect and we don't have to like go too far the other way some people are like well I'm just this wicked guy so hey ho no no we want to have some self respect as well don't we want to try and live right etc but we don't want to put ourselves up here and I think that's what a lot of murmuring complaining is and do you know who he burnt first here who'd he burn first those that were in the uttermost parts of the camp that's those that were on the outskirts okay that's who he burnt first so he didn't burn first the people that are right there in the middle of the camp in the middle of everything going on for God he burnt those one foot in one foot out types they're the ones that got that got destroyed quicker they're the ones that got rid of the the the ones that weren't really serious about things God the ones that kind of come into church now and again just to see if we can find something complain about find some way of justifying why we're not here find some way of justifying why I'm just why I don't go to church every week why you know it's okay for me to not do what God tells me to do and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as a matter of some is but exhorting one another is so much more you see the day approach you no no no no because actually it's because of this because of that they're the people he punished first they're the people he got rid of they're the people he destroyed those in the uttermost parts of the camp the fire burn and those part-time Christians got worked and the people cried unto Moses and when Moses prayed unto the Lord the fire was quenched you say okay brother in but that was Old Testament wasn't it you know that was when God was different he was like a bit more strict about his people then a bit more homophobic wasn't it was just a bit of a different guy wasn't it in the nowadays well keep a finger here and turn over the first Corinthians 10 because number one it's the same God and number two he wants us to learn from these events okay all scripture is given by inspiration of God okay all of it is profitable for a proof okay for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect fully furnished unto all good works okay he wants us to study this to look at this and learn from this and it is the same God and first Corinthians 10 verse 1 says moreover brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and it all eat the same spiritual meat and it all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ yeah one God yeah you know what if they were saved in the Old Testament is because of Jesus Christ there's no other way verse 5 says and with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted neither be idolaters as were some of them as it is written the people sat down to eat and drink arose up to play neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents and that happens in Numbers 21 neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer now this is probably referring to the plague in Numbers 14 however like we've just seen the murmuring started long a long time before this didn't it verse 11 says now all these things happened unto them for in samples and they are written for our admonition which is reproof instruction caution upon whom the ends of the world are come wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall because you could you could be sitting there going look I'm at church I'm reading my Bible I'm praying I'm so winning I'm getting sin out of my life but I'm a whinging murmuring complaining whining little crybaby about everything in my life how do you think that's going to end how's that going to end if this is an example for us how's that going to end not well okay we're gonna see that in a minute now maybe maybe you'll last longer than those on the outside of the camp but eventually you're getting destroyed by the destroyer because he said neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer now go back to Numbers 11 with that in mind okay this is written look there are many things that God could have included in and I'm sure many things happened to the children of Israel okay this is history you're reading here but he selected certain things to be in samples unto us okay and this is is one such thing all these things happen unto them for in samples and they're written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come so they're written for our reproof for our instruct for our caution as to how to live so don't look at it and go well that was the children Israel things are different now no they're written for our caution okay verse 3 numbers 11 verse 3 says and he called the name of the place Tibera which is a burning okay because the fire of the Lord burnt among them now you would think it's time to get right now isn't it they've just seen those in the in the uttermost parts of the camp get destroyed and maybe what look you could see that in life you could see people that are just whingers, moaners, complainers those aren't really serious about the things of God you might see their lives go downhill and you should then go okay I need to get right but that's not what the children Israel do verse 4 says and the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting and the children Israel also wept again and said who shall give us flesh to eat right so now it's not that they're scared is it it's not that they're thirsty and it's not that they're hungry now it's a type of food that they're being given okay things are changing a little bit now yeah because murmurs and complainers they might start off with some seemingly more justified complaints but now we're getting the point of well I'm just not happy with the type of food I've been provided verse 5 says we remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic and I reckon that this is a common type of complaint amongst Christians a rose-tinted view of their life before serving Christ I think there'll be many people like that out there it's so hard going to church three times a week oh what a burden what a burden going to church what a burden spending the day at church what about to go to church once a week whatever it is it's so hard it's so hard now life's just all about Church it's all about God it's all about soul and what about all the other fun things what about all those other things that we used to do all this Bible reading oh it's just all Bible reading isn't it now all about preaching I've got to sit and listen to preaching what a hardship it's an hour long it's no longer the 15-minute sermonette down the non-denom Church this guy even goes into an hour and a half on a special occasion how do I cope and they said in verse 6 but now our soul is dried away there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes there is nothing at all beside this bread from heaven this Jesus Christ because that's what it's representing isn't it there's nothing at all beside this Jesus Christ before our eyes but it's Jesus that bad verse 7 says and the manna was as coriander seed and the color thereof is the color of delium this is likely a thing of beauty now there's a few debates as to what delium is and what the color is some say it's sort of a translucent with a reddish brown tint sort of resin others say it's actually talking about some sort of pearl or jewel either way it sounds like it looked beautiful it looked amazing it was like what on earth you know this look this look great it's a thing of beauty Jesus Christ the thing of beauty isn't he and I don't mean you know the Catholic version of the thing of beauty okay and the and the people went about and gathered it and ground it in mills or beat it in a mortar and baked it in pans and made cakes of it and the taste of it was is the taste for sure you know he's actually versatile to Jesus Christ if you're in the spirit you'll never tire of Jesus Christ will you when you're in the spirit you're never tiring of the Word of God he fills your every longing doesn't he he comforts you he encourages you he fires you up he protects you he gives you joy gives you wonder when your spirit filled you'll never tire of it and you know what there's no bitter aftertaste said it was it as a taste of fresh oil and fresh oil is a lot different the mixed oils of different origin you know I have a picture of some country died then it looks like that you look at the back and it's like a combination of different EU oils it's like why it's all probably the same firm isn't it with all their different packaging and make it look like so you know they got someone on the front like pressing the olives yeah but it's actually been mechanically pressed with a load of different olives from a load of different action but no no this was fresh oil this is fresh or and and when when there's fresh oil there's not that bitter aftertaste you know one is no bitter off face of Jesus Christ because he's free because it's free because getting saved salvation is free it's not man what do I owe now no no it's free but when the dew fell upon the camp in the night the manna fell upon it all you have to do is reach out to him and he's there yeah that's all you have to do you just got just got to ask him in faith and he's yours yeah and the manual they had to do was collect it that's it but suddenly that bondage in Egypt is being remembered like it was some sort of posh eat as much as you can buffet suddenly like that hard bondage in Egypt in their mind is like you know the best buffet you could go you could get the garlic and the fish and the cucumber and everything else they said in verse five we remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic but the reality was very different so that's how they're now remembering it but but Exodus 1 14 says and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick and in all manner of service in the field all their service wherein they made them serve was with rigor and they were killing their male children they were killing them they were killing that their male children as they were born and these people are looking at going on what a great life we had compared with now and it's like those believers that say things like all those fun times back in those pub days or whatever it is back at the nightclubs the parties or something else that extra money when the kids were at school and both of us for working and we weren't tithing all that extra cash those favorite movies albums that we used to listen those lazy nights doing nothing those were the days weren't they but their lives were bitter with that hard bondage weren't they and it's the same your lives were bitter when you really look back at it honestly your past life was bitter with the hard bondage of sin and you know what it would have destroyed your children too yeah it destroys children what you think that those that old lifestyle wouldn't have destroyed your kids sure as hell it would have done there was nothing free about their lives in Egypt they're in hard bondage and now they were receiving a free manner weren't they here but it wasn't good enough now what here's a thing okay this sort of so what if this is speaking to you today though okay what if you're just naturally negative you find yourself murmuring and complaining because look some people some people might be sitting there going yeah I get all this I know I shouldn't but I just I'm a murmur I'm a complainer I'm someone who's just constantly finding fault in life I'm constantly finding issues what can you do to help yourself before it's chastisement time because that's a warning now for many people knowing the warning knowing the Word of God knowing it says chastisement still isn't enough is it they just naturally a negative they naturally complain well for me look first things first get in a habit of gratitude okay I think that's a great habit if you're saying thanks yeah if I'm saying thanks something I'm less likely to be complaining not many people say you get you know you don't say you've gone to a bad restaurant and they do and use they've served you up a plate of slop you're not usually going thanks whilst complaining but this was slop yeah probably the thank you is not going to come out your mouth it's kind of one or the other isn't it gratitude is good if if you turn you over to first Thessalonians 5 you turn over the first Thessalonians 5 because there there there's all these single verse commands in first Thessalonians chapter 5 and in verse 18 says this first Thessalonians 5 verse 18 says in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you in everything yeah an old preacher I used to listen to had a set prayer time so he used to have times of the day when he it was like right this time I pray and one of his set prayer times was just to give thanks so there was not one request in that prayer time there was not oh please do this or please do that or give me this you know rubbing the lamp you know give me this give me that no he had a set prayer time where all he did was just think thank God I think that's a pretty good idea don't you think if that's something that you have a problem with if you don't find yourself feeling grateful for what you do have in life and you're constantly just complaining moment about what you don't have or what you do have that you're not happy with then maybe a good idea is to just get in the habit of giving thanks because when you're thanking God you're not complaining are you yeah good good idea now yeah I don't know if anyone knows anyone that's ever been in these sort of like rehab programs and 12-step and all that higher powered junk and everything else yeah and by the way that stuff's wicked a camera this isn't some sort of advertisement for that but interestingly something that does seem to help these people a lot I had an old friend who got into this and and they're very much encouraged from the beginning to give thanks so now they're giving thanks to some higher power or themselves or I don't even know they kind of make it up as they go along it changes you know they whatever version of God but however they get in this habit of just giving thanks and having that appreciation for just life itself and finding things to be grateful about seems to help them a lot with then not being so bitter because a lot of when it comes to alcoholism and drug addiction stuff a lot of it there's bitterness there a lot of them are very bitter and feel very sort of bitter with life bitter with situations bitter just and and it kind of goes hand in hand a lot of time there anyone ever known any like bitter old alcoholics it can be pretty rough being around them right okay so they're being encouraged to give thanks give thanks and then a lot of the time I think maybe you know thinking about it here it maybe stops them justifying the booze and the drugs and stuff because they've got less to justify it with because they're being encouraged to be more grateful in life right now these people don't even believe in God you know they make up their own God they believe they are some sort of God or they kind of all have all these weird beliefs but but look we have someone we can think and some we know is there and we know is someone that we should be thanking right so don't well the title is stop complaining and number one is give thanks give thanks now turn to Philippians 2 we're gonna look at the next thing you can do secondly remember that your attitude affects others okay that's something we should remember our attitude our negativity our complaining our murmuring isn't just us it affects those around us Philippians chapter 2 and verse 14 says this Philippians and chapter 2 of verse 14 says do some things without murmur no does it say that no do most that no do all things do all things without murmurings and disputings that you may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life that may rejoice in a day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain what sort of testimony are you if you're walking around complaining all day look and we don't go too hot look obviously again there's always balance in life right but the primary way we reach people is by going out and preaching the gospel okay we're not going to start preaching lifestyle evangelism only from this pulpit however there is such thing as lifestyle evangelism right and we want to be shiny lights for those that you're around and they take notice okay they take notice of how you are how you behave of your your sort of mentality in life and if you're just constantly moaning constantly complaining constantly bitter it's not really much of an advertisement for the Lord Jesus Christ is it and and this made me think when I was when I was writing this these notes it made me think of on our anniversary I just just in case anyone is sitting here thinking oh man he's getting us here and I've forgotten what I said at the beginning I don't think we have a problem with this at this church in fact I know we don't to some degree because when we met up for our anniversary and it was most of the church that could make it to the to the first bit that we did a couple of hours soul-winning the we were outside this shop and and when I say shot was opposite the station Landon I think it was and there was a little coffee shop there in a shop and there are people coming and going in it and it was building this group of people and this lady stopped and asked my wife to just hold her dog while she went into the shop and when she came out she said who are you people are you all she said oh you know before she was said I said why are you all so happy that's what she honestly said she said I think you were there when you sister Nicky's oh she said why are you all so happy like what is this and my wife explained it you know we're a church and everything else and it's our anniversary and it wasn't everyone was going two years well it was just because look you know we should have that light shining out of us shouldn't we because you you find 30 40 or whatever it is of any other sort of collection of different people walks of life whether it's I don't know a sports club or this or that meeting together half them are probably gonna be moaning about stuff whinging complaining whining like little crybabies about whatever happened the night before or this or that whereas we're just said just smiling happy chatting it's a good testimony isn't it yeah and that's that's the sort of that's the sort of thing we want and maybe someone like that goes away and will remember that right maybe look maybe she wasn't ready to hear the gospel then but maybe maybe in the future she will right and some might say well it's okay I only complain about family around family yeah well what about your kids what about your kids well they're already saved yeah but just give someone safe doesn't mean that they're gonna go on to serve the Lord does it okay and if we're constantly complaining and murmuring about our Christian life just our life because it's all our Christian life isn't it then what example is that setting to our children who are sitting there thinking I want a life like this they just seem unhappy and it even if it's just at the subconscious level look it's important right we're affecting we affect people around us with how we with how we respond to our lives right so stop complaining number one give thanks number two shine your light yeah and turn to Proverbs 17 because I want to look at the third thing because thirdly we should be thinking about our own health as well okay think about your own health turn to Proverbs 17 and our health is important isn't it if you're here to serve God you want to earn rewards in heaven you want to do things for him on this earth you want to affect those around you you want to try on your life well you it's helpful if you as healthy as possible with that as well right Proverbs 17 22 says this it says a merry heart doeth good like a medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bones a merry heart doeth good like a medicine you show me someone who's complaining and muttering and murmuring all day every day and I'll tell you what that's not someone with a merry heart yeah but a broken spirit drieth the bones now some might sit there and go well you don't know how hard my life is okay no one here is camping in the desert they're not no one here has got their back to the Red Sea with the army of Egypt bearing down upon it okay no no one here is is is going I don't know where the next bit of waters coming from I don't know where the next meals coming from yet we read those stories everything and we do don't we we almost scorn the Children of Israel with it and we read it how could they unbelievable yeah you know maybe don't go that far okay however none of us are living like now are we yeah and look and I know look I know it's look I understand okay it is look we our lives are in context and and there are things that we deal with and we go through that we find hard right now we're gonna talk about how to deal with that in a minute however none of us are living like that yet we still murmur and complain we still complain we still find a problem and the thing with murmurs and complainers like I said they're really happy and and and then often they're gonna be murmuring complaining about the health as well memory complaining about this about that about their health about the fact that they're just always feeling tired or whatever whatever but but the truth is and if they cut the memory and complaining a merry heart doeth good like a medicine it might actually be happier cut it out and you might find less to murmur and complain about yeah imagine that funny vicious circle that isn't it and merry heart doeth good like a medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bones stop complaining number one give thanks okay these are ways to stop complain number one give thanks number two shine your light number three focus on your health now turn a Jude because falsely don't act like a reprobate okay now this is the church setting now and like I said I don't think we have a problem with this okay we have had a problem with this in the past it's definitely worth thinking about because in Jude chapter well it's there's only there's no chapter in Jude it is one chapter Jude verse 16 talking about these reprobates he's false prophet infiltrates it says is it says in verse verse 16 it says these are murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words having men's persons in admiration because of advantage so these are the people that are just constantly trying to find fault in the church now okay now it might be in the church it might just be in Christianity it might be in the type of church okay so it's not always that they're just attacking a singular some people will see him just constantly attacking like our our type of church yeah or whatever else how it's run etc and they're just murmuring and complaining and murmuring and complain now sometimes it's subtle sometimes it's not but what does it ultimately do it just does damage doesn't it because when you're hearing that all the time it just starts we you know everyone's turning up and say man we've got a church here we're so winning we're preaching the Bible we're hearing hard preaching we're you know people are getting involved people are doing stuff you know we're getting loads of people saved or you can have people going you know don't think they should have done it this way you know I don't like the building or don't like this you know and what does it do it just it just puts a damper on things doesn't it and it lowers your morale I picture a whole sermon on this because we had this we had this rife at this church okay unfortunately kicked out all of those people but they were just constant and then after I kicked them out people were coming up to me going yeah they were complaining about this so we're moaning about this they're complaining about that they're complaining about that I mean when we got the building it's easy you know it's too cold it's too this it's too just straight away it's nuts isn't it too hot I think at the time it was summer you know it's just like but but what was it what's the goal of that is to make people not want to come to church is to get people actually it's not because they care about you I'm gonna really have to have a murmur and complaint to you because this will help you to see the truth no it's just because they want you out of church okay so look murmurs and complainers it says it here clear as day in verse 16 that these these types of moments good no just that just that just a quick one here if people murmur and complaint doesn't mean no reprobate okay we have to chase them down and hunt them down and get them out of the church okay a lot of people have issues with this but it's just interesting that it is one of the the characteristics of these types of people obviously I preach at length is yeah at length about this before okay and I'll continue to do so from time to time but point being it's not a good look so it's not a good look so you might you know you might be like look I don't want a church destroyed I don't want you know but however you do just can't see murmur and complain now remember moment we could be subtle so some might oh well I've never heard you know a full complaint but they just can't see just little questions well how are we gonna do this and what about that and it's a constant little subtle one little question little one under that you know a little whisper about they still look what you're doing really you're just weakening the church okay stop complaining number one try giving thanks number two try shining your light number three try focusing on your health and number four try not to destroy a church yeah because if you're not planning to well you can still do that anyway right okay now go back to numbers 11 what if you have legitimate problems because we all have legitimate problems in life okay so okay well we're not we're not in the wilderness so therefore we should just be like skipping down the road and just you know has anyone got any anything to ever complain or have a problem about what if we have legitimate burdens that we can't bear oh we just to shut up and put up is that what God wants look sometimes we need counsel okay sometimes you do need counsel so if you've come to church today and you've got I'm having a bit of trouble with this and you know I don't know what to do about that look that's not murdering and complaining okay but it's what spirit are you in when you're doing it if you're just just you don't want because some people don't want the solution if you're not looking for a solution you're not looking for help you're not trying to find some way of dealing with it then you're murdering and complaining but if you're coming in and you're saying look you know I need some help with this or maybe you know maybe we could pray about let's not memory and complaining right okay sometimes you need counsel and do you know who the best person got a council about things are here we're gonna look from verse 10 because the answer is to take it to the Lord in prayer and if you take something to Lord in prayer that's not murdering complaining because we see a contrast here where it says in verse 10 then Moses heard the people weep throughout the families every man the door of his tent and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly Moses also was displeased and Moses said unto the Lord wherefore has our afflicted thy servant and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight now less the burden of all these people upon me have I conceived all these people have I begotten them that thou should have sound to me carry them in thy bosom as a nursing father bear of the sucking child unto the lamb which does swears than to their fathers when should I have flesh to give unto all these people for they weep unto me saying give us flesh that we may eat I'm not able to bear all these people alone because it is too heavy for me and if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand if I found favor in thy sight and let me not see my wretchedness so Moses is saying that he'd rather die than carry the burden of these people alone isn't he but he's saying that I may not see my he's not going because I'm just I don't deserve to have to do this he's going I'm just not able I'm unable I need help God there's something wrong with that yeah I you're going to the Lord in prayer you're going to God and going please help me with my situation you're not going to everyone whether it's in your family in your workplace in your church or whatever else no you're going to God and God's loving isn't he God's merciful don't moment complain to others take it to him and look what happens verse 16 and the Lord said unto Moses gather unto me 70 men of the elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people and officers over them and bring them to the tabernacle of the congregation they may stand there with thee and I will come down and talk with thee there and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee that thou bear it not thyself alone so so look at the contrast there to what happened with the people that are murdering and complaining and they end up getting burnt up at least the ones in the uttermost part of the camp we're going to see see what happens with this lot but then you get Moses he takes it to God and God says okay I'm going to try and find a solution for you I'm going to help you because you're basically saying that I'm unable to deal with it that's how I'm so important I shouldn't have to deal with it you say no I'm not I'm not I'm not good enough to deal with these people verse 18 and say that unto the people sanctify yourselves against more and ye shall eat flesh for you have wept in the ears of the Lord saying who shall give us flesh to eat for it was well with us in Egypt therefore the Lord will give you flesh and ye shall eat you shall not eat one day nor two days nor five days neither ten days nor twenty days but even a whole month until it come out at your nostrils always makes me chuckle there and it be loathsome unto you because that you have despised the Lord which is among you and have wept before him saying why came we forth out of Egypt so point being here could be careful what you complain about right because the glass isn't always greener is it it's not always greener and jump forward a verse 33 because we see that happen it says and while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague and he called the name of that place Kibroth Hayatava because there they buried the people that lusted and that means the graves of lust and the people journeyed from Kibroth Hayatava unto Hazeroth and abode at Hazeroth so sadly they didn't learn their lesson okay but but hopefully we will as this was written for our admonition wasn't it okay so we've seen that many of these things are written in fact a lot of these kind of a lot of what happened happened ultimately for our admonition okay for for everyone who's been reading this ever since to go okay I need to not not behave like these people and and I hope look I hope that everyone here doing something that we can apply to our lives because we're all going to have times in our life where we feel like murmuring and complaining about this or that or something else and and look the answer is stop complaining how well try giving thanks try shining your light try focusing on your health and try not destroying churches okay not a good look on that we're going to pray thank you for well for a great lesson in the Bible there and you know how we can look at you know what the children Israel did and didn't do and how they responded to circumstance in life and and not only does it you know well at least put put in perspective our lives and the many kind of more menial things that we complain and moan about also it gives us well it gives us a lesson it gives us a warning not to be murmurers not to be complainers to appreciate all that God has done for us all that God continues to do for us to know that we don't deserve anything that we're you know that we're just blessed to have a merciful God God that loves us the God that wants to help us God that wants us to go to him in prayer when we need his help help us do that Lord and not to not to just complain to others without any want of a solution necessarily or at least just just to make people feel sorry for us or make people to pity us help us not to kind of seek that pity party and help us to just want to want to just just be more like you want us to be Lord more like you know the type of children that you want children that just appreciate having you know the perfect father a loving father Lord help us to deal with the you know tribulation that we go through in life in the right way and yeah help us all to to now just go you go out and you know and want to go and serve you by preaching your gospel Lord help us go out and get people saved not trying to promise them a perfect life but just to promise them that they can have eternal life help us to to preach that loud and clear this afternoon in return for this evening service service in Jesus name for all this