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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue 737 February 20, 2003 - Would You Like a Little Whine With That Sir? I looked out the window this morning and saw the car was covered with fresh snow. I started mumbling under my breath about needing a break from the snow and God reminded me that part of my prayer earlier in the winter had been for more moisture to fend off a pending drought. Ouch! Here was God, answering my prayer specifically and I was complaining. I felt like an ungrateful, spoiled brat. I know I'm not alone in complaining about God's blessings. The Bible is full of references to God's people complaining about God's provision. It's also full of stories of people who were just in the presence of God complaining. God delivered the Israelites out of 400 years in bondage in Egypt. They had witnessed His faithfulness and power demonstrated through miracles and their deliverance. Several days later they face the Red Sea. Did they trust in God? No they started to complain. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, `Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Exodus 14:10-12 NIV Wandering in the desert, the people of Israel are being fed by God's miraculous provision of manna. Every day there is enough manna to meet everyone's needs. How do they respond? The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" Numbers 11:4-6 NIV Time and time again, we see God provide for them. Time and time again they give up and begin to whine. It's easy to look at them and talk about what an ungrateful lot they were. After all how could they whine when God was looking after them? How indeed? What about in our own lives? Where is God providing the things we need or answering our prayers and we're doing exactly the same thing? Oh God stop the snow! Oh God I want a bigger house! Oh God why did it take so long to answer my prayer? Oh God why? The Israelites are not the only one affected by complaining, murmuring and a lack of trust. You and I are equally guilty. How should we react? Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1-3 NIV Until next time, check your attitude. Is it one of grace, thankfulness and trust or have the spirits of ingratitude, doubt and hard heartedness set in? I needed correction on mine this morning. Be blessed Hallelu Yah (Praise God)! Kevin YOU ARE Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are rooted and built up in God, strengthened in your faith and overflowing with thankfulness So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 NIV Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. Are you guilty of having an ungrateful or hard heart? There is a place to go for forgiveness. Turn to a personal relationship with Jesus. If you want to know how that's possible simply email us and we'll send you some Bible verses that will explain it to you You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your heart, admitting you need God's help, and saying a prayer along the lines of: Jesus: I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I have sinned. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you Lord. Amen If you pray this prayer for the first time let me know so I can rejoice with you. Did you know that at Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential? Your comments, your questions and your joys are shared with the prayer team, to keep me accountable as the head of the ministry and to encourage them as they see God at work in your life. As with prayer all these things are kept confidential within the Gleanings team. To share your questions, comments, thoughts, prayer concerns and praise reports email us If you enjoyed this issue of Gleanings From The Word, email it, in its entirety, to a friend. For information on use of Gleanings in your church newsletter or other situations please visit the permissions page . You can write to us at Gleanings From The Word Ministries International 114 Oak St Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 0V8 © 2003 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin Gleanings From The Word Ministisries International - All Rights Reserved
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