Shooting Straight, Part 17--Letter Links: Murmuring Matters

April 14, 2006

Table of Contents

FD/MM/FM February 2006

[ ] "Fighters," ML #551:11–18,40-47,51-52‚58-59, DB13

[ ] "Pill?—Or Pilgrimage," ML #599:78-79,83,87-88,110-112,114,116-120,124-128, Vol.4

[ ] "Positive Praise and Fighting the Devil," ML #1375:20-21,25–27,46,48-53,58-62, GN Book 18

[ ] "On Guard‚" ML #1377:1,46-49,103,105-106, GN Book 3

[ ] "God Hates Murmuring," ML #1879:4,6,17,19-21,24,30-32,34,36,40,44-45,47,54-55, Vol.15

[ ] "Bitterness!—The Deadly Root that Devours and Destroys," ML #2672:54-64,75-81,100-108,174­–197, Vol.19

[ ] "Goals for 1998," ML #3160:54–60, Vol.24

[ ] "Show Me the Money," ML #3462:422–428, GN 1050

[ ] "The Art of War, Part 2," ML #3533:224-230, GN 1131

[ ] "Shooting Straight, Part 13‚" ML #3536:56–83, GN 1127

[ ] "Praise = Answers, Solutions, Progress, Power, and Victory‚" ML #3539:6-9, Link #1

[ ] FJWL 1, #333

[ ] "Thankfulness," #1-6, Word Basics

MURMURING MATTERS

"Fighters‚" ML #551:11-18,40-47,51-52,58-59, DB13

11. (Dad:) There are battles, but boy, the rewards are high! It's worth fighting the battles for such high stakes! You couldn't have bigger rewards than we have! They're worth paying a price for, worth sacrificing for, even worth dying for!

12. We belong to the greatest family in the world, the family of God's love, with the truest and most loving brothers and sisters in the whole world, who will help you, do anything for you, even die for you! The benefits are innumerable!

13. They need to count their blessings and start thinking on the positive things. Quit looking at all the negative things and trials of the Devil and doubts and fears and woes and troubles and tribulations and afflictions!

14. They're saved! They have the Lord, they have the Holy Spirit, they have the greatest power in the world! God's going to take care of them no matter what happens.

15. They need to get their minds on their blessings and be thankful for all God's goodness! If they don't, He'll give them something to cry about! (Maria: Even though the battles seem heavier now than before, it's a different kind of battle and it's one that doesn't take so much of a toll on their mind or their spirit.)

16. At least they have some victories now! What did they have before? They were living in nothing but defeat before! Of course they didn't have any battles and didn't have to do any fighting; they hadn't joined the army!

17. Now they've joined the army, so of course they're going to have some battles and have to do some fighting! But that also means they're going to have some victories! It's an army worth joining! There are victories worth fighting for!

18. They need to learn to resist the Enemy and pray for the Spirit of God to raise a standard against him. They need to learn that they didn't join the Peace Corps. They've joined the army, and we're in a battle! It's a fight, but we like it! We like to fight the Devil, and we like to defeat him!

40. Of course it's a battle! What the hell do you think you joined the army for? An army is to fight battles, and we've got plenty of them to fight! But I love to fight because I know I'm fighting for the One that's worth fighting for and the souls that are worth winning and the goals that are worth attaining!

41. Why question why you have these trials, tribulations, fights and battles? You're in an army! Of course you're going to fight and have battles! Maybe you thought you were entering an old folks' home or something, retiring or going on a permanent vacation!

42. Jesus was willing to die for us to save us, and He wants us to be willing to die for Him to save others! "No greater love hath any man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends!" (John 15:13). Even as Christ died for us, He expects us to lay down our lives for the brethren.

43. How could anybody complain? We've got so many more blessings and benefits and pleasures and wonderful things to enjoy, so much more than our sufferings! (Maria: "We know that our sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be!" [Romans 8:18].) Our sufferings aren't even worthy to be compared with the blessings that we already have, much less the glory we're going to enjoy!

44. Some people complain and murmur and gripe and bellyache about everything—not only their sufferings but even their blessings! "They didn't fix the meal right," or "My bed isn't good enough," or "I don't have enough privacy," or blah blah blah! People like that make me sick! They make God sick too!

45. God got so sick of Israel's murmuring that He let millions of them die out in the desert because of their bellyaching about everything He did for them! He saved their lives‚ provided every need‚ and did everything He could for them. But then they constantly griped because they had to walk a few miles through the wilderness to get to the Promised Land! Then they complained when they got there that it was already occupied by somebody else that they were going to have to throw out. Some people find something to murmur about no matter what happens!

46. They didn't want to die for the Promised Land, so they wound up in the wilderness for 40 years, dying anyhow for the desert, until they were all gone! The entire older generation passed away with their bones bleaching on the desert sands because of their unbelief and their murmuring and their complaining and their bellyaching and their whining!

47. They suffered so many things in vain! (Gal.3:4). The people that complain about the battle and then quit just before the victory's won never get to enjoy it! They go through so much and then miss the victory! They lose the whole thing because they griped and complained all the way through the battle. They never made it to the victory because they quit too soon, just because there was a little battle! You talk about losers, the guys that fight almost to victory and then quit are the losers!

51. There's no crown without a cross, no testimony without a test, no triumph without a trial, no victory without a battle‚ and no rose without a thorn! Praise God‚ that's what you joined the army for—to fight and to win! Let's get on with the battle! We can't lose!

52. It's worth every fight, every battle, every test, every trial! It's worth it all! It's worth it all for the testimonies and the triumphs and the victories! It's worth the winning, thank the Lord!

58. My God, give us fighters who like to fight for the Lord with the weapon of His Word and who enjoy defeating the Devil‚ those who know they can't lose and who like to win victories, conquering heroes that like to live and fight and die for Jesus and their brethren and the truth!

59. Soldiers like that can't be conquered. They can't lose, even if they die fighting, because they'll get a crown of glory! Paul said‚ "I fought the good fight of faith, I kept the faith, I finished the course, and henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness!" (2Tim.4:7-8). Thank You Lord!

"Pill?—Or Pilgrimage," ML #599:78-79,83‚87-88,110-112,114‚116-120‚124-128, Vol.4

78. (Dad prays: ) "MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE LORD DELIVERETH HIM OUT OF THEM ALL" (Ps.34:19)—A double L, Lord, all—not just some or a few or most or many, but all, all of them! You've never failed, Lord. You know Lord, how that's been my motto many a time,

79. "THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET WILL I TRUST HIM" (Job.13:15). I figured if You wanted to kill me, okay, I'd die, still trusting You and praising You Lord, whatever You want to do—I'm Yours, my body is Yours, my life is Yours, I live for You, so it's Your business to take care of me because I'm in Your business and You've never failed, Lord to pull me through sooner or later somehow.

83. AND WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR ME TO DIE, LORD, YOU'LL DELIVER ME OUT OF THAT TOO! You'll deliver me out of this life and set me free from this body! So that'll be a deliverance too Lord, "out of them all." It's not that we don't have afflictions, Lord‚ it's not that we aren't going to die sometime‚ but You'll deliver us out of them all, including death! Praise God! Hallelujah!

87. EVEN DEATH IS A DELIVERANCE, LORD! So if You don't deliver us from the affliction and we die, then You deliver us from everything. So, Lord, we just take it all as from You, and whatever You want to give us or deliver us or whatever You want to do, like You did with Job, it's our job not to murmur or complain, but to just trust You, Lord, in spite of the tests and the trials.

88. WE REALIZE YOU'RE TESTING OUR FAITH WHEN WE HAVE THESE TRIALS, TO SEE IF WE'LL TRUST YOU or we'll suddenly just run the other way and forget all about trusting. So praise You Lord! Thank You Lord! Lord, it doesn't take much to scare some of us out of trusting. Forgive us, Lord‚ help us, in Jesus' name.

110. (Dad:) I don't ever want to hear you say that again "I've got a bad memory."—It hurts me every time I hear you say it, because I don't believe God gave you a bad memory. That's a slap at the Lord every time you say it.

111. —AND EVERY TIME YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR LOOKS IS ANOTHER SLAP AT THE LORD! Maybe if you'd praise the Lord a little more for how much good skin you've got instead of complaining all the time about a few little pimples‚ maybe the Lord would give you a nice totally perfect clean skin.

112. BUT INSTEAD OF SPENDING 99% OF YOUR TIME PRAISING THE LORD FOR THE FACT THAT MORE THAN 99% OF YOUR SKIN IS PERFECT, YOU SPEND 99% OF THE TIME COMPLAINING ABOUT THE LITTLE FRACTION OF ONE PERCENT THAT ISN'T! Now that's the truth!—And the Lord doesn't like it! He doesn't like your slam at Him saying, "Lord, You gave me bad skin, You gave me a bad memory, You gave me bad teeth, You gave me bad looks!"—That's murmuring and complaining!

114. WHY DON'T YOU THANK THE LORD FOR ALL THE GOOD THINGS HE'S GIVEN YOU, for all the good skin you've got and the good teeth you've got and the good looks you've got and how much of your memory is good instead of complaining about the little tiny infinitesimal jot and tittle that isn't!

116. YOU OUGHT TO THANK GOD FOR EVERYTHING!—Thank God for your pimples that keep you humble, your teeth that keep you humble and your memory that is sufficient for what you need, amen?

117. IF WE'D START THANKING GOD MORE FOR OUR BLESSINGS, our many many many multitudes of blessings instead of complaining about the few tiny little infinitesimal nothings, maybe the Lord would deliver us from them too. But when we don't look at anything but the button off of Mutt's vest instead of all the nice fine clothes and the bright red necktie, no wonder the Lord must get angry with people!

118. LOOK AT ALL THE MIRACLES GOD DID FOR ISRAEL! Look at the miracles, the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, water out of the rock, manna from Heaven!—But all they could do was complain about a little discomfort here and a little danger there and a little of this and a little of that, when most of their worries never even happened!

119. I THINK IT MAKES GOD ANGRY! I know it makes God angry—it says so in the Bible! He wanted to slay them all!—When He'd done so much for them, yet all they could do was complain! He had done mighty miracles for them.

120. HE'D DONE SUCH GREAT THINGS FOR THEM, BUT ALL THEY COULD DO WAS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS HE DIDN'T DO! I mean they'd say, "Yes ... but", "Yes ... but", "Well yes, the Lord gave me a fine mind, but ... why didn't He give me a better memory?" Or, "He gave me beautiful skin, but where did I get all these pimples?" ... "The Lord gave me lovely eyes, but why did He give me these two buck teeth!"

124. IT MUST MAKE THE LORD FURIOUS! After all He does for people they complain about some little tiny infinitesimal thing He didn't do!

125. IT REMINDS ME OF THAT GUY THAT TOLD FRED SHULTZ—Fred Shultz had brought him over from the old country‚ from Germany, loaned him tens of thousands of dollars, set him up in business, and then when Fred wanted him to cash a little check one night after the bank was closed he said no! Fred said,

126. "WELL‚ BUT LOOK AT ALL I'VE DONE FOR YOU! I mean you wouldn't even be here if it weren't for me! You wouldn't even have a business, you wouldn't have the money to cash this check if I hadn't done it all for you!" But the guy said,

127. "YEAH, BUT WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?" That's the way some people treat God! He's done everything in the world for them, but just because He hasn't done something about this one little trial or problem they're having, they say,

128. "YES LORD, I KNOW YOU DID EVERYTHING FOR ME, You saved me, You kept me, You provided for me, You've used me, but what have You done for me lately about this little thing?"

"Positive Praise and Fighting the Devil," ML #1375:20-21,25-27,46,48-53,58-62, GN Book 18

20. (Dad: ) I SAID‚ "I CAN REMEMBER MY MOTHER OR FATHER BEING SO SICK and YET PRAISING THE LORD‚ saying 'thank You Jesus' and quoting Scriptures, singing songs! You need to go on the ATTACK! As long as you're thinking about the Scripture and the Lord and you've got a song or a praise in your mouth, you can't complain and murmur and moan and groan and bemoan about how bad you feel. You need to go on the attack and praise the Lord for the strength you DO have, thank Him for the health you DO have!"

21. You really need to attack the Enemy, and when you get down or feel down, quote Scripture, sing a song! You can't very well sing a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord and be complaining and murmuring and groaning and moaning at the same time!

25. AND YET WE SOMETIMES GO AROUND GROANING and MOANING ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS and TROUBLES and THINGS. I said, "You just need to really go on the attack and refuse to talk about it! Praise the Lord and thank God for the health you DO have! Fight the Enemy, really attack! Attack, attack!"

26. "Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee." (Isa.26:3) If you'll keep your mind on the Lord, that keeps you from getting it on your problems and your troubles. And one of the best ways to do it—and I think I put this in "Count Your Blessings" (No.1259)—you can't groan and moan and complain and murmur very well while you're singing something positive, or while you're quoting Scripture, which helps your faith.

27. SING! QUOTE SCRIPTURE! PRAISE THE LORD! Whatever you do, don't go around moaning and groaning and murmuring and complaining the Devil's own doubts and doctrines and lies! Don't do it, or you're just letting the Enemy in when you do that. The minute you feel like doing that‚ start praising the Lord, start going on the attack! Sing! Quote Scripture! Do something positive! The power of positive praise!

46. I can remember if my Mother would hear us groan or complain or murmur about something she'd say: "Don't voice the Devil's doubts! Don't voice his fears! Don't voice his complaints and his murmurs, you're just preaching the Devil's doctrine! You're preaching his lies when you do that! Don't voice your fears, don't voice your doubts! It has a bad effect on other people around you!"

48. SO YOU'VE REALLY GOT TO GO ON THE ATTACK and YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE POSITIVE ABOUT IT and RESIST THE ENEMY, and GOD'S WORD SAYS HE WILL FLEE FROM THEE! (Jam.4:7) But if you just accept it, that's bad. And if you admit it, that's even worse!—Because then you're testifying to the Devil's work. You're literally witnessing to his handiwork.

49. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU ADMIT IT ONCE and ASK FOR PRAYER, but if you keep on going around groaning and moaning and sighing and always complaining and murmuring, you'll be like the old lady that was always so negative and pessimistic, people even hated to ask her how she felt! Sometimes they made the accidental mistake of the common courtesy of saying‚ "Oh hello, how are you?"—And they were sorry!—Because she'd come out with all of her complaints and murmurs and groans and moans and all her troubles and everything!

50. SO FINALLY ONE DAY ONE GUY ASKED HER, "WELL, DON'T YOU EVER FEEL GOOD?" She said, "Yes, sometimes, but even when I feel good, I feel bad, because I know I'm going to feel bad again soon anyway!" She couldn't even enjoy the few times she DID feel good because she knew she was going to feel bad again soon!

51. SO EVEN WHEN YOU FEEL GOOD, MAYBE YOU DON'T THANK THE LORD ENOUGH FOR IT and PRAISE HIM ENOUGH FOR IT! You need to praise the Lord more and be more positive! Thank Him for the health you DO have! Amen? Thank Him for how strong you ARE and that you are not sick in bed, completely incapacitated, injured or sick with some fatal disease. All kinds of things could be wrong with you!

52. "MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS"—BUT MOST OF THEM ARE VERY LITTLE ONES, TYL, and very minor and just enough to keep us close to the Lord and praying and trusting and praising the Lord and asking the Lord for help so we don't stray too far away.

53. IT'S A FIGHT‚ BELOVED! IT'S A BATTLE! We're at war with the Enemy and you can never let down your guard or have an unguarded moment!

58. REBUKE THE ENEMY IN JESUS' NAME! Resist Satan, Lord, in Jesus' name! Deliver us all out of the hands of the Evil one! Protect and keep us, Lord, and we thank Thee for Thy angels around our beds and around our heads and around us all day long! TYJ! PYL! Hallelujah!

59. THANK YOU LORD FOR HOW WONDERFULLY YOU'VE KEPT US, and PROTECTED US and PROVIDED FOR US! We have so few little problems and troubles, so few complaints, so few minor illnesses, Lord. … TYL! You've done so well to take care of us!

60. AND HELP US TO THANK YOU FOR IT CONTINUALLY, ALL DAY LONG, to praise You, Lord, and thank You and sing songs of praise and quote Scriptures. You're thankful for our praises, Lord! Thy Spirit dwells in the praises of Thy people, Lord! (Ps.22:3) TYL! So help us to be constantly thankful and grateful.

61. YOU SAID TO COME INTO THY GATES WITH THANKSGIVING and INTO THY COURTS WITH PRAISE! (Ps.100:4) In everything give thanks! (1Th.5:18) You talk so much about giving thanks and praising Thee and being thankful and grateful. Lord, help us not to forget to be thankful continually, constantly praising Thee and quoting Thy Word to encourage our faith, Lord, and singing positive songs of praise to rebuke the Enemy!

62. THE ENEMY HATES PRAISE, LORD! HE HATES SONGS THAT PRAISE THEE and HE HATES THY WORD MOST OF ALL! So keep us full of it, Lord, in Jesus' name we ask it for Thy glory! Amen! PTL! TYL!

"On Guard," ML #1377:1,46-49‚103,105–106, GN Book 3

1. (Dad: ) GOD HATES MURMURERS ALMOST MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE! It is dangerous to have people around … who are not in tune with the Lord‚ not right with the Lord who are grumbling and murmuring and complaining and causing difficulties and disobedient and not subject to authority, because if you don't spank'm, God will!—And you're apt to have to pay the bills for it!

46. GOD HATES MURMURING ALMOST MORE THAN ANY OTHER SIN—COMPLAINING, GRUMBLING, GROUCHING! I'm guilty of it every now and then, especially early in the morning, and Maria has to snap me out of it, Lord forgive me! She has so much faith. (Maria: Well, there have been times when you've had to snap me out of it too!) Well, we all do it. We all have to encourage each other, when one stumbles the other will lift him up, and we all need that encouragement to help each other.

47. GOD SLAUGHTERED ABOUT SIX MILLION PEOPLE IN THE WILDERNESS, a whole generation, just because they were bellyachers instead of giving thanks to God for all His goodness and mercy in a hard place and a hard time. And it was a struggle, it was a difficult situation‚ but God never let them down, He always supplied every need, He always protected them in spite of all the things they thought were going to happen that never happened.

48. THERE WERE MANY IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS and THEY COULDN'T SEE HOW GOD COULD GET THEM OUT OF THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER, BUT HE ALWAYS DID! But they always forgot it and complained again at the next time!: "Now what are You going to do, God? You sure can't get us out of this spot!" It was a reflection on God, always blaming God for everything and showing their doubt and lack of faith in the Lord.

49. AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, MURMURING IS THE VOICE OF DOUBT! Doubts are the manifestation of a lack of faith. When you start losing faith by not being in the Word and in the Spirit, then you lose the vision, because you don't have any! You're not close enough to the Lord, in touch with the Lord to have any vision or direction, and you don't know what to do and you begin to doubt because of your lack of faith. And if you doubt, pretty soon you voice it. The voice of doubting is murmuring, that's it!

103. PROTECT US FROM OURSELVES, LORD, WE'RE OUR OWN WORST ENEMIES SOMETIMES. We have power over the Enemy, we have power over devils and demons, we have control over all the forces of the Enemy, Lord‚ through the power of Thy Spirit, but sometimes we can't even control our own tongues nor our own spirit, Lord. It's not the evil spirits we have the biggest problem with, its our own spirit‚ which is still a free moral agent and can do as it pleases.

105. OUR SPIRITS‚ LORD, ARE STILL UNRESTRAINED and MUST BE VOLUNTARILY UNDER THY CONTROL or they can certainly lead us astray just as bad as an evil spirit! They become evil spirits Lord, in disobedience! Our own spirits become evil when they disobey and are out of Thy Spirit. Then they become evil spirits because we're in disobedience, defiance, compromise, failure, lack of faith, doubting, grumbling.

106. Lord forgive us and help us in Jesus' name! Help us to stay close to Thee and Thy Word.

"God Hates Murmuring," ML #1879:4,6,17,19-21‚24,30-32,34‚36,40,44–45,47,54-55, Vol.15

4. (Dad: ) A LITTLE LEAVEN CAN POISON THE WHOLE LUMP! It's amazing how those little murmurs and complaints and bellyaches and criticisms start getting around and other people start noticing things that they never even noticed before! They didn't notice that anything was even "wrong" till some of these rascals pointed it out to them!

6. I'LL TELL YOU, IT ONLY TAKES ONE RAT IN THE WOODPILE WHO KEEPS MOUTHING THESE NEGATIVE THINGS TO POISON THE WHOLE BUNCH! … They poison others!—Even without the others realizing that they're getting poisoned and undermined.

17. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH [THIS GIRL]! THERE'S SOME LITTLE ROOT OF BITTERNESS, SOME LITTLE THING! She's letting in the Devil in some way, in her discontent somehow, something she's murmuring about in her own heart, and it just grows and grows and grows and begins to cover everything.

19. WELL‚ I'M SORRY TO HAVE TO SAY IT, BUT IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM and A BASIC PROBLEM THAT WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS OFF and ON. I can remember it ever since I was a kid—troublemakers in the church, troublemakers in the school‚ troublemakers in the homes, troublemakers in the Family.

20. THOSE PEOPLE ARE NEVER SATISFIED UNLESS THEY PERSUADE OTHER PEOPLE OF THEIR OWN OPINION. Misery loves company and they love to have other people to talk to and agree with them and it's not usually hard to find'm. Bellyaching is a common ailment of the human race and something that is very easy to get into, murmuring and complaining, but in God's way of doing things it is absolutely intolerable and He let millions of people rot on the Sinaitic Desert for their murmuring and their complaining and they never got into the Promised Land, only their children under 20! (Num.32:11–13)

21. MURMURERS and COMPLAINERS ARE ALL ALIKE, and WHAT THEY'RE REALLY DOING IS BLAMING GOD FOR IT! A lot of them know they shouldn't blame God, so they blame the leaders, but the leaders are God's men or God's women and they might as well blame God!—That's Who they're really blaming! Just like [some people] do today, they blame God for all their troubles: "Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Why do I have to live like this? Why do I have to live in this horrible hovel with all these crazy people and children? Why do we have to live like this?" I know, I've done it sometimes myself. If the Lord knows you actually are not in the best place for you or you could do better somewhere else, He'll usually give you a chance, but not by just murmuring and complaining and bellyaching and growling and groaning and getting grumpy about it and letting everybody know about it, and murmuring against leadership, murmuring against doctrines.

24. (Prays:) THERE'S NOTHING NEW ABOUT THIS, LORD, YOU KNOW. IT'S BEEN THE DEVIL'S TACTIC FROM THE BEGINNING TO DIVIDE and CONQUER! Beginning in the Garden of Eden and all through the Bible, Lord, it happened to Thy leaders. There were always these malcontents and discontents and murmurers and troublemakers that threatened to poison the whole lump! So You've been dealing with this a long time, Lord, and Your dealings were in some cases pretty harsh and pretty quick and Your judgments almost ruthless after so much patience and so long a time of waiting on people to repent. Finally You lowered the boom and the judgments came swift and sure and hard and harsh, just what they deserved! They weren't satisfied, they weren't contented with what they had, so You gave them worse to teach'm a lesson and to make'm thankful for what they did have, if possible, and sometimes too late!

30. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOYAL and FAITHFUL ONES, THE 100-PERCENTERS, THE 110-PERCENTERS, LORD, THE 99 OUT OF 100 WHO HAVE NOT STRAYED and WHO HAVE BEEN LOYAL and FAITHFUL and REMAIN IN THE FOLD‚ who have given all, forsaken all and are still doing it, Lord, and are conquering the World with Thy Love and spreading Thy Gospel everywhere in every nation to every creature in all the World!—Sacrificing, working hard, Lord, and suffering many difficult circumstances.

31. LORD JESUS, HELP US TO LEARN HOW TO BE CONTENT! "IN WHATSOEVER STATE WE'RE IN, THEREIN TO BE CONTENT!" (Phil.4:11) PTL! We know how to be in want and we know how to abound, but we also know how to be thankful for whatever we've got, Lord‚ and to praise Thee for it‚ because we know there's nothing any better‚ nothing! This is the best life in the World, the best work in the World, the best Love in the World, and You're the best Lord in the World—out-of-this-World! Nothing could be better than Thy Love and Thy Word and Thy Work and Thy workers and their fellowship and to be able to live and work together and love together in Thy Kingdom for Thee and for souls, nothing better in this whole World, Lord, and we'll be so happy! If we're not happy enough now‚ Lord, when we see the results Over There we'll certainly be happy enough then.

32. SO FORGIVE US FOR OUR LITTLE MURMURINGS and COMPLAININGS and GRIPINGS and GROWLINGS and GROANINGS and BELLYACHING and CRITICISMS! Help us to learn to be thankful, "in all things give thanks" (1Thes.5:18), to praise You in all things‚ Lord, and be thankful for what we've got, because things could be worse—and will be! We'll look back at these as days of Heaven on Earth when there's Hell on Earth!

34. PRAISE YOU, LORD, FOR THIS LIFE and THY LOVE and THIS WORK! Forgive us for the times we've murmured and complained sometimes, Lord, and grouched and growled and grumbled about this or that other little tiny thing. Forgive us, Lord! Help us all to be more thankful and praise Thee for all Thy goodness and mercy instead of murmuring and complaining and growling and grumbling and griping. Help us, Lord, to praise Thee! Even when the Devil comes in with his growlings and gripings, or tries to, Lord‚ help us to confront him with praise, to shout and sing praises, Lord, and thanksgiving for all Your goodness and mercy and love and provision and protection and all this wonderful life that You've given us to live for Thee and for others, the best and greatest in the World and with the greatest dividends in Heaven, in Jesus' name! TYL! Amen! PTL!

(From Talk to Family at Dinner:)

36. ONE THING I'M NOT NOTED FOR IS MY PATIENCE WITH PEOPLE WHO AREN'T 100%, who are bellyachers, complainers‚ murmurers, gripers and discontented people who don't like us or the way we live or our Homes or whatever! I don't even like everything about us‚ we've got lots of room for improvement, but for goodness sake‚ if I wasn't happy here I wouldn't be here! I wouldn't stay, I'd leave!

40. THERE'S NOTHING I HATE, and GOD HATES TOO, LIKE MURMURERS, BELLYACHERS and COMPLAINERS!—When God is so good to us, to bellyache, complain and murmur about everything! I know how He spanked me for it a few times, I'll tell you! We've got everything to be thankful for! How can we murmur and bellyache and complain about anything when we're living in Heaven–on-Earth?—In Heavenly Homes, with Heavenly people! We've got everything to be thankful for!

44. LET ME TELL YOU, IN THIS FAMILY and IN GOD'S SOCIETY and IN HEAVEN OR ANYPLACE ELSE, MURMURING and COMPLAINING IS NOT ONLY A SIN, IT'S A CRIME!

45. Everything's not always perfect and a few things are bound to happen that maybe you don't like once in awhile, but try to get it straightened out between you or that person or the Lord or somebody or come and tell us about it. Don't just go around behind our backs murmuring to everybody else!

47. SAINT PAUL SAID, "I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT IN WHATSOEVER STATE I'M IN. I KNOW HOW TO BE IN WANT and I KNOW HOW TO ABOUND." (Phi.4:11,12) Isn't that about the way we've lived? We've lived poor as Job's Turkey sometimes, but it seems like in recent years we've really abounded. We just take the bitter with the sweet, whatever it is, but we don't like bitter people and we'll not tolerate them in the Family, I'll tell you, lest any little root of bitterness corrupt the whole bunch! (Heb.12:15)

54. I THINK YOU FOLKS KNOW I CAN BE KIND and I CAN BE SYMPATHETIC and LOVING and CONSIDERATE MOST OF THE TIME and I'M CONCERNED ABOUT YOU, but I'll tell you, if I catch you bellyachin' and gripin' and gruntin' and groanin' and always complaining and murmuring, I'm not going to put up with you! God just hates that spirit! It's an unthankful spirit.

55. (PRAYS: ) THANK YOU FOR OUR HOMES, LORD! THANK YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY, THESE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE, THIS WONDERFUL WORLD and THIS WONDERFUL WORK, LORD! THANK YOU JESUS FOR IT ALL! Help us never to complain or murmur or gripe or bellyache or go around poisoning other people with complaints and murmurs. You really are sick of that kind of thing and that kind of people, Lord, and You just will not put up with them!

"Bitterness!—The Deadly Root that Devours and Destroys," ML #2672:54-64,75-81,100–108,174­197, Vol.19

54. (Dad:) When any of us face any kind of a crisis or dilemma, test, trial, tribulation, privation, persecution—whatever the trouble or problem—what is the first thing we should do?—Complain? Murmur? Get upset and angry that things aren't going just the way we would like them to?—Of course not!

55. But when things seem to be going wrong‚ the first thing a lot of people do is pray and say, "What's the matter, Lord?"—And when some people say that, what they really mean is, "What's the matter with You, God? How come You failed me?" Whereas what we should really pray is‚ "What's the matter with me, Lord? Is there something wrong with what I'm doing? Am I displeasing You in any way?—Am I failing or disobeying You in any way? Am I out of Your Will in any way? First of all‚ what's the matter with me, Lord, or my situation? What's wrong?—Or are You just testing me?"

56. Contrary to what a lot of people seem to think when they start having problems and trials, there's nothing wrong with God! There's nothing the matter with Him, nor His Love, nor His dealings with His children! The problem is usually with us.—As He says in His Word‚ "Your iniquities have separated and come between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear."—Isa.59:2.

57. He says, "I'm not deaf that I can't hear your prayers, I'm listening!—And My arm isn't short or weak that it can't save and help you. The trouble is not Up Here, it's down there with you!"—With us, not God! So don't blame God and get upset at Him because of your troubles and your problems and your crises and your difficulties! It's not God's fault! There's nothing wrong with God! "Let every man be found a liar‚ but God be found true!"—Rom.3:4.

58. The most important thing you have to do during trying times is not whine and complain and murmur and gripe and grumble and bellyache and get bitter at God for His so-called failures and mistreatment and His neglect and His abuse and His cruelty and His deafness and His unconcern!—Because none of those things are true! You need to do the opposite of what the children of Israel did out in the wilderness, and that is, you need to sit down and think the situation over and pray:

59. "God, what's wrong with me? What's wrong with what I'm doing or the way I'm doing it? What am I doing that's displeasing You so that You're withholding Your blessings? In what way am I disobeying—either deliberately, willfully, or unknowingly, unwittingly, or simply falling short, maybe just not doing enough? Or maybe I'm not listening enough, maybe I'm not following Your voice and guidance enough.—Or are You simply testing my faith or humbling me and trying to get me to draw closer to You?"

60. It's human nature to look around for somebody else to blame our problems on. "Passing the buck" started in the Garden of Eden. It's sinful Man's first line of defense when he's in trouble.—To blame others.

61. Just look what happened in the Garden of Eden: When they got caught in their sin, the first thing Adam said to God was, "It was my wife, she did it!" Then Eve said, "It was the Serpent's fault, he did it!" And the Serpent as good as said, "It was God, it's all His fault!" (Gen.3:12-13.) To "pass the buck" and try to blame things on others is an almost automatic reaction and self-defense mechanism with most people.

62. People who are bitter and have a bitter spirit are especially prone to this sort of thing. They're always blaming everybody else for all of their mistakes and all of their troubles and failings. It's always somebody else's fault.

63. If you have a problem or weakness along these lines, you'd be wise to remember that the Devil is the "Accuser of the Saints" (Rev. 12:10), and that's his own tactic to always try to get you to blame your problems on everybody else! "Why me, Lord? I didn't do it, they did it to me! It wasn't my fault, it's his fault, her fault! They're the ones to blame! They're the ones who made me do it!" Some people find it so easy and convenient to blame all their troubles on somebody else!—"It's that awful Hell of a person I have to live with or that horrible leader I have to work under"—or this one or that one!

64. This is such a typical device of the Devil: He always accuses the Saints and always exaggerates to you what others are doing, and will always try to take things that others have said or done and twist them and make things sound a lot worse to you than they really are.—He even does the same thing to God about you! He's an expert at picking on all the little flaws and all the little faults that he can find, and constantly tries to accuse others and get you to blame everything that goes wrong on someone else!

75. Whenever you feel like murmuring and griping about things, watch out! Such an unthankful, doubtful and negative attitude may not only be an indication of bitterness, but of backsliding as well! Even if you haven't actually turned your back on the Lord, you're turning back in your heart when you start yielding to that feeling of doubting, murmuring and being critical of everybody else. When people start picking out others' faults and covering their own, and murmuring and griping about everything, complaining instead of praising the Lord for what they've got, it's a dangerous sin!

76. Even if you don't wind up completely backsliding, you'll certainly lose your inspiration and the Lord's anointing if you go around voicing complaints and resentments like that. You can't keep complaining and criticizing and murmuring and belly-aching about things and still keep God's Holy Spirit on you for your job‚ you just can't do it. You'll wind up like Saul, the Spirit left him, and he became so damned hardened of heart and cold, he didn't even know it was gone! He didn't even know he had lost it.

77. When someone's going around murmuring and constantly being critical of everything, it shows that they've been entertaining the Devil's lies in their mind and heart, "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."—Mat. 12:34. Then they become a witness for the Devil. If your heart is filled with negative thoughts, sooner or later you'll mouth them, and that's when you really begin to pull others down too.

78. One reason that people complain and bellyache and criticize is because they know that they're not making it themselves and that they haven't got the victory.—They know that they're failing because of their own unyieldedness or rebelliousness. So rather than really trying to make it and stop failing and do better‚ they start looking around for something to justify themselves, to excuse themselves and vindicate themselves. So they frequently accuse and blame everybody else for their own faults and failures, and will freely criticize everybody else but themselves.

79. Such murmuring is virtually the voice of the Enemy and his doubts, and a critical spirit like that sows dissension, disunity and discord amongst brethren, one of the seven abominations to God!—Pro.6:16-19. So God certainly won't—and can't—bless people who allow themselves to fall into such a sorry state.

80. In fact, if you sin in murmuring against God, and complaining about your lot‚ complaining about the circumstances and conditions under which you're living, and griping and murmuring against God or your Shepherds or your brethren, God may just let you stay there much longer than He'd originally planned!—Like He did to the Children of Israel when they murmured against Him!—Until you learn to be thankful and patient! "Tribulation worketh patience!"—Rom.5:3.

81. No matter how great your trial may be, no matter how difficult your difficulty may be, no matter how bad it may be, if you just have faith to trust God to bring you out of that difficulty, you won't murmur and complain! You'll rejoice and praise God and thank Him‚ even for the trial, because you know He is able to save and deliver you!—And He will! PTL!

100. One of the greatest things in the World that anyone can learn is to be content in whatsoever state you're in, whether it's to be abounding or to be in want.—Phil.4:11,12.

101. We all need to learn to count our blessings! The Lord wants us to think on the positive things, and refuse to set our minds on all the negative things and trials and doubts and fears and woes and troubles and tribulations and afflictions that the Devil tries to get us preoccupied with. You must get your mind off of all those negative things and think about your many blessings!

102. If you'd get into the habit of thanking God more for your blessings, your many many blessings, instead of complaining about the few tiny little infinitesimal problems or trials you may have, maybe the Lord would deliver you from those too! But when we don't look at anything but the button off of Mutt's vest instead of all the nice fine clothes and the bright red necktie, no wonder the Lord must get angry! (See ML #1492; Num. 11:1; 1Cor.10:10!)

103. The Lord tells us that we shouldn't think about those negative things at all! "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!"—Phil.4:8. Whenever negative thoughts, criticisms or resentments come to your mind‚ you should right away rebuke the Enemy and say, "I rebuke you, Satan, in Jesus' name! I resist you, Accuser of the Saints, in Jesus' name! Jesus, help me not to think those thoughts!" Praise the Lord, quote Scripture, sing His praises, call on the Lord and the Devil will flee!

104. When Jonah finally shouted, "Salvation is of the Lord!", that old whale that had swallowed him just couldn't take it, and he spit him up! (Jon.2:9,10.) So even if God lets the Devil send along a whale-of–a–lot of trouble to swallow you up‚ you've just got to keep shouting and praising the Lord! The Devil can't stand that, and the trouble can't stand it, and God will deliver you! But if you get all down in the dumps and go around griping and bellyaching and murmuring and complaining and doubting and everything else, you'll just sink deeper and deeper to the bottom of the sea.

105. So when the Enemy tempts you to get down and critical or murmuring about something, fight back by praising the Lord and counting your blessings! Ask the Lord to help you be content and thankful for your place in His Kingdom and in His Family. And when the Devil comes along and tries to get you to unfavorably compare yourself to others and tries to belittle you and what you're doing, just start praising the Lord and thanking Him for your blessings, and the Enemy will turn tail and run!

106. Thank God and praise Him for your job and your place in His Family, whatever it is! If you're mopping floors or cleaning toilets or cooking food or running errands or doing maintenance work, whatever it is, thank God that you're in the house of the Lord and you're doing it for Jesus! "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness!"—Psa.84:10.

107. So whether abounding or abasing, we should be thankful for whatever we've got, and praise and thank God for it, because there's nothing any better! The very "worst" things in our life for the Lord are far better than the very best things the ungodly System has to offer! We're blessed with the best life in the World, the best work in the World, the best Love in the World, and the best Lord in the World—Out-of–this-World! Nothing could be better than God's Love and God's Word and God's Work and God's workers and their fellowship, and to be able to live and work together and love together in God's Kingdom for Him and for souls!—There's nothing better in this whole World, PTL! And if we're not happy enough now‚ when we see the eternal results of our labors Over There, we'll certainly be happy enough then!

108. Even when you're feeling good‚ maybe you don't thank the Lord enough for it and praise Him enough for it! "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord!"—Psa.150:6. We could all praise the Lord more and be more positive! Thank Him for the health you do have! Thank Him for how strong you are and that you're not completely incapacitated, injured or sick with some fatal disease or something like that. All kinds of things could be wrong with you, so thank the Lord for the blessings you do have! PTL!—Stay positive‚ thankful and full of praise to Jesus!

LORD JESUS, Your Word says that when we look unto You, we are lightened: And our faces are not ashamed.—And that when this poor man cries out to You, that You will hear me and save me and deliver me out of all my troubles! (Psa.34:5,6)

So Lord, I call on You now with a whole heart, and I ask You to hear and answer and deliver me, in Jesus' name! I realize that these roots of bitterness are like a deadly infection, so I ask You right now to uproot and take them all away! Please rid me of any doubts or fears or resentments or hurts about the past, or even about things that are happening right now, and give me faith to just let it all go into Your care.—To cast all my cares upon You because You care for me! (1Pet.5:7)

If I still hang on to any such roots, even little roots, Lord, in the back of my heart, I know the Devil will play on them and aggravate them. So I rebuke the Enemy in this bitterness and this lack of trusting You, and I rebuke any unyieldedness to You! Help me just to be a yielded vessel and not try to be the clay saying to the Potter, "Why hast Thou made me thus?" or "Why have You done this to me and treated me this way and allowed this thing to happen that I resent!"—Or "Why are You doing these things to me right now?" Please help me to just be yielded, a yielded broken vessel, one that's willing to do anything for You!

Forgive me for all my sins, and help me not to criticize You and the way You're running my life. Help me not to ever think that I'm in any way more righteous than You, that I would do things better than You could have done. Please forgive me for all my murmuring and doubting! It's such a terrible sin, Lord, because my bitterness is really against You! Please help me to stop it!

Murmuring is really complaining that You're doing things wrong, which means I think I could do them better, that I'm more righteous than You are, Lord, which is self-righteousness, a terrible sin. Forgive me and help me to trust You more. You know best about all these things, and You're going to have Your way and it's all going to work out for the best in the long run for me, because I love You.

So forgive me, Lord, for all my murmurings and complainings and gripings and growlings and groanings and bellyaching and criticisms! Help me to learn to be truly thankful, and to "in everything give thanks" (1Thes.5:18), to praise You in all things, and be thankful for what I've got, because things could certainly be a whole lot worse!

I praise You for the life You've given me!—For Your Love and a place in Your Family! Forgive me for when I've murmured and complained and grouched and growled and grumbled about this or that little thing when I thought I should have been treated better or deserved more. Forgive me, Jesus! Help me to be more thankful and to praise You for all Your goodness and mercy instead of murmuring and complaining and growling and grumbling and griping about the little tests and trials that You've allowed to come my way.

Help me to always praise You!—Even when the Devil comes along with his growlings and gripings, help me to confront him with praise, to shout and sing praises to You, Lord, and thanksgiving for all Your goodness and mercy and Love and provision and protection and all this wonderful life that You've given me to live for You and for others.—The best and greatest life in the World and with the greatest dividends in Heaven, in Jesus' name! Thank You Lord! Praise the Lord!

Thank You for this beautiful life, this wonderful World and this wonderful Work! Thank You Jesus for it all! Help me never to complain or murmur or gripe or bellyache or go around poisoning other people with my complaints and murmurs!

So please strengthen me with Your Word and the Sword of Your Spirit that I may be able to truly resist and fight the Enemy! Help me to be properly armed against all the fiery darts of the Evil One and his doubts and criticisms and lies and murmurs and resentments and "poor-me's" and all the demonic fiery darts of the Devil!

And help me not to fight nor resist whatever it is that You want to use to break me and humble me and draw and keep me close to You. I know that You know what's best for me, even if it doesn't always seem best for me, Lord! You just want to see if I'm willing to trust You and believe You and believe that "All things truly do work together for good to them that love Thee"!—Rom.8:28.

I know that things will be a lot easier if I just accept what You've done in my life in the past and what You're trying to do in my life right now. I know it'll be easier if I accept the breakings and the chastisements and the lessons and all of these things‚ if I don't fight against them‚ if I just yield. Help me not to give the Devil an inch, not to allow even one tiny root or offshoot of bitterness to remain in my heart!

I know that I cannot expect Your blessing and protection when I run away from You, out of Your Will, even spiritually in thought. So keep me close to You with pure and positive thoughts of You and Your Word!

Help me, Lord, to watch my thoughts and watch my words and to fill my heart and mind with You and Your Word so that I'll be well–protected and fortified and surrounded by Your Angels of protection and Your Guardian Angels that care for Your children all the time.

And please renew me with Your wonderful Spirit of Love! Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit, that I may have a heart full of Your Love. Your Word says, "Above all things have fervent love one toward another."—1Pet.4:8. Please help me not to condemn or judge others in pride or self-righteousness.

Please give me more of Your Love, Your patience, Your humility‚ which is synonymous with love—littleness in my own eyes. Give me sweetness and love for others. Help me to mete unto other men's bosoms as I want You to mete unto me. Help me to truly forgive other men's sins as You have forgiven me‚ to have mercy upon others as You have had mercy upon me.

Guard me from the Devil who goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. I know he is the one who stands day and night accusing Your Saints and trying to divide, trying to subvert, propagandizing and lying and causing doubts and fears and casting fiery darts of hate and resentment.

Help me to be more like You, Jesus!—And help me not to be like the Enemy—the Accuser of the Saints, the harsh, the cruel, the devourer! Help me to be forgiving and patient, and to have mercy as I want mercy, and to treat others in their errors as I want You to treat me in mine!

Help me to truly forgive all those against whom I have felt offended or resentful or bitter. I sincerely pray that now, regarding all of those who may have offended me or failed me or made mistakes, who somehow affected or hurt or upset me. Please help me to forgive. I ask You to please forgive me. "Forgive me my sins as I forgive those who have sinned against me."—Luk.11:4.

Lord, help me to be more simple and childlike in these things! Your Word says, "In understanding be ye men, but in malice be ye children."—1Cor.14:20. So even if I'm offended sometimes, help me to let it go and forget it right away. Help me not to hold things against people, to not stay offended! Help me to cut these sensitive thoughts off before they have a chance to become any kind of bitterness. Help me to truly forgive and forget and love. Help me to keep my life as simple as I can‚ to live simply and try not to be complicated, trying to keep track of how I've been offended and by whom, etc.

Help me now, and deliver and uproot any and all evil seeds or roots of bitterness, envy or hate!—That I might be delivered and freed and be all the freer to go ahead with even greater conviction to get the job done that You have called me to do!—Help me to "lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset me," that I may truly run Your race, for Your glory.

I know, Lord, that this is not just something that I do once and for all, but I have to constantly be forsaking all these temptations and negative thoughts in my heart, all the time forsaking the old ways and laying aside these weights and hindrances. Every day I've got to forsake the Devil's voice and temptations which try to call me back and suck me back into the old ways and the old habits and bondages, so help me to do that, and keep fighting! Thank You, Lord, for delivering me!—In Jesus' name, amen.

"Goals for 1998," ML #3160:54-60, Vol.24

54. (Peter:) The Lord loves praise! He dwells in the praises of His people. So I think we'd really be missing something if we didn't make a personal commitment to learn to be more praiseful, and to praise without ceasing.

55. The Lord wants us to praise Him in all situations—especially when we don't feel like it. If we can build on the habit that we now have of praising the Lord regularly, I think we can make a lot of progress in learning to turn any negative‚ doubtful, unhappy thoughts into thoughts of praise and thanksgiving. Even when we're tempted to be out of it‚ or critical, or to complain a little bit—either in our thoughts or with our words—if we'll just make a conscious effort to think about our blessings, to dwell on all the good, to concentrate on all that the Lord has done for us and all the ways that He's kept us, and blessed and prospered and protected us, then I think it'll do a lot to help us get over any bad habits we may have where our first reactions are negative, murmury, or even just indifferent.

56. I'm reminded of a story from the Good Thots about that preacher, Dr. Alexander Whyte, who was famous for being so praiseful in his prayers. He always found something to thank the Lord for, even in bad times. One stormy morning a member of his congregation thought to himself, "The preacher won't have anything to thank God for on a terrible morning like this." But he began his prayer, "We thank Thee, O God‚ that it's not always like this." What a good example of looking at things positively and being praiseful! (Good Thots 1, pg.582, #21).

57. If we pray desperately and really ask the Lord to help us, and set our minds to it, I think we could all become a lot more praiseful. And not only would it make the Lord a lot happier, but it would make all of us a lot happier too!

58. Praise is powerful! The Lord wants our praise. So why don't we each make a conscious effort this year to be more praiseful; to replace negative thoughts with positive, thankful, praiseful thoughts. Let's also try as much as possible in our speech and in our interactions with others to glorify the Lord, as Preacher Whyte did, by praising Him and acknowledging how He's blessed us, instead of complaining or getting down in the dumps or reacting negatively.

59. When we were praying about including the goals of being more prayerful and praiseful, the Lord said:

60. (Jesus:) Any effort My children put toward learning to be more prayerful, to carry more of the spirit of prayer and learn to praise without ceasing, will be effort well spent. It's a matter of self-discipline. It's a matter of being aware of the need. It's a matter of putting your mind to it and wanting to develop these habits. If you do, if you keep it in the forefront of your mind‚ and you make a conscious effort, and you remind each other, little by little you will make progress toward developing the habits of prayerfulness and praisefulness that I wish for you to have. (End of message.)

"Show Me the Money," ML #3462:422–428, GN 1050

422. (Jesus: ) Many of you, My brides, have become so familiar with My blessings. For many‚ many years now you've been used to Me supplying finances, provisions, equipment‚ housing‚ and so much more, but you forget to thank Me. You overlook many of My little blessings and gifts that I bestow upon you every day. You take My miracles for granted and don't praise and thank Me nearly enough. How do you think this makes Me feel? Unappreciated, unnoticed, and like you just don't care! It doesn't make Me want to give you more when you're not even grateful for what you have.

423. You brush aside My blessings, always wanting more, demanding bigger and better blessings and more money for your needs. But what you're forgetting is that praising Me pleases Me—even when you're abasing. Praising Me for every blessing, no matter how small, compels Me to give more to you. When I know you're thankful and giving Me the glory and honor for everything, I want to give you more‚ I delight to give you more, and I can't help but pamper you with My care, for I love to give of My wealth to you.

424. I also look to see how you care for the material blessings I've given you. Do you trash your vehicles and overlook their upkeep and maintenance? Are they a reproach to your Home and My Name? Are your Homes dirty and unkempt? When things are broken and a bad sample, do you fix them or let things deteriorate to total ruin?

425. What about the provisions I supply for you? Do you murmur and complain because it's not your favorite food, or because you have an abundance of one thing and not as much variety as you'd like? Or do you waste what I give you—whether food‚ money, or time? Are you extravagant with the money I supply, thinking that because I own the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine that I will always have more to give you? Have you forgotten what it means to be thrifty?

426. Yes, it's true that I am a rich and blessing-laden Husband‚ but I don't give into purses or pockets full of holes. I give the most where I know it will be used and invested in My work to the maximum—where I know every cent will count and be used wisely. I give to those who I know will be good stewards and caretakers of the things you need in your service to Me.

427. How are you taking care of what I've given you? How much are you praising Me and thanking Me for My miracles of supply? Have you become familiar with receiving from Me, to where you no longer appreciate or acknowledge My generosity? Have you become like a spoiled child who wants to take, hoard‚ and receive, and hardly ever says‚ "Thank You"? Take a good look at your life and your Home. Are you going to appreciate and care for what I give you, or will it waste away, rot, deteriorate, be destroyed‚ and end up in ruin?

428. I'm not in the business of pouring money down the drain, or dropping gifts of supply into a bottomless pit. I'm interested in building works that will last, investing in Homes that are really doing the job of winning the world, and raining blessings down upon those who appreciate every drop. (End of message.)

"The Art of War, Part 2," ML #3533:224-230, GN 1131

224. (Jesus:) I want to tell you a few things about praise that you might not have realized.

225. First, when you praise Me, your spirit is surrounded with supernatural power. You don't understand much about the realm of the spirit, and how locations and time and space all have different rules in the spiritual realm. But if you can receive it, praise dwells in the highest parts of Heaven, and when you praise‚ your spirit is surrounded by those attributes of Heaven—spiritual power, happiness, peace, and protection against the attacks of the Enemy.

226. Second, when you murmur, doubt, entertain negativity‚ and especially when you voice those things, you are providing actual pathways for the Enemy to enter your "atmosphere." So while praise is a protection against the Enemy—and not only protects your spirit, but actually provides a degree of protection for the physical space around you too—those negative attitudes and words actually provide what could be compared to a superhighway for the Enemy to get in.

227. If your Home is praiseful, full of thankfulness and words that glorify Me and honor Me and uplift Me, you have a great degree of protection against the Enemy—not only protection for your collective spirits, but also protection for your location—your house, the transport you're taking, wherever you are. That is another of the benefits of praise and how it is part of your armor and offensive weaponry of the spirit.

228. As far as a proactive weapon, you can often keep the Enemy and any other evil spirit away from you or your place of habitation by having a praiseful spirit. If you continually praise Me in spirit and are constantly thankful, the evil has a hard time having its way with you. You have to realize that things like fear, murmuring‚ cursing, complaining‚ etc., provide actual pathways for the Enemy to enter your atmosphere. So if you maintain a godly attitude, a praiseful spirit, it's like raising the drawbridge, and the Enemy has no entrance into your place of being. I'm not talking just about your spirit when I say "place of being," but in this case I mean more your vehicles, your house‚ the road you're on—not only your spiritual place of being, but the physical place too. You can actually keep the Enemy out of those physical places by keeping an attitude of praise around those places.

229. If an attitude of praise inhabits everything you do and permeates everywhere you go, the Enemy simply can't find entrance. He'll try sometimes and he might buffet you, but if you keep your arms up in the spirit, as Moses did, he cannot gain entrance into the ground you have claimed, whether it's the road you are driving on‚ the store you are entering, or the house you are living in.

230. Praise is an offensive and proactive weapon that can defeat any enemy, and even keep the Enemy out of your territory, so use it! It's powerful, it's valuable, it's precious, and it's one of My prime weapons that I have given you, My Endtime army in training.

"Shooting Straight‚ Part 13," ML #3536:56-83, GN 1127

The Poor-Me's

The issue:

56. (Mama:) Some of you feel that your lot in life is worse than others, and you tend to be very vocal about it. You criticize others and talk down about their struggles, making them seem insignificant, because you feel that your own struggles are worse. You openly talk about how much harder things are for you, and you let it be known how much more difficult it is for you to cope with change than it is for others.

57. If something needs to be done, you begrudgingly agree to do it‚ but only after you've spelled out in an unwilling and murmury tone all the reasons why it'll be so much harder for you than if someone else did it. You easily become critical; you feel you work hard and others are lazy. Some of you feel it's your lot in life to go through spiritual "martyrdom," that God purposely makes life difficult for you, so you must be better because you're more "tried" and have greater battles, whether spiritual attacks, afflictions, or others.

58. You try to appear willing, but this often backfires on you because you don't have the right motives; you want praise for your good works. You're heavily laden with burdens and cares you've placed on your own shoulders‚ yet you tend to blame your struggles on the work, on the people you live with, on your shepherds, on your Home, and even on the Lord. Your self-centered‚ self-pity attitude is misery for you and a drag for others. It's difficult to pull out of this sorry state, because as you see things, life is harder for you, and new challenges are a drag.

God's mind on the matter:

59. (Dad:) The Lord works fair and square in each person's life‚ according to what He knows they need and can handle. He doesn't allow an overabundance of problems in one person's life while making another's load extremely light. God works differently with each person, and in His omniscience He knows exactly what's best. The bottom line is that it's a manifestation of pride and unyieldedness when you have this type of attitude.

60. It's wrong to adopt the "martyrdom" mindset and continually lament your vexation of spirit, which often does not accurately reflect the struggles you're going through or the burdens you carry, but instead is a spirit of murmuring and complaint that God is unfair in the tests He metes out to each individual.

61. There's nothing to be gained in vocalizing your trials, in boasting that you give and sacrifice so much, in trying to pat yourself on the back and gain sympathy, while at the same time you're tearing others down. This self-pity attitude is nothing more than a spirit of pride! You're looking for an excuse, a way out of having to do what the Lord is asking of you, and if you continue to go down this road, it leads to a lack of willingness of spirit, unyieldedness, and to more murmuring and despair. You'll become stubborn and fight against the Lord's plan for you; you'll always be pointing the finger at someone else or some other situation, anything but putting the blame on yourself.

62. You don't want to admit that you're unwilling and proud; it offends you when someone suggests that if you just got up off your fanny and started praising the Lord for whatever He brings your way and facing the problem head-on, things would start looking up. Instead‚ you sit down to tea with the Enemy; you share your woes with Mr. and Mrs. Doubt and all their little doublets, who give you a hand in enumerating your problems and expounding on the difficulties you face.

63. Watch out, folks! When you allow yourself to take on this poor-me mindset, you're giving place to the Devil. There's no disputing this fact!

64. Life for the Lord requires sacrifice. The Lord never promised a cushy lifestyle. He promised the rigors of battle, forsaking of personal preferences, sacrifice, and giving all to Him. He wants your willingness to take the bitter things in life and learn from them. He wants the surrender of your will in order to do His.

65. Have you lost the vision and forgotten that your life is supposed to be a living sacrifice unto the Lord? The life of a disciple is to be a sample of faith, sacrifice, obedience, yieldedness, humility‚ and love.

66. Where's your spirit of praise and your joy of the Lord? Is your antenna pointing upward? Or is it turned down toward the muck and the mire of your own stinking self? Remember the little quote that says, "If you think, think, think, you're gonna sink, sink, sink, because you stink, stink, stink!" Your spirit of self-pity and your attitude that you're doing it all yourself stinks! When you try so hard in the arm of the flesh to appear "willing," but your spirit is anything but willing, it's nothing but husks—empty works of man. You're not allowing the Lord's Spirit to possess you and pour through you, to fill your mind and heart and spirit with the joy of your salvation.

67. It's akin to the Scribes and Pharisees who tried to keep every jot and tittle of the law to prove to others that they loved the Lord and that they followed His Word. But they were full of hot air, because they didn't live the doctrine, they didn't live in love, and they didn't have the energy of the Spirit running through their veins. They were empty‚ self-satisfied, critical hypocrites with their stinking holier-than-thou attitudes. Don't you be the same way!

68. You've read in the Word many times how the battles and tests in life are good for you—they bring a richness of spirit that can't be obtained any other way. But you want to prove you're made of tough stuff and that you can handle the battles on your own. Rather than letting the Lord work through you, you lean on self–works, which turn out to be nothing but dead works. You lack joy in your spirit, happiness in your sacrifice, and faith in the Lord's promises, and what's worse‚ you look down on those who do have it. You label them as having an easier lot in life than you do. You're lifted up in pride about your own sacrifice. You have the wrong attitude and you're yielding to the wrong spirit. You blame all of your problems on something or someone else, rather than rising above them.

69. There are always going to be tough things to face in the Lord's service; there are difficult battles that test your faith; there is sacrifice and you have to give until it hurts sometimes, but in return you have everything to gain. As David Livingstone said, "I've never made a sacrifice for God." What you stand to gain far surpasses any sacrifice you can ever make. You gain the joy of the Lord, His blessings for your giving, and His rewards for your sacrifice.

70. There's no comparison when you look at it in this light, because not only does the Lord repay those who give cheerfully in this life, but He's already stockpiling even greater rewards that He'll place at your feet when you get up here. But He can't fully reward you for the deeds you do for others in a begrudging spirit. He can't pour down the blessings that come through yieldedness when you're not surrendering willingly and cheerfully.

71. When you operate in that poor-me, self-pity attitude, you tie His hands. You put limits on Him and He can't satisfy your spirit with a full measure of joy and happiness when you're unwilling and you're following merely out of duty or because you want others to see your good works. To hell with your good works and your pitiful attempts to do the right thing in the arm of the flesh! It stinks!

72. Live for the Lord and this Family and the lost sheep simply out of a desire to please Him. Stop trying to prove your worth by bragging about your sacrifices. When you do‚ you make the commandments of the Lord—to give to Him freely, to sacrifice and surrender your life to Him fully—of no effect.

73. Without love‚ all the works of your hands are nothing. When you are unwilling in spirit, when you complain about your lot in life, when you murmur about the tests He allows, and when you compare with those around you, thinking that they have a better deal than you, you lose the motivation of love to follow the Lord and give of yourself no matter how much it hurts or what it requires of you.

74. God puts the pressure on in our lives as He sees fit. Who are you to question Him? Who are you to presume that you know better than Him? Who are you to say that He is unjust in His dealings with you? You're missing the point.

75. Live your life as a disciple, one who gives all no matter what the cost. A true disciple doesn't question the leadings of his Master, Jesus; he obeys out of love and deference. He trusts that Jesus has a plan, knows his frame, and allows and plans for things as He knows best. A disciple knows that he cannot make a sacrifice for God; that all things work together for good to them who love the Lord; that there's a wonderful plan that the Lord wants to accomplish in his life, even if he doesn't understand at the moment. He knows and believes that his light afflictions [tests and trials] are but for a moment‚ and that they will work for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory‚ and he praises the Lord for it.

76. Are you a disciple or aren't you? If you are, then let God have the controls on your life. Stop pretending to yield when you're withholding. Either trust God with all you've got or you're not really trusting Him at all.

77. If the shoe to this issue fits you—get help. You don't have to live with a complaining, murmuring, proud spirit another day. Call on your mates, ask for the laying on of hands, and get delivered from your draggy old self! Start praising the Lord and keep it up until you praise your way right out of the pit where the Devil is trying to keep you.

78. The Lord can change your attitudes. He can change your spirit through the power of the keys. Don't delay, get prayer and start praising today, because we need you, the Lord needs you, and the world needs you! The keys of change can pull you through. Take the first step and the Lord will do what you can't do. Call on the keys of acceptance and claim the change you desire, and you will get it! Pray, and ask Him to do it right now!

In summary:

79. (Mama: ) Life is fair and God is good. He knows what He's doing when He passes out the burdens and the tests He sees fit to allow in each of our lives. He knows exactly what we need and He works differently in each life. If you go around vocalizing the tests and trials you bear; if you pat yourself on the back because you think you give and sacrifice so much; if you criticize and tear others down; if you've fallen into a poor–me spirit of self-pity; if you give in to pride; if you're murmuring and complaining and dragging yourself down and others down with you; if you're leaning on self-works; if you lack joy, happiness, and faith; if you complain that others have it easier than you do; if you're lifted up in pride and you blame all your problems on something or someone else, you need help and deliverance. Don't delay, get prayer‚ and get out of this horrible trap of the Enemy!

80. It's hard for you to pull yourself out of this state, but not too hard for the Lord. That's what the power of the keys is for. Don't wait another minute, start praising and claiming the keys today!

81. And even if you don't have a specific problem with "poor me's," this message is still important for you. Making sacrifices is a part of our lives for the Lord, and we need to do what He asks of us cheerfully and with a thankful heart—not in a spirit of murmuring and complaining. Having a positive outlook and being cheerful about sacrifices is a part of discipleship. So let's all try to have a better attitude! It's an improvement our Husband can help us all to make that will change our lives—and the lives of those we live with—for the better!

Key promises:

82. The keys of new life, praise, joy, and happiness are strong enough to overpower a poor-me spirit. The keys enable you to have complete transformation.

83. Call on the keys of deliverance when pride, self-pity, criticalness, and discontent engulf you, and My light will chase away the darkness and restore to you the joy of your salvation.

"Praise = Answers‚ Solutions, Progress, Power, and Victory," ML #3539:6-9, Link #1

6. (Jesus:) The Devil, the Enemy of your soul, absolutely hates it when you make use of the power of positive praise! It hits him hard in several directions, causing you to feel physically and spiritually strengthened‚ all the while bringing My blessing upon you in great measure. Plus, he just plain hates to hear it! It causes him and his imps unimaginable pain, and as persistent as they can sometimes be‚ it's only a matter of time before they go running the opposite direction, covering their ears with their hands. Just as thinking positively can help eliminate poisons in your body, praising Me will help eliminate the Enemy and thwart his attempts to drag you down.

7. That's why Satan tries so hard to get you discouraged or to make you complain, because these things have the exact opposite effect of the power of positive praise. No matter how unfair you feel the circumstances are, if you give in to complaining and feel that you deserve to revel a bit in your sorrow, anger, or feelings of frustration, then you are essentially making a comfy little home for the Enemy. He's just loving it—making himself at home and having a great time.

8. The longer you let him in, the harder it's going to be for you to pull out of it. Don't think that it's just fine for you to revel in your negative thinking for a little while and then praise Me later when you feel more like it‚ because by the time you feel like it, you have already done damage to your spirit and possibly allowed the Enemy to influence others as well. The Enemy can use your mouth as a vehicle of negativity, discouragement, and disunity when you decide not to praise Me.

9. So don't let it happen! When the Enemy tempts you to enjoy just a little bit of negativity, that's when you need to hit him hardest and start praising Me with great effort and enthusiasm. This is the kind of counterattack the Enemy cannot prevail against. Hit him hard and quick, and you'll find he'll flee like a wounded dog, and you'll feel much‚ much better both physically and spiritually.

FJWL 1, #333

Oh, that My children would be children of praise! Oh, that they would constantly have a word and a song of praise in their hearts and on their lips! For when you are praising, then I can envelop you in My Spirit. Praise helps to ward off the attacks of doubts and fears and worries put in your mind by the Evil One. Praise brings great strength, because praise helps you to keep your mind stayed on Me. My people ought always to praise and not to faint, and not to become weary in well doing.

Praise is so important! Praise is precious! Praise is valuable! Praise is the way of the Kingdom! Praise is the opposite of the way of the world. The Devil brings his people into bondage through fear and worry and contention and bitterness and murmuring. But I long to bring My children into freedom through praise and thanksgiving!

I find great pleasure in the praise of My children. Just as you find great pleasure in the compliments and praise of your lover, so do I find great joy in the praise of My bride. As you praise Me for My blessings, for My supply‚ for My protection, for My words of love, for My guidance and instruction, so will I open the windows of Heaven and pour forth all these things in greater abundance! (ML #3055).

"Thankfulness‚" #1-6, Word Basics

Praise and thankfulness vs. murmuring and complaining

1. Having a thankful, grateful attitude:

A. The Lord wants and expects us to be thankful:

Psa.50:14aOffer unto God thanksgiving

Psa.95:2Come before His presence with thanksgiving

Psa.100:4bBe thankful unto Him

Psa.140:13Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name

Eph.5:20Giving thanks always for all things unto God

Col.3:15bBe ye thankful

1Thes.5:18In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God

(See also Psa.92:1)

B. We should be content:

Phi.4:11In whatsoever state I am, therewith...be content

1Tim.6:8Having food and raiment let us be therewith content

1Tim.6:6Godliness with contentment is great gain

Heb.13:5Be content with such things as ye have

(See also Pro.15:16,17)

C. Don't take God's blessings for granted:

Psa.68:19Blessed be Lord...Who daily loadeth us with benefits

Psa.103:2Bless the Lord...and forget not all His benefits

Lk.17:12-18Were not ten (lepers) cleansed? where are the nine? (None) returned to give glory to God, save (one)

D. Remember to always thank Him for your blessings:

2Sam.22:49,50Thou hast delivered me...therefore I will give thanks

1Chr.16:8Give thanks...make known His deeds among the people

Psa.136:1–3Give thanks unto God...for His mercy endureth forever

1Cor.15:57Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory

2Cor.2:14Thanks be unto God‚ which...causeth us to triumph

(See also Psa.26:7; 107:22.)

2. Praising the Lord:

A. We are admonished to praise the Lord:

Psa.107:8Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works

Psa.18:3The Lord...is worthy to be praised

Psa.22:3(God) inhabitest the praises of Israel

Psa.66:8O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard

Psa.67:3O God, let all the people praise Thee

Psa.100:4Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise

Psa.103:1Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name

Psa.113:1Praise ye the Lord, O ye servants of the Lord

Psa.117:1Praise the Lord‚ all ye nations...all ye people

Psa.147:1Praise ye the Lord: for...praise is comely

Psa.150:6Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord

Heb.13:15Offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually...the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name

1Pet.2:9Ye should show forth praises of Him Who called you

(See also Psa.50:23; 148:all; 150:all.)

B. Praise the Lord in song:

Psa.30:4Sing unto the Lord...and give thanks

Psa.69:30Praise the name of God with a song...and thanksgiving

Psa.92:1It is a good thing to...sing praises unto Thy name

Psa.98:1Sing unto the Lord a new song

Psa.147:1,7Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise

Eph.5:19Making melody in your heart to the Lord

Col.3:16Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord

C. Praise the Lord happily:

Psa.5:11Let them that love Thy name be joyful in Thee

Psa.95:2bMake a joyful noise unto Him with psalms

Isa.51:3bJoy and gladness...thanksgiving, and the voice of melody

Jer.30:19Out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry

(See also Psa.100:1; Jer.33:11.)

3. Have a continual attitude of praising God:

Heb.13:15Let us offer...praise to God continually...our lips giving thanks to His name

Psa.34:1I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth

Psa.35:28My tongue shall speak of Thy...praise all day long

Psa.71:8Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise...all the day

(See also Psa.30:12b; 72:15b; 79:13; 104:33; 113:3.)

4. Murmuring (complaining) forbidden by God:

Jn.6:43Jesus said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves

1Cor.10:10Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured

Phi.2:14Do all things without murmurings and disputings

(See also Psa.144:14)

5. Causes of murmuring:

A. Lack of gratitude for what God has given us:

Num.11:4-6,18We remember the fish‚ cucumbers, melons, leeks...now there is nothing at all, beside this manna

Num.21:4,5There is no bread...and our soul loatheth this (manna)

B. Lack of faith for God to supply our needs:

Exo.16:2,3The whole congregation...murmured against Moses...in the wilderness [when they ran out of food]

Exo.17:1-4People thirsted...and murmured...thou brought us out of Egypt, to kill us with thirst

(See also Exo.15:23,24)

C. Loss of faith in God's Word and His power:

Psa.106:24,25They believed not His Word...but murmured

Jn.6:60-66Many disciples said, This is an hard saying...His disciples murmured...many went back

D. Giving up and losing hope:

1Sam.27:1David said, "I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul"

1Ki.19:1-4‚10Elijah...requested that he might die

Jer.20:14-18Cursed be the day I was born...wherefore came I...out of the womb to see labor and sorrow?

Jon.4:1-9Jonah prayed, Take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live

(See also Job 7:6,11; 10:1.)

E. Lack of faith that God loves us:

Deut.1:27Ye murmured, and said, Because the Lord hated us, He brought us [to Canaan] to destroy us

(See also Psa.73:13,14; 77:1-9.)

F. Thinking that God is far away and doesn't hear:

Job 23:2-9Today is my complaint bitter: Oh that I knew where I might find Him. I cannot perceive Him

Psa.10:1Why standest Thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest Thou?

(See also Psa.13:1; 22:1,2 .)

G. Self-righteously judging others:

Mk.14:4-10Why was this waste...made? For it might have been sold ...they murmured. Judas...went to betray Him

Lk.15:2The Pharisees murmured, This man receiveth sinners

Lk.19:7When [Pharisees] saw it, they all murmured, He [has] gone to be a guest with a sinner

6. Why murmuring is dangerous:

A. Murmuring angers God:

Num.11:1When the people complained‚ it displeased the Lord: and His anger was kindled; and fire...consumed them

Num.11:10,33[Israelites wailed for meat] and the anger of the Lord kindled greatly...and the Lord smote the people

Num.21:4-6The people spake against God...and the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people...and much people died

1Cor.10:10Neither murmur ye, as some of them [Israelites] also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer

(See also Num.17:10)

B. God may take us at our word:

Num.14:1,2All the children of Israel murmured... Would God that we had died in this wilderness

Num.14:26-35As ye have spoken, so will I do to you: Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness...even forty years

C. Any murmur is ultimately a murmur against God:

Exo.16:7Your murmurings (are) against the Lord: (for) what are we (Moses and Aaron), that ye murmur against us?

Exo.16:8Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord(See also vs. 9-13)

Num.16:11(You) are gathered together against the Lord: (for) what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

D. It causes others to murmur too:

Num.11:4,5[Mixed multitude lusted after meat, and soon the entire camp started murmuring]

Num.13:30-32; 14:36,37The (spies) made all the congregation to murmur...by bringing...an evil report (See also Deut.1:27,28)

Copyright © 2006 by The Family International