2016 - A Year of No Complaining and Murmuring
2016 – A Year of No Complaining and Murmuring
Here we go again into a New Year given to us by God. It was a wonderful year of 2015. Many things happened – good, bad and ugly in our world and lives. In all we thank God for bringing us into the New Year.
What does God have in stock for us this New Year? It is still the same plan He had from the beginning of time and beyond – i.e. to conform and transform us to the image of His dear Son Jesus Christ. Maybe you are looking for something else or expecting something else of God in 2016. Whatever it may be, I hope it is to make you one with the Father. If we stop spending too much time seeking His blessing we will have time to seek God Himself. Let’s seek God this 2016 above everything that is calling for our attention.
Yes it is a new year and with new resolutions. Everyone wants to know the specifics of what God wants them to do. Let’s look no further, for we do not walk by sight but by faith in God. Here is what faith in God says for 2016:
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain”. Philippians 2:12-16
In 2016, there will be journeys thru the wilderness just as the Israelites walked when they were brought out of Egypt. The question is whether we are going to complain or murmur along the way. Those who murmured and complained then could not enter into the promise land. Why?-Because they displeased the Lord. If God allows it in our lives, His grace is always sufficient for it.
When we complain and murmur, we are actually saying, ‘God, you are stupid and you do not know what you are doing with me’. This is the greatest insult to our loving Father.
God sovereignly ordains and orders the steps of the righteous that have put their trust and faith in God. Jesus has died for this very purpose: “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21.
Who we are, what we do and accomplish are ordained by God. He is doing the “equipping with everything good” engineering all of it to the glory of the Father.
What a great comfort and assurance going into the New Year. Our part and responsibility in 2016 is to “work it out” and do all things without “murmuring and complaining” or “questioning the providence of God”. How do we complain and murmur? Some of us have PhD in this department. We question everything that God allows our way and calling God stupid. We never experience joy, nor “count it all joy” when we face trials of various kinds. We want it fixed now and if not we start blaming all the people around us and eventually blame God.
Not only does God thru the new covenant in Christ equip us, but He is also “working” in us to please the Father, “to the glory of the Father”.
How can we avoid murmuring this 2016? It is only by having the mind of Christ (mind of sacrifice) that is constantly being renewed by the word of God. No short cuts. The promises of God are everlasting and they are yes to the believer in Christ. You want to know His perfect will for 2016? Then live out Romans 12:2: “2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” .
Practical step - get the one year bible so you can have systematic way of reading and meditating on God’s word for 2016. You can chose from one of many electronic versions from Biblegateway.com or BlueLetterBible.org. Your best plan for the year is to consistently hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey His voice. Many other resolutions in 2016 will fail you but God’s word will never fail you.
What is it all about? That “You shine as lights in the world”, 15 “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”. Oh Saints, it is going to get darker this year in our world but you and I are the lights and will shine brightest in a very dark world. We must keep praying and sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus which is the only hope for this world. We must also give thanks and rejoice in the Lord.
Happy New Year! No Complaining, murmuring or questioning God’s providence in 2016.
Here we go again into a New Year given to us by God. It was a wonderful year of 2015. Many things happened – good, bad and ugly in our world and lives. In all we thank God for bringing us into the New Year.
What does God have in stock for us this New Year? It is still the same plan He had from the beginning of time and beyond – i.e. to conform and transform us to the image of His dear Son Jesus Christ. Maybe you are looking for something else or expecting something else of God in 2016. Whatever it may be, I hope it is to make you one with the Father. If we stop spending too much time seeking His blessing we will have time to seek God Himself. Let’s seek God this 2016 above everything that is calling for our attention.
Yes it is a new year and with new resolutions. Everyone wants to know the specifics of what God wants them to do. Let’s look no further, for we do not walk by sight but by faith in God. Here is what faith in God says for 2016:
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain”. Philippians 2:12-16
In 2016, there will be journeys thru the wilderness just as the Israelites walked when they were brought out of Egypt. The question is whether we are going to complain or murmur along the way. Those who murmured and complained then could not enter into the promise land. Why?-Because they displeased the Lord. If God allows it in our lives, His grace is always sufficient for it.
When we complain and murmur, we are actually saying, ‘God, you are stupid and you do not know what you are doing with me’. This is the greatest insult to our loving Father.
God sovereignly ordains and orders the steps of the righteous that have put their trust and faith in God. Jesus has died for this very purpose: “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21.
Who we are, what we do and accomplish are ordained by God. He is doing the “equipping with everything good” engineering all of it to the glory of the Father.
What a great comfort and assurance going into the New Year. Our part and responsibility in 2016 is to “work it out” and do all things without “murmuring and complaining” or “questioning the providence of God”. How do we complain and murmur? Some of us have PhD in this department. We question everything that God allows our way and calling God stupid. We never experience joy, nor “count it all joy” when we face trials of various kinds. We want it fixed now and if not we start blaming all the people around us and eventually blame God.
Not only does God thru the new covenant in Christ equip us, but He is also “working” in us to please the Father, “to the glory of the Father”.
How can we avoid murmuring this 2016? It is only by having the mind of Christ (mind of sacrifice) that is constantly being renewed by the word of God. No short cuts. The promises of God are everlasting and they are yes to the believer in Christ. You want to know His perfect will for 2016? Then live out Romans 12:2: “2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” .
Practical step - get the one year bible so you can have systematic way of reading and meditating on God’s word for 2016. You can chose from one of many electronic versions from Biblegateway.com or BlueLetterBible.org. Your best plan for the year is to consistently hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey His voice. Many other resolutions in 2016 will fail you but God’s word will never fail you.
What is it all about? That “You shine as lights in the world”, 15 “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”. Oh Saints, it is going to get darker this year in our world but you and I are the lights and will shine brightest in a very dark world. We must keep praying and sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus which is the only hope for this world. We must also give thanks and rejoice in the Lord.
Happy New Year! No Complaining, murmuring or questioning God’s providence in 2016.
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