“I will put a stop to the complaints…”

            Little Johnny was always complaining to his mother.  Sometimes he would complain about his brother, and at other times about his sister, or his teachers, or his friends, or his…well you get the picture.  He was truly a master in the art of complaining, but no one appreciated his artistry, especially his mom. 

            Parents in general, are not fond of too much complaining.  They are already burdened with problems and endless responsibilities.  The last thing they need is to hear the grumbles and endless complaints of their children.

            I believe God is the same way.  Even though He loves us and is patient with us, I believe that He would rather listen to our praises than to our problems.  He delights himself in true worshippers not in whiners.

            There are however genuine concerns (not complaints) that we must bring to God in prayer.  He listens to our problems when we pray to Him and he is sympathetic to our needs, for His is a throne of grace, but doubts and complaints are not welcomed in his glorious throne.

            Examine yourself today to see if there is a spirit of complaining in you.  Remember that your tongue is there to praise the Lord or to pray in his Name; but is not designed to speak against God or to complain like little children.

            There is a promise of God in this chapter: He will stop all the complaints.  Before that happens; before God “cuts your tongue,” stop your complaining.  No one has solved any problem by grumbling, and you are not the exception.

            A. G.

            “…get away from…Korah…”

            A Christian young man had a good friend-at least that is what he thought.  He trusted his “friend” completely and would tell him all of his secrets, problems and intimate dreams.  One day, this false friend betrayed him and revealed all his secrets publicly.

            His pastor had warned him repeatedly about this unequal friendship.  He was told several times to keep away from the evil friend, but he didn’t listen, thinking that his pastor was exaggerating. Finally the young man realized his mistake, and separated himself from the one he thought, was his friend.

            In the Bible we are admonished to separate ourselves from false friends and false believers.  Korah is an example of them.  He rebelled against Moses and God and actively promoted division among the people.  He paid dearly for this infraction, as he and most of his family went down (alive) straight to Sheol (or Hell).

            Therefore we must keep away from those who cause divisions and betray the Lord.  There are many “Korahs” frequenting congregations and we must be very careful for they are very dangerous.

            The Bible does admonish us to, “not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” (2 Corinthians 6:14)

            Unite yourself with mature disciples who are role models in your church.  Observe their behavior, faith and love and imitate them.  You will become like those whom you associate with.  Make sure to choose the best.

            A. G.

            “…a single statute…same law…”

            The Law of Christ applies to every human being.  It is the same for men and women; Jews and Gentiles; young and old and for every race, tribe, people or nation in the world.  The Bible is the Word of God, and in it we find God’s will for our lives and many principles that deal with every situation.  Although we are not bound by the Law of Moses, we must follow the Law of Christ and his “rules” for a successful Christian life.

            What is this Law of Christ and what are we supposed to do?  Good question. I will briefly say that Jesus wants us to do the following things; and much more:

1. Love God and our neighbors (including enemies).
2. Love one another
3. Preach the Gospel to the entire world.
4. Live in holiness (salt of the earth)
5. Please the Father in everything we do.
6. Take up our cross and follow Him
7. Study the Scriptures, watch and pray.

            This is what Christ wants us to do, and if we are obedient, he will be pleased with us.  He has given to us the divine Holy Spirit who will help us to fulfill the Law of Christ in our hearts.

            We are responsible before God to study his Word with hungry hearts.  I pray that our Heavenly Father will make us hungry to know God, hungry to know his will and hungry to obey Him.

             A. G.

           “You shall add oil to it…”

            I enjoy eating bread.  There are many varieties I like, such as Cuban, French, Italian, White Mountain, garlic, etc. I can eat these breads with or without butter, but my favorite additive is olive oil.

            Olive oil (and a little touch of salt or black pepper) brings up the flavor to another dimension.  Any type of bread “anointed” with, or dipped in olive oil becomes a delicacy, a delicious and mouthwatering feast.  Olive oil can transform dry bread into a meal coveted by everyone.

            Oil was indispensable for the grain offerings; without oil they were unacceptable.  The oil was added to the flour, or it was mixed with it, to make unleavened cakes and wafers.  As you know, it is impossible to bake bread or cakes without some kind of oil.

            It is also impossible to be a Christian or live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit.  In the Old Testament, the oil was used for some offerings and to anoint Kings and priests.  In the New, the Holy Spirit replaced this archaic use of oil

            We are anointed with the Holy Spirit today!  To be anointed is to be filled and empowered by the Spirit, to serve God in a mighty way.  We need to pray and ask God to fill us with his Holy Spirit every day, so we can become very effective and powerful Christians.

            Is your life a bit dry and tasteless today?  Ask God for a “touch of oil.” He will not anoint your head with olive oil or give you a second baptism with the Spirit, but he will fill us with his Spirit and we shall become powerful, useful and pleasing to God.

            A. G.

            “…and arrange its setting;”

            The house of God must be in order.  The furniture in the Tabernacle was orderly arranged.  Everything was in its place, whether it was in the outer court, in the Holy Place or in the Holy of Holies.

            An old saying goes like this, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”

            I will say that there must be order in every church, and in every church all things must be done in order.

            When we mention the word “order,” it means something different to different people.  For example, some believe that the sanctuary must be orderly; others perhaps place a strong emphasis either in the organizational infrastructure or in the order of the worship service.

            All the aforementioned concepts are good; nevertheless there are far more important matters.  Our churches must place a high value and maintain the order in the following areas:

1. Doctrinal
2. Moral/Ethical
3. Relational (Love)

            When the above items are in order, there will be no divisions or immoral practices in our congregations.  Divisions and scandals in our churches stem from following “every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14), or by loving this world more than God. Therefore, let’s put our lives in order by following the Word; practicing love; and pursuing holiness.

        A. G.