Here you will find a page for each day of the study. I’m not saying this is always easy because it isn’t. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? As followers of Christ, complaining has no place in our vocabulary! The daily worksheets use my 5L Bible Study Method: Letter, Look, Learn, Live, Love which encourages and guides us to look deeper into the text we are reading. Rather, it reveals an inability or unwillingness to see and rejoice in other's good, or our own. James 5:9 – “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. Philippians 2:14 - Do all things without murmurings and disputings: Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. We’ll have a mini topical Bible study on complaining. 2:12-15 How are we to do all things (i.e., all the dictates of God’s will – Phil. You and I have the choice to either complain or make the best of things. However, complaining is the opposite of thanksgiving and praise. If God is for us, who can be against us?". Share your ideas in the comments. Think about His love for you on the cross! Philippians 2:14 – “Do all things without grumbling or questioning.”. Look at God’s reaction to the people of Israel in the Old Testament. There’s too much discomfort. Our lives are very busy and on the go. 3 The sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we … They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Bible verses related to Complaining from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance. Moses begs God for mercy, but God requires Miriam to wait the usual 7 days of isolation before being restored to the people. Could it be that showing hospitality requires sacrifice? There is no grey area in the captioned passage above. When God asked if Adam had eaten from the tree of which he commanded him not to eat, Adam replied, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12)2 When God … His favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:31 - "What then shall we say to these things? Let’s keep learning together. A Short Bible Study About Complaining. kom-plan'-ing (tsewachah, "cry," "outcry," siach, "meditation," "complaint"): tsewachah is translated "complaining" (Psalms 144:14, the Revised Version (British and American)) "outcry," "no complaining (outcry) in our streets," i.e. My own kids heard me say, “Stop complaining” many times. Daily devotional with John Piper. This angers God and He calls them out and rebukes them for it and afflicts Miriam with leprosy. Complaining, And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat (Numbers 11:1-4, ESV)! (Philippians 2:14-18) Complaining is probably one of the sins most tolerated by Christians. So, why not show God honor by living a life that loves instead of a life that grumbles? This series of free printable Bible Study Lessons is a collection of Jesus' most popular Bible parables. Historical Writings. It’s becoming obvious that complaining angers God. Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Job and his wife have just lost everything – their possessions, their children, their reputation, and even Job’s health. And that we humans struggle with sacrificing our time, comfort, and convenience for the benefit of others? Satan. Worsening of the irritation with return to the site of Bible study would suggest that you were exposed to an allergen or an irritant there. And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Now let’s move on to the New Testament. How can we practically guard our hearts against grumbling and complaining? Read your Bible every single day. Complaining isn’t a favorite topic. Acts believers Bible Christ Christian church Ephesians Exodus experience faith Genesis God God's economy gospel Hebrews Israel Jehovah Jerusalem John life Luke Matthew Moses New Testament Old Testament Revelation Romans Spirit tabernacle truth. First it’s work, then grocery shopping, and then household maintenance, and then making dinner, and time with the kids, and time with your spouse, and more importantly time with God. Common Questions and Answers about No complaining rule bible study. Because “the Destroyer” destroyed some complainers. Memorizing Scripture is a great family activity. 1 Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”. I used to skim over this verse because it reminds me of a common command to young children. I don’t expect this post to become one of my most popular. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. What does the New Testament say about complaining? God bless you all as you continue to live a life worthy of the calling! God convicted me of my own grumbling attitude. If those things are true, and if that’s why Peter included that little mention of complaining, what does it tell us about ourselves and about the sin of complaining? Complaining is certainly not a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and, in fact, is detrimental to the peace, joy, and patience that come from the Spirit. What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? This is straightforward. Jude is talking about “ungodly people”. For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died (Numbers 21:4-6, ESV). In chapter 15, they complain, forgetting about God’s miraculous and faithful provision. I Quit Studying the Bible & Why You Should Too, A Heart of Fear Transformed By God’s Word. Complaining leads to destruction. Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Advertise, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”, How to Push Back on Peer Pressure for Teens, 6 Christian Friends Who Have Influenced My Life. Well, Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  You have to accept the new life you have been given in Christ. God calls us to rise above our stresses and... A New Attitude. We all need to approach the throne in humility and acknowledge our need for Jesus. On the other hand the eye irritation could be from exposure to something at Bible study. The last Old Testament passage we’ll look at today sounds too familiar after what we’ve just read. Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. Just finished lesson two and excited for the lessons to follow. 25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Strength, Words of Encouragement: 30 Uplifting Quotes, 3 Great Prayers From The Bible You Can Pray Back To God, 5 Powerful Strategies to Overcome Fear Today, Why Christian Posts Are Censored More Often on Social Media, Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies – Movie Review, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure – Movie Review, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island – Movie Review. Complaining doesn't get a point across. God bless. COMPLAINING. In our own Bible Student classes of today, the same things will not be so manifest. Is it ok to feel emotions of discouragement, disappointment, anger, sadness and loss? He has nothing negative to say about the Lord in all of their trials, but his wife wants Job to “curse God and die”. Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. If complaining is a sin that you struggle with ‍♀️, I encourage you to continue digging into God’s Word and allow the truth to set you free. So how do we change our hearts and minds to stop complaining? The men who wrote Scripture were always thinking about the way . Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More. Thanks for stopping by! That sounds like some intense complaining! I realized this while chewing on the evangelist’s link between complaining and Revelation 2:4: “You have forsaken your first love.” Had I? 2 The whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. We’ve covered a lot of Scripture here, but the Bible has even more to say about complaining than what we’ve read today. Pull out your Bible and join me as we explore some Bible verses that address complaining. Immediately after the people experienced a horrific consequence for their sinful attitudes, they did it again! Job’s faith in God’s goodness frustrated Job’s wife. James 5:9 – “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge... It’s Black And White. Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord (Exodus 16:7-8, ESV).”. "open places" where the people commonly assembled near the gate of the city (compare 2 Chronicles 32:6; Nehemiah 8:1); a … Used by permission. We complain because it brings attention to ourselves and therefore a false sense of comfort. However one may need to express real concerns to whom the point of irritation or conflict arises. We also see that, even when God is merciful, even when He forgives us, we sometimes still have to face the consequences of our actions. Absolutely yes, but even in the emotional chaos we need to act on truth and not on our feelings. It probably won’t happen instantly, but if you’re willing, God will teach you to recognize when your heart is grumbling and then to choose a better response to your circumstances. Again, we see that complaining can have dire consequences. They were slaves to a ruthless dictator who demanded the impossible from them for nothing in return. How about it! In all this Job did not sin with his lips (Job 2:9-10, ESV). Yet we all need to take care of course. It means that complaining is a symptom of our selfishness and idolatry. Receive God’s grace and forgiveness and ask Him to transform your heart. But faithful complaining does not impugn God with wrong. We learn about grumbling and complaining in the Bible—for example, regarding how the Israelites wandered for 40 days—and there are other scenarios on how God commands us to bless His Holy name! Moses is leading them through the wilderness according to God’s plan, but the people are complaining. Let’s face it; our lives are jam-packed full of things to do and that can create serious stress at times. And the people became impatient on the way. Why would he say that? When you spend time with God, whether its acts of service, prayer, or Bible time, He will fill your cup to overflowing through the Spirit! We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer (1 Corinthians 10:9-10, ESV). Less of God means more of “me”. Aaron recognizes their sin and repents. In Numbers 12:1-6, Miriam and Aaron dislike Moses’ choice of wife and they get jealous of his role as God’s mouthpiece to the people. Personal Resources. From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. People complain because they aren’t feeling the way they want or things aren’t happening the way they want. No complaining rule bible study. The Bible teaches that complaining is definitely wrong for the growing Christian. Complaining does not show strength of character or great insight. Like all sin, there is temporary pleasure in complaining ( Hebrews 11:25 ). “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)  The truth sets us free from the bondage of sin and gives us a new life in Christ. I hope these Bible verses about complaining help you and your family pursue a positive, God-centered household. How about it! We all have fallen prey to complaining and to be completely honest, complaining really is summed up in four words, “it’s all about me”. But Job’s response gives us an important nugget of truth. Give them to us voluntarily, because we didn't take anyone to be a wife for the men of the tribe of Benjamin as a result of the battle. That means complaining is sin. We tolerate it and perhaps don’t even think of it as sin because we’re all so prone to do it. Complaining can have serious consequences and leads to destruction. Complaining had also affected my love for Jesus. Complaining, grumbling, whining, and murmuring has been human traits since the world began, even in the Garden of Eden, when Adam became our first whiner. Do you love Jesus? Do you allow the circumstances to dictate your reaction, or do you rise above them? They’re in transition, on their way to the Promised Land, but it’s much harder than they’d expected. One needs to find the best time and way to express the points they need to share. complaining. If you like what you're reading, you can get free daily updates through the RSS feed here. It indicates a desire to blame someone or something else. grumbling, Derek Hill is a father of two beautiful children. Our last Old Testament passage gives us a powerful insight: Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Here we see that complaining can have serious consequences. Thankfulness is actually God’s will for our lives. Why? Pastoral Resources. They longed for freedom, deliverance, a savior. Thinking about how lovely/handsome they are is one great way to deter the negative thoughts. All Rights Reserved. “Complaining” can also be translated “grumbling.” “‘Grumbling’ (goggusmon) is an onomatopoeic word that sounds like what it means similar to words such as: buzz, boom, meow, or murmur.” 1 It “describes the low, threatening, discontented muttering of a mob who distrust their leaders and are on the verge of an uprising.” 2 It is a verbal expression of one’s dissatisfaction with … Share the Gospel every single day! It should be about a mutually known topic, not unexpected advice giving. Jesus didn't hold anything back in his teaching, so neither do these lessons. In those times of stress how do you conduct yourself? If their fathers or brothers come complaining to us, we'll tell them "Be generous! In chapter 16, they complain because their hearts are full of unbelief. Tagged as: Derek has written 114 articles on What Christians Want To Know! With the truth of the Word of God, you and I can be proactive instead of reactive. Peter tells us to be hospitable without complaining. We must guard our hearts. It is self-serving and completely the opposite of we are called to do. Complaining is an easy trap to fall into when we aren’t spending time with God. He tells her she’s foolish and then asks, “If we’re happy to accept good things from God, shouldn’t we also accept the bad?” His point is that, if we trust God as God when we like His plan and He gives us good gifts, should we not also trust Him as God when His plan doesn’t make sense to us and is difficult to handle? Life in Egypt was not good. Sincerely, Diana Lopez, Women’s Bible Study Leader ***** "Thank you for the wonderful study in Colossians. Complaining is sinful to God and He will not tolerate sin in any circumstance. Complaining is not befitting a follower of Jesus Christ. But they’ve already forgotten how bad it was in Egypt. He doesn’t just promise a one-course meal of meat; God promises meat for a month. These should never be of a nature to degrade the person or cause them harm. Yes, very true. “Murmur” is a half-suppressed or low-voiced complaint. Tools. It angers God. “Complain” is to express selfish discontent. So the name of that place was called Taberah because the fire of the Lord burned among them. So they complain. Christian Study, Let’s take a look at some Bible passages and see what it says about complaining. One of the best verses to memorize to fight the temptation to complain is Philippians 4:8 which says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  All of these “things” put your focus off of you and onto other things. We’ll have a mini topical Bible study on complaining. Rather, it is an honest, groaning expression of what it’s like to experience the trouble, anguish, and grief of living in this fallen, futile world (Romans 8:20–23). But as Christians, we need to know what the Bible says about complaining. Solid Joys. Grumbling and complaining are symptoms of spiritual amnesia, a disease that will kill us unless we make every effort to remember God’s grace to us. We don’t enjoy listening to others complain, but we’re also uncomfortable with facing our own grumbling attitudes. All rights reserved.”. “Grumble” is to mutter (indistinct or low-voiced) self-centered discontent. God calls us to rise above our stresses and trials without complaining. Complaining is a natural human response to difficulty. God is gracious and merciful and will forgive us for complaining when we repent. In this story, we also see that jealousy can lead to a complaining heart. Complaining bible study. He has been in the church his whole life. Despite the Israelites’ incessant complaining, God patiently responds to their food tantrum with one of the most unfathomable promises in Scripture. Another root of complaining is impatience. Listening or playing music is one of Derek's favorite things to do. I wanted to know more about God’s heart on this topic, so I dug deeper into what the Bible says about complaining. God presents us with a case study in complaining in Numbers 11. Question: "What does the Bible say about complaining?" I encourage you to read it in your Bible. Faithless complaining is sinful because it accuses God of doing wrong. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? So they complain about it. Keeping in mind it is to be “constructive criticism “. God does not mind this kind of complaining. Bible Study, Why did he add “without grumbling”? Notify me of followup comments via e-mail, Previous post: How to Push Back on Peer Pressure for Teens, Next post: 6 Christian Friends Who Have Influenced My Life. The Bible repeatedly refers to their complaining—in the Psalms, in the Prophets, in the Gospels, in the Epistles, and three separate times in the Book of Hebrews. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. These ungodly people are characterized by complaining. Before moving on, let’s review what’s going on here. If complaining is a characteristic of the ungodly, I sure don’t want it to be used to describe me! Do you have children? Who is the Destroyer? A quick sidenote: I used “grumbling” and “complaining” interchangeably throughout this post. Let’s review what we learned from the Bible about complaining: If you’re convicted about a complaining or grumbling heart, repent. I hope you have been encouraged in your walk with the Lord today. Check out our other articles on kids, Bible verses, and/or memorization: 5 Great Bible Verses for Kids to Memorize about Thankfulness; Complaining Kids: 7 Christian Parenting Strategies Let’s look at one more Bible verse about grumbling. God has just delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. Therefore, when we complain, we are disobeying Him. Complaining is a symptom of bigger issues, like unbelief, envy, selfishness, discontentment, or impatience. How about it! 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Complaining, Murmuring, and Grumbling | Bible study. We are to show love and serve others, not serve our own flesh. Judges 21:22. Pull out your Bible and join me as we explore some Bible verses that address complaining. Jesus' strongest teaching occurred when he taught in parables. But that single blunt verse nagged at me. We not only observe the complaining of the people of Israel, we also gain insight as to the reasons behind the complaining. And God delivered! Show hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9, ESV). A quick sidenote: I used “grumbling” and “complaining” interchangeably throughout this post. So Moses named that place Massah, which means "testing" and Meribah, which means "complaining." Let’s start in the Old Testament. There is no grey area in the captioned passage above. Last year during my journey of memorizing Philippians, I got stuck on chapter 2 verse 14: “Do everything without complaining or grumbling.”. Answer: The Greek word translated “complainer” means literally “one who is discontented with his lot in life.” It is akin to the word grumbler. Site Resources ... "Is the Lord really with us?" I remember when God began convicting me of my grumbling spirit. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? Judg 21:22. Complaining doesn't show responsibility. The Word of God comes down pretty hard on thesin of complaining. We also see that people can be slow learners. Jesus commanded us not to grumble or complain. What Do Christians Believe About Dinosaurs? It gives the enemy of our souls a foothold in our lives. When we become impatient, we’re more prone to complain. Feelings come and go, but truth will always remain. - Sort By Book Order. Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves (John 6:43, ESV). Common Questions and Answers about Complaining bible study. My heart’s bubbling over sins forgiven, its burning while in His presence, its bursting over answers to prayer — these were still intact. Could it be because our human nature is selfish? Whew! The Judge is standing at the door and He is listening. For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness (Exodus 14:11-12, ESV).”, And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink (Exodus 15:24, ESV)?”, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. The Apostle Paul also warned the elders at Ephesus that after Paul’s parting, “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). Complaining about anything is complaining against God. Resources – “Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage (Jude 1:16, ESV). He’s describing them throughout this chapter, and one of the words he uses to describe them is “grumblers”. Language Tools. Complaining is a poor attitude and you need to have the transformation of your mind to stop living in the flesh. ... Interactive Bible study with John Piper. The more you focus on others, the less time you will focus on your own desires. “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us"- Augustine, Copyright © 2010-2021 Telling Ministries LLC. Remember, complaining is all about “me”. Phil. So one needs to seek the Lord’s guidance before making any opinion known. kom-plān´ing (צוחה, cewāḥāh, "cry," "outcry," שׂיה, sı̄aḥ, "meditation," "complaint"): cewāḥāh is translated "complaining" (Psalm 144:14, the Revised Version (British and American) "outcry," "no complaining (outcry) in our streets," i.e. Thank you, thank you for offering bible studies without the fluff that is usually in women studies and putting out material that can really grow women in their knowledge of God. But again, God is gracious and merciful. A bible study by Daniel Kolenda "Living a lifestyle of thanksgiving and gratitude to God can actually become one of the most effective spiritual weapons that has the potential to release the richest blessings of God in our lives!" Complaining is also bad for your health While it’s not an exaggeration to say that complaining leads to brain damage, it doesn’t stop there. I have also written a Bible Study Guide and Workbook to go with the Established: 30 Days before the Promised Land Scripture Plan. The entire chapter of Numbers 16 teaches us these same lessons but in a much more dramatic story. In the Bible, God speaks about faithfulness, praise, thanksgiving and exaltation. complaining. In chapter 14, they complain and wish they were back in Egypt. Read them in the archive below. A Christian Study Be Careful. We rehearse our problems so others can see how bad we have it and give us pity. Think about how much joy they bring to your life! He plays guitar for the worship team at his church. Do you have a spouse? (Yes, comfort and convenience can be idols.). So, I encourage you all, as I must do as well, to pray every single day. But, with Christ as our foundation we can overcome the trials and stresses of each day. It is a sin. Bible Study Tools. Why didn’t he just say, “Show hospitality to one another”, and leave it at that? “And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.” (Numbers 11:1) The Lord hates sin, and unless repentance is made you will be on very rocky soil. God wants us all to be thankful in every single circumstance we face. Meta. There is no room for debate here. 2:5, 8, 13 )? Paul exhorted the Corinthians not to grumble. So complaining is a symptom of envy and discontentment. Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? It makes others stop listening.