131. THANKFULNESS/MURMURING      --page 1017--

         In every thing give thanks (1Thes.5:18).

         1. You'll never miss the blessing until the blessing's gone.
         2. The murmurer always begins murmuring in his heart first and that's why it finally comes out of his mouth. Out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh.
         3. Let's carry the burden of our responsibilities bravely, courageously, cheerfully and thankfully, and not be heard to grumble, groan and gripe!
         4. Sometimes you need to look back and count your blessings and realise you never had it so good before!
         5. Murmuring is the voice of the Enemy and his doubts, and a critical spirit sows dissension, disunity and discord amongst brethren, one of the seven abominations to God!
         6. "Yes, it's pretty hard," the optimistic old woman admitted. "I have to get along with only two teeth--one upper, one lower--but, thank goodness, they meet."
         7. The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without it.
         8. God hates murmurers and destroyed six million in the Sinai Desert!
         9. We can't count all His blessings in dollars and cents because most of it is His wonderful glorious faithful blessings of spiritual salvation and inspiration and His love and the love of others and good health and wealth of witnessing and souls for His Kingdom!
         10. When you've thanked God for every blessing, what time is there left for murmurs or laments?
         11. Be thankful for the little bit God gives you or He may take it all back!
         12. God takes away blessings when we don't appreciate them.
         13. We need to learn how to say "thank you!"
         14. We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.
         15. I had no shoes and I complained!--Until I met a man who had no feet.
         16. One thing God can't stomach is a murmurer or a complainer--first you doubt, then you murmur, then you rebel!
         17. When you are dog-tired at night, could it be because you have growled all day?
         18. God hates murmuring! You need to get your minds on your blessings, and be thankful for all God's goodness! If you don't, He'll give you something to cry about!
         19. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
         20. You never miss the water till the well runs dry.
         21. You cannot have your cake and eat it too.
         22. If you can't be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escape.
         23. Murmuring is the first sign of wanting to turn back.
         24. Some people find something to murmur about no matter what happens.
         25. It's wrong to run yourself down. You're the Lord's creation and He made you, and why should you belittle God's creation?
         26. You can't appreciate the light unless you've known darkness; you can't appreciate health unless you've been sick; you can't appreciate joy until you've known sorrow!
         27. The only thing that makes a murmurer happy is more murmuring.
         28. When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings with toys at Christmastide. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs.
         29. I guess one of the best things we can thank the Lord for is His love, life and His supply of our needs.
         30. Many people murmur and complain and grouch about what they don't have instead of being thankful for the blessings they do have, which is why God doesn't feel like giving them any more.
         31. God hates murmuring, complaining, grumbling, and grouching almost more than any other sin.
         32. Lord help us not to forget to be thankful continually, constantly praising Thee and quoting Thy Word to encourage our faith and singing positive songs of praise to rebuke the Enemy!
         33. A few little bad things have to happen so you'll be thankful that they don't happen all the time. You don't always get your way and get to do everything you want to do and have everything that you want to have, because if you did you wouldn't even appreciate it.
         34. I'm getting fed up with people who don't show their gratitude by something material. It's nice to say, "Thanks" or "I love you" but it doesn't pay the bills! We're not charging, but we expect people to show their thanks and their appreciation, and they ought to give more for love than if we charged them!
         35. Thank Him for the answer even if you don't see it immediately.
         36. Thank God for your blessings! Thank God for the Family, thank God for love, thank God for salvation, thank God for protection, thank God for provision, thank God for everything!
         37. We have Thanksgiving every day. We have a feast every night! Every day is Christmas and Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday and New Year's all in one!
         38. The result of putting the enemy's doubts and fears into words and sharing his lies with others: It has just the opposite effect of witnessing the Truth of God and the Truth of the Word of God! It gets others down and unhappy and discouraged and doubting and fearing and finally murmuring and complaining just like you are when you start witnessing your doubts to others and sharing the Devil's lies with others.
         39. The Lord wants us to appreciate everything while it lasts, to appreciate these days of Heaven on Earth--Heavenly Family, Heavenly Homes, Heavenly children, Heavenly work--and treasure every one, every passing day, every bit of fellowship, every bit of love, every bit of contact, every bit of luxury and supply of every need and want as well. We should be thankful and treasure it and be grateful for it day by day, every moment of every day, be praising and thanking the Lord even if it's our last.
         40. Take the spoiling of your goods joyfully; in everything give thanks. The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord!

         (See also No. 20, 33, 114, 287, 290, 313, 395, 513, 551, 599, 641, 756, 766, 835, 847, 954, 957, 958, 997, 1148, 1259, 1357, 1440, 1492.)

         41. NUM.11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and His anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
         42. PSA.100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name.
         43. LUK.17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? (Luk.17:11-19).
         44. ROM.9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say unto Him that hath formed it, Why hast Thou made me thus?
         45. 1CO.10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the Destroyer.
         46. EPH.5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
         47. PHI.1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.
         48. PHI.2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings.
         49. 1TH.5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.


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