James 1:17 (HCSB) 17 Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. Do you believe those words? How about these? Philippians 4:19 (HCSB) 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. I would confidently answer, “Of course, I believe both of those verses.  God gives me more than I ever need.” The Israelites probably – one on one – would have told you that God took care of them, brought them out of Egypt, performed many miracles, could do anything. Let’s read Numbers, Chapter 17. Numbers 17:1-13 (HCSB) 1 The Lord instructed Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and take one staff from them for each ancestral house, 12 staffs from all the leaders of their ancestral houses. Write each man’s name on his staff. 3 Write Aaron’s name on Levi’s staff, because there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral house. 4 Then place them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony where I meet with you. 5 The staff of the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the Israelites’ complaints that they have been making about you.” 6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each of the leaders of their ancestral houses, 12 staffs [in all]. Aaron’s staff was among them. 7 Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. 8 The next day Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds! 9 Moses then brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They saw [them], and each man took his own staff. 10 The Lord told Moses, “Put Aaron’s rod back in front of the testimony to be kept as a sign for the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints before Me, or else they will die.” 11 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. 12 Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we’re perishing! We’re lost; we’re all lost! 13 Anyone who comes near the Lord’s tabernacle will die. Will we all perish?” The Amplified Bible uses the word “murmurings” in verses 5 and 10. It seems to me that when you read verses 12 and 13, the Israelites still didn’t get it.  They were whining again. Murmuring, that is, complaining, griping, criticizing, faultfinding, whining…are serious actions to God. In Numbers 16 (prior to the above passage) 14,700 Israelites were slain by a plague for murmuring against Moses and Aaron. In Numbers 21, the people, murmuring, are plagued with fiery serpents. In this passage, the Pharisees were complaining about Jesus and His Disciples’ habits: John 6:43 (HCSB) 43 Jesus answered them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. In the same chapter, Jesus asked His Disciples why they were complaining. Peter had something to say about complaining: 1 Peter 4:9 (HCSB) 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Paul covered everything with his writing about complaining: Colossians 3:17 (KJV) 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:23 (KJV) 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Philippians 2:14-15 (HCSB) 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. I know Believers who seem to think that complaining, whining, and criticism were inadvertently omitted from the lists of the fruit of the Spirit and spiritual gifts.  Sometimes I act as though faultfinding and complaining should be my spiritual gift. By nature, I am usually a positive person.  What happens when I see everything in the negative?  My focus is blurred.  I have become focused on myself or my problems, neither of which is worthy of a Believer’s focus.  My focus is to always be Jesus: Hebrews 12:1-3 (Amplified Bible)  1THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,     2Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.     3Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. What has happened when we start complaining and whining?  We have grown weary or exhausted.  We have lost heart and are relaxing our guard and fainting dead away in front of the enemy. 1 Peter 5:8 (HCSB) 8 Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. When we start whining and complaining, finding fault with our brothers and sisters, or just plain being contrary, we are not sober (clear-minded); we are not alert.  We give entrance to the enemy to plant seeds of bitterness and lead us into sin. But when we stay focused on Jesus (verse 2 and 3), when we think of Him, we will be strong; we will experience joy and peace.  We will be filled with the Spirit so that we may walk in the Spirit and defy the flesh and the enemy. Jesus told us that all things are possible when we focus on Him; He told us that it is His will that we experience abundant life. When we allow ourselves to drift away from Him, we always wind up in trouble. Isaiah 40:29-31 (HCSB) 29 He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. 30 Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, 31 but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint. We must be still before Him in prayer and in the study of His Word.  When we acknowledge that He is God and He is in charge, our troubles and aggravations become small and seem to fade away. An old song tells us to “Turn our eyes upon Jesus.” Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Words and Music by Helen H. Lemmel, 1922 O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s a light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! Refrain Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; Over us sin no more hath dominion— For more than conquerors we are! Refrain His Word shall not fail you—He promised; Believe Him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell! Refrain Beloved, whatever is troubling you, whatever is causing you to complain or be negative will grow dim “in the light of His glory and grace.”  Won’t you turn to Him now in prayer?  Won’t you let Him minister peace to your weary soul?