March 5, 2012 | Leave a comment Today, Monday March 5, 20112, is the tenth day of preparing our hearts, souls and minds for the most high of all Christian holy days, Easter Sunday. We are 25 percent through our 40 Days of Preparation. Today we will discuss why I need to “put off”complaining and “put on” praise. If you’ve ever read the Old Testament account of God leading the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage to the promised land it is hard not to notice that the children of Israel seem to be natural complainers. It is very easy with hindsight which the Scriptures provide us to condemn them for their complaining and grumbling toward God and Moses. If we were honest with ourselves however, we must admit that we too are natural complainers. It is clear from the teaching of Scripture that a complaining attitude is unpleasing to God. We each have much to learn from the following passage. 1 Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. Numbers 11:1 (NASB) Do you agree with me that were the Lord to burn up the outskirts of our cities, towns, neighborhoods, cul-de-sacs, or yards each time we were to exhibit the attitude of complaining due to the adversity of life that this would be a scorched earth. While I would like to think that were the Lord to burn up my yard I would learn my lesson; an honest assessment of my life experience would suggest otherwise. The apostle James suggest that we should not complain against one another because God who is our judge is near. 9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. James 5:9 (NASB) Paul teaches that we are to do everything without complaining or arguing. 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, Philippians 2:14 I don’t know about your house but were my family to apply this verse literally to our household I’m not certain that anything would ever get done. I’m fairly certain that were we to apply this verse literally to the work of our church very little would be accomplished. So you can see by these two statements of fact that I need to “put off” complaining and “put on” praise. We praise God for who He is. Whenever I praise Him I am removing my focus from the menial and placing it on the eternal. When I stop to consider who God is if I am His child I will naturally give Him praise. I believe that this is why the writer of Hebrews instructs us to give continually to God a sacrifice of praise. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:15 (ESV) By placing praise to God upon my lips I am removing complaining and grumbling which displease God and am instead placing upon my lips a sacrifice of praise which in the words of the Old Testament KJV are “a sweet savor unto the Lord.” In in addition to replacing complaining with praise I am placing myself in a position which will bring us blessing and not judgment from the Lord. One way to accomplish this is that whenever you feel tempted to complain or are feeling despondent, sing a song of praise. It is one of the best ways to experience calm and contentment when life becomes bleak. Today as you “put off” complaining and “put on” praise why not sing? Sing loud and proud for all to hear! Oh you say you can’t sing, well neither can I. The Bible does not say that only those who can sing well, may sing, but rather to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” 4 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psalm 98:4 (KJV) See I was not kidding, the text actually says “make a joyful noise” so however horribly your singing is anyone’s singing qualifies as noise. For your singing to qualify as praise you just must sing joyfully. So today as as you join me in “putting off” complaining and “putting on” praise lets sing, loudly, proudly and most importantly joyfully, and according to the clear teaching of Scripture God will be praised!