Murmuring and Complaining | Episode 5 | Wilderness

Duane Sheriff Ministries

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Murmuring and Complaining | Episode 5 | Wilderness

Grace & Truth

November 6, 2023 • Duane Sheriff • 1 Corinthians 10, Philippians 2:14, Numbers 14:26

In the fifth episode of "Murmuring and Complaining," Duane Sheriff delivers a powerful message on the dangers of murmuring and complaining. Drawing from personal testimony, Duane shares how God has worked in his own life to help him overcome a habit of murmuring and complaining, deeply rooted in his upbringing.

Using passages like Philippians 2:14, where Paul encourages believers to do everything without grumbling, and 1 Corinthians 10, Duane illustrates how the Israelites' constant complaining kept them from entering the Promised Land.

He carefully unpacks the story of the Israelites in the desert, highlighting the five specific sins that prevented them from receiving God's promises. Four of these sins are linked to murmuring and complaining. In Numbers 14:26, God is clear about His displeasure with the Israelites' constant complaints, which He equates to unbelief. Guard your heart against this destructive habit and cultivate an attitude of gratitude instead.

Duane balances the gravity of this sin with the assurance of God's grace and love through Jesus Christ. We should choose faith over unbelief, gratitude over grumbling, and enter into God's promises to avoid the pitfalls that hindered the Israelites in the wilderness.

Murmuring and Complaining | Episode 1 | Unbelief

October 31, 2023 • Duane Sheriff • Philippians 2:12–15, Colossians 2:6–10

Brother Duane teaches how the harmful behavior of murmuring and complaining stems from a heart of unbelief. God's love desires to transform our hearts so we can walk with Him in faith, gratitude, and thanksgiving. Murmuring and complaining are the voices of unbelief, while praise, worship, and thanksgiving are the voices of faith. Philippians 2:14 (ESV) says, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing." Murmuring and complaining question God's sovereignty, doubting His goodness and wisdom. God doesn't condemn us for our unbelief but lovingly convicts us. Sharing his experiences and convictions from the Holy Spirit, Duane explains how these negative actions can damage one's destiny and hinder God's purpose in life. He stresses the importance of leading a life characterized by faith, gratitude, and reverence for God, referencing scriptures such as Philippians 2:12-14 and Colossians 2:6-7. Philippians 2:12 (ESV) instructs: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." This fear is not anxiety but a holy reverence for God, trusting that His will and good pleasure are at work within us. When we walk in faith and thanksgiving, we experience God's blessings and purpose in our lives. Colossians 2:7 (ESV) states, "Abounding in thanksgiving." By giving thanks and praising God, our faith abounds, and we shine as a light in a world full of darkness.

Murmuring and Complaining | Episode 2 | New Identity

November 1, 2023 • Duane Sheriff • 1 Corinthians 15:45–47, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6

In the second episode of "Murmuring and Complaining," Duane Sheriff shares his transformative experience of encountering Christ and receiving a revelation of the cross. He describes an open vision he had in May 1980, where he saw himself inside Jesus on the cross, dying with Him, being buried, and then rising to new life. This vision dramatically changed his life, giving him a deep understanding of his new identity in Christ. Duane explains how this revelation aligns with Scripture, referencing Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me," and Romans 6, which speaks of being buried with Christ in baptism and raised to new life. He also mentions Ephesians 2, describing how believers are seated with Christ in heavenly places. There are three types of identity that people deal with: 1. Short-term identity: traits inherited from immediate family. 2. Long-term identity: our connection to Adam and the sin nature. 3. New identity in Christ: received through the new birth. Understanding our new identity in Christ can help overcome insecurities, complexes, and negative self-images rooted in our old nature. He contrasts the idea of having a "high self-esteem" with developing a "high Christ-esteem," encouraging believers to see themselves as new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus is referred to as the "second man" and "last Adam" in 1 Corinthians 15:45-47. He came to reverse the effects of Adam's sin and provide a new master copy for humanity. Through faith in Christ, believers can now live in a "kingdom of justification and righteousness," continually renewing their minds to align with their new identity in Him (Romans 12:2).

Murmuring and Complaining | Episode 3 | Heart of Faith

November 2, 2023 • Duane Sheriff • Romans 4:17–21, Philippians 2:12–15, Colossians 2:6–10, Hebrews 3:12, Galatians 2:20

In the third episode of "Murmuring and Complaining," Duane Sheriff addresses the dangerous habit of murmuring and complaining, which he identifies as the voice of unbelief. He contrasts this with the voice of faith, characterized by praise, worship, and thanksgiving. Philippians 2:14 instructs believers to "do all things without murmuring and disputings." Murmuring and complaining stem from an evil heart of unbelief, which can lead to departing from the living God (Hebrews 3:12). Abraham, the father of faith, illustrates how he went from being weak in faith to becoming strong in faith (Romans 4:18-20). Abraham learned to "call things that be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17). Despite facing seemingly impossible circumstances, Abraham believed in hope against hope, giving glory to God and being fully persuaded that God was able to perform what He had promised (Romans 4:20-21). Believers are encouraged to follow Abraham's example and cultivate a heart of faith that speaks the language of praise, worship, and thanksgiving. Our words have power, and when we speak from a heart of faith, we align ourselves with the faith of Jesus Christ that dwells within us (Galatians 2:20).