a complaining CHRISTian is a bad witness...

philippians 2.13-15 (niv), do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of GOD without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

so what are the results of not complaining?

do everything without complaining or arguing... and then he gives us three results. so that you may become blameless ... this means that when you don't complain, nobody can find fault with you. nobody can point a finger at you.

... and pure... the greek word here means "having integrity". non complainers are people of integrity.

children of GOD without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

our culture is so negative. when you find a person who is genuinely positive they stick out like a sore thumb. the contrast is obvious. they shine like a star in the middle of a dark night.

it is so different to be positive in this world, to not be a complainer, not be critical, not be a put-down person, that when you become that in your own life, you will shine like a star.

the point of the passage is paul is saying that CHRISTians are to react differently to the circumstances in life. a complaining CHRISTian is a bad witness. a positive attitude is a great witness; it has impact

how do you make an impact in the world so that the world takes notice? check your attitude. be positive in a negative world.

now some of you are saying, pastor bill, i would like to be more positive, but you don’t understand what i am going through. if you had to put up with the situations in my life you’d complain too.

listen that is why you need a power beyond yourself, that is why you need JESUS CHRIST. HE is the antidote to our culture and our nature. HE makes us new people inside.

for some of you the complaining is an embedded habit. the only way that will be broken is by an external power in your life who will begin changing you from the inside out. and that is JESUS CHRIST.

just a thought from the front porch...