The Foxes That Spoil The Vine…..(Part 4 of Series)

Scripture:  Song of Solomon 2:15 (KJV)¹⁵ Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

My next “small sin”  is Murmuring and Complaining:

Have you ever been disgusted with your life?  I know as a Christian in the faith, I have been disgusted many times.  The problem with being disgusted, is it brings about the need to Complain/Murmur.  One thing about Murmuring and Complaining, it does show your true nature.  The mouth does betray the heart, as the Bible says in  Matthew 15:18 (KJV) ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

 The Bible is specific about Murmuring and Complaining, it says NOT to do it….. Philippians 2:14 (KJV) ¹⁴ Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Here are some things about Complaining and Murmuring:

Shows when you are overwhelmed in spirit:  Psalm 77:3 (KJV) ³ I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

Makes you want to have a death wish:  Numbers 11:15 (KJV) ¹⁵ And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Numbers 20:2-3 (KJV) ² And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.  ³ And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

 I Kings 19:4 (KJV) ⁴ But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Sleep will not come:  Psalm 77:4 (KJV) ⁴ Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

You will appear selfish:  Numbers 21:5 (KJV) ⁵ And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

 Exodus 14:12 (KJV) ¹² Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

 Deuteronomy 1:27 (KJV) ²⁷ And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

….a coward:  Exodus 14:12-13 (KJV) ¹² Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. ¹³ And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Cause discouragement against the people of GOD:  Exodus 15:23-25 (KJV) ²³ And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. ²⁴ And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? ²⁵ And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

Shows your stubborn streak:  Psalms 106:25 (KJV) ²⁵ But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.

Shows ignorance, lack of spiritual understanding:  Isaiah 29:24 (KJV) ²⁴ They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

 Mark 14:5 (KJV) ⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

Shows jealousy:  Matthew 20:11-12 (KJV) ¹¹ And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, ¹² Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

Shows Self-righteousness:  Luke 5:30 (KJV) ³⁰ But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Luke 15:2 (KJV) ² And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Causes stumbling in the faith:  John 6:60-61 (KJV) ⁶⁰ Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? ⁶¹ When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

Causes strife in the church:  Acts 6:1 (KJV) 6 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

It will allow the devil to destroy you:  I Corinthians 10:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

and above all, it makes GOD mad:  Numbers 11:1 (KJV) 11 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.

The Foxes That Spoil The Vine…..(Part 3 of Series)

Scripture:  Song of Solomon 2:15 (KJV)¹⁵ Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

Here is another  so called “small sin” that we are all guilty of getting into sometimes:

A Critical Spirit:  Definition–Inclined to find fault or to judge with severity.  Having a bad attitude.  Self-righteous, lack of sympathy, judgmental, and unjust.

The bible speaks in the book of James, that GOD will not give mercy but judgment to those who have no mercy.   James 2:13 (KJV) ¹³ For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Here is some things about having a “Critical Spirit”:

Makes a person a back-biter: Numbers 12:1-2 (KJV) And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.  ² And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.

….Fault-finder:  Matthew 15:2-9; (KJV) ² Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.  ³ But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. ⁵ But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; ⁶ And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. ⁷ Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, ⁸ This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. ⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.   Mark 7:2 (KJV) ² And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

Caused by jealousy and envy: Genesis 21:9-10: (KJV) ⁹ And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. ¹⁰ Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.  Psalms 106:16-17; (KJV) ¹⁶ They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord. ¹⁷ The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram.

Causes a stumbling block to your fellow Christians:  Romans 14:13 (KJV) ¹³ Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.  Isaiah 5:23 (KJV) ²³ Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Makes for a “hard heart”:   Romans 2:5-12 (KJV)  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; ⁶ Who will render to every man according to his deeds: ⁷ To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: ⁸ But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, ⁹ Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;¹⁰ But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: ¹¹ For there is no respect of persons with God. ¹² For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

Will blind you to true Christianity, or the power of GOD on someone’s life:  Esther 5:13; (KJV)¹³ Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.  Daniel 6:4 (KJV) ⁴ Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Can and does provoke GOD to anger in a instant:  Numbers 16:3; (KJV) ³ And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? Numbers 16:27-33 (KJV) ²⁷ So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. ²⁸ And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. ²⁹ If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. ³⁰ But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. ³¹ And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: ³² And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. ³³ They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.  Numbers 12: 10 (KJV) ¹⁰ And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

and finally causes separation from GOD and HIS People:  Number 12:14 (KJV) ¹⁴ And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

The Foxes That Spoil The Vine…..(Part 2 of Series)

Scripture:  Song of Solomon 2:15 (KJV)¹⁵ Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

Here is one, that all of us are guilty of, because people talking is just part of living in the flesh.  (Boy, I look forward to getting rid of this body and getting that glorified body.)  It is our nature to be social human beings, but we still don’t have to discuss people or their problems.   In the bible a gossip is listed up there with a murderer or a thief to GOD.   I Peter 4:15  (KJV) ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

2  Gossip–Definition:  The Hebrew word translated “gossip” in the Old Testament is defined as “one who reveals secrets, one who goes about as a talebearer or scandal-monger.”  Is a person who has privileged information about people and proceeds to reveal that information to those who have no business knowing it. Somebody who informs against other people: or spreads malicious rumors, a busybody.

Let’s  look at a few of the things about this so  called “small sin”:

It stirs strife:  1 Timothy 5:13 (KJV) ¹³ And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Causes Slander:  Psalms 50:20 (KJV) ²⁰ Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.

Rises from Hatred:  Psalm 109:3 (KJV) ³ They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

Makes you tell your friends deepest secrets, that you have been trusted with:  Proverbs 20:19 (KJV) ¹⁹ He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Hypocrites are addicted to:  Psalms 50:20, (KJV) ²⁰ Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.  Proverbs 11:9 (KJV) ⁹ An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

You are a fool to indulge in:  Proverbs 10:18 (KJV) ¹⁸ He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

Separates friends:  Proverbs 16:28 (KJV) ²⁸ A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.  Proverbs 17:9 (KJV) ⁹ He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

We as women, (according to the Bible) are apparently more prone to indulge in this, because the Bible specifically warns us:  Titus 2:3 (KJV) ³ The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;  1 Timothy 3:11 (KJV) ¹¹ Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

Sows discord among the brethren:  Proverbs 6:19 (KJV) ¹⁹ A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Causes Deadly wounds:  Proverbs 18:8 (KJV) ⁸ The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.  Proverbs 26:20-22 (KJV) ²⁰ Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. ²¹ As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.  ²² The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

and as with so many of these “little foxes” that I have studied about, it causes anger:  Proverbs 25:23 (KJV) ²³ The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

(Next…. Part 3 A Critical Spirit)

The Foxes That Spoil The Vine…..(Part 1 of Series)

Scripture:  Song of Solomon 2:15 (KJV)¹⁵ Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

As people of faith, must realize that what we consider small sins that we are guilty of,  because we are prone to be human, are just as dangerous, and as bad, such as, as the sins of murder, adultery, or  stealing.

We are CHRISTIANS!!!  We are part of CHRIST.  HE is the vine, we are the branches.  John 15:5  (KJV) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:  for without me ye can do nothing.

Below is one of the things that spoil the vine:

1 Pride–Definition: a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.  The Bible speaks against it, but we all have it, whether it is over our position in life, what we have, or what we “think” we are……  But look at all these other things that “Pride” gives birth to, if you give it a hold in your life:

Anger:  Proverbs 21:24 (KJV) ²⁴ Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

Contempt:  Psalms 123:4 (KJV) ⁴ Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Presumption:  Isaiah 65:5 (KJV) ⁵ Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. Luke 18:11 (KJV) ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Stubbornness, Self-Will: Nehemiah 9:16, 28 (KJV) ¹⁶ But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,  ²⁸ But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the land of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies.

Strife:  Proverbs 13:10 (KJV) ¹⁰ Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. Proverbs 28:25 (KJV) ²⁵ He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.

Condemnation:  1 Timothy 3:6 (KJV) ⁶ Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Deceit:  Jeremiah 5:27-28 (KJV) ²⁷ As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. ²⁸ They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

If you get too caught up in “Pride” you will not seek GOD’s face: Psalms 10:4 (KJV) ⁴ The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Can you see the dangers of coddling the small sin of “Pride”?  Is it worth your walk with JESUS?