Reg Killingley, reflecting that when we come off the Feast high, we sometimes encounter post feast blues, asks what our habitual behavior is when we are not caught up in the euphoria of Feast-keeping.  What are we like on a daily basis? Are we negative, thin-skinned, continually bearing grudges, etc.?  In our vocabulary, we have twice as many synonyms for unpleasant as pleasant, indicating that our culture tends to wallow in negativity, seemingly enjoying the very art of complaining. Research seems to indicate that we are programmed to complain. In the political wars, negative ads seem to work. Research also shows that rude jerks get ahead while nice guys finish last. We are marinated in whining and negativity. Negativity and positivity cannot co-exist. Christians are called to be positive, and should do everything in their power to displace negative thoughts and words. Satan is the source of negativity, getting us focused on what we do not have rather than what we do have. Satan's first strategy is to find fault and accuse. The disgruntled spies disqualified themselves from their inheritance by kvetching about the real and imagined difficulties, discouraging the general assembly with their negative reports. In the last days, scoffers are prophesied to abound, sowing negativity abundantly. God encourages us to remain positive so we can be positive to others. True peace is incompatible with whining and complaining. It would be well to develop a healthy sense of humor. Our default response should be changed to positive rather than negative.

Australia * Best feast ever * Caleb * Challenges * Complaining * Descendents of Anak * Deuteronomy 1: 21 * Eschol * Exhortation to be holy * I Corinthians 10:4 * Flowing with milk and honey * Going on a diet * Good old days * Griping * Grudges * Harold Camping * James 3:2, 12 * Job 1:8; 2:3 * Jonah * Luke 1 * Matthew 12:36-37 * Murmured in your tents * Murmuring * Muttering treason in your tents * Negativity * No * Numbers 13:1 * Pattern of negativity * Post feast blues * Philippians 4:8 * Reducing weight * Ron Weinland * II Corinthians 1:2-19 * II Peter 3:3-4 * Short end of the stick * Source of negativity * Synonyms for unpleasantness * Tongue * Yes