This title says a lot about what we are going to look at next. In Psalm 95 verses 8-11 we will discover this topic. The text is “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways. So I decided on oath in my anger they shall never enter my rest.”” Notice that it starts out with “today” and not any other time frame. This is a daily decision we need to make. Also Meribah means “quarreling” and Massah means “testing” all part of their time in the desert. Another note about today is that we aren’t supposed to dwell on the past.

In verse 9 He reminds us that the Israelites saw His miracles and yet complained. He made them wonder the desert for 40 years. One year for every day the spies were in the land checking it out. Now comes the “why” part. “They have not known my ways.” In return they did not enter His rest. Here it is not referred to as the promised land, but His rest. In the Strongs with Vines definitions His “Rest” means: entered when the believer is confidently assured within and outwardly lives peaceably in the assurance of God’s daily provision.

So what was their problem? The answer is in Hebrews 3:12. They had a sinful and unbelieving heart. We see God working in our lives daily. His Love for us is great. His mercy and grace don’t fail us. The Holy Spirit is with us to guide us protect us and so much more. But we need to look for it most of the time There are times it just falls into our laps so to speak. Each day we are to believe. Moment by moment He doesn’t fail us. So why is it hard to say yes I will believe and be obedient to You. Part of it is human nature. The other part is that we live in the world and get caught up in its ways.

Don’t go astray. Keep believing each and every day that Jesus is alive and wants to be with you. He wants you use you for His will to be done. That’s kind of hard when we don’t believe. Keep doing this and being worthy of Him gets easier. Picking up our cross and following Him gets easier. Know and understand His ways. It may sound simple, but it isn’t the easiest thin to do yet oh so worth it. Read, pray, and spend time with Him. Listen and say yes to Him and His ways.

Be blessed, Ken