Today's Devotional

July 22, 2005

Subject:  Hearing God - Stop The Rebellion

Hebrews 3:7-9 - "Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years."

Franklin Graham tells a great story of growing up in a house with a godly father.  He talks about how he simply rebelled against all that his father, Billy, stood for.  Many parents have to deal with this attitude.  Children simply want to "learn from their own mistakes."  Parents can tell them and tell them and tell them until they are blue in the face but they want to "prove" or test the authority. 

We often have the same problem with God, a rebellious attitude.  With it, we tempt God and as you recall, so did Satan when he tried Christ in the wilderness.  Therefore, we understand clearly where rebellion comes from.  It is a spirit that says that God is really not in control and although we may hear Him, He isn't worth listening to.  Now of course we don't immediately think we're saying that when we're rebelling against God, but that's exactly what's going on.  Has anyone ever used this line?  "God, if you just get me out of this circumstance this time, I'll..."  That's just what Satan tried to get Jesus to do.  He tried to get Jesus to jump off of the mountain (act and then see if God will save you) to see if God would catch him.

Today are you testing God to see if He really is God?  If so, that is rebellion and after you've heard His voice, to harden your hearts will only lead to one thing, and that is pain.  Look at the children of Israel.  They had forty years of it.

Carlen