Trivia:
So the state that has the most Starbucks is California. There are 15,791 stores in the U.S. and California has 3,056 of their stores which is about 19% of their stores. Texas is the nearest competitor with 1,320 of their stores.
Do you know who came up with the idea of electric Christmas tree lights? Was it Alexander Graham Bell's son; Nikolai Tesla's electrician; Benjamin Franklin's brother; or Thomas Edison's assistant?
Challenge:
Psalm 95:6-11 "Come, let us worship, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, 7 for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care. If only you would listen to His voice today! 8 The Lord says, "Don't harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. 9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. 10 For fourty years I was angry with them, and I said, They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them. 11 So in my anger I took an oath: They will never enter my place of rest.
In this section of the Psalm we see contrasted the two different responses to difficulty. We can either give thanks and trust Him to supply our needs, or we can murmur and complain. The writer warns us to be careful about giving into murmuring and complaining as Israel did in Meribah which is found in Exodus 17.
Just think here they had been set free from bondage under the nation of Egypt, and God had parted the Red Sea for them to cross, Then when they found themselves hot and thirsty, they had a choice, Praise God for His many blessings and then call upon Him for continued assistance OR complain and murmur which usually results in anger and a hardened heart.
Have you noticed this? A thankful heart leads to grace and glory while murmuring and complaining will take you down faster than any other response in your life.
Now just think about this,; When are we most prone to murmur? Well of course it is when we're going through times of difficulty, or as in Israel's case a dry spell. And when we face dry times in our life we are most vulnerable to complaining. The Psalmist is telling us "Be careful to not let that happen."
Why??? Because just like Israel they had seen God perform miraculous feats, but the moment hardship came, guess what they did. That's right, complain. In the same way we have experienced cleansing from our sinful ways, and infilling of the Spirit, and been adopted as His children, and then been given a heavenly home.
Developing a tendency to murmur when we face problems can easily become an unhealthy pattern. In Israel's case, even when they were given the possibility of entering the promised land when they were camped at Kadesh-Barnea (on the border of the promised land). They listened to the report of the ten spies who complained that the giants were unbeatable. Rather than seeking to hear the voice of God, reflecting on God's pattern for doing the miraculous on their behalf they surrendered to murmuring.
Complaining is like cancer, it begins in ways not noticeable, but it continues to spread and take over our lives. So, How can we keep from being controlled by complaining? WORSHIP!!! So we see why this section began with the words, "Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker, For He is our God." When trials move us to worship and praise then the enemy hast to release us from his grip. When harship moves us to thanksgiving then the Lord's power can be given full reign in our lives. Remember, He joys in pouring blessings over our lives, so go to Him in worship and praise then His provisions will come.
Thomas Edison's assistant