The Difference

Hebrews 4.7 tells us that David wrote Psalm 95. Here David says something eye-opening— “8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” He is quoting God when the Lord is warning yet another generation to heed the warnings of the previous generation. I saw the same thing this morning in my reading in Psalm 78. It is imperative that we make the difference from one generation to the next. It goes both ways though. One generation can be following Christ, serving with all their heart, and have a spirit of worship that is bright and shining; then the next is completely off course with God. If the next generation sees the frailty of themselves, and recognize the grace of God in their life, then there is opportunity to turn before it’s too late. Sadly though, there are still consequences to our actions. There is still coming a generation with a free-will and a pattern of behavior to choose from… in us. May we open our eyes to the difference, the difference made, and become a difference maker! 

What was their problem? Why were they getting this history lesson in Psalm 95? Why did David feel that it was so important to serve his generation with this warning afresh? Well, we find that answer in Hebrews 3.7-10, and 15-19. It records for us the original issue all the way from Exodus 17.7 to Numbers 20.13. Hebrews 3 references the entire time by mentioning accounts from the start of it, to the end of it. The simple answer is: they had an attitude! They were, as God said, “rebellious”. Hebrews 3 reads— “7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” 

And there we have it… belief, or unbelief in this case. Start by asking: why did they stop believing? Especially after all the proofs that God had shown them, why? This is the difference— Attitude. One bad egg, then two, then 200, then thousands. This is also how we become the difference maker— Our attitude. There is a primer to belief and unbelief; and to trust and distrust. It is the difference maker. We see how they complained about the meals, the provisions, the timing, the leader, the patience they needed. They insistently complained about everything. Their attitude determined what was going to happen. How very sad of a life they lived, when they could have had it so much better. When David wrote about this again in Psalm 78.41 he said— “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” They limited God? How can you, when He is limitless? But you can limit what He will do for you, in you, and through you by your attitude. Your attitude determines how much you believe, or draw back in unbelief. Which will just cause our carnal self to complain more and then we have a vicious cycle… brought on by ourselves! The Holy Spirit exposed this for us in Matthew 13.58— “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Jesus would have done more, but they chose to not believe Him. I didn’t say “believe IN him”, nor did I say, “ON Him”. They chose to not believe HIM. They did not take His word for it, or have faith. Thus their belief tanked. This is the difference; the difference in a person who would see God work and one who will be envious of those whom He is working. 

Philippians 2.14 says— “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” How is that complicated? It isn’t. It’s just a bad habit. An attitude formed over time, unchecked, and without faith. What about ourattitude? What about our spirit? Is it “rebellious” by way of complaints. Proverbs 23.7a states— “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” This becomes who you are. What are you thinking about? What is your heart set on? Your desires, or God’s? His ways, or your ways? Romans 12.2 further mentions— “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” It’s always been the mind. The way we think is because of the attitude about the things we think about. If you couple that with a person or two in your life who also is dispositioned that way… well you have a match made in hell. 

In Philippians 3.12-17 Paul the Apostle mentions his own attitude and how he sees himself spiritually in relation to the things he thinks about and how he thinks. He is explaining his own disposition for us— “12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”

This is a really basic paraphrase: “I am not there yet… so change is in the forecast.” The only way you are truly going to grow in the Lord and see the full potential for what He has, is through a good attitude. It is the difference, if you want to be a difference maker. A generation is with us, behind us, and watching our attitude. Your attitude is determining not only your belief, but also influencing the attitudes and subsequent beliefs of those around and behind you.