A selfish people...

"Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, 'Give us water that we may drink.' And Moses said to them, 'Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?' But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against  Moses and said, 'Why now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?'--Exodus 17:2-3.  Moses and Israel in the wilderness came to another place where they found no water.  Naturally the people get thirsty but rather than ask God, they once again grumble against Moses.  At this point in the Exodus account, Israel seems to be a very selfish people.

A selfish people.  Israel had once again failed to realize that God would provide for them in the wilderness and rather than remember what God had already done for them, they once again complain to the preacher and want what they want and they want it now.

A selfish people.  What you realize in Exodus 16 and 17 is that Israel is more interested in what God can give them as opposed to what they can give to God.

A selfish people.  Before we decide to look down on Israel for their attitude we need to ask ourselves are we any different?

A selfish people.  More often than not we get an attitude of thinking we somehow deserve what God has to give us and we might get upset when we don't receive it immediately.

A selfish people.  We need to be thankful that we serve a God who does bless us when we obey Him but we can't be of the mindset that we deserve it and think God owes us something.

A selfish people.  We can't forget that we owed God a debt for our sin but He paid it with His Son Jesus Christ.  How can we be a selfish people when Jesus Christ did the most selfless thing anyone in history ever could do for the world, pay OUR debt with His life?

A selfish people.  My encouragement to you is this. Remember that God has given you forgiveness of your sins through Jesus Christ if you have obeyed the gospel.  Because God has done this, as a very practical encouragement, I encourage you this Sunday to give a little bit more in your contribution than you normally do and realize that God not only will provide but that He already has provided!

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! PRAY ABOUT IT! LOVE Y'ALL! GOD BLESS!