what if God is testing me have you ever asked yourself this question in the middle of a problem in the middle of some kind of difficulty have you ever stopped to think God are you testing my faith are you testing me to see just how much I trust in you and often times you won't see the goodness of God while you are in the test but it's only when you look back it's once you've gone through the test it can really see that God always had you covered for example let's say you wanted a corporate
job at one of the country's leading companies you fast and you pray for this job you sharpen your skills and you're primed to take the opportunity but you don't end up being offered the position what happens then is your faith destroyed is God no longer good in your eyes or will you trust him and believe that God has something better for you it's in situations like this that God wants to see if the external affects your internal meaning do you stop praying do you stop praising the Lord simply because you didn't get what you want
or do you praise Him regardless of the issue you're facing and regardless of the struggle you're in throughout the Bible God has tested his people not to catch them out but to help them mature and grow in their walk with the Lord job's Faith was tested he was a righteous man an upright man but yet he lost his wealth his family and his health yet he remained steadfast in his faith and that's our challenge can can we remain steadfast in faith when things seemingly don't go our way can we remain confident that God's promises are
true even though our situation says otherwise to take it a step further how often do we pray that God would test our hearts so that no corrupt thing would be found in our lives in Psalm 26 David is speaking to God in a way that really highlights a close relationship because in this chapter he's praying to the Lord and asking him to examine his heart in addition to this David is putting his case forward to the Lord by saying I do not sit with the deceitful I love the house where you live I lead a
blameless life I believe that David is in a way pleading with the Lord in a manner that suggests God God search me so that I can please you more because I currently do this and that but it's not enough Psalm 26:1 to12 vindicate me Lord for I have led a blameless life I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered test me Lord and try me examine my heart and my mind for I have always been mindful of your unfa failing love and have lived in Reliance on your faithfulness I do not sit with
the deceitful nor do I associate with Hypocrites I abhor the Assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked I wash my hands in innocence and go about your altar Lord proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful Deeds Lord I love the house where you live the place where your glory dwells do not take my soul along with Sinners my life with those who are bloodthirsty in whose hands are wicked schemes whose right hands are full of bribes I lead a blameless life deliver me and be merciful to me my my
feet stand on level ground in the great congregation I will praise the Lord dear friend it's important for us to pray and say examine me oh Lord and try me test my heart in my mind this is prayer that says God outwardly I may be reading the Bible every day I'm giving to the poor I'm spending time in prayer and I'm love loving my neighbor however Lord would you search my motivation for doing this what is driving me is it my own self-righteousness or am I genuinely doing these things for your glory we need to
pray for God to test our hearts and examine us no Christian goes through this life without feeling weak in their faith at times but we all can take comfort in knowing that our God is Emmanuel he is with us in every season whether it's good or bad we can go from feeling joyful and close to the Lord in one season and then here comes a season where you feel like God is distant and all your prayers have gone unanswered I'm talking about Seasons where we wrestle with our doubts and questions wondering if God even hears
us or if he still with us it's the type of season that tests your faith and your resilience and the thing about faith through different seasons is that you'll hear people talk about faith when things are good I knew things would turn around if I just had faith you'll hear people recommend faith when they're not sure what to say I'm sorry you're going through a rough time just have faith and when others seem unfazed by life life's obstacles they might tell you it's because they have faith but what does that mean Hebrews 11:1 defines Faith
as the substance of things hoped for the evidence of Things Not Seen Hebrews 11:6 says and without faith it is impossible to please him for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek Him Faith causes us to act on what we haven't experienced yet it causes us to believe promises in the Bible that haven't been fulfilled yet and Faith causes us to trust God when our situations haven't changed yet consider this Bible scenario take David in the story of how he killed Goliath at the time
David was a Shepherd boy not a warrior but when he saw Goliath mocking God's people David approached the king and asked to go down and fight just picture the babysitter next door or the kid who delivers your papers telling the president let me handle this one David's ability not to be shaken by Goliath's size resulted from David's faith in God David tells the king in 1st Samuel 17:37 the Lord who delivered me from the Paw of the lion and from the Paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine and Saul
said to David go and the Lord be with you David had faith that God would defeat the giant and deliver his people what an amazing picture of what our lives can be when we have faith in God when we are with God we never go into turmoil alone we have the creator of the universe on our side faith in God is what allows us to experience stability in the middle of instability when life feels out of control we take comfort in knowing that God is in control faith can do a lot of things in your
life if you let it it will help you to grow up and wholly lean on rely on and trust in Jesus Christ let us pray heavenly father thank you for helping me to make it through the difficult seasons of my life thank you for your love for me that never ends thank you for your powerful daily presence in my life I'm I'm grateful that I can be assured of your thoughts towards me thoughts that are good and not of evil thank you that your eyes are over me and your ears are open to my prayers
thank you that you've carried me through the uncertainty of deep Waters Through the flames of Trials and through the pain of hard losses Lord thank you that my comfort abounds through you thank thank you Lord that through every weakness and hard place your strength is displayed in my life may you continue to strengthen me Jesus give me the type of faith that can move mountains help me to depend on you to do what I think I cannot do and help me to remember that the gift of Christ Emmanuel is my greatest treasure fill me with
your joy and the peace of your spirit direct my heart and mind towards you let your strength alone suain me teach me to come to you daily in faith your word in Luke 17:5 says the apostles said to the Lord increase our faith Lord I need you to increase my faith increase my faith and make me a mov of mountains Lord Jesus you are the king of kings and your word says the righteous shall live by faith mold me in your image and fill my heart with faith in you your word in Mark 11: 22-
24 says and Jesus answered them have faith in God truly I say to you whoever says to this mountain be taken up and thrown into the sea and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will come to pass it will be done for him therefore I tell you whatever you ask in prayer believe that you have received it and it will be yours guide my actions Lord so that I can live by faith and so that I can have life in you abundantly and eternally cleanse my thoughts of impurities dear
God keep my eyes fixed on you and you alone help me to keep walking beside you help me to be steadfast in my faith in you help me to trust in you without reservation James 1:6 says but let him ask in faith with no doubting for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind Lord I pray that I would be filled with your Holy Spirit may I be filled by the holy spirit so that I will have no room for doubt and fear in my
life thank you God for your faithfulness and thank you for the crown of joy that awaits me forever in your kingdom in Jesus name I pray amen vindicate me Lord for I have led a blameless life I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered test me Lord and try me examine my heart and my mind for I have always been mindful of Your unfailing Love and have lived in Reliance on your faithfulness I do not sit with the deceitful nor do I associate with Hypocrites I abhor the Assembly of evildoers and refuse to
sit with the wicked I wash my hands in innocence and go about your altar Lord proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful Deeds Lord I love the house where you live the place where your glory dwells do not take my soul along with Sinners my life with those who are bloodthirsty in whose hands are wicked schemes whose right hands are full of bribes I lead a blameless life deliver me and be merciful to me my feet stand on on level ground in the great congregation I will praise the Lord the Lord who
delivered me from the Paw of the lion and from the Paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine and Saul said to David go and the Lord be with you [Music]
