Don't Test The Lord

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you testing the LORD?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show signs or symptoms why some Christians are prone in testing the LORD.

IV. TEXT:

1 Corinthians 10:9 (Amplified Bible)

We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did—and were killed by poisonous serpents;

V. THESIS:

Signs or symptoms why some Christians are prone in testing the LORD.

VI. TITLE:

Don't test the LORD

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Apostle Paul

B. Date written: 56 A.D.

C. Purpose: To purify the church from divisions and immorality

D. To whom written: Corinthian church

E. Main theme: Unified and pure living in the midst of an impure world

F. Keyword: love

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Don't test the LORD

"We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did"

Deuteronomy 6:16 (Amplified Bible)

You shall not tempt and try the Lord your God as you tempted and tried Him in Massah.

Luke 4:10-12 (Amplified Bible)

For it is written, He will give His angels charge over you to guard and watch over you closely and carefully;

And on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

And Jesus replied to him, [The Scripture] says, You shall not tempt (try, test exceedingly) the Lord your God.

1. How do we test the LORD?

Numbers 21:5-6 (Amplified Bible)

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water, and we loathe this light (contemptible, unsubstantial) manna.

Then the Lord sent fiery (burning) serpents among the people; and they bit the people, and many Israelites died.

a) Growing impatiently with GOD and man of GOD.

b) Speaking against GOD and man of GOD

c) Asking questions of doubt from GOD and man of GOD

d) Declaring there's no food and drink

e) Detesting and complaining on what GOD has provided

It's a process of testing the LORD. Take note of each as we might be guilty of one and we are prone to test the LORD.

B. or be killed by snakes

"—and were killed by poisonous serpents;"

it's a consequences, people who have tested the LORD have enjoyed the poisonous relationship with GOD to exist, it's meant to perfume us not to annoy us.

2 Corinthians 2:16 (Amplified Bible)

To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things? [Who is able for such a ministry? We?]

Numbers 21:8 (Amplified Bible)

And the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.

Proverbs 23:32 (Amplified Bible)

At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.

John 3:14-15 (Amplified Bible)

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross],

In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever!

Unbelievers test the LORD unconsciously and they enjoyed it, however, if we are of the LORD GOD, and we have accepted the LORD JESUS CHRIST, we might be guilty of testing the LORD GOD by complaining against the man of GOD or your bible study leader assigned to teach you GOD's Words, be careful, that leader is there in your house as a representative of GOD and he or she is doing her part to serve GOD and not on his/her own desire.

HOW TO AVOID TESTING THE LORD?

It starts from our attitudes. Check our attitudes. Our attitudes should be:

1. Thankful and Grateful heart

That's about it to avoid testing the LORD. The devil will put different faces before us but it's the same sin, it's testing the LORD, he knows how to deceive because he has done this before and he has tested face to face the SON of the LIVING GOD and has the guts to do so, so he will try to hurt what he knows GOD loves the most - US, His children.

We have a responsibility to keep in line our attitude with GOD's Words.

Colossians 2:7 (Amplified Bible)

Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.