ive heard people say around me and posts on here...to test god.....but i know in matthew jesus says to the devil...it is written do not test the lord thy god.......i had a post about tithing...and some people posted about how you should put god to the test if u tithe and dont pay a bill.....my now ex....said to test god...he wants u too........i just get a sick feeling in my stomach when i hear someone say test god.....i dont feel like its right..i need some input.........i just feel we should have faith that things will go according to gods will not our own.....and that when u tithe or offer...whatever u want to call it....that u should expect nothing in return.....thats how i have always believed its supposed to be.
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testing god? right or wrong....i need help
- Thread starter laceyintulsa
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hi lacey,
I'm convicted that we need to be careful as to what we consider testing God. Gideon put forth a sort of test to know if it was really God instructing him. God himself told Israel to test Him as regards their tithes and offerings.
Jesus' rebuked Satan when Satan told him to throw himself down from a high place. In the case of the Israelites, God wanted them to test Him in that He would return more than they could ever give to Him in offerings. I think the difference is the 'expecting' immediate results. Satan was telling Jesus to try and kill himself and see if God would save him. I believe that kind of a 'test' is utter foolishness, but to 'test' God by asking for some sort of confirmation in which God may answer in His own time or His providing blessings for tithes and offerings in His own time is done pretty regularly.
God bless you.
In Christ, Ted
I'm convicted that we need to be careful as to what we consider testing God. Gideon put forth a sort of test to know if it was really God instructing him. God himself told Israel to test Him as regards their tithes and offerings.
Jesus' rebuked Satan when Satan told him to throw himself down from a high place. In the case of the Israelites, God wanted them to test Him in that He would return more than they could ever give to Him in offerings. I think the difference is the 'expecting' immediate results. Satan was telling Jesus to try and kill himself and see if God would save him. I believe that kind of a 'test' is utter foolishness, but to 'test' God by asking for some sort of confirmation in which God may answer in His own time or His providing blessings for tithes and offerings in His own time is done pretty regularly.
God bless you.
In Christ, Ted
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JohnnyIMdoc
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I think the Gideon thing could've gone either way. God could've just smacked a hairlip on Gideon for his unbelief, but He sometimes is overly generous in His patience with us.
God bless.
God bless.
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Personally, I don't think it is a good idea to test GOD. Just do what is right and GOD will reward you.
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There's a big dif between testing God and tempting God. Testing Him implies stretching our faith and proving His word, and that is exactly what He wants us to do. Because that's the only way we'll ever walk anywhere near our capacity in Christ and bear the fruit He wants us to bear.
But tempting God is a frivolous self-centered pursuit that dares God to punish you. This would be, say, seeing how much porn you can watch before getting sucked in. Or sinning intentionally and saying, God will forgive me and overlook it. Something like that.
You can see they pull in exactly opposite directions. It's a good thing to test God, He says so in the Word. But it's extremely foolish to tempt Him.
Gideon was testing God, making sure He was hearing correctly. It may not have been the best example of testing God, because Gideon already had quite an impressive visitation to believe on. But the Lord allowed it because a) Gideon was coming from a very low place, and b) God was about to make extraordinary demands on Gideon. God allowed him this one indulgence to build his faith, because he was about to test his faith on a much higher level by sending 99% of the troops home before the battle.
But tempting God is a frivolous self-centered pursuit that dares God to punish you. This would be, say, seeing how much porn you can watch before getting sucked in. Or sinning intentionally and saying, God will forgive me and overlook it. Something like that.
You can see they pull in exactly opposite directions. It's a good thing to test God, He says so in the Word. But it's extremely foolish to tempt Him.
Gideon was testing God, making sure He was hearing correctly. It may not have been the best example of testing God, because Gideon already had quite an impressive visitation to believe on. But the Lord allowed it because a) Gideon was coming from a very low place, and b) God was about to make extraordinary demands on Gideon. God allowed him this one indulgence to build his faith, because he was about to test his faith on a much higher level by sending 99% of the troops home before the battle.
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As far as I know there's only one place where it says to prove Yahweh and that's Mal 3:10. Perhaps a study of The Lord of Hosts would help.
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, so there will be food in My House and test Me now by this, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you all and pour out a blessing for all eternity." (ONM)
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, so there will be food in My House and test Me now by this, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you all and pour out a blessing for all eternity." (ONM)
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Gnarwhal
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I think the notion of testing God can be a slippery slope. If our motives to test Him are simply to see if we can pull the right strings or push the right buttons in order to get what we want, not much will happen. I think in some cases, for instance if a person is going to take a big leap of faith (e.g. career move, new endeavor of some sort, etc) it would be wise to seek God and make sure to the best of our ability that it is indeed Him who's leading us down that path. So testing in that sense seems acceptable IMHO.
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bocannes
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You should give as the Spirit guides you and yes, don't give with the expectation of getting something in return. However, God could say that He is going to bless you for doing something and being faithful.
You don't want to test God but you can test the words that come to you.
Gideon wasn't testing God but testing the word he received. He was afraid and in doubt, which happens to all of us.
You don't want to test God but you can test the words that come to you.
Gideon wasn't testing God but testing the word he received. He was afraid and in doubt, which happens to all of us.
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bocannes
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There are several ways. In Exodus the people tested God many times by not believing in Him. Even when God showed that He was with them, they did not believe and kept making demands.
We should not demand that God perform for us (as Bourne wrote). God understands that in our weakness, we need encouragement and that we will doubt. Sometimes, we have to ask for confirmation that a word is really from Him. Receiving that, we should proceed in faith.
In Acts 5, we see two Christians who test God by lying to their church and keeping money to themselves. If they had been honest, they would have done no wrong.
And there is Matthew 4, where Jesus is tempted by Satan. Satan wants Jesus to jump off a high place to prove that the Father will save Him. Jesus replies: "do not put God to the test."
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I think testing God is delibertly sinning because you know He will forgive you. God's goodness and grace should not be taken advantage of or give us liscence to sin.
However, there is a difference in testing God and experienceing Him. One of my favorite scriptures is "taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8 Follow the principals in the Word (such as giving) and find that his promises are true.
However, there is a difference in testing God and experienceing Him. One of my favorite scriptures is "taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8 Follow the principals in the Word (such as giving) and find that his promises are true.
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Laura Phillips
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the earth will bear witness to you three times over if it must, but don't dare it to out loud as if you are its master
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