Think About the Test

God gives directions on how we ought to “think”

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:15 ESV)

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies

behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the

upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV)

Only let us hold true to what we have attained.Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep

your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. (Philippians 3:16-17

ESV)

God Tested them in the O.T.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I

am about to rain bread from heaven

for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day,

that I may test them, whether they

will walk in my law or not.

(Exodus 16:4 ESV)

God Tested them in the O.T. FAILED

And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to

Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with

them. (Exodus 16:19-20 ESV)Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. Six

days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” On the

seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. And the LORD said to Moses,

“How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? (Exodus 16:25-28

ESV)

God Tested them in the O.T.

And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he

might humble you, testing you to know

what was in your heart, whether you would keep

his commandments or not. (Deuteronomy 8:2

ESV)

God Tested them in the O.T. FAILED

“Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess

because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget

how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the

land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the

LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you. (Deuteronomy 9:6-8 ESV)

You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.(Deuteronomy 9:24 ESV)

God Tested them in the O.T.

I will no longer drive out before them any of the

nations that Joshua left when he died, in

order to test Israel by them,

whether they will take care to walk in

the way of the LORD as their fathers did,

or not.” (Judges 2:21-22 ESV)

God Tested them in the O.T. FAILED

But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight

our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:19-20 ESV)

And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have

rejected me from being king over them.(1 Samuel 8:7 ESV)

Obedience is the test

Although he was a

son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

And being made perfect, he

became the source of eternal

salvation to all who obey him,

(Hebrews 5:8-9 ESV)

Obedience is the test

Let those of us

who are mature think this way,

and if in anything you

think otherwise, God will reveal

that also to you.

(Philippians 3:15 ESV)

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, (Hebrews 5:11-12 ESV)Tested with the manna of God, the

bread of life

Obedience is the test

Whoever believes and

is baptized will be saved, but whoever

does not believe will be

condemned. (Mark 16:16

ESV)

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8 ESV)Tested with living in the wilderness, by

faith or not?

Obedience is the test

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone

loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that

is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the

eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but

whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17

ESV)

Tested with Canaanites…

• Worldliness

•

Covetousnes

s

• Materialism

• Friendships

• Recreation

• Cares of

life

• things like

this

God still wants what He wants

Forget what’s

behind

Look forward

Press on

Hold fast by…

Imitating apostles

And good examples