I wrote about not testing God, now I write about asking for the test. I am continuing my study this morning on the word “test” and have come to Psalm 26 which in my bible is titled “I will bless the LORD”. Verses 1 – 3 are of David giving everything of himself to the LORD to demonstrate his devotion.

“¹Vindicate me, O LORD,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

²Prove me, O LORD, and try me;

test my heart and my mind.

³For your steadfast love is before my eyes,

and I walk in your faithfulness.” — Psalm 26:1-3 ESV

When I see these verses, I see a man that have fully given himself to the LORD. I see a man that is so devoted, anything brought to him will be seen as a way to show that devotion. Even to the point of asking to be tested. I see someone standing and asking for more to prove that there is full submission to the work and glory of God.

I have to ask myself if this is indeed how I approach the LORD. Am I so devoted that I am comfortable with asking for the LORD to throw more my way. Am I so devoted that I am looking for the test to show my willingness to take on any and everything in and for the name of the LORD. I like to think that I am, but am I?

There are a lot of things that go on in our lives and some of those things are an extension of our work for the LORD as tests and some of those things are brought on by the evil one as temptations. The difficult thing is to determine which is which as the evil one will disguise temptation as a test. For me, what I am discussing today from this passage in Psalm is the idea of simply asking God for the tests to help avoid the temptations. Will we still be tempted, yes as again I say, the evil one will disguise temptation as test. But, when we are asking in the name of the LORD, it shall be given.

Too often I find myself asking for those things that deliver me, but those things that allow me to demonstrate my devotion are far from my lips and heart. I want to have that which God provides and forget that I am here to provide glory for and to Him. I have to be fully devoted to the LORD, not just when times are good, but in all times and that goes for asking Him to allow me to show through tests.

What are you asking for from the LORD? Are you asking for deliverance at all times? What if you asked to show your devotion to Him through tests as well?

It seems as though daily I have questions for God about the direction He has for me in this world. I find myself looking for guidance because it does not feel as though I am moving toward anything specific. I continue to just keep doing and not seeing where. I want God to tell me.

All of that said and the questions that I have for the direction and guidance in this world, the one thing that I am careful not to do is to test the LORD. I ask plenty of questions seeking direction and answers, but I do not ask God to prove Himself to me.

“¹⁶You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.” — Deuteronomy 6:16 (ESV)

Too often I believe that we are looking for proof. We are looking to believe through seeing some action. With God though, I have to remember to have faith. I have to believe based on His love for me the fact that I am His adopted son and wants nothing but the best for me. He will not allow for me to be destroyed. He will protect me. He will guide me. He will make the path forward for me that I am able to glorify Him.

The LORD is here for me and will be here for me even when I may not realize it. In times of prosperity as well as in times of struggle. I should not be testing Him. I should have faith in the love and care He has for me. I can and should question. Not for proof, but for direction. I should ask for guidance and then after that asking, I have to open my heart to hear Him. I have to be still and listen. I have to direct my attention to Him. He will tell me, but He may not shout it at me.

I may be told and as is the case with us humans in this world, I may not listen. I may not take action as it may not fit into what I want to do. I have to get past the me and move on to the LORD. I have to obey and when I do, the questions I ask will be answered. I will be given direction and will hear. I will find that which He wants me to find and I will not have the need for any more questions as relates to that item.

The LORD will provide and I have to have faith that He will. I can and should ask for directions as to where He would have me go. I will not ask the LORD to prove himself to me. I will not test the LORD.

How are you finding out what is next in your path with the LORD? Are you hearing something and then asking Him to prove it to you? What if you were to ask and then obey without testing the LORD and His love and care for you?

I know, right. Praise thanks to trials. Isn’t is something to not have to go through trials. Isn’t it smoother to just get along and not have to fight for everything. Well, I do not believe that to be true. I want to have trials and adversity to grow stronger and know what not to do. I want to be able to overcome.

“⁶In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” — 1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)

I see that it is not the trial that defines or makes you. It is the overcoming of those trails and adversity. I am more precious, as noted in verse seven above, than gold, and gold is tested directly by fire and heat as it is purified. I am greater than that. The trials and adversity I experience are refining me even more than precious metals. I am greater and have more value thanks to the coming through the other side of the trials and adversity.

For my experience and overcoming, I have reason to praise the one who brought me through. It is the trial that brought me to a closer dependency in God, and He provided the strength and ability to make it through as He protected me, His precious, throughout the process.

I will praise Him thanks to the trials. Not because of the trial itself, because as a human I certainly do not want to experience them. But because of the strength provided so that I could overcome and make it through to the other side allowing God to work in me.

What trials have your experienced through your life? Are you just glad to have those trials over? What if you praised God thanks to the trials that you were able to overcome as a result of the strength given to you by God and the fact that He values you more than anything?

“¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

As I continue my study of the word “praise” and was brought to a passage in James. I know, I just quoted from 1 Thessalonians, so what is the deal. Well I wanted to show the correlation between prayer and praise. Notice in the verse above that there is not a mention of praise, however that is exactly what is being said, “rejoice” and “give thanks”. And those are joined with the context of praying.

“¹³Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” — James 5:13 (ESV)

Here in the book of James, both prayer and praise are mentioned in the same verse. I am to take on which of them is of need in the moment. I am to pray for and praise for. I am not to only be on one side of the isle.

As I look at the verse in James and place it with the verse in 1 Thessalonians, I see that whatever I do, I am to pray or praise continually. Speaking with God on my and others behalf regardless of the situation we are in. I am to lift up to the LORD and allow Him to do His work in our lives.

I have to remember that praise and prayer are similar enough to be considered the same in that both are versions of speaking to God. I am either asking for, praying, or rejoicing for, praising and each of them are directed at and to God. He is the one that will take action that is in accordance with His will. I am here in the world to reach out to Him and complete the work He has for me. In order to know that work, I must be speaking to Him.

What do you know about praise and prayer? Are you only really speaking to the LORD in one of the situations? What if you were to do as in 1 Thessalonians and “pray without ceasing”, knowing that prayer and praise are both speaking with the LORD?

Who else should we praise than our brothers and sisters. These are those who are close to us and are family and whether we like it or not, they deserve our love for being family.

“¹¹For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, ¹²saying,

‘I will tell of your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.’” — Hebrews 2:11-12 (ESV)

Jesus counts me as family and will praise me all the while. I count Him as family right back and will “sing” His praise out loud. I have a responsibility to be overt in my praise of my family and I take that responsibility serious. I have brothers and sisters that deserve my praise for what they have done and accomplished and that goes for my worldly brothers and sisters, Christian brothers and sisters, and Jesus.

I have to remember continually, as I have mentioned a number of times over the past few weeks in my study of the word “praise”, that it is not about me. It is about praise for the LORD and then I must be in the place to praise others. When I am looking at things I must look to praise my brothers and sisters for all that they are, have done, and will do as they move through this world and into a relationship with the LORD.

Who are you praising? Are you looking out for those around you? What if you looked to praise your brothers and sisters of this world, your fellow Christians, and Jesus?

“⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” — Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

Now that is a list of things that are praise worthy. Notice that these are all intrinsic attributes and not those that are simply on the surface. I see those things that require more thought and reflection as opposed to just visible to the eye. I may see these things, but the seeing just creates in me the curiosity to understand them.

I believe that too often we are looking for just those things that are immediately seen as those things that are worthy of accolades. We find celebrate the overt actions and bring attention to the one time that there was an act or action deemed great. When we come across that one instance, we lift it up as though it is something worthy of praise, while those “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent” is overlooked as simply consistent and expected.

I have to remember that consistency is to be praised. I have to ensure that I am looking for and praising those things that are of God to lift up and celebrate. I have to be searching for the “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent”. And when I find them, I have to sit up and take notice and give all glory to God who makes them possible and know that He is with me.

“⁹What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” — Philippians 4:9 (ESV)

What is it that you see as worthy of praise? Are you praising and celebrating the one thing that you see? What if you were to look more intrinsically and into the consistency in others that demonstrate the glory given to God as that to be praised?

“¹⁵Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” — Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)

There is a cost to lifting up of praise to the LORD. That cost is in the giving up of praise for the self. Seems like a simple thing to do, giving praise to the LORD, but in order to do so, there is a sacrifice in other areas. One has to give up the praise for self or for those in this world to offer up praise to the LORD in His world.

It is natural in this world to seek to be recognized and acknowledged for the work done. And for that there should be no ill feelings about. The thing is that we should not be solely looking for that to somehow validate our existence. I am here to please and bring glory to God. I have to remember that and give all of me to praise Him for what He has done and will do in my life, whether in this world or not.

Sacrifice is giving up for the giving. I have to remember that what I do is not about me. It is about my service to the LORD. I am here for Him and that is my purpose. I am here to bring glory to Him. I am here to serve Him. I am here to give to Him and that means that I must give up the desires of me. I have been given the opportunity to serve the LORD in this world. I have been saved by grace as I do not deserve the salvation given. I have to remember to give up and give. I have to thrust myself in the praise of the LORD and give up the praise of myself.

What process are you working through in praise? Are you looking to ensure that you are getting praise? What if you sacrificed your praise and gave it up to offer praise to the LORD for all that He has done and will do for you?

I am not worthy of the grace that God has bestowed on me. I am but a lowly sinner and will always be a sinner. No amount of work that I do or begging or pleading will remove the label of sinner from me.

But, no matter the label placed on me, no matter what I have done, or will do, God still loves me and has adopted me as His son and heaps provisions and blessing on me.

“⁵he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” — Ephesians 1:6-7 (ESV)

I have been give grace by and from God even as I am a sinner. He loves me in spite of my sin. He adopted me and all that I am, even the sin. He took me as His own and loves me. I praise Him for that grace that He has given, and given freely without any conditions. His grace and salvation are a gift and all I have/had to do was to accept the gift and it is/was mine.

I praise the LORD for all that He has given, and most of all, I praise His grace.

What are you praising that comes from the LORD? Are you looking for something that makes you look good? What if you praised Him for His grace given freely?

I will admit that I am a private person and keep to myself a good amount as opposed to putting everything in my life out there for everyone to see and be a part of. I pray privately and when I praise God, I also do so privately. I have to change that.

“¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?” — 1 Corinthians 14:14-16 (ESV)

I see in the above verses and read in the passage about speaking in tongues and prophesying. The act of speaking in tongues is for those that understand to be able to hear. When the word of God is meant to be heard by unbelievers, there is the need to think it through and subsequently speak so that others will understand and be able to hear. Further into this passage, Paul writes:

“¹⁹Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” — 1 Corinthians 14:19 (ESV)

It is important to remember who it is that is hearing the word of God and in such to ensure that the method of delivery is meant for that audience.

The same holds true with praise for the LORD. Where the relationship I have with Him is private and between He and me, I have to remember that I am also here to spread the gospel and good news of the LORD to those that I come in contact. I have to praise the LORD so that others will benefit from the knowing why I place my trust in Him. I have to be more public with my praise for Him. I have to be overt and simplified in my praise. I have to ensure that those watching, know where I find my strength.

I have written in the margin of my ESV Bible around this passage the following: “We should worship God as we see fit, although we should let others know so as to build them up as we are instructed to do.” I have to remember it is not about me but the LORD and bringing the gospel to the world. I have to build others up and the way to do that is to be public with my praise for the LORD. I have to make my praise to/for Him something that others will certainly benefit from.

What does your praise look like? Are you private or thinking of yourself and your individual relationship with the LORD? What if you went public for the benefit of others and made sure that you shared your praise of the LORD with those you are in contact?

I know, it seems a bit odd to say that praise to/for God confuses. Take a look at the reactions of those hearing it and expand that into the world today.

“¹⁵But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ they were indignant, ¹⁶and they said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read,

‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies

you have prepared praise’?” — Matthew 21:15-16 (ESV)

“¹⁸And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.” — Mark 11:18 (ESV)

“⁴⁷And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, ⁴⁸but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.” — Luke 19:47-48 (ESV)

These verses are of the same event, only different accounts of that event. Notice the reactions of those that were hearing the praise that was being presented to/for Jesus. They were “indignant”, “astonished”, and “did not find anything they could do”.

As I read this morning I could only think of the persecution that would come out of those feelings described by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. I see the confusion of what to do and how to act. There is a sense of wonderment and I can feel the tension mounting, although the tension is for seeing and hearing praise. In this they are looking for a way to justify taking adverse action on Jesus who is really doing nothing wrong, except for not doing things the way the establishment would have them done.

Now fast forward to today. I know that there are those that are praising God in public. Actors, sports figures, celebrities. They are not doing anything wrong except for not doing things the way of the establishment. This is causing indignation, astonishment, and confusing the establishment with what to do and how to act.

All of this confusion is driven by the praise to/for God and the work He has done and will do. What is coming from that confusion is acts against those that are just doing things differently. Those praising God are being persecuted and shunned in society for their actions. Those actions that are not harming anyone, except for the disruption of their power and bringing light to an alternate thought and solution. This praise is “bruising the ego” of those in the establishment and they do not like it. They are not being praised and that is a threat to their way of life.

Praise to/for God is confusing to others in that they are not looking for the better, only looking for their better. This confusion causes reactions and actions that are contrary to the praise lifted to/for God and that is the focus of those onlookers.

What side of the praise to/for God are you on? Are you the onlooker who seems to be confused by the idea that praise is given to/for outsiders to the establishment? What if you were to join the praise to avoid the confusion and lift up God as opposed to being contrary to Him?