10-07-2026 PART 1: Praying with Faith Without Testing God

Section 1

Psalm 78 begins this teaching with an uncomfortable contrast between Israel’s repeated rebellion and God’s extraordinary mercy. Asaph recounts how the people continued sinning against the Most High, yet God repeatedly showed them grace. Dr. Dave brings that truth directly into everyday Christian life: we still say, think, and do foolish things, but God’s grace remains greater than our failures, and His mercies are new every morning. 10072026A The problem arises when Israel begins testing God by demanding the “food of their fancy.” They were not simply bringing legitimate needs before Him; they wanted particular things because they wanted them, then expected God to prove Himself by providing them. Prayer can quietly drift into the same attitude when our confidence in God becomes conditional upon receiving exactly what we have decided He should give us.

Section 2

Israel’s attitude becomes even more startling when we remember what they had already witnessed. These were people who had walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, watched God deliver them from Egypt, and seen water gush miraculously from a rock. Yet they still asked whether God could prepare a table in the wilderness or provide bread and meat. 10072026A Dr. Dave identifies the danger as a “what have You done for me lately?” mentality. Believers can receive countless answers to prayer and still become consumed with the one request presently before them. We may even repeatedly reshape our prayers, searching for the perfect wording that will finally persuade God to give us what we want. At that point, prayer begins moving away from trusting God and toward testing Him, forgetting His past faithfulness while challenging Him to perform according to our expectations.

Section 3

Jesus provides the perfect model for bringing desires before the Father without surrendering faith or submission. In Gethsemane, He begins with complete confidence: “Abba, Father,” acknowledging both relationship and God’s unlimited ability. Then Jesus honestly asks for the cup to pass from Him, but finishes by surrendering His request to the Father’s will: not what I will, but what You will. 10072026A That is prayer with wisdom rather than prayer driven by the flesh. We can ask boldly, repeatedly, and confidently because God is capable of anything, but genuine faith does not demand that He demonstrate His faithfulness by fulfilling our particular preference. It remembers what God has already done and trusts His wisdom with what happens next. Faith says, “God, I know You can”—but surrender adds, “and I trust You enough to let Your will decide whether You should.”