THE GOSPELS, Matthew 4:5-7, & Luke 4:9-12, Do not put YHVH your GOD to the TEST

2 May 2025

We are studying Mathew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13 about THE TEMPTATION of YESHUA THE MESSIAH in the WILDERNESS. And today we are going to focus on Matthew 4:5-7.

We are mainly reading from the Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians.  And use the Hebrew names of God, YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh) where the word LORD in English are indicated in capital letters in the Scriptures and use the Hebrew Name Yeshua the Messiah instead of the English Name Jesus Christ translated from the Greek.

We read in Matthew 4:5-6 “Then the Adversary (opponent, challenger, enemy, Satan according to Revelation 12:9) took Him to the holy city (Jerusalem) and set Him on the highest point of the Temple. ‘If You are the Son of God, he said, jump! For the Tanakh (the Old Testament) says, He will order His angels to be responsible for you…They will support you with their hands, so that you will not hurt your feet on the stones.’ ” This is a quotation from Psalm 91:11-12. Also read the Luke 4:9-11 version).

The Afrikaans Bible in Practice explains: The TEMPLE was the RELIGIOUS HEART of the nation of ISRAEL, and they expected to see the Messiah there (read for instance Malachi 3:1 prophesying that He will suddenly come to His Temple. We also know from Exodus onward that YHVH appeared like a cloud in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and later the Temple, read Exodus 40:34-38 as well as appearing like smoke and fire on Mount Sinai, read Exodus 19:18-24 as well as Deuteronomy 5:1-5 and 22-33). Herod the Great rebuilt the TEMPLE because he wanted the favor of the nation of ISRAEL. It was the highest building in Jerusalem and the sidewall formed the tower from which the whole of the valley could be seen as well as Jerusalem and surroundings.

We also then see Satan is quoting Psalm 91:11-12 in his TESTING of Yeshua.

The Jewish Study Bible explains: Psalm 91:11-12 illustrates that YHVH care for His people. Guardian angels protect people even from demonic forces.

It is clear that Satan is misusing Psalm 91:11-12 here with a wrong interpretation, trying to provoke Yeshua to CHALLENGE GOD the FATHER TO SAVE HIM. We may not take deliberate IRRISPONSIBLE action which we know will cause us or other people harm and then ask for God’s protection because this is TESTING or CHALLENGING GOD. Satan is therefore trying to TEST Yeshua the Messiah for a possible fleshly human nature need for SECURITY by TESTING God’s PROTECTION in a SITUATION where a person places him or herself WILLINGLY in DANGER.  Satan is therefore trying to PROVOKE PRIDE (arrogance, egotism), UNCERTAINTY (doubt) INSECURITY (self-doubt) and the need to TEST GOD’s FAITHFULNESS.

We further read in Matthew 4:7 “Yeshua replied to him, ‘But it (the Word) also says’, ‘Do not put YHVH your God to the test.’”

So, we see that Yeshua and Satan are in a literal “fierce battle with the SWORD of the WORD.” Yeshua strikes back at Satan with the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, THE WORD by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16 to him. Paul later explained it in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For although we do live in the world, WE DO NOT WAGE WAR IN A WORDLY WAY, because THE WEAPONS WE USE TO WAGE WAR ARE NOT WORLDLY. On the contrary, they have GOD’s POWER FOR DEMOLISHING STRONGHOLDS. We DEMOLISH ARGUMENTS and EVERY ARROGANCE that RAISES ITSELF UP AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD; WE TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE AND MAKE IT OBEY THE MESSIAH.” REMEMBER YESHUA THE MESSIAH IS THE WORD OF GOD THE FATHER (John 1:1-14 and Revelation 19:11-13).

We read in Deuteronomy 6:16 the following: “Do not put YHVH, your God to the TEST, as you TESTED Him at Massah.”

So let’s try to understand this verse it by looking at it in its context. In Deuteronomy chapter 5 Moses called the whole of ISRAEL (all twelve tribes including Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh as well as the mixed multitude who left Israel with them, read Exodus 12:38) and he reiterated the TEN COMMANDMENTS given to them by God on Mount Sinai. And then in chapter 6 Moses confirms that THE TEN COMMANDMENTS in chapter 5 are the LAWS and RULINGS which YHVH their God ordered him to TEACH them for them to OBEY in the land they were about to cross over and to possess, so that they will FEAR YHVH their God and OBSERVE ALL HIS REGULATIONS and COMMANDMENTS (MITZVOT) – them, their children and grandchildren, as long as they live, and so they will have LONG LIFE. And in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 we read: “Shema, Yisrael! (meaning HEAR/ LISTEN ISRAEL) YHVH our God, is ONE.; and you are to LOVE YHVH your God with AL your HEART, ALL your BEING and ALL your RESOURCES (the original Hebrew text says: “…and you shall love YHVH your God with all your HEART, and all your SOUL and with ALL your MIGHT meaning SRENGTH). These WORDS, which I am ordering you today, are to be ON your HEART; and you are to TEACH (impart, communicate, explain, demonstrate) THEM CAREFULLY (diligently) TO YOUR CHILDREN. You are to TALK about them when you SIT AT HOME, WHEN you are TRAVELLING ON THE ROAD, WHEN you LIE DOWN and WHEN you GET UP. TIE THEM on your HAND as a SIGN, put them at THE FRONT OF A HEADBAND AROUND YOUR FOREHEAD (the original Hebrew text says: “ …and thou shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes”), and WRITE them on the DOOR-FRAMES of your HOUSE and on your GATES (meaning DO them, make it part of your THOUGHTS, PRACTICE it in your HOUSE and in your CITY)”  We then further read from Deuteronomy 6:13-15 to FEAR YHVH and SERVE HIM  and swear by HIS NAME (in the original Hebrew texts it says: “…and in His Name you shall take oaths/ do pledges/ make vows/ promises) and not to ANGER HIM by following other (small letter) gods of the people around you because YHVH is a JEALOUS GOD (God viewed the relationship with Israel in the same light as a husband and wife requiring FAITHFULNESS to Him, a HOLY and FAITHFUL GOD). And then we read Deuteronomy 6:16 saying: “Don’t put YHVH your God to the TEST, as you TESTED HIM at Massah.”

So what happened at Massah? We read about it in Exodus 17:1-7 the whole community of the people of ISRAEL left the Seen Dessert and camped in Rephidim; but there was NO WATER to drink. They QUARELLED with Moses, DEMANDING that he give them water to drink. And then Moses asked them: “Why pick a fight with me? Why are you TESTING YHVH?” (Verse 2). However, the people were THIRSTY FOR WATER and GRUMBLED against Moses saying: “For what did you bring us up from Egypt? To KILL US, our children and our livestock with thirst? (Verse 3). Moses then cried out to YHVH: “What am I to do with these people? They’re ready to STONE me!” YHVH answered Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and bring with you the leaders of ISRAEL. Take your staff in your hand, the one you used to strike the river; and go. I WILL STAND IN FRONT OF YOU THERE ON THE ROCK IN HOREB. You are to strike the rock, and WATER WILL COME OUT OF IT, so the people can drink. Moses did this in the sight of the leaders of ISRAEL. The place was called MASSAH (meaning TESTING) and MERIBAH (meaning QUARRELING) because of the quarreling of the people of ISAEL and because they TESTED YHVH by asking: ‘Is YHVH with us or not?’” (Verses 4-7).

Note, this incident is not to be mistaken by the second time the people required water at Meribah-kadesh and Moses were instructed by YHVH to speak to the Rock and not to strike it (read Numbers 20:1-13 and 27:12-14 and Deuteronomy 32:50-52).

We understand something of God’s anger in terms of the ISRAELITES TESTING HIM in Numbers 14:20-23 where Moses asked FORGIVENESS for the people and YHVH said: “…I have FORGIVEN, as you have asked. But as sure as I live, and that the whole earth is filled with the glory of YHVH, none of the people who SAW MY GLORY and the SIGNS I DID IN EGYPT (referring to the TEN PLAGUES) and in the desert (referring to His miraculous provision for them and His protection against their enemies), YET TESTED ME these TEN TIMES and DID NOT LISTEN TO MY VOICE, will see the land I swore to their ancestors! NONE OF THOSE WHO TESTED ME WITH CONTEMPT (disdain, dislike, aversion, loathing, scorn, ridicule, disrespect, disregard, disgust, hatred) WILL SEE IT.”

It is explained again in Psalm 78 as LESSONS FROM HISTORY as well as Psalm 95 and 106.  Also read Hebrews chapter 3.

And Paul later WARNED believers NOT TO TEST YHVH like ISRAEL did in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 saying the following: “For, brothers, I don’t want you to miss the significance of what happened to our fathers. All of them were guided by the PILLAR of CLOUD, and they all passed through the sea, and in connection with the CLOUD and with the sea they ALL IMMERSED themselves (were baptized) in Moses (the Jewish Study Bible explains: this means they united with Moses’ vison, goals and leadership. There is also an analogy between the immersion/ baptism in Moses and the immersion/ baptism into Yeshua the Messiah – also read Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27), also they all ATE THE SAME FOOD from the (capital letter) SPIRIT (therefore the HOLY SPIRIT), and they ALL DRANK THE SAME DRINK from the SPIRIT – FOR THEY DRANK FORM A SPIRIT-sent (capital letter) ROCK which FOLLOWED THEM, AND THAT ROCK WAS THE MESSIAH. Yet, with the majority of them GOD WAS NOT PLEASED (Why? They did not have FAITH in Him – and Hebrews 11:6 tells us we cannot please God without FAITH, believe, hope, trust in Him), so their bodies were strewn across the desert. Now these things took place as PREFIGURATIVE HISTORICAL EVENTS, WARNING US NOT TO SET OUR HEARTS ON EVIL THINGS AS THEY DID. Don’t be IDOLATERS, as some of them were – as the TANAKH (the Old Testament, Exodus 32:6) puts it, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to indulge (become involved) in revelry (carousing, partying). And let us NOT engage in SEXUAL IMMORALITY, as some of them did, with the CONSEQUENCE that 23,000 DIED in a single day. And let us NOT PUT THE MESSIAH TO THE TEST, as some of them did, and were DESTROYED BY SNAKES. And don’t GRUMBLE (complain, moan, protest), as some of them did and were DESTROYED by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as PREFIGURATIVE HISTORICAL EVENTS, and they were WRITTEN DOWN AS A WARNING TO US LIVING IN THE ACHARIT-HAYAMIM (THE LAST DAYS). Therefore, let anyone who thinks he is standing up be careful not to fall! No TEMPTATION (lure, enticement, inducement) has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and GOD CAN BE TRUSTED NOT TO ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. On the contrary, ALONG WITH THE TEMPTATION HE WILL PROVIDE THE WAY OUT, SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ENDURE.”

So, let’s take a closer look at TESTING.

There are EXAMPLES in the WORD where we ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TEST GOD – this type of TESTING that is not allowed has to do with NOT BELIEVING IN HIM or thinking HE IS NOT IN CONTROL or that HE IS POWERLESS OR NOT FAITHFUL.

Except for the examples of ISRAEL in the wilderness who WERE DISOBEDIENT because they did not TRUST (believe, have faith and hope) in YHVH’s ability to provide FOOD, WATER, PROTECTION and VICTORY to them against their enemies, some other examples recorded in the Word are the following:

• Testing the Holy Spirit by lying to fellow believers (Acts 5:9).
• Putting the Messiah to the test by doing as the Israelites in Numbers 21:4-6 grumbling against YHVH about His salvation and His provision (read 1 Corinthians 10:9).
• We also see several examples of the Pharisees TESTING Yeshua the Messiah due to their UNBELIEF in Him (read Matthew 19:3, Mark 10:2 and John 8:6). And He actually called them SNAKES and VIPERS in Matthew 23:33!
• And we as believers put God to the test when we put a yoke on people, letting them think that they can earn their salvation by KEEPING THE LAW (the TORAH) or by being “good people” while we are SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD THE FATHER THROUGH FAITH IN YEHSUA THE MESSAIH alone as a GIFT from GOD THE FATHER (read Acts 15:10 as well as Ephesians 2:8-9). But please do understand this is the IMPORTANT FIRST STEP on our SALVATION, thereafter we are called to DIE TO OUR OLD NATURE and to LIVE in HOLYNESS by being OBEDIENT to GOD’s WORD and WAYS with the guidance and help of the HOLY SPIRIT. This is what is called THE NARROW WAY.

The Afrikaans Bible in Practice explains: If we TRUST (have faith, believe, hope) in GOD we will not experience the NEED to TEST His faithfulness to us.

There are however also examples in the WORD where GOD allowed or even invited people to TEST Him, like in:

• Malachi 3:10 saying: “Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and PUT ME TO THE TEST, says YHVH T’zvaot (YHVH of the Hosts/ Angel ARMIES). See if I won’t open for you the FLOODGATES of HEAVEN and POUR OUT for you a BLESSING far beyond your needs.”
• Gideon who acted in obedience to God but testing if God really meant to save Israel through him – read Judges 6:39
•  John 20:24-27 – Thomas who lacked trust and was allowed by YESHUA, the RESURECTED MESSIAH to put his finger in His side.

Furthermore, we must REMEMBER, our GOD is a GOD that will TEST us for the following REASONS:

• God tested Abraham’s FEAR of HIM (Abraham’s willingness to obey Him even in the sacrifice of His only beloved son that served as proof that Abraham loved God above all else) – Genesis 22.
•  God tested the obedience to His TORAH of the Israelites in the wilderness – Exodus 16:4. 
• God tests us to make us FEAR Him, so that we will not commit sins – Exodus 20:20.
• God HUMBLES and TESTS us to KNOW WHAT IS IN OUR HEARTS – whether we would OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS or not – with the purpose of DOING GOOD TO US IN THE END – Deuteronomy 8:2-3 & 16 and 2 Chronicles 32:31.
• If a prophet or someone gives us messages from dreams and signs and wonders and the signs and wonders come about as he predicted when he tells us to follow other (small letter) gods and tells us to serve them, we are not to listen to them, FOR YHVH is TETING US to find out whether we REALLY LOVE HIM with all our heart, soul (mind, emotions and will) and strength and are willing to FEAR HIM, OBEY HIS COMMMANDMENTS, LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS, SERVE HIM and CLING (hold fast) TO HIM –  Deuteronomy 13:2-5.
• The message in Isaiah 48:10 to the HOUSE OF JACOB, called by the name of ISRAEL (people from the Northern Kingdom, with Ephraim as head over the Ten Tribes and possibly including grafted in believers in accordance to Romans 11), who have come from the spring of JUDA is: “Look, I have REFINED you, but not (as severely) as silver; (rather) I HAVE TESTED you in the furnace of AFFLICTION (suffering, distress, hardship).
• In Lamentations 3:40 Jeremiah encourages the people of Juda (the Southern Kingdom) by saying: “Let us EAMINE and TEST our WAYS and RETURN TO YHVH.”
• In Zechariah 13:9 YHVH promises on JUDGEMENT DAY He will open a spring to the HOUSE OF DAVID (the South Kingdom comprising of Juda and Benjamin) to one-third of them saying: “That third part I will BRING THROUGH FIRE; I WILL REFINE THEM as silver is refined, I WILL TEST THEM as gold is tested. They will call on My Name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’ and they will say, ‘YHVH is our God.” Also read Malachi 3:3.
• In John 6:6 we read Yeshua was TESTING Philip.
• In 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Paul explains that in the DAY of YESHUA our MESSIAH’s SECOND COMING the QUALITY of EACH one’s WORK will be TESTED by FIRE. If it was built on the FOUNDATION laid, which is YESHUA the MESSIAH he will receive a reward, if it is burned up, he will bear the loss: he will still escape with his life, but it will be like escaping through fire.”
• In 2 Corinthians 13:5-7 Paul encourages believers to: “EXAMINE yourselves to see whether you are LIVING the LIFE of TRUST (faith, believe, hope). TEST YOURSELVES. Don’t you realize that YESHUA THE MESSIAH IS IN you? – UNLESS you FAIL to PASS THE TEST. But I hope you will realize that we are not failures. And we pray to God that you will do NOTHING WRONG. We are not concerned with our appearing successful, but with you DOING WHAT IS RIGHT, even if we appear to be failures.”
• Hebrews chapter 12 tells us the IMPORTANCE and VALUE of GOD’s DISCIPLINING PROCESS in producing PEACEFUL and RIGHTEOUSS FRUIT.
• In James 1:2-3 & 12 we read: “Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of TEMPTATIONS; for you know that the TESTING of your TRUST (faith, believe, hope) produces PERSERVERENCE (maintaining faith through trying times). But let perseverance (persistence, determination) do its complete work; so that you may be COMPLETE and WHOLE, lacking nothing…How BLESSED is the man who PERSERVERES through TEMPTATION! For AFTER he has PASSED THE TEST, he will RECEIVE as his CROWN the (capital letter) LIFE (alluding to ETERNAL LIFE) which God has promised to those who LOVE HIM.” Please also note in verse 13 James explains that we are NOT TEMPTED by God for God cannot be TEMPTED BY EVIL, and God TEMPTS NO ONE. Rather each person are being TEMPTED and enticed by the BAIT of his OWN DESIRE. Then if one yields to that desire it GIVES BIRTH TO SIN and when that SIN is FULLY GROWN it gives birth to DEATH. We must therefore understand, GOD WIL TEST us and it may involve allowing Satan to TEMPT us, but it is our OWN sinful nature, the old man that chooses temptation and that is the very reason why we are called and encouraged to DIE to the OLD SELF as part of our following in the FOOTSTEPS of our MESSIAH on THE NARROW WAY.
• Peter encourages believers with the following words in 1 Peter 1:3-7: “Praised be to God, Father of Yeshua our Messiah, who, in keeping with his MERCY, has caused us, through the RESSURECTION of YESHUA our MESSIAH FROM THE DEAD, to be BORN AGAIN TO A LIVING HOPE, to an INHERITANCE that CANNOT DECAY, SPOIL or FADE, KEPT SAFE FOR YOU IN HEAVEN. Meanwhile, through TRUSTING (having faith, believe, hope), you are BEING PROTECTED BY GOD’s POWER for a DELIVERANCE ready to be revealed at the LAST TIME (the end of days). REJOICE in this, even though for a little while you may have to experience GIEF in VARIOUS TRIALS. Even gold is TESTED FOR GENUINESS BY FIRE. The PURPOSE of THESE TRIALS is so that your TRUST’s (FAITH, BELIEVE, HOPE’s) GENUINENESS, which is far more valuable than perishable gold, WILL BE JUDGED WORTHY of PRAISE, GORY and HONOR at the REVEALING of YESHUA THE MESSIAH (His second coming).”
• Peter further said in 1 Petrus 4:12-13: “Dear friends, don’t regard as strange the FIERY ORDEAL occurring among you TO TEST YOU, as if something extraordinary were happening to you. Rather, to the extent that you share the fellowship of the Messiah’s SUFFERINGS, REJOICE; so that you will REJOICE even more when His Sh’kinah (divine presence, His glory) is revealed.” ”

THE FAITHFUL MEN OF THE BIBLE UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED GOD’s TESTING

• JOB asked in Job 7:17-18: “What are mere mortals, that You make so much of them? Why do YOU have them ON YOUR MIND? Why EXAMINE them EVERY MORNING and TEST them EVERY MOMENT? And in Job 23:8-12 he said: “If I head east, HE isn’t there; if I had west, I don’t detect Him, if I turn north, I don’t spot Him; in the south He is veiled, and I still don’t see Him. YET HE KNOWS THE WAY I TAKE; WHEN HE HAS TESTED ME, I WILL COME OUT LIKE GOLD. My feet have stayed in HIS FOOTSTEPS; I KEEP TO HIS WAY without turning aside. I don’t withdraw from HIS LIPS’ COMMAND; I treasure HIS WORDS more than my daily food.”

• DAVID said in Psalm 11:4-5 “YHVH is in His holy Temple. YHVH, His throne is in heaven. HIS EYES SEE AND TEST HUMANKIND. YHVH TESTS the righteous…” And in Psalm 17:3 he said: “You probed (searched) my HEART, You VISITED me AT NIGHT, and You ASSAYED (examined, analyzed, evaluated, tested) me without finding evil thoughts that should pass my lips. And in Psalm 26:1-5 David actually requests YHVH to vindicate him, for he has lived a blameless life with unwavering TRUST (faith, believe and hope) in YHVH. And he asked: “Examine me, YHVH, TEST me, SEARCH MY MIND (thoughts) and HEART (emotions and intentions). For YOUR GRACE is before my eyes, and I LIVE my LIFE BY YOUR TRUTH. I have not sat with worthless (wicked unbelieving) folks, I won’t consort (associate) with hypocrites (pretenders), I hate the company of evildoers, I will not sit with the wicked. And in Psalm 66:9-10 we read: “HE PRESERVES OUR LIVES and KEEPS OUR FEET FROM STUMBLING. For YOU, GOD, HAVE TESTED US, REFINED US as silver is refined.” And in Psalm 139:23-24 David requested God: “EXAMINE me, God, and KNOW my HEART; TEST me, and KNOW my THOUGHTS. SEE if there is in me ANY HURTFUL (upsetting, unkind, cruel, spiteful, wounding, insensitive, tactless) WAY, and LEAD me ALONG THE ETERNAL WAY.

• In 1 Thessalonians 2:4 PAUL said: “…since God has TESTED us and FOUND us FIT TO BE ENTRUSTED WITH (the capital letter) GOOD NEWS, this is how we speak: not to win favor with people but with GOD, WHO TEST OUR HEARTS.” And we also read in turn that PAUL TESTED BELIEVERS saying in 2 Corinthians 2:9 “The reason I wrote you was to see if you WOULD PASS THE TEST, to SEE IF YOU WOULD FULLY OBEY me.”

• In Revelation 3:10 YESHUA the MESSIAH instructed John to write in the letter to the MESSIANIC CONGREGATION OF PHILADELPHIA: “Because you DID OBEY MY MESSAGE (MY COMMANDS) and ABOUT PERSERVERING (maintaining faith through trying times), I WILL KEEP you from the TIME OF TRIAL COMING UPON THE WHOLE WORLD TO PUT THE PEOPLE LIVING ON THE EARTH TO THE TEST. ”

So we learn TWO IMPORTANT things from this verse:

1. WHAT WILL KEEP US FORM BEING TESTED: KEEPING (obeying His Word in trust, believe, hope) HIS WORD with PERSERVERANCE!

2. It is easy to say we are His followers in good times, but WHAT WILL OUR CHOICES BE IN SUFFERING, IN PAIN and WHEN FACING CHALLENGES? Will we then still remain faithful to Him and OBEY HIS WORD? And this is the REASON for the END TIME TRIBULATION (TESTING OF ALL PEOPLE)!

We as BELIEVERS are also instructed in the WORD to TEST the following things:

• Eagerly welcome messages but KEEP on checking the WORD of GOD EVERY DAY to see if the things people (irrespective of their credentials or importance), say are true. Acts 17:11. 

• Test the spirits (of people) to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world – 1 John 4:1. This means we must be careful of people misleading us. We must TEST everything they say against the TRUTH of the WORD of GOD. 

• Don’t quench the (capital letter) SPIRIT (the Holy Spirit), don’t despise (loathe, dislike, detest, scorn, disrespect, ridicule) inspired messages. But DO TEST EVERYTHING – hold onto what is GOOD but KEEP AWAY FROM EVIL – 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21.

• TEST those who call themselves apostles (believers in Yeshua the Messiah) but are liars – Revelation 2:2 (also read 2 Corinthians 11:13).

AND what does GOD want from us: FAITH (hope, trust and believe in HIM)! KNOWING without a DOUBT that He is with us and He will work EVERYTHING (good or bad) to the GOOD of those who love HIM (by OBEYING Him, read Romans 8:28 and John 14:15) and are called for His purpose (that is all people responding to His voice calling us, because we were MADE for His purpose) and to keep on believing that He does have GOOD plans for all of us (Jeremiah 29:11) and to BELIEVE He IS with us in all circumstances and He will strengthen us (Isaiah 41:10) TRUST in Him an in all your ways acknowledge Him (Proverbs 3:5-6) and KEEP WALKING IN FAITH (hope, trust and believe in Him) and not by what we see around us (2 Corinthians 5:7 and Hebrews 11:1).

And how do we get this FAITH? WE GET TO KNOW HIM BY READING and HEARING HIS WORD by DAILY SITTING at HIS FEET, SEEKING HIM with our whole HEART and MIND, DOING HIS WORD/ OBEYING HIM and LEARNING TO TRUST HIM IN EVERYTING, even WHEN OUR NATURAL EYES cannot SEE we KEEP WALKING in FAITH, KNOWING that HE IS A GOOD and FAITHFUL FATHER and LIVING FAITHFUL TO HIM, in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES (Deuteronomy 4:29, Isaiah 55:6, Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 9:10, Proverbs 8:17 , Acts 17:27, Romans 10:17 and Hebrews 11:6).