Growing in a Relationship With God - Bible Texts

Lesson 8: May 16-22

The verses listed, except where noted, are in the American Standard Version (ASV).

Having Faith

Memory Text: “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1, NLT).
Sabbath Afternoon Readings ↥        
May 16
Mark 8:11–12

11And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him. 12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

Matt 15:21–28

21And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25But she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26And he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs. 27But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Luke 7:1–10

1After he had ended all his sayings in the ears of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

2And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick and at the point of death. 3And when he heard concerning Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, asking him that he would come and save his servant. 4And they, when they came to Jesus, besought him earnestly, saying, He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him; 5for he loveth our nation, and himself built us our synagogue. 6And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: 7wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be healed. 8For I also am a man set under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 9And when Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned and said unto the multitude that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole.

Eph 2:8

8for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Rev 14:12

12Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Hebrews 11
Read Hebrews 11
Hebrews 11:1

1Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.

Heb 11:1

1Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.

Rom 12:3

3For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.

Eph 2:8–9

8for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not of works, that no man should glory.

Sunday Readings ↥        
May 17
Deut 4:7–10

7For what great nation is there, that hath a god so nigh unto them, as Jehovah our God is whensoever we call upon him? 8And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

9Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children’s children; 10the day that thou stoodest before Jehovah thy God in Horeb, when Jehovah said unto me, Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Deut 8:2–3

2And thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not. 3And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

John 20:30–31

30Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: 31but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.

Matthew 24
Read Matthew 24
Mark 8:11–12

11And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him. 12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

Mark 8:12

12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

John 20:29

29Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Heb 11:1

1Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.

Monday Readings ↥        
May 18
Mark 4:40

40And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?

Matthew 15:21–28

21And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25But she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26And he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs. 27But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

John 2:23–25

23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, during the feast, many believed on his name, beholding his signs which he did. 24But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men, 25and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Luke 7:1–10

1After he had ended all his sayings in the ears of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

2And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick and at the point of death. 3And when he heard concerning Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, asking him that he would come and save his servant. 4And they, when they came to Jesus, besought him earnestly, saying, He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him; 5for he loveth our nation, and himself built us our synagogue. 6And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: 7wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be healed. 8For I also am a man set under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 9And when Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned and said unto the multitude that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole.

Mark 9
Read Mark 9
Mark 9:24

24Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Tuesday Readings ↥        
May 19
Matt 17:20

20And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Matt 13:31–32

31Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Rom 12:3

3For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.

Ephesians 2:8

8for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Jer 31:3

3Jehovah appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Mark 9:24

24Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Heb 12:1–2

1Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Chron 15:7

7But be ye strong, and let not your hands be slack; for your work shall be rewarded.

Rom 3:23–26

23for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; 26for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.

Luke 7:50

50And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Wednesday Readings ↥        
May 20
Hebrews 11
Read Hebrews 11
Matt 17:20

20And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Rom 10:17

17So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Luke 17:5

5And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Mark 9:24

24Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Phil 2:12–16

12So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. 14Do all things without murmurings and questionings: 15that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, 16holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain.

Matt 25:8

8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.

2 Cor 5:7

7(for we walk by faith, not by sight);

Thursday Readings ↥        
May 21
Revelation 14:12

12Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Matthew 26:36–42

36Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Rev 5:9

9And they sing a new song, saying,

Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,

Hebrews 11:6

6and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.

Friday Readings ↥        
May 22

Further Thought

Rom 5:1

1Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;

Acts 26:18

18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

John 1:12

12But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Gal 2:20

20I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

Hebrews 10:23

23let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:

Jer 31:2–4, 9, 11–12

2Thus saith Jehovah, The people that were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. 3Jehovah appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 4Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: again shalt thou be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

9They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.

11For Jehovah hath ransomed Jacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. 12And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow unto the goodness of Jehovah, to the grain, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.