 Scripture Reading: Mark 7:23-30 NASB95
[24] Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. [25] But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. [26] Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. [27] And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [28] But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” [29] And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” [30] And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left. For the only recorded time in the public ministry of Jesus, He steps outside the borders of Israel. He was on a mission from God, and He is extending the scope of His ministry to include a woman who came from a people group who were traditional enemies of the Hebrews. Mark does not tell us the reason Jesus departed from Galilee, but it is clear that He wanted to get away from the smothering crowds that followed Him everywhere. Jesus' fame had even crossed over the border and being anonymous was simply not possible. A Syrophoenician woman came to the house where Jesus was staying, fell at His feet and asked Him to deliver her daughter from a demon that had possessed her. (She was persistent and continued to ask for Jesus' help) At first glance, Jesus' response to the woman seems rather rude, but Jesus was examining the woman's faith. Jesus said, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." What Jesus stated was true. To cast a demon out of a non-believing Baal worshiper might lead to heavier possession. Jesus needed to determine "who" the woman had faith in. She replied to Jesus, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under that table feed on the children's crumbs." This was her declaration of faith. In essence she was stating, "Jesus, I believe in You and You are the only one who can save my daughter." Jesus recognized her faith and the woman's daughter was delivered! Questions to Consider:
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A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— 27after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. 28For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” 29Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Mark 5:25-29 NASB
Scripture tells us that she thought to herself "If I just touch His garments, I will get well." Where had she heard that this was possible? We do not see anywhere before this time where people were healed by touching Jesus' clothes. We also do not see people sharing stories of this taking place. Where did this revelation come from? This thought must have come to this woman as a whisper from the Spirit of God. This was an amazing revelation from God which seems to only be given to this suffering woman who had lost everything and had endured much from the works of men. But what would have happened if she received this revelation and then never reached out to touch Christ? This revelation (as awesome as it was) would have remained a revelation but would have never manifested in reality. Her faith and obedience took the revelation from remaining a spiritual truth into becoming a reality that touched the physical world. Specifically in the American the church today, we have a tendency to receive new revelations but never see those revelations manifest. On a weekly or even daily basis, most of us receive numerous new revelations from God's word, or through His people. This can be a great blessing but it can also become what we constantly seek instead of seeing those revelations come into reality. Paul addressed this exact issue when discussing the last days in his letter written to Timothy. Paul says that in the last days there will be people who are: always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:7 NASB What Paul is addressing here is people who are constantly learning new things about God but are never coming to know those things through experiential knowledge. The word that Paul uses for knowledge here means: contact-knowledge; first-hand, experiential knowing. So Paul is letting us know that in the last days there will be many people learning new things but everything they are learning is only head knowledge. They never come to the point of actually experiencing what they are learning. This woman in Mark 5 was faced with the same decision: "take what I heard and reach out and experience healing or learn something new but never receive healing." She could have remained a suffering woman who possibly knew something that others didn't; but what good would that have been? Our steps of faith and obedience are the conduit that bring the revelations from God down to earth. In these last days in which we are living we must not become the people that Paul warns us about in 2 Timothy 3:7. We must be people who are doers of the word and not just hearers. People who take risky steps of faith like this woman did and see God move in ways we have never seen before. Questions to Consider: 1. What are some areas in your life where God is asking you to take a step of faith? 2. What are some new things you are learning about God today? How do those things relate to your everyday life?  Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, [5] who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [6] In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, [7] so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; [8] and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, [9] obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. Thomas did not believe the other disciples when they said that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Rather than rejoicing, he expressed doubt. His doubts were swept away when Jesus paid him a visit. Thomas believed when he saw Jesus face to face. Jesus rightly told Peter, "You believe because you have seen me, blessed are those who have not seen me and believe." It can be challenging to believe in something or someone that you have never seen. Some critics of Christianity would go so far as to say it is crazy for a person to base faith on something that is unseen. However, as in the case of Thomas, although he had not yet seen Jesus, Jesus was indeed alive. There are reasons that current-day Believers have put their faith in Jesus though they have not yet seen Him. The Apostle Peter talks about some of the reasons "we" believe without seeing Jesus. v3: We have experienced God's great mercy. v3: We have been given a living hope. v4: We have an inheritance waiting for us. v5: We are protected by the power of God. v6: We rejoice even when our faith is tested. v7: Out faith is like gold test by fire. v8: We have love for Jesus, and inexpressible joy. I know that all of these "connections" to God seem to be subjective; but, I would contend that they are real. It should be "expected" that although we live in a physical world our connection to God is spiritual in nature. our unseen spiritual connection to God is real and it is what fuels our faith; and "yes," we believe without seeing! Questions to Consider:
 Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 1:8-14
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, [9] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, [10] but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, [11] for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. [12] For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. [13] Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. [14] Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. The Christian Faith is centered on a relationship between us and God. As in any relationship, the relationship becomes more substantial as we come to know the other person. Covenant friendships are forged over time and and common experiences. Marriages flourish as a couple builds a dynamic relationship built on love and trust. The Apostle Paul speaks of his relationship with God in such terms. Paul states: "I know whom I have believed." Paul is declaring that his faith is based on an ongoing relationship with someone that he "knows." Paul's faith is not in doubt, because he knows the person who is the basis of his faith. For Paul, God is not the man upstairs, God is living in him through the Holy Spirit. Paul's unshakable faith gave him the strength to endure hardship and persecution. Paul placed his life, his destiny and all the things that he cared about into the safety of God's providence. When a Believer comes to a place in their relationship with God, where they can place everything that they hold to be of value and importance (including their own destiny) into the safekeeping of God; they are now walking in faith and not by sight. Questions to Consider:
 Scripture Reading Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith is a step beyond hope. Hope is necessary in order for us form an optimistic view of the future. Hope is even included as one of the “Great Three” listed in 1 Corinthians 13:13. (Faith, Hope and Love) Faith takes hope to the next level. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for…” The word “assurance” is translated from the Greek Word ὑπόστασις. (hupostasis) This word means that a person has concrete evidence that something is true. This is like a court case where the evidence is undeniable and demonstratively accurate. Faith is not vague and undefined. Faith is specific and clear. Faith is also the absolute conviction concerning the “things not seen.” Would it be great to know the future? As a Believer in Christ, we do know the future. We may not know the details of how things will unfold, but we do know how they will ultimately land. According to Romans 8:28 “All things are going to work out for our good.” According to Jesus’ own words, He is preparing a place for us, and He is going to come back and receive us. This is not merely a hope, this is the future reality for those that are in Christ Jesus! Questions to Consider:
 Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. There was turmoil in the church. The denomination that they were a part of had sent the new pastor. The former pastor of the church was a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching, God-fearing man who loved God with all his heart. The newly installed pastor openly stated that he was an atheist and believed that God was a myth. What we know, without a doubt, from Hebrews 11:6, is that this new pastor was not a true man of faith. Being a clergyman was his chosen profession, but he was not a believer. Faith begins with two prerequisites; 1) One must believe that God exists, and 2) That God is good. Specifically, He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. I do not understand what would motivate a self-proclaimed atheist to lead a community of faith, but that was what was happening in this church. This would be a church with some major gaps. This church would lack in being led with wisdom, because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. This church would lack in evangelistic fervor because the heart of the gospel would not be preached with conviction. This church would lack in hope in the future because the pastor had no hope to offer the families of a deceased loved one. Questions to Consider:
Questions to Consider:
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