Mark 9:24 – “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Context: A father pleads with Jesus to heal his demon-possessed son. He believes, but admits his struggle with doubt. Jesus honors his honesty and heals the boy—showing that faith doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. Hebrews 3:12-19 – Be careful, brothers and sisters, that none of you ever develop a wicked, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 Encourage each other every day while you have the opportunity. If you do this, none of you will be deceived by sin and become stubborn. 14 After all, we will remain Christ’s partners only if we continue to hold on to our original confidence until the end.15 Scripture says, If you hear God speak today, don’t be stubborn. Don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled.”16 Who heard God and rebelled? All those whom Moses led out of Egypt rebelled. 17 With whom was God angry for 40 years? He was angry with those who sinned and died in the desert. 18 Who did God swear would never enter his place of rest? He was talking about those who didn’t obey him. 19 So we see that they couldn’t enter his place of rest because they didn’t believe. Context: The writer warns believers not to repeat Israel’s mistake in the wilderness. Their unbelief kept them from entering the Promised Land. It’s a call to remain faithful and soft-hearted.
UNBELIEF CAN BLOCK YOUR BLESSINGS. UNBELIEF CAN CAUSE YOU NOT TO BE BLESSED BY GOD.
“But How Do I Know I’m Part of God’s Family?” Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal. 4:6) In Galatians 3:23–4:7, Paul wrestles with the question “Who inherits the promises given to Abraham of an eternal life with God?” Or, in our modern vernacular, who is saved? The answer is everyone who trusts God to justify them through Christ’s death and resurrection. All who believe—who take God at his word—regardless of their gender, social standing, or ethnicity, are now “sons” of God. This means that all who believe inherit equally. There are no second-class family members seated around God’s dining room table. But how do you know if you have a seat? The acid test of sonship comes from something inside you that insists—demands—that you think of God as your Father. It’s the Spirit of his Son that he has sent into your heart that says, “You are related to him.” Even in your worst moments, you know that you can turn to him and he will hear you, because you’re family. And so you don’t even think about it. You just expect him to take your call, because that’s what family does. This is an experiential argument, not a conceptual one. It asks you whether you find yourself naturally, if unexpectedly, turning to God in random moments of your life. • Do you ever feel grateful and silently whisper, “Thank you”? • Do you ever get upset and tell God how frustrated you are? • Have you ever been sick or in pain and asked him to heal you? • Have you ever urged him to make the future turn out a certain way? • Have you ever felt cut to the heart and asked him to comfort you? • Do you ever find yourself struck by the beauty of a sunset, the delicacy of a spiderweb, the power of a thunderstorm, the quietness of a snowfall, the softness of a baby’s cheek, or the loyalty of a pet, and then find yourself marveling at the One who made it? Responses like these—reaching out to God or associating him with the things you experience in life—make sense only if there is something real between the two of you. Something that transcends your fears and uncertainty. Something that’s there whether you consciously think about it or not. When you instinctively turn to God—not to make all your wishes come true, but in order to invite him into your world or to share yourself with him—you are demonstrating that his Spirit really is inside of you crying out, “Father!” It’s the evidence that you are family. Being family wasn’t your idea first. God put the Spirit of his Son in you. And since he has done that, you are not just family for the moment—you are family forever. CHECK YOUESELF: Think back over the past few days. Were there times when you casually, instinctively reached out to God? Be honest with yourself: do you have a sense inside that you can talk to God as your Father? If so, thank him for his Spirit. If not, ask him to adopt you and give you his Spirit.
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44) It hurts our pride and disturbs our notion of “free will,” but Jesus is very clear: if you have any interest in him, it is only because the Father has first drawn you to him. If the Father hadn’t stirred your heart, you would not be attracted to his Son. You do have to respond by moving toward Christ—by listening to him, talking with him, obeying him, enjoying him—but your actions are secondary to the Father’s. This order is so foundational to your confidence in your relationship with God that Jesus repeats himself, leaving no room for misunderstanding (see John 6:37, 44, 65). If the Father has drawn you, then you can be sure Christ has saved you. The question, then, is not “How can I know that I’m saved?” but “How can I know that the Father has drawn me?” The answer is found in how you react to Jesus: do you move toward him or away from him? Jesus told these things to a large crowd that had invested serious time and energy in pursuing him (see John 6:22–24). But it turned out that they didn’t want him as much as they wanted him to make their lives easier. They wanted a free lunch (see v. 26). Jesus started dialoguing with them, challenging why they were following him so that they could want him for the right reasons. But the people wouldn’t let go of what they wanted, which meant that they became more confused the longer he talked. Jesus told them that they needed a different kind of food than the kind they were thinking about. They needed bread from heaven. Then he told them that he was that bread and that they would need to eat his flesh and drink his blood if they wanted to have real life (see vv. 32–33, 48–51, 53–58). This didn’t make any sense to them. A number of them walked away—including some who had considered themselves his disciples (see v. 66). But the twelve apostles didn’t walk. When Jesus asked them if they wanted to, they told Jesus that they had nowhere else to go, because he alone had the words of life (see vv. 68–69). It’s pretty obvious that they didn’t fully grasp what he was saying until after his resurrection, but they didn’t let their confusion get in the way of pursuing him. Just the opposite—when they were confused about something that he said or did, they asked him about it (see Matt. 13:10; 15:12; Mark 7:17; 9:28; 13:1–4; Luke 8:9; John 11:7–15; 13:24–25, 36–37). They moved closer to him. They came to him and kept on coming to him and stayed with him, because they knew he was the Holy One of God (see John 6:69). That’s the key to understanding whether or not the Father has drawn you: do you critique and dismiss Jesus, or do you trust and want more of him? Neither the crowd nor the apostles fully understood what he was saying that day, but those whom the Father drew wanted more of him and wouldn’t leave. CHECK YOURSELF: Have there been times when you were tempted to walk away from Christ but didn’t? What kept you from leaving? Has the Father drawn you to his Son? Do you still want Jesus? Are you still pursuing him? If the Father is continuing to draw you, take a moment and thank him for doing so.
Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Mark 11:24: Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Psalm 34:6-8: This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REMINDER TO BE HELPFUL.
God speaks often and clearly about believing in Him throughout Scripture. Belief isn’t just intellectual agreement—it’s trust, surrender, and relationship. Here’s a structured look at what God says about believing in Him: Core Truths About Believing in God 1. Belief is the Foundation of Salvation John 3:16 (GW):“God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.” ➤ Believing in Jesus is the gateway to eternal life. Romans 10:9 (GW):“If you declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved.” ➤ Faith in the resurrection is essential for salvation. 2. Belief Connects Us to God’s Power Mark 9:23 (GW):“Jesus said to him, ‘As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.’” ➤ Faith unlocks divine possibilities. Hebrews 11:6 (GW): “No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to God must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” ➤ Belief is required to approach and please God. 3. Belief Is a Daily Walk, Not Just a Moment Galatians 2:20 (GW):“I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live I live by believing in God’s Son, who loved me and took the punishment for my sins.” ➤ Faith shapes how we live every day.
In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes love as the foundation of all commandments: Matthew 22:37–39 STATES “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself.” This teaches that love for God and others is not optional—it’s the core of a faithful life. Romans 5:8 STATES “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This shows that divine love isn’t based on merit—it’s freely given, even when we fall short. WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT LOVE IS ACTION, NOT JUST EMOTION. 1 John 3:18 “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” God teaches that real love involves compassion, justice, and service to others.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED AND RECEIVED FROM THIS QUICK REFRESHER.
Ephesians 4:30 “Don’t give God’s Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you. He has put his seal on you for the day you will be set free from the world of sin.” This verse is a powerful reminder to live in a way that honors the presence of the Holy Spirit, who marks believers for redemption. What This Means • “Don’t give God’s Holy Spirit any reason to be upset…” This is a call to live in a way that honors the Spirit. Actions like bitterness, anger, slander, or unforgiveness (mentioned in the surrounding verses) can grieve the Holy Spirit. • “He has put his seal on you…” This seal is a mark of ownership and protection. It’s like a divine signature saying, “You belong to God.” • “…for the day you will be set free…” This points to the future—when believers are fully redeemed and freed from the effects of sin, often interpreted as the day of final salvation or resurrection. In Context Ephesians 4 is all about unity, maturity, and living a transformed life. Verse 30 sits in a section urging believers to put off their old selves and live in love, truth, and holiness.
I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE HELPFUL.
GOOD HEALTH AND LONG LIFE. OUR GOD TEACHES US HOW TO CAUSE HIM TO BLESS US WITH GOOD HEALTH AND LONG LIFE.
THE WORD OF GOD STATES IN Exodus 23:25–26 You must serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your food and water. I will take away all sickness from among you. No woman in your land will miscarry or be unable to have children. I will let you live a normal life span. THE WORD OF GOD STATES IN Exodus 15:26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what he considers right, if you pay attention to his commands and obey all his laws, I will never make you suffer any of the diseases I made the Egyptians suffer, because I am the LORD, who heals you.” THE WORD OF GOD STATES IN Deuteronomy 7:12 If you listen to these rules and faithfully obey them, the LORD your God will keep his promise to you and be merciful to you, as he swore to your ancestors.
James 3:13–18 Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and filled with self-centered ambition, don’t brag. Don’t say that you are wise when it isn’t true. That kind of wisdom doesn’t come from above. It belongs to this world. It is self-centered and demonic. Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil. However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers. 1 Peter 2:12 – Live honorably so your good deeds glorify God.
ALLOW THIS WORD FROM GOD TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
While good friends are a blessing, bad friends are a curse. In my life I have had two types of bad friends. I’ve had the fake friends who pretend to be your friend, but slander you behind your back and I had the bad influences. The friends that entice you to sin and go down the wrong path. Most of us have been hurt by these types of people and God has used our failed relationships with others to make us wiser. Choose your friends carefully. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 Don’t be fooled: “Bad friends will ruin good habits.” Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning. Some of you don’t know God. I say this to shame you. Proverbs 26:24-26 Evil people say things to make themselves look good, but they keep their evil plans a secret. What they say sounds good, but don’t trust them. They are full of evil ideas. They hide their evil plans with nice words, but in the end, everyone will see the evil they do. Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper, and never keep company with a hothead, or you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself. Proverbs 14:6-7 Anyone who makes fun of wisdom will never find it, but knowledge comes easily to those who understand its value. Stay away from fools, there is nothing they can teach you. Psalm 1:1-4 Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night. So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream— a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never fall. Everything they do is successful. But the wicked are not like that. They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Psalm 26:3-5 I always remember your faithful love. I depend on your faithfulness. I don’t run around with troublemakers. I have nothing to do with hypocrites. I hate being around evil people. I refuse to join those gangs of crooks. Bad friends keep bringing up old matters. 19. Proverbs 17:9 Whoever forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever keeps bringing up the issue separates the closest of friends. Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS QUICK STUDY. DID YOU FIND IT ENJOYABLE AND HELPFUL?
In Context
