Awake Us Now

Did Jesus exist?  Is Jesus a myth?  Is there any evidence that Jesus actually lived?  Is there any evidence outside the Bible?  The answer is absolutely, there's a great deal of evidence. Many are unaware of some of the very profound and powerful evidences for the existences of Jesus.  Today we will take a look at the evidence for Jesus' existence, coming at it from three different vantage points: Ancient Hostile Witnesses: (Pastor goes into detail regarding each of the following hostile testifiers to Jesus and His followers)     •    Tacitus - Annals XV, 44 (ca 55-120A.D)      •    Suetonius - Claudius, 25 and Nero, 18 (ca 117-138 A.D.)     •    Pliny the Younger - Letter to Roman Emperor Trajan (ca 112 A.D.)     •    Sanhedrin 43a (part of the Talmud)     •    Josephus - “Testimonium Flavianum”  Antiquities, 18:3 (ca 37-97 A.D.) Earliest Witnesses     •    Doctor Luke and John Mark     •    Jesus' best friend, John     •    Saul of Tarsus (Apostle Paul) Accepted historical Facts: Acknowledged by Scholars, Liberals, Conservatives, Christians, Jews and Agnostics:     •    Jesus died by Roman Crucifixion     •    His tomb was discovered to be empty     •    His disciples said they saw the risen Jesus     •    His disciples lives were radically changed     •    Resurrection proclaimed early in Jerusalem     •    James and Paul became believers Pastor concludes the teaching time telling us that God changed his heart and the direction of his career. Then Pastor changes the question to "Does Jesus really exist?" and continues with the following: “If Jesus is alive, if He has risen from the grave, that changes everything. It means that God has broken into our world. It means that there is life and forgiveness in Him, and that apart from Him, you have nothing. Today's question is not simply a question about the historical past, this is a question about eternal destiny!” Jesus is alive! And we pray that He will be, if He's not already, the Lord of your life! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 17 Scripture: John 12:27-13;30, Isaiah 6. Today's study takes us through an insider's view of the final hours before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion. We open with Jesus words in John 12:27-28, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” We see Jesus' heart here - In the verses we see Him not as fully God but as fully man - fully human - He is bearing the weight of the world in His soul and in His heart. This is a reminder of just how great His love is for us. The Father in heaven answered Jesus - in verses 28-29, “Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.” To the crowd they thought it was thunder or that an angel spoke! But it was the voice of God the Father. The Father will be glorified through the sacrifice of His Son, by His Son's willing submission to the Father's will. The Father brings judgement on the Son because His love for us is so great that He is willing to take our penalty for sin. We will see Jesus is exalted as He gives up His life and is lifted up (onto the cross) for all of us. We learn in today's study that God's heart desire is to turn people back to Himself. God's heart is to bring healing. In verse 42-43 we read, “Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.” Following God no matter the cost, choosing to be right with God instead of right with people… Pastor spends time explaining the timing of Jesus' death in the Gospel of John against the timing in the other three gospels. We take an in-depth look at the Passover Meal and the washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus. As Jesus does the feet washing what He's saying is that this is not about mere ritual, this is about relationship with Him that transforms our lives. He's acting out that transformation as He washes their feet.  He says, “you also should wash one another's feet.” We end by beginning to explore Jesus predicting His betrayal by one of the disciples. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Pastor opens with Psalm 33:12  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”  Our class starts and ends with the story of the kings of Judah. But in between Asa's 40 year reign as a king of Judah and his son, Jehoshaphat's 22 year reign, we see the turmoil and chaos that is transpiring in Israel the northern kingdom. Major events of Asa's Reign:      ⁃    Zera the Cushite attacks (2 Chr. 14:8-15)     ⁃    Azariah and Covenant Renewal (2 Chr. 15:1-19)     ⁃    Treaty with Ben-Hadad of Aram (2 Chr. 16:1-6)     ⁃    Hanani the Seer rebukes Asa (2 Chr. 16:7-10) In 1 Kings 15:16-17 we read about the tension between Baasha, King of Israel and Asa, King of Judah, and how there was war between Asa and Baasha. Baasha fortifies Ramah on the main road to Jerusalem close to the border between to Israel and Judah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering Judah's territory. Asa retaliates but instead of calling on God as he has in the past, he calls on a foreign power and gives temple adornments, silver and gold to the King of Aram and asks him to attack Baasha. Ben-Hadad of Aram does attack Israel, the northern kingdom and wins.  Hanani, a prophet comes to Asa following his treaty with Aram and says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” Asa was so angry at the prophet that he put him in prison. Asa was a good king and had sought to follow the Lord when he first ruled, but in the later years of his reign he did not call on the Lord, instead he relies on himself and others and not God. The scriptures say, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  Asa started out that way, but he did not finish that way. A lesson for us today. Meanwhile, up north… (in Israel) we read in 1 Kings 15-16.  910-870 BC during the 40 year reign of Asa in Judah, this is how it was going in Israel. Jeroboam's son Nadab is on the throne and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord following the ways of his father Jeroboam. Nadab rules for only 2 years. Baasha kills Nadab and rules Israel for 24 years. Baasha battles Israel because of King Asa of Judah's request. Baasha defeats Israel and kills off all of Jeroboam's family, ending the rule of Jeroboam's family and fulfilling the prophetic word given to Jeroboam.  Ahijah's prophetic word had said that Jeroboam was to follow God, and if he did his family would continue to reign but if he did not it would end.  We begin to see that when a nation abandons God it invites disaster. The kingdom  of Israel is in chaos. We can see it in the list of rulers of Israel over the next years: Nadab - 2 years (son of Jeroboam) Baasha - 24 years (kills Nadab and Jeroboam's family) Elah - 2 years (son of Baasha killed by Zimri) Zimri - 7 days (killed by Baasha's family) Omri - 12 years (build new capital: Samaria) Ahab - 22 years (Omri's son - he was the worst king of all. Marries Jezebel and establishes Baal worship) 1 Kings 16-22. God's anger is aroused with this succession of evil kings of Israel…. …But in the southern kingdom of Judah, Jehoshaphat is king. 1 chronicles 17 870-848 BC - he was a man who sought the Lord his God. Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of David instead of the practices that we see goin on in Israel. Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor. He removed asheriah poles, he sent teachers out to the people of Judah to teach them about the law in the Torah and revival breaks out.   Join us next week as we meet Elijah! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Questions about the Trinity are often asked this way:     •    Is the word “Trinity” in the Bible?     •    Do Christians worship three Gods?     •    Was “Trinity” invented by the Church?     •    Isn't the notion of “Trinity” irrational?     •    Don't you think this is a minor issue? Pastor digs into the question of the Trinity by starting at the beginning, in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In Hebrew the word for God that is used in this verse is Elohim. Elohim is a plural noun. God is being described in plural terms! Genesis 1:2 “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” In Hebrew the Spirit of God is “Ruah Elohim”. This is describing God as the Holy Spirit.  Genesis 1:3 “And God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” The word that stands out here is “said”.  Observation: Genesis 1     1.    Plural noun for God the Creator     2.    Spirit of God involved in Creation     3.    God's Word brings forth the Creation This three-fold pattern continues throughout the Hebrew Scriptures:     1.    Father - Deuteronomy 32:6 “Is He not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?”     2.    Spirit - Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me, the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”     3.    Word - Psalm 33:6 “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”     But the Old Testament also says there is but ONE God. Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel; The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”   And yet one God is describe in a multiplicity of terms. One God and three very distinct Persons. This pattern continues in the New Testament:     1.    Father - 1 Peter 1:2 “…chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.”     2.    Spirit - Acts 5:3-4 “…you have lied to the Holy Spirit…you have not lied just to human beings but to God.”     3.    Word - John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  In John 1:14 we read more about the Word, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  THE WORD is none other than Jesus, Himself. The Bible sets forth clearly that the One God has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Jesus says in Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”    The word that stands out in this verse is the word NAME - singular - yet THREE are named. 2 Corinthians 13:14 “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”   This is clear Biblical teaching that the One true God has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is complex!!! His ways are higher than ours! God who created us….     •    Planned to Save us (God knew we would wander away from Him, but His plan from the beginning was save us)     •    Came to Save us (we cannot save ourselves, we need a divine rescue. Our Divine Rescuer is Jesus who came to earth taking on human flesh and enduring the cross)     •    Dwells in us to Save us (the God who created us dwells in us, brings us to faith, changes hearts, gives power and testifies to Jesus the Savior) God works as a unity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - each unique and distinct but also uniquely ONE.   Is the word “Trinity” in the Bible? The word is not but “the Trinity” is found: Father, Son and Holy Spirit in both Old and New Testaments. Do Christians worship three Gods? No, there is but ONE God, but has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We do not need to comprehend this to know God's power and presence and truth.  Was “Trinity” invented by the Church?  The term is invented but The TRUTH of THE TRINITY has been there since the beginning. Isn't the notion of “Trinity” irrational? This is a profound mystery, but not irrational. Pastor shares a lesson from Dr. Walter Martin and the Triple Point of Water where water is solid, gas and liquid all at one time. Three yet one. Is it irrational that the God of the universe can “three yet one.” Don't you think this is a minor issue? No because when we start ignoring what God says about Himself and what the Bible teaches we go into false teaching and false testimony. This is where false religions come in. We're living in a culture that has walked from God and it is disastrous. This is NOT a minor issue - God is above ALL things and He is worthy of our worship and praise. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 16 Scripture: John 11:54-12:26. Pastor begins today's class with stats and information regarding people falling away from faith. He shares that stats of the younger generation falling from faith show the reason to be that they don't see any evidence for having faith, stating that in college they found out evolution is a reality and the there is no God.  However, we are living in a time when there is more and more evidence is accumulating in remarkable ways that testifies not only to the reliability of the scripture, but also to the reality of God! There are incredible evidences being discovered that point to the very truthfulness of the Bible. Pastor shares information and pictures of several recent discoveries. So many remarkable items are being discovered that provide confirmation that these people in the Bible are real people. What we will see in the coming chapters of John is Jesus will fulfill everything the scriptures spoke of and He fulfills the feasts of the Jewish people.  As we pick up with our story, Jesus raising Lazarus was the event that finally causes the opponents to Him (the religious leaders) to put out a warrant for His arrest, so Jesus leaves and heads to Ephraim. The town of Ephraim is a place of safety for Jesus. While in Ephraim the time of the Passover was approaching, so Jesus and the disciples head to Jerusalem with a stop in Bethany. Lazarus, Martha and Mary host a special dinner to honor Jesus and Mary anoints Jesus' head and feet with perfumed, expensive oil. The day of this anointing was 6 days before the Passover. The day following this meal at Lazarus' home, Jesus will enter Jerusalem on the day we call Palm Sunday. He will fill the air with the beautiful aroma from this perfumed oil Mary anointed Him with. This anointing is no accident. In the Psalms and other Old Testament scriptures we read about kings arriving in towns anointed and fragrant and now Jesus arrives in Jerusalem as people greet him with shouts of Hosanna and palm branches, He's anointed and fragrant - heralded as a king, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Tradition tells us that when a king rode into a city on a donkey - he was coming in peace. If he rode in on a course - he was coming to conquer. Pastor takes time to share how special donkeys are and why. He also shares that at the time of Jesus, during a very short and unique window of time, Passover was celebrated in a specific way and the lambs were prepared in an especially unique way. It is during the very unique window of time in human history, that Jesus comes into Jerusalem as the Lamb of God. These unique practices at this specific time, are not coincidences - instead they show the fingerprints of God in every detail from the donkey to the Passover to the lambs - It's all incredibly orchestrated. As our story continues we see Greeks and Gentiles at the Temple asking to see Jesus followed by Jesus predicting His death. Jesus says that it is the hour for Him to be glorified.  How fascinating that Jesus sees the cross ahead as glorification.  It's not a miscarriage of justice - His dying brings glory to the Father and His resurrection brings life to the world! Life forever for each one of us who will believe in Him! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

This class will focus on Rehoboam the king of Judah, the southern kingdom, and  his son Abijah as found in 1 Kings 14-15 and 2 Chronicles 11-13. They reigned 931-910 BC. In 2 Chronicles 12:1-5 we read that 5 years into Rehoboam's reign that he and his kingdom have abandoned the law of the Lord. Rehoboam rules from Jerusalem and is attacked by the king of Egypt who has a huge army and captures the cities along the way to Jerusalem. Then the prophet Shemaiah comes and tells Rehoboam, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore I now abandon you to Shishak (Egyptian king).'” In verse 6 we read that after hearing the prophets words, Rehoboam humbled himself and his people humbled themselves and they understand that the Lord is just. Their humility is an example for us today. We too must be humble before God. Verse 7, we see that when they humbled themselves the mercy of God was displayed as He says that He will not destroy them but will give them deliverance and will not pour out His wrath on Jerusalem through the Egyptian king, Shishak. But that there would still be a consequence to having abandoned God's law. Rehoboam reigned 17 years and what we learn is: There is nothing more important than knowing the living God and walking with Him. Rehoboam's son Abijah succeeds him as king and reigns 3 years. The war between Jeroboam (Northern kingdom) and Rehoboam continues while Abijah is king as well. In 2 Chronicle 13:3 we see Abijah battling with 400,000 and that Jeroboam had a troop total of 800,000.  Abijah announces to Jeroboam and his men, “God is with us; he is our leader. The priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.” Abijah recognizes it's important to follow God and at the sound of Judah's priests' trumpets the men of Judah raised the battle cry and God gave them victory over Jeroboam and his men. Though Abijah and his men were outnumbered 2 to 1, we read in verse 18 that the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord. This is a truth not just for back then, but it is a truth for us today. This story is a reminder to rely on the Lord no matter how bleak the outlook appears, no matter how difficult things look, we can rely on the Lord! Abijah's son, Asa, succeeded Abijah. Asa does rule for 40 years, ruling Judah from 910-870 BC. His story is found in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 14-16.   In 2 Chronicles 14:2 we read that Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.  Asa was the 1st of 8 “good” kings of Judah. Judah had 19 kings, 8 were “good.” Israel also had 19 kings - none of them are described as “good”. While Asa ruled, he removed the foreign altars, cut down the Asherah poles and commanded Judah to seek the Lord and to obey the Lord's laws and commands. The kingdom was at peace under him. He got rid of the false worship, wanting His “people to worship God alone.” Near the end of Asa's reign they are under several major attacks. Asa calls on the Lord to help them and outnumbered they win because they relied on the Lord.  Azariah, the prophet, then speaks to Asa, 2 Chronicles 15:1-2, and tells Asa that the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And revival brakes out across Judah. They turned their hearts back to God. May we too seek the Lord, humble ourselves and turn our hearts to Him, for in God alone is Salvation, in God alone is strength and in God alone is victory! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

This series looks for answers to some of the most common, pressing and most difficult questions that are heard today. The question for this video: “Is Jesus the only way to God?” This question comes from supporters of Jesus, from seekers looking for truth, and from skeptics.   Pastor will approach this question with the desire to be:     ⁃    Biblically Accurate: tell what the Bible actually says     ⁃    Rationally Defensible: and why what the Bible says makes sense Many times our question, “Is Jesus the only way to God? Starts with this question, “Didn't Christians invent the claim that Jesus is the only way to God?”  So let's address this first. No, we didn't invent this - Jesus did, He's the one that made the claim.  John 14:6 we read: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one come to the Father except through me.'”  Luke 19:10 - He came to save the lost Matthew 20 - He came to give His life for us Mark 10 - He is the ransom payment Biblical Narrative     - Creation - The story of creation - God made all things by His Word and God gave man 1 choice….     - The Fall into sin - man broke the relationship with God, others, nature and self.     - Promise of a deliverer, the Messiah, Jesus.     - Provision through God's Grace - We are saved by the mercy of God not by our actions. God provided His Son as the Sacrifice for the sin, the shedding of blood and death on the cross      - Fulfillment was found in the coming of Jesus into the world, who lived the perfect life, willingly went to the cross for the sins of all. For my sins and your sins, it's personal. See John 3:16. Our sin has separated us from God and what we need is a sacrificial victim who lays down his life for all and Jesus, the Son of God, gives His life for all. He pays the price for our sin. Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6 “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” 1 John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may now that you have eternal life.” Eternal life is a gift offered through the shed blood, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. That is the clear teaching of the Bible.  It is biblical accurate and rationally defensible. The final question: “Whom will YOU believe?” When one looks at other religions outside Christianity, our to other leaders that people follow, they were and are mortal. There is only one who is immortal. Only one has conquered death through His resurrection. There's only one who is alive. And that is Jesus. This is the fork in the road…  Who will you listen to.  The dead ones or The Living One?  Jesus is alive forever more and He will return.  Without Him there is no hope. With Him we have everlasting life and that is the Gospel truth! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 15 Scripture: John 10:34-11:53, Psalm 82. John wrote his Gospel to make us understand that Jesus is just who He says He is. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and this Gospel of John. When we read it with open eyes and ears and minds, we see and understand who Jesus is. As our text opens today, we see the religious leaders again trying to trap Jesus and seize Him. Killing Him is their goal.  We read again that He escapes, but not because He is afraid, but because the time has not yet come. When the time does come, Jesus will be absolutely fearless.  We will see this developing as we move into chapter 11. As we enter chapter 11, Pastor shares some of the more recent archaeological discoveries in the area of the Jordan River Valley. Pastor shares the possible discovery of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the interesting information we learn from this discovery. As we begin chapter 11 we hear that Lazarus, who lives  in Bethany is sick. Jesus is about 20 miles from Bethany and is across the Jordan River on the opposite side. Lazarus has two sisters, Mary and Martha. Pastor does some speculating about Mary. He shares that both early and late in Jesus' ministry a woman anoints His feet and wipes them with her hair. In the first anointing Jesus tells the woman her sins are forgiven. Pastor poses the possibility that both anointing were done by Mary, Lazarus' sister, and he goes further with the possibility that Mary of Bethany (Lazarus' sister) may also be Mary Magdalene (the one from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.) Back to our story… Jesus is about 20 miles away when He receives word of Lazarus' sickness from a messenger sent by Mary and Martha. When Jesus hears Lazarus is sick He says that the sickness is not going to end in death, but in the glory of God. Jesus does not head to Bethany yet. By the time Jesus does finally head to Bethany Lazarus is dead and when He arrives Lazarus has already been in the tomb four days. Martha greets Jesus as He arrives. Jesus says to Martha that He is the Resurrection and the Life and that the one who believes in Him will live even though they die and that whoever lives by believing in Him will never die. Then He asks Martha, “Do you believer this?” And she replies with a statement of faith that He is the Messiah and the Son of God. Then Jesus asks Martha to send Mary to Him. Mary comes and falls at Jesus feet saying that had He been there her brother would not have died.  Reminder: Jesus had said to the messenger that had come to tell Him of Lazarus' sickness, that Lazarus' illness would not end in death, but it did…… and Mary weeps.  Jesus asks where Lazarus has been laid and He weeps too.  Jesus understands our sorrows. Then Jesus asks them to open the tomb and though reluctant as the body has been dead four days, they move the stone. Pastor talks about the process of a Jewish burial in the days of Jesus and also shares pictures and information on ossuaries that have been discovered. Back to our story….  Jesus says for them to roll the stone away, and adds, “Didn't I tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” The stone is rolled away - Jesus prays to the Father - then He says, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus comes out of the tomb alive and covered in the linen burial wrappings. The wrappings are removed and many believed in Jesus after seeing this - others went to the religious leaders and told them what Jesus had just done. Now their desire to get rid of Jesus rises even more. Caiaphas then says, “isn't it better for one man to die for the people, than that the whole nation perish” and Caiaphas unknowingly speaks a prophetic word. And from that day on the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. We begin to see Jesus set His own execution into motion. This is not something that happens by accident, it is the Father's will and it is something Jesus runs toward. He willingly sets Himself in this position the leads to His death and ends with His resurrection! In today's study we see there is a great difference between religion and a relationship with the Living God. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Pastor begins with a brief overview of Solomon's divided kingdom. Judah was in the south with two tribes ruled by a descendant of David, Reheboam. Israel in the north with ten tribes was ruled by Jeroboam (1 Kings 11-14) 931-910 BC.  God had said that Jeroboam's kingship would be blessed if he followed the Lord, but he chose the exact opposite path. In today's class we will look closely at three incidents with Jeroboam. In 1 Kings 12:31-33 we read some of the first things he did that were against God, everything Jeroboam did was counterfeit, just like what the enemy always tries to do - the enemy counterfeits what God desires.  We read; “Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.”  Jeroboam puts forth a fake tabernacle celebration as he acts as both king and priest. So what happens when God sees this fake festival, one that He has not instituted and one in which King Jeroboam choose his own way of things instead of God's. Confrontation: Next comes a confrontation (1 Kings 13:1-10). Jeroboam has gone against God's plan. A man of God speaks to Jeroboam saying that the altar would split apart. And as Jeroboam says for the man to be arrested the altar splits and Jeroboam's hand is shriveled up. The man of God prays for Jeroboam's hand to be restored and it is healed. So the man of God is invited to Jeroboam's house but the man of God does not go because it was not part of God's plan. Betrayal: Next comes betrayal (1 Kings 13:11-32). An old prophet's sons tell him what had happened during the story of confrontation. The old prophet lies to the man of God and the old prophet was able to convince the man of God to not do as the Lord had said. The man of God goes to the old prophet's house - disobeying God's plan and God speaks through the old prophet saying to the man of God, “You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.” And then the old prophet sent the man of God on his way and down the road the man of God and his donkey are killed by a lion.  God is communicating to the wayward people of Israel and specifically to Jeroboam that He is to be obeyed. Jeroboam goes to see the dead man of God which was not eaten by the lion and Jeroboam has the man buried in his own grave because of the truth the man of God had spoken earlier in the day at the altar.  What is the lesson in this story? God is doing this to encourage us to do ONLY what He says.  And yet we read that Jeroboam did not change. 1 Kings 13:33-34 “Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.”   Deception: Lastly we see an act of deception (1 Kings 14:1-18). Abijah, Jeroboam's son, becomes ill and Jeroboam has his wife disguise herself and go to Ahijah the prophet with 10 loaves of bread, 1 for each tribe Jeroboam has in his kingdom, so tells his wife to have the prophet tell her what will happen to their son Abijah.  Ahijah the prophet knows who she is - her disguise did not work. He shares the words God gives him, telling of the evils of Jeroboam and that God says judgement will come. Ahijah tells her that her son Abijah will die on her way home and all of Israel mourned for their son. Jeroboam reigned for 22 years and continued to be wayward from listening to God.  Such a sad story of Jeroboam but one that teaches us to follow God's Word and to do what He says. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 14 Scripture: John 10:1-28, Psalm 118. In our text today, Jesus talks of being the Good Shepherd. He talks of His sheep. He talks of being the Gate. He tells us He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. And He tells us that He brings life to His sheep. Pastor Dodge shares a personal testimony and experience along with many personal photos expounding on what God taught him about the difference between sheep and goats.  Pastor shares how powerfully this revelation has impacted him personally, impacted his teaching on God as the Good Shepherd and given him insight into us as God's sheep.  As Jesus continues, He makes it known that salvation is through Him alone. We see His heart for His people to recognize Him as their Messiah. Jesus doesn't offer us a bunch of rules and regulations - what He offers us is Himself. What He offers us is real life. Life that matters, life that has purpose and significance and life that will never end!  Compare what Jesus gives us to what the enemy brings.  The enemy comes only to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus brings life, abundant life, life to the full! Jesus wants us to experience the joy of knowing Him, of knowing the Father through Him, of knowing we will live forever. As our Shepherd, even in the toughest of times our lives have meaning and purpose. He is there with us and He will use all things together for our good because He loves and cares for His sheep. Jesus knows us by name - We are precious to Him. 
He is our Good Shepherd.  We can trust Him. We can rely upon Him. Jesus tells the group He's speaking to that He will lay down His life for his sheep. He says after He lays down His life, He will take it up again - death cannot hold Him, He will rise! He is speaking of all that is coming in the next months ahead.
 We see many coming to faith in Jesus after hearing what He said about being the Good Shepherd - but there were many that hearing what He said wanted even more so to get rid of Him. As the class draws to a close, Pastor shares the story of Hanukah - the Festival of Dedication - mentioned in John 10:22. As we finish with today's text, Jesus goes on to retell the people that His sheep hear His voice, they listen to Him, and He gives eternal life to them and no one will snatch them out of His hand. These are powerful and reassuring words for every believer.

Jesus IS the Good Shepherd.  Jesus is OUR Good Shepherd! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Our study opens with a look at Civil War between Rehoboam and Judah vs. Jeroboam and Israel (931-910 BC). 1 Kings 12:1 We read that Rehoboam went to Shechem, “for all Israel had gone there to make him king.” Shechem was an historic site for the nation from about 500 years early when Levitical priests recited the blessings and the curses from Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Shechem is the city near these two mountains.  In verses 3 and 4 we read that Jeroboam challenges Rehoboam. Reheboam goes to 2 advisory boards. One was the elders that had served under his father, Solomon.  They gave him wise direction. 1 Kings 12:7 - they said that if you serve the people and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants. (Wise advise - to be a servant leader. It is also a prophetic view of who Jesus would be - Jesus is our Servant King - our suffering servant) The second group of advisors was Rehoboam's young friends. 1 Kings 12:13-14 says they tell him to be tougher with the people. Reheboam decided to take the advise of his young friends, but when he tells the people he will be even tougher on them than his father was, the result is that the Israelites - the entire northern part of the kingdom rebels against Reheboam and he had to escape to Jerusalem.  Will there be civil war or will there be an uneasy peace? We read in 1 Kings 12:21 that when Rehoboam arrives in Jerusalem, he gathers Judah together and the tribe of Benjamin to go to war against Jeroboam and the rest of Israel so that he can regain the entire kingdom of his father Solomon. But then God intercedes giving a word to Shemaiah a man of God: 1 Kings 12:23-24 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.” Reheboam listens to the words from the prophet Shemaiah and there is an uneasy peace established between the splintered nation. However, we read in verses 26-27 that Jeroboam's response to the peace was fear that his people - the northern part of the kingdom - would again give their allegiance to Reheboam King of Judah, Solomon's son.  So Jeroboam has two golden calves made - one is put in the northern part of his kingdom and the other calf is placed in the southern part of Israel and he tells the people that it's too much to go up to Jerusalem to worship, so here instead are your gods. And the people did worship these golden calves and it says in 1 Kings 12:29-30 that it became a sin. And the nation begins to turn away from God. Jeroboam led them astray and did not do as God had requested of him when he was given the prophetic word of his kingship over Israel.  Pastor shares the archeological discovery of the Altar of Dan where one of the golden calves had been set up. A sad testimony to how the nation was led astray and away from God. We learn the importance of following God and listening to His voice. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Scripture: David's Psalms. This is the final teaching in the “David…and the Heart of God” series. We will explore David's Psalms today. In 2 Samuel 23:1 we read that David is described as the sweet psalmist of Israel.  David's psalms have influence and spoke to the hearts of people for millennia.   C.S. Lewis said, “The most valuable thing the psalms do for me is to express that small delight in God which made David dance.”  And Billy Graham said, “I used to read five psalms every day - that teaches me how to get along with God. Then I read a chapter of Proverbs every day and that teaches me how to get along with my fellow man.” 75 of the 150 Psalms were written by David. Some themes in David's Psalms with a few examples: Praise - Psalm 95:1-2, Psalm 57:9-11, Psalm 103:1-3. We are encouraged to begin everything with praise, it honors God and brings refreshment to our souls. Praise takes our eyes off ourselves and putts them on God. True meaning for life is found only in God our Savior. David teaches us to praise the Lord from the heart even when we feel like we're at the bottom of the pit, because God heals and His name is to be praised. Penitence - Psalm 32:1-2 & 5, Psalm 139:23-24, Psalm 51:1-2. David's psalms help us recognize we are spiritually poor and needy and we are to be humble before God because we are all sinners. David shows us words of confession for transgression because we can be confident that through faith in Christ, God forgives. Our sins are paid for through Jesus' sacrificial death.  The Lord is merciful, He washes away our sin. Presence - Psalm 32:7, Psalm 145:18.  God is near, He is present, we cannot flee from Him. His presence gives hope and healing. He is near to all who call Him. He is unfailingly present in our lives. Prayer - Psalm 25:4-5, Psalm 141, 2-4.  Psalms are used for prayer, and are a good way to begin our day. They guide us in how to pray honestly before God and we see that through David's prayerful words we can draw near to the Lord. David's Psalms are filled with words asking the Lord for guidance, direction, strength against sin, power for the spiritual battle, and prayers seeking God and His face. Protection - Psalm:1 & 3, Psalm 18:1-2, Psalm 55:18 7 22. The Lord is our Protector and the One who defends us and we are to call upon Him.  He is the Stronghold of our lives.  God is our Rock, Shield, our Strength, our place of Refuge, our Fortress, our Deliverer. The Lord sustains us and He cares for us. Prophecy - Psalm 110:1, Psalm 22:1 & 16018 & 29-31. David spoke much prophecy about the coming Messiah. David shared prophetic words even about the day that Jesus would be on the cross a thousand years before Jesus' death. David understood prophetically the love of Jesus who would say, “It is finished.” And through prophetic understanding David saw the finished work of Christ. Pastor ends by encouraging us to read through David's Psalms this week: 2-9, 11-32, 34-41, 51-65, 68-70, 86, 95, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 133, 138-145 Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-aynd-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 13 Scripture: John 9:1-41. Pastor loves today's scripture and he shares it with great enthusiasm that will draw you right into the middle of this story! This story is a powerful story of Jesus healing a blind man. We will see tragedy, sorrow, wonder and even humor in this fascinating story. We will also see many amazing pictures of recent discoveries that will bring this story to life. Today's study opens with the story of a man blind from birth. Jesus in His love and compassion, heals this man. Jesus places mud on the man's eyes and sends him to the Pool of Siloam to wash the mud off his eyes, when he rinses them off, he is no longer blind.  Pastor shares many pictures showing the area in which this story takes place, an area that has been recently excavated. These pictures show where Jesus was walking, where He would have met up with the beggar, along with pics of the Pool of Siloam, Gilhon Spring, and Hezekiah's Tunnel.  
Pastor share how in the last 100 years things that have been hidden for century upon century are suddenly being uncovered.  Pastor shares how in these last days, God is pulling out all the stops for a world that is often skeptical and rebellious and saying, “See, this is what I did! And this is REAL!”  God is bringing a host of reminders, that this is not a story, this really happened, and that these events really did indeed take place. In this story we see once again that Jesus is doing really great God-things on the Sabbath.  Why? Because what he is doing is confronting the religious hypocrisy of His day, the kind of religion that wants to turn everything into a matter of rules and regulations which makes it all about me. And Jesus instead is calling us into relationship with Him. When human beings set up regulations that God has not set up, Jesus confronts them. His desire is to wake them up to the fact that religion is often the greatest opponent of God. When the religious leaders hear of the healing of the blind man, they interview him, his parents and then interview the healed man again. Jesus ends up being accused of breaking their man-made laws of having kneaded together the clay and put it on this man's face.  As our story ends, we see this man who was blind, but now sees, standing bravely before the religious leaders and he's not backing down from their onslaught of questions and accusations. The man tells the religious leaders, “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of one born blind. If this man was not from God, he could do nothing. Open your eyes! Can't you see this?!” And then in anger they threw the healed man out of the temple - but then we read that Jesus found the healed man and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man replies, “Who is He? Tell me so I may believe in Him!” Jesus says, “You have now seen Him. In fact, He is the One now speaking with you.” Jesus reveals Himself to the man and the man replies, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Jesus. Jesus wants  us to believe He is who He says He is, too!  He wants to hear each of us say to Him, “Lord, I believe!”   Jesus wants us to encounter Him. Just as this man who was blind, now sees, Jesus invites us to see Him, too. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Solomon: Builder     ⁃    Temple construction - 1 Kings 6 (took 7 years to build)     ⁃    Temple dedication - 1 Kings 8     ⁃    God appears to Solomon - 1 Kings 9     ⁃    Solomon's palace - 1 Kings 7 (took 13 years to build) Pastor shares archeological discoveries around Solomon in recent years including a massive stone wall and gate and more. Solomon: Reputation     ⁃    Fleet at Ezion Geber - 1 Kings (for the first time Israel had its own navy - 1 Kings 9:26-28 - we read that they brought gold from Ophir. Pastor shares ideas of where Ophir may have been.)      ⁃    Solomon's wealth - 1 King 10 (1 Kings 10:14-15 we read he received 25 tons of gold yearly. Solomon brought financial wealth to the nation.)     ⁃    Queen of Sheba - 1 Kings 10 (Pastor shared the ideas of where this queen came from to visit Solomon. She's overwhelmed by Solomon's wisdom and by the wealth that she sees in her visit. Yet we know there is a wisdom and wealth greater than gold and that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 12:42 tells us  … Jesus says, “for the Queen at the South ….came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.” That something is a Someone and that Someone is Jesus, Himself.  It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting stuff and being financially secure. And we can have everything the world has to offer and still be bankrupt if we don't have a relationship with the living God through faith in Jesus.)     ⁃    Solomon's Wisdom - 1 Kings 10 (1 Kings 10:23-24 we read he was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. He wrote Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon and also some Psalms as well.)     ⁃    Labor Policies - 1 King 5 (Soloon had labor practices that caused difficulties with his people - 1 Kings 5:13-14 we read that 30,000 men were under forced labor.) Solomon: Decline & Fall     ⁃    Solomon's Wives - 1 Kings 11 (One man and one wife for life, that has always been God's plan. But in 1 Kings 11:3-4 we read that Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines and his wives led him astray.  As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God as the heart of David his father had been. This incredibly gifted king who started so well descended into idolatry in his last days. Solomon even built a high place for Chemosh and Molek for his foreign wives who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. He was led away from God.)     ⁃    Solomon's enemies - 1 Kings 11 (As Solomon wandered further from God, God raised up enemies against Solomon.)         Three main adversaries:     ⁃    Haded the Edomite     ⁃    Rezon in Damascus     ⁃    Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Israelite (a prophetic word come to Jeroboam - God would give him 10 tribes. And Solomon's successor, his son Reheboam, would have 2 of the tribes. God told Jeroboam that he was to obey Him and follow Him.) Conclusion Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter; Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Scripture: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 2 Samuel 7:16, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 7:13-14, Daniel 9:26, Acts 2:29-32.  We will take a look at David's legacy.  1 Kings 2:1-4, “When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son, “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.'” Prosper - by obedience to God, faithful to God. Promise - He wants to know there will continue to be godly men on the throne. (Our next questions are: What do we know and what happened? Find out more about the descendants of David in our weekly Bible class “Kings and Prophets from Solomon to Jeremiah” on Tuesdays at 9:30am CT watch here:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class ) Back to today's story….  In 2 Samuel 7:16 we read a promise God gave David, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” FOREVER!  Two times!  So the question is, “Did God break His word?” We know David's line did end… Zedekiah, was the last descendant of David on the throne at Jerusalem. 586 BC.  The answer - “But Daniel…” Pastor shares the story of Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's  dream. Daniel 2:44, ““In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.”   There's the “forever” word again. In Daniel 7:13-14 Daniel has a vision, ““In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”  The book of Daniel, through the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and some recent discoveries, has theologians, linguists and historians reexamining and taking a fresh look at the ancient past - they are discovering that what Daniel shared was actually true. David's prophetic statements challenge world-views. Daniel 9:26 “The Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the rule who will come sill destroy the city and the sanctuary.”  (When the 4th kingdom comes the Messiah will be killed, the temple and the city will be destroyed.) Daniel predicted 100's of years in advance:     ⁃    Four great empires will arise (Daniel 2:44)     ⁃    Son of Man given all authority (Daniel 7:13)     ⁃    All nations will worship him (Daniel 7:14)     ⁃    His kingdom will be forever (Daniel 7:14)     ⁃    Anointed One will be killed (Daniel 9:26)     ⁃    Second Temple will be destroyed (Daniel 9:26) Daniel predicted 100's of years in advance that the Messiah would come at the time of the Romans (4th empire) an empire that had not yet risen at the time of the prophecy, that the second temple which had not yet been built would be destroyed by the 4th empire (the Romans - who actually did destroy the temple and the city of Jerusalem), that the Messiah would be killed (He was crucified and died on the Roman cross) and the Messiah's death would happen before the second temple was destroyed.  The Messiah is Jesus who is also a descendant of David! And Jesus the Messiah will reign FOREVER! It is a remarkable prophecy - As believers this reinforces our faith and if you are not a believer, our prayer is that this causes you to seek Jesus out because you will find Him!  Pastor closes with Peter's testimony in Acts 2:29-32 where we read that David's greatest legacy is Jesus the Messiah. The scriptures - recorded and preserved things going back hundreds and thousands of years, and continue to show itself to be reliable, trustworthy and true. They call us back to Jesus, they call us to come back to Him and respond to Him, to repentant and receive Jesus as our Savior, Lord and King.  God does keep His word and may He bring the legacy of David - our Lord Jesus Christ - to the very heart and center of all of our lives. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 12 Scripture: John 7:53 - 8:58. Pastor begins today's class with the story found in John 7:53-8:11, which is a controversial piece of the Bible because not all manuscripts have these verses. Pastor shares that whether originally there or whether they were added later, there's much to learn from these verses about who Jesus is. As this text opens we see that the Jewish religious leaders continue to struggle with unbelief in who Jesus is and work to discredit Him using religious traps. Their desire is to come up with reasons to show Jesus needs to be punished - put to death - so they continue working at setting Him up hoping for a major blunder that they can accuse Him of. But Jesus is too brilliant! This is a story with some wonderful truths about Jesus. We see the following behaviors of Jesus:     ⁃    Total Comprehension of all that is going on     ⁃    He shares a Full Disclosure     ⁃    He has Holy Compassion for the woman that is at the center of this story     ⁃    Gives True Forgiveness     ⁃    Offers a New Beginning As we continue at verse 12 of chapter 8 we read the story of the “dispute over Jesus' testimony.” He says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   Pastor shares that when Jesus says that He's the Light of the World, He is in the Temple Courts in Jerusalem for the festival, the Feast of Tabernacles. Tabernacles is the most joyous of the major Jewish festivals. During this festival four extremely large golden menorahs were set up in the Temple court. Each was 75 feet high with a huge golden bowl. Each of the four bowls for the four stands was filled with oil and during the festival the menorahs were lit every evening at sundown burning through to midnight. From rabbinic writings we read how these bowls of lights could be seen from all over the city and people sang and danced while they were lit. This is then that Jesus cries out, “I am the Light of the World!”  Jesus is claiming to be Deity! But the religious leaders respond with a challenge to His testimony and Jesus responds with several truths and is very direct with them. Then He goes on to say, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”  To the religious leaders Jesus goes on to say they do not know Him because they do not know God. And the dispute over who He is continues. Many people in the courts listening, believed, but the religious leaders continued in disbelief and their anger toward Jesus continued to escalate. In chapter 8 verses 31-47 we read the dispute over whose children Jesus' opponents are. Are they God the Father's or are they the devil's? Jesus confronts them with a description of the devil and that the devil is the father of lies. Jesus tells the religious leaders that they belong to the devil because they cannot see the truth of what He continues to tell them about who He is. In verses 48-58 the conversation continues with Jesus going on to make several more claims of who He is. Jesus closes with, “Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!”   Again Jesus claims deity so they become so angry they pick up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself and slipped away from the temple grounds. Next week we will read of Jesus healing a blind man. We will study the story of this physical healing but also explore spiritual blindness and how this story has much to teach us still today. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture:  1 Kings 3:1, 1 Kings 3:4ff, 1 Kings 3:16ff, 1 Kings 6, 1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5-7, 2 Chronicles 3:1, Genesis 22, 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 7:14, 1 Kings 9:4-5 This study helps us dig deeper into Solomon: Wise Leader     ⁃    Pharaoh's Daughter - 1 Kings 3:1 - Solomon secures a peace treaty with Egypt and a strategic marriage to one of the Pharaoh's daughter's.     ⁃    Sacrifices at Gibeon - 1 Kings 3:4ff - shortly after taking the throne we see Him following his father David's advice. We see Solomon going to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to God and commits his life to God. The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream saying “ask for whatever you want.”  Solomon replies in humility, and asks to be given a discerning heart to distinguish between right and wrong so that he can govern the nation justly and well. He sought God's wisdom and guidance so that he could bless and nurture the children of Israel. The Lord was pleased with Solomon's reply and gave him what he asked for, plus God told him He would give him even more than what he had asked for: wealth and honor.      ⁃    2 Prostitutes - 1 Kings 3:16ff - Two prostitutes come to Solomon. Both have birthed boys but one had rolled over on her son and the child died. But they each claimed the living son as their own. Solomon says, “bring me a sword and cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” But at that point the real mother says, “oh please don't do that.” And the other woman says, “yes, do it.” Solomon then gives the living child to the one who had asked for the child to be spared because she was the real mother. King Solomon was admired greatly by his people for his wisdom from God in administering justice.  He is recognized as very wise. Solomon: Builder     ⁃    Temple Construction - 1 Kings 6 - in the 4th year of his reign Solomon begins building the Temple of the Lord. ca. 966 BC. It will take 7 years to build this incredible temple. Temple was only for priests, but people would gather in the courtyards around the temple. The temple has 3 sections: The Porch, The Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. The interior was covered in gold. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies where the High Priest went once per year on the Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur. A place of shed blood pointing to the One who is the Lamb of God/The Mercy Seat/The Messiah/Jesus our Savior. In 2 Chronicles 3:1 we read that the Temple was build on Mount Moriah. The place of the story where Abraham had taken his only son Isaac. Pastor shares prophetic likeness to Jesus in this story of Genesis 22. (This will also be the location of the Second Temple).     ⁃    Temple Dedication - 1 Kings 8 & 2 Chronicles 5-7. When the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Holy of Holies, the glory of the Lord filled the temple!  Solomon shares a sermonette and a powerful prayer. Solomon's heart is to win people to the Living God - that they walk in faith and obedience to God. And when he finished praying a fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnet offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The people began shouting praises and thanks to God. And a multiple sacrifices were given to God.     ⁃    God appears to Solomon a second time - 1 Kings 9 & 2 Chronicles 7:14 - God speaks to Solomon and tells him that He wants to bring blessing saying, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  This too is our prayer  -  it is a prayer for us still today - a prayer for our nations, that we would seek God, turn from our wickedness, because He will hear from heaven and heal our land. God closes His time with Solomon with these words: (1 Kings 9:4-5) “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness….and do all I command …. I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David…”.  God calls Solomon to Himself and God calls each one of us to Himself! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Scripture: 2 Samuel 13-19. Father Wounds - are wounds brought into our lives through family members. Deep wounds with lasting consequences.  Father's wounds - are wounds to parents by their children. It is grieving because their children turned their backs on the things they were taught from the time they were little.  Both are deep and painful wounds. How to deal with the pain and how to go beyond it. Our study covers: Amnon rapes Tamar (2 Sam 13) Absalom hates Amnon (2 Sam 13) Absalom murders Amnon (2 Sam 13) Absalom flees to thalami (2 Sam 13) Absalom conspires against David (2 Sam 15) Absalom revolts against David (2 Sam 15-17) Joab executes Absalom (2 Sam 18) In our study we see that wounds eliminate the spiritual strength of King David. We also see wounds that bring about rebellion and hatred, anger and murder. We see wounds experienced by a father who feels he has failed his son. A tragic horrible story. Yet God desires to speak to us through it. This story is in the Bible for a reason and purpose. The purpose is not just to inform but to transform. God desires to bring healing, hope and strength and to reverse the painful trajectory of what we have experienced. Divine Prescriptions     ⁃    Sow and Reap - Galatians 6:7-8 Consequences of our behavior can be negative or positive. “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Also, as seen in David's story, God forgives, but the consequences of sin are still there.     ⁃    Nurture or Anger - Ephesians 6:4  encourages fathers to teach their children to live uprightly and faithfully before God and for fathers to model an upright life to their children.     ⁃    Truth and Love - Ephesians 4:15 We are to speak truth to our kids but speak that with love.     ⁃    Forgive and Release - Whether we have father wounds or father's wounds we are to forgive and letting go. Colossians 3:13 We are to forgive as the Lord forgives us - even those who have disappointed us, hurt us deeply, and in that forgiveness and releasing there is healing and there is hope.     ⁃    Father and Son - 1 John 2:1-2 Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sin and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. God loves us and His love goes beyond the love of any father. Our Heavenly Father offers each of us healing, hope and life-transforming power. If you have been the victim of a father wound or if you are experiencing a father's wounds, you need to know there is a Father who loves you more than you could imagine. Who understands the wounds because those wounds were placed in the very body of His Son and He offers to us forgiveness, eternal life, and the ability to start all over. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 11 Scripture: John 7:22-59. Pastor opens by sharing details of the Feast of Tabernacles and the scriptures of the Living Water that were read during this 8 day festival. Festival readings included: Ezekiel 47:1-12, Zechariah 14:8 and Jeremiah 17:13b.  As our story opens, it is the Feast of Tabernacles and these scriptures would have been read. Pastor goes on to share that there has been much learned over the last 100 years and especially in the last 15 or so that helps to bring this text and the story alive. As we look at what we know about the time of Jesus and what we are discovering, they are changing our understanding of the Bible, bringing a new sense of significance and even urgency as what we are discovering is a testimony that says, “This is real!” Some recent archeological work has found what is believed to be the City of David - but not at all where it was thought to be, and the discovery of the Hezekiah Tunnel, and more recently the Pool of Siloam show us a different location than originally thought for the Pool and also that it was a very large pool, not a small one. Also that it was filled with fresh water by the Han Spring flowing through the Hezekiah Tunnel into the Pool. The Pool of Siloam was the only fresh - or living water in the city of Jerusalem. Pastor shares the events of Tabernacles and the pouring out of water into the Temple by the priests carrying it from the Pool of Siloam for the first 7 days of the festival.  On the 7th Day they carried and poured water 7 times in the Temple.  So as our story continues, it's either Day 7 (7 times the priests poured water in the Temple) or it's Day 8 (the day of rejoicing, and celebration) when we read verse 37-38, “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” He is essentially telling them that what you've been doing for the last week with the pouring of water, point to Me and it's what the prophets said would happen when Messiah comes, that living water would pour out of the Temple. And then it goes on in verse 39, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.and that the Living Water is the Holy Spirit.”  Jesus is saying that He is the fulfillment of what the prophets have declared and that everyone who believes on Him will receive the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is calling us to a new day - the fulfillment of what the prophets have said - Messiah-  is here!  And He, the Messiah, gives the Holy Spirit. Jesus is claiming to be God. At this some called Him prophet, others called Him Messiah and others were in disbelief and angry. The crowd became divided with many wanting to seize Jesus.  The temple guard go and report back to the chief priests. The chief priests were Sadducees and they united with the Pharisees, a group that they did not get along with but they did unite together over their desire to do away with Jesus.  The very ones who should have embraced Jesus as the Messiah, instead say, “Let's kill Him.” Pastor concludes by saying in 6 months from this event  of Tabernacles, the Passover will be celebrated and we will see Jesus dead, and raised during another important festival and how this festival too, finds its fulfillment in Jesus.      Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles 28-29, 2 Chronicles 1-9, 2 Samuel12:24-25, 1 kings 1, 1 Kings 2:2-3, 1 Kings 2:13ff. This study will take us on an adventure through a period of approximately 400 years, a highly significant time when God was moving in a mighty way among His people, Israel. It will cover from around 970 BC when Solomon took the throne until 586 BC when Solomon's Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. It is a time filled with incredible stories, amazing truths, especially applicable truths and lessons for us in our lives today. There is an amazing cast of characters, people like you and me, sinners, all, but individuals whom God used in a wide variety of ways. And it all ultimately points to the Hope of the world, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and King of Kings. Background: Moses & Exodus - ca. 1446 BC Joshua's Conquest - ca. 1406 BC Judges rule - ca. 1390-1050 BC King Saul - ca. 1050-1010 BC King David - ca. 1010-970 BC We begin our study with Pastor encouraging us to read about the reign of Solomon from around 970 - 931 BC in the following books of the Bible:  1 Kings 1-11 1 Chronicles 28-29 2 Chronicles 1-9 Solomon is believed to be the author of: Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs David and Solomon each reigned for 40 years and their combined 80 year reign ushered in Israel's Golden Age. David known for being a warrior, a worshiper of God, musician and writer, he was also devout - while not perfect, he did follow the Lord. A man who followed God's heart. Solomon was known as a man of peace, a man wisdom - authoring hundreds of proverbs, a man with literary gifts, but Solomon was divided - starting well but not finishing well. Solomon: Early Years     ⁃    Birth - 2 Samuel 12:24-25 - the son of David and Bathsheba.       ⁃    Adonijah's Conspiracy - 1 Kings 1 - Adonijah's the oldest living son of David and attempts to take the throne so that Solomon could not.      ⁃    Solomon's Coronation - 1 Kings 1 - Solomon is anointed while Adonijah's party is going on. Solomon was crowned king while David is still alive.     ⁃    David's Words - 1 Kings 2:2-3 - David encourages his son, Solomon, to be strong, observe the commands and decrees of the Lord, and the laws and regulations as written in the Law of Moses.     ⁃    Adonijah's Appeal - 1 Kings 2:13ff - works to undermine Solomon's throne.but Solomon ordered Adonijah's execution thereby preserving his throne and reign. Israel grew in size under David so Solomon receives a very powerful, large kingdom. Next week we will take a look Solomon as a Wise Leader. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Psalm 51, Matthew 21:9. This message deals with the difficult topic of moral collapse, specifically in David's life. Painful as it is, it can teach us much about the importance of walking faithfully before the Lord and resisting temptation. David fell into temptation after seeing Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam (a trusted soldier) and the wife of Uriah (one of David's elite soldiers). David had her brought to the palace and he slept with her resulting in her pregnancy. Instead of coming clean, David goes deeper into a dark place with more plans. After trying multiple times to cover his actions, David arranges for Uriah's death and has him killed. 2 Samuel 11:27 tells us that what David had done displeased the Lord. What does the Lord do? 2 Samuel 12:1, God sends Nathan to David. Nathan, in great wisdom, tells David a story and when David hears the story he was incensed saying that the man must die. At this point, Nathan looks at David and confronts him eye to eye, and says, “YOU are the man!” David is confronted with the horror of what he has done. He had committed a huge moral failure, but David was also a man who understood the heart of God. His response to Nathan is, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Here's what we can learn from David.  LESSONS     ⁃    Awareness - recognizing that we are all vulnerable and we are all sinners. Be aware of the temptations.     ⁃    Consequences - come when we go against God's purpose and plan in our lives. Consequences can be horrific. There are consequence to disobedience.     ⁃    Repentance -  after his sin was exposed David freely admitted he had sinned, he did not try to make excuses, he repented. Repentance brings about a change of direction, a turning away. David understood he had fallen. We all sin, but God calls His people to repentance, to not only admit our sin, but to turn away from it and begin anew all over again.     ⁃    Forgiveness - The Lord takes away our sin through the death of His Son and we see how good and gracious God really is. He loves us and offered up His own son for us all.  **Pastor shares divinely given wisdom around the loss of David's son, be sure to listen to this message so you don't miss out on some profound revelation.**     ⁃    Restoration - comes from our Father who restores us to relationship with Him through His Son. God restores to us the joy of our salvation and sustains us with the Holy Spirit. David is described as a man after God's own heart, yet he made some horrible decisions in his life. David's story compels us to take seriously the danger of going against God's plan and purposes for our lives. But this story also shows us the grace and mercy of God. These truths powerfully impact and transform us all. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 10 Scripture: John 6:22-7:24. Our teaching today starts with Jesus saying He is the Bread of Life.  He is teaching from the synagogue at Capernaum. Jesus is the rabbi that is teaching. In a service in the synagogue in the first century, people talk back and forth asking questions and engaging with the rabbi.  It can get heated - and what Jesus says is causing things to become heated.  He continues to say many things in this dialogue:     ⁃    I am the Bread of Life     ⁃    Believe in Me and you will not hunger or thirst     ⁃    You've seen Me yet you still do not believe     ⁃    Whoever comes to Me I will not drive away     ⁃    I have come down from heaven to do the Father's will     ⁃    I will raise them on the last day     ⁃    My Father's will is that everyone look to the Son and believe in Me      ⁃    In Me is eternal life Pastor talks about a current day synagogue built on the first century synagogue there in Capernaum in Jesus' day and shares pictures. This current day synagogue is built on the foundation of the synagogue of Jesus' day.The foundation of black basalt from the first century is still visible. On this basalt foundation is built the several other synagogues with the newest synagogue built over these others. But the basalt rock shows us just where Jesus was as He gave the teaching we are studying today.   Pastor also shares what the inside of a synagogue in Jesus' day would have looked like in order to help us visualize today's story As our story continues, John 6:53-57 “Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.”   Pastor helps us understand this:     ⁃    Jesus is Jewish     ⁃    The crowd He's talking to is Jewish     ⁃    Hearing what Jesus is saying - the listeners would have processed what Jesus was saying through a Jewish perspective - their thought would have gone to temple sacrifices where they brought their sacrifices to the Temple     ⁃    The blood was drained from the animal and sprinkled on the altar because without the shedding of bleed there is no forgiveness     ⁃    We have sinned against a Holy God and that requires blood to be shed     ⁃    Jesus is saying here that He is the real sacrifice     ⁃    “I am the One who offers up My flesh and blood for the life of the world”     ⁃    “If you do not realize who I am, that I am the One the Father has promised, then you don't have life”The scriptures all along have said that God Himself would pay the price for our sin. Old Testament offerings were offered up day after day, year after year, but Jesus is the offering made once for all.  Jesus is saying that He is the “Once for all sacrifice” and many of the people following Jesus turned away from Him after He said this.  Jesus then turns to His disciples and asks if they want to leave Him too, but Peter answers: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” Note Peter says, “we have come to believe” and then he says, “and to know that You are the holy One of God.”This is highly significant as we human beings think that we know in order to believe. Pastor shares a personal story of an interaction from a friend who brought this truth to light that “I do not know in order o believer, instead, I believer in order to know God.”  So many time we say, “if you prove this to me (once I know it)  then I'll believe.” But what Jesus calls us to do is to believe FIRST and then we will know Him. When we trust and follow Him - He reveals himself to us. Pastor comes with a look at three Jewish festivals - and how each has its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.      Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

The Gospel of John Week 9 Scripture: John 5:41- 6:22. The feeding of the 5,000 (this is 5,000 men plus all the women and children there).  Speculation is that there were close to 10,000 people there and from five loaves of barley bread and two fish, Jesus multiplies the food and feeds all 10,000.  And not just a small portion, but as much as they wanted! Can you picture it? What is everyone thinking? What are they whispering to each other about this amazing miracle?  Then Jesus has the leftovers gathered filling twelve baskets. This feeding of the 5,000 happened during Passover - a time the Jewish people remember God delivering His people from captivity, feeding them manna and leading them out of captivity by tribes.  12 tribes feed manna by God and now we have twelve baskets and the people fed fish and loaves by Jesus. Jesus is providing for them just as the Heavenly Father did in the wilderness. With this being Passover - this likeness had to be obvious to them, because we read that they began to recognize that Jesus is the One Moses predicted.  John 6:14 “After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” In Deuteronomy we read “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”  Deuteronomy 18:15) They thought when Messiah came He would bring them back to the glories of the time of King David and so Jesus withdraws to a mountain by Himself.  “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” John 6:15 Pastor speculates on which mountain this may have been and shares pictures. Later that evening the disciples went to their boat and set off into the Sea of Galilee. Pastor then shares the discovery of a Sea of Galilee boat found in the summer of 1985.  There was a drought and the Sea of Galilee had sunk to a new low and a couple brothers, amateur archeologist, went searching for items of antiquity and they found a 2,000 year old fishing boat from Jesus' day! Our story continues with the disciples struggling against a storm and they see someone walking toward them. They do not recognize it is Jesus until He says, “I Am, don't be afraid.” This is the same name God gave Moses, “I Am.”  Jesus is saying He is the God of the Old Testament who appeared to Moses. When we are going through the storms of life - the person we want in the boat with us is Jesus! The story continues with “Then immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” What was that like!!?? The author, John, continues to emphasize who Jesus is - Jesus is the One that Moses predicted - He is the Living God who took on human flesh, gave Himself for all, and shows us all the attributes of the Divine in His life, ministry and work. And His disciples are coming to the realization that Jesus is the One that Moses predicted! He is the only One who can deliver His people and He does only what God can do. These stories are Real people in Real situations, in a Real boat, encountering the Real Savior! And that changes their lives forever - May it also change the lives of everyone of us!      Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture:  2 Samuel 6, Psalm 30:4-5, Hebrews 9:5, Romans 3:25. Today's story of David is one that is an oft time ignored account from David's life, but we will see ways it dramatically impacts and applies to our lives. We open with 2 Samuel 6:2 “David and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark.”  Pastor shares the history of the Ark from the Book of Exodus during the time of Moses, its description, and rules and regulations from God to the Israelites about the Ark. Pastor also goes into the annual Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, and what the practice was with the Ark.  But by the time of David the Ark was mostly forgotten.  The Ark has a fascinating history and Pastor shares a chronology based on what we know from the Bible: ARK OF THE COVENANT     ⁃    Mount Sinai - 1445 BC     ⁃    Promised Land 1406 BC     ⁃    Shiloh - ca. 1399-1075 BC     ⁃    Kiribati Jearim - ca. 1074-1003 BC     ⁃    Jerusalem - ca. 1003-586 BC  And then the Ark disappears.  While we do not know where or what happened to the Ark, we do know that during the time of David, he sought to restore bring the Ark back and to bring worship of God in Israel. 2 Samuel 6:3-5 “They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.”  However, we see that they are not doing this as the Torah instructed. It was to be moved only by priests, and by holding onto the Ark's handles with the ark completely covered from view. Ahia and Uzzah were priests but were not moving the Ark as God had instructed. On the walk, Uzzah reaches out and touches the Ark because the oxen stumbled and God's anger burned against Uzzah for his irreverent act and God struck him down and he died beside the Ark of God. God desires to be taken seriously.  Their intentions were good but the directions in the scripture were clear and straightforward and they had ignored them. Next we read that David ask the Lord, “how can the Ark of the Lord ever come to me?” God is capricious. God is holy and He's not to be trifled with. We are not to ignore what He says.   Today, many live in fear of God. But what He desires to communicate to us today is that He is holy. But He's more than that, we will find He is merciful AND He is Salvation! David wouldn't take the Ark into his city, after Uzzah died, instead he left it with Obed-Edom to see what would happen to him. And over the next three months Obed-Edom and his entire household were blessed, so David then moves the Ark the City of David with great rejoicing. They understood that God is merciful, that He is a generous and forgiving God. This time they follow what God has prescribed. The priests carry it, it's covered and no cart is used. David wrote Psalm 30 during this time and it expresses what he learned: Psalm 30:4-5 “Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” It was an incredible celebration, a joyous time, because David and the rest understood that God is good, that God is merciful and that God can be trusted. They placed the Ark in the Tent that David had prepared and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. David organized the ongoing care of the Ark which we can read in 1 Chronicles 23 - 26 setting it up so that the priests would do what they were supposed to do. It also helped the children of Israel worship God the way they were supposed to. David wanted to ensure things were done God's way, just as God had directed in the Book of Exodus to Moses. Pastor closes today with, “God is Salvation.” God desires all to be saved. He is calling His children back to Himself. Pastor shares great insight to the “Mercy Seat” using Romans 3:25 “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” Sacrifice of atonement or sometimes stated as “propitiation” are English translations of the Greek word for “mercy seat.”  What this verse literally means is that God presented Christ as a mercy seat through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith. David and people of the Old Testament era had their sins removed once a year on the Day of Atonement, which finds its ultimate fulfillment once and for all, not once a year, but once forever in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. He is the mercy seat of God. It's His blood that covers our sin. And so what we have seen in 2 Samuel 6 gets its fulfillment in the One who is the Son of God.  God is holy.  God is merciful.  GOD IS SALVATION. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 8 Scripture: John 5:19-40, Revelation 20. As we pick up our story, the religious authorities continue to question Jesus about who He says He is and about His actions and miracles. Jesus not only claims to be the Messiah, but also the God of the universe come in human flesh. Chiastic Structure is used as a teaching method by Jesus in John 5:19-30 - a speaking structure that repeats over and again certain fundamental truths. It's a way of speaking what's spoken first and then speaking it last. It's speaking what is spoken second and repeating it second to the last and what's spoken third, speaking it again as the 3rd to the last item. A diagram of this type of speaking looks like this: A1 verse 19     B1 Verses 20-21         C1 verses 22-23                 D1 verse 24                 D2 verse 25         C2 verses 26-27     B2 verses 28-29 A2 verse 30 Chiastic Structure is a complex speaking structure that Jesus uses to emphasize the seriousness of these life-changing truths. Other items Pastor discusses:     Spiritually dead vs alive in Christ     The 4 views of the millennium - Revelation 20         Historic Premillennialism         Postmillennialism         Amillennialism         Dispensational Premillennialism     Pastor focuses on the commonalities of the 4 views rather than what they don't agree on. Their commonalities are: missionary age, great tribulation, rapture, millennium, physical return of Jesus to earth, dead will be raised, new heaven and a new earth. Pastor also explains first resurrection is when we become believers. The Bible says we go from death (not knowing God) to life (knowing God) through faith in Jesus Christ. The second resurrection is when Jesus returns and the dead are raised. The first death is unbelief. The second death is hell itself on judgement day for those who do not repent and believe on the Son. This teaching closes with the testimonies of Christ's identity and with an emphasis on knowing Jesus, believing in Him and having a relationship with Him.      Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture:  2 Samuel 5, Ephesians 2:14, 16, Luke 21:24, Revelation 21:1-2. Why is Jerusalem important not only to the Jewish people, but to Christian people? Let's see what we will discover in today's study of 2 Samuel 5. King Saul has died and civil war has broken out in Israel. David is the reigning King of Judea but the Israelites in the northern kingdom are at war amongst each other and realize David is their only hope for unity and for bringing the kingdom back together. A delegation comes to David saying that it is clear the Lord has anointed him as His king and that it is now time for all Israel to come together and acknowledge his kingship. And that is precisely what happened. But what follows is incredibly significant, not just for David's lifetime, but your ours as well. After being anointed and accepted as king of all Israel, David proceeds to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who lived there. But the question is why Jerusalem for his city and not a different city? Herschel Shanks puts it this way, “In non-Israelite hands, Jerusalem separated Israel's territory in two.” David taking Jerusalem would mean unity of the country because of Jerusalem's location. It's also an easily defended city as it is on top of a hill with valleys on all sides except the north which was highly fortified. The Jebusites claimed that there was no way for David to defeat them and take the city.  David realized there was a way in. It was through the water shaft. Pastor shares the history and archeology of this water shaft and the location of Jerusalem bringing fascinating evidence and clarity to this story of David conquering the Jebusites. Pastor shares the discovery by Charles Warren in the late 1800's and also more on the archeological work that has been done recently  in which we have learned there is an ancient shaft and a spring in the southern end of the City of David, when Jerusalem was located more on the eastern side of Old Jerusalem. The Gihon Spring lies in the Kidron Valley and the spring has a tunnel area and it is this tunnel area that ends inside the walls of Jerusalem that the Jebusite never dreamed would be what was used to enter the city and defeat them. David then takes up residence and calls it the City of David and in verse 9 we read that David became more and more powerful because the Lord God Almighty was with him. And that is when Jerusalem became part of the heart of the ancient Jewish people, but also where it becomes an incredibly important part of the entire Bible story about God's deliverance of not only Israel but of all nations through “David's greater son”, the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor digs deep into what we see about Jerusalem and why it has such significance not only in David's day but in our day: Jerusalem     •    Peace - called a City of Peace but has much blood shed over it, the greatest blood being that which was shed by the Messiah, Jesus, for all people, the Prince of Peace.     •    Proof - the ancient City of David is one of the largest archeological sites in the world. Solomon's Wall and David's palace have been recent discoveries along with others like the Pool of Siloam and the road to Temple Mount that show the stones are crying out that these things really happened!     •    Prophecy - Luke 21:24 of Jesus predicting how Jerusalem would be destroyed and trampled on by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled. This was reality in the 70 AD when Romans leveled Jerusalem and then in 1967 for the first time in almost 2000 Jerusalem was no longer trodden down by Gentiles. It was occupied by the Israelis.  This is prophetic fulfillment.     •    Perfection - the Book of Revelations ends by talking about the Holy City, a New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. A city where God will reign and live with His people. Jerusalem is an historic city, but it is also at the heart of the message of the Gospel of Jesus, and it is at the very heart of the character of God where we will all be gathered together in the the New Jerusalem, the City of Our God! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 7 Scripture: John 4:31-5:29. Our study this week begins with a look at people beginning to realize that the Jewish Messiah has come, but He has come to be the Savior of all - not just the Jewish people, but ALL people! Jesus has been in Samaria and now returns to Cana where a high official in the government seeks Jesus out to heal his son who is dying.  Jesus heals the man's son and the official and his whole family came to faith in Jesus. 
Pastor talks about the feasts mentioned in the Gospel of John and how each finds its fulfillment in Jesus.  The feast mentioned in John 5:1-3 doesn't specifically mention which feast event is going on at this particular time, but Pastor speculates that it could be the Feast of Trumpets - Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year - a time when the Jewish people are focused on this feast's call to repentance.   As we continue we see Jesus is at the Pool of Bethesda that had 5 colonnades.  Pastor talks about the discovery of this pool in 1890 and shares some photos of his from a visit there in recent years. He also shares additional discoveries and info that are quite interesting regarding deeper insights into the use of this pool and by whom. As Jesus approached the pool, hundreds of people may well have been at the pool.  Jesus says to an invalid of 38 years “Do you want to get well?”  There were many there but Jesus chooses to speak to just one person. Jesus, on this Sabbath Day, tells the man to get up and walk and the man walks away carrying his mat. The religious leaders had added many additional specific regulations to God's Sabbath Day - rest day. They had added 39 additional man made rules and the 39th rule was that carrying a piece of property from 1 location to another location was not allowed and what this man just did in carrying his mat broke their Sabbath regulations.  Jesus had deliberately provoked the religious establishment's petty laws saying in effect “How dare you substitute the goodness of God with your own petty regulations and rules.” And the religious leaders become incensed when they hear it was Jesus that healed him and so now they are after Jesus and they begin to persecute Him and desire to kill Him. Not only had Jesus broken their religious man-made rules by doing the work of healing this man on a Sabbath, but also because Jesus called God His own Father making Himself equal with God.  Jesus claimed deity - Jesus is the Living God come to earth!! Yet they desired to reject this truth! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 27:1-7, 1 Samuel 30 1-6, Psalm 23. This teaching dives into Psalm 23, a Psalm written by David, and the evidence we see in his life of the heart of God. We will see insights into David's faith that will provide incredible encouragement to our faith lives as well. Have you ever been in a situation where everything seemed hopeless? Or have you ever come to a point where you feel that you're all alone? No one to turn to, no one to help you? There is much to learn from David's life that reveals where genuine strength comes from. David again is in need of escaping Saul and returns to the Philistine territory. The king of Gath, Achish, gives David the town of Ziklag, along the southern portion of the Philistine Empire along the coast of the Mediterranean. About a year and four months into living in Ziklag, David returns from a meeting with Achish, to find his town of Ziklag destroyed by fire and his and his men's wives, sons and daughters taken captive. They were devastated and their grief was so great they wept until they had no strength left to weep. David faces a Life-Threatening Situation:     ⁃    His men blame him for their loss and talk of stoning him; but David finds strength in the Lord his God.     ⁃    David is abandoned, his men have turned on him, everything appears to be collapsing around him. He found strength in the Lord.     ⁃    How did David find strength when there was no one else to turn to? David found strength because he knew the One we can always turn to. We move into studying Psalm 23, written by David. Pastor shares a personal testimony of finding strength in this psalm during a difficult time in his life. PSALM 23 - David knew the Messiah was coming, the One in whom we find strength! Verse 1 - God is the ultimate shepherd, the Good Shepherd, the One who can always be relied upon and  in this psalm, David realizes he is not alone. And the Shepherd provides us with anything and everything we need (John 10:11). Verse 2 - David understood that sheep need a shepherd to guide and lead them (John 7:37). Verse 3 - Our Shepherd gives us hope, a future, assurance and righteousness (received by God's grace). We receive strength to face difficulty, to leave the past behind, walk in a way that gives glory to God (John 14:27). Verse 4 - Even in the darkest day, we do not need to be afraid. We are to rely on our Shepherd who guides and protects us (John 14:6). Verse 5 - David knew that even in the face of the most persistent and evil enemies, God provides and God strengthens and restores us and gives us all that is needed (John 6:35). Verse 6 - David understood that life is short, and he knew that eternity is forever. He knew that what God promises His own, is that we will be raised on the last day and will live forever with Him. Our troubles are momentary and God IS faithful, He will deliver His own, and He will restore His people and that day is coming when evil will be defeated and righteousness will reign forever (John 11:25). We can rely on our Good shepherd with absolute confidence. David understood that, David found his strength in the Lord, his God, in the One who will fulfill everything He has promised in our lives. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 6 Scripture: John 3:22-4:30, Jeremiah 2:13, Ezekiel 47. Today we look at the character of Jesus and into His identity in the story of the Samaritan Woman at the Well. Great Points from Today's Study:         Jesus is the groom and His people are the bride         Jesus is above all!         God gives the Spirit without limit!         Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life         Tensions amongst the people were high so Jesus heads to Galilee and decides to go through Samaria on the way.         Jesus always has purpose and follows what The Father tells Him         This woman didn't know it but she needed something from the Lord. She didn't know that Jesus was going to change her.         Pastor shares about who the Samaritans were. The basic difference in their beliefs with the Jews was a difference in where they were to worship. Though the rest of their beliefs were the same the Jews did not like the Samaritans at all and would not associate with them or even talk to them.         The meeting with the woman happens at Jacob's well in Samaria, at noon         The time is important as women typically went to get the water for the day early in the morning. But it was noon when this woman was coming to the well. Why was she at the well at noon when other women were not there? We surmise it is because she maybe is shunned based on her lifestyle         Jesus sits down by the well and proceeds to talk to the Samaritan woman, something that is just not done because men did not speak to women in public let alone a Samaritan woman         Jesus asks her for a drink         She's surprised Jesus talks to her.         Jesus is not a rule follower!         She asks why He would ask her for water. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”         God is the giver of Living Water (Jeremiah 2:13) - Jesus is claiming deity.         Jesus tells her that anyone who drinks the water He gives will never thirst again.         Jesus is speaking spiritually         He alone quenches the thirst of our souls - He wants to fill up her needy soul with His Himself!         Jesus told her much about herself - He knew her - He know all about her life         He knows us too!         Jesus tells her “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)         It is by the Holy Spirit that we understand who Jesus is. The Holy Spirit is the comforter, counselor and advocate.          Real worship isn't where you go, it's who you know         Real worship is not a matter of a place, real worship is a matter of a Person.          Real worship is knowing the Messiah and the Holy Spirit that He gives.         Real worship is not about ritual of where one worships, worship is about relationship with the one we worship!         Jesus declares to her that He is the I AM. He is the Messiah - He is God! The Living God! The Living Water.         She returns to town - forgetting that she probably is seen as an outcast, and shunned and instead tells everybody about Jesus! She can't help herself but to share all about Him! What we learn: No one in need is ever turned away by Jesus. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01         The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.          The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible. Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 25. Pastor's teaching is on “Anger” today and a particular incident in David's life before he became king. David and his men were in a desert area and nearby a man named Nabal from Maon is at his property in Carmel for shearing his 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. David, having at one time protected Nabal's shepherds and flocks, sends 10 of his men to Nabal to greet Nabal speaking good health to him, his household and to all that was Nabal's. They recounted when David and his men protected Nabal's shepherds and flocks and then ask for Nabal's favor in sharing with them whatever Nabal thought was fair or appropriate. David's words were gracious, but Nabal a surly, mean man responds saying, “Who's this David? Why should I take my bread and water and meat and give any to his men who come from who knows where?” David's men report this rejection back to David who responds in anger with, “Strap on your swords.” He and 400 of his men head back Nabal. David has revenge in mind but then Abigail, Nabal's wife, hears how Nabal responded to David and she comes up with a plan to stop David's intended revenge. Abigail's chooses to act and her response is not only dramatic it is instructional.  Abigail's Response     ⁃    Clear thinking     ⁃    Decisive action     ⁃    Calculated risk Abigail packs bread, wine, meat, grain, raisin cakes, figs and loads it on donkeys and goes where David and his men were without telling her husband Nabal. She comes to an angry David and his men on their way to find Nabal. Abigail falls at David's feet. David has 400 men with him, his temper is on edge, and now this lady comes to him. Abigail asks David not to pay any attention to what Nabal had said. And she says, “let this gift your servant has brought to my Lord, be given to the men who follow you.” Then she asks for forgiveness and goes on to talk about all the Lord must have in store for David, that he is a man who has not sought revenge, but rather did things God's way. She proceeds with a curse for all who pursue David and a blessing of security in the Living Lord God for David. She ends with a request for David to remember her when the Lord fulfills His promises to him. She says he would not want to have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and then she closes with a request for him to remember her. Abigail's response was issued with grace and spirit-guided wisdom with an emphasis on the things of God and it changes David's heart in an instant. He responds, “Praise be to God who has sent you to meet me. May you be blessed for keeping me from bloodshed and from avenging myself.”  David is convicted. David is a man who has God's heart, and even when he has gone astray, he is willing to take correction.  Dealing with Anger     ⁃    Recognize the danger     ⁃    Practice self-control     ⁃    Deal with the cause     ⁃    Respond graciously Only the Lord God can give us the strength and resources to truly control our anger. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 5 Scripture: John 3:1-14, Ezekiel 36:25-27, Numbers 21:5-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 2 Kings 18:4, Mark 1:14. Today's class explores the story of Nicodemus. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin Council.  Pharisees were a group Jesus often had harsh criticism for.  They are all about religion and following rules, and about what they do instead of what God has done and having a relationship with Him. Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus is a teacher come from God because of the miracles there have been and Jesus responds, “No one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again from above.” Born again is something God does individually in each person. Nicodemus replies with how does one do that? And Jesus goes on to say we must be born of water and the Spirit. Ezekiel 36:25-27 “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”  Jesus is saying what the prophets have said all along - it is now coming true - A New Covenant - the time of the New Covenant has come and Jesus is saying He's bringing it! God Himself washes us clean and pours out His Spirit on us and gives us a new heart. He changes us from religion to a relationship with God that endures forever.  Nicodemus was a Pharisee - he was into religion - but not relationship with God. Jesus is calling Nicodemus to take his eyes off himself and put his eyes on God and take his eyes off his own accomplishments and put his eye on the Messiah who is going to deliver, redeem, restore and renew. Jesus is breaking Nicodemus' paradigm. It's not what we do, it's what God does! Jesus goes on to say, “so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Jesus is saying He will be lifted up and all who look to Him will be saves.  He's saying we need a Savior and that Savior is Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus goes on to speak these marvelous words, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”  The Light shows us for what we are - hypocrites- looking good on the outside but inside we are dead. But now the Son has come and He's come not to condemn us but to save us! To redeem us!   When we live by the Truth - we come into the Light.  Jesus is calling Nicodemus to set aside what he has always believed and instead yield himself totally to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is breaking into Nicodemus' life and He wants to break into our lives too! To give us a new heart and to pour out His Spirit into us. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24, Matthew 7:20, Numbers 15:37-39, Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35, Leviticus 19:18, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:28, Romans 12:20, Proverbs 25:21-22, Romans 12:21. Today's class is entitled, “Revenge” and Pastor will compare worldly wisdom with biblical wisdom on the topic of revenge.  As we read chapter 24 of 1 Samuel, we read that David is now in en Gedi and Saul has found out and is headed along with 3000 men to en Gedi to find David. En Gedi is a wilderness area but it has several springs and many caves for hiding. As the story continues, Saul went into one of these caves to relieve himself. Unbeknownst to Saul, David and his men were further back into the cave hiding. David's men prompted David that this was his chance, his opportunity to put an end to the hiding by killing Saul. But instead David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. This is action is prophetic. The Hebrew word that is used for “corner” is kanaf. It refers the corners of a Hebrew robe or prayer shawl. The scriptures were particular about what was to be on the corners of those robes. Numbers 15:37-39 “…make tassels on the corners of your garments….you will have these tassels to look at… to remember all the commands of the Lord that you may obey them …”  And David cuts off a corner tassel. The tassel, was to remind Saul to walk in God's path rather than his own path, to walk in God's will and not his own will. The tassel was to say pursue peace, be honorable, be faithful, walk by faith. Saul had abandoned those things and when David cut it off it was a prophetic act showing Saul's wandering from God's will. Next we read that David's conscience convicted him for cutting off the corner of Saul's robe. He tells his men that he shouldn't have done that to the Lord's anointed king, Saul. David's men encourage revenge but David stands strong saying that it would be contrary to God's plan and will. David rebukes the men and doesn't allow them to attack Saul. Instead David exits the cave calling to Saul and bowing down he says, “Why do you listen when they say David is bent on harming you. This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I will not lay my hand on my Lord because you are the Lord's anointed. See this tassel of your robe in my hand, yet I did not kill you, but you hunt me down to take my life.” David holds Saul accountable even as he shows the heart and grace of God to Saul. We see that the activities of a person are a window into his heart and if we seek revenge we are going contrary to the heart of God. We can deal with unjust treatment and  still refuse revenge while still holding the individual accountable. Saul wept at David's words saying, “You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well but I have treated you badly.” What does God say about revenge?         -         Romans 12:19 - revenge is the Lord's - God is the righteous judge and he will judge in the end Resisting Revenge         -         Love your enemy Leviticus 19:18         -         Forgive your enemy Mark 11:25 (this doesn't mean we approve of what they have done, it does mean we let go of the bitterness, anger and desire for revenge.)         -         Pray for your enemy Luke 6:28         -         Feed your enemy Romans 12:20 as this can draw them into repentance before God. Pastor ends with Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is how we are called to act. That's what we see in David and that is what we see in the heart of God. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 4 Scripture: John 2:1-22, Genesis 1:10 & 12, Isaiah 62:5, Isaiah 25:6-9 Today's study starts with the story of a wedding at Cana in Galilee and the text opens with “On the third day.”  The first day is Sunday, the second day of the week is Monday and the third day is Tuesday.  The wedding is happening on a Tuesday. Why is the wedding on Tuesday? The answer is because of what we read in Genesis 1:10 and 12 where God declared everything as good, not once but twice on the third day of creation and the rabbis said the third day is an especially good day - what a great day for marriages! So orthodox Jewish people have set their wedding dates on Tuesdays going back to Biblical times. Mary, Jesus' mother is at this wedding, too. They are most likely into the 4th or more day of the wedding feast. (They typically lasted a week or longer). And they run out of refreshment and Mary lets Jesus know they have run out of wine. Mary then tells the servants to “do whatever He tells you.”  This is a word for us today - to do what Jesus tells us. We are to listen and obey. Pastor considers the questions: “Isn't this a rather frivolous miracle? Why would Jesus for His first miracle make 150 gallons of wine?”  Let's take a look at this miracle in light of what the Old Testament Scriptures say and what the Jewish people believe: God speaks of Himself as being married to His people. God calls Himself the groom and He gives Himself for His bride (the children of Israel). We reading Isaiah 62:5 "For as a young man marries a young woman, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." And the Bible talks of wedding feast banquets when Messiah comes. Isaiah 25:6-9 begins with:  “On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare     a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—     the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy     the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;     he will swallow up death forever.” These are a sample of the verses Jewish people knew and now Jesus performs His first miracle at a wedding! This is not a frivolous miracle - this is Jesus saying: “I am the Bridegroom. I am the One who provides everything you need. I am the One who brings in the wedding feast!”  This miracle points to Jesus as the Messiah! It is a dramatic declaration of Jesus' identity and purpose and going forth Jesus will continually refer to Himself as the Bridegroom and to His people as those who get to be invited to the wedding feast. Pastor shares other great insight into:     1.    Why it's important that the jars where stone and not clay pottery     2.    The use of the word “signs”     3.    The 7 miracles shared in the Gospel of John and how they show Jesus' identity and demonstrate He is the Messiah.     4.    The recent archeological discoveries that go back to the 1st century. Next in our text we read the story of the Temple cleansing where Jesus overturns money changing tables at the Temple.  John is the only gospel that has this story at the beginning of Jesus ministry, the other gospels have it at the end of His ministry. Pastor shares the perspective of there being 2 temple cleansing: 1 at the beginning and.another at the end of Jesus' ministry. Other interesting points     ⁃    The temple was to be a house of prayer - not a market place     ⁃    Money changing was being done where worship was supposed to be happening     ⁃    Tyrian Stater - 1/2 shekel temple tax     ⁃    Pastor shares a detailed description of the Temple in Jesus' day and does a dating of events in conjunction with the building of the temple and Jesus' ministry     ⁃    Pastor suggests a book by Jack Finnegan, “Handbook of Biblical Chronology” Our reading today ends with John 2:20-21 where we read that Jesus knows what is in our hearts. He can see into our very souls. We cannot con Jesus. He is the Living God come to earth and we cannot fool Him.   Pastor ends today's class with a look at the Feasts of the Lord celebrated by the Jewish people and how the festivals point us to understanding their connection to who Jesus is: The Fulfillment of each festival. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 21-22 and Psalm 34. Today's class is entitled ,“Crippling Fear.” Crippling Fear describes the kind of fear that can easily cripple us. But Crippling Fear also describes how God can cripple our fear.      1.    Fear can easily cripple us     2.    God can cripple our fear As our story opens we see Saul trying in every way possible to get rid of David, to kill him through any method he can find. Then Saul shares with Jonathan (his son and David's best friend) that he is determined to kill David and that he won't relent. And so David has to flee from Saul and he heads to Gath - Philistine territory. David left behind his position as one of the leaders of the Israelite army, his wife, his best friend, his home, his friends, and more.  David gets to Gath and is recognized. He had thought he could live there in anonymity, but being recognized, he became fearful.  Not just a little fearful but a lot fearful and so he decides to pretend to be insane in order to protect himself. This man who had been so courageous, is now paralyzed by overwhelming fear. So then David leaves Gath and goes back into Israelite territory to the caves of Abdullah.  David's father's family and his brorhers' families and others come to the cave with David.  It's at this time that David writes Psalm 34. There are four timeless truths in Psalm 34 that tell us how God can conquer our fear, something David knew but needed to be reminded of. And like David, that God conquers our fears is something we need to be reminded of too. Psalm 34 Truths     1.     PRAISE GOD (even in the darkest of times)  David didn't start out this poem with, “Woe, is me.” He started out with, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” Praising God is to be our natural response of faith and transforms us from within because when we praise God we are looking to him not to our condition.  It's looking heavenward versus looking inward.     2.    GOD DELIVERS - strength is found in God's inner presence and not in our own strength. It is God alone who delivers us.  As David turns to God in praise he finds God ministering to his very soul, delivering him from fear. David is no longer crippled by fear but sees that God cripples fear!  As we praise God and He delivers us, the Lord Jesus encamps around us. Hi is the One who says, “I'll never leave you, don't be afraid, I am with you.”     3.    FEAR GOD - not in the sense of being afraid of Him - but in holy awe through repentance and in faith and in obedience.  Fear God alone and no one else.     4.    GOD SAVES - “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18  David reminds us that the Lord is close to us. He saves and restores us. He rescues us. How de we deal with the fear that cripples? The answer is we turn to God who cripples fear.  We turn to God, praising Him even in the fearful, hard, difficult, dark times. We praise Him because we know He is where we find deliverance from our fear. He conquers our fear. We come to Him in holy awe, in faith, in repentance and in obedience because we know He saves us. He rescues us   IT'S ALL ABOUT GOD! What will it be in our lives? Are we going to allow fear to cripple us or will we turn to the One who cripples fear for us?  It's a simple but profound and important choice. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 3 Scripture: John 1:19-51, Malachi 4:5-6, Psalm 105, Daniel 7:13-14. Today we take a look at John the Baptist, his questioning by religious authorities, the Baptism of Jesus, and meet some of His first followers. As Pastor begins today's class we learn about who John the Baptist was and Pastor shares personal photos he has taken in the location where John lived and preached. John the Baptist is the one who God foretold through Malachi the prophet: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Malachi 4:5-6  John even dressed like Elijah: leather belt, animal skin clothing, ate locust and wild honey, lived in the wilderness.  John the Baptist was totally devoted to preparing the way for the Messiah. John 1:23 tells us, “John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.'” He knew Messiah was coming! Pastor lays out a map of the area around the Jordan River, Dead Sea and Bethany where John lived and preached and offered baptism - a cleansing done in anticipation of meeting God - a ritual washing in Judaism that signified a cleaning off of ones sins - repentance. John 1:29-31, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!  This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'  I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” John the Baptist preaches that the Messiah is coming. And He calls Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John the Baptist understands who Jesus is and in verses 32-34 - we read his testimony: “Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.  And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is God's Chosen One.”” As we explore Jesus' baptism - the question is why was Jesus baptized?  Let's start with why were people receiving John's baptisms - because they realized they were sinners and needed to repent and the baptism represented the washing off of sin. But Jesus is sinless - why doe He get baptized - because it symbolized His willingness to take on all the sins that had been washed into the river. He goes into the water implying He is willing to take all of our sins onto Himself. And that's where the road to the cross begins. In John the Baptist's testimony says that the Spirit come down and remained on Jesus and He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Jesus is the One who will bring the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Pastor shares an overview of the difference between the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and the Holy Spirit in the New Testament and shows us that we are in the Age of the Spirit. Pastor also shares encouragement for the American church to find its way back to acknowledging the Spirit of God that has been poured out. As our story continues we see Jesus begin to gather the group that would become His disciples. We meet Andrew, Peter and Nathaniel. Pastor gives some interesting insights to these men. Pastor summarizes this first chapter of the Gospel of John:  Jesus is the Word made flesh, who dwelt among us, who is the very glory of the Heavenly Father and who is God come to earth. Join us next week for chapter 2 as we continue to learn about Jesus' identity, about Judaism, about who Jesus the Messiah is, what He is doing and what that all means. We will look at His first miracle - one that many think is trivial - but as we will learn - it is NOT!   Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18. Today we look at the cost of fame, the discouragement of injustice, and we will see what we can learn from David on how to navigate through them. In our text we read of David's progression of fame. He was a natural leader, a brilliant tactician, and widely acclaimed for his accomplishments. While David increased in popularity, Saul became very angry and he began to keep his eyes on David.  Saul saw David as a threat to his throne and begins to want David killed, even throwing his own spear at him several times - but David escapes. David is an honorable man and refuses to retaliate by attacking Saul because he knows that Saul is the currently anointed King. (David has been anointed to be the next king, but he knows God is in charge of that timing so honors God's current choice of king by not retaliating against him.)  Saul sends David away on warrior campaigns hoping David might be killed, yet David continues to be successful. With David's continued success in leading the Israelites so skillfully in battle and his acclaim continuing to grow, Saul becomes afraid of David. What we see is David's fame increases as he navigates the perils of fame. How did God enable David to cope, thrive and survive the fame with people and the injustice from Saul? A look at David's Character:     ⁃    David trusted in the Lord above all else. He trusted in the Lord and not in himself, not in his own abilities or his own insights. David did what Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”     ⁃    David was courageous because his courage came from God. David knew what the scriptures say, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”     ⁃    David was patient and did not act rashly or try to take matters into his own hands. He knew he was the Lord's newly anointed king but he did not usurp that authority. Rather he remained patient in waiting for God's timing. Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”     ⁃    HOWEVER! David WAS a sinner like all of us. Jesus is our Savior. We are not saved because of anything we've done, but rather we are saved because of everything that Jesus has done!! Philippians 5:8 tells us that Jesus, “being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” David is a great hero, but Jesus is our Savior!! We not only have forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus, but we have the strength to live our lives each day with purpose and with profound impact by relying on Him alone! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John Week 2 Scripture: John 1:1-18, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Psalm 33;6, Psalm 107:20, Isaiah 55:11, Exodus 40:34, Exodus 33:18. An Overview of the Gospel of John     ⁃    Prologue 1:1-18     ⁃    Jesus' ministry 1:19 - 11:57     ⁃    Passion of Christ and resurrection 12:1 - 21:25 Important terms in the Gospel of John (# = number of times it is used in the Gospel of John:     ⁃    Life: 36     ⁃    Light: 23     ⁃    Witness: 47     ⁃    Believe: 98     ⁃    World: 78     ⁃    Truth: 56     ⁃    Glory: 42     ⁃    Father: 136 Several of these key words above appear in the prologue. Prologue (1:1-18) The prologue begins John 1:1 “In the beginning” which is just how Genesis 1:1 starts “In the beginning.” In Genesis those words introduce creation.  In John those words introduce the new creation - God is doing a new things. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Everything that the Father said through the prophets from the beginning, and what was spoken since the beginning is coming to its fullness and fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah. John 1:1 - “In the beginning was the word.” The following verses help us understand more about The Word. We read in Psalm 33:6 that “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” God's WORD is living and active! Psalm 107:20 tells us that the Word rescues from the grave, just as Jesus rescues us from the grave. - “He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” And then in Isaiah 55:11 we read “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” God's word accomplishes His plans and purposes. Just as Jesus accomplishes the fulfillment of God's promises and plans and purposes.   Everything was created by the Word of Jesus Christ. The Word holds everything together. And Jesus - The Word - was there at the beginning! John 1:1-3 tells us that the Living God loved us so much that he was willing in a way beyond our ability to understand, willing to become one of us, a real human being but also truly and fully God. He gave Himself up for us all and that's the way this gospel begins and that's powerful! John 1:4-5 reminds us of Genesis 1 where we read that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…. And He said let there be light. And in John we read, “In Him was life and that life was the Light of the World!” Those who receive Jesus as Messiah become the children of God - adopted by the Creator of the Universe! Right from the opening of this powerful and amazing book we see who Jesus is - He is the Living God. - He is the Messiah - He is The Word - He is the fulfillment of every promise of God. John 1:6-14  - Pastor talks about John the Baptist who bares witness to Jesus the Messiah as the Light and shares pictures of the Jordan River at the town of Bethany - the traditional site of Jesus' baptism. The Gospel of John is uniquely crafted by the Spirit of God to bear witness to Jesus and to lead people to faith.  It's an easy read but filled with depth! John shares that Jesus wasn't who was expected and that the people didn't recognize Him as the Messiah. Jesus came in flesh to dwell (tabernacle) among us as God did with Moses - Exodus 40:34. Side note Jesus is referred to as Emmanuel in the Old Testament and that means God with us! And He is! John 1:15-18 Law came through Moses - Grace and truth come through Jesus Christ and Jesus is the fulfillment of everything God promised in the Torah. Jesus is not simply a great teacher or merely a worker of miracles, He is the One who is the Only begotten God. In the prologue we see who Jesus is and starting next week we will see what this means and how this works!  Join us! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17-51, Ephesians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 1 Corinthians 15:57. Today's story is the most familiar, famous and well-known battle in the Old Testament - David and Goliath - but is there still something we can learn from a story we know so well? This is a battle between Goliath and the Philistines and the Israelite army. Goliath challenges them every day for 40 days: “send a man to battle me, if I kill him you become our slaves and if your man kills me we will become your slaves.” 40 days are significant in the Bible - it is a time of preparation and renewal that at its end brings forth mighty things from God. On the 41st day of the challenge - David arrives with food for his brothers and others in the army and he learns of Goliath's challenge. David is in his teens - younger than age 20 and he arrives at a critical moment. He is concerned for God's honor. Seeing this challenge as a spiritual battle, he speaks bravely.  His brothers ridicule him - yet he says he will take Goliath on.  To King Saul, David shares stories of past bravery and says the Lord will rescue him from the hand of Goliath. David is Spirit-filled, knows his strength is in God alone, is confident and bold and recognized it is God who saves. David trusts the Lord who delivered him in the past to deliver him again. So Saul tells David to fight Goliath and he outfits David in his armor but David takes it all off as he's never worn anything like that before. Comparisons:     ⁃    David a young teen and untrained in battle vs Goliath a well trained warrior     ⁃    David is of small stature vs Goliath who stood at 9 feet 9 inches tall     ⁃    David is dressed in a shepherd's simple clothing vs Goliath with a bronze helmet wearing 125 pounds of body armor      ⁃    David's weapons were his shepherd's staff, a slingshot and 5 smooth stones vs Goliath carrying a 15 pound spear plus a javelin. And David goes out to meet Goliath and says, ‘you come against us with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the Name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Armies of Israel and this day the Lord will deliver you into my hands - I will strike you down and cut off your head for the battle is the Lord's and He will give all of you into our hands.” David runs toward Goliath and slings a stone hitting Goliath in the head and Goliath falls down dead. This is not simply an historic battle record - it is clear insight into what the New Testament describes as spiritual realities. Spiritual Realities     ⁃    Spiritual warfare - life is a battle but we know God wins.     ⁃    Spiritual weapons - we put on the armor of God: prayer, the Name of Jesus, God's word, daily filling of the Holy Spirit     ⁃    Spiritual victory - is in Christ Jesus. From this familiar story we are to learn we are to be familiar with the lessons that     ⁃    We are in the midst of a battle     ⁃    The Lord provides strength to triumph through faith in Jesus Christ. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Gospel of John - Week 1 Scripture: An overview of John chapters 1-21. The Gospel of John is different than the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The Gospel of John is unique as 90% of what is written in this gospel is found nowhere else. And John gives us a unique view of Jesus, too. Pastor Dodge shares with us who John was, and the evidence around John being the author of this book.  John was considered Jesus' best friend and one of Jesus' inner circle.  Also, John and Peter often worked together in their mission work. It is thought that The Gospel of John was primarily the gospel story written for gentiles. However, this view changed after the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Pastor shares the interesting story of the young boy, tending his sheep, who discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in Quman Cave 4 around 1946-47 on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea Scrolls contained copies of the Hebrew Scriptures. After there discovery, the Gospel of John was seen as a book that speaks to all, but was written to let the Jewish people know the Messiah has come. Pastor shares that recent archaeological evidence points to the accuracy of the Gospel of John and shares several examples. Simple Outline of John:     ⁃    Prologue 1:1-18     ⁃    Jesus' ministry 1:19-11:57     ⁃    Passion of Christ and Resurrection 12:1-21:25 From the opening verses of this gospel it is clear it is special. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  John 1:1-5 This book is all about God's love for us, about Jesus' identity, who He is and written in a way that proves Jesus is who He says He is.  John shows Jesus as being the One who fulfills everything that God promised to His people. We see John's purpose in the end of chapter 20, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31.   John ends his gospel with, “This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:24-25. Jesus did so much that if we wrote down everything the world itself couldn't contain the volumes! Next week we will dive head long into the Gospel of John and move from this broad view to a verse by verse study of the book! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most “Gentile/Greek” of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16. There are many Biblical characters of faith in the Bible, but none with as many Old Testament chapters devoted to them as David. Abraham - 14 Chapters Joseph - 14 chapters Jacob - 11 chapters Elijah - 10 chapters David - 66 chapters (and this does NOT include the Psalms written by him!) Our story takes place around the year 1025 BC. We read in 1 Samuel 13:14 that God is going to replace the Israelite's first king, King Saul.  In 1 Samuel 13:14 we read about Elijah telling Saul the following, “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command.”  In 1 Samuel 16:1 “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” So Samuel sets out for Jesse's home with oil to anoint the next king of Israel.  Samuel arrives at Jesse's home and sees Eliab, Jesse's oldest son, and this is the one he thinks is to be anointed but God has other plans.  We read in this verse, one of the most important verses about God's heart, 1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The world looks at a person's job, wealth, good looks, accomplishments, status, possessions, BUT God looks at the heart of a person. Seven of Jesse's sons come to Samuel but he tells each that they have not been chosen.  Then Samuel asks Jesse if there are any other sons - Jesse says there's one left in the fields with the sheep.  The smallest, least likely of choices, but Samuel has him sent for.  David is found, tending sheep and is then brought before Samuel ho acknowledges him as the Lord's choice, and Samuel anoints David to be the next king of Israel. Today's verses tell us that from that time on, the Spirit of the Lord was upon David.  What is it about David's heart that stands out? How did David reflect God's heart? David's Heart     ⁃    Faith-filled heart - had a heart filled with faith in God. David wrote Psalm 23 - this psalm opens with :The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need.” David knew he could depend on God, that God cared for him and so David trusted God. David walked by faith.     ⁃    Humble heart - David wrote Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” David realized he needed God, relied on the grace of God, wanted God to mold and shape him, wanted God to draw him ever closer to Himself. David not only lived by faith, he walked in humility.     ⁃    Honest heart - In Psalm 78:72 we read the following, “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Not that he was sinless, he was not, but he was honest and had integrity and lead his people that way. We too are called  To walk by faith To be humble before God To be honest and to have integrity Like David we are to have a heart after God's own heart. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 20 Scripture: John 20:24-31, John 21:1-15, Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, Acts 1:3-14. Today is the final teaching on part four of five of our Two Year Gospel Study. Pastor takes us on an adventure examining the last appearances of Jesus during His final forty days on earth after His resurrection. Pastor begins with the story of Thomas and shares interesting insights into Thomas' faith, along with sharing the special story of Jesus proving He is alive to Thomas. It's a story that shows the depth of Thomas' faith: “My Lord and my God!” Thomas realizes fully who Jesus is. Pastor delves into the depth of meaning in Thomas words in light of the Hebrew language. John uses Jesus' visit to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee to share a powerful fish story. The disciples had been out all night fishing and caught nothing. That morning, Jesus is standing on shore, though they did not recognize Him.  Jesus encourages them to throw out their net and when they did their net filled to overflowing. At this point they recognized Jesus! “It's the Lord!”  Jesus had built a fire on the shore and invited them to breakfast. The Greek word used for this fire means a “coal fire.” It's a word not normally used for a fire, but there's something to learn from the choice of it here in this story. The only other time that “coal fire” appears in the New Testament is on the night of Jesus' betrayal when Peter was standing by the “coal fire” and denied knowing Jesus three times. This is “coal fire” is not accidental, it is intentional and Jesus is being very deliberate. We are encouraged to understand that in confronting the painful - God heals us. And Jesus proceeds to ask Peter three times if he loves Him. This breakfast is a gracious portrayal of how much our God loves us. His desire is to restore. Peter's restoration is happening and in the future Peter would stand firm and testify to knowing Jesus. Jesus tells Peter to take care of His flock. (Believers) Pastor shares several other appearances of Jesus including Matthew 28 where Jesus speaks the “Great Commission” to reach all nations and all people with The Good News. Pastor concludes with an overview of several observations:     ⁃    First eyewitnesses     ⁃    Earliest objections     ⁃    Alternate explanations     ⁃    Ultimate price This is the concluding teaching on this fourth part (of 5) of our full Two Year Gospel Study. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry the earth, concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us.  This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Scripture: Acts 2:41-42. What we see in today's Scripture is that believers “practiced” living out their faith by doing. Not with head knowledge of “HOW to do things,” but by simply “DOING things.” Today's verses tell us they devoted themselves NOT to the “How,” but rather to the “Doing.” Today verses say: Acts 2:41-42 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. They not only DID these things, they “devoted” themselves to doing them. They practiced them. Practice definition - noun:     1.    The actual application of use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories relating to it.     2.    The customary, habitual or expected procedure of way of doing of something. Pastor shares a great basketball example to help us understand the difference between “how to do things” and “doing things.” And in his example we will see that doing requires practice! Let's examine verse 42.     1.    Devoted themselves to the apostles teaching - the Greek word used for “devoting” actually is more accurately translated as “continually devoting” themselves to what they had been taught about the Gospel message of Jesus. We are to hold onto the right teachings and truth and practice living them. The application for us for “being devoted to the apostles teaching” is through:     ⁃    Regular study of God's Word     ⁃    Solid biblical teaching     ⁃    Christ-centered, Spirit-lead     2.    Devoted themselves to fellowship - time with others that believed. Fellowship has several meanings, all which apply. It can mean communion both in having communion with the Holy Spirit and communion with the body and blood of Jesus. It can also refer to participation in sharing with others, being generous. The application for us for “being devoted to fellowship” is through:     ⁃    Large and small groups     ⁃    Christian friends and mentors     ⁃    Generous life style     3.    Devoted themselves to the breaking of bread which is they had meals together for sharing their faith both privately and publicly. They went to temple (large groups) and to small home groups along with doing the Lord's Supper together. The application for us for “being devoted to breaking of bread” is by:     ⁃    Christian fellowship at mealtime     ⁃    Faith talk at meals     ⁃    Lord's Supper     4.    Devoted themselves to prayer by following the morning and evening prayer times, formal times of prayer, but also informal prayer times in home gatherings and other places both public and private. The application for us for “being devoted to prayer” is by:     5.    Having a personal prayer life - God desires we talk to Him     6.    Prayer partners - people we pray with     7.    Public prayer and worship  We too are called to practice, not just understand what the Bible says about the Christian faith but DOING what the Bible says about the Christian faith Questions - Am I aware of what God is saying? Am I growing in the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer? Am I putting these into practice?  Do I understand AND apply this verse? Do I understand what I am to do and do I do it? God is calling us to act on - to practice - the application of what we saw in today's verse. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/40-10 Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 19 Scripture: Matthew 28:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:5, Luke 24:13-49, John 20:19-23 Today we continue with our look at the events of the day of Jesus' resurrection and those who saw Him that day.  Pastor talks about the Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and that their stories were written as eye witnesses .  These are the accounts of people who were there. Last class we looked at those who had seen Jesus first that morning, it was the women who came to the tomb and saw Him, but the first of His disciples to see Him was Peter - the one who had denied knowing Jesus 3 times during His arrest and trial. Consider the emotions that had to be going on in Peter's head and heart since his denial of Jesus and now he's face to face, one on one with Him. (1 Corinthains 15:5) What was this meeting like….very personal… Then Jesus meet s2 men on the Road to Emmaus, family members, but they didn't recognize Him. They tell Him all about the events of the women and that they didn't know what to think of it all. They were doubtful about the truth of what they had heard and Jesus says, “How foolish you are and how slow you are in believing all the prophets have spoken.” And then He explains to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning Himself.  A crash course in biblical truth! That had to be an amazing conversation! At dinner with them, Jesus breaks the bread and gives thanks and suddenly they realize that the man they've been with is the risen Jesus! And then He vanishes. The men run back to Jerusalem to where the disciples and others are staying to tell them that Jesus is indeed risen. As they begin to share their story suddenly Jesus is there with them and says, “Peace be with you.”  Jesus startles the group and some think they are seeing a ghost, and so Jesus encourages them to touch Him and then He asks for something to eat. Yet some still were struggling to believe what they were seeing and then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures. Jesus goes on to share the “cliff notes” of the Hebrew Scriptures to them:     ⁃    Messiah will suffer     ⁃    Messiah will rise from the dead on the third day     ⁃    Repentance for the forgiveness of sin will be preached in His Name     ⁃    Preached to all nations     ⁃    Beginning at Jerusalem The resurrection of Jesus is a call to repentance for the forgiveness of sins, to repent and believe the Good News. This message is for us today. A message we are to respond to. Not with half-hearted intellectual belief. This is about a lifetime commitment and coming to grips with the Living God who gave His only Son for us, raised Him from the grave and who will come back as ruler of all - Jesus. Jesus calls us to repentance and to believe the Good News of who He is.  We can see we are sinners and need a Savior and Jesus calls us to repent = change of mind and change of direction (a U-turn). How we live is a response to knowing we have a Savior and wanting to live for Him because God loved me so much He gave His only Son die for my sins, and so then I want my life to give glory to Him. Repent and believe is not a popular message in the American church today - It's not a message people want to hear. We tend to prefer that God approve of what we do rather than us to approve what God says. And what God says is what Jesus speaks. And He calls us to repent for the forgiveness of sin and proclaim that to all the world! Then Jesus tells them they are witnesses to these things. We are witnesses too. We can all share how Jesus has changed our lives. Then Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit is coming. The resurrection of Jesus ushers in a new way of God dwelling with His people. They are told to wait there until they receive what God has promised to give them. The Holy Spirit - whom the Father had promised. Resurrection Day is the most remarkable day in history. A glorious day!  Jesus continues to open peoples minds to the scriptures today and continues to draw us to Himself.  And the Holy Spirit continues to be poured out! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry on earth, concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us.  This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Scripture: Acts 2;22-41 Pastor continues our study of Pentecost with a look at part two of Peter's sermon as shared in Acts 2 on that first Pentecost. The Bible account of this story tells us that “Peter's words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” So let's dig into what Peter said that pierced their hearts, into what the Holy Spirit was doing and into their response.  Then, let's see what we can learn. In part one of Peter's sermon in Acts 2, he shared the story of Jesus' incarnation - of God coming to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. As we pick up with the rest of this sermon, Peter is talking about how Jesus is the Promised One that fulfills God's promises made in the Old Testament. Then Peter tells them of Jesus' suffering and crucifixion and states that they are the ones who crucified Jesus. As we consider this accusation, we ask who did put Jesus on the cross? Was it the Roman rulers who ran the Jesus trial? The soldiers that beat, whipped and nail Him to the cross? Was it the religious zealots that wanted Jesus stopped? Who put Jesus on the cross.  The Bible tells us that “everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.” Meaning we all need a Savior Jesus died for our sins.  WHO put Him on the cross? WE put Him on the cross.  Peter goes on with the good news of Jesus' resurrection from the grave and that death could not hold Him quoting King David, “‘…My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave….'” Acts 2:26b-27. Peter shares that this prophetic word from David was about Jesus who is the Messiah they have been awaiting. Peter tells them that after Jesus' resurrection He ascended to God's right hand and that the Holy Spirit was released just as Jesus had promised and tells them that is what they are witnessing this very day. Then the high point of the message is reached in verse 36, “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Jesus is the Chosen One, the Savior! In the next verse we see their response to hearing Peter's words.  It is the verse we started with today, “Peter's words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”  Their response was their hearts are pierced, cut to the heart by what Peter said, heart-broken, filled with sorrow, convicted. Having their hearts pierced, led them to see Jesus' story as personal and made them want to change so they say, “What shall we do?” Accepting Jesus as our Lord, our Savior, our Messiah requires a response. What He's done for each of us is personal and it requires a personal response. Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Peter's message is one of the most important ever taught.      ⁃    Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophesied Messiah     ⁃    Repentance is recognizing that, “I'm a sinner. I need a Savior.” It is a change of heart and a change of mind.     ⁃    Baptism in Jesus' name for the forgiveness of sin.     ⁃    Holy Spirit - Jesus desires to pour the Holy Spirit out into us today and everyday! Peter's sermon brought thousands of people to faith in who Jesus is, to repentance, and to baptism. If you have walked away from Jesus or if you have not come to faith in Jesus, our prayer is that Peter's message pierces your heart and brings you to faith in Jesus your Savior and Messiah! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/40-10 Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 18 Scripture: Zechariah 12:10, John 19:31-42, Matthew 27:3-10, Acts 1:18-19, Matthew 28:1-4, Mark 16:1-4, Luke 24:1-10, John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:20. Today we look at Jesus' resurrection.  Jesus dies on a Friday and this particular Friday was Friday, the Day of Preparation - the day of preparing the lambs for a special Saturday Sabbath, the First Sabbath of Passover.  Following Saturday, the First Sabbath of Passover was Sunday, and this particular Sunday was also a special day as well, it was the Day of First Fruits.  Jesus would rise on this day, from the grave, and on that day He would rise as the first fruits of those who rise from the dead. “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of those who slept.” 1 Cor 15:20. Back to our story, John tells us that Jesus' legs were not broken - something done by Roman soldiers to insure death, but they pierced His side with a spear. This fulfills scripture, “They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son.” Zech 12:10. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus' body in linen and spices and laid Him in a new tomb. Jesus' followers are in deep grief. The next morning, Saturday, the First Sabbath of Passover, chief priests and pharisees go to Pilate to ask for Jesus' tomb to be made secure because Jesus had said He would rise after 3 days, and the chief priests and pharisees want to stop anyone from stealing the body and making it look like Jesus did rise from the dead.  They seal the tomb and place guard at it. Then the next day - Sunday - the Day of First Fruits - is Jesus' resurrection day! Pastor puts together the 4 gospel accounts of the women that came to the tomb that morning. While it appears they are in conflict Pastor lays things out using a map of Jerusalem and suggests those with further interest to read the book “Easter Enigma: Are the Resurrection Accounts in Conflict” by John Wenham. Pastor shares historical information of the time period that supports the biblical narrative, even sharing recent archaeological information regarding the possible location of Jesus' tomb. Using all four gospels, Pastor takes us through who these women were and their early morning activities of visiting the tomb and putting forth the order of the morning events. As we continue with the story, we read there was another violent earthquake and angels came down from heaven, scare the guards and then roll the stone from the sealed tomb. Now the women enter the tomb to find it empty. Mary Magdalene decides to run and let the disciples know what they found. The other women ask the angels where they have put Jesus' body and they tell them He's not there as He has risen just as He said He would.  At this point Peter and other disciples head for the tomb. Inside they see the strips of linen and the cloth around Jesus' head lying there and head back to where they were staying.  Mary Magdelene is back at the tomb and is the first to see and speak to Jesus. She's outside the tomb crying and looks inside to see 2 angels seated where Jesus' body had been - one at the head the other at the feet. Pastor shares insight into the similarity of the two angels sitting as they were where Jesus had been and the Ark of the Covenant in the holy of Holies. A fascinating comparison. The angels ask Mary why she is crying and she replies that they have take her Lord. She turns around and there is Jesus!  Though she doesn't yet recognize Him. Jesus asks her as the angels had about why she was crying. Looking at Jesus, who she thought was the gardener, she says, “They have taken Jesus, do you know where they have taken Him?” Then Jesus says, “Mary.” And she immediately recognized Him! She cries out in joy and Jesus tells her, “Go to my brothers, tell them I'm ascending to my Father and your Father, to My God and your God, and tell them what you have seen!” This is only the morning's events!  Join us next time for the rest of all that happened that Resurrection Sunday! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry. The earth shakes, concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us.  This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Scripture: Acts 2;1-21, Acts 2:17, Hebrews 1:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 2 Peter 3. Pentecost is the birthday of the Christian church, but it's even more than that.  Join us as we explore the story of the first Pentecost and specifically focus in on Acts 2;17 “‘In the LAST DAYS,' God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people.'” The New Testament makes it clear that these are the last days - with the coming of Jesus in the flesh, His ministry, His death and resurrection, His ascension and Pentecost a new era has begun. Beginning then we have entered into the Last Days of what we know of planet earth.  Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” 2 Timothy 3:1 says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God“  2 Peter 3:3 “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.” The “last days” are also in the Old Testament and they were: Israel's Hope (The day they were longing for) Numbers 11:23 Ezekiel 36:26 Hosea 3;5 Micah 4:1 Jeremiah 31:31-34 What the Old Testament pointed to is now being fulfilled in the New Testament.  God's intent and plan has been there all along! Applications     ⁃    These are the Last Days! God is fulfilling his plan - not a cause of panic - God is faithful - we are to take Him seriously - these are exciting times - dangerous many times - difficult, yes - these last days are days that change our world view.     ⁃    Holy Spirit is outpoured and that outpouring continues. Holy Spirit yearns to fill us to overflowing so that we walk and pray in the Spirit - Holy Spirit points us to Jesus, the Spirit convicts, guides, leads and directs our lives.     ⁃    The New Covenant is here. The law shows us God's will but it doesn't save because we are all sinners. The New Covenant is about the grace of God in Jesus Christ - God paid the price of the penalty for our sin at the cross.     ⁃    Heed God's Holy Spirit. Seek the Holy Spirit - do what He says - Keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit - we need the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life and to grow in faith.     ⁃    Be Prepared - Be Awake!  We are to be ready, on guard and awake!     ⁃    Awake to:     ⁃    What God has done     ⁃    What God's word has declared     ⁃    The truth that the Last Days are here     ⁃    The reality of the Holy Spirit's indwelling     ⁃    Awake and prepared for what is ahead. We need what only God can provide:     ⁃    Divine Wisdom     ⁃    Divine understanding     ⁃    His truth     ⁃    Strength for today     ⁃    Power for tomorrow     ⁃    Assurance of life forever through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ Everything we do is to revolve around the goodness, grace, mercy, presence, love and forgiveness of God because He changes everything! Pentecost is not just the birth day of the Christian church it is the culmination of all God had promised His Old Covenant people for centuries and that is fulfilled in Christ Jesus and His return. We are in the Last Days - but THE Last Day is coming - as is the age to come that is forever with Him! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/40-10 Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 17 Scripture: Luke 23:26-34, Mark 15:21, Hosea 10:8, John 19:19-27, Mark 15:29-32, Luke 23:39-43, Matthew 27:45-49, Psalm 22, John 19:28-30., Luke 23:46, Psalm 31:5, Matthew 27:50-54. Today we take a look at a moving, powerful and emotionally packed teaching on the subject of Jesus' crucifixion.  We will explore the accounts of Jesus' crucifixion using all four gospels as each gives us unique details and special insights. Jesus' crucifixion was painful, prolonged, humiliating and demeaning, but the four gospel writers do not dwell on the sufferings of Jesus. What they dwell on is what He won for us and what He offers to each of us. Our story opens with Jesus' walk to Golgotha (Hebrew word - translates to “Place of the Skull” - Calvary - is the Latin word for ‘Place of the Skull.”) As Jesus was brutally beaten, tortured and whipped He is exhausted, weak, in great pain and unable to carry His cross to Golgotha, so Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry Jesus' cross. Jesus' first words from the cross were “Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing.” A display of His love even from the cross, even in extreme suffering and incredible pain, He cries out on behalf of others. Don't ever doubt God's love. No matter how we've fallen, our God loves us dearly! The enemy likes to make us think that God is the bad guy, but the truth is - if you want to know what God is like and want to know how He feels about you, then all you have to do is look at Jesus, the One who is the visible image of the invisible God - and He says, Father, forgive them.” He offers mercy to all of us - we all are sinners and we all need a Savior and that's who Jesus is! Our story continues with Pilate making a sign in 3 languages: Hebrew, Latin and Greek. The sign says, “King of the Jews.” The way Romans announced the crime for which the individual was being executed was to post it over their heads on their cross. When Pilate had the sign placed above Jesus' head the Chief Priests became upset. Pastor takes time to dig into some truly interesting insights into why the sign made them so angry. The next words Jesus says are to His mother and the disciple next to her at the foot of His cross. He says, “Woman, here is your son.” And to the disciple He says, “Here is your mother.” Jesus' second set of words from the cross were again for others and of showing his deep love and concern for His mother. Jesus was crucified between two criminals, one of them joins the crowd in mocking Jesus. The one not joining the crowd says to the one that was, “Don't you fear God? This man has done nothing wrong,..” Then turning to Jesus he says, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus replies, “I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” This criminal displays great faith in asking, Jesus, who is beaten, brutalized and nailed to a cross, “Remember me!” This man saw what is unseen - He saw into heaven. He saw what is true.  Again Jesus' words are for others, these comforting words of promise given this man hanging on the cross next to Him. The promise is for all those who believe in Him, that we will be with Him and we will see His kingdom in all its glory and fulfillment. As we continue with the story, darkness came over the land in the middle of the day and Jesus cries out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Jesus endured the judgement of God for us - He became sin for us. Pastor talks about these very words of being forsaken having been written in Psalm 22, 1000 years earlier, and they were words that every Jew was familiar with. Pastor shares how that would have impacted those around Him hearing Him say these words - they were a testimony to who Jesus is! Then Jesus says, “I am thirsty.” And He is offered wine vinegar on a sponge on the end of a hyssop stalk. Pastor shares insight into this prophetic action of using the hyssop stalk being lifted to Jesus to drink from.  When Jesus had the drink, He said, “It is finished.” Meaning PAID IN FULL. The debt for sin was paid. The price for our salvation has been paid in full. Jesus drank the cup of the wrath of God, He is the sacrificial victim - the Real Passover Lamb, who offered up His blood for us all and His blood covers our sin. And then Jesus' speaks, “Father, into Your hand I commit My Spirit.” And He dies.     ⁃    The price is paid     ⁃    The battle is won     ⁃    The victory is assured At Jesus' last words the curtain of the Temple is torn in two. Why?… This was a massive curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies where a High Priest went once a year before God making atonement for the sins of the people. Now all of a sudden people, not just the High Priests can look into the Holy of Holies and have access to the Living God. God dealt with human sin in the very Person of His own Son. The curtain is now open and the way to the Father is exposed - all are given access into the place where only a High Priest could go because Jesus open it through His sacrifice on the cross. Our time together ends with the words of the centurion guarding Jesus on the cross as the day turned dark, as the curtain tore, as the earth shook, rocks split and people walked out of tombs, the centurion exclaims, “Surely, He was the Son of God!” What a shocking day this was!  This was the day the Savior gave His life for all! And it changed everything because now - He offers life to all who believe in Him. Join us next time as we discover that Jesus is our Victor! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry. The earth shakes concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us.  This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Scripture: Psalm 145:13b, Acts 1:3, Acts 1:4-12, Ephesians 5:18, Matthew 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 How many promises are in the Bible? The number given by many different individuals and groups ranges from many hundreds to many thousands.  We will settle on saying there are “lots and lots!” Today, we take a look at several more of Jesus' appearances after His resurrection and explore three specific promises found in Acts 1 that are applicable to any believer's life. Promise #1: Holy Spirit Promise #2: Witnesses Promise #3: Second Coming Applications     ⁃    Holy Spirit - given to all who believe. Ephesians 5:18 says, “keep on being filled with the Spirit of God.”  Listen to Him and seek His guidance.     ⁃    Witnesses - disciples of Christ. Matthew 5:16 tells us to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Our witness flows from our faith in Jesus. We bear witness to Jesus with our actions and words (not to earn salvation, as it is a free gift through faith, but rather it flows from us in thanks for the gift of salvation.) We are called to be His witnesses in the world today     ⁃    Jesus' second coming - a source of comfort and peace in the midst of a crazy world. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 assures of we will be raised to life forever with Christ. Our salvation was won at the cross Our salvation was guaranteed at the empty tomb Our salvation is secured because Jesus is coming back! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/40-10 Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

2 Year Gospel Study - week 74 (Friday, 05-30-25) Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 16 Scripture: John 18:28-32, Mark 15:2-5, John 18:33-38, Luke 23:4-16, Matthew 27:15-26 John 19:1-16 Pastor explores Jesus' trial using all 4 gospels and proposing a possible timeline that tells the story with new insight. Also, throughout today's teaching he shares interesting and important historical information and relationship information between the players in this day's events that brings greater insight and understanding to this story of Jesus' trial.  We tend to look at the story of Jesus' trial and crucifixion as a story we are familiar with -- the old, old story of Jesus and His love…. But today Pastor will bring a freshness that will make it new as we look at the unique things each of the Gospels' authors has to say about the events that led up to Jesus' crucifixion. Pastor will use all four gospels, combining them together in a dramatic picture of the day's event. We pick up the story of Jesus' trial with Him leaving Caiaphas the High Priest's home and going before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.  It is the continuation of the story of the day we call Good Friday. Pastor shares pictures from a past trip to Jerusalem that show the possible place of Jesus' public trial.  Once everyone is in the courtyard, Pilate makes this a legal Roman trial by asking “what charges are you bringing against this man?” But the high priests and their associates didn't want a full Roman trial - they simply wanted the Roman Governor to give them permission to execute Jesus. (At this time in Roman history permission was necessary for the Sanhedrin to be allowed to execute an individual) Pilate didn't give them that permission, instead now they have a legal trial. Many charges were being brought against Jesus - all sorts of charges and Pilate takes Jesus out of the public courtyard and into the Palace for a private conversation to figure out what Jesus has done.  Following the private conversation - Pilate tells the crowd He finds no basis for a charge against Jesus and because Jesus was Galilean, He was under Herod's jurisdiction. As it happens, Herod was in Jerusalem for the Passover so Pilate sends Jesus across town to see Herod Antipas. Herod had been longing to meet Jesus and asks Him many questions, but Jesus does not answer against any of the accusations and charges. Herod's soldiers ridicule and mock Jesus - dressing Him in a purple robe and send Him back to Pilate. Back in the courtyard of Pilate's place, Pilate brings Jesus before the high priests and people stating that both he and Herod find Jesus guilty of nothing, but the crowd rebels. Pilate says he will beat and torture Jesus and let Him go. And again the crowd disagrees greatly with this decision and Pilate then asks the crowd if he should release Jesus or Barabbas (a criminal). It's at this point that Pilate receives a letter from his wife about Jesus because of a dream she had and the note says that Pilate should have nothing to do with the innocent man, Jesus.  The chief priests and elders persuade the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and yell for Jesus to be crucified. This crowd shouting “Crucify Him” was not the crowd who had welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with hosannas earlier in the week when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  This crowd in Pilate's courtyard were most likely temple employees. The temple at that time employed about 20,000+ people and so the high priests had probably gathered this crowd in their favor. Pilate at this point says again that he finds no basis for a charge against Jesus, gives in to the crowd, washes his hands, claims innocence, releases Barabbas, and has Jesus flogged.   Pastor shares in depth what a flogging from Roman soldiers was like during this time in history. It was an incredible cruel torture, horribly brutal and painful. Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified. In his soul, Pilate knows injustice has been committed, yet Jesus goes silently and quietly, just as it says in Isaiah 53.  Jesus doesn't try to disprove the charges against Him of blasphemy - remaining silent - as the charges are true. He IS the Son of the Living God. More than that, the accusation is a statement of Truth!  Jesus is the Son of the Living God and we see the Messiah being turned over into the hands of wicked men and being crucified not just for others - BUT for each one of us. Here's the question: WHO REALLY PUT JESUS ON THE CROSS?  It wasn't the High Priests, Roman soldiers, Pontius Pilate, or even all people ULTIMATELY THE ANSWER IS ME. I did. It's my sin that put Him there.  This story is personal.  It is a beastly, brutal and tragic story but it is also the old, old story of Jesus and His love… Pastor closes with a heartfelt prayer acknowledging all the Savior endured.  And then ends with a teaser about next week's class that may well be absolutely shocking - something that's often overlooked yet so dramatic it will cause us to gulp!   Join us! Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us.  This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:6-8, Acts 1:15, Matthew 28:16, Matthew 28:20, 1 Peter 3:15, 2 Peter 3:18, 1 Peter 4:11 During the forty days between Jesus' resurrection and His ascension, Jesus saw many individuals and small groups, but He also saw over five hundred people at one time.  Where was it, and when did Jesus see this large group of people? Jesus kept showing up…     ⁃    Jerusalem     ⁃    Emmaus     ⁃    Mount of Olives     ⁃    Galilee (Pastor shares why he thinks that Jesus may have been in Galilee when He saw the 500. Pastor shares several pictures of the area around Galilee.)   Those Jesus appeared to had a heart to share the amazing news after seeing Jesus truly was alive.  Because Jesus is alive - because there are convincing proofs - what does that mean for our lives?     ⁃    sharing the Gospel message     ⁃    Obeying what Jesus had commanded  APPLICATIONS     ⁃    Purpose: Testimony - The One who rose, changes our lives and He is coming back! Peter's testimony - 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts revere Christ as lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.”  When God has changed our lives through Jesus Christ, that gives us a testimony, it gives us purpose to share our personal testimony with friends, family, strangers. Our testimony isn't just what we say, it's how we live, too.     ⁃    Purpose: Maturity - We are to grow in our faith, in our witness, in our knowledge of the living God,  and not remain baby believers. 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”  We are not saved because we are mature, but rather it is because we're saved, we want to mature. We don't; want to remain baby believers, we want to grow up in Christ. And that gives Him glory, Our purpose is anchored and centered in the Lord Jesus Christ, our risen King. And we are to keep on maturing.     ⁃    Purpose: Service - We are called to service Him with the gifts He has given us, with the time He has given us, with the opportunities and settings He has given us,  1 Peter 4:11 “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”  Speak the words of God and bring joy and hope, conviction and power into the lives of others. And serve them in God's strength so that He is praised through the witness we share of Jesus and who He is. Be encouraged to serve Him with the gifts you've been given., to serve Him with your lives, your talents, your examples and in the opportunities He provides. Our purpose is to live for Him - Not for ourselves - but for HIM! Today, people are coming to faith in the Lord Jesus like never before, faith in Christ is exploding. And we are called to be part of that!!  Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/40-10 Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 15 Scripture: Mark 14:50-52, John 18:12-24, Matthew 26:57-75, Isaiah 53:7 Luke 22:61, Luke 22:66-23:1. Nothing about Jesus' last hours was an accident. He was totally prepared and totally committed. He knew full well what was ahead of him. The disciples did not understand what was going to happen to Jesus and about all that He had been telling them was coming until they saw Him as the risen Savior. May we understand the significance of what Jesus did, the power of His life, His death and His resurrection, the power of the Holy Spirit and the power to live a life dedicated to Him. Today, we pick up the “Up to Jerusalem” study where Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane as soldiers approach Him led by Judas, His betrayer. Peter cuts off the ear of one of the men and Jesus heals it. We see that as the soldiers arrest and bind Jesus in chains most likely around the neck and ankles, that His disciples flee, leaving Jesus alone. The soldiers take Him first to Annas. Trial #1 - before Annas - Jesus is questioned, treated cruelly, Peter denies knowing Jesus, and Annas then sends Jesus off to Caiaphus. Trial #2 - before Caiaphus the High Priest - false witnesses come forward and turn Jesus' words around in a totally different way saying that this guy says he can tear down the temple and build it back up in three days when it has taken us decades to build it! (What Jesus had actually said and meant was, “Destroy this temple (My body) and in three days I will raise it up (predicting His resurrection on the 3rd day).”  But Jesus remains silent against the interrogation - a fulfillment of what Isaiah had said 700 years earlier, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth, He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mount.” Isaiah 53:7. Caiaphus finds Jesus “guilty” of blasphemy and Jesus suffered more brutality.  Peter denies Jesus a third time as the rooster crows and in Luke 22:61 we read that as Peter was denying knowing Jesus, Jesus turns His glance to Peter and looked straight at him and causing Peter to remember Jesus telling him that he would deny Him 3 times before the rooster crows.  Peter runs outside the courtyard and weeps bitterly for what he has done and who He has denied knowing. (In the coming weeks of this study we will witness the restoration, soon after Jesus' resurrection, of Peter's relationship with Jesus through a loving conversation with Jesus. A reconciliation that shows us the forgiveness and love of our Savior not just for Peter but for each one of us as well.) Pastor shares recent archeological news of the discovery of an ossuary belonging to Caiaphus along with other “holy speculation” that helps fill in details as our story moves forward. Trial #3 - Next Jesus is taken from Caiaphus to the Council. The Council asks Jesus if He is the Son of God and Jesus replies, “You say that I am.” Thus they accuse Him of blasphemy and send Him to Pontius Pilate where we will resume the story next week. Pastor ends the teaching saying Jesus really is who He says He is.  He is Messiah, the Living God come in human flesh to give His life for us all.  Nothing in all of life matters more than knowing Him. “Knowing Him”  - that's not religion and church attendance - it means personally knowing who Jesus is, knowing His heart, His love, and internalizing His willingness to suffer and die on the cross for our sins. This is not just a story — it is the story of God's love for you and me. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01 Up to Jerusalem is a study of the final weeks of Jesus' ministry concluding with His resurrection and ascension, using the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John together with material from ancient sources and recent discoveries. Up to Jerusalem is part five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Up To Jerusalem is the story of the plan of God to redeem the world, and the story of a Savior willing to obey the Father's plan. As we study Jesus' final days, we will be impacted as we discover the Love of God for each one of us.  This study is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time.