Awake Us Now

Happy Thanksgiving! A question: For you is thanksgiving a cultural tradition or a cultivated lifestyle? If thanksgiving is just a cultural tradition then it all centers around a one day get together and it’s over until next year. But if thanksgiving is a cultivated lifestyle then it flows out of a living relationship with the Living God and THAT is a really excellent way to live because it leads to a life of genuine purpose that never ends. Ps 106:1 and 136:1 speaks to the  “never ends.” Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love ENDURES FOREVER! God is TRULY GOOD! Psalm 100:4-5  Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. Did you know that combined, the terms thank, thankful, thankfulness, thanks and thanksgiving appear in the Bible 150 times!!! We are called to a cultivated lifestyle of thanksgiving. Benefits of living in thankfulness:     ⁃  

Pentecost is a Jewish holiday (Shavuot, or Feat of Weeks), thanking God for His provision; a festival that gives us understanding of the Bible and also for God’s will and purpose for each of us in our walk with Him. The verses Pastor explores today are a fascinating section of Scripture that hold a mystery around the word "house." Was the place of the first Pentecost in a house, like maybe the Upper Room? Or was it referring to The Temple, the Holy House, the House above all other houses? And why does that make a difference?

In the Scripture for this message,  Acts 1:9-11, we read that a cloud came down and covered Jesus as He ascended. What is it that’s so important to know about the “cloud” that came and covered Jesus? Did you know that Jesus promises to return the same way as He ascended -- on a cloud! A fascinating study on a very fascinating and unique topic!  Other text references: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 1:7, Revelation 14:14, Titus 2:11-13. awakeusnow.com  

The story of Jesus is not mere religion! It is life-changing, real and true, and so our lives can never be the same. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that is essential for the Christian life. Jesus will return and the season of His return is NOW. Today’s teaching explores some of Jesus’ last words before he was taken to heaven. These key words: proof, kingdom, Spirit, witness and restoration are words for us today!

Scriptures for this message: Luke 24:13-48. Are you familiar with the Bible’s salvation story? Two conversations recorded in the Bible have changed how we understand God not just 2,000 years ago, but today as well. These two dialogues are important for us who are living in a culture full of deception. Join us today as Pastor showss us hope and truth!

Scripture: Daniel 6:1-10; Revelation 2:10;  Proverbs 10:9 TPT  “The one who walks in integrity will experience a fearless confidence in life, but the one who is devious will eventually be exposed.”   Integrity - or lack of it - shows itself in the way we live. The example of Daniel in the Bible shows us how personal conduct should match true faith in God.   Our study today is on Daniel.  We will explore what led up to Daniel being placed in the lion’s den. Daniel, in his 80’s, is chosen to be King Darius’ chief administrator. This position of power caused others under the King to want to discredit Daniel, but all they could find was Daniel had integrity. INTEGRITY - Daniel was: not corrupt - but honest not negligent - but diligent When they couldn’t find away to discredit Daniel, they determined the only way was to undermine his status because of his faith. Their devious plan: they appealed to the King’s vanity and went to him requesting that no one pray to any god or human except to the King alone for the 30

In the last 40 years, scholars have thrown out several centuries of scholarly speculation on the Gospel of John. This book was written by Jesus’ best friend, an eyewitness to the life of Jesus. It testifies to the powerful and encouraging message for people then, and still for us today!

Luke 13:10-17; “Real Meets Ritual” Jesus is the Real Deal! He is the Messiah. He really desires that we know Him more and more and spend eternity with Him. So what does the Real Jesus have to say to us today?  Today’s story in Luke tells how Jesus was in a synagogue teaching and there was a woman in attendance that had been crippled by a spirit for 18 years and was bent over and could not straighten up. (Note not possessed by a spirit but crippled by a spirit.) Luke recognizes that there is a spiritual dimension to our world. This was not just a physical illness.  Jesus does something surprising. He calls the woman to come up to Him. He understands her plight, says, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” The Word of Jesus is a word of power! When He speaks, even the demonic spirits listen!  He laid His hands on her. Don’t you wonder what that was like to experience the loving hands of Jesus on her? Then she immediately straightened up and praised God because she was healed but also because s

When "Doubting Thomas" saw the risen Lord for himself, his skepticism changed to acknowledgement of Jesus as "My Lord and my God." Jesus responded by saying, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.” The Holy Spirit still brings faith to those who will hear, even in our skeptical generation. Today’s message invites us to come meet Jesus as we explore the story of the disciple Thomas. He was a brave believer who was willing to die for Jesus, but also one who is most well known as “Doubting Thomas.” Our world is one of spiritual poverty and skepticism, but when we turn our eyes to Jesus we can hear Him saying, “Stop doubting and believe!” May our response be, “Lord and God!” Biblical texts: John 20:24-31; Psalm 35:23-24; Deuteronomy 6:4 https://www.awakeusnow.com 

Everything stands and falls on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the heart of the New Testament, and also the greatest message the world has ever heard. Christ is risen! Today’s message explores cowardice, crucifixion, corroboration, confusion and finally courage that opens our eyes to be convinced! Christ is risen, and in Him is our hope for today and forever, for He IS The Living One!

This teaching is from Matthew 24:36-25:30. We pick up today’s class with Jesus and His teaching on His Second Coming.  In these opening passages of today’s text we hear Jesus’ encouragement to not let the day of his final appearing catch us unaware. We can’t know the day or the hour of His return but, we CAN know Him!  We can’t know the time of his return but we CAN know the importance of living by faith in Him.  So multiple times Jesus encourages us to KEEP WATCH and to BE AWAKE to His return. Next Jesus shares three parables all having to do with His return and us being ready - awake - when He comes. 1 - Owner and Thief - Jesus’ coming is unexpected 2 - Wise and Wicked - Jesus’ coming is sooner than expected 3 - Ten Virgins - Jesus’ coming is later than expected. These three parables again speak to the fact that we just do not know when He will return so we need to be always be ready for His return! After these three parables about being ready for His return, Jesus tells a parable: “Bags of Gold (often call

The way of the Messiah leads to the cross, and that is the measure of the love of God. But we discover that many (including Jesus’ disciples) were clueless! This message takes a look at the events of Palm Sunday, and how Jesus had repeatedly predicted his crucifixion and His resurrection on the third day. However, “they were clueless.” Let us not be clueless!

Today’s question is an exploration of why people reject Jesus. What is it that causes people to doubt Him? Why do people turn their backs on what God is offering to everyone through Christ Jesus? Pastor Dodge examines these assumptions and counters them with the truth of the scriptures.

Scripture: Revelation 12:11, Romans 9:10, Acts 21-26. Pastor opens and closes today’s teaching with Revelation 12:11 and everything in-between these bookends focuses on the goodness of God through Jesus and the power and impact of our testimonies. Here’s Revelation 12:11, “They triumphed over him (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb (Christ Jesus) and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Testimony - What’s your testimony? The Bible teaches if we confess Jesus is Lord with our mouth and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. (Romans 9:10) Let’s learn from Paul - Paul continually was sharing his testimony of what Jesus had done in his life. In today’s chapters of Acts we follow Paul as he gives his testimony to:         An angry crowd at the temple in Jerusalem         The Jewish high counsel in Jerusalem         The Jewish high counsel in Caesarea         The Roman governor Felix         The Roman governor Festus    

This teaching compares non-Christian writings of Tacitus, Josephus, Suetonius and Pliny from the first and second centuries to the New Testament writings. The evidence is clear and calls us to recognize we are sinners in need of a Savior, The Living One!

Luke 10:38-42; the story of Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by tasks and activities, but Jesus says that what really matters, what really lasts, is knowing Him and listening to Him. Jesus came to the village of Bethany where Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived. Martha invited Jesus and those with Him into their home. As Jesus taught them, Mary sat at his feet listening to what he said.  Observation: Every time Mary is mentioned in the Bible she is at Jesus’ feet.  Mary longed to be near Jesus and to listen to His voice and to internalize His goodness, His mercy and His love. At Jesus’ feet listening is where we want to be, too. Sitting at His feet listening closely to what He’s saying develops our relationship with Him.  Do we desire to be at Jesus’ feet? Are we ready to hear what He has to say to us and how He longs to pour into us His love, mercy and goodness and how He longs to give us guidance and direction.  Martha was distracted by the preparations that needed t

Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers, is all about the power of God -- the power to live a new life, the power to give glory to the Living God, the power of faith that transforms us and that beckons to others to come to God as well!

It is easy to get distracted by other things — some of them perhaps important things — but Jesus makes it clear to His followers that our primary task is make disciples. To that end, we are to be His witnesses, "even to the ends of the earth."

This teaching is from Matthew 24:29-39 We continue our study of Jesus’ Mount Olivet Discourse with the verses in Matthew 24: 29-30 with the return of Jesus “coming on the clouds”* in power and glory. Coming on the clouds is referenced in Revelation 1:7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him…”  (There will be no doubt when Jesus returns!!) Coming on the clouds is also referenced in Daniel 7:13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.”*  As people begin to understand what Jesus is saying they will realize that what is written in the Old Testament refers to Jesus! Pastor circles back to some words from last week’s teaching and shares further about the “abomination that causes desolation.” Matthew 24:15 ““So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.“  We take a look at some events that could be considered the abo

Obedience is not optional - it is command from Jesus Himself. But we are not saved because we obey; rather, we obey the Lord because He has saved us!