Awake Us Now

God has chosen you and me not simply to be religious, but to be disciples. We are to follow Jesus faithfully, grow in the knowledge and love of Him, and share with others the powerful things He has done so that they become disciples too!

How do we know what God’s will is? Our Acts story continues: Paul leaves Miletus for Jerusalem and stays at the house of Philip the Evangelist. A couple days after Paul arrives at Philip’s home a prophet named Agabus comes to visit Paul. Agabus takes Paul’s belt, wraps it around his own hands and feet and says, “The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.” The people gathered in Philip’s home pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem after they heard this word, but Paul responds, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart. I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul makes it clear that he is willing to risk his life to give glory to His Lord, Jesus Christ. In Acts 21:14, we read that when the group could not dissuade him they gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” The Holy Spirit had given Paul a warning through Agabus - that he would be captured by the Jewish

Lord and God? A great moral teacher? A very good man? What claims did Jesus actually make about His identity?

Luke 10:17-21; "Eternal Victory" It's easy to get discouraged when we look around at the world, but today's lesson will encourage us to look at what Jesus says and allow that to speak into our hearts. Everything Jesus did was focused on God the Father's divine purpose, God's will. Jesus in the last months of His life ministry is training His disciples to share the Good News throughout Israel and throughout the world. Jesus sends out 72 commissioning them by twos in towns in the area. As these groups begin to come back from their mission trips, they returned with joy at how people had listened and expressed excitement in people being delivered even from demons. Jesus replies to them, "I saw satan fall" meaning satan's days are numbered because not even the powers of hell can stand up in the power of Jesus. This is still true today. We are in spiritual warfare, cultural war with struggles of darkness against the forces of God. This battle can be discouraging to believers, but Jesus is still saying to us today,

Faith is essential ... but in what do place our faith? The scriptures make it clear that we are to place our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Savior of all the nations, and the Hope of all the earth!

When Jesus says to His disciples, "Receive the Holy Spirit," it is not a "one-and-done" activity. He desires us all to live continually in the Spirit!

This teaching is from Matthew 24:6-28. Today’s class continues with Jesus’ discussion with His disciples on the last days. In verse 6 He tells of wars and rumors of wars with the encouragement to not be alarmed, to not live in fear, because even in the most uncertain of times believers know that God is in control.  Jesus goes on to mention famines and earthquakes with nation against nation and calls this the beginnings of birth pains. Jesus uses the analogy of a woman giving birth and the birth pains to represent the coming of the last days. Birth pains start slowly - far apart and then grow closer as she gets closer to delivering the baby - stronger and closer.   Meaning these last days events (wars, famines, earthquakes) will become more and more frequent and more severe. Pastor shares statistics pointing to the evidence of these last days birth pains ramping up.   Verses 9-11 point to even more attacks and persecution of believers and again these are likened to birth pains - becoming more frequent. Pastor

Heavenly Father, we thank You that our citizenship is in heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ.  We also praise You for the privilege of being an American citizen, as well. We pray for divine wisdom that our choices would be shaped by Your truth and by Your values. In this time of cultural collapse, Lord, may we choose those values which are timeless and true over those which are trendy and treacherous. Give wisdom to Your people, call the hearts of all back to the Living God that together we may sing Your praises until the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we will praise You forever. Amen.

From Genesis to Revelation, God's plan remains the same - to reach all nations and bring people back to Him. How close are we to seeing that happen? Why is belief in Jesus growing at such an astounding pace in much of the world, but not in Europe and North America?

Oh Lord, our God, our hope is in You and in You alone and so we pray with confidence the words of “America, the Beautiful,” Stanza 2: O beautiful for pilgrim feet  Whose stern impassioned stress  A thoroughfare for freedom beat  Across the wilderness!  America! America! God mend thine every flaw,  Confirm thy soul in self-control,  Thy liberty in law! Lord, that is the prayer of our heart for our native land. We pray for a mighty move of God in our day, we pray for revival across this nation, we pray for hearts returning to You, and we ask this in the strong name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.

The nation of Israel was reborn suddenly in 1948, and the Jewish people have returned to the Promised Land in great numbers after 1900 years of exile. What does show about God's faithfulness and promises? What does it mean to believers in the Messiah?

Scripture: Acts 20:32-38 Pastor continues with the story of Paul’s talk with the leadership of the church in a gathering in the town of Miletus - it is Paul’s farewell speech to this group of believers. Paul finishes his time with these friends and leaders with them all in prayer together. There are tears as the leaders are grieved at knowing they will not see Paul again. Paul knew he had complete his work here and in the surrounding cities and areas. The chapter closes with them walking him to the ship to leave. But let’s focus on one of the words from Paul’s speech as it draws to an end. He talks about our inheritance in Christ.  What does inheritance mean in the Bible?   The biblical definition of inheritance is speaking of what God gives to us through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that when we believed in Christ, Christ identified us as His own by giving us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the guarantee that Jesus will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchase

Almighty God, we believe Your word that with You nothing is impossible and that You desire all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. And so we boldly pray for a massive move of God in our land. We pray for millions of hearts reopened to Jesus’ call to repent and believe the Gospel, the Good News. We pray, Lord, that we may see the days when people will listen to You and hear Your voice and will return to You. We pray this with confidence in Your word, in Your Holy Spirit and in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, in who’s name we pray. Hear us, Oh Lord, bring life to our land. Amen.

Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”  Lord, in trouble times we come before You on behalf of the nations and our nation. We pray, Lord, for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit in our land, we pray that You would be honored and adored in Your church and throughout the nation, we pray that hearts would be returning to You that a mighty move of the Spirit of the Living God would restore families, marriages, communities, cities, and states.  Be still, You tell us, and know that I am God. Lord, may you be exalted in the nation. Amen.

Oh Lord our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You told Your ancient people, Israel, I am the God who heals you. We pray healing over our land in these trouble days, Lord. We pray a restoration of honor and integrity in our nation’s institutions, a respect for the rule of law in our society. Restore love and devotion in our families, faithfulness in our marriages, proper education in our institutions of higher learning. Above all, we pray that You would rekindle faith and trust in You, the Living God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to whom belongs all praise and adoration now and forever. Amen.

Wars, violence, persecution - Jesus warned these things would mark the time before His return. These things, He said, were like birth pains - increasing trial and suffering that herald a joyful ending. "When these things begin to take place," He said, "... lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28)

Luke 9:51-56; “Fire From Heaven” Our study today starts with a verse stating that Jesus “resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” Jesus was, without any hesitation, heading to Jerusalem, into the very city in which He knew He would suffer, be crucified and die. Knowing full well what was ahead - He resolutely - without hesitation - headed to Jerusalem. No shrinking back! Jesus was relentless in accomplishing what the Father desires. What does the Father desire? He desires that ALL come to know Him, His love, mercy, forgiveness and life transforming power. God’s desire is that ALL people repent and come to a knowledge of Jesus our Savior. And so to follow through on God’s heart, Jesus is relentless in pursuing the Father’s will and relentless in His pursuit of each one of us. As we explore the next verses we read that the people in Samaria did not welcome Jesus because He was headed for Jerusalem, and they didn’t like where He was going nor did they like the people in that city. Doesn’t this make you wonder how many

We pray Psalm 85:4, “Restore us again, God our Savior.” Lord, in these rebellious times we pray for a mighty move of Your Holy Spirit. Open eyes blinded by the deception of the enemy, revive hearts hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, change minds corrupted by lies and half truths, restore wayward souls to the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and Deliver, restore us again, God our Savior.  We pray this over our nation. We pray this over the body of Christ. We pray this over our nation’s leaders and those in positions of authority and we pray this in Your strong name. Amen.

Scripture repeatedly warns us against the dangers of simply going with what we want to hear - we usually end up listening not to God, but to deceivers who have no proper authority.

Heavenly Father, we come before You in Jesus’ strong name and we pray the words of the old hymn:   God bless our native land; firm may she ever stand thro' storm and night! When the wild tempests rave, Ruler of wind and wave, do thou our country save by thy great might.  Lord, we pray salvation over this land, a return to godliness, a repentant and godly spirit and a desire to love as we have been first love by You. We pray for wisdom for our nation’s leaders, and we pray that the hearts of many would turn back to You. We ask this in the power of Your Holy Spirit and pray this in Jesus’ strong name. Amen.