Awake Us Now

The question we need to ask ourselves is: "What do I value most? Am I going to value things that don't last, or am I going to value what God values most - those qualities that endure forever?"

Our God is a deliverer, and He offers us deliverance even - and especially - today!

Why did Jesus teach us to pray. "Lead us not into temptation"? God does not tempt, but He is the One who gives us the strength to face testing/temptation and provides a way of escape from the lure of evil.

"Forgive us our debts/sins as we forgive others" is not a prayer to be spoken lightly, but a prayer to be lived. Even the most devout believer has a daily need to reconnect with God through repentance and forgiveness.

"Give us ... our daily bread" is not a "mundane" prayer request. Jesus is calling us to look to God, to trust Him with our entire lives, and to call on Him to meet all our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Scripture: Luke 24:1-11, Mark 15:42-45, Psalm 22, Isaiah 53. Doubts about Jesus' resurrection? Are you a skeptic? Is it nonsense that can't be true or if you know a skeptic or one who doubts the resurrection story, everyone is invited to come along with us today as we take a look at the skeptics and doubters in the Bible and explore if they remained skeptics and unbelievers! Pastor explores severa...

We explore Truth #6: "Making disciples is our greatest mission." We will focus on the last verses in Matthew 28 and dig into what it means to be a disciple. Pastor will also point out the command is to make disciples, not converts or church members!

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 10 Scripture Luke 22, Exodus 6:6-7, John 13 & 14, Psalm 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118 Jesus' Last Supper -  Pastor opens with an interesting piece of history. Based on writings from Rabbis during the time of Jesus - the Passover lambs were actually "crucified." What we know from Rabbinic writings is that when the priests killed the Lambs at the Temple in preparation for t...

Our natural self tells us to pray, "MY will be done." But Jesus says we are to invite God to conquer us, to take charge of our lives and change our hearts so that we willingly pray, "YOUR will be done."

"Thy kingdom come" is both a missionary and a visionary prayer. We know that in these last days God is at work in human history to establish His kingdom over all the earth, and that the day will come when the Lord Jesus returns to make all things new.

This teaching is from Matthew 28:1-20, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 1 Corinthians 15:6 Today we finish up the Gospel of Matthew. Pastor helps us see the Old Testament Feasts through New Testament eyes showing us some interesting insights. The resurrection of Jesus took place on the 1st day of the week, Sunday, which is the first day after the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday. Jesus' resurrection also happene...

This teaching is from Matthew 27:49-28:4 We pick up the story from last week on the evening of Passover.  Jesus is on the cross, it's three in the afternoon. Jesus cries out, "it is finished" and dies just as the sacrifice is being offered in the Temple. At that very moment the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. That curtain separated the Holy Place of the Sanctuary from the Holy of...

This teaching is from Matthew 27:26-49, Psalm 22:1, 7-8 Today's story is the crucifixion of Jesus. We pick up our story with the flogging of Jesus. Pastor describes what Jesus experienced in this brutal method of torture.  Jesus was then brought to the preaetorium in front of all the soldiers where He was mocked and beaten before they lead Him away to be crucified. Simon from Cyrene was forced to...

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19, Romans 11:25-26, Exodus 12:3. The Palm Sunday story is a familiar story with detail that is not well known. This event was a prophetic declaration not only to the first century but also to the twenty-first century! Palm Sunday - Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey to the shouts of "Hosanna" the weekend before his...

Because Christ is risen, we too shall rise! But what will our resurrected bodies be like? Scripture gives us hints of the glory to come. Luke 24:36-41; 1 Corinthians 15:42-43; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 21:1-5. 

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 9 Scripture - Matthew 25-26, Luke 22 We continue with Jesus' Mt. Olivet Discourse where He is talking about the future end of Jerusalem that did happen in 70AD several decades after His ascension and as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophets. Jesus is also talking of the preparation for His second coming and the importance of being awake. Pastor reviews the conclusion...

This teaching is from Matthew Matthew 26:69 - 27:31, Deuteronomy 27:25, Zechariah 11:12.-13, Jeremiah 19:1-13, Isaiah 53:4-8 The story of Jesus' trial continues with a look into what's transpiring in the courtyard. We see Peter being accused of knowing Jesus 3 different times and all three times Peter denies knowing Jesus. But then the rooster crows and he remembers Jesus' words predicting his den...

This teaching is from Matthew 26:39-68 Come along as we see: Who Jesus is and why we so desperately need Him As we look at Jesus' story of His arrest and trial, we will learn that Jesus is faithful and we are not, Jesus is fearless and we are not, Jesus is forthright and we are not. Today's story opens in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus having asked His disciples to stay awake while He goes to...

This teaching is from Matthew 26:26-39 and Exodus 6:6-7 Our story continues today with the Lord's Supper. Jesus is going to make it clear that He is the Passover Lamb who lays down His life for all people of all time. Pastor overviews the Passover meal: why it was done, what the purpose was and shows us how Jesus changed the script that had always been spoken during this meal since the time of Mos...

This teaching is from Matthew 26:1-28. As we come to these final chapters of Matthew we are exploring the final days of Jesus' ministry on earth; His time with the disciples, His suffering, His death, His resurrection.  These are days that truly have changed the world and that's not hyperbole - it's fact. In today's reading - Jesus tells the disciples yet again of His coming crucifixion. He contin...

This teaching is from Matthew 25:31-46 with a review of Matthew 24:3, 30-31 with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 Pastor Dodge opens on the topic of the "Rapture?" Yes, he adds the "?" as his purpose is to plant in our minds' questions that need to be addressed around the topic of the rapture. The word rapture is not used in the New Testament, but Pastor takes a look at the teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4:13...

The enemy has altered our core beliefs with well-crafted lies, not just influencing us in our homes and communities, but yes, even in our churches. Join us as we explore the lies and open our hearts to being Rescued by Truth. In week 14, Pastor shares the truth of being imperishable and immortal.

Up To Jerusalem - Teaching 8 Scripture - Matthew 24:15 - Matthew 25:13 Luke 21, Mark 13 and Matthew 24-25 all have the story of Jesus' Mt. Olivet Discourse with His disciples. In today's opening verses in Matthew 24:15ff, we hear Jesus answering the questions we left off with last week.   The two questions the disciples asked Jesus:     1.    When will these things you are telling us happen to the...

God's name is already holy. May it also be holy among us, reverenced, honored, and lived out in daily life as we live in the goodness of God in Christ!

When Jesus prayed, He called God "Abba," the name a Hebrew child would use when speaking to a loving and trustworthy father. He invites us to approach God with the same confidence, praying directly to the Father, through the Son, and in the power of the Holy Spirit!