Awake Us Now

Pastor opens by sharing that he is convinced the New Testament is genuine and true. Having read the Bible over 90 times in the last 15 years and having read original sources and the writings of scholars over the centuries, he is convinced the New Testament is trustworthy. To answer today's question, Pastor takes us on a journey through other common questions regarding the New Testament:     ⁃    ...

"If someone dies, will they live again?" Three Basic Views     1.    Oblivion - there's nothing more after this life. But Near Death Experiences (NDE's) are challenging this view.     2.    Reincarnation - a view held mainly in the eastern world.      3.    Afterlife - there is something beyond the grave, that our lives do not end when our bodies die. This is also at the heart of the biblical mess...

Today's class looks at Opposition both then and now: Internal + External Opposition   Complaints + Lies   Internal Opposition - Acts 6:1-7 Acts 6:1 tells us "In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food."     The backgrounds and cultures and...

The prophetic words in Daniel 9, written down hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, were fulfilled in dramatic ways in the First Century A.D. They should strengthen us and remind us that God is in control, and that He always fulfills His word!

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:...

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...

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...

Pastor focuses in on Gamaliel's Speech found in Acts 5:34-39.   We know about Gamliel from the Bible, the writings of Josephus and rabbinical writings: Grandson of the Jewish teacher Hillel Especially influential ca 25-50 A.D. President of the Sanhedrin A devout and respected Pharisee Teacher of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 22:3)   In comparing Josephus' writings with the Bible we find an issue with Acts...

This is the final week in our study of 400 years of Kings and Prophets from Solomon to Jeremiah. King Josiah     •    Young King seeks God     •    Spiritual cleansing of Jerusalem     •    Book of the Law discovered     •    Reform beyond Judah     •    Passover observance  - King Josiah gives an order to all people to observe God's Passover. This had not been celebrated according to what was wri...

Last week we ended our study time looking at a great king of Judah, Hezekiah. Today we start with one of the worst kings of Judah, Manasseh, Hezekiah's son. Manasseh reigned from 697-642 B.C. His story is found in 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20. Manasseh reigned 55 years. He reigned longer than any other king and did more damage than any other king.  He did evil in God's eyes. It is a di...

In Chapter 5 we see three types of individuals. Hypocrites Disciples Religionists   Scene 1 - (Acts 5:1-11)   Hypocrites - ("an actor" appearances matter most)   Then:   Ananias and Sapphira sold property to give to the group and made it look like they gave it all to the apostles'. But without letting the group know Ananias and Sapphira held back a portion of the sale for themselves. (This wasn't...

The prayer found in Daniel 9 is one of the most powerful and profound penitential prayers in all the Bible, and it has dramatic application to our lives today!

Today we come to one of the most fascinating times in the history of the kingdom of Judah, an amazing king who does amazing things by the power of an amazing God. But first we take a look at King Ahaz who ruled from 731-715 BC. In 2 Kings 16:2-3 we read that Ahaz did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the ways of other kings, even sacrificing his son in the fire. King Ahaz...

Our story picks up with Joash (the hidden royal) being brought forth at the age of seven and hailed as the king of Judah followed by the death of Athaliah. Peace reigns in Judah as we see over 100 years of four fairly "good" kings reigning in Judah from 835-731 B.C. These kings started well but didn't always finish well: Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah and Jotham. King Joash     ⁃    Takes the kingship at...

Pastor beings today's class with a Flashback to twelve years earlier from where we left off last week in order to take a look at the prophet Elisha. Elisha's name means "God is my Salvation." Even in this dark time of history, God uses Elisha to draw people back to Himself. Elisha's Ministry     ⁃    Moab revolts (2 Kings 3) against Israel.      ⁃    Widow's olive oil (2 Kings 4) God shows His lov...

Today we will be taking a look at 25 chapters that are both exciting and complex. The 25 chapters: 1 Kings 15 - 22 2 Kings 1 - 11 2 Chronicles 17 - 22 A period of approximately 33 years. As our study begins we see Ahab (874-853 BC) - is the ruler of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Jehoshaphat (870-848 BC) - is ruler of Judah, the Southern Kingdom. There's good news and bad news from this period...

Today we continue our study of Elijah's ministry. Elijah's Ministry     ⁃    Prediction and Provision - no rain or dew     ⁃    Contest at Mount Carmel the time of drought ends in a contest     ⁃    Encounter at Mount Horeb     ⁃    Word at Naboth's Vineyard     ⁃    Elijah taken to heaven We pick up the story from last week, at the contest at Mount Carmel where we learn that Jezebel has promised...

This question is often asked this way:     ⁃    Is the Holy Spirit an impersonal force?     ⁃    What does the Bible say about this?     ⁃    What does the Holy Spirit do?     ⁃    Why are some afraid of the Holy Spirit? Let us consider: Is the Holy Spirit a "Force" or a "Person"  Marks of Personality:     ⁃    Intellect     ⁃    Emotion     ⁃    Will Are these evident in the Holy Spirit? Let's lo...

Why did Jesus refer to Himself so often (81 times in the Gospels) as "The Son of Man?" The answer lies in a dream God sent to Daniel almost six centuries earlier!

Pastor opens today's class with the words from Psalm 135:15-18 "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them."  We will see the truth of these words in today's study. Elijah' Da...

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:      ⁃    ...

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...

Pastor Dodge gives us the 5th "P" from his list of "p's from last Sunday's message.   If you would like to look at that message, "God ACTS! Chapter 4" go here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now (scroll to that title). This message was a study of Acts 4:1-22. In this class we look at Acts 4:23-31.   Here's the list he shared surrounding chapter 4: Prophecy Power Proclamation Passion And...

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 i...

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 t...