Awake Us Now

Luke 2:22-40; "Simeon and Anna"  What is the meaning of the name, Jesus? Do we fully comprehend what this name means? In Hebrew it is Yeshua. It literally means Yehovah, Jehovah, Yahweh saves. "God Saves." This is the name given to Jesus.  A precious name. "God Saves" is a powerful name, a mighty name and a remarkable name, a name that blesses all who call upon Him, a name that declares God is the...

Luke 1:57-80; "John's Story"  Pastor Dodge explores Luke's account of John the Baptist in today's study.  It's a story that starts with the miraculous pregnancy of Elizabeth who was well past her child-bearing years, yet God was faithful to His promise to her husband Zechariah. In today's text John is born and it is the 8th day after his birth, the day that the baby boy would be circumcised and na...

Luke 1:39-56; "Elizabeth's Story"  The story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth is often a forgotten story. But what it shows us should not be ignored. It is life-changing, powerful, dynamic and has impact on the way we understand the Bible, the way we perceive and understand God and how he moves in our lives today.  Earlier in the chapter we learned Elizabeth was now about 6 months pregnant with John t...

Luke 1:26-38; "Mary's Story"  The Christmas story is familiar to most of us, but Pastor Dodge gives us a fresh view of this well know story over the next few weeks beginning today with the story of Mary, Jesus' mother. Mary's name means bitter.  She was born in an obscure village, raised in a difficult time when the children of Israel were in bondage to Roman master. BUT her Son would not only red...

Luke 14:1-24; "Dinner Disaster" Today's story is of Jesus attending a dinner with His enemies - who have an agenda and it's not a good one. Yet Jesus has a heart even for those who oppose Him.  Jesus is invited to the house of a prominent Pharisee on a Sabbath day and they are all watching Him. There in front of Him they have placed a very sick man with a serious health condition of being severely...

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 t...

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 e...

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 straight...

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...

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 t...

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 treache...

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...

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...

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 o...

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 institutio...

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 accompli...

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....

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...

Paul wrote to his dear friend and colleague Timothy, "I urged then, first of all, that petitions, prayers and intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people and for those in authority. This is good and pleases God, our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." Lord, that is the prayer of our heart that there would be a spiritual awakening in the land,...

Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."  Lord, we pray for righteousness in the land. You are our Heavenly Father and have given us every good and perfect gift. Everything we have comes from You. May we be humble before You, repentant in Your holy presence and desirous of serving You in every way.  Give good wisdom to our nation's leaders, Godly w...

Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray these words, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That is our heartfelt prayer. May You be honored in this nation with godly leaders, with humble people, with obedient followers of Jesus the Messiah. May Your kingdom come in power in each of our lives that we may do Your will on earth e...

Three thousand years ago the Psalmist wrote, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance." Psalm 33:12. Lord, You have blessed this land in so many ways. We pray that we may receive those blessings with thanksgiving, with humility and with obedience. Turn hearts back to You, Lord, beginning with our own. Give us a desire to see one nation, under God, bless...

Some 2500 years ago the great Hebrew prophet, Daniel, prayed this prayer of repentance for himself and his nation. He said, "Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned and done wrong.  We have been wicked and have rebelled. We have turned away from Your commands and laws."  Lord, we are guilty of the same sins a...

Luke 7:11-17: "Death-Defier" Jesus is the TRUE Death-Defier, not by doing things that are wild and crazy but by doing things that destroy death, that defy the power of sin and death and decay and the devil. Today's story is a death defying story that's a precursor of what's to come! It's a story of Jesus raising a person from the dead. This story is only in the Gospel of Luke. Here's the story - a...

Heavenly Father, You have given us this good land as our heritage.  May we remember Your generosity, and constantly and do Your holy will.  Bless our land with industry, truthful education and a godly way of life.  Save us from violence and discord, from confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil. May we who came from many nations with many different languages, become one united peop...