Growing Gracefully: Infilling
Awake Us Now
Everyone who is a true disciple of the Lord Jesus has the Holy Spirit. But does the Holy Spirit have us? It is one thing to know the Living God and to know Jesus as Savior, but it is another thing to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit on a regular, daily basis!
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Growing Gracefully: Awake
Awake Us Now
God charges His disciples to "be awake" in all times and all situations. We are especially charged to be awake to God's Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), the reality of spiritual warfare, and the signs of the times.
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Growing Gracefully: Prepared
Awake Us Now
Almost two thousand years ago, John the Baptist called people to repent and prepare for the coming Lord. Today, we are still called to have repentant hearts that receive and extend the forgiveness of the Living God, and to prepare fruit for Him in our lives!
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Growing Gracefully: Holiness
Awake Us Now
Holiness is a gift, offered to us in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But once God has made us holy, we are then called to pursue holiness in our lives!
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Questions - Week 21: Why Do You Believe He Is Risen?
Awake Us Now
Happy Resurrection Sunday - Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Today’s question is “Why do you believe He is risen?” Pastor starts today’s class with a personal testimony in which the Bible changed the direction of his life at the age of 15. Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:14 “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” Pastor shares the Evidence Trail of Jesus’ Resurrection on the bases of writings from believers, unbelievers, recorded data, and old and new studies. The Evidence Trail...
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Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 14
Awake Us Now
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 disgusting and tragic story. He destroys everything good his father had done. King Manasseh ⁃ Apostasy and Idolatry - 2 Chronicles 33:33 ⁃...
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Growing Gracefully: Obedience
Awake Us Now
Growing gracefully in obedience is a response to the salvation God has worked in our lives through Christ Jesus. We are called to walk in obedience as a response to our faith in Jesus. Obedience is not necessary for salvation, but obedience is necessary! Join us as we explore Growing Gracefully in our relationship with Jesus Christ through obedience to Him and His Word. Obedience does not save, but neither is it optional. God desires not simply outward actions, but inner obedience to His Word. Pastor focuses on two important Biblical truths: 1. Obedience does not save - Jesus saves --Grace of...
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Growing Gracefully: Training
Awake Us Now
Despite the most rigorous physical exercise and training regimen, our bodies will age and, eventually, die. But there is a training - training in godliness - that lasts into eternity. The spiritual diet we eat, the spiritual exercise we do and the spiritual training we choose affects our ability to grow graceful as Jesus’ disciples. Training ourselves for godliness has benefits for today, tomorrow and for eternity. Spiritual training is timeless. Train to be godly - Christianity is not a spectator sport. We can’t be a couch potato. We must be in training to be godly. This is training with...
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Growing Gracefully: Contentment
Awake Us Now
Even in the most difficult of times, believers such as the apostle Paul have known contentment, an inner peace, a certainty that God is in control. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we know that, through faith in Him, we will live forever. That certainty brings true contentment!
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Dig Deeper - Week 9: Were Lambs Crucified?
Awake Us Now
Luke 22:7-8 ‘Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”” What we know about the Passover during the time of Jesus, is that the Passover meal had to be celebrated in Jerusalem itself. The lambs were killed at the Temple and the priests worked hours and hours to slaughter all the lambs needed for the meals - as many as a quarter million lambs were killed. The people came to the temple to pick up their lambs. This is where Jesus was sending...
info_outlineScripture: 1 Samuel 16.
There are many Biblical characters of faith in the Bible, but none with as many Old Testament chapters devoted to them as David.
Abraham - 14 Chapters
Joseph - 14 chapters
Jacob - 11 chapters
Elijah - 10 chapters
David - 66 chapters (and this does NOT include the Psalms written by him!)
Our story takes place around the year 1025 BC. We read in 1 Samuel 13:14 that God is going to replace the Israelite’s first king, King Saul. In 1 Samuel 13:14 we read about Elijah telling Saul the following, “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
In 1 Samuel 16:1 “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
So Samuel sets out for Jesse’s home with oil to anoint the next king of Israel. Samuel arrives at Jesse’s home and sees Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son, and this is the one he thinks is to be anointed but God has other plans. We read in this verse, one of the most important verses about God’s heart, 1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
The world looks at a person’s job, wealth, good looks, accomplishments, status, possessions, BUT God looks at the heart of a person. Seven of Jesse’s sons come to Samuel but he tells each that they have not been chosen. Then Samuel asks Jesse if there are any other sons - Jesse says there’s one left in the fields with the sheep. The smallest, least likely of choices, but Samuel has him sent for. David is found, tending sheep and is then brought before Samuel ho acknowledges him as the Lord’s choice, and Samuel anoints David to be the next king of Israel. Today’s verses tell us that from that time on, the Spirit of the Lord was upon David.
What is it about David’s heart that stands out? How did David reflect God’s heart?
David’s Heart
⁃ Faith-filled heart - had a heart filled with faith in God. David wrote Psalm 23 - this psalm opens with :The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need.” David knew he could depend on God, that God cared for him and so David trusted God. David walked by faith.
⁃ Humble heart - David wrote Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” David realized he needed God, relied on the grace of God, wanted God to mold and shape him, wanted God to draw him ever closer to Himself. David not only lived by faith, he walked in humility.
⁃ Honest heart - In Psalm 78:72 we read the following, “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Not that he was sinless, he was not, but he was honest and had integrity and lead his people that way.
We too are called
To walk by faith
To be humble before God
To be honest and to have integrity
Like David we are to have a heart after God’s own heart.
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