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 24, Matthew 7:20, Numbers 15:37-39, Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35, Leviticus 19:18, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:28, Romans 12:20, Proverbs 25:21-22, Romans 12:21.
Today’s class is entitled, “Revenge” and Pastor will compare worldly wisdom with biblical wisdom on the topic of revenge.
As we read chapter 24 of 1 Samuel, we read that David is now in en Gedi and Saul has found out and is headed along with 3000 men to en Gedi to find David. En Gedi is a wilderness area but it has several springs and many caves for hiding. As the story continues, Saul went into one of these caves to relieve himself. Unbeknownst to Saul, David and his men were further back into the cave hiding.
David's men prompted David that this was his chance, his opportunity to put an end to the hiding by killing Saul. But instead David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. This is action is prophetic. The Hebrew word that is used for “corner” is kanaf. It refers the corners of a Hebrew robe or prayer shawl. The scriptures were particular about what was to be on the corners of those robes. Numbers 15:37-39 “…make tassels on the corners of your garments….you will have these tassels to look at… to remember all the commands of the Lord that you may obey them …” And David cuts off a corner tassel.
The tassel, was to remind Saul to walk in God’s path rather than his own path, to walk in God’s will and not his own will. The tassel was to say pursue peace, be honorable, be faithful, walk by faith. Saul had abandoned those things and when David cut it off it was a prophetic act showing Saul's wandering from God's will.
Next we read that David’s conscience convicted him for cutting off the corner of Saul’s robe. He tells his men that he shouldn’t have done that to the Lord’s anointed king, Saul. David’s men encourage revenge but David stands strong saying that it would be contrary to God’s plan and will. David rebukes the men and doesn’t allow them to attack Saul. Instead David exits the cave calling to Saul and bowing down he says, “Why do you listen when they say David is bent on harming you. This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I will not lay my hand on my Lord because you are the Lord’s anointed. See this tassel of your robe in my hand, yet I did not kill you, but you hunt me down to take my life.”
David holds Saul accountable even as he shows the heart and grace of God to Saul. We see that the activities of a person are a window into his heart and if we seek revenge we are going contrary to the heart of God. We can deal with unjust treatment and still refuse revenge while still holding the individual accountable.
Saul wept at David’s words saying, “You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well but I have treated you badly.”
What does God say about revenge?
- Romans 12:19 - revenge is the Lord’s - God is the righteous judge and he will judge in the end
Resisting Revenge
- Love your enemy Leviticus 19:18
- Forgive your enemy Mark 11:25 (this doesn’t mean we approve of what they have done, it does mean we let go of the bitterness, anger and desire for revenge.)
- Pray for your enemy Luke 6:28
- Feed your enemy Romans 12:20 as this can draw them into repentance before God.
Pastor ends with Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is how we are called to act. That’s what we see in David and that is what we see in the heart of God.
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