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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Dig Deeper - Acts Chapter 12: Herod's Demise
Awake Us Now
Herod Agrippa I Ruled 41-44 A.D. Grandson of King Herod the Great Imprisoned Peter during Passover in 42 or 43 A.D. He died before Passover of 44 A.D. Herod went from Judea to Caesarea following Peter’s angelic escape from prison. Herod was quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They joined together asking for an appointment with Herod requesting for peace as they depended on Herod for their food supply. From writings from Flavius Josephus “Antiquities of the Jews, Book 19” (Translator: Paul L. Maier) Josephus tells us that Herod met with the representatives...
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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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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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GOD ACTS! (Chapter 12) - He Proceeded to Seize Peter
Awake Us Now
God’s word brings light into our lives, gives us direction and points us to Jesus showing us where our hope and strength are found. Today’s story demonstrates this truth. Join us! Chapter 12 is about some of the persecution Peter experienced and we will look at Peter’s writings in 1 Peter in conjunction with this story in Acts chapter 12 for additional insights. THEN + NOW Persecution - Acts 12:1-4; 1 Peter 4:12-13 Herod Agrippa the First, encouraged by approval after arresting believers and putting the Apostle James to death, decides to arrest and imprison Peter. He has...
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Armor of God #10 - Keep on Praying!
Awake Us Now
"Prayer in the Spirit" is about taking time in the presence of the living God and allowing Him to nurture, nourish, transform, and renew our souls. It is not about "give me, give me, give me," but about "mold me, shape me, use me."
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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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Growing Gracefully: Humility
Awake Us Now
The humility modeled for us by Jesus is not only refreshing, it is life-changing and God-pleasing! Pride, on the other hand, makes us nauseating not only to others, but to God as well.
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Dig Deeper - Acts Chapter 11: The Origin of "Christian"
Awake Us Now
In Acts 11:26 we read that the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. “Disciple” is the most used word in the New Testament to describe followers of Jesus. It is used 261 times. The word “Christian” is used only 3 times in the New Testament. Brothers and sisters, believers, followers are also used but “disciples” is Jesus’ favorite word to describe His followers. Matthew 29:19-20 - the Great Commission - Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching...
info_outlineLet’s dig deeper into today’s question by exploring five additional questions about Christ's upcoming return.
1. Will Christ actually return in the flesh? Yes, Jesus will actually return in the flesh. Here’s some words from the angels. Acts 1:11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Coming back the same way He left. At the Mt of Olives, visibly, physically to reign.
2. How will every eye see Him? We live in a unique age where we can witness things around the world in real time. Revelation 1:7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.” (See also - Daniel 7:13 and Zechariah 12:10) What seems impossible will be a reality, we all will see Him.
3. Why so many different interpretations of Christ’s return will be like? There are basically 4 views of Christians of the Book of Revelation:
⁃ PRETERIST - everything in the book of Revelation was fulfilled for those 1st century believers.
⁃ HISTORICIST - What the book of Revelation does is it tracks Christian history until the very end of time when Christ returns.
⁃ FUTURIST - say what the book of Revelation portrays is the events that are yet to come and will happen in the last days of our planet’s history.
⁃ IDEALIST - maintain that what the book of Revelation does is it gives us timeless truths and principles that have always been true and will be until Jesus returns.
4. Why all the different views. Who is right? Pastor posses a “what if”: What if they are all right? What if God intentionally gave this so that people of every age would see what needs to be seen to stay close to Him.
⁃ PRETERIST - what if the book of Revelation really did have remarkable application to the 1st century believers
⁃ HISTORIST - What if the book of Revelation does track the Christian history til Christ returns
⁃ FUTURIST - What if the book of Revelation will be fulfilled in some future ways.
⁃ IDEALIST - What if the book of Revelation applies in every age because what it says is timeless and true.
God is brilliant - He can and does brilliant things! Differing interpretations doesn’t make the Bible unclear - it means that God is amazing!
Common Beliefs of each differing view:
⁃ Missionary Age - great commission
⁃ Great tribulation
⁃ Rapture
⁃ Millennium
⁃ Physical return of Christ
⁃ Resurrection of the dead
⁃ New heavens and New Earth
Early believers put together basic statements of the fundamentals of the Bible. Examples Nicene Creed says, “I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” and the Apostle’s Creed says, “I believe in… the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.” They chose short summations of basic agreed on biblical beliefs and leaving out the details, acknowledging the wide diversity of interpretation around what Jesus’ return will look like and because we will find out the details when He returns.
The first advent Jesus came as a humble servant and laid down His life for us all.
For His second advent Jesus comes in glory!
5. What are the sign of the times that indicate the eminent Second Coming of Jesus?
Signs of the times:
⁃ Gospel to the entire world Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
⁃ Persecution, apostasy & deception Matthew 24:9-11 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.”
⁃ Warfare, earthquakes & famine - Mark 13:8 “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.” What we have observed since Jesus’ first advent, these signs are closer together.
⁃ Israel’s return Luke 21:24 “They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” About 40 years after Jesus spoke these words in 70AD they happened and now in 1967, after nearly 1900 years, the Jewish people have returned.
In Matthew 24:42 we are told by Jesus, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” How do we stay awake? We keep our eyes on Jesus! The Savior of the world. God is for us! He’s coming back and the day is fast approaching!
May we trust the Lord Jesus with all our hearts and rejoice in the salvation He won for us at the cross as a gift by faith.
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