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!
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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 ⁃...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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!
info_outline
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_outline
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.
info_outline
Growing Gracefully: Freedom
Awake Us Now
True freedom is living the full life that God always intended us to possess. In Jesus, we are freed from bondage to sin and are now free to please God!
info_outline
Questions - Week 20: Is Palm Sunday Jewish?
Awake Us Now
Happy Palm Sunday! Hosanna! Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem: Palm Sunday - Passion Sunday - story is found in: Matthew 21 Mark 11 Luke 19 John 12 Many of us know the Palm Sunday story, but do we know the details? Today we will look at some of the most fascinating and intentional details of this story. 1. Did you know that donkeys around the world have a similar dark marking on their backs that runs along the spine and across their shoulders? It is a cross. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a beast with a cross emblazoned on its...
info_outlineLast 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
⁃ Sacrificed his children - 2 Chronicles 33:6
⁃ Innocent blood shed including the blood of prophets - 2 Kings 21:16. (Hebrews 11:37 - ancient Jewish tradition that says it was during Manasseh’s reign that Isaiah was sawn in half by Manasseh)
⁃ Captivity in Babylon - Manasseh was taken prisoner by Assyria and taken to Babylon - 2 Chronicles 33:11
⁃ Repentance and return to Judah- while in prison Manasseh had a change of heart, humbling himself greatly before God and praying. The Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so God brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom, proving to Manasseh that He is the true God - 2 Chronicles 33:12-13
What we learn: God is a gracious God and hears the cries of those who humble themselves before Him. He responds to a repentant heart.
In the final years of his life, Manasseh worked to redo things but to no avail as his son, King Amon takes the throne. Amon reigned from 642-640 B.C. and his story is found in 2 Kings 21:19-26 and 2 Chronicles 33:21-25. Amon did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
King Amon
⁃ Return to idolatry - 2 Chronicles 33:22-23
⁃ Conspiracy and Assassination - 2 Chronicles 33:24-25 - Josiah, Amon’s son was then made king.
King Josiah
Josiah is just a boy when he begins his 31 year reign and in Pastor’s opinion, the greatest king of Judah. Josiah reigned from 640-609 B.C. His story is found in 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 and 2 Chronicles 34-35.
During his reign there were many prophets: Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Huldah. God is working to bring the nation back to Himself.
During King Josiah’s reign, Judah experienced three of its happiest decades: peace, prosperity and revival.
King Josiah
⁃ Young King seeks the God of David - he followed in the ways of David - 2 Kings 22:1-2 and 2 Chronicles 34:3
⁃ Spiritual cleansing of Jerusalem - 2 Chronicles 34:4-5
⁃ Book of the Law of God written by Moses (possibly the original Torah) is discovered - 2 Chronicles 34:8, 2 Chronicles 34:14, 2 Chronicles 34:19, 2 Chronicles 34:22. In 2 Chronicles 34:27 we read of Huldah who tells the king that God says that judgment is coming, but because he (Josiah) had humbled himself before God, wept and torn his robes, that Josiah will not live to see the destruction. Josiah recognizes the Lord’s graciousness and he sets forth to bring revival.
⁃ Revival happens 2 Kings 23:2-3 - God’s people pledge themselves to the covenant of God.
⁃ Revival and reform go beyond Judah - 2 Kings 23:15, 17
Josiah was a bright, brilliant, incredible and godly leader, a man bold in his faith and one who trusted God. May we learn from his example.
Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.
View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class
Join us Sundays
https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service
Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.