Awake Us Now

Everything stands and falls on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the heart of the New Testament, and also the greatest message the world has ever heard. Christ is risen! Today's message explores cowardice, crucifixion, corroboration, confusion and finally courage that opens our eyes to be convinced! Christ is risen, and in Him is our hope for today and forever, for He IS The Living One!

We take a look at Matthew 6:13, a portion of The Lord's Prayer. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

However, we read in James 1:13 "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;"

So are these two verses contracting each other? Or are we misunderstanding something. So let's look at the original words used in this Scripture. 1. Peirazō - verb meaning to test/try or tempt - two very different meanings 2. Peirasmos - noun meaning testing/trail or temptation - again, two very different meanings

How can I know the difference? Identity: who is doing the test or the tempt. The devil tempts us into going against God's word and will. God tests us - will we follow Him and do His will? Motive: who is doing the testing or tempting. The devil's motive in tempting us is to destroy us. God tests us to strengthen, guide and uphold us.

When we are facing Peirazō (temptation or test) we can look at that experience in two ways. 1. The devil tempting us to go against what we believe, what Jesus desires, what the Scriptures teach and what the Holy Spirit reveals OR 2. That God is using a temptation to test us, to strengthen us, to cause us to rely on Him more and more, to look to Him and to call upon Him in the day of trouble.

Testing and temptation go together in the Bible - they are the same word, but the identity of who is Peirazō"ing" us is the key. Are we going to listen to the one who wants to destroy us - the devil - or will we listen to the One who has saved us and desires to help and save us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

In God is strength, and even when we fall and fail we are assured of finding and receiving His forgiveness through our faith in Christ and will be given the power to start over again.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" - what we are praying is - "Lord, let us not fall into the devil's temptations but deliver us from the evil one and help us find our strength in you. Deliver us from what is evil and from the evil one. Deliver us from the power of the devil and help us to hold onto Your strength and power so that when we face trials we can face them with confidence because our eyes are on You!"

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

For more check out the series, "What's the Answer" https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer

Join us Sundays https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The way of the Messiah leads to the cross, and that is the measure of the love of God. But we discover that many (including Jesus' disciples) were clueless! This message takes a look at the events of Palm Sunday, and how Jesus had repeatedly predicted his crucifixion and His resurrection on the third day. However, "they were clueless." Let us not be clueless!

Today's question is an exploration of why people reject Jesus. What is it that causes people to doubt Him? Why do people turn their backs on what God is offering to everyone through Christ Jesus? Pastor Dodge examines these assumptions and counters them with the truth of the scriptures.

This teaching compares non-Christian writings of Tacitus, Josephus, Suetonius and Pliny from the first and second centuries to the New Testament writings. The evidence is clear and calls us to recognize we are sinners in need of a Savior, The Living One!

Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers, is all about the power of God -- the power to live a new life, the power to give glory to the Living God, the power of faith that transforms us and that beckons to others to come to God as well!

It is easy to get distracted by other things — some of them perhaps important things — but Jesus makes it clear to His followers that our primary task is make disciples. To that end, we are to be His witnesses, "even to the ends of the earth."

Today's class is a study of Ephesians 5:21-33. A group of verses that are controversial, often attacked and many times misunderstood.

Ephesians 5:21-22 "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, [submit] yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord." In the original Greek text the second [submit] word is not there. There is not a verb in this sentence and so in traditional Greek practice, you take the verb from the previous sentence and insert it into the next sentence. Please note that this is really important - because what this is saying is, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, to your husbands as you do to the Lord." Meaning husband and wife alike are to submit to each other, to look out for one another, in service and submission to the Living God.

There is no denying that throughout history many men have treated many women shamefully. But that is not biblical. It is never approved. Instead, the Scriptures tell us that God intends for married people to be a unity and to willingly submit to one another because of their reverence for Christ. Men and women are to treat their husbands in a way that is consistent with their faith.

Ephesians 5:23 goes on to say, "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior." Please note the word is "head" not the boss, not the dominant individual. It says he is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.

How does Jesus show He is the head of the church. He seeks what is best for her, He loves her, He sacrifices Himself for her, He gives Himself completely to her. And here it says the husband is to love His wife in that very same way. Loving, caring, supporting, defending, protecting, doing whatever it takes for the woman he loves.

Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her…" That is what submission is all about. It says, because I love the Lord, I will love my wife in the way He loves me.

Both husbands and wives are to practice submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:32 goes on to say, "This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church." God designed marriage to be a picture of the kind of love that Jesus has for his body, the church. Marriage is a reflection of Jesus' love.

Verse 33 concludes: "However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." God made us male and female and He knows we each have unique needs. Husbands thrive when their wives respect them. Wives thrive when they know how deeply their husbands love them.

These verses are a prescription for a happy, joy-filled, life-long marriage.

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

For more check out the series, "What's the Answer" https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer

Join us Sundays https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Obedience is not optional - it is command from Jesus Himself. But we are not saved because we obey; rather, we obey the Lord because He has saved us!

God has chosen you and me not simply to be religious, but to be disciples. We are to follow Jesus faithfully, grow in the knowledge and love of Him, and share with others the powerful things He has done so that they become disciples too!