Awake Us Now

Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Lord, we pray for righteousness in the land. You are our Heavenly Father and have given us every good and perfect gift. Everything we have comes from You. May we be humble before You, repentant in Your holy presence and desirous of serving You in every way. Give good wisdom to our nation's leaders, Godly wisdom. Give changed hearts to Your people and to all people who call on Your name that we may honor You in this land and may experience the joy of following You. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray these words, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That is our heartfelt prayer. May You be honored in this nation with godly leaders, with humble people, with obedient followers of Jesus the Messiah. May Your kingdom come in power in each of our lives that we may do Your will on earth even as it is done in heaven. And may this nation experience a spiritual rebirth, a renewal that comes through the Holy Spirit of the Living God. We pray this in the strong name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Three thousand years ago the Psalmist wrote, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance." Psalm 33:12. Lord, You have blessed this land in so many ways. We pray that we may receive those blessings with thanksgiving, with humility and with obedience. Turn hearts back to You, Lord, beginning with our own. Give us a desire to see one nation, under God, blessed by Him. We pray that the body of Christ may be built up, that we may be a bride prepared for our Heavenly Groom. In Jesus name we pray this. Amen.

Some 2500 years ago the great Hebrew prophet, Daniel, prayed this prayer of repentance for himself and his nation. He said, "Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled. We have turned away from Your commands and laws." Lord, we are guilty of the same sins and we know that repentance must begin with the household of God. We ask that you would purify us in the body of Christ that we may serve You with joy, with thanksgiving and with holiness. We do not make request of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. In Jesus name. Amen.

Luke 7:11-17: "Death-Defier"

Jesus is the TRUE Death-Defier, not by doing things that are wild and crazy but by doing things that destroy death, that defy the power of sin and death and decay and the devil.

Today's story is a death defying story that's a precursor of what's to come! It's a story of Jesus raising a person from the dead. This story is only in the Gospel of Luke.

Here's the story - as Jesus and His disciples are reaching the town of Nain, there is a funeral procession of mourners carrying a boy to burial, an only son of a widow. And that day in Nain everything changed! When Jesus saw the woman His heart went out to her. Jesus walked up to the coffin and said to the dead boy, "Young man, I say to You, Get up!"

Then the dead boy sat up alive and talked and people praised God!

Interestingly, hundreds of years earlier, this same kind of miracle took place in nearly this same place where Elisha had raised a dead Shulamite woman. This group of mourners now rejoicing would have know that story and are seeing the Scriptures come to life again!

They cry out, "God has come to help His people!" They had no idea at the depth of the truth of their words, for God truly had come - Yes God in Jesus had truly come! And He came to "help His people!"

Let's take a look at Jesus and funerals. He attended several in many cities: 1. Three recorded in the Gospels: Main, Capernaum and Bethany 2. Jesus spoke directly to the deceased and the dead responded because Jesus' Word has power 3. All three dead people were resurrected! Romans 4:17 God who gives life to the dead, calls into being things that were not!

Jesus is the Living God come to earth!

This story is a picture of what is to come - it gives us a picture of what is going to happen on a majestic and incredible scale at the end of days. The dead will hear His voice and we will rise!

The story is a harbinger of things to come!

Death-Defying Truths: 1. Jesus' resurrection is the guarantee to our resurrection (1 Peter 1:3) 2. Our future is not as disembodied spirits. We are going to be bodily raised (1 Corinthians 15:442ff) 3. We will live forever in a New Creation (Isaiah 65:17)

Our destiny is to be raised! And to experience a new and perfect creation. Our future is to know the Living God as never before; face to face.

4. This our constant encouragement (1 Thessalonians 4:13) Jesus will return! Therefore encourage each other with these words!

This is the heart of the Christian message - Jesus is returning and we will be raised to eternal life with Him.

This story was not merely about compassion to a mom, it was about the assurance to all who saw it that day and to those who have read/heard the story in the centuries that have followed. This is the story that shows us the assurance of our resurrection.

If you don't know Jesus, we invite you to read the Scriptures and discover who He is!

The same Jesus who raised the widow's son is the same Jesus who went to the cross for each one of us, paid the full price for our sin, and by His resurrection He assures us that by faith in Him we too will be raised in the end of days!

You don't want to miss this!

The day is coming when the dead will all hear His voice and we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet! That's God's promise!!! And that's our future!!

Check out our website – everything we offer is FREE!! https://www.awakeusnow.com

Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper

Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01

St. Luke's Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus' life.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

Heavenly Father, You have given us this good land as our heritage. May we remember Your generosity, and constantly and do Your holy will. Bless our land with industry, truthful education and a godly way of life. Save us from violence and discord, from confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil. May we who came from many nations with many different languages, become one united people. Support us in defending our liberties and give those to whom we have entrusted the authority of government, the spirit of wisdom that there may be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous may our hearts be thankful. In troubled times do not let our trust in You fail. We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

When King Josiah could have relaxed and coasted through the remainder of his life, instead he relentlessly pursued revival. Why?

Luke 4:14-30: "Hometown Visit."

This story of Jesus going to His hometown appears to be a different trip than those told in the other gospels.

This is a story of those listening to Jesus in Nazareth (His hometown) in comparison to those hearing Jesus in Galilee and who willingly received what Jesus had to offer. But those in Nazareth because of their pride and arrogance and boastfulness and being skeptical, did not get to experience what Jesus has to give us!

Jesus was born in Bethlehem but Nazareth is the town Jesus grew up in. As He returned home for a visit, He went to the synagogue as was His regular practice on the Sabbath.

Here is some information about synagogues in Jesus' day: 1. Opened with singing (mainly Psalms 145-150) 2. Recitation of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) 3. Recitation of the Tefillah (18 benedictions and prayers) 4. Reading of the Scriptures (torah, prophets and writings) 5. Message of Interpretation of what was read 6. The Aaronic Benediction

Jesus comes home to a town that had heard all the remarkable stories of Him since He's been gone and He's at the synagogue and He does the Reading. He chooses a prophetic word from Isaiah 58 and Isaiah 61 and closes with "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

What He's saying is that He's the one the prophets predicted and the home town people, having heard the storied of what He had been doing in the other town, and there is initial excitement.

Jesus gives them these Words of Grace in the Reading: 1. Good News to the poor 2. Freedom for prisoners 3. Sight for the blind 4. Deliverance from oppression 5. Debts paid - Jubilee

Jesus words of grace and hope are for us still today:

1. Good News of the Gospel message of what Jesus has done for us 2. Freedom from bondage to sin 3. Sight given for our spiritual blindness 4. Deliverance from brokenness 5. Our Debt to God for our sins is paid in full for us by Jesus through faith

After Jesus delivers His Words of Grace the crowd began to question and doubt what He was saying and they became offended at His words.

So Jesus confronts those doubting who He is. The crowd wanted proof that Jesus was who He said He was - but Jesus' response is that He sees into their hearts and that prophets aren't accepted in their home towns. They were acting like the Israelites. Jesus proceeds to preach a message on the time of Elijah and Elisha - a time in history much like now in America - a time of national apostasy and spiritual poverty.

Jesus knows what's in our hearts and souls still today. We live in a nation that has traditionally thought of itself as a Christian nation and yet our roots have become just a veneer of Christianity.

We have made our own rules, done what we want to do, followed our own gods of money, wealth and success, believed what we want to and redefined what God has said, establishing our own morality and it is destroying us from within.

After Jesus' teaching about the times of Elijah and Elisha The people were furious and wanted to get rid of Jesus, to kill Him.

Jesus spoke words of Truth and to those who are humble and repentant - His Words bring joy, life, hope and purpose - and they still do today.

God knows our hearts and to those who refuse to listen the result is anger. But He doesn't give up when people won't listen or when they turn their backs on Him. He continues to reach out to the proud - He desires to bring restoration. He continues to reach out to those who are broken-hearted and discouraged - He desires to bring healing. And to those stuck in sin and darkness and addiction - He desires to bring freedom, restoration and renewal.

May we be humble and contrite before Him and may God bring that kind of revival and renewal and awakening in our nation. Hearts turning back to Him!

He comes to those who hear His voice! May we be listening always!!!

Check out our website – everything we offer is FREE!! https://www.awakeusnow.com

Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper

Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01

St. Luke's Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus' life.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

When under attack from enemies, is God our last resort... or our first resort?

Luke 2:41-52: "Jesus at the Age of Twelve."

Today we ask, "Why is this story of Jesus at age 12 in the Bible?" There is no mention of Jesus from age 2 -30 except this one story in the Gospel of Luke. Here's how this story goes: In the one and only account we have of Jesus as a child we're told he went with His parents to Jerusalem to worship and praise the Lord at Passover.

This story is a foreshadowing of what is to come. The only time He's mentioned as a child is at the Feast of the Passover. Jesus is described elsewhere in Hebrew Scriptures as the Passover Lamb who was slain for us and now as a 12 year old He and we get a glimpse of what is to come.

After the Feast, unbeknownst to His parents, Jesus had stayed in Jerusalem when the rest of the family was heading home. When Mary and Joseph realized Jesus was not together with the family caravan, they turned back to Jerusalem to find Him. Three days later they find Him in the Temple Courts sitting with the teachers and asking and answering questions.

Did you pick up on the prophetic significance of "three days?" And it is on the third day His parents find Him alive and well. It was the third day in the grave when Jesus rises to life.. the grave could not hold Him!

Jesus' parents found Him asking and answering questions of the teachers, who were amazed at His answers and knowledge. This too is significant for us today, because Jesus invites questions. If we look at the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament we'll see He is asking and answering question frequently! God delights in conversation and He speaks to the deepest needs of our hearts.

When Jesus' parents found Him they questioned Him about not having been with them. Jesus answers, "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's House." This answer compels us ask, "Why is this significant?"

Think about this: These are the first recorded words of Jesus in the Bible! Why are they His first recorded words?

Note that Jesus calls God, "My Father." Even as a 12 year old He understands who He is. He is announcing the day the prophets spoke of has arrived! The Messiah has come! The Redeemer of all is here.

But Mary and Joseph didn't understand what Jesus was saying - It wasn't until after Jesus' resurrection that people understand who He is, what He accomplishes and what He offers to each of us.

The story ends with Jesus obediently returning to Nazareth with His parents. He displays submissive obedience, modeling this for each of us and showing us what is expected from each of us.

The standout piece of this story is that Jesus has given us the right to speak of God as "Our Father."

So much is in this short story - not only is there a glimpse of what Jesus was like as a boy, it gives us insight into His love and compassion in asking and answering us and is a glimpse of what God desires in us in conversation and obedience. Jesus wasn't just an extraordinary child - He is the very Son of God! Savior! And coming King!

Check out our website – everything we offer is FREE!! https://www.awakeusnow.com

Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper

Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01

St. Luke's Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus' life.

This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.