Bible in a Year with Pastor Chris Dodge

Awake Us Now Ministries
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Christianity
  • Weekly

A fascinating study! In each book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we find evidence of Jesus. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active, meaning it is not dry, dusty old stuff. It is living and active! And because it is the living Word, it will impact you. Join us and let His Word change your life!

  1. 5d ago

    October 29 - I Corinthians (Part 2) & II Corinthians (Part 1)

    The Outline of 1 Corinthians -- Salutation (1:1-9) -- Spiritual Immaturity (1:10-4:21)  -- Sexual Immorality (5:1-6:20)  The above parts of the outline were covered in Week 43 of this class. Corinth was a very ungodly culture and the people living there - the people this letter is written to - are immature believers surrounded by a worldly culture.  We too are living in an incredibly pagan culture as we see many of the principles of the Bible have been discarded.   Pastor explores the rest of the 1 Corinthians outline: -- Specific Questions (7:1-11:34) This section was started in week 43, but Pastor finishes up this section:  "Knowledge puffs up while love builds up!" In Corinth human knowledge was acclaimed but Paul says that knowledge puffs one up. Instead Paul teaches that we are to live like Jesus, loving others as God has loved us and living for God versus living for ourselves. Paul taught that love for God and others trumps our own self-desires. He also teaches not to do anything that would cause a weak brother or sister to stumble in their faith. Paul calls us to a disciplined life and to finish life well, to run with our eyes on Jesus, the Rock. Pastor shares some profound insight into Rabbinic tradition concerning "The Rock" that the Ark of the Covenant would set on during the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel. Paul says that "Rock" is Christ.   -- Spiritual Gifts (12:1-14:40) This is a controversial topic. Much of the Christian world ignores the spiritual gifts. How do we know we have the Spirit in us? If we confess Jesus, then the Holy Spirit is in us. As believers that puts us all on the same playing field but with different gifts, yet the same God at work in each of us. -- Word of Wisdom  -- Word of Knowledge -- Special Faith given at special and specific times -- Gifts of Healing -- Miraculous Power -- Prophecy -- Distinguishing between spirits -- Speaking in different tongues -- Interpretation of tongues All given by the same Spirit. And these are not the only gifts given. These are the types of gifts God gives, but this is not an exhaustive list. The gifts were given then and are still given today.  Sometimes they can be misused, but just because some have misused the gifts doesn't mean we avoid their use. These gifts can also make some Christians uncomfortable and that results in them not being used or accepted. The Bible calls us to obedience and use of the gifts God has given us. We are to be thankful for the body having gifts - The gifts help us rely on God and depend on one another and that's a great way to live!  The mission God has given us is impossible in our own strength but possible in His strength!  And so He gives the gifts! All gifts are important and all gifts are necessary and needed. The gifts are to be used wisely and not judged, nor should they cause jealousy. Paul calls us to desire the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts are used to build the Body of Christ. -- Significance of Resurrection (15:1-16:24) Paul closes with a summary of Jesus' life, focusing on Jesus' death and resurrection which are the heart of the Christian message.  Christ's death and resurrection are what the Old Testament claimed would happen and the New Testament declares has happened. Jesus came, died and rose and because the Bible says that and it is true, that is what we anchor our lives on. The evidence and historical background are powerful! Jesus' story is not just a Bible story it is TRUE! Our faith is founded on God's promises, anchored in history and it's personal as we encounter Him in our own lives. Our faith is personal, it's a matter of the heart, it's not head knowledge. 2 Corinthians Author: Apostle Paul (and Timothy) Date: Fall, 55 AD (approximately 6 months after 1 Corinthians) Location: Macedonia (2 Corinthians 2:13; 7;5) Recipients: Believers in Corinth and Achaia (2 Corinthians 1:1) Occasion: Follow-up to 1 Corinthians and a defense of his gospel and his ministry.  Being a follower of Jesus is not easy. The enemy loves to divide the body of Christ. We all need to humble ourselves before God and follow His Word instead of doing what we please. We are to take God's Word seriously.  Join us next week for the rest of our study of 2 Corinthians pt 2. For our FREE resources: video, podcast, Reading Schedule, and a study guide for each book of the Bible plus many extra items, plus how to listen by radio broadcast - find it all here:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/bible-in-a-year Our Bible in a Year study will walk you through the Bible book by book taking you from Genesis to Revelation, revealing Jesus throughout both the Old and the New Testaments! In Ephesians 6, the word of God is called the sword of the spirit, and a sword is best used when you take it out of the scabbard to use it! Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active! Meaning it is not dry, dusty, old stuff. It is living and active! And because it is the Living Word, it has the power to impact us still today!  Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com

  2. Oct 22

    October 22 - I Corinthians (Part 1)

    Author: Apostle Paul Date: Spring, 55 AD (Before Pentecost) Location: Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8) Recipients: Believers in Corinth Occasion: Answers to questions Paul was sharing the Gospel message and was up against great opposition. Corinth was a very busy seaport filled with the worship of multiple idols, temples for worshiping idols, prostitution, and brothels, and yet Paul saw the mission field here as a good and valuable one. God uses Paul to bring forth a large harvest for the kingdom in Corinth. The Outline of 1 Corinthians Salutation (1:1-9) Spiritual Immaturity (1:10-4:21) The dangers of spiritual immaturity are something valuable for us to hear today, as well. The Christian church has many that are spiritually immature.  The thinking is that all I need to know is what I need to know to get to heaven. So if I know I'm a sinner and Christ died for me, I'm all good. Studies show many that say this, aren't really internalizing it and aren't actually aligning themselves with Christ and  practice or live what they say they believe. According to studies only a small amount of people claiming to be Christians put into practice the biblical faith. Today, in surveys it's seen that people think living a "good" life gets them to heaven, but being good doesn't give us heaven. True belief in Jesus is the only way to heaven. Paul's teaching helps us see how important it is to know Jesus, grow in faith and mature spiritually.  We need to be grounded in Christ, with lives changed through Him - and not just have a little bit of Jesus sprinkled in our lives. But rather to become mature we need to walk in the Spirit, listen to the Spirit, follow the Spirit, live in the Spirit. We are to live our lives in the strength and power of the Spirit. Without the Spirit the story of Jesus, is foolishness. (2:10-15) If we remain worldly - then we remain immature in our faith. When we really believe in Jesus' story it changes how we act, we practice our faith, and show others who we are as believers. Our foundation is to be built on Christ - the firm foundation. Salvation is a gift - unearned.  But when we believe in Jesus and understand what He has done for us, we want to live His way and grow in our faith. As believers we are called to stop being pagans. Sexual Immorality (5:1-6:20) Paul confronts us on NOT living the way that the culture of the day is living. Like them, we often are thinking, "It doesn't matter what I do as long as I believe." But this is not true, we are called to be a holy people and we need to take God seriously.  Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We have been washed and sanctified by Jesus and we are no longer like the world or of the world. We are new people. What Jesus did for us, changes us and thus our desire is to respond to Jesus' gift by being the people we are called to be, His followers.    Specific Questions (7:1-11:34) Paul addresses marriage questions. In Corinth, the culture was hyper-sexualized. Pagan religion was sexually corrupt. Paul speaks of sex as being committed to a marriage relationship. Paul says to flee from sexual immorality and to honor God with our bodies. Paul encourages us to work on our marriages and not to give up, to work towards reconciliation if possible.   The rest of the 1 Corinthians outline will be discussed in Week 44. -- Spiritual Gifts (12:1-14:40) -- Significance of Resurrection (15:1-16:24)   Join us next week for our study of 1 Corinthians pt 2 and 2 Corinthians pt 1. For our FREE resources: video, podcast, Reading Schedule, and a study guide for each book of the Bible plus many extra items, plus how to listen by radio broadcast - find it all here:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/bible-in-a-year Our Bible in a Year study will walk you through the Bible book by book taking you from Genesis to Revelation, revealing Jesus throughout both the Old and the New Testaments! In Ephesians 6, the word of God is called the sword of the spirit, and a sword is best used when you take it out of the scabbard to use it! Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active! Meaning it is not dry, dusty, old stuff. It is living and active! And because it is the Living Word, it has the power to impact us still today!  Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com

  3. Oct 15

    October 15 - Romans (Part 2)

    Pastor opens with a review of the outline for Romans: -- Salutation (1:1-17)  -- Sin (1:18-3:20) - Talks about the destructive nature of sin and how it corrupts -- Salvation (3:21-5:21) - God's gift by grace received through faith and anchored in Jesus  -- Sanctification (6:1-8:39) - God sets us apart for a purpose as we walk by faith and asks us to participate in living more and more reflecting His character through the power of the Holy Spirit. No longer dominated by sin, yet an ongoing struggle to grow in faith. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory in Christ." "We are set free from the law of sin and death." "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." God does not condemn - the enemy does. Jesus and the Holy Spirit convict us. Law and sin and death are behind us because we have the principle of life and light leading us. Pastor picks up with chapter 8 which lays out where the power comes from, how God works, what He desires to do and gives hope, encouragement and peace.      The final victory is certain!!   We are to live governed by the Spirit. If we're trying to live life in our own power and plan it's not going to work, but when we are lead by the Holy Spirit it changes everything. Today's christian church needs to recapture the understanding of living and walking in the Holy Spirit and in God's strength instead of our own strength and our own decisions and plans. We need to unlearn what the enemy has planted in us. In the Holy Spirit, we find power and strength to walk in and with the Spirit.  Humbly come to God, walk by faith, rely on Him, trust on Him and receive the assurance of things unseen. He teaches us lessons, strengthens us and shows us His goodness and nearness through difficulties. Pastor shares a personal testimony about the hard and difficult and painful things and how looking back over those experiences, he sees how God's faithfulness and goodness carried him through and as time has gone by how he sees that through the challenges and God's help, he is different person. Pastor shares how through faith and these sanctified experiences he has become assured that God will keep His word even in future difficulties.  God will take it all and turn it for good even in the face of difficulty, disappointment and profound hurt and even in the face of death because we can be confident that He has conquered that already. Live in the truth and rely on the truth. Because of Messiah, God is on our side! We are more than conquerors through the One who loves us. Nothing can separate us from God's love for us through Christ Jesus.  And so our desire is to live as dedicated followers of Christ. -- Sovereignty (9:1-11:36) - God does not abandon His children even when they abandon Him.  God's graciousness extends to the Jewish people. There is a faithful remnant of His chosen people and He has a plan for that remnant. They do not see Christ as the culmination of the law and whether Jew or Gentile, salvation only comes through God's mercy and grace. Jesus is God come to earth.  Chapter 11 - tells us that God has not rejected His people who He foreknew. They have not stumbled beyond recovery, but it has opened salvation to the Gentiles and we await their understanding that Jesus is the Lord and Savior.  There is a day when they will return and we see this beginning to happen. In 1966 there were around 2000 jewish people in the world who believed that Jesus was their Messiah.  In 1967 - the Six Day War in Israel and the Middle East - the Jewish people gained control of Jerusalem. And since then the number of believing Jews is now close to 500,000 and it is accelerating!   -- Service (12:1-16:27) We are to live for Him. Because of how good and gracious God has been we are called to surrender to Him and to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Him. This is how we worship Him. Love is to be sincere. We are to overcome evil with good.  Pastor closes with Romans 13:13-14 - Clothing ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Join us next week for our study of 1 Corinthians. For our FREE resources: video, podcast, Reading Schedule, and a study guide for each book of the Bible plus many extra items, plus how to listen by radio broadcast - find it all here:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/bible-in-a-year Our Bible in a Year study will walk you through the Bible book by book taking you from Genesis to Revelation, revealing Jesus throughout both the Old and the New Testaments! In Ephesians 6, the word of God is called the sword of the spirit, and a sword is best used when you take it out of the scabbard to use it! Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active! Meaning it is not dry, dusty, old stuff. It is living and active! And because it is the Living Word, it has the power to impact us still today!  Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com

  4. Oct 8

    October 8 - Romans (Part 1)

    Our Bible in a Year study with Pastor Dodge will take you from Genesis to Revelation. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active, not dry, dusty old stuff! We will also see evidence of Jesus throughout the entire Scriptures, from beginning to end. Join us as we travel through the Bible together.

  5. Oct 1

    October 1 - John (Part 3) & I, II, III John

    Today we finish the Gospel of John. Of the four Gospels, John has the most detailed account of Jesus words and actions on the night of the Last Supper. We also explore the three very short Epistles of John which address some of the key teachings of Jesus about love, about faithfulness, and about obedience. Our Bible in a Year study with Pastor Dodge will take you from Genesis to Revelation. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active, not dry, dusty old stuff! We will also see evidence of Jesus throughout the entire Scriptures, from beginning to end. Join us as we travel through the Bible together.

  6. Sep 24

    September 24 - John (Part 2)

    Continuing our study of the Gospel of John. Jesus in the Temple - Jesus IS the temple of the living God. https://www.awakeusnow.com Our Bible in a Year study with Pastor Dodge will take you from Genesis to Revelation. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active, not dry, dusty old stuff! We will also see evidence of Jesus throughout the entire Scriptures, from beginning to end. Join us as we travel through the Bible together.

  7. Sep 17

    September 17 - John (Part 1)

    John Author: John, the son of Zebedee. He is not mentioned by name as the author, but refers to himself as the one the Lord loved, meaning he was a good friend of Jesus. So this gospel is written by someone who was with Jesus.   Date: ca.50-60's AD most likely, until recently it was believed to have been written later like ca. 85-90   Purpose: John 20:31 - John wrote the book of John so that we might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Promised one, the Son of God, and that by believing we might have life in His name. The Gospel of John has been used to bring many people to Christ.   Relationship with the other Gospels: ⁃              prologue - John 1:1-18.   ⁃              90% of the Gospel of John is unique to this gospel. Because it is so different than the other gospels, some have thought it is contradictory, but different does not mean contradictory.   Festivals - We see Jesus as the one who fulfills them. ⁃              Passover (2:13, 6:4, 13:1 - also 5:1?) ⁃              Tabernacles (7:2) - Sukkot ⁃              Dedication (10:22) Hanukkah 'Insider Information' - John especially records Jesus' private conversations and encounters.   The Prologue of John - John 1:1-18 - John starts this gospel off in a way that none of the other authors of the Gospels do. John begins with the same words that the Old Testament begins with, "In the beginning". The intent is to show us that Jesus goes all the way back to the beginning. In Genesis 1:1-3 it says, " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light," and there was light.'"   In John 1:-5 we read that The Word is Jesus: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."    John starts off his gospel with the answer to "Who is Jesus?"  The answer - Jesus is God, He is the Living Word of God who has come down to earth to save us. We see that there is no creation without Jesus. We see light and darkness, life and death. Jesus breaks into our world as the Light and as Life.   The opening  chapter of John tells us in verse 14 and 18 the following: "The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known."   If we want to know what God the Father is like? We only need look at Jesus. God is Christ-like.   Chapter 2 - Opens with "on the third day" which is a Tuesday. First day of the week is Sunday (as the Sabbath is Saturday). Monday is the second day of the week. So the book opens on a Tuesday which is the traditional day in Jesus' day for Jewish weddings. Jesus, his family and his disciples are at a wedding in Cana. The wine runs out and Jesus' mother lets Him know the wine has run out. Jesus' responds, "'Woman, why do you involve me?' Jesus replied. 'My hour has not yet come.'" Jesus' use of the word "woman" in His day was a form of honor, humility and great respect. "Woman" might be better translated, "honored Mother, or dearest Mother.   Mary tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. This is what we should always do, "do what Jesus tells us to do." This is how we are to live.   Then the servants fill the water jars with water and Jesus turns the water into wine. Many consider this a frivolous miracle. But it is not - there is much significance. ⁃              The miracle is performed at a Jewish wedding - In Jewish culture the betrothal starts with the man pledging himself to his bride and takes a cup of wine and makes a solemn covenant - he is saying with this wine that he is willing to die for his bride, pledging his life to the bride. And the woman as she receives the wine is saying the she will be wholly committed to the bridegroom. The betrothal is a foreshadowing of The Last Supper. And is a picture of the feast to come in heaven. ⁃              In this "water into wine" first miracle, Jesus shows everyone that He is the Messiah, the One who will lay down His life for His bride and He is the One who will bring rejoicing to the people of God.   Join us next week for our study of the Gospel of John - pt 2.     For our FREE resources: video, podcast, Reading Schedule, and a study guide for each book of the Bible plus many extra items, plus how to listen by radio broadcast - find it all here:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/bible-in-a-year   Our Bible in a Year study will walk you through the Bible book by book taking you from Genesis to Revelation.   Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com

  8. Sep 10

    September 10 - Acts (Part 3)

    We start with Saul, a persecutor of those who believed in Jesus, and the story of his conversion to faith in Jesus. Following his conversion we know him as the Apostle Paul.  Chapter 11 takes place in Antioch in Syria, a place of moral decay and yet Christianity is exploding there. Barnabas brings Paul there and for the next year Paul and Barnabas work together to ground the new believers in the scriptures and help them grow their faith as followers of Christ.    This city is where believers were first called Christians. It is here in Antioch that the modern missionary movement takes root. What we see in the rest of Acts is God using believers from this Antioch community to go out into the entire Roman world. The church (body of believers) in Antioch was one of the most influential in history.    In chapter 13 we see the missionary strategy:  ⁃ They worshipped, fasted, prayed and then the Holy Spirit tells them what to do, "set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on Saul and Barnabas and sent them off to preach where God was leading them.  Note: Their missionary strategy was not to set up a meeting and decide what we will do and then close with prayer asking God to bless it.  God is the One who gives His strategy for His believers to reach the rest of the world. And that is something we today need to recapture. The Holy Spirit still speaks today, still moves today, and still leads and guides His people.   Pastor focuses on 3 of Paul's sermons. Each has as different strategy but the message is the same: repent and believe 1.Chapter 13:16-51. This sermon happens during Paul's First Missionary journey, in a synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia, a message to devout Jews and to Gentiles who are not yet full converts. Paul begins this message with the revealed knowledge of God and shares the history of the people of Israel and the fulfillment of all through Jesus Christ. Speaking to religious people he tells them to repentance and to have faith and warns them not to make the mistake of turning away from God. The people are attentive listeners and  growing in faith and the enemy begins to push back and Paul and Barnabas have to leave for their safety.   2. Chapter 17:16-34. This sermon was preached In the city of Athens  - a beautiful city filled with pagan temples and idols. It takes place during Paul's Second Missionary Trip.  His message is to pagans, a group of people who know nothing about Jesus. He talks to them about the "unknown god" and the natural knowledge of God. He teaches them the heart of the Gospel message and tells them they need to repent. - this is the message Jesus - and to believe in Jesus' Good News. 3. Chapter 20:13-37 This sermon happens during Paul's Third Missionary journey, in Miletus. Paul sends for the Elders of the church of Ephesus. His message is directed to the elders of the Christian church. These are Christian people that know the Good News of Jesus. He tells them that he and they will experience persecution, that it will come from the outside world but also from within the church. Paul brings them the heart of the gospel message and he reminds them that they need to repent, that Jesus shed His blood, that He is risen from the grave and He is coming back. No matter who Paul talked to the message was always the same: 1. Repent 2. Believe the Good New of Jesus It is often the "religious" people who react most violently against a message of repentance. Being good and thinking God is nice - is not enough - that is not Biblical faith. Biblical faith is God does all things to draw us to Himself and our response is that we realize we are sinners and need a Savior. As a result of understanding our need for Jesus (Savior) we repent and turn to Him receiving forgiveness and life and the Holy Spirit. We are to have a relationship with Him and experience the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's not about doing things and going through motions. It's about knowing the Living God and receiving new life in Him.   Pastor shares a personal testimony and how repentance should draw us to our knees.   The class closes with a look at Paul's Voyage to Rome and his stay there spending two years in prison awaiting trial and that is how the book ends.  Join us next week for our study of the Gospel of John.    For our FREE resources: video, podcast, Reading Schedule, and a study guide for each book of the Bible plus many extra items, plus how to listen by radio broadcast - find it all here:  https://www.awakeusnow.com/bible-in-a-year Our Bible in a Year study will walk you through the Bible book by book taking you from Genesis to Revelation.  Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com

See All (44)

About

A fascinating study! In each book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we find evidence of Jesus. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active, meaning it is not dry, dusty old stuff. It is living and active! And because it is the living Word, it will impact you. Join us and let His Word change your life!

Information