The nation of Israel was reborn suddenly in 1948, and the Jewish people have returned to the Promised Land in great numbers after 1900 years of exile. What does show about God's faithfulness and promises? What does it mean to believers in the Messiah?

Does God exist? The Bible has described this as a reality for thousands of years. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
⁃ There was a beginning
⁃ There is a God
⁃ God created everything

This is looked at as a religious belief, but it is increasingly a scientific fact as the scientific world sees that the creation had a beginning.
⁃ Natural knowledge of God
⁃ Nature - Romans 1:20 "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
⁃ Teleological argument - "Design requires a designer." It is obvious there is incredible design which requires a designer.
⁃ DNA - "DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created." Bill Gates. "The coding regions of DNA have exactly the same relevant properties as a computer code or language. We know books and computer codes are designed by intelligence, and the presence of this type of information in DNA also implies an intelligent source." Stephen C Meyer, PhD. "What I think the DNA material has done is that it has shown, by the almost unbelievable complexity of the arrangements which are needed to produce life, that intelligence must have been involved in getting these extraordinarily diverse elements to work together." Professor Anthony Flew. There is a creator because DNA is so complex it requires a creator.
⁃ History - "I'm a lapsed atheist… I go to church every Sunday, precisely because having been brought up as an atheist I came to realize my career as a historian that not only is atheism a disastrous basis for a society… but also because I don't think it can be a basis for individual ethical decision making" Professor Sir Niall Ferguson.
⁃ Conscience - Romans 2:15 "They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them." The conscience bears witness to a Creator, to a God who is:
⁃ Transcendent
⁃ Immaterial
⁃ Timeless
⁃ Powerful
⁃ Personal
⁃ Brilliant
⁃ Caring

To simply know that God exists is good, but to know God - that is what is necessary. And that requires that God reveals Himself to us - the revealed knowledge of God - showing Himself and drawing us to Himself.

⁃ Revealed Knowledge of God
⁃ Bible - profound unity of what it tells us. Read and listen to His Word and allow it to speak into our lives.
⁃ Jesus Christ - The Living Word - Savior, Redeemer, our only Hope. God is love and gave Himself for us all. Forgiveness and new life. John 1:18 "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." The Old and New Testaments testify to Jesus. He died, He rose and He is returning.
⁃ Holy Spirit - John 14:26 "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

It is one thing to know that God exists but it is most important know God and to know to the Love of the Father through Jesus His Son and to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit who brings us to faith and who nourishes and guides us as we live a life of faith.

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer

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Solomon: Builder
⁃ Temple construction - 1 Kings 6 (took 7 years to build)
⁃ Temple dedication - 1 Kings 8
⁃ God appears to Solomon - 1 Kings 9
⁃ Solomon's palace - 1 Kings 7 (took 13 years to build)

Pastor shares archeological discoveries around Solomon in recent years including a massive stone wall and gate and more.

Solomon: Reputation
⁃ Fleet at Ezion Geber - 1 Kings (for the first time Israel had its own navy - 1 Kings 9:26-28 - we read that they brought gold from Ophir. Pastor shares ideas of where Ophir may have been.)
⁃ Solomon's wealth - 1 King 10 (1 Kings 10:14-15 we read he received 25 tons of gold yearly. Solomon brought financial wealth to the nation.)
⁃ Queen of Sheba - 1 Kings 10 (Pastor shared the ideas of where this queen came from to visit Solomon. She's overwhelmed by Solomon's wisdom and by the wealth that she sees in her visit. Yet we know there is a wisdom and wealth greater than gold and that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 12:42 tells us … Jesus says, "for the Queen at the South ….came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here." That something is a Someone and that Someone is Jesus, Himself. It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting stuff and being financially secure. And we can have everything the world has to offer and still be bankrupt if we don't have a relationship with the living God through faith in Jesus.)
⁃ Solomon's Wisdom - 1 Kings 10 (1 Kings 10:23-24 we read he was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. He wrote Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon and also some Psalms as well.)
⁃ Labor Policies - 1 King 5 (Soloon had labor practices that caused difficulties with his people - 1 Kings 5:13-14 we read that 30,000 men were under forced labor.)

Solomon: Decline & Fall
⁃ Solomon's Wives - 1 Kings 11 (One man and one wife for life, that has always been God's plan. But in 1 Kings 11:3-4 we read that Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God as the heart of David his father had been. This incredibly gifted king who started so well descended into idolatry in his last days. Solomon even built a high place for Chemosh and Molek for his foreign wives who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. He was led away from God.)
⁃ Solomon's enemies - 1 Kings 11 (As Solomon wandered further from God, God raised up enemies against Solomon.)
Three main adversaries:
⁃ Haded the Edomite
⁃ Rezon in Damascus
⁃ Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Israelite (a prophetic word come to Jeroboam - God would give him 10 tribes. And Solomon's successor, his son Reheboam, would have 2 of the tribes. God told Jeroboam that he was to obey Him and follow Him.)

Conclusion
Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter; Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

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Wars, violence, persecution - Jesus warned these things would mark the time before His return. These things, He said, were like birth pains - increasing trial and suffering that herald a joyful ending. "When these things begin to take place," He said, "... lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28)

Scripture repeatedly warns us against the dangers of simply going with what we want to hear - we usually end up listening not to God, but to deceivers who have no proper authority.

Scripture: 2 Samuel 13-19.

Father Wounds - are wounds brought into our lives through family members. Deep wounds with lasting consequences.

Father's wounds - are wounds to parents by their children. It is grieving because their children turned their backs on the things they were taught from the time they were little.

Both are deep and painful wounds.

How to deal with the pain and how to go beyond it.

Our study covers:
Amnon rapes Tamar (2 Sam 13)
Absalom hates Amnon (2 Sam 13)
Absalom murders Amnon (2 Sam 13)
Absalom flees to thalami (2 Sam 13)
Absalom conspires against David (2 Sam 15)
Absalom revolts against David (2 Sam 15-17)
Joab executes Absalom (2 Sam 18)

In our study we see that wounds eliminate the spiritual strength of King David. We also see wounds that bring about rebellion and hatred, anger and murder. We see wounds experienced by a father who feels he has failed his son.

A tragic horrible story. Yet God desires to speak to us through it. This story is in the Bible for a reason and purpose. The purpose is not just to inform but to transform. God desires to bring healing, hope and strength and to reverse the painful trajectory of what we have experienced.

Divine Prescriptions

⁃ Sow and Reap - Galatians 6:7-8 Consequences of our behavior can be negative or positive. "Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Also, as seen in David's story, God forgives, but the consequences of sin are still there.
⁃ Nurture or Anger - Ephesians 6:4 encourages fathers to teach their children to live uprightly and faithfully before God and for fathers to model an upright life to their children.
⁃ Truth and Love - Ephesians 4:15 We are to speak truth to our kids but speak that with love.
⁃ Forgive and Release - Whether we have father wounds or father's wounds we are to forgive and letting go. Colossians 3:13 We are to forgive as the Lord forgives us - even those who have disappointed us, hurt us deeply, and in that forgiveness and releasing there is healing and there is hope.
⁃ Father and Son - 1 John 2:1-2 Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sin and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. God loves us and His love goes beyond the love of any father. Our Heavenly Father offers each of us healing, hope and life-transforming power.

If you have been the victim of a father wound or if you are experiencing a father's wounds, you need to know there is a Father who loves you more than you could imagine. Who understands the wounds because those wounds were placed in the very body of His Son and He offers to us forgiveness, eternal life, and the ability to start all over.

Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.

Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart

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