Like I promised, here are a few thoughts from the Awaken teachings that really challenged me:

Teaching #1 by J.R. Woodward

We are made in and as the image of God. To the world in which those words were written that was a completely revolutionary thought - especially from a social perspective, because the only ones whose images were made (usually in the form of coins) were kings/gods - to say EVERY person is an image of God made EVERY person as valuable as a king whose job it was to represent God - this completely overturned the typical Egyptian theocracy idea.

This also made Jesus' answer about paying taxes a whole lot more powerful - when he says "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar", he's talking about Caesar's image - which was on the coin they showed him. When he says "but give to God what belongs to God", he's talking about God's image, which is the entire person! He's basically saying "Go ahead and give money to Caesar in whose image this money is, but give your entire life and everything to Him in whose image you are."
During the teaching J.R. had us say to the person next to us, "Good evening, your majesty." That stuck with me.
-> Do I treat others like they are God's image, like they are majestic?
-> Do I view myself as majesty?
-> Am I portraying an accurate image of God?

Teaching #2 by Noel Heikinnen (yes, THE Noel Heikinnen! I actually brushed by him in the bathroom after the teaching!)

This was about Jacob and Esau, whom he nicknamed "Heel" and "Hair", since that's what their names literally mean. He told the story from the perspective of Jacob being a complete wuss and pushover, however God still by his grace calling and changing him, using especially the "wrestling God" experience, at which point Jacob becomes Israel ("fights with God" - something God loved about Jacob!)
-> God, the God of Jacob - the God of Heel, of Deceiver (another meaning of "Jacob"), Liar, Conniver, chooses and blesses us regardless of our past (Gave the song "Give Us Clean Hands" a whole new meaning - "God let us be a generation who seeks your face, o God of Jacob")
-> God desires for us to not be spiritual pushovers, but to wrestle with him, to show tenacity. The name "Israel" is not a put-down, but a compliment!

Lunch break is up, so I'll do teachings 3-5 later (maybe).