Encounters
When Theology Meets Reality
An Uncomfortable Encounter
September 10, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
This message reveals one of the most uncomfortable encounters between Jesus and another person. One of the myths about Jesus is that He was safe and predictable, and prioritized people’s comfort while He walked the earth. Though His kindness, compassion and mercy are undeniable, Jesus Christ would often allow people…to squirm. He asked uncomfortable questions, gave mysterious parables and made statements that were difficult to accept. Jesus was never one to make an individual’s superficial comfort more important than their deep spiritual needs. Give your attention to Him and see what the Master has to say – be prepared to experience a potential uncomfortable encounter of your own.
Eye-Opening Encounter
September 7, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
In this message Pastor Jeff highlights an encounter that Isaiah experienced which changed the prophet's entire perspective on God, himself and his fellow man. Paul prayed for the Christians at Ephesus that they would be able to comprehend the multi-dimensional magnitude of God's love and power toward them. Jesus prayed that His followers might know the Father. Elisha once prayed for God to open the eyes of Elisha's servant because he knew that the man could not see what Elijah saw. God and His people should never settle for superficial faith. We need to seek God for this type of enlightenment in our own journey of faith. Without it we will be spiritual sleepwalkers.
Tough Hands to Tender Hands
August 31, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
In this message, Pastor Jeff reveals an encounter between an undeniably guilty woman and an irrepressibly merciful Lord. Something within the hearts of humans seems to look for swift justice when wrongdoings occur. Unless we happen to be the offender, we want the offending party to experience payback at the fullest amount, as fast as possible. Religion said to stone this woman but Jesus aimed to save her. In the end her accusers had to drop their rocks and head out considering the state of their own hearts. The lady received a pardon and a second chance at life. Who in your life needs you to drop your rock today?
Gently Encountering the Discouraged
August 24, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
All of us will be looking in the mirror through this instructional snapshot in the life and ministry of Elijah. All of us can say that we've battled discouragement, and even depression. Like Elijah, many have wanted their own lives to end prematurely in order to stop the pain. This message reveals how our gracious Lord will take a gently approach with us when we have retreated to the back of our own caves. For those looking to be delivered from the darkness of discouragement, the final solution offered to Elijah may be exactly what you are looking for.
Desperately Avoiding Encounter
August 17, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
This message shows what happens when we refuse to keep an appointment with the Sovereign King of the universe. Jonah was a believer who stood for God, spoke for God and served God. He was faithful and reliable…up unto the moment where God called Jonah to do something He did not wish to do. That’s when Jonah’s true colors bled through and he became a man who was desperate to avoid encounter. To run from God is to do something which cannot be done. Jonah decided to give it a try anyway and hazarded his own life along with the lives of others. He loves us far too much to allow us to run much too far.
Encountering the Impossible
August 10, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
Mark it down, our God will deliberately lead us into circumstances that are impossible. This message deeply encourages us as we follow Ezekiel into a God-ordained trial where there are no signs of hope. Because He is committed to deepening our confidence in His goodness and power, God must bring about seasons of life which force us to abandon our trust in ourselves or anything else- He wants us looking to Him. Through Ezekiel's encounter we learn the wisdom, faithfulness and power of God which brings victory out of our valleys.
When Encountering God Elevates Purpose
August 3, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
God is not done with you yet! People frequently give up on God’s plan for their lives, if they ever believe He has a plan for them in the first place. It often requires a powerful encounter to remind us that God may shelve us for a time but he never shuns us. His long-time silence does not invalidate His one-time promise. This message is an all-out assault on our tendency to aim too low and hit it every time. Moses had long given up hope on God’s plan for his life. He had failed and probably assumed that recovery was impossible. Four decades in the desert made Moses a prime candidate for an elevated purpose and it would come to him in dramatic fashion.
God and the Orphan-Spirit
July 27, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
When we speak of an orphan-spirit we are speaking of a person who lives with sensitive wounds from previous loss. The orphan-spirit is not some kind of demon, but is a person who has a self-concept of worthlessness or inferiority. This orphan-spirit is usually birthed in childhood and is often connected with trauma stemming from rejection, abandonment, abuse or intense criticism. They have not yet found validation and worth so they live with shame, fear, self-loathing and hurt, and typically lives with hyper-sensitivity, overt insecurity, self-defensiveness, anger, self-centeredness, lack of trust or pessimistic defeatism. The person with the orphan-spirit has not yet discovered who they are and look continually to the wrong sources to give them what was not instilled in them in formative years. This message points those living with the orphan-spirit to a Father who paid it all so that they might be adopted as His own children and, consequently, orphans no more.
Encounters Where Everything Changes
July 20, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
If the last encounter you had with Jesus Christ was in the moment of your salvation, then listen up: You were born twice for better things! Christ did not come to earth to die for us, convict us, then save us … and then leave us alone until we get to Heaven. We need to recognize that God desires to be WITH us , not just FOR us. He loves us and has constructed our relationship with Him to be that of ongoing personal interaction via spiritual encounters. He speaks. He leads. He corrects. He comforts. He instructs. He reveals. He does all of these things via a lifelong series of encounters with you. Sometimes, these encounters are so intense that everything changes from that point forward. We need these as we live for the glory of a risen (and soon coming!) King. Apart from personal encounter with God, all we have is theoretical religion which every pagan in the world can claim they possess.
The God Who Loves Encounter
July 13, 2014 • Jeff Lyle
God doesn’t simply desire to tell us things, His purpose is to spend time with us. His purpose in creation and redemption is to walk with us in life so that we may enjoy Him. Pastor Jeff seeks to set the table for in this new series entitled "Encounters." This passage from an ancient prophet shows us the degree to which God delights in us. Very few places in Scripture allow us the opportunity to clearly visualize how God feels about His children like this one. Will you have courage to believe that He feels this way about you?