One of the most undesirable aspects of the Christian life is facing the reality that God's intentional kindness towards His children sometimes manifests itself through His disciplining of us. Yes, God is not unilaterally committed to our continual comfort and personal pleasure. To the degree that He intends to grow us and use us, He must break us. Frequently, the Father takes us through seasons wherein we are stretched, tested and proven. In these seasons, life can feel somewhat like a dark cave to us. For David, this season involved a literal cave that became his temporary home for longer than he would have liked. In the midst of losing all of the comforts in his life, God took David through a prolonged season of decrease wherein he was being trained to look to God alone for comfort, hope and security. It was during his cave-season that David received the bright light of learning to trust deeply in the faithfulness of God when the rest of his life seemed to oppose him.
Light In The Cave
1 Samuel 22:1-2 & Psalm 142
November 10, 2019 • Jeff Lyle
When God Says No
February 26, 2020 • Jeff Lyle
The Apostle Paul once wrote that “All the promises of god are Yes & Amen in Jesus.” (2 Cor. 1:20). Yet it is undeniable that sometimes God seems to look us straight in the eye and tell us, “No, my child.” The challenge for us is discerning what the difference is between our desires and God’s promises. This message from King David’s life walks us through what it is like to receive a flat denial from God. David asked for something that made sense. It was spiritual. He wanted to honor the Lord by doing something for Him…and God told David NO. Can we embrace God’s No’s in faith? Will we praise him when He denies us? Have we matured to celebrate His wisdom when He declines the thing we desire? David’s life helps us to see how God saying No is sometimes the gateway to greatness and glory.
Dancing King
January 29, 2020 • Jeff Lyle
As David moved forward in leading Israel as their king, he discerned it was time to bring the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem. For decades it had been sitting in places where it was no longer an instrument in the national worship of the God of Israel. After seeking to move the ark without consulting God, disaster struck, and a man named Uzza was killed for putting his hand on the holy ark. David referenced the Law and learned how to properly transport the ark. In this message, we see the unbridled joy of David as he dances in the presence of God. We also see the nasty heart of someone who despised his public displays of worship. This message calls us to unapologetic displays of enthusiastic worship of God, while also warning us about the dangers of judging those who engage their spirit, emotions and bodies as they magnify the God who loves and leads them.
The Harvest From The Waiting Season
January 15, 2020 • Jeff Lyle
You have likely never met a person that can honestly say that they delight in waiting. While it is true that, as we mature, we learn to patiently wait, nobody truly enjoys waiting for something they desire. We have an impulse in our soul that prefers to immediately receive what we long for. Part of becoming a deep follower of Jesus is learning how to cooperate with His practice of making us wait. King David’s life was marked by long, deep and sometimes painful years of waiting on God to bring to pass His plan for David’s life. In this message, we witness David’s breakthrough that was two decades in the making. That’s right: David waited twenty years for one day. Yet, when that particular day finally found David, he was so glad to reap the harvest of all those years of patiently waiting upon the Lord. We should expect the same in our own lives. Are you and I willing to wait as long as God determines for Him to bring to pass His plans for us?