How should Christians feel about the idea of our being friends with God? For some, that kind of idea might sound a little too casual, maybe even sacrilegious. Yet, is friendship with God an unbiblical concept? It certainly is not. While the bridal paradigm of Jesus and the Church likely conveys the deepest level of intimacy between Redeemer and redeemed, there is this other beautiful component between our covenant marriage with God’s Son. In a healthy human marriage, deepening friendship occurs. It is no different between Heaven’s Groom and His bride.
Friendship With God
John 15:9-17
September 2, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
More from
Intimacy & Urgency
A Lifestyle of Urgency
September 16, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
In God’s Word there is frequently found a call to engagement with Him. The Father summons us to partner with Him to accomplish whatever it is that He is doing. In ancient times, a king’s invitation was not meant to be answered but, rather, obeyed. It is no different with God’s call on our lives. In this message, God cautions us about our procrastination, excuses and reluctance concerning His mission. He points believers to one of the smallest creatures on the planet - the ant- and asks us to learn from it. How can an ant teach us about living with Kingdom urgency? In the example from the ant, God calls us to preparation, proactivity and persistence. Anything less reveals that we lack the urgency that faithful believers are called to manifest in every generation.
Jealous for the Glory of God
September 16, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
Sometimes, because of what we are seeing and what we are feeling, we wonder if God might have forgotten about us or, worse yet, forsaken us. When the enemy appears to have the upper hand, when God is not stopping the growing tide of evil in our culture, when our past sins accuse us, we can find ourselves living with our backs pinned against the wall. This message reveals how the Father uses these seasons to develop a deep sense of urgency in His children. Sometimes, God lets the enemy advance so that it will produce an urgent cry for help from His people. These are the seasons when we cannot go a day longer without the breakthrough of God’s glory exploding upon the world in which we are living.
No Greater Treasure
September 2, 2018 • Jeff Lyle
Every Christian longs for the power of Jesus Christ to mark their lives. Not as many recognize that this power only comes from the abiding presence of God. We are called to enter into the life of Jesus in order to experience all that He has for us. This message reveals the testimony of the Apostle Paul who so longer to know Jesus that he even committed to partner with Him in suffering and loss. Intimacy with God involves much more than experiencing an occasional dose of power from Him. To know Him intimately, we must pursue Him relentlessly.