Bridging the Gap With Pastor Lloyd Pulley

Pastor Lloyd Pulley is currently leading us through the Old Testament book of First Samuel, and today we continue in chapters twenty-two and twenty three.  I'm sure you've heard this statement many times: "Without faith it is impossible to please God".  We all acknowledge the truth of that statement, but how often do we face adversity and forget to call on our faith in God to get us through? Living by faith is what it's all about! 

As you may recall, David knows he's going to be the next King of Israel, and he's running for his life. But all the way through this trial, God is reminding David that He's going to keep His promises and that He's with him and for him.  Here on this edition of Bridging the Gap we will take a look at the suffering David experienced in his life, and Pastor Lloyd will relate this to what we are bound to experience as well.

 David was a man after God's own heart - but we'll see that there was a time in his life where he had a heart of deception. Just goes to show even the greatest of God's servants are still sinners on the inside, but God can use any sinner to accomplish His will.

Whether we see it or not, God protects His children and restrains evil. We'll see a good example of that today on Bridging the Gap as we open First Samuel nineteen. If you'll recall, Saul is envious of David and wants to kill him.  But the Lord restrains Saul from harming David.  Just as He protected David, He can protect you too.

Today on Bridging the Gap - Pastor Lloyd Pulley  will  show us what God considers a true friend to be .  Good to be with you today.  Lloyd is about to continue his verse by verse study in the book of First Samuel and we'll consider the value of godly friends.  If asked to name one of the all time great friendships in the Bible, what names come to mind?  Many of us would say Jonathan and David, and rightly so.   Let's take a closer look at these friends in First Samuel chapter eighteen.

 In thinking back to our Sunday School days, there were certain biblical stories our teachers would key in on... Jonah being swallowed by the Great Fish, Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac, Noah and the flood, and certainly David and Goliath top the list.  Here on our Thursday broadcast, Lloyd will highlight this timeless story which underscores the greatness and faithfulness of God.  Each of us will face giants in our lives, and we're in a fierce battle!  It's important to know how to handle it with faith.

Today on Bridging the Gap pastor Lloyd Pulley will take a look at the familiar story of David and Goliath. Lloyd will show us that this story is not about building up our courage, but rather it is a story about honoring God whom we love and serve -- even in the face of trouble. And there are some noteworthy aspects of spiritual warfare to observe too.  Let's head over to First Samuel seventeen and get started.

Today we'll return to a story probably familiar to most of you.  When God was looking for the second king of Israel, a 16 year old shepherd boy caught His eye.   Most in that day I'm sure thought this was a poor choice, but God saw a young man who was after His own heart.

Today on Bridging the Gap, Pastor Lloyd Pulley  will show us how to do that and maintain our sanity in the Christian life, even during those periods when it's easy to become frustrated.  We are traveling through First Samuel at the present time, and here on our Monday edition we'll be looking at chapter sixteen.  It's here that the Lord anoints David to be King over Israel. 

This is a very special day for Christians. It's the day we remember the painful death Jesus suffered on the cross of Calvary; a death He willing accepted in order to save us from an eternity separated from Him. It truly was the greatest act of love ever performed in all of human history. 

Compromise can be a wonderful thing in certain contexts. For instance, when two nations have differences that are miles apart, compromise is often needed. And of course, we all know that compromise is often times  important in family matters. There is one case however where compromise is simply worthless and unacceptable. That is in our relationship to God. In every case we're to obey Him.  Today on Bridging the Gap, we'll meet a man who failed to do that.

You might have heard this expression before -  Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.   When a person suddenly assumes power or position - it can easily lead them to do things they would never dream of. That was the case with the first King of Israel, Saul. After some time in power he soon began to feel as though he was in control, and not God. 

For the last few weeks we've been looking at First Samuel and today, we return to chapter fourteen. In this passage, we see that King Saul displayed an outward expression of religion, but his heart was totally consumed with self. The same can happen to us if we're not careful.  We'd do well to see where Saul went wrong, so that we don't go down a similar path.

Today on Bridging the Gap, we'll introduce you to a man named Saul, and his story is recorded for us in First Samuel thirteen. As King, Saul should have been looking to God for guidance and seeking to give Him the glory. But instead, he was more concerned with himself and being recognized.

Saul was the first King of Israel, and God provided Him everything that was necessary to be a great King.  But he ended up a terrible failure. He allowed insecurities and bad decision-making to govern his life, and that's a recipe for disaster. God has a calling for us too, but will we try to hide from it, or allow something to keep us from that?

Pastor Lloyd Pulley has framed today's study around chapters eleven and twelve.  Let's say someone lashes out in anger against you, and for no good reason. Or, someone falsely accuses you of something at work, and you end up losing your job as a result! When we're hurt like this, the world would say we have good reason to exact a little revenge.  But pastor Lloyd is going to suggest a much different approach.

The people Israel wanted to make a change. They wanted a king. We might have a reaction to that like, "huh? You already have God as your King"! God was their king for sure, but now they wanted a man to fill those shoes! A big difference and a big mistake to be sure. And as we know, in today's world, people are looking in all the wrong places for a King as well.

You've no doubt heard the timeless truth, "Don't judge a book by its cover."  Judging things by their outside appearance is something we often do, instead of learning what's on the inside.  But to judge a book - you have to read it - and that takes time.  The same is true with a person. It takes more than a first impression. Today on Bridging the Gap, we take a second look at Israel's first king.

To agree with God we must know what He thinks about things.  We're in First Samuel chapter seven, and a message titled, "Steps to Revival and Victory".

On Today's broadcast, we'll see God's people waiting twenty years before repenting.  Now that's a long time! If we're wise we won't wait and waste the years God has given us!

Spiritually speaking, if the symptoms of our condition persist, It has to be God's mercy, designed to push us toward treatment and healing.  Find your place in First Samuel six as we bring you Bridging the Gap.

When the Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant - God did something about it – and there are quite a few takeaway lessons we don't want you to miss. Join us in First Samuel chapter five.

Pastor Lloyd has an eye on First Samuel four today.  God is about to remove His presence from the nation of Israel.  Sounds severe doesn't it, and it is!  But what would lead the Lord to do this?  We'll look into that together and learn that it comes down to misguided faith.

When God makes a promise, you can be sure He'll keep His Word.  And in First Samuel four, God is about to come through on a promise He made in chapter three.  He's going to judge Eli and deal with his two sons. 

These are difficult days, there's no doubt about it.  Evil is on the rise, and those who stand for the truth are routinely ridiculed.  But in the midst of the mess, God has an important mission and calling for us.  And today you'll be encouraged to embrace it with open arms.

While some things don't last that long on this earth, there are other things that do last.  We'll consider that today, here on Bridging the Gap with pastor Lloyd Pulley. Welcome to the broadcast today as we continue pastor Lloyd's new series through First Samuel. Yesterday, pastor Lloyd reviewed chapter one, and got started in chapter two. Let's join him now as our series continues.

You know there are many wonderful people to learn about in God's word. Great men of faith and action that God used like David and the Apostle Paul. Men who gave their lives for the gospel like Steven. Today we'll again look at the life and times of a woman of God named Hannah. She had some serious trials in her life, not the least of which was her inability to have a child. But her faith in God never wavered.

Today on Bridging the Gap, pastor Lloyd Pulley begins a series in First Samuel.  The story we're about to look at not only illustrates God's sovereignty, but shows how He uses difficulties in our lives to accomplish His will. So if this is a difficult time for you, receive wonderful words of encouragement from First Samuel one.

 Today we bring you Lloyd's final message in his series through the Proverbs. We've spent time recently in the last chapter of Proverbs, where the writer discusses the great blessings to be found in the company of a Godly woman. She should possess traits like compassion, generosity and patience.

We have reached the final message in our series through the Proverbs, and over the next two programs, we will study Proverbs thirty-one. This chapter has traditionally been discussed as it pertains to the traits of a virtuous woman. But pastor Lloyd does not want us to miss the great wisdom in this chapter that pertains to all of us. Do you desire to lead a virtuous life?

Lloyd is nearing the end of his series through the Proverbs, and as we have mentioned many times, the theme of this book, written by King Solomon, is wisdom. We're not talking about a lot of head knowledge - we're talking about being wise in the things of God! Turn to Proverbs chapter thirty as we join Lloyd Pulley for today's message, titled, "The Mystery and Brilliance of God's Wisdom".

Today we'll begin a study in Proverbs chapter thirty.  Godly wisdom is such a wonderful trait to have. In these topsy-turvy days in which we live, we need wise counsel and advice to get us through! To turn to any other source would be foolhardy indeed! Proverbs thirty gives us many examples of what wisdom is and what it is not!

Now, if you've been in the armed forces, you know what boot camp is all about. It's tough but necessary training for the battle ahead. The same is true when we talk about learning the essentials for a life that glorifies God. Turn to Proverbs chapter twenty eight and join us.

We're going to continue our verse by verse journey through the Proverbs today as Lloyd leads us in a study in Proverbs chapter twenty eight. He calls this study "Essential Wisdom for Life". As I said a moment ago, we're in an ongoing battle, and we've got to be properly trained! And that training has to be based on biblical truth!

Today we'll begin a look at chapter twenty seven. Solomon has some very pertinent observations here about the dangers of procrastination, and some very good words about friendship as well.

As we move along today in our series through the Proverbs, Lloyd will be taking about four kinds of people. The foolish man, the lazy man, the meddler and the deceiver. Know anybody like that? Is it possible that you fit one of those descriptions? Turn with us to Proverbs chapter twenty six.

Today Lloyd brings us another thought provoking and challenging message from his series through the Proverbs. We're going to look at chapters twenty-four and twenty five today, chapters written by Solomon, but not discovered until after Solomon's death.

Today, Lloyd will continue our verse by verse study through the Old Testament book of Proverbs. The theme of this book is wisdom - Godly wisdom that is. Lloyd will point out to us today that it's just as easy to err by doing nothing as it is by doing something! That's a pretty accurate assessment of the world in 2026, wouldn't you agree?

When Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit, he lists self-control last. Now, I don't know if Coach Paul had the same strategy in mind, but self-control is very important. Our study today is in Proverbs chapter twenty-three.

Today we'll continue Lloyd's verse by verse study through the Proverbs. These words of wisdom, penned by King Solomon, provide us with a plethora of practical insights on how to do the most important thing we can do on this earth - please God! Turn to Proverbs chapter Twenty-two.

Pastor Lloyd is leading us through the book of Proverbs, and we've already learned a lot about the importance of understanding the role wisdom plays in guiding our actions. Of course, we also know that God's wisdom is the only wisdom we need.

Today on Bridging the Gap, Lloyd will take us back to Proverbs twenty-one, as we learn a few truths about the sovereignty of God. Unlike Benjamin Harrison, or anyone else for that matter, God does know what's ahead of us. And we have a duty to trust Him!

Lloyd is currently leading us verse by verse through the book of Proverbs. This book is all about one thing: wisdom. I think we can all agree this world could use a little Godly wisdom right now! One of the best places to start is with ourselves, or more accurately - a good time of self assessment. It's a pretty tough thing to do, isn't it?

One of the most difficult things for us to do is to honestly assess ourselves. That person you see in the mirror every morning has some serious flaws, but it's not easy to admit that fact, is it? We can talk ourselves into believing just about anything! Honest self assessment is the topic today as Lloyd leads us in a study of Proverbs chapter twenty.

Divorce rates are high, domestic violence cases are high, and our court system is clogged up with five dollar lawsuits between best friends. What are we to do about this sorry situation? The first place to go is God's word. Pastor Lloyd is currently leading us in a series through the Proverbs, and today we receive some good advice on conducting our lives and loves, from Proverbs chapter nineteen.

Remember way back when….. when those "WWJD" bracelets were all the rage? "What would Jesus Do? was the question, and it seemed that a lot of people who were wearing them weren't exactly living a Godly life. The word for that is hypocrisy. The best way to show your faith in God is to live a Godly life, bracelet or not! That's what Proverbs chapter nineteen is all about.

Today Lloyd will again take us to the book of Proverbs as we bring you more from chapter eighteen. As I mentioned a few moments ago, the topic today will again be friendship. Like any valuable possession, friendships need to be maintained and protected from harm. How can we do that in a world that seems to value relationships less and less?

 Lloyd has titled today's message "Friendship and the Tongue". One of the most rewarding and pleasant experiences we have is maintaining close friendships. Having someone you can rely on, and being someone who can be relied on is an important component in a happy life. God has some very distinct advice for us in this area.

God is refining us and purifying us. One area in which we all can use a little refining is in the use of our tongues. We've all been guilty of saying something we regretted as the words were coming out of our mouth. It's sort of like a mean email, isn't it? Once you click "send", it's too late to take it back! Turn to Proverbs seventeen.

What makes you happy? There are about 343 million people in this country and I'd wager that there are about the same number of answers to that question! The truth of the matter is that happiness is fleeting if we wrap it up in the things of this earth.  Right now, let's turn in our Bibles to Proverbs seventeen.

Today we'll return to Proverbs chapter sixteen for some more Godly wisdom about sovereignty, and God's divine guidance.