Summit Life with J.D. Greear

In this message from 1 Samuel, Pastor J.D. walks through the tragic last chapter of Israel’s first king. King Saul held such promise in the beginning. But the longer he reigned, the more it became clear that he wanted God’s blessing much more than he wanted God. And Saul isn’t alone: In the church today, many people seem destined to miss heaven by 18 inches—the distance between your head and your heart.

This conversation features Abigail, whose story highlights the power of wisdom and discretion in challenging times. She illustrates how to trust God when life diverges from our plans. Key topics include resilience in difficult marriages, emphasizing grace over retaliation, and navigating family dynamics with a strong sense of faith. The discussion also contrasts human leadership flaws with the hope of a perfect king, underscoring the transformative power of gospel partnerships in personal and community growth.

Abigail, a little-known yet profoundly wise figure from the Bible, joins the discussion to reveal her impactful role in King David's life. They delve into how Abigail's quick thinking and courage saved her household from disaster and reminded David of his true purpose. The conversation highlights the importance of seeking wise counsel, challenging gender stereotypes, and the empowerment of women as leaders. Themes of integrity, moral failures, and the significance of one's choices in shaping their life narrative are also explored.

David did not spend time in the wilderness, running from Saul, so we could believe that if we trust God more, he will accept and provide for us. That’s the wrong order—and the order is critical. Pastor J.D. explains in this message how David’s confidence and steadfast faith in God’s purpose developed because he believed God had already accepted him and how you can have the same faith.

What do you do when the path you’re on takes an expected turn for the worst? In this message from 1 Samuel 24, Pastor J.D. follows King David into an unexpected place—the wilderness. At this point in his life, David had been chosen to be king. And yet circumstances sent him running for his life. David’s temptation in this season echoes our own: When our plans seem to be going south, we can take matters into our own hands. Or we can follow David, doing the hardest thing in the Bible—trust God and actively wait on his timing.

We all need the kind of friendships in our lives that will shield us, strengthen us, and shape us into the person God created us to be. In this message, Pastor J.D. shows how Jonathan’s friendship with David modeled this kind of friendship and how friendship with Jesus enables us to be to others this kind of friend—healthy, complete, trusting, and forgiving.

In this message from 1 Samuel, Pastor J.D. looks at one of the greatest friendship stories of all time—between the presumptive heir, Prince Jonathan, and the anointed king, David. This unlikely friendship challenges us to choose our own response to the one true King, Jesus. Will we, like Saul, resist him? Or will we, like Jonathan, yield the throne of our life to him?

For anyone who struggles to find courage in adversity, the story of David and Goliath does not give us hope because God promises to help us defeat all of our “giants” if we trust him enough. Pastor J.D. teaches in this message how the story of David shows us that, because of Jesus’ victory over death, we can have audacious courage in the face of obstacles.

In this message from 1 Samuel, Pastor J.D. walks through the most famous story in the Old Testament—David and Goliath. Everyone knows this story, but few truly understand what it’s about. Goliath’s downfall isn’t an encouragement to underdogs or a guarantee that you’ll overcome every “giant” in your life. Goliath’s story shows us what true courage is, where courage comes from, and what God is up to when the Accuser’s voice is all we hear.

Do you ever feel like you’re just biding your time doing mundane tasks that aren’t really leading anywhere? In this message, Pastor J.D. continues to look at David’s ordinary years in the pasture before he became king and explains how the blank spaces—the sections in the Bible where all the activity seems to stop—are where our hearts are shaped by God to be faithful in the big and small things.