Lakeside Christian Church Blog

  July 31 – The Joy Set Before Us Hebrews 12:1b-2 –  Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Scripture Reading – Philippians 2:1-11 Joy is an interesting word. It can be used as a noun, a verb, or to describe an emotion. As an emotion it’s sometimes used interchangeably with “happiness.” But generally, happiness is a temporary feeling driven by external events and circumstances. Whereas joy is enduring, coming from a deep-rooted inner state that is not dependent on circumstances. This seems to be the case for the apostle Paul. Despite being imprisoned he uses the words  joy  or  rejoice  at least 14 times in his letter to the Philippians. Paul tells the church to  complete his joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full acc...

  July 23 – Your Life in Six Words Galatians 2:20 –  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Scripture Reading – Philippians 1:15-30 Dr. Edward Welch is a counselor and faculty member of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF). He teaches a class in their School of Biblical Counseling called “Helping Relationships.” One of his assignments is for students to write two one-page personal memoirs with the title describing their life in six words. The objective is to be honest about a personal struggle, but also to recognize God’s sanctifying, transformative work through the struggle.  Dr. Welch referred to this assignment in his keynote lecture last year at the CCEF conference where he explored Paul’s narrative of his life and ministry. He suggested that Paul’s six-word summary tit...

July 17 – Begins With Worship   Psalm 100:4–5 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!  Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.    Scripture Reading – Philippians 1:1-14 As we begin our sermon series,  All Things Through Christ , Psalm 100 reminds us where the Christian life begins: with worship. We enter God's presence not because we have earned it, but because  the Lord is good , His steadfast love never fails, and His faithfulness endures through every generation. Gratitude is rooted not in changing circumstances but in the unchanging character of God. Paul demonstrates this truth in Philippians 1. Writing from prison, he overflows with joy and thanksgiving because his confidence is anchored in Christ, not in comfort. He thanks God for the partnership of fellow believers and trusts that the God who began a good work in them will bring...

  July 10 – Exalting Christ with Our Lives   Colossians 1:15–17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Scripture Reading – Acts 9, 13, & 16 Paul declares that Jesus is "the image of the invisible God," the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Everything exists through Him and for Him, and in Him all things hold together. These majestic truths remind us that Christ is not merely part of God's plan—He is its center. Yet the same exalted Christ chooses to work through ordinary disciples. Barnabas is a wonderful example. In Acts 9, he welcomed Saul when others feared him. In Acts 13, he faithfully served alongside Paul as the church sent them out to proclaim the gospel. In Acts 16, his earlier ...

July 3 – Rooted In God’s Word   Psalm 1:1–2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Scripture Reading – Acts 9 & 26 The blessed life is not simply about avoiding sinful influences but about filling our hearts with God's truth. In  Acts 9 , Saul's encounter with the risen Jesus completely transformed the direction of his life. The man who once opposed Christ became His devoted servant because he encountered the truth and submitted to it. In  Acts 26 , Paul recounts that life-changing moment before King Agrippa, explaining that he was called "to open their eyes" so people might turn from darkness to light. A life rooted in God's Word leads us to recognize Jesus, trust His grace, and faithfully obey His calling. Like the tree planted by streams of water in Psalm 1, believers who continuall...

  June 26 – Redemption for All Nations 1 Peter 2:16-17 –  Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.  Scripture Reading – Acts 8:1-40 Are there places, situations or people groups you try to avoid? Our readings this week offer both encouragement and examples of people willing to get uncomfortable, to enter into the places and lives of those who were considered undesirable, unclean and unworthy.    In Acts 8 we see Philip going to the city of Samaria and proclaiming to them Christ, which is directly obedient to Jesus’s words before his ascension –  “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)   Who were the Samaritans? Why were they specifically mentioned in Jesus’s command? Samaria was pa...