Lakeside Christian Church Blog

Devotional on   Ephesians 2:4–7, Psalm 51 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus  (Eph. 2:4-7) .   This Sunday we will gather for the first time of this New Year, 2025 and will be returning to our sermon series  Psalms: Heart, Soul, and Mind , beginning with Psalm 51. The New Year brings an opportunity for new beginnings, new goals, and a sense of a fresh start. Psalm 51 is a great chapter to focus on in the beginning of a new year because it is a prayer of repentance, confession, and praise. David, having been convicted of his sin with Bathsheba, pours out his heart to God, asking for forgiveness and mercy. He recognizes...

  Day 12 – Going Home   Today's Key Passages: Micah 6:8 ; Hebrews 13:1-2 , 14-16 ; Isaiah 54:5-10 ; Ezekiel 47:1-12 ;  Revelation 21:1-27 , 22:1-5 ; Genesis 2:8-14   Day 12 was supposed to be our travel day home. Obviously, we won’t be going to Israel as planned. Instead of reflecting on  traveling  home, let’s consider more of an eternal perspective and reflect on  going  home.   Even though we aren’t travelers, we are sojourners (temporary residents). Hebrews 11, the ‘hall of faith’ chapter, says “These [the descendants of Abraham] all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeting them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (v. 13). Paul tells us “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)   Let’s briefly ponder three questions: What should we do with our time on earth, especially in th...

  Day 11 – Light to the Nations   This was to be our last day in Israel, and we would have started our morning by reflecting on  Psalm 133 , which opens with, “ Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! ” (Ps. 133:1). At this point in our trip, our team would be like family, having experienced so much of the biblical story in the Land together. And yet, as we reflect on this passage in the midst of what is happening in Israel today, our hearts should long for peace and unity.   David ponders on the goodness and joy of living in a united nation at peace with his fellow countrymen. Unity among brothers is a rare and precious experience. He references the oils poured over the head and beard of Aaron as he was anointed High Priest unto the Lord ( Lev. 8:1-12 ). The anointing of a High Priest was a joyous occasion that did not happen often. And the dew of Mount Hermon that provided lifegiving water for the Land.    Today, the Land is in t...

  Day 10 – Sea of Galilee & Northern Israel   Earlier this week I had a friend ask me if the war in Israel had affected my work. I had to take a pause for a moment. Which work? The answer is very different depending upon which one – my work for the church or my work for the Conservative Jewish organization? Reading through the passages and following Jesus in his ministry in Northern Israel was comforting and helped to bring perspective to my friend’s question.   The passages this week brought three themes to mind. One, they are full of action. Jesus hit the ground running in his ministry, and there are many descriptors of time to emphasize this. Second, we see very specific references to the land and locations. Finally, despite the urgency of his work, Jesus prioritized and took time for prayer and solitude.   Matthew 4:12-16   Our morning reading is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Capernaum. The first word in verse 12 is “now,” which means at the presen...