Lakeside Christian Church Blog

  February 6, 2026 – Our Greatest Treasure   Philippians 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…   Scripture Reading – Proverbs 3   In Philippians 3:8, Paul makes a startling claim: everything he once considered valuable now feels like loss compared to knowing Christ. His words echo the wisdom of Proverbs 3, where we are urged not to lean on our own understanding and not to prize riches or self-made security above the Lord. Proverbs repeatedly reminds us that wisdom is more valuable than silver or gold because it leads not just to success, but to life. Possessions promise control, comfort, and status, yet they cannot guide our steps or heal our hearts. True wisdom begins when we recognize that what we gain in Christ far outweighs what we could ever accumulate on our own. Knowing God reshapes h...

Empowered Wisdom   Ephesians 3:20–21 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.    Scripture Reading – Proverbs 2 & 5   Ephesians 3:20–21 lifts our eyes to a God whose power far exceeds our expectations: He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, all for His glory. Proverbs 2 and 5 show us where that power meets daily life: in wisdom, discernment, and faithful obedience. God’s abundant work is not detached from our choices; it flows into hearts that seek understanding and walk in His ways. Proverbs 2 reminds us that wisdom is a gift God gladly gives to those who pursue Him, while Proverbs 5 warns that straying from God’s design leads to loss rather than life. Together, these passages reveal a gracious tension: God is overwhelmingly powerful, yet deeply personal; guiding...

  January 16, 2026 – Chosen, Called & Cracked 1 Peter 2:9 –  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Scripture Reading – Genesis 12:10-20   Our passages this week reflect the familiar saying, “God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called.” More often than not, we read about people in Scripture who are imperfect, weak, and mess up. They are often described as broken vessels, “cracked” jars of clay. Yet, these flawed people, people like us, are those who have become  a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.   Abraham was called by God, promised to be made a great nation and given land. In response he built altars and called upon the name of the LORD (Gen. 12:1-9). Yet, the next thing we read is an account of Abraham behavi...

God So Loves 1 John 4:7–9 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. Scripture Reading – Matthew 2:13-15   Scripture teaches that love does not begin with us, but with God.  “God is love,”  and He shows that love by acting, by sending His Son so that we might live through Him (1 John 4:7–9). This same initiating love is visible in Exodus, where God’s people grow under oppression and face the threat of extinction. Even then, God is not absent. Through faithful women, courageous obedience, and quiet acts of defiance, God preserves life and prepares deliverance. Moses’ rescue is not accidental; it is providential love at work long before liberation comes. Together, these passages remind us that God’s love is not senti...

  January 2, 2026 – Enough Grace for Today Isaiah 40:28-29 –  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint; and to him who has no might he increases strength. Scripture Reading – Matthew 2:13-15   Isaiah is emphasizing the character of God. He is eternal, our Creator. He is omnipotent (unlimited power and authority); therefore, he will never grow weary. He is omniscient (complete, unlimited knowledge and understanding). He is also loving, generous, full of grace and mercy. He gives power to the faint, and increases strength in those who are weak.   As devoted Jewish people, Mary and Joseph would have been very familiar with the Law of Moses and the words of the prophets. These two ordinary people from Nazareth became vessels by which God used to bring the promised Messiah. But it wasn’t an easy journey. They...

His Light Shines    Psalm 118:27–29 The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us…You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!   Scripture Reading – John 1:6-13 As a new year begins, Psalm 118 calls us to step forward with gratitude:  “The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine on us”  (v.27). We do not enter the year guided by our own clarity, but by God’s faithful light. John 1:6–13 reminds us that John the Baptist pointed beyond himself to that Light, Jesus Christ, who shines in the darkness and invites us to believe. Though many did not recognize Him, those who received Him were given the right to become children of God. The new year is not merely about fresh goals or better habits; it is an invitation to live as people shaped by the Light and grounded in thanksgiving. As we look ahead, we do so not with fear or self-rel...