Lakeside Christian Church Blog

  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 summ...

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...

June 19 – A Compassionate Father and a Faithful Son   Psalm 103:1, 13–14 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.  Scripture Reading –  Hebrews 12 Psalm 103 reminds us that God is not distant or harsh toward His children. Like a loving father, He has compassion on those who fear Him because He knows exactly how we are made. He remembers that we are dust: frail, weak, and dependent upon Him. Hebrews 12 builds on this truth by describing God as a Father who lovingly disciplines His children. His discipline is not punishment meant to drive us away but training designed to draw us closer and shape us into His holiness. Because God understands our weakness, He does not abandon us when we struggle. Instead, He sent His Son to be the faithful representative to all who believe. Through the finish...

  June 12 – Confidence in The Steadfast Love of the Lord   Psalm 13:5–6 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me. Scripture Reading –  Acts 6:1-15; 7:1-60 Psalm 13 ends with a declaration of trust: “But I have trusted in your steadfast love.” David's circumstances had not yet changed, yet his confidence rested in God's character rather than his situation. Stephen demonstrates this same faith in Acts 6–7. Though falsely accused, opposed, and ultimately martyred, Stephen remained steadfast because he knew God was faithful. As he recounted Israel's history, he reminded his listeners that God had always been present with His people, even in seasons of suffering and rejection. Facing death, Stephen fixed his eyes on Jesus standing at the Father's right hand and entrusted his spirit to Him. Both David and Stephen teach us that faith is not the absence of hardship but ...

  June 5 – Remember the Living God Psalm 42 [42:1-2, 11] –  As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. … Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Scripture Reading – John 11:1-44 Hope can be defined as “a desire for a positive outcome, combined with the expectation, or belief, that it is attainable.” The psalmist expresses that his soul is downcast (sad, dejected, or without hope). Yet he says  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God  (vv. 5, 11). How does he shift from despair to praise and hope? He  remembers  (vv. 4, 6). He remembers that he is part of a community of faithful followers (v. 4]. He remembers that his God is one who  by day commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with him  (v. 8). This must have helped him to recall God’s faithfulness to Israel when he led them through the wilderness out of Eg...

May 29, 2026 – Abide   Psalm 92:1–2 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night… Scripture Reading –  Luke 10:38-42, John 11:17-37 Psalm 92 reminds us that it is good to praise the LORD and proclaim His steadfast love in the morning and His faithfulness at night. Worship is not meant to be occasional; it is meant to shape the rhythm of our lives. In Luke 10, Martha was distracted by many responsibilities while Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen. Jesus did not condemn service, but He showed that abiding with Him must come first. In John 11, we again see Martha and Mary grieving the death of Lazarus, yet Jesus meets them with compassion, truth, and tears. These passages remind us that Jesus desires both our worship and our trust. Whether in busy moments or painful ones, we are invited to slow down, draw near to Christ, and rest in His faithful presence. ...

May 22, 2026 - Broken Stories Redeemed Acts 1:8 –  “ 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.” Scripture Reading – Hebrews 12:1-3 This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday when Christians traditionally celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit. The correlation in OT times is the celebration of the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-22). This Feast was associated with Israel receiving the Law at Mt. Sinai. A tradition for modern Jews is to read the book of Ruth during the holiday since, for them, she is considered to be the first convert to Judaism, thus embracing the Law of Moses for herself. However, most Christians think that Rahab was the first convert. Why the discrepancy? The Bible leaves no room for doubt about Ruth’s conversion.    After Naomi’s husband and two sons (who were married to Ruth and Orpah) died, she urged them to re...