The Thursday Update

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

I just wanted to send out a note to say thank you for your part in Lakeshore.  Like Paul began some of his letters in the New Testament, I echo his sentiment of “thanking God for you." 

It is an absolute joy to be the pastor of so many amazing people who really want to know Jesus, hunger to grow in Him, and then show Him to others.  I’m extremely thankful to God for you.  Better, I give thanks to God for all of you.

May you have a fantastic Thanksgiving Day, one where you give thanks to God for all the amazing things he has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Warmly,
Vince

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

People all over the world are sick, hurting, and hungry.  Often, it is outside of their control to change their plight and they need someone to help them and care for them if they are to make it. 

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ was someone who cared for the sick, the hurting, and the hungry with perfect compassion and authentic concern.  Today, people are looking for this kind of care at really high levels.  Along with that, they're looking for hope, a hope that won’t fade over time.  Wouldn’t it be great if they could find it from Jesus?

They can.

God has called the church to be His tangible hands and feet to care for others the way His Son Jesus did.  If we do, we can help people see God’s love in Jesus and trust Him through the means of our care for their physical, temporal needs.  Over the next three Sundays, we'll look at three accounts of Jesus showing His care for others and learn how we can do the same when others need it.  Most importantly, we can help them find faith and eternal life through it all.

If you want to learn how to care for people even more like Jesus does, these weeks will help.  And if you know people who want to care for people even more than they do, invite them to join you.

Warmly,
Vince

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

The election is behind us.  With all the tension and crazy things being said this election season by so many people on all sides, I for one am glad it’s over.  I bet you are too.

We will have a new president, a new balance of power in the senate, and some changes in the house of representatives.  About 52 percent of the country is happy about the outcome and about 48% is not.  It’s virtually the same every four years, though the people in each group can change with each cycle.  There will be changes in our nation in the years ahead, and we hope it will be the kind of good change that helps our nation operate with moral clarity, innocent life protections, religious freedom maintained, and leaders who depend deeply on God.  We don’t know if that will be the case, only time will tell.

I was reminded in my quiet time this morning in 1 Timothy 2:1-7 that we are called to pray for those in authority over us.  It doesn’t matter what you think of those who won and will be over us, we must pray for them anyway.  After all, Paul said this while the government of his day, the Roman Empire, was persecuting Christians and blaming believers for things that they actually didn’t do, all to punish them and distract the people from their problems (they even started destructive fires on purpose so that they could blame Christians and justify persecuting them).  So I’m pretty sure that means we must pray for our leaders whether they have a “D”, “R” or any other letter after their name that we like or don’t like.   

But one thing never changes from election to election, from administration to administration, from righteous to unrighteous government: God is still on the throne!

No matter the election results, or the perceived political implications of those who won (be they good or bad), God is in charge!  All political leaders are His servants (Romans 13:1-7) and they do what He leads them to do (if it’s good) or allows them to do (if it’s bad).  God is always in control of what happens in our country and in the world.  Proverbs 21:1 says that the heart of the king is in the Lord’s hands and He guides it how He pleases.  John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, famously said, “The duty is ours, the results are God’s.”  That is so true and so comforting to me.  I hope it comforts you.  We can’t ever lose sight of this amazing truth.

And remember that if you’re a Christian, Jesus informed us that God’s kingdom is not from this world.  That always holds true.  It’s only when He returns to earth one day very soon that every wrong will be made right and we will live in a righteous world.  That’s our ultimate hope… at least it should be.  The kingdom of God will not arrive on Air Force One.

I hope to see you on Thursday for Midweek Bible Study and for Sunday services.  Both topics are going to be great ones to help you grow and be reminded that God is still on the throne!

Warmly,
Vince