The Thursday Update

AUGUST 8, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

As we learn more about faith in our series in Hebrews 11, we’re learning how to express it in practical ways.  One the most important is to express our faith through our love.  In Galatians 5:6b the apostle Paul wrote, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.”  A strong faith will find ways to demonstrate bold love.

That’s what LOVE WEEK is all about.  In just a little over a week, we’ll begin showing our community the love of Jesus through our faith put into action.  After all, faith without works is dead.

I think it’s really important to understand what we are and are not doing this for.  We are not just doing this to do nice things for nice people so that they will think that we are…. well, nice.  We are doing all of this so that people will think that Jesus Christ is amazing.  So that they see how he would inspire total strangers to do things for others with no expectations for something in return.  So that they see what God’s love looks like.  And ultimately, so that they might consider the gospel and find their own faith in Jesus (or if they are already Christians, be strengthened in their faith in Him).

Every day that passes in my life creates an increased sense of urgency that the gospel must be the ultimate focus of all I do.  I ask myself more often these days how I can try to share my life with others so that a door for the gospel might be opened, like Paul explained in Colossians 4:2-6.

It’s not too late to join a LOVE WEEK project.  Most importantly, it’s never too late to show your faith in the way you love people, and to do so with a heart for people to hear the gospel from us and become Christians.

Our world desperately needs it.

Warmly,
Vince

AUGUST 1, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

I’m sure you’ve heard about the opening ceremony of the Olympics and what was a blatant mockery of Christianity in general and Jesus’ last supper in particular.  I really appreciated what Pastor Frank had to say about it during his message last Sunday.  It’s sad that this always happens to Christianity and Christians, but never to other religious leaders or their belief systems.  Ever notice that?  Can you imagine if they had done this to Islam, Hinduism, or some other world religion? 

Neither can I. 

The reason for the open mockery of Christianity and not other religions by the world should be obvious— Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) and many people simply reject it (and reject Him) for it.  So they do all they can to attack our faith to fight against it.  It’s a sad reaction to a Savior who bled and died for their sins out of love.

So what’s the answer?  We have to live “by faith!”  We have to live for God knowing that there really is a great reward ahead for all those who trust Him and live for Him “by faith.”

That’s why I believe that this summer series is so important for all of us to go through and learn from.  We need to live “by faith” and Hebrews 11 is God’s hall of fame list of heroes who have done just that.  I believe that God led us to teach this at a time like this for a reason.  We need models to help us live for Him “by faith,” even when we are opposed by people who don’t like our God and, as a result, don’t like us.  Who knows, it may be that it could lead to some of these people embracing Jesus “by faith?"

I hope you’ll be here Sunday as I return to continue this series.  I heard about someone who told me that he struggles with his faith and wanted to be here each week to learn more about faith and becoming a Christian.  He’s been here every week.  I hope you will share that same hunger to grow “by faith” as well.

Warmly,
Vince

JULY 18, 2024

Hey Lakeshore—

Now that we have a better understanding of what it's like to live in “tornado alley,” we can go back again to summering hard.  I don’t know about you, but the winds near our home on Monday and Tuesday were ferocious.  I was amazed as I watched wind drive the rain in sheets across the front lawn.  At one point I remember looking for the funnel cloud because there was a rotation to the wind that I had never seen before.  It was lashing the trees and knocking down branches.  It was mesmerizing to watch.

Obviously, I was not paying any attention to the warnings going off on my phone, or on the news.  I kept watching to make sure everything was OK.  Although if all of a sudden something wasn’t OK, I’m not sure what I would have done.  Going to the basement didn’t occur to me.  I’ve never had to do that.  I’ve never seen a storm like this before.

The Bible gives us warnings about things to come, things we haven’t seen before.  What do we do with those warnings?  Do we ignore them like the high wind warnings we had this past week?  Do we just hope for the best?  Maybe we can put confidence in our own abilities to deal with the situation?  All have been tried before. 

But what do we do when God warns us?  This Sunday, we'll look at how one of the heroes in “Faith’s Hall of Fame” (Hebrews 11) responded to the warning of God and changed human history.

See you Sunday!

Love and blessings,
Pastor Brian