The Thursday Update

DECEMBER 21, 2023

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

Christmas is almost here and I hope you’re excited about what it really represents: the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  I recognize this is a busy week for many of us so I’ll be brief. 

I hope you’ll do three things as Christmas draws near:

1. Prepare yourselves!  Read Luke chapters 1-2 and Matthew chapters 1-2, and take in the miraculous wonder of Jesus coming to earth as a child.  Ground yourself in the reason for the season above all else.

2. Be at church!  Attend a Christmas Eve service at 9:00 or 11:00 am, ready to have your heart moved if you come open for God to do it.  Be sure to arrive early, as it will be busy and pretty crowded.

3. Invite people to join you!  Have a conversation, make a call, send a text message, hand out an invite card, or email as many people as you can.  God will use the services, I am convinced of it, but people have to be here for that to happen.  I have many invites out and I’ve been praying that many will come.

Warmly,
Vince

DECEMBER 14, 2023

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

Encouragement.  It’s the action of giving someone support, confidence, and hope. 

We all need it, yet most people struggle to find it.  I think that the number one reason why people are discouraged is because they look for encouragement in all the wrong places, from the wrong people, and for the wrong purposes.  So where do we find encouragement?  Here are two of the best places to find it reliably.

First and foremost, we find it from God Himself.  God is a God of encouragement.  He offers all who trust Him eternal encouragement (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).  How could we ever find that from anyone or anything else?  Second, we find it from others who are walking in the same direction as we are.  It’s why 1 Thessalonians 4:18 says we should encourage each other with the words of God, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says the people of God who come together should encourage each other and build each other up.  See also Hebrews 10:22-25.

So if you need encouragement, you’ll find it from God’s Word and God’s people.  I think that’s why He created the church.  We’ll look at the subject of encouragement as we continue looking at the events surrounding the birth of Jesus in Luke 1.  All the more reason to be at church.

Warmly,
Vince

DECEMBER 8, 2023

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

Every Christmas, we all look forward to opening all kinds of gifts from all kinds of people.  We look under the tree to find wrapped gifts just waiting to be opened.  Deep down inside, we hope for things that we really want.  Sometimes we find them and other times we don’t.  Regardless, rarely do any of these gifts make a truly lasting change in our lives that will make Christmas all that we hope it will be. 

Maybe that’s because these gifts never can. 

But there are gifts that come our way that can’t be bought in stores, wrapped in boxes, or even placed under the tree.  They can only be experienced in life when God gives them (and people just can’t).  These gifts are truly lasting and life-changing because those are the only kinds of gifts that God sends out to His people.  And, of course, the greatest gift of God is the arrival of Jesus Christ from heaven to earth on Christmas. 

On Sunday, we’re beginning a new series, What’s Under Your Christmas Tree?  We’ll explore three amazing gifts that God sent out surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, and how these same gifts (in different forms) can be ours as well.  No matter what you find under your Christmas tree this year, God has gifts that are so much greater waiting for you if you will accept them.

Make this Christmas series a priority every Sunday.  It is the gift that God is looking for from those who love Him. Invite someone you know to join you, too.

Warmly,
Vince