Posts by Lakeside Fellowship (Page 11)

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ~James 1:23,24 We would all agree that to hear, read, and study the Word of God is important, but all of that without obedience to what it calls us to do misses the point entirely. To…

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. ~Mark 5:1,2 I really appreciated Nathan’s message this past Sunday and especially the point he made about the sovereignty of Jesus over all creation. Nathan said “if Jesus is sovereign ruler overall He has to have power over all things, including demons.”…

I’ve needed reminders lately. Lots of them. No, not little, yellow sticky notes reminding me to get peanut butter. Although sometimes I need those, too. But lately I’ve been looking a bit too far down the road. You know, peering at the worries on the horizon. Wondering what storm clouds might be brewing. I hear the future rumbling, and I don’t like the sound of it. Doubts. Fears. A need–dare I say a demand–for some answers, ricochet around in my…

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ~James 1:22 As Pastor pointed out Sunday morning, the point of James chapter one, verses nineteen through twenty-five is to be found here in verse twenty-two. He also explained how this truth could be the central thought around which the rest of the book revolves. If you could sum up in one sentence how a Christian should live it is to be found here in this one verse.…

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ~James 1:16,17 As James writes about trials, sufferings, temptation leading to sin and death, there is a danger the reader may ascribe evil to God’s nature. James corrects this wrong thinking by earlier reminding his readers that temptation to sin comes from our own lustful…

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.  ~James 1:13 That’s a good thing to remember… when we are tempted to do evil, it is not God who is tempting us. God does not and will not tempt anyone because that would be sin. It’s a good thing to remember because when we give in to temptation and commit sin, we…

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. ~James 1:9,10 It would seem that no matter our situation, rather it be poverty or prosperity, there is a test for us. Pastor showed us how poverty tempts us to curse God and envy others, while prosperity tempts us to forget God and degrade others. In this sin cursed world there will always be the…

“Count it all joy, my brethren. . . “ James 1:2  What is joy? How is it different from happiness? Why does it, sometimes, seem so elusive? And here’s the big question: aren’t we as believers supposed to be joy-filled always? A similar question was posed by a friend of mine on Facebook the other day— “I am curious. . . how do you define true happiness?” Wow! I couldn’t let that opportunity slip by. Here was my answer– “Happiness is temporary, fleeting, and…

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ~James 1:2,3  Three weeks ago when Pastor preached part one of this sermon, he gave us three reasons for trials: 1. Trials test the quality of our faith. 2. Trials bring us to God. 3. Trials develop enduring strength. This Sunday he added to that four more; they are: 4. Trials produce Christ likeness. 5. Trials…

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. ~Ephesians 1:3,4 The doctrine, or teaching, of God’s choosing people for salvation can certainly generate some discussion. As one of the Doctrines of Grace, some people call it Unconditional Election. What does the…

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ~1 John 1:5 This past Sunday’s message focused on a fellowship with God that resides in light and not darkness. Pastor Josh Daggett brought the Word and made clear that an intimate walk with God is walking in light rather than a self deceiving walk in darkness. Light and darkness are concepts often mentioned in…

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ~James 1:2 Pastor began his message this past Sunday with a statement I believe to be true and a wake up call for us all. “Trials are common ground for all of us.” Every single human being from Adam onward without exception has faced trials, trouble, suffering, sorrow, and pain. It is, without a doubt, an experience all of humanity shares in regardless of race, gender, or…

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ~James 1:22 Through out the years a large segment of Christianity has confused the relationship between the Apostle Paul’s teaching and that of James. This past Sunday, Pastor made it abundantly clear how Paul and James’ teachings are not at odds with one another and in fact are complimentary. This is how Pastor explained it: Paul taught how salvation is received and James taught how salvation is verified.…