O Come, O Come Emmanuel Dear Church Family, Hope you had a chance to listen to Pastor Nicholas’ message Sunday. We all need to ask the LORD to give us relationships for discipleship. Well, the Christmas season is upon us and it is a great opportunity to share and invite. I read this history of one of my favorite Christmas carols and thought you might be encouraged by it. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Verse 1 O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. Verse 2 O come, O Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain Verse 3 O come, O come, great Lord of might, who to your tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times did give [...]

Letting Go of the Worship of Wounds Dear Church Family, I’m so grateful for our effort with Operation Christmas Child! What a great opportunity to share the Gospel all around the world. Praying for each child as they receive the shoeboxes and more importantly the Gospel. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving week. It’s time again for my periodic warning against any strange emails you may get pretending to be me. This is a common scam where they steal a pastor’s email contact list and then send emails asking for gift cards. Hope you will ignore these. I loved this devotional by Chad Bird about forgiveness and I believe it will encourage you: When we invite people into our lives, we show them the architecture of our hearts. We take them on a tour of our family rooms of joy, offices of labor, kitchens of memories. These are sunlit and smiling places. But for many of us, there [...]

How a Church Becomes a Restaurant Dear Church Family, I’m so grateful for our worship team including our kids’ choir, adult choir, orchestra, band, tech team, Carey Dyer and Morgan Farris. It was such a great evening or worship and gratitude. In this season of thanksgiving, may we all cherish the blessings God gives us including our salvation. I read another great devotion by Pastor Rich Bitterman I hope encourages you: How a Church Becomes a Restaurant Times Square hums outside. Neon. Taxi horns. A thousand screens vying for attention. But inside this old sanctuary, pizzas steam from brick ovens where hymns once rose. Tourists laugh beneath the glass. They check their phones. They chew. They have no idea that the light above them once fell on missionaries praying over passport stamps and open maps. They do not know this building was called Gospel Tabernacle. They do not know A. B. Simpson stood behind a pulpit right here. They [...]

No Trivial People Dear Church Family, The LORD is so good to us—we are down to only owing $68,000 as we complete the preschool wing expansion. Thank you for your generosity and if you have not had a chance to give, will you please pray about helping us finish well? I pray that new families with little ones will come and trust Jesus as Savior one day. We also pray for the shoeboxes that go out with Samaritan’s Purse that children all over the world will confess Christ. I found a great devotional by Chad Bird and hope it encourages you. Thank you for being a gift of Yahweh! There is a man in the Bible most people have never heard of. His name is Mattithiah, which in Hebrew means “gift of Yahweh.” He appears in only one verse, 1 Chronicles 9:31: “Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with making the flat [...]

A Throne Hidden in Straw Dear Church Family, With the Christmas season in full swing, I thought I’d share a devotional from Rich Bitterman. Looking forward to seeing you Sunday! A Throne Hidden in Straw A rustic wooden stable beneath a starry night sky, softly illuminated by a brilliant star overhead. The wind slipped through Bethlehem’s alleys like a thief. Nothing stirred but the rattle of a shutter and the far-off creak of leather sandals. The man walking up the hill, cloak heavy with dust, jaw set against the cold, looked down and tightened his grip on the reins. Behind him, a girl moaned. She was young. Her body bent with pain she couldn’t disguise anymore. She tried not to cry out, not here, not this close to the edge of the road. But her hands kept drifting to her belly like they were praying. The baby was coming. A few yards away, a door slammed. Laughter rose from [...]

A Savior Who Walked the Muddy Road Dear Church Family, Each year I love seeing our different ministries reach out to our community. I had the privilege of sharing my testimony to the people who came to Loaves and Fishes to get food. Many of them will leave with more than just physical food. Our volunteers are amazing and show the love of Jesus. I ran across this devotional this week by Pastor Rich Bitterman and hope it will encourage you: The fall happened fast. One step off the gravel, and the edge of the path gave way beneath your foot. You weren’t sprinting. You weren’t even careless. You were just walking along, trying to get home before dark. Then it came…the jolt, the stumble, the splash. The mud wrapped around your leg like shame wearing skin. Cold. Slick. Unwelcome. You rose slowly, wiped your hands, looked around. No one saw. But the Light saw. And you saw what [...]

A Messy Kind of Obedience Dear Church Family, I’m so thankful for the services we had last Sunday and the precious baptism we had in the late service. Also, we’ve had record numbers attend our Wednesday evening activities. I also excited about our new preschool wing getting closer and closer to completion. Will you pray about giving an offering to help us finish this worthy project debt free? Praying for the LORD to continue to move at Lakeside! I saw the following devotional and thought it might encourage you all: Joseph of Arimathea took down a corpse. Hands still sticky with blood. Skin already cold. Touched death. Held it. Wrapped it. Became ceremonially unclean for Passover. For a dead man. Here's what most of us miss about the burial of Jesus: Joseph was a wealthy man. A member of the Sanhedrin. A respected Jew. And Passover was 3 hours away. The holiest day of the year. But he climbed [...]

The Wisdom of Hope Dear Church Family, We are in the homestretch of the completion of our new preschool wing. Would you consider a financial gift to complete the project? We are only $297,000 from having it completely paid for! Please pray and be obedient to what God says. You all are so generous and I never want us to take that for granted. God is so good! I found this devotional and thought it might encourage you: Abigail saved her entire household with one conversation. Her husband Nabal was about to get them all killed. David was coming with 400 armed men. Blood was about to be spilled. Then Abigail did something that changed everything. Please read about her in 1 Samuel 25. Nabal was a fool. His name literally means "fool." He was wealthy, powerful, respected in the community. He was also an ungodly man who despised those who served the Lord. When David's men asked for [...]

The King Has One More Move Dear Church Family, One of the benefits of being your pastor is that I get to observe many of the God moments in the lives of His people. I see how the LORD works in our time of need as well as our time of plenty. We rejoice over salvations, baptisms, songs sung, sermons preached, lives changed, and we weep over illness, disease, and death, but we also know that is not the final word—God works to redeem all things. In light of that, I heard a pastor share the following story that made my day: In The Louvre museum in Paris, there is a painting called Checkmate. The Devil's sitting on one side, there's a chessboard, and there's a guy sitting on the other side, and the guy sitting on the other side has his hand on his head. And he looks like he’s in desperation. And there had been a group [...]

Meet the Dawsons Hello! My name is Nicholas Dawson. Recently, my family and I moved from Wake Forest, North Carolina so that I could serve at Lakeside as the new Discipleship Pastor. Both my wife and I are graduates from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Hannah holds a master’s in Christian Studies, and I have a doctorate in Systematic Theology. We have a heart for making disciples who can equip others to grow deeper in their love and appreciation for God and His Word. My wife and I recently celebrated our ninth anniversary. We have two handsome boys and a black labrador retriever. As the new Discipleship Pastor, I desire to raise up leaders who can make disciples, equip the saints for God’s glory, and serve the many teachers and leaders helping others grow in their walk with the Lord. Prayerfully, we will see Life Groups grow, discipleship flourish, and evangelism spread in the many communities around Lakeside. Ultimately, my [...]

The Bible in Historical Context Dear Church Family, Like many of you, I am still praying for our country and world after the tragedies of last week. I was so encouraged that the Gospel was preached to the masses at Charlie Kirk’s memorial, and I am grateful for the response. LORD move in our hearts. As I have often said in sermons, “Every archeological discovery provides more proof of the Bible’s reliability.” Here’s another one to encourage us: WASHINGTON (BP) – A 3,000-year-old basalt stone bearing the earliest known extrabiblical reference to the “House of David” is on display at the Museum of the Bible through Nov. 3 at no cost to viewers, the museum has announced. Known as the Tel Dan Stele and on loan to the museum from the Israel Antiquities Authority, the stone was discovered in 1993 and is accepted as the earliest known extrabiblical proof of King David’s existence, said Bobby Duke, chief curatorial officer [...]

What You Meant for Evil, God Meant for Good Dear Church Family, Hope you have used the tragic events of last week to find your “holy discontent” as Nehemiah had. How can this spur us on to good works? I think we find part of the answer in Joseph’s story, which I think will encourage you: What you meant for evil, God meant for good… - The Story of Joseph Where is God in the midst of murders, assassinations, abuse, corruption, death, and all other evils? The story of Joseph from the Old Testament answers that exact question… Joseph was Jacob’s beloved son, marked by the “robe of many colors” (Gen 37:3). This wasn’t just a fashion statement. It signified status and inheritance…. provoking jealousy. His dreams, hinting at future rule, only fueled their hatred. In ancient cultures, dreams were often seen as divine messages, making his claims even more provocative. Consumed by envy, his brothers plotted murder. Instead, [...]

I Am Coming Back For You Dear Church Family, We are well into our Fall Semester and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the number of folks attending and serving on Wednesday evenings. Hope you are praying, growing, and inviting. I’m so thankful for our volunteers who help make our Wednesday evenings possible. We continue to pray for offerings for our Preschool Wing expansion and am so grateful for your generosity! I saw this devotional thought this week and thought it would bless you: Did you know John 14:1–3 could be written in the language of a Jewish wedding? When Jesus spoke of going to prepare a place, His disciples could have instantly recognized the imagery. In their culture, this was how a groom spoke to his bride: The Betrothal: A covenant sealed with a cup of wine. Jesus gave us the cup of the New Covenant at the Last Supper. The Groom’s Departure: He left to build [...]

Only God Gives the Growth Dear Church Family, I’m so excited about the number of people coming on Wednesday evenings and love how our meals have created an added enthusiasm. Hope you have found a place to grow and or serve. Also, please continue to pray about an offering for our new preschool addition. We are so closer to reaching our goal and I pray families will be changed by the Gospel as they come to Lakeside. Well, I found a fascinating study on Apollos I hope will encourage you: The eloquent Alexandrian who nearly split the Church at Corinth… but didn’t and became one of the great (but often forgotten) heroes of the early church. Apollos was born in Alexandria, Egypt, home to the great Library and a large Jewish community shaped by Greek thought. It was the city of Philo, and intellectual brilliance. Luke describes him as “an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). Some [...]

God’s Unfathomably Majestic Orchestrations Dear Church Family, I’m so glad to be back with my church family after spending some downtime away. I’m refreshed and ready to start a new semester and year of ministry. I’m also excited about our Preschool Ministry building expansion. Thank you for giving towards this worthy project, and I would love for those of you who have not given to pray about how you might be part of this effort. I can just imagine the faces of those precious little ones when they see it for the first time! Many years ago, I came to the understanding that our spiritual gifts are not for us, but rather to bless and encourage the Body of Christ. Well, when those who have the gift of evangelism use their gift, it really encourages me to share my faith as well. The following is a great story from my friend Ed, who is a true evangelist: Soon after [...]

New Discipleship Pastor Candidate Dear Members of Lakeside, Thank you for praying for Tan Flippin as he begins developing his new role as our full-time Pastoral Care Pastor. (And thank you for praying for Tan personally.) Also, thank you for praying for our potential Discipleship Pastor, Nicholas Dawson. Nicholas (38), as well as his wife, Hannah (33), and their two sons, Samuel (6) and Jonathan (4), will be visiting with us this Sunday, August 24. Our senior leadership and Personnel Team encourage you to take time to hear their testimonies during the close of each service and perhaps chat with them between our regular service times. For our teachers, Tan is offering you a special opportunity to interact with Nicholas during your quarterly teachers’ meeting. Nicholas and Hannah and their sons currently live in Wake Forest, North Carolina. They are both passionate about teaching God’s Word and serving the Lord authentically with their whole lives. Hannah is the daughter [...]

The Lord is On His Throne! Dear Lakeside, Many of you have been kind enough to ask how my next book, volume 2 of Theology for Every Person, is going. I have finished the writing, and the publisher is putting it together for print right now. The book is entitled “Word," and you can see a picture of its cover below. You might be interested in reading the final paragraphs of the book, since they follow up on Sunday’s sermon on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: There is much still to be said about the future work of Christ in his second coming: his eschatological warfare with the devil and his followers, his resurrection of dead believers to join those who remain upon the earth, his victory over the evil one, his millennial reign, his final judgment, the casting of the devil and his followers into the eternal lake of fire, the unveiling of the new creation where heaven and earth are joined in the [...]

Perspective on Life's Momentary Light Afflictions Dear Lakeside, A wise man recently wrote, “Suffering takes a toll on the outward man, but the inward man is being renewed and blessed every day.” Dr. Tan Flippin wrote these wise words for others, but God recently blessed him with his own words. Read the following article published last week in Baptist Press, and be encouraged. And please pray for our beloved Discipleship Pastor as he follows the Lord through a recurrence of struggle for health. In Christ, Malcolm Yarnell Your Teaching Pastor Editor’s note: Tan Flippin is discipleship pastor at Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury, Texas, and an editor for Stand Firm, a men’s devotional magazine from Lifeway Christian Resources. I recently conducted the funeral of a good friend. Only 65, he had suffered from early onset Parkinson’s for years and then developed dementia. He died much too soon. Preparing for his funeral, I found the perfect passage for [...]

An Invisible Shield for the Mind Dear Church Family, As we start to wrap up the Summer, it’s a good time to be thinking about your next step in the Fall. We will have lots of ministries to choose from, so plan early. We are starting our Wednesday night meals back to give you a chance to save time and have some good fellowship. We do need volunteers to help our kitchen services manager, DeAnna Montgomery, for it to go smoothly. To my sisters in Christ, please sign up for the workshop in August, The Bible and Your Brain. I’m so impressed with what Debbie McKinnon plans to share, and I believe it will be so helpful in your spiritual battles. Speaking of spiritual battles, I read this devotion this week and thought it might encourage you: If the devil can't reach you, he'll send three things. Number one, he'll send a monitoring spirit, someone placed in your life [...]

Tolkien, God, and the Author's Fingerprints Dear Church Family, I am so grateful for a generous church family. Thank you all for praying for and giving to the relief efforts in Kerrville, as well as to our preschool wing expansion. I know the LORD will take our giving and multiply it in His Kingdom. Thank you for the many encouraging words about this current series on the Bible I’m preaching on. I want to share my frequent reminder that if you get any communication supposedly from me asking for gift cards or money, please disregard. In the day and age of scams, this one is pretty common. May this devotional touch your hearts: When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings, he created a rich world filled with heroes and villains—but he never wrote himself into the story. You won’t find Tolkien fighting orcs or sharing a meal with hobbits. Yet, his fingerprints are on every page. He [...]