Lakeside Community Church

The king declared to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!" Join pastor Brian Pursley for the deadly conclusion of Daniel chapter 6 and the story of the lion's den. Imagine Daniel, a faithful servant of many kings and faithful servant of God, is sentenced to death simply for praying. Even so, Daniel trusted God's sovereignty such that he was able to become a great witness to king Darius. May we serve God continually, elevating His desires over our own, even risking death, just like Daniel did.

What would you do if it was illegal to pray? Join pastor Brian Pursley for the first half of a story that would see Daniel put in great danger all because of his faith. Daniel refused to conform to the cultural and legal expectation that he would pray only to king Darius because his convictions would not allow him to disobey God. When high officials in the kingdom discovered Daniel praying, they reported him to king Darius. This crime bore the penalty of death, but God was working miraculously to preserve his servant. Join us next week to hear the fascinating account of Daniel in the lions' den!

"Mene, mene, tekel, parsin," meaning, "You kingdom has come to an end, you have been measured and found wanting." Join pastor Brian Pursley for the sobering conclusion of Daniel chapter 5. Pride positions us against God every single time, and Belshazzar was no exception to the rule. King Belshazzar has chased after pleasure and power while neglecting to honor the true King. Let us learn a solemn lesson from the mistakes of the Babylonian king Belshazzar, the man who neglected to honor God, despite being given every opportunity during his reign.

There is nothing new under the sun, and chasing pleasure will lead to emptiness, just like it always has. Join pastor Brian Pursley for his sermon on the first half of Daniel chapter 5. The Babylonian king was caught up in a cycle of pleasure, just like many rich and powerful people have been, but he is given a message from God. It's the literal writing on the wall, predicting his fate. Join us next week for Daniel's interpretation of this dramatic omen!

"O King Nebuchadnezzar, change your ways, show mercy, and swallow your pride!" exclaims Daniel. Join pastor Brian Pursley for the dramatic conclusion of Daniel chapter 4. Do we, like Nebuchadnezzar, lose sight of the fact every good and perfect gift comes from God? Do we, in our pride, credit our own effort or ingenuity when things go well? It's easy to get caught up in self confidence when life is good, but we must desire God as much as we desire His blessings. Let us never take those blessings for granted.

God's power is at work from generation to generation, so don't lose heart! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he tells the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's next prophetic dream. Once again, Daniel is able to both explain the dream and it's spiritual significance. Though Nebuchadnezzar was greatly prosperous, he was also prideful. His dream was a warning. Would king Nebuchadnezzar repent and avoid judgment? Come back next week and find out from the second half of Daniel chapter 4!

"If you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. Who is the god who shall deliver you?" (Daniel 3:15) Join pastor Brian Pursley as he recalls the amazing testimony of three young men in Babylonian captivity. When we are faced with a moment like they were, torn between gaining favor with the world and doing what is right, how should we respond? These three men gave an excellent response, saying, "O king, we have no need to answer you in this matter. Our God is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king." (Daniel 3:17)

When you come upon an impossibility in life, keep this at the forefront of your mind: there is a God who can do the impossible. Join pastor Brian Pursley as he describes the One who can do that which is beyond all experts, professionals, and superheroes. No mystery is beyond God's understanding and no miracle beyond His power. What a blessing that we, His Church, can be counted among His children like Daniel was. Though he found himself in a hostile land, Daniel was never forsaken by God. And if God provided miraculously for His child in Babylon, He can provide for you today.

May the chaos around us never dictate how we live our lives. Our life choices must be informed by God's Word and motivated by our faith in Him. Join pastor Brian Pursley as he emphasizes the importance of dependence on God in trying times. Like when Daniel faced great danger at the hand of the king's captain, we might face any number of physically or spiritually dangerous circumstances in our lives. Will you follow the example of Daniel, putting your faith in God, or will you fall away?

Sometimes doing the right thing costs you. Sometimes evil wins. Sometimes the things we think turn out to be wrong. Sometimes the people we're close to betray us. Sometimes we lose everything. Sometimes we get an opportunity we never dreamed we'd get. Sometimes people change. Sometimes God doesn't seem fair. Join us for The Soul & Society as we explore the book of Daniel and focus on how to live no matter the circumstances we face and the principles we need to develop to honor God each and every day of our lives.

"Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever." (Psalm 136:26) Join pastor Brian Pursley as he reflects on the eternal goodness of God to His people. Our God, the Creator life in all its splendor, became the one perfect sacrifice so we, His children, might be saved. We should truly be in awe at the beauty of His creation and the benevolence of His mercy towards us!

Psalm 51 reveals the penitent heart of King David after one of his most terrible mistakes: his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah. Join our brother, John Cross, as he examines the five steps of turning away from sin and seeking forgiveness from the Father. David repents of his sin, recognizes his need for a Savior, requests forgiveness, is restored to relationship with God, and recommits his life to serve Him in obedience. Seeking a restored relationship with God is crucial, because He is no celestial AI. He is a close and personal Father to His children.

The fear of the Lord doesn't mean being afraid of God, it's being wholly in awe of His grandness. Join pastor Jacob Bauder as he teaches through Psalm 34, reminding us of God's consistent goodness towards His people. Because of His goodness, we can count on going to our eternal home with our eternal Father, as long as we earnestly seek God. Lay aside your burdens, and depend on the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ! What we do in life echoes in eternity. Therefore, we gladly choose Jesus today.

"From everlasting to everlasting You are God!" Moses declares the splendor of God in Psalm 90. Join pastor Brian Pursley as he describes the majesty of our Creator, who is greater than the mountains and seas He created. Indeed, God is sovereign over His creation, yet He offers personal closeness and relationship to us. He gave of Himself in order to save humanity, and He wants you to know He loves you today.

Lord, help our unbelief! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he preaches from Mark 9:2-29, including the stories of the transfiguration of Jesus and the healing of the demon-possessed boy. We should live with the understanding that our God is great in glory and power, and that faith is the only right response to who He is.

Lord, help our unbelief! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he preaches from Mark 9:2-29, including the stories of the transfiguration of Jesus and the healing of the demon-possessed boy. We should live with the understanding that our God is great in glory and power, and that faith is the only right response to who He is.

Lord, help our unbelief! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he preaches from Mark 9:2-29, including the stories of the transfiguration of Jesus and the healing of the demon-possessed boy. We should live with the understanding that our God is great in glory and power, and that faith is the only right response to who He is.

Who do you say I am? Join pastor Brian Pursley as he recounts the tale of Jesus' famous interaction with Peter from Mark chapter 8. The world may call our Savior one thing or another, but our reply to this question must match that of Apostle Peter: You are the Christ! The Anointed One, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world.

Oh Lord, give us clean hands and pure hearts! Join pastor Brian Pursley as he discusses the traditions, rituals, and true holiness found in Mark 7:1-23. God wants His children to sincerely honor Him in their hearts, and not praise Him with their lips only. We should pay heed to the lesson Jesus gives His disciples, and never place the outward appearance of holiness over the purity of our hearts and minds.

Who has the power over sickness and death? The ultimate work of Jesus was to proclaim the hope of Heaven and to offer each of us a chance at new life. Join pastor Brian Pursley as he examines Mark 5:21-43, a story of miraculous healing and resurrection.

Have you ever lacked confidence to share the Gospel? Join Pastor Brian Pursley as he examines the parable of the sower in Mark 4. This parable encourages us to let God handle the outcome when we have shared the love of Christ with someone. Mark 4:9 says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

What do you do when those closest to you fail to support you? Join Pastor Brian Pursley as he discusses Mark 3:13-35 and talks about the importance of our spiritual family, as well as what the unforgivable sin is! If you worry about whether or not you have committed the unforgivable sin, then rest assured you have not!

What do you do when you're stuck? Join Pastor Brian Pursley as he discusses Mark 2 and shares how the experiences of the paralytic and those who carried him relate to our own, why the miraculous healing of his body wasn't the most important healing he'd experience, why we should be eager to share our stories and experiences of what God has done in our lives, and how the fact that Jesus came for the sick should impact our lives and the way we view the world.

The Gospel of Mark tells us the story of Jesus' time on earth! Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley teaches through Mark 1:1-20, by walking through the early days of Jesus' ministry, from His baptism, through His temptation in the wilderness, and finally with the calling of His first disciples. As you head into the New Year, what net do you need to leave behind in order to more fully follow Christ?

In Matthew 28, Jesus commands believers to go and make disciples of all nations! Join us as Pastor Jacob teaches on the importance of both being mentored, and mentoring those who are younger in the faith. Discipleship is not optional, so who in your life can you help grow closer to Christ?

It's Christmas at Lakeside! Join us as Pastor Brian walks us through what it means to look for the Savior, and how to celebrate His birth this Christmas season!

When you think about Mary giving birth to Jesus, do you picture it as a regular birth, or a supernatural battle against Satan? Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley continues our series, "Christmas Clarity," and leads us through Revelation 12:1-17 and shares on how the miracle of Christ's birth was a direct attack on the kingdom of darkness!

When you think about the birth and humanity of Christ, do you picture a perfectly silent baby, or a Jesus who felt pain and emotions? Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley continues our series, "Christmas Clarity," and leads us through a message on what it means that Christ was both fully God and fully human, and how that knowledge should impact our daily lives!

When you hear the term "angel," what image pops into your head? Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley kicks off our new series, "Christmas Clarity," and leads us through Luke 2:2-14, by discussing the description, roles, and importance of angels, both in the story of Jesus' birth, and in the lives of Christians!

When your time comes, how do you want to be remembered? Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley leads us through Genesis 50:1-26 and discusses the final days of Joseph, looking at the importance of being able to reflect and realize that what those around us meant for harm, God used for good!

Death has a way of clarifying things. Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley discusses how living with the end in mind can be a benefit to us, the end of Jacob's life, and the implications the end has for us all in relation to our spouses, children, and grandchildren, from Genesis 48 and 49.

Life is fleeting, and the end can be scary! But the best way to prepare for our end is finding a relationship with Christ, reconciling with loved ones, and setting a plan for the future of your family and belongings! Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley begins to near the end of our series on the life of Joseph, by working through Genesis 47:1-31, and takes a look at the death of Jacob.

Whether we find ourselves in the greatest joys or the darkest hours of our lives, in every situation and circumstance we can be reminded that God has a plan and a purpose. Join us as Pastor Brian Pursley discusses Joseph being reunited with his father, Jacob, and the lessons we can take from their relationship including: the reason we can't let others determine how we see ourselves, how to face death with dignity, and the steps we should take when a relationship is strained, from Genesis 45:16-46:34.