It’s rare that you come across someone in scripture that seems to really have it all together. The Bible is full of flawed heroes. However, the book of Ruth gives us a picture of two people, one woman and one man, that really seem to get it all right. They provide us a road map…
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Friends gathered. A meal on the table. Laughter shared. Stories told. This is the setting for the best parts of our lives for thousands of years. Why is it that a meal can bring friends and even enemies together? What is it about a shared meal that can bind our hearts together? As Christians, we…
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What happens when God’s people come together? What does it look like to worship, learn, pray, and repent together? There are many factors in determining what a gathering of the church looks like. Nehemiah gives us a look at one of significant moment in the life of Israel as they complete the wall and then…
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God works in mysterious ways. We know this to be true. While they may be mysterious, they’re also remarkably consistent. The pattern that emerges from scripture is that God is always working against expectations and the seemingly self-evident. The book of Esther is a testimony to a God that chooses to work in ways we…
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As 2020 comes to a close, we eagerly await the start of a new year, perhaps unlike ever before. This week affords us the rare opportunity to consider what we have learned and what God has done in an old year while preparing our hearts for what God has called us to in a new…
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From Isaiah to Luke, the call to “Come, Behold” echoes throughout the pages of scripture. Each time that we’re told to behold, we are receiving a profound invitation for a front-row seat to watch God do something miraculous. However, an invitation in only useful if we respond to it. It won’t do us any good…
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Providence Family, Last week I was working to create some things for social media for Easter. It prompted me to create an “event” for the morning so that people could remember it and share it with others. I appreciated the suggestion, but it caused me to pause and reconsider. I’m afraid that Easter has become…
What do you put your faith in? (More on faith next week) Is your faith in your church attendance or the amount of money you give? Do you trust in pastors and speakers who say things that make you feel better about yourself? Is your hope in traditions and expectations passed down through the years,…
“By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8 Only grace. And thank goodness. Our reformer of the week for Sola Gratia (by Grace alone) is none other than John Calvin. Before you stop reading because the name “Calvin” is…
This past Sunday at Providence we talked about Sola Scriptura, the Latin phrase that means, “by scripture alone.” We learn about it first because it is the bedrock on which the Protestant Reformation stands, and has huge personal implications for our lives as we try to be disciples of Jesus. If the Bible is the…
But What Does It Mean? (written by Beth Ann Smith) Sometimes, I get so used to a word that I forget the meaning of it, and just recently, I realized that has happened to me with the word providence. My husband and I have been a part of Providence Church since her birth 6 years…
Trusting God When the Days are Hard and the Road is Long (written by Emily Walls) As I sat outside in the sunshine today, I noticed a little sparkling, glimmering butterfly that Isaiah, my now seven-year-old, had used to artfully decorate our yard last week. He went crazy putting out butterflies and paper windmills in…
(Blog Note: Welcome to the Providence Church blog. This blog, primarily for Elders and staff, is designed to challenge, teach, and encourage the people of Providence. We encourage you to read, consider, and then share these posts with others. It is our sincere hope that this blog will spur you on to grow in your…