Gospel of John Devotional 1, February 19, 2012

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Jordan Stone

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31

Thankfully, the reader of John’s Gospel never needs to wonder why the “disciple whom Jesus loved” wrote his account of the life and ministry of Christ. In John 20:20-31 we are told that the purpose of the book is that readers would believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for eternal life.  Notice how the flow of John’s argument and purpose is marked off and reinforced by the word “that”:

This book is written
that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and
that by believing you may have life in his name.

In the books traditionally ascribed to the apostle John, particularly the fourth Gospel, the deity of Christ is the overriding theme. The purpose of Mark’s Gospel, if it may be so narrowed, is to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s servant. Matthew portrays him as the Jewish Messiah. Luke stresses Christ’s humanity. But in John, Jesus is revealed as the eternal, pre-existing Son of God, who became man in order to reveal the Father and bring eternal life through His death and resurrection.  Given this purpose, it will be no surprise to see John extol the glory of Christ’s deity in the first verses of chapter one.

And so it is, in this text, we are introduced to three main themes that we will encounter repeatedly throughout the course of our series: 1) The necessity of faith, 2) the deity of Christ, and 3) the offer of eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Discussion Questions
What is the purpose of the Gospel of John?
Why is it necessary for salvation to depend on faith?  Consider Ephesians 2:8-9.
What are some things that we trust in for life other than the person and work of Christ?
Why is the deity of Christ essential to Christianity?
In light of John’s evangelistic purpose, who can you aim to share the Gospel with this week?

Download a printable version of this devotional.

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Providence Order of Worship 01/29

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Jennifer Grisham

Nothing but the Blood (Lowry)
Reading: Psalm 111
Come Thou Fount (Robinson)
Prayer : Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21
10,000 Reasons (Myrin and Redman)
Announcements and Welcome
Sermon: Spiritual Warfare #3 – Ephesians 6:21-24
Corporate reading: The Lord’s Prayer
Let the Nations be Glad (M. Boswell, A. Boswell, and Papa)

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Redemption in Titus 2:11-14

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Clayton Ransom

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 (who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

C.S. Lewis in his book The Great Divorce says those who end up in hell look back on their lives and see that all was hell, and those in heaven look back on their lives and see that all was heaven. What he was saying is that for those of us in Christ at the end when we look back at our whole lives, at everything that happened, we know that it was for bringing us into the Kingdom of God, into adoption as sons, into the very presence of God. And those who at the last find themselves outside the gates, condemned by a just God, all of their lives, even the good that they did and that happened to them was actually condemnation and hell on earth. Some pretty bold, but I think accurate, words from one of the 20th century’s greatest minds.

In his letter to Titus, Paul describes how Jesus brought the grace of God to give us a hope (“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”), and also has given us a present purpose (“training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and live self controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age…”). Redemption assures us of hope in the future, final redemption of the revelation of God’s glory, and that gives us a sure foundation for hope in our present circumstances. We don’t have to wait until we die to see how the grace of God changes everything in our lives for good; it happens as we live, even the very moment we are born again, which is a picture or shadow of the final reality. God redeems us from sin and death, from lawless hearts, and He gives us grace to train us to die to this world and live as a present citizen in his Kingdom, as his people (v. 14). He cleanses and purifies us from the defilement of sin and suffering. Step by step these are the facts of redemption.

Sadly, sometimes we lose sight of this present reality of redemption. We do not see what God is up to or how far he has brought us, how far we are in the training from verse 12. When this happens we can tend toward despair or worse, apathy, and we give up the fight against ungodliness. This is where the hope of the return of Jesus sustains us because for you, Christian, that hope is sure, like an anchor for your soul (Hebrews 6:19). When we cannot see present redemption at work in our lives we should cling to the promise of our final redemption and place our faith in the inevitable reality of verse 13, Jesus will come back.

Now lest we think that this is all about us, at the end of this great paragraph Paul brings the ultimate end into clear focus for us. Verse 14 tells us why Jesus “…who gave himself for us” came; “to redeem us from all lawlessness” (that’s about us) “and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (that’s about Him). It is amazing that God redeems us when we are in rebellion against him (Rom. 5:6) and then by his grace trains us, “to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions” (because we just don’t renounce them automatically), to bring himself glory and pleasure (Ps. 147:11, Luke 12:32). What?!? Redemption is not primarily about you or your circumstances (although it does change you in spite of your circumstances). No, redemption is about a great God, who has a great purpose, and who will accomplish his purpose for the fame of his name. However, we miss that this is our eternal good. God alone can satisfy you, and so redeeming you from slavery to all that you were seeking to satisfy you, for his glory, is your greatest good. You can know that your redemption will be accomplished (Phil. 1:6) because you know he will be glorified. That is the promise; that is the anchor; that is the sure foundation of your change. To him who is able be praise and honor and majesty and glory forever and ever, amen and amen.

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Compassion Sunday

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Mike and Jessica Lepsch


At Providence Church, our Mission Statement is:

“We exist to glorify God through Lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The gospel that Jesus came to bring was one where he identified with the poor, making himself like them and showing them great mercy (II Cor 8:9, Matt 9:13). The Bible calls us to do the very same thing (II Cor 8:8-15).

While in Frisco poverty seems a world away, facts around us remain that demand an answer from the Gospel:

  • A child dies from hunger every five seconds.
  • One third of the world’s children live in extreme poverty.
  • More than 1 billion (one in five) people live on less than $1 a day.

One of the ways we as Providence invite you to participate in lives changed through the Gospel is through Compassion International.

Why Compassion

What is Compassion International, and why does Providence Church partner with them? Simply put, they are an amazing Christian organization committed to, “Releasing Children from Poverty in Jesus’ Name,” and essentially their mission is the same as ours, to glorify God through lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They partner with local churches in developing countries around the world. Through your sponsorship they are able to provide each child with the Gospel, learning development, health care, social skills development and Christian training from birth through high school!
Compassion is completely unique in that it is not the kind of program where you just send your money each month, and never know where it goes. You will have a meaningful connection with the child you support. The child you sponsor will know your name, write to you, and you will have the opportunity to bless them with self worth and confidence through your letters and prayers. In short, you have the opportunity to build a relationship with the child you sponsor, and to play a significant role in his or her life! This truly glorifies God through lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

How to Engage

If God has been working in your heart, and you would like to sponsor a child through Compassion International. Praise God! There are a couple of ways to do this.

  1. Sign up at Providence Church on COMPASSION SUNDAY. Mike and I will have a table set up after both the 9am and 11am services this Sunday, April 10th. We will have 25+ specific children who desperately need a sponsor today! You can read all about them in their information packet as well as some great information about Compassion is and what they do. We will also be on hand to answer any questions or concerns you have about sponsoring a child.
  2. Can’t wait a whole week? You can go to Compassion International’s website and sponsor a child today. www.compassion.com. Or you can just go check them out to see what they are all about. When you visit the site, I would encourage you to watch some of the video testimonies from some of the people (both sponsors and children) whose lives have been impacted by their amazing program!

Poverty facts and photo courtesy of Compassion

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The Vial

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Melissa Schmidt
Perfume Bottle Creative Commons License photo credit: Helena Liu

At the core of our female flesh is a little vial filled with a mixture of control and manipulation. Most women don’t know it’s there, but they tap into it quite often. Some believers have been slowly sanctified to walk in the Spirit and to empty this vial, yet it still fills back up every once in awhile.

THE FALL

It all began in Genesis 3:5.  Satan knew he could get Eve to sin if he struck her need to control. “You see Eve, God doesn’t want you to know good and evil.” “You mean there is something I don’t have? Well I must do whatever it is to get it, even if it means disobeying God.” Then she gets caught. What is her response? “The serpent deceived me.” (3:13). Blame. Manipulate. Then, we see the result of the fall – the curse of a need to control. “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (3:16) She would not only desire to control him, but anything else she felt was not going as she planned.

HOW DOES THIS IMPACT ME?

Why is it so important for Christian women to understand the impact of our fall? Most importantly, because we all fall short of the glory of God and we need The Savior. Then, when we understand the sin that wages war within us, we can battle it more effectively. Is trying to control a sin? YES. It’s pridefully thinking we deserve something, when scripturally we actually deserve death. It’s thinking we are God – that we have control. Is manipulation sin? YES. It’s lying covered up to be pretty. We have become sly at making it look better than it is. Have you shed a few tears, softened your voice, added a few “godly” words, reworded your sentence to get others to come over to your point of view, or even given the silent treatment? We’ve all done it!

WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS?

When you love God deeply, a desire to glorify Him naturally grows! When God reveals to you this repulsive vial in your heart, (whether it’s situational manipulation or a stronghold), beg Him to enter in and empty it out! Fill it with truth! Surrender this sinful tendency, beg for mercy, and ask Jesus to purify every inch – making us more like Him for His glory. Ask God to show you how to trust Him, not yourself. Psalm 51:6-10 -

“Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part you will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones you have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Lord Jesus – make the women of Providence women of Truth. Cleanse and purify our hearts that every motive may be pure and for your glory. When you reveal to us otherwise, may we be faithful to surrender it to your feet and to ask forgiveness from those it affects. Amen.

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Glorious Interruptions

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Krystal Dickson
Sunset - For Giggles and Jules...
Creative Commons License photo credit: Dave – aka Emptybelly


I am not my own.

The Heidelberg Catechism begins with the simple notion that my only comfort can
be found in this truth – that I am not my own.

Many times I’ve read in Scripture where Paul says that I am not my own and I have
been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). This truth has allowed me to see
all that the Lord has entrusted to me. Not only am I not my own, but neither is my time.

Lately, God has been successful in interrupting my plans. Last Thursday, I set aside
40 minutes to read at a coffee shop. But God, in His goodness, decided I needed
to spend that time talking with a complete stranger who sat down at my table
when she saw I had a Bible. Even today, God decided that my one hour in between
meetings should be spent listening to a dear friend who needed to talk. God has a
bigger picture in which I am currently only seeing the inconvenient parts.

I even caught myself feeling a little envious of my friends that get to sleep in on
Sundays and go to their evening church service. Are they aware that when they go
see a late night movie on Saturday that I will be in bed several hours before they
even buy their tickets? We often view such joys as serving on Sunday mornings as
interruptions. We desire our own comfort and our children’s comfort in only going
to one service.

But as I look at these so-called “interruptions”, I see that God has purposed them
for one thing – His glory. He would rather interrupt my Sunday morning slumber,
knowing that children will get to hear the Gospel. Ultimately, He is not as concerned
with children’s naptimes or soccer games as much as He is with their spiritual
formation. What a great opportunity to teach children how to honor others above
ourselves by serving! I’m often convicted by Romans 12 in which Paul instructs us
on how to live as followers of Christ:

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one
another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Are we intentionally loving and serving the people that God has entrusted to
our care? Parents, do you model for your children how to cling to what is good?
Leaders, are you constantly in prayer for your church body? Church, do you seek
opportunities to contribute to the needs of others, within the church walls and out? I
pray we can be a people that seeks to display the genuine love of Christ to a hurt and
dying world.

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Something Borrowed, Something Blue and the Gospel, Too

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Lauren Bostwick
they walked off into the sunset and lived happily ever after
Creative Commons License photo credit: plousia


My husband (then boyfriend) had a “two year rule”. Said rule states that you can fool someone for a year, but you’re sure to disclose the “real” you by year two. At this point you should be able to tell if your sweetie reveals any red flags and is suitable to marry. As a twenty-two year old romantic, this seemed like torture to me. We decided that we wanted to marry about 5 months after meeting, thus I had 19 months to learn about patience.

Before the ring is on your finger you put your best face forward. As women, we have that extra time to dress up. Men put forth a little more effort and clean out the car before a date. When you see each other, the responsibilities of everyday life melt away. Needless to say, our expectations for marriage tend to be a tad skewed.

This is where solid, biblical premarital counseling comes in. Are we merely planning a wedding or preparing for marriage? What does the Bible say about marriage? Talking about our roles and expectations for each other are important, but what does God expect from each of us? Yes, communication, conflict resolution, in-laws and financial preparedness are important topics to cover.

And we do. But the crux of the issue we deal with in premarital counseling is this: We are fallen people, married to fallen people. There will be joy and happiness. There will be times when we feel our spouses are easy to love. But, what happens when our loved ones disappoint us? How do we respond when our spouse forgets to put gas in the car when the tank’s been dry as a bone for three days (I’m SO guilty)? Or, when your spouse tells you they’re running late, AGAIN.

What does it look like to live out Ephesians 4:32 in everyday situations?

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.

God uses marriage to help refine us. Contrary to popular notion, marriage is not about being in love. We are confronted daily with our own sin in marriage. If we go into marriage with this in mind, it can make a huge difference in the way we respond to each other. Our marriage is a testimony to the world around
us. Make it a great one!

Premarital counseling shows couples how they can not only survive, but thrive in marriages that proclaim the gospel. We encourage, as well as, challenge all engaged couples to take part in this vital preparation. Fortify your union and then enjoy the cake. Just try to resist the temptation to smash it in your beloved’s face!

As you gave the ring to one another and have now received it a second time
from the hand of the pastor, so love comes from you, but marriage from love, from God. As high as God is above man, so high are the sanctity, the rights, and the promise of love. It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains your love.

DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, Letters and Papers from Prison, 27-28

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Scripture Memory for Preschoolers

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Krystal Dickson
Drawing
Creative Commons License photo credit: mattyeo

Every month in Providence Kids, we memorize a new verse. We believe there is great eternal value in kids memorizing Scripture, no matter what age they are. This month for the preschool ministry, the verse is Matthew 6:33:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Here are some tips to make Scripture memory easy and fun for your preschooler:

Make it fun
We try to keep our Sunday morning classes as interactive as possible so we do hand motions with our memory verses. The motions are usually very simple. For example, the hand motions to this month’s verse are holding up one finger (“seek first”), pointing to the sky (“His kingdom”), arms spread out (“all these things”) and putting hands out towards the child (“will be given”). Children love coming up with new motions to verses so if you can’t think of any motions to a particular verse, chances are – they can!

Make it musical
This probably isn’t a surprise but children love music. Your child probably knows the theme song lyrics to their favorite show. When they hear music, they often start to wiggle around and dance. It’s almost second nature for some kids. Playing Scripture memory songs in the car is a great way to redeem your time driving to and from school. Seeds Family Worship puts out some of the best memory verse songs out there. (Adults seem to enjoy it too.)

Recommended listening:

This month’s verse, check out “Seek First” on the Seeds of Purpose CD.

Make it messy
Grab some construction paper and get creative! There are many crafts your child can make for their memory verse. Door hangers, fridge magnets, picture frames and cardstock puzzles are just a few possibilities. If you have a young preschooler, try cutting out pictures from a magazine that represent the words in the verse (otherwise known as a ‘rebus’ craft). Cut out a crown for ‘kingdom’ and so forth. That way, the child can look at the pictures and say the verse without having to read.

By memorizing these verses, our hope is that children can begin to understand what it means to love and trust Jesus. This month, we pray that they learn how to seek God first, above all else.

If you have any other Scripture memory ideas, please feel free to leave them in the comments below!

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Jesus is Better Than Santa

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Amy Bowling
HBW!
Creative Commons License photo credit: Shereen M


Kevin and I had many conversations about what Christmas would look like for our kids when we were pregnant eight years ago. We knew we wanted to focus on Christ, we knew we wanted to build traditions, and we knew we wanted it to be fun for our kids.

From the start we decided that each person in our family would receive three gifts, in honor of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh that was given to Jesus. It gave us a great avenue to fully incorporate the real Christmas story into our gift-giving. For several years we have participated in Operation Christmas Child and purchased toys to fit into shoe boxes with our children for other children of similar ages who might not have Christmas presents otherwise. This year we have been challenged by the question, “What does Jesus get for His birthday?” And so we have decided that starting this year, our kids will each choose a gift to give Jesus at Christmas.

Here are the steps we took to make this happen for our family:
• Research which charity you would like to support from a reputable independent charity evaluator like charitynavigator.org. We also look for organizations that actively tell people about Jesus and try to steer away from those who claim Christian roots but don’t tell those they serve about Him.
• Request a Christmas catalog from the charity of your choice.
• Reduce your gift-giving by 10-50% to allow for money to be used for this purpose.
• Limit your kids’ choices to fit your budget.
• Tell your kids what you are doing and why.
• Let them pick what they want to give to Jesus.

The beautiful thing about this is that it can really fit any budget. (We also love that most of these options have long-term benefits.) Here are some of the options we found:
• Warm blanket $6
• Life-saving mosquito nets $10
• One dozen chicks $14
• 30 fruit-bearing seedlings $45
• Fishing boat $50
• Goats or other dairy animals $70
• Clean water for a thirsty community $10,000 (See why you need to limit their choices?)

Christmas is a great time to demonstrate the love God has shown for us by loving those who are in need. We are called to live our lives with Jesus as our example. Jesus spent His life reaching out to the poor. He gave His perfect life to extend to us the perfect gift of salvation. The perfect Giver became the perfect Gift. Giving in the name of Jesus is a tradition we hold dear and there are many interesting and tangible ways a child can experience the love of Christ.

(I only entitled this article “Jesus is Better than Santa” to get your attention. If you were interested in this article to read about an opinion on Santa, read Mark Driscoll’s great article here: http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/mark_driscoll/2010/12/what_we_tell_our_kids_about_santa.html)

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Surviving Two Services with Grace (and Caffeine!)

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Carrie Wiley
Sun bathing
Creative Commons License photo credit: CharlotteSpeaks♥{Charlotte.Morrall}

Kyle and I decided long before we decided to have kids that we want to do more than just attend church. We want to be a part of a growing body and be able to love people by serving. When we came to Providence it was no different. We want to model for our children the importance of loving by serving. One of the greatest needs in any church bodies is Children’s Ministry volunteers. We consider it a joy to serve and love on kids as much as possible, EVEN THOUGH that comes with a little sacrifice. We know that it is so important to model Godly behavior, love, and service to the church body to our children so that they will grow up with service as part of their daily behavior and vocabulary. At the same time, we also know we need to be personally fed with the word and worship. I am so glad Providence provides the opportunity for both.

BUT, it is still isn’t always walk in the park for the child. I mean, try explaining in a loving voice the importance of service while said child is screaming and clinging to your leg in front of an audience of twenty other people, right? But since in this case the long-term benefits out-weigh the short term, we work to make it happen every week.

We still have not perfected the “Sunday Morning Survival Kit” by any means, but we are learning some things that help the morning go more smoothly.

  • Think ahead. Get good sleep on Saturday night and prep your kids at bedtime by praying for servant hearts that would glorify Christ. It helps Sunday mornings go more smoothly if the diaper bag is packed, clothes are laid out, and alarms are set.
  • Come prepared. Make sure you bring any security item your child needs for comfort (lovey, passy, sippy cup, etc…) If your child normally would eat lunch during the time of the second service, bring a snack to feed them between services.
  • Ask for advice. Talk to other parents or children’s leaders and teachers, and brainstorm with your spouse.
  • Pray. Pray. Pray. Before-during- after. Ask the Lord for a good morning, for patience, and that he would honor your service and sacrifice that HE might be glorified.

If you are not serving in Children’s Ministry because of the difficulty of having your child in both services, I would encourage you just to TRY and keep trying. The need is GREAT and you CAN help. We have an incredible ministry that does miles more than just baby-sit and there is a place for you to be able to serve with your giftings and abilities and be able to model Godly service for your children.

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