Providence Church

We are a gospel-centered church because of our conviction and experience that wherever the gospel goes, it has the power to change everything. 

Psalm 63 is David praying in the wilderness. And the amazing thing is how he prays. He doesn’t ask God to get him out of the wilderness, but he simply seeks God himself. And David ends up finding satisfaction and security right there in the wilderness. What if we made this our prayer for the new year? What if it was our prayer for all of life?

Psalm 62 calls us to trust in God alone—resting in his character and relying on him at all times. Though we often place our trust in ourselves, others, or wealth, Jesus perfectly trusted the Father and delivers us from self-reliance.

In this Advent sermon from John 18:33–38, Jesus declares the purpose of his birth: to bear witness to it. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises and the truth that stands over every moment of our lives.

What happened on that very first Christmas gave us more than a heartwarming story. What happened on that first Christmas changed the world. Because Jesus came to accomplish the very will of God for the world.

Jesus came as light because the world is in darkness. Humanity is in hiding in rebellion against God, but the light has come. Darkness is not inevitable. Cynicism is not final. Anyone who believes in Jesus is rescued from darkness.

Advent is season celebrating the coming of Jesus and longing for him to come again. And we learn a lot about why Jesus came from what he reveals about himself. In this passage, he tells us who he is, what he came to do, and how he did it.

We are all capable of drifting from God and community, so we must watch out for one another. We are all responsible to bring back the wanderer. When we do this, we join the work of the good Shepherd who leaves the 99 to go after the one. 

As James closes his letter, the number one thing on his mind is prayer. Which makes sense, because prayer might be the main application of everything he’s been writing. True faith expresses itself through prayer.

James calls us to be long-suffering—to endure injustice, pain, and grief without losing hope. That kind of patience doesn’t come from calm apps or techniques; it comes from knowing how the story ends. 

When you know the end of the story—that Jesus will return to make all things new, to bring justice and flourishing—you can live differently in the midst of sorrow. You can endure. The gospel story tells us that every injustice will be dealt with, every tear will be wiped away, and every wound will be healed. Our patience today is an act of defiance against despair. It’s not passive—it’s the daily practice of trusting that God’s mercy and compassion are still at work.