Search Results for: disciple the heart

Posted: 08 Aug, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson

Our relationship with God is more than a list of dos and don’ts. God wants a deep, authentic, and committed relationship! He doesn’t want anything to get in the way of that. We’ll take a look at how that relates to this passage of Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 It is God’s will that you should […]

Posted: 04 Feb, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson

There is a lot of information in this message.  First, Dove introduces a new series and explains why our hearts are so important in our lives and what God’s plan is for them.  He then explains the goals that we will be focusing on for the next 4 months, including instructions for a journaling exercise […]

Posted: 28 Jan, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson

Jesus’ heart is that all the world would hear His message of hope and grace. Our call is to spread this message. We don’t need to feel guilty about how we’ve failed at this in the past, but it would be good to think about how we can take steps down this path so that […]

Posted: 10 Dec, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

Jesus gave instructions to be generous, promised blessings for our giving, and implied that giving impacts our hearts! Luke 6:38 [Jesus said, ] “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will […]

Posted: 26 Nov, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

What does it look like to follow Jesus? In this message, Steve uses the story of Ruth to illustrate the devotion of a follower of Jesus. Ruth's heart was to follow Naomi into a completely new life. When we become Christians, we do the same. Baptism is simply our first step at following Jesus lead […]

Posted: 12 Nov, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

To embrace God’s call to love others, we must commit ourselves to loving those who are difficult, inconvenient, and uncomfortable for us. God is not simply calling us to love those who give us the warm fuzzies, but to love the unfuzzy. Mark 12:29-31 “The most important [command],” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, […]

Posted: 05 Nov, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

Jesus said his followers should teach other followers of Jesus to obey everything he commanded.  So what did Jesus command?  What are we supposed to obey and teach others to obey?  This talk looks at what Jesus said was the first and greatest commandment: to love God.  How can we love the infinite God of […]

Posted: 24 Sep, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

As followers of Christ, we have been given a mission to bring the good news of Jesus to all of El Paso and beyond.  This message addresses why anyone would want to be a part of that mission and how they could be. Download Handout

Posted: 09 Apr, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

Have you ever thought about the Day of Judgement—when Jesus addresses the masses of people who have lived since the beginning of the world? Will He be angry and condemning? Loving and compassionate? In this imagined account of Judgment Day, Jesus pours out his heart to those he loves—a jilted lover to those who rejected […]

Posted: 26 Mar, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

Dove shares his conviction that the greatest aspiration in all of life is to know God.  God has sent his Son into the world to pay a price for us so that we can be with God.  Anyone who desires to come to God is welcomed into His family, through Christ.  In this relationship with […]

Posted: 19 Feb, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

Dove shares about the opportunity to develop an ongoing, growing relationship with the living God.  He unpacks Jesus’ call in the beginning of Matthew chapter 6, to pray, give, and fast in secret—not for the approval of others but for God only.  When done with a desire to discover the heart of God, not just […]

Posted: 15 Jan, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

If God were to give you a special supernatural gift, what would you want? Would you like to speak in tongues? Know the deep mysteries of God? Heal the sick? Any of these gifts would be amazing, but there is something even more incredible. It’s love. 1 Corinthians 12-14 is the most extensive passage on […]

Posted: 14 Aug, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson

When the people asked God, “Do you want us to keep fasting as we’ve done for 70 years,” God responded with, “You were doing that for ME?” It’s as if he was completely unaware of or indifferent toward all their spiritual activity. It makes you wonder about the spiritual things we do. Are they really […]

Posted: 07 Aug, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson

The thing that matters more than anything else in the world is faith. The biblical David is a great example of someone who trusted God and God’s timing when his circumstances seemed to point to an easier course of action. In the long run, David’s faith was rewarded. We can follow God with that same […]

Posted: 17 Apr, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson

This is the first of a four-part series called “There is.” Our “There is” campaign is a rallying call, to not just be a group of people who meet together on Sunday mornings, but, to be one body with one faith, following one God. It is based on this verse: There is one body and one […]

Posted: 12 Dec, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson

Merry Christmas from the Rio! In this message, Steve talks about how, before the first Christmas, the world eagerly waited for the Lord’s first coming—and also about how we now wait for his second coming to take us all home. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” – Psalm […]

Posted: 12 Dec, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” – Revelation 3:20   Download

Posted: 02 Nov, 2014 | Author: Steve Nelson

Jesus prayed for several things right before He was arrested. In this message we look to see what was on His heart, and how that relates to each of us as we strive to follow His will for our lives.   Download

Posted: 08 Mar, 2014 | Author: Steve Nelson

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” -2 Corinthians 9:7   Download Handout

Posted: 14 Apr, 2019 | Author: Steve Nelson

Jesus did not intend for us to be laden by the weight of unattainable perfection. Instead, he wanted to give us rest for our souls.

Posted: 16 Feb, 2020 | Author: Steve Nelson

There is a HUGE blessing in having the oracles of God on any topic, and the words of God address all of our greatest areas of need.

Posted: 01 Mar, 2020 | Author: Steve Nelson

God’s Word is not everything that I want to hear from God, but it is enough to meet my deepest needs.

Posted: 03 May, 2020 | Author: Steve Nelson

Darkness will be vanquished by light, we will leave suffering behind as we begin a new life, and God will eternally embrace us in love.

Posted: 02 Aug, 2020 | Author: Steve Nelson

God forgave some of the nastiest people in the Bible. The compassion, mercy, and grace of God reach far even to the depths of our own sin.

Posted: 11 Oct, 2020 | Author: Steve Nelson

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14

Posted: 30 May, 2021 | Author: Dove Cranson and John Meyer

In the midst of loss, God's love for us shines out as we love each other and choose to listen to His voice. 

Posted: 20 Jun, 2021 | Author: Steve Nelson

Love is a choice of affection, kindness, and mercy that flows from the heart of the lover and a deep relational connection with the beloved.

Posted: 10 Oct, 2021 | Author: Steve Nelson

We all care about what others think of us. When we obsess about what people think of us, we become directionless. When we fixate on the favor of God, we live a life full of purpose and significance.

Posted: 24 Oct, 2021 | Author: Steve Nelson

What can we learn from David's response to intense persecution, shameful humiliation, and immense guilt?

Posted: 17 Oct, 2021 | Author: Dove Cranson

Like David we can cultivate a dynamic relationship with God that becomes a life-giving source of strength and security.