Search Results for: son

Posted: 19 Nov, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

At some point, we realize we cannot be the person we should be, could be, or want to be.  So, how can we truly change? How can we go down a different path? How can become fit for Heaven or a life with God?  The answer is to repent and believe.  This message looks at […]

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: 29 Oct, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

God has given each of us amazing stories of how He has worked in our lives. Fear can keep us from telling people about these incredible events, and as a result, they miss out on learning from us and being encourage by what God has done in our lives. However, through him, we can be […]

Posted: 15 Oct, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

Christians are not just messengers of God’s plan of mercy and forgiveness, but we are witnesses of how He has worked in our lives! Each of us has a story of how God saved, healed, or met us in some critical life event. In fact, if we stop to think about it, we likely have […]

Posted: 07 Oct, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

Wouldn’t it be sad to have something really good and never share it with others?  Having a relationship with God through Jesus is something worth sharing!  Yet those conversations about our faith, although exciting, can at times be intimidating to initiate. This message shares a couple simple tools that can be used to begin conversations […]

Posted: 01 Oct, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

We may not normally see things this way, but God clearly communicates that there are two types of people in the world. One group of people is cursed. The other is blessed. The great news is that God doesn’t want people to be in the cursed group. He wants us all to be in the […]

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: 17 Sep, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

“Common people become uncommon standing on the promises of God.” (Dawson Trotman) Do you have the sense that you were created for uncommon purposes? Or perhaps that you have some unfulfilled potential? In reality, God has designed you with certain purposes in mind (Ephesians 2:10). What are these things? What are we supposed to be […]

Posted: 10 Sep, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

Because of the amazing love of God shown in Jesus, we can experience victory over rejection. Download Handout

Posted: 03 Sep, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

We all find plenty to complain about, whether it is genuine hardships like sickness, suffering, and death, or it is the little stuff like having to eat the same thing for dinner that we had for lunch. As we see in the example of the Israelites (Numbers 11:1-6), complaining leads to misery, even in times […]

Posted: 27 Aug, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

Dove shares about how he has felt a tendency in his own life to isolate himself or become isolated from others.  Yet, the hope of Christ is that his family (his church) will relentlessly fight these tendencies and pursue unity.  We each have a role in building up the family of God and staying united […]

Posted: 20 Aug, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

Not only does God love you, but he likes you. He enjoys you. He is glad that you are His. In this study of Ephesians 1, we find many reasons to find joy and peace in our relationship with God, even though relationships are complicated, and we are fully aware of our shortcomings. Download Handout: Blanks / No […]

Posted: 13 Aug, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

This message continues on the theme from two weeks ago that life, perfection, righteousness is found in Christ’s life in us.  A full life, perfection, and righteousness are not achieved from our own power to change ourselves, or even from good circumstances, but from the gift of God.  Today we look at how giving thanks […]

Posted: 30 Jul, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

The good life that really counts for something is not just found in a brief interaction with Jesus, but in a journey of trusting Him and following His lead! Download Handout: No blanks/Blanks

Posted: 23 Jul, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

As we saw with the Pharisees (message 2 weeks ago), we cannot be made righteous by cleaning ourselves up but instead by humbly receiving Christ and His life in us.  With Christ in our lives we are new, we are no longer sinners but blameless, pure children of God.  This change is what Jesus did […]

Posted: 16 Jul, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

We are all busy people. We want our lives to count and so we fill them up with all sorts of activities. One of the most fulfilling things we can dedicate ourselves to is loving others, but we need to be careful that the busyness of life doesn’t choke out the things we really want […]

Posted: 09 Jul, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

When Jesus walked this Earth he consistently showed love and grace and acceptance.  Yet His love is much deeper than just trying to make people feel good.  In fact, He spoke surprisingly harsh words to a certain group of people, the Pharisees.  Why?  At least in part it was because the Pharisees thought they could […]

Posted: 25 Jun, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

In today’s episode we see that when a broken Sinner comes to Jesus, she is accepted and forgiven; and her heart of stone is changed into a heart of love.  Could we ourselves dare to be so vulnerable with God?  And could we be people who accept other people? Download

Posted: 18 Jun, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

The Christian life is not one of duty, obligation, and drudgery. Instead, it is a response to Him and what He has done for us. In the life of Zacchaeus we see that it’s a choice to live for the One we love! Download Handout: Blanks / No Blanks

Posted: 11 Jun, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

A rich young man came to Jesus asking how to find eternal life.  He came confident in himself and in his own goodness.  The answer Jesus gave him left him walking away sad.  Despite his own accomplishments, possessions, and reputation he was lacking.  But he couldn’t bring himself to give up control and follow the […]

Posted: 04 Jun, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

The faith of the crumbs lady (Syrophoenician woman) teaches us some critical lessons on how to respond when it seems that God is completely ignoring our prayers. Download Handout (Blanks,No blanks)

Posted: 28 May, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

There is something in us that makes us want to share with others the good things we have found.  Whether it is a great movie, a sunset, a revolutionary product, a new love, or something else we find exciting, we have a desire to pass it on.  How much more, despite hesitation or cultural opposition, […]

Posted: 21 May, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

We think of the account of the woman caught in the act of adultery as a beautiful story of grace and forgiveness. And it is. At least for one person. But not everyone received life from Jesus. The religionists (the Pharisees and teachers of the law) walked away from life. They were more concerned about […]

Posted: 14 May, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

What would it be like to host Jesus and some of his friends for dinner? What preparations would you make?  During dinner would you be busy doing things or would you just sit there and listen to Jesus?  This is the situation of Martha and Mary who hosted Jesus many years ago.  Mary “sat at […]

Posted: 07 May, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

The religious leaders tried to trap Jesus by bringing before him a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. Would he withhold mercy and have her put to death, or would he show mercy and ignore the law? One response would put Jesus in a horrible light with the people, and the […]

Posted: 23 Apr, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

In the account of the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus, we learn that Jesus wants us to come to Him for forgiveness—spiritual healing! This is one of the amazing ways we experience life from God. When we ask for and receive forgiveness, we are no longer defined by our loserness! We are freed […]

Posted: 16 Apr, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

A man named Nicodemus came to Jesus in the secret of night only to get far more than he bargained for.  As we look at this interaction with the Life Giver we find how to be born again into a new life.  We do not get life by trying to be a better person, but […]

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: 02 Apr, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson

This message is from a morning dedicated to the upcoming mission trip to China.  Jason, who is leading the trip, explains his passion for China, his family’s experience there, and the upcoming trip.  Using the book of 2 Thessalonians as a model, Dove then leads the group in prayer as we ask God for help […]