Posted: 07 Oct, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson
Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness.” We are constantly and unconditionally loved by God. But, the things we do are not always pleasing to God. What pleases God? He is not withholding his pleasure until we reach perfection. […]
Read More...Posted: 07 Oct, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. NIV11 You may have seen the famous poem “The Dash,” by Linda Ellis. It talks about how someday our tombstones will have two […]
Read More...Posted: 09 Sep, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson
We are called to love one another. What does loving one another look like? How is it possible to really experience love? In this message Dove attempts to answer those questions, finding that we can love each other because we have been loved by God through Jesus Christ. As we have received, so can we […]
Read More...Posted: 09 Sep, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...Posted: 15 Jul, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson
Identity is answering the question: who am I? Because of our experiences and perceptions, we each have messages to ourselves, telling us who we are. In Christ, we are given a gift of leaving behind these messages and taking on the Lord’s opinion. He gets to say who I am, and He says I am […]
Read More...Posted: 22 Apr, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
What you do makes a difference to God. You profoundly impact others. And the effect of your life has a rippling impact into the world. Download Handout: With blanks / Without blanks
Read More...Posted: 08 Apr, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
Psalms 16:5-6 Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. NIV84 It is important for us, as a church, to be thankful for the special things God has given us, and […]
Read More...Posted: 01 Apr, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson
Jesus came into this world to restore our connection to God: A connection one day in a restored world and a connection now through His life in us. Christ died and was resurrected, to overcome death that we might live forever, and that we might experience his life now. There is more beyond just this […]
Read More...Posted: 01 Apr, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
1 Corinthians 5:7b For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. NIV The Passover is a celebration commemorating the last of the Egyptian plagues, when the judgement of God “passed over” the homes that had lamb’s blood on the door frames. In a similar way, Jesus, the Lamb of God, shed his blood so that […]
Read More...Posted: 25 Feb, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ESV In human relationships, when we assess someone’s love, we don’t just take their word for it. It is not enough. We consider a wide variety of factors. How have they treated us? How have […]
Read More...Posted: 21 Jan, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson
We are called to stand, to persevere in our faith, to finish this race, even through the troubles that come. This work is something God is able to do for us as we trust Him. He began the work in us and He will complete it. We are called to trust Him, even through the […]
Read More...Posted: 17 Dec, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
Many times Jesus gave the invitation to “come, follow me.” What would that mean for our own lives? Can we follow Him? Would Jesus love me if he really knew me? What would it cost us to follow Him? What would we gain? If we decide it is worth it, how can we truly follow […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...Posted: 03 Dec, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...Posted: 26 Mar, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
A fundamental way to fix our eyes on the unseen is to be continually aware that God is with us. It is a great comfort to us in times of grief and loss when we are aware of God’s loving presence. It also gives us confidence to do things that are greater than ourselves when […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...Posted: 26 Feb, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
We should never be surprised when we find ourselves discouraged or even despondent. After all, we live in terrible times. Yet God offers hope in the midst of our trials. Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” We can find life from God even […]
Read More...Posted: 29 Jan, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
The church in Corinth had serious issues that Paul addressed throughout 1 Corinthians. He spoke so strongly on at times that you might think his letter to them would have ended their relationship. Yet as he concluded his letter in chapter 16, instead of writing an it-was-nice-knowing-you ending to their relationship, he penned a very ordinary […]
Read More...Posted: 22 Jan, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
As we near the end of 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul reminds his audience what is of first importance: the gospel. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins, taking our place, and providing a way for us to have a relationship with God and to be with […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...Posted: 04 Dec, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
What comes to mind when you think of authority and the submission to authority? Our own experience and cultural context have inevitably shaped that view. We probably all know examples of the abuse of authority and realize the potential to be taken advantage of. As we look deeper, we see that a loving authority is […]
Read More...Posted: 02 Oct, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
Have you ever seen Christians sin and wondered how they could act so unchristian? And have you wondered why Jesus hasn’t changed them more? And what about in your own life? Have you ever thought that the power of God should have transformed you more? In this message, Steve explains how the power of God […]
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