Search Results for: return of christ

Posted: 28 Apr, 2019 | Author: Steve Nelson

When we hold to the promise of the coming of the lord and incorporate it into our everyday faith it allows us to let loose of the world and hold tightly to God.

Posted: 25 Mar, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ESV Sometimes in the midst of difficulty we can feel like something must be wrong. We aren’t naive. We know life is hard; but we don’t expect it to be this hard. When we try to make […]

Posted: 26 Jun, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson

God’s not just after our obedience; he’s after our hearts! Do you ever feel guilty, dirty, and like you have nothing to offer to God? And then, to feel better, do you start doing things like going to church, reading the Bible, or giving money at church? An amazing illustration from Haggai helps us see […]

Posted: 12 Jun, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson

We know that following God pays off in the next life, but does it pay off in this life? Can we expect a blessing in following God, or is that some sort of prosperity-gospel teaching? We need to be careful to avoid both extremes in this matter. We shouldn’t expect wealth and health from following God, […]

Posted: 19 Jul, 2020 | Author: Steve Nelson

As hard as the race may be, the finish line ends suffering and starts an amazing eternity. Understanding that the end is near helps us run well.

Posted: 26 Dec, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making […]

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: 10 Apr, 2022 | Author: Steve Nelson

The key to walking in relationship with broken, sinful, and dysfunctional people, is to respond to Christ instead of to them. 

Posted: 10 Mar, 2024 | Author: Steve Nelson

To grow in Christ we must be rooted in the salvation from sin and into a new life.

Posted: 17 Mar, 2019 | Author: Steve Nelson

Galatians 4:19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you… 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate [reflect/behold] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Is […]

Posted: 03 Mar, 2019 | Author: Steve Nelson

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that […]

Posted: 03 Feb, 2019 | Author: Steve Nelson

Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away all who […]

Posted: 06 Jan, 2019 | Author: Steve Nelson

1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  When we put our faith in Christ, we become God’s people and citizens of his kingdom. We no longer pledge our allegiance to this world, but to God. As the verse says, […]

Posted: 18 Nov, 2018 | Author: Troy Roberts

We accept Christ’s death on the cross as payment for our own sins we enter into an amazing relationship with our Father. Then what? What happens when we blow it, struggle, and doubt? This message looks at the examples of the prodigal son, David, and Peter to show the depth of God’s ongoing commitment and […]

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 […]

Posted: 26 Aug, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson

1 Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. NIV11 Sometimes suffering is […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 […]