Search Results for: new life with christ

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: 22 Jul, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson

At times, it seems like the solution to the pain of life and the path to find happiness is to change our circumstances, our bodies, our habits, our relationships, our jobs, our pastimes, or at least change something.  This message shows the potential to thrive wherever we are at in life—enjoying thankfulness for the little […]

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: 06 May, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson

CT Studd, missionary to Africa, found a tract which was reportedly written by an atheist. It read as follows: Did I firmly believe, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as […]

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 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: 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: 11 Feb, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson

It is important to keep our mission ever before us. As a church, we want to help people connect to the source, God, experience life, and to have that life flow through us and into the world. In this message, Steve explains how the prophet’s vision in Ezekiel 47 relates to our church name and […]

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: 14 Jan, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson

We are all good about praying when we are desperate. Can we bring that desperation back into everyday life? When we don’t know what to do, God is there for us! Download Handout: With blanks / Without blanks For further study: Prayer reference sheet  

Posted: 31 Dec, 2017 | Author: Mike Kimball

What is the goal? Answering this question is not always easy, but we need to be able to ask and answer that question as it helps us focus on the things that truly matter in life. Download

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 […]

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 […]

Posted: 01 Jan, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson

The greatest disciples throughout history, from Jesus’ Twelve all the way to modern-day martyrs, have something in common. They don’t care. They don’t care about what others think, about their own personal gain, or even about their own lives. This one commonly held attribute allows them to live with abandon and care about the things […]

Posted: 06 Nov, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson

Each of us lives in a situation that is not always easy.  In fact life is often extremely challenging, and it is easy to think that if we were only in a different situation then we would be happy and fulfilled.  If only I had a spouse, or if I didn’t have one but could […]

Posted: 23 Oct, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson

It is the reality of life that each person gets to enjoy pleasures and happiness.   Also each human being experiences loss and sadness.   Through this adventure of learning to trust God we are called to a bigger perspective.   We can learn to be content with what we have been given and trust […]

Posted: 09 Oct, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson

Are you chasing after an elusive pursuit to be somebody? What do you think others think about you? What do you think about yourself? It’s easy to think our worth is wrapped up in our own accomplishments and the praise of others, but what really counts is that you belong to Christ. In 1 Corinthians […]

Posted: 10 Jul, 2016 | Author: Bruce Bradford

Some people drain the life out of a room just by walking in. Others bring life and elevate the room. You can be a life giver! We all have our own struggles, but who we are in our faith must be independent of who we have been or what we have experienced. Greatness is never […]

Posted: 03 Jul, 2016 | Author: Jon Kronmiller

“For freedom Christ has set us free.” “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” These scriptures are real, but are they a part of your own Christian experience? Is Christianity just a set of rules–different, but still rules? In this message Jon Kronmiller shares how freedom should be (and can be) a part of […]