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John 14c Manifesting Christ in Your Life
Pastor Nelson
John 14:22-31
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John 14:22-31 What does it mean to have God the Father and God the Son "manifested" in your life. In line with what we studied last week, Jesus continues to teach about the purposes and works of the Holy Spirit. When a person believes they are a "Christian", how is it proven, .... or not? Today's hard lesson is once again going to call us to examine our walk with the Lord. Easy, shallow, head knowledge is not the same as being a true believer in Jesus Christ. But how should we examine ourselves according to the Bible? Jesus and His Word is very straightforward, although blunt & challenging. This sermon may require a second listen, but at the very least I hope you have a pencil and paper in hand. 38min
John 14a Jesus the Way Truth & Life
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John 14:6-11 We need to re-cover some of the territory of last week. Sometimes the Lord says to me "slow down, what's your hurry, there's more to cover here before you move on." So that is exactly what we'willre going to do today. Do you really understand what it means, when Jesus says if you've seen me you have seen the father? Today, hopefully you are going to come away with a better understanding of what it means by having Christ in you and you in Christ. Just like when Jesus said I am in the Father and He is in me. Have you thought about what it means to be the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit? And how Jesus is placing us all together in the father. Heaven is going to be a wonderful place, but there is only one way to get there. I pray that today's teaching will not only challenge you, but bless you, as we look forward to being united together in Jesus. 42min
John 15a Your Soul Abiding In Christ
Pastor Nelson
John 15:1-8
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John 15:1-8 Today's lesson is essentially going to be in two parts. The first part concerns the Scripture where Jesus is the "true vine" and His Father is the "vinedresser". We all know that in order to be healthy (just like with the grapevine) we all need to be pruned and cared for - otherwise we go wild and become nonproductive. The Bible has so much to say about "abiding in Christ" we sometimes forget what serious consequences there are when we are trying to live our own way, and not God's way. In the second part of this message I will attempt to bring forth some ideas about how important it is to be walking in harmony with God and His principles. The idea that "your soul" is expressed in how you live your daily life is frightening if you really think about it. Is your soul in harmony with God? Are you living, thinking, talking, and working as God would have you .... here on this earth. Our daily actions & reactions tell others exactly where you stand with HIM! (Are you ABIDING?) We must remember that heaven is not just some cosmic retirement plan - but it is the place where we will continue to "abide in Jesus & the Father just as we have done here on earth. 45min
John 15c The World Will Hate You
Pastor Nelson
John 15:18 - Jn 16:4
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Pastor Nelson
John 15:18 - Jn 16:4
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John 15:18 - Jn 16:4 Today we have another hard lesson from Jesus. Who you are as a Christian is at least in part going to determine what the world thinks of you. Jesus has said the world hated him therefore it will hate His followers. Are you prepared for this? And more importantly, is your life emanating enough of Jesus where the world recognizes you as different? In this lesson, it will become clear that friendship with the world is hatred toward God. I don't know if you have ever thought about this, but we are called to be something other than worldly. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our faith and trust in God's word, and our determination to love one another we can become purveyors of light. So how is your Christian walk? For some this lesson will be an encouragement; for others it may bring a challenge. 45min
John 15b Perfecting Love Joy & Discipleship
Pastor Nelson
John 15:9-17
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John 15:9-17 As we start today's lesson, Jesus time to the cross is drawing near. Therefore, Jesus is teaching big lessons to his disciples. Lessons that must become a part of their lives if they are to carry forth this gospel of hope. Some key words here are 'abiding' - 'fruit' - and 'love'. It will become clear that the word FATO ( faithful, available, teachable, & obedient) is an integral part of today's lesson. Some hard self-examination questions are going to be asked and we are going to talk quite a bit about what it means to "love one another". I pray that this message will impact your life in a very positive way. Because if we could all master what Jesus taught us in these few Scriptures the world would be a totally different place. 47min
John 16a The Helper is Coming
Pastor Nelson
John 16:5-33
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John 16:5-33 In His final night with His disciples, Jesus continues to prepare them for the persecution and the power that will come after He is gone. As a believer in Christ, you need to comprehend the fact that the same Holy Spirit that empowered the disciples is with you today. They were sent out to change the world and they did! Now the question is, how are you changing your world for Jesus Christ? Jesus spoke of the persecution that was to come but he also reassured his followers that He would give them peace and answers in their journey on this earth. We must remember verse 33 as we attempt to spread the good news: "but be of good cheer I have overcome the world". And the words that Paul spoke in Romans 837-39 "nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord". 38min
John 17a Jesus Prays for Himself & Disciples
Pastor Nelson
John 17:1-26
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John 17:1-26 During this lesson we are going to see how Jesus prayed for himself and His disciples. And that includes all those who would follow Jesus in the future times. As you will remember this is Jesus last teaching opportunity with his followers before he is taken awayby the Jewish mob to be crucified. This continues the theme of 'who we are in Christ'. And the question comes up how can we glorify Christ - (1) by getting rid of any immorality, (2) by getting rid of pride, (3) and by getting rid of ambiguity. John chapter 17 is considered by many Christian forefathers as the foundation of hope for believers. It also outlines the 9 (nine) resources we have in Christ (if you care to get the handout simply call or email me). We touched lightly on the question of predestination, but this is a topic for another time. 42min
John 18a The Betrayal & Arrest
Pastor Nelson
John 18:1-14
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John 18:1-14 The time has now come, Jesus is arrested but not before displaying His power and control of the situation. I'm sure His disciples marveled at the size of the crowd and their temperament. One way or another this mob is determined to do away with this man who has consistently said & proven by his actions that HE is the Great "I AM". This story goes all the way back to Genesis 3:15. But now is the time that Jesus has been speaking of throughout his whole ministry. He willingly goes on to drink of the cup which His Father gave Him. and as we will soon see, goes to His first of six trials. ( if you want a handout on the six trials of Jesus please email or call me and I will send you the information ). There is a lesson in all of this concerning doing our own self will versus doing God's will. Prayerfully this sermon will cause you to reflect on this concept. 46min
John 18b The Start of 6 Trials
Pastor Nelson
John 18:15-40
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John 18:15-40 We have lots to cover today. In understanding the six trials of Jesus; three Roman and three Jewish, there is much to be learned and studied. I will be hitting some of the high points but hopefully you will take the two handouts that I have now given you and study the different Scriptures concerning the culmination of Jesus' life. There are so many minute details that relate to the Old Testament as well as the things that have already happened in the New Testament that there is not time to go into them all. I pray that as you study the four Gospels and other related Scriptures that the Holy Spirit will lay on your heart that this period of Jesus life will become an inspiration and encouragement to you. Understanding Jesus love for Peter, even though he has messed up repeatedly is such a wonderful promise to how our God loves us also. But why did this innocent man (Jesus) have to die? We need to understand it was God's plan from before the beginning of time, because man needs a Savior. 48min.
John 19a Jesus before Pilate
Pastor Nelson
John 19:1-24
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John 19:1-24 This is now the fourth trial of Jesus. The Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate in order to get permission to execute Him. They 1st had accused Him of blasphemy under their law, but now realized this wouldn't work with Roman law. Therefore, they changed the charge and accused Him of treason against Rome (being a king within the Roman Empire). Herod declares Him innocent three times but the mob still wants Jesus executed. Lots of Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled within these passages. Once again, if you refer to the two handouts I have given you it will detail many of the illegal procedures under both Jewish law and Roman law. But we must remember this is all part of God's big plan, for both Jews and Gentiles, in working out the forgiveness of our sins. 46min
John 19b It Is FINISHED
Pastor Nelson
John 19:25-42
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John 19:25-42 Praise God - The victory is WON! In these few verses, the disciple John is explaining the last three hours of Jesus on the cross. Yet there is so much more to tell. I am bringing in several Scriptures that amplify the humanity and the deity of Jesus of Nazareth. How can we understand the "Gospel" if we don't go back to Old Testament prophecy and closely examine what Jesus said about his own life and death in the New Testament? It is so exciting to know that God's every recorded Word is meant to help us more fully understand the "big picture"! God IS IN CONTROL whether we want to recognize it or not. Even in our body life today, that very fact came to the forefront. We need to stand back in awe of God's love and grace. We need to believe completely in what he has promised! We need to understand that all 20+ prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in the last 24 hours, were meant for our benefit. Jesus said, repent and believe! That is all that is required. Next week we will study the resurrection of Jesus. He did exactly what he said he would do! You can't be a silent secret believer in Jesus Christ of Nazareth - you must, declare your faith! 49min
John 2a 1st Miracle Water Into Wine
Pastor Nelson
John 2:1-12
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John 2:1-12 As Jesus starts his ministry his first miracle (of the 35 listed in the Gospels) is the changing of water into wine. There are some really important applications here that can be applied to every Christian's life. The "three steps" taken here by the servants apply to us today and the term FATO (faithful, available, teachable, obedient) that we have mentioned so many times before comes to play in this passage. The question is "Will you just DO IT"? Will you help reveal the deity, power, mercy, control, and peace of God? Do you understand God can start with the ordinary and make something extraordinary out of it? That is you! This first miracle is so profound if we take time to think about it. Read these few verses for yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you what it should mean in your life. 41min
John 2b Jesus Cleans The Temple (& You)
Pastor Nelson
John 2:13-24
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John 2:13-24 Several thoughts have come to me concerning these verses. I don't want to be critical of the way we sometimes do "church" in this generation. However there are some cautions here for the evangelical Christian believers of today and we need to be conscious of what the Holy Spirit is showing us. "God is not for sale." Church should not simply be a business enterprise. It is so much more than that! In my asking "why do you go to church?" how will YOU answer? We must all examine ourselves and our motives. And how does this tie in to the "world system" in which we live? A lot of what I'm saying today is based on 1Cor 3:16-17. "Do you not know that YOU are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in YOU? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy which temple YOU are. 45min
John 20a The Empty Tomb
Pastor Nelson
John 20:1-23
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John 20:1-23 Today, as we look at the empty tomb of Jesus on the morning of the third day there is a lot to consider. The story of this is best covered by comparing all four Gospels. We won't have time to do that in detail today, but hopefully you'll have a better understanding why the empty tomb is so significant to Christianity AND the key fact of our belief in Jesus as God in the flesh. Today's handout contains the Scriptures of the11 times Jesus appeared after his resurrection. It also contains the four stages (or steps) of how one comes to believe the gospel as outlined in John chapter 20. I love the saying "unless I believed, I should not understand." This teaching will have to continue on next week when we will hit upon why so many refuse to accept the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 50min
John 20b Faith without Seeing
Pastor Nelson
John 20:24-29
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John 20:24-29 Today, we are going to learn about doubting Thomas and faith. Believing in what the Word says and trust those who are around you when they testify as to the reality of Jesus Christ. Thomas wasn't such a bad guy, but he needed a little more to have faith in who Jesus said He was in spite of three years of training by the Messiah himself. Many of us are the same. We hear but it doesn't go into our hearts and minds like it should. In this quick lesson, were going to mention some other heroes of faith that can be our examples. The big question is, who do you say Jesus of Nazareth is? Have you settled it in your own mind and heart without any doubts? We need to understand that once this question is answered we will have the peace of God no matter our circumstances. 33min
John 21a The Last Breakfast
Pastor Nelson
John 21:1-25
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John 21:1-25 Jesus appears for the third time to his disciples. It is a final farewell and final lesson written by John the apostle as an eyewitness to the event. This last chapter was probably written well after the crucifixion of Peter (65-67 AD), but contains some key lessons for all Christ followers of today. Can a Christian go back to their old life once they have met Jesus Christ of Nazareth? Definitely not! Will Jesus restore fellowship and our call to ministry if we failing Him? Definitely! The big question is .... how do you love Jesus? Are you willing to be his follower regardless? Remember, you may be the closest that some people ever come to the love of Jesus. As His hands and feet we have a lot of work to do in this world today. 43min
John 3a Jesus & Nicodemus
Pastor Nelson
John 3:1-21
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John 3:1-21 This is one of my favorite chapters of the entire Bible. It needs to be clearly understood by every Christian. It also serves as an example to non-Christians what they must do to come into a "relationship" with God. In John 14:6 Jesus makes it very clear that no one comes to the Father except through Him, but how does this spiritual "new birth" take place? The simplest explanation of the gospel, or how to be saved, is clearly stated by Jesus himself in Mark 1:15 which says "repent and believe". There are many more lessons in this simple 21 versus. It is my prayer that you will be blessed and that the Holy Spirit will help you to continually learn how to explain YOUR relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to others. 45min
John 3b Lesson from John the Baptist
Pastor Nelson
John 3:22-36
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John 3:22-36 So many neat lessons to learn today. John the Baptist is such a good example for Christian ministries and individual Christians. But hopefully you won't get your head cut off for doing the right thing like he did! The primary focus of any ministry (or Christian) is to exalt Christ and point people toward Him. The spirit of competition or bitterness within ministries (or individuals) must be avoided at all cost. The fulfillment of any Christian's life comes easily & best by knowing the purpose with which you are to serve Jesus Christ & then completing that task as directed by the Holy Spirit. We all want to experience Matthew 25:21. By taking a closer look at what John the Baptist did, taught, and who he was will help all of us live our lives in a better way. 52min
John 4a Worship in Spirit & Truth
Pastor Nelson
John 4:1-26
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John 4:1-26 What a wonderful truth we have to tell today. Jesus seeking out the Samaritan woman at the well, and teaching us what it means to worship God in spirit and truth. And then one of the biggest revelations in verse 26. I thank God that Jesus has no animosity or bias against those who have sinned or don't know how to reach out to God. He freely offers us forgiveness and "living waters" that we might not ever thirst again. But what does that mean? And the question comes up, where are we to worship, and how do we worship God? We all need to meet Jesus the Messiah. Today Jesus is clearly stating who He is, & that He has come so that we might learn how to worship God the Father in spirit and truth. 52min
John 4b Samaritan Harvest & The Nobleman's Son
Pastor Nelson
John 4:27-54
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John 4:27-53 (Romans 10:9-10 is our weekly Bible verse - please meditate on this verse there is a lot there) A slight review of last week's sermon is necessary to start this week's study. Despite cultural differences Jesus is reaching out because there are people willing to hear God's truth. Place yourselves in the shoes of this woman that was talking to Jesus & suddenly saw a life in a new light. Would you have done the same thing? Life is not always just physical, sometimes the spiritual aspects need to supreme. So what is faith anyway? How is it obtained and developed? There are examples here to help us. Please meditate on the history and circumstances of the two people Jesus encountered in our Scripture reading today. What lessons will the Holy Spirit impress on you? 42min
John 5a Do You Want to Be Made Well
Pastor Nelson
John 5:1-15
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John 5:1-15 Today's lesson may seem a little confusing because it's going to be in multiple parts. At the beginning we will be discussing two verses from our weekly scripture verses: Matthew 5:16 and Galatians 2:20. These seem to tie in nicely to God's theme for today, "do you really want to made well?" and live for Christ? Joy and I got a few days off to go to the mountains in our little camper this week. (And we are going again next week for our anniversary - so no sermon next Sunday) It was a time of "total disconnect from the world" and a time of refreshment and quiet before the Lord. Sometimes when we get quiet, God really does speak to us (I pray you are experiencing that too)! It was good for me and hopefully today's teaching will be meaningful for you! As we talk about the lame man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5, God has shown me that the world and mankind is in the exact same position as that man. Some definitely want to be healed, others don't. That is a reality of life. I pray my message (through the power of the Holy Spirit) will be meaningful to you. As we study the Old Testament Scriptures first from 2 Chronicles 32:31 (and God withdrew from him) and then information from 2 Kings chapters 18,19, and 20 we see that sometimes God pulls away from His people as a test, so that WE can better understand our own hearts before Him. Hezekiah was definitely a godly man and a great King, yet he needed a "timeout" to reflect .... just like we do sometimes. This is not a milk or pablum sermon, so put on your big girl pants, and your big boy pants, and ask God what YOU need to learn form His Word today. 49min
John 5b 7 Claims of Deity & Judgement
Pastor Nelson
John 5:16-30
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John 5:16-30 Jesus is about to really make the Pharisees mad now! And they already wanted to kill him! Jesus claimed deity in our prior lesson, on healing the cripple on the Sabbath, now He is going to make seven more claims of deity - including His right to judge ALL men. As we carefully study these verses we are going to other correlating Scriptures about Jesus judging and rewarding all men. When some people claim that only "God" has the right to judge men, these verses leave no doubt as to Jesus really is (big hint - God in the flesh). By correlating what Jesus is saying in John chapter 5 with four other books of the Bible it should really make us seriously ponder what Judgment Day is going to be like for all men. 38min
John 5c Proofs that Jesus Is God
Pastor Nelson
John 5:31-47
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John 5:31-47 In today's message, along with the two handouts, you will be presented with refutable proofs that Jesus is God come in the flesh. People can argue with it, refused to believe it, or walk away upset. But the fact remains Jesus proved He was God in the flesh. With 353 prophecies written long before Jesus was born the mathematical evidence to prove His claims remain undeniable. It is simply a matter of whether the you choose to believe or not. Today we will look at only 8 of the 10 prophecies in Isaiah 53 & then talk about the five witnesses to His divine being. Remember (or go back & listen again) what we studied in chapter 5 of the Gospel of John last week. Jesus claimed to be (1) equal with God in that He (2) gives eternal life, (3) is the source of life, and (4) will judge sin. I pray that you can use this information in further cementing your relationship & trust in Jesus, & in helping you to persuade others of the truth of just who Jesus IS. 42min
John 6a Prophecies, Miracles & Feeding 5000
Pastor Nelson
John 6:1-11
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John 6:1-11 This was a combined service between Calvary Chapel Sheridan and Grace Chapel in Story, Wyoming. It was fun to have the two congregations come together in the name of our Lord. Pastor Bill Dill was attending a missionary conference & asked Pastor Nelson to speak at his Church. Quite a number of CCS folks traveled to Grace Chapel to fellowship & be blessed by Christians of another congregation. As God sometimes does, Pastor Nelson's sermon was "totally off script"!! But hopefully you will be blessed by your challenge of ... who Jesus is, and what your role as a "Christ Follower" is all about. 37min (next week Pastor Nelson will address the sermon "intended" on the "Feeding of the 5000" in more detail way & it's significance of being the only miracle of Jesus in all four Gospels).
John 6b Part 2 Feeding the 5000
Pastor Nelson
John 6:1-15
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John 6:1-15 This is part two of "feeding the 5000". But first we must start with some individual Scriptures that we have passed over in our 52 Scriptures in understanding Christianity. Then we look at chapter 9 of Luke verses 10-17 in addition to our verses in John 6. We must remember that Jesus, the creator of all things, needs very little to perform this huge miracle. Do you need a miracle in your life? What have you got that you can give Him to work with? Remember to always give out of your need. The spiritual connection here is so important, but somehow the people were mainly thinking about the physical aspects. The disciples knew that there wasn't enough money or enough bakeries to provide the bread needed to feed that huge crowd. It was kinda like Moses in the wilderness asking God for manna to feed the people. But even though many saw the miracle actually happened, I wonder how many followed Jesus as the coming Messiah, the Lord over all. Yes they wanted to make him king but for all the wrong reasons. 31min
John 6c Lessons on Water Walking
Pastor Nelson
John 6:16-21
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John 6:16-21 This week we will look at how YOU can walk on the water in the middle of the storms with Jesus like Peter did. To get the full context of this miracle we need to also look at the supporting passages from Mark 6:45-52 and Matthew 14:22-33. But first our weekly individual Scripture from John 16:33. (Nice fit for today huh) In order to "water walk" with Jesus, we will be looking at 4 different things; Courage, trust, obedience, and perseverance. We all face the storms of life - sometimes almost daily! So what can we learn from this miracle? Hopefully this message will give you some things to think about in your daily struggles & help you become a victor instead of a victim when the storms strike. We all need to remember 4 things: (a) it is all about the glory of Jesus Christ in you (b) only through courage & experience will you find yourself trusting Jesus Christ completely (c) you must obey HIS voice and direction & ignore your stormy circumstances (d) your "water walk" will continue only as long as your eyes remain on Jesus. 45min
John 6d Spiritual Bread & Motives
Pastor Nelson
John 6:22-31
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John 6:22-31 In today's lesson we are going to discuss how thousands of people missed the "central point" of Jesus feeding the 5000. It wasn't about the physical bread, it was about the spiritual bread of everlasting life & how God provides for us. A hard heart prevents your understanding of spiritual things. God's call on your life is sometimes soft and not really heard until you're willing to repent and believe the good news of why Jesus came. It's not about religion, it's all about a personal relationship with a loving, caring, and merciful God who has good thoughts toward you. And it's all spelled out so clearly in God's Living Word - the Bible. So are you asking what "work" should you do to understand what Jesus is talking about? Simply receive the free gift that is provided through Christ death burial and resurrection & let Him speak to your heart. We will have to have more time on this subject next week. 48min
John 6e The Bread of Life from God
Pastor Nelson
John 6:32-40
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John 6:32-40 We dig deeper this Sunday on what Jesus meant in His saying He is the "bread of life". This sermon somewhat overlaps last week's sermon, and next week will tie into this week's sermon. We will also look at what it means when Jesus said that no one comes to Him without being chosen by God. As we examined the Scriptures saying that Jesus will not lose a single person, we can be reassured that our salvation is secure if it is genuine and lasting. You may have heard some of these things before, but hopefully today's message will strengthen your confidence in what God has done for you! There will be a lot of supporting Scriptures that you need to turn to and or write down for future reference. Many people don't understand how Jesus was speaking about spiritual things and not just the physical. The next lesson or two may require some homestudy, prayer, and contemplation to fully grasp "what God has given to us who are called and responded" to believe in Jesus. 47min
John 6g Bringing It All Together
Pastor Nelson
John 6:59-71
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John 6:59-71 Today we will attempt to bring the last three sermons together. Because Jesus is teaching a "hard lesson" about physical versus spiritual bread, and truly eating the bread of everlasting life. Many walked away because of this lesson. Jesus even questioned his own disciples "do you also want to go away?" Christ followers need to have a clear understanding of the physical, versus the spiritual life in the Christ. I pray that some of the Scriptures today will impact your lives and thoughts in a positive way. The question remains; where are you in your spiritual walk? Today we recognized all veterans on this Veterans Day during body life. In reading what our forefathers wrote concerning one nation under God reminds us of what is happening to our nation today, and of those who have paid the price to serve our country and our God with honor. 39min
John 7a God's Time Schedule
Pastor Nelson
John 7:1-13
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John 7:1-13 God's timing is everything. Jesus always obeyed the Father in all that He said and did. The Gospel of John is changing its theme now; as we are now beginning to see Jesus as the suffering Messiah. Ever have problems with temptation? Your family ever want you to do something that you knew you shouldn't? Well today's lesson is for you. Today you will see how God's timing in things is absolutely critical to the outcomes that are down the road. I pray that today's lesson will make you think more seriously about your own timing and planning and the will of God for your life. As we see Jesus's brothers trying to get Him out of the will of God the Father there are some good lessons to be learned. 42min
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