Valley Life Church

On Sunday, May 30, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from Ephesians 4:15 about appreciating one another by sharing our hopes and dreams and offering support as needed to achieve these things that are close to our hearts.

Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

http://bit.ly/Eph4_15NLT

On Sunday, May 23, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from Ephesians 4:15 about the role of expectations in relationships and how to clarify them instead of allowing them to be a hindrance to building healthy relationships.

Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

http://bit.ly/Eph4_15NLT

On Sunday, May 16, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from James 1:19 and Ephesians 4:15 about why and how to have difficult conversations with an emphasis on reconciliation in order to solve problems together in love instead of just trying to implement quick fixes.

James 1:19 (NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry…

Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

http://bit.ly/Jms1_19NIV_Eph4_15NLT

On Sunday, May 9, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from James 1:19 and Ephesians 4:29-32 about aligning our lives with the Holy Spirit, so that we can be made aware of our relational blind spots and work toward restoration and reconciliation in our relationships that may have gone awry.

James 1:19 (NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry…

Ephesians 4:29-32 (NIV) 
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

http://bit.ly/Jms1_19Eph4_29-32

On Sunday, May 2, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from James 1:19 and Ephesians 4:29-32 about allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us in constructive ways of communicating, understanding that our hearts need healing and that others need blessing.

James 1:19 (NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…

Ephesians 4:29-32 (NIV) 


Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

http://bit.ly/Jms1_19Eph4_29-32

On Sunday, April 25, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from Luke 8:8, 18 and James 1:19-20 about growing in the way we communicate by understanding the goals and challenges involved. The discussion concluded with some exercises in developing connection and dealing with conflict.

Luke 8:8b, (NIV)

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Luke 8:18 (NIV) Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

James 1:19-20 (NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

http://bit.ly/Lk8_8-18Jms1_19-20

On Sunday, April 18, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from John 20:24-29 about encountering Jesus after his resurrection. In this story, Jesus interacts with Thomas who was absent from Jesus’ first post-resurrection encounter with his disciples. Even though Thomas’ faith was shattered after Jesus’ death on the cross, Jesus gently confronts him and restores him to the fellowship of the disciples. Lastly, Pastor Stuart discusses the problem of faith based on the evidence of seeing.

John 20:24-29 (NIV) 
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

http://bit.ly/John20_24-29NIV

On Sunday, April 11, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from John 20:19-23 about encountering Jesus after his resurrection. In this story, Jesus surprises his disciples by appearing before them at a secret gathering. During that encounter, Jesus blesses them with peace twice and commissions them to be his ambassadors in the world by the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 20:19-23 (NIV) 
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

http://bit.ly/John20_19-23NIV

On Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from John 11:21-27 about Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life. This is the last of seven I Am statements by Jesus. In this statement, Jesus demonstrates by bringing Lazarus back from the dead, that he can bring life out of death, which is a product of trust. We are encouraged by this story that Jesus still does miracles.

John 11:21-27 (NIV) 
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

http://bit.ly/John11_21-27NIV

On Sunday, March 28, 2021, Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message in person and online via YouTube Live and Zoom. In our discussion this week, Pastor Stuart leads us in conversation from John 15:1-8 about Jesus: The True Vine. This is the sixth of seven I Am statements by Jesus. In this statement, Jesus encourages us to accept the Father’s pruning in our lives and to see that abiding in a close relationship with Jesus is how we can live fruitfully for God.

John 15:1-8 (NIV) 
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

http://bit.ly/John15_1-8NIV