Faith, Courage and Determination

Message by Chris Briles

Scripture: Mark 2:1-5

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Chris, Vonda, Aaron, Jessica and Carmen Briles are a missionary family that spent nine years in Altotonga, Veracruz, Mexico. They have relocated to New Braunfels, Texas where Chris has the responsibilities of Director of Operations for World Indigenous Missions. Their passion is reaching the lost and discipling the found.

  

Jesus Died To Cause Our Enemy To Stumble

Message by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

Scripture: Psalm 27

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Psalm 27 is an amazing psalm. It is a Psalm of worship, faith, commitment, trouble, pain, beauty, hope and patience. Most believe David wrote this Psalm during the early part of his time as a fugitive. He is being chased  enemies, shut out of the house of God and separated from family and all that is comfortable. Just as we see in so many of the Psalms, it is the wilderness struggles of David’s life that become the occasion of deep intimacy with God. David responds to the hardship and adversity of the wilderness turning to God. And so the Psalms are prayers of lament and songs of worship.

David gets it right!

He realized we live in a terribly broken world filled with sin, danger, calamity and enemies on every side.

Psalm 27:2 – When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when  enemies and my foes attack me they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

The Psalms are prophetic and they point forward to the coming of the Messiah. Many of the words which David wrote in the Psalms are echoed in the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ the Psalms we see Christ and His Cross!

Compare Psalm 27:2 and Colossians 2:14-15

“When my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall” (Psalm 27:2)
“He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” (Colossians 2:14-15)

The Cross became the ultimate place of the enemy’s stumbling!

He stumbled:

• an Heaven (Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28)
• in the Garden (Genesis 3:15)
• at Bethlehem (Matthew 2:12)
• in the Wilderness (Luke 4:1-13)
• throughout Christ’s ministry (Luke 10:9)
• at the Cross (Colossians 2:14-15)

Because Jesus has defeated our enemy

We can choose faith and not fear!
We can offer forgiveness rather than revenge or despair!
We can tum tragedy into triumph!
We can find God’s presence anywhere at anytime!

The Proverbs on Addiction

Message by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

Ninth in a 10-part series on Proverbs

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Our culture often speaks of addictions as being a disease. And while many addictions do cause both physiological and psychological affects, the Bible addresses addictions as a sin issue. By definition an addiction is a sin pattern that the persons believes is beyond their ability to control. The writer of Proverbs identifies at least six different addictions and addresses the root issue underlying them.

• The immoral (Proverbs 5:7)
• The sluggard (Proverbs 6:6)
• The greedy (Proverbs 15:27)
• The proud (Proverbs 16:5)
• The drunkard (Proverbs 23:29)
• The glutton (Proverbs 23:21)

Behind every addiction is an idol of the heart!

Idolatry is a worship issue! (Romans 1:25)

Idols become our functional gods! “To whatever we look for any good thing and for refuge in every need, that is what is meant by ‘god.’ To have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe in him from the heart… To whatever you give your heart and entrust your being, that, I say, is really your god.” – Martin Luther

“Inordinate desire” is the New Testament word for idolatry!  “If ‘idolatry’ is the characteristic and summary Old Testament word for our drift from God, then ‘desires’ (epithumiai) is the characteristic and summary New Testament word for the same drift. Both are shorthand for the problem of human beings.. .The New Testament merges the concept of idolatry and the concept of inordinate, life-ruling desires.” – David Powlison

• Idols promise but they don’t deliver
• Idols always demand a sacrifice
• Idols enslave

What’s the answer to our addiction? The Gospel of repentance unto faith, confession and forgiveness.

• Repentance is a gift from God (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
• Repentance is turning away from our sin (Isaiah 55:7)
• Repentance is coming to our senses (Luke 15:17)
• Repentance is true godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10)
• Repentance is the first step toward freedom (2 Corinthians 7:10)

1 Thessalonians 1:5-10 – For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

You Are Blessed Because You Believed

Guest Speaker, Dale Pugh, regional supervisor to missionaries at World Indigenous Missions (WIM).

Scripture: Luke 1:45

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Luke 1:45 “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.”

Faith + Action = Results

Matthews 6:24-34

• Step one: Believe!  - Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
• Step two: Take action. Faith without works is dead. Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
• Step three: Expect results. - Romans 8:31-37 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Fatalism says, “Don’t show up, you can’t win anyway.” The Bible says “I am more than a conqueror through HIM who loves me!”

Matthew 7:7-11

(The YouTube video played near the end of the message can be found here.)

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Part 6)

Message by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

Series: Christianity, Not As God Intended!

Scripture: I Corinthians 12:9-10 “…to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles..”

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The Gift of Faith / Definition

The gift of faith is the ability to envision what needs to be done and then to trust God to accomplish it even though it seems impossible to most people.

Different from…

Saving faith & the fruit of faith

Mark 11:22-23 – So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

General make up of people with the gift of faith

• They believe the impossible is possible
• They are convinced that God performs His Word
• Great encouragement to the Body of Christ
• People always borrow their faith

Examples from the Bible

• The life of Jesus (Luke 22:42; 23:46)
• The heroes of faith (Hebrews 11)
• The life of Paul (Acts 27)

The gift of faith is given…

• For the faithful not the faithless
• At the moment we need it
• In connection with God’s purpose
• For others to borrow

Do you have the gift of faith?

1. Do you view obstacles as opportunities and trust God for the impossible?
2. Do you love to boast about the power of God?
3. Are you motivated by new ministries?
4. Do you get frustrated with people who say something can’t be done?
5. Do other believers come to you to borrow your faith?
6. Do you have an effective prayer ministry?

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Part 5)

Message by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

Series: Christianity, Not As God Intended!

Scripture: I Corinthians 12:9-10 – “To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles.”

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How are you applying this series?

• Are you filled with the Spirit?
• Are you using the gift(s) God has given you?
• Are you moving forward or looking backward?

Avoiding two extremes

God can’t! Or God must!

But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. (Psalm 115:3)

The Working of Miracles / Definition

The ability to call on God to do extraordinary, supernatural acts that reveal His power.

Examples from the Bible

• The Life of Jesus (John 20:30)
• The example of Stephen (Acts 6:8)

Errors concerning miracles

• Self promotion
• The assumption that anointing means approval
• The lust for power
• Demanding a sign

Do you have the gift of working of miracles?

The Gifts of Healings / Definition

The ability to call on God to heal the sick through supernatural means for the purpose of revealing God’s grace and power.

Examples from the Bible

• The Life of Jesus (Matthew 4:23, 24)
• The example of Peter (Acts 6:8)
• The example of Paul (Acts 19:11, 12)

Errors concerning healing…

• God doesn’t heal today…
• We shouldn’t use doctors or medicine
• Healing should only be done at church service
• If you love God and walk by faith you never get sick

Do you have the gift of healing?

In What Do I Believe?

Guest Speaker, Christoph Zurcher.

Scripture: Isaiah 26:4

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(The YouTube video played at the beginning of the message can be found here.)

Due to technical difficulties, these opening remarks of Christoph are not included in above audio file:

“Have you ever found yourselves in a situation where you trusted your GPS to take you to your destination and you ended up somewhere else because your GPS device got confused? You did everything right, you followed all the instructions but you still didn’t get where you needed to go! Frustration sets in. That’s why my daughter suggested that I should name my GPS so I could yell at it!….”

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Part 4)

Message by Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

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Series: Christianity, Not As God Intended!

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

As we consider the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it is important to remember that Jesus is our best model for understanding spiritual gifts.

• Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35)
• Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21-22)
• Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1)
• Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14)
• All His ministry was Spirit empowered and directed (Luke 4:18)

Gifts are given…

• To promote the Lordship of Christ (verses 2-3)
• By the Trinity (verses 4-6)
• To benefit others (verse 7)
• By God’s appointment (verse 11)

I Corinthians 12:9 – to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles,

Avoiding the extremes
God can’t! and God must!

The Gifts of Healings / Definition
The ability to call on God to heal the sick through supernatural means for the purpose of revealing God’s grace and power.

The Working of Miracles / Definition
The ability to call on God to do extraordinary, supernatural acts that reveal His power.

The Gift of Faith / Definition
The ability to envision what needs to be done and then to trust God to accomplish it even though it seems impossible to most people.

General Makeup

• Trust God in impossible situations
• Believe God for big things
• Futuristic Change oriented
• Totally convinced of God’s Word

Illustrated
Jesus (Luke 1:37) Paul (Acts 27)

Standing Firm In The Faith

Pastor Craig Diestelkamp

(or click here to download)

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-10

In chapter 3 Paul’s concern is focused on the “faith” of the Thessalonians. Paul’s great desire was for all believers to being strong and stand firm in the faith. He wrote to the Colossians and said, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). The key word is “faith” and Paul mentions it five times in this passage.

1. He sacrificed and sent Timothy to them. 1 Thessalonians 3:1 – “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone,”

2. In sending Timothy, he sent them the best. 1 Thessalonians 3:2 – “and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ,”

3. Timothy went to “strengthen and encourage.” 1 Thessalonians 3:2 – “…to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,”

4. Three components of powerful faith.

Knowledge
Acceptance
Trust

5. Faith strengthens us for two important things! 1 Thessalonians 3:3-5 – “that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.”

Faith or Fear for the Future?

Guest Speaker, Dale Pugh

(or click here to download)

Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:24-34

Dale & his wife, Kathy