JESUS CHRIST:

The Solid Rock!

                                             By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D

    “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whosoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” (Matt.21: 42, 44)

    After concluding His parable, Jesus warned of the judgment that would befall Israel if they rejected the Messiah. Their sin of rebellion would escalate until it involved deicide. They would brutally kill their Messiah, God’s Own Son!

    Jesus quoted the Old Testament: “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in His eyes.” (Ps. 118: 22, 23); “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation...” (Is. 28: 16)

   After Christ’s death and resurrection, the disciples finally understood what had happened. The promised Messiah had died for the Jewish nation and for the sins of the whole world!

St. Peter stated: “Unto you therefore which believe He (Jesus) is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: where unto also they were appointed.” (1 Peter 2: 7, 8)

    “This STONE which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4: 12)

    Referring to the Red Sea, opening to save the Jews from Pharaoh's advancing military, St. Paul compares that with water baptism. Their deliverance from Egyptian bondage is similar to our deliverance from Satan and sin. Their victory was celebrated as deliverance by water in the sea and ours is through baptism by immersion in water.

    “And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10: 2-4)

    Jesus warned that whoever falls upon that Rock (Himself), will be broken, but whoever that Rock falls upon will be destroyed! God delights in saving those who have a “broken and a contrite spirit”. (Ps. 34: 18) God hates pride and arrogance!

   The Roman Catholic Church has made a colossal mistake in their insistence upon rigidly holding to a number false and spurious doctrines that stand in flagrant violation of sound doctrine and basic common sense!

    Martin Luther was charged with heresy by the corrupt Roman Church, for preaching the pure Gospel of Jesus. He was hauled in before the highest ranking body of civic and ecclesiastical rulers of the Church of Rome and the Empire. On April 18, 1521, at his trial at the Diet in Worms, Germany, he was asked: "Will you recant of your writings?"

    LUTHER replied: "... Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason, I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other. My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe! Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise! God help me. Amen."

   The Bible says: “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5: 5, 6)

JESUS CHRIST GOD’S LAMB

WAS SACRIFICED FOR US!

     On a church steeple high above the ground in Norway’s countryside, is a beautiful work of art. A lovely little lamb has been carved on the wood so it can be readily seen from ground level. When the church steeple was being built many years ago, a workman fell off a high scaffold to a certain death. His co-workers rushed down expecting to see a corpse.

    Amazingly, the man was alive with only minor injuries. A flock of sheep had been passing by the church at the moment the young men fell. He landed on a lamb, crushing it to death! The lamb had saved his life!

     That is what happened to Jesus. He was crushed for us! The prophet of God foretold it 700 years before it came to pass: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him: He hath put Him to grief…” (Is.53: 10) The Norwegian Bible says: “Det har behaget vår Herre til å knuse (crush) Ham.”

    John the Baptist – the forerunner of the Messiah – pointed to Jesus our precious Saviour and stated unequivocally: “Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1: 29)

     St. John says: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the for beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Rev.5: 6)

    Then he adds: “…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Rev.13: 8) The Bible says that Messiah Jesus would be “brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so He openeth His mouth.” (Is.53:7)

     “Surely, He hath borne our sicknesses (heb. makob), and carried our pains (heb. nasa): yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53: 4-6)

ON CHRIST THE

SOLID ROCK I STAND

     A Minister was preaching in London’s Hyde Park when a man began to heckle him. Being used to open air preaching, he continued undaunted. The heckler was still quite inebriated and wasn’t going to stop. He was agitated because he had been roused from a sound sleep. He was also ticked off because the preacher was a Protestant, while he was an Irish Roman Catholic!

    “I’m from Ireland”, he boasted. “I can whip anyone of you here.” The preacher continued preaching about sin and salvation, heaven and hell and coming judgment! Finally, the drunken man shouted:

     “What have to you to say about Ireland? What about the Shamrock, our very own Shamrock? What do you say about that Sir?” The preacher turned toward the man and said: “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. All other rocks are sham rocks.” The writer penned these words:

My hope is built on nothing less,

than Jesus blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

but wholly lean on Jesus’ name

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

all other ground is sinking sand

His oath, His covenant, His blood,

support me in the whelming flood

When all around this world gives way,

then He is all my hope and stay

When Christ shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before His throne

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand!

    What a great gospel song! What a marvellous testimony for our Lord! I can also testify that my hope is in the Lord, His blood and His righteousness. It would be foolhardy to begin believing in some false prophet or deceptive New Age or weird cult teaching!

HIS OATH, HIS COVENANT, HIS BLOOD!

    His oath, His covenant, His blood - support me in the whelming flood. God had sworn an oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob that He would bring the Jewish people into the land of milk and honey. (Gen.26:3) He had also sworn that Christ would sit on David’s throne:

    “Therefore (David) being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on His throne;

    “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2: 30-32)

    St. Paul stated: “For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater He sware by Himself...

  “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel (the permanent character of His Word) confirmed it by an oath:

    “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Acts 6:13, 17-20)

JESUS IS OUR ONLY HOPE!

    The Bible speaks plainly: “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us…How much more shall the blood of Jesus, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without sot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9: 12-14

     As the high priest had to carry the blood of the goat into the Holy of Holies on the great Day of Atonement, Jesus our High Priest carried His own blood into the Holy of Holies in Heaven!

     “For Christ is not entered into the Holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. (Heb.9: 28)

    Francis Xaviour had a powerful ministry in India and wanted to go into China, but was refused entry. He died at age 46 in 1552. Before he died Xaviour cried out to the wall of China: O’ thou great wall, when wilt thou open so the Rock Christ Jesus can come inside?”

    That wall has now been opened! There is presently an estimated 100 million born-again believers in Christ in the underground church in China and it is growing despite the awful persecution of the Communist State against the Gospel of Christ!

     It is too late, however, for God haters to put out the evangelical flame in Communist China! I say: “Devil, you are too late! Once Chinese people who have been downtrodden for decades hear and receive the Gospel and are filled with the blessed Holy Spirit, no one will be able to stop them.”

    The Pope and his fanatical deputies discovered that when Jan Hus, Wycliffe and Martin Luther and other reformers had tasted the peace, joy and liberty that Jesus Christ bring to a redeemed soul, they would never go back into the slavery to a ‘religion devoid of the Holy Spirit’ again!

     For nearly 2000 years the traditional Christian liturgy has been: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again! The hymn writer penned theses beautiful words:

     “When Christ shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne! On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE

ARE RAGING, STAND BY ME!

Here is a powerful and beautiful song written by Charles A. Tindley (1905)

When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me (stand by me);
When the storms of life are raging,
Stand by me (stand by me);
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship upon the sea
Thou Who rulest wind and water,
Stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me (stand by me);
In the midst of tribulation,
Stand by me (stand by me);
When the hosts of hell assail,
And my strength begins to fail,
Thou Who never lost a battle,
Stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of faults and failures,
Stand by me (stand by me);
In the midst of faults and failures,
Stand by me (stand by me);
When I do the best I can,
And my friends misunderstand,
Thou Who knowest all about me,
Stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of persecution,
Stand by me (stand by me);
In the midst of persecution,
Stand by me (stand by me);
When my foes in battle array
Undertake to stop my way,
Thou who saved Paul and Silas,
Stand by me (stand by me).

When I’m growing old and feeble,
Stand by me (stand by me);
When I’m growing old and feeble,
Stand by me (stand by me);
When my life becomes a burden,
And I’m nearing chilly Jordan,
O Thou “Lily of the Valley,”
Stand by me (stand by me).

BY GRACE ALONE ~ THROUGH

FAITH ALONE ~ IN CHRIST ALONE!

● By Grace Alone: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2: 8-9); “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom.3: 24)

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sake's He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” (2 Cor.8: 9)

● Through Faith Alone: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on Him.” (John 3: 16, 36)

“But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed (God’s righteousness) if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses (sins), and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom. 4: 24, 25)

● In Christ Alone: “…When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High.” (Heb 1:3); “For when we were yet without strength (hopeless), in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But when God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5: 6, 8)

“And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:11, 12)

WHY DID STEPHEN, JAMES & PAUL

GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR JESUS?

     St. John said: “We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4: 19); St. Paul stated: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain…. yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ: which is far better. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” (Phil. 1: 21 - 24)

     “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor.5: 6-8)

Great Preachers of the Gospel have laboured intensely and some have been persecuted, and others have given their lives on a Mission field in some far away land, for the purpose of bringing them to Christ.

    Men of God like William Tyndale, John Knox, Nicholas Zinzendorf, John Wesley, Charles Whitefield, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, C.T. Studd, John Hyde, David Brainerd, William Booth and others readily come to mind!

    As he was being tried for blasphemy, Stephen cried out: “Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7: 56)

    The Bible states that when Jesus ascended to Heaven, “He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High.” (Heb.1: 3). When Stephen, the first Christian martyr was about to be killed, Jesus stood up to receive the spirit of His servant into Glory!

     He is even now in Heaven interceding to the Father on our behalf. The Bible states: “But this Man (Jesus Christ), because He continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7: 24, 25)

    What a heritage is ours! What a history we own! What a Gospel we preach! What a God we serve. What a great family we belong to – The Family of Jesus!! Oh hallelujah, What a Saviour!

    This Gospel is greater than any one person, church, nation or civilization! How thankful we should be that everyone has been called to enter into His great kingdom.

     Our Saviour invited: “Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11: 28); “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door I will come in to Him, and will sup with him and he with Me.” (Rev. 3: 20)

                                                   THIS THING WAS NOT

                                                      DONE IN A CORNER!

    Speaking before king Agrippa, St. Paul said: “Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from Heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

    “And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

   “And I said, Who art Thou, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom thou persecutest? But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things which I will appear unto thee.

    “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from Darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.

   “Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the Heavenly vision; But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and unto all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” (Acts 26: 12-20)

                                                I AM NOT MAD NOBLE FESTUS!

   St. Paul was mightily anointed by the Holy Spirit: “And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning hath made thee mad.

    “But he said, I am not mad most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I an persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a CORNER.” (Acts 26: 24-26)

    The Anointing of the Holy Spirit came through loud and clear as the 'Man of God' stirred both the king and the governor. Defending his message and demeanor, St. Paul said: “I am not insane, most noble Festus. I know what I am saying is the truth and I also know that the king believes what I am saying.”

      St. Paul asked: “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said into Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to become a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” (Acts 26: 27-29)

                                               WHAT IS THIS THING?

    Without doubt, this thing that St. Paul lived for, preached so vigorously and was willing to die for, was none other than Jesus Christ Himself, Who has given us Eternal Life!

   Clearly stated, the Gospel is the Good News that Light is come into a world of Darkness; that Peace is come into a world of Turmoil; that Healing is come into a world of Sickness; that Love is come into a world of Hate; that Forgiveness has come into a world of Sin; that Life is come into a world of Death; that Freedom has come into a world of Bondage; that Slaves are made Free through the Great Liberator of the human race!

    And that Light, Peace, Healing, Love, Forgiveness, Life, Freedom, Liberty and Eternal Life is none other than Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, Crucified for our Sins and Risen from the dead for our Justification! Amen.

    St. Paul stated unequivocally: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor. 15:1-4)

    Martin Luther: “I live as though Christ died yesterday, arose today and is coming tomorrow”. Jerusalem's Chief Leaders charged the followers of Christ: “Ye have filled Jerusalem with this doctrine…” (Acts 5:28); “What shall we do with these men…” (Acts 4:7-16)

    “When they prayed the place was shaken...”(Acts 4: 30-33). Pagan leaders said: “These that have turned the world upside down and are come here also…” (Acts 17:6)

                                                      WHY? PAUL, WHY?

    St. Paul's agenda and our agenda is to make Christ known everywhere possible! He was obeying the Great Commission of our Lord when He said; “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

    “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

      “So the after that Lord has spoken unto them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with Signs following. Amen.” (Mark 16:15 - 20)

                                               WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING!

  The Early Church believed the Words of Jesus, especially after His glorious resurrection. At first many doubted but when they saw Him in His glorified body, they believed.

    Thomas had the amazing conversion experience of believing that Jesus of Nazareth had risen from the dead when the Living Christ appeared before Him, inviting him to put his finger in the nail prints in His hands and thrusting his hand into the wound in His side. He cried out, My Lord and My God.” (John 20: 27, 28)

     St. Paul would give his life in the cause of Christ. He knew it was coming. That's why he had to make it to Rome, the capital of world power. Jesus had warned him of the suffering he would bear for Him:

    “But go thy way: for he is a Chosen Vessel unto Me, to bear My Name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must SUFFER for My Name's sake.” (Acts 9: 15, 16)

“Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break my heart? For I am READY not to be bound only, but to DIE at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21: 13)

    On October 16, 1555, Bishops Latimer and Ridley were burned at the stake by the wicked Pope, for preaching the Gospel in Britain. As the fire was lit, Latimer said: “Play the man Ridley, Today we light a fire across England that shall never go out!”

                                       MEDIA CARRIED THE MIRACLE!

    On December 6, 1973, I was invited to meet Archbishop Michael Gunzi of the Roman Catholic Church in Malta. By the grace of God alone, I am the first Protestant to preach the Gospel in Malta in a public Crusade in the last 1000 years.

  In 1968, I conducted a Gospel Crusade at the Pentecostal Tabernacle in Bergen Norway. Marvellous miracles of salvation and healing occurred. Brita Gloppen's miracle healing was carried on the front page of the Bergen Labour Newsaper, as well as the Oslo Morning News.

    Brita Gloppen's spine had been diagnosed as hopeless. She had worn a steel corset for 10 years and sat in a wheel chair for eight years. She suffered in her heart and at one point fell out of her wheelchair and suffered a serious concussion of the brain.

    Pastor Roald Anderson stood behind the pulpit and wept

as Brita ran in the ailes and outside around the church. He said, “I have waited for 40 years to witness such a miracle.” 
    He had transported her and her wheel chair and special crutches, in his station wagon to church for more than 5 years. That evening she walked home and Pastor Anderson took the wheel chair home alone.

    Brita's neighbour was amazed to see her washing down her outside steps. She walked down town and went shopping for new clothes. Without her steel corset, her dress size was instantly reduced. The ladies wept as Brita tried on new dresses. She took the train, bus, plane, boat and automobile to visit all her siblings and all except one received Jesus because of the great miracle Christ had given her.

  The Tabernacle's Youth Leader, David Wulff, was stirred and sought God about entering the Ministry. About five years later, David received a dream in which he saw a map and the word Island... He was troubled because in Norwegian that word means Iceland and its shape did not resemble Iceland.

    He prayed that God would give him the dream again. The next night, the dream was expanded and he saw it all – The Island of Malta. Immediately he and a friend packed their suit cases with gospel literature, bought their tickets to Valletta, Malta.

    When they arrived in Valletta, they were refused entry, saying, “You are not allowed to work as missionaries in Malta.” When he returned to Norway, David discovered that 1,000 years ago, the Malta Knights decreed that Malta would always remain Roman Catholic. Only R.C. Priests were allowed to minister in Malta. They did not want any Muslims in their country.

                                          MAKING HISTORY IN MALTA!

    As David sought God and the authorities, he discovered that officially he could apply for a permit as a Chaplain for Norwegian sailors. He learned that two Chaplains were serving there, for British and American sailors. Arriving in Malta with proper papers, David was welcomed as a Chaplain to Norwegian sailors.

     Almost immediately, David invited me to Malta. He applied for a permit to allow me to conduct a Gospel Revival, which was rejected at once. They told him that it was impossible because of the 1,000 year law. The Jehovah Witnesses had been imprisoned for going from door to door.

     David went to see Governor Mr. Dom Mintoff, and told him that he had invited me, and that I was on my way. He specifically said that I was well known through TV, that were many Maltese people in Toronto. And if refused entry, that I would have explain to Canadians that there was no religious freedom in Malta.

    Governor Mintoff conferred with Archbishop Michael Gunzi and the decision was made that upon my arrival, we must see the Archbishop immediately!

    I had not been told that my application for the CRUSADE had been rejected. When I arrived at Valletta's Airport I saw a lot of people on the roof waving, but it was not for me.

As I entered the airport a man took my picture and I thought he was from the Maltese Times. He was a retired British missionary whose wife had passed away and was on a honeymoon with his young bride.

David and his wife were there with the British and American Chaplains and their wives. That is when David gave me the news that we must report to Archbishop Michael Gunzi at the Curia as soon as possible.

WHO SENT YOU TO MALTA?

After I was introduced to the Archbishop, he said, “Excuse me for a few minutes, please.” When he returned he said, “I have just just spoken to the Governor about you.” I answered, “That is good. I have been in Malta for about two hours and and the Prime Minister knows about me, and I'm sitting in the Archbishop's parlor.”

He turned to me and asked sharply, “Who sent you to Malta? Why are you here?” I answered, “Your Grace Monsignor Michael Gunzi Archbishop of Malta, you asked Who sent me to Malta? The Holy Spirit sent me to Malta!That's why I am here.

He was taken aback. He said, “The Holy Spirit sent you here? You mean, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? I answered, “Yes, your Grace; the Holy Spirit of God sent me here!”

He said, “If you are allowed to preach, what will you say?” I answered, “I will preach that God sent His only begotten Son to shed His blood on the Cross for our sins. That He would rise with Power over death, Hell and the grave!

I will preach the same message as St. Peter when he said: “Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be save, than the Name of Jesus.

I will preach the same message as St. Paul when he said, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim.2: 3)

I will preach the same message that Jesus Christ preached when He said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father by by Me.” (John 14:6).

I will preach the same message that Pope Paul V1, while speaking to 15,000 young people in Vatican on Palm Sunday stated: “Jesus Christ is the only hope, life and salvation of this world.”

The Archbishop said, “That is good. If you area allowed to preach will you proselyte from our Church?” I answered, “If the Roman Catholic Church could save souls, I would spend my life turning people into Catholics, but the Roman Catholic Church cannot save anyone.” He was taken back. I continued, “If the Protestant Church could save souls, I would spend my life turning men and women into Protestants, but the Protestant Church cannot save anyone.”

     He relaxed. I continued, “Since only Jesus Christ can save souls I will spend my time in Malta preaching Jesus Christ.” The Archbishop came off his chair with a smile and said, “That is good, I wish you the best success in preaching Jesus Christ in Malta.”

                                              CHIEF OF POLICE PRAYS!

    Immediately, we received a call that Chief of Police Enoch Tonna, wanted to see me. Being invited into his office, we were greeted warmly.

   He said, “I have heard that the Archbishop has given you permission to preach. Do you know of a man called Billy Graham? He has a book. Do you have a book?”

I said, “Yes.” He said, “I would like that book for my police officers”. He confided, “The Mafia have threatened my family,” I said, “Let us kneel and pray”. I then led him in

prayer to receive Christ as his personal Saviour.

     We prayed together that Jesus would come into his heart and also to protect his family from the threats of the Mafia; that God would cover them with the blood of Jesus Christ.

    Some years later, Enoch Tonna was elevated to Chief of Police for the Nation of Malta. And we corresponded by mail for some time.

   One day, David and were walking about down town when he spotted a very tall priest. He was a leading Catholic prelate. David said, “Monsignor, This is Rev. Max Solbrekken from Canada.”

    The cleric asked, “Is this the man that God is using?” David answered in the affirmative. “Does he have a prayer for me? he asked. David asked him, “Are you sick, Monsignor?” he asked. “Yes, in my body and in my soul,” replied the Pastor of the large Cathedral in Valletta.

    Right there on the main street with people walking about and around us I laid my hands on his head and prayed for healing for his spirit, soul and body. We prayed in Jesus' name for forgiveness and divine healing.

    After a time of prayer and praise, he asked me what he could do for me. I answered that I would be pleased to preach in the Cathedral if we returned to Malta. He said that it might be difficult, but he would see what he could do.

   I was struck by the great humility of the clergy that I met in Malta and I sensed that they were ready for a time of revival.

     Unfortunately, because I was so busy in so many other countries, I never seemed to find the time to return, however, our visit and crusade caused the government of Malta to abrogate the law of the Knights of Malta and to extend full religious freedom to that nation.

     Unfortunately, there a Muslim Mosque and a Jehovah Witness Hall there but praise be to our Saviour, there are a number of Gospel Churches there, for which we thank God.

I have not returned, but there have been crusades by Reinhard Bonnke and Benny Hinn, so we thank God for His great Holy Spirit leading us to Malta in 1973.

     How it all started with the miracle healing of Brita Gloppen and the great hunger of David Wulff to enter the Ministry and the wisdom God gave him and his wife was miraculous indeed. And I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to answer the call to Malta.

     All honour, praise and glory belongs to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in Jesus holy and precious Name. Amen.

                                                    ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE!

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2: 21); “Neither is their salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom. 10: 9,10)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and hat her shall live.” (John 5: 24,25)

WHAT IS ETERNAL LIFE?

    “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our have handled, of the Word of life;

    For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life; which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.

   “That which we have see and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

    “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.

    “But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the BLOOD of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all Sin. If we confess our suns, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:1-3, 6, 7, 9)

    “My little children, these things I writ unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the sins of the Whole World. And hereby we do know that we know His commandments.” (1 John 2: 1-3)

    “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father but he acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

    “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

“And this is the promise that He hath promied us, even Eternal Life. Ye are of God, and have overcome them, because Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” (1 John 22-25; 4:4)

WHAT IS TRUE GOD?

In His High Priestly Prayer, Jesus said: “Father, the time has come: glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee. As Thou hast given Him POWER over all flesh, that He should give Eternal Life to as many as Thou hast given Him.

“And this is Eternal Life, that they might know Thee the only True God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou has Sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work Thou gavest Me to do.

    “And now O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own Self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” (John 16:3-5)

While in exile on the Isle of Patmos, Jesus Christ our Risen Lord appeared unto John the Beloved: “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.

     “And He laid His right hand on me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of Hell and of death.” (Rev.1:17, 18)

   After that awesome experience St. John writes: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is True, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is True God, and Eternal Life.” (1 John 5: 19, 20)

A SINNER'S DREAM
 
LAST NIGHT AS I LAY SLEEPING A DREAM CAME TO ME.
I DREAMED ABOUT THE END OF TIME, ABOUT ETERNITY.
I SAW A MILLION SINNERS FALL ON THEIR FACE AND PRAY
THE LORD JUST SADLY LOOKED AT THEM AND THIS I HEARD HIM SAY:
SORRY, I NEVER KNEW YOU, I HAVE NO RECORD OF YOUR BIRTH.
SORRY, I NEVER KNEW YOU GO SERVE THE ONE THAT YOU SERVED WHILE ON EARTH.

WELL I THOUGHT THAT THE TIME HAS SURELY COME WHEN I MUST FACE MY TRIALS
AND I TOLD THE LORD THAT I HAD BEEN A CHRISTIAN ALL THE WHILE.
AND THROUGH HIS BOOK HE TOOK A LOOK AND SADLY SHOOK HIS HEAD
HE PLACED ME OVER ON THE LEFT AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID:SORRY, I NEVER KNEW YOU, I HAVE NO RECORD OF YOUR BIRTH.
SORRY, I NEVER KNEW YOU GO SERVE THE ONE THAT YOU SERVED WHILE ON EARTH.

WELL I SAW MY WIFE AND CHILDREN, I HEARD THEIR LOVING VOICE.
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN SO HAPPY, O HOW THEY DID REJOICE.
THEIR ROBES OF WHITE AROUND THEM, A CROWN UPON THEIR HEAD.
MY LITTLE GIRL LOOKED UP TO ME AND THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID:
DADDY, WE CAN'T GO WITH YOU, WE MUST DWELL IN THE JOY OF OUR LORD.
SORRY, BUT WE STILL LOVE YOU, BUT YOU'LL NEVER BE OUR DADDY ANYMORE.

AND THEN I AWAKENED, THE TEARS WERE IN MY EYES
AND LOOKING ALL AROUND ME AND THERE TO MY SURPRISE
THERE WAS MY WIFE AND CHILDREN, I KNEW IT WAS A DREAM.
SO KNEELING AT MY BEDSIDE YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD ME SCREAM!
FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, I KNOW YOU GAVE YOUR ONLY SON.
FORGIVE ME AND LET ME SERVE THEE, FOR I WANT TO BE READY WHEN HE COMES