Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Holy Bible is God's own Sacred Word. It is infallible, inerrant and buries the agnostic and atheist in its awesome march across the ages. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God. Revelation Chapter 5 - Pastor Max Solbrekken


Bible Predicted Date Of Israel's Return


The author of “Covenant: G-d’s Plan for Israel in the Last Days,” a book by Baruch Battlestein published in Italy, cites prophecies by Ezekiel and Moses that pinpoint with precision the date of Israel’s return to the land in May 1948.

“Was May 14, 1948, chosen by G-d as the exact day in time to resurrect the nation of Israel, or was it just some random date in human history?” Battlestein asks. “Could it be possible that this exact date was prophesied thousands of years before in Scripture?”

Battlestein cites three verses to
 reach his conclusion that the date of Israel’s return to the land after 1,900 years was indeed prophesied accurately.

The first is Ezekiel 37:21-22: “And say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them
 one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.’”

This verse, Battlestein points out, shows “that it was the will of the Lord to bring them back to their own land and make them one nation in the land.”

The second citation of interest is Leviticus 26:23-24: “And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.”

“As a stand-alone verse this is very strange, and when applying it to the history of Israel it seems impossible to fully understand,” writes the author. “However, when we read the Book of Ezekiel we find another strange prophecy that leads us back to G-d’s prophecy in Leviticus. It is through these prophecies that we come to an understanding that May 14, 1948, was the exact date chosen by G-d for the resurrection of Israel thousands of years before it took place.”

That second Ezekiel citation is Ezekiel 4:4-6: “Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie
 again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”

“In this strange prophecy, Ezekiel is commanded to first lay on his left side for 390 days and then on his right side for 40 days, for a total of 430 days, as punishment for the iniquities of the house of Israel,” explains Battlestein.

“We are told that this punishment represents one day for each year. Taken alone, the prophecies in Leviticus and Ezekiel do not take on any specific significance. However, when we combine them, the results are astonishing.”

He continues: “G-d decreed to Israel a total of 430 years of punishment for her sins against Him. That punishment consisted of physical removal from the land G-d had promised His people. Israel’s captivity in Babylon was exactly 70 years as prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). Therefore, the first 70 years of Israel’s punishment was completed when the Babylonian captivity ended.

By the decree of King Cyrus, conquerer of Babylon, the Jews were set free from their captivity in the year 538 B.C. The year 538 B.C. therefore becomes the base year with which we begin our calculations: 430 years minus 70 year captivity equals 360 years of remaining punishment to come.”

That’s where the Leviticus prophecy kicks in, says Battlestein. The 360 years needed to be multiplied by seven, for a total of 2,520 years.

Using the 360-day Hebrew calendar, that totals 907,200 days. When converted to the 365-day calendar, the 2,520 years or 907,200 days becomes 2,485 years and five months or 2,485.5 years and months. If you subtract 538 years B.C. you get 1,947 years and five months.

Battlestein reminds that there was no year zero.

“Therefore, the year 1,947.5 we call the year 1948.5,” he explains. “So exactly 1,947.5 years after 538 B.C. we come to the year 1948.5,” he writes. “May is the fifth month of the modern calendar, and on May 14, 1948, Israel arose from the ashes of extinction to become a nation!”

Battlestein is a messianic Jew who lived in Israel until moving to the U.S. He is the author of several books.

Saturday, December 28, 2019


WERE YOU THERE:
DID YOU SHOW UP?
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
    On September 22, 1589 HENRY of NAVARRE wrote to CRILLON whom he called "the bravest of the brave" after the Battle of Arques: "Hang yourself brave Crillon, we have Conquored at Arques and you were NOT there!" In other words: 'You Missed It. You were Not there."
       Were you there? Did you show up?  When it's all over and we all stand before God, will you be able to say, I Was There. I Showed Up?
     How will you answer when He asks, "What did you do with the talents I gave you? Where is the fruit of your labour in the vineyard I placed you? Why did you cave in, when I gave Myself without reservation for mankind? What did you do with the authority, power and spiritual gifts I put at your disposal?"
      Will you answer like the Unprofitable Servant, "I hid your talent in the ground" (Luke 17:7-10); or, will you say like those who were bidden to the Marriage Supper: "I WAS TOO BUSY: I bought a farm and had to inspect it. I bought a large new tractor. I got married and didn't have time to attend Your supper." (Luke 14:16-24)
    MARTIN LUTHER stated: "I live as though Jesus Christ died yesterday, arose today and is coming again tomorrow!" That was his 'Philosophy of Ministry'. He was completely sold out to God. He didn't back down. He stuck with it to the very end and he won! He was there. He showed up!
      May we all be able to say, “I was there! I showed up! I answered the Call of God. I was there when it happened. I heard His voice and I answered that I would be faithful in whatever He asked me to do. I sensed the peace flood my spirit and mind. I felt His Holy Spirit enter my innermost spirit and took control of my tongue as I worshipped and praised Him with a full throat.”
     The old Negro Spiritual asks: "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb? Were you there when He rose up from the grave? Were you when He ascended to the throne?” Can you say, "Yes - I was there"?
                   THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH!
    Will you be there when He comes in the Rapture of the Church? And will you be there when He rides on His White Horse to the Valley of Jehosaphat and the Plains of Megiddo to meet the Armies of the Antichrist?
     By the grace of God, I'll be there and so will you, my friend. Let's stand together, strong in the Faith of Jesus!
 The Bible plainly states that all believers have died with Christ (Gal.2:20), were buried with Christ (Rom.6: 4), arose with Christ (Rom.6:4-12) and are presently seated with Him in heavenly places (Eph. 2:16) and should Christ tarry, we will return with Him when He comes to carry His Bride to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (1 Thes. 4: 13). And so shall we ever be with our Lord! (1 Thes. 4: 17)
    CRILLON, as a Knight of Malta had fought against the Turks. He was called "the brave" by the Courts of France and "the man without fear" by the Army. King Henry 1V of NAVARRE and FRANCE called Crillon, "the bravest of the brave".
    CRILLON was a compassionate man who forgave a would-be assassin and condemned the orchestrated slaughter of 110,000 unarmed Protestants by the bloody Roman Catholic Church on St. Bartholomew's Day on August 24,1572.
  Five times KING HENRY 1V had fought to take ARQUES. On September 20, 1589 the King wrote: "Crillon, we fought at Arques, without you. I would have loved to have had you by my side." It was almost like he was begging Crillon to join him.
   Two days later on September 22, 1589 HENRY of NAVARRE wrote to CRILLON after the Battle of Arques: "Hang yourself brave Crillon, we have Conquored at Arques and you were NOT there!" In other words: 'You Missed It. You were Not there."
                  JESUS PLEADS IN THE GARDEN!
  That story reminds me of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane pleading with Peter, James and John to remain awake and pray with Him for one hour as He agonized in prayer and His sweat became like great drops of blood. 
   After his third call He said, "SLEEP ON NOW and take your rest, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." (Matt.26:45). In other words, "It's too late now. You were NOT there when I needed you. You missed it!"
    After one of his great victories, Napoleon Bonaparte of France minted a special Medal which he gave to each of his soldiers. On one side was the name of the Battle and on the other the words: 'I WAS THERE!'
     Let us not miss the coming battles for the souls of men and victories of changed lives and out-poured blessings, as we move forward in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in 2020. Let us be there.!!!
      When it's all over, I pray that you will be able to say, I was there. I showed up. We can and we will. Let's do it together!!! Amen.
A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR !

Thursday, December 26, 2019

              THE LOVE OF GOD
                        and the
               CALL OF THE SPIRIT 
                 By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D                                     God’s love permeates the world. His presence is everywhere. Every breath we take proves that He exists, because He is the giver of Life. Without oxygen we could not survive and if Jesus Christ took His hands off the controls there would no longer be a solar system, and we would no longer exist!
    The Holy Bible states: “God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed all things, by whom also He made the worlds. (Heb.1: 1,2)
     “For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He (Christ) is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1: 16-18)
     The sun comes up every morning, the seasons change as they always have, bringing severe cold and heat in different parts of the world. And the youth are still struggling against the evil in their hearts, ever since Adam and Eve’s rebellion. And there is usually a rainbow in the sky after a storm, just like the Bible states.
                   GOD’S COVENANT WITH US!
       After Noah’s Flood, Almighty God made a covenant that remains until today: “And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in His heart, I will not again curse the earth for man’s sake; for the imagination of his heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
    “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8: 21, 22)
      “And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations: I do set My bow in the cloud and it shall be for a token of the covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.
    “And I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And God said unto Noah, This is a token of the covenant, which I have established between Me and all flesh upon the earth.” (Genesis 9: 12-16)
     Speaking to the king, the prophet Daniel said: “And thou his son, O Belshazzar has not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; but thou hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of Heaven…and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.” (Daniel 5:22-23)
     Only an idiot would believe that all the intricacies of our world and the millions of heavenly bodies in outer space along with our own solar system only happened by chance should have a good talk with his shrink!
    Albert Einstein stated, “I do not believe that God plays dice with the universe.”  And Werner von Braun, a German aerospace engineer and architect of rocket and space technology in USA said: “The farther we probe into space, the greater is my Faith in God.”
         ATHEIST CONVERTED TO CHRIST!
    When American soldiers marched into central Germany in May 1945, they found that Werner von Braun had organized the surrender of 500 of his top scientists, along with plans and test vehicles.
    Von Braun and his German scientists were relocated to the United States, where they became indispensable to the development of American military and space programs. Von Braun’s life had changed drastically within the course of a year.  
    But it was in a little church in El Paso, Texas, that von Braun experienced a spiritual transformation that would change him from the inside out. In Germany, von Braun had been nominally Lutheran but functionally atheist. He had no interest in religion or God.
     In Texas, while living at Fort Bliss, a neighbor invited him to church. He went, expecting to find the religious equivalent of a country club. Instead, he found a small white frame building with a vibrant congregation of people who loved the Lord.
     He realized that he had been morally adrift and that he needed to surrender himself to God. He converted to Christ and, over the coming years, became quite outspoken in his evangelical faith and frequently addressed the complementarity of faith and science.
     Dr. C. M. Ward’s 1966 interview of von Braun took place in Huntsville, Alabama, at the George Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA), where he served as director. Von Braun contrasted the large empty cathedrals of Europe to the large numbers of churches he found in Texas, many meeting in temporary buildings, pastored by “humble preachers driving second-hand buses,” who led “thriving congregations.”
    The German scientist was impressed and noted: “Here is a growing, aggressive church and not a dignified, half-dead institution. Here is spiritual life.”
     Ward published von Braun’s story and his thoughts on faith and science in an article in the June 2, 1966, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel, as well as in a 15-page booklet, The Farther We Probe into Space, the Greater My Faith (Gospel Publishing House, 1966), of which almost 500,000 copies were published        – From This Week in AG History — June 26, 1966
                      GOD REACHES OUT TO MAN!
     The Bible says: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. He that testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:17,20)
     All through the Holy Bible we read of Almighty God reaching out to mortal man! In the Garden of Eden, the Creator walked and talked with the man and woman He had created. There was an intimacy between God, and Adam and Eve, like a father and his children.
     The Lord God took of earth’s soil to form Adam, and then blew His own breath into Adam making him a living spirit! He removed a rib from Adam’s body, from which He fashioned Eve.
    “And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” (Genesis 2:22, 23)
     Even after their disastrous ‘fall’ God graciously provided for the human family, through the sacrificial system  which pointed forward to the  sacrifice of His own dear Son, Jesus of Nazareth, who would die on a rugged cross to meet the righteous demands of Divine Justice, and appease the wrath of God against mankind’s sin.
    Addressing Satan, the Lord God said: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her SEED; it shall bruise (crush) thy head, and thou shall bruise His heel.”(Genesis 6: 15). He was declaring that the SEED of the woman, Jesus Christ, would through His vicarious death on the cross, destroy Satan and his domination over mankind!
    By that declaration, God promised a Deliverer who would crush Satan and his evil power. That great deliverer would be His own dear Son who would be incarnated (God in human flesh) to meet the righteous demand of Divine Justice in payment for Adam’s colossal Sin of high treason against the Almighty!
       PRESERVING MESSIAH’S BLOODLINE!
     God sent the Flood to save the righteous bloodline of the Messiah! The descendants of Adam and Eve had corrupted the entire earth. They had heard the message of coming judgment from NOAH, as they watched him build the Ark. The tragedy is that the entire population had been polluted by evil spirits, so that only one family, that of Noah had remained true. They alone, carried the bloodline!
     Satan had planned to stop the Messiah from being born, but was too late. When the Flood had destroyed all the wicked, the righteous bloodline was preserved! And in due time, Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judaea!
                            MERCY, GRACE & LOVE!
      A few years ago, a missionary lay dying in Denmark. With his relatives gathered near his bed, he said: “For many years I have preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a missionary. Now has come the time for me to die. I have gone bankrupt in everything. I have no earthly goods. All I have left is the Blood of Jesus and with that I will approach God.”
    And in the final analysis, that is exactly what is needed to enter Heaven’s gates: Nothing more and nothing less! An old Gospel hymn says, “Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to Thy cross, I cling. Take me as I am. My only plea, Christ died for me. Take me as I am.”
    Here is my question? Why would a man from Denmark spend his time, resources and his entire life preaching and ministering in pagan nations and die in a bankrupt state?
     Here is another question: Why would Saul of Tarsus, a murderer and enemy of Jesus Christ, suddenly convert and spend the rest of his life preaching the same Gospel that he had bitterly opposed? And die as a martyr?
      And why did Sadhu Sundar Singh work tirelessly for Jesus Christ spreading the Gospel in India. Planning to commit suicide at 6:00 AM one morning, Sundar Singh was awakened by Jesus Christ, who shewed him His nail scarred hands and feet, saying, “How long will you reject Me?
    His conversion was immediate, and he became known as the ‘Apostle with bleeding feet’. He refused to wear sandals, to suffer a little for Jesus, who had suffered so much for him!
             WE ARE FOLLOWING JESUS!
    Why have millions of true believers in Christ, from Steven the martyr in the First Century until today, where Christians have been tortured, beheaded and crucified by Islamist terrorists, stood true for Christ rather than deny Him!
    For the same reason that the Son of God left Heaven’s glory to die as a common criminal on Mount Calvary, paying the ransom price for mankind’s sins against Almighty God! To suffer, bleed and die for a lost world and appease God’s wrath and satisfy the righteous demands of Divine Justice for Adam’s sin of high treason!
     Here is my position on Jesus Christ and His Gospel: I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and a Soldier of the Cross. I am an Ambassador of the Kingdom of God to the poor, lost, sick and suffering of this world, liberating them from servitude to the world, flesh and the devil.
     Upon the authority of God’s Word, by the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, through the Eternal Holy Spirit and in the all-powerful Name of Jesus Christ, I charge every evil spirit to relinquish its hold upon those reading these lines and all who call upon the Name of Christ our Saviour in faith!   
    The Bible says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3: 16, 17).
       JESUS ANOINTED TO SAVE & HEAL!  
  “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of devil: for God was with Him.
    “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His Name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10: 38,43); “…The devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3: 8)
   The devil heard the news of His birth, when the Angel choir sang the glad tidings to frightened shepherds keeping watch over their flocks at night.
    He was agitated and tried unsuccessfully to kill the infant Jesus, through King Herod. And he trembled when he heard John the Baptist say: “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” (John 1: 29).
     He thought back to the Garden of Eden and remembered the words of the Almighty: “The seed of the woman will bruise (crush) your head.” (Gen. 3: 15). This is what he had dreaded ever since. Now, he couldn’t hide in a snake. He would have to meet the Son of God face to face.
     He must have trembled when he saw the Holy Spirit descend like a dove upon Jesus of Nazareth at the River Jordan and heard the voice of God the Father, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3: 17)
    St. James says: “Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well; the devils also believe and tremble.” (James 2:19)
           JESUS SAID: IT IS WRITTEN!
  Satan failed again in the Wilderness temptation, when Jesus refuted him repeatedly, saying, “It is Written.” Oh, how he hated those powerful words knowing they were true. He had to leave when the Lord said, “Get thee hence, Satan for it is written. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve.
   “Then the devil leaveth Him, and angels came and ministered unto Him.” (Matthew 4: 10,11). The Greek word diakoneo is to wait on a table, to serve.
    Seeing the angels minister to Jesus, angered the Wicked One. Oh, how he hated the holy, pure angels of God. He must have remembered how different things were before he had led the rebellion against Almighty God! 
    Now Satan was now an outcast, hated and despised. He is the doomed despot! He is called the devil, the liar!
     He had to agree with the Word of God which states: “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6: 23). Satan is spiritually dead. His sins have destroyed him for time and eternity! He is ultimately heading to the Lake of Fire.
    “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20: 10)
     Satan had observed how Jesus of Nazareth had cast out evil spirits. They begged JESUS not to torment them, before their time! The case of two thousand demons driven out of the man from Gadara at once and the hogs drowning, was certainly shared among Satan’s demons!
    Hearing Jesus cry out from the cross, the word tetelestai must have unnerved the devil. Speaking in Greek, Jesus said, ‘It is finished; it is fulfilled; it is paid.” 
     Jesus had finished His work; He had brought to an end Satan’s dominion over mankind. He had fulfilled all the Scriptures about the Messiah. He had paid for all our sins. It was over!
                  HE IS NOT HERE: HE IS RISEN!
   I believe that Satan would have been nearby, when God’s angel came down from Heaven and rolled away the great stone on that first resurrection morning. He saw the Roman guards fall to the ground like dead men, and heard the angel          speak to the women, “Why seek ye the living among the dead. He is not here. He is risen, like He said.”
      Satan must have been nearby to hear Jesus share His last words: “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 their hands on the sick and they shall recover.” (Mark 16: 15-20)
     Did the devil get wind of Jesus’ ascension to Heaven? I believe he would have had demon spies alert him of that great event. How he must have remembered the good life in Heaven, the love and goodness of God. I believe he will remember that throughout eternity and it will haunt him forever!
          MY FRIEND DON’T FOLLOW SATAN!
    He must have observed the strange behaviour of the group of about 120 believers receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost. He had seen prophets in ecstasy, but what was that? They were staggering around like they were drunk. Then he heard them speaking in tongues. What was all that?
  And he observed Peter preach Jesus Christ’s vicarious death and resurrection from the dead and invite the people repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Seeing about 3,000 men in that great crowd that had gathered, cry out for mercy and be saved, must have blown him away!
     What would he do? He had a greater challenge that he thought. And then a short while later to see Peter and John raise up a man born lame, in the name of Jesus. And another 5,000 men getting saved. He had seen enough, and he had to get away to think about his failed mission. And get his gang of demons together for a tongue lashing and new orders!
        JESUS THE GREAT GIFT OF LOVE!
   Jesus is the Great I AM, and I am only a sinner saved by His Grace; only by the Mercy of God; only by the Love of God will I stand before the Ancient of Days,  an unworthy vessel, redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
    He was manifested through the Blessed Holy Spirit in these latter days for the honour of His Kingdom; which will last forever. World without End!  This earthly vessel is only a very small footnote in this great work of Jesus Christ, the propagation of His merciful Gospel toward sinful mankind
     William Gladstone, statesman, Prime Minister and unquestionably one of Great Britain’s most noble, and greatest legal minds in the 1800’s stated:
   “Talk about the questions of the day! There is but one question and that is the gospel. That can and will correct everything. I am glad to say that about all the men at the top in Great Britain are Christians. I have been in public positions fifty-eight years, all but eleven of them  in the cabinet of the British Government, and during these forty-seven years have been associated with sixty of the master minds of the century, and all but five of the sixty were Christians.”
    Someone said, “Christian: Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
    Edith Brock wrote: “Sailing across the trackless Atlantic, the sailors with Columbus rose up in rebellion and demanded that he turn back. But the undaunted words of Columbus will always be inspirational as he cried out, “Sail on, sail on. sail on.”
      “Even though the future is overcast, the New Year is saying, “Sail on.” Perhaps there were failures and mistakes in the past. Let no mistake or failure stifle your efforts as you begin the New Year.
      “Learn the lessons of your failures and sail on. No failure need to be final. One’s face should be always be kept toward the future, and he should never cease to believe that that his visions and dreams will come true. Keep the faith, and sail on, sail on. - From the Church of God Evangel
      With gratitude and godly fear for His goodness to me over the past many years, I now make my testimony and put pen to my prayer in Jesus’ Name.                                                            – Max Solbrekken
    Almighty Eternal God: If it were not for the mercy of God upon a poor lost soul like me, I would not be here today! When I think of the way He has protected me for so many years, spiritually, mentally, physically and materially, it is pure compassion, love and grace!
    His gift of mercy, wisdom and protection is beyond compare and understanding. If it were not for His great love, where would any one of us be? His grace goes beyond the limits of human comprehension!
    How could I ever thank Him enough for saving me, filling me and keeping me? It was my Saviour’s love that drew me to Him, unworthy as I was. He not only died for my sins, but He put His blessed Holy Spirit within me.
    I was nothing when He found me. And I am still nothing without Jesus my Saviour. I don’t deserve any of His goodness, mercy or spiritual gifts which He has bestowed upon and showered me with.
     Thank you, Heavenly Father, for being so merciful and kind to me and my family! By your grace I will continue to serve you in whatever capacity you see fit. Lead me by Your precious Holy Spirit.
    Thank You for opening Your Holy Word to me in such marvellous and copious ways, which truly amaze me for in myself, I know nothing as I should know it. Your imparted wisdom astounds me and the knowledge You have opened up to me, continues to bless me!
    Please grant unto me Your spiritual gifts in a greater measure, as You see fit. Lead me, precious Holy Spirit into a deeper walk with you, for the honour and glory of my Saviour Jesus Christ.
   I will continue to praise You for time and eternity, for the great compassion and care You have so graciously blessed me with over these many years of serving You!
    Please continue to bless my precious wife Donna and me with health and strength and guidance in all things! Please bless, protect and heal our children, grand and great grandchildren with your great mercy, grace, love and spiritual gifts! And may Your saving, healing and guiding hand bless all my friends and others who read these words. In Jesus’ blessed Name!
    “Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to Thy Cross I cling. My only plea, Christ died for me. Take me as I am.” Amen.                                                                                                                         -  December 11, 2019

Monday, December 23, 2019

PASTOR MAX SOLBREKKEN COMMANDED THE
EVIL SPIRITS TO LEAVE ME IN JESUS' NAME
AND I WAS INSTANTLY FREE!

December 23, 2019
Pastor Max, 
In 1973, I walked in through these doors a sinner and stepped into a journey beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for your service to Jesus - Victor Temple
                 Victor Temple at House of Prayer on Hiway 623 south of                                             New Sarepta, AB  September 2018
  F.G. Bursey Memorial Tabernacle Lewisporte, Nfld.
                            Pastor Max Solbrekken interviews Victor Temple
                                     on Community 10 TV, Camrose, AB

"BARACK OBAMA IS MY MENTOR!"
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Max & Donna Solbrekken with Peterson Sozi, Kampala
THE TRIUMPH OF CHRIST'S 
GOSPEL TOUCHES THE WORLD!
 By Rev. Max Solbrekken, D.D.
- Written in 1994 -

   JESUS said: "I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!"                                                               The Gospel of Jesus Christ is spreading across the globe at a tremendous pace, We have recently returned from Uganda, East Africa, where 200 churches sponsored our crusade in the Muslim Stadium Park.  
   More than 500 pastors and workers attended the Minister's Seminar, and reports of our services were carried nationally on UNTV News each evening!
   An interesting fact is that two of the churches sponsoring our crusade there have more than 5,000 members each, and one is building a sanctuary to seat 10,000 people.  Several other churches have memberships of 1,000 to 2,000 each!  
     Evangelical Christianity is sweeping Eastern Europe and it is estimated that 6,000,000 convert to Christ each year on that continent!
  While spiritually-blind-and-dumb, nominal Christian politicians in Canada are breaking their necks in a race of political correctness, in order to please a few radical feminists, sodomites, bleeding-heart-liberals and One-World-New-Agers, a large percentage of the world's population is turning from paganism to embrace the Living Christ!
    Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, evangelical churches in South Korea are growing faster than the population!  Every hour 400 people are baptized and join an evangelical church in Latin America and an estimated 6,000 people respond to the Gospel message daily, across the former Soviet Union!
USA TODAY RELEASES STAGGERING REPORT!
In a May, 1993 story about Russia, 'USA TODAY' stated:  "Religious resurgence is so strong that Russia's 65,000 principals, teachers and administrators are now being required...to attend a course on Bible-based ethics.  Officials say up to 55% of Russian teachers...have made personal commitments to Christ."
      Wow! What an exciting and encouraging report, by a secular newspaper about an amazing revival of Christianity, now taking place in Satan's former bastion of atheism and communism!
     And where it is happening, makes it even more special and unique...in the heart of academia! One born again teacher remarked:  "Faith is freedom, Stalin was afraid of freedom.  He must be rolling in his grave."
      Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin rejected God, the Bible and Jesus Christ, bringing untold cruelty, pain and poverty upon multiplied millions of East Europeans for more than 70 years!
      As soon as the yoke of atheistic-marxism was broken however, the rush was on to embrace the gospel of Christ and the good life that faith in God brings!
      The devastating results of official atheism - in the former Soviet Union - underscores Martin Luther's prophetic pronouncement concerning the Bible and education!
      In the early 1500's the famous Protestant Reformer stated:  "I am much afraid that schools will prove to be great gates of hell unless they diligently labour in explaining the Holy Scriptures, engraving them in the hearts of youth.
    "Every institution in which men are not increasingly occupied with the Word of God, must become corrupt."
  The sad point is that while former communist nations have recognized their errors and are turning to Evangelical Christianity, many American Universities - which were founded upon Bible principles by preachers of the Gospel - have become cesspools of agnosticism and humanistic rationalism!
     Since the recent break-up of the former Soviet Union, high schools and universities have been requesting Bible courses to be taught in their academic institutions!
    As early as May, 1991 a number of former Communist Party leaders from the Soviet Bloc expressed great interest in the Christian faith, according to Daryl McCarthy, executive directive of the Overland Park, Kansas-based International Institute for Christian Studies.
    Among the compulsory and elective courses now being taught in a number of universities in Eastern Europe are, 'Moral Development and Values Education' and 'Belief in God'!
                       SECRET OF AMERICA'S GREATNESS!
    After his 1831 visit to the USA, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote:  "I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbours, and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there.
     "Not until I went into the churches of America, and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness, did I understand the secret of her genius and power."
      But things have changed drastically in the USA since 1831, and Canada is heading for real trouble as well, if we do not reverse our course and get back to the basics of Bible morality, decency and traditional family values!
    Even the secular world is saying, "It's gone too far.  We're out of control.  Let's get back to normalcy".
   Stephen Carter, a liberal, black Yale law professor writes:  "The intellectual class thinks religion is fine if conducted in private as a personal pursuit like woodworking or chess.  But if religion brings their moral concerns into the public arena the elite is always ready to stomp its collective feet and howl about dangerous zealots and a crumbling wall between church and state".
    But while some TV reporters believe that church-state separation in the USA "means religious dealings in moral political issues are inappropriate subjects in the news", Carter objects to "rhetoric that refuses to accept the notion that rational public-spirited people can take religion seriously".
  Law professor, Stephen Carter believes that the Me-first individualism and "choice" of the special group lobbyists are no substitute for moral traditions.
     Clearly, society as a whole is the loser when laws that destroy family values, are enacted to conform to the perverted desires of several small lobby groups!
   President Abraham Lincoln stated:  "Our nation has become so intoxicated with unbroken success and prosperity that many of us have forgotten The Hand that feeds us"!
     Let us then, dear friends, return unto God and the faith of our fathers, lest the blessings of God depart from our land and our loved ones!
TOP STUDENTS FROM STABLE HOMES!
    Here is a factual report which reinforces my point-of-view.  Stable homes with traditional family values and Christian morals goes a long way in developing a strong and caring society!
   'Educational Communications' compiles and publishes 'Who's Who Among American High School Students'.  Here are the findings of the 1993 report in which 55,000 juniors and seniors with better than average grades, from 22,000 public, private and parochial schools across the USA, were polled:
   * 85 % high achievers are reared in homes in which both natural parents are reared in homes in which both parents live and formal religion is practiced.
    * Nearly 45 % live in rural areas and 84 % favour traditional marriages, and reject the use of cigarettes and illegal drugs.
   * Only 4 % have used marijuana, and 89% have never smoked cigarettes. Another 7 % tried smoking and then quit, leaving only 4 % that smoking regularly'.
       * Most held conservative political views.

EXEMPLARY CITIZENS ARE 
A TRIBUTE TO CHRISTIANITY!
     Reaching back into history, let me share a story about two men; one an atheist, the other a preacher!
    Max Jukes, the atheist, lived a godless life.  He married an ungodly girl, and from this union there were 310 who died as paupers, 150 were criminals, 7 were murderers, 100 were drunkards, and more than half of the women were prostitutes.  His 540 descendants cost the State one and one-quarter million US dollars.
    Jonathan Edwards, a great preacher of the Gospel who married a godly girl, lived at the same time as Max Jukes.
    Of his 1,349 known descendants, 13 became college presidents, 65 college professors, 3 United States Senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 army and navy officers, 100 preachers and missionaries.
     There were 60 authors of prominence, 1 vice-president of the USA, 80 public officials in other capacities, 295 college graduates, among whom were governors of states and ministers to foreign countries.
      Jonathan Edwards' descendants did not cost the State a penny! Jesus Christ said, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church".  What did He mean?
    During the time of Christ's earthly sojourn, the "Gates of the City" always referred to "City Hall", for the place where city councils were held was immediately inside the city walls, beyond the gates!
     Therefore, The opinions, goals, plans, purposes, power and kingdom of demons and darkness shall nit win. The Church of Jesus Christ shall forever be victorious! 
   A number of years ago someone asked Dr. Billy Graham, "Who is winning in the battle of good against evil?"  The great evangelist wisely replied:  "I have read the last chapter of the Bible and it says We Win!" I heartily agree!  AMEN.          

Sunday, December 22, 2019

A Blessed, Joyous and Safe Christmas to Everyone in Jesus' Holy Name from our Family to Yours! - Max & Donna Solbrekken


GOD’S GUARANTEE OF PROTECTION
                                                 By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
      How good is God’s guarantee of Forgiveness, Healing and Deliverance? Does He always keep His Word? Is He totally honest, trustworthy and dependable? Does He really care for us all? And, why should He care about us? The answer is an emphatic “Yes, He does keep His Word. And He does care for us, because He created us in His own image and because He has already provided for our Eternal Salvation!
     The Holy Bible is His letter of love and mercy to us and proof of His great compassion and salvation. It is the title deed to our forgiveness and eternal inheritance! It is our compass to right living and together with the Holy Spirit, the roadmap to victory over sin, sickness, fear and the devil!
     “If we confess our sins (to Him), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in Himself: He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.
      “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, hath not life.
                   AND THIS IS THE RECORD!
    “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1 John 5: 10-15)
     Herein lies the secret to receive answers to our prayers! It revolves around our relationship with God. How well do we know Jesus Christ? Through absorbing His Word and getting to know Him intimately, the Holy Spirit gives us a word of faith that we have reached Him. When we know that, the answer is forthcoming!
     By going back in history, we have the record of God’s faithfulness by the fulfillment of His prophecies. Almighty God warned Adam and Eve what would happen if they disobeyed. Their willful sin of disobedience and rebellion brought swift judgment upon the human race.
     He warned the antediluvian world that if they kept on sinning, there would be consequences and there were. God sent the flood that destroyed everyone except Noah and his family. The same happened to Sodom and Gomorrah with terrible consequences. He warned Lot and his family to flee from the coming judgment, with the injunction that they must not look back to Sodom.
     Lot’s wife disobeyed and looked back. Judgment was swift and she immediately turned into a pillar of salt. Recently, archeologists have discovered that pillar of salt near the Dead Sea.
     The Lord promised Abraham a land flowing with milk and honey.  He obeyed and gave himself unto God’s plan. God gave him the land of Palestine. (Genesis 3: 1-5). Three thousand years ago, King David built Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. God remembered His promise to Abraham! And today, God is using a tough plain-speaking man, President Donald Trump of the United States to turn the tables on the enemies of the Jewish Nation!
                     ISRAEL IS GOD’S TIME PIECE!
     It has been said: “Israel is God’s Time piece and Jerusalem is His second hand.” I agree with that! The Word of God states that Jerusalem is the “apple of His eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10)
     God warned the Jewish nation to turn away from idols, and to return unto Him and His Laws or He would scatter them to the ends of the earth. They disobeyed and spent the last 2,000 years roaming the earth, driven from country to country.
    Then in 1948, after the most terrible persecution and the Holocaust where 6 million Jewish people were slaughtered, Almighty God returned them to their homeland. God destroyed Adolf Hitler and the German Nazi Nation!
    And in 2016, God came their defense again by raising up an intelligent and spiritually alert businessman who would bless Israel. President Donald Trump kept his promise to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem their Capital City, and to drain the corrupt swamp in Washington.
                     GOD PROMISED A DELIVERER!
     In the Garden of Eden, God had promised a Deliverer who would die as His Paschal Lamb for the sins of the world: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her SEED; it shall bruise (crush) thy (satan) head, and thou shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3: 15).
    Isaiah prophesied that the Deliverer that God would send, would bring peace to hearts, healing to sick bodies and forgiveness of sins to all who trust in His Name and obey His Word! More than seven hundred years before His advent, Isaiah prophesied:
   “Surely, He hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains: 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. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquities of us all.” (Isaiah 53: 4-6)
                      JESUS FULFILLED THEM ALL!
     When Jesus came, He fulfilled those prophecies to the letter: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me: because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tiding unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are  bound.” (Isaiah 61:1)
     Everywhere Jesus went, He preached the Gospel of God’s salvation of mercy, love and deliverance! He healed the sick, suffering and afflicted, and He raised the dead back to life!
    “And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias, and when He had opened the  book, He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”  (Luke 4: 17, 18)
         AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION!
  Right from the beginning of His ministry, our Lord brought deliverance to multitudes of sick and suffering people: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease among the people.
     “And His fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments and those who were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.” (Matt. 4:23-24)
     Jesus fulfilled that prophecy. Everywhere He went, He preached the Gospel, cast out devils and fulfilled the Holy Scriptures!

    That God is the author of eternal Salvation is undisputed. That the Eternal Living One is merciful, kind and trustworthy goes without saying! That not only is our Lord gracious, good and merciful, but that He is at this moment more than willing to pour out His benevolence upon mankind.
   His goodness and grandiose largess is proved by His willingness to save our planet and billions of lost souls who reside here. That is proved beyond the shadow of a doubt, through the fact that in His goodness and mercy, He has pledged His love to any and all who trust in these promises.
      Does God ever fail? Has He ever failed? Will He ever fail. A Thousand times, No. He cannot and will not ever fail. It is impossible for God to recant on His pledges and promises to us in His Holy Word!”
        ETERNAL SECURITY FOR BELIEVERS!
                      There is eternal security for all true believers in Christ! All who have invited Jesus Christ to come into their heart and life, as Lord and Saviour and are serving Him according to His Word, are born again!
    St. Peter writes, Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: For if ye do these things ye shall never fall. (2 Peter 1:10).
    We are admonished to keep our priorities right, to give diligence to make our calling and election sure. In other words, keep our powder dry. Keep our defenses up and follow the Manuel. The Rule Book is the Word of God, the Holy Bible!
     The Holy Bible states, “According as His divine power that hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him (Christ) that hath called us to glory and virtue.
    “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1: 3, 4)
     St. Peter warned: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Casting all your cares upon Him (Jesus), for He careth for you.”
    “Be sober, be diligent, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. “Whom resist steadfast in the Faith…” (1 Peter 5: 6-9). He warns of the sin of Pride and admonishes us to cast ourselves upon Jesus, knowing that He cares for us. (v.7).
     Then, he warns us of Satan, our real enemy, who walks about like a roaring lion, whom we must resist in the faith of Jesus! (v.8)
      Coming back to our text, we see the powerful protection program, helping us to stay in the faith of Jesus. To resist the devil is to stay in God’s Word!
    Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
    The KEY is Christ and His Promises. To be in Christ we must live in His Word. Lust is the KEY to falling, but Christ and His promises is the KEY to standing!  
    THE BIBLE: YE SHALL NEVER FALL!
    “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue: (keeping oneself pure from lustful things) and to virtue knowledge: and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
     “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see a far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
    “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election SURE: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1: 5-11)
                 LOOKING UNTO JESUS!
   Are we living pure and holy lives, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith? Are we walking in the light of the Gospel? If not, there must be repentance and godly fear, and turning back to our Saviour!
       The Bible states: “But if we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the BLOOD of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
   “Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart), 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.” (Romans 3: 20)
     JESUS said: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them Eternal Life; and they shall not perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)   
                      CHRIST IS THE ANSWER!     
“And Jesus said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven. Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10: 18,19);
    “And He said unto them, 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 their hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)
     “These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that ye have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:
     “And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1 John 5:13-15)
     This is our Testimony: In Christ, by Christ, through Christ and For Christ! Faith unchained, truth unfettered, agape love exhibited, mercy unending, grace amazing, joy infectious, peace unsurpassed, anchored in the Word of God! Amen.