Wednesday, September 28, 2022

 AN HEIR OF GOD IN CHRIST 

By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

“But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Gal. 4: 4 -7).  

How could anyone read the Bible and doubt God’s love for the human family? Would any rational person deny His mercy and grace? Most parents will do everything in their power to love and care for their children. Only someone who is perverted, an alcoholic, drug user or demented would harm their own child!

The greatness of God’s amazing love is more than the human mind can comprehend! It is greater than eternity. God our Heavenly Father gave His own Son to die for the human family which had broken His laws. But why and how could this take place? So great was His love for us that in the counsel of Heaven, before the foundations of the world, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit formulated the Blood of Everlasting Covenant! (Heb.13:20)

Almighty God knew that Lucifer whom He had created, would lead a rebellion in Heaven and that the man He would create would be deceived, plunging the human family into perdition. He also knew that His desire for a family would be fulfilled by sending His own Son to meet the righteous demands of Divine Justice.

God the Son willingly chose to take upon Himself human flesh to Redeem a lost world. He would be incarnated: conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, preach God’s Word, heal the sick, cast out devils, condemned to die on a cross and rise from the dead, to destroy Lucifer’s power and Redeem mankind!

God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the lush Garden of Eden, with this stipulation: “But of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:15-17). Sadly, they were tempted by Satan and plunged their posterity into a world of sin, suffering, sorrow and death. Then, God sent Jesus Christ into the world to save us!

GOD SPARED NOT HIS SON

The Bible states: “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 the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3: 16,17):

 “For He hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor.5:27). “He that spared not His own SON, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom.8:32)

“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might DELIVER us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father.” (Gal.1: 3,4); “Looking for that blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might redeem us from all, iniquity…” (Titus 2: 13,14)

 “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the Power that worketh in us…unto Him be Glory in the Church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages, world without end.” (Eph. 3: 20, 21)

“But if the Spirit of Him that that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He (Holy Spirit) that raised up Jesus from the dead, shall also quicken (make life in) your mortal (weak, sick) bodies by His Spirit that dwells (living body) in you. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8: 11- 17)

“Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth (takes a hold of against) our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as ought:  but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them also He called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who shall be against us? (Rom. 8: 26-31)

BORN AGAIN THROUGH THE BLOOD

 I am a son of God by adoption! I am redeemed by the blood of the Crucified Christ! I am a child of God by His mercy and the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am Born Again by the Word of God, through the Blood of the Lamb in the Name of Jesus Christ and justified by the blessed Holy Spirit! I am saved by Grace alone, through Faith alone and in Christ alone!

The amazing fact is that God chose us to be His very own children before the foundation of the world. We were predestinated unto the adoption of children and accepted in Christ, the Beloved! And, that we have Redemption, declared blameless by the forgiveness of sins through His blood alone!

“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His Grace, wherein He hath accepted us in the Beloved. In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Eph. 1:4-8)

THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL

How could we ever know and understand with our finite minds and limited capacity, the complexities of the Mystery of God, unless it were revealed unto us by Holy Spirit? How long Almighty God kept secret the Mystery of His will, we do not know. He did not divulge it to Noah, Isaiah, Daniel or Abraham, but He revealed it to Paul. When it happened, we don’t know. Was it when he was carried into Heaven and heard things he couldn’t reveal or when he was beaten into unconsciousness or in deaths often. Or sitting in a prison somewhere?

St. Paul writes: “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given me for you, to fulfill the Word of God: Even the MYSTERY which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of His glory among the Gentiles, which is CHRIST IN YOU, the Hope of glory.” (Col. 1:26,27)

He writes: “But we speak the Wisdom of God in a MYSTERY, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of the world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But as it is written, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit:  for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Cor. 7-10)

GOD INCLUDED THE GENTILES

Here is the Mystery that God had hidden for ages! He would give His Holy Spirit to His children who received His Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. He had chosen the Jews through Abraham as His chosen people. His plan, however, was to include the Gentiles through Christ’s Redemptive work! The Jews despised the pagan non-Jews, but God wanted them in His family as well!

St. Paul writes: “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by Revelation He made known unto me the MYSTERY as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the GENTILES should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel.” (Eph. 3: 2-6)

He writes: “God hath delivered us from the power of Darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sin: Who is the image of the Living God, the firstborn  of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and there 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 is before all things, and by Him all things  consist.

“And He is the head of the Body, the Church: Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that is all things He might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. And having made peace through the BLOOD OF HIS CROSS, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the Body of His Flesh, through Death, to present you holy and unblameable in His sight; if ye continue in the faith…” (Col.1: 13)

JESUS’ RESURRECTION PROVES HIS DEITY

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the Third Day is the greatest Proof among many more, that Jesus Christ was and is and always will be the Son of the Father, full of grace, peace, and truth! The Bible states: “And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb as it had been slain…

“And they sung a new song saying, Thou art Worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain and hast Redeemed us unto God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue and people and nation. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angel round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing. (Rev. 5:6-12)

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the Accuser of the brethren is cast down, which accused them before God, day, and night. And they overcame him by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB and the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev.12:9-11)

CHRIST IS RISEN: YES, HE IS RISEN INDEED!

During my crusades in the former Soviet Union from 1989 to 1995, I experienced many wonderful things. A must used expression in Russia and Ukraine was a greeting. When meeting a believer, one would say, “Christ is Risen” and the other person would answer, “Yes, He is Risen indeed!” The great truth that we must fully understand is the Jesus Christ is ALIVE and living within us. He said, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me; because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you.

“He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him…If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and WE will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me.

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. PEACE I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 19-27)

WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME

JESUS said, “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of Myself; but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the work’s sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father.

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him, but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14: 10-18)

 “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you.” (John 15: 16),

 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved). And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by Grace are ye Saved through Faith: and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph.2:4 -10)

NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST JESUS

“There is therefore no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1); “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER IS HE that is in you, than he that is in the world. In this was manifested the love of God toward us because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.  (1 John 4: 2-4); “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 5:14,15) Amen.

PRAY FOR  UKRAINE. PUTIN IN THE
FOOTSTEPS OF  STALIN WHO STARVED
7 MILLION UKRAINIANS IN 1932
Pastor Max preaching in Moscow, Russia, 1992 

Pastor Max Solbrekken preaching in Chernigov
90 kil. from Chernobyl Nuclear plant, 1992
Pastor Max & Jaroslav in Ukrainian crusades, 1991

Pastor Max with Pastor Veremchuk & Ukrainian pastors, 1991
 

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

               
ALT ER MULIG FOR GUD

                                       Max Solbrekken paa prekestolen

Jesus Kristus Den Store Legen


                                                     KRISTUS ER SVARET

                                                                                  
                    Max og Donna gaar fremover med Jesu evangelium      
                               
                  Staa med oss i Jesus navn: [email protected]                                                  

Friday, September 23, 2022

                              ALL PRAISE AND HONOUR TO JESUS!


                         Pastor Max Solbrekken with Norsk Flag in Background

                                             


        DAY OF MIRACLES NOT PAST

                               By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.                   

 "These signs shall follow them that believe.  In my name...they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." (Mark 16:17-18)Jesus Christ

On June 24, 1995, the 'Telemark Avise' in Norway, carried a two-page report on our ministry.  The large headline shouted:  'THE DAY OF MIRACLES IS STILL NOT PAST!' The byline read, 'Max Solbrekken Heals Through Prayer and Laying on Of Hands'.

Journalist Dan Hagen was so moved by the reality of God's presence in the meeting that he also requested prayer! His report was so positive, I could not have written it more accurately myself.  Here are his closing lines: "Inspired by what I was seeing and hearing, I asked Solbrekken to lay his hands on me also.  The preacher said, 'You must believe'.  I answered, 'Yes'.  I had to pray for forgiveness, asking Jesus to come into my heart and to renounce the devil.

"I couldn't fully let myself go, because I had to analyze what was taking place and write about it, so I didn't quite reach Nirvana.  I am convinced however, that if I had a painful case of strained muscles and I had to make a choice between seeing a busy general medical practitioner or a Norwegian/Canadian hell-fire preacher with power in his hands, I don't have any doubts..."

HEALED DIVINELY BY PRAYER!

Two weeks earlier, Dan had written a full-page piece for 'Telemark Avise' with the headline:  'HEALED BY PRAYER'.  He focused on 6 people he had interviewed, who had been miraculously healed through our ministry! Eighty-year-old John Lofstad's picture is prominently displayed, walking briskly across the street.  John testified that for two years he could barely navigate - due to a brain aneurysm - but was healed by Jesus Christ in the crusade.

May-Britt Ramberg (22) who had suffered for five years with scoliosis, told the reporter:  "The preacher prayed for me in Jesus' Name, and I felt a surge of warm power stream down my crooked back.  I heard it crack, then it straightened out and all the pains were gone"!

Sverre Reiertsen (32) who had suffered ten years, with a damaged liver due to hepatitis, felt a surge of warmth in his liver area.  All the pains were gone, and he made an appointment to see his doctor!

Mona Ronningbakken (23) was born with deformities in her knee and back, suffering constant pains!  Her gait was uneven, and it was difficult to stand for any length of time, without something to support her. By God's power, she "straightened out", and demonstrated to the reporter her new posture!  And best of all, the pains were all gone!

Fred Berntsen was healed in our crusade, about 8 years ago.  His testimony had been carried by Skien's largest newspaper 'VARDEN', in a full-page story.  The reporters had accompanied Fred to the hospital to see his medical records before writing the account of his outstanding miracle healing.

HEART DISEASE, ASTHMA & DIABETES HEALED

Journalist Edvard Selbaag of 'VARDEN' wrote in 1987:  "Fred Berntsen was a physical 'wreck'...he was afflicted with nearly all 'Job's plagues'...25 years with serious angina pectoris...15 years of asthma...7 years a diabetic; daily insulin shots...chemical collision in his body.

"Berntsen says that when the Evangelist's hands were placed on his chest and back, he felt 'something' happen.  It was like that 'something' went up and out of his chest and disappeared!  Physically, I felt that I was cured of my asthma.  There was no more bronchial wheezing when I took a breath, and the rattling was gone.

"Actually, something had happened throughout my entire body.  All my diseases had been blown away in one wonderful moment.  I ran up and down the aisles as the Evangelist requested, without any heart pains or shortness of breath!  I felt like a young person again."

According to Journalist Edvard, two days later, Fred Berntsen and Gospel Singer Svein Johnsen were visiting a family who lived on the 11th floor of an apartment.  Rather than wait for the elevator - which was temporarily out of order - they walked up the eleven flights of stairs! And Fred is still perfectly healthy and strong today, eight years later!

Henning Breivik is a Pentecostal Evangelist who travels across Norway.  In 1968 he attended the 'SARONS DAL' Camp meeting, where I was preaching, He had continuous infection in his inner ears causing equilibrium problems.  He had to keep water out of his ears, for that aggravated the situation. As I prayed in Jesus' Name, he was healed.  After the service all the young people went swimming.  Henning went with them and took his first dive, in many years.  He's been swimming and diving ever since!

THEY WANTED TO AMPUTATE HER LEGS!

Ragnhild Holsten lives in Oslo, Norway.  She is 90 years of age and in great health.  Whenever I preach there, she attends and comes to the meeting all by herself. Several weeks ago when I was in Oslo, some friends asked if they could drive her home because the hour was late.  Smilingly she answered, "Thank you, but I have a free pass on the Metro and enjoy using it."

For a number of years, Ragnhild had been in terrible pain.  The circulation of blood to her legs was almost nil.  Her arteries were clogged and there was nothing the doctors could do. Several times she had been brought to the hospital, but the surgeons felt she was too old to attempt any kind of surgery.  The only recourse left was to amputate both her legs!

While thinking about this terrible alternative, Ragnhild read an advertisement in the newspaper about our crusade service.  She attended and when prayer was offered in Jesus' name, she received Jesus Christ as her Saviour and was instantly healed.  And she is still well today!

Turid Tolefsen had been given up by medical doctors.  She was told that her case was incurable - Psoriasis of the joints!  She had suffered excruciating pains for nearly twelve years due to crippling arthritis! Her troubles began in 1974, when she was 18 years of age, while working for a husband-and-wife medical team.

 She says, "My legs suddenly collapsed under me...and pains like knives went through my right hip". Turid got married and had a baby, and that brought extra stress.  Her left hip started paining terribly and she had to quit work.  She visited doctors in Oslo, Bergan and other cities, with no help!

"No one could find the exact cause of my disease and I finally became addicted to drugs as my medication was constantly increased.  I finally stopped seeing medical doctors and turned to chiropractors and physiotherapists for help.  After dozens of treatments, I was no better", says Turid.

"After taking cortisone treatments in my hips 5 times - becoming unconscious from the pain - and having hip surgery, I came to the conclusion that I was incurable. The doctors then told me that I was suffering from 'psoriasis of the joints' and there was nothing more that they could do, except increasing the strength of the pills!" Then she met Gunnar Enok Nilsen, a spirit-filled Christian who took her to our 'Miracle Gospel Crusade' in Oslo.

 TURID TOLEFSEN TESTIFIES IN 1995

Turid still well after 10 years!I spoke with Turid Tolefsen, Drammen, Norway - on June 15, 1995 - who has worked as a secretary for 'Enoch Hus' since 1985.  Here are her words:  "Enoch Nilsen took my husband Kjell and myself to Max Solbrekken's meeting.  When he prayed, a warm feeling came into my hips!

 I WAS HEALED INSTANTLY; I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! 

Almost twelve years of pain were gone in a moment.  My left leg moved out 2 cm.  All the nights of pain - without sleeping pill taking, seeing medical doctors...is all in the past!  I hardly even remember it because I am so well!" Hallelujah! The testimonies from our recent Norway Crusades would not be complete without the dramatic story of Arne Antveit from Skaanevik.

 Arne is playing the accordion again!

Twelve years ago, Arne was a healthy, well-to-do, 60-year-old farmer.  He also led a musical orchestra which played in various Evangelical Churches. Then trouble came.  First, his wife passed away and secondly, through government interference, he was refused permission to sell his land for a particular project and lost about $250,000. In the bitterness that followed, he blamed the Town Council's leading official - a high profile church member - and ultimately the Church!

Arne left the church and for twelve lonely years, he railed against all preachers and churches, as their most bitter opponent!  He also developed rheumatoid arthritis in his joints and especially in his right wrist! No longer could he play the large man-sized accordion, which was so much a part of his life!

 In April 1995 I accepted an invitation to speak at an Easter Convention in the little town of Skaanevik, and Arne attended church for the first time in twelve years! He had heard of my ministry many years before, and decided to come to the meetings, make his peace with God and be healed.

Arne is a big man, but when I preached the Gospel, he wept through the entire service.  He answered the altar call and was gloriously restored.  And when I prayed to our Heavenly Father in Jesus' Name, he was healed. He had brought his accordion in faith and played throughout the crusade.  His pastor called me recently saying, "Arne is completely well and testifies to everyone about the goodness of God".

There is one more thing.  In his terrible depression, just a few weeks before our crusade there, he had shown the pastor the suite where he lives alone with his old dog.

Pointing to his shotgun he said:  "I only have two shells.  If things get any worse for me, I'll use those shells on myself and the dog.  I just want you to know in case something happens". Thank God for His grace to all who reach out in faith and embrace His love! And thank God for His astounding miracles of healing and deliverance for those who appropriate His promises for themselves, by faith!

GREAT CHURCH LEADERS ON FAITH & MIRACLES!

Martin Luther, the great reformer said:  "How often has it happened, and still does, that devils have been driven out in the name of Christ; also, by calling on His name and prayer, that the sick have been healed".

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church stated:  "I believe that God can open the eyes of the blind, cause the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear, if a man will have faith in God, and pray according to the faith that God has given them.  God will do the things He said He would because He is a never-changing God".

 A.B. Simpson, founder of the Christian & Missionary Alliance stated:  "If ever there was an age when the world needed the witness of God's supernatural working, it is in this day of unbelief and Satan's power. Therefore, we may expect, as the end approaches, that the Holy Ghost will work in the healing of sickness, in the casting out of demons, in remarkable answers to prayer, in special and wonderful providences, and in such forms as may please His sovereign will to an unbelieving world."

Jesus Christ said:  "If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth…" (Mark 9:23). Please agree with me for a miracle in your life! The Bible says: “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.

 “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My Name, I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of Truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but he knows Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come unto you.” (John 14: 11-18)

The Bible states: “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: 14,15). May God bless you as you call upon His Name in faith believing! Amen.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

                WHY JESUS IS SO UNIQUE!                                  By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

 When Jesus enters a life, He changes that life for the betterment of society! Jesus gives direction, purpose and meaning to life because He is LIFE! He does for that person what he cannot do for himself, because man has been less than fulfilled, ever since the major theft of true knowledge, understanding and equilibrium. Jesus restores man back to his rightful place on this planet with life, and that more abundant! (John 10: 10).

Satan, the adversary of God and man - a killer and murderer - executed that theft from our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden!  He is charged with grand larceny and with rebellion and idolatry! Before I continue with this incredible, yet true story, let me share the following expose of the 'Evil One', whom we call Satan (Heb. adversary) and the devil (gr. liar, false accuser).

SATAN IS: A lying spirit, a defeated foe, a fallen angel, an eternally lost entity, a master deceiver, a subtle counterfeiter and forger, a gigantic masquerade, a deceptive angel of light, the god of filth, a terrible joke and bad, bad news!       

SATAN IS: A murdering personality, a destroyer and killer, a thief, the father of lies, a habitual liar, a constant loser, a tormentor of the first degree, a bully extra-ordinaire, the very plague itself, sickness and disease multiplied, evil personified and the enemy of God and man!                                     

SATAN IS: A quick change artist, the doomed despot, the unsatisfied sadist, the architect of perversion, the defrocked archangel, the disobedient rebel, the world's greatest gangster and saboteur, terrorist of terrorists and father of all jihadists, suicide bombers and child killers!        

About 2000 years ago, however, history was made on the grandest scale ever conducted on Earth, when God the Son came to this planet in the form of a virgin-born child in Bethlehem. Incarnated, God in human flesh!

 For what purpose and to what end did He come? To seek and to save that which was lost and to liberate sinful, sick, and dying humanity from the slavery of Satan’s intrigue and invention! To redeem fallen man from the curse of the law! (Gal. 3: 13) And to build His Church and empower it to take back what Satan had stolen from the human family!

What can Jesus be likened to? To frightened sailors aboard an ocean-going sail ship, that had been drifting helplessly for days, toward an island whose inhabitants were hungry cannibals, He is a merciful wind that suddenly came out of nowhere, in answer to the fervent prayers of the missionary, Hudson Taylor

To Russell Brass, Edmonton, AB (formerly of Norquay, SK), who had drunk nearly a gallon of wine daily for forty years and could not stop his drinking, Jesus Christ is the 'DOCTOR WHO COULD', when others could not help!

Rev. Allan O' Soup of Norquay, SK. writes about his conversion: "My uncle Russell Brass was a changed man after he attended Faith Cathedral (now People's Church) in 1990! He accompanied Mary, his common-law-wife, to hear Pastor Max Solbrekken preach the Gospel. When the call was given for sinners to repent and receive Jesus Christ as personal Saviour and Lord, Russell experienced the awesome power of the Holy Spirit and answered the call, weeping and repenting! God met him at the altar of prayer, and he was genuinely converted!

RUSSELL STOPPED DRINKING IMMEDIATELY!

"Russell was born again and stopped drinking immediately! For the next eight years, before his death, he never took another drink of wine or anything alcoholic! Shortly after his conversion, Russell asked me to solemnize their marriage! They had lived together for 35 years and decided to make things right in the sight of God and their fellowman. It was my delight to perform the ceremony at Faith Cathedral - uniting Mary and my Uncle Russell in Holy Matrimony!"

To multitudes of sick, suffering, and diseased people across the world who have received miracles of healing and deliverance from demon spirits in our crusades and those of other 'Men and Women of God', Jesus Christ is the Great Physician!

In the book, 'The Great Physician', Dr. Lillian Yeomans, M.D. tells her story of becoming hopelessly addicted to drugs, because of performing many surgeries without rest! After her miracle through prayer, Dr. Yeomans wrote: "I was a perfect wreck mentally and physically." One of her nurses stated: "She was like a skeleton with a devil inside," to which Dr. Yeomans added: "I think her description, if not very flattering, was accurate."

After her miracle healing through faith in Jesus Christ, she spent more than forty years bringing the Gospel of Christ and His healing power to multitudes of sinful and sick people across America! 

Dr. Yeomans wrote: "At the time I was giving a Bible reading, I was aware of a silver-haired lady, a stranger, who was gazing intently at me from the very edge of the group. She made no move to approach until the others had dispersed. Then she came up to me and, looking right into my eyes, said, "Can you tell me where I can see Dr. Lillian B. Yeomans?"

I said, "Look at me." Her eyes seemed to try to pierce my very soul as she further inquired, "Are you that dope woman that I saw one day, years ago, clinging to any support within your reach to keep you from falling, and in spite of it you did fall on the floor from very weakness?"

"Yes; I am that woman," I replied. And when I had convinced her of my identity, she related to me the story of meeting me in the most deplorable condition while I was still "hurt with fetters" and "laid in iron", before the King sent and loosed me on that glorious and never to be forgotten day, the 12th of January, 1898."

THERE IS NO-ONE LIKE JESUS!

To millions of hopeless, superstitious, and fearful slaves of sin, false religion, despotic tyrants and enslaving addictions, Jesus gives hope, peace and the sheer joy of liberty, safety, and the sense of family!

 What can Jesus be likened to? He is like water to someone dying of thirst, food to the starving refugee and pure familial love to the child of neglect, abuse, and violence! He is peace to the troubled mind, pardon to the tormented conscience and new health to the diseased body!  Jon Calvin - the great reformer - stated: "I gave my life to Jesus and what did I get in return?  I got everything in return."

Jesus said: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth." (Matt. 28: 20). The Bible states: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Heb. 13: 8). The unchangeable and permanent character of His Word, places Jesus in a category by Himself! Without fear of contradiction, I declare that He alone is the world’s ONLY Saviour! (Heb.1:1-13; 2:14,15).

That means that Jesus Christ is Omnipotent (almighty), Omniscient (all wise), Omnipresent (everywhere present), Eternal (without beginning or ending) and Immutable (His Word and character are permanent)! There is no-one like Jesus in Heaven or earth!

The Bible says: “For God has allowed us to know the secret of His plan, and it is this: He purposed long ago in His Sovereign will that all human history should be consummated in Christ, that everything that exists in Heaven or earth should find its perfection and fulfillment in Him.” (Eph. 1: 10 - Phillips)

And He calls to you, my sinner friend! Will you answer, "Yes, Lord"? I pray that you will! Here is His offer to you: "Come unto Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11: 28). Amen.

PLEASE NOTE: If you desire our prayers on your behalf, my friend, please write to us today. We will answer your letter, and we will pray for you! God loves you and so do we!                                                                                                                                               
Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside, Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6
www.mswm.org  Email: [email protected]

Monday, September 19, 2022

Five Christians Drown After Being Thrown Off Boat for Refusing to Denounce Their Faith

Photo by Ninno JackJr on Unsplash

Five Ugandan evangelists died recently after being thrown off a boat for refusing to denounce their faith.

The Christians were members of End Times Ministry church and were traveling on a commercial transportation boat not to visit a church when they encountered a group of about 10 Muslims.

The evangelists began preaching Christ to the Muslim passengers, who became irate and began making threats.

“On our way, Tonny Ankunda started preaching to the people on the boat, which resulted in a huge argument between Muslims and the missionaries concerning the Sonship of our Lord Jesus Christ,” survivor Amos Kyakulaga, who was acting as a guide to the Christians, told Morning Star News.

The Muslim men told the passengers, “If you continue insisting that Jesus is the Son of God, then Allah will kill all of you.”

When the evangelists continued to confess Christ as Lord, one of the men told them, “We are giving you one last minute to stop your blasphemy and to convert by confessing the shahada (Islamic creed), or else your lives are at risk.”

The Christians refused and were grabbed and thrown off the boat one by one.

All five drowned.

All of the Muslims on board were reportedly in agreement that the Christians should be killed, and the pilot did nothing to intervene.

Kyakulaga only avoided being thrown overboard by claiming he was not traveling with the evangelists.

When the boat docked, he traveled to the church they had been set to visit and was able to obtain help from local officials to retrieve the bodies.

The deceased were named as Ankunda, 44; Peter Agaba, 28; Juliet Ashaba, 39; Johnson Karungi, 27; and Julius Lweere, 52.

Police have been in contact with local officials as well as leaders from the churches where the drowned Christians had been set to visit.

Although Uganda’s population of Muslims is just around 12%, there have been a number of such slayings in regions where they are more concentrated.

In January, a young mother and her small children were hanged after she began attending a Christian church; and last year a pastor was killed after refusing to move his church from near a mosque.

We have also previously covered incidents where new Christians were targeted with violence by their own family members after leaving Islam to follow Christ.

Sunday, September 18, 2022

 

                      DEVIL’S BAG OF TRICKS                                                        By Max Solbrekken, 1973                              

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Gal. 6: 7-8)

The magician comes out on stage.  In his hand he holds a big black hat.  Talking all the time to divide the attention of the audience, he suddenly starts pulling half a dozen rabbits from the hat.  Later he grabs a handful of coins out of the air. To finish it off, he shakes a covey of pigeons out of his sleeve.  The magician is working his bag of tricks and "few there be who aren't deceived.”

 THE PUBLIC WANT TO BE DECIVED!

 On the huge stage of this world scene, the father of all deceivers, the great Conjurer Satan, is working his bag of tricks to an eagerly fooled mankind.  He talks fast and smooth to div­ert mankind's attention, to deceive this generation with his lies, tricks and deceptions.  From his bag of tricks Satan is pulling cliche after cliche to keep people from seeing the truth.

The devil is the enemy of your soul. He is intent on taking your soul to hell.  He would enjoy seeing you die a drunkard's death.  He would be delighted to see you hooked on heroin.  He would rejoice to see you blow your brains out.  The devil is your arch- enemy, don't ever forget it.  He wants to deceive you, kill you, destroy you. How?

St. Paul says, "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God". (1 Cor. 2:11). Know your enemy.  Satan has many tried-and-tested tricks with which he is fooling the millions.  To know these tricks is to know your enemy.  To know his deceiving tactics is to avoid being led by the nose down the road to perdition!

1).  YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO BESAVED!

Leaning over the shoulder of our youth, the devil will whisper in their ears, "You are much too young to be saved.  Wait until you get older". But what does God say in His Word?  "For Thou art my hope, O Lord God: Thou art my trust from my youth".  (Ps. 71:5).  "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth..." (Eccl. 12:1)

The truth is, young person, that you should give your heart to Christ.  Choose Him in the days of your youth.  You are not too young to partake of the Holy Communion, not too young to receive the Holy Ghost, not too young to walk with God!

The famous American Revivalist, Dwight L. Moody, began preaching among the street urchins of Chicago. After delivering a sermon on God's Love, he shared with a friend, "We won 2 1/2 people to Christ tonight". The friend responded, "Do you mean two adults and one child"? "No", said Moody, "two children and one adult!  You see the children have all their life ahead of them.  The adult has lived more than 50% of his life already!"

2).  YOU'VE GOT TO LIVE A BIT!

That's Satan's second trap.  You want to get a little bit of fun out of your life, don’t you?  You've got to live a bit.  You can't sit in church all the time.  Have some fun.  Sow your wild oats! The so- called good times of this world, however, are like bubbles that float only so high before they break. Bubble gum chewing kids sometimes blows huge bubbles.  The thing stretches and stretches, expands, and expands, until suddenly, it pops.  The sticky stuff leaves an awful mess all over their face.

The world's good times are like that.  You can stretch the bubble of worldly pleasure only so far, then, without warning, it will break and leave the broken pieces of a wanton wasted life. And, sinner, you think you are having a good time?  You don't know the peace of God.  You've never experienced the blessings of God.  You don't know how much fun it is to be saved.  It's joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)

You will never really live until you come to Christ! Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me". (John 14:6). Young person, you'll never live until you drink of the Water of Life, until you taste of the Bread of Life.  You'll never live until you experience the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit in your life!

3).  YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE AND YOU'LL BE DEAD A LONGTIME!

That's another falsity the devil shakes out of his sleeve.  Remember the poem: ‘Only one life. It will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.’ You live only once, so live for God. What you do for Christ will last for time and eternity.  You will reap what you have sown, and be sure, your sins will find you out! (Gal. 6:7)

 

The Bible warns, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal for where your treasure is there will your heart be also". (Matt. 6:19-21)

My friend, you live only once, and after that the judgment. Eternity is forever!  If you die in your sins, you'll be lost forever, thrown into the lake of fire.  That is the place of mourning, the place of anguish, the place of torment.  It is the final place of the beast, the false prophet, the anti- Christ, Satan, and his angels.  It is the place where you will spend eternity with every rapist, drug pusher, drunkard, playboy, whoremonger, pimp, suicide case, and murderer that ever lived.

You'll spend eternity in Hell with vile, wicked God-haters, such as Nero, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Marx, Lenin, Ayatollah Khomeini and the 9/11 Muslim Bombers! Yes, young person, you'll live only once.  There's no second chance.  Live for Christ: only one life and it will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last!

4).  YOU CAN BE SAVED ANYTIME YOU WANTTO!

Satan keeps whispering his lies. He has pitfalls a-plenty for the unwary.  But can you be saved anytime you want to?  No!  Listen to God:  "My Spirit shall not always strive with man". (Gen. 6:3) Jesus warns, "No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me, draw him..." (John 6:44). You must come when God says, "Come", when the Spirit draws you.  You must come when the call of God is upon your soul!

Come back with me to the time of Noah.  He preached 120 years of a coming judgment.  He warned them of the approaching devasta­tion, the destruction of every unrepentant living creature.  But they refused to believe him. And one day God spoke, "Noah, come thou and all thy house into theark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation". (Gen. 7:1)

For seven days the animals gathered, drawn by their Creator.  The people watched this amazing stream of wildlife all trekking in the direction of the ark, grouping around it.  The people knew the message of the coming judgment; they saw this most unusual gathering of beasts, cattle, creeping things, and fowl; they could see the door of the ark wide open as an invitation to be saved.

Yet, they reasoned that the door into the ARK would remain open and that Noah would never leave anyone behind, if indeed, there would be a flood. It had never rained, so how could that wooden structure be lifted up from the dry land? Then, on the seventh day God shut the door.  His hand shut the door on the antediluvian age: the day of salvation had come to a close.

You cannot come to God anytime you want to or feel like it.  You must come when God calls you, when He draws you, when your heart is stirred by the gospel, when God's Spirit moves upon you. The Bible declares that a day will come when a person will seek Him, but be unable to find Him; that a person will call on Him but He will not hear.

5).  GOD IS A GOOD LORD!

You may say: “Surely, God is a good God who certainly won't send anybody to hell.  He is a good Lord and won't condemn me.  He is a good Lord and will take care of me”. And all the time you cheat, curse, lie and steal; you drink, smoke, and do drugs; you pervert and prostitute your body, commit adultery and fornication: You live like the devil and then expect God to take you, call you His loving child!

The truth is, what you sow you will reap.  Be sure your sin will find you out.  You had better heed God's warning while you have the opportunity. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:23)

The story is told of a young man who grew up to be a murderer and was hanged. Just before pronouncing the sentence upon the young man, the judge said, "Young man, do you have anything further to say for yourself?  The jury has found you guilty of first-degree murder"!

The young man rose to his feet and said, "Your Honour, there is one more thing I wish to say, when I was just a little boy more than 20 years ago, you saved my life.  "My parents and I travelled to town with our horses and wagon, to purchase groceries. I was watching the horses as my parents were loading the provisions onto the wagon.  The whistle of the train must have spooked the horses and they 'bolted'.  I got caught on the wagon tongue, as the frightened horses galloped down the main street.

"Your Honour, you were working as a lawyer in our town at that time and were crossing the street at the time of my predicament! Sir, you rushed out into the path of the running team and stopping it, saved my life!”  The young man was in tears as he added, "Your Honour, you saved my life then, can't you save my life again"?

The old judge took off his glasses and looking long and hard at the condemned man answered, "Yes, I remember that incident.  And I'm so sorry you have ended up in this court.  Young man, I'm sorry, I can't save your life this time.  You see, I was your saviour then, but now I'm your judge"!

Jesus Christ who died on Calvary's cross for our sins, wants to be your Saviour now, but at the Great White Throne Judgment, He will be your judge! And there will be no more mercy!

6).  WHAT WILL YOUR FRIENDS SAY?

The devil puts thoughts like this in your heart; What will your friends say, if you walk down that aisle to accept Christ?  What will your friends say and do when they find out you have become a Christian? I want to ask you a question, “With whom do you value your thoughts most, your friends or God?”

Who is more important, the Lord Jesus Christ who will one day sit upon the throne of judgment, the Lord Jesus who died on the cross for you.  The Lord Jesus who spilled His blood for you, the One who says, “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest.”  Or your friends who drink, do drugs, smoke, gamble, commit fornication and are unfaithful to their wives and live for the devil?

My friend, if they live for the devil, you have nothing of value to lose.  And if you lose them by choosing for Christ, you will gain many good, clean living, loving Christian friends. Not only that, but you will gain their respect, and often new converts are able to lead their loved ones and friends to Christ!

When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour, I lost a few friends but gained multitudes of real friends, who also love the Lord! Also, you will gain real friends, people who love the Lord and who love one another!

 7).  THE PREACHER IS AFTER YOUR MONEY!

"The preacher wants your money", the devil whispers. I want to tell you my friend, your money is worth nothing to you if God withholds your breath.  If God doesn't keep His hand upon you, your money and your possessions will disappear. You came into this world with nothing you will leave with nothing.  But if you obey the call of God, then His blessing will fill your soul.

God doesn’t need you or your money! Jesus said: “And think not to say, We have Abraham to father: for I say unto you, that God is able to raise up children to Abraham.”  (Matt. 3:9). God owns the world’s silver and gold and the cattle on a thousand hills. He doesn’t need you or me, but He wants us to be a part of His Redemptive plan! God wants to bless us and so He asks us to give!

 The money you give goes to win lost souls, to bring into the Kingdom of God the poor and needy, the deformed and the crippled, the lame and the halt, the confused and the desperate. Jesus said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again". (Luke 6:38)

Dr. Hyman Appelman, Jewish evangelist speaking at Edmonton Revival Centre’s pulpit and said: "If it would inspire you to give an extra offering to help me to win another soul for Christ, I would crawl on my hands and knees down this aisle and lick the dust off your shoes with my tongue. I would do it to win souls for Christ and keep people out of Hell! 

8).  LISTEN TO ALL THAT NOISE!

Satan comes along and says, "Who wants to be a part of such a noisy church?" I want you to know, my friends, this will be the quietest world you'll ever live in.  If you go to heaven, multitudes around you will be praising the living God throughout eternity.  Millions will be worshipping God, forever magnifying the name of the Most Holy.

And if you go to hell, it will be a noisy place there too.  Multiplied millions will be weeping and gnashing their teeth, multitudes will be howling and crying throughout eternity.  It'll be a noisy place.  This will be the quietest place you'll ever live in. Jesus said, "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth… and ye yourselves thrust out." (Luke13:28)

The Bible says, "Now the Lord is that Spirit: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty". (2 Cor.3:17); “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 14: 217)

The Bible says: “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name. And He 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. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven.” (Luke 10: 17-20)

The devil will try to distract your attention in other ways during the sermon, or while reading this message.  In the Church, he will say, "Look at those unruly children.  Look at the way that one dresses.  The P.A. system is too loud".  But the devil is your enemy, seekingyour destruction.  Choose Christ, walk with Him, and one day you will reign with Him! 

9).  COMPANY PREVENTS ME FROM GOING TO CHURCH!

You can't offend your friends; the devil impresses slyly upon you.  You can't offend your relatives.  You can't offend your neighbours who've dropped in just before church time. Well, I'll tell you something: You had better take a stand for God or against God.  And if you lack the courage to invite them to come with you to church, then I wonder how much God has got of you.  As for me, I don't care who visits us, when it comes time to open the Bible and pray, they'll either sit down with us or they can jolly well go home.  We are going to serve God!

Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  (Matt. 6:24)                               

10).  THE WEATHER IS UNFAVORABLE!

The devil keeps digging in his bag of tricks, holding the little deceptions and lies in front of you.  It's too cold, it's too icy on the roads, it's snowing something fierce - better stay home from church. Yet, it's not too cold, too icy or too snowy to go to your job.  Surely, you need your job, but how much more do you need God!

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Prov. 3:5,6) 

11).  I AM TOO POOR!

I can't go to church because my clothes look worn and shabby.  But you can go to a hockey game, to a bingo hall, to a theatre show.  Too poor to go to church, but you can buy a television set, a stereo.  You have money for cigarettes and booze.

No one is too poor to serve Jesus Christ.  In fact, when poor people get saved and begin to serve God, they are blessed economically as well. Jesus Christ came to preach the gospel to everyone! The Bible says: “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  brokenhearted, to Preach Deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 9: 18) 

12).  TOO MANY HYPOCRITES THERE!

The devil can get that piece of trickery to sink down and take hold quite easily.  After all, who wants to be in the company of frauds, fakes, and phonies! Undoubtedly, in any gathering of people you'll have some hypocrites; the church is no exception.  God knows their hearts and their sin will surely find them out.

No church is perfect.  If we had a perfect church and you joined it, it wouldn't be perfect any longer, if I joined it, it wouldn't be perfect any longer.  No one is perfect! "As it is written, there is none is righteous", the Bible informs us, "No not one". (Rom. 3: 10). "Too many hypocrites there" you counter, but that is the most time-worn, devil-induced excuse I've ever heard.

One day, travelling for a firm in northern B.C. I was in a small countryside store near Vanderhoof.  Beside the old stove sat an old man, chewing tobacco.  Every so often he would lean over and hack the juice into the spittoon nearby. The owner of the store told me that his father was a Norwegian and wanted to meet me when he learned of my Norwegian background. After a good conversation, I turned to him and said, "Sir, how would you like to become Christian?"

He looked at me for a few seconds and said, "Too many hypocrites in church". "You really think so"? I asked. "Yes, I do", he answered. "Listen to me for a minute, sir", I said.  "Do you know where the hypocrites are going?  Every hypocrite is going to hell.  The Bible says that the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment"! (Job 20:5) 

Then I asked him, "How would you like to spend about 10 years with 10 hypocrites in a room 10 square feet? “I’d rather die", he said. “Listen carefully, then", I continued.  "If you don't get saved, you're going to spend eternity with every hypocrite that ever lived.  You're going to spend eternity in hell, in the lake of fire, with the hypocrites."

"Sir", he said, looking very concerned now, "Are you really telling me the truth"? "Yes, what I told you is the truth." "If that means that I have to get saved to get away from all the hypocrites", he answered, "I'll get saved.  How can I stand them in hell if I can't stand them here?" 

Bowing his head in that old country store, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour at 75 years of age . Just before he prayed, he let another one go into the spittoon, cleaned out his mouth and threw the wad of tobacco in that old can.  Then we prayed together, and he openly and frankly gave his heart to Jesus. Hallelujah!

COMPOMISE!

Satan will try to control, not only the unsaved, but also the saved. Satan will try to make them powerless, useless Christians.  After deception, compromise is one major weapon of Satan to dupe the saved. He will purr, "Don't preach it all, don't live it all.  Just have enough religion to be respectable.  Just have enough religion to be like the rest.  Don't be a fanatic.  Don't be a holy roller. Find yourself some easy going to church", Satan will say, "Where you can go once a week and be respectable. And whatever you do, don't get filled with the Holy Ghost, you have enough, now you're saved.

“You're reading your Bible, and say grace over your food, that's enough.  You don't need to go any further." That's how the devil will try to cajole you into compromise.  He will murmur, " You don't need to pay your tithes. Don't get so fanatical.  Don't clap your hands.  Don't shout.  Don't praise God.  Don't get so deeply involved.  It's good to be religious, but don't become one of those emotional Christians.  You might lose your mind or go off the deep end".

Satan will try to instill pride in you, to fill you with feelings of great importance and self - esteem.  Satan himself came to his downfall because of pride. Lucifer said, "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will be like the most High".  In the original Hebrew, it states, "I will be God".  God brought him down!  God hates pride.  "...him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer". (Ps. 101:5)

Satan will use anything at hand to fill you with conceit.  Are you a successful businessman?  Watch out that the devil doesn't put a notion on your heart to ride the high horse. Are you good-looking?  Watch that the devil with his sly whisperings doesn't make you stuck up.  Are you, the best voice in the choir?  Great!  Use it for God's glory.  But watch that you don't secretly look down upon one of those who may have difficulty mastering certain parts less quickly and perfectly.

Are you driving a bigger and better car than your brother in the Lord?  Watch out that it doesn't make you slightly strut.  Who knows, maybe the other brother has a great burden for the lost and gives heavy financial support to the spreading of the gospel to the poor, the needy. Pride will kill you.  Satan will pounce on the opportunity, if you have the slightest inclination to be proud; proud of who you are, proud of your face, proud of your race, proud of your place.  Watch out!

FEARFULNESS!

The devil will come and scare you; fill you with anxieties, worries, and fears until you can think of nothing else.  I'm going to die of cancer, diabetes, a heart attack.  Your whole being fills up with fear and quiet despair. One woman came up to me in Norway. "Pastor Solbrekken, I hurt down here and up here, I feel sick all over.  I am sick inside and out". I said, "You need a complete overhaul".

She answered in the affirmative. As I prayed for her, faith grew in her heart and suddenly she began jumping all around: healed by the power of God. Crowds of people are sick, anxious,       and fearful and their emotional turmoil produces physical illness.  Their negative emotions actually produce real disease.

In his book 'None of These Diseases', Dr. McMillen lists more than 50 ailments that are caused or aggravated by emotional stress.  Doctors and psychiatrists state that the great majority of those occupying hospital beds are there because of mental stress. A few years ago on CBC TV, Tommy Banks asked me, "Pastor Max, is it true that a lot of people you help, are psychosomatically ill"?

"Isn't that a pretty respectable profession", I countered, "to be helping such troubled people?  Psychiatrists earn big money seeking to do the same with limited success!" He nodded. "But", I continued, "by God's power we help those that are organically ill as well". That made him sit up and take notice

"Psychiatrists struggle to help the people that are sick in their minds, but what about that great percentage of people occupying hospital beds because of bodily illness brought on by emotional stress?  God deals with the whole person", I declared. May God increase the number of true ‘Men of God’ who can bring His total health to suffering mankind, a mankind torn by worry, anxiety, and fearfulness.  Let's get Canada healed by God's power 

DISCOURAGEMENT!

If the devil could get you discouraged enough to keep you out of church, he could keep you defeated, distressed and depressed from then on without much effort, Satan wants to get you discouraged with everyone; with the pastor, yourself and your friends.  He tries his utmost to keep you walking around dissatisfied and moping.  I have met these permanent lonely, disturbed and sick precious people all over the world.

"How are you today"? you'll ask such a person, and you will hear their troubles.  "Oh, the devil's been riding me all week - I don't know what to do!  Everything's so bad - Oh, I'm so discouraged; my children won't obey; my husband / wife gets on my nerves - Oh, Pastor, if you had to live where I live - Oh, Pastor, if you only knew what I must go through".

I want you to know, my beloved, the devil's hold on you will slip if you keep in the Word, in prayer, and keep full of the Holy Ghost.  Daily pray, read the Bible, praise the Lord and daily; “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4: 6)

And whatever you do, don't sleep away the blessings of God on Sunday morning!  Get out of the sack, awaken your family and head for a spirit-filled, full-gospel, evangelical, Pentecostal Church!

NEGATIVEISM!

Negativism is the little brother of discouragement.  It is the I can't-do-it-attitude.  “Oh, everything is going to fail.  I'm not going to make it.  I do not have the ability.  I can't do it.”  But look to Jesus and in His strength build a positive attitude; a positive approach to life and yourself, as you lean on Jesus and the Holy Spirit. His Word is true, and He cannot and will not fail!

Every morning, swing your legs vigorously out of bed and begin thanking Him.  If the snow is coming down, thank Him for the snow and the moisture it will provide springtime, for a new crop to germinate.  When it's cold, thank Him for the natural gas that heats your house.

When your life is troubled and stormy, thank Him for knowing and caring; and that every storm blows itself out for the sun to reappear.  Behind every cloud, the sun is shining.  Thank Him and praise Him continually and see how major irritations and frustrations begin to fade under the blessings of inner peace and trust in Him.

A Native preacher riding with me one day down a B.C. highway, taught me a lesson.  The rain came pelting down and clattered on the roof of the car.  The road was narrow.  It wound its way next to the Skeena River, a railway track on one side, the steep mountain slopes on the other.  The heavy clouds overhead, the clattering downpour, the wet dreary mountainside, all added up to a cheerless, dismal feeling.

Suddenly, my friend lifted up his hands, and shouted, "Thank you, Jesus".  I looked at him wondering, why the outburst. Then I realized that the rain really isn't so bad.  If it wasn't for the rain, we would be unable to wash ourselves and keep clean and healthy. Without rain, drought would kill all vegetation and with it our food supply.  If it wasn't for the rain, the absence of plant growth and their oxygen producing qualities would soon cause all living creatures to collapse for lack of fresh air. 

Without rain, I realized, no life would exist on earth.  I got the message. God showed me why we should thank Him for the rain! Let's thank God in everything, even though for the moment a situation may look dreary and gloomy, all wrong and harmful.  Let's be positive in our approach to life. No one any more than a Christian has the right to do so.  Say, "I'm going through, because God is going to walk with me today.  Nothing is going to stop me.  I'll walk with Jesus through the valleys and on the mountain tops.  I'm gointhrough - with Jesus".

INDIFFERENCE!

Once more Satan digs into his bag of deceitfulness.  So, what if the heathen will be  lost?  So, what if things aren’t going so well in the world?  Can I do anything about it?  Am I my brother's keeper?  Is it my responsibility to look after the heathen in Haiti, India, and Africa?  Should I care about the millions of souls waiting for the gospel in Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, and Romania?

Is it my responsibility to help spread the gospel of Christ to the teeming millions of Hindus, Moslems, and Buddhists? Yes, it is your responsibility! Yes, you are your neighbour's keeper.  The Bible states clearly that if you have the answer to life's problems and the destructiveness of sin, then you bear the responsibility to warn those that live in sin.

The Bible warns: “When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, Thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” (Ezekial 33: 8,9)

If you fail to warn sinners of their condemnation under sin, then their blood will be required at your hands. How can we be indifferent when the Bible issues that clear warning?  How can we push away the burden for the lost that the Holy Spirit places on us, as though it is no concern of ours? Indifference!  Is Christ coming soon? Well, they have been preaching that for 2,000 years.  Why get excited?

Beloved, you and I are 2,000 years nearer to Christ's return than those who first started preaching the gospel.  Your salvation is now nearer than in the beginning.  Every day we are drawing closer to the day when suddenly the trumpet will sound and Christ will appear, when we will rise to meet Him in the clouds! Pray God, for a burden for the lost, if you have hardened yourself into a state of indifference.  Pray God for a burden for those who are stampeding to­ward their doom!

“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shallall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality. So, when this corruptible shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in Victory. O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is the victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor.15 :51-57)

ENVY!

Envy impoverishes a person spiritually and is one of Satan's major tricks to dry up the soul of the believer and keep the unbeliever from finding Christ as his Saviour. Envy also harms one physically.  Modern psychiatry now bears out the words of Proverbs, spoken thousands of years ago; “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” (Prov. 14:30)

Great numbers of distressed people are occupying hospital beds today because of illnesses brought on by emotional stress, one of which is envy.  Ulcers, headaches, high blood pressure, heart ailments, diabetes and a long list of others are now recognized as caused by upset emotions, by constant inner turmoil. Envy causes constant inner turmoil.

St. James points out the inherent evil of envy.  "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work". (James 3:16) St. Paul states, "Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another". (Gal. 5:26). If we don't watch out, Satan will try to tempt us with envy because of our neighbour's newer car, nicer house, better salary, his higher position in the church, his success in business, his seemingly greater natural or spiritual gifts. Satan will grab at anything to invoke envy in your soul, to dry up your soul, to cut your growth in Christ!

And not only that, but envy can also lead to spiritual death.  St. Paul, in Gal. 5:19-21, lists envy with murder and witchcraft, with hatred and wrath, with adultery and fornication.  At the same time Paul mentions the sin of emulations, which in present day language, is: 'Keeping up with the Jones'.  Trying to keep up with friends, neighbours, or relatives in possessions and standing is rooted in envy.  And envy, the Bible warns clearly is a physical and spiritual killer. The sin of envy in our lives must be confessed, so God can deal with us and by His Holy Spirit give us victory over it in Christ!

GLUTTENY!

"Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." (Phil. 3:19). We continue indulging ourselves in food and drink.  We keep on overeating.  The maxim used to be: Eat to live, don't live to eat.  Nowadays many people, even Christians, show no self-restraint at the table.  That's very wrong, As a matter of fact, it is sinful. The Bible condemns gluttony as a serious sin. Be temper­ate, the Bible admonishes.  Gal. 5:23 lists temperance as one of the nine fruits of the Spirit.  "To knowledge add temperance", St. Peter teaches us in 2 Peter 1:6.  There is freedom from this satanic slavery in Christ.

LAZINESS!

The devil, reaching his long claws again into his bag of tricks, brings out laziness - slothfulness.  It is not only physical inactivity, but especially spiritual apathy."I think, we'll stay in bed this morning, honey.  We won't go to church.  It got a little late last night, watching the late show.”  Hebrews 10:25 commands, "Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as a manner of some is..."  Worship with your brothers and sisters in the house of the Lord.  Don't underestimate the blessing of the fellowship.

GOSSIP!

Gossip robs us very craftily of much of our spiritual power.  If Satan can't touch you with any of his other sly tricks, he'll try 'information centre, operation gossip' on you.  Examine yourself.  Am I involved in this?  Am I on the telephone spreading the latest juicy reports about someone else?  Am I guilty of talking scandal?  Am I one of those?

If you want to talk about somebody, if you just must tell this terrible thing to somebody, then talk to God about the other one and pray His blessing and strength over that person.  That way you both are blessed! Make it your rule, to first talk to God about somebody - it will kill your urge to gossip right there.

 CRITICISM!

Oh, if the devil could get you to say something against your pastor, one of the elders, one of the deacons, one of your brothers or sisters in the Lord.  Criticism, the brother of gossip, is a mighty weapon of destructiveness in the hands of Satan. Hearts grow cold and rebellious because of it.  Active participation in church work turns to inactivity and skepticism, Criticism often begins with small things, but before you know it, the devil has destroyed your faith and joy in your Saviour, Jesus Christ. Suddenly every little thing irritates you.  But you know that the devil is a liar.  Don't allow him to use you as an undermining force in the gospel outreach.  "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you". (James 4:7)

PROSPERITY!

Satan has you ensnared in thoughts of more, more, more.  This time it is­n't food, it is money.  The seducing smile of prosperity holds you entranced.  Seldom or ever do you have time to go to the Edmonton Revival Centre.  You have no time for those shouting Lutherans, Pentecostals, and Baptists.  You are too busy making money. Greed has you ensnared.  You think you have money, but money has you.  You can’t handle it.  It handles you.  You are under its control.  You have become a slave of prosperity

You may be rich in money, but you are poor toward God.  "Thou fool, this night thy soul is required of thee." (Luke 12:20). But it's not too late yet, for you.  Christ can set you free and give you the riches that have eternal value, treasures stored in a place where moth and rust cannot reach them.

Do not allow the devil to dry out the needs of your soul any longer.  Christ is extending freedom and victory over greed and gain to bring you into fellowship with the living God.  Let Him satisfy your soul.  Then you are truly prosperous.

Remember the warning of St. Paul: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pieced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (1 Tim.6: 10:12)

 PROCRASTINATION!

You have plenty of time.  I'll wait, you say, till next Sunday.  I won't do it now.  Next time, but my friend, it's a lie of Satan.  Not now, I’ll give my heart to Christ next Sunday.  No matter how close you may ever come to a decision for Christ, if the devil can keep you from doing it now and move you to the next time, then, you will be just as lost as any Christ rejector. Procrastination is a condemnation!

Here is a supposed happening among the devil and his leading demons. Whoever authored this we do not know, but it certainly lays out a masterful evil plan to stop the work of Evangelism! If it is true, then we must work overtime to win more and more souls for Christ across the world! M.S. 

One day Satan called an emergency meeting in a secret location. It was not in Hell because he is not there yet, but he is still scouring the earth. He had summoned all the leading demons from around the world to attend this crucial conference. Arrogant and proud on a high black throne, Satan eyed them severely, "Alright" he snapped, "I need some drastic, new ideas to stop souls from being saved.  Our traditional methods have become unsatisfactory.  We're losing souls at an alarming rate.  We need a powerful new approach that will keep them in darkness.  I'm waiting".

A little beady-eyed demon rose.  "I've got it, Your Majesty.  Back on the job, I'm going to emphasize that there is no hell". "Fool", Satan snapped, "We've got the Jehovah's Witnesses doing that for us.  It works only to a certain extent.  Sit down."

Another demon stood up.  "Your Majesty, I've got it.  I'm going to instruct all my leaders and my rank and file to be more active in spreading the lie that there is no God.  I am going to command them to stoke the fires of Darwinism anew with all their might.  The evolutionary theory will lead many to be blinded to the truth".

"Sit down", Satan thundered.  "It's not what I am looking for.  We've tried it with some success, but still the gospel is marchingahead and millions escape our clutches.  Who else?" One after the other demons presented their ideas, only to be rebuked by Satan for their tameness, dullness and lack of imagination.

 HOLLOW-EYED DEMON CRAWLED BEFORE SATAN!

Then, way back in the darkness, a hollow- eyed demon crawled down the aisle to the front.  At the foot of Satan's throne, he stopped and piped, "Your Wicked Majesty, I have the answer; "We must attend every revival meeting and every evangelistic service and sit on sinners’ shoulders and whisper into their ears, "Yes, he is right.  There is a God!  Yes, there is a hell!

“And, yes, if you die in your sins, you'll go to that place called hell. Don't let them get you all excited.  You don't have to choose tonight.  Not tonight - tomorrow night.  Not tonight - next Wednesday.  Not tonight - next Sunday night.  There is plenty of time. You need a few more days to live your own life, one more week to sow your wild oats. You can get saved anytime you want to.  Steady now.  Keep your cool.  Later.  Not tonight!"

 Satan leaped off his throne.  "That's it!" he shouted with malicious pleasure.  "Go, now!  Get moving!  Infiltrate every evangelistic service, every revival meeting and whisper those words in the ears of sinners: "Not tonight.  Next week, and we'll get millions more to that horrible place.  Hurry up!  Our time is running out". 

TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!

Today is yesterday's tomorrow, and for some people tomorrow never comes!  The Bible says, "Yet a little while is the light with you.  Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.  While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." (John 12: 35-36)

“For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I sucoured thee: behold now is the day of Salvation.” (2 Cor.6: 2) “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 the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

Dear Friend, 

I encourage you to give your life, without reservation to Jesus Christ. Then tell someone about it. And please write and tell me the good news as well. God owns the world's silver and gold, the cattle on a thousand hills.  He doesn't need you.  But God wants you to be a part of His Redemption plan. Please write me today with your prayer requests!  - Max Solbrekken

Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RP0 Garside Edmonton, A.B. T5V 1N6, Canada.