Happy Canada Day! Is Canada the greatest country in the world? You said it! Is Prime Minister Stephen Harper the recognized leader of the Free World? There is none better ~ A great Canadian, a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, an honest man and a friend of Israel. The Bible states: "Blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord..." (Psalms 33:12); "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs 29: 2) Praise the Lord for His goodness to us, and continue praying for suffering and dying Christians ruled by satanic religious / political terrorists and murderers! - Pastor Max Solbrekken

NOTABLE MIRACLES 

FROM THE HANDS OF JESUS!

Notable Miracles of God are happening at the House of Prayer on Hiway 623 south of New Sarepta. A carpenter with heart pains - after 6 by-passes seven years ago - now rejoicing and working like a beaver, a man with damaged lungs from years of welding breathes normally and a woman suffering unbearable pain for 21 years on demerol and 14 different meds hasn't had a pain or taken a pill since Mother's Day and golfed for first time in her life. Join Max and Donna Solbrekken Friday, Saturday and Sunday July 4, 5 & 6 at the Gospel Tent on Hiway 623 south of New Sarepta. Camp Meeting begins this Friday at 7 pm on Hiway 623 off hiway 21 south on New Sarepta.

MANKIND'S BASIC NEEDS AND

THEIR FUFILLMENT IN CHRIST

By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

     Mankind's five basic needs as defined by psychologists are: security, recognition, love, adventure, need to create. All these are met though the cross-work of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life and rose from the dead, thereby purchasing Eternal Life for all who believe.

                                 1. SECURITY!

  The greatest security a mortal can have is to know that we are at peace with our Creator and God! Repeatedly, the prophets and the apostles speaking and writing under the unction and inspiration of the Living God, brought great words of comfort and security!

      In my message titled, 'The Christian's Slogan: I am Secure in Jesus', I share many Scriptures that boast the great security we enjoy through our Saviour Jesus Christ!

     Here are a few: "Fear thou not for I am with thee. Be not dismayed for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." (Is. 41: 10);

     "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord." (Is. 54:17)

    We are SECURE in Jesus! He said: “…And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (age).” (Matt, 28: 20); “… for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (Heb.13: 5, 6)

   Always is a definition of time while alway is a definition of distance! He has promised to go all the way with us; to go the distance! He cares for and protects us.  Jesus used a double imperative. He actually said, “I will never, no never leave thee. I will never, no never forsake thee…” We have His Word on it.
    He said: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” (John 10: 28). Not only did He promise to watch over us but He sent the HOLY SPIRIT to lead, direct, empower and comfort us. 

    He promised: “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: 16-18)

   The Bible says: "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, and of power and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1: 7); Jesus Christ said: "All that the Father giveth Me shall come unto Me and him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:  37)

    "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." (John 10: 27, 28)

                           11.  RECOGNITION!
    We are all unique and in many ways different from one another. God made us that way. Even identical twins are different from each other in a number of ways. God is triune and so are we. Almighty God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we are  spirit, soul (intellect, will and emotions) and body. He made us just like Himself!
     The HOLY BIBLE states: "And God said, Let US  make man in OUR own image, after OUR likeness ...So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Gen. 1: 26, 27; 2:7)
   The word man in the hebrew is adam or adham which means 'the blood of God'. His own image is damoot which means 'an exact duplication in kind'. The word dust is afar which means minute particles. Science confirms that matter is made of minute particles. The word ground is adamah meaning the totality of all that God is. 
     The truth is that God made man from Himself. He took His own blood - which is a figure of speech for life - and made man an exact duplication of Himself. He made him from the ground which He had created  and blew His Spirit into Adam's nostrils and Adam became a living soul (Spirit).
     The BIBLE states: "And so it is written, the first man Adam (blood of God) was made a living soul; the last Adam (blood of God)  was made a quickening Spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man (Adam) is of the earth, earthy: the second man (Jesus)  is the LORD from Heaven." (1 Cor. 15: 45-47)

     WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

   God made Adam (blood of God) from Himself. He breathed His Own life into him, making him a living soul (man's spirit is eternal). Adam Sinned! God sent His Own Son as the Second and Last Adam (blood of God)  Jesus Christ, to redeem the lost descendants of the first Adam by shedding His pure and perfect BLOOD as payment for the sins of the first Adam.

    That is why man is so special in the eyes of God. And that is why man is so exceptional. Man is a copy of God Himself and when sinful human beings receive Jesus Christ - Who is God's gift to us all - as Lord and Saviour great and wonderful things can happen. That is why the Christian world has become so great, because we put our trust in Jesus Christ the Redeemer of mankind!

      Everyone wants to be acknowledged and recognized by their fellowmen. May we all acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord of lords and King of kings and then civility will rule and human beings will recognize one another as neighbours and friends! Then the killings, raping, kidnapping and beheading in the Muslim world would also stop! May genuine revival of Christ's Gospel also come to the world at large!

   Our Lord said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; As I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if ye have love one for another." (John 13: 34, 45)

     "That they all may be One, as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in US; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me." (John 17:21)

     "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."  (Matt. 5: 16); "For I rejoiced  greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth, that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth." (3 John 3)

   "Having your conversation (lifestyle) honest among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2: 12)

      JESUS said: “I am the Door, by Me if any man entereth in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

      “I am the Good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10: 9-15)

      “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.

      “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him like He is.” (1 John 3: 1, 2)

111. LOVE!

   Only those who have been touched by the love of God can show forth real agape (unconditional) love that makes a difference in a dark, sick and lost world of sinners!

   Our Lord stated: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13: 34, 35)

  The love of God is apodictic (gr. Apodeiktikos) meaning ‘evident beyond contradictions’, and magnanimous beyond understanding. It is  incomprehensible and inexhaustible. In short, it is inexplicable, and overwhelming. Our Heavenly Father’s love, mercy and grace is unconditional and available to all who willingly repent of their sins and in faith receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour!

     Our Lord’s parable about the PRODIGAL SON who returned in repentance and humility proves that: “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”(Luke 15: 17-24). This parable is a picture of God’s love for a sinful world that is estranged from Him!  

    It is also shown in His prayer from the cross: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34) Again, Jesus exhibited His great mercy to the repentant thief:

   “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom. And Jesus said unto him; Verily, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 42, 43)

    Of course, the key that opens the door to God’s mercy is two-fold, REPENTANCE and FAITH! In the account of Christ’s prayer asking His Father to forgive those who put Him on the cross, we see precisely the agape love that made Him leave Heaven to save the world.

   “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)

      No greater love could ever be manifested than the great transaction that was played out in real time on Mount Calvary where Jesus the Son took the hand of the Father in one hand and the hand of man in the other and brought God and man together through His atoning blood on the Cross. (Gal.3: 13)

1V. ADVENTURE!

      Some people like to explore new frontiers. Others like to dig, excavate or search for fossils. And still others enjoy making new friends, meeting celebrities or important people in various walks of life! 
    A great many people get their adventures by travelling the world, taking lengthy vacations or visiting famous gardens, art shows or museums. And huge numbers get their adventure by going to music festivals, hockey and football games, wrestling matches or other sporting events. And all of this in the name of adventure!

   Personally, my greatest adventures in life has been my family, beginning with my beautiful wife Donna and our six children, and now 57 years later having 17 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Watching them grow, mature, get married and have children has been a great blessing to me!

  None of this would have been possible, if God had not blessed us so abundantly. Giving our hearts and lives to Jesus Christ and being filled with the blessed Holy Spirit is the greatest experience on the face of the earth. To have a personal relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords is immense. It is grand and it is huge!

    To have access to the very throne room of the Creator of the Universe and

Saviour of the world is such an honour and privilege and to be able to sense His holy presence is unreal!

     To know that He loves us and cares for our needs is so exciting, and to pray in Jesus’ holy and precious name and receive answers from Him gives us joy unspeakable and full of glory!

     We know the great value God has placed upon each of us,  in that He sent His only begotten Son to the Cross to pay the awful cost of our REDEMPTION, by meeting the demands of Divine Justice!

     I will never forget the day that I decided to give my heart and life to God and received the assurance of sins forgiven and the knowledge that I was a child of God. When I was graciously filled with the blessed Holy Spirit, the Holy Bible opened up to me like a flower to the sun and revelation knowledge flooded my soul.

    The peace, joy and holy excitement has never left me. After 57 years of serving the Lord, I receive greater joy than ever by spending quality time in His presence through Bible study, prayer and seeking God’s face! And though preaching and writing!

    After 50 years of Gospel Crusades across the globe and seeing multitudes come to Christ for salvation, healing and deliverance from the power of sin, fear, sickness, disease and demons has been more than adventurous!

V. NEED TO CREATE

     Many people are artistic, having received a gift from God. I think of Michelangelo and other great painters, as well sculptors and architects. The innovative minds of inventors, skilled workmen and labourers have built cities, great freeways, airports, airplanes, computers, telescopes and communication systems.

     There are a host of men and women in medicine, education, military, agriculture and science who have skillfully designed, patented and created many marvellous tools, vehicles and diagnostic equipment.

     My wife, Donna, is always knitting, crocheting, sewing, designing and creating things for our grandchildren and a lot of other people. My need to write Biblical articles, columns, books and videos never stops.

     She says: “Creative minds have advanced us to the place we are today. It is hard to imagine people who have no need or desire to do anything creative.”

     The flip side of that is that ungodly people use God - given talents to create evil, destructive and perverted things which bring great harm to themselves and others!

     Pastors, youth leaders, children’s workers, singers, musicians, choreographers and others involved in Church and the Gospel Ministry love to create those things that bless the Church and reach souls for Christ!

       St. Paul makes the Gospel of Christ come alive in his powerfully anointed and God-breathed epistles. Here is the Word of God to the Ephesian Church: “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

                   GOD IN HIS MERCY SAVED US!

      “Among whom also we all had our conversation (life style) in time past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. BUT God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great LOVE wherewith He loved us,

       “Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened (made us alive) us together with Christ; by grace ye are saved: And hath raised us up together, and made us (Jews and Gentiles) in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might show 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 yourselves: it I 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: 1-10)

       Jesus Christ meets the needs of the human race in every area of human life and beyond, for both time and eternity! Amen.

JESUS CHRIST & THE WORLD

By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

  The Bible says: “He was in the WORLD, and the WORLD was made by Him, and the WORLD knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many as received him, to them gave He the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1: 10-12)

    A MAN LAY DYING in a little shack in the hill country of California. A kind Christian lady came to be with him during his last hours on earth. She read these words of Jesus Christ from the New Testament: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3: 16)

    The dying man asked, “Is that in the Bible?” The woman answered, “Yes it is.” He asked, “Is He speaking to me?” She answered, “Yes, He is speaking to you.”  The dying man asked, “Did He say anything else?”  The Christian lady answered: “Yes! He said: As many as received Him to them gave He the power to become the sons of God.”  The dying man answered, “I receive Him. I'm satisfied.”

    Then, he closed his eyes and went directly into the loving arms of JESUS. How powerful and reassuring, indeed, are the inspired life-giving words of the Holy Bible!

  “For God so loved the WORLD that He GAVE His Only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” What an amazing promise!  Peace flooded his soul and he died knowing that he had been accepted into God's Kingdom.

    God's Word says: "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 made us ACCEPTED in the Beloved; in Whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." (Eph.1:4-6)

CHRIST: GOD'S PASCAL LAMB!

     He LOVES us! He KNOWS about us! He CARES for us! He DIED for our sins! He AROSE from the dead for our justification! And He will RETURN for us! The Bible states that Jesus “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom.4: 25); “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”  (Heb.9: 28)

      Our OFFENCES speaks of the SINS of unbelief, pride and treason against our God, Maker, Life-Giver and Saviour! Our sins nailed Him to the Cross! He was delivered, meaning: He was arrested, condemned, scourged, crucified and DIED for our sins! The Bible teaches the vicarious (substitutionary) death of Jesus the Messiah, for the sins of the entire world!

      The Bible states: "Therefore being justified by FAITH we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. For when we were yet without strength (hopeless), in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

      "Much more then, being now justified by His BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Rom.5: 1, 6. 8-10)                          

      The hymn writer penned these amazing words: 'O love of God so rich and pure, so measureless and strong. It shall forevermore endure the saints and angels song. If you could with ink the ocean fill and were the sky of parchment made and every stock on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade: To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry and could the sky contain the whole would stretch from sky to sky.'

GOD IS FOR US:

NOT AGAINST US!

      There are those who believe that God is against us and wants to punish us for our sins. Nothing is farther from the TRUTH. The Scripture states: "As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked TURN from his way and live: Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die...?" (Ezek.33: 11)

      “For I know the thoughts that I have toward you saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (hope and a future). Then ye shall call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you saith the Lord…” (Jer.29: 11-14)

     This Scripture holds out hope for us all, even those who have fallen into gross sins. Israel had sinned by breaking His laws and God judged them with seventy years in Babylonian captivity. His extended hand of love, mercy and grace reached out to them again letting them know that they were still His people and that if they would call upon His name He was ready to forgive and give them a bright future in Palestine as well as an eternal Home in Heaven!

    St. Peter writes: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3: 9). So great was the love of God toward us that He sent His only begotten Son into this wicked, desperately evil WORLD to save us all through the SACRIFICE of Himself!

GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS UNIMAGINABLE!

   His love toward us in incomprehensible, inconceivable and beyond the scope of human understanding! That God the Son would wrap Himself in human flesh and come down in our midst and offer Himself as a ransom to pay for the sins of the world – past, present and future - to meet the demands of Divine Justice, exceeds the limits of our intelligence!

    The Bible declares: "To wit (that is), that God was in Christ reconciling the WORLD unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. For He hath made Him to be SIN (sin offering) for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor.5: 18, 19-21)

     The word GRACE means unmerited favour. We are saved by grace and kept by the power of God through His mercy. St. Paul stated: "For by grace are ye saved though faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast."  (Eph.2: 8,9)

  It is by Grace alone, through Faith alone and in Christ alone that we are able to enter God’s Kingdom.

     The Gospel is all about JESUS CHRIST and what He has done to redeem sinful and lost humanity. The mercy, grace and love of God was extended to us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, “Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the CROSS, despising the shame and is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on High." (Heb. 12: 2)

     Jesus Christ said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” (John 14: 6): “I am the Door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be Saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.

JESUS: ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN!

      There is no other road one may travel, no other way one may go and no other entrance into the Kingdom of God, except through God’s Pascal Lamb, Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified on Golgotha’s Hill nearly 2,000 years ago!

      No one else could have filled the role of the God-man, the Jewish Messiah, and no one else could have RISEN from the dead three days later! He is not only the sole Saviour of the world but also the King of kings and Lord of lords and the ultimate Judge of all mankind!

     That is GREAT NEWS if you are a believer in Christ, but very scary, indeed, if you know not Christ as personal Saviour and Lord. St. John makes this definitive, judicially proper and theologically correct statement:

   “He that believes on the Son of God hath the witness in Himself. He that believes not hath made Him a liar, because he believes 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 of God hath NOT Life.” (1 John 5: 10-12)

      The BIBLE states: “The Thief (Satan) comes not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I am come that they might have LIFE and have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” (John 10: 9-11)

   Saul of Tarsus, a rabid enemy of Jesus of Nazareth and His followers, was apprehended by the RISEN Lord on the Damascus Road. The encounter was supernatural and life changing as our Lord appeared in a light brighter than the sun, blinding the murderous religious Jewish enforcer! (Acts 9, 22, 26)

      He states: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.

      “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is ABOVE every name: That at the name of Jesus  every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil.2: 5-11)

LOVE NOT THE WORLD!

      The three giants that must be defeated to experience genuine power with God are the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the eyes and the Pride of life! With God’s strength within us, we can do it by His grace!

    St. John admonished: “Love not the WORLD, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the WORLD, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the WORLD, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the WORLD passesth away and the lust thereof; but he that does the will of God abideth forever.” (1 John 2: 15-17)

      Satan used these three temptations to snare EVE in the Garden of Eden. The LIAR promised that she would not die if she ate the forbidden fruit, but rather become wise. He accused the Creator of withholding something good from her. The word devil means: Liar, Slanderer, False Accuser.

    Satan is still the greatest of all deceivers. He promises everything but delivers nothing but death! Eve believed that the fruit which was pleasant to her eyes (lust of the eyes) would be good to eat (lust of the flesh) and it would make her wise (pride of life)!

  When Satan (enemy, adversary) tried his three knock - out punches on our Lord, he was soundly trounced and beaten and had to retreat! Jesus refuted and rebuked him and he had to back off.

     St. James stated: “Submit yourselves unto God, RESIST the devil and he will FLEE from you” (James 4: 7). St. Peter warned: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil (Liar), as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour, whom resist steadfast in the Faith…” (1 Peter 5: 8)

  Jesus used the Word of God to stop the devil. Three times Jesus of Nazareth authoritatively said: “IT IS WRITTEN.” We can do the same! The Bible states: “The Word of God is quick (alive) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb.4: 12)

  The devil confronted JESUS with these words: “If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” (Matt. 4: 3). The LIAR knew full well that Jesus of Nazareth was the incarnated Son of God and the Deliverer that the Almighty God had promised would one day crush his head, yet he tried to seduce the very Son of God! (Gen.3: 15)

     Satan, indeed, is a cocky, proud and stupid entity. To even think that a created being, foul, filthy and perverted as he is, would be able to tempt the One who had created him, reveals WHY ignorant and unknowing atheists and agnostics are so idiotic and juvenile in their approach to God and life!

HOLY SCRIPTURES CAME

FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD!

     The Lust of the flesh was a powerful tool to use on a man who had fasted for forty days and forty nights, but out Lord countered: “IT IS WRITTEN: man shall not live by bread alone but by every WORD that proceeds out of the MOUTH of God.” (Matt.4: 4) Jesus declared that He believed the Old Testament Scriptures. What a powerful answer!

     Jesus said two things: Man is a spiritual being and should not be controlled entirely by his flesh and the reason the Holy Scriptures are so powerful is that God Himself is their Author!

   The Second Temptation that the Adversary used was the Pride of Life. Again he challenged our Lord’s position as the Son of God, trying to make Him demonstrate the fact that He could cast Himself down and be protected. That would have shown PRIDE.

      Jesus did not fall for the temptation, but rather quoted the Word of God: “IT IS WRITTEN again, thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.” (Matt 4: 7)

     Jesus lectured Satan by reminding him that He was the Son of God and deserved worship, and that Satan was only a created being and under the jurisdiction of the “Lord thy God.” And that he was out of order in tempting Him!

      The Third Temptation is called the Lust of the Eyes.  Satan took Jesus up into a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them, saying: “All these things will I give thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” (Matt.4: 9)

      Why did the LIAR think he could seduce the Son of God, Who had created the universe and every living creature? What possessed him to believe that Jesus of Nazareth would fall down and worship such an Evil Entity as he?

    PRIDE blinds people and no doubt Satan thought that since he controlled one third of the angelic host, he would deceive the very Son of God. He is twisted in his mind and knows no shame! One day he will be cast into the LAKE OF FIRE forever! (Rev.20:10)

    Jesus, the Holy Son of God ordered the devil: “Get thee hence, Satan. IT IS WRITTEN; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4: 10). Jesus commanded the fallen archangel to “Get away from here.” The contest was over and Satan was gone: “Then the devil leaves him and behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.” (Matt.4: 11)

JESUS OF NAZARETH CAME TO DIE!

   The World had no attraction for the Son of God. He had come to EARTH for one purpose only and that was to SAVE the world! The Plan and Purpose of Redemption had been in the heart of God from before the foundations of the world. (Rom.8:29; Eph.1 4; 1 Peter 1:20)

    And Jesus of Nazareth, Who was in the bosom of the Father (John 1: 18), knew His great role in the deliverance of lost humanity! (Luke 19:10; John 3:16-17; 18:37; Luke 24:27) He had come to die in our place, to save us for time and eternity. He stated: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of God be lifted up.” (John 3:14)

    He had witnessed Lucifer’s rebellion and his eviction from Heaven by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel (Rev.12: 7-14). He had seen him fall to the earth and observed the great carnage that ensued there. (Ezek.28:13-17; Isa.14:12-17). He had witnessed the Traitor’s verbal assault on ‘the woman” in the Garden of Eden. (Gen.3:1-5)

     He knew full well the pain, agony and eternal doom that Lucifer had wrought on the Human Race. And He knew the price He had to pay to meet the demands of DIVINE JUSTICE in order to redeem the sick and suffering and lost and dying of the earthlings. (Luke 24: 25-27; 1 John 3:8)

     The JEWISH MESSIAH would be rejected by His own people, judged by His Heavenly Father and suffer, bleed and die the most humiliating, ignominious and torturous death upon the cursed cross outside the city walls of Jerusalem, and after three days rise again in power and great glory!

PREACHING & HEALING THE SICK:

NECESSARY TO CHRISTIAN MINISTRY!

     Jesus had chosen twelve men as His apostles whom He sent out to preach the Gospel and heal the sick and suffering. God wrought mighty miracle as they preached and prayed in His Name. Miracles happened everywhere!

     “And when He had called unto His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease ... And as you go, preach, saying. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Mark 10: 1, 7-8)

    THE TWELVE: “And they went out, and preached that men should repent, and they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” (Mark 6: 12-13); “And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.”(Luke 9: 6)

      THE SEVENTY: “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 (Satan): “And NOTHING shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.” (Luke 10: 17-20)

THE WORLD HATED THE CHRIST!

      JESUS stated: “For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent NOT His Son to condemn the WORLD but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3: 16, 17)

      Our Lord stated: “I am the light of the world.” (John 8: 12); “My Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:6). “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10); “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends,” (John 15: 8);

      “If the world hate you, ye know that it HATED Me before it hated you. If ye were of the WORLD, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the WORLD hated you.

      JESUS CHRIST said: “...The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me they will persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do for My name's sake, because they know not Him Who sent Me... He that hates Me HATETH My Father also.

     “If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had SIN; but now have they both seen and HATED both Me and My Father. But this comes to pass, that the Word might be fulfilled that is written in their Law, They have HATED Me without a cause.” (John 15:18-25)

JESUS: KING ETERNAL & ONLY WISE GOD!

      THE HOLY BIBLE states: “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me but on Him that sent Me. And he that sees Me sees Him that sent Me. I am come as a LIGHT into the WORLD, that whoever believes on Me should not abide in Darkness and if any man hear My Words, and believe not, I judge him not, for I came not to judge but to SAVE the world.

     “He that rejects Me, and receives not My Words, hath One that judges him. The Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the LAST DAY. For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. And I KNOW that His commandment is LIFE EVERLASTING: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.” (John 12:44-50)

      St. Paul wrote: “Christ Jesus came into the WORLD to save sinners of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained MERCY, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to Life Everlasting.

   “Now unto the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the ONLY wise God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim.1:15-16)

     The WORLD is that which is SIN and REBELLION against God. To Jesus, the world was the Jewish religious leaders who rejected Him as Messiah and turned others away from the Truth of Who He was, even though they had the writings of the prophets and the Holy Scriptures. 

     He stated: “But woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” (Matt.23:13)

      For us, the WORLD is anything that opposes God, Christ and His Gospel! The great preacher JAMES DENNEY stated: “If God has really done something in Christ on which the salvation of this world depends, and if He has made it known, then it is a Christian duty to be intolerant of everything which ignores, denies or explains it away.”

THE FLESH VERSUS THE SPIRIT!

      St, Paul declared: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

     “Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revelling, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in the past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.

   “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: Against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections (passions) and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal.5:16-25)

      St. Paul exhorts: “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually mined is life and peace. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

    “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God 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 bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: And if children of God, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we also be glorified together,” (Rom.8:5,6,13-17)    

O’ THE JOY OF LOVING HIM!

   At Christ the Healer Gospel Church in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, our anointed worship leaders, Tom and Brenda Sibley and Lydia Peters often lead us in praise and worship to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

     A song that always blesses my soul is called, O’ the Joy of knowing Him. It says: O’ the joy of loving Him, and O’ the joy of praising Him, and O’ the joy, joy, joy of serving Him! Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! What an honour to know Jesus Christ as our Lord, Saviour, Healer, Master and God! What a joy it is to serve Him and be led by the blessed Holy Spirit!

     The secret of a joyous Christian life is to fully dedicate ourselves to the Lord in sincerity and humility and to submit to God’s Word in repentance and faith. Through prayer and intercession, we must all seek God for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, Who will give us the grace to follow the path of righteousness and become living epistles of Christ’s love, mercy and grace! Amen.