WE NEED MORE MIRACLES

                            By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

   There is hope and healing for hurting, sick and suffering people. There is forgiveness and redemption for lost and dying souls. There is deliverance for fearful, oppressed and discouraged individuals!       There is peace for tormented victims of sexual abuse, drug addiction and alcoholism. There is freedom for those enslaved by pornography, homosexuality and gambling!

    And, yes, there is victory for depressed, sorrowing and defeated children of God who have become overwhelmed by the burdens of life and the onslaughts of the Evil One! There is a way back home to our Heavenly Father for those who have fallen into sin, drifted from the straight and narrow, and are hurting spiritually!

           CHURCH: REFUGE FOR WOUNDED!

     The Church is a place of healing for hurting people. It is a hospital for the spiritually wounded who been hurt by the lies of New Age advocates, false Eastern Religions and Politically Correct clergy! It is a House of Refuge and a Haven of rest for the guilt ridden casualties of divorce, broken homes and abortion!

     To get our spiritual bearings and to understand the important role the Church has to play in society, all we need to do is look at the life of Jesus, our perfect example!

    The Bible says: "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

    "And His fame went throughout all Syria: And they brought unto Him all people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them. And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan." (Matt. 4: 23-25)

    JESUS of Nazareth went into ALL their cities and villages teaching in ALL their synagogues and Healing ALL their sicknesses and ALL their diseases. They brought to Jesus ALL who were sick and diseased with ALL manner of diseases, torments, lunatics and those who were bed ridden; and He Healed them ALL! And ALL who touched Jesus and ALL whom He touched were Healed!

                  STRETCH FORTH THINE HAND !

    When the Early Church were persecuted by the Authorities and forbidden to teach or preach in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, they answered: "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken to you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." (Acts 4: 19, 20)

    After their from prison, they reported to the company of believers what had happened. "And when they heard that, they lifted up their VOICE to God with ONE ACCORD, and said, Lord, Thou art God, which has made Heaven and earth, and the sea and all that in them is.

     "Who by the mouth of Thy servant David hast said; Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and His Christ.

    "For of a truth against Thy Holy Child Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do what Thy hand and Thy council determined before to be done.

   "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy WORD, by stretching forth hand to HEAL; and that SIGNS and WONDERS may be done by the Name of Thy Holy Child Jesus.

     “And when they had prayed, the place was SHAKEN where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spoke the Word of God with boldness...

"And with great POWER gave the apostles witness of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great GRACE was upon them all." (Acts 4: 24-33)

      MORE MIRACLES: NOT LESS?

    His disciples had walked with Him for three years and seen His compassion, heard His powerful teaching and preaching. They knew His heart and love for His Father in Heaven and His unwavering faith and dedication to His Mission. They sensed the urgency in His voice and prayer life. They had seen His power over the elements, evil spirits and even death.

     They realized the great value HEALING MIRACLES have in attracting people to hear the Gospel. Jesus had faithfully taught in the synagogue without any crowds following Him, until He performed miracles upon the demon possessed and the sick. 

   They knew His desire to minister to NEEDY people and they had witnessed the surge of multitudes listening to His message and repenting of their sins, after He began doing miracles of healing on the sick and suffering!

    When Peter and John brought healing to the crippled man at the temple's Beautiful Gate, five thousand men had responded to their appeal to receive Christ. Do you think they would stop at that juncture? Would the threat of persecution turn them back? Would they react like many of today's pussy cat, milquetoast preachers? Definitely not! They were tough, hardened men of God with faith in the promises of Jesus.

     The bulk of this generation's preachers have scaled back on miracles and the supernatural power of God to liberate the human race. They have discontinued the prayer meeting and put man-made programs in its place.        They have discounted the Gifts of the blessed Holy Spirit and replaced them with the philosophies of men. They have substituted flashing lights and electronically generated smoke in the sanctuary, for the glory of God and the anointing of the Holy Ghost!

      And in many cases, some of these so-called men of God have given in to the culture of political correctness and have acquiesced under pressure to fit into the company of lukewarm, half-baked, backslid, popularity-driven clergymen.

      One of the greatest threats to the Church in this generation is the apathy and lack of concern regarding the purity of the Word of God that is gradually being lost in many denominations. You may ask: "What is driving this watering down of God's Word and the destroying of the Church"?

                       SATAN THE ENEMY OF GOD!

    Satan is the destroyer. He is the enemy of God and man and is utilizing every weapon in his arsenal to achieve his goals, but cannot and will not be able to do so because he is an eternally defeated enemy.

The shed blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ has decimated his power over those who are secure in the Body of Christ!

     Successive NEW translations of the Bible deftly corrupt the Original Autographs in seeking to erode the Deity of Jesus Christ, His Virgin Birth and His Resurrection! The work of theologians who use what they call 'Higher Criticism' are largely to blame!

      My message to those impostors is found in Hebrews 4: 12: "For the Word of God is quick (alive) and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

      O’ PUNY MAN: Know who you are! Stop trying to judge God's Word. We do not judge the Holy Bible. God's Word judges us! Here is another warning to all theologians:

     "Every Word of God is PURE. He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add not thou unto His Words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a LIAR." (Prov.30: 5, 6)

      Here are more WARNINGS to those who change the Word of God: "Ye shall not add to the Word which I command you, neither shall ye DIMINISH ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you;

       “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: Thou shall not ADD thereto, nor DIMINISH from it." (Deut.4: 2; 12: 32)

God spoke those divine words through the mouth of His prophet MOSES!          St. Peter said: "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1: 21) And St. Paul declared: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3: 16)

    DON'T CHANGE MY WORD!

     Here is the WARNING from Jesus Christ Himself: "For I testify unto every man that hears the Words of the Prophecy of this book. If any man shall ADD unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

       “And if any man shall TAKE AWAY from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book." (Rev. 22: 18, 19)

      St. Paul said: "But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so now I say again; if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be cursed." (Galatians 1: 8.9)

      That is very serious, coming from the man who was carried up into Heaven and shown things which he was not allowed to reveal. He stated that if he returned to that church preaching something different than the pure Gospel which he had preached to them, let him be accursed!

       Another Enemy of God and the Church of Jesus Christ is the diabolical teaching of SYNCRETISM which is invading the Body of Christ!

     Syncretism is defined as the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought, into the Church of the Living God. The very worst syncretism is a new doctrine called 'CHRISLAM' that has mixed Christianity and Islam in a number of Evangelical churches in the USA. It is a diabolical doctrine spawned in Hell itself!

     JESUS WARNED: "For a good tree brings not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes." (Luke 6: 43, 44);

    "I am the LIVING BREAD which came down from Heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my FLESH, which I will give for the life of the world." (Luke 6:51); "I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life. No man comes unto the FATHER but by Me." (John 14: 6)

         MARANATHA THE LORD RETURNS!

      ISLAM teaches that Jesus Christ did not die, but that Allah changed his facial appearance and made another man look like Jesus of Nazareth. Further, they teach that Jesus was taken up to Heaven and chastised for saying that He is the Son of God and that He will return and declare that He is only a prophet lesser than Mohammed and will urge all Christians to convert to Islam or be killed!

   That is disgusting, untruthful and ignorant conjecture. It is RANK BLASPHEMY!

      St. Paul stated: "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." (1 Cor.16:22). Note: Maranatha is Aramaic as an imperative: marana-tha meaning "our Lord come" or as an indicative: 'maran-atha, meaning "our Lord is come".

     The words Anathama (suspended) and Maranatha (our Lord comes) used in concert means that a curse as well as a blessing will be in operation at the time of Christ's return When He sets up His Kingdom on earth two things will happen:

     Those who have given their hearts and lives to Christ will be blessed with eternal life, but those who have rejected Him will be cursed with damnation!

   Why did St. Paul use - without translation - the Aramaic formula Maranatha in a Greek letter to Corinth, where the Aramaic language was not in use? Was it because Maranatha was a fixed formula and no doubt a well known expression in the liturgy of the primitive Church in Palestine?

   Many theologians believe that from Palestine it passed into Greek Christendom without translation in fashion similar to 'Amen' and 'Hosanna'.

   The formula Anathama Maranatha, is in fact, the exclamation of 'Approaching Divine Judgment'!

     St. John declared: "Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (2 John 9-11)

     Here is the clincher: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby KNOW ye the Spirit of God:

      “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesses 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.

                            WHAT DOES THE MEAN?

     What did the ‘man of God’ mean by these words: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is of God?”

      There are more than seven billion people alive today and every one of us have come in the flesh, but when God the Son came down among us in the Person of Jesus Christ, that was the Miracle of the INCARNATION.

      Every person that believes that Jesus Christ is God the Son and that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, shed His precious blood for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead three days later, are God’s children and members of the Body of Christ.

       Those who DO NOT confess that Jesus Christ is the incarnated Son of God are not saved and will not be saved unless they repent of their sins and invite our blessed Saviour, the Lord of life, into their hearts.

      The Holy Bible declares to all believers in Jesus Christ: “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.” (1 John 4: 1- 4). 
    His Holy Spirit lives within us and He is far greater than any power of EVIL in this world. Remember that the Blood of Jesus has stripped the devil of his power over Believers in Christ! 
    "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through Death He might Destroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil: And Deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
(Heb.2:14)
    "And they OVERCAME him (the devil) by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." (Rev. 12: 7)

     “Hereby we KNOW that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whoso shall confess that JESUS is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God.

      “And we have known and believed the LOVE that God hath to us. GOD IS LOVE; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.

       "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out all fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We LOVE Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:13-19

                        OUR FATHER GIVES MORE!

     Let me close this paper with these powerful Words of invitation from Jesus Christ: "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that ask receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.

     "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread will he give him a stone (something useless)? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent (something dangerous)? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how MUCH MORE shall your Father which is in Heaven, give good gifts to them that ask Him?" (Matt.7: 7-11)

    The Bible states: "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly ABOVE ALL that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Eph. 3: 20)

     Here is an awesome promise from God’s Holy Word: “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we KNOW that we have that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1 John 5: 14, 15)

     Our Heavenly Father stands ready to pour out His blessed Holy Spirit upon His Church again and again, as we open our heart's door to Him. He will give us from His storehouse: More love, More Joy, More Peace, More Compassion, more Health, more Finances, more Miracles and more Souls brought into His Kingdom!

     May our Heavenly Father richly bless you, my friend, as you call upon His Holy Name in sincerity and faith. Amen.

CHRIST’S SEVEN-FOLD

INVITATION TO PRAYER!

By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

  “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.” (John 14: 13, 14)

   By God’s grace, I prove definitively and conclusively in this brief treatise, that God not only answers the prayers of His trusting children, but that He delights in doing so!

 The Bible says: “Now unto Him Who is able to do exceeding abundantly 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. Amen.” (Eph.3: 20,21)

FOUR THINGS NOTED HERE!

    First, God has the ability to meet every need presented to Him in sincere prayer. Our Sovereign Lord is omnipotent, meaning all powerful. Nothing is difficult for Him. He spoke the worlds into being and upholds all things by the Word of His power.

    He (Christ) Who being the brightness of His Glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the Word of His Power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High.” (Heb.1: 3)

    “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth.” (Matt.28: 18)

    Jesus demonstrated his awesome power when He raised Lazarus from the dead. Before healing the paralytic, our Lord emphasized that He could just as easily forgive sins as heal the sick. He didn’t say, “Which is harder”?

     Secondly, our greatest needs are miniscule when compared to the greatness of His ability to answer. Thirdly, He performs miracles in direct proportion to the Holy Spirit’s power that resides within us. Fourthly, we will glorify Him forever through Jesus Christ!

     Jesus said: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me ye can do nothing.” (John 15: 4,5)

    The KEY to answered prayer is to “ABIDE IN CHRIST”. We know that God is more willing to give than we are to ask. When you consider how much He has already given us, then it is not difficult to believe that He desires to continue giving and meeting our needs! Consider these Scriptures:

    “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3: 16); “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us…” (1 John 3: 16); “I am the Good Shepherd: the good shepherd layeth his life down for the sheep.”(John 10: 11)

    “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13); “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom.5:8)

JESUS GAVE US THIS ANALOGY!

    Jesus invited: “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.” (Matt.7: 7,8)

    Our Lord stated, no Father would deny his son’s request for bread by giving him a stone (something useless) or instead of a fish, give him a serpent (something dangerous) to eat.

     He concluded: “If ye then, being evil (carnal), know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven GIVE GOOD THINGS to them that ask Him?”(Matt.7: 11)

    Only an ignorant or belligerent person would deny the willingness of God to meet the needs of those who cry unto Him in desperation! In the following parable, Jesus clearly made a case for determined and consistent prayer:

   “And He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not faint (cave in); Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man.

    “And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto Him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

    “Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith,

    “And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily!” (Luke 18:1 – 8)

JESUS CHRIST: THE

EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD!

  Do evolutionists, politicians or modernist theologians have a clue of Who Jesus Christ is! St. Paul made it clear that they just, “Don't Get It.” 

    Here are the anointed words of that great theologian who brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world:

   “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect (mature): yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:

    “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 this world knew: for had they known it, they would Not have CRUCIFIED the Lord of Glory.” (1 Cor. 2: 5-8)

   The ONE who made all these staggering statements about our Heavenly Father was Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, Redeemer of Israel and Saviour of the World!

   The Bible says: “God…hath in these last days spoken unto us by His SON, Whom He hath appointed HEIR of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds; 
   "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His PERSON, and upholding all things by the Word of His Power, when He had by HIMSELF purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High.” (Heb.1: 1-4)

      That Scripture make these things are very clear:

1. God had spoken to the world previously through His holy prophets, but He sent His Son to speak to us.

2. Jesus Christ is the heir of ‘all things’.

3. Jesus Christ is the Divine Architect and Creator of the worlds.

4. Jesus Christ came to earth to reveal the Father to us.

5. The cosmos, solar system, planets, stars and universes are kept in their orbits and proper functions by Christ’s power.

6. Jesus Christ doesn’t need any help to save us. He alone shed His precious blood to purge us from our sins.

7. Jesus Christ is NOW seated on the right hand of the Majesty on High!

JESUS PERSONALLY

INVITES US TO PRAYER!

     We can trust His Word completely because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life…” (John 14: 6), Jesus Christ cannot change, fail or lie, because He is Holy, Righteous, Eternal, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, and His Word is Immutable!

     He ALONE could say: “…I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things. And He that hath sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.” (John 8: 28, 29)

     Seven times in John's Gospel chapters 14, 15 and 16 our precious Lord Jesus Christ invites us to bring our requests to God in prayer. He would not invite us to pray if He were not prepared to answer!

    There are hundreds of Scriptures that promise answers to our sincere, faith-filled prayers, as we call upon the name of the Lord in Jesus’ holy name.

   I have chosen three chapters from St. John’s Gospel where Jesus specifically invites us to pray, because He declares that we will receive an answer to our prayers!

SEVEN INVITATIONS TO PRAYER!

   Here are the seven invitations our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ personally initiated, together with the conditions necessary for their implementation!

      Number 1. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14: 13). 

   The language that Jesus chose in issuing this promise is easy to understand. There is nothing duplicitous about it. He had nothing to hide and He had no problem expressing Himself.

   Our blessed Saviour is TRUTH personified and His words were straight forward and to the point! He uses the word ‘whatsoever’ which means exactly what it says. There are no limitations. It covers whatever our needs are!

    He specifies, however, that we must ask in His Name. Herein, lies the key to receiving from Him answers to our prayers. We must understand the value of His NAME; the authority and power that is inherent in His Name!

    Number 2. “If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14: 14). Here, Jesus repeats almost word for word what He had said earlier. He stresses that nothing is too hard for Him. 

    We can bring Him the most difficult problems we have and He is able and willing to help us solve them.  It staggers the imagination that the Creator, Life Giver and Great physician promised: “If ye shall ask Anything in My name, I WILL DO IT.”

   St. Paul quoted Isaiah: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him.

GOD HATH REVEALED THEM!

    “But God hath revealed them to us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (1 Cor.2: 9,10)

    The nation of ISRAEL was terribly backslidden and Isaiah called upon the Lord for mercy. In Chapter 63, he rehearses how the Lord had delivered them through Moses and asks for God’s deliverance again.

    “Oh that Thou would rend the heavens, that Thou would come down…to make Thy name known…that the nations may tremble at Thy presence.”

    Then, Isaiah stated: “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him.” (Is.64: 4)

    The great Baptist preacher, DR. VANCE HAVNER, writes: “Paul quoted that in 1 Corinthians 2: 9, and he had in mind not only heaven but the riches of God’s grace for us here and now.

     “It is impossible to imagine, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, what God can do TO us and THROUGH us and FOR us when He can find a man who really cares enough to be His instrument.

   “That is indicated in verse 5: 'Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in Thy ways.'

“God will meet any man more than halfway if that man is in dead earnest and means business with heaven!”

     Here is the question: Who among us will be that man whom God can use to bring His people back into fellowship with Him? To bring the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ into repentance and faith, in order to see His power in revival fire with forgiveness, divine healing and deliverance in His Church again?

     Again, our Lord teaches us the value and power that is inherent in His Name! Here is the reason the incomparable name of our Saviour Jesus Christ is so influential, so powerful and life giving!

WHY JESUS’ NAME IS SO POWERFUL!

     St. Paul declared: “Christ Jesus…Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (He is God the Son): 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)

      In the Great Commission, Jesus gave His Church AUTHORITY and POWER in HIS NAME to speak in new tongues, preach the gospel, cast out evil spirits, heal the sick and be protected from the devil and his cohorts!

      He said: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel unto every creature…And these SIGNS shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” (Mark 16: 15-18)

    Unbelieving theologians, using some later discovered older manuscripts with a few missing verses from St. Mark’s Gospel chapter 16 have sowed seeds of doubt as to the veracity of that text. What they don't disclose is that the same manuscripts have missing verses and entire chapters from other parts of the Bible, yet that information has been withheld from the population at large!

            GOD'S WORD IS INSPIRED & INERRANT!

  In his book, ‘Bodily Healing & The Atonement’, DR. T. J. McCROSSAN wrote: “A few scholars have denied the authenticity of the verses in Mark 16, but IRANAEUS quotes these verses as a part of Mark’s Gospel, and remember he was a pupil of John the Apostle. This is positive proof that these words are genuine.”

      Number 3: “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15: 7). Here is one of the most important lessons we must learn and practice in order to receive miracles from God.

    We must abide in Christ, meaning to give ourselves totally and unreservedly to Jesus Christ until we receive the assurance that we are His, and secondly to take His Word into our hearts to resonate and become a part of us.

    Number 4: “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bare forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in MY Name, He may give it you.” (John 15: 16)

    We are important to God since He has chosen us for Himself. When we understand the bond we have with Him and are able to call Him our Father, it is easy. One of the first things that Jesus taught His disciples was that God was their Father, something none of the prophets stated.

    Jesus teaches us that when we bare bear fruit, we please the Father. Bearing fruit for the Master also shows our devotion to Him and faith in Him.  We must show God we mean business, by living the life He demands!

      “But without FAITH it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”(Heb. 11: 6)

      Number 5: “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.” (John 16: 23)

     He referred to the day when He would pour the Holy Spirit upon them. He would no longer be with them, but they would not be alone because He would send them the Comforter, the Divine Helper.

     He had walked with them for more than three years. He would soon leave them to sit on His Father's Right hand, and they were instructed to pray directly to Him for whatever they needed. 

    The only prerequisite was, they must ask in His NAME. He was teaching them to use His name and His Heavenly Father would honour that name, as though He were still with them.

     Number 6: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16: 24). Jesus continued teaching on the importance of His name. He and His name were synonymous.      

His Father would honour His Name just as if He were there in person. And He wanted them to be filled with joy by having their prayers answered!

     Number 7: “At that day ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God.” (John 16: 26-27)

    There is only one prerequiste for the Father to love us and that is that we love His Son and believe the record that He gave of His Son. If you love Jesus Christ and believe that our Heavenly Father sent His Son to this sin-cursed earth to save us from our sins, He is obligated to love us and come to make His abode with us.

    JESUS made it clear that God knows us personally and He doesn't need to run interference for us, but we can have our prayers answered simply by using His name and our faith in His Word. He will keep His promises to us, when we PRAY to our Heavenly Father in faith in Jesus' name! Amen.

THE SEAL OF GOD'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!

  Dr. John Lake, who was used greatly in the Ministry of Healing stated: Divine Healing is the seal of God's acknowledgment, the proof to the world that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. John the Baptist was in prison. 

    He was troubled with doubt, as to whether Jesus was the Christ. He sent two of his disciples to Jesus to put the question, “Art Thou He that should come, or look we for another?”

     His answer was to appeal to the signs of His Ministry. These were, and still are God's answer to doubt and unbelief: 

“Go and show John those things which ye do hear and see; The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.”

    “These are still God's SEAL and Endorsement of the preaching of the True Gospel. The preaching that lacks the SIGNS which Jesus promised lacks Divine attestation by which God confirms the preaching of His own True Gospel. 

  “The results should be, 'And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them to confirm the Word with SIGNS following.” (Mark 16:20)

Dear Heavenly Father:

I pray for every man, woman and child reading this article. Please, anoint these words with the Holy Spirit. May your blessing rest upon them all. Please Lord, touch them all with Thy nail-scarred hands and heal them from every evil power, all demonic activity and every sickness and disease. In Jesus' all powerful name. Amen.

P.S. Friend, Please write us with your prayer request!

How refreshing to read this amazing news. U.S. President Donald Trump's Cabinet meets for Bible Study once a week. Praise the Lord! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has for the last five years been doing the same in Israel. He resumed the weekly Bible Studies begun by P.M. Ben- Gurion and held every Saturday evening by PM Menachem Begin. - Pastor Max Solbrekken

Bible Study Returns to White House as Trump Cabinet Members Attend Weekly Meetings

By Valerie Locke August 1, 2017 , 10:30 am

“Let not this Book of the Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful.” Joshua 1:8 (The Israel Bible™)

    Donald Trump meets with his Cabinet in the White House on March 13, 2017. (Office of the President of the United States)

    The Trump Cabinet’s weekly Bible study meetings, composed of the most influential lawmakers in the country, may be the first such gathering in 100 years, Ralph Drollinger, founder of Capitol Ministries and leader of the study sessions, told Breaking Christian News (BCN), bringing the Bible back to the White House in a way not seen in a century.

     “It’s the best Bible study that I’ve ever taught in my life. They are so teachable; they’re so noble; they’re so learned,” Drollinger said of the attendees.

     The weekly Bible study meetings are regularly attended by high-ranking Cabinet members such as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price,  Agriculture Secretary Sunny Perdue, and CIA Director Mike Pompeo, among others.

“These are godly individuals that God has risen to a position of prominence in our culture,” Drollinger told CBN.

PLEASE Note: Regarding PM M. Begin
    Every Saturday night Begin hosted a Bible study discussion on the portion of the Torah (five books of Moses) read that week.  Leading Bible scholars and archeologists, as well as their most talented graduate students were invited to give presentations.  
    In the middle of one heated discussion about a passage in the Book of Deuteronomy, Begin received a message that the U.S. President was on the phone.  Begin supposedly replied, “Tell him I’m in a very important meeting and to call back in two hours!”

    IS MY NAME WRITTEN THERE?

                               By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

    Time is a precious commodity and never stands still in its long march across the world. Men live and die, nations are born and then fade away, making room for generations still unborn to take their place. Life goes on; governments, customs and laws change. 

    And people change, some for the better but more often for the worse. The world is hurtling towards its destination to the final day of reckoning called 'The White Throne Judgment', which St. John wrote about in the last book of the Bible, 'The Revelation of Jesus Christ.' 

   The only question that will matter then will be: "Is my name written down in the Lamb's Book of Life?"  The Bible states: "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire." (Rev. 20: 11, 15)

                  CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES!

   CHANGES always  bring new challenges and new opportunities. With these new pressures of life we have Peace because we have the Prince of Peace abiding within us and the presence of the Holy Spirit all around us. Jesus said: "My 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: 27)

   The Bible says: "For God hath not given a SPIRIT of FEAR; but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7). 
  St. Paul was writing to Timothy, who had been given great responsibility and who was very aware of the evil power of the Roman Empire which was ready to do great damage to the fledgling Church.

   The spirit of fear is an evil power that sneaks its way into people's lives and reduces their trust in God and His Word. It seeks to dominate a victim's entire life and leave it in ruin. 

  God, however, gives the Believer His POWER over the devil and his dark forces. We do not need to cower under his influence but rather force them to flee from us; never to return! God's power is so much greater than the enemy's power, so by the Word of God in JESUS' matchless Name, fear is obliterated!

                GOD HATH GIVEN US LOVE!

    St. John stated: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is Love. 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.

   "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (Death of Christ satisfied God) for our sins.  

    "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. No man hath seen God (the Father) at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his LOVE is perfected in us. Hereby KNOW we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.

     "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whoso shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in Him, and He in God. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.

  "There is NO Fear in Love; but perfect Love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We Love Him because He first Loved us." (1 John 4:7-19). 

   Believers in Christ are safe in the arms of Jesus, both now and forevermore. Now is the time to choose for Christ and Heaven.

    Jesus Christ calls unto us all: "Behold, I stand at the door (your heart's door), and knock: if any man will hear My voice and open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup (fellowship) with him and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20). 

   Do it NOW, my friend!