CAPTURED
MY HEART
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
God
is gracious and long suffering. He is righteous, holy and merciful to
all who call upon His Name in sincerity, repentance and faith! He
rewards such penitents who prostrate themselves in submission and the
fear of the Lord.
He
is not a God who is far off but is nigh unto them who have a broken
heart and a contrite spirit. His peace fills the whole world and
those who love Him and obey His Word of Truth. Without faith it is
impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6), but with faith in the shed
blood of Jesus Christ and His glorious resurrection, all things are
possible. (Mark 9: 3; 10:27).
Our
Lord said: “No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent
Me, draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting
life.” (John 6: 44, 47,48). “Him that cometh unto Me, I will in
no wise cast out.” (John 6: 37);
“Come
unto Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you
rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke easy
and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11: 28-30)
JESUS
CHRIST ABSOLUTE TRUTH!
Jesus
Christ is the only way to God the Father. He declared: “I am the
way, the truth and the life: No man cometh unto the Father but by
Me.” (John 14: 6). “For this is good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Saviour, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to
the knowledge of the truth.
“Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under
Heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4: 12)
God's
great love captured my heart. His generosity made me His love slave
(gr. doulos).
His compassion touched my spirit and His amazing grace
made me His child for time and eternity! Through Jesus Christ's great
Redemption, I was adopted into the family of God as a son and heir.
(Rom.8: 16, 17).
I
am a messenger for Jesus and an ambassador for Christ's Kingdom!
(Eph. 5:11; 6:20)
The
Holy Bible says: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and
not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He
also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall we draw water
from the wells of salvation.” (Is. 12: 2,3); “Now the God of Hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in
hope, through the power .” (Rom.15: 13)
Jesus
stated: “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 it be afraid.” (John 14:27); “O the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! '
How unsearchable are His
judgments, and His ways past finding out! For of Him, and through
Him and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever.” (Rom.11:
33, 36)
JESUS
SAVES! JESUS SAVES!
This
great Gospel hymn was written by Priscilla Owens,
1882.
We have heard the joyful sound,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Spread the tidings all around,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Bear the news to every land,
Climb the steeps and cross the
waves,
Onward, 'tis our Lord's command,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Tell to sinners, far and wide,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Sing, ye islands of the sea.
Echo back, ye ocean caves,
Earth shall keep her jubilee,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Sing above the battle's strife,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
By His death and endless life,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Sing it softly through the
gloom,
When the heart for mercy craves,
Sing in triumph o'er the tomb,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Give the winds a mighty voice,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Let the nations now rejoice,
Jesus
saves, Jesus saves;
Shout salvation full and free,
Highest hills and deepest caves,
This our song of victory,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves!
The
Bible says: “...God's goodness leadeth me to repentance.” (Rom.
2: 4); “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good for His mercy
endureth forever.” (Ps. 136: 1-3); “God is not a man that He
should lie, neither the son of a man that He should repent (change).
"Hath He said and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He
not make it good? (Nu. 23:19). He states: “I have sworn by Myself,
the Word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness and shall not
return....” (Is. 45:23)
GOD'S
PATIENCE OVERWHELMS ME!
His
patience overwhelms me and His grace is sufficient to meet my needs!
David stated: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He
removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our
frame; He remembereth that we are dust.” (Ps. 11-14). God's wisdom
is above all understanding and too great for human knowledge!
To
compare a mountain towering above the earth to a pebble on the beach
is beyond the scope of our ability. Comparing that huge mountain to
the North Star, however, is an impossibility. Now try to compare
sinful mortal man to the infinitely holy God, and human love to Him
and His eternal love to us, and we have a snapshot of who we are and
Who God is!
Martin
Luther was found lying on the floor beneath a statue of Christ,
sobbing uncontrollably, saying: “fur mich, mien Gott, fur mich.!”
The revelation that Jesus Christ died for Him personally had suddenly
reached his inner man and it broke Him.
It is one thing to declare
that Jesus died for the entire world, but it is quite something else
to fully understand that He died for you personally! That is when the
heart breaks and the tears flow!
“Who
is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the
transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His
anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He
will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities, and Thou
wilt cast all their SINS into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7: 18,
19)
What
an amazing description prophet Micah gives of Almighty God. In very
few words he allows us to get a glimpse of the eternal, omnipotent,
omniscient, omnipresent Creator and God. We see His most holy,
compassionate and good character. Micah asks: “Has anyone ever
heard of anyone like the God of Israel?”
He
pardons us and forgives our sins. He overlooks the transgressions of
His people and doesn't hold grudges, because He is merciful. He will
return to us and give us another opportunity and have compassion upon
us. He will give us victory over our sins and failings. And He will
cast all our sins into the depths of the sea, never to remember them
any more!
GOD
SO LOVED THE WORLD!
The
Holy Bible says: “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); “Hereby perceive we the
love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3: 16)
“But
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom.5: 8); “I am the Good
Shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life 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: 3)
“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 the world 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 as He is.”
(1 John 3: 1,2)
The
Bible states: “I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet
not I, but Christ liveth in Me: and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave
Himself for me.” (Gal 2:20);
“Set
your affection on things Above, not on things on the earth. For ye
are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who
is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in
glory.” (Col..3: 3)
St.
John declared: “He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the
devil sinneth from he beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John
3: 8)
HOW
AMAZING IS GOD'S GRACE!
You
may ask: “Why did Jesus come to this world? He came to defeat the
devil and destroy his works. He came to seek and to save those who
were lost. He came to redeem mankind and He came to establish His
Church, the body of Christ. Finally, He came to be our Justification,
Wisdom, Sanctification and Redemption! (1 Cor.1: 30)
How
amazing is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? There is nothing that
could ever compare with the mercy and grace of God the Father sending
His Son to earth to liberate us all from the kingdom of darkness and
translate us into the Kingdom of God's dear Son! (Phil. 2: 5-11)
By
taking our place on the cross, Jesus of Nazareth atoned for the sins
of the entire world, past, present and future. He fulfilled Isaiah's
prophecy of the Messiah who would take upon Himself the sins of
mankind in order to free us all from the power of the world, flesh
and the devil!
The
incarnated Christ met the righteous demands of Divine Justice in the
Courts of Heaven and through His sacrificial death for us all, paid
for our freedom and liberty. His pure and holy blood purchased
forgiveness, healing, peace and eternal Life for all sinners who
receive the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ as Lord and
Saviour!
Taking
away my sins and condemnation, the Lord Jesus made me a new creation.
My sins were washed away through His atoning blood and inscribed my
name in the Lamb's Book of Life in Heaven. His resurrection from the
dead guarantees my justification. Praise the Lord!
The
Bible says: “He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: And
being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to
perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
“Now
it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him; but
for us also to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that
raised up Jesus from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences,
and raised again for our justification.”
“Therefore
being justified by Faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ: By whom we also we have access by faith into this Grace
wherein we stand, and rejoice in Hope of the glory of God. And hope
maketh not ashamed, because the Love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
“For
when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet
peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God
commendeth 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 though 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, 2, 5-10)
A
NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST!
The
Bible states: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new.” (2 Cor.5: 17); “For all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God: Being justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of
God.” (Rom. 3:23-25)
William
Cowper tried to commit suicide several times. He was about to drink a
glass of hemlock but his hand trembled and he dropped the glass. He
tried to shoot himself but was unable to do so. Cowper sought to
throw himself into the Thames River but was “strangely restrained.”
The next morning, he fell on a sharp knife and broke the blade. He
tried to hang himself, but was found and taken down unconscious.
William
Cowper was brought to St. Anselms Asylum.
One day, he picked up a Bible lying on a bench. He read: “Whom God
hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to
declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God.”
He
was born again as the Spirit of God fell upon him and instantly
liberated by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. He wrote the hymn,
'There is a fountain filled with Blood', and many other great hymns
for the glory of God. John Newton, who had been a Captain on slave
ships and an ungodly man, was converted and became Cowper's pastor
and helped him greatly. Together they authored a number of Hymns.
John Newton wrote the hymn, 'Amazing Grace'.
JESUS'
MIRACLE MINISTRY!
Jesus'
ministry was miraculous and Spirit-filled. He believed the Word of
God because He Himself is the Living Word and the Bible is the
written Word. The Holy Bible states: “In the Beginning was the
Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
“The
same was in the beginning with God. And the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of
the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1: 1,2,14)
St.
John stated: “He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil
sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John
3: 8);
“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, 15).
Through
His vicarious death, Jesus Christ destroyed the Devil to deliver us!
Christ's Victory was Satan's Defeat and our Liberty!
The
Bible declared: “And Jesus returned in the Power of the Holy Spirit
into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region
round about, And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of
them all. And there was delivered unto Him the Book of the Prophet
Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it
was written,
“The
Spirit of the Lord is upon 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 recovery of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 4:14, 15,
17,18)
“How
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power:
Who went about doing good, and Healing all that were oppressed of the
devil; for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)
In
His final remarks before ascending to His Father's Throne, Jesus
Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit upon His followers, whom He
commissioned to preach His Gospel of deliverance and power to the
ends of the earth, with the guarantee that He would be with them to
the end of the world!
“And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in
Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. Amen.
(Matt. 28: 18-20)
The
word always is a measure of time while alway, is a measure of
distance! He was saying, I will be with you all the way, the total
distance until the end of your journey!
YE INTO ALL THE WORLD!
The
BIBLE says: “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the Gospel unto very creature. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned.
“And
these SIGNS shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they
cast out devils; they shall speak with other tongues; They shall take
up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt
them; they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover.”
(Mark 16:15-18)
JESUS
said: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me: or
else believe Me for the very work's sake. Verily, verily, I say unto
you, He that believeth in 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, 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.” (John 14: 13-17)
“If
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)
THAT
THEY MAY KNOW!
When
Jesus healed the sick, multitudes followed Him to be near Him, to
listen to Him, and to worship Him! His miracles drew people to Him
and often caused them to believe in Him. And naturally, they were to
relieve the suffering of a needy people who had been oppressed by the
devil. Here is a case which proves that great truth:
“And
straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no
room to receive them, not so much as about the door: and He preached
the Word unto them. And they come unto Him, bringing one sick of the
palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh
unto Him for the press, they uncovered the roof where He was: and
when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of
the palsy lay.
“When
Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy
sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting
there, and reasoning in their heart, Why does this man speak
blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when
Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within
themselves, He said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your
hearts?
“Whether
is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sin be forgiven
thee, or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye
may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, He
sayeth to the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, and take up
thy bed and go thy way into thine house.
“And
immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them
all; insomuch as they were amazed, and glorified God, saying, We
never saw it on this fashion.” (Mark 2: -12)
WHY
WE PRAY FOR THE SICK!
“That
ye may KNOW that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,
He sayeth...Arise, take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
He used the miracle to declare Himself the Messiah with power to
forgive and SAVE sinners! The reason we also pray for the sick is to
point them to Jesus, who came to save people from their sins.
In
1963, I was preaching at the Langley Pentecostal Church. JOHN ERHART
was a fiery Pentecostal pastor. Many were coming each evening to be
born again, filled with the Holy Spirit and healed of their
sicknesses. The revival continued for several weeks. My radio
broadcasts on Radio KARI were touching hearts for Jesus and some came
from the Mission / Haney area and were filled with the blessed Holy
Spirit.
Marge
Hill, a Nazarene, was the first to receive the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. She was fired up for God and some of her friends received the
Holy Spirit. Marge was concerned about her loving husband Joe who was
unsaved. He was an engineer on the railroad and away a lot. Joe was
glad that she was happy going to church but he had no desire to do
so. She prayed earnestly that he would also be saved.
On
Sunday morning in the third week, I noticed that he was sitting
beside her. I preached a strong salvation message and invited the
lost to come forward to receive Christ. Then, I made a second call
and invited all who desired to rededicate their lives to Christ or
who needed divine healing to also come forward.
Joe
and Marge came with quite a few others. I made my way to them. Marge
introduced me to her husband. I asked if he wanted to be saved. He
shook his head. They were on their way to the hospital but he desired
prayer for healing as he was having terrible pains in his stomach
area. He was scheduled for surgery later but the attack might require
immediate surgery.
I
laid my hands upon him in the name of Jesus and called upon the Lord
to undertake. All of a sudden, Joe cried out: “The pains are gone.
The pains are gone. I am well.” I threw my arms around that big man
as the tears were flowing down his cheeks and mine.
I
said: “Joe, lift your hands and say, 'Thank you, Jesus! He lifted
hands, and said: 'Thank you, Jesus.' He said: 'O that feels so
good'. I said: “Joe, say: 'Jesus, come into my heart.' He did, and
then he said: 'That feels wonderful. The pains are all gone and I can
breathe well.' I said: ' Joe, You just got saved!'
And
the whole church erupted in praise and glory to God. Joe Hill became
a solid Christian and their home a Christian home. It was God's
miracle that opened the door for his conversion! Hallelujah and Amen!
