Pastor Max Solbrekken praying with Pastor John at Assembly 
          of God Church Prayer Revival at Khartoum, Sudan, 2006

URGENT CALL TO PRAYER FOR A

REVIVAL OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH

By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

     Friend: I invite you to pray this prayer with me each day for the next 30 days and I believe we will see the beginning of a genuine 'Grassroots Revival' across our cities, provinces and the nation!

    Dear Lord Jesus, breathe New Life into Thy Church across our nation and around the world. Awaken the sleeping saints, shake us out of our lethargy, heal our backsliding, forgive our sins of worldliness, lack of reverence and love for Thee, and concern for our fellowman!

    O' Thou great Sovereign of the Universe, birth within Thy people a genuine 'fear of God and knowledge of the Holy'. Please forgive our often casual and careless approach to Thy throne of Mercy and Grace! We desire, blessed Holy Spirit to enter the very Holy of Holies through the all-atoning blood of our Lord Jesus Christ!

    Grant us victory over all sins of commission and omission. Heal our jaded hearts and lukewarm spirits! Remove all pride, doubt, fear, prejudice, hate, lust, jealousy, covetousness, perversion, oppression, sickness, disease and pain! Heal us in our spirit, soul and body for Thy honour and glory!

    May Christ's agape love and divine grace fill our being, so that the 'gift of faith' is activated and moves mountains of unbelief, superstition and demonic powers.  And, Heavenly Father, please do work 'notable miracles' among us that “many will believe”. Astonish the “enemies of the cross” and make the heathen “obedient to the faith”. (Rom. 15: 18, 19)

     Give us a divine burden for the lost and perishing souls who do not know Jesus, the Christ of God! May they all bow before Thee, O Lord, confessing their sins in true Repentance and genuine Faith.

     And may they yield themselves to the Holy blessed Holy Spirit, trusting completely in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of their sins and Eternal Life!

      Come, Thou blessed Holy Spirit, and do Thy convicting, saving and healing work in every heart and life, I pray with much thanksgiving!  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

                     Dr. Max Solbrekken speaking at first Assembly of
               God Convention  and drawing up new Constitution 
                joining north and south Sudan at Juba, Sudan on 
                November 13, 2006.

Historic Meeting Assemblies of God Special General

Assembly November 13 - 19, 2006 at Juba, Sudan

The first time North & South had come together after

Muslim North had killed millions of Christians in Sudan

             Dr. Max Solbrekken in Sudan and Darfur in 2006 & 2007

              Millions Sit in Heathen Darkness

                                       By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

     Millions of people living today have never heard the Name of Jesus Christ! Does this statement shock you? During our historic 1966 Gospel Crusade in Guntur AP, India I heard a voice saying, “Son, you are helping to fulfill My Word.” I thought it was Sadhu Vandanem speaking to me, but it was not.

      I asked, “Lord, how could I a young preacher from Canada possibly help to fulfill Your Word?” He answered, “Ask Brother Vandanem, how many in this large crowd have never heard the name of Jesus Christ before.” When I asked him, Brother Vandanem said: “About 95%, the crowd was mostly Hindu.”

    God then instructed me to read Isaiah 45: 5,6: “I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me; That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me, and there is none else.”

     I will never forget the impact that experience had on me. The message was crystal clear. Most of those in that large crowd had not before heard the Name of our Saviour and it is God's will for EVERYONE to know Him from the east to the west!

    An Evangelical minister became engaged in a heated debate with me many years ago when he heard me say that God still performed miracles today! He stated, “We do not need the Baptism of the Holy Ghost today with miracles and healing as they did in the Early Church, since everyone today knows that Jesus Christ arose from the dead!”

    Of all the ignorant statements a Gospel Minister could use as an excuse for the lack of spiritual power in his life, that takes the cake. Two things were evident, his belief showed utter ignorance of the authority and eternity of God’s Word and a total lack of the spiritual conditions of the world at large!

  Jesus Christ's final words to His followers called, ‘The Great Commission’ states: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

    “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover.” (Mark 16: 15-18)

    History confirms that the spiritual gifts of healing promised by our Lord Jesus and later by St. Paul continued in the Church for the first four hundred years of the Primitive Church. John Wesley stated that they were lost to the Church because of unbelief!

   St. Mark wrote: “So after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Lord with Signs following.” (Mark 16: 19, 20)

                          JESUS WARNED: TIME IS SHORT!

   Jesus said: “Say not ye; There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest; behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest, And he that reapeth receieveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” (John 4: 35, 36)

     Our Lord declared: “I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day; the night cometh when no man can work.” (John 9: 4); “Therefore said He unto them, the Harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His harvest.

     “And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things that are set before you; and HEAL the sick that are in therein and say unto them: The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

     “And the Seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy Name. And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10: 2,8,9, 17-20)

                            THE WORLD IN BIG TROUBLE!

    When the world is heading to Hell at breakneck speed, when heathen religions are gaining ground at an astronomical rate, when multiplied millions of demon inspired Islamic terrorists are causing havoc in the Middle East, Africa and gaining a large foothold in Europe, should we not be concerned?

    And when governments have legalized abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, marijuana and gambling, and there is so much sinful behavior, immorality, sexual perversion, drug and alcohol addiction, murders, criminality and unrighteousness going in the Christian Western world, is it not time we had a major Revival of Righteousness in our nation?

    The Catholic Church in Illinois withheld the names of at least 500 priests accused of sexual abuse of minors, the state’s attorney general said Wednesday in a scathing report that accused the church of failing victims by neglecting to investigate their allegations. The Clergy Sexual Abuse has cost the Roman Catholic Church 3 billion dollars!

    It is disheartening to learn of the widespread epidemic of homosexual pervert priests now being exposed world-wide. Instead of spreading the Gospel they have been destroying the lives of many little boys and young men!

    Pope Frances recently convened with high ranking Roman Catholic leaders from across the world trying to stop the epidemic of sexual abuse of boys by supposed celibate clergy. Coupled with the world-wide sexual abuse is the almost unbelievable tragedy of demon possession in Rome.

    Another sad story is the one concerning the dramatic increase of demon possession in Italy and the Roman Catholic Church is desperately trying to train enough exorcists to deal with that major problem.

                           DEMON POSSESSION IN ITALY!

Sicilian priest and long-time exorcist Father Benigno Palilla  recently told Vatican Radio that requests for exorcisms had tripled in the past few years. There were now, he said, 500,000 alleged cases of demonic possession recorded in Italy each year. 

   With a population of around 60 million, this means the Devil is apparently active in one of every 120 Italians. That’s a lot of demoniacs and a lot of demons – at least some 500,000 of them if they’re not multi-tasking.

     Why the sudden increase in possession by the Devil? Palilla attributes it to an increase in practices that “open the door to the Devil” – such as people seeking out wizards and fortune tellers, reading tarot cards, and generally dabbling in magic and the occult. The Devil is a real person, “armed with dark powers”, he declared in a television interview in December 2017.

                        SATAN CAST OUT & JESUS CAME IN!

     In our 1967 Trenton Gospel Crusade by the name of Jesus Christ, I was able to cast out many demons from Ralph Collins, a young man who was deeply involved in the occult. Here is a small part of His testimony:

     Finally, they began to come out of my body, shrieking terrified screams that tore at my throat. The battle had gone on for what seemed to be very long time. I finally lay still for a time.      

   This was followed by my speaking in a strange language. The evangelist held my head so that I was forced to look into his eyes and then he commanded, “You foul religious spirit, come out of him in the name of Jesus!” 

    There was one last convulsive heave of my body, a terrified scream and the last demonic spirit left me and I lay on the floor as one dead.

    After a time it seemed as though my body was filled by a very bright, pure light and a river of clear water was rushing through me. I began to speak in tongues as recorded in Acts 2: 4.

    I finally got to my feet and discovered blood on my shirt sleeve. Removing my shirt I discovered fang marks on my left arm as though I had been bitten by a snake. These marks remained for three days and then disappeared.

      This was the end. I was free. No more would I live in fear. The demonic influences were gone. In December, I was reunited with my wife and family. In closing let me say, “My name WAS Legion, for we WERE many”, but through the ministry of a man of God and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ I was set free.

     In many stores today, including toy stores we can find Ouija boards, tarot cards. Astrology books and many other such things. These are sold as mere entertainment. Contrary to popular opinion, these are simple games of entertainment. 

    They are a gateway that opens the mind to receive influences of demonic spirits that can and will eventually control and destroys the lives of individuals whom indulge those practices that Almighty God Himself declares an abomination. (Duet. 18: 10-14)

                     DARKNESS LOOMING LARGE!

    Darkness is looming large in the future of so many! Now is the time to “Throw out the Life-line” to the lost, confused and hurting! We have a saying in the Norwegian language which states: 'Det gaar imot kveld'.

    The literal meaning is: “It's starting to darken. Night will soon be here. We'd better hurry and get home.” For me it means: “Make sure you are safe, your children are out of harm's way.”  

     It also means that our personal day is coming to an end and we must face eternity and the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account of our lives. It also means that we must help our fellowmen to secure their future in God's Kingdom; in the Family of Jesus!

    It also means that our Lord will soon make His glorious Appearance to Rapture the Church and bring His children Home. Although we rejoice in that glad reunion, but also must consider those who are left behind and the tyranny and sorrow for those who tragically missed the archangel's trumpet sound!

    JESUS warned: “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as the in days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark and knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matt.24: 37-39)

                         HERE IS A TROUBLING THOUGHT!

   One thousand years before the birth of Christ (1,000 B.C), the Babylonian Talmud stated that for the first time in history, men were given in marriage to men and women were given in marriage to women. 
   That happened just before God sent the flood to destroy all the wicked. Only Noah and his family were spared!

   The BIBLE says: “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 
  "And God said said unto Noah, The earth is filled with violence through them, and, behold I will DESTROY them with the earth.” (Genesis 6: 11-13)

    While Noah and his sons built the ark, he preached the message of righteousness as well as God's mercy and safety through the ark, but no-one believed him. When the ark was finished and all were inside, God kept the DOOR open for another seven days of grace, but no-one accepted the invitation to come inside!

    Then, God Himself shut the door and the fountains of the deep were opened and the heavens poured water down on the land until the flood covered the earth! 

    “And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: And the Lord shut him in.” (Geneis 7:1,4)

   The Bible proves the goodness of God toward us all: “Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.

     “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and He will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7: 18, 19)

    MICAH, the prophet declares the mercy and goodness of God. He pardons our iniquities. He passes by or overlooks our sins. They are forgiven and blotted out by the precious BLOOD of Jesus Christ. He does not retain our sins but forgives and forgets them. He delights in being merciful. He returns to us when we return to Him.

     He subdues our sins, forgives us and gives us power over them. Prophet Isaiah states: “...and Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.” (Is. 38: 19). The Hebrew word used here for back is more specific. It is between His shoulder blades! 

   No-one can see anything behind your back between your shoulder blades. The prophet wanted us to know that when our God forgives our sins, He does not see them anymore. They are GONE!

                           CHRIST IS OUR ARK OF SAFETY!

    In the same manner, we declare that Jesus Christ is our ark of safety. Only He can save us from sin, degradation and eternal damnation. And because Jesus was judged in our place and died as our substitute on Golgatha in payment for our sins, we are made righteous, pardoned and taken into the Kingdom of God. 

     He became our propitiation, meaning that Jesus' pure and holy blood that was shed on the cross atoned for the sins of the whole world. His sacrificial death met the demands of divine justice and satisfied Almighty God.

    Jesus Christ stated, “Come unto Me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11: 28); “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to Him, and will sup with him and he with Me.” (Rev. 3: 20). Amen.

     YOUR GOD IS TOO SMALL 
     By Pastor Max Solbrekken , D.D.

   "For we heard them speak in tongues and magnify God." (Acts 10: 46). One of the things that impressed me greatly about Pentecostal, Full Gospel and Spirit-filled Christians was the way they worshipped, praised and magnified God!

     In the Evangelical Lutheran Church we sang all the wonderful hymns of praise to our Lord and heard sermons extolling God, but to hear individual believers voice their praise to the Almighty in thanks for His miraculous intervention in their lives was foreign to me.

    It was like reliving the Book of Acts to hear testimonies of conversions from alcohol and drug addiction, gambling and false religious cults. Add to that, miraculous healing from tumors, cancers, blindness, deafness, arthritis, ulcers and other diseases was mind - boggling!

     I knew that God had healed my Mother in 1920 under the ministry of Storm and Monsen in Norway. Other gifts of the Holy Spirit like prophesying and speaking in tongues, however, were totally foreign to me.

           MY DAD WAS INSTANTLY HEALED!

  When my Dad was instantly healed of serious gallbladder problems and heart disease in March 1956 through Oral Roberts’ radio Ministry, the Holy Bible became alive to me!

    It is quite possible that if I had not seen the reality of the Gospel working in my Father’s miraculous healing and transformation through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, I would not be in the Ministry today!

    Although the Holy Spirit strove mightily with me during Revival Meetings in 1951 with Evangelist Sylvan Johnson at S.L.B.I (now Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute) Outlook, Saskatchewan, I did not have the courage to totally follow Christ!

  In 1957, following my Father’s amazing experience of the Baptism of Holy Spirit, I was again drawn by God’s love and mercy to the Cross of Calvary in total repentance and submission to His will, and call on my life!

    For the next six years I devoured God’s Word and prayed much for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as I worked in the secular world, held crusades, started our radio program and prepared for the Ministry   into which He was divinely leading me!

                    THEY SPOKE IN TONGUES

                     AND MAGNIFIED GOD!

  I believe in speaking in tongues like St. Paul, Martin Luther, D.L. Moody, Charles Finney and Oral Roberts.  And I believe in Divine Healing through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross and that, “By His stripes we are healed.” (Is. 53: 4, 5; Matt.8: 16, 17; I Peter 2: 24)

    It is such a blessing to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.12:7-10) in order to bring deliverance, exhortation, edification and comfort to God's people. Praising and magnifying God, however, is an absolute essential in the Christian life in order to keep up a vital contact with our Heavenly Father!

     Our lives are like a body of water.  If water flows in but has no outlet it becomes stagnant, and all life there ceases to exist.  Then death takes over.  The Dead Sea is a good example of that! The movement of water coming into and moving out of a body of water creates an atmosphere conducive to life.  That constant intake and outflow produces a cleansing action, making the water fresh.

     This analogy shows us that receiving from God without praising Him and sharing His goodness with others makes us stagnant, and spiritual death ensues!

     The Bible says, "He that offereth praise glorifieth Me". (Ps. 50:23); "God inhabits the praises of His people..." (Ps. 22:3). The Scriptures are filled with praises to God.  Repeatedly, David declared, "O that men would praise the Lord for His wonderful works to the children of men". (Ps. 107:8)

      King David was a man after God's own heart and knew how to praise and bless the Lord!  He even encouraged himself to praise God:  "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits..." (Ps. 103:1)

                  PRAISING GOD ESSENTIAL

               FOR COMMUNION WITH GOD!

    "Praise ye the Lord.  Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the firmament of His power.  Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. 

   “…Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.  Praise ye the Lord." (Ps. 150:6). It is incumbent upon us to thank and praise God for His gifts to us, as well as testify to others of His great goodness, mercy, love and power.

   The Bible says, "Forbid not to speak with tongues". (1 Cor.14: 39). St. Paul declared emphatically, "I speak with tongues more than ye all". (1 Cor.14: 18). Daily, he prayed in the Spirit, speaking and singing in unknown tongues.

     He writes: “What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”  (1 Cor.14:15) 

   I can’t imagine many of today's Evangelical preachers meeting the old ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’ and spending a few hours or days with him! They would have to ask him to leave, put him in a basement room and shut the door and stop preaching from the Epistles he wrote.  

     Or they would have to repent of their ignorance, stupidity, hardness of heart, and be also filled with the Holy Ghost.  St. Paul would certainly rebuke them! It would be a very interesting meeting indeed! Having them meet Ignatius, Tertullion, St. Augustine, D.L. Moody or R.A Torrey would change their theology about the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire! (Luke 3: 16; Acts 2: 4)

                I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST!

   The Church Fathers who formulated the Apostles Creed certainly believed in the Holy Ghost and in every instance in the Bible where believers received the Baptism of the Holy Ghos,t they spoke in tongues and magnified God!

   I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hades. The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sat down on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence He shall come to judge the quick and dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of saints, the Forgiveness of sins, the Resurrection of the body, and the Life everlasting.  Amen.

    St. Paul declared, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God; for no man understandeth him; howbeit, in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries". (1 Cor.14: 2); To tap into the great wisdom and knowledge of God through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is wonderful. The gifts of prophecy, the word of knowledge and the word wisdom are employed by the Holy Spirit to lead the Church.

    The Bible says, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself..." (1 Cor.14: 4).  Most certainly we need to edify and build up ourselves in Christ, more now than ever, as we approach the end! The Word of God states emphatically: "But ye, building up yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost". (praying in the Spirit; unknown tongues, worshipping God)

     Those who do NOT pray in the Spirit (unknown tongues) are said to be sensual, having not the Spirit. And, they will ridicule you and separate you from their company. (Jude 19)

     Jesus Warned: “Verily I say unto you; All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies where with soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.” (Mark 3:28-30)

                  THOSE WHO RIDICULE THIS

             GIFT ON DANGEROUS GROUND!

    The Pharisees accused our Saviour of healing the sick and casting out devils by the power of Satan. Since He was doing these works “by the Spirit of God” they essentially, called the Holy Spirit a devil!

 Here is my advice: If you cannot understand some of the things God is doing, don’t fight against Him.

     Don’t make the mistake the Pharisees made! Thank God, for the many preachers of the Gospel today who declare with St. Paul: "Forbid not to speak with tongues.” (1 Cor. 14:39); "Quench not the spirit.  Despise not prophesyings." (1 Th. 5:19-20)

     Also remember, the ‘gift of tongues in concert with the ‘gift of interpretation’ is equal to prophecy. St. Paul writes: "I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied; for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret that the church may receive edifying." (1 Cor. 14:5)

   When one of America's foremost Baptist Evangelists, Dr. Hyman Appelman conducted a glorious revival crusade in our church (1972), I asked him: "Have you been filled with the Holy Ghost? Do you speak in tongues, Brother Appelman?”

     He answered in the affirmative: “Yes, I have been filled with the Holy Ghost.  Yes, I speak with other tongues!”  I asked, "How is it that you, a highly respected Baptist preacher speaks in tongues, when many are averse to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?” 

     Dr. Hyman Appelman replied, "The Holy Ghost got to me before the Baptists did.”  No wonder Billy Graham stated: "Dr. Hyman Appelman is one of the most powerful preachers I have ever heard"!

     When Richard Wurmbrand spoke in our Church in Edmonton in the 1970s, I said: “Brother Wurmbrand, I was raised in the Lutheran Church and I have been filled with the Holy Ghost and I speak with other tongues. You are a Lutheran Pastor who has been tortured and suffered terribly for Jesus Christ. Have you been filled with the blessed Holy Ghost and spoken in other tongues?

    He answered: “As you know the Communists brainwashed, tortured and beat me constantly. After some time, I could not remember the Lord’s Prayer, the Twenty-third Psalm or John 3: 16. All I could do was pray: 'Jesus I love you. You know that I love you. Please show me your love.'

    "They had beaten me so severely that the blood ran down my legs unto the ground. Suddenly the power of God came upon me and I began to sing in a language I did not know, and I danced in the Spirit for four hours and felt no pain. My blood spattered onto the walls of that dungeon as I danced and sang and spoke in unknown tongues.”

                    THE WORK OF A BELIEVER:

                TELLING OTHERS ABOUT JESUS!

  One of the first Gospel tracts I published in 1958 was titled "Victorious Christian Living".  In it, I outlined three very important and imperative steps to follow in order to live a consistent, victorious Christian life. They are as follows:

 1. Read the Bible regularly.

 2. Pray often with praise and thanksgiving.

 3. Witness at every available opportunity with wisdom and God's leading.

     Another thing that has set ‘Spirit-filled, Full Gospel people’ apart from other Christians, is the fact of a powerful Personal Witness to their fellowmen, of the crucified and risen Christ Who is the same yesterday, today and forever!

    The angel of God spoke to the women at Christ's empty tomb on that great resurrection morning, thus: "...Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified.  He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you". (Matt. 28:5-7)

     The Bible records that they went with great haste to bring His disciples word of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  They went with great haste because they had an urgent message to tell! What an awesome message we have to tell the world! Our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification, and is even now alive, interceding for us at the Father's right hand.  Hallelujah!

     There is no secret hidden agenda in God's Word.  Everything is open and above board with our Lord. There is plenty of proof for sincere truth seekers.  The angel said, "Come and see.  Go and tell".  I say to skeptics: 

    “There is plenty of viable evidence to prove the existence of God and the validity of the Holy Bible.  And as far as God’s love for mankind, Calvary proved that!” The message is clear.  Once we have heard the truth and experienced the blessings of Christ's salvation, we are duty bound to go and tell someone else the Good News!

    The Bible states that they returned to Jerusalem and were constantly in the temple praising and blessing God.  They also went from house to house - with great joy and gladness - breaking bread and fellowshipping around God's Word.

  The Scripture says they were continually magnifying God.  To MAGNIFY GOD means to not only glorify and worship Him, but to lift Him up so high that He appears larger in the eyes and ears of the hearers than He had seemed to them earlier.

      Most Christians make God look very small. We are to magnify Him so that everyone may begin to understand how marvelous and wonderful our Lord really is. Oh, how GREAT is the LORD our GOD!

     Only Spirit-filled people really and truly praise and magnify God with all their hearts!  Only those who have been “born of the Spirit” and filled with God’s presence, feel at home in His presence!

     After listening to the dry, dead, monotone sounds of the average Jehovah Witness or fundamentalist preacher, you certainly wouldn't be convinced that God is alive, real and moving by His mighty power in this generation!

    Much of the theology that is expounded has to do with the past and future, with a glaring omission of today! Especially is this noticeable in addressing the ability of the Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Eternal God, to work miracles among His people on earth in this Twenty-First Century! It's the same old story as that of Mary and Martha.

                       THE FAITH OF MARY & MARTHA

     Regarding the death of her brother, Martha said, "I know if you had been here (4 days ago) my brother would not have died" (past). Jesus said, "Your brother shall rise again"!  She answered, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (future). (John 11:24). Jesus answered her, "I am the resurrection and the life" (now). (John 11:25)

    Although Martha was upset that Jesus had not been there before her brother died and she expressed faith for his future resurrection, she nevertheless kept the door open for a present-day miracle:

      She stated: "But I know that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee." (John 11:22) Praise God for an open mind! Most religionists and false cults are so steeped in their false doctrines that their attitude is: 

       “Don’t bother me with the truth and the facts; My mind is set; I am a brainwashed Branhamite, I am a Watch Tower Slave, a Joseph Smith, Two by Two or Mary Baker Eddy puppet; I cannot think for myself!”

     For years, Herbert W. Armstrong called his radio show ‘The World Tomorrow’. Others like the Jehovah’s Witnesses speak constantly about the coming New World or Kingdom Age!

      While we are thrilled about the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ and Life Everlasting with Christ, we have something to offer people who accept His Gospel, here and now! The Eternal God is the God of the NOW!

    MAY WE BE LIKE THE FIRST FOLLOWERS

     OF JESUS: NOT LIKE THE SUBSTITUTES!

    My heart's desire is that God will raise up an army of people who will say, like St. Paul: "...I believe God"! (Acts 27:25). In the face of persecution, temptation, sickness or death, let us hold onto our confession of faith and belief in Christ Jesus our Lord!  Let us constantly practice what the Bible teaches, glorifying and magnifying God!

    When doubters, skeptics and unbelievers scorn us for believing in and proclaiming a Risen Saviour, who still forgives sinners, brings peace to the troubled and healing to sick, as well as baptizes with the Holy Ghost and power, let us tell them, "YOUR GOD IS TOO SMALL"!

      In the 1960s as a Commercial Traveller I met a variety of people in my travels and when they heard that I was “Religious” we often had animated discussions about the Bible.

  A fundamentalist preacher who was rabidly anti-Pentecostal, made this fervent statement: "Divine healing is not for me and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is not for me.” I replied:  "You are right Sir, these gifts are not for you, but they are for me because I believe.  Since you do not believe and desire these gifts, God will not force them upon you".

    In a desperate attempt to prove his point he made this ridiculous statement: “We don’t need any miracles today because everybody knows that Jesus rose from the dead!”

     I replied: “Sir, of all the statements you have made, that is the most ignorant. We live in a world where Communism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Animism, Pagan Religions, False Cults and Secular Humanism are covering much of the earth and you say that everyone knows that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.”

     We serve a great big, wonderful God Who keeps His Word. And since Jesus Christ died and rose again for our total salvation, we are recipients of His goodness, mercy and love!

     There were many reasons why Jesus healed the sick, including His great love and compassion for suffering humanity!  He also healed the sick and performed miracles to prove His Divinity! (Matt.9: 28; Mark 2: 10; John 2: 11; 4: 16; 5: 10 – 23; 14: 11; 15: 24)

       MIRACLES, WONDERS FOR TODAY!

     If ever there was a time when Christ’s Church needed to ‘stand up to the plate’ and prove to the world that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and the ONLY Saviour of the world, it is TODAY!

     The “enemies of the cross” have gathered a cacophony of the ‘weird and wonderful’ across the spectrum of left-wing Christ rejecters, New Age gurus, Hollywood lapdogs and sexual perverts, to publish down right lies, distortions and manufactured falsehood about Jesus Christ and His Church!

    Soldiers of the Cross, let us to meet this ungodly onslaught head-on by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by healing the sick and casting devils. It’s time that we put the run on the EVIL ONE!

     The BIBLE says: “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with Signs following.” (Mark 16: 20); “And with great Power gave the apostles WITNESS of the RESURRECTION of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4: 33)

    There is nothing impossible with Him who is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the King of Kings and Lord of lords and the Only Saviour of the world.

1.)  TO THE SINNER, let me say unequivocally:  God is able, ready and willing to save you!  The Bible says, "For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost". (Luke 19:10); "Come unto Me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". (Matt. 11:28)

2.)  TO THE DISCOURAGED AND WEAK, let me say without fear of contradiction, God will fill you with the Holy Ghost!  Jesus said, "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses..." (Acts 1:8)

    St. Peter declared, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call". (Acts 2:38-39)

3.)TO THOSE WHO ARE SICK & DISEASED, I say emphatically, Jesus Christ was "wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed". (Isa. 53:5); "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses". (Matt. 8:17)

    The Bible says, "Is any sick among you?  let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him". (James 5:14-15)

4.)TO THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, remember that God is more than enough (El Shaddai) to meet your needs!  "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus". (Phil. 4:19)

    "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)

     St. Paul said, "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully". (2 Cor. 9:6-8)

5.)TO ALL WHO NEED FORGIVENESS, DELIVERANCE, ENCOURAGEMENT: Christ Jesus stands ready to help you.  Without hesitation, I invite you to call upon the Name of the Lord and be saved.

    St. Peter declared, "Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved". (Acts 2:21);  "Casting all your cares upon Him; for He careth for you." (1 Peter 5: 7); He has the power to make you free!  Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. (John 8:32)

     There is absolutely nothing that God is unable to do.  He can do all things He wills to do because He is all powerful (omnipotent), all knowing and all wise (omniscient) and everywhere present at all times (omnipresent).

    Jesus said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth". (Mark 9:23); “With men this is impossible but not with God. For with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10: 27)

              THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY

     SPIRIT GIVES YOU A NEW IMPETUS. 

    “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.” (Luke 3: 16)

     Jesus said: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me…and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

    “Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen.

     “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to 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 their hands on the sick and they shall recover.”      

      “So then after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following. Amen.” (Mark 16: 14-20

    In His book, Does God Heal Today?  Dr. P.C. Nelson gives his testimony as Pastor of a large Baptist Church and how God used him to bring multitudes to Christ through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
     He says: "The gift of healing is the master-key to the human heart. It is the method of Christ and of the apostles and of all early preachers of the Christian church. It is the key which the Lord is using today to unlock the hearts of men, and to bring in the greatest revival ever known in this world.
      "Those who oppose it are not opposing a doctrine or a person like myself. They are fighting against God and standing in their own light. In all humility and love we would warn those whom oppose this work of God, in the words of Paul in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia:
      "Beware, therefore, lest there come upon you, which is spoken in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I will work a work in your days, a work which ye shall no wise believe, if one declare it unto you." (Acts 13:40,41, cf. Heb. 1:5) - From a sermon delivered in the old tabernacle on West Broadway, Enid Oklahoma, December 11, 1921. Printed in the Enid dailies by request of an audience of 3,000 person.)

      Finally, Jesus instructed His followers to be generous toward God and fellowman, and His blessings will follow.  Here are two of His promises for us all:

     "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)

     "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." (Matt. 6:33)

        If you can send a special gift for our world-wide work of preaching the Gospel of Christ, you will be planting a seed in God's Harvest Field. If God is calling you into the work of the Lord, please write to me and we will seek to help you find your place in His great End-Time Army of Soul Winners!   

      Dear friend:  Please write with your prayer requests. We will pray for you and I will write you back!  When you write, please ask for a free prayer cloth over which we have prayed with faith in Jesus' Name, for your deliverance and salvation! M.S.