Thursday, July 4, 2019


JUDGMENT IS COMING:
IT’S TIME FOR A REVIVAL
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
      On a Sunday morning in February 1977, I awakened with a stirring message burning in my soul and spirit.  The Holy Spirit had been speaking to me while I was yet sleeping and the words, "Canada - Turn Around" were on my lips.
     In an instant, the voice of God came to me saying, "Son, bring a message to the nation of Canada"He instructed me to spread the message by television, radio and printed page.  The message 'Canada - Turn Around, Canada - Come Back to God' would be a message from God to all Canadians.
     There was an urgency in my spirit as I thought about the other times God had spoken to me to bring a message to our nation.  The first time was in 1967.  I delivered a powerful Centennial message entitled, "A Salute to Canada."  This message stirred a lot of Canadians. It also brought a personal greeting and thanks from our Justice Minister, the Honorable Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
     Then in 1972, I was given a word from God to deliver a hard hitting message by radio and printed page called, "My Message to Prime Minister Trudeau"  in which I warned all Canadian and world government leaders across the world to turn to God for direction and help, both for themselves and for the people. 
    I gave Biblical examples of what happened to kings and heads of government who became proud and egotistical and served pagan gods and bowed down to idols and images.  That message was sent to world leaders as well as Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs) in Ottawa and Members of all Provincial Legislatures (MLAs).  I received a lot of mail thanking us for that very direct and stirring prophetic message.
 CANADA - ITS TIME TO COME BACK TO GOD!
     During 1977-1978, I immersed myself in the words of Jesus Christ regarding God's coming Judgment on all ungodliness, as well as His message of grace and mercy toward all who repent of their sins and return to our Heavenly Father!  My heart was aflame with God's love and compassion with a burden for those who are still in heathen darkness, perversion and deception.  And for those who are backslidden and lost, both in the church and the world.
    God's Word is crystal clear.  God hates our sin but LOVES US!  We cannot judge His Word, but His Word judges us.  We cannot expect God to change His Word to please us.  We must change to please Him! 
    The Bible says, "For the Word of God is quick 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." (Hebrews 4:12)
     And by God's grace I shared the message "Canada Turn Around" to multitudes across our wonderful nation of Canada and around the world, personalizing it for those countries, with great blessing.  God granted us many revivals during that time period!  All glory to His name. Now, God has spoken to me again!  
    During the last few months of 1998, God stirred my soul to again crusade across our nation with the gospel of Jesus Christ, I had been invited to again preach at the large interdenominational crusade in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  They were expecting crowds to reach over 200,000 people.  Before I was able to respond to the affirmative, God instructed me to decline the invitation. 
    I asked Him, "Why"?  He said, "There is more revival in Africa than in Canada.  Your own nation needs you NOW.  Take the message of Jesus Christ to Canada before it is too late."   
         REPENTANCE IS TURNING FROM SIN!
    The definition of repent is: “To be sorry for your sins and a determination to turn from sin; to change one's mind.” Jesus is calling you.  It is time to answer the call of Jesus. Christ is calling the world to turn away from sin, Satan and rebellion, and to turn to Him, our Saviour and Creator.
     The LORD is calling for you to repent and to completely reject the god of the world, Satan (the devil).  St. John declared, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)
     Jesus said, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."  (Luke 13:3). We have turned our backs on God and have become self-centered, selfish and spiritually dead.  During the past 30 years or more, our nation has taken a major turn away from God.  At present, we are a people divided, despondent and depressed; politically, economically and spiritually.
      Unhappy, fearful and depressed people are the norm these days, without hope for the future.  To say we are living in a very dangerous and frightening time is an understatement.  We are living in the end times and are facing world war and one crisis after another. The Bible clearly draws timelines with world events, and we are drawing ever nearer to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Tribulation.
                   IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS!
     We need to get serious about the consequences of rejecting God.  A divine call, however, has gone out to our Nation and the world to repent.  Now is the time to turn around, to repent to Christ Jesus and forsake sin.  We MUST surrender our wills to God and give up the futile effort of "doing things our own way."
      It's time for our NATION to turn from all rebellious ways in repentance and confessing to Christ sins of unbelief, pride, immorality, jealousy, envy and prejudice. The time has come for a complete rejection of Satan and evil in total repentance. The Bible says, "Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
    It’s time to confront the devil (who is our enemy) and call upon the name of Jesus Christ.  We must resist Satan and turn away from lust, greed, hatred, selfishness, anger, bitterness and deceit. Jesus Christ our Lord has given us power over the devil.  We are instructed to confront the devil - in the Name of Jesus Christ - telling him that he's not welcome in our lives! 
    It's time to WAKE UP and think about eternity and where you will spend it.  We must reject and renounce the many dangerous, deceptive and occultist doctrines of the New Age Movement. As well as the cult of Secular Humanism that teaches, 'man ascended from the world of monkeys and apes, is self-sufficient and is his own God'.
         WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF US?
      We must humble ourselves and pray.  We must call upon the Name of the Lord and turn away from evil.  Satan (the devil) is the creator of evil, death and destruction and wants to destroy you and all things around you.
     St. Peter warned, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all of your care upon Him, for He careth for you. Be sobre, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith…” (1 Peter 5: 6-9)
      The Bible speaks about humility, repentance and submission to the Almighty God and a total rejection of Satan, who is the god of this world! St. James states, "Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
     It's time to come home and be reconciled to our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to accept the invitation of our LORD Jesus Christ to talk things over.  We need to straighten out past failures and right wrongs. We need to receive total forgiveness and assurance, with new direction for the future.
      The Bible says, "Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:7)
     The divine call of God does not differentiate between rich or poor, educated or illiterate, men or women, young or old. There is no class distinction or favoritism due to race, color, nationality or culture with the Almighty.
        ALL MAY APPROACH GOD’S THRONE!
      The invitation of salvation is available to all.  Every person alive may approach the throne of God and repent of their sins.  We all can receive the mercy and grace of the LORD.  We all receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour, through faith in His finished work on Calvary's cross.
      How is this possible? The Gospel is free to everyone! We are saved by Grace through Faith. The Bible says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   (Ephesians 2:8-9)
       Christ is calling you and waiting for you to answer Him! There is no entry fee, cover charge or red tape to delay our coming to Jesus Christ and repenting of our sins.  There is nothing to stop the process of salvation from functioning in our lives.  Christ waits for you to repent. Christ Jesus our Lord is willing to accept all that will repent and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour!
      The prophet invited, "Lo, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; come, ye, buy wine and milk without money and without price."  (Isaiah 55:1)
And Jesus assures us: "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out."  (John 6:37)
          FREEDOM PURCHASED BY CHRIST!
     The enormous cost of our freedom - redemption from sin and the power of Satan - has been paid for us on the Cross, through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, "...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."  (Luke 13:3)
     The 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); St. John declared, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)
      St. Paul emphasized, "That through death, He (Jesus Christ) might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."  (Hebrews 2:14)
    God is waiting for you to turn to him, ask for forgiveness and be cleansed in the Blood of the Lamb.
The good news is that God wants us. He wants you and me. No exceptions, and no questions asked. We come just as we are. He knows all about us and yet He wants us, even though we are sinners.
    WHY? He is a specialist in the field of cleansing, reconciliation and re-birth! The Bible states, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteous."  (1 John 1:9)
           JUST AS I AM AND WAITING NOT!
"Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee. O Lamb of God, I come. I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not, To rid my soul of one dark blot
Because Thy blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come. I come!
Just as I am; poor, wretched, blind, Sight, riches, healing of the mind
All that I need, in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come. I come!"

     The Bible says: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him..."  (2 Chronicles 16:9)
And God's Word says:  "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and His ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."   (1 Peter 3:12)
    The very first sermons preached by our LORD were the call to repentance and salvation: "Repent and believe the gospel."   (Mark 1:15); The same was true of the great prophet, John the Baptist, “And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the emission of sins.” (Luke 3:3; Matthew 3:2), as well as all the Apostles: “And they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” (Mark 6:12)
      And 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."  (Acts 2:38)
           WHAT DOES REPENTANCE MEAN?
     To repent means to turn, to change course!  Repenting is godly sorrow for sin.  Repentance means, being sorry enough to stop committing sin, and to change your life.
     After St. Paul’s letter reached the Corinthian Church, they were sorry for their sins and repented, changing their evil ways. He writes: "Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation..."  (2 Corinthians 7:9-10)
    Repentance is a forsaking of evil, unrighteousness and unbelief.  It is casting yourself into the loving arms of God, renouncing the works of the world, the flesh and the devil.  When you repent you turn from darkness to light, from Satan to Christ, from condemnation to total peace. It is placing your life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit!
     Jesus said, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."  (Luke 13:3). In his Mars Hill sermons, St. Paul shared with pagan Greek intellectuals the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His glorious resurrection from the dead.
      Then he challenged them:  "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead."
      There will be two Judgments Seats! Don’t let anyone deceive you, my friend, there is going to be a 'Great Day of Judgment’' when all of us will stand before Almighty God to give an account of our lives. We are living in the end Times, the second coming of Jesus and rapture of the Church is near.
           GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT!
      There will be two judgments: the first judgment is called, "The Great White Throne Judgment' where all sinners and unjust persons shall be judged in relation to their acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ the Jewish Messiah.
       Here is Christ Jesus' solemn warning: "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 the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast out into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15)
           BEMA SEAT JUDGMENT OF SAINTS!
     The second one is called the Bema Seat Judgment of the Saints. That is where all believers who have trusted in Jesus Christ as personal Savior will be judged for our works. St. Paul warns: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
      “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is."
     "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."  (1 Corinthians. 3:8)
      In his defense before King Agrippa, the great Apostle rehearsed his Damascus Road conversion experience, and the words of Jesus Christ to him:
      "Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me."  (Acts 26:17-18)
     So urgent is the call for people to repent of their sins, the Bible says: "Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men."  (2 Corinthians 5:11) The Bible specifically declares: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God". (Rom. 3:23)
 SIN MUST BE PAID UNLESS REPENTED FOR!
     "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  (Romans 6:23). The great apostle wrote to the church in Rome concerning those committing sinful acts and others who condemn them, being guilty of the same sins.
      "But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the DAY OF WRATH and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;"
     "Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, ETERNAL LIFE: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;"  (Romans 2:2-9)
 GOD'S GOODNESS REACHES OUR HEARTS!
     Jesus said, "Behold, I come quickly" - literal Greek: Without delay, at once, soon. (Revelation 22:12). St. Peter gave two reasons why Jesus had not yet returned: 1. One thousand years with us is like one day with the Lord! 2. God's mercy is reaching out for more sinners to be saved.
     "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  (2 Peter 3:8-9)
      The Bible says, "Repent and be baptized...and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."  (Acts 2:38-39).   "Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out..."  (Acts 3:19)
      And Jesus says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. 3:19-20)
     May the Lord bless you and give you peace. Write me a letter if you have accepted the LORD Jesus Christ as a result of reading this message.