FUFILLED IN CHRIST
By Pastor Max Solbrekken,
D.D.
Mankind's
five basic needs as defined by psychologists are: security, recognition,
love, adventure, need to create. All these are met though the
cross-work of our Lord Jesus Christ, that laid down His life and rose from the
dead, thereby purchasing Eternal Life for all who believe.
1.
SECURITY!
The
greatest security a mortal can have is to know that we are at peace with our
Creator and God! Repeatedly, the prophets and the apostles speaking and writing
under the unction and inspiration of the Living God, brought great words of
comfort and security!
In my
message titled, 'The Christian's Slogan: I am Secure in Jesus', I share
many Scriptures that boast the great security we enjoy through our Saviour
Jesus Christ!
Here are a
few: "Fear thou not for I am with thee. Be not dismayed for I am thy
God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of My righteousness." (Is. 41: 10)
"No
weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that rise
against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the
servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord." (Is. 54:17)
We are
SECURE in Jesus! He said: “…And lo, I am
with you always, even unto the end of the world (age).” (Matt, 28: 20); “… for He
hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly
say, the Lord is my Helper, and I
will not
fear what man shall do unto me.” (Heb.13: 5, 6)
Always is a definition of time while alway
is a definition of distance! He has promised to go all the way with us; to go
the distance! He cares for and protects us. He said: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” (John 10: 28)
Jesus used
a double imperative. He actually said, “I will never, no never leave thee. I will
never, no never forsake thee…” We have His Word on it. Not only did He
promise to watch over us, but He sent the Holy Spirit to lead, direct, empower
and comfort us. He promised: “And I will
pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide
with you forever.
“Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world
cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him,
for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless:
I will come to you.” (John
14: 16-18)
The Bible
says: "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, and of
power and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1: 7); Jesus Christ said: "All
that the Father giveth Me shall come unto Me and him that cometh unto Me I will
in no wise cast out." (John 6:
37)
"My
sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them
eternal life; and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out
of My hand." (John 10: 27, 28)
11.
RECOGNITION!
Our Lord
said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; As
I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know
that you are My Disciples, if ye have love one for another." (John 13:
34, 45)
"That
they all may be One, as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also
may be one in US; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me." (John 17:21)
"Let
your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify
your Father which is in Heaven." (Matt.
5: 16); "For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified
of the truth, that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth." (3
John 3)
"Having your conversation (lifestyle) honest among the Gentiles;
that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works,
which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2: 12)
JESUS
said: “I am the Door, by Me if any man
entereth in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. I am
the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.
“I am the Good shepherd, and know my
sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the
Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10: 9-15)
“Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore, the
world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and
it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall
appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him like He is.” (1 John 3: 1, 2)
111. LOVE!
Only those
who have been touched by the love of God can show forth real agape (unconditional)
love that makes a difference in a dark, sick, and lost world of sinners!
Our Lord stated: “A
new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My
disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13: 34, 35)
The love of
God is apodictic (gr. apodeiktikos) meaning ‘evident
beyond contradictions’. It is magnanimous beyond understanding, unknowing,
incomprehensible, unexplainable and inexhaustible. Our Heavenly Father’s love,
mercy and grace is unconditional and
available to all who willingly repent of their sins and in faith receive
Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour!
Our Lord’s
parable about the Prodigal Son who returned in repentance and humility proves
that: “And he arose and came to his
father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:
17-24). This parable is a picture of God’s love for a sinful world that is
estranged from Him!
It is also
shown in His prayer from the cross: “Father
forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34). Again, Jesus
exhibited His great mercy to the repentant thief:
“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me
when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom. And Jesus said unto him;
Verily, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke
23: 42, 43)
Of course,
the key that opens the door to God’s mercy is two-fold, REPENTANCE and FAITH! In
the account of Christ’s prayer asking His Father to forgive those who put Him
on the cross, we see precisely the agape love that made Him leave
Heaven to save the world.
“For God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3: 16, 17)
No greater
love could ever be manifested than the great transaction that was played out in
real time on Mount Calvary where Jesus the Son took the hand of the Father
in one hand and the hand of man in the other and brought God and man together
through His atoning blood on the Cross. (Gal.3: 13)
1V. ADVENTURE!
Some
people like to explore new frontiers. Others like to dig, excavate, or search
for fossils. And still others enjoy making new friends, meeting celebrities or
important people in various walks of life! A great many people get their
adventures by travelling the world, taking lengthy vacations or visiting famous
gardens, art shows or museums. And huge numbers get their adventure by going to
music festivals, hockey and football games, wrestling matches or other sporting
events. And all of this in the name of adventure!
Personally,
my greatest adventures in life has been my family, beginning with my beautiful
wife Donna and our six children. And 65
years later, we have 17 grandchildren and 21 great grands. Watching them grow,
mature, get married and have children has been a great blessing to us!
None of this would have been possible if
God had not blessed us so abundantly. Giving our hearts and lives to Jesus
Christ and being filled with the blessed Holy Spirit is the greatest experience
on the face of the earth. To have a personal relationship with the King of
kings and Lord of lords is immense. It is grand and it is huge!
To have
access to the very throne room of the Creator of the Universe and Saviour of
the world is such an honour and privilege and to be able to sense His holy
presence is unreal!
To know
that He loves us and cares for our needs is so exciting, and to pray in Jesus’
holy and precious name and receive answers from Him gives us joy unspeakable
and full of glory!
We know the
great value God has placed upon each one of us,
in that He sent His only begotten Son to the Cross to pay the awful cost
of our REDEMPTION, by meeting the demands of Divine Justice!
I will never forget the day that I decided
to give my heart and life to God and received the assurance of sins forgiven
and the knowledge that I was a child of God. When I was graciously filled with
the blessed Holy Spirit, the Holy Bible opened up to me like a flower to the
sun and revelation knowledge flooded my soul.
The peace, joy and holy excitement has never left me. After 63 years of
serving the Lord, I receive greater joy than ever by spending quality time in
His presence through Bible study, prayer and seeking God’s face! And though
preaching and writing!
After 50 years of Gospel Crusades across the globe and seeing multitudes
come to Christ for salvation, healing, and deliverance from the power of sin,
fear, sickness, disease, and demons has been more than adventurous!
V. NEED TO CREATE
Many people are artistic, having received a
gift from God. I think of Michelangelo
and other great painters, as well sculptors and architects. The innovative
minds of inventors, skilled workmen and labourers have built cities, great
freeways, airports, aeroplanes, computers, telescopes, and communication
systems.
There are a host of men and women in medicine, education, military,
agriculture, and science who have skillfully designed, patented, and created
many marvellous tools, vehicles, and diagnostic equipment.
My wife, Donna, is always knitting, crocheting, sewing, designing, and
creating things for our grandchildren and a lot of other people. My need to
write Biblical articles, columns, books, and videos never stops.
Creative minds are a gift from God through Jesus
Christ which has advanced us to the
place we are today. It is hard to imagine people who have no need or desire to
do anything creative.
The flip side of that is that ungodly
people use God - given talents to create evil, destructive, and perverted
things which bring great harm to themselves and others!
Pastors, youth leaders, children’s workers, singers, musicians,
choreographers, and others involved in Church and the Gospel Ministry love to
create those things that bless the Church and reach souls for Christ!
St. Paul makes the Gospel of Christ come alive in his powerfully
anointed and God-breathed epistles. Here is the Word of God to the Ephesian
Church:
“And you hath He quickened, who were dead
in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that
now worketh in the children of disobedience:
GOD IN HIS MERCY SAVED US!
“Among whom also we all had our
conversation (life style) in time past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and the mind; and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others. But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great Love
wherewith He loved us,
“Even when we were dead in sins, has
quickened (made us alive) us together with Christ; by grace ye are saved: And
hath raised us up together, and made us (Jews and Gentiles) in Heavenly places
in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of
His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves: it I the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2: 1-10)
Jesus Christ meets the needs of mankind, in every area
of human life and beyond, for both time and eternity! Amen.
