Born Without Ureters                                                               JULIO DIAZ RECEIVES GOD'S MIRACLE       

                                DOCTORS AMAZED, PRESS PUBLISH
                                    STORY OF GOD'S MIRACLE!

                               Max Solbrekken & Omar Cabrera  Sante Fe, 1980

                              THE KEY TO MIRACLES

                                  By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D. D.

The Key to God’s blessings is to believe His Word! Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s House are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you that where I am, ye may be also.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: And from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him.

“Believest thou not I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works sake.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on 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, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ASK anything in My Name, I will do it.”

                                  THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT!

 “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. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

“Yet a little while, the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me; because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: And he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me he will keep My Words: and My Father will LOVE him, we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the Word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father which sent Me.

Again, Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 10 – 27)   

                          GOD CANNOT FAIL, CHANGE OR LIE!       

It is impossible for God to fail, change or lie! He is not a respecter of persons, places or times. He is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, righteous and holy. He is merciful, gracious and loving. And He keeps His Word. He honours Faith, which means believing His Word is TRUE! 

The Bible states: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” (Titus 1: 2). “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God not to lie …” (Heb.6:18). “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Heb.13:8)

The Bible declares: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” (Heb. 11:1); “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast until the end.” (Heb.3:14); “Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of GRACE, that we may obtain MERCY and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)

GOD PERFORMS STAGGERING MIRACLE!

In 1980, Donna and I conducted a Gospel Crusade in Santa Fe, Argentina and God surprised us one cold evening in the large stadium. I was amazed at the large crowd. When I finished my message several thousand came forward for salvation and I asked those who were sick to lay their hand on their body and believe as I prayed for their healing. I instructed those with little children to lift them up to the Lord as I prayed.

Five year old Julio Diaz was brought by his mother to our crusade in Santa Fe, Argentina.  He was born without ureters.  He was also afflicted with a number of other abnormalities. He had suffered through six operations and spent three years in the Children's Hospital.  Because Julio was being used as a “guinea pig”, nurses attending him spoke confidentially to his parents warning against another exploratory surgical operation.

When Julio’s mother saw the large ad in the newspaper, she asked her husband to take him for prayer. He was very discouraged because he had lost his job a week earlier due to drinking. He answered that they had taken him to the Bishop of their Catholic Church and many other places with no success. He said, “You take him to the Stadium.”

There were thousands in the stadium that cold, blustery evening, when our faith touched God for Julio!  And God performed a miracle for us! As the huge throng were led in the healing prayer, Julio's mother believed.  The next morning his parents awakened to find the plastic tubes pushed out of his sides and their little boy urinating on the floor. 

                            GOD CREATED NEW URETERS!

The entire family stood in amazement as Julio stood there naked, urinating of the floor. The Holy Spirit had removed the plastic ureters and given him brand new ureters. He went from room to room, jumping up and down and saying, “See what I can do.” They all laughed and cried. Mrs. Diaz called the Doctor and said, “The tubes have come out. The tubes have come out.”

He answered, “You must take Julio to the hospital in Raphila. We don’t have the instruments to do it here.” She answered, “Doctor, we are not taking him to Raphila.”  He said, “Are you loco? His cavities will be filled with urine. You must take him there at once!”

Then, she explained, “Doctor, we took him to the Gospel Crusade last night for prayer and God has healed him. He is urinating all over the floor.” The doctor said, “Bring Julio here at once. We will see this great thing! They rushed him to the hospital; the x-rays showed two ureters!  God had done His wonderful work and created two ureters for Julio.

His parents called Omar and Marfa Cabrera with the good news.  And they informed me that the media wanted to interview us regarding this great miracle!  The miracle was so great that the Roman Catholic Radio Station - as well as their weekly magazine - reported the news nation-wide, and the gospel of Christ was heard far and near!

God’s mercy came to the Diaz family in such a beautiful way and He loves us all just as much as He does them!!!

                    JESUS’ BLOOD PURGES CONSCIENCE!

“How much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?” (Heb. 9:14)

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us through the VEIL, that is to say, His flesh; and having an High Priest over the House of God;

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering: for He is faithful that promised.” (Heb.10: 19-24). God bless you in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

 By Catherine Hadro

                                     Real Clear Religion  

On Friday, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that, until she undergoes "a conversion of heart," she is barred from receiving Holy Communion because of her support for "abortion and infanticide." Critics otherwise completely uninterested in theology – including those who make up the San Francisco Examiner's Editorial Board – leapt to pronounce with doctrinal certainty that the Archbishop's notification is a denial of Church creed. Make no mistake, it is wholly compatible with Pope Francis' own words and his witness of mercy. Detractors are mainly pointing to the Holy Father's comments in 2021 during an in-flight presser, when he said he has "never refused the Eucharist to anyone" in response to a journalist's question about pro-abortion access politicians receiving Holy Communion. However, Pope Francis went on to call abortion "murder" and said of the preborn child, "It's a human life, period." He further compared the act of abortion to hiring a hitman, and added, "This is why the Church is so strict on this issue because accepting this is kind of like accepting daily murder." Pope Francis specifically followed up on the Communion issue, saying, "This is not a penalty: you are outside. Communion is to unite the community."

Pope Francis has been consistent on this matter. As an Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was the principal author of a 2007 text by Latin American bishops called the Aparecida Document. "We must adhere to ‘eucharistic coherence,'" he wrote, "that is, be conscious that they cannot receive holy communion and at the same time act with deeds or words against the commandments, particularly when abortion, euthanasia, and other grave crimes against life and family are encouraged. This responsibility weighs particularly over legislators, heads of governments, and health professionals.Three years later, in 2010, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio co-wrote a book with Rabbi Abraham Skorka, "Sobre el Cielo y la Tierra (On Heaven and Earth)," in which he wrote, "if a man, rather than uniting the people of God, has devastated the lives of many persons, he cannot receive communion, it would be a total contradicts addressed the challenges in discerning whether to administer the Eucharist in particular cases, but ultimately acknowledges that bishops are sometimes called to do so. And it should be noted some of his boldest statements as pontiff are on abortion – the severest moral and physical wound of our time. As the former archbishop of Argentina's capital city and now bishop of Rome, Pope Francis can surely understand the position in which Archbishop Cordileone finds himself.The Archbishop's action comes at a pivotal moment in our country's history, as the recent Supreme Court leak in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization revealed Roe v. Wade may soon be reversed. Pelosi called this draft decision "monstrous" and an "assault" on women. Some critics argue the Archbishop overstepped his bounds and violated the principle of separation of church and state. But this claim shows a poor grasp of the First Amendment. The Archbishop's decision is the exemplification of religious freedom. It is a response to Pelosi, not as a politician, but as a parishioner he pastorThe Church's teaching here is merciful. It should be noted that the Archbishop's action comes from Book IV of the Code of Canon Law and not the Church's penal law. As the Archbishop himself is an expert in canon law, his decision is no accident. Nor is a sanction a penalty or an excommunication. Instead, it is simply a declaration of fact: the Speaker is "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin" by promoting legal abortion. Again, as Pope Francis puts it, "This is not a penalty: you are outside."

It was Pope Francis himself who issued this revision of the Church's canonical legislation. The Archbishop, in a public letter to his priests this week, said Pope Francis pointed out three pastoral motives for this action: responding to the demands of justice, moving the offending party to conversion, and repairing the scandal caused. The Archbishop acknowledges it was those very motives that guided his decision – along with prayer, fasting, and consultation. In a Friday interview about this, he reiterated, "I'm guided by the principles articulated by Pope Francis and taking the approach of the advice that then Cardinal Ratzinger gave us."

The fact that "Communion is not a prize for the perfect" – another Pope Francis phrase – is exactly the point. The Eucharist is not a participation trophy. We are neither entitled nor worthy to receive the Eucharist. All Catholics must repent for our sins. This often gets messy and divisive because some of our sins are more public and obvious than others, but Jesus' Real Presence is worth the repentance. 

Catherine Hadro is a national Catholic speaker, writer, and broadcaster. She is the founding host of EWTN Pro-Life Weekly and is an EWTN News Contributor. Follow @CatSzeltner[Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Religion.

 

       THE HAND OF THE LORD UPON MY LIFE

                                 By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D. D.

                                        Pastor Max Solbrekken in 1965         

The first printing of this book was in 1965. After just two years in the Ministry, I shared a number of personal accounts of my experiences before and after my conversion to Christ. It was a great blessing to many people who read it!

Now, after more than 50 years of proclaiming Jesus Christ and His great mercy, grace and agape love to multitudes across the world, I incorporate some of those earlier writings and add much more, to give a glimpse of God’s unfathomable compassion and faithfulness toward me.

He is faithful who has called us out of darkness into His wonderful light and what He has done for this His humble servant, He will for you my dear friend. And even more, because He is no respecter of persons, places or times and He is the same yesterday, today and forever! (1 Peter 2: 9; Acts 10: 34; Heb.13: 8).  

MY CONVERSION TO CHRIST

In June 1957 I knelt by my bedside in a little Motel in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and prayed for forgiveness. I bowed my head in reverence to Almighty God and cried with a heart full of remorse and sorrow for my sin: “O God be merciful to me a sinner and saved me for Christ’s sake!”

The Spirit of the Lord was upon me and I was trembling and shaking like a reed in the wind. My stubborn will was broken and I threw myself completely at the feet of my Saviour, weeping uncontrollably in repentance to God.

 I knew that I was lost; a hell-bound creature bound by the chains of pleasure, lust, greed, pride and worldly ambition. And the chain seemed to be secured by a supernatural lock with the devil holding the key. I was entangled in the web of worldliness and social position, and I was unable to free myself from the snare that had tightened its tentacles around the throat of my soul!

The convicting power of the Holy Spirit seemed to melt me and make me feel uneasy, guilty, ashamed of myself, and wanting to make reconciliation with God! The pressure of satanic power, however, was weighing me down like a millstone as the Spirit of God made battle for my soul! I wanted God to win, but I was unwilling to suffer the ridicule of the “straight and narrow” life that Jesus expects of a Christian. It was difficult giving up my own worldly, sinful life and to surrender freely to Christ! 

It was now two years since this battle had been going on within me – two years since I had begun to feel the Spirit of God moving in my life again! God had called me as a youngster raised in a devout Christian home, during my confirmation studies and again at 17 years of age at SLB1 Lutheran College during revival meetings conducted by Evangelist Sylvan Johnson. Now He was calling me again!

Suddenly, I heard the voice of God calling me again! In my spirit I felt that this could be His last call to me. I had squandered many opportunities to give my life to Him and I had never felt this way before. I shuddered to think of the awfulness of being lost forever. To be shut out from God’s presence in a place of eternal torment, and hopelessness. And yet, the choice was again before me to receive Jesus Christ and life eternal, by turning my back on the world, the flesh and the devil!

IT WAS EITHER HEAVEN OR HELL! 

What if I were to grieve the Holy Spirit and not feel God’s presence or hear Him call again? God was tugging at my heartstrings urging me to invite Him into my life and receive His eternal life for time and eternity! It was either heaven or hell and it could be now or never! At that moment, I realized that I must get saved or face the awful consequences of missing the ‘opportune time’! It didn’t take me long to decide. I made up my mind that I would become a Christian and follow the lowly Nazarene!

Nothing would stop me – all my worldly friends would not stand in my way. My business acquaintances would be no problem. My own dear wife, who was unsaved, could not hinder me. (Donna was saved six months later). I must repent and turn to God NOW! I must not hesitate. This was God’s call and I must answer it!

I fell to my knees, weeping, trembling and shaking like a leaf. My heart was broken before God and my sin was condemning me. I was sorry for my sin. I hated my sin. I despised my condition. I knew the devil had his grip on me. I knew I was a sinner! I knew I was on the road to Hell, but I also knew that God loved me. I knew that Jesus died for my soul. I knew that God was greater than the devil. I knew that Jesus rose again from the dead and I knew that He wanted to save me!

I confessed my sins to God. I told Him that I was sorry for my wicked ways. I asked Him to forgive me, to cleanse me and to change me! I cried out: “Lord Jesus come into my heart!” Suddenly, I felt a heavy burden lift from my chest, my shoulders, my life and I lifted my hands toward God and with tears rolling down my cheeks, I shouted: “I’m free; I’m free; I’m free!”

 It had happened! I was born again by the Spirit of God and saved by the precious blood of Jesus Christ! My sins were gone, my heart was clean and I felt pure inside and light in my spirit! I knew that I had become a Christian. I knew that God had heard my prayer and forgiven all my sins and that He had written down my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I was now a child of God!

 THE COMFORTER HAS COME!

The next evening we arrived at my parent’s home in Norquay, Saskatchewan. That night after supper, we all gathered in the large kitchen for a time of worship and prayer. My Dad had heard that I had given my heart to Christ the day before, so he asked me: “Do you want to be filled with the Holy Ghost?” I replied: “Yes, I do!” I wanted what my parents and other members of my family had received. I wanted power in my life to be a good, strong and effective worker for Christ! I wanted power to stand true to God regardless of persecution or temptations.

I was so tired of seeing young people and older ones too, living a double life. I didn’t want that kind of hypocritical Christianity! I wanted the kind of Christianity they had in the New Testament – A Religion that worked! Yes, I wanted the Holy Ghost and Fire and I wanted to be filled right away, because time was short and there was so much to do for God! I fell to my knees, acknowledging His Lordship.

 My Dad asked me to raise my hands toward God and ask Him to baptize me with the Holy Ghost! He had been healed miraculously and filled with the Holy Ghost more than a year earlier while listening to Oral Roberts’ radio broadcast. I was a Lutheran and not used to this, but I was so hungry for God and I needed His power! My family members gathered around me and laying their hands on my head prayed that God would give me the gift of the Holy Spirit and fire!

As I raised my hands toward the Lord in total surrender, I could feel His presence like a powerful electrical current coursing through my veins.  My heart was filled with a great hunger for God and my spirit thrilled in expectation as I realized I was about to receive the mighty ‘Baptism of the Holy Ghost’ – the same gift that Jesus promised His disciples, as well as “their children and those who were afar off, even as many as the Lord our God would call”. (Acts 2: 38-39)

This was the same Holy Spirit that He had poured upon 120 spiritually hungry followers of Jesus (including twelve disciples and our Saviour’s mother) in the Upper Room in Jerusalem nearly 2000 years earlier! This was the same Holy Spirit that had given them the power to preach with authority, perform miracles, signs and wonders. And had empowered ignorant and unlearned men with boldness and wisdom (Acts 4: 13), so that they had filled Jerusalem with their doctrine (Acts 5: 28) and turned the world upside down (Acts 17: 6)

I began to tremble as I realized the greatness of the gift that I was about to receive, the power it would bring and the responsibility that would come with it! Wasn’t it the gift of the Holy Ghost that had changed the life of Simon Peter and made a pillar out of a rolling stone (Gal.2: 9), a bold, fearless man out of a coward (Acts 5: 29) and a soul winner out of a backslider? (Acts 2: 39) Yes, it was!

My heart began to pound in excitement as I realized how close God was to me. “Yes”, I thought, “This is what I need. I am as weak as Simon Peter and I need the same power that changed him. I must have this power to be a strong, useful Christian!” I cried out to God for mercy and grace, asking Him for this great gift, realizing everything we get from Him is free (Acts 8: 20) and that God gives the Holy Ghost to those who obey Him. (Acts 5: 32) im for that great giftHimm fgor this great giftHHH

Then, I remembered the Scripture (Luke 11; 13) that promises that He will give the Holy Ghost to those who ask Him. Suddenly, I began to praise God with a loud voice as I felt the glory of God fill my soul! I felt His mighty Spirit filling my body and as I continued praising Him, I could feel Him taking control of my entire being. My breath came shorter and shorter until my chest seemed to be filled and I felt as though I were dying. My knees became weak and I fell to the floor, prostrate under the mighty power of God!

I was dying alright! All the evil, carnal self was dying. The old man was dying and God was making me a new man. (Eph. 4: 24) Even though I could hardly stand any more of God’s presence, yet I wanted more!

My family members were praying all around me, yet I hardly heard them as I was having a private conversation with God. Faintly, I heard someone say, “O Lord, send the fire”, and I thought, “Yes, I need the fire.” (Luke 3: 16) Someone else prayed, “O Lord, send the power”, and I thought, “Yes, I need the power.” Kneeling beside me, one of my brothers prayed, “Give him more Lord” but my mother said, “No, I think that he has got enough!”

Immediately I said, “Yes, I want more, Lord, I want more,” and I received more as the power of God surged through me from head to toe. Suddenly, I began to speak in a beautiful and sacred and unknown tongue. As the words flowed out toward God, my spirit was lifted into the heavens and such peace and love flooded my soul. I kept saying, “Jesus! Jesus! I love You, JESUS! I love You, JESUS!”

The Bible says that the Holy Spirit magnifies Christ. Jesus said: “But when the Comforter (Paraclete) is come, whom I shall send unto from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, Which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me.” (John 15: 26)

“Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: for He will show you things to come.

He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John 16: 13-15)

 I became instantly aware of the abiding presence of God and a great love filled my heart for Jesus Christ, who had given his life’s blood for me on that ‘old rugged cross’ on Mount Calvary!

Earlier, I had been afraid of dying without Christ and going to Hell and being separated from God and my loved ones. That fear was gone and a great peace flooded my being, and a new concern was immediately born within my spirit for the lost and dying of this world who were heading toward eternal damnation and perdition.

Another thing that happened was the immediate desire I received to read the Word of God, together with the ability to understand the Holy Scriptures. Naturally, being been raised in an Evangelical Lutheran (pietistic) Church, I was well acquainted with the Bible, but suddenly the Scriptures became living to me and I understood that the blessed Holy Spirit was teaching me His Word!

When I heard a preacher on the radio or listening to our pastor, I could discern truth from error. I knew when a preacher was interpreting the Scriptures from a humanistic mindset, and when he was anointed by the Holy Spirit and was declaring the truth. I found myself challenging the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and the anti-Pentecostal fundamentalist evangelicals!

The Holy Spirit would direct me to the passages in the Bible that dealt with each situation: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.” (2 Tim.2: 15)

The Bible says: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their eyes from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”  (2 Tim.4: 3-4)

 “…there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the Way shall be evil spoken of.” (2 Peter 2: 1-2)

 WHERE CHRIST WAS NOT NAMED!

In 1965, I had a very unusual and dramatic experience in the city of Montreal. I had been invited to the Le Centre Evangelique (French Pentecostal Church) for a Gospel crusade. Arriving late at night, I was taken to the Pentecostal Bible College residence and after some refreshments retired to my room! I quickly fell asleep, but was awakened at about midnight by the presence of the devil in my room.  

Although I was very tired, Satan’s evil presence made me wide - awake! Immediately, I began to confess Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord and to command the devil to leave!

The Bible says: “Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4: 7) My dear friend, if you will submit yourself to God and resist the devil in Jesus’ name, HE MUST LEAVE YOU! He cannot stay! He will make tracks. He will depart, because he is duty bound to flee!

 I submitted myself to God and made the ‘Confession of Faith’. I called upon Jesus and told Him how much I loved Him. I confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died for me on the cross and rose from the dead! Then, I said: “Devil – you filthy, unclean, evil, unholy, tormenting demon, Get out – LEAVE, in the name of Jesus!” In a moment, he was gone and I fell soundly asleep!

A half hour later I was awakened again by an even stronger presence of evil. This time it took me longer to get rid of him. I did not see him, but his presence was so evil and so unclean and so tormenting that I could actually feel the heaviness, the oppressing demons of Hell in the room! Failing to immediately expunge the awful presence of evil spirits, I turned on the light and read the Scriptures audibly for about twenty minutes. Then, in the name of Jesus Christ I commanded the evil spirit to leave! In a moment he was gone and I fell soundly asleep!

At 8:00 AM someone was pounding on my door, saying: “Brother Max, come quickly.” I jumped out of bed, pulled on my pants and ran down the hallway. The Bible School students were almost hysterical. They ushered me into a room where a young female student lay on her bed, with her mouth open and her jaw locked.  She had been attacked by the devil and was terrified. I laid my hands upon her and began praying for her deliverance and commanded the evil spirits to leave her in Jesus’ mighty name! The power of God touched her and after some powerful praying, her jaw relaxed and the healing had begun.

 It was 8:45 AM and I was scheduled to speak at the 9 o’clock devotions. Heading down the hallway to my room to get ready for devotions, I was physically attacked by the devil! Nearing the public washroom, I was suddenly struck by a thunderous blow to my solar plexus that caused me to double up and almost keel over.

 I became instantly weak, sick to my stomach and extremely nauseated. I staggered into the washroom, fell to my knees over the toilet bowl and PLEADING THE BLOOD OF JESUS, I cried out to God: “The devil has attacked me. The devil is in this place and he has attacked me. Please, O Lord, help me and deliver me. You know how much I hate vomiting. O Lord, help me, in Jesus’ name!  ”      

 By the grace of God, I didn’t vomit. I rose to my feet and looked in the mirror. I was as white as a ghost, I was shaking and I was as weak as a kitten! I washed my face, went to my room, picked up my Bible and staggered down the steps and into the chapel just as I was being introduced. I was so weak that I could barely stand up. Five minutes earlier, I had been healthy, well and strong, but the devil had physically attacked me. I knew, however, that when I would read the Scripture text and pray that I would be healed!

I sensed that the students were filled with fear and torment. A spirit of fear and oppression was pervading the College. As I read the Holy Scripture and prayed the Spirit of God come upon us and strength entered into me. And as I preached I was completely restored! I related to the student body what had happened to me in my room and Satan’s attack upon me after praying for the young lady. Then, I proceeded to drive the demons from that Bible College in Jesus’ name. I called for a 3 day fast and on the third day, God broke through in His almighty power in our crusade and a revival ensued!

 GOD GAVE US SUPERNATURAL WONDERS!

On Thursday evening while I was preaching, a great supernatural wonder happened. I was in the middle of my message when suddenly the Holy Spirit gripped me and even though Pastor Emile Lesagues was an admirable interpreter, suddenly I was catapulted into a place where I forgot about him standing by my side. I had just finished saying, that early on the morning of the third day after His efficacious death for us, Jesus Christ arose triumphantly from the dead, and tore loose the bars of death, hell and the grave!     

In the distance I could hear Brother Lesagues saying: “Brother Solbrekken, wait for me. Give me a chance.” Just as I finished declaring Jesus Christ’s awesome victory over the devil, a young mother who was standing in the foyer of that large church holding her baby in her arms saw a huge ball of fire hanging over the pulpit. Suddenly it burst into many flames and fell on the people.

 At that moment, hundreds of people rose to their feet and began to stream down the aisles toward the altar. Some fell in the aisles and some fell at the altar. Many were speaking in tongues, others were crying out for mercy and forgiveness for their sins, still others were divinely healed. For about an hour the Holy Spirit ministered to the people as the power of God fell upon us and revival came to that Church!

The devil’s power of fear and frustration, torment and discouragement had been broken and God set the Church and the Bible School on fire! The devil had attacked me physically, but we drove him out in Jesus’ Christ’s name!

 I have not been attacked by the devil – in that manner - before or since that time! I was fortunate to have been a sparring partner for Trent Kecheson – who became the champion of the Canadian Navy – light heavy division – when I was 15 and 16 years old, and his specialty was powerful ‘body blows’ and ‘knock out punches’ to the jaw, so I learned a few thing about boxing from him. He pounded me mercilessly every recess break for about two years as he perfected his boxing skills and that gave me an opportunity to toughen up my midsection!

And I learned how to take a powerful blow to the ‘solar plexus’. No one had ever hit me as unexpectedly or as hard as the Evil One, however, but he was unable to knock me off my feet. Here’s the reason why: “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4: 4) Greater is Jesus Christ our Lord and greater is the Divine Paraclete - the blessed Holy Spirit - Who lives within us, than the devil who is in the world! Amen.

 

                                                                                 

  Don Rollans visits Pastor Max at Faith Cathedral, 1982

The Precious Blood

           JESUS and CHED

by Pastor Max Solbrekken

Word was spreading like wild fire!  Rev. Max Solbrekken was to be interviewed on Radio CHED Impossible, you say. Maybe impossible in 1984 - but the year was not 1984...it was 1965!  CHED was a baby, just breaking into the Edmonton market.

 Don Rollans was CHED’s hatchet man, an imitation of Pat Burns, without a mean streak. His talk show was called “The Open Line”. Yours truly was a young Evangelist, like CHED - just starting out. Max Solbrekken responded to the invitation; two microphones, a little studio and Don Rollans, a friendly young commentator with a reputation.   

“Welcome to CHED’s ‘Open Line’ Max.  Shall I call you Reverend?”  “That’s fine.  I just got ordained two years ago!” “What are you doing in Edmonton, again?  What’s a revival crusade?  What do you think of fortune tellers and mediums?”

“They’re on the opposite side of the fence!” “You mean, they are evil?”  “Yes, sir.  That’s exactly what I mean!” “Who else says so?”  “St. Paul, Jesus Christ and Moses!”  “Does the Bible say anything about spiritist mediums and the occult?  “Yes! “Where in the Bible is that recorded? “Deuteronomy 18, Isaiah 47 and Exodus 22.”

                                            WHAT REALLY DID HAPPEN?

“Okay, tell me about the Gospel and your conversion.  Why did you enter the ministry?  “Don, I was going my own way, doing my own thing until one day...” “Yes.  Go on, what happened?”  “I met Christ.”  “You met Christ.  What do you mean?  What really did happen?” “I got saved.”  “How?” “My heart was cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus.”

“The precious blood of Jesus!  What garbage!  What do you mean you got cleansed by the precious blood?  Have you ever seen the blood of Jesus?  How ridiculous - you evangelists are all the same, with that antiquated message.”

 “Just a minute Don, you’re trying to act like Jack Webster.” “What’s wrong with Jack Webster?” “He’s an intellectual bully.  Asks 5 questions and expects an answer to every one of them in 30 seconds. 

 Let me tell you Don, Jesus is real and His power is evident in my life.  He’s changed me and He can change you.” “Yeah?  You mean there’s really something to the Bible?  And Evangelists are for real?”

“That’s true Don.  Christ died for your sins on Calvary’s cross.  He arose from the dead and is alive today.  He is the answer to the problems of this world.”

                                   WOW!  AND THEN HE WAS GONE!

At that moment I looked out the little window.  A gray haired man was walking furiously back and forth puffing on his pipe like the world was coming to an end.  He kept glancing at us and muttering sounds.  I wondered if he had ants in his pants.

As soon as we broke for the commercial, he poked his nose in the door, mad as a hatter.  “What the Hell is going on around here?  Is this some kind of a revival meeting?  I told you to get this guy!”

Wow! He slammed the door and then he was gone! We were back on the air again and Don was like a tiger once more.  It wasn’t long however before his genuine goodness and decency came through and I was sharing the blessings of God again. When our time was almost up, Don Rollans turned to me and said, 

“Max, you’ve handled this interview so well.  I can’t understand how you did it! You know, I really did try to give you a bad time.  What’s your secret?”  I leaned into the microphone and said in a hushed voice, “Don, I really think it had something to do with the precious blood of Jesus! 

I CLAIM THE BLOOD!

  I claim the blood Jesus shed for me on Calvary. Those precious bloodstains were made there just for me, For all my sins, my sickness and my pains, When I need healing, I plead those precious bloodstains! Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! Amen.

                          OBEYING CHRIST’S LAST WORDS

                                                           By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D. 

    Jesus Christ was the ultimate Soul Winner when He walked among men. He continues that Ministry through the blessed Holy Spirit and His life-giving Word! He taught His twelve disciples and others through His dedication to His Father and the Holy Scriptures, and by his times of strong intercession and prayers.

    His amazing miracles, signs and wonders drew the multitudes to hear Him! 

 He said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.” (Matt. 9: 37, 38). This is an urgent call for Prayer from the Lord of the Harvest. 

   Jesus Christ, the greatest Missionary ever to walk on this ‘Terra firma’ saw the multitudes as sheep having no shepherd. He had compassion toward them and preached the Gospel. And He healed all the sick and diseased among them! (Matt. 9: 35, 36)

                                                        

                                               JESUS HEALED THEM ALL!

    Our Saviour went to the cities and villages. He didn’t only go where there were large crowds. He declared the Good News of the Kingdom of God. He brought peace, forgiveness, divine healing and new life to them. 

    The Lord was moved with Compassion when He saw the great needs among the multitudes of hurting people. He recognized the need for pastors who would love the people and minister to them as He did. He stressed the importance of gathering in the harvest of precious souls for His Kingdom! 

    THE HARVEST IS HUGE! There is much work yet undone but the labourers are few. It is sad that so few have a burden to help their fellowman with such a “great salvation”. (Heb.2: 3). There are many job opportunities. Jesus Christ is hiring, and the wages are good! (John 4:36) 

  The greatest need is for determined, sincere and fervent prayer. He calls for intercessors. If we pray, He will call labourers and send them into His Harvest. We have Jesus’ promise and His Word is true and cannot fail! He declared: “Heaven and earth shall pass away; but My words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13: 31)

                                          JESUS RETURNING FOR HIS INHERITANCE! 

 Here is a most significant promise made by our Heavenly Father to Messiah Jesus: “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.” (Psalms 2: 6- 8) 

  Almighty God promised to give His Son the heathen for His inheritance. To fulfill that promise, Jesus Christ was incarnated and took upon Himself human flesh suffer, bleed and die for the redemption of the human race and to rise again in power and great glory! 

  After 3 ½ years of preaching and healing the sick, casting out demons and bringing deliverance and salvation to multitudes, He was crucified on a “the cross of shame” to satisfy the demands of divine justice. On the third day, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, thereby defeating sin, death, hell and Satan! 

  Before He ascended to Heaven to sit on His Father’s right hand, our Risen and Glorified Lord gave the Church, the ‘Great Commission’ to reach lost souls for His Kingdom, whereby He will receive the heathen a His inheritance. What an awesome responsibility. We hold the Key to that prayer being answered! 

 Jesus said: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every 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… they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” (Mark 16: 15-20; Matt.28:18-20) 

                                             

                                      THE CHURCH IS RESPONSIBLE! 

 Jesus confirmed the importance of His Ministry, which we have been called to continue. He commands us to receive the Holy Spirit and to take His never-changing Word, His supernatural Power and His incomparable, life-giving Name throughout the entire world spreading love, joy, peace and divine healing! 

 He stated: “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 reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit unto life eternal: that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.” (John 4:35, 36) 

 We Must: 1. Pray for labourers; 2. Ask God to give us love for all believers; 3. Open our eyes to see the whitened harvest fields; 4. Receive the Blessed Holy Spirit and His leading in our lives; 5. Carry Christ’s glorious gospel everywhere possible and in the power of His Name deliver lost humanity! By God’s grace we will do it for His honour and glory!

                                                   PRAY FOR LABOURERS!  

  We all need to pray intensely that we will see the need for workers to join us in this great ministry. Our heart must become burdened for lost and perishing souls before we can persuade others to join us in this great Ministry! Until we have prayed for the same burden for the lost that Jesus had, we will not be successful in winning souls or encouraging others to do so! 

  When we understand the reality of the place called Hell and the Lake of Fire, it will not be difficult to enlist others to help you in a soul winning plan to win their precious loved ones, friends and neighbours to our Saviour! ASK GOD TO GIVE YOU A LOVE FOR ALL BELIEVERS! By ourselves we can pray and work for Jesus, but together we can reach and help many more souls for our Saviour! Together we are stronger! Jesus said, “Again, I say unto you, if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My Name there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:19,20) “And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4) “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul…” (Acts 4: 31,32)

                                   LOOK AT THE WHITENED HARVEST FIELDS!

  “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Say not ye, There are not 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 receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” (John 4: 34-36). “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)

  “And He said unto them, 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.” (Mark 16: 15,16)

  “And the angel answered and said unto the women, 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. 

 “And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy and did run to bring His disciples word.” (Matt. 28: 5.8) 

                                              RECEIVE THE BLESSED HOLY SPIRIT! 

 Jesus stated: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it. 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. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

  “Peace I leave unto you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 13-18, 26,27). “But when the Comforter, whom I will send unto from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.” (John 25:26,27)

  “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient that I go away: for of I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; of judgment because the prince of this world is judged.

  “I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all Truth: for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine, and show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine. Therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and show it unto you.” (John 16: 7-15)

   Immediately before His ascension to Heaven the risen Lord Jesus Christ stated, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in all Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Act 1:8)  

                                             TAKE CHRIST’S GOSPEL EVERYWHERE!

  “And He said unto them, 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. 

  “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 every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with SIGNS following.” (Mark 16: 15-20)

 Dear Friend in Christ: Please pray daily for a genuine revival to strike the hearts and lives of those who know Him as Lord and Saviour and then to touch the lives of those who know Him not! Write me with your promise to pray and seek God for His blessings upon us as we labour for Him in this End-Time Hour! Amen.