THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS       By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the Testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.

“His Eyes were a flame of fire, and on His Head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in Blood: and His Name is called The Word of God.” (Rev. 19:10-13)

The Book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of the Majesty of Jesus Christ, who is Lord of lords and King of kings. It reveals Him as true God from Eternity, becoming true Man through His virgin birth. His vicarious Death for us and glorious Resurrection from the dead satisfied the righteous demands of Divine Justice in the Court of Heaven to atone for the Sins of Adam and the entire human race! His Name is called 'The Word of God'!

The Testimony of Jesus is the fulfillment of Prohecy! It begins with God's LOVE for lost humanity by giving His own Son as the seed of the woman to crush and destroy the serpent' seed, Satan himself: "And God said, The seed of the woman will bruise (crush) thy Head..." (Gen. 3: 15). It ends with Jesus Christ rising from the dead in power and victory, pouring out the blessed Holy Spirit upon His blood-bought Church!

Through His amazing grace and mercy, Jesus of Nazareth gave Himself as God's Sacrifice Lamb to Redeem fallen Man through His vicarious death, by shedding His pure and holy Blood for us all!

The Bible states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. 

"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He was born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only Begotten of the Father full of grace and truth." (John 1: 1-5; 9,10,13,14)

TRUE GOD AND TRUE MAN

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: 

"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

"We are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4: 1-6)

ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlsasting 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)

"But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the BLOOD of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.

'And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole World. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments.

"He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But whoso  keepeth His Word, in him verily is the LOVE of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith  he abideth in Him ought himself to walk, even as He walked." (1 John 2 : 1-6)

ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER

Jesus Christ is our Advocate and pleads our cause before God the Father, the Judge of the entire World. The word 'propitiation' means satisfaction, mercy seat, covering, atonement. It means that God was satisfied with the vicarious death of Jesus Christ for our sins and His glorious resurrection from the dead.

JESUS CHRIST took our place. He died for our sins. He is our Substitute, Liberator and Redeemer. The Bible says: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Being justified by His grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth as a propitiation through faith in His BLOOD, to declare His righteousness for the remissin of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." (Rom. 3:23-25)

"According as He hath Chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. To the praise of the GLORY of His praise, wherein He hath made us Accepted in the Beloved.

"In Whom we have Redemption through His BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh  all things after the purpose of His own will." (Eph. 1: 4-7, 11)

"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the Blood of goats and calves, but by His own BLOOD He entered in once He entered into the Holy Place, having obtained Eternal Redemption for us.

"For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 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: 11-14)

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not Redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain converstion received by traditon from your fathers; But with the precious BLOOD of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Being Born Again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Peter 1: 18-21, 23)

"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as one 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 usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come unto repentance.

"But the DAY of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a grreat noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

"Nevertheless we according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, be diligent that ye be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever." (2 Peter 3:8-14, 17,18)

"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 commandmentds. 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 yoiu. I will not leave you comfortles; I will come to you." (John 14: 13-17)

JESUS IS OUR INTERCESSOR!

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth: It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. 

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:32-35, 37-39)

"But this man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able to SAVE them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made made higher than the heavens;

"Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did ONCE, when offered up Himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the Word of the Oath, which was since the law, maketh the SON, who is consecrated for evermore." (Heb. 7:24-28)

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His OWN Blood He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained Eternal Redemption for us. 

BLOOD OF CHRIST PURGES THECONSCIENCE

"For if the blood of bulls and of calves, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much MORE shall the BLOOD of Christ, Who through the Eternal SPIRIT offered Himself with from dead works without spot to God, PURGE your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?

"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood  is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified by these; but the heavenly things  themselves with better sacrufices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

"... But now ONCE in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away SIN by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed  unto men once to die, by after this the judgment: So CHRIST was once OFFERED to Bare the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the Second time without sin unto salvation." (Heb. 9:11- 28)

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin Not. And if  any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do KNOW  that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

"He that saith, I KNOW Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a LIAR, and the truth is not in him. But whosoever keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. " (1 John 2: 1-6)

LOVE NOT THE WORLD

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in theworld. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that  doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there  many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. Who is a LIAR but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

"Let that therefore abide in you, in which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even ETERNAL LIFE.

"And now, little children, abide in Him; that when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:15-18, 22-29)

"For if our heart condemn us, God is Greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward GOD, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

"And this is His commandments, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and he in Him.  And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us." (1 John 3:21-24)

HE THAT HATH THE SON HATH LIFE

"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: He that beliveth not God hath made Him a LIAR, because he believeth not the RECORD that God hath given of His SON. And this the Record that God hath given to us Eternal Life, and the Life is in His SON. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life.

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal Life, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we HAVE the petitions that we desired of Him." (1 John 5:10-15)

"There is therefore now no CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak  through the flesh, GOD sending His Own SON, in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemned Sin in the flesh.

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make life) your mortal bodies (weak, sick, tired) by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of fear; but ye have received the Spirit of ADOPTION, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the Children of God: And if children, then Heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings (unknown tongues) which cannnot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. What shall we then say to these things? If God  be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him for us all, how shall He not also freely give us all things? 

"Who shall separate for us from the LOVE of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecutionness, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Nay, in all these things we are MORE than Conquorers through HIM that loved us. For I am  persuaded, that neither death, nor death, nor life, nor angels, nor things present, nor things to come, 

"Nor height, nor depths, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate  us from the LOVE  of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (Rom.8:1-3, 9-11; 14-17, 26-28; 31,32; 35-39)

Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6; Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; FaceBook; Blog; MSWM; Donations can be made by e-Transfer. Make donations to [email protected]. May God bless you!

 CANADA

Trudeau Foundation ‘Misled’ on Origin of Chinese Donation: Former CEO

Office of the Trudeau Foundation in Montreal on April 19, 2023. (Noé Chartier/The Epoch Times)

By Noé Chartier

April 28, 2023Updated: April 28, 2023

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The former CEO of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation who recently quit her post over the handling of a 2016 donation says her predecessor “misled” the public by claiming its origin was Canadian and not Chinese.

Pascale Fournier, who left the foundation with other board members a few weeks ago during an internal crisis, made the remarks while testifying before the House of Commons ethics committee on April 28.

She noted a statement her predecessor Morris Rosenberg had given to the National Post in 2016 regarding the $200,000 donation promised by Chinese businessmen Zhang Bin and Niu Gensheng.

The Post article paraphrased Rosenberg as saying the foundation does not count the donation as being foreign since it was made by a company registered in Canada.

“This was a declaration on behalf of the foundation to say that it was not foreign, that it was Canadian money. This was in the annual report as well, when in fact, the tax receipt itself mentioned China,” said Fournier, who’s a full professor of law at the University of Ottawa.

“I think this is something that is misleading to Canadians.”

Zhang Bin and Niu Gensheng, both formally associated with the Chinese regime-backed China Cultural Industry Association (CCIA), had promised to give a total of $1 million to the foundation and the Université de Montréal in 2014, in honour of former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

The issue surfaced in the news in 2016 a few months after the donation ceremony, when the Globe and Mail reported that Zhang Bin had attended a cash-for-access Liberal Party fundraiser where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was the guest of honour.

Of the $200,000 promised to the foundation, only $140,000 was provided in the end in two instalments.

But the reality doesn’t quite match what was publicly announced by the donation’s beneficiaries.

Fournier explained that the two charitable receipts had been signed by Rosenberg, with the one for the first instalment of 2016 mentioning an address in China. It was also not in the name of either announced donor, but on behalf of the company Millennium Golden Eagle, which is owned by Zhang Bin.

The receipt for the second instalment provided in 2017 was for the same company, but this time with an address in Quebec and containing the names of the donors, said Fournier.

“I immediately started to ask questions about why is it that we would have two receipts that are so different that one seems to be international with money that seems to come from China, and another one with an address in Quebec,” she said.

The Epoch Times reached out to Rosenberg and the Trudeau Foundation for comment but didn’t hear back by publication time.

Fournier’s inquiries about the donation started after the Globe and Mail reported on Feb. 28 that it was the Chinese regime that directed Zhang Bin to give money to the Trudeau Foundation, in a potential foreign influence scheme.

When Fournier started investigating internally what had transpired, she found out through reviewing emails that the CCIA was in direct communication with foundation employees, telling them what to specifically write on the donation receipts.

She said that based on what she saw, there was no direct link between the donors and the foundation. “The link was really between this association [CCIA] and the foundation.”

“Is it fair to say that the association was an extension of the People’s Republic of China, the government?” asked NDP MP Matthew Green.

“I think there was a very strong proximity. I don’t know if I would say extension, but it was clearly under the guidance … of the government,” said Fournier.

Green then asked if one could infer there would have been guidance from the Chinese regime with regard to this particular donation.

“Possibly, that’s why I wanted to have an unrestricted forensic audit to understand what happened before I became president and CEO of the foundation,” Fournier answered.

Internal Crisis

An internal conflict over how that forensic audit would unfold is what led Fournier and other board members to resign, she said.

They wanted board members who were there at the time of the donation, some of whom had roles in managing internal finances, to recuse themselves from any review to protect its integrity.

Fournier says they refused. She named them as the three board members who have stayed on to manage the affairs of the foundation: Edward (Ted) Johnson, Bruce McNiven, and Peter Sahlas. All are Trudeau family friends, and Johnson and McNiven were founding members of the Trudeau Foundation.

“There was this tension regarding … some members who were asked to recuse themselves and so there was a breach of trust to shed a full light on this issue and to protect the foundation,” she said.

Fournier and most the board resigned on April 11 and the foundation announced the next day it was hiring an accounting firm, itself instructed by a law firm, to conduct the internal review. The foundation also asked the auditor general to investigate, but the AG said it would be outside the scope of her mandate.

Upcoming Testimonies

More about the Chinese donation and the Trudeau Foundation will be revealed in committee in the coming days, as Rosenberg is set to testify on May 2. The committee also passed two unanimous motions, one calling on Johnson to testify and the other to have Fournier produce documents in her possession.

The committee will review the documents behind closed doors and might not amount to much, since Fournier said foundation people searched her house for six hours “to make sure that they would leave with with everything.” They also took back the organization’s computer and cellphone she was using.

“They insisted on the fact that they wanted to read all of the text messages, and that I was not allowed to touch any of the text messages,” she said.

Alexandre Trudeau will also testify before the committee on May 3. He had been involved in the donation deal early, with a web posting from the CCIA showing him in a picture dated June 2014 with Zhang Bin, Niu Gensheng, and then Université de Montréal vice-president Guy Lefebvre.

Fournier said that she was surprised to see that Alexandre Trudeau signed the donation contract instead of Rosenberg, especially since the donation receipts were signed by Rosenberg.

“I have not found a resolution from the board that authorized Mr. Alexandre Trudeau to sign this contract nor anything in the meeting minutes from committees or the board at the time, but that said, I wasn’t there.”

The Trudeau Foundation, which provides scholarships and mentorship, was established by the federal government in the early 2000s to honour the memory of former primer minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and was endowed with $125 million.

It is associated with the Ministry of Innovation, which can appoint up to eight individuals to its leadership structure.

The department told The Epoch Times that the “Government of Canada is not involved in the day-to-day operations” of the foundation.

Fournier also told the ethics committee that to her knowledge, during her mandate, the foundation did not have links with the prime minister.

“Me personally … I indeed had no links but I cannot speak for other members of our leadership.”

Trudeau has said repeatedly that he’s had no dealings with the foundation since becoming Liberal Party Leader.

“For 10 years, I have had no direct or indirect involvement with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation,” he told the House of Commons on April 26.

 ANALYSIS: 

Trudeau Says Marijuana Legalization Kept Drug From Kids; Stats Show Otherwise

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at an event in Winnipeg on April  12, 2023. (The Canadian Press/John Woods)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on April 20—a celebratory day ritualized by cannabis users known as 4/20—that he has successfully kept cannabis out of kids’ hands by legalizing the drug. 

The main studies on youth cannabis use, however, “are not very conclusive,” says Chantal Vallerand, executive director of Drug Free Kids Canada.

For example, the government’s Canadian Cannabis Survey shows an uptick in youth usage since legalization in October 2018, while its Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey shows usage rates staying stable.

The conclusions of other studies vary—but none of the studies cited in the government’s engagement paper currently being used in a legislative review of the Cannabis Act show a marked decline in children’s use.

“In 2018, our government legalized and regulated cannabis—to keep it out of the hands of kids and to take profits away from criminals. Promise made, promise kept,” Trudeau tweeted on April 20.

Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, says the Trudeau government did not fulfill either promise.

Sabet also listed off other concerns around legalization, including increased cannabis-related hospitalizations, more accidental ingestions by small children, impacts on brain development in adults up to around age 25 for whom the substance is now legal, and the increased potency of cannabis products.

Cannabis-related hospitalizations rose 14 percent from October 2020 to June 2021, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). CIHI connects this with a rise in substance abuse caused by the pandemic. Vallerand also noted that it is difficult to untangle the impacts of legalization on cannabis use from the impacts of the pandemic.

Hospitalization of children under age 10 for cannabis poisoning more than doubled after legalization, according to a study by Dr. Daniel Myran at the University of Ottawa Department of Family Medicine that looked at data between 2015 and 2021.

Illicit Market

Referring to Trudeau’s comment about taking “profits away from criminals,” Sabet said that “the underground market and gangs are bigger than ever in Canada.” The illicit market continues to thrive, he told The Epoch Times, as “demand for marijuana has skyrocketed.”

Government studies have consistently shown an uptick in cannabis use among Canadians as a whole, particularly older adults, since legalization. The government’s engagement paper says this rise follows “the upward trend that existed prior to legalization.”

The illicit market still gets a large portion of sales as it remains competitive with the legal market in terms of price and quality.

A variety of cannabis edibles are displayed at the Ontario Cannabis Store in Toronto on Jan. 3, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Tijana Martin)

Ontario’s government-run cannabis distributor, the Ontario Cannabis Store, in February announced plans to drop prices this September to compete with the illicit market, which still accounted for 43 percent of cannabis sales in the province as of March 2022.

Illicit sales Canada-wide accounted for 42 percent of all sales in 2019, a year after legalization, according to the latest data from Public Safety Canada. In 2019, the portion of legal sales had increased by about 30 percentage points since legalization, from 22 percent to 52 percent.

It is hard, however, for the government to gather information on illicit sales with precision, as is noted in a study co-authored by Syed Mahamad at the University of Waterloo. “Reporting illegal purchases to a government crowdsourcing website” used for such surveys can “skew findings,” the study said.

The impact on illicit sales and the impact on children are both factors an ongoing legislative review of the Cannabis Act is supposed to examine. The law included a mandate that the government review the legislation after three years. The review was launched a year late, in September 2022.

Health Canada received more than 2,000 responses to an online survey that is now closed, spokesperson Mark Johnson told The Epoch Times via email. The results of that survey will be published in the coming months, he said, and an expert panel will use the survey as well as other community and stakeholder outreach to help inform its assessment of the act.

Like Tobacco

Sabet said that, whether legal or illegal, the monetary interest in promoting drug-use is concerning. “These major industries … are taking the playbook right out of big tobacco. That also worries me,” he said.

Vallerand said she has also often heard the comparison to big tobacco from social workers, psychiatrists, and pediatricians. It took a long time to understand how children and society at large understand the risks of tobacco use, and to understand the impacts of how it is promoted.

“Cannabis has been among us for a long time, but now the fact that it’s legalized, there’s less stigma attached to it,” Vallerand said. “And that’s what’s dangerous, because all of a sudden it has become a little bit more normalized. So people could be all of a sudden thinking that it’s not as dangerous because it’s legal.”

Drug Free Kids Canada provides parents with free counselling and advises them on how to talk with children of all ages about the risks of cannabis use. Vallerand said studies have shown that even though parents may feel their children aren’t listening, children actually trust the information on drugs that comes from their parents more than information from other sources.

Youth psychiatrist Dafna Kahana told The Epoch Times via email that the potency of cannabis has increased, which in turn increases the risks of using the drug. “The perceived risk of cannabis has decreased,” she said. “And the potency of cannabis has increased, increasing the risks for cannabis-related harms.”

Kahana coauthored a study published September last year looking at the impacts of cannabis legalization on youth. She cited in the study government data showing use had increased among Canadians aged 12–24 from 10.7 percent in 2017 to 16.3 percent in 2018 after legalization.

It also showed an increase in the proportion of Canadians aged 16–19 who endorsed cannabis use since legalization, rising from 36 percent in 2018 to 44 percent in 2019 and 2021.

Her study noted that “the trend of a decrease in adolescents’ cannabis use seen pre-legalization may have reversed.” However, Kahana told The Epoch Times that the findings in her review “were mixed.” The evidence is still very limited, she said.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.

 

         THE CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS

                        By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

JESUS' Great Commission has been routinely held as the Church's Marching Orders for the past 2,000 years. He issued it to His disciples and followers shortly before His ascension to His Father's Throne in Heaven. It is recorded in the Gospels of both Matthew and Mark and alluded to in the Book of Acts, as well.

He said: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and 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 shall drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover.” (Mark 16: 15-20)

The commands as well as the promises of Jesus have been etched in the minds and hearts of His servants down through the centuries, as the disciples of Jesus Christ have been led by the Blessed Holy Spirit to make Him known around the world, by preaching His unadulterated Word and praying in His all-powerful Name!

Without doubt, His followers took Him and His commands seriously which is proven by the historical fact that every writer of the New Testament with the exception of John the Beloved, died as martyrs for Jesus Christ! They went to their deaths with the knowledge that they were glorifying God through their preaching as well as martyrdom.

MARTYRS FOR JESUS CHRIST!

STEPHEN was mightily used by God, but was accused of heresy by Jerusalem's Religious Council and put to death by stoning. The Bible says: “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.” (Acts 6: 8). After Stephen delivered a great sermon about God's dealings with Israel and accused them of crucifying their own Messiah, the Chief Priests went ballistic.

“When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth, but he being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into Heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And said, Behold I see the Heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried with one voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord. And cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their stones at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7: 54-60)

When the Holy Spirit fell upon the 120 in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, the Church of the Living God was born, and thousands were saved, healed and filled with the Holy Spirit. They were accused: “Did we not straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 

"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up JESUS Whom you slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, Whom God hath given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5: 28-32)

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?

The Holy Spirit worked with the disciples as they went to the Gentiles with Christ's Gospel. The pagans said: “These men who have turned the world upside down, have come here also.” (Acts 17:6). When Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the Damascus Road, he fell to the earth. His eyes were burned from the LIGHT which shone around him and was blind for three days.

Lying in the dust he heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Saul Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” He cried out: “Who art Thou, Lord?” Jesus answered: “I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest.” Saul asked two very important questions: “Who are You, Lord?” and, “What do You want me to do?” These are the two most important questions everyone should ask the Lord!

In his Pentecostal message, St. Peter said: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the Times of Refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, Whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-21)

THE TIMES OF REFRESHING!

The “times of refreshing” which the apostle declared would come before Christ's return, most definitely refers to times of seeking God. There have been numerous seasons that God has stirred His people to repent and seek His face during the past two millennium. Revivals of righteousness must continue until the Church is revived, believes the Word of God, and puts into practice the commands of Jesus!

Repentance of sin and genuine CONVERSION must occur in an individual's life before his sins are blotted out. If there is no change in the life of sinners, even if they begin attending church, does not amount to a revival. A genuine Refreshing from ABOVE entails heartfelt remorse for offending Him by an impure lifestyle, unbelief, pride and rejecting the forgiveness He offers through the vicarious death of His Son Jesus Christ!

We need go no further back in the history of the backsliding church than the opposition by large denominations of so-called Christian churches to the March 3-5, 2017 Vancouver, B.C. Franklin Graham Crusade. Why did those 'Yes-Men' denounce Franklin Graham, who is a  man of God seeking to turn lost and dying souls to the Saviour Jesus Christ?

They were offended because Graham was against the sins of Sexual Perversion, Abortion, and by calling the Muslim political/religion inherently evil. And since when is it wrong to preach the Gospel and tell the truth?

MARTIN LUTHER, the great Reformer stated: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the Word of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Him. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battle front besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”

If they can't stomach the preaching of Franklin Graham, how could they handle the much more powerful preaching of Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Simon Peter, Stephen, St. Paul, Martin Luther, John Knox, John Wesley, William Booth and Charles Finney?

WHY REVIVAL TARRIES!

There are some reasons why more of the mighty works of God are not manifested in this generation, even though Almighty God has promised in His Word to work in and through us for that purpose.

1. Because the Church is no longer tarrying before the Lord in fervent prayer, for God's love and healing to be activated in people's lives. The prayer room has been exchanged for the TV and Lunchroom. And the holy altar waits for the sweet smell of hot tears from supplicants, desperate for God to save their friends and loved ones!

Just before ascending to Heaven, the Crucified and Resurrected Lord, said: “And behold, I send the promise of the Father upon you, but Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem Until ye be endued with Power from on High.” (Luke 24: 45-49)

“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 Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Key Revival Scripture quoted since time immemorial, has very seldom been put into practice. Preaching without practice is called Hypocrisy. The Lord states: “If My people which are called by My Name, shall HUMBLE themselves, and PRAY, and SEEK My face, and TURN from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will FORGIVE their sin and will HEAL their land.” (2 Chron.7:14)

Jesus promised: “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.” (John 14: 14-18)

The nearest place to the heart of God is the place of worship, repentance and faith. The Holy Bible abounds with testimonies of people who came to the end of themselves and cried out to the Lord and received forgiveness, healing and deliverance!

PRAYER BRINGS US INTO GOD'S PRESENCE

The shed blood of Jesus Christ makes it possible for fallen man to enter into the 'Holy of Holies', the very Presence of Almighty God! Prayer is the channel through which we make contact with our Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ!

Our Lord stated: “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)

Dr. Ole Hallesby, founder of Norway's Independent Theological Seminary (1931) stated: “I doubt that I know of a passage in the whole Bible which throws greater light upon prayer than this one does. It is, it seems to me, the key which opens the door into the holy and blessed realm of prayer.

“To pray is to let Jesus into our hearts. This teaches us, in the first place that it is not our prayer which moves the Lord Jesus. It is Jesus who moves us to pray. He knocks. Thereby He makes known to us His desire to come in to us. Our prayers are always a result of Jesus' knocking at our hearts' doors. This throws new light upon the old prophetic passages: “Before they call. I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Is.65: 24)

I have often used that Scripture text as an invitation for sinners to open their hearts to the Saviour. Dr. Hallesby, however, reveals the heart of Jesus longing to spend time with His children. “Open your heart to me”, He says. “I want to sup with you. I want to have fellowship with you.”

PRAYER is the way to fellowship with Jesus! “Come and dine”, He called to the disciples who had fished all night and “taken nothing.” There are times we also may feel as though we have failed the Lord. Then we cry unto Him and are refreshed once more in His presence.

The Bible says: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalms 16:11). The place of prayer has been nearly abandoned by most Christians and replaced by a place of fellowship and other activities.

Dr. Andrew Murray wrote: “It is in Prayer that promises have their fulfillment, the Kingdom for its coming and the glory of God for its full revelation. How quickly we are deceived into resting in the form of prayer, while the power is missing.

“Our early training, the teaching of the church, the influence of habit, the stirring of the emotions, any of these can lead to prayer that has virtually no spiritual power to be taught true prayer – that which takes hold of God's strength and to which the Gates of Heaven are opened wide.”

2. Because the Church is not eagerly awaiting and longing for Christ's Return, and is delinquent in disobeying His urgent call to prepare ourselves for that earth shaking event!

The Word of God says: “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 as He is.” (1 John 3:1-2)

Jesus said: “And this gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come...For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the COMING of the Lord be.

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in Heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe 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.

“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your doth come...Therefore be ye also READY: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matt. 24: 14,27,36-42, 44)

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, LOOKING for that blessed Hope, and the glorious APPEARING of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us...” (Titus 2: 12-14)

SERVING GOD WHILE WAITING!

“For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come and will NOT tarry.” (Heb.10: 37); “For they themselves show us...how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to WAIT for His Son from Heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thes.1: 9,10)

JESUS promised that He would return: “Let not your heart 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. I will not leave comfortless; I will come to you.” (John 14: 1-3,18)

“And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you,” (John 16: 22); “And now little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at His Coming.” (1 John 2:28)

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall do: but we know that, when He shall APPEAR, we shall be like Him: for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. (1 John 3:3,4)

“And when the Chief Shepherd shall APPEAR, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away,”(1 Peter 5: 4); “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, shall APPEAR, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” (Col.3: 4)

“Behold, I show you a MYSTERY; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Cor. 15: 51,52)

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that LOOK for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb.9: 28).

The first time Jesus came, it was as the sin bearer, as God's Paschal Lamb and our Substitute to put away sin forever through His vicarious death for us all. The next time He comes, it will be as the glorified Reigning King!

Here is the KEY – Unto them that LOOK for Him and are waiting patiently for His return, He will abide and work His miracle power! When that happens Revival fires will burn again in the Church!

3. Because the Church has become LUKEWARM in its love for our Saviour and is in grave danger! There is nothing more dangerous than having only a little oil in our lamp and feeling that we are safe. We must keep our lights burning brightly for Christ continually!

JESUS warned: “Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at MIDNIGHT there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

“But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And when they went to buy, the bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut.

“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matt. 25: 1-13)

BECAUSE THOU ART LUKEWARM!

Appearing to St. John in a blinding light, JESUS warned: “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. So then because thou art LUKEWARM, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and REPENT.” (Rev. 3: 14-19)

Out of the seven churches our Lord addressed on Patmos, five were commanded to Repent or Else! The Laodicean church which mirrors many of the churches of today was singled out as needing a strong revival of repentance and righteousness. May Almighty God have mercy upon us all and send us a gracious REVIVAL.

4. Because the Church has taken away from the Holy Spirit the leadership of His Church, placing it into human hands. The One Whom Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, sent to lead His Church has been replaced by men like the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and Pastors!

JESUS CHRIST stated: “And behold, I send the Promise of the Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on High.” (Luke 24: 49)

“And being assembled together with them, commanded that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father, which ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

“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 Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1: 4, 5, 8)

“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 unto you.” (John 14: 16, 17)

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and WE will come unto him and abide with him.” (John 14: 23).

Almighty God is One, in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ declared that He would return together with the Father in the Person of the Holy Spirit and abide with us. If we love Jesus (verse 21) and keep His Word, the Father is obligated to love us and live within us! (John 15: 5-7; Col. 3:3; Eph. 3: 17; 4: 6)

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN CHARGE!

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if 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 unto My Father, and ye see Me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world (Satan) is judged.

“I have yet many things to tell you, but ye cannot bear 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 give it unto you. All things that the Father has are Mine: therefore said I, He shall take of mine, and show it unto you.” (John 15: 26; 16:13)

In 1968, God gave us amazing Gospel crusades in the West Indies, Norway and Newfoundland, where our Saviour poured out His Spirit in an extra ordinary way resulting in thousands of souls being saved, many filled with the Holy Spirit and a number of notable miracles. Our crusades across Norway lasted 3 1/2 months with newspapers writing about the amazing Move of God in that nation.

During our Crusade at the F.G. Bursey Memorial Tabernacle, near Lewisporte I was invited to go on their Radio Network across Newfoundland. During the interview their leading Radio announcer began to tear-up. I realized what was happening and asked, “Are you a backslider? He said, “Yes. Would you please speak for ten minutes on the greatest MISTAKE the Church has made in the last 2,000 years.”

Immediately God gave me answer. I said, “The Greatest Mistake the Church has Made since it inception is two fold. Number one: The Church has taken the authority and leadership out of the hands of the Holy Spirit and put that authority into human hands. Instead of the Blessed Holy Spirit of God leading the church, men like the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and Pastors are leading the Church.

“And number two: The Church has rejected the authority of the Word which the Holy Spirit has anointed, the Holy Bible!

I had the privilege of praying with the announcer and for the listeners. After signing off, the announcer and I were walking toward the front desk when I noticed two men walking quickly toward us. I thought possibly they were going to 'ball me out' for causing their announcer to become emotional, but they were as happy as could be. They said, “All the telephone lines are jammed. More than 70,000 people are listening. We have a TV Station across the street, please go over there and do the same thing.”

In 1987, Donna and I were invited to the First Pentecostal Conference of Latin American in Sao Paulo, Brazil. There were six of us preaching at the 35,000 seat stadium. The theme of the Convention was, 'The Holy Spirit in the World'. Earlier, Newsweek Magazine's cover stated: '...LATIN AMERICA PREDOMINANTLY CARDINAL RED, TURNING PROTESTANT BLACK.'

The large article stated that every hour 400 people were converting from the Roman Catholic to the Evangelical Faith. In my column for the Edmonton Sun that week, I wrote: “The Roman Catholic Church believes that the Pope is the Vicar or vice Christ of the Church and in that position is in charge of the Church. I'm sorry, Pope John Paul 11, I did not know that the Holy Spirit had taken Early Retirement.”

5. Because the Church has forgotten the words of Jesus Christ's Great Commission and have lost the burden for the unsaved. The Church has grown listless in this late hour and needs a massive revival and refreshing to right the ship and return to being a people of “called out ones from the world”; the soul winning Church!

The Great Evangelist, D.L. Moody stated: “Shame on the Christianity of the 19th Century. It is a weak and sickly thing. Would to God that we had a few men like Daniel living here today.”

VANCE HAVNER the powerful Baptist Preacher, stated: “Many years ago in Scotland in a certain community the fires had all gone out. They searched everywhere to see if anyone had fire. Finally they found a humble house where the hearth stone glowed with a cheery flame. Soon they were carrying coals here and there to replenish their own blackened fire places. 

"Today, there are weary hearts, discouraged souls, needy churches looking for a soul with fire, someone kept aglo inspite of the world, flesh and the Devil.”

Robert Murray Mcheyne said: “Men return again and again to the few who have mastered the spiritual secret, whose life has been hid with Christ in God. These are of the Old Time Religion, hung to the nails of the cross.” LEONARD RAVENHILL stated: “The greatest tragedy is a sick church in a dying world.”

The Bible says: “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

HARVEST IS TRULY PLENTEOUS!

“Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that He will send forth more labourers into His harvest.” (Matt. 9: 35-38)

The Bible says: “Be patient therefore, unto the Coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the PRECIOUS FRUIT of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the COMING of the Lord draweth nigh.” (James 5: 7, 8)

We are asked to be patient with a long patience and not give up, throw in the towel or stop in our quest for souls. The work of sowing and reaping must continue. We cannot, must not and will not stop until our Lord returns. He is counting on us to finish the work He began so long ago at such a tremendous cost!

The Bible states: “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God the Father.” (Gal.1: 3, 4)

“But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justifications.” (Rom, 4: 24, 25)

“For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold but with the precious BLOOD of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish or without spot, Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world. But was manifest in these last times for you. Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory, that your faith and your hope might be in God.” (1 Peter 1: 18-21).

JESUS said: “Say not ye, There are yet for 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 hat soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” (John 4: 35, 36)

THE NIGHT COMETH

“I must work the works of Him Who sent Me (Father in Heaven) while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the LIGHT of the world.” (John 9: 4, 5)

DR. CALVIN MILLER wrote: "Missions is a divine madness that hears the voice of God's only begotten, crying from a mountaintop, into all the world (Matt. 28:18-20). It takes this cry to bed and pillow every night. It wakes at every dawn, as Christ whispers in the heart,

"I was dead, but look--I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. You must arise for I have come to seek and to save that which was lost. There is no time to waste, the world is loved and doesn't know it.”

JOHN HARPER'S LAST CONVERT!

RMS Titanic with 2,224 passengers and crew aboard on it's maiden journey from Southampton to New York City, sank in the North Atlantic Ocean at about 2 AM April 15, 1912. Four days after their launch they struck a massive ice berg and sank a couple hours later. Some were so sure they would be rescued and refused to get into the life boats, so many left less than filled.

There were only enough lifeboats for half of those aboard. Between 1490 and 1635 perished. They had received 6 warnings of sea ice on April 14, but the owner refused to slow down or take a longer and safer route. They wanted to set a record. The Owner stated that nothing could sink the Titanic and the builder had boasted, “Not even God could sink that ship!”

A Baptist preacher John Harper gave his life jacket to an unsaved person and had the band play 'Nearer my God to Thee'. Harper carried his little daughter to the life boat and kissed her goodbye. He went about urging people to pray and call upon the Lord. He said, “Let the women, children and the unsaved into the boats.”

When the ship went down he found himself in the freezing water holding on to a piece of the wreckage. People were crying, praying and screaming all around. He noticed a young man near him and shouted: “Young man, are you saved?” He answered, “No.” The preacher shouted, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” A wave came and carried him away.

A few minutes later, he saw the young man near him again and he shouted: “Are you saved now?” The young man answered, “Not yet.” John Harper shouted, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” And then, the young man saw the preacher's hands lose their grip and slide down into the water.

A couple weeks later, a young man rose to his feet in a Gospel meeting in New York City to give his testimony. He recounted what I have just written. In closing he said, “I am that young man and I'm here to tell you that with several miles of water under me I believed and I'm here to tell you that I am John Harper's Last Convert.”

Remember, Jesus Christ said: “Come unto Me a ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11: 28); “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).

Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside, AB T5V 1N6. Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; FaceBook; Youtube. Donations can be made by e-Transfer. Make donations to [email protected]. May God bless you!