JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE!
by Pastor Max
Solbrekken, D.D.
There are three appointments we all must keep: We will all die. We will all be judged. We will all be resurrected either to eternal life or eternal damnation. That is final!
SIN is the transgression of God’s righteous laws. SIN is missing the mark and failing the test of pleasing God! SIN must be repented of or paid for. The “wages of sin is (eternal) death.” Rom.6:23.
The GIFT of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ’s vicarious, substitutionary death and His glorious resurrection from the dead!
Are you ready to meet your Maker? Have you repented of your sins? Have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour? Do you know where you will spend eternity? He is waiting for you to come to Him in faith!
The most important question I could ask you and the most vital decision of your entire lifetime concerns the spiritual welfare of your soul and its eternal destiny!
Some preachers have soft-soaped the Gospel and watered-down God’s Word to please their parishioners. They fear that if they preach the truth, people will be turned off, stop attending Church and the offerings will drop! God’s blessing does not attend such unbelief and hypocrisy!
ARE YOU RIGHT WITH GOD? ARE YOU READY TO MEET YOUR MAKER? MY ADVICE IS: MAKE SURE!
Some Protestant Churches have experienced the devastating results of this cowardly approach resulting in true believers leaving and those churches high-jacked by anti-evangelical forces. Expelling born-again Spirit-filled Ministers and replacing them with their own types, is spiritual genocide!
Such denominations diminish rapidly - both numerically and spiritually - and will eventually end up as a haven for advocates of a worldly, perverted lifestyle, not only in the pulpit but in the pew!
Those
Churches and Ministries, however, which preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and pray for the salvation of sinners and the healing of the sick and suffering
are growing, expanding, and flourishing!
YOU MAY ASK: “WHY?”
God honours His Holy Word and answers the prayers of the penitent and faithful but lifts His hand of blessing from the rebellious! Jesus said, “The blind cannot lead the blind. They will both fall in the ditch”. (Matt. 15:14)
The Bible warns that in “the last days there will be great apostasy and backsliding, among God’s Holy Ministers. (2 Tim.3:13; 4:34). St. Paul calls them Belly Preachers. (Rom. 16:18; Phil. 3:19). These are professionals, who preach only to earn a living. They do not seek to win precious souls for Christ, because they have no spiritual life in themselves!
In saying this, I am being honest with you. Here is the truth from the Holy Bible concerning God’s love, eternity, heaven, hell, and your soul’s salvation!
NO. 1 - YOUR SPIRIT WILL NEVER DIE!
Your spirit is eternal and will live on even after your body dies! The Bible says: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (spirit)." (Gen. 2:7)
NO. 2 - ONE APPOINTMENT YOU CANNOT POSTPONE!
"It is appointed unto man once to die but after this the judgment." (Heb. 9:27); "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. 3:19)
NO. 3 - YOU CANNOT FOOL GOD!
"Be not deceived;
God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap". (Gal. 6: 7); "Be sure your sin will find you out." (Num. 32:23)
“Evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Cor. 15:33); “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Rom. 8:13)
NO. 4 - YOU'LL PAY FOR YOUR SINS IF YOU DON'T REPENT!
God's Word warns, "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:23): "...The soul (living soul, spirit) that sinneth, it shall die". (Ezek. 18:4)
"Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:15); "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (Ps. 9:17)
"When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory; and before Him shall be gathered all nations, and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
"Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
“Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: and these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (Matt. 25:31-34, 41, 46)
NO. 5 - ALL HAVE SINNED!
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23) “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Is. 53:6); "There is none righteous, no not one." (Rom. 3:10)
"They are all gone
out of the way...there is none that doeth good; no not one." (Rom.
3:10,12): "All our righteousness (good
works) are as filthy rags."
(Isa. 64:6); “The Scripture hath concluded all under sin." (Gal. 3:22)
."The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born." (Ps. 58:3); "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked and who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9)
SINNERS BY BIRTH, NATURE, AND CHOICE!
The Bible says that we all were, "By nature the children of wrath..." (Eph. 2:3). As well as being "born in sin" (Ps. 51:5) because of Adam's rebellion and fall and having a sinful nature, many carry some generational baggage because of the sins of their forefathers.
The Bible says, "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation of them that hate Me." (Ex. 34:7)
"Therefore as by the offense of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One (Jesus Christ) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." (Rom. 5:18)
NO. 6 - JESUS DIED TO SAVE SINNERS!
Jesus said, "For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance". (Matt. 9:13); “For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." (Matt. 18:11)
"He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Is. 53:5); "...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Tim. 1:15)
"For when we were yet without strength (hopeless), in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5: 6, 8)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 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)
NO. 7 - YOU MUST REPENT OF YOUR SINS!
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." (Prov. 28:13). Jesus took my place. He died for me. And He died for you as well, my friend!
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Is. 55:7)
JESUS said: "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5).
“Then Peter said unto
them, Repent, and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God 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." (1 John 5:10-13)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. 10:9-10)
NO. 9 - RECEIVE CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR BY FAITH!
"For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should
boast." (Eph. 2:8-9).
The Bible says,
"Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest." (Matt. 11:28)
"Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Is. 1:18). Jesus said, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out". (John 6:37)
Jesus Christ gives us the Power we need to live the Christian Life!
"He came unto His
own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He
the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His
name." (John 1:12)
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
NO. 10 - BAPTIZED IN WATER TO IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST!
Water Baptism is a funeral Service for the Old Man (Rom. 6:3-6). You are a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Cor. 5:17) When you are baptized in water, you confess by this act that you fully believe the Gospel.
As Jesus was crucified, you die to the old life at conversion. As Jesus was buried, you go under the water signifying the burying of the old nature and the old life. Emersion in baptism identifies us as being buried with Him in death!
And as Jesus came out of the grave and said, "All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth". (Matt. 28:18), you come out of the water as a candidate for the Holy Ghost and Fire!
The Bible says, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call". (Acts 2:38-39).
Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead, we know that one day we shall rise from the dead or be changed at His appearing! (1 Cor. 15:51-54)
NO. 11 - SEEK GOD FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM!
"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you". (John 14:16-18)
The Bible says, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call". (Acts 2:38-39)
If you desire to be a strong Christian and victorious in your living, there are some things you must do, as well as things you must not do.
READ THE BIBLE DAILY!
Study and memorize as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to mark your Bible so that you will know where to find certain passages. Before you read the Scriptures, however, ask God to enlighten His Word to your heart (Ps. 119:18) and the Blessed Holy Spirit will make His Word real to you!
REMEMBER TO PRAY REGULARLY!
Establish a certain time every day to have devotions with your family. Also set aside time for prayer and meditation when you are alone with God. Jesus said, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak". (Matt. 26:41).
He said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened". (Matt. 7: 7-8)
“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 any thing in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14)
St. Paul admonished, "Pray without ceasing". (1 Th. 5:17). The Bible
says, "Is any
among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry?
let him sing psalms. Is any sick
among you? let him call for the elders
of the church; and let them pray over
him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
"And
the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise
him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much". (James 5:13-16)
WITNESS FOR CHRIST AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY!
As you read the Holy Bible, spend time in prayer and meditation, and witness constantly to others about our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ you will be doing God’s will. His peace and joy will make you a radiant Christian with a smile on your face, joy in your heart and a hand outstretched in helping others!
The Bible says, "He that winneth souls is wise". (Prov. 11:30); “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)
The angel said to the women: "Come and see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead..." (Matt. 28:6-7)
After we have seen, heard and experienced God’s love and grace, it is our solemn duty to share it with others. We must never lose sight of our goal as believers in Jesus Christ to make Him known in all the world! As members of the Body of Christ, we must be consistent in prayer, and in paying our tithes and giving Missionary offerings to proclaim His Gospel at home and abroad!
God has so ordained it that by our tithes and offerings - as He has blessed us - we are able to propagate the gospel and share His grace and love with others! As we are faithful to do so, we will be able to reach this wicked world for our Master.
God’s
Word says: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there
may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts." (Mal. 3:10-11)
"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." (Prov. 3:9-10)
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)
"But ye seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33); "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem." (1 Cor. 16:1-3)
"But as I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." (2 Cor. 9:6-7)
Attend a Full Gospel, Pentecostal Church where they believe the entire Bible and practice what they preach. Stay full of the Holy Spirit. Pray in the Spirit (in tongues) every day and you will glorify God (Acts 2:11; 10:46) and edify yourself (1 Cor.14:4; Jude 1:20), so that you can help bring God’s healing power to others round about you!
PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO THE NATIONS IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT TASK!
Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside, Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6 Canada. Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; YouTube, Facebook; MSWM. Donations can be made by e-Transfer. Make your donations to [email protected]. May God bless you!
