ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D
“Having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure
of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, 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.” (Eph. 1:3-7)
Ernest and Mary Mountain were
gloriously converted to Christ at the Edmonton
Revival Centre on 149 Street and Jasper Avenue in 1970. They were unmarried
with four children. Ernest had worked in the Yukon on the Big Boats, as well as
other large projects. They had moved to the west end of Edmonton and were
getting ready to separate. Ernest had purchased a new automobile but had lost
his license because of alcoholism.
As he and some friends were driving
past our church he saw the big billboard sign with the words, Get Right with
God! He was a Roman Catholic and those words began to speak to him. One
morning, he got dressed and was about to go out when Mary asked, “Where are you
going?” Ernest answered, “I’m going to that church on 149th Street
and see if they can help us.” She said, “Wait, I’m coming with you.”
It was a ten-minute walk. They asked
to see the Minister and were ushered into my little office. I asked if I could
help them with something. They said, “No.” I asked, “What
do you want?” They said, “We want God!” I said, “You
have come to the right place. Please sit down.” Then, I preached to
them Jesus Christ, crucified for their sins, buried, and risen from the dead,
for their justification.
They fell to their knees in true
repentance and asked Jesus to come into their hearts in faith and received
Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. On Sunday morning they were in
Church with their beautiful family. Shortly thereafter, I had the privilege of
performing their wedding ceremony with the entire congregation rejoicing
together with them!
ACCEPTED
IN THE BELOVED
Several years later God revealed
Himself to Ernest. While walking from his house to his Water Truck, he heard a
voice saying to him, “Accepted in the Beloved.” Immediately, he
knew it was the Holy Spirit informing him that God had accepted him and he was
a born-again child of God! He went to the Bible and found the scripture to
confirm that!
What a glorious truth! The
Creator of the universe knows all about us and loved us so much that He
sacrificed His only begotten Son to purchase our Redemption! Christ’s vicarious
death on Calvary’s Cross and resurrectionfrom the dead purchased our Redemption
and deliverance from the wicked Satan’s evil power!
St. Paul enumerates what happens when sinners
believe the Gospel and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. He discloses
the amazing fact that God knew about us and claimed us for Himself before the
foundation of the world. Jesus knew about us when He hung on the Cross and took
our place there as our substitute! An old song says: “When He was on the
Cross, I was on His mind”.
It is impossible, in the natural to
understand God’s mercy and grace and boundless love for us! By adopting us as
His own children through Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord, takes our breath
away! What have we done for all this? God freely gave Himself for us through
Jesus Christ. Salvation is God’s gift to all who believe His Word and receive
His Son as their Lord and Saviour!
The answer is in the song: “Nothing
in my hand I bring. Simply to Thy cross I cling. Take me as I am. My only plea
Christ died for me, take me as I am!
THE
BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CLEANSETH
“That the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you, the Spirit of Wisdom and
Revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling and what is the
riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
“And what is the exceeding greatness
of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty
power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set
Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power,
and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world
“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 confess our sins (to
Him), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye
sin not.
“And if any man sin, we have an
Advocate with the Father the Righteous: And He is the propitiation for our
sins; And not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
(1 John 1:7,9; 2:1,2)
The Bible says: “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. For we are His
workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:8-10)
“And this is the record that God hath
given 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.
“And this 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: 11- 15)
St. Paul stated: “There is
therefore 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, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
because of Sin: but the Spirit of Life because of righteousness. But if the
Spirit of Him that Raised Jesus from the Dead shall also Quicken (make life) your mortal (weak, sick)
bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.
“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
also may be glorified together. For the earnest expectation of the creature
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
“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 that cannot be
uttered. But 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.
“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 up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give you
all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that
justifeth.
“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: 1-39)
THE
FAITH OF GOD
“Therefore being justified by Faith,
we have Peace with God through Jesus Christ: By whom we also have access by
faith into this Grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a
good man some would even dare to die. But God commended His LOVE for us, in that, while we
were yet sinners Christ DIED
for us. Much more then, being now justified by His BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through
Him.
“For if when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the DEATH of His Son, much more being reconciled, we
shall be SAVED by His life. And not only so, but we
also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the
ATONEMENT. Whereby, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by SIN’ and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom. 5:1,2, 6-12)
THE
MIGHTY WORKS OF GOD
The
Baptism of the Holy Ghost
By Pastor
Max Solbrekken, D.D.
There are a number of 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.
JESUS'
Great Commission has been routinely held up 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, yet 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 declared that they had crucified 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)
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 genuine 'man of God' seeking to turn lost
and dying souls to the Saviour Jesus Christ?
Here were their reasons: 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 Leader of the Protestant
Reformation 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!
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 Lunch room.
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!
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 lord
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 hehat soweth and he
that reapeth may rejoice together.” (John 4: 35, 36)
“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 all 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).
Although we have not experienced the fierceness of
such drastic persecution in the Western World, millions of our brothers and
sisters in the Islamic world and other totalitarian nations are presently being
tortured, raped, beheaded and even crucified for the name of Jesus Christ our
Lord! Amen.
MOODY NEWS wrote: "90,000 Christians were
murdered for their faith around the world in 2016 according to the Center for
the Study of Global Christianity, the number of of Christians martyred in the
last decade at 900,000 which amounts to one Christian killed every 6 minutes.
Amy Kellogg explained that heir definition for a martyr is anyone who lost
their life prematurely as a result of human hostility, while they were
upholding Christianity.
"This makes Christians the most persecuted
religious group in the world", Kellogg said. - From Special Report on CSGC
- (02/07/17). We cannot and must not give
in to the Devil and discontinue preaching Christ’s Gospel.
We must not allow the Evil One to make us fearful
and timid! The Word of God cannot fail and we will stand true to our Saviour,
who said, “If thou canst believe, all
things are possible to him that believeth.” (Mark 9:23); “I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee.”(Heb. 13; 8); “Fear thou not; for I am with thee;
be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help
thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” (Is.
41:10)
WE MUST FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION!
“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 hands on the
Sick, and they shall recover.
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He
was received up into Heaven, and sat on the Right hand of God. And they went
forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word
with Signs following.” (Mark 16:15-20). Amen.
