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 INSPIRATIONAL
Amazing
true life Stories
True stories
that will touch your heart and inspire you
 TOMMY
from
Texas Bob's Page
http://texasbobsworld.com/tommy.htm
DYING
ATHEIST FINDS GOD
I
stood watching my university students file into the classroom for
our first session in the "Theology of Faith."
That
was the day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both
blinked.
He
was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his
shoulders. It was the first time I had ever seen a
boy with hair that long.
I
guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that
it isn't what's on your head but what's in it that counts; but on
that day, I was unprepared and my emotions flipped I immediately
filed Tommy under "s" for strange... Very strange.
Tommy
turned out to be the "atheist in residence" in my
theology of faith course.
He
constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the
possibility of an unconditionally loving Father/God. We lived with
each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he
was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.
When
he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he
asked in a cynical tone, "do you think I'll ever find
God?"
I
decided instantly on a little shock therapy. "No!" I
said very emphatically.
"Why not?," He responded, "I thought that was the
product you were pushing."
I
let him get five steps from the classroom door and then called
out, "Tommy! I don't think you'll ever find him, but I am
absolutely certain that he will find you!"
He
shrugged a little and left my class and my life. I felt slightly
disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line:
"he will find you!" At least I thought it was clever.
Later,
I heard that Tommy had graduated and I was duly grateful. Then a
sad report came. I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I
could search him out, he came to see me.
When
he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted and the
long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his
eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I
believe.
"Tommy,
I've thought about you so often--I hear you are sick", I
blurted out.
"Oh,
yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It's a matter of
weeks."
"Can
you talk about it, Tom?", I asked.
"Sure,
what would you like to know?", He replied.
"What's
it like to be only twenty-four and dying?", I asked.
"Well,
it could be worse.", He replied.
"Like
what?", I asked.
"Well,
like being fifty and having no values or ideals; like being fifty
and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the
real biggies' in life", He replied.
I
began to look through my mental file cabinet under 's' where I had
filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to
reject by classification, God sends back into my life to educate
me.)
But
what I really came to see you about", Tom said, "is
something you said to me on the last day of class."
(He
remembered!) He continued, "I asked you if you thought I
would ever find God and you said, 'no!' Which surprised me.
Then
you said, 'but he will find you.'
I
thought about that a lot, even though my search for God was hardly
intense at that time."
(My
clever line. He thought about that a lot!)
"But
when the doctors removed a lump from my groin and told me that it
was malignant, that's when I got serious about locating God.
And
when the malignancy spread into my vital organs, I really began
banging bloody fists against the bronze doors of heaven.
But
God did not come out. In fact, nothing happened.
Did
you ever try anything for a long time with great effort and with
no success?
You
get psychologically glutted, fed up with trying. And then you
quit."
"Well,
one day I woke up, and instead of throwing a few more futile
appeals over that high brick wall to a God who may be or may not
be there, I just quit.
I
decided that I didn't really care about God, about an after life,
or anything like that.
I
decided to spend what time I had left doing something more
profitable.
I
thought about you and your class and I remembered something else
you had said:" "the essential sadness is to go through
life without loving. But it would be almost equally sad to go
through life and leave this world without ever telling those you
loved that you had loved them.'"
"So,
I began with the hardest one, my Dad.
He
was reading the newspaper when I approached him.
"Dad."
"Yes,
what?", He asked without lowering the newspaper.
"Dad,
I would like to talk with you."
"Well,
talk."
"I
mean... It's really important".
The
newspaper came down three slow inches.
"What
is it?"
"Dad,
I love you--I just wanted you to know that."
Tom
smiled at me and said it with obvious satisfaction, as though he
felt a warm and secret joy flowing inside of him.
"The
newspaper fluttered to the floor. Then my father did two things I
could never remember him ever doing before.
He
cried and he hugged me. We talked all night, even though he had to
go to work the next morning.
It
felt so good to be close to my father, to see his tears, to feel
his hug, to hear him say that he loved me."
"It
was easier with my mother and little brother. They cried with me,
too, and we hugged each other, and started saying real nice things
to each other.
We
shared the things we had been keeping secret for so many years. I
was only sorry about one thing --- that I had waited so long.
Here
I was, just beginning to open up to all the people I had actually
been close to."
"Then,
one day I turned around and God was there.
He
didn't come to me when I pleaded with him. I guess I was like an
animal trainer holding out a hoop:" 'c'mon, jump through.
C'mon, I'll give you three days, three weeks.'
"Apparently
God does things in his own way and at his own hour.
But
the important thing is that he was there. He found me! You
were right. He found me even after I stopped looking for
him."
"Tommy",
I practically gasped: "I think you are saying something very
important and much more universal than you realize.
To
me, at least, you are saying that the surest way to find God is
not to make him a private possession, a problem solver, or an
instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening to
love.
You
know, the Apostle John said that. He said: "God is
love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is
living in him.'"
"Tom,
could I ask you a favor?
You
know, when I had you in class you were a real pain.
But (laughingly) you can make it all up to me now.
Would
you come into my present theology of faith course and tell them
what you have just told me?
If
I told them the same thing it wouldn't be half as effective as if
you were to tell it."
"Ooh
I was ready for you, but I don't know if I'm ready for your
class."
"Tom,
think about it if and when you are ready, give me a call."
In
a few days, Tom called, said he was ready for the class, that he
wanted to do that for God and for me. So we scheduled a date.
However,
he never made it. He had another appointment, far more important
than the one with me and my class.
Of
course, his life was not really ended by his death, only changed.
He
made the great step from faith into vision. He found a life far
more beautiful than the eye of man has ever seen or the ear of man
has ever heard or the mind of man has ever imagined.
Before
he died, we talked one last time.
"I'm
not going to make it to your class", he said.
"I
know, Tom."
"Will
you tell them for me? Will you tell the whole world for me?"
"I
will, Tom. I'll tell them. I'll do my best."
So,
to all of you who have been kind enough to read this simple story
about God's love, thank you for listening.
And
to you, Tommy, somewhere in the sunlit, verdant hills of heaven
--- I told them, Tommy as best I could.
If
this story means anything to you, please pass it on to a friend or
two.
It is a true story and is not enhanced for publicity purposes.
With
thanks,
Rev. John Powell, professor Loyola university in Chicago
1
John 4:8 He
that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (kjv)
INSPIRATIONAL
Amazing
true life Stories
True stories
that will touch your heart and inspire you
 THE
'Birdies' ANGELS came to
take our 3 year old son to Heaven
When
I got
off the plane a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said,
"Mr. Glenn, there is an emergency at your home. I do not know
what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to
the phone so you can call the hospital." My heart was
now pounding, but the will to be calm took over. Woodenly, I
followed this stranger to the distant telephone where I called the
number he gave me for the Mission Hospital.
My
call was put through to the trauma center where I learned that my
three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic
garage door for several minutes, and that when my wife had found
him he was dead.
CPR
had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the
paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to
the hospital. By the time of my call, Brian was revived and they
believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had
been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the
door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his
heart. He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the
medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I
took comfort in her calmness.
The
return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the
hospital six hours after the garage door had come down. When I
walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared
me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with
tubes and monitors everywhere.
He
was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to
give me a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream.
I
was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis.
Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that
his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time
would tell if his brain received any damage.
Throughout
the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian
would eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith
like a lifeline.
All
that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed
like forever since I had left for my business trip the day before.
Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained
consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have
ever heard spoken. He said, "Daddy hold me" and he
reached for me with his little arms.
By
the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or
physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread
throughout the hospital. You can imagine how relieved we felt as
we brought Brian home. We also felt a unique reverence for
the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who
brush death so closely.
In
the days that followed there was a special spirit about our home.
Our two older children were much closer to their little brother.
My
wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very
close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace.
Perspective seemed to be more focused, and balance much easier to
gain and maintain. We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly
profound.
The
story is not over (smile)!
Almost
a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his
afternoon nap and said, "Sit down Mommy. I have something to
tell you." At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in
small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised my wife. She
sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and
remarkable story.
Do
you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was
so heavy and it hurt really bad. I called to you, but you couldn't
hear me. I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad. And then
the 'birdies' came."
"The
birdies?" my wife asked puzzled.
"Yes," he replied. "The birdies made a whooshing
sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me."
"They
did?"
"Yes,"
he said. "One of the birdies came and got you. She came to
tell you "I got stuck under the door." A sweet reverent
feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter
than air.
My
wife realized that a 3 year old had no concept of death and
spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from
beyond as "birdies" because they were up in the air like
birds that fly. "What did the birdies look like?" she
asked.
Brian
answered, "They were so beautiful. They were dressed in
white, all white. Some of them had green and white. But some of
them had on just white."
"Did
they say anything?"
"Yes," he answered. "They told me the baby would be
all right." "The baby?" my wife asked confused.
Brian
answered. "The baby laying on the garage floor." He went
on, "You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the
baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave."
My
wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone
and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest
whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you
can."
As
she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she
realized that the spirit had left His body and was looking down
from above on this little lifeless form. "Then what
happened?" she asked.
"We
went on a trip," he said, "far, far away." He grew
agitated trying to say the things he didn't seem to have the words
for. My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it
would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that
obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was
difficult.
"We
flew so fast up in the air. They're so pretty Mommy," he
added. "And there are lots and lots of birdies." My wife
was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped
her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known.
Brian
went on to tell her that the "birdies" had told him that
he had to come back and tell everyone about the
"birdies." He said they brought him back to the house
and that a big fire truck, and an ambulance were there. A man was
bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man
that the baby would be okay,
The
story went on for an hour. He taught us that "birdies"
were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with
our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears.
But
they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his
hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do
what is right because they love us so much.
Brian
continued, stating, "I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan.
Daddy has a plan. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan
and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause they
love us so much."
In
the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part
of it, again and again. Always the story remained the same. The
details were never changed or out of order.
A
few times he added further bits of information and clarified the
message he had already delivered. It never ceased to amaze us how
he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he
talked about his birdies.
Everywhere
he went, he told strangers about the "birdies."
Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did
this. Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and
smiled. Needles to say, we have not been the same ever since that
day, and I pray we never will be.
Luke
4:10 (kjv) For it is written, He shall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee:
NIV: For it is written: “‘He will command his angels
concerning you to guard you carefully;
Sent
in by Ken Reuer, Burning Bush Crusades, Wetaskiwin, AB
DADDY
- DON'T FORGET
TO WAIT FOR ME!
By
Heather McPherson, 12 years old
I
remember my dad so well: the way he laughed, the way he smiled,
the corny jokes he used to tell and that goofy look he put on his
face to cheer me up. When I was growing up, my dad was in the
Navy, first sailing, and then later working in the office. I
remember how his office was covered in cards that I had made him.
After
my father retired from the Navy, I got to know him much better.
We did more things together, we talked more often and he'd always,
always listen to everything I had to say. I never guessed
that those good times would come to such an abrupt end.
April
21, my dad sat down with me and told me something that changed my
life forever. He had terminal lung cancer. When he
told me, I felt hot and cold all over at the same time. I
couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't make a sound.
I just sat there, and we both began to cry.
Months
went by with regular hospital visits, chemotherapy and radiation.
My father looked better, but then started to get worse with each
passing day. I watched him, that strong, amazing, fearless
man that I once knew, become weak, sick and tired. As the
weeks went on, he could no longer eat, and he was worse than ever
before. My mother had planned to bring him home to visit,
but as December came, he became too sick to come home.
December
11 came. My birthday. We brought a cake to his room
and he tried to sing happy birthday for me, then he called me over
to his bed and kissed my forehead. I tried to believe that
everything would be all right. That everything would go back
to normal.
Two
days later, I spent the night with my dad. I sat by his bed
and watched him sleep, and he looked so peaceful. It was
really hard for me to see him the way he was though, with IVs in
his hands, and tubes all over. I cried myself to sleep every night
after that.
On
the night of December 20, I spent the night at my mum's friend's
house. I lay awake that night, thinking about the next morning
and, for some reason, fearing it. Maybe I knew or maybe I
had a sense that something was going to happen. The next
morning, she took me to the hospital and my mum was there. I
sat down on a chair in the lounge, and I overheard my mother
talking to her friend.
"The nurses say that today is the day." I felt
exactly like I had eight months ago, a surge of hot and cold
filling my body. My grandparents were at the hospital too;
my tiny grandmother was shaking, and my grandfather was talking to
a nurse. I didn't cry, though. There were other
patients in the room, and I didn't want to upset them.
I
went to see my dad. He looked so sick, so thin, but I held
back my tears. I didn't want him to see me crying. I walked
over to his bed and I bent down and hugged him. He whispered
into my ear, "I love you," and kissed my forehead.
I hugged my dad, kissed his cheek and whispered, "I love you,
too, Daddy."
I
stayed with him in that room until the nurses told me that I
should get something to eat. My two sisters, my brother and
my sister's boyfriend were waiting for me, so that we could all go
out to lunch together. We went across the road, and we were
halfway through our lunch when my sister's cell phone rang.
I dreaded this phone call. My sister, in tears, mumbled
something to the caller and hung up. "It's time."
We
quickly paid the check and ran across the street. There were
cars coming, but we didn't care. We wanted to see our
father. When we got there, my grandma was standing in the
hall crying. She told us that he was gone. It was too
late. My sister collapsed on the floor and couldn't get back
up. I ran into my dad's room and saw his lifeless body, just
lying there, motionless. My mum was beside him, holding his
hand and crying. I didn't know what to do; I was so
confused. I just started crying and ran up to him. I hugged
him and said, "Daddy, come back, come back," but he
didn't.
We
had a service for him on December 27. My mum had put an
announcement in the paper about his death, giving details about
the service. There were so many people there. Most of
them didn't talk; they just sat there and cried. My
godfather and my aunt both gave speeches, and both burst into
tears when they finished.
To
this day, almost six months after my father's death, I think about
all those people crying for one man, for my father. I think
a lot about different things. I think about how he isn't
suffering anymore and how he is up in heaven with his grandparents
smiling down at me. I think about how he won't be there for my
graduation, and how he won't be able to walk me down the aisle at
my wedding, but I also think about how he'll always be here for me
- not in body, but in spirit - and how he'll forever be in my
heart.
If I could say one thing to him right now, and he would be
able to hear it, it would be this . . . Daddy, don't forget to
wait for me.
Hebrews
12:9 - Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh
which corrected us,
and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in
subjection
unto the Father of spirits, and live
Sent
in by Ken Reuer, Burning Bush Crusades, Wetaskiwin, AB
HOW
A DISTRESSED WIDOW
was saved from Suicide
by a little boy !
A
Small Boy's Witness
Every
Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at their church, the
Pastor and his eleven-year-old son would go out into their town
and hand out Gospel Tracts.
This
particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and
his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold
outside as well as pouring down rain.
The
boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said;
"OK dad, I'm ready." His Pastor dad asked, "Ready
for what?" "Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together
and go out." Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside
and it's pouring down rain."
The
boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking "But Dad, aren't
people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?" Dad
answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather."
Despondently, the boy ask, "Dad, can I go? Please?"
His
father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. H
ere are the tracts, be careful son." "Thanks Dad!"
And with that, he was off and out
into the rain.
This
eleven-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going door to
door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract.
After
two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet
and down to his VERY LAST TRACT.
He
stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but
the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first
home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang
the doorbell.
He
rang the bell, but nobody answered. He rang it again and again,
but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.
Finally,
this eleven-year-old trooper turned to leave, but something
stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and
knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something
holding him there on the front porch. He rang again, and this ti
me the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad-
looking elderly lady.
She
softly asked "What can I do for you son?" With radiant
eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said,
"Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell
you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU,
and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell
you all about JESUS and His great LOVE."
With
that, he handed her his last tract, and turned to leave. She
called to him as he departed. "Thank you, son! And God Bless
You!"
Well,
the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the
pulpit. As the service began, he asked, "Does anybody have a
testimony or want to say anything?"
Slowly,
in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet.
As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her
face, "No one in this church knows me. I've never been here
before.
You
see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed
on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world.
Last
Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more
so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no
longer had any hope or will to live.
So
I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic
of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof,
then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope
around my neck.
Standing
on that chair, so lonely and broken hearted I was about to leap
off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs
startled me. I thought, I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will
go away.
"I
waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder
and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started
knocking loudly.
I
thought to myself again, "Who on earth could this be?! Nobody
ever rings my bell or comes to see me."
I
loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all
the while the bell ran g louder and louder
When
I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for
there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little
boy I had ever seen in my life.
His
SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! And the words that
came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead, TO
LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice,
"Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS
REALLY DOES LOVE YOU."
Then
he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand. As the
little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed
my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract.
Then
I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be
needing them any more. You see, "I am now a Happy Child of
the KING and since the address of your church was on the back of
this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU TO
God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and, by so
doing, spared my soul from eternity in hell."
There
was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honor
to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor
Dad
descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel
was seated.
He
took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably. Probably no
church has had a more glorious moment, And probably this universe
has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor
for his son...Except for One.
This
Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark world.
He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of
heaven shouted praises and honor to The King, The Father sat His
beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and
every name that is named.
James
1:27 - Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and
to keep himself unspotted from the world.
TRANSFORMED
from
Atheist
& Alcoholic to
GOSPEL
PREACHER
by:
Terry Severson
I
WAS AN ATHEIST & ALCOHOLIC!
Jesus
saved me, Jesus filled me with The Holy Spirit & I'M NOW
PREACHING THE GOSPEL of Jesus Christ.
The
day is Wednesday, September 15, 2004. I am sitting
reflecting back to September 15, 1991, the day that Jesus Christ
came into my life and set me free. The day that the Lord
saved me from myself and from an eternity in hell.
My
name is Terry Severson. I am from Norquay, Saskatchewan.
For 29 years of my life I was separated from God. I was a
professing atheist, someone who says there is no God. I had
never seen any evidence of God and our school system teaches
evolution, which is godlessness. We teach our children in
Canada that there is no God.
I
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT LEAST FIVE TIMES
As
a young boy of 14 years of age, I started drinking, which lead to
numerous problems. I made at least five suicide attempts
from which God delivered me every time.
I
did not know until many years later that it had been God who had
saved me from killing myself each of the five times I attempted to
kill myself.
At
the age of 19, I met Shelleu Schow and God used her to take the
desire of killing myself away from me. I still had
major problems such as alcoholism, a foul dirty mouth and many
other problems. Sin had me bound and I did not know how to
get free. Deep inside I knew that something was
missing from my life.
Norquay,
Saskatchewan is the home town of Pastor Max Solbrekken.
Pastor Solbrekken is a powerful man of God who has proclaimed the
Gospel of Jesus all over the world.
In
Norquay, not much is known about Pastor Max Solbrekken or his
ministry ( a prophet has honour except in his hometown and amongst
relatives), but that is about to change !
In
John 4:43-45, we find Jesus going back to Galilee where He was
first rejected, but this time they received him after they had
seen all the great things that Jesus Christ did.
I
believe a day is coming when God will move powerfully in Norquay,
Saskatchewan and Pastor Max will be used mightily by our Lord.
In
1987, we were still heathen. I was still mocking God when my
wife and I rented a house which was owned by Max Solbrekken's dad
who had passed away. We were the first ones to rent his
house and people would say, "Someday, Terry, you will be a
preacher like Max Solbrekken. I used to swear at people
and tell them to get lost.
My
wife even told me, "One day, Terry, you will carry a Bible
and be a preacher like Max Solbrekken." I couldn't
believe my ears. I thought my wife was loosing her mind.
But
shortly after we moved into that house, I quit drinking, and nine
months later, I quit smoking. I smoked two packs of
cigarettes a day. It was the mercy of the Lord that was
dealing with me, even though I was unaware of it. Even
before I knew the Lord, He was doing a work within me.
September
15, 1991, I heard the message of salvation in Regina,
Saskatchewan. Jesus Christ set me free from sin that day.
I have never been the am since that day. There was no
looking back. There was no going back. I really had
nothing to go back to.
I
am now an Evangelist, a preacher just like Pastor Max Solbrekken.
The prophecy came true, much to my surprise.
I
have a passion for Jesus Christ. I have a passion for the
lost souls in this world. Many people in the world do not
know about Jesus Christ. I want to see hell empty and Heaven
full.
The
church must rise and let the world know about Jesus Christ.
I am so thankful for what the Lord has done in my life and I want
to share the gift of eternal life with all I come in contact with
(Psalm 40 - 1-3)
Pastor
Max Solbrekken, greetings from Norquay. I am sending you my
testimony. May the name of the Lord be glorified amongst all
people.
Love
in Christ
Terry Severson
INSPIRATIONAL
SCRIPTURES
verses & stories of hope &
faith
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid
of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he
will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deuteronomy 31:6
KJV)
“And
be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians
4:32 KJV)
“There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
(Galatians 3:28 KJV)
“Trust
in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)
"Be
not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
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."
(Proverbs3: 7, 8, 9,. 10 KJV)
JESUS
CHRIST DIED FOR YOU
#1
- JESUS CHRIST LOVES YOU
No
more beautiful words were ever spoken by men or angels than these,
"I know God loves me!" Praise God. Say these
precious words and believe them and you will see what a change
will be affected within your life.
#2
- JESUS CHRIST KNOWS ALL ABOUT YOU
"For
the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to
show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect
toward him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
"Tis
so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word, Just to
rest upon His promise, Just to know, Thus saith the Lord."
In
every situation of life God knows about you! During every
trial, heartbreak and discouragement in the temptations and
struggles of life Jesus knows about us and makes a way of escape.
(1 Corinthians 10:13) God knows and He is ready to help -
Say it to yourself, "God knows about my existence and He
loves me - His eyes are upon me and I know everything will be
alright."
#3
- JESUS CHRIST CARES ABOUT YOU
"Casting
all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you." (1 Peter
5:7)
Life
often seems like a rat race with dog eat dog and whoever gets in
first get what he needs and whoever gets in last misses
everything. People can often be hardhearted and cruel -
circumstances and situations can make life almost unbearable.
Many times Satan has filled peoples' hearts and minds with such
tremendous disillusionment and depression that they have in utter
hopelessness taken their own lives.
The
hymn writer penned the words, "What a Friend we have in
Jesus, All our sins and grief's to bear! What a privilege to
carry - Everything to God in prayer."
I
am thrilled with the great news of God's love every time I hear
it. I am thrilled that God loves me, He knows all about me
and that He cares about me - my difficulties and my needs.
Praise God! Say it to yourself - "I know God cares
about me and will help me!"
#4
- JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU
"But
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
You
can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
No wonder the Apostle John wrote, "We love Him because He
first loved us." There is a word that is seldom used in
today's world but one which is probably one of the most powerful
in our vocabulary. It is the word "Apodictic" and
it means "Evident beyond contradictions". It is
one of my foremost words because it relates to the gospel and to
Christ our wonderful Lord. When you speak about God, His
power, His words, His promises, His grace, His goodness and His
mercy and love, the word Apodictic covers them all!
Evident
beyond Contradiction! His existence is so real that only a
foolish person could try to contradict the fact! No wonder
the Bible says, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no
God". (Psalm 14:1)
 NO.
5 ~ JESUS CHRIST AROSE FROM THE DEAD AND WILL HELP YOU TODAY
A
dead man has no power to help anyone - He cannot even help
himself! That is why so many traditional churches and nominal
Christians receive no answers to their prayers and have no victory
in their lives. They believe in and worship a dead Christ. They
wear crucifixes that have a resemblance of Christ, dead on the
cross. Beloved friends, the cross is empty - Jesus Christ is alive
for evermore with all power at His disposal.
He
has the power to set His children free from every bondage and
situation in which we find ourselves that is embarrassing,
improper, humiliating and painful.
“Lo
behold the man of sorrow, lo behold Him in plain view. There He
stands that mighty conqueror, since He rent the veil in two."
“I
serve a risen Saviour, He’s in the world today; I know that He
is living, whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear
His voice of cheer and just the time I need Him, He’s always
near. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with
me and talks with me, along life’s narrow way. You ask me how I
know He lives, He lives within my heart.” Hallelujah.
The
very essence of Christianity, the heart of the gospel and the
foundation truth of the church is that Jesus Christ, God’s Son
died upon a cross for our sins and that He was raised from the
dead on the third day for our Justification! (1 Corinthians
15:1-4)
Of
all religions only Christianity can boast a resurrection and only
Christ is a Saviour, for He only is Alive Forevermore. Praise His
Name.
JESUS
IS THE ONLY WAY
No
wonder Peter said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for
there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved”. (Acts 4:12)
Why?
Because the name of a dead man can save no one but Jesus is not
dead HE IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE! Hallelujah. His entire ministry
while upon this earth revolved around preaching the gospel,
healing the sick, forgiving the sinful, restoring the diseased
back to health, feeding the hungry and raising the dead.
When
He was crucified His ministry came to an end abruptly - until 50
days later - after He had risen from the dead and spent 40 days
with His disciples He ascended into heaven and poured out upon His
followers the “Baptism of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4)
Then His ministry continued greater than ever through those who
believed upon Him - The blind saw, the deaf heard, the lame
walked, the dead were raised and the gospel was preached to
multitudes.
“Now
Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of
prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his
mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of
the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that
entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go
into the temple asked an alms.
And
Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of
them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I
have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up
and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up:
and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he
leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the
temple, walking, and leaping and praising God.” (Acts 3:1-9)
“And
by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought
among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's
porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the
people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the
Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
“Insomuch
that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them
on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing
by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out
of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and
them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed
every one.” (Acts 5:12-16)
THE
GREAT COMMISSION
It
is evident the Book of Acts is a continuation of the ministry of
Jesus Christ through His followers by the power of the Holy
Spirit, and that it is God’s will for His power to continue to
bring blessing and healing to His people in every generation until
the church age is over and Christ sets up His kingdom and ushers
in the millennium -
Notice
His words to all who believe, “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”. (Mark 16:15-18)
The
Holy Bible says, “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. 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 are called, you are saved and if you are saved, the baptism of
the Holy Ghost and power is for you! Again see what St. James
writes to the church, “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”. (James
5:14,15)
THE
SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN
Now
in closing let us see what Jesus Himself said concerning praying
and receiving an answer....
“Ask,
and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and
he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.” (Matthew 7:7,8)
“Believe
me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe
Me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.
And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in
My name, I will do it.” (John 14:11-14)
“Jesus
said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to
him that believeth.” (Mark 9:23)
“Again
I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as
touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them
of My Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19)
“If
ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye
will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)
My
beloved friend, Jesus Christ is indeed alive and waiting to hear
from you. If you will accept Him as your personal Saviour and
trust in Him you will definitely receive answers to your prayers
and the assurance that all is well with your soul, for He has
promised and guaranteed you that His word is true and the
scripture cannot be broken. (John 10:35)
Amen.
WOULD
YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST
INTO YOUR HEART TODAY?
PRAY
THIS PRAYER NOW TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST IN YOUR HEART
"Dear
Heavenly Father,
I
ask for Thy great mercy and grace. I acknowledge my
sinfulness and confess that I cannot save myself. I believe
the GOOD NEWS that Jesus paid the penalty for m sins, through His
vicarious death on the cross."
"I
believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead according to the
Scriptures and He has the power and authority to forgive my sins
and save my soul. I repent of my sins and am willing to
forsake them with the help of the Holy Spirit."
"I
now renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways and I
now receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, my Master and my
God. Come into my heart and save me now, for Christs' sake.
Thank you Lord, for saving my soul. In Jesus precious' name,
I pray." Amen.
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