|
 GOD
IS CALLING US
TO PRAYER
Its
time to listen to the call of God
by Pastor Max
Solbrekken, D.D
 THE
LORD'S PRAYER
"Our
Father Which are in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy
kingdom call. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive
us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against
us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil: for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-13)
PRAYER
NOT ONLY CHANGES THINGS; IT CHANGES LIVES!
The
Bible says, "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 Chronicles 7:14)
Prayer
is vital, if we are to have communion with God we must pray.
The first prayer everyone needs to pray is:
AN
IMPORTANT PRAYER TO REMEMBER
"O God be merciful to me a sinner, forgive my sins and
save my soul! I trust in the blood of Jesus Christ to atone for my
sins. I now renounce the devil, all his works & all his ways.
I now receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord in His
Name. Amen".
When
fellowship has been restored with God through prayer, we can pray
for our needs, and pray for others! The Lord's prayer is found in
the Bible chapter of Matthew 6:9-13). The Lord's
prayer is a powerful model:
Spending
time alone with God is vital in the Christian life. We should spend time alone with God in prayer, praise and
thanksgiving; as well as in corporate prayer with fellow
believers!
Jesus
invites: "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." (Matthew 7:7-8)
St.
Jude wrote about the EVIL, FILTHY, LUSTY LIFESTYLES OF MANY.
He warned of the end times, and the coming judgment upon those who continue in
their pernicious, lascivious ways. Then he admonished the
believers: "But ye beloved, building up yourselves on your
most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit." (Jude 20)
ALWAYS
STAY IN THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER -- PRAY WITHOUT CEASING
|We
should always stay in an attitude of prayer. The Bible says,
"Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
The
Scottish preacher, Robert Murray McCheyne stated, "Give
yourself to prayer, and get your texts, thoughts, your words from
God. Luther spent his best three hours in prayer."
Writing
about the martyr George Fox, William Penn stated: "But above
all he excelled in prayer... the most awful, living, reverend
frame I ever felt or beheld, I must say, was his prayer. He knew
and lived nearer to the Lord than other men..."
DOES
GOD ANSWER PRAYERS? YES - GOD DOES ANSWER PRAYERS!
John Wesley - founder of the Methodist Church - stated,
"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and
desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be
clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and
set up the kingdom of heaven on earth. God does nothing but in
answer to prayer."
Martin
Luther stated, "If I should neglect prayer but a single day,
I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith."
Jesus constantly urged His disciples to pray: "Watch and
pray, lest ye enter into temptation." (Matthew 26:41)
It was after an all night prayer session with His Father in Heaven
that Jesus chose His twelve apostles!
And
it was after fasting His forty day fast - being tempted by the
devil in the wilderness - that Jesus defeated Satan's temptations
by using the Word of God to refute and overcome him! The Scripture
records that after His victory over Satan in that temptation that
Jesus "returned in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:14),
and great miracles of healing and casting out of demons were
overwhelmingly present in His ministry!
It
was after a ten day prayer meeting that the Holy Spirit fell upon
120 seeking souls on the Day of Pentecost! (Acts 2:1-4)
THE
AWESOME POWER OF PRAYER
Prayer
is the natural outcry from the heart of a human being to his Maker
in response to the tug of the Word of God, implanted within the
conscience.
That
tug is even stronger in the heart of one who has had a visitation
of the Holy Spirit's convicting presence or has heard the gospel
message! The Holy Spirit's call to prayer becomes as
natural and desirous as the call for food at mealtime.
Prayer
is our inner man crying out for help, fellowship and spiritual
nourishment! It is born out of our need and the assurance that God
is there to meet that need and answer our prayer! To the
individual who has opened his life to the Savior.
WHAT
IS PRAYER & HOW DO I PRAY?
Prayer is talking, listening and communing with our Maker as
we enter into the very presence of Almighty God. Prayer is
an intimate fellowship on a "one to one basis" with God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord!
When we pray, our total inner man becomes involved with God.
Our spirit cries out in response to our needs and those of others,
as God plays on our heart strings, encouraging us to share those
burdens with Him.
Our
minds stagger under the weight of sin, fear, worry and care and
our spirits soar both to heights unknown as well as plumb to
incomprehensible depths.
We
groan in the spirit of intercession or exult in the joy of God,
knowing that He is taking control of the situation! And that by
our compassion, care and faith people in need are being convicted,
strengthened, healed and blessed!
As
we pray and weep in travail our eyes redden, our physical strength
is taxed and our body becomes weary! Then the Holy Spirit takes
over and intercedes through us with groanings that cannot be
uttered, and we enter into a new realm as we pray in the Spirit
(unknown tongues), as St. Paul did. (1 Corinthians 14:15)
The
Divine Paraclete (the Comforter - the One sent alongside to help)
helps us as we do not know how we ought to pray. But He comes to
our rescue and prays through us to the Father! The
entire Trinity is involved in our fellowship, as we pray to God
our Father in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord!
Prayer
is mankind's most vital link with Almighty God. It is, in fact,
entering into His very presence with our requests, petitions and
thanksgiving. When we pray, God not only listens but speaks
to our spirits and answers our requests in His own way, according
to His divine and gracious will.
The
scripture says, He is closer than our hands or feet. It is
therefore, not difficult to draw upon His power by reaching out in
prayer and touching Him. The
woman with the "issue of blood" touched Him with her
faith and received an instant miracle. Jesus turned about in the
crowd and asked specifically, "Who touched My clothes"?
Many
rubbed shoulders with Him, but one person touched Him by faith.
She had said within herself, "If I but touch His garment, I
shall be whole." She was made whole, and Jesus declared that
her faith had gotten the job done! (Matthew 9:21)
'Prayer
is talking, listening and communing with God as we enter into the
very presence of the Almighty!'
The
20th Century Bible renders the account this way: Jesus said,
"Someone has touched Me". And they said, "Master,
the multitudes press Thee and crush Thee". But He answered,
"No, someone has made a demand upon My ability".
When
we pray and believe and reach out for a miracle, we make a demand
upon His ability and draw from His great storehouse of blessing,
that which we desire! Another
beautiful aspect of prayer, is that the woman received the miracle
without Jesus knowing she had a need. The miracle was already
accomplished before Jesus was aware of it!
'PRAYER
NOT ONLY CHANGES THINGS; IT CHANGES LIVES!'
The
easiest way for me to illustrate God's provision for us, is to
compare it to a buffet banquet. Many tables, loaded with the best
foods sits in the middle of the room and guests help themselves at
will. The host simply walks among his friends to see if everyone
is getting enough to eat, while the servers keep loading the
tables with fresh supplies!
The
host is not really concerned whether you make one or three trips
to the tables, so long as you get enough to eat. He doesn't watch
to see if you take one leg of chicken or two!
Forgiveness,
healing, blessing and prosperity are all provided for us. We can
have all we need! All we have to do, is reach out by faith and
make a demand on His ability, by praying and by receiving.
Automatically,
when we pray we tap into His resources by faith in His finished
work on Golgotha, the miracle happens!
Through prayer and communion with God we can affect the course
of this world and change the complexion of society!
Prayer
changes things! Many situations have been altered, lives changed
and priorities rearranged by spending time in prayer.
Why is
this? God answers prayer! God performs miracles! He is real, and
communion with Him is a glorious reality!
Not
only does prayer change things but it prayer changes people -
prayer changes the lives of the ones prayed for as well as the
persons praying. Thousands of answers to prayer are recorded
regularly in the books of heaven, as well as in the remembrances
of committed Christians.
Miracles
of salvation, healing, preservation, deliverance and prosperity
are common occurrences for those who really believe God's Word and
pray and seek God and appropriate His promises for themselves!
A
person gets a totally new outlook on life when he spends time in
prayer and in God's presence. His priorities change as well as his
desires and goals in life. Prayer can change your disposition and
make you kinder and more caring!
The hymn writer penned these words which have blessed millions
down through the years.
"Sweet
hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, That calls me
from a world of care
And sets me at my Father’s throne, Makes all my wants and wishes
known.
In
seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter's snare, By thy return, sweet
hour of prayer."
THE
CALL TO FAITH
The twin pillars of the Christian Church are REPENTANCE and
FAITH. St. Paul makes that very plain: "Testifying both to
the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21)
Writing to new converts he said: "For by grace (God's
unmerited favor) are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man
should boast". (Ephesians 2:8-9)
To believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him into your life is to
have faith! Faith is a fact but faith is also an act, because
faith requires corresponding action!
The Bible says, "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". (John 3:16)
When you have faith in God, you will believe the Gospel of Jesus
Christ and dedicate your life in His service! Real faith
transforms a person's lifestyle, because faith in God works
miracles in people! "Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
HOW
DO WE RECEIVE FAITH?
According
to the Holy Scriptures, God has given each one of us faith to
believe in Jesus Christ, His Son and be saved: ..."think
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of
faith." (Romans 12:3)
He has placed His Word within our conscience and our spirit which
came from God! (Romans 7:22-25) The Word of God also creates
faith! "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God." (Romans 10:17) God has called us to a
life of faith and worship, through Jesus Christ His Son!
The Bible says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen. But without faith it is
impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe
that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him". (Hebrews 11:1,6)
WHAT
IS FAITH? FAITH IS THREE THINGS:
1)
Coming to God with our needs.
2) Believing that God exists and
that He is Who the Bible says He is.
3) Expecting a miracle (an
answer) when you pray!
'Faith in the Father & faith in the Son, Faith in the Holy
Ghost, three in the One
Demons will tremble & sinners awake, Faith in Christ Jesus
will anything shake!'
Faith is also a gift as well as a fruit of the Holy Spirit!
"To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of
healing by the same Spirit;" (1 Corinthians 12:9)
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." (Galatians 5:22)
THE
CALL TO SEPARATION
- Jesus
calls us to righteous, holy and pure living! The Bible says,
"But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in
all manner of conduct." (1 Peter 1:15)
Sanctification is the process by which believers are set apart for
God and His service, to be made holy and purified from sin by His
gifts and graces and our determined will to do that which is
right!
We cannot do this in our own power. The Scripture says, "But
of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption." (1
Corinthians 1:30)
St. Paul admonished, "For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That
every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
sanctification and honor."
"For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto
holiness." (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4, 7)
God sets us apart through the divine process of redemption and the
infilling of the Holy Spirit, but we must separate ourselves
totally and completely unto Him, in order that His miraculous
provision will work within us!
The
Bible clearly states that God desires His people to lead pure,
wholesome lives - NOT LIKE THE PAGAN - and to be separated from
the evil practices of lying, witchcraft, hatred, gambling,
idolatry, sodomy and adultery. His word teaches purity of
thought, word and deed!
St. Paul declared, "Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you." (2 Corinthians 6:17)
God promises to be our Father, if we believe His Word and live by
it! In His dealings with Israel. He demanded that they
separate themselves from idols and the pagan practices of the
heathen! "But I say, that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would
not that ye should have fellowship with devils." (1
Corinthians 10:20-21)
As Christians, we are followers of Jesus Christ and must not try
to drag Him down to the filth in which the ungodly live, but allow
Him to lift us to the place of purity and wholeness which He
exemplifies.
JESUS
SAVES US FROM SINS, NOT TO LIVE IN OUR SINS!
The Bible says, "If a man therefore purge himself from
these (carnal, sinful & dishonorable pursuits) he shall be a
vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and
prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but
follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call
on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:21-22)
Again
God's Word states, "Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2
Corinthians 7:1)
THE
CALL TO DEDICATION
- The
word dedicate means to "set apart and consecrate to a divine
being. To give wholly or earnestly to a patron, friend or
purpose". It is in this sense I now use this word. We
should be willing to give ourselves wholly and earnestly unto the
cause of righteousness, loving God and our fellowman!
The Bible does not compromise. It is clear in its teachings that
if we do certain things, God will bless and prosper us! And if we
do not, there will be no blessing!
Here is His clarion call to dedication: "And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
This stern admonition was sent to former pagans, who had converted
to Christ. St. Paul demanded that they break from evil, lustful
and perverted deeds and live in purity as Christians!
There
is no such thing as a Christian thief, or a Christian liar, a
Christian drunkard, a Christian drug addict, a Christian
homosexual or a Christian fornicator.
When Christ comes into our hearts, the Holy Spirit does a work in
us whereby we are liberated from the lusts and perversions of this
wicked old world! He admonishes Timothy and all of us:
"but thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight
the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou
art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many
witnesses."
"I give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all
things, and before Christ Jesus, Who before Pontius Pilate
witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment
without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ:" (1 Timothy 6:11-14)
It is certainly a slap in our face, when Muslims and other
non-Christians reject Christianity because of the lewd way in
which our so-called Christian society conducts itself!
I hasten to say that the rock and roll music, loose living,
pornography, abortion, alcoholism and perversion, which is so
prevalent in our society, is in no way Christian! On the contrary,
it is anathema! It is sad to hear Muslim leaders saying that
they do not want their people contaminated with "the
abominable practices of sodomy, pornography, drug abuse, obscene
rock & roll music and alcoholism, which are rife in Western
Christian culture!"
WE
ARE TO ABSTAIN
FROM ALL APPEARANCES OF EVIL
The
Bible says, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and
pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul:
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas
they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works,
which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of
visitation". (1 Peter 2:11-12)
We are instructed, "Abstain from all appearance of
evil". (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
May Jesus Christ always be our example. He was perfect in all
respects Jesus Christ was SINLESS in deity and
humanity - yet was obedient to the cross, suffering for our sin
and shame, so that He could save us and bring us to God!
The Bible says, "Looking unto JESUS the author and finisher
of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
Jesus, "...being in the form of God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took
upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of
men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross".
(Philippians 2:6-8)
St. Paul was totally dedicated: "I am debtor both to the
Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the
unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel
to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek".
(Romans 1:14-16)
THE
CALL TO CONSECRATION
- Consecration
is the act of obedience, when we privately and publicly make a
statement that we have given ourselves in dedication for God's
service!
In like manner, as we consecrate a church building or musical
instruments to God's service, so we consecrate our bodies, talents
and riches unto the cause of Christ and His Church! Christ
is calling us to give ourselves wholeheartedly to His cause. To
CONSECRATE OURSELVES unto a life of righteous living and
evangelism!
He is looking for those who will be totally committed to His
gospel, so that His light may shine in this ungodly world.
The Bible says, "...let us lay aside every weight, and the
sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)
What does that mean to the liar, thief, adulterer, homosexual or
gambler? Pure and simple - STOP DOING THOSE THINGS AND BEGIN
LIVING PURE LIVES!
Jesus said, "Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up the cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will
save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for
My sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it". (Mark
8:35-36)
Our Lord requires a full commitment and consecration from us, for
Him to trust us with His authority, gifts and power! He does not
want to be the "fifth wheel" of our existence or a
"fire-insurance policy" kept in a safety deposit box.
He must take center stage in our lives so that our lifestyle will
be pleasing in His sight, and effective in our relationship to
others!
Jesus, Who is our grand example, "set His face" to go to
Jerusalem where He knew He would die upon a rugged cross and
become "a curse for us", in order to purchase our
salvation! (Galatians 3:13)
St. Paul said, "What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?
For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem
for the Name of the Lord Jesus". (Acts 21:13)
Again he stated, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the
time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith:" (2 Timothy
4:6,7)
The great apostle was totally dedicated to Jesus Christ. His life
was consecrated to His Gospel!
Martin Luther emphasized: "I live as though Jesus Christ was
crucified yesterday, arose today & is coming again
tomorrow." The great leader of the Protestant
Reformation was consumed with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that
is why God used him so mightily to bring back the simplicity,
truth, purity & power of Christ’s Gospel to a corrupt,
idolatrous and backslidden Church!
This is the commendation given by the leaders of the Primitive
Church regarding the preachers they sent out: "These are men
that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ". (Acts 15:26)
A proper way to consecrate ourselves to God is through a
'Disciplined Christian Life'! Fasting & prayer is a good way
to humble ourselves before God and to become consecrated wholly to
God and His Kingdom!
THE
CALL TO SERVICE
- Jesus
declared, "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)
The paramount duty of the Christian is to communicate the gospel
to our fellowmen by our chaste lifestyles, honesty, compassion and
wholesome outlook. We are 'saved to serve'!
Jesus said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the
first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang
all the law and the prophets". (Matthew 22:37-40)
The only road to true happiness is going God's way, walking the
Gospel road, by loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves!
LET
US ALWAYS FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE:
"Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you". (Luke 6:31)
Born
again Christians automatically seek the "high road of
life" after an encounter with 'Jesus of Nazareth'. We are
concerned about the needs of others - spiritual, emotional and
physical - because our lives have been changed: "Therefore if
any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new". (2 Corinthians
5:17)
Angelic
beings brought the message of Christ's victory to the disciples,
at the empty tomb on that first resurrection morning. They said,
"Come and see the place where our Lord lay, and go and tell
His disciples.." (Matthew 28:6, 7)
It
is incumbent upon all Christians to experience God's blessings
through Christ, and then to "go and tell" others the
good news that there is hope for our nation and our world!
AND
THAT HOPE LIES ONLY IN THE PROCLAMATION AND RECEPTION OF THE
GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!
The
Bible says, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall
the end come". (Matthew 24:14)
Christ
has no hands but our hands, to do His work of preaching and
spreading His Gospel to the ends of the earth. Let us be about our
Father’s business!
CHRIST
IS CALLING US ALL TO COMMUNICATE, SHARE, SPREAD, DISPENSE,
ARTICULATE AND LIVE HIS GOSPEL BEFORE THIS WICKED WORLD, SO THAT
MANY MORE WILL BE SAVED BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!
And
that includes paying our tithes and giving offerings to God's
work. Let us remember the words of our Lord Jesus: "It is
more blessed to give than to receive". (Acts 20:35)
He
also stated: "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)
Sir
Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get, but
we make a life by what we give". My question to us all is:
Are we doing our share to spread the Gospel through our giving?
Or
are we guilty of spending too much time & money pampering
ourselves when multitudes are going to a 'Christ less Eternity'
because NO ONE HAS SHARED THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WITH THEM.
William Penn stated: “"f there is any kindness I can show,
or any good thing I can do to my fellow human being, let me do it
now, and not deter nor neglect it. I shall not pass this way
again."
Francis
of Assisi said, "Preach the gospel everyday and if you must
use words...It is in giving oneself, one receives; it is in
forgetting oneself, that one is found; it is in pardoning, that
one obtains pardon". He taught his students that there is no
point in, "walking somewhere to preach, unless you can preach
while you are walking"!
Jesus
said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
(Matthew 6:33)
The
Bible instructs: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you
a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:"
(1 Peter 3:15)
"Charge
them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded,
nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth
us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be
rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the
time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1
Timothy 6:17-19)
God
loves you, my friend. He has purchased your total salvation
through the death of His Son Jesus Christ Who paid for our sins
with His pure and perfect blood! The
Bible declares that He not only died for our sins on the cross,
but arose from the dead for our justification! (Romans 4:25)
Here
is our Lord's invitation to you: "Come unto Me, all ye that
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest".
(Matthew 11:28)
 Part
1 - Christians identity crisis
Part
2 - Do we know who we are?
Part
3 - God has made the Divine call - It's time
Part
4 - God's call to PRAYER
 4
SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF
THE END TIMES
What
does the Bible say?
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
There
are four significant signs that show us where we stand today in
relation to then end times and our Lord’s soon return, namely:
The
Sick Condition of our Planet
The
Sick Condition of the World
The
Sick Condition of Israel
The
Sick Condition of the Church
SIGN
#1 - THE SICK CONDITION OF OUR PLANET
Mankind
is groaning under the terrible weight of sin and condemnation.
Satan - the enemy of God and man - has bound the human race with
shackles of rebellion, unbelief, fear, torment, lust, greed,
hatred and perversion! It was Adam’s acquiescence to the Evil
One’s lying temptation that brought sickness and death
(spiritual and physical) upon the human race.
The
Bible states: “For the earnest expectation of the creature
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the
creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason
of Him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the
creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in
pain together until now."
“And
not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for
the adoption, to wit (that is to say), the redemption of our
body.” (Romans 8:19-23)
People
everywhere are waiting for the ‘MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF
GOD’! What does that mean? Six billion people are
looking for an escape from the emptiness, fear, torment, sickness
and bondage in which they live.
THE
ENTIRE WORLD IS WAITING FOR US - GOD’S CHILDREN TO BE SO FILLED
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT WE CAN FREE THEM FROM THE TYRANNY AND
LIES OF THE DEVIL AND HIS EMISSARIES.
Don’t
believe for a moment, that the millions lost in sin and bound by
evil spirits of occultism, superstition, false religion, satanic
oppression and sexual perversion are happy in that state! No
one enjoys being in slavery to witchcraft, fear, torment and evil
spirits.
Oh,
some are sufficiently deceived to live in a fool’s paradise
having convinced themselves that everything is A-Okay, but the
opposite is true. If everything is all right, why do so many
rock musicians die of drug overdoses and commit suicide? Why
do many Hollywood stars die of alcoholism, suicide and drug
overdoses? And why do wealthy, successful people - who
seem to have everything going for them - take their own lives?
The
Bible says, “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it
cannot rest, bringing forth mire and dirt. There is no peace saith
my God to the wicked”. (Isaiah 57:20-21)
Our
enemy is not flesh and blood, but Satan himself and all his demons
that tempt, deceive, coerce, inhibit, afflict, torment, steal and
kill! Our battle is with the devil - not with human
beings, however he does use people to do his bidding! The
devil must have his emissaries & ministers, to do his evil
work.
And
what of the Hindu extremists constantly fighting the Muslims in
India and the Seiks battling the Hindus? And the (political)
ungodly Roman Catholic IRA killing the (political)
‘Christian-in-name-only’ Protestants and vice versa?
And
if the pagan are so happy in their religious life, why are there
so many ‘holy jihads’? Two examples: Muslim Iran against
Muslim Iraq in a seven year war that saw one million men die, and
at present Islamic extremists terrorizing and butchering hundreds
of their own people in Algeria?
THEY
DO NOT KNOW GOD and have not been changed by His mighty power.
Anyone who has been converted to Christ, being born again by the
Word of God and the Holy Spirit, would certainly not be waging
‘holy wars’ against their fellowmen. The only warfare
that we are commanded to fight is the ‘Good Fight of
Faith’"
HOW
DO WE FIGHT THE DEVIL?
The
Bible says, “Satan, your adversary, goeth about like a roaring
lion, seeking who he may devour, whom resist in the faith...” (1
Peter 5:9) We resist him by serving Jesus to the best of our
ability; by living a holy and righteous life, preaching the gospel
of Jesus Christ, healing the sick and casting our devils!
The
Scripture says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,
but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians
10:4-5)
In
our search for more land to conquer, new technologies to improve
our living standards, and the pursuit or more wealth, man has
engaged in wars, enslavement, violence and pollution which has
raped our environment, land, water and air.
Our
Planet is groaning under the terrible weight of the awful harvest
of mankind’s sins of rebellion, greed, hatred, violence and
slavery!
In
the beginning, after the fall of our first parents, THE ENTIRE
HUMAN RACE was plunged into sin, fear, sickness & death! God
immediately placed a curse upon the earth - “And unto Adam He
said, Because thou hast harkened unto the voice of thy wife, and
hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou
shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow
shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life”. (Genesis 3:17)
OUR
PLANET is struggling to stay alive and is groaning under this
burden! The ‘second law of thermodynamics’ began after the
fall and continues today with aging, deterioration and decay. Only
the return of Jesus Christ will salvage the earth. Mankind will
not be allowed to destroy the earth, but will be punished for
defiling and polluting it, as is prophesied in the last book of
the Bible.
THE
BIBLE SAYS, “And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come,
and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that
Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to
the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; And
shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Revelation
11:18)
God
will have the last word and will judge polluters! If you want a
good example of this, look at the former Soviet Union which
polluted the land, sea and air and after raping the environment,
ended up totally bankrupt.
JESUS
CHRIST MUST RETURN IN ORDER TO SAVE US FROM OUR OWN DESTRUCTIONS,
SO THAT HE CAN REIGN ON THIS EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS OF PEACE AND
PROSPERITY.
Believers
in Jesus Christ, like St. Paul, are waiting for the moment when we
can be free from the limitations of our weak, carnal flesh and to
be glorified (in the next life) to forever be in Heaven with Jesus
Christ and all the redeemed from all ages! WE WILL THEN RECEIVE A
RESURRECTED BODY WITHOUT THE LIMITATIONS WE HAVE TODAY.
The
Bible says, “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have
the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit (that is to say), the
redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:23)
Eternity
will be a joyful time of peace and glory as we live eternally in
Heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ and all the redeemed from every
nation, tongue and people of all ages"
“And
I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,
saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be
glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the
Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."
“And
to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And
he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto
the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are
the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:6-9)
SIGN
#2 - THE SICK CONDITION OF THE WORLD
The
Bible says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the
lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for
ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
These
are Satan’s three knockout-punches which he uses to tempt the
“children of men”, namely: 1) the lust of the eyes 2) the
lust of the flesh and 3) the pride of life.
Satan
used these three temptations on Eve with great success. “And
when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the
flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of th eyes),
and a tree to be desired to make one wise (the pride of life), she
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her
husband with her; and he did eat.” (Gen. 3:6)
King
David fell under this temptation also: He saw a beautiful woman
taking a bath in the privacy of her garden (the lust of the eyes).
He desired her and sent for her, committing adultery (the lust of
the flesh). HE FELL AFTER ONLY TWO STRIKES
JESUS
DEFEATED HIM TOTALLY
It
was a different story when Satan used his time-tested strategy on
our Lord Jesus Christ. He withstood the temptation and defeated
the devil each time he came with a new “trick up his
sleeve".
After
Jesus had fasted 40 days, Satan said to Him: “Command that these
stones be made bread.” (the lust of the flesh) Jesus answered,
“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
The
devil tried again: “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge
concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. (the pride of
life) Jesus answered, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God.” IN OTHER WORDS, GOD DOESN’T CLOWN FOR
ANYBODY.
Finally,
Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of
time and said: “All these things will I give thee (pride of
life), if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” WHAT A
DESPICABLE, ARROGANT, EGOTIST SATAN IS! Jesus rebuffed him
immediately with the Word of God saying, “Get thee hence, Satan
(enemy): for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4:1-11)
SATAN
HAD TO LEAVE HIM, THEN
The
Bible affirms that Satan is “the god of this world” and “the
spirit which now worketh in the children of the disobedience”.
(John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2) He is the world’s greatest liar and
the father of lies and a murderer extra-ordinaire (John 8:44))
The
whole world lies in the lap of the wicked one (1 John 5:19) and he
“goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour”
(1 Peter 5:8). We however, can “resist him in the faith and he
will flee from us”. (1 Peter 5:9; James 4:7)
The
Bible records that Demos was swayed by the bright lights of
Thessalonica and forsook Paul, “having loved this present
world” (2 Timothy 4:10). And St. John commends the young men in
the Church for overcoming the wicked one! (1 John 2:13)
ST.
PAUL WARNED OF THE TOTAL DETERIORATION OF MORALITY, DECENCY AND
FAIRNESS IN THE LAST DAYS. DECADENCE & PERVERSION WILL RULE
JUST PRIOR TO OUR LORD’S RETURN, STATED THE APOSTLE! AS WE READ
THE PROPHECY WE FEEL SADDENED BY THE RESEMBLANCE OF OUR PRESENT
AGE TO THE PROPHETIC WORD OF GOD.
“This
know also, that IN THE LAST DAYS PERILOUS TIMES SHALL COME. For
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.
“Traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
“Now
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that IN THE LATTER TIMES SOME SHALL
DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;” (1 Timothy 4:1) “And have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of
them in secret.” (Ephesians 5:11-12) “Brethren, be
followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have
us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often,
and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the
cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their
belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly
things.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” (Philippians
3:17-20)
Interjected
among the reports of hypocrisy, backsliding & gross moral
evils, St. Paul interjects the Blessed Hope of the Return of Jesus
Christ.
“For
our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."
Our
thoughts, actions, prayers, plans, goals and complete agenda here,
is tied to Heaven’s plans, purposes and desires. We belong to
His heavenly kingdom and labour first and foremost for Christ.
Why
is this so important? Only our Blessed Jesus Christ has the
mandate, power & desire to straighten out this wicked world.
Therefore we wait for Him to come.
PERVERSION
VYING FOR RESPECTABILITY
Jesus
prophesied that the time will come, “that whosoever killeth you
will think that he doeth God service”. (John 16:2)
And
the prophet stated, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good
evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that
put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are
wise in their own eyes...Which justify the wicked for reward, and
take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (Is.
5:20-23)
St.
Paul expounded, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them
that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-5)
That
this WORLD IS EVIL AND PERVERTED is no secret! The world
system that despises that which is good and glorifies that which
is EVIL is a product of Satanic invention, since he is the “god
of this world”.
Again
Paul declares that Jesus Christ “gave Himself for our sins, that
He might deliver us from this present evil world (age), according
to the will of God and our Father”. (Galatians 1:4)
SIGN #3 - THE SICK CONDITION OF ISRAEL
ISRAEL
IS VULNERABLE FACING ATTACKS FROM EVERY DIRECTION
At
this moment in history, Israel is very vulnerable because of the
pressure placed upon them by the nations of the world to give up
land for peace. And
the United States - who traditionally has been their friend, is
turning the screws the hardest of all.
Eventually,
Israel will succumb to all this pressure and give away so much
land that they will be unable to defend themselves. Sometime in
the future, Israel will be deceived into accepting the Antichrist
as their Messiah and will suffer terribly because of that.
Referring to this, our Lord said to the Jewish leaders,
“I
am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another
(the anti-Christ) shall come in his own name, him ye will
receive.” (John 5:43
The
Jewish leaders rejected Jesus Christ Who came to save them in His
Father’s Name. When Antichrist comes in his own name, they will
receive him!
WHAT
A SAD & TRAGIC COMMENTARY ON WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!
My
guess is that Iraq will eventually be reduced in power after the
United States and her allies are finished with her. Then
undoubtedly, Iran will pick up the pieces and gobble up Iraq (and
possibly Syria) and control all the oil flow in the Middle East!
(Ezekiel 38 & 39)
GOD'S
WORD STATES THAT RUSSIA WILL RISE UP AGAIN IN GREAT POWER AND LEAD
THE MARCH AGAINST ISRAEL
Iran
will then be the dominant power in the area, with the USA and
Israel giving in to their demands! According to God’s Word,
Russia will rise in great power again and lead the march against
Israel!
The
prophet Ezekiel declared that Iran (Persia) together with
Ethiopia, Libya & Turkey will march against Israel in the
great battle of ‘Gog and Magog’.
GOD
WILL FIGHT FOR ISRAEL AND DEFEND HER
GOD
WILL FIGHT FOR ISRAEL AND DEFEND HER! A great slaughter will
unfortunately take place however, before God’s chosen people
come to their senses. They will ultimately receive their long
awaited Messiah Jesus Christ, when He returns n the Second Coming
of Jesus Christ in power and great glory at the end of the age!
Jesus
Christ will then rule and reign for 1000 years of peace upon
planet earth, as King of kings and Lord of lords!
SIGN #4 - THE SICK CONDITION OF THE CHURCH
Celebrated
Canadian writer, Peter Newman exposes the weaknesses in our
churches and outlines wherein and how we have failed to
communicate the Gospel to our children, grandchildren and our
neighbours.
In
his recent book, ‘The Canadian Revolution’ Peter Newman
chronicles the free-fall of the United Church of Canada’s
membership as well as their influence in society during the past
three decades.
Newman
writes, “The United Church, formed in 1925 through a union of
Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists, suffered the
steepest decline. Three million Canadians declared their United
Church affiliation to the latest census takers but less than
380,000 bothered going to church. Although the most liberal of the
mainstream congregations, allowing for the ordination of gay
priests and promoting the social gospel, the United Church found
itself paradoxically unable to attract the young.”
A
footnote says, “An increasingly typical event was the closing,
during the fall of 1994, of Chalmers United Church in downtown
Vancouver. There wasn’t a single member left on its
congregational rolls who was less than 80 years old.”
For
years, University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby has
tracked the religious life of Canadians. In his book ‘Unknown
Gods’ , Bibby states: “Tragically, religious groups are
failing in what appear to be spiritually prosperous times. The
churches are inept religious companies that cannot get the faith
out of the ware house …The news is that interest and intrigue
persist, in spite of the problems of organized religion. The
result may be a very sizable, ongoing spiritual vacuum.”
The
Anglican Church, according to the census has 2.2 million members
with 784,000 active adherents. Addressing the church synod in
1994, Archbishop Peter O’Driscoll warned: “In the next ten to
fifteen years the largest age group in the present Anglican Church
of Canada will be dead. At the end of two generations, there
won’t be enough people to say there’s still an Anglican Church
alive in this country.”
HOW
SAD AND TRAGIC!
While
the Anglican Church lost 250,000 members from 1981 to 1991, and
the United Church lost 665,000 members during that same period -
that’s 10 % and 20 % respectively - the Pentecostal Church grew
by 100,000 adherents and the Christian & Missionary Alliance
doubled in size!
The
November,1965 issue of Canada’s Revival Magazine, ‘Cry of His
Coming’ carried the following prophetic headline: 1965 UNITED
CHURCH NEW CURRICULUM SETS STAGE FOR MORE APOSTACY! MODERATOR REV.
HOWSE DENIES PHYSICAL RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST !
In
that article, this author wrote under the by-line, ‘THE GREAT
FALLING AWAY’ - St. Paul warns: “Let no man deceive you by any
means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling
away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition.” (2 Thess. 2:3)
The
‘Great Falling Away’ is Here Now- with entire denominations of
Christian Churches turning their backs on the Holy Scriptures,
declaring them fallible and contradictory. They despise the great
truths of the Bible, and exchange them for their own humanistic,
man-made philosophies!
As
strange as this may seem, these reprobate preachers actually
play-out the exact role of ‘backsliding Israel’ in Old
Testament times.
“For
My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the
fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken
cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:13)
HERE
IS A LIST OF THEIR BACKSLIDINGS!
They
have violated the sanctity of the Holy Bible, discarding the
eternal truths of God’s Word. Man-made philosophies, secular
humanism and blatantly spurious doctrines have filled the void!
They
rely almost totally on man’s wisdom and carnal knowledge, having
rejected the wisdom that comes solely from the Holy Scriptures.
This leaves them incapable of making sound spiritual decisions!
They
have rejected the counsel of the Holy Spirit- divine paraclete-
and draw their inspiration from the teachings of others similarly
deceived. Serious decision making regarding spiritual matters and
doctrine is therefore prejudiced, flawed and compromised!
Their
emphasis is on good works, rather than the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ for our sins. The ‘social gospel’ they preach is devoid
of the grace of God and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. Their
‘good works’ message offers only secular and political
rhetoric to undo social injustices, without a sound spiritual
foundation.
They
have desecrated the Holy Scriptures by substituting their own
verbiage instead of the correct translation of the original Hebrew
and Greek, in reference to God Himself. These literary
counterfeiters have unilaterally -without any jurisdiction-
decided to change the gender of Almighty God from masculine
(Father) to Mother. Instead of addressing God as He, they
refer to Him as She and the Lord Jesus is not the Son of God, but
the Child of God!
The
Word of God conclusively states: “This know also, that in the
last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
(2 Timothy 3:1-5)
“Now
the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron; Take heed unto thyself, and
unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt
both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Timothy 4:1-2,
16)
AN
URGENT WARNING ISSUED TO THOSE TAMPERING WITH GOD’S WORD
“Who
is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is
antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth
the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth
the Son hath the Father also.
“Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of
God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
“Hereby
know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard
that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
“Whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God... Who is he
that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the
Son of God?
“If
we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for
this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son. 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.” (1 John 2:22-23; 4:1-3; 5:1, 4-5, 9-12)
WHAT
DOES THIS MEAN? SIMPLY THIS:
Anyone
who denies that Jesus Christ is God is a false teacher and an
enemy of God.
Every
spirit that confesses that ‘Jesus Christ is come in the flesh’
is of God. Those who do not are of Satan and the Antichrist
spirit!
WHAT
DOES THIS MEAN: “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”?
There
are millions of babies born daily across the world. They are all
born of flesh & blood. They have all “come in the flesh”.
That is no miracle, but when God is incarnated in human flesh,
that is a miracle. It simply means that Jesus Christ was God in
human flesh! God the Son came down from Heaven, through the very
miraculous and complex process of the virgin birth!
God
the Holy Spirit placed within the virgin Mary’s womb a specially
created body for the Lord Jesus. He was begotten by the Holy
Spirit and born of a virgin woman without the aid of a human
father. Jesus Christ - true God & true man, in order to suffer
and die for our sins and rise again for our justification. ( )
“The
new United Church curriculum - now taught to thousands of children
- denies the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, leaving the inference
that Joseph or some other man was Jesus’ father. This would
indicate that His mother Mary was sinful and promiscuous, instead
of a chaste virgin and that Jesus Christ was not divine!
Have
you heard of such SACRILEGE? And this - not from an atheistic
journal - but from the official organ and pulpits of Canada’s
largest Protestant denomination!
That
same ‘curriculum’ calls the first eleven chapters of Genesis -
which deal with God’s marvelous creation, Noah and the flood - a
fable or myth! It denies the miracles in the Bible, rejects the
physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and ridicules
His ascension and second coming!
Read
the blasphemous statements made by Rev. Ben Smilie- United Church
chaplain at the University of Saskatchewan, as chronicled by
Regina Leader Post’s Tom Jarvis in an article titled, ‘A
MASSIVE IRRELEVANCY’:
“The
Toronto Telegram printed it in full with the somewhat shocking
passage in large type which speaks of fundamentalist belief in
“clay-made man, a floating zoo, an amphibious-footed Jesus, a
son of God who was a home brew artist, and an ascension that looks
like a Cape Kennedy blast-off”.
Have
you heard of anything more blasphemous and anti-Christian, coming
from the pen of an ordained Protestant clergyman!
We’ll
let the moderator of the United Church speak for himself. The
following was carried by the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, June 5, 1965.
‘HOWSE SAYS LITERAL BELIEVER IN BIBLE LACKS UNDERSTANDING’.
“The
moderator of the United Church of Canada says Christians who
believe literally in all of the ‘metaphors and imageries’ of
the Bible exhibit ‘lack of understanding’.
“The
Rt. Rev. Ernest Howse of Toronto, in an interview Thursday said
that one of the most significant religious trends today is the
movement away from ‘medieval imagery and hypocrisy’.
“Dr.
Howse, who had been in Banff for a meeting of the United
Church’s Alberta Conference, said people should not take
literally such events as Christ’s physical resurrection and the
virginity of Mary. The moderator said the United Church’s new
curriculum which allows for liberal interpretation of the Bible,
is ‘really nothing new at all’.
“There
is nothing in the curriculum which was not accepted when I was in
College thirty years ago. If people are shocked by it, then it is
evident our ministers have not been adequately teaching their
congregations”.
NEW
MODERATOR: SAME OLD APOSTASY IN UNITED CHURCH!
Bill
Phipps probably learned ‘APOSTACY’ from professors, who were
themselves corrupted while in College! The new moderator of the
United Church is Rev. Bill Phipps - a little known Calgary pastor
- who is making big waves with his outspoken, irreverent and
blasphemous remarks. It appears that he has excelled in unlearning
the basic, fundamental doctrines of Christianity, in the tradition
of the Rev. Howse and the liberal theological College to which he
referred!
AN
ACTIVIST MODERATOR IS ROCKING THE UNITED CHURCHAN -Edmonton
Journal
In
a major news story carried across Canada in the Southam Press,
Nov.1, 1997, Rev. Phipps made these statements: “I don’t
believe Jesus is the only way to God. I don’t believe he rose
from the dead as a scientific fact. I don’t know whether those
thing happened. It’s an irrelevant question.”
In
a follow-up article, the ‘Ottawa Citizen’ wrote: ‘CHURCH
MODERATOR A HERETIC, PROFESSOR SAYS’ - “The moderator of the
United Church of Canada is a heretic, says a professor of modern
Christian history.
“A
heretic is defined as someone who chooses a doctrinal path other
than that of the church to which he belongs”, says John
Stackhouse, of the University of Manitoba.
“By
that standard, Rev. Bill Phipps “is a heretic according to the
United Church of Canada’s own standard of doctrine. He’s also
a heretic in generic Christian terms, because he denies the creeds
that all Christians have subscribed to, whether they’re
Catholic, Protestant or Eastern Orthodox.”
“In
interviews with media organizations, Phipps denied the divinity of
Christ, denied the reality of the resurrection as a historical
fact, and said he was unclear ‘The historic Church says there
are such realities, which are crucially important to human
life,’ said Stackhouse, a former president of the Canadian
Evangelical Theological Association.”
THE
WHOLESALE BACKSLIDING OF CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS DURING THESE PAST
THIRTY YEARS, AND ESPECIALLY THE LAST DECADE, SIGNALS THE SAD
STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT THIS VERY CRUCIAL
MOMENT IN HISTORY - THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AND THE MILLENNIUM!
A
very sad commentary on the Church is found in Christ’s message
to the Church where He states:
“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: I would thou wert cold or 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 thou art wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, 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 eyesalve,
that thou mayest see.” (Rev. 3:14-18)
Again
He said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know
them by their fruits...
“A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit.
“...Wherefore
by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he
that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven...And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity.” (Matt. 7:15-23)
Jesus
asked a very pertinent question: “...Nevertheless. When the son
of man cometh will He find faith on the earth?” The answer is
“not very much”! That is why He stated, “Strive to enter in
at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you will seek to enter
and shall not be able”. (Luke 13:24)
“Enter
ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew
7:13-14)
HOW
MUST WE PREPARE FOR THE END TIMES AND TO BE SURE WE ARE
READY FOR JESUS CHRIST'S SOON RETURN IN THE SECOND COMING?
St.
Peter warned, “Make your calling and election sure...” (2
Peter 1:10) It behooves each one to do a reality check to be
absolutely certain that you know Jesus Christ personally as your
Lord & Saviour.
Remember
that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again from the dead
for our justification. Only He has the power to save you because
He is the Redeemer of the world.
Jesus
said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by Me”. (John 14:6) “I am the door: by Me if
any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and
find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill,
and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:9-10)
The
Bible says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Tim. 2:5) “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)
St.
Paul declared, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and
things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil.
2:5-11)
Jesus
Christ invites us to receive Him as personal Saviour and Lord with
the promise: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) And, “All that
the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I
will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)
We
are warned: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat
of that bread, and drink of that cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28)
Amen.
WHAT
MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
Jesus
said, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
Yes,
my dear friend, God is still in the business of setting men and
women free from their sins, sorrows, heartbreaks, fears and
troubles. In this age of frustrations, nervous tensions and
mental collapses, Jesus Christ is still granting peace to the
troubled, joy to the discouraged, strength to the weary and
healing to the sick!
 1
- You MUST admit that you are a sinner
The
Bible says, “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.” (Isaiah 53:6)
2
- You
MUST believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that Jesus died
on the cross, was buried and rose again from the dead.
“That
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal
life. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already.” (John 3:15,18) “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.” (John 5:24)
3
- You
MUST repent of your sins
The
Bible says, “…except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish.” (Lu.13:3) “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”. (Isaiah 55:7)
4
- You MUST receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour
The
Bible says: “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”. (John 3:16)
“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) “He that hath the Son hath life: and he
that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:12)
5
- You MUST confess Jesus Christ as your LORD
The
Bible says: “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”. (Romans 10:9-10)
“…Whosoever
shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man confess
before the angels of God: But he that denieth Me before men shall
be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8, 9)
HOW
DO I INVITE
JESUS CHRIST INTO MY LIFE?
Pray
to God, a prayer - from your heart.
Tell Him that you
are a sinner and that you need forgiveness. Tell him that
you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins. Tell him that
you are willing to change, to turn away from sin. Ask Jesus
Christ to come into your heart and life and be your personal
Saviour.
"But
as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name." (John 1:12)
"Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2
Corinthians 5:17)
If
you prayed and ask Jesus Christ into your heart - YOU HAVE NOW
RECEIVED THE GIFT OF SALVATION - YOU HAVE BECOME A CHILD OF GOD.
God Bless You.
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