|
 What
are the
SEVEN
DEADLY SINS?
by Pastor Max
Solbrekken, D.D
"For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans
3:23)
ARE
WE ALL GUILTY OFF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS?
Is
this generation guilty of the seven deadly sins, as catalogued by
medieval theologians?
YES,
we are guilty of the seven deadly sins! And this consensus
of opinion comes from groups as diverse as ecologists, historians
and theologians!
According
to Richard Pollay, historian at University of British Columbia,
the values behind modern advertising look much like the seven
deadly sins.
States
Pollay, "But the other side of the coin is almost absent.
Ads don't encourage compassion, selflessness and the values that
build a strong community"!
The
business community
has for many years succumbed to the "dog eat dog" value
system, in aggressive and often unethical competition among its
members. And we've known for a long time, that advertising
agencies exploit everything available, in their quest for
business.
ADVERTISING
AGENCIES EXPLOIT THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
Like
sex (lust), for example. Scantily dressed, sensual females,
selling anything from holiday packages to automobiles, to lingerie
to a night out at the cabaret!
And
a ruggedly handsome cowboy promoting "cancer-causing"
cigarettes, or an elegantly dressed, jet-setting young couple,
standing beside a deluxe car in the driveway of a super expensive
home...promoting vodka! (greed)!
Some
years ago (Dec. 1998), Alberta's Telus
(phone company) came out with a Christmas television commercial
with 3 wise men bringing gifts, supposedly to the Christ-Child (He
was not shown). Their gifts consisted of gold, frankincense &
a mobile telephone from Telus.
After a lot of callers objected, the ad was pulled!
When
contacted by the TV media, I voiced my opposition declaring,
"Nothing is sacred or holy anymore! Nothing is off limits to
the materialistic, secular humanistic MINDSET! It shows a
terrible lack of sensitivity and reverence for God & the
Bible!"
"This
is but another calculated move by an unthinking, secular &
materialistic advertising agency to utilize a part of the
Christmas Story to further the economic goals of the TELUS
Corporation. We do not agree with that concept. They have crossed
over the line of decency and good taste! This practice must stop!
We won't put up with it!"
Now,
an advertising historian is saying the same thing. Our advertising
value-system is seriously flawed! And that's upsetting, when you
consider the thousands of ads we are all subjected to through
radio, television, billboards and printed materials.
WE
HAVE BECOME GREEDY, ENVIOUS PEOPLE, FULL OF PRIDE & SELFISHNESS
IT'S
NO WONDER THAT A LOT OF CHILDREN ARE GREEDY, SELFISH, ENVIOUS!
They want everything they see, and have a problem sharing what
they have with others.
The
same could be said about many adults who have become narcissistic
and hedonistic in their approach to life. This corrupted value
system helped spawn the Me Generation, 'if it feels good, do it'
attitude and the present YUPPIE mentality.
THE
WORLD HAS BEEN PLAYING GOD & ABUSING THE PLANET
The
Asian economic recession has taken a big bite out of the economic
pie and a lot of people are frustrated and let down.
And
the news about the depletion of the ozone layer causing enormous
increases in skin cancer, possible global warming, a deteriorating
eco-system and the stampeding HIV and AIDS endemic, is causing
people to rethink their philosophy of life.
Unfortunately,
large numbers are rudderless without any proper spiritual and
moral grounding in God's Word, the Bible...so become fair game for
the deceptive occultist and pagan teachings of the New Age
Movement and other cults.
Several
years ago Newsweek named the guilty nations which are adding to
the destruction of our planet. They presented their own list of
the "seven deadly sins" in an attack on
polluters.
Newsweek's
special report titled, Earth at the Summit details the three
important items on the table at Earth Summit '92, in Rio de
Janeiro:
1)
Global Warming: A treaty intended to curb emissions
of "greenhouse gases" - principally carbon dioxide - but
without specific target or timetables.
2)
Agenda 21: A plan for the industrial nations to help
poor countries develop their economies without ruining their
environments - or the planet's. Estimated cost: US $125 billion
per year.
3)
Biodiversity: A treaty to slow the loss of
endangered species. One approach, give countries royalties for
products (such as drugs) that are developed from indigenous plants
and animals
ECOLOGIST'S
HAVE MADE THEIR OWN LIST OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
The
Newsweek report stated, "Adam was supposed to be the first
environmentalist - the caretaker in Paradise, even a vegetarian.
His fall doomed us to repeat his sins, time and again despoiling
the garden, and casting ourselves into a more imperfect
world".
Here
are the Ecologist's 7 SEVEN DEADLY SINS: despair,
gluttony, temptation, hubris, neglect, envy and hatred.
ECOLOGIST'S
7 DEADLY SINS LIST
The
ecologist's blame the condition of the world on their own list of
the seven deadly sins. This is the list they have devised:
despair, gluttony, temptation, hubris, neglect, envy and hatred.
Ecologist
Sin #1 - DESPAIR - Despair:
For the poor in the large city ghettoes of Third World nations
like Brazil, the only real concern is getting enough to eat,
staying alive using whatever means to do it.
With
open sewers and inadequate clean water supply, speaking to them
about pollution control and global warming, is totally irrelevant.
They are filled with worry and despair.
Ecologist
Sin #2
- GLUTTONY - Gluttony: Americans have an insatiable
desire for raw materials. They can consume anything. The European
immigrants cut down all but 5% of their forests, since arriving in
the New World. Ecologists are blaming the rich Americans for
consuming more than necessary, further polluting the planet!
Ecologist
Sin #3
- TEMPTATION - Temptation: Polluters cannot resist the
temptation to dump raw sewage in the rivers, lakes and streams of
the world. The greatest offenders are nations like Mexico and US
companies which have moved their operations there, to take
advantage of lax pollution laws.
Ecologist
Sin #4
- HUBRIS - Hubris:
The meaning of hubris is insolence or arrogance caused by
inordinate pride; exaggerated self-confidence.
For
years the Soviet Union tried to play God with nature. In 1960, it
diverted two rivers that fed the Aral Sea in order to irrigate the
arid lands of Central Asia. The chickens have come home to roost
and the water level in the Aral is down two-thirds, leaving boats
and towns stranded and drifting salt storms.
Ecologist
Sin #5
- NEGLECT - Neglect:
The pollution caused by decades of communistic rule in the
East-Bloc nations - with their disregard for human life - has
severely retarded these nations, affecting the health of millions.
Unsafe nuclear plants - like Chernobyl - and the virtually
unchecked dumping of raw, hazardous wastes into waterways like the
Elbe River has turned them into "sewers of death".
Ecologist
Sin #6
- ENVY - Envy:
In her rush to catch up to the west economically, China has thrown
caution to the wind and also endangered the population with deadly
gases from hundreds of factories. In Benxi - the world's most
polluted city - 200 factories spew out more than 87 million cubic
meters of gases each year. And Beijing is so smoggy that at times
it vanishes from satellite photos.
Ecologist
Sin #7
- HATRED - Hatred: When Saddam Hussein - Iraq's cruel despot -
retreated from Kuwait - he deliberately ordered the destruction of
700 oil wells. Black smoke hung over that nation for nearly one
year, polluting the entire region, until the fires were put out.
He
also released millions of gallons of oil into the gulf waters,
polluting, killing and destroying marine life, birds and insects,
endangering the underground water supply and causing respiratory
diseases in humans!
The
damage of his terrorism will last for years to come and the cost
of the clean-up could total $20 billion, says Ibrahim Hadi,
president of Kuwait's Environmental Protection Agency!
GOD
HAS THE FINAL WORD ON THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS
The
Bible has a lot to say about sin. Jesus was outspoken on the
subject.
Jesus
used the word "eaven" as an analogy of sin, which rises
and expands like leaven. The Lord Jesus also paralleled it
with tares or weeds in a field, that seek to choke out the good
grain.
THE
BIBLE STATES THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ARE:
The
Bible very clearly states the seven deadly sin are: Pride,
greed, lust, anger or hatred, gluttony, envy and sloth.
#1 - PRIDE  #1
- PRIDE, which makes one feel superior to others is totally
wrong. This sin was Lucifer's downfall! The Bible says,
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before
a fall." (Proverbs 15:8)
#2- GREED
#2
- GREED has caused more wars and created more gangsters and
promoted more theft than any other sin.
The
Bible says, "Thou shalt not COVET..." (Exodus
20:17) "For the love of money is the root of all evil:
which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man
of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." (1
Timothy 6:10-11)
#3- LUST
#3
- LUST is the desire for something not lawfully yours. A
sensual desire for the forbidden fruit! It includes an inordinate
desire for power, control, sex, substance abuse or wealth. Lust
always brings spiritual death, in the end.
The
Bible says, "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth
sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James
1:15)
#4 - ANGER
#4
- ANGER or HATRED causes high blood pressure, ulcers,
violent confrontation and even murder!
Jesus
said, "But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and
walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because
that darkness hath blinded his eyes. "Whosoever hateth his
brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal
life abiding in him."
"If
a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for
he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love
God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him,
That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 2:11;
1 John 3:15; 1 John 4:20-21)
#5 - GLUTTONY #5
- GLUTTONY is an over indulgence in eating. A phobia or
inordinate desire to eat food, even when one is not hungry. A good
rule is: Eat to live, not live to eat! A day of fasting &
prayer each week does wonders for us - spiritually &
physically!
Let's
use the extra money we save through fasting to give to the poor
& needy and to support the poor and the orphaned.
#6 - ENVY #6
- ENVY will also cause the blood pressure to rise and the
demons of jealousy and pride to fabricate lies and even fantasies
in a person, given over to this wicked sin.
The
Bible says, "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in
rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in
strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make
not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof."
(Romans 13:13-14)
#7 - SLOTH #7
- SLOTH goes hand in hand with laziness and poverty. St.
Paul stated, "Be not slothful in business". (Romans
12:11)
"For
God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love,
which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered
to the saints, and do minister.
And
we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the
full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but
followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises." (Hebrews 6:10-12)
REMEMBER
- GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY IN EVERYTHING
The
Bible is the Word of God. Don't ever forget that God, our
Lord keeps the books. God, the creator or the world has the
final say in everything.
There
is only one way to be freed from these 'seven deadly sins' and
that is through the process of the New Birth. Only faith in Jesus
Christ's death for us on the cross and His glorious resurrection
from the dead, brings us into a vital contact with His saving
blood.
"Jesus
said, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden
and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
SIN
- AN UGLY 3 LETTER WORD
HOW TO BE FORGIVEN
OF SINS?
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D
SIN
IS REAL - WE ARE ALL SINNERS
Sin
is real, says famed psychiatrist Dr. Karl Menninger. The highly
acclaimed psychiatrist is distressed by modern society's failure
to understand that many of man's problems are caused by sin.
It
annoys him to hear people discuss morality without so much as
mentioning the word "SIN".
WHEN
WE DISCOVER THE ROOT OF OUR PROBLEMS - WE CAN DEAL WITH THEM
Menninger
believes that in order to raise civilization's moral tone and deal
with depression, anxiety and worry, people must learn the root
cause of their problems.
And
the root cause in many instances is a person's unwillingness to
take responsibility for his own actions, but rather lay the blame
on someone - or something - else!
Several
decades ago, George W. Cornell of the Associated Press (AP) wrote
a column titled 'Word Sin Disappears But Remains A Fact', in which
he quoted at great length Dr. Karl Menninger's beliefs on this
subject.
ARE
IMMORALITY & UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR SIN?
"He
says the realities of personal guilt and sin have been glossed
over as symptoms of emotional illness or environmental
conditioning for which the individual is not considered
responsible, but he adds:
"There
is sin...which cannot be subsumed under verbal artifacts such as
'disease', 'delinquency', 'deviancy'. There is immorality. There
is unethical behavior. There is wrong doing."
WHATEVER
BECAME OF SIN?
Cornell
states: "He calls for a reaffirmation of the concept of sin
and of personal responsibility for it. " In a new book
published by Hawthorne called 'Whatever Became of Sin?' he
declares:
"In
the concept of personal responsibility and answerability for
ourselves and for others were to return to common acceptance, hope
would return to the world with it.
We
have the father of psycho-analysis, Sigmund Freud - who was
battling his own weird and kinky imaginations and habits - to
thank for much of that!
The
founder of the Menninger Centre in Topeka, Kansas, is seeking to
correct the situation by addressing the problem.
SIN
HAS A DEFIANT, DISLOYAL QUALITY
His
latest book, Whatever Became of Sin?, describes the subject as
"a transgression of the law of God; disobedience of the
divine will; moral failure...Sin has a defiant, or disloyal
quality; someone is defiled or offended or hurt."
Modern
psychiatry often lets people off the hook. And failure to bring
offenders face to face with their error could produce a sense of
vindication, without coming to grips with the problem; the need to
change lifestyles.
ACCEPTING
RESPONSIBILITY & REPENTING BRINGS FREEDOM FROM GUILT &
ANXIETY
Menninger
has successfully treated thousands of clients for more than a half
century and has proven that acceptance of responsibility coupled
with repentance, often brings freedom from guilt and anxiety. The
refusal to confront the problem only compounds it by giving at the
very best, temporary relief.
Thousands
of years ago, King David stated: "He that confesseth and
forsaketh his sin shall have mercy, but he that covereth his sin
shall not prosper." (Proverbs 28:13)
FORGIVENESS
IS THE KEY TO MENTAL HEALTH
Forgiveness
is vital to good mental health. We must forgive others if we
expect God to forgive us, as well as being able to forgive
ourselves.
A
leading psychiatrist noted that 90% of the mentally ill could be
immediately well if they were able to forgive themselves and
others and to receive forgiveness!
It
is difficult for an individual to forgive himself without the
assurance that God has forgiven him.
That
is why the gospel - CONFESSION, REPENTANCE and FORGIVENESS -
is so relevant and necessary!
IF
WE CONFESS OUR SIN GOD IS FAITHFUL TO FORGIVE OUR SIN
The
Bible states emphatically: "If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
Some
health officials, in explaining their AIDS program, go to great
lengths promoting condoms, as well as sexual abstinence. Then they
usually add: "THIS IS NOT A MORAL ISSUE".
How
ridiculous. Of course it's a moral issue!
If
our young people had higher morals there wouldn't be such a
problem with drug abuse, fornication or homosexual problems which
puts them at risk for the AIDS virus.
A
RISE IN MORAL VALUES WOULD DECREASE SEXUAL DISEASES
If
people were more moral and stuck with the Bible standard of
"one woman -- one man", there wouldn't be such a
dramatic increase in sexually transmitted diseases.
A
RISE IN MORAL VALUES WOULD ELIMINATE SO MUCH SIN
It
goes without saying, violence would be almost non-existent and
crime, rape and child abuse would drop drastically.
WHAT
THE WORLD NEEDS IS A MORAL REVOLUTION!
There
are signs that a moral revolution is coming. During an earlier
Canadian election, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney was
accused of lying. Constituents were sending politicians the
message: "We won't tolerate dishonesty."
MORAL
VALUES ARE NECESSARY FOR A THRIVING ECONOMY
During
the last general election in Canada, Prime Minister Jean Chretien
was accused of breaking three earlier election promises which
included the promise to scrap the hated "GST". In
the recent US Presidential election, nearly all candidates were
speaking about values. Why? People understand that a sense of
moral values is not only important, but necessary.
America's
annual "SIN BILL" topped more than a half a trillion
dollars in 1987.
Dr.
Charles Ewing of The National Statesman said that Americans spent
$144 billion for liquor, $177 billion on gambling, $110 billion on
drugs, $73 billion on tobacco and $40 billion on pornography!
TEENAGERS,
OUR GREATEST COMMODITY - are being threatened by violence, murder,
drugs, alcoholism & suicide.
An
article by Dr. Robert Blum in the Journal of American Medical
Association states: "Over the past 30 years, adolescents have
been the only population in the US who have not experienced
improvement in their health status."
According
to Blum, 77% of adolescent deaths were caused by accidents and
violence, including self-inflicted violence. And there was a
shocking four-fold increase in suicides & murders!
A
US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report states:
"Of the 10,250 kids born today...one will die and four will
sustain serious or crippling injuries in an alcohol related crash
before they reach the age of 24."
A
SERIOUS WARNING - "THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH"
This
is a very sobering, serious warning about sin, accidents and
death! May we all take a lesson from these tragic statistics,
realizing that "The wages of sin is death."
WHAT
MUST I DO TO BE FORGIVEN OF MY SINS?
You
may say, "All you have stated is true! But what must I do to
be forgiven and freed from my sins?" The Bible says, "If
we confess our sins (to God) He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". (1 John
1:9)
George
W. Cornell writes: "Menninger says that just as it is
inadequate for a clergyman to give only pastoral counseling to a
schizophrenic, it is inadequate for a psychiatrist to treat a
symptom like sleeplessness of a man involved in wicked
rascality."
REPENTANCE
OF SIN IS VALUABLE!
"It
does little good to repent a symptom, but it may do great harm not
to repent a sin. Vice-versa, it does little good to merely
psychoanalyze a sin and sometimes a great harm to ignore a
symptom."
He
says recognizing the fact of voluntarily willed sin is "the
only hopeful view", since it implies the possibility of
repenting and correcting it. He adds:
"The
logical reasonable effective solution for tension reduction in
such circumstances is to make atonement, as the theologians call
it, or as we say, by restitution, acknowledgement and revised
tactics."
As
the situation now is "vague amorphous evil appears all around
us" with the presumption that "no one is responsible, no
one guilty" and that there is 'just nothing to do'. BUT,
THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO!
THE
BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN
"But
if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth
us from all sin". (1 John 1:7)
The
Bible says: "... But the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord". (Romans 6:23)
YOUR
SINS
WILL BE PUNISHED
What
does the Bible say?
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D..
1
John 3:4 -Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for
sin is the transgression of the law."
THE
BIBLE SAYS YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW
The
ancient Jew, Saul of Tarsas gave us some good advice in the New
Testmament: "Be not deceived, God is not mocked: whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall re reap." (Galatians 6:7)"For
the wages of sin (is) death: but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
 LORD
BYRON'S WORDS OF WARNING - You reap what you sow - your sins will
be punished
The
thorns of the tree that I have planted, have reaped me: and I have
bled. I should have known that such fruit would have sprung,
from such a seed. - Lord Byron
Hindsight
is always better than foresight, and the pride of experience is
often very costly. Lord Byron must have written out of
personal experience, in order to drive home such a powerful
message in so few words. Lord Byron realized that he was
reaping what he sowed.
The
people is both lament, a sign of regret and a confession of a
reckless, foolish and willful act.
Lord
Byron's poem is more than that. It is an admonition and
warning to others who might make the same mistakes, watch what you
do, be careful what you reap in life, because you will show it in
the end,
Byron
makes a lot of sense. Too bad he could not have got through
to Sigmund Freud before the he put together his harmful 'psycho
analysis' package and before he hooked on the merits of cocaine
use among professionals and others.
WHINERS
BLAME OTHER PEOPLE
If
Byron could have gotten his message of 'you reap what you sow'
across to Sigmund Freud, we possibly wouldn't today have an
entire generation blaming other people for their problems, which
in many cases are self inflicted. These people are reaping
what they sowed. They are reaping the rewards of a negative
life style. They are reaping the rewards of bad decisions
and a destructive lifestyle.
ITS
EASY TO BLAME OTHERS FOR YOUR PROBLEMS
'Be
not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he reap.'
(Galatians 6:7)
Its
so easy to blame it on George or Mary, when in fact, 'it's not my
brother or my sister, but it's me, O Lord, that's standing in the
need of prayer.'
PRESIDENT
HENRY TRUMAN SAID 'the buck stops here'.
Lord
Byron's choice in words is so notable: 'The thorns of the tree
that I have planted, have reaped me!'.
Lord
Byron takes full responsibility for his own actions. And the
thorns reap him, he does not reap the thorns, although he often
say, 'You'll reap what you sow'.
Byron
brings home even more powerfully - 'The results of your wrong
doing will follow you, track you down and punish you. Your
sins will be punished. You will reap what you sow.'
There
is an old saying, 'You've made your bed; now you must sleep in
it.'
PROMISCUITY
BRINGS PUNISHMENT
If
you don't believe that promiscuity brings punishment, ask the
homosexual who frequented gay bars and is now dying with AIDS.
If you don't believe that you 'reap what you sow', ask the
promiscuous swinger who "slept around" and now has
genital herpes or the teenager who has to sell her body to satisfy
the craving in her veins and the demands of an "evil
pimp".
John
Evans celebrated his 109th birthday in 1986, receiving hundreds of
congratulatory greetings - among those one signed Elizabeth R.
When
interviewed on BBC Television as to the secret of his longevity,
the Welshman stated. "I never drank alcohol or smoked and I
don't swear." His mind was clear as a well, his speech
impeccable and his manner polite.
As
I tried to analyze the weight of his words, I suddenly realized
the greatness of his philosophy. Its not smart to smoke, its not
smart to drink alcohol and its not smart to swear.
ITS
NOT SMART TO SMOKE
When
I was a teenager, it was smart to SMOKE; teachers, doctors,
liberal clergymen, politicians and farmers smoked. Only
prudes and religious evangelicals didn'T smoke. Many
athletes smoked. I must confess that when I won the
Saskatchewan title for the half mile, I had cigarettes in my
locker.
Things
have certainly changed in the past 5 decades. Now, if you
are a smoker, people shun you. You're considered an air
polluter, a safety hazard and a poor insurance risk.
And
if you continue smoking, the odds are good that the local
undertaker will have your name on his files before long.
YOU
DO REAP WHAT YOU SOW
It's sad, but Byron
warned us - didn't he? "I should have known that such fruit
would have sprung from such a seed."
DRINKING
is a scourge in our land. Even though it still seems popular to
drink socially, the cost to our society is enormous.
Thousands of highway deaths through alcohol related accidents,
millions of dollars spent on welfare due to broken marriages, as
well as the poor job performance of the "half
man."
WHY
DO PEOPLE SWEAR?
It
took me a while to figure out that one. Why do people swear?
Some people swear because they have a poor vocabulary and use
oaths as a fill in. Others think they are macho or wit it
when they swear, and it gives them a sense of authority.
Many
people, however, swear because they are frustrated, any, jealous
or bitter. And all these contribute to ulcers, heart trouble,
insomnia, high blood pressure and death.
Have
we forgotten the 3rd commandment that states: "Thou shalt not
take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not
hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain." (Exodus
20:7)
WHAT
DOES IT MEAN TO TAKE THE LORD'S NAME IN VAIN?
If
you use the name of God, the Lord or Jesus Christ in any way as a
negative such as in swearing, cursing and damning people, you are
take the Lord's name in vain. The Lord's name is Holy and is
to be used only in prayer, praise or speaking of the Lord.
THE
LORD WILL NOT FIND YOU GUILTLESS FOR TAKING HIS NAME IN VAIN
When
you use the Lord's name in vain you are breaking this commandment.
(Exodus 20:7) No wonder so many people struggle through life
with a host of problems, setbacks, tragedies and turmoil, when
they constantly curse and swear. If you break this
commandment you will reap what you sow.
Finally,
that ancient Jew, Saul of Tarsus gave us some good advice in the
New Testament. "Be not deceived. God is not
mocked: whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap".
(Galatians 6:7)
The
Bible says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God." (Romans 3:23) The truth of the matter is that
we have all sinned. "For the wages of sin (is) death;
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord." (Romans 6:23)
We
are all guilt and we have all sinned, but there is good news.
Jesus Christ died for the ungodly. He took our place and
paid our penalty. YOUR SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN. Jesus
Christ is willing to forgive your sins and set you free. You
will no longer continue to live a life of sin.
"For
when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet
peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
" (Romans 5:6-9)
It
seems to me that Evans, Byron and St. Paul must have got their
good advice from the same source.
WHAT
MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
You
may say, "That well and good for them, but WHAT ABOUT ME?
What should I do to change my unhappy and sinful lifestyle?
What do I need to do in order to get some meaning in my
life"?
Only
Jesus Christ has the power to transform any life, including yours,
my friend. The good news is that you can change the course
of your life, you can reap good things, so that you sow good
things. You can change the patterns of your life and in
doing so, what you reap will be positive, good things - instead of
bad, negative results.
Simply
approach God our Heavenly Father in prayer in the Name of His Son,
Jesus Christ and He will forgive you and give you Eternal Life and
something to live for.
The
Bible says, "If any man (person) be in Christ Jesus he is a
new creation. Old things are passed away, all things become
new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
And
remember that God loves you and desires to give you fulfillment,
peace, joy and happiness.
 ARE
YOU READY
TO MEET GOD?
by:
Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
CAN
I ASK YOU A QUESTION? ARE YOU READY TO MEET GOD?
The
most important question I could ask you and the most important
decision of your entire lifetime revolves around the spiritual
welfare of your soul and its eternal destiny.
There
are preachers today who have soft-soaped the Gospel and watered
down God's word to please their listeners in order to keep their
parishioners coming to church.
They
are afraid that if they preach the truth, as it is written, people
will not like it and their offering plates will not bring in too
much money.
The
Bible warns that this would be the case in the end time, of which
we are now living. (2 Timothy 3:13) (2 Timothy 4:3-4). The Apostle
Paul calls such preachers Food Preachers or Belly Preachers.
(Romans 16:18) (Philippians 3:19) These men only preach to earn a
living and not to win men and women to Jesus Christ.
I'm
going to be absolutely honest with you and tell you the complete
truth as found in God's Word concerning your soul, death,
judgment, heaven, hell and eternity and the gift of salvation.
Then I will also show you how you can be saved and forgiven by the
precious blood of Jesus Christ.
 #1
- YOUR SOUL WILL NEVER DIE
Your
soul is eternal and will live on even after your body dies.
(Genesis 2:7)
#2
- ONE APPOINTMENT YOU CAN'T CANCEL OR POSTPONE
"It
is appointed unto man once to die but after this the
judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)
#3
- YOU CAN'T FOOL GOD
"Be
not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7) "Be sure your sin
will find you out." (Numbers 32:23)
#4
- YOU'LL PAY FOR YOUR SINS IF YOU DON'T REPENT OF THEM
"The
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) "The wicked shall
be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."
(Psalms 9:17)
"When
the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels
with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And
before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall
separate them one from another, as a shepherd divided his sheep
from the goats:
And
he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the
left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world:
Then
shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but
the righteous into life eternal." (Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46)
#5
- ALL HAVE SINNED
"For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans
3:23) "And 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) "There is none
righteous, no, no one." (Romans 3:10)
#6
- JESUS DIED TO SAVE SINNERS
Jesus
said, "For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance", (Matthew 9:13) and "For the Son of man
is come to save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11)
"He
was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with
his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)
"For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world through him might be saved." (John
3:16-17)
#7
- YOU MUST REPENT OF YOUR SINS
"He
that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and
forsaketh them shall have mercy." (Proverbs 28:13)
"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)
"Except
ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)
#8
- YOU MUST BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
"That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall
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)
#9
- ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOUR BY FAITH
"For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should
boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) "Come unto me all ye that
labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28) "Come now, and let us reason together saith
the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as
wool." (Isaiah 1:18) "Him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out." (John 6:37)
#10
- HE WILL GIVE YOU THE POWER YOU NEED
"He
came unto his own, and his own received him not. 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 1:11-12)
"Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and
in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the
earth." (Acts 1:8)
HOW
CAN I BE SAVED?
Many
are asking this question today. They are wanting to know how to
"make things right with Almighty God." They realize
somewhere along the way, they have lost sight of God - they have
lost contact with the Eternal One - the Great Creator, God, who
loved the world so much that He sent His Son to die for lost
humanity.
Multitudes
today are groping in darkness - looking for a ray of light to
point them to the Heavenly way - but alas, they search in vain,
they stumble and fall in the shadows of sin, worry, fear, anxiety,
loneliness, heartbreak, sickness and confusion.
Many
people have tried to live a better life, turn over a new leaf,
rehabilitate themselves, only to find that their strength in the
time of testing and temptation has failed and they are back where
they started. So now, not only are they defeated, but they are
also bewildered, perplexed and tormented, not knowing which way to
turn.
Dear
Reader, perhaps you are one of these poor unfortunate souls. THEN
LISTEN CAREFULLY, for I have good news for you. There is still
balm in Gilead for your sin sick soul. There is still deliverance
for the bound, victory for the defeated and peace for the
troubled. There is still healing for the sick and salvation for
the lost.
THERE
IS STILL HOPE - LOOK TO JESUS
THERE
IS STILL HOPE FOR YOU. There is
life for you. There is still forgiveness and happiness for you. LOOK
TO JESUS, the author and finisher of your faith, (Hebrews
12:3).
LOOK
TO JESUS, the mighty conqueror
(Revelation 1:17-18).
LOOK
TO JESUS, the Saviour of the
World (Luke 2:11).
Don't
look at your sinful condition, LOOK TO JESUS; don't look
at your hopelessness, frustration and bewilderment, LOOK TO
JESUS.
Don't
look at your sickness, grief and loneliness, LOOK TO JESUS.
Don't
look at your friends of other Christians who have failed, but LOOK
TO JESUS who never fails.
The
Bible says in Isaiah 45:22, "Look unto me and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth: for I am God and there is NONE
else."
There
is only one way to be saved and that is through Jesus Christ, the
Son of the Living God.
Jesus
said in (John 14:6), "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,
no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Jesus said in (John
10:9), "I am the Door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
SAVED, and shall go in and out and find pasture."
THERE
IS ONLY ONE WAY TO GO - that way is JESUS. There is only one
door to God, and that door is Jesus. There is no other.
Mohammed,
Buddha and the Roman Pope, a church organization - none of these
will open the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven, but Jesus Christ,
the one who came from heaven, who died on the Cross, rose again
from the dead - He is able to forgive you, save you and bring you
into the Kingdom of God. GLORY TO HIS NAME FOREVER.
The
Apostle Peter said in (Acts 4:12) concerning Jesus Christ,
"Neither is there Salvation in any other, for there is none
other name under Heaven, given among men whereby we must be
SAVED." There you have it. the only name that can bring
salvation, blessing and deliverance is the Mighty Name of Jesus.
The Angel said unto Joseph (Matthew 1:21), "Ye shall call His
Name Jesus, for He shall SAVE His people from their sins." In
(Romans 10:13) we read, "For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be SAVED."
The
Philippian jailer asked the same question many today are asking
and he got an answer he was converted, his life was changed. He
met the master, Jesus. You can do the same. There in the prison
house he cried out (Acts 16:30), "Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?" Paul answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and be Saved." He believed on Jesus Christ and was Saved. you
can do the same.
But
you ask - how can I believe? What must I do to believe in Jesus
Christ? Where do I start? I am glad you asked these questions,
because I have the answer for you from God's word - Here is what
you must do to be saved.
#1
- REPENT OF YOUR SINS
To
be saved you must repent of your sins and see yourself as you
really are - You must realize you are lost and undone, without
hope. You must see God's Holiness and realize that you have
sinned against the Almighty. You must be sorry for your sins, you
must hate your sins and be willing to forsake them (Matthew 4:17)
your sins have condemned you (John 3:18) your sins have separated
you from God (Isaiah 59:2). The Bible says (Romans 3:23),
"For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of
God." Also in (Isaiah 53:6) the word of God says, "All
we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own
way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
GOD
HATES YOUR SINS
- but God loves you. God wants to rescue you out of your sins. You
must be willing to give yourself completely over to God and turn
your back on all unrighteousness.
#2
- YOU MUST CONFESS YOU SINS TO GOD
(1
John 1:9) "If we confess our sins (to God), He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." You must tell God you are a sinner and that
you cannot save yourself. You must confess to God that no one else
can save you except Jesus Christ. You must ask God to have mercy
on you (Luke 18:13) and to forgive you. Then you must confess to
God that you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that Jesus
Christ died on the Cross of Calvary for your sins, that He rose
again from the dead and that He is able to save you (1 Corinthians
15:1-4) (Hebrews 7:25).
#3
- YOU MUST ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR
Tell
God that you accept His pardon and that you now, through faith in
God's word accept Jesus Christ into your heart and life.
(Ephesians 2:8-9) "For by grace are you saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast." Salvation is absolutely free -
you cannot work for it - you cannot pay for it - It is free - you
just receive it from God.
After
you have prayed to God asking Him to forgive you - then you must
believe He has heard your prayer and forgiven your sins. That is
faith. You say that is hard to do. No - it isn't. If you believe
that God told the truth and the Bible is God's word - God will
do what He said He would do. If you have prayed the sinner's
prayer asking God to forgive you, (then he has forgiven you; His
word tells you that and His word is the truth) and if you are
forgiven, then you are saved. You must then continue to live in
God's way - you must live for God. Believe that you are saved,
begin to praise and worship God and thank him for saving your
soul.
But
you have doubts and say, "I don't feel any different."
You say you still feel the way you did before, you don't feel
like you are saved. Always remember, you are NOT SAVED by your
feelings, you are saved by FAITH IN GOD'S WORD. If God said it -
it is the truth, whether you feel like it or not. However, when
you stand of God's word and by faith accept the Salvation that
God offers, you WILL FEEL DIFFERENT.
You
will believe before you feel - you will feel the cleansing, you
will feel the forgiveness of God, you will feel the assurance when
you believe God's word and have confessed Jesus Christ as your
Saviour. (Romans 10:9-10).
You
will begin to feel peace, the peace that comes from knowing you
are saved, that your sins have been forgiven and you will feel
hope and optimism.
The
Word of God states (John 6:37), Jesus said, "Him that cometh
unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." You have come to Jesus
by faith; He has not cast you out - Jesus has taken you in - you
are SAVED. Praise God.
Raise
your hands to God (in complete obedience and surrender). Say
"thank you, Jesus, for saving my soul." Praise Him and
Worship Him for what He has done for you.
You
are now saved, you have passed from death unto life (John 5:24).
Your name has now been written in the "Lamb's Book of
Life." (Revelation 20:15) The Angels are rejoicing in Heaven
over this great victory over the devil. God has snatched your soul
from Satan's grasp and the angels are rejoicing over this. (Luke
15:7)
RISE
from you knees full of peace (John 14:27). Now go and tell someone
about Jesus Christ and his love. Tell people what God has done for
you. (Romans 10:9-10) "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."
Seek
the Lord (James 4:8) and ask Him to fill you with the holy Ghost
and Fire.
Ask
God to give you power for service (Luke 3:16) (Acts 1:4) (Acts
1:8) (Acts 2:4) (Acts 2:38-39). Read your Bible every day and pray
to the Lord Jesus Christ.
As
you go about your life, witness to people about Jesus Christ. Find
a good church where the pastor and the congregation believe the
whole Bible, where they believe in holiness of life and separation
from the world.
Find
a church where they believe in prayer for the sick and where the
pastor and congregation have a burden to see the lost saved and
brought to Jesus Christ.
May
the Lord bless you and give you peace. Write me a letter if you
have accepted the lord Jesus Christ as a result of reading this
message.
 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
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: buot 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."
(Luke 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.
-
Powerful AUDIO Bible sermons/messages
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken
- click on
message to listen -
Bible
Scriptures verses about
 sins
& judgment, forgiveness of sins, what is sin, repentance
(King James Version
-KJV)
Hebrews
10:30-31 - (kjv) - I
will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall
judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God. John
3:18 - (kjv) - He that believeth
on him is not condemned: but he that believed not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. 1
John 1:9 - (kjv) - If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1
John 3:4 - (kjv) - Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law. Mark
3:28-29 - (kjv) - "Verily I
say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and
blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: Nut he
that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never
forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. Hebrews
10:26 - (kjv) - For if we sin
wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. 1
John 5:16 - (kjv) - If any man
sees his brother sin a sin [which is] not unto death, he shall
ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death.
There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. Proverbs
28:13 - (kjv) - He that
confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy, but he that
covereth his sin shall not prosper. 1
John 1:7 - (kjv) - But if we walk
in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from
all sin. Isaiah
59:2 - (kjv) - But your
iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins
have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Romans
3:23 - (kjv) - For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God; John
14:15
- (kjv) - If
ye love me, keep my commandments Exodus
15:26
- (kjv) - And
said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy
God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give
ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put
none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the
Egyptians: for I AM the LORD that healeth thee. Romans
6:23
- (kjv) - The
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. 1
John 2:3-4 -
(kjv) - And
hereby we do know that we know him, of we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a
liar, and the truth is not in him. Psalms
103:3 -
(kjv) - Who
forgiveth all thine iniquies; who healeth all thy diseases, Ezekiel
18:20 -
(kjv) - The
soul that sinneth, it shall die. 3
John 1:2 -
(kjv) - Beloved,
I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
even as thy soul prospereth. 1
John 5:14-15 -
(kjv) - And
this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any
thing according to his will, he heareth us: .. And if we know that
he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we desired of him. Philippians
2:13 -
(kjv) - For
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure. Romans
8:32 -
(kjv) -
He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely
give us all things? Jeremiah
30:17
- (kjv) - For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal
thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD: becuase they called thee an
Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
For further spiritual counsel,
prayer or gospel literature, please contact us!
www.mswm.org
www.maxsolbrekken.com
email: max @maxsolbrekken.com Max
Solbrekken World Mission, PO Box 44220, RPO Garside,
Edmonton,
AB T5V 1N6 (780) 460-8444
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