Brunstad Summer Conference

In John 5:17 Jesus said, “. . . and I have been working.” When we experience the Brunstad Conference Center of today we have to say that many brothers and sisters can make these words of Jesus their own. A tremendous undertaking is in progress, both in the spiritual and in the temporal. All of us need to be along in this work! God’s Word says that presenting our bodies as a living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice is our “spiritual service.” Rom. 12:1.

The conference went remarkably well, even though Brunstad is now in the midst of what is possibly the most extensive reconstruction project since it was purchased. We can see that the New Brunstad is taking shape. The entire conference was characterized by a spirit of expectation for the opening next summer of the new conference centre at Brunstad. In this spirit the Word of God, now as before, was richly in our midst. As brother Kåre J. Smith expressed in one of his messages, it was a “grain message,” rich in nourishment for the souls of disciples, in contrast to a “straw message,” without any nutritional value. May such “grain messages” continue, in the local churches in each country as well, so that everyone can receive spiritual food!

The Sun of Love

“. . . through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78-79. Jesus brought the sun of love, the sun that never sets. Jesus prayed for His enemies. He was and is like the sun that shines and warms, and when this sun of love enters our hearts we will also be able to shine and bring warmth.

We can come to an overcoming life if the Holy Spirit has been poured out into our hearts. We gain the victory through love. If we come out of love we will suffer defeat after defeat.

“. . . the Lord will be to you an everlasting light . . . . Your sun shall no longer go down . . . for the Lord will be your everlasting light . . . .” Is. 60:19-20. This sun of love transforms our life. Such suns of love have time for the others; it is good and edifying, to be together with them. You can never detect any evil, any backbiting, or any bitterness in their lives. Such people have a gathering effect. No one has more light than the life he or she has received grace to live. The light of knowledge is dead and cold if we do not live a life of sanctification.

The sun of love saves us from all the darkness and the shadow of death that dwell in our flesh. Then our days of sorrow have come to an end, and the life of Christ is manifested in our flesh.

In Psalm 19:5, flg., we read that the sun rejoices like a strong man to run its race. The sun is a strong man when it comes to shining and bringing warmth. It never disappoints. Nothing is hidden from its heat. What a strong message that is to us. Jesus has made it possible for us always to be good, bringing light and warmth.

Nothing should be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Rom. 8:35-39. In Matthew 5:44, flg., we can see examples of how Jesus reveals the Father’s glory. There we are exhorted to love our enemies, to bless, and do good to them, and to pray for those who persecute us. Our heavenly Father lets “His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” No amount of evil was able to cause Jesus’ sun to set. He overcame—yes, He was more than a conqueror! Usually it doesn’t take much for people to come out of love. For example, it is written that love is kind. We are not walking in love if we are not kind. Each of us should search our hearts and test ourselves: Am I really walking in love? It is love, not the gifts, that makes us servants of the Lord. Think of the apostle Paul’s testimony in 2 Corinthians 12:15: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” You cannot live such a life of love, a constantly increasing love, without being a sacrifice. We are more than conquerors if our love increases and grows when we are in life’s trials. This is precisely what we are called to! Let us not draw back from our neighbor in the hour of trial, but rather sacrifice, and be sacrificed. Then everything we meet will only be a source for a greater fullness of love.

The prophetic word is like a light that shines on a dark place, and there are many such dark places in our human nature. However, if we heed the Word, the day will dawn, and the morning star will arise in our hearts. 2 Pet. 1:19. We can see God’s kingdom when we are born-again. Then it is no longer what we see with our physical eyes that dominates us, but our inner senses will be exercised in godliness. Then we will receive enlightened eyes of the heart so we can see the power that is at our disposal. We look into the perfect law of liberty so that we become doers of the work and are blessed in what we do. Jas. 1:25.

“. . . if indeed we suffer with Him . . . .” Rom. 8:17. To believe in the power that is in the sufferings of Christ is a great mystery. By nature we have more faith in the power that is in explaining, judging, and putting things in their place. However, when we believe in the power of love we will comprehend the power that is available when we suffer with Him. Paul could testify that the word of the cross is the power of God. When the word of the cross becomes a power of salvation in us, we will also know the power of love, and we will experience what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:14: “For the love of Christ constrains us . . . .”

If we understand what the cross is (fellowship in the sufferings of Christ), then nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Paul worked among the Corinthians in this love of Christ “in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” 1 Cor. 2:3-5. His speech was not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Think what wisdom there is in the cross! This demonstration of the Spirit and of power is not in words; it is manifested in one’s life, ministry, help, and sincere care.

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ . . . .” 2 Cor. 2:14. Always! This is the same as always being good and thankful, and always in the place where God wants us. Then we will exude the aroma of Christ, and we will be a “Come!”

In love we learn to take heed to everything that is true and just and pure—to every virtue, etc. Phil. 4:8. Love pays attention to these things. This is different from being a “keen observer” who always has some comment to make about things that are not as they ought to be. Love does not think evil. It does not keep “notes” in its heart about the injustices others have committed against oneself.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield . . . .” Ps. 84:11. From Him we learn to be a sun and shield where He has put us—whether it be at home, in the church, or anywhere else.

Godliness

In 1 Timothy 6:3 we read about the doctrine that is according to godliness. Most of those who call themselves believers have drifted from the true fear of God, and from the sound doctrine that is according to godliness. Being conformed to the image of the Son and partaking of divine nature is the greatest thing we can attain in this life. This mystery of godliness is great. We should take note of the fact that it is written “the mystery of godliness.” Ch. 3:16. And what is this mystery? The mystery is Jesus Himself—He who was revealed in flesh and who, in the days of His flesh, offered up prayers and supplications to God with vehement cries and tears, and was heard because of His godly fear. Heb. 5:7. Should we not long to get to know Him? Paul was deeply apprehended of Jesus Himself. He longed to “know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings.” Phil. 3:10. Jesus is revealed in the pure, unadulterated Word of God. We can receive power from the Word to be conformed to the image of Christ.

We can see a good example of the fear of God in Ecclesiastes 10:20: “. . . even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom.” Yes, we will have to give account for every idle word. What about evil words, then? It shows a great lack of the fear of God when a person lets words of reproach or bitterness pass his lips. Everything begins in a per-son’s thought life. We read, “not . . . even in your thought.” The tempter usually comes in the form of a thought, but we need to let the cross work right then and there. If we do not love the cross, we will drift away from the doctrine that is according to godliness. In the long run your thoughts about another person cannot be hidden; they will become evident through your behavior. Perhaps you feel sympathy for a certain person, yet you cannot manage to be sincerely good to someone else. Oh, may we learn of Him who with vehement cries and tears prayed to God in His need! Let us keep watch over our hidden “root life.”

James writes about blessing and cursing proceeding out of the same mouth. Jas. 3:9-11. He writes, “These things ought not to be.” No cursing, no reproach. How easy it is for a father or mother to speak words of reproach to their children. Brother Elias Aslaksen, in his days, gave us this good guideline for our life and ministry: Exhort always, admonish occasionally, but never reproach! Let us live in the fear of God, so that our entire inner being is like a picture gallery of everything that is good. It is fully possible to keep your heart pure; it is the condition for progress and grow in God. We can only abide in love with a pure heart. Let us eradicate from our lives everything that hinders progress and growth in God. Let us undertake a proper “attic cleaning” so that our thought life will be pure and acceptable before God.

In Hebrews 4:12 we read that it is God’s word that judges the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is the Word that is the highest court. If we rely more on the thoughts and intents of our heart than on God’s word, we will lose the salvation that the cross was meant to give us in life’s circumstances.

The Truth

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6. No one comes to a life in God without having first received Jesus as the truth. The truth crushes everything in us that is proud and great. Wherever the truth is loved, the result will be a message that provides nourishment—a “grain message,” and not a “straw message.” We confront reality when we confront the truth. You cannot hide from the truth. When the truth rules, that which is great will be great, and that which is small will be small. The truth is liberating. We have nothing to fear when we live in the truth, even though people may speak all kinds of evil against us falsely, because of the truth. When we read James 5:19-20 we come to understand that the person who wanders from the truth lives in sin. It all revolves around these two things: truth or lying. The spirit of Antichrist has deceived many people who claim to be believers, with the result that they continue to live in sin and yet think that they believe the words of the Bible. In Acts 13:38, flg., we can plainly see that in Jesus Christ we can obtain the forgiveness of sins, and after that the deeper salvation from everything that entered mankind through the fall “. . . and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” This is that deeper salvation in which we believe in the church, and because of this truth the church has been contradicted and backbitten by many religious leaders down through the years.

For we have all been baptized in one Spirit. This is the Spirit of Truth. This Spirit leads to all truth; there we meet reality. The truth sets us free, regardless of how wretched we have been. Let us live our life in the truth. May no one attempt to cloak himself in a lie, for the truth will always come to reveal reality. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. Jesus said this to believers. He had to tell them that whoever commits sin is a slave of sin; in other words, he is not set free. However, when we acknowledge the truth to an ever-increasing degree, the truth is able to do its liberating work in us, and we are enabled to help others.

The Jews became bitter because of Jesus’ words about the truth, and Jesus had to speak severely to them. “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning . . . for he is a liar and the father of it.” V. 44. We cannot serve the Lord if we have any kind of dealings with a lie. It is best to humble ourselves, even though it can be ever so embarrassing. Then we will experience that the truth will set us free—free indeed.

Everyone who wants to be a disciple of Jesus Christ will encounter the truth. “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . . .” Mat. 7:13-14. Many people remain standing outside of the gate and the glorious way of life because they will not acknowledge the truth. The narrow way is also described in Hebrews 10:19-20 as the way that leads through the flesh and into the Holiest. We receive boldness to enter into the Holiest when we fulfill the condition: to humble ourselves and forsake everything.

And I have been Working

After Jesus had healed a sick person by the Pool of Bethesda, the Jews accused Him of breaking the Sabbath. “But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’” John 5:17. “And I have been working.” All of us must have this attitude: present our bodies to God as an instrument of righteousness.

Paul writes, “For we are God’s fellow workers . . . .” He was certain that he was a fellow worker of God. He writes further, “According to the grace of God which was given to me . . . .” 1 Cor. 3:9-10. We need to take note of this so that we do not go beyond the grace that has been given us. It is good to have had abundant opportunities to humble ourselves first, and be cultivated as God’s field.

“It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and keep silent, because God has laid it on him . . . .” Lam. 3:27-28. A laborer in the Lord’s vineyard shows that he is faithful when he does not become discouraged when the Lord chastens him.

The thought of “securing your future” in a human way can keep many people from working in the Lord’s vineyard. Let us rather believe Jesus’ words: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Mat. 6:33.

If we want to serve God, it is not just the result that counts; the way in which we work is of great importance. For example, friendliness and longsuffering are of great importance for a laborer. Let us not despise the task God has given us to do. Be a laborer where you live—in your home, in your family. Begin there, and exercise yourself in godliness. Paul exhorted each and every one as a father exhorts his children. A father is willing to do anything for a child that has gone astray. Someone who is longsuffering is also friendly.

Everything we meet in life is part of our training, and by serving and helping the others, we partake of an inner development. Perform the task that is at hand. If you stand before God’s face in your service you will receive strength in your spirit for greater tasks. Serve within your anointed area, and be thankful for the others’ ministries.

In 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3, Paul wrote about certain brothers who neglected their earthly work; they were lazy and were busybodies in matters that did not concern them. On the other hand, God works in us both, to will and to do, in the temporal as well as in the spiritual realm. Paul and his co-workers could testify that they were not a burden to anyone, and he asked the church to follow their example. Let us see to it that our area of work— whether it is temporal or spiritual— does not resemble the field of a slothful man. Read Proverbs 24:30.

Poor in spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Mat. 5:3. If we also read Luke 17:21, “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you,” we will receive a deeper insight into what God’s kingdom is, and we will begin to perceive the treasures that are in the kingdom of heaven through the work God does in our brothers and sisters among whom we have been placed. The person who is poor in spirit will see the kingdom of heaven in his fellow brothers and sisters. He lives in acknowledgment of the truth about himself and in acknowledgment of the work that God is doing in each brother and sister. If we are poor in spirit we will not know anyone according to the flesh. For such people it is not difficult to receive the Word from their fellow brothers and sisters—without becoming critical, proud, and hard. They are not restricted (humanly speaking) when it comes to who should begin the meeting, or who should take responsibility for something in the work in the church. On the contrary, by esteeming the others higher than themselves, those who are poor in spirit gain access to the resources and gifts that God has given to the church—access to the kingdom of heaven! Then we see each other’s worth, and come to know the depth, height, length, and breadth of the work God does in each individual. We gain access to the treasures and the energy that constitutes the kingdom of heaven in our brothers and sisters, in our young people, and in our children. It would be a sad state of affairs if we spoke enthusiastically about the kingdom of heaven and yet did not have an ear or an eye for this kingdom, which is “within you”—in other words, within our brothers and sisters.

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God . . . ?” We could just as well ask, “Do you not know that your brother or sister is the temple of God?” We are also meant to have a share in the temple ministry that takes place in the others. Yes, let us pray for our eyes to be opened, so that we can see the kingdom of heaven in each other, and see the glory of the saints—partake of the kingdom of heaven—in the midst of the local church where God has placed us! Eph. 1:15-18. All demands, all backbiting, and all reproaching will then be excluded.

The person who is poor in spirit will also have his eyes opened to the work God is doing in his own family; for example in his children. Then his eyes will also be opened to the glory of receiving the children as a gift from God.

Cleansing in Jesus’ blood

In 1 John 1:6, flg., we read about fellowship in the light, about having sin, and that Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all sin. We must acknowledge that we do not have all light, but that having fellowship means that we walk in the light and go from light to light. We are born again to a living hope. This means that all of us have the same goal and that we are on the way to this goal. Therefore we must not push anyone out just because they are different from us. We have the same calling and must not be offended by someone else’s behavior. In Isaiah 29:21 we read about those who make a man a sinner because of a word. Let us be awake in our life so that we do not commit such an injustice against anyone.

God’s Word says that we have sin.

And we discover that we do what we hate. Then we must accept the cleansing in Jesus’ blood. In this development we will get a better understanding of each other as time goes by.

For example, how foolish it is to withdraw from someone who has uttered an offending word. Perhaps the person concerned has cleansed himself in Jesus’ blood, and continues on the way, whereas the one who was offended stays behind. Let us all acknowledge that we “have sin,” and that on this way we all need the cleansing in Jesus’ blood until the end. For example, read Colossians 3:11 flg. There we read about a glorious life and a blessed fellowship in the light while a cleansing in the blood of Jesus is taking place. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness . . . even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Here we also read about the “coat of love” which we are to put on “above all these things.” Let us accept the cleansing in Jesus’ blood in life’s situations and keep wearing the servant’s garment of Jesus Christ.

In the church we all have the same calling. Nevertheless, we are very different from each other, and we do have sin in the flesh. Therefore we need this cleansing in the blood of Jesus. The acknowledgment we read about in Romans 7:18 helps us to remain humble. But if we delight in God’s law according to our inward man (v. 22), we also delight in being good, loving, and merciful. Yet we still find that we do things we hate. This is humbling, but then we judge ourselves and receive an opportunity to put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit (Rom. 8:13), for we do not want to remain in the sin which the Spirit has pointed out to us. Then we become an aroma of life to life for all those who have the same calling. If we want to continue in this development, we must walk in the Spirit and judge ourselves in the light of the Spirit, instead of judging the others. Then we are built together as one body and knit together with eternal bonds.

The above are excerpts from the message that was proclaimed during the last summer conference in the old meeting hall at Brunstad, which has been a blessing for the last 25 years. It was, as it is written, a “washing of water by the word,” that will affect our lives in the days to come.

At the last meeting of the summer conference, brother Kåre J. Smith spoke about how glorious this old meeting hall has been. Both the spiritual and earthly Brunstad have been built by the spiritual fathers—pil-lars—who were faithful in their days before us. Many of our children and young people were converted and saved during meetings and prayer meetings in this meeting hall, for which we are deeply thankful to God. Now it is our time to work and build further on a spiritual as well as earthly plane, and make things ready for our children, our young people, and the coming generations, for salvation and blessing. Bjørn Nilsen reminded us of the spiritual strengthening we experienced in this hall which is now being completely rebuilt, not the least during the revival in the 1990s. The youth conference in the fall of ’91 and the New Year’s Conference of ‘91/92 in particular are firmly embedded in our hearts.

May God give grace that the new hall in the New Brunstad can also be an open place for the Spirit’s powerful working for revival, salvation, and life for the children and young people, for generations to come.

Until we meet again next summer for the conference in the New Brunstad!

Arild Tombre