The Water of Life

The Water of Life

We read the following words in Revelation 22:1-2: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its [i.e. the city’s] street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

Reading further, we notice the glory in the wake of this river of life: “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” Vs. 3-5.

In verse 6 we notice how an angel clearly mentions that these words are faithful and true and that the Lord God distributes His Spirit to the prophets [Norw.].

The angel came to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. V. 6. Jesus is coming soon. “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” V. 7.

Everyone who has accepted Jesus as his Savior in life has a glorious future. However, in the midst of this glory there is a profound seriousness: “‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.’ And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Vs. 16-19.

Johan O. Smith saw the lack of this seriousness among the leaders of the various assemblies in his days. In his desire for victory in his personal Christian life, brother Smith did not find the purity of preaching in the sight of God in Christ that Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 2:17. On the contrary, he found much adulteration for personal gain. “For we are not, as so many, adulterating for gain [marg.] the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”

Mission Work

World War I began just two years after Skjulte Skatter [Hidden Treasures] was first published, and Johan O. Smith was sent to Finnmark and elsewhere along the coast, guarding Norway’s neutrality while serving in the Norwegian Navy. In other words, brother Smith was sent out into the mission fields through God’s leading, and during this time, Skjulte Skatter was the means by which the various contacts had fellowship. In due time, this resulted in a group of friends—Smith’s Friends. Through the paper, they were edified with the truth that leads to faith and godly fear.

Brother Smith was never interested in gathering a flock of people to himself, or in starting a church. What brother Smith and his brother Aksel and other God-fearing brothers and sisters wrote in Skjulte Skatter, led to spiritual fellowship among God-fearing people who eventually gathered for meetings in different places in the land.

We live in the end times, and things are changing very quickly; but we know that God has a plan with everything He does. Therefore, we must always be in God’s plan with our life, also when it concerns mission work. God has given us www.activechristianity.org and Brunstad TV as powerful tools which we are developing further, so that we can fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission and be more focused, going out into the whole world and making all the nations disciples of Jesus by teaching them to observe everything He has commanded us. Matt. 28:18-20. When we are engaged in this work, He has promised to be always with us, and we can feel secure, for to Him has been given all power in heaven and on earth.

What Has Changed?

Much has changed since brother Smith was converted more than one hundred and twenty years ago. However, there is safety in knowing that in His High-Priestly prayer, Jesus emphasized that He did not want His disciples to be taken out of the world, but that God should keep them from the evil. John 17:15.

Only a wholehearted life with Christ in God can keep a person from the evil. This was brother Smith’s experience in his days, and it is also our experience. This is a truth that has never changed, and it will never change! But the seriousness of it all is that if we are to become God’s servants and have our fruit to sanctification, we must also be set free from sin in our personal life! Rom. 6:22-23.

On this point Satan deceives most people—they want to serve two masters. However, Jesus says that it is impossible! Matt. 6:24.

God’s Profile, the Church’s Profile, Your Profile

As long as the church is made up of people who have Christ as their head and God’s word as the foundation for their life, the church’s profile will be identical to the clear profile that God’s Word outlines. Paul writes very clearly about it in Colossians 1:18: “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

The calling that each one of us has, is to be conformed to the image of the Son, the Preeminent One! Read Romans 8:29-30. Then it becomes a question of whether you are willing to be focused, purposefully working out your salvation with fear and trembling in order to preserve your profile throughout your life as God works in you in your circumstances. Phil. 2:12-13.

Not One Tittle Will Pass Away

Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Matt. 5:17-18.

For this reason, Paul had also received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all nations for His name’s sake. He writes, “Among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.” Rom. 1:5-6. Our calling is therefore to carry out God’s word in our lives. Those who are called, and are obedient to their calling, belong to the church, the body of Christ!

Our Calling

We are called to be the salt of the earth and a light among people. Matt. 5:13-16. We must never be a busybody in other people’s matters, but rather judge ourselves instead. 1 Pet. 4:15-19. We are called to bless! Ch. 3:9.

Such a life keeps us from the evil. 1 Pet. 4:10-13. This is church life, combined with Johan O. Smith’s teaching and preaching through the Skjulte Skatters Stiftelsen Forlag [Hidden Treasures Literature Inc.] which is grounded in God’s word, with Christ as Lord in our hearts!

Such people do not neglect to come together! Heb. 10:25: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

In these days we can come together in new ways, because God from the beginning has laid down the laws of nature in His work of creation that make it possible for us to sit in our homes and still be together! We intend to use these opportunities to spread the glad tidings to the entire world! Think that it has been granted to us to participate in this work. We have great grace over us!

Our Mission Work

“Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:18-20.

We meet many people in this important work. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to remember that there is a special need for wisdom and caution when it comes to guiding people. Those who meet Jesus’ disciples must sense a concern; they must be given time to hear the gospel and evaluate their situation in life and what they desire to do with their life. On this point we must be especially careful and not intervene in the personal choices that each individual must make in their circumstances. Therefore Jesus said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23. Our calling is to live this life first, and then proclaim it, but people must make their own choice as to what they want to do! We must never take the liberty away from people that Jesus has granted them!

I pray to God that in the years to come, He may give grace to each one who by his personal life, in obedience to the faith, is part of the church—Christ’s body. May we all understand to conduct ourselves properly toward those who are outside, until Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, returns to fetch His own! That is our comfort! 1 Thess. 4:9-18.

Hidden in the Lord’s Tabernacle

We live in amazing times, but God is in full control! Jer. 29:10-14.

We have nothing to fear when our thoughts are aligned with David’s thoughts, as he sings in Psalm 27:4-5: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”

In Revelation 3:10 Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

This promise also applies to us today, in the circumstances that God sends over the world.

Therefore I urge everyone to continue to look into the Lord’s covenant and to inquire in His temple, so we pay heed to God’s word and carry it out in our life. Then the Lord will be our protection, and no man can have a better protection than that!

Read in God’s Word; read the brothers’ writings published by Skjulte Skatters Stiftelsen Forlag and in the publication Hidden Treasures, and strengthen yourself by reading these writings, as well as follow along on Brunstad TV and thus be edified and strengthened in your faith, making use of these good opportunities that God has given us in these days, and not drifting away in these trying times. Heb. 2:1.

I am glad that several younger brothers and sisters are beginning to write for Skjulte Skatter. Continue to send in to the paper what God has revealed to you in your inner man! The paper does not need long theological dissertations; it needs short articles written in the Spirit of revelation, with power and life, on the basis of the comfort you yourself have received through God’s word! 2 Cor. 1:3-5.

It is on my heart to send this greeting from Paul in Romans 1:9-12 to each one of you: “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”