There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. 'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.
'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.
'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.
'That surprises you, doesn't it? ' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had an incredible grasp on heaven. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Revelation 19:9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."
The power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior.
To watch the video of this message please click here.
1. There can be a transfer of Authority Numbers 27:20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. Authority can be given away. The Authority that is given is effective. The Authority is given away by the will of God, the one in authority and via the laying on of hands.
Prerequisite to receive an impartation of Authority. a man in whom is the spirit
The Character of Christ with a Gift from God will make an effective minister. Gifts without character won’t last very long. Character without Gifts also won’t go very far either. Both is best! The greater the gift the greater the need for Godly Character.
2. It’s wise to delegate Authority to have a greater influence Deuteronomy 1:15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.
The Jethro Principle Prerequisite for receiving authority. leading men wise men respected men If you want to find a leader just look around and see who’s leading.
If you want to find a deacon just look around and see who’s taking a leadership role in taking care of the natural affairs of the church.
3. Authority can be taken away Daniel 4:28-33 28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" 31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." 33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
Grace is the power to do the right things and resist the wrong things. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve (judgment), Grace is getting what we do not deserve (power to live the Christian life).
4. Understanding Authority = Great Faith! Matthew 8:9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Matthew 8:10 10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
Revelation about the authority of Christ will lead us to great faith.
5. We have Christ's authority delegated to us Matthew 28 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." The 12 Sent Out Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, Should a person with the authority to drive out demons ask God do to it? When they come across a sick person should they ask God to do something he’s already given us the authority to do? The 72 Sent Out Luke 10:17-20 17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." 18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
6. Fullness Comes from Christ Colossians 2:10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
7. Submit to Human Authority Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Leaders who keep watch over you must give an account Disobedient followers make the job of the leader a burden This situation is of no benefit to the follower 8. Find your place under authority Ephesians 4:15b, 16 speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Leroy Bennett has been telling me about the "Machine Gun Preacher". I thought I'd share with you a link to CBN's website where they do a video interview with Sam Childers a missionary in East Africa. I caution you, the video is disturbing.
To visit the Angels of East Africa Website Click Here To learn more about the group that is behind the atrocities click here
I wanted to give everyone a brief update on the status of 106.9 - KCCJ. I received the wrong cable ends from my supplier so I decided to hook up my kit transmitter to the 50 foot antenna. The signal improved quite a bit. As I was driving the kids to school yesterday (Tuesday) I could pick up a pretty strong signal in our van from the studio all the way to the airport at Southside. I was impressed with the coverage because it's only coming from a 1 watt transmitter! We are licensed at 36 watts by the FCC so our coverage area should really improve when the proper wire ends come in and I hook them up.
The big question everyone asks is, "How far will the station reach?" My typical answer is I'll hook everything up and see how far it goes but if 1 Watt can cover 1/2 of Batesville with a decent signal I believe 36 watts should get the job done. Obviously this is great news. I'm listening right now and if you're on the West side of Batesville try and tune the station in. My van could pick the station up at Pilgrims Pride but 2 smaller radios in the plant could not. It's still in the formative stages so there is a lot of tweaking that will go on but glorious praise to the King of Kings is being played now.
Share the station with a friend so we can build up our listenership and thus the influence of the Kingdom of God!
To watch the video of our Wednesday night discussion on Universalism and Subjective truth click here.
These two ideologies are very popular in the United States of America today and I believe it’s wise to address these false doctrines with the word of God.
Universalism - a theological doctrine that all human beings will eventually go to heaven. If you are sincere and devout no matter what you believe you will be saved.
Subjective Truth – Truth based on peculiar experiences to a particular individual : personal : modified or affected by personal views, experience, or background. : arising out of or identified by means of one's perception of one's own states and processes. Universalism
In a country ruled by extreme tolerance and political correctness these doctrines are very popular. After all, who can say that your religion is wrong? That’s not polite.
It has been said, “Tolerance is the last virtue of a totally corrupt society.”
Extremes in tolerance Nazi Germany in relationship to Judaism. Extreme Intolerance wrong Sodom and Gomorra in relationship to homosexuality. Extreme Tolerance also wrong
The proper way to handle ideas and lifestyles is with the Word of God. If it’s judged in God’s word it has already been judged. I can condemn certain behavior not on my own authority but upon God’s decreed word. I’m not the judge I’m just telling you what the Judge has already proclaimed about the subject.
Should we go around killing people who don’t believe like us? Absolutely not. We love everyone but realize their thoughts and lifestyle when not centered on Christ and the Word of God will lead them in the wrong path and thus eternal destruction.
This is narrow minded. When can you afford to be narrow minded? When you are right.
Matthew 7:13-16 13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
It’s interesting in the context of the narrow gate that Jesus immediately begins speaking about false prophets.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Pretension - a claim or an effort to establish a claim
Relative Truth or Universal Truth?
Is truth always truth or is it based on my interpretation of it?
The Sharp Knife Analogy If I have a knife up here and tell you it’s sharp. And because you don’t believe it’s sharp you decide to drag it across your neck with 20 lbs. of pressure, will there be consequences? Maybe you think because you think it’s not sharp that will make it dull?
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
2 Thessalonians 2:9 9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Avoid deception by loving the truth.
Pilate asked Jesus, What is truth and Jesus remained silent. John 18:38
Some interpret this to mean that Jesus didn’t have an answer and it stumped him. I believe he chose to remain silent in accordance with Isaiah’s prophecy about the messiah.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
We know Jesus defined truth in himself in John 14:6 by saying, “I am the truth”. It’s interesting to note that Jesus then immediately addresses the doctrine of universalism. Let’s look at the scripture.
John 14:6,7 6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus further defines truth as the Word of God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
In John one we see that Jesus and the word are one. Jesus is the perfect representation of the heart of God.
Jesus is the Word John 1:1-8 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
Many paths to God?
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Relative truth is a convenient way for a sinful person to avoid speaking to you about Christ but it’s not a logical position to take. Jesus is the truth and if you disobey his ways you will reap destruction even if you believe that you won't. There is no other way to be saved!
1 Corinthians 15:2a By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.
If Buddha, Mohamed, Allah or Mother Earth could save you Jesus was the biggest idiot to ever walk the face of the Earth.
WHY WOULD HE DIE FOR YOU IF HE DIDN’T HAVE TO?
Maybe Jesus was a Lunatic? Thinking he was something great but really being nuts? You know like the people in the state mental hospital who walk around telling people they are God. Understanding anything about Jesus makes a person know his teaching is the foundation for most of today’s psychology, leading people out of mental decay. It’s highly unlikely that Jesus was a lunatic.
Maybe Jesus was a Liar? You know maybe he knew what he was doing but was purposely deceiving people. Playing some kind of diabolical scam on all of humanity. He’d be the worst kind of liar telling people he was the ONLY way to the Father but knowing he wasn’t. Playing with peoples eternity. Again this is a highly unlikely position to accept understanding all the moral virtues Jesus lived and died for.
The most illogical conclusion a person can draw about Jesus Christ is that he was some kind of HUMAN good moral teacher. Jesus and his closest followers made distinct claims to his deity. Proving this is the subject for another service but remember John 1. “The Word is God, Jesus is the Word”
The only logical conclusion a thinking person can draw about the life of Jesus Christ is that he is exactly who he says he is. “He’s Lord and God and the only savior of mankind.”
There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. 