Keep the Fork

There was a 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. The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"Wait, there's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the pastor's reply. "This is very important," the woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?", the woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main courses 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 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 woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible, also 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.

Later during his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor 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,

The BEST is yet to come.

God’s Angels are Watching over You

“No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” – Psalm 91:10–11

Don’t you just sense your Father’s love in these words? Like a mother hen that spreads her wings over her chicks to protect them, God will “cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge”. (Psalm 91:4) So don’t be fearful of accidents, terrorist attacks, diseases or tsunamis because your heavenly Father loves you and watches over you.

One of the ways He does this is with His angels. God has declared that no evil, plague or accident will befall you or even come near your dwelling “for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways”. When He says “no”, He means “no-thing”! And if He tells His angels to “keep you in all your ways”, it means round-the-clock divine protection for you!

Let me share with you a true story. A certain Christian person was flying his plane when he realized that it was low on fuel. He contacted the air traffic controller and asked for assistance to land. But he was told that he could not land because there was a heavy fog. Then, the radio went silent and the plane entered the fog. He was flying blindly when he suddenly heard over his headphones, “Pull up! Pull up!” He pulled up just in time to avoid hitting the expressway! Then, the voice said, “Follow my instructions and I will help you land safely.” He obeyed and landed perfectly. Thinking that it was the air traffic controller who had helped him, he immediately looked for him to thank him. But when he found him, the man said, “Listen, we lost contact with you when I told you that there was a heavy fog. None of us managed to speak to you after that.” The pilot realized then that God had sent an angel to lead him to safety.

Beloved, your heavenly Father is watching over you. That is why, no evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your dwelling. And He has a host of angels to keep you in all your ways!

What if they don’t believe?

"What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?" – Romans 3:3

Have the opinions of others caused you to water down your dreams? There will always be critics and naysayers in life. One of the most important things you can learn is that other people don't have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. Other people don't set the limits for your life–you do. It's not what others say about you that affects your life, but what you say and believe about yourself. In today's verse, the Apostle Paul is saying, "It doesn't matter if other people don't believe. Their unbelief is not going to keep me from believing in my dreams." When God puts a promise in your heart, it's not up to other people to bring it to pass, it's up to you! You don't need everyone to validate you. You have to follow the voice of God for yourself and allow Him to order your steps.

Friend, God sees the hidden treasures inside of you. He wants to bring those treasures out and make your dreams reality! As you get rid of the old defeated thoughts and replace them with what God says about you, you will remove the limits and live the abundant life God has in store for you!

The Son’s Heartbeat for You

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers." – 3 John 1:2

Let's say that you are now in your nineties. Someone comes along and asks you, "Sir, you have been a Christian for a very long time. You have seen much and done much with God by your side. You have prayed all kinds of prayers too. So what would you place as top priority when you pray for people?"

I believe the apostle John was asked a similar question and his reply was, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." When the apostle John wrote 3 John, he was already a very old man and probably the only disciple of the original 12 who was still alive. It had been so long ago since he last walked alongside his beloved Lord, and witnessed His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. The apostle John had also leaned on the Lord's bosom on the night of the Last Supper. And I believe that there on Jesus' bosom, he must have felt the heartbeat of the Son of God — that loving and compassionate heartbeat which had caused Him to go about "doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil". (Acts 10:38) In fact, two-thirds of Jesus' ministry on earth had to do with healing the sick.

And now, nearing the end of his life, and after all he had heard, seen and experienced, the apostle John prioritized, above all things, health as well as prosperity. He said, "I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." He knew the Lord's heartbeat. He knew that the Lord wants and will always want these for His people. Jesus had prioritized divine healing during His earthly ministry. And Jesus, who is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), will do the same for you today. His heart still beats for you. He will never miss an opportunity to do good to you, to heal you of your broken body, emotional scars and weary spirit, and to prosper you! (As naratted).

Renewing Your Mind

Life is a continous challange and an unending struggle,
We are not made rich by what is in our pocket,  but we are rich with what is in our heart.