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November 9, 2019 8:00 am
God has an encouraging word for you and me today to the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a very unique interview segment that's right usually take you straight to the pulpit where Dr. Don will be preaching today but instead a unique opportunity took place a few weeks ago between Dr. Don Wilton and Kristi Henderson about Dr. Wilson's book the absolute certainty of life after death that will gain some insight from this book more than that will gain some insight from God's word about some of the questions that we all have about life after death and the assurance of knowing that will be there in the presence of Jesus. As we talk about it know that were available for you. 866-899-WORD is the phone number 866-899-WORD 9673 or online@theencouragingword.org. I now Kristi and Dr. Don open God's word and his friends brought together I will look very special edition of The Encouraging Word we are really excited to have Dr. Welton witness to tell us more about a book that he wrote in the book that I recently read he may have to call the absolute certainty of life.
After that, so you get a chance to ask the author a few questions about the book itself and end I what he wanted him to write this but thanks for being your doctor well well thank you Christiane. I couldn't be more delighted than speaking about the absolute certain your block off today because we all think about it and we are all engaged in it.
Yeah that's true, and just look at the title the absolute certainty of life after death and everybody wonders about that. They were all kind of thinking that way and that the title itself is fascinating.
I wondering what life events happened for you to stop everything is you print on the subject all the time.
What made you sit down and write this book. Will Kristi back in $2003 with the whole of young people actually in Texas and and on notice that all begin to swell up and and I came back home and in a very short space of time medical folks told me that I had developed a problem.
I went to the hospital. I never left the turned out that I had a blood clot in my shoulder and had to go straight from there.
Winning to surgery for over four hours and I'm dead to say they fixed everything up, but during that procedure. The doctor had told me prior to that, he said, listen, blood clots of blood clots. You can die from us and I just want you to know I said thank you very much.
Thanks a lot right use. You know, just before you go to sleep and I was in sort of Lala land and just found myself drifting around, so to speak, how to explain and I sold myself.
I saw myself lying on the table. Also, the doctor working on me and our soil and hood. The doctor turned to my wife and say I'm sorry Karen but he's gone to my wife and she loves me and I and and she he put his arm around her and I just remember the piece that I had in my heart I mean is just an incredible day with it. Everything was bright and light and just, peaceful, and in the next second. I guess I was back. I was being wheeled out in the ICU and as I began to come around and go through that experience it. All of a sudden I said, what is this and you know, knowing the Lord Jesus. I believe in life often did in Christ, and so I sat down and I began to write this book and it's just a novel.
Kristi but it's it's a story and what I did.
I God just flowed through me and out of this experience my own life experience kind the absolute certainty of life off today take you to rightness. It took me about two weeks. Yes, it just flowed out of me and and by the way, I had the time because I wasn't allowed to go anywhere for a long time to write but I just was in one place on one bed Siemens and this is a novel it's it's it's fiction, fictional characters, but it is based on a parable that Jesus told in the book of Luke, that's correct.
Luke chapter 16 tell us about that parable will Jesus see that they were two people to remain and they both lived. They both died. One way to heaven.
One wing to help and by the way, Jesus told the story and the Bible is true, but I pay particular attention for the fact that Jesus said and Jesus never tells us anything that didn't actually happen. This was not a fictional character, Jesus didn't call over the Angels and site angels, via help me to make up a story so I can give people like Dr. Don Wilton something to preach about on The Encouraging Word order write about in the book I take what Jesus seemed to be what God is saying and he told the story about the reality of these two people in their life off today so I took Jesus seated and I wrote a novel about two characters in real places where I've been to from Louisiana to the United States to Europe. They will real with the names and the places in the feelings and the incorrectness all my years in the great state of Louisiana and all the fun and the things in the food you will finish on the blank here. Love it love love all of that some the finest people in the world that I lived among and served among all those years. And then of course overseas in Europe with my background and places I've been to in in France and Italy, and so on so forth and I God broke that together in these two main characters mine and not tell the story of them living their life where they came from the perspective then how they died. And what happened to them after they died, their choices, they came not just their situation, but their choices. It seems like that is characters stemming characters. There now. This book is told in three main parts you want to briefly summarize the three main parts. Forgive the interruption will be back in just a moment with more of this great interview between Dr. Don Kristi, but Dr. Don Wilton to remind you we are here for you shortly be happy to connect you with the daily Encouraging Word Bible guide or other studies or copy of Dr. Wilson's book, but more than that.
We're here to pray with you and for you 866-899-WORD is the phone number is 866-899-9673 or me this online The Encouraging Word.org. And speaking of The Encouraging Word, many of you are joining us as encouragers and you're making a trip and this difference hello my friends I wanted just personally speak to you for a minute today from my heart to yours. I hope you having a great day today. I don't think that these ever been a mold bit, or perhaps important time for us to respond to this wound, by standing up for righteousness. I know that you agree with me. In fact, with this in mind, I'd like to invite you to become and encourage a ministry partner with me.
Together we can impact lives, both now and for all eternity. The daily Encouraging Word is a viewer and listener supported ministry and to know that you are standing with me financially, enables me to move forward with confidence to do the work God has called me to do so, please let me or skew golden number provided at the end of today's bold costs and site I want to become an encourager. Thanks so much for helping me that numbers 866-899-WORD 9673 that back today's message with Dr. Don Wilton and Kristi Henderson now this book is told in three main parts you want to briefly summarize the three main parts the first part essentially and we we're summarizing it right the first part is about these two men okay who grow up they booth they growing up in the context very important. Who were they what made them tick there.
Even some of the childhood I mean I even lost some of the things I was to have the naughtiness of children and what they got up to you and I bid people of the country. Tell me how they just pack up because they can see themselves I'll tell you little hints a lot of that's in me to not so the first part is about that. The second part is how they go about this mysterious thing called dying.
They both get sick. I even describe the diseases and and I consulted the medical community garden just I wrote, but I wrote with meaning and with purpose. What happens to a person when they die. Now I want to know that because we're all going to die. I've been around day so many years and I've held many, many hands and so many of our loved ones. We want to know I what is this it's this big ministry.
What happens when you die suddenly.
What happens if you get sick and you die slowly. What happens if you Don paint what happens will I just described.
These two men, my characters in the process of dying. So that's the second part the third part is what happens the moment they die, what were they thinking with that.
They just suddenly stop not I have any problem with what I think because I've stood with many a precious person who has died.
To me, I look at them and I say they did.
My heart said I'm sorrowful, but all they and why would Jesus Kristi, why would Jesus tell us that we keep living now. I'm trying to wrap my mind around this because when I look at someone who's died. They have no life but Jesus is they do not last chapter.
It's not the lost chapter and not only do we have life, but we have life in a specific place and there's only one of two places so I just took would Jesus say then I went back into the Bible and studied these two places and I told the story in the third part around these two places and I'm going to tell you something. Kristi done for one minute thing.
Trying to describe how, was not a nice thing for me. I was can ask you if either the two characters were harder to write about in their situation. Aaron part three or when they were in heaven or hell well I when Billy Bob died and went off to heaven. I wrote with the greatest joy. I'm just telling you it just flowed out of my heart and I just kept thanking God that that that food that I belong to him and and I knew that because I did.
Everybody could eunuch is God's got no restrictions on any person it doesn't matter how old, young, what race with culture would background God loves us and Jesus died for all of us.
So that's Billy Bob so I write this incredible account of heaven, but then I had to write about the other fellow. And I'll tell you something. It flowed out of me, but only because I believe the Bible and Albright had everything at his fingertips. It seems like, and he had a terrible terrible thing waiting for them based on his choices at right when you know Albright, I tried so hard to love Albright because I've meet Albright everywhere in America, and I made Billy Bob everywhere but all brought in particular he he was. He was an American man classic live the life of of the great placing a great privilege will succeeded and leasehold background which I spent a lot of time on it and his family and his travels, you know that's me mean, I love to be all over the place and go here in the course.
The book reflects that you know I love it I love traveling in its detail on anything andthen inflation being with my family and the grandkids.
You know all of it. But you know Albright had this barrier. He didn't know Jesus. He had all the trappings and and he masqueraded and he II think all brought Jeannie Thorpe because he went to church once in a while that God would lead them into heaven, and he was absolutely wrong and I and I think that he really thought I'd I don't say this but I think maybe even sort because he was an American citizen. Maybe God would lead them into heaven because at least he wasn't born in one of these other country yellow have a lot of power, influence and money. Do you think that it is wrong for people to have or seek power and influence and money during this lifetime. Absolutely not affect the very opposite is true. I don't preach prosperity gospel. I believe it but I will tell you this wanted to try and just trust God bless you because he does. God wants to prosperous and I believe all across I've made scores of the most wonderful men and women who have succeeded in life have been blessed with millions of dollars, with beautiful homes with planes their own private.
This and and they are the most wonderful Christian people. But Jesus did say this so I got up at the scene here.
He said it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, and why is that because when we are blissed on one of those when we are blissed it's harder for a person who has everything to see if they need of anything and and the more a person is blissed before they come to know Christ, the more the question is why do I need Jesus.
I mean, he sees my Bard shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory will I don't need any needs supplied out and worry where my food comes from out on worry that is why Kristi I've been to Third World countries around the world from Africa to Asia, you can go and preach on the street corner and thousands of people gather one but you try and do that in America, and that somebody will come up in stone though think you've lost your marbles arrive. What is the sits in the front to our society, and I'm being radical when I say that right but rich people all so laced and when I told Greg richness. I'm not just talking about dollar, but in Albright's case, that was the true he was a fantastic businessman.
He was surrounded by comfort.
He didn't have to think about where something was coming on. I mean I even have them sitting on his plane ordering, you know, one drink offer another and going to this place in a holiday home here and in that wonderful there is nothing wrong with any of it, but he's need was that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and he would not.
He knew what he needed to do, but he swore no need to do it and I think with well-placed people. The number one thing that gets in the way his pride. I really do. It's a pride thing that, say, you know, man five gun give my heart to Jesus. What's everybody going to think of me, but now they will have no problem going to the club all to the bowl game or facilitators. Why I love all of give me the cut give me the golf club give me the bowl game. I love to get up there in shock loop and all of with the best of it, but a good Jesus in my heart and I know that Jesus has given to me, forgiveness of sin, money, he's given me peace in my heart. Blessings, give that to me. He's given me purpose in my life and he's given me laugh off today. Not even my wonderful family can do that I could be married to those wonderful lady and I are and she's my best friend and I'm the sovereign over her, and we've love each other but not even Karen can give to me life off today when you read this book, you really get a sense of urgency. Would you say that that urgency is directed only to unbelievers might be reading this book, know Christiane you know that's a great Christian. I think the urgency when you read that book as a lot of people told me this first strikes the heart to people like me who believe. So let me talk about me, a preacher of the gospel I preached on The Encouraging Word across the nation around the world loved by local congregation of people in Spartanburg, South Carolina I'm some privileged but am continuing I wrote that and urgency came out of me. What was the urgency to tell as many people I can about this good news could've put it in more dramatic terms. My urgency is every time I see a person rich or poor. I don't see people through the lane I see people as people doesn't matter who they are old, young, male, female: short, the urgency of that book and what Jesus said in Luke 16 is they know Jesus. Do you know Jesus had you given your heart to Jesus not will do you go to church. What kind of question is that they are hospitable. He went to church but didn't go to heaven is another question. Do you give your money to the poor. Are you benevolent do you do to help support missions. What kind of question is that all right, you can support missions but not go to heaven. What's the fine line. Do you know Jesus that's the main question and and people have so many questions about death. Know when a relative of mine dies, can they see me on earth. What happens when we die.
This book seems to address a lot of those questions that people may have when they read the difficult ones on so where do I go for the Jesus and and listen. Jesus took three of these disciples on to amount by the well-being of the same called the Mount of Transfiguration and he took on his resurrection body and guess who they sold on that mountain, Moses and Elijah, and every just tell you Moses and Elijah been dead for a bunch years song going to be very graphic, yet they were nothing but dust. So don't dig up any grave you like of people who have died and you know to find a whole lot dust to dust right and that's another story.
By the way, why do we go back to dust, because it was from dust that God made us. Don't forget that he created man and woman from the dust of the so we go back to dust in bed, out of which he re-creates us into all absolute certainty of life off today forever. It's the re-creation, we go back to the Garden of Eden and that's what I'm showing here in this book. Now, one that will way back when people die old people who die CS they know us, but they know us and see us perfectly now many really crack you up. I had one.
One lady who read this tell you that I'm going where angels fear to tread. And she'd been married to a wonderful man flock and he went to heaven and five years later she made a wonderful man and she married and they were very happy and she read the absolute certainty she came to see me she sent to me doctor will she said I'm so nervous I said what she said my husband God is going to kill me because you saying in there that people of God see us and know so he's up there saying just why did I get my hands on those new husband Ryan is made real you not I said to her total peace in your heart because your husband is seeing knowing doing perfectly okay now how do you describe perfect perfect means there is no angst. There is no worry I get this one is no ownership. She doesn't belong in an ownership sense she is in the loveseats but not in. She doesn't belong because you can't own anything. Learning is a human attribute all right mad there's no tears, no anger, no upset, no possessiveness, so he is seeing this perfectly right so the bottom line is if it anything at all. He's as happy as a lark. Blessings is knowing that all yeah you're free so personal blessings did you receive after he wrote this book number one head and shoulders. My own daughter Shelley. I love it. Her but she's our baby and done. Think of her as a baby. She's a beautiful girl and I'm so proud of and today she serves with the great Samaritans purse organization and she's actually stationed in the in a very difficult area in Africa and she's in humanitarian Christian workday with Samaritans purse involved all over the world and I haven't seen her for the last year and we talk a lot. By the way thank the Lord for what's app and things like that.
But let me tell you about my daughter Michael grew up in a home she grew up in a in a good Christian. She was loved to bits. Two older brothers who just loved her and she knew she went to church. She went to youth group. She went on campus.
She went on missions and besides she was my go to. I'm sure she got real tired of it, but she heard me preach a bunch of times and talk about Jesus and but she battled she battled with her own salvation. Knowing Jesus. You see, God doesn't have a family plan for salvation, you don't know Jesus because your husband does. Because your mother or father. That's the wonderful thing about knowing Jesus. He brings me into a personal relationship with what we were out of town.
We were on holiday somewhere is probably on a beach icefishing doing something when we came back there was a later sitting on my desk at home. Daddy, I need to tell you something she said. I walked into the house. Came home from college and she said I sat down and picked up your book the absolute certainty of life off today. She said I sent you and read it from cover to cover. When a good reading.
I gave my heart to Jesus and not only daughter preachers daughter all the background. A classic old Brock maybe without the private plane gave her heart to Jesus and my daughter's life turned around completely.
Now if I can say this. I thank the Lord. From that day because I see the fire in her heart. The love she has for a fellow man.
The way she serves the Lord for the lead that she's become and wishing serves openness. I've seen the Lord many times, Lord.
Thank you for giving me that blood clot. Thank you for me going through that surgery. Thank you for writing me and that in my heart. Thank you for putting me in that bed for two weeks where I couldn't move. Thank you for letting me write the absolute certainty of life off today because I believe I did it for one reason, my daughter Shelley and if that is the only reason Christie it was with everything I thought I absolutely and it's it's helping so many people every day. I will quickly will have a few more seconds to get a copy of the book if they want to read it as well. Well, they can go to The Encouraging Word go to the webpage there for everyone and that we want to connect and we want to make it possible and get alongside roads and so will do anything we can make not any ourselves to God, but even a book like the absolute certainty of life off today available to anyone lost. Thank you so much for your insight on this truck. It's truly a good but thank you thank you Chris. I times gone for today but again, that website is The Encouraging Word.org. That's the one Dr. Wilson was mentioning and were connecting right now it 866-899-WORD as well. That's 866-899-9673.
Hope you join us next week with more this interview between Dr. Wilson and Christie as we gain insight on something that is important to all of us. And that's the absolute certainty