Daniel Whyte III's Blog, page 12
December 9, 2018
LISTEN: How to Live a ‘Kinder, Gentler’ Life Like George H.W. Bush and How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 9 (Praying Through the Bible #328 with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte IIITEXT: Colossians 1:1-14
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
— PRAYER —
We are in a series of messages titled “Praying Through the Bible: A Series on Every Passage and Verse Regarding Prayer in the Bible.” The purpose of this series is to encourage and motivate you to pray to the God of the Bible. We highlighted each of these over 500 verses and passages in the Prayer Motivator Devotional Bible. So far, we have completed 327 messages in this series.
This is message #328 titled, How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 9.
The state funeral for George H.W. Bush was held today. By all accounts, he was a good man. He was soft-spoken about his faith, but he lived it out in his daily life by being a kind, gentle soul. Author Doug Meacham, in his biography on Bush, reported that the former president once was asked if he was “born again.” Bush replied, “If by ‘born again’ one is asking, ‘Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?’ then I could answer a clean-cut ‘Yes.’” Did George H.W. Bush, who was not considered to be an evangelical, live out Christlikeness better than so-called Christian evangelicals today? At one point, some people considered George H.W. Bush to be a wimp, but as we will see from this passage, you need strength to be a kinder, gentler soul and live a kinder, gentler life so that we might indeed have a “kinder, gentler nation.”
Over the past few messages, we have looked at the specific things that Paul prayed to God about for the believers in Colosse. He prayed for them: (1) to have the “knowledge of God’s will”; (2) to walk worthy of their salvation; (3) to be “fruitful in every good work”; (4) to ‘increase in the knowledge of God’; and (5) that they would be ‘strengthened with all might according to God’s glorious power.’ In verse 11, Paul extends this prayer request, asking that the Colossian believers would be strengthened “unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”
Now, among the few concepts that we can grasp in our feeble, human minds, is the concept of strength and might. We understand the importance of being ‘strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.’ We understand operating from a position of strength when it comes to spiritual warfare and physical warfare. We get that. What we often miss, however, is the concept that it also takes strength to carry out what George H.W. Bush would call the “kinder and gentler” aspects of the Christian walk — things like longsuffering and patience.
Martin Luther King Jr. published a collection of sermons in 1963 titled Strength to Love. In one of the messages in that book, he said, “The greatness of our God lies in the fact that He is both tough-minded and tender-hearted. God expresses His tough-mindedness in His justice and wrath and His tender-heartedness in His love and grace.” Showing love, grace, and tenderness does not detract from God’s might or strength. In fact, it shows His might and strength even more.
It is easy for us to think that being patient and longsuffering is a sign of weakness, but it is exactly these virtues that the devil wants to hinder in our lives. It is the non-practice of these small, seemingly insignificant attributes that contributes to stymied spiritual growth and lack of spiritual fruit in our lives. That is why we need the Lord’s strength to do even this.
It takes God’s strength to be patient and longsuffering with troublesome family members, co-workers, fellow church members, and neighbors. It takes God’s strength to be patient, and not lash out in anger and frustration, during the various storms of life. We need God’s strength to love people who, in our minds, are unlovable. And, we can gain God’s strength to do all these things through prayer.
Elvina M. Hall wrote:
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Now, if you are with us today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your first prayer needs to be what we call the Sinner’s Prayer. First, please understand that you are a sinner, just as I am, and that you have broken God’s laws. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. You have done the most important thing in life. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
December 8, 2018
LISTEN: The Work You Should Be Doing Until Jesus Comes, Part 5 (Second Coming Chapel with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte IIITEXT: Luke 14:15-24
15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
The Work You Should Be Doing Until Jesus Comes, Part 5
In the final verse of this parable, we come to the conclusive lesson of the Master’s feast. The Master invited “many” to come to his banquet, but they rejected the invitations and made excuses as to why they could not attend. Then, the Master commanded his servants to invite the poor, blind, lame, and crippled, and they came in droves. Yet, the Master’s house was not filled; there were still empty seats at the table. So, the Master said, “Go and grab those who are in the highway and beyond the hedges. Compel them to come in. I want a full house. No wasted food!” And those outsiders who heard the good news of a fabulous banquet thrown at no expense to them came in droves as well.
Now, the Master circles back around to the “many” who were originally invited. He tells his servant, “None of those which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” None of those who made an excuse will be given a second chance to attend. This stark conclusion highlights the importance of the previous verse in which the servant is told to “compel” those who are invited. The Gospel invitation that we deliver is urgent in every way. We can’t promise any person that they can make a decision “later” or that they will have another chance to receive Christ. One day, they may find that the door is shut.
Albert Barnes said, “This passage cannot be understood as meaning that no ‘Jews’ would be saved, but that none of those who had ‘treated him in that manner’ — none who had so decidedly rejected the offer of the Gospel — would be saved. We may here see how dangerous it is to reject the gospel ‘once’; how dangerous it is to grieve away the Holy Spirit. How often God forsakes forever the sinner who has once been awakened. The invitation is full and free; but when it is rejected, and people turn willfully away from it, God leaves them to their chosen way, and they are drowned in destruction and perdition. How important, then, is it to embrace the gospel ‘at once;’ to accept the gracious invitation, and enter without delay the path that conducts to heaven!”
The saving grace of God flows freely to all. There is an unlimited supply at the fountain filled with blood. There is an abundance of food and drink at the Lord’s table. But those who despise God’s good gift are likely to find that, one day, they have delayed too long, shrugged off the invitation too often, and are irrevocably banned from dining with the Lord’s people.
W.J. Holtzclaw wrote:
O hear the gospel call today;
It is the message of God’s love;
O heed it now without delay,
And gain a home of peace above.
O hear the gospel call today;
It tells how Jesus died to save;
Yes, all the debt we owe to pay,
And all the road to heaven pave.
O hear the gospel call today;
It is the old, old story told
Of death and hell and judgment day,
O join the Shepherd and his fold.
—–
Now, if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, I urge you to trust in Him because He is coming again and you do not want to be left behind. Here is how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and the consequences of sin.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door.” Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
LISTEN: The Scripture & the Sense: Jeremiah 19 (with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte III reads the Word of God on a daily basis and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Bible. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.
Today we are reading Jeremiah 19.
December 7, 2018
LISTEN: The Story of Jesus and the Graveyard Demoniacs, Part 4 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 623 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 990 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte IIITEXT: Matthew 8:28-34
28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
——-
When the demons meet Jesus, they immediately begin asking questions: What have we to do with thee? What are you here for? Why are you bothering us now? Judgment day is not yet, so why are you tormenting us? Devils quail in the presence of true power. With Jesus on the scene, they know that only one thing is about to happen. In the great war between Heaven and Hell, the demons are occupying contested ground — the minds, bodies, and souls of two men made in the image of God — and with Christ on the scene, they know they are about to be cast out. That is why the scene shifts suddenly in verse 30 to something happening “a good way off.”
Matthew reports, “There was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.” There are several important things to note here:
First, it is the nature of the devil to always be busy. Satan’s minions, unlike some Christians, refuse to be idle. If they can’t possess a man, they will possess pigs. What the demons thought they would do with pigs’ bodies is unknown. However, the devil is hell-bent on possessing, consuming, and using. This is in sharp contrast to God who champions the free will of His creatures, for “where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.”
C.S. Lewis delineated this difference between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness in The Screwtape Letters. He wrote (and, remember, this is the demon speaking): “One must face the fact that all the talk about God’s love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself—creatures, whose life will be qualitatively like His own, not because He has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to His. We [the demons] want cattle who can finally become food; He wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in, He wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; He is full and flows over. Our war aim is a world in which [Satan] has drawn all other beings into himself: the Enemy [God] wants a world full of beings united to Him but still distinct.”
——-
Now, if you are with us today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at dw3@gospellightsociety.com and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
LISTEN: The Scripture & the Sense: Jeremiah 18 (with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte III reads the Word of God on a daily basis and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Bible. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.
Today we are reading Jeremiah 18.
December 6, 2018
LISTEN: The Story of Jesus and the Graveyard Demoniacs, Part 3 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 622 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 989 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte IIITEXT: Matthew 8:28-34
28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
——-
In our last message,we considered the effects of demon-possession of human beings. The demons had driven these two Gadarene outcasts into death spiritually and near-death physically. The demons also separated them from their families, friends, and communities. Both of these effects are present in the lives of those influenced by demons today — spiritual death (or at least spiritual stagnation) and, quite often, physical destruction and physical death. Demonic activity is also a major contributor to division in families, communities, churches, and nations. In Scripture, Satan is described as a “sower of discord” among brethren.
The next thing we notice about the demons who possessed these men is that Jesus is not a stranger to them and they are aware that their time is limited. When Jesus steps foot on the shore, the demons cry out, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?” How did the demons know Jesus? They knew Him as part of the triune godhead whom they had served in eternity before they joined Satan’s rebellion. They remembered being defeated and cast out of heaven. At the moment, they were troubling the earth and stirring up man against God, but they knew that there is a set date when their time of freedom would be over.
That is why they question Jesus, “Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” In Revelation, John speaks of Satan, the Great Dragon, coming down to earth breathing out wrath and fury against God’s people because “he knoweth he hath but a short time.” John MacArthur said, “They knew Jesus was their divine antagonist and that He had full power and authority to destroy them at will. By their question, they acknowledged that they knew there was a divinely appointed time, not yet come, when He would indeed judge them and punish them with eternal damnation. Their eschatology like the rest of their theology was factually correct. As James tells us, ‘the demons also believe, and shudder.’ They shudder because their belief is that of recognition but not acceptance, and they fully realize the consequence of rejecting God.”
The fact that there is an appointed time when God will rid the world of demonic influence is good news for us today. This reminds us that God is in control, even when it may not seem like it — even when it seems as though devils run rampant through the earth, influencing people to live in heinous manners, sowing the seeds of death discord. The devil has “but a short time” to wreak his havoc. The devil knows — and fears — the name of Jesus. The devil may very well have his crooked fingers in a family member, in a friend, even in you. He depresses and oppresses, clouds our minds with darkness and distress. But he will not always win. The world may lie in the lap of the wicked one today, but this is our Father’s world, and just as Jesus cast the devils out of the Gadarene demoniacs, he will cast the devil out of His world.
Martin Luther wrote:
A mighty Fortress is our God,
A Bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His Name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever.
——-
Now, if you are with us today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at dw3@gospellightsociety.com and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
LISTEN: The Story of Jesus and the Graveyard Demoniacs, Part 1 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 619 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 986 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte IIITEXT: Matthew 8:28-34
28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
——-
As we return to this passage, we are going to take a close look at the circumstances surrounding the demon-possessed men who met Jesus after He and His disciples landed on the Gerasene shore.
The first thing we notice is that they were “coming out of tombs.” These demon-possessed men lived in a graveyard. Of all the places the demons could have driven these men to live, they felt most comfortable among a symbol of their father, the devil’s greatest scheme — the introduction of death into the human race. This element of their environs highlights the ultimate work of the devil in our own lives — his path always leads to death. Jesus said the devil comes only “to steal, kill, and destroy.”
Demon-possession, or any other work of the devil, always leads to spiritual death and can often lead to physical death. Ultimately, we all die as a result of sin — that thing which Satan introduced into the world. The Bible says, “the wages of sin is death.” Those who are under the most severe cases of demonic influence can be said to be trapped in a living death. The demon-possessed men had no life of their own. Their bodies were only being used to do as the devils pleased.
Then, we notice that these demon-possessed men are cut off from the their fellow-man. The Greek word translated as “fierce” means harsh or savage; a person who is hard to approach. The demons had driven these men out of their cities, away from their families, and into the graveyard. No doubt, in those early days after their possession, mothers came and offered food; fathers came and pled with their sons to control the darkness inside them; sisters, brothers, friends came and said, ‘Remember me? Remember when we did this together? Come back to us!’
But the devil always drives away and creates division. He steals lives and destroys family ties. When we look at the world today, we see demonic influence still at work in this manner. Fathers and mothers killing their spouses and children. Neighbors killing neighbors on a mass scale. Random acts of violence that further entrench mistrust and hatred. However, Jesus came into the world to undo death and break down the divisions that had arisen not only between man and God, but between man and fellow man. No one else had been able to reach these two demoniacs; the town and their families had given up on them as a lost cause. But Jesus’ arrival on the Gerasene shore brought hope and light to the darkest of circumstances.
Bernard of Morlaix wrote:
The world is very evil,
The times are waxing late,
Be sober and keep vigil,
The judge is at the gate.
The judge who comes in mercy,
The judge who comes in might,
Who comes to end the evil,
Who comes to crown the right.
——-
Now, if you are with us today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at dw3@gospellightsociety.com and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
LISTEN: The Scripture & the Sense: Jeremiah 17 (with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte III reads the Word of God on a daily basis and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Bible. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.
Today we are reading Jeremiah 16.
December 5, 2018
LISTEN: How to Live a ‘Kinder, Gentler’ Life Like George H.W. Bush // How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 9 (Praying Through the Bible #328 with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte IIITEXT: Colossians 1:1-14
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
— PRAYER —
We are in a series of messages titled “Praying Through the Bible: A Series on Every Passage and Verse Regarding Prayer in the Bible.” The purpose of this series is to encourage and motivate you to pray to the God of the Bible. We highlighted each of these over 500 verses and passages in the Prayer Motivator Devotional Bible. So far, we have completed 327 messages in this series.
This is message #328 titled, How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 9.
The state funeral for George H.W. Bush was held today. By all accounts, he was a good man. He was soft-spoken about his faith, but he lived it out in his daily life by being a kind, gentle soul. Author Doug Meacham, in his biography on Bush, reported that the former president once was asked if he was “born again.” Bush replied, “If by ‘born again’ one is asking, ‘Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?’ then I could answer a clean-cut ‘Yes.’” Did George H.W. Bush, who was not considered to be an evangelical, live out Christlikeness better than so-called Christian evangelicals today? At one point, some people considered George H.W. Bush to be a wimp, but as we will see from this passage, you need strength to be a kinder, gentler soul and live a kinder, gentler life so that we might indeed have a “kinder, gentler nation.”
Over the past few messages, we have looked at the specific things that Paul prayed to God about for the believers in Colosse. He prayed for them: (1) to have the “knowledge of God’s will”; (2) to walk worthy of their salvation; (3) to be “fruitful in every good work”; (4) to ‘increase in the knowledge of God’; and (5) that they would be ‘strengthened with all might according to God’s glorious power.’ In verse 11, Paul extends this prayer request, asking that the Colossian believers would be strengthened “unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”
Now, among the few concepts that we can grasp in our feeble, human minds, is the concept of strength and might. We understand the importance of being ‘strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.’ We understand operating from a position of strength when it comes to spiritual warfare and physical warfare. We get that. What we often miss, however, is the concept that it also takes strength to carry out what George H.W. Bush would call the “kinder and gentler” aspects of the Christian walk — things like longsuffering and patience.
Martin Luther King Jr. published a collection of sermons in 1963 titled Strength to Love. In one of the messages in that book, he said, “The greatness of our God lies in the fact that He is both tough-minded and tender-hearted. God expresses His tough-mindedness in His justice and wrath and His tender-heartedness in His love and grace.” Showing love, grace, and tenderness does not detract from God’s might or strength. In fact, it shows His might and strength even more.
It is easy for us to think that being patient and longsuffering is a sign of weakness, but it is exactly these virtues that the devil wants to hinder in our lives. It is the non-practice of these small, seemingly insignificant attributes that contributes to stymied spiritual growth and lack of spiritual fruit in our lives. That is why we need the Lord’s strength to do even this.
It takes God’s strength to be patient and longsuffering with troublesome family members, co-workers, fellow church members, and neighbors. It takes God’s strength to be patient, and not lash out in anger and frustration, during the various storms of life. We need God’s strength to love people who, in our minds, are unlovable. And, we can gain God’s strength to do all these things through prayer.
Elvina M. Hall wrote:
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Now, if you are with us today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your first prayer needs to be what we call the Sinner’s Prayer. First, please understand that you are a sinner, just as I am, and that you have broken God’s laws. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. You have done the most important thing in life. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
LISTEN: The Scripture & the Sense: Jeremiah 16 (with Daniel Whyte III)
Daniel Whyte III reads the Word of God on a daily basis and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Bible. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.
Today we are reading Jeremiah 16.
