Daniel Whyte III's Blog, page 22

LISTEN: How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 4 (Praying Through the Bible #323 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: 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 322 messages in this series.

This is message #323 titled, How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 4.

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “During all my years as an evangelist, my message has always been the Gospel of Christ. It is not a Western religion, nor is it a message of one culture or political system. It is a message of life and hope for all the world.”

Over the past three messages, we have looked at Who and the Why of this passage. The Colossians who Paul is writing to were a body of believers that had a good reputation as a faithful assembly. The reason why Paul is writing to them is in order to refute dangerous false doctrine threatening to encroach upon them. Today, we will continue looking at the What of this particular passage. Paul has expressed the joy with which he is praying for these believers, and then he delineates the specific requests he is making for these believers, and that is what we are going to look at throughout this series.

In his prayers, Paul says that he “desires that [they] might be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” The Evangelical Dictionary of the Bible, edited by Walter Elwell states, “Since the day that Paul learned of their ‘love in the Spirit,’ he has continued to pray for them that they will come to understand what God’s will is for them and live a full Christian life doing works that are worthy of the Lord—works that are good rather than the evil ones that characterized their pagan past.”

How often have you desired to know God’s will? How often have you prayed, ‘Lord, show me which way you want me to go’? How often have you thought to yourself, ‘If only I could figure out what God wants me to do.’ If so, you know how not only the Colossians felt, but how millions of Christians the world over have felt down through the centuries. In this passage, Paul engages in the most effective way to discover the will of God — prayer.

Charles Spurgeon said, “If you read this epistle through, you will observe that Paul frequently alludes to knowledge and wisdom. To the point in which he judged the church to be deficient, he turned his prayerful attention. He did not want them to be ignorant. He knew that spiritual ignorance is the constant source of error, instability, and sorrow.”

We can know the will of God through prayer. And, as shown through Paul’s example, it is a godly thing to pray for others to know the will of God for their lives as well. Not only should we pray for others to know the will of God, but we should pray for them to be filled with “wisdom and spiritual understanding” as well. Wisdom is ‘broad intelligence and proper prudence in interactions with men.’ It is also ‘skill and discretion in imparting truth to others.’ Can’t we all use wisdom in our lives? All we have to do is ask God for it — for ourselves and for others. The term ‘understanding’ refers to the ability to put things together mentally. Both of these are abilities the Colossians would desperately need in light of the false doctrine that was on the verge of infiltrating their church. Their minds would have to be set to know the will of God, the wisdom of God, and understanding from God Prayer equipped them to that end, and it can equip us to that end as well.

James Montgomery wrote:

Almighty God, in humble prayer,

To Thee our souls we lift,

Do Thou our waiting minds prepare

For Thy most needful gift.

We ask not golden streams of wealth,

Along our path to flow,

We ask not undecaying health,

Nor length of years below.

We ask not honours which an hour

May bring or take away;

We ask not pleasure, pomp, or power,

Lest we should go astray.

We ask for wisdom:–Lord, impart

The knowledge how to live;

A wise and understanding heart

To all before Thee give.

For we, like children, born in sin

Know not till Thou hast taught,

How to go out, or how come in,

By word, or deed, or thought.

The young remember Thee in youth,

Before the evil days;

The old be guided by Thy truth

In Wisdom’s pleasant ways.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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 Story of the Disobedient Leper (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 585 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 952 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 7:28 – 8:4

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

—-

Today, I want to share with you why Paul was the greatest evangelist of all time from a message by Charles Spurgeon titled, “What is it to Preach the Gospel?” Spurgeon said:

1 Corinthians 9:16 says, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”

“The greatest man of apostolic times was the apostle Paul — no question about that. Paul was the greatest man in everything he did, and if you go back to the time when his life was not lived in Christ, through Christ and for Christ, he was even great in what he did then. Someone said Paul was great in everything he did, whether it was good or whether it was bad, because he did nothing half way. If you consider him as a sinner, he was exceeding sinful — that’s what he said, ‘exceeding sinful.’ If you consider him as a persecutor, he was mad against Christians — he persecuted them even in strange cities. He was not content to persecute those at home — he had to travel even to Damascus with letters giving him permission to destroy the people of Christ. If you consider the apostle as a convert, his conversion was remarkable; he met Christ in a real and personal way on the road to Damascus, blinded by the light, falling into the dust, looking up into that light, crying, ‘Lord what wilt Thou have me to do?’

“If you consider this man as a preacher of the gospel, he stands out as the prince of preachers, the greatest of them all, crying, ‘I am ready to preach the gospel to them that are at Rome also; I am determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.’ ‘God forbid,’ he said, ‘that I should glory save in the cross of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.’ Whatever Paul did, he did with all his heart; he did nothing halfway. if he was rebelling, he was rebelling; if he was bowing, he was bowing; if he was worshipping, he was worshipping; if he was preaching the gospel, he was preaching the gospel.

“There was no nonsense in anything he did when it came to speaking about God. When he wrote this text, ‘for though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel,’ he writes it with an unshaking hand; he writes it with a firmness, with a dedication and with a determination! ‘I preach the gospel. Yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.’ No nonsense in anything connected with the praise of God, with the worship of God, with the glory of God, or with the gospel of God. Now we need to learn this.

“Psalm 89:7 says, ‘God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him.’ In the Old Testament, when one spoke of a genuine believer, when one spoke of a man who worshipped God and walked with God, do you know how he was described? ‘One that feared the Lord.’ Do you know how the rebels of our day are described? Do you know how men are described, women, boys and girls who do not know God, who are not children of God? They are said to be those who have ‘no fear of God before their eyes.’

“Now what I’m saying is, the apostle Paul, whatever he did, he did it one hundred percent; whatever he did, it was no half-way measure. And particularly when it came to the gospel; when it came to worship; when it came to preaching Christ; when it came to the praise of God, there was no nonsense about this man. Ecclesiastes 5:1 says, ‘Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.’ Habakkuk 2:20 says, ‘But the Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before him.’ Now the words of our text are applicable to every minister of the gospel and to every church where the gospel is to be preached. In our text, 1 Corinthians 9:16, Paul says seriously, sincerely, in simplicity, in boldness, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, ‘though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of.’

“What is it to preach the gospel? Is everybody preaching the gospel? No! Is everybody who claims to preach the gospel preaching the gospel? No! What is it to preach the gospel?

“Very simply, to Preach the Gospel is…

– To Tell The Truth About God

– To Tell The Truth About Man

– To Tell The Truth About Christ

– To Tell The Truth About Salvation”

—-

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “An evangelist is like a newscaster on television or a journalist writing for a newspaper, except that the evangelist’s mission is to tell the Good News that never changes.”

—-

After an extended period of teaching, Matthew’s record of Jesus’ ministry moves into a period of much activity. The next few chapters show Jesus interacting with people from many walks of life and ministering directly to their needs through miraculous means. Regarding this period of Jesus’ ministry, Dr. Warren Wiersbe said, “Why did our Lord perform miracles? Certainly He wanted to meet human needs. God is concerned about the temporal well-being of His creatures as well as their eternal happiness. It is wrong to separate ministry to the body and ministry to the soul, since we must minister to the whole person. Certainly our Lord’s miracles were additional credentials to prove His claim as the Messiah of Israel. Along with His compassion and credentials, there was a third reason for His miracles: and that is His concern to reveal saving truth to people. The miracles were ‘sermons in action.'”

The first miracle Jesus performed was healing a leper. Matthew informs us that, as Jesus came down from the mountain where He had preached His sermon, “great multitudes followed him.” At the same time, “Behold, there came a leper…” These two things happening at the same time — “great multitudes” and a “leper” approaching — would have been cause for alarm among those hearing this story for the first time. The reason why is because lepers were the most outcast of the outcasts. Their disease was incurable and contagious. One who had leprosy was pushed beyond the margins of society. They had to remain outside of any city, and if anyone came near them, they had to cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!” in order to warn them away.

Dr. Warren Wiersbe said, There were a number of afflictions that our Bible categorizes as leprosy. This dreaded infection forced the victim to live apart from others and to cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ when others approached, so they would not be defiled. That the leper ran up to Jesus and violated the code is evidence of his great faith that Jesus would heal him. Leprosy is an illustration of sin. The instructions given to the priests in Leviticus 13 help us understand the nature of sin: Sin is deeper than the skin; it spreads; it defiles and isolates; and it is fit only for the fire. When Jesus touched the leper, He contracted the leper’s defilement, but He also conveyed His health! Is this not what He did for us on the cross when He was made sin for us? The leper did not question His ability to heal; he only wondered if He were willing. Certainly God is willing to save! He is ‘God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved.’ God is ‘not willing that any should perish.'”

When the leper came to Jesus, he made this simple statement: “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” The leper does not make a request: “Lord, please make me clean.” Nor does he frame his desire as a question: “Lord, can you heal me?” This leper has such confidence in Jesus that he does not question Jesus’ ability to heal him; the only thing standing between him and his healing would be Jesus’ WILLINGNESS to heal him.

Now most of us, when reading this story, probably think, “Well, of course, Jesus wants to heal him.” We are so used to hearing about these miracles that we assume their outcome. We think of Jesus as a miracle-working healer who will obviously heal all who come to Him. But here is the thing the leper understands that most of us do not: Jesus does not HAVE to heal him. This leper gets something about God’s nature that most of us reject. We are not owed anything from God. God is not obligated to bless us, heal us, or provide for us in any way. We should never say, “I shouldn’t be having these problems. We shouldn’t be struggling like this.” Who are you not to have problems? Who are you not to struggle? Who are we to make demands and assumptions of God? We are rebellious ants skittering around on the earth; He is the massive, omnipotent Lord who owes us nothing.

That is the beauty of this story. The leper — a sick, diseased, outcast man — is humble enough to realize that God owes him nothing — that Jesus was not obligated to make him clean. And his humility sets us up for Jesus’ beautiful response. “I will. Be thou clean.” “Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, and immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” We ought to model the mentality of this leper in our daily life — in the way we pray and work and live. We ought to realize that God owes us nothing because we deserve nothing. But at the same time this story, and much of Scripture, lets us know that he WANTS to bless us. He WANTS to heal us. He WANTS to provide for us. He WANTS to save us. It is His pleasure to do so.

John E. Roberts wrote:

Have you heard the joyful sound?

Jesus heals, Jesus heals;

Through the Spirit we have found

Jesus heals, Jesus heals.

Yes, He heals the blind and lame,

And His pow’r is just the same

As when first to earth He came,

Jesus heals, Jesus heals.

Jesus heals and makes us whole,

Jesus heals, Jesus heals;

Heals the body and the soul,

Jesus heals, Jesus heals.

Yes, He heals the sick and sore,

And our suff’ring days are o’er,

Praise His name forevermore,

Jesus heals, Jesus heals.

Blow the trumpet loud and long,

Jesus heals, Jesus heals;

Chant the sweet, melodious song,

Jesus heals, Jesus heals.

“I’m the Lord that healeth thee,”

Just believe and you’ll be free,

Praise His name, He healeth me,

Jesus heals, Jesus heals.

——-

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 to all 22 Episodes of “The Theology of Eternal Damnation in Hell” Podcast with Daniel Whyte III

Listen below to all 22 episodes of The Theology of Eternal Damnation in Hell podcast with Daniel Whyte III

LISTEN: As One Having Authority (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 584 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 951 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 7:28-29

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

—-

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “I’m not a great preacher, and I don’t claim to be a great preacher. I’m an ordinary preacher, just communicating the Gospel in the best way I know how.”

These verses indicate the conclusion of the Sermon On the Mount, Jesus expansive and wide-ranging teaching that spans three chapters and over 100 verses in our modern English Bibles. The report from Matthew tells us that, when Jesus was finished teaching, “the people were astonished at his doctrine.” The Greek word translated as “astonished” is a strong verb which means: ‘to strike out, to expel by a blow, to drive out or away; to strike one out of self-possession [to drive one out of his senses]; to strike with shock, astonishment, or amazement.’ This definition tells us that Jesus’ words were so powerful that they had a near-physical impact on His listeners. They were astonished.

Jesus had challenged what His audience believed and had been taught on a broad range of issues. First, He delivered the Beatitudes in which He taught that the poor, the meek, the merciful, and those who mourn are the ones blessed by God. He commanded them to rejoice in the midst of persecution, to be even more righteous than the Pharisees, to not attempt to approach God without making things right with an offended neighbor. He shocked them when He told them the threshold of sin is lust not adultery, hatred not murder; that divorce was abhorrent in God’s sight, and that they ought to love their neighbors AND their enemies.

Jesus went further when He told them to pray, fast, and do their good deeds in private before God alone; to trust God for their daily needs and pray in a simple, straightforward fashion, and not as the heathen did. He gave them a model prayer on which to establish their entire prayer life. He encourages His listeners to not try to serve God and money, to make a choice; to not worry about food or drink or clothing but to trust God as birds of the air and the beasts of the field do.

He espoused a new paradigm of judgment — one that made man focus on his own faults before taking issue with his neighbors. Again, He encouraged the people to ask, seek, and knock, believing that God would answer just as a father would answer his children. Then, He set before those gathered a stark choice — the straight road or the broad road; the narrow gate or the wide gate; the way that leads to life or the way that leads to destruction. He commanded them to beware of false prophets who had no true spiritual fruit and who would be rejected by the Lord on judgment day. And, finally, He commanded us all to build our lives on the solid rock of obedience to His words.

Jesus’ audience recognized a sharp distinction between Jesus’ teaching and the teaching they regularly heard from the religious leaders in the Temple and in their synagogues. Matthew reports, “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Of course, Jesus, being God, the maker of the Law, knew its true intent. The Law was there to show man his shortcomings before God. While the scribes occupied their time bending themselves into pretzels in order to prescribe minute ways people were to abide by the Law — such as not looking in a mirror on the Sabbath — Jesus blew those feeble concepts out of the water and called man to emulate God and abide by the spirit of the Law and not its letter. This was revolutionary for first century Jews.

And it is revolutionary for us today as well, partly because, just as the Jews had sat with the Law for about 1,400 years and missed its true intent, we have sat with Jesus’ teachings for 2,000 years and lost our handle on it’s life-changing, world-shaking power. Too many of Jesus’ teachings have become platitudes that we hear commonly — “Love your neighbors.” “Love your enemies.” “Treat others as you want to be treated.” Etc. We say them, but we don’t really live by them. Instead, we find ways to justify our behavior.

What we need today in the church is a re-awakening to the astonishing teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. We need less hate, more love. Less lust, adultery, and divorce; more husbands and wives staying together. Less sin and more people committed to radical, if-thine-eye-offend-thee-pluck-it-out obedience. No hypocrisy and more people praying, giving, and fasting in secret before the Father alone. Less pursuit of worldly success and material possessions; more laying up of treasures in Heaven. Less worry about tomorrow and more simple trust in God.

What would our lives, the church, and the world look like if we once again found ourselves amazed, astounded, astonished by the Man Christ Jesus and His teachings?

Charles Hutchinson Gabriel wrote:

I stand amazed in the presence

Of Jesus the Nazarene,

And wonder how He could love me,

A sinner condemned, unclean.

For me it was in the garden,

He prayed: “Not my will, but Thine.”

He had no tears for His own griefs,

But sweat-drops of blood for mine.

When with the ransomed in glory

His face I at last shall see,

‘Twill be my joy through the ages

To sing of His love for me.

How marvelous! How wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

How marvelous! How wonderful!

Is my Savior’s love for me!

——-

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: How to Withstand the Hurricanes of Life, Part 3 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 583 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 950 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 7:24-29

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

—-

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “We are stewards of the Gospel. The power to proclaim the greatest news in heaven or on earth was not given to the angels. It was given to redeemed men. This was addressed to humble laymen. Some think that only ministers are to preach, but that is wrong. Every Christian is to be a witness; every follower of Christ is to preach the Gospel.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “I would not give much for your religion unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they do shine.”

In our last message we talked about the importance of not only hearing, but doing, Jesus’s words. It is those who do what the Bible commands and obey what Jesus taught who will have a life founded on solid rock able to withstand the hurricanes that will inevitably come. In churches around the world, we have many, many hearers. And, we think that we have done well if we attend church, listen to the preacher, nod in agreement, say “amen,” and go home feeling smug and self-confident. But if the words we hear never translate into our actions, then we will be toppled over at the first strong wind.

In his effort to wake up the church of his day, the philosopher and theologian Soren Kierkegaard took Jesus’ parable and made one of his own. He wrote, “It was Sunday morning, and all the ducks dutifully came to church, waddling through the doors and down the aisle into their pews where they comfortably squatted. When all were well-settled, and the hymns were sung, the duck minister waddled to his pulpit, opened the scriptures and read: ‘Ducks! You have wings, and with wings you can fly like eagles. You can escape the confinement of pens and fences; you can know the utter euphoria of unfettered freedom! Use your wings!’ It was a marvelous, elevating duck scripture, and thus all the ducks quacked their assent with a hearty ‘Amen!’—and then they plopped down from their pews and still WADDLED home!”

Isn’t that how many of us behave. We hear wonderful, challenging, inspirational things in Scripture, but we go about our daily lives the same way we’ve always done. And we wonder why we cannot withstand the hurricanes of life. The two men in Jesus’ parable, for all obvious intents and purposes, could be interchangeable. They were hit by the same storm, which indicates they had built their houses in the same general location. It’s likely that they attended the same church and had the same level of biblical knowledge. They went to the same small groups and fellowshipped with the same people. The outward circumstances of their lives appeared to be the same. But, when the storm came — whether that storm was temptation, a family crisis, a loss of material goods, financial, physical, or mental hardship — the house of one man stood while the house of the other suffered a great fall.

What was important in both of the houses was not what you could see. It was not the paint job or the wide verandah. It was not the ornate shutters or the stately Greek columns. It was the hidden part of the house — the foundation. The foundation represented the inner spiritual life of each man. One man had dug down deep into the bedrock and built his life on an active faith, a life of obedience to the Word of God. The other man had not bothered to solidify his house in a similar manner; he was more concerned with outward appearances. And when the first real test came along, his house, the superficial spiritual life he had built came crashing down.

John H. Sammis wrote:

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,

But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

——-

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: How to Overcome Temptation, Part 100 (Anger and Wrath) (Onward Christian Soldiers Discipleship Class #224 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

Welcome to the Onward Christian Soldiers Discipleship Class. I am Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society and pastor of Gospel Light House of Prayer International. The purpose of this time together is to teach young believers everything they need to know about their faith in Jesus Christ and provide them with the knowledge they need to live victorious Christian lives.

Our key Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 10:13:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

— PRAYER —

Our lesson today is titled “How to Overcome Temptation, Part 100 (Anger and Wrath)”

In this section of our Onward Christian Soldiers discipleship class, we are looking at specific temptations that are, as the Bible says, “common to man.” We are looking at what the Bible says about these sins so we can be aware of its dangers and so that we can hide Scripture in our hearts to use when we are tempted.

The sin that we are looking at today is the sin of anger and wrath. This is the fifth sin in a list of 12 temptations that comes from two sources — one ancient and one modern. The first source is a list that was developed by monks in the early church called “the seven deadly sins” or the “cardinal sins.” The second source is a Barna survey from 2011 which tracked the top temptations Americans admitted to struggling with.

Today, we are looking at Proverbs 14:29. (Remember, the text of this lesson is made available online after each class, so you can go to our website GLHOPI.com, click the “Onward Christian Soldiers” banner on the home page, and begin to learn these verses by heart throughout the week.)

Proverbs 14:29

He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

– – – – –

This admonition gives us a self-explanatory encouragement to abstain from anger and wrath. The wisest man who ever lived tells us that those who are slow to wrath are of great understanding. The Hebrew word translated as “slow” means patient or longsuffering, both of which are terms used to describe God throughout Scripture. If you are a person who flies into a rage at every little provocation, you don’t have much understanding about the nature of God or about how you ought to emulate God by being holy as he is holy.

A person who is “hasty of spirit” often acts foolishly because they don’t take the time necessary to stop and consider the situation before them. They jump to an immediate conclusion that is often ill-informed and ill-advised and they operate off of that. Often, a person who is hasty of spirit is also proud, and when someone informs them that their assumptions are incorrect (or even if they discover this themselves), they will likely refuse to change their course of action.

Regarding this passage, Matthew Henry writes, “The one who is slow to wrath rightly understands himself, his duty, his interest, the infirmities of human nature, and the constitution of human society. He knows how to excuse the faults of others as well as his own, how to adjourn his resentments, and moderate them, so as by no provocation to be put out of the possession of his own soul. A mild, patient man is really to be counted as an intelligent man, one that learns of Christ, who is Wisdom itself. On the other hand, he that is hasty of spirit, whose heart is tinder to every spark of provocation is all fire and tow. He thinks by his passion to magnify himself and make those about stand in awe of him, whereas really he exalts his own folly.”

It is foolish to be driven by our passions. Two sad, tragic incidents which took place just this past week have shown us that. Both of the individuals — one who sent bombs to public officials, and one who walked into a synagogue and killed 11 people — exhibited the foolish wrath that the Bible talks about. They let their perverse views lead them to act foolishly, and their actions have led to much pain, suffering, anxiety, and grief for hundreds, if not thousands of individuals.

If we wait on the Lord, and refuse to give in to anger and wrath, we can obtain similar blessings in our lives.

If you struggle with anger or wrath, take this passage to heart and begin to use it the next time you face that temptation.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, John 3:16 states, “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.”

The Bible also says in Romans 10:9 and 13: “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 I want to turn from my sins. 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. I trust Him as my Savior and 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! I want to congratulate you 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.”

Until next time, May the Lord 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: Until Jesus Comes, Work, Part 5 (Second Coming Chapel with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 25:14-30

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

— PRAYER —

Until Jesus Comes, Work, Part 5

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “There are thousands of people who have had some form of emotional experience that they refer to as conversion but who have never been truly converted to Christ. Christ demands a change in the way you live—and if your life does not conform to your experience, then you have every reason to doubt your experience!”

On last week, we examined the mentality of the unprofitable servant. There are several reasons that could tell us why he hid the talent the Lord had given him. Perhaps, he felt his one talent was insignificant; perhaps, he foolishly desired the talents that had been given others; he admitted that he was fearful and unwilling to take risks. Whatever the case, the Master was not pleased with this servant when he returned from his long journey. He tells this servant, ” Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.”

The servant is labelled wicked and lazy for not having anything to show for the talent the Lord had given him. It will be a tragic day when multitudes stand before Christ and have nothing to show for their lives because they refused to do something with the gifts and talents God gave them. Jesus commands that the one talent be taken away from this servant and given to the one who has ten talents, reminding us that those who are faithful with little will be rewarded with much.

Then, Jesus pronounces further punishment on the servant saying, “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It has been argued that Jesus is, in this parable, using hyperbole to emphasize the seriousness of not using one’s talent for the Lord’s work. The punishment does not indicate that the servant was not truly saved. As Charles Spurgeon points out, “This unprofitable person was a servant. He never denied that he was a servant; in fact, it was by his position as a servant that he received his one talent. This makes the subject all the more heart-searching for you and for me; for we, too, profess to be servants — servants of the Lord our God. Judgment must begin at the house of God; that is, with those who are in the house of the Lord as children and servants: let us, therefore, look well to our doings. If judgment first begins with us, ‘what shall be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?’ ‘If the righteous scarcely are saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?’ If in our text this is judgment upon servants, what will be the judgment upon enemies?”

The servant’s real crime was not that he was unsaved, but that he was unprofitable. He thought that it was just fine to be a servant of Christ and not to move forward or produce fruit in His Christian walk. He was slothful. Jesus gives each of us gifts, talents, and abilities, not only for us to move forward in faith through service to the church, but to further the kingdom of God on earth. If we don’t use our talents in this manner, we are wicked and slothful servants. The Evangelical Commentary On the Bible, edited by Walter A. Elwell, states: “The master remains the master, the slaves remain slaves. But now the master is seen to be one who treats his slaves benevolently. They are allowed to keep all the money—both the original talents and those they have gained. Beyond the blessings gained from their obedience, Christians are granted heaven, where God honors their service by granting them yet more service. The citizens of heaven are not inactive (such boredom is reserved for hell), but more active than ever: herein lies their share in their Master’s happiness. Matters are just the opposite for the third slave. The tragic irony is that he experiences just what he feared—the master’s wrath. Even partial obedience would have been better than sheer disobedience. Having neglected opportunity, he is now deprived of [all] opportunity. The judgment upon him is again a solemn warning to disciples to demonstrate the authenticity of their profession by steadfast obedience.”

Elsie Duncan Yale wrote:

There’s a work for Jesus, ready at your hand,

‘Tis a task the Master just for you has planned.

Haste to do His bidding, yield Him service true;

There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.

There’s a work for Jesus, humble though it be,

‘Tis the very service He would ask of thee.

Go where fields are whitened, and the lab’rers few;

There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.

There’s a work for Jesus, precious souls to bring,

Tell them of His mercies, tell them of your King.

Faint not, nor grow weary, He will strength renew;

There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.

Work for Jesus, day by day,

Serve Him ever, falter never; Christ obey.

Yield Him service loyal, true,

There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.

—–

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: How to Withstand the Hurricanes of Life, Part 2 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 581 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 948 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 7:24-29

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

—-

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “I am not going to Heaven because I have preached to great crowds or read the Bible many times. I’m going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in that last moment: ‘Lord, remember me.'”

Before the hurricanes of recent memory — Michael, Florence, Harvey, Irma, Maria, and others — the residents of those areas expected to be hit were given instructions to follow. The instructions were simple: “Evacuate. Get out.” Those giving the instructions tried to impress upon the residents that their very lives would be in danger if they did not obey. It was not enough for someone to hear the warning, nod their head, and think, ‘You know, that’s pretty good advice. That sounds about right.’ If they heard, but did not do, they suffered devastation, and worse, some suffered death.

The distinction between hearing and doing is what Jesus impresses upon His audience in this passage. Both of the men in His example “heard” His words. However, one man acted on those words, and, as a result, his house (spiritual life) was built on solid rock. The other man did not act on Jesus’ words, and his house was built on sand, and he suffered greatly because of it. If we want to withstand the hurricanes that we will face in life (and at the end of life), we must not just hear, but obey, Jesus’ words. It is not enough for us to sit in church if we don’t take what we hear in church into the home, into the workplace, into the community, and into the world.

D.L. Moody said, “Our great problem is the problem of trafficking in unlived truth. We are trying to communicate what we’ve never experienced in our own lives.” Harry Ironside wrote, “If lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much.”

Anybody can hear. The distinction is whether or not we obey. The Apostle James wrote, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” In other words, what is the use of hearing the Word if you do not obey? What is the use of looking in the mirror if you do not let that look inform what you do about your appearance? If you look in the mirror and find that your hair is unkempt, then you comb it; if your face is unwashed, you wash it; if your glasses are crooked, you straighten them.

It is the same way with the Word of God and the teaching of Christ. They should be a mirror to our souls. After hearing them or reading them, we should act on what we have heard and read. We should correct some wrong behavior that we’ve been engaging in; we should start doing those good things that we have been neglecting. James continues, “Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” The man who does what Scripture commands is blessed to have his house (his spiritual life) built on the firm foundation of Christ and the Bible. We cannot memorize verses and know the Bible and think that is enough. We must do what we know to do.

Daniel S. Warner wrote:

By Thy blessed word obeying,

Lord, we prove our love sincere;

For we hear Thee gently saying,

“Love will do as well as hear.”

Feigned hearts Thy name professing,

Thy commandments cast aside;

But we feel Thy great salvation,

And in all Thy truth abide.

Every word Thy mouth hath spoken

Is essential to our life;

All Thy mandates love betoken,

To oppose them is but strife.

In Thy wisdom, Lord, confiding,

We will follow in Thy way;

With Thy love in us abiding,

‘Tis delightful to obey.

——-

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: How to Withstand the Hurricanes of Life, Part 1 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 580 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 947 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 7:24-29

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

—-

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “It was a tragedy Jesus had to die—and the reason He had to die was because of us. There was no other way for our sins to be forgiven, and no other way for heaven’s door to be opened to us. He was willing to do this because He loves us, and He doesn’t want us to spend eternity apart from Him.”

By way of introduction, Dr. John Walvoord and Dr. Roy Zuck, editors of the Bible Knowledge Commentary, said regarding this passage, “In conclusion Jesus presented the two options open to His listeners. They were now responsible for what they had heard and must make a choice. They could build on one of two foundations. One foundation was likened to a big rock and the other to sand. The foundation determines the ability of a structure to withstand the elements (rain and winds). The rock foundation represented the Lord Himself and the truths He had been presenting, especially the truth concerning inner transformation. The sand spoke of Pharisaic righteousness which the people knew and on which many were basing their hopes. In storms the first would give stability; the second would result in destruction. Thus hearing and heeding Jesus’ words is wise; one who does not is foolish. Only two courses of action are possible—two kinds of roads and gates, two kinds of trees and fruit, two kinds of foundations and builders. After recording Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” Matthew wrote, When Jesus had finished saying these things. Five times Matthew wrote such a statement (identical or similar words), each time following a collection of Jesus’ sayings. These serve as turning points or shifts in the book’s structure. As a result of this sermon, the crowds of people following Jesus were amazed at His teaching. “Amazed” means “overwhelmed.” It suggests a strong, sudden sense of being astounded. Jesus had just demonstrated the inadequacies of the Pharisees’ religious system. The righteousness they knew was not sufficient for entering His kingdom. The authority of Jesus is what amazed them, for He taught as a Spokesman from God—not as the teachers of His time who were simply reflecting the authority of the Law. The contrast between Jesus and the religious leaders was most pronounced.”

Resident in our recent national memory are images of houses that were founded upon the sand. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon those houses,” and great was the fall of many of them. The images out of Mexico Beach, FL, just a few weeks ago are a powerful illustration of the type of destruction that Jesus warns us of in this parable. The destruction from Hurricane Michael rivals, and certainly exceeds in breadth and magnitude the destruction of any tornado in recent memory. Entire blocks were leveled. Houses shredded like paper. Trees downed like toothpicks. Belongings strewn across major hiways.

Now take the destruction that Hurricane Michael brought to Mexico Beach and apply it to your life. Imagine your life ripped to shreds. It’s a sobering image that builds on two prior sobering images in this passage. Jesus has also warned against going down the wide, broad way which leads to destruction. That warning was followed by His admonition to beware of false teachers, wolves in sheep’s clothing, because listening to them will also lead to destruction. This parable is His third metaphor for the paths present before us — one which leads to life, and the other which leads to destruction.

How can we avoid the destruction Jesus speaks of in all of these teachings? Jesus says in verse 24, ‘Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, is likened unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.’ Regarding this passage, Dr. Warren Wiersbe said, “Those who have trusted Christ, and have proved their faith by their obedience, will have nothing to fear. Their house is founded on the Rock, and it will stand. But those who have professed to trust Christ, yet who have not obeyed God’s will, will be condemned. The two houses remind us that true faith in Christ will last, not only in the storms of life, but also in the final judgment.”

When Jesus delivered this message, multitudes were gathered before Him. There were plenty of spectators come to listen to the bold new preacher who “taught with authority and not as the scribes.” Many had no doubt come to observe and hear some “new thing.” But Jesus says only those who hear and do his sayings, those who take the straight and narrow path, who bear good and godly fruit, will have a life founded on solid rock — a life that can withstand the storms of life and be ready for judgment day .

Edward Mote wrote:

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

In Him, my righteousness, alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

——-

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: How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 3 (Praying Through the Bible #322 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: 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 321 messages in this series.

This is message #322 titled, How to Pray for the Good and Faithful Saints That You Don’t Know, Part 3.

As we approach Billy Graham’s birthday celebration, I want to share something from the evangelist whom God made great regarding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, “Every Christian should be so intoxicated with Christ and so filled with holy fervor that nothing could ever quench his ardor. The Gospel that Paul preached seemed madness to the world of his day. Let us have this madness! Let us capture some of the magnificent obsession that these early Christians had! Let us go forth as men and women filled with the Spirit of God!”

In our study of the background of this passage, we have learned that Epaphras, a “faithful minister” from the Church at Colosse, visited Paul while he was in prison to share the good news of what was happening at Colosse and also to share his concerns about a threat of false doctrine that had presented itself in the city. Paul opens his letter to these believers with praise for the good things he had heard about them. He praised them for their faith in Christ, their love for each other, and their hope of Heaven. Much of the news reported about Christians today is negative — scandals, false doctrine, controversy, etc. However, there is much good being done in the Church of Jesus Christ. And we would do well to spread positive news — souls saved, churches being established, Christians consistently serving their communities — news that can be the cause of encouragement and rejoicing on the part of those who hear it.

Paul goes on to tell the believers, “Since the day we heard [these positive things]”, we “do not cease to pray for you.” Paul has been praying for these believers ever since he heard about them. He echoes the Prophet Samuel who told the Israelites, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you…”

Many of us likely don’t think of NOT praying as a sin. We see it as a casual omission, something optional that we do when we are at church or when we are feeling particularly spiritual. We don’t take the command to “pray without ceasing” very seriously. We don’t consider that Jesus meant what He said when He said, “Men ought always to pray and not faint.” However, the Apostle Paul did take the command to pray without ceasing seriously.

Dr. Warren Wiersbe said, “The prayers in Paul’s prison letters are certainly unique. To begin with, he prayed for others and not for himself. The requests in his prayers center on spiritual blessings, not on material or physical matters. Of course, it is not wrong to pray about physical or material needs. But spiritual needs are vastly more important. How would you pray for a group of people you had never seen?”

None of us are in prison like the Apostle Paul. Most of us have many, if not all of our basic needs supplied. How Christ-like would it be of us if we committed the majority of our prayer time to praying for others? And not just praying for others once or twice, but praying for others consistently, faithfully, and without ceasing.

Cora M. Adams wrote:

Pilgrims of earth on your journey thro’ life,

Joyous in freedom, or weary with strife,

Tidings we bring you, sweet message so true:

Someone who loves you is praying for you.

Is it a father, his form bowed with care?

Bending ’neath burdens that someone should share,

Working and hoping with heart ever true,

Patiently trusting, and praying for you.

Is it a mother, with silvery hair?

Steps slow and feeble, the form once so fair,

Keeping love’s lamp trimmed and burning so true,

Waiting for Heaven, and praying for you.

Is it a sister, a brother, or friend?

Sharing life’s burdens and true to the end,

Thro’ storm and sunshine with skies dark or blue,

Someone who loves you is praying for you.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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.