Daniel Whyte III's Blog, page 27

LISTEN: God Will Take Care of You, Part 3 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 543 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 910 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 6:25-34

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

—–

After preaching the Gospel every day for 367 days straight throughout the 2016 presidential campaign season and preaching the Gospel every day throughout the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s term, I am preaching the Gospel for 1,000 days throughout President Trump’s first term. If you think a new president being in office is the only thing needed to save America and ‘make America great again,’ you are woefully deceived. The church must follow through and keep the main thing the main thing: and that is reaching unbelievers with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and praying for their salvation, for the problem in America is not only disobedient presidents, politicians, and people, but disobedient pastors, preachers, and parishioners who have refused to obey the Lord’s Great Commission which is to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” and who have refused to obey God’s repeated commands to “pray without ceasing” for unbelievers, believers, and political leaders. So, we encourage you to pray for the new president, but not to get caught up in the political happenings like the world does. Nothing much is going to change until people get saved and get their hearts right with the Lord. And that is what this campaign is all about.

This campaign is inspired by the following three verses: 1 Corinthians 2:2 which says, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Acts 5:42 which says, “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” And 2 Timothy 2:4 which says, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

This series is not for Christians necessarily. However, I do hope you are one of those saints who still loves to hear the “old, old story of Jesus and His love” — as another hymn says, “For those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.” This series is primarily for unbelievers, so they can hear and understand the Gospel and be saved from sin and the punishment of sin which is hell.

—-

Not only should we be confident that God will take care of us, but we should recognize and be thankful for the fact that God has taken care of us.

Five hundred years ago, the French Renaissance philosopher Michel de Montaigne remarked, “My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened.” Have you ever considered that much of the terrible things you worry will happen to you might never happen? A recent, long-term study asked people to write down the things they worry will happen the most. The study found that 85% of those things never happened. And, of the things that did happen, “79 percent of subjects discovered either they could handle the difficulty better than expected, or the difficulty taught them a lesson worth learning.” If this is the case, the question to be considered is, “Why worry at all?”

And that is the question Jesus wants us to ask ourselves today. As we learned yesterday, God is in control of the entire world. Just as we trust Him for the sun’s rising, we should trust him for our food, clothing, our very lives. Jesus impresses upon us that, when it comes to this matter of worry, there should be a fundamental difference between the way we live and the way the world lives. Jesus says, “After all these things — food, drink, clothing — do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

Unbelievers can justify their worry. Outside of God, there is no real reason to feel as though all of our needs will be provided. The world is too volatile; change is too constant; too many things are beyond our control. But, if we have faith in God, we know that volatility and change are no hindrance to Him. Thomas Constable writes in His commentary, “Since God provides so bountifully for His own, it is not only foolish but pagan to fret about the basic necessities of life. The fretting disciple lives as an unbeliever who disbelieves and disregards God. Such a person devotes too much of his or her attention to the accumulation of material goods and disregards the more important things in life.”

A huge part of your Christian walk is caught up in simple trust in God. If you have placed your faith in Christ for the salvation of your invisible soul from a Hell you have not seen, surely you can trust Him for the material provisions of daily life. First Peter 5:7 says we ought to ‘cast all our care upon him; for he careth for us.’

Edward Joy wrote:

Is there a heart overbound by sorrow?

Is there a life weighed down by care?

Come to the cross, each burden bearing—

All your anxiety, leave it there.

No other friend so keen to help you,

No other friend so quick to hear;

No other place to leave your burden,

No other one to hear your prayer.

Come then at once, delay no longer!

Heed His entreaty kind and sweet;

You need not fear a disappointment,

You shall find peace at the mercy seat.

All your anxiety, all your care,

Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there;

Never a burden He cannot bear,

Never a friend like Jesus!

——-

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: God Will Take Care of You, Part 2 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 542 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 909 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 6:25-34

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

—–

After preaching the Gospel every day for 367 days straight throughout the 2016 presidential campaign season and preaching the Gospel every day throughout the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s term, I am preaching the Gospel for 1,000 days throughout President Trump’s first term. If you think a new president being in office is the only thing needed to save America and ‘make America great again,’ you are woefully deceived. The church must follow through and keep the main thing the main thing: and that is reaching unbelievers with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and praying for their salvation, for the problem in America is not only disobedient presidents, politicians, and people, but disobedient pastors, preachers, and parishioners who have refused to obey the Lord’s Great Commission which is to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” and who have refused to obey God’s repeated commands to “pray without ceasing” for unbelievers, believers, and political leaders. So, we encourage you to pray for the new president, but not to get caught up in the political happenings like the world does. Nothing much is going to change until people get saved and get their hearts right with the Lord. And that is what this campaign is all about.

This campaign is inspired by the following three verses: 1 Corinthians 2:2 which says, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Acts 5:42 which says, “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” And 2 Timothy 2:4 which says, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

This series is not for Christians necessarily. However, I do hope you are one of those saints who still loves to hear the “old, old story of Jesus and His love” — as another hymn says, “For those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.” This series is primarily for unbelievers, so they can hear and understand the Gospel and be saved from sin and the punishment of sin which is hell.

—-

Warren Wiersbe said, “The average person is being crucified between two thieves — the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow. Consequently, he can’t enjoy today.”

If you were to ask any Christian, “Do you believe God will take care of you?”, most, probably all, would answer, “Yes.” Yet, so many live with worry, anxiety, and doubt. We say we believe God is in control, but we don’t live like it. We disobey Jesus’ command to “take no thought.” Day in and day out, we’re concerned about food, clothing, our lives, our future. What is the antidote to this all-too-common fault? This all-too-common lack of faith?

Jesus’ antidote involves taking a look at the world He has made. “Consider the lilies of the field,” He says, “How they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” Do you ever wonder if the sun will come up? If gravity will stop working? If the process that allows plants to generate oxygen so we can breath will fail? No, absolutely not. God designed that intricate process and it works every day. We don’t question it. Whether we do so consciously or not, we depend on God to make the world work.

It is in this very same manner that Jesus wants us to depend on Him for our daily needs. If we have committed to serving Him faithfully, there is no reason why we should doubt that He will care for our every need. Charles Spurgeon said, “It is a small matter whether we are tall or short; and yet all the worry in the world could not make us an inch taller. Why, then, do we give way to care about things which we cannot alter? If fretting were of any use it would have some excuse; but as it does no good, let us cease from it.” Don’t worry, not because there is nothing to worry about, but because you have faith that God can and will take care of you.

Joseph Anstice wrote:

O Lord, how happy should we be,

If we could cast our care on Thee–

If we from self and worry rest;

And feel at heart that One above,

In perfect wisdom, perfect love,

Is working for our very best.

——-

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.

How to Overcome Temptation, Part 95 (Onward Christian Soldiers Discipleship Class #219 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 95”

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 “sloth.” This is the fourth 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 will continue looking at 1 Timothy 5:3-15. (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.)

1 Timothy 5:3-15

3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.

10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

– – – – –

Over the past two weeks, we have been looking at the background and context of this passage from gifted theologians. This passage teaches that widows can be aided by the church only if they have lived faithful lives to their Lord, to His church, and to their families, and if they do not have other family members who can take care of them. They must also be over sixty years old and not have a reputation for being a busybody, a gossip, or a loose woman. Regarding the topic of sloth or laziness, the command that applies to all of us is that we should not be slack in working hard and providing for those under our care. Christians should be people who work hard, who care for their own, and who do not depend on others for their well-being as much as reasonably possible. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

Now, let’s continue where we left off as we dive a little deeper into the context of this important and often overlooked passage. Dr. Walvoord and Dr. Zuck state: “The ‘enemy’ (adversary) which Paul refers to in verse 14 may refer to the church’s adversaries who looked for every chance to tear others down, or to the opposition of the devil himself. Perhaps Paul did not see much difference between the two. The importance of Paul’s counsel was buttressed by the fact that it came too late to preserve the congregation from some who had in fact already turned away to follow Satan. No doubt Paul was aware of specific cases in the churches where younger women had been placed on the list and then had broken their vows. Paul wanted to be certain that the instructions of verse 8 were understood to include well-situated women as well as men. The men would be the obvious objects of Paul’s directions in verse 8, but not necessarily the women. So, as a closing note to his discussion of widows, Paul specified that any believing woman who possessed the means bore the same responsibilities for widows in her family as would a man in similar circumstances. This would relieve the congregation of the responsibility so that the church could help those widows who were really in need.”

The exhortation of verse 8 — “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” — is pointedly directed at believers. Albert Barnes notes in his commentary that, in this passage, the ‘apostle is speaking particularly of the duty of children toward a widowed mother. In enforcing that duty, he gives the subject a general direction, and says that all ought to provide for those who are dependent on them, and that if they did not do this, they had a less impressive sense of the obligations of duty than even the pagan had. The Christian ought to think beforehand of the probable needs of his own family, and make arrangements to meet them.’

Sometimes, we as Christians forget that we are called to a higher standard in all things. Many Christians assume that our only duties are “Christian” duties. But, to the unbelieving world, our prayers, our church attendance, our evangelism all seem hollow if we are not also decent, hard working individuals who take of our families. As Christians, we must take seriously the responsibilities of work and providing for those in our care. It is what the Bible refers to as having “natural affection.” We are “worse than infidels” if we neglect these simple, human duties.

Paul says that such individuals go so far as to “deny the faith.” This denial is not a denial by our words like Peter denying Jesus; rather, it is a denial by our actions. And, as is often said, actions speak louder than words. Jesus said we will be known by our fruits. And one of the fruits of a Christian life is that it is a life of hard work, productivity, and providing for those under our care.

If you struggle with sloth or laziness, 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: God Will Take Care of You, Part 1 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 541 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 908 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 6:25-34

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

—–

God will take care of you, and if you don’t believe that, just look back over your life and see how God has taken care of you.

Over the past five weeks, we have been in a series titled “Serving God is Not About the Money.” We explored Jesus’ command to store up treasures for ourselves not on earth, but in Heaven, as well as His exhortation that we must choose one master because we cannot serve God and money (or anything else) at the same time. I hope that you have chosen and are choosing to serve God and build up your treasure in Heaven because, in our passage for today, Jesus tells us the kind of mentality that we must have if God alone is our master.

A person who has chosen to serve God will have a lifestyle free from debilitating worry and anxiety, not because one is careless or carefree, but because the person who chooses to serve God knows that God will take care of him. Jesus said, “I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

Regarding this passage, Dr. Warren Wiersbe states: “The person who pursues money thinks that riches will solve his problems, when in reality, riches will create more problems! Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of security, and that feeling ends in tragedy. The birds and lilies do not fret and worry, yet they have God’s wealth in ways that man cannot duplicate. All of nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money, and money always fails. Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to bear—but the results are still the same. Instead of helping us live longer, anxiety only makes life shorter. The Greek word translated ‘take no thought’ literally means ‘to be drawn in different directions.’ Worry pulls us apart. Until man interferes, everything in nature works together, because all of nature trusts God. Man, however, is pulled apart because he tries to live his own life by depending on material wealth.”

Jesus invites you today to live a life free from worry, free from the feeling of constantly being pulled in different directions because you are trying to be in control of everything. Jesus invites you to “take no thought” for your life because you know it is in His hands; to take no thought for what you will eat or drink because you know He will provide; to take no thought for your body because you know He sustains you. If you would serve God, you can have this lifestyle free from worry and distress because you know God is in control of everything, and He will take care of you.

Civilla D. Martin wrote:

Be not dismayed whatever betide,

God will take care of you;

Beneath His wings of love abide,

God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,

God will take care of you;

When dangers fierce your path assail,

God will take care of you.

All you may need He will provide,

God will take care of you;

Nothing you ask will be denied,

God will take care of you.

——-

Now, if you are with us today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at dw3@gospellightsociety.com and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.

He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

LISTEN: The Tragedy of Not Being Ready, Part 2 (Second Coming Chapel with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 25:1-13

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

— PRAYER —

The Tragedy of Not Being Ready, Part 2

Charles Spurgeon said, “I do not know any more terrible words than those, ‘Our lamps are gone out.’ We once rejoiced in our lamps; we knew we had a bright future. But, it is an awful thing to find the lamp of Christianity burning low, one’s hope of heaven going out, like the snuff of a candle.”

In this parable, Jesus tells a tragic story of five foolish virgins who were not ready for a wedding and the bridegroom’s arrival. In the same parable, He tells the wonderful story of five wise virgins who were indeed ready for the wedding and the bridegroom’s arrival. The question for us is whether our story, our eventual history, will be one of tragedy, or the wonderful story of being ready for our bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and being united with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven.

To understand this parable and its meaning for us today, we must think of the marriage process from the perspective of those who first heard Jesus’ story. Dr. Warren Wiersbe explains, “An oriental wedding had three stages: first, the legal marriage arranged by the parents of the bridegroom and bride; second, held about a year later, the ceremony in which the bridegroom, accompanied by his friends, would go from his home to the bride’s home and claim her as his own; and third, the marriage feast held at the bridegroom’s home. As the year drew to a close, all the participants in the ceremony were to be on high alert because only the father of the groom could make the official announcement to commence the ceremony. This call to preparedness was especially important for the wedding party.”

Another especially important point is found in the church being allegorized as virgins. The Greek word translated as “virgins” means “a marriageable maiden who has never had sexual intercourse with a man”; it is also a person “who has abstained from all uncleanness, whoredom, and idolatry, and so has kept his chastity.” The significance of this is that, it is not enough for us to merely anticipate Christ’s return; we must also live in a manner worthy of Christ’s return.

In the marriage traditions of the ancient near east, once a man and a woman were betrothed to each other (what we would call “engagement”), the man would set out to build or prepare a house where he would live with his new wife. Sometimes, this would take weeks or months. Every night of the betrothal period, the woman would light a candle and put it in her window. The man would go by the house at night to see if the candle was there. A burning candle meant that the bride was keeping herself pure and had not given herself to another man.

The question for us saints is: Are we keeping our candle burning? Jesus, like the bridegroom in His parable, has gone to prepare a place for us. Can we be considered virgins prepared for His second coming? Or have we given our hearts to worldly pursuits, to idolatrous worship of some other person, philosophy, or material gain? How devastating it would be for us if the Lord were to come and our candles not be burning. Like the foolish virgins, there will be no recourse. The most important thing we can do is to keep our candles burning as we await the Lord’s return.

Barney Warren wrote:

Let your light so shine that the world may see

How to come to Christ who will set them free;

Let its rays gleam bright when the darkness falls,

Till each sinful soul for the Savior calls.

Let your light so shine every day and hour,

That the truth be clothed with divinest pow’r;

Let it brightly shine and promote God’s cause,

To exalt His name and His holy laws.

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: Don’t Worry, Pray, and be Happy! Part 3 (Praying Through the Bible #316 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Philippians 4:1-7

1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

— 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 315 messages in this series.

This is message #316 titled, Don’t Worry, Pray, and be Happy! Part 3.

From this passage, we have been learning through Paul’s words and example how we can, not just be happy, but be truly joyful despite circumstances that would normally cause worry and anxiety. The key to this way of life is prayer. Paul says, ‘Don’t worry about anything, but in every thing by prayer…’ When a thought of worry comes to your mind, stop and pray. When anxiety presses on your soul, stop and pray.

Then, Paul digs a little bit deeper and tells us a specific way to pray when we are facing the temptation to worry. “In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Warren Wiersbe calls these three — prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving — “right praying.” He writes, “Right praying involves all three. The word ‘prayer’ is the general word for making requests known to the Lord. It carries the idea of adoration, devotion, and worship. Whenever we find ourselves worrying, our first action ought to be to get alone with God and worship Him. Adoration is what is needed. We must see the greatness and majesty of God! We must realize that He is big enough to solve our problems. Too often we rush into His presence and hastily tell Him our needs, when we ought to approach His throne calmly and in deepest reverence. The first step in right praying is adoration.”

How often do we focus on our problems instead of focusing on God? Far too frequently, we look everywhere and to everybody else before we look to God for the solutions to our problems. When we choose to pray in the face of difficulty — when we bend our minds and hearts to prayer — we are putting God first. We are saying, ‘God, I am choosing to look to You, knowing that You care about me in the midst of my problems.’

However, it is not natural for us to do that. It is far easier for us to focus on the things that are causing us to worry. Yet, when we focus on these things, all we do is dig a deeper hole for ourselves. A WebMD article states, “Worrying can affect your daily life so much that it can interfere with your appetite, lifestyle, habits, relationships, sleep, and job performance. Many people who worry excessively are so anxiety-ridden that they seek relief in harmful lifestyle habits such as overeating, cigarette smoking, or using alcohol and drugs.”

Instead of continuing to worry and putting yourself at risk of these negative consequences, put God first, pray to Him, and put worry behind you.

Annie Cummings wrote:

Father, in the morning

Unto Thee I’ll pray;

Let Thy loving kindness

Keep me thro’ this day.

At the busy noontide,

Pressed with work and care,

Then I’ll wait with Jesus

Till He hear my prayer.

When the evening shadows

Chase away the light,

Father, then I’ll pray Thee

Bless Thy child tonight.

Thus in life’s glad morning,

In its bright noonday,

In its shadowy evening,

Ever will I pray.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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: Serving God is Not About Money, Part 5 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 534 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 901 since Jan. 1, 2016 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 6:19-24

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

—–

From this passage, we have talked about the importance of fixing our eyes on Jesus — not on money, material things, or anything or anyone else — if we want to live a life of stability, peace, and contentment, and store up treasure in Heaven where it cannot be taken away. Jesus is the True North to which our compass should always point. To use an archaic term that got quite a lot of attention this week, Jesus is our “Lodestar.” If we fix our eyes on Him, the Light of the World, our whole body (our whole life) will be “full of light.” But, if we fix our eyes on anything or anyone else — or if we try to serve Jesus AND something else — our whole life will be full of darkness, and “how great is that darkness!”

As Jesus succinctly puts it, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” This seems like a very simple, logical statement, yet many people attempt to do the exact opposite. They say they are following Jesus, but they live as though they are serving another master.

Regarding this verse, the Exegetical Commentary on Matthew states: Jesus returned to the dichotomy between treasures on earth and treasures in heaven. The contrasts are distinct: serving and not serving, loving and hating, holding and despising, temporal and eternal, light and darkness. It’s one or the other — God or money. Serving, loving, and holding are conjoined, as are not serving, hating, and despising. The absence of neutrality is conspicuous. It goes without saying that multiple bosses never work. Two employers will fight over the priorities and work of a single employee. If both impose equal work, the employee either has to work two shifts or prioritize at the risk of angering one of his bosses. Contradictory orders from two owners are impossible to carry out. Opposing employers wear out their employees. In plain language, Jesus said, it cannot be done.”

If you have ever watched the show “Shark Tank,” you will know that one of the questions the investors ask entrepreneurs is: ‘When are you going to quit your job and focus on this business?’ It doesn’t matter whether the person is employed as a doctor, marketer, lawyer, or any other type of profession. The investors want to know if they are willing to give 100% to the business they are trying to start. They don’t want someone who is putting in only 50% at their own business and 50% somewhere else. What they look for is total commitment.

Likewise, with Christ, don’t waste time trying to pursue money (or anything else, for that matter) and trying to serve Jesus simultaneously. It won’t work. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; He will not come in second place to any master. In the words of Joshua, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” If you choose to serve mammon, do that, and you may indeed become wealthy. But don’t go on pretending that you can do both. As Warren Wiersbe writes, “Materialism can enslave the will. Either Jesus Christ is our Lord, or money is our lord. It is a matter of the will. ‘Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare.’ If God grants riches, and we use them for His glory, then riches are a blessing. But if we will to get rich, and live with that outlook, we will pay a great price for those riches.”

May our prayer be the one expressed by James Rowe in these words:

Earthly pleasures vainly call me,

I would be like Jesus;

Nothing worldly shall enthrall me,

I would be like Jesus.

He has broken every fetter,

I would be like Jesus;

That my soul may serve Him better,

I would be like Jesus.

That in Heaven He may meet me,

I would be like Jesus;

That His words “Well done” may greet me,

I would be like Jesus.

Be like Jesus, this my song,

In the home and in the throng;

Be like Jesus, all day long!

I would be like Jesus.

——-

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 94 (Onward Christian Soldiers Discipleship Class #218 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 94”

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 “sloth.” This is the fourth 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 will continue looking at 1 Timothy 5:3-15. (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.)

1 Timothy 5:3-15

3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.

10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

– – – – –

To fully understand this passage, we have been looking at its background and context from gifted theogians. What Paul is saying is that widows can be aided by the church only if they have lived faithful lives to their Lord, to His church, and to their families, and if they do not have other family members who can take care of them. On top of that, they must be over sixty years old and not have a reputation for being a busybody, a gossip, or a loose woman. Regarding the topic of sloth or laziness, the command that applies to all of us is that we should not be slack in working hard and providing for those under our care. Christians should be people who work hard, who care for their own, and who do not depend on others for their well-being as much as reasonably possible. “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

Now, let’s continue where we left off as we dive a little deeper into the context of this important and often overlooked passage. Dr. Walvoord and Dr. Zuck state: “The ‘proper recognition’ of verse 3 is here made specific. Widows may be put on the list if they meet three primary qualifications. What exactly this list involved is not known. It may have been an official order for service in the congregation; more likely it was merely a roll of those widows who were to receive assistance from the congregation. In any case, to qualify, a woman had to meet these qualifications: She must be over 60. Though the age of 60 was more advanced in that day, Paul had his reasons for keeping the younger widows off the rolls. She must have been faithful to her husband. The Greek here is literally ‘a one-man woman,’ the mirror image of the stipulation for both the overseer-elder and the deacon. The translation, ‘has been faithful to her husband,’ points to the view that the words prohibit promiscuity. She must be well-known for her good deeds.

“As illustrations of the kinds of things he had in mind, Paul cited five examples, which characterize godly women. The examples span the realms of home, church, and community, and include child-raising, hospitality, washing saints’ feet, helping people in trouble, and various other kinds of good deeds. The women on the widows’ roll must be those whose reputations for godly living are well known.

“Younger widows, on the other hand, were not to be put on the list. Paul’s reasoning for this was twofold: First, unlike the older women whose active sexual lives would presumably be behind them, the younger women might be faced with normal sexual desires which would overcome their dedication to Christ. As a result they would want to remarry, bringing judgment on themselves, because they had broken their first pledge. The pledge Paul referred to was probably a more or less formal commitment, taken on joining the list of widows, wherein the woman vowed to serve Christ entirely without thought of remarriage. In this way, she could devote herself without distraction to the Lord. Remarriage would involve breaking this vow and a broken vow would incur judgment.

“Second, younger and more energetic widows would have a more difficult time resisting the temptations connected with idleness. With the congregation supporting them, their time normally given to maintaining a living would be free. Instead of giving this time to the service of Christ in visitation and counseling, younger widows would be more susceptible to going about from house to house and becoming idlers, gossips, and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. Too much time with not enough to do is dangerous for anyone except those too old to get into trouble. Hence Paul’s counsel was that younger widows should not take the vow and be added to the list; instead they should marry, raise a family, manage their homes, and by being thus occupied give the enemy no opportunity for slander.

“The ‘enemy’ here may refer to the church’s adversaries who looked for every chance to tear others down, or to the opposition of the devil himself. Perhaps Paul did not see much difference between the two. The importance of Paul’s counsel was buttressed by the fact that it came too late to preserve the congregation from some who had in fact already turned away to follow Satan. No doubt Paul was aware of specific cases in the churches where younger women had been placed on the list and then had broken their vows. Paul wanted to be certain that the instructions of verse 8 were understood to include well-situated women as well as men. The men would be the obvious objects of Paul’s directions in verse 8, but not necessarily the women. So, as a closing note to his discussion of widows, Paul specified that any believing woman who possessed the means bore the same responsibilities for widows in her family as would a man in similar circumstances. This would relieve the congregation of the responsibility so that the church could help those widows who were really in need.”

——-

This command is pointedly directed at believers. Albert Barnes notes in his commentary that, in this passage, the ‘apostle is speaking particularly of the duty of children toward a widowed mother. In enforcing that duty, he gives the subject a general direction, and says that all ought to provide for those who are dependent on them, and that if they did not do this, they had a less impressive sense of the obligations of duty than even the pagan had. The Christian ought to think beforehand of the probable needs of his own family, and make arrangements to meet them.’

Sometimes, we as Christians forget that we are called to a higher standard in all things. Many Christians assume that our only duties are “Christian” duties. But, to the unbelieving world, our prayers, our church attendance, our evangelism all seem hollow if we are not also decent, hard working individuals who take of our families. As Christians, we must take seriously the responsibilities of work and providing for those in our care. It is what the Bible refers to as having “natural affection.” We are “worse than infidels” if we neglect these simple, human duties.

Paul says that such individuals go so far as to “deny the faith.” This denial is not a denial by our words like Peter denying Jesus; rather, it is a denial by our actions. And, as is often said, actions speak louder than words. Jesus said we will be known by our fruits. And one of the fruits of a Christian life is that it is a life of hard work, productivity, and providing for those under our care.

If you struggle with sloth or laziness, 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: The Tragedy of Not Being Ready, Part 1 (Second Coming Chapel with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 25:1-13

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

— PRAYER —

Are You Ready to Meet the Bridegroom? Part 1

By way of introduction, Dr. Warren Wiersbe said, “A wedding in that day had two parts. First, the bridegroom and his friends would go from his house to claim the bride from her parents. Then the bride and groom would return to the groom’s house for the marriage feast. The suggestion here is that the groom has already claimed his bride and is now on his way back home. However, we must not press the image of the church as a bride too far, because much of this truth was not revealed until the ministry of Paul. The church has known for 2,000 years that Jesus is coming again, and yet many believers have become lethargic and drowsy. They are no longer excited about the soon-coming of the Lord. As a result, there is little effective witness given that the Lord is returning. The oil for burning reminds us of the special oil used in the tabernacle services. Oil is usually a symbol of the Spirit of God, but I wonder if this particular oil is not also a symbol of the Word of God. The church should be “holding forth the word of life” in this dark and wicked world. We need to keep the word of His patience and keep witnessing of the return of Jesus Christ.”

Regarding the Parable of the Wise & Foolish Virgins, Dr. John Walvoord writes: “The familiar illustration of the ten virgins is a further effort by Christ to drive home the necessity of watchfulness and preparation for His second coming. MacArthur states: ‘The parable of the ten virgins accentuates the incalculable importance of being spiritually prepared to meet Christ when He returns to earth, because after He appears, unbelievers who are then alive will have no further chance for salvation.’ Weber adds that the parable ’emphasizes the long delay before [Christ’s] return as well as the unexpectedness when he does return.’

“An oriental wedding had three stages: first, the legal marriage arranged by the parents of the bridegroom and bride; second, held about a year later, the ceremony in which the bridegroom, accompanied by his friends, would go from his home to the bride’s home and claim her as his own; and third, the marriage feast held at the bridegroom’s home. As the year drew to a close, all the participants in the ceremony were to be on high alert because only the father of the groom could make the official announcement to commence the ceremony. This call to preparedness was especially important for the wedding party.”

Another especially important point is found in the church being allegorized as virgins. The Greek word translated as “virgins” means “a marriageable maiden who has never had sexual intercourse with a man”; it is also a woman “who has abstained from all uncleanness, whoredom, and idolatry, and so has kept her chastity.” The significance of this is that, it is not enough for us to merely anticipate Christ’s return; we must also live in a manner worthy of Christ’s return.

In the marriage traditions of the ancient near east, once a man and a woman were betrothed to each other (what we would call “engagement”), the man would set out to build a house where he would live with his new wife. Sometimes, this would take weeks or months. Every night of the betrothal period, the woman would light a candle and put it in her window. The man would go by the house at night to see if the candle was there. A burning candle meant that the bride-to-be was keeping herself pure and had not given herself to another man.

The question for us is: Are we keeping our candle burning? Can we be considered virgins prepared for the bridegroom’s coming? Or have we, in His absence, given our hearts to worldly pursuits, to idolatrous worship of some other person, philosophy, or material gain? How devastating it would be if the Lord were to come and our candle not be burning. Don’t wait for the Lord to come. Let your light shine now.

Barney Warren wrote:

Let your light so shine that the world may see

How to come to Christ who will set them free;

Let its rays gleam bright when the darkness falls,

Till each sinful soul for the Savior calls.

Let your light so shine every day and hour,

That the truth be clothed with divinest pow’r;

Let it brightly shine and promote God’s cause,

To exalt His name and His holy laws.

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: Don’t Worry, Pray, and be Happy! Part 2 (Praying Through the Bible #315 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Philippians 4:1-9

1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

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 313 messages in this series.

This is message #315 titled, Don’t Worry, Pray, and be Happy! Part 2.

According to the polling organization EuroBarometer, on a happiness scale of 1-to-10 (ten being the most happy or satisfied with life), the majority of the world sits between 3 and 7. Interestingly, a study based on data from Ipsos found that the majority of people think their peers are lying about their level of happiness. Most people believe others are more unhappy than they say they are. Regardless, nearly everyone would say they can stand to be more happy than they currently are.

For most people, the barrier to their desired level of happiness is negative circumstances. Most people would say, “I’m not happy because of this, that, or the other.” However, the Bible teaches us to not just be happy, but to rejoice, in spite of the circumstances, and that is what we are going to continue learning about from the Apostle Paul today. Jesus writes, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

The term “be careful” simply means to worry. Worry is a great cause of unhappiness and lack of joy in our day. It is interesting that Paul is the one delivering this message to not worry. As Dr. Warren Wiersbe writes, “If anybody had an excuse for worrying, it was the apostle Paul. His beloved Christian friends at Philippi were disagreeing with one another, and he was not there to help them. Paul had to face division among the believers at Rome. Added to these burdens was the possibility of his own death! Yes, Paul had a good excuse to worry—but he did not. Instead, he took time to explain to us the secret of victory over worry.”

As we learned last week, the Greek word translated as worry means ‘careful’ (or anxious). Our worries pull us in different directions. They strangle us and cause us to realize that we are not as in control as we would like to be. Paul understood these concerns. If it were up him, he would not have been in jail in Rome. He would not have tolerated the division between Euodias and Syntyche, but he wasn’t in Philippi to handle the matter. He could have descended into worry and anxiety over his own circumstances.

Yet, he tells us not just to be happy, but to be joyful. “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” How can we get from worry to rejoicing? We get there through prayer. When we pray, we cast all our burdens on the Lord. Instead of focusing on our troubles, we focus on the Lord. If we focus on our troubles, we will be strangled by them, but if we fix our eyes on Jesus, we will be steadfast in spite of them.

Julia H. Johnston wrote:

I’ve a dear Savior, ready to listen,

Bending to hear me from on high;

Even the humblest Jesus will welcome,

Every low whisper finds Him nigh.

When I am joyous, in the glad sunshine,

I will tell Him who loves me so;

Surely my Savior waiteth to hear it,

Every sweet secret He shall know.

When I’m in danger, when I’m in darkness,

Tempted to think no helper near,

Still I’ll run to Him, tell Him the story,

Ask Him to keep from harm and fear.

Trouble and sorrow drive me to Jesus,

Whom beside Him, on earth, have I?

Others may love me, Jesus can save me,

Jesus will hear me when I cry.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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.