Daniel Whyte III's Blog, page 28

LISTEN: Serving God is Not About Money, Part 4 (Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, Day 527 since Jan. 20, 2017 / Day 894 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 seen the reasons why we ought not to store up treasure on earth and why we should store up treasure in Heaven. Now, Jesus tells us how we can do just that — and it starts not with what we do physically, but with our minds, our mentality, how we think. Jesus says, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 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!”

Regarding this passage, Dr. Warren Wiersbe states, “Wealth not only enslaves the heart, but it also enslaves the mind. God’s Word often uses the eye to represent the attitudes of the mind. If the eye is properly focused on the light, the body can function properly in its movements. But if the eye is out of focus and seeing double, it results in unsteady movements. It is most difficult to make progress while trying to look in two directions at the same time. If our aim in life is to get material gain, it will mean darkness within. But if our outlook is to serve and glorify God, there will be light within. If what should be light is really darkness, then we are being controlled by darkness, and outlook determines outcome.”

The question to ask yourself is not, How much of my money should I give away? Not, How can I use my material possessions for the Kingdom? Instead, you should ask yourself, What am I focused on? What am I pursuing? Am I pursuing wealth or am I pursuing God? Am I focused on getting more money or getting more of God? If your focus is on wealth and money, you will never lay up any serious treasure in Heaven. Your life will be filled with darkness because you are not focused on the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. Nor is it possible to focus equally on money and material things along with the things of God. Jesus says the eye (of the mind) must have a single focus because, as the Bible says, “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

If you want to have a stable life. A life that is full of clarity and light from the Holy Spirit of God, then you must choose now to fix your eyes on Jesus and never take them away. And, this doesn’t just go for money and worldly possessions. Don’t make a romantic relationship the focus of your life. One of the reasons why so many marriages end in divorce is because the husband and wife are each focusing on the other person to make them happy, to be their light, when both of them should be focused on Jesus. No human being, not even your children, should be the focus of your life. Make the choice today to fix your eyes only on Jesus and build your treasure in Heaven.

Helen Lemmel wrote:

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

——-

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.

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Published on September 02, 2018 18:46

LISTEN: How to Overcome Temptation, Part 93 — Sloth/Laziness (Onward Christian Soldiers #217 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 93”

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.

– – – – –

Regarding this passage, Dr. Walvoord and Dr. Zuck state, “Timothy was instructed to give proper recognition to those who were truly widows—that is, widows who were really in need. These Paul contrasted with widows who had lost their husbands but who had children or grandchildren still living. Since in God’s economy the first responsibility for caring for the needy falls on the family (not the church and surely not the state), these family members should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own. In so doing, these family members would repay their ‘forebears’ part of the debt owed them. Such reciprocity is pleasing to God. It is ‘welfare’ as God intended it.

“The widow who is really in need and left all alone has nowhere to look for help but to God and His people. Thus one of the marks of a needy widow is that she puts her hope in God and therefore continues in petition and prayer night and day. Such a godly person, dedicated after the death of her husband to the service of the Lord, was deeply respected, and was viewed as worthy of the church’s support. Not all women who became widows gave themselves to such godly service, of course. Some widows used their widowhood to seek after sensual pleasure. Some commentators suggest even the hint of prostitution here.

“In any case, Paul stated that a life devoted to wanton pleasure, in stark contrast to the godly life described in 1 Timothy 5:5, produces a woman who is dead even while she lives. Such women must not be placed on the widows’ list. Paul instructed Timothy to ‘command these things.’ Paul wanted Timothy to pass along these instructions about the list of widows in order that no one may be open to blame. The reference is somewhat ambiguous, but probably refers to the widows in the church. If the wrong women are included on the list, their sensual lifestyles will bring reproach on the entire group. But it may also refer to the remaining families of the widows. Failure to provide for these family members gives the lie to any claim to know God and becomes a de facto denial of the faith. Indeed, such a failure renders the defaulting family member worse than an unbeliever, since even many non-Christians understand and fulfill their familial responsibilities.”

“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.”

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

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.

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Published on September 02, 2018 18:28

LISTEN: Keeping the House Till the Lord Comes, Part 7 (Second Coming Chapel with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

TEXT: Matthew 24:45-51

45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

— PRAYER —

Keeping the House Till the Lord Comes, Part 7

In our last message, we talked about the reward that Jesus promises for those who are faithful and wise servants found doing their duty as Christians when He returns (or when they die and go to be with Him in Heaven). Such a servant is blessed, and will be given joyous responsibility in the New Heaven and New Earth. But what happens to the “evil servants,” the ones who are not faithful and wise. Jesus describes the evil servant as one who says in his heart, “My lord delayeth his coming.” So, he “begins to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken.” Basically, he begins to live like a sinner even though he professes to be a follower of Christ. He thinks the Lord is not coming back anytime soon so he can get away with his behavior.

Now most commentators believe that the evil servant does not represent a true believer in Christ; rather, it is an unsaved person who is in the church — someone who is not truly saved. Their position is that no true Christian would act callously toward Jesus’ second coming and engage in blatant sinful behavior. John MacArthur writes, “Unbelievers, represented by the evil slave, will also be held responsible for what they do with their stewardship from God. During the end time, some unbelievers will remain openly sinful and rebellious against God, caring nothing for His truth or His mercy. Others will be aware of their lost condition and of their need of a Savior but will put off believing, thinking they will have time after fulfilling their own selfish interests before He comes in judgment. They will say by their lives, if not by their words, ‘My master is not coming for a long time.'”

What happens to the evil servant? Jesus says, “The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The hypocrite is one who is a pretender; the evil servant only pretends to be a Christian; and since he has rejected Christ, he will end up in hell with all the other Christ-rejectors, church attendance notwithstanding.

Although the actions of the evil servant in this passage are the actions of one who is not saved, there are ways that the truly saved live in neglect of the promise of Jesus’ return. If we truly believed Jesus was coming tomorrow, most of us would change something about the way we are living today. Honestly ask yourself, what would you do differently right now if you knew Jesus would knock on your door tomorrow at 9 AM. Many of us would confess and turn away from our sins, pray more, read the Bible more, and tell more people about Jesus. We would treat others better, go out of our way to help those in need, and stand up against the evil of others. By the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s change these things in our lives today and every day until Jesus’ returns.

One poet wrote:

When we live with expectancy,

Awaiting Christ’s return,

Our diligent obedience

Becomes our main concern

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.

View more on Daniel Whyte III's website »

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Published on September 01, 2018 18:31

LISTEN: The Devil is Still Trying to Destroy the Family, With a Mention About the Suicide of Pastor Stoecklein (BCNN1’s The Gospel According to Greenleaf Episode #26)

Welcome to BCNN1’s The Gospel According to Greenleaf Episode #26. This episode is titled, The Devil is Still Trying to Destroy the Family, With a Mention of the Pastor Stoecklein Situation

The first episode of the third season of Greenleaf focuses on the crumbling marriage of Bishop Greenleaf and Lady Mae. Over the past two seasons, both have had major secrets about themselves and their past revealed. And, now, those secrets are threatening to tear them apart.

What many people don’t realize when it seems like their family is falling apart is that that is exactly what the devil wants to happen. Most people assume that the problems are just between the husband and wife or between the parents and children or between different factions in the extended family. Few people realize that the devil is behind most of the problems in families today. He hates the first institution that God established and he has always sought to tear it down. He does not like loving marriages, he does not like positive parent-child relationships, he does not like harmonious relations between members of extended families. Anything good that God creates, he seeks to corrupt and tear down.

And, he works over time if that family is involved in the church or other Christian ministry. Why? Because, if he can destroy a family involved in ministry, he can kill two birds with one stone — wrecking the family and severely wounding a ministry. (Of course, any true church or ministry that puts God first and keeps the Gospel central is never truly defeated. They may suffer some setbacks but the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.)

A recent example of the devil’s attack on a Christian family involved in church ministry is the tragic suicide of Pastor Andrew Stoecklein this weekend. Whatever else can be said about the matter, one must admit that Satan got in some heavy licks. Now, a church with hundreds of members is without their pastor and has a heavy cloud hanging over them for months and years to come. And a wife and three boys are without their husband and father.

First Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” The devil certainly did some devouring of the real-life Stoecklein family just as he is doing some devouring of the fictional Greenleaf family. If we as Christians believe what the Bible says and accept it as reality, we ought to be encouraged to be even more sober-minded and vigilant. We ought to be more eager to fight for our families because we know that the devil is actually behind the conflicts and division that we face. He is doing what the Bible says he would be doing, but we must not let him win.

Let’s Pray

—

In closing, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can be forgiven of your wicked sins of the past no matter how dark, God is available to hear your prayer of confession and to hear you ask to be saved from sin and from the punishment of sin which is eternal hell and separation from God. And you can begin a light-filled relationship with God Almighty today.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s laws. You have done some bad things. You have broken the commandments of God. So have I. And so has the Pope. 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…” We die physically because of sin and we go to hell to burn forever, to be tormented forever because of our sin. God does not put us into hell; we put ourselves into hell because of our sin.

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ, the loving Lord of glory, preached more on hell than anybody in the Bible. He preached more on hell than he did about Heaven. He 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.”

Now that is bad news, and I know most people do not want to hear any bad news. But you have to hear the bad news because the good news is good news because there is bad 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. He is the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world, your sins and mine. And all we have to do is trust Him and believe that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you and me so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

And please believe these words found in Romans 10:9 & 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.” Saved from what? Saved from sin and the punishment of sin which is hell.

If you believe in your heart on the Lord Jesus Christ, that He 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 and mean it from your heart: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life — even some of the sins being brought out in this show called Greenleaf. I am sorry for my sins, and today, please have mercy upon me a sinner. I believe with all of my heart that You died for me, was buried, and rose again. Now, Lord I pray that You would fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me to repent of my sins and to follow You for the rest of my life for Your glory, praise, and honor, and, from this point on, to be the shining light that You want me to be. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray, and for His sake, Amen.

Beloved friend, 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 trusting 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 my pamphlet titled, “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, my beloved, may God bless you and keep you. We look forward to seeing you for the next Gospel According to Greenleaf podcast.

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Published on August 29, 2018 23:00

LISTEN: Don’t Worry, Pray, and be Happy! Part 1 (Praying Through the Bible #314 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 #314 titled, Don’t Worry, Pray, and be Happy! Part 1.

Warren Wiersbe said, “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. We have no idea what Euodia and Syntyche were disputing about, but whatever it was, it was bringing division into the church. Along with the potential division at Philippi, Paul had to face division among the believers at Rome (Phil. 1:14–17). 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. What is worry? The Greek word translated “anxious” (careful) in Philippians 4:6 means “to be pulled in different directions.” Our hopes pull us in one direction; our fears pull us the opposite direction; and we are pulled apart! The Old English root from which we get our word “worry” means “to strangle.” If you have ever really worried, you know how it does strangle a person! In fact, worry has definite physical consequences: headaches, neck pains, ulcers, even back pains. Worry affects our thinking, our digestion, and even our coordination.”

The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, “In these verses the apostle first gave a general plea for unity and steadfastness and then a specific plea to two women. Therefore introduces this exhortation and applies what he wrote in chapter 3 about sanctification and glorification. The apostle’s affection for this congregation is revealed by his love and longing for them and his calling them his brothers, his joy and crown, and his dear friends. These saints were to their spiritual father what victory wreaths were to runners in the Greek races. The believers were exhorted to stand firm in the Lord. Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, did not live up to the meanings of their names. “Euodia” means a “prosperous journey.” “Syntyche” means a “pleasant acquaintance.” Since Paul pleaded with these two to agree with each other in the Lord, it seems that they were causing dissension in the assembly. This helps explain Paul’s earlier plea for unity. At one time Euodia and Syntyche contended at Paul’s side in the cause of the gospel. But as he wrote they were not in harmony with each other. They were contentious, rather than content. The exact identity of Paul’s loyal yokefellow is not known. Some say “yokefellow” is a proper name. Paul knew he could count on him to work with the women and bring them back to fellowship with each other and with the Lord. Clement and other fellow workers had also contended for the gospel with these women. Sometimes the trials and pressures of life make it almost impossible to be happy. But Paul did not tell his readers to be happy. He encouraged them to rejoice in the Lord. In fact, he said it twice in verse 4. Christ is the One in whom the sphere of rejoicing was to take place. Surely there are many circumstances in which Christians cannot be happy. But they can always rejoice in the Lord and delight in Him. Paul himself was an excellent example of one who had inner joy when external circumstances—such as persecution, imprisonment, the threat of death—were against him.”

The first century Roman poet Ovid said, “Happy is the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying once and for all.”

Many people today are not happy. One reason why is because so many are worrying — worrying about the future, worrying about their finances, worrying about their families. They have not taken heed to the Bobby McFerrin song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”: “In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double.” Many have mistakenly attributed that song to Bob Marley, however Marley died seven years before the song was written. But long before Marley and McFerrin were making music to make people happy, the Apostle Paul told us the same thing but he included one of the main secrets of happiness and that is prayer: “Don’t Worry, PRAY and Be Happy.” And by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he showed us the bridge that can get us from the dark shore of worry to the bright land of happiness, and that bridge is prayer.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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.

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Published on August 29, 2018 16:37

LISTEN: Diet, Disease, & Weight Loss, Part 8 (Overcoming the Acceptable Christian Sin of Gluttony #12 with Daniel Whyte III)

Daniel Whyte III

Welcome to the Overcoming the Acceptable Christian Sin of Gluttony podcast, a companion podcast to the Acceptable Christian Sin of Gluttony message series. The purpose of this podcast is to share with you, from a biblical perspective, the means by which we can combat and overcome the sin of gluttony and its outcome of obesity.

Our passage from the Word of God today is 1 Samuel 4:14-18 which reads: “And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.”

Now, let’s look at gluttony and its effects in the news: According to U.S. News & World Report, “Youth obesity prevalence is up to nearly 18 percent, based on findings from nearly 7,000 children ages 2 to 19. In 2001-2002, youth obesity prevalence was 15.4 percent. It increased to 17.1 percent in 2003-2004, then back down to 15.4 percent in 2005-2006. However, kids’ obesity rates rose to 16.9 percent by 2010 and to 17 percent by 2014.”

In this podcast, we are going through the book, The RAVE Diet and Lifestyle: The Natural Foods Diet With Meals that Heal, by Mike Anderson. He writes in Chapter 1: Diet, Disease, & Weight Loss (Part 8):

The Laws of Cancer

J. F. Brailsford, M.D. said, “During the past fifty years scientists experimenting with thousands of animals have found yoo ways of causing cancer. But they had not discovered one way of curing the disease.”

We have spent over 30 years and countless billions of tax dollars trying to find a cure for cancer, yet Nature has been solving the dilemma from the beginning. The cure for cancer is right inside all of us. It’s called your immune system.

Your immune system is your internal body armor. Picture your immune system as the front defensive line of a football team. The mission of this defensive line (your white blood cells) is to stop the other team (cancer cells) from getting through and scoring points. If the defensive line, your immune system, is weak or injured the other team gets through causing damage and scoring points. How do you build up your defensive team? The only way is through diet.

For years Japan had the highest per capita consumption of cigarettes, yet the lowest rates of lung cancer in the world, because Japanese smokers had strong immune systems due to their low-fat, plant-based diet. Of course, now that the Japanese diet is becoming westernized, they are compromising their immune systems and cancer is on the rise. Cancer is scoring points.

With respect to cancer, there are four “laws” that are irrefutable.

1) Your immune system is the only cure for cancer.

2) A weakened immune system is the biggest cause of cancer.

3) The higher the dietary fat, the more the immune system is weakened.

4) The only foods that contain immune-strengthening and cancer-fighting nutrients are plant foods.

Your eating habits can either strengthen or weaken your immune system. If you are not eating enough plant foods, you will be deficient in the antioxidants and phytochemicals that feed an army of immune system cells that defend the body against cancer. Your immune system has been trained over millions of years to recognize and selectively kill cancer cells and is at least a million times smarter at killing them than sledge-hammer — like conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation. Those treatments indiscriminately kill cancer cells while also killing the only cure for cancer — your immune system cells.

In every population throughout the world eating an animal-based diet, cancer is the second leading killer, after heart disease. Among other things, due to the high-fat content, animal-based diets suppress the immune system by killing off immune system cells.

Imagine what an oil spill in the ocean does to the marine life it encounters. Most are killed, some are maimed. Birds covered with oil cannot fly. This is what happens when high amounts of fat hit your blood stream. Immune system cells die off, those that survive cannot “swim” in your blood stream, they become blinded and as a result cannot recognize and kill cancer cells. Now imagine eating three high-fat meals a day. Americans have created a constant oil slick in their blood streams, which is caused by breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The higher your intake of fat, the more your immune system is weakened, which leaves you open to infections and diseases. We have an epidemic of immune system impairment and this accounts for many of the diseases we are suffering from, especially cancers. In fact, we’ve become so used to a suppressed immune system that we now think it’s normal. We also think that dying of cancer is a normal part of the human condition. It is not.

Any kind of fat will compromise the immune system, even so-called “good fats” containing Omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to being an oil slick, it’s been found that Omega-3’s that come in concentrated forms, such as fish and vegetable oils, are composed of highly unstable molecules which decompose and unleash dangerous cancer-causing agents (free radicals), and cause damage to cells that can lead to cancer. Such fats also suppress natural killer cells and the production of immune substances, which are important not only for cancer protection, but protection against viruses, bacteria and parasites.

High concentrations of Omega-3’s also promote the spread of cancer cells. This is thought to be due to the production of free radicals, suppression of the immune system and changes that are caused in small hormones that promote tumor growth.

Unlike concentrated fats in fish and vegetable oils, the Omega-3s found in natural, whole foods are stable and do not produce free radicals. Thus, if you want Omega-3s, get them from whole plant foods, not vegetable or fish oils.

Eating concentrated sources of “good fat” really boils down to getting too much of a good thing. Just as a modest amount of sunlight can actually prevent cancer, too much sunlight can cause cancer. Just as we need a little saturated fat in our diet, too much can clog up our plumbing.

When vegetable oils are made, thousands of nutrients, as well as the fiber, are removed and all that’s left is 10% percent fat, or empty calories. This is an extremely concentrated form of fat and too much of a good thing, which will cause bad things to happen, like an oil slick in your blood.

The high-fat content of animal-based foods significantly suppresses the immune system, so it’s little wonder that heart disease and cancer are America’s two biggest killers. Lowering the fat in your diet is not only the best thing for your heart, but it’s also the single best way to strengthen your immune system. Instead of a steady stream of fat, the RAVE Diet will lower your fat intake and give you a steady stream of cancer-fighting nutrients that will feed your immune system and keep it strong.

— PRAYER —

Now, in this series, as we focus on overcoming the sin of gluttony, and managing our bodies as God intended, we must not lose sight of the most important part of our existence — our spiritual life. Even those of you who are fit, who eat right, and who exercise regularly must still address the condition of your soul. You may keep your body in perfect condition till the day you die, but you will still die — we all will, and the only thing that will matter is the condition of your soul. Is your soul in shape? Is your soul in right standing with God?

The only way to make sure of that is to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin and the consequences of sin. He alone can save your soul, put you in right standing with God, and ensure that you do not perish in Hell. Now, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, here is how you can trust Him today.