PODCAST: 12 Things the Church Needs to Unhitch From, Part 13 (with Daniel Whyte III)

TEXT: Hebrews 12:1-3

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

———-

Charles Stanley said, “As you begin a new year of walking with Jesus, remember you’re never alone in your struggles. And with Christ’s strength, you can confidently face whatever comes your way.”

Not too long ago Andy Stanley said that Christians should unhitch themselves from the Old Testament. Of course he was wrong, but I took a liking to the word unhitch. Here are 12 things that Christians should unhitch themselves from as they enter the new year.

Last time, we saw that we need to unhitch ourselves from sin, weights, people who pull us into sin, politics, false teachers, and following others..

Seventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from the abomination of homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 says, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Denominations are splitting over this issue. Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible as an abomination. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their homosexuality. Paul condemned it also in the New Testament, and Jesus stated that God created marriage for a man and a woman. John MacArthur said, “One of the supreme tragedies of our time is the declassification of homosexuality as a sin because when you declassify it as a sin, you cut them off from their salvation source. It is a damning declassification. You’re not being nice to homosexuals to call it an optional lifestyle, a sexual preference. You’re not nice to them to do that. That isn’t kind. That isn’t thoughtful. That isn’t loving. That is damning. The kindest thing you could ever say to someone engaged in homosexual sin is it is a sin that will damn you and it will exclude you from the kingdom of God forever. That’s the kindest thing you can say. A proper diagnosis is absolutely crucial. This is not a preferred sexual orientation. This is not an alternative lifestyle. This is not a genetic thing. This is sin and perversion that damns men’s and women’s souls. “ The abomination of homosexuality is not something that the church should tolerate or be connected to in any way.

Eighth, we need to unhitch ourselves from debt. Proverbs 22:7 warns that “the borrower is servant to the lender.” Dave Ramsey said, “The decision to go into debt alters the course and condition of your life. You no longer own it. You are owned.” Ron Blue said, “Nowadays you can find many financial pundits who will tell you that leverage – the use of borrowed money to buy assets for appreciation – is the “way to prosperity.” It goes without saying that this is not a biblical perspective. Absolutely nowhere in the Scriptures are we advised or commanded to use debt to accomplish God-given economic goals. On the contrary, the Bible contains many warnings against the use of debt. It doesn’t say God will bail you out of debt. Some Christians who are heavily indebted seem to have the impression that God has promised to get them out of their problems. The verse most often cited is Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” That promise is true, of course, and God will meet our needs. But He hasn’t pledged Himself to cancel the consequences of our unwise behavior. Ultimately, a believer has a moral obligation to repay his or her creditors to the best of their ability.” Debt cripples you with continual worries about money. Debt will have you wondering whether it’s more important to pay for food or pay your lender. You need to work hard to get out of debt and never get in it again.

Ninth, we need to unhitch ourselves from lying about our family. Psalms 101:7 says, “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.” How many times have we seen a family that looks so well put together in public but are then embroiled in a messy divorce a week later? Earlier this year, a family was torn apart after the mother killed her two children and then committed suicide. Tim Challies said, “The Bible leaves no doubt that God hates deceit. Three times in the book of Proverbs he states it bluntly. In Proverbs 6 we read a list of “six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him,” and two of them relate to deceit: “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies”. Proverbs 12:22 echoes the theme: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight”. God hates deceit because he so values truth. He so values truth because he himself is the source of all truth. “Sanctify them in the truth,” prayed Jesus, “your word is truth”. Truth reflects God’s holy character, his pure heart. God’s revelation is wholly and perfectly true because he himself is wholly and perfectly true.” Although you shouldn’t be airing your problems to everyone you know, you shouldn’t be lying on social media with posts about your picture-perfect family either.

Tenth, we need to unhitch ourselves from hate and racism. Romans 10:12, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” Recent years have seen an exacerbation of racial tension in this country, so that at one point the Klan and white supremacists held marches. There have been several deadly attacks by both black and white supremacists this past year. Kevin DeYoung said, “Woe to us if our vision of the good life here on earth will be completely undone by the reality of new heavens and new earth yet to come. Antagonism toward people of another color, language, or ethnic background is antagonism toward God himself and his design for eternity. Christians ought to reject racism, and do what they can to expose it and bring the gospel to bear upon it, not because we love pats on the back for our moral outrage or are desperate for restored moral authority, but because we love God and submit ourselves to the authority of his word.” As Christians, the Bible tells us that Jesus call to save us all, regardless of race. Christians should condemn racism and preach the truth that God created us all, loved us all, and sent His Son to die for us all.

Eleventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from prayerlessness. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to, “Pray without ceasing.” Leonard Ravenhill said, “Prayerlessness is disobedience, for God’s command is that men ought always to pray and not faint. To be prayerless is to fail God, for He says, Ask of me.” Dave Butts said, “Failing to pray is also an indicator of a lack of love for the Lord. Prayer, at its heart, is communicating with God. What does it say to Him when we fail to find time to talk with Him? Do we say by our lack of prayer that we are not at all interested in spending time with the Lord or hearing anything from Him? When we do not pray, we move away from any possibility of intimacy with Christ. When prayerlessness is prevalent in our lives, we are also guilty of failure to love one another. There is scarcely any greater way to demonstrate love than to pray for someone. In godly intercession, we lift the needs of another to God and watch as He moves to meet needs and provide for the one we are praying for. Through prayer, bodies are healed, families are knit together, individuals are saved, and churches are revived. When we withhold prayer on behalf of others, we demonstrate hardened hearts and a failure to love them enough to bring their needs before a loving Father.” Prayer is where we commune with God and receive strength from Him. It changes our hearts so that we are aligned with His will rather than attempting to align His to ours. If we prayed more, we would be doing a lot better – not because God gives us what we want, but because we are doing what God wants.

Twelfth, we need to unhitch ourselves from not evangelizing. In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus tells his disciples “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Erik Raymond said, “Hell is for real! In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there was pleading from hell to have someone come and warn his family. Why? Because hell is for real! It is the eternal, consuming, unrelenting, miserable, abode of all those who reject Christ. People are really dying and going to hell. You may not like to think about it but you really should! The answer to this is the gospel. We are running around with all kinds of innovation, marketing, philanthropy, and other “stuff” in the name of reaching people. Meanwhile, the gospel itself is benched. Listen, good things happen when you pray and preach the gospel. Nobody gets saved when you don’t.” It is only through the labor of God’s disciples throughout the centuries that those of us who are Christians have been saved from damnation. Unfortunately, today’s church is preoccupied with everything except the Great Commission. We are involved in politics, social justice, and preaching on everything other topic under the sun, but we have failed in witnessing to the loss. In this New Year, let’s dedicate ourselves to obeying God’s commandment to preach the Gospel.

We had a Merry Christmas
And now we welcome the New Year
We’ll march into this New Year blessed
Ready to fight and persevere.

Yes, I have sinned and made mistakes
And even so have you
But God forgave us and washed us clean
And made us all brand new

I have been forgiven much
And even so have you
Let’s learn from all our past mistakes
And succeed in what we do.

This is a New Year, my friend
So stand and do not fall
Hold up the banner of our Lord
And answer the Gospel call.

I prayed to God each day last year
And He heard my cry
He answered me with miracles
My prayers He never denied

I had some friends to die last year
My troubles were not few
But God in love and mercy gave
And carried me through.

I’m happy for this New Year
But I’ll be happier still
When Jesus Christ comes back to earth
According to His will.

Jesus died for me, my friend
And Jesus died for you
He saved me from the pits of hell
And He can save you too.

Let all past troubles be forgotten
But remember friends so dear
Let’s praise and thank our God forever
And rejoice in this New Year!

——-

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 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” 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 [email protected] 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.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

PODCAST: 12 Things the Church Needs to Unhitch From, Part 13 (with Daniel Whyte III)

TEXT: Hebrews 12:1-3

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

———-

Charles Stanley said, “As you begin a new year of walking with Jesus, remember you’re never alone in your struggles. And with Christ’s strength, you can confidently face whatever comes your way.”

Not too long ago Andy Stanley said that Christians should unhitch themselves from the Old Testament. Of course he was wrong, but I took a liking to the word unhitch. Here are 12 things that Christians should unhitch themselves from as they enter the new year.

Last time, we saw that we need to unhitch ourselves from sin, weights, people who pull us into sin, politics, false teachers, and following others..

Seventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from the abomination of homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 says, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Denominations are splitting over this issue. Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible as an abomination. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their homosexuality. Paul condemned it also in the New Testament, and Jesus stated that God created marriage for a man and a woman. John MacArthur said, “One of the supreme tragedies of our time is the declassification of homosexuality as a sin because when you declassify it as a sin, you cut them off from their salvation source. It is a damning declassification. You’re not being nice to homosexuals to call it an optional lifestyle, a sexual preference. You’re not nice to them to do that. That isn’t kind. That isn’t thoughtful. That isn’t loving. That is damning. The kindest thing you could ever say to someone engaged in homosexual sin is it is a sin that will damn you and it will exclude you from the kingdom of God forever. That’s the kindest thing you can say. A proper diagnosis is absolutely crucial. This is not a preferred sexual orientation. This is not an alternative lifestyle. This is not a genetic thing. This is sin and perversion that damns men’s and women’s souls. “ The abomination of homosexuality is not something that the church should tolerate or be connected to in any way.

Eighth, we need to unhitch ourselves from debt. Proverbs 22:7 warns that “the borrower is servant to the lender.” Dave Ramsey said, “The decision to go into debt alters the course and condition of your life. You no longer own it. You are owned.” Ron Blue said, “Nowadays you can find many financial pundits who will tell you that leverage – the use of borrowed money to buy assets for appreciation – is the “way to prosperity.” It goes without saying that this is not a biblical perspective. Absolutely nowhere in the Scriptures are we advised or commanded to use debt to accomplish God-given economic goals. On the contrary, the Bible contains many warnings against the use of debt. It doesn’t say God will bail you out of debt. Some Christians who are heavily indebted seem to have the impression that God has promised to get them out of their problems. The verse most often cited is Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” That promise is true, of course, and God will meet our needs. But He hasn’t pledged Himself to cancel the consequences of our unwise behavior. Ultimately, a believer has a moral obligation to repay his or her creditors to the best of their ability.” Debt cripples you with continual worries about money. Debt will have you wondering whether it’s more important to pay for food or pay your lender. You need to work hard to get out of debt and never get in it again.

Ninth, we need to unhitch ourselves from lying about our family. Psalms 101:7 says, “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.” How many times have we seen a family that looks so well put together in public but are then embroiled in a messy divorce a week later? Earlier this year, a family was torn apart after the mother killed her two children and then committed suicide. Tim Challies said, “The Bible leaves no doubt that God hates deceit. Three times in the book of Proverbs he states it bluntly. In Proverbs 6 we read a list of “six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him,” and two of them relate to deceit: “a lying tongue” and “a false witness who breathes out lies”. Proverbs 12:22 echoes the theme: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight”. God hates deceit because he so values truth. He so values truth because he himself is the source of all truth. “Sanctify them in the truth,” prayed Jesus, “your word is truth”. Truth reflects God’s holy character, his pure heart. God’s revelation is wholly and perfectly true because he himself is wholly and perfectly true.” Although you shouldn’t be airing your problems to everyone you know, you shouldn’t be lying on social media with posts about your picture-perfect family either.

Tenth, we need to unhitch ourselves from hate and racism. Romans 10:12, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.” Recent years have seen an exacerbation of racial tension in this country, so that at one point the Klan and white supremacists held marches. There have been several deadly attacks by both black and white supremacists this past year. Kevin DeYoung said, “Woe to us if our vision of the good life here on earth will be completely undone by the reality of new heavens and new earth yet to come. Antagonism toward people of another color, language, or ethnic background is antagonism toward God himself and his design for eternity. Christians ought to reject racism, and do what they can to expose it and bring the gospel to bear upon it, not because we love pats on the back for our moral outrage or are desperate for restored moral authority, but because we love God and submit ourselves to the authority of his word.” As Christians, the Bible tells us that Jesus call to save us all, regardless of race. Christians should condemn racism and preach the truth that God created us all, loved us all, and sent His Son to die for us all.

Eleventh, we need to unhitch ourselves from prayerlessness. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to, “Pray without ceasing.” Leonard Ravenhill said, “Prayerlessness is disobedience, for God’s command is that men ought always to pray and not faint. To be prayerless is to fail God, for He says, Ask of me.” Dave Butts said, “Failing to pray is also an indicator of a lack of love for the Lord. Prayer, at its heart, is communicating with God. What does it say to Him when we fail to find time to talk with Him? Do we say by our lack of prayer that we are not at all interested in spending time with the Lord or hearing anything from Him? When we do not pray, we move away from any possibility of intimacy with Christ. When prayerlessness is prevalent in our lives, we are also guilty of failure to love one another. There is scarcely any greater way to demonstrate love than to pray for someone. In godly intercession, we lift the needs of another to God and watch as He moves to meet needs and provide for the one we are praying for. Through prayer, bodies are healed, families are knit together, individuals are saved, and churches are revived. When we withhold prayer on behalf of others, we demonstrate hardened hearts and a failure to love them enough to bring their needs before a loving Father.” Prayer is where we commune with God and receive strength from Him. It changes our hearts so that we are aligned with His will rather than attempting to align His to ours. If we prayed more, we would be doing a lot better – not because God gives us what we want, but because we are doing what God wants.

Twelfth, we need to unhitch ourselves from not evangelizing. In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus tells his disciples “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Erik Raymond said, “Hell is for real! In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there was pleading from hell to have someone come and warn his family. Why? Because hell is for real! It is the eternal, consuming, unrelenting, miserable, abode of all those who reject Christ. People are really dying and going to hell. You may not like to think about it but you really should! The answer to this is the gospel. We are running around with all kinds of innovation, marketing, philanthropy, and other “stuff” in the name of reaching people. Meanwhile, the gospel itself is benched. Listen, good things happen when you pray and preach the gospel. Nobody gets saved when you don’t.” It is only through the labor of God’s disciples throughout the centuries that those of us who are Christians have been saved from damnation. Unfortunately, today’s church is preoccupied with everything except the Great Commission. We are involved in politics, social justice, and preaching on everything other topic under the sun, but we have failed in witnessing to the loss. In this New Year, let’s dedicate ourselves to obeying God’s commandment to preach the Gospel.

We had a Merry Christmas
And now we welcome the New Year
We’ll march into this New Year blessed
Ready to fight and persevere.

Yes, I have sinned and made mistakes
And even so have you
But God forgave us and washed us clean
And made us all brand new

I have been forgiven much
And even so have you
Let’s learn from all our past mistakes
And succeed in what we do.

This is a New Year, my friend
So stand and do not fall
Hold up the banner of our Lord
And answer the Gospel call.

I prayed to God each day last year
And He heard my cry
He answered me with miracles
My prayers He never denied

I had some friends to die last year
My troubles were not few
But God in love and mercy gave
And carried me through.

I’m happy for this New Year
But I’ll be happier still
When Jesus Christ comes back to earth
According to His will.

Jesus died for me, my friend
And Jesus died for you
He saved me from the pits of hell
And He can save you too.

Let all past troubles be forgotten
But remember friends so dear
Let’s praise and thank our God forever
And rejoice in this New Year!

——-

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 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” 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 [email protected] 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.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

Texas Mother Who Wants to Transition Her Seven-Year-Old Son James Younger Into Girl Loses Court Battle

A Texas mother who intended to transition her 7-year-old son James into a girl named Luna has lost again in court.

Dallas judge Mary Brown ruled Wednesday against the request of Anne Georgulas, who asked the court to revert to an October jury ruling that might have yielded her receiving sole conservatorship of her son James Younger, a 7-year-old boy she says is a transgender girl named Luna, and his twin brother, Jude, according to LifeSiteNews.

Brown also ruled against another motion from Georgulas’ team, that a parenting coordinator in the case, Stacey Dunlop, be dismissed.

“The argument to disqualify the parenting coordinator centered mainly around the concern that he becomes a tie breaker rather than a mediator and would then ultimately be making most of the difficult decisions for the twin boys,” LifeSiteNews explained.

The case garnered international media attention in October after a jury awarded Georgulas sole conservatorship in an 11-1 decision, allowing her to continue “transitioning” James into “Luna.” The father, Jeffrey Younger, has maintained that James shows “no signs of wanting to be a girl when given the choice.”

Amid massive public outcry, Judge Kim Cooks overruled the Oct. 21 jury verdict and ruled that conservatorship would be 50-50, shared between Georgulas and Jeffrey Younger, who has been resisting the transitioning of his son.

The matter was back in court this week because Georgulas’ attorneys were successful at getting a new judge after they argued Cooks had acted improperly when she posted an article about the ruling on her Facebook page following the conclusion of the proceedings. In the post, Cooks asserted that neither Texas Governor Greg Abbott nor any legislature influenced her decision. Cooks was summarily recused from the case.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Brandon Showalter

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

United States and at Least 17 Other Countries to Launch International Religious Freedom Alliance in Washington, DC Next Week

Government officials from the United States and several countries will convene in Washington, D.C., next week on the eve of the National Prayer Breakfast for the inaugural meeting of the new International Religious Freedom Alliance.

U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback told reporters on Wednesday that the alliance is essentially like an “activist club” of countries that are serious about pushing religious freedom globally.

The alliance was first announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last July and touted by President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly in September. It is said to be the first-ever alliance of nations devoted to confronting religious persecution around the world.

The alliance comes at a time when most of the world’s population lives in countries where religious freedom is limited in some way.

“I have not seen this type of organization or push on a human right that I am aware of before,” Brownback explained this week. “This is the first effort really to get a group of nations that will be the activist on a particular human right to try to champion and pursue that cause more aggressively.”

He stressed that there is strong support for religious freedom around the world even though there is much “encroachment” on it.

“We will be looking at things we can work collectively on and [how] we can push for religious freedom efforts around the world,” he said. “We are excited about the countries and their enthusiasm.”

According to Brownback, at least 17 countries so far have committed to the alliance. But he hopes that the number of countries represented at the Wednesday event will be in the “upper 20s.”

The former Kansas governor and U.S. senator could not yet disclose which countries will participate in the meeting.

“We got a pretty high bar for joining it, honestly,” Brownback detailed. “We want nations that respect religious freedom in their own country and are willing to push religious freedom in international venues. This is the activist club of countries.”

SOURCE: Christian Post, Samuel Smith

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PODCAST: Whyte House Family Devotional Reading of Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening #14 (with Daniel Whyte III)


This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Family Devotional Reading of Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening podcast. This is Episode #14.

Charles Spurgeon was a prominent English Particular Baptist preacher. He was very influential among the Christians of various denominations during his age and even today, and is commonly called the “Prince of Preachers”. After some time of alternately searching for God and running from God, he had a powerful encounter which led him to give his life to Christ. Spurgeon was only 16 when he preached his first sermon and he began publishing books shortly afterward. At the time of his death, he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions. Spurgeon said, “encouraging thoughts are like honey to the heart”, and wrote this devotional in hopes that its uplifting messages for each day of the year would bring comfort and refreshment to our walk with God. He was inspired by Isaiah 50:4 which reads, “He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned” and Psalm 63:5-6 which says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

Song of Solomon 4:12 reads: “A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”

Observe the sweet titles with which the heavenly Solomon with intense affection addresses his bride the church. “My sister, one near to me by ties of nature, partaker of the same sympathies. My spouse, nearest and dearest, united to me by the tenderest bands of love; my sweet companion, part of my own self. My sister, by my Incarnation, which makes me bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh; my spouse, by heavenly betrothal, in which I have espoused thee unto myself in righteousness. My sister, whom I knew of old, and over whom I watched from her earliest infancy; my spouse, taken from among the daughters, embraced by arms of love, and affianced unto me forever. See how true it is that our royal Kinsman is not ashamed of us, for he dwells with manifest delight upon this two-fold relationship. We have the word “my” twice in our version; as if Christ dwelt with rapture on his possession of his Church. “His delights were with the sons of men,” because those sons of men were his own chosen ones. He, the Shepherd, sought the sheep, because they were his sheep; he has gone about “to seek and to save that which was lost,” because that which was lost was his long before it was lost to itself or lost to him. The church is the exclusive portion of her Lord; none else may claim a partnership, or pretend to share her love. Jesus, thy church delights to have it so! Let every believing soul drink solace out of these wells. Soul! Christ is near to thee in ties of relationship; Christ is dear to thee in bonds of marriage union, and thou art dear to him; behold he grasps both of thy hands with both his own, saying, “My sister, my spouse.” Mark the two sacred holdfasts by which thy Lord gets such a double hold of thee that he neither can nor will ever let thee go. Be not, O beloved, slow to return the hallowed flame of his love.

PRAY.

Thank you for listening to the Morning and Evening podcast. If you do not know the Lord as your Savior, here is how you can be saved from Hell and walk with the Lord morning and evening until you go to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die:

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 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” 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 [email protected] 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.

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Catholic All-Boys Riordan High School in San Francisco to Accept Girls

The arched brick halls of San Francisco’s Archbishop Riordan High School are about to undergo a seismic shift – not from an earthquake, but from girls. The school board voted last night to make the all-boys school co-ed.

“There’s not going to be another time in history where we can accept students at all grade levels from another Catholic school,” Riordan President Andrew Currier told KPIX 5.

The move comes after the all-girls Mercy High School on 19th Avenue announced earlier this month it would be closing its doors after nearly 70 years.

That’s when a lingering thought about taking the school co-ed was kicked into gear. “We think a better long-term solution for young Catholic school students, girls and boys is to come to Riordan,” Currier said. “With the closure of Mercy, there is one less option. Riordan is now open to accepting all students.”

He says the school has enough room to absorb all of the Mercy students who already join in for music and theatre.

The school will need to hire three to four more teachers as well as a dean of women and another counselor.

Some of the 660 boys at Riordan says it’s a change that will take some getting used to.

SOURCE: KPIX 5/CBS SF BayArea

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PODCAST: Whyte House Daily Devotional Bible Reading #64: Leviticus 3, Psalm 14, and Luke 15 (with Daniel Whyte III)

This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Daily Devotional Bible Reading Episode #64. Where I read three chapters of the Holy Bible in the King James Version a day with my family as a part of our family devotions, to encourage you to read the Holy Bible in a year’s time. We are using a modified version of the Five Day Bible Reading Plan. It is modified because we read the Bible everyday and not just five days a week. The benefit of using the Five Day Bible Reading Plan is: you can read the entire Bible in a chronological reading plan that helps the Bible make sense. Today we are reading Leviticus 3, Psalm 14 and Luke 15.

Warren Wiersbe said, “The world changes – circumstances change, we change – but God’s Word never changes.”

Thomas Watson said, “Highly prize the Scriptures. Can he make a proficiency in any art, who doth slight and deprecate it? Prize this Book of God above all other books..”

Leviticus 3
1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.

2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aa’-ron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

5 And Aa’-ron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

7 If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord.

8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aa’-ron’s sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.

9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

10 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord.

12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord.

13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aa’-ron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lord’s.

17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

Psalm 14
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of Da’-vid.
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.

5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.

7 Oh that the salvation of Is’-ra-el were come out of Zi’-on! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Ja’-cob shall rejoice, and Is’-ra-el shall be glad.

Luke 15
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

2 And the Phar’-i-sees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

________

PRAY
________

When I was a teenager I wanted to get wisdom and knowledge, so I set out the read the big family Bible that many families had in those days. But I couldn’t get past Genesis 2 before I got bored with reading the Bible. I found out later in life that you have to believe on Christ and get saved before you can understand the Bible. So here is how I became a Christian and how you can too:

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 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” 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 [email protected] 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.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

Russell Wilson and Ciara Announce They Are Expecting Baby No. 3

Baby No. 3 is on the way to the home of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and pop star Ciara.

The couple announced the news on social media early Thursday with photos of Ciara pregnant and striking a pose. Wilson’s tweet features his bearded visage in the foreground.

Ciara seemed to be hinting at the pregnancy on her Instagram account for several weeks, posting photos of herself in Wilson’s No. 3 jersey, using “#3” as a caption and filming a video clip set to rapper DaBaby’s song “BOP,” in which he says, “You know everybody been waitin’ on that baby.”

This will be the power couple’s second biological child but the third they are raising together, as Ciara has a son from a previous relationship with rapper Future.

SOURCE: The Seattle Times, Christine Clarridge

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TikTok Reinstates Anti-Abortion Group Live Action’s Account After ‘Human Error’ Led to Ban

Anti-abortion group Live Action had its TikTok account reinstated on Friday — only hours after the account was kicked off for violating the popular app’s community guidelines. The removal had been a mistake, a TikTok spokesperson told TheWrap.

“TikTok is a platform for creative expression that welcomes diversity of users and viewpoints,” the spokesperson said. “Following a review, we have determined that there we no violations of our community guidelines and the issue was the result of a human error by a moderator. We apologize for the mistake and have reactivated the account.”

Earlier on Friday, Live Action’s account was purged after posting a 15-second clip showing a a young woman opting to “be pro-life and and help save babies” rather than “be pro-abortion.” The clip then cut to a few different baby pictures as well as written testimonials from women who thanked the organization for helping them decide against abortion. According to Live Action, TikTok took this clip down and the group appealed to have it reinstated within an hour; TikTok then banned the group’s account entirely, saying it was removed “due to multiple community guidelines violations.”

According to a Live Action representative, TikTok did not explain how the group had violated its rules.

TikTok’s community guidelines can be found here.

SOURCE: TheWrap, Sean Burch

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Christian Churchgoers Widely Mixed on Satisfaction with Sermons, Pew Study Reports

Christian Churchgoers Widely Mixed on Satisfaction with Sermons, Pew Study Reports


Sermons are a distinctive feature of worship services among most of the various traditions of Christian churches. And while many churchgoers consider sermons a major element of the worship experience, satisfaction with sermons is widely mixed, Pew Research Center says in a report posted Jan 28 on its Fact Tank page.

In reporting on two related recent studies, Pew says, “there are differences by religious tradition in how satisfied churchgoers are with what they hear from the pulpit – as well as in the length and content of those sermons.”

In its 2019 opinion survey of 6,364 U.S. adults, Pew said that 90% of respondents who attend church services “at least a few times a year are satisfied with the sermons they hear.” Protestants, Pew reported, “are somewhat more satisfied than Catholics” with the sermons they hear.

In breaking down opinions of sermons, Pew said its survey found that 61 percent of evangelical Protestants (six-in-ten) say they are “very satisfied” with the messages. That’s almost double the 32 percent of evangelical respondents who said they are “somewhat satisfied,” according to Pew’s report.

Almost a third – 32 percent – of Catholic respondents, indicated they are “very satisfied” with sermons, which are formally referred to as the “homily” in the Catholic Mass, as well as in the worship traditions of Anglican, Lutheran,…

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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

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