How to Face the Inevitable — Your Death (Gospel Light Minute X #395)

This is the “chief of sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, with the Gospel Light Minute X Podcast #395 titled, “How to Face the Inevitable –Your Death” I’m here to remind you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me.

I have found that one can tell how a person values life by his estimation of death. I once talked with a man who had never given serious thought to death until it was discovered that he had cancer. “Immediately my entire world changed,” he said. “The things I valued most became worthless, and the things that I thought were of little value are now the most important things in the world to me.”

GETTING READY FOR ETERNITY

Physical life is a possession that we all cling to, and yet we know we must all sooner or later bow to death. It enters the home of the rich as boldly as it enters the apartment in the projects. It brings down the final curtain as swiftly on the famous as it does on the unknown. Before this year ends, many people listening to this podcast will keep their appointment with death.

There are many who say, “I believe in life after death, but I’m not concerned about crossing that bridge until I get to it.” How strange that people should spend years preparing for retirement and not take so much as five minutes to prepare to meet God

How to Quench Your Thirst in Life (Gospel Light Minute X #360)

This is the “chief of sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, with the Gospel Light Minute X Podcast #360 titled, “How to Quench Your Thirst in Life.” I’m here to remind you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me.

Happiness, contentment, and peace of mind are the most longed-for and sought after things in all the world, and few there are who ever really find them. All around us people are searching madly for these precious treasures without success. Psychiatrists tell us that an ever-increasing number of people are aware of an inner emptiness in their lives. Their problems — personal and social — seem to increase faster than solutions can be found to solve them.

Is this all simply evidence of the emptiness of those who try to live without God? Man’s struggle for wealth, fame, and pleasure will not bring him the contentment and happiness that he yearns for. Yet, with a restlessness that is pitiful to see, people are searching from one thing to another, always hoping to find rest and satisfaction in some future accomplishment or possession.

GLMX #228: “Hands Up, I Surrender All”

You’ve heard the chant of protesters across America — “hands up, don’t shoot!” For them, that phrase is a statement of dissatisfaction with what they perceive as injustice. But, people put their hands in the air for numerous reasons. People raise their hands in a celebratory gesture at football games or concerts. Some raise their hands in the air as an act of worship or praise in church. This past week, we saw civilians who had been held hostage by a gunman in a cafe in Sydney, Australia, raise their hands in the air as they escaped to indicate to police officers that they were not a threat.

Perhaps you have thrown your hands in the air in frustration. Jewish rabbis raise their hands when giving the benediction. “Jazz hands” are often used while dancing. Some people raise their hands with palms facing inward when they are trying to express that they don’t understand something. In France, you can raise your arm and rotate your hand back and forth to let someone know that you are unhappy with their driving. In Germany, people often clasp their hands together and raise them above their heads to express gratitude. In Russia and former Soviet countries, it is customary to raise your hand in a fist above your head and shake it to express anger. And, of course, we all know that you can raise your hand and wave it in order to say “hello” or “goodbye.”

It’s clear that what we do with our hands can express many messages. But, perhaps, the most important thing we can express by raising our hands is surrender — not only surrender to police and other human authorities, but to God. The writers of the Bible tell us that they raised their hands to demonstrate that they were surrendering to God’s will, that they were leaning on Him, and that they were trusting in Him.

Don’t Let Looks Deceive You: David (A Picture of Christ)

Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message #102

TEXT: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

The Italian historian and philospher Niccolò Machiavelli said, “Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.”

We live in a society where much emphasis is placed on a person’s outward appearance. We make judgments of people based on how they look on the outside, instead of taking the time to learn more about their character and personality — how they really are on the inside. How many people have gotten into relationships with somebody who looked like they had it all together on the outside, but after a few weeks or months with that person, they found out that that person was not all they appeared to be. Appearances can be deceiving.

Today, I want us to look at a man who looked like he had it altogether. He looked like he was a born leader. He was somebody the people of his nation were willing to follow. However, he failed them because, even though he looked good on the outside, there was something wrong in his heart. He did not have the kind of respect for and relationship with God that he needed to have.

First, we’ll take a look at Saul — the failed king. Then, we’ll look at the type of king God wanted for his people. And, finally, we will look at the selection of David as the king of Israel.

+ Plus, listen to Shirley Caesar singing “Yes, Lord, Yes” and the West Angeles COGIC Choir singing “Lord, Prepare Me To Be A Sanctuary”

The Power of Being Still Before God

Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message #85

Scripture: Isaiah 53

In our culture today, it seems as though one of the hardest things for us to do is to slow down and be still for any length of time. From the time we get out of bed in the morning to the time we turn in at night, we are always busy and always on the go. Many of us rush from one destination to another, running errands, fulfilling job duties, catching up with friends, and handling family issues. Even during “down time” when we should be relaxing, our fingers fly over handheld devices. While we are sitting in the recliner or laying in bed, we are surfing the web, checking e-mail, video chatting, and collaborating with co-workers on job projects. We find it nearly impossible to just be still.

In our passage for today, I want us to notice how King David goes into the Tabernacle and takes the time to “sit before the Lord.”

Just to give you the background of this occasion: earlier in II Samuel 7, the Bible tells us that David is sitting in his newly built palace talking to Nathan the prophet. While they are talking, David says, “See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.” He then expresses his desire to build a Temple for the Ark of God to reside in. Nathan understandably encourages him to do this. However, later, God speaks to Nathan and tells him that He will allow David’s son to build the Temple and not David. However, God tells Nathan what we now call the “Davidic covenant” in which He promises that the House of David would be established forever as the ruling house of Israel.

After Nathan brings him this message from God, King David is overwhelmed by the grace and mercy that God has shown to him, and he goes to the Tabernacle and the Bible tells us that he “sat before the Lord.”

Today, I want us to consider the fact that there are times when we need to leave our normal duties and get alone with God. We, too, need to sit before the Lord.