PODCAST: Whyte House Family Spoken Novels #407: “All the Bishop’s Children II” – Chapter 47

Welcome to the Whyte House Family Spoken Novels podcast episode #407. Today we are reading chapter 47 of the novel “All the Bishop’s Children Book 2” by Daniel Whyte III with Meriqua Whyte.

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Even though it was still raining, the weather had let up enough for him to continue on to the crusade, but the time on the clock told him he would probably miss over half of the preaching, if not all of it. I guess I’ll have to catch what I can via the television, he thought as he tried to get a good reception. Billy Graham’s message meant so much more to him now as Graham ended his message once again with a presentation of the way to salvation through Jesus Christ. Graham left the viewers with Romans 10:9 and 13 before giving the final invitation: “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.”

Dwight was so excited he called his wife forgetting she was on the job. He left a message with Rachel. “Tell your mother I got saved for real. I got born again for real. I’ll tell you all about it when I get home. I will be making my way up to another hotel closer to the meeting on tomorrow to catch the second night’s meeting.”

“Okay, Dad. And, Dad, remember this Friday I go to the cheerleaders competition,” Rachel said.

“I had forgotten all about it. I should be home Thursday night on into Friday, but just in case I don’t, you have a safe trip,” Dwight said.

Dwight was so excited he could hardly sleep. He read his Bible, which he always kept with him, into the wee hours of the morning. He had an inexplicable joy that flooded his soul as his spiritual eyes were enlightened to the truth of God’s Word. It was as though a veil had been lifted off of him thus allowing him understanding of God’s Word.

The following morning he stopped by a Christian bookstore as he made his way to the meeting. He purchased a new believer’s handbook with its accompanying workbook. He was so excited he read the first chapter and did the accompanying exercise to the chapter sitting in his car in the parking lot of the bookstore. The new believer’s handbook took him through the book of St. John as its author encouraged readers to memorize key verses. Like a little child savoring a lollipop, Dwight feasted on the Word of God.

The second night’s meeting only added to his new-found joy. This is just too much. Oh, Lord, You are a mighty good God.

The drive home gave Dwight the time he needed to think upon his new-found faith in Christ, upon the direction he had been taking the church, upon the new direction he would need to take the church, and upon how his sermons would take new content. He made it home around seven o’clock on Friday evening. His adrenaline was flowing so much he couldn’t hide his excitement even if he tried to.

“Rosalind, Mother Randall, children, I wish you all could have been there. The atmosphere was so electrifying I truly felt the Holy Spirit moving in that place. I have never felt anything like that before,” Dwight said.

“We feel it all the time at Love and Peace,” Rosalind said more out of guilt because she had refused to go when she knew she could have.

“I don’t know what we have been feeling at Love and Peace, but it’s not quite the same,” Dwight said.

“Now Rachel told me you said something about you getting saved,” Rosalind said. “You are already saved, so I don’t know what you are talking about. You can’t preach like you do if you’re not saved. Now can he, Mother?”

“No, he can’t,” Mother Randall said. “Plus, Mama Tess told me you were born into a long line of preachers and the mantle has been passed on to you. You were called by God to preach even before you were born.”

“That’s not what Billy Graham said and the proof is in the Bible. He said being born into a line of preachers or the salvation of your mother and father does not automatically make you saved. You have to get saved for yourself,” Dwight said.

“All I know is God told Jeremiah ‘before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.’ Hallelujah!” Mother Randall said raising her hand.

“Yes. Yes. God had a special calling on Jeremiah’s life to do a special job. And God may have a preacher’s calling on my life, but if I don’t get saved the Bible way, then I will be preaching in vain,” Dwight said.

“The Lord told Jeremiah he will go where He will send him and ‘I have put My words in thy mouth’ so ‘whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak’,” Mother Randall continued.

“You tell him, Mother,” Rosalind said. “Dwight, I believe you nodded off while you were listening to the preacher. You will never convince me otherwise.”

“I like to give people a chance to explain themselves,” Mother Randall said, “so go ahead and tell me all that Preacher Graham said. I try to listen to him but I just can’t get into his style of preaching. It’s like he’s lecturing. I don’t see how you can sit and listen to him as much as you do.”

Dwight chuckled. This is one time I do not mind your rambling, he thought.

After Dwight finished sharing with them his salvation experience, he said, “I feel like a new person. I don’t expect you all to understand, but something took place inside of me.”

Mother Randall listened to her son-in-law with wonder. “I have to admit you sound different and you look different. Doesn’t he, Rosalind?”

“He looks the same to me,” Rosalind said.

“So does anybody want to pray to get saved?” Dwight asked.

 “How do you say the prayer now?” Mother Randall asked.

Dwight recited the prayer Billy Graham led him to repeat when he asked Jesus to forgive him, to save him from his sins, and to live with Him forever.

“Sounds simple enough, but I’ll have to think about it,” Mother Randall said. “I’ve been in church all my life and this is the first time I’m hearing something like this. I have to investigate it first.”

“How about you, Rosalind?” Dwight asked.

“I’m already saved,” Rosalind replied curtly.

“I tell you what: I see new and exciting things ahead for Love and Peace Apostolic Church. I can’t wait to share my experience with the folks there,” Dwight said. “Yes, we’re headed in a new direction and I’m so excited.”

Mother Randall smiled. “I can hardly wait to be a part of it,” she said.

Rosalind glared at Dwight not knowing what to say. She was quiet most of the evening.

 

“I’m going to have to make some drastic changes in the church,” Dwight said to Rosalind as they lay in bed that night.

“This is about the third time you’ve said that since you’ve been back. Exactly what are you referring to?”

“Well, mainly in my preaching,” Dwight said.

“What’s wrong with your preaching? The people love it, and that is all that matters,” Rosalind said.

“One thing I have noticed about Billy Graham’s preaching and some of the other radio and television preachers that I have listened to, is that their words are clear. You can understand every word they say. I can feel the power in their preaching without all that shouting, noise, whooping, and singsong preaching that some preachers do when they preach,” Dwight said.

“Lest you have forgotten, on the day of Pentecost the disciples spoke in unknown tongues; the listeners thought they were drunk,” Rosalind said.

“But they understood each other, because after Peter preached, over 3000 folks got saved,” Dwight said. “I must admit something, and that is, I do not understand those preachers who speak in tongues. I don’t even understand what I’m saying when I so-call speak in tongues.”

“I believe that preacher has gotten your mind all twisted up,” Rosalind said. “You have not been talking right same you came back. I’m so glad I did not go with you. If you don’t stop talking this foolishness, I’m going to have to get some of the deacons to lay hands on you because I believe you have gone insane.”

Dwight chuckled. “Insane for Jesus,” he said. “Now, I may not understand it all, but I know I’ve been changed. I know what took place in my heart and I wish the same for you.”

Rosalind sighed as she turned her back toward her husband. “Just go to sleep and don’t bother me any more with that mess. The church is going in the right direction, your preaching is fine, and like Mother always says, ‘leave well-enough alone’. Can you please cut the light off.”

“You just need to get saved,” Dwight said as he picked up another book he had purchased at the bookstore titled, Salvation Crystal Clear.

It was after three when Rosalind stirred from her sleep.

“Are you still up? What are you reading at this time of the morning disturbing me while I’m sleeping?”

Dwight showed her the book cover. “This explains it all. I cannot put it down. This salvation, this being born again, this being saved through Jesus Christ  is much clearer to me. I can’t believe how simple God has made it—so simple even a child can understand it. The devil has certainly blinded our minds to the simplicity of the Gospel.”

“This is elementary stuff,” Rosalind said scanning a few pages of the book out of curiosity.

“You’re right. How much more elementary can you get than to simply believe on Jesus and you will be saved,” Dwight said turning back to the page he was on. “Listen to this.”

“If you did not already know this stuff then you had me fooled,” Rosalind said. “Good night. Continue reading quietly to yourself.”

Dwight did not let his wife’s lack of interest and her unenthusiastic spirit discourage him. He kept on reading until sleep overcame him around seven in the morning.

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Thank you for joining us for this episode of Whyte House Family stories. You may purchase a copy of this novel and any other Christian fiction books read on this podcast from Amazon.com. 

Now, dear listener, please know that God—the divine Author of all things—wants to write a great story with your life as well. But first you must give Him the pen by trusting Him with the life He gave you and surrendering your heart to Jesus Christ as Savior. Here is how:

1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23 reads: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” 

 

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

 

3. 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.” The Bible says 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.”

 

4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2: 8, 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

 

5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. 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.”

 

6. With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of 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.”

Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, 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 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.”

May God bless you until next time.