BCNN1’s Black Coffee with Daniel Whyte III, where I give comments straight, with no sugar or cream, about news in the church and in the world. This is episode #33.
BCNN1’s Black Coffee #33: No Sugar, No Cream—Daniel Whyte III on the Church, Data Centers, and Preparing for Dark Days
WATCH FULL BCNN1 BLACK COFFEE NEWS HERE:
BCNN1’s Black Coffee #33 with Daniel Whyte III: Voting Rights, Church Divisions, and Standing Firm in Perilous Times
Black Coffee #33: Straight Talk on Faith, Politics, and the Future of the Black Church with Daniel Whyte III
BCNN1’s Black Coffee #33: From Voting Rights to AI Data Centers—A Prophetic Word for the Church Today
Black Coffee #33 with Daniel Whyte III: The Black Church at a Crossroads—Voting, Survival, and Spiritual Awakening
BCNN1’s Black Coffee #33: No Sugar, No Cream—Daniel Whyte III on the Church, Data Centers, and Preparing for Dark Days
Black Coffee #33: The Church, the State, and the Storm—Daniel Whyte III Speaks Truth to Power
BCNN1’s Black Coffee #33: Historic Churches, Modern Battles—Faith, Voting Rights, and Disaster Preparedness
Black Coffee #33 with Daniel Whyte III: A Prophetic Call to Repentance, Revival, and Readiness
BCNN1’s Black Coffee #33: The Vote, the Church, and the Coming Storm—Daniel Whyte III Unfiltered
Black Coffee #33: Faithful Few, Perilous Times—Daniel Whyte III on the Remnant Church
RAW TRANSCRIPT: BCNN1’s Black Coffee with Daniel Whyte III, where I give comments straight, with no sugar or cream, about news in the church and in the world. This is episode #33.
BCNN1’s Black Coffee #33: No Sugar, No Cream—Daniel Whyte III on the Church, Data Centers, and Preparing for Dark Days
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, family, friends, and foes—and yes, even foes in the family. However, I do thank God for my quiver full of children in the family that God has blessed me with down through the years, who have helped me tremendously in the ministry.
And so, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, family, friends, and foes—as I mentioned, I thank God for my quiver of children who have been a blessing and help to me down through the years. But I must mention other enemies—not only in the family, but in the church, in the evangelical church, and the progressive church, and people in the world who go against what God’s Word has stated. And even in AI today, it is what it is—it is the nature of the devil beast.
Tonight, we’re doing something a little bit different, and by the grace of God, we’ll be doing more of it. But first, shall we pray.
PRAYER
Holy Father God, I pray in the holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Father God, we praise You and we thank You for Your grace, Your love, Your mercy. We praise You and we thank You for Your Holy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Your Holy Spirit, and Your Holy Word, and for all of the millions and many and manifold blessings that You have bestowed upon us on earth—and salvation full and free, being the main thing.
And Holy Father God, we praise You and we thank You for Your Holy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Your Holy Spirit, Your Holy Word, and for the privilege of prayer tonight, and for the millions and many and manifold blessings You’ve bestowed upon us indeed.
And Holy Father God, we pray for all of the issues and all of the people in the church and outside of the church that we are going to deal with here tonight. We pray for the salvation of the lost and for the revival of the saved, the healing of the sick, the comfort of the grieving and the mourning in these perilous times in which we live. In Jesus Christ’s name I do pray, and for His sake. Amen.
Even though, Lord, as it just came to my mind, this is more of a Christian news event, I do pray for Your strength, Your energy, Your unction, Your anointing, and the power of Your Holy Spirit to do this as well, so that lost souls would be saved, Christians would be rebuked, Christians would be encouraged and revived in these perilous times. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray and for His sake. Amen.
INTRODUCTION
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, this is BCNN1’s Black Coffee with yours truly, Daniel Whyte III, where I give comments straight with no sugar or cream about news in the church and in the world. This is episode number 33.
STORY ONE: Black Christian Leaders Launch “Not Going Back” Campaign to Defend Voting Rights
The Witness Incorporated, a Black Christian collective, has launched its “Not Going Back” campaign, calling on Black Christian leaders and allies to publicly oppose what they describe as the accelerating erosion of voting rights for Black communities. Charter signatories include Dr. Jemar Tisby, Dr. Christina Edmondson, and Lisa Sharon Harper, among others. The campaign frames voting rights not as merely political, but as a moral and theological issue rooted in the prophetic tradition of the Black church.
My Comment:
Ladies and gentlemen, now I believe every Christian should be a registered voter and should vote according to biblical principles, according to the Lord’s will in their lives. But we must remember that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven—for those of us who are born again saved—not in any earthly kingdom, not in any earthly political party.
The Black church has historically been a force for righteousness in the public square down through the years, but not so much in recent years, as many in the Black church have been hoodwinked by the Trilateral Commission, the Illuminati, massive amounts of money, and the so-called first Black president.
And by the way, ladies and gentlemen, in my opinion, the first Black president will be in the future, whose father was born from former slaves. Right now, former President Obama has been lifted up to be the first politician to become the de facto head of the Black church because Black church leaders were hoodwinked. They were bamboozled; they were fooled into doing abominations that they never thought about doing before because of the Trilateral Commission—and yes, I could die for saying this—and the Illuminati chose a likable Black man to make him president of the United States to convince Black folks that it’s okay now. If he’s for the abomination of homosexuality, if he is for the LGBTQ, then we want you Black folks to—since we gave you a president—we want you all to fall in line. And that’s what the Black church has done.
The Black church and the evangelical church now—it would include more white people—they both have become the Judas, Jezebel, Laodicean church that have forsaken God and Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Be that as it may, that’s where we are now.
And we in the Black church ought to go back to the old landmarks and believe like the old Black church used to believe. I was a part of the old Black church, and even though people thought—and it appeared to be—people who were homosexuals in the Black church, in the choir especially, the godly men and women of the church made sure they stayed in their sinful closet. Not like today.
And so the Black church is suffering, and Black people are suffering—not because of white people, but because of their own sins against God and how they loved a Black president more than they loved Jesus and have followed him more than they have followed Jesus Christ. So that’s where we are now, and we need to confess our sins as Black folk in this country—a people that God has brought a mighty long way—and we need to go back to the old landmarks that the old Black church used to sing.
And when Aretha Franklin sung it way back in the ‘60s, if you were listening to that, I would advise white folks not to even try to sing it, if you know what I mean. They couldn’t keep up. And so—and I say that lovingly—there are some white folks, especially the white women, who would have been able to keep up a little bit, but not the men. I wish I could play it for you right now. The old landmarks. The truth of the matter is I can’t keep up with it. Only some Black people can keep up with it.
But be that as it may, my beloved, we need to get back into the Word of God and prayer and then continue the righteous legacy that we stood for in the past. For it is true that the Black church has always been the conscience, and our eyes should always be fixed on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Let’s cut all that off now. Jesus Christ, our Savior.
STORY TWO: Black and White Louisiana Churches Split Over $250 Billion Meta Data Center
As Meta builds a $250 billion AI data center—the largest in the Western Hemisphere—in rural Richland Parish, Louisiana. Three dead, six hurt in downtown Minneapolis—breaking news with another tragic shooting in that city and in this country. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re living in perilous times, and the devil is mad, but I am glad.
This is in Louisiana. Black and white churches find themselves divided. In mostly white evangelical Baptist churches, congregants have praised the project as providence—a divine engine for jobs.
Pardon me, everyone. We had a little incident that sounded like an explosion. So we’re breaking news while we are breaking news. But be that as it may, it seems to be taken care of now. In the words of Bishop Daniel Whyte Jr., my dad, I thought I might need to get my hat and get my grip. For we have had some threats recently where people would like to kill me, and if they can’t kill me, they want to kill my children, thinking that they can hurt me because of how much they have helped me in the ministry. These devils have stated that if we can’t stop him by killing him, we can try to hurt him real bad by killing his children. And they don’t understand what Paul said, and I’m a firm believer in what Paul said: “I do not count my life dear to myself.” And my children have served the Lord all of their lives, and even though they’re excited about being young and doing things, they’re pretty close to how I am about that. But be that as it may, everything is alright right now, and we give God the glory, praise, and honor.
But as I was saying in the second story, in mostly white evangelical Baptist churches, congregants have praised the project as providence, as a blessing, a divine favor and engine for jobs and evangelism, even organizing monthly feedings and prayer drives for the 7,000 construction workers flooding into the parish of 20,000. Across town, members of historic Black congregations read it differently—as another empire rising on land their ancestors tended.
“The white community receives the benefits of what’s going on before the Black community,” said Jesse Washington, the mayor of Delhi and member of Macedonia Baptist Church. A Black church founded in 1879 has focused on protecting those left outside the boom, urging parish leaders to expand affordable housing and strengthen community safeguards for long-time residents.
My Comment:
Yours truly, Daniel Whyte III, after the explosion that we just heard. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the old story of two Americas playing out in the pews. One group sees economic opportunity as a blessing from God; the other sees a reminder of every time their ancestors were promised much and received little.
Now, to be frank, there are still pockets in cities and counties across the South where if you’re in the minority—a few Blacks in little pockets in the city—it is a known fact that if the powers that be don’t want you to benefit from the financial boom, they can stop you. They can block you. And there are many little cities like that across the South.
And so if you’re living in a city like that—and pardon me, you were raised there and you like living there—as Black people, you ought to try to apply to the boom that is happening and get yourself a job and trust the Lord that it will work out. At the same time, you need to maybe line something else up where you can take advantage of the boom as well. As they say, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Okay? So be wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove. Don’t get angry. Don’t get mad. Pray and think and then do. And if I know some Black people who prayed and thought and then they moved, okay? So be wise as serpents, Christians, harmless as doves.
And I say that to white folk and Black folk, the white church and the Black church. And let me say something to my white evangelical brethren: Don’t join the crowd in the town that blocks minorities who were born and raised here. I want you—Southern Baptist, Southern Bible churches, Southern Methodist churches—I want you to look out for your Black brothers and your Black sisters and your brown brothers and your brown sisters and let them get on that gravy train as well. Okay? That’s how we do it as Christians.
And allow me to say something here that’s not a part of the news—and I hate to say it, and some people are going to be mad—both Black and white are going to be mad at me. Mr. Ruiz, so glad to have Mr. Ruiz here, as well as Linda Chuang and Dr. and Deacon Atkins in our live audience with over 2,500 with us at this time. And that is, I want to urge President Trump—I want to urge President Obama—not to allow this country that God has wrought and put together to go into a civil war. I sense in my spirit as a prophet that both of you would like to see that before this election. I’ve already won.
Pastor Al Sharpton, not to let Barack Obama try to make this well situation into marching across the South and burning up Wendy’s and burning up McDonald’s like you people have lost your minds. And I am urging President Trump to have anybody on the right side who’s lost their minds and can’t wait to start a war and start hanging Negroes from trees in the South. So I’m just warning both of you—one former president, one president in power—I know the game plan on both sides, and both of you would not mind if a whole bunch of this country gets burned down to get your way. It’s not worth it. It’s not worth it.
I thank God for all of my white Christian brothers and my Black Christian brothers—those of us who are saved and born again. We’ve done great things together for the glory of God. And I’m not on the liberal side, the progressive side, or the conservative side. I’m not on the Republican side. You will never find a record of me voting Republican or Democrat. God did not call me to do that. God told me to stay away from all of it so I can speak the truth to both sides. And never have I been bribed by Republican money or Democrat money, conservative money or liberal progressive money, like most preachers have in this country.
So I’m telling you this out of love because I thank God for how God has touched the hearts of white people to help Black people and Black people to help white people. And some of you all need to stop lying, acting like all white people are enemies and all Black people are enemies. Some of your best friends—Black people are white. Some of your best friends—white people are Black. And we should not allow Barack Obama’s wokeism and Trump’s wokeism to destroy those relationships. Okay? I thought I’d just add that. It comes from my heart. That is not written down in the news script. In fact, much is not written down in the news script.
Now, I believe Christians should be good stewards of the earth and should seek the welfare of the city where God has placed them. And in the words of one Black preacher who’s going on to heaven now, he said, “I’m naturally concerned.” Okay? There’s some things we’re naturally concerned about. We don’t have to get all up in arms about it, but we ought to be naturally concerned.
But we must never forget that the Lord is the one who lifts up and brings down—not Meta, not Facebook, not any corporation, and not any government. Our trust must be in God Almighty alone.
Evangelicals, Progressives, Christians—most importantly, born again, saved people—stop being mesmerized and aggrandized by Jamal and his ilk, and even Franklin Graham and his ilk. Bamboozled, fooled, duped, and run amok. It’s time to get back to the Bible, Christians—white and Black. It’s time to get back to the prayer closet and get away from politics. And our concern must be for the least of these—those who may be left behind in the name of progress.
I want to urge my Southern Baptist brethren in that area of Louisiana—my white brethren—to make sure that your Black brethren down at Mount Moriah—you say hi to each other in the streets, you have prayer meetings together—make sure that a good percentage of Black folk and brown folk who are here legally get a job and they’re able to make big time money with this new Meta building. Look out for one another, and God will bless you real good. Don’t join the Ku Klux Klan and their program of blocking Black people from certain opportunities. The church should be a voice for the voiceless, not just a cheerleader for the powerful.
STORY THREE: Historic Mother African Union Church Rebuilds After Devastating Fire
On May 17, flames ripped through Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, Delaware. The congregation—founded more than 200 years ago as the first independent African-American religious denomination in the country—saw its sanctuary left in ruins and its iconic steeple destroyed. But lead pastor, Dr. Ronald Whittaker II, declared, “In the natural, I see devastation. But as a man of faith, the doors are still open.”
Those of you who are steeped in Black history, we’ve heard those words quite a bit. Nobody can say it like the old traditional Black pastor. At the end of his rousing sermon, he would say, “The doors of the church.” So for those of you who know about that, you know where he’s coming from.
The congregation is now working to rebuild and preserve what remains of their sacred artifacts. Pray for them.
My Comment:
Here at Black Coffee, this is what the church is all about—resilience during perilous times and faith in the face of trials. The enemy may destroy buildings, but he cannot destroy the body of Christ. Mother African Union Church has stood for over 200 centuries—200 years. Over two centuries. And by God’s grace, it will stand again. That’s how the church of the Lord Jesus Christ rolls on. You cannot stop the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The red doors still standing are a symbol that the gospel story is far from over. Glory be to God and Amen.
STORY FOUR: Fort Worth’s Oldest African American Baptist Church Repurposed as Arts Center
Pardon me, everyone. Mount Gilead Baptist Church—Fort Worth’s oldest African-American Baptist Church, founded by 12 formerly enslaved people in 1875—is close to being purchased and repurposed into a performance art center. The congregation, which has been holding services at a YMCA since February, put the historic 4,800-square-foot building up for sale due to financial struggles and dwindling membership. The buyer, Mr. Alvin Brown, intends to renovate the building for live music, theater, and visual arts programming while preserving its historic character.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is always difficult and bitter when a historic church that’s been standing for years changes hands to a more secular situation. We thank God for the 150 years of faithful witness that Mount Gilead provided for the glory of God. It is sad that churches in their denomination and other churches and other denominations could not pull together to maybe renovate the church and keep it up and make a smaller chapel-type side so the church could still meet there without opening up the big church building that’s been standing for so long. And we pray that things can change.
But let this be a lesson to us: The church is not the building. It is the people. I pray that this new art center will be a place where the community can gather and where the legacy of that faithful congregation will not be forgotten.
STORY FIVE: Louisiana’s First Black Church Gets New Help in Fight for Survival
And then fifth today, ladies and gentlemen—Ruby, so glad to have you tonight. Deacon Atkins, once again, was with us last night as well. We thank God for you with over 3,200 with us. Number five: Louisiana’s first Black church gets new help in fight for survival, as many Black churches are struggling to survive right now after the coronavirus plague. And we praise the Lord for Sister Bliss being with us today. And Sister Bliss, we appreciate your kindness and concern about us here today, and we pray that you and your family are doing well. Glory be to God.
And so, ladies and gentlemen, Louisiana’s first Black church gets new help in fight for survival, as many churches—Black churches and some white churches—are struggling to hold on after the coronavirus plague.
First African Baptist Church in New Orleans, founded by 32 freed slaves in 1817 and recognized as Louisiana’s first incorporated African-American church, is gaining new momentum in its fight for survival. Wilson Engineers has joined the effort, providing pro bono structural engineering work that—and by the way, that’s no small offering that could run into the millions—pro bono work for the glory of God. And we ought to be thankful for people like that. People don’t always have to give you money to help you. If you’re hungry, you don’t need money; you need food. Thank God for the people who can provide food.
Volunteers have been pressure washing, painting, and cleaning the property. The church, which once had hundreds of members, now has a congregation of about 20 people.
My Comment:
And so, ladies and gentlemen, my comment here at BCNN1’s Black Coffee is this: This is a powerful reminder that God often uses small remnants to do great things for His glory. A congregation of 20 people is trusting God to restore a 209-year-old landmark. The Reverend William Brent said it best: “This isn’t the first time they’ve tried to foreclose on the property. It happened in 1917 and it happened in 1921. The church has survived before, and if the Lord wills, it will survive again.” And that is so true.
STORY SIX: Black Churches Beef Up Hurricane Relief Aid Amid FEMA Uncertainty
Now, ladies and gentlemen, number six: Black churches beef up hurricane relief aid amid FEMA uncertainty. As the Trump administration considers an overhaul of FEMA, Black denominations are strengthening their own disaster plans. The Lilly Endowment Foundation recently gave a total of $1.5 million in grants to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Church of God in Christ charities to help with disaster relief efforts.
The article notes that Black communities tend to experience more natural disasters but receive less aid due to historical factors like redlining that steered Black people to neighborhoods more vulnerable to flooding and storms. And sad to say, over the last two or three years, some white folks in a major hurricane up in North Carolina suffered the same thing because the Democrats were in power.
Ladies and gentlemen, when it comes down to storms and floods and things like that, we ought not to see color. Come on now. Come on, people. Let’s go. That’s ridiculous in America.
My Comment:
And so I say further: This is the church doing what the church is supposed to do—stepping up, understanding the situation and understanding the politics of and the back-and-forth evil that has gone on, and they are preparing for the worst so that they can be in place when others are not going to show up.
And by the way, if you don’t mind my interrupting the news to tell you a few things by way of preparation: Number one, I would encourage everybody to get a generator that can run from the power of the sun so that you can at least run your computer, run a little stove, have a little light because I believe dark days are coming. By the way, if Mr. Peter Thiel is leaving the country, you need to get to thinking and you need to get to praying and thinking. Bad things are happening.
And I would encourage everybody to do something by way of preparation so that you can have at least one lamp in your house. And you need to go ahead and buy some water and store it up because this could last for months—it could last for years. I hope not years, but it can last for months, it can last for weeks. And we in America, we’re not used to that. We, Black and white, we’re not used to not having electricity. We’re not used to not having clean water to drink. We’re not used to not having food.
Go ahead and buy you some beans and some rice in case something happens. I hope it does not happen because I’m an American too, and I like the American lifestyle. But it can go bye-bye real quick like. Go ahead and pray about if you can afford it—pray about getting satellite internet if you can afford it, if you have to be on the internet. And some people are contemplating leaving the country. Like I said, if Peter Thiel, who knows about every country in the world—and he knows about you too, Peter Thiel can dip into your computer and try to mess your computer up—okay? He knows where you are. And if he’s going to leave the country, which he has—he moved his whole family, what he calls his family, to another country—and one of the reasons why he fears that World War III, or he knows that World War III is on the horizon, and he believes—and others believe—that America is going to come under attack, and they can knock out the whole grid with one bomb that doesn’t even touch the ground.
So I’m lovingly encouraging my children and my family and all other people born again saved—just go on now. Don’t wait until the last minute to go to Walmart and Sam’s and all of that. Go ahead and get you about 100 bottles of water if you can afford it. Get you a great, strong generator that can keep you going by the power of the sun. Anything that you can get to run by the sun, I would get it if you can afford it. Okay?
These two Black denominations—they smell the coffee and they’re getting ready to help their people, their brothers and sisters in Christ—if FEMA is not going to come through. Okay? So I’m telling you to get prepared for dark days to come, and this can happen at any time. Okay?
This is what the church is supposed to do—caring for the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.
I was talking with a man named Sam who works for that new arm of Walmart where they bring your food and everything. If you’re a senior citizen especially, they bring you your food and they can bring it in the house for you. And I thought about that. I’ve never had to experience that—not being able to pick up my own groceries, either at the store or from the door. But he told me—this is, Sam told me—this is a big problem. The reason why we’re able to take the food inside the house is because there are people so old and so sick and so decrepit, they can’t go to the door and get the food. And I said, “Well, I’m sure you all don’t want older people—anybody bothering you all for just little stuff, because they bring a big old truck. You know, if you just needed some eggs and milk, I’m sure you all don’t want people to bother you all about that, do you?” And he said, “Oh, yes. That’s the philosophy of Walmart—whether it’s a big order or a little order, we’re here to help people because there are so many people today, Sister Bliss, that they can’t make it to the door. They can’t even come to the door. And they’re living by themselves.”
So it was sad to hear that people get that bad off. And some of you already know about that. So we thank God for these churches thinking ahead instead of complaining, and that’s what all of us ought to do.
Listen—how many of you know people like to play the victim? I do. You know what? They’re very disgusting. I love everybody. I ain’t mad at nobody. But I can’t stand for people to be playing the victim—you know, wanting people to feel sorry for them. This is a psychological problem, people. It’s ridiculous. And all of us ought to do what we can, do the most we can, do the best we can to help others and to help ourselves. And no matter what the situation is, none of us ought to be whining and complaining and playing the victim. I don’t believe God likes that at all.
Let’s do what we can. If we need some help, let’s frankly ask for the help. Stop lying and beating around the bush and wanting people to stretch out their minds to try to figure out what you need and what you want when you’re sitting right there. You can tell them. Wanting people to feel sorry for you—I don’t play that game. I do not play that game with Mrs. White. I don’t play that game with others. And there are many women who play that game. I have never played that game. That’s disgusting to me when you can ask for what you need. You better ask for what you need. Why play this game of trying to hope and hope that I figure out what you want? Well, because you’re supposed to love me, you ought to figure out everything. People can’t read your mind. It will be easier for you to just tell the truth—what you need. Stop trying to hint at stuff and feel sorry for yourself and play the victim. Stop that foolishness. Everybody ought to stop that mess. Pardon me—white, Black, church folk. Some of you were raised wrong. You ought not to do that because people get disgusted with that. Okay? When people can’t read your mind, it’s better to communicate. Humble yourself down and communicate because what’s behind that is pride. That’s all.
While governments may fail, the body of Christ must never fail to show compassion. I want to say to these churches and other churches: Make sure you do not steal the money and pad your pockets and buy a big fine house on Pork Chop Hills. Church of God in Christ, AME Church, Baptist churches—don’t take Lilly’s money and use it to buy you a new suit, buy you a new car. You don’t need a new suit. There’s not a Black preacher or a white preacher in America who needs a new suit. You don’t need a new suit, and you certainly don’t need a new suit that costs $1,000. You don’t need a new suit that costs more than $300.
And the last thing—some of you pastors’ wives who think you’re on a fashion show—you don’t need a new dress and you don’t need a new ring and you don’t need a new bracelet or any of that. Let the money go. Just keep the money in the bank for the people who are going to need it when the hurricane comes and when the flood comes. And you don’t want a flood to come. Floods are still tearing up—Noah’s flood tore up everything, and these floods that are happening, they’re tearing up everything. I mean, just totally changing people’s lives. Floods in the Grand Canyon. Floods in China and Nepal. You don’t want to be in a flood now. Okay?
So we ought to show compassion for people, not for our pockets. We ought not to be lining our pockets—pastors and pastors’ wives. And some of you pastors’ wives, y’all think y’all own… I forget the name of it now, on another kind of catwalk. And y’all need to stop it.
So I’m encouraged to see denominations stepping up, to be alert, to be on point, to be sober-minded, vigilant, and watchful, to fill the gap. As James tells us, faith without works is dead. Let us continue to be the hands and the feet of Jesus in times of crisis, because when people need help, they really need help.
STORY SEVEN: Bishop William J. Barber II Preaches Voting Rights at Big Bethel AME Church
Number seven: Bishop William J. Barber II preaches voting rights at Big Bethel AME Church. At Atlanta’s historic Big Bethel AME Church, Bishop William J. Barber II urged Black voters to wake up, framing voting rights as sacred ahead of Election Day. Delivering his sermon, “The Promise of the Vote,” Barber declared, “The right to vote is sacred, and the vote came from God.” The event was part of a 12-city tour to mobilize the Black vote. Former Atlanta mayors Andrew Young and Bill Campbell, along with Fulton County District Attorney, also addressed the congregation.
My Comment:
And here’s my take on it. Ladies and gentlemen, yours truly, Daniel Whyte III. My comment is: Bishop Barber is right that we should take voting seriously. It is a stewardship of our civic responsibility. But let me be clear—the vote did not come from God. God gave us government and the responsibility to be salt and light in every sphere of life. However, our hope is not in any politician or political party. Our hope is in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Vote your values based upon the Word of God, but put your trust in God alone and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Put God first. Put Jesus Christ first. And God will lead you and guide you and direct you in the way that He wants you to go. Let God guide your vote—if the Lord even leads you to vote. Pardon me.
And by the way, let me say something to you that I’ve said to you down through the years: If the Black church and the white church does not confess their sins and repent—if the white church preachers and the Black preachers don’t confess their sins and repent of their side pieces, their Ashley Madison accounts; don’t repent of sharing a homosexual boy with their wives in their marriage bed, or a homosexual lesbian girl or bisexual girl or boy in their marriage bed as some do; if certain pastors don’t repent of being homosexuals on the down low in Atlanta and in Houston and in Dallas and in Raleigh and in New York—I don’t care where it is—everybody who names the name of Christ better repent and start living godly.
And pastors’ wives who got their little toy boys they think nobody knows about. Pastors who claim to be men of God but who rape boys, rape girls, and send pictures of their penises to people in the congregation. Most people today in the church have lost their righteous minds. We thank God for the remnant. We thank God for the 7,000. We thank God for the faithful few. But that’s what they are—the faithful few.
So good to see you, Danielle. We thank the Lord that Sister Bliss is still with us with over 3,900.
And so, ladies and gentlemen, that’s your Black Coffee for today. Seven major stories straight up with no sugar and no cream. This is Daniel Whyte III. May God bless you and keep you, and may you continue to stand firm in the faith by the grace of God.
ALTAR CALL / INVITATION TO SALVATION
If you are with us tonight and you’re not born again saved, get saved by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ tonight. Understand that you are a lost, wicked, evil sinner. You’re blind, and you need someone to guide you. You need to understand that the Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God—no matter what church you are a member of. I was a member of at least five, maybe six churches throughout my life before I got saved, and I was lost and on my way to a devil’s hell and didn’t even know it. And they weren’t telling me. So you can be church-going and lost and on your way to a burning hell.
Second, understand that you are going to die. When was the last time somebody told you that and reminded you of that? You are on death row, whether you like it or not. And I know you all don’t like for me to tell you that, but you are on death row. You’re not on life row. You’re on death row. That means you can die tonight. You can die when you get in the car tomorrow morning. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Black or white. That’s the reality. It’s sad to say we need to hear something like this every day because we have a tendency to forget that. Some of us think we’re gone. And we’re not.
Praise the Lord, Sister Bliss. Thank you so much for your gifts to God. And all of you who have given gifts throughout this presentation, I thank God for you because you’re doing the work of evangelism. Because whenever you do that—it doesn’t matter what it is, whether it’s a monetary gift or not—it moves the algorithm to draw more people to hear the gospel and to hear the Word of God.
And then thirdly, dear friend, you probably have never heard this before, but you will hear it here always: If you do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior in this life—not the second life, this life—you will die and go to the burning hell as sure as I’m Black and my last name is Whyte. Because that’s what Jesus Christ taught and preached. In fact, Jesus Christ preached more on the burning hell than any prophet, more than any apostle in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Jesus Christ was a hellfire and brimstone preacher, yet very loving, very compassionate, very patient—but He preached more on hell than anybody in the Bible. And sad to say, Jesus Christ preached more on hell than most preachers living today.
So hell is a real place. Jesus Christ is the solution and gave the solution when He said the most important words in the history of the world: “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.” Those are the words of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.
So believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as He has commanded, as He has stated. It’s up to you. God is so powerful and so secure within Himself and so loving that He will not make you do anything you don’t want to do. He’s not going to do that because He made you with a free will. You can do what you want to do. You know what you should do. I just gave you the facts.
But if you want to continue to watch pornography and masturbate yourself while watching pornography and commit adultery in your heart and commit fornication in your heart, and you want to do homosexuality and other wicked and evil sins such as lying and stealing and covering up stuff and hiding it from your family, hiding it from your friends—and you want to continue to do your evil—then you love that more than you love God and peace and joy and Jesus and going to heaven instead of going to hell. Then you go ahead on and do that. God made you with a free will because God is awesome. God is so secure within Himself—He made you with a free will like He has. You can do good or you can do evil. It’s up to you. It’s your choice. Whatever you love the most, that’s what you’re going to do. And God knows.
But Jesus Christ said that if you love Me, keep My commandments. And those who want to do that tonight, they’re going to run to Jesus. And those who don’t want to do that, they’re not going to run to Jesus. They’re going to run to more devilment and sin and evil because that’s what you love.
If you want to get born again saved today and you want to love Jesus for the rest of your life and enjoy His peace and His joy and His blessings, follow me in the sinner’s prayer. And go to heaven when you die as well.
[SINNER’S PRAYER]
Believing in your heart that Jesus Christ suffered, bled, and died on the cross for your sins—I’m talking to pastors. I’m talking to pastors’ wives. I’m talking to people who claim to be church leaders or deacons or trustees or elders or whatever you call yourself. Many of you are lost and on your way to a devil’s hell. Your position means nothing. There are thousands of elders and pastors and so-called church leaders and pastors’ wives and Sunday school teachers burning in hell right now as I speak. And I would have gone to hell one second before around 8:30 on December the 19th, 1979, having been in church all of my life because my mother made me go—my dad was a preacher—and lost. Religious, but lost. And on my way to a devil’s hell. Okay?
So that’s where we are. It’s up to you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ like it was up to me—December the 19th, 1979. Follow me in the sinner’s prayer. Repeat after me, phrase by phrase, and mean it from your heart. Shall we pray?
Holy Father God,
Have mercy and grace upon my soul and my spirit.
Please forgive me of all of my sins, my faults, and my failures.
As I now believe in You, Lord Jesus Christ,
Who suffered, bled, and died on the cross for my sins,
Was buried and rose on the third day.
Lord Jesus Christ, I believe in You.
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.
Help me to change.
Help me to repent of my sins.
And help me to follow You in the newness of life.
In Jesus Christ’s name I pray and for His sake. Amen.
God bless you, dear friends.
[CLOSING]
Until next time, remember the motto of the Marines: Semper Fidelis—be always faithful to the end. Remember the motto of the Space Force and the Air Force: Simpa Supra—Always Above. Keep your heart and mind stayed upon the Lord above, and He will keep you in perfect peace. God loves you. Jesus Christ loves you, and I love you in the Lord. May God bless you and may God keep you.
Those of you who just got saved, your next steps are:
Number one: Get baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost wherever you are in the world.
Number two: Pray every day.
Number three: Read the Bible every day—preferably at the same time. Pray and read the Bible at the same time. Pray first, then read the Bible, read the Bible, and then pray second—however you want to do it.
Number four: Obey the Bible, which is the most important thing you can do once you get saved. And the reason why you ought to do that is because Jesus Christ said that if you love Me, keep My commandments. Baptize, start praying, start reading the Bible, obey the Bible because you love Jesus Christ.
Number five: Be a witness for the Lord. Jesus Christ said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” If you can’t preach the gospel, get some gospel pamphlets and pass them out everywhere you go—like Johnny Appleseed—keep them with you. And I guarantee you, if you’re saved and born again, you will pass them out. Why? Because the Holy Spirit of God will tell you to give that person a gospel tract that you’re getting ready to pass by. If you’re saved and born again.
God bless you, dear friends. Until next time, this is Daniel Whyte III signing off from BCNN1’s Black Coffee. If it’s the Lord’s will, I’ll see you soon.
___________________________
Daniel Whyte III has been preaching the Gospel for over 46 years. He is the founder and President of the over 42-year-old Gospel Light Evangelistic Society International, Pastor of the over 38-year-old Gospel Light House of Prayer International, and Founder, President, and Editor-in-Chief of the over 22-year-old Black Christian News One (BCNN1.com)—reaching millions with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, discipleship preaching, and the whole counsel of God around the world by any means necessary — “Crying in the Wilderness,” “Exiled on the Isle of Patmos,” and Preaching the Gospel by any means necessary.
Daniel Whyte III was honored by being named one of the 17 most notable alumni in the history of the 134-year-old Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas, and one of the 69 most notable alumni in the history of the 53-year-old Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Daniel Whyte III holds the following degrees from these universities:
- Doctor of Ministry (D.Min., in progress) – Liberty University John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA
- Master of Theology (Th.M.) – Liberty University John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.) – Liberty University John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, Lynchburg, VA
- Bachelor of Arts in Religion (B.A.) – Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, Texas
- Bachelor of Theological Studies – Bethany Divinity College and Seminary, Dothan, Alabama (Honors: Summa Cum Laude)
Daniel Whyte III was also honored to sit with presidents and world leaders by being invited by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to attend the homegoing of Dr. Billy Graham.
He is the Essence national best-selling author of Letters to Young Black Men and the Amazon best-selling author of Letters to Young Black Women (African-American category). He has authored over 100 books.
He is also the founder, president, and editor-in-chief of the 20-year-old BlackChristianNews.com (BCNN1.com), which has impacted every denomination in the evangelical and Christian world and has influenced presidents, the U.S. government, governments around the world, and the public square. BlackChristianNews.com has been named the #1 Black Christian website and blog in the world for four years running by the independent Feedspot and is on the list of the top 60 Christian news sites in the world—red, yellow, black, or white.
He has preached the Gospel and the Word of God in person across America and in over 24 countries to thousands of people. He has preached the Gospel and the Word of God to millions of people around the world with the help of the internet, preaching live and on-demand multiple times a day for over ten years, to this very day. His mottos are “Crying in the Wilderness,” “Exiled on the Isle of Patmos,” and “Preaching the Gospel by any means necessary,” all for the glory of God and Jesus Christ.
Daniel Whyte III is the president of the over-40-year-old Gospel Light Evangelistic Society International and the over-37-year-old Gospel Light House of Prayer International. He is known worldwide as the prophet who predicted the Coronavirus Plague more than 10 years before it hit, in recorded preaching and writing. God also led him to guide thousands through the Coronavirus Plague that killed over 20 million people because of the sins in the Judas-Jezebel-Laodicean church.
Daniel Whyte III’s greatest blessing in this life is his “quiver full” of 10 children—Daniella (Danni), Daniel IV, Danita Evangeline, Danae Mary-Louise, Daniqua Grace, Danyel Ezekiel, Danyelle Elizabeth Breedlove, Danielle Tekeela, Duran-Daniel, and the first Daniel IV (deceased and in heaven with the Lord)—along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Daniel Whyte III has been unblissfully but sexually satisfyingly married to his first and only wife, Meriqua Whyte of Christiana, Jamaica, for over 37 years since December 19, 1987. Jesus Christ said: “And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Even though many evangelicals, charismatics, and Protestants try to act as if these words of Jesus Christ are not a reality in our modern Christianity—primarily because of the Satanic-driven prosperity gospel and an over-positive philosophy, which is a lie not based in reality or biblical truth—the words of Jesus Christ are true for every person who preaches the Gospel. The outcomes of the Gospel are a changed life and opposition from family, lukewarm Christians, Laodicean-Judas pastors and churches, the world, and the devil. This is a reality in our present evil world.
While Daniel Whyte III thoroughly enjoys his married life because he did not allow his wife to have her way at any point and was and is solidly, and biblically the head of his household throughout the marriage—often quoting Joshua, “As for me and my house, we’re going to serve the Lord” “up in here!”—and because his wife never failed in the very important area of sex, which he got married for in the first place to avoid sinning against God, he has especially enjoyed the privilege and joy of raising his children in the Lord virtually by himself. He served the Lord with them every day of their lives, from the time they were born until they graduated from college, became adults, and moved on.
However, his wife, Meriqua Whyte—motivated by Satan, with a Pharaoh-style pride mixed with the well-known female Jamaican-style pride, stubbornness, rebelliousness, and witchcraft—has been his greatest Judas enemy in the world and has been what Paul spoke of: a “messenger of Satan” and a “thorn in the flesh.” Amazingly, and by the grace of God, that Satanic evil opposition has spurred Daniel Whyte III on to preach the Gospel probably more times than any man on record. God has honored him because he did not “hearken to the voice of his wife.” Whyte tells other Christian men to only hearken to the voice of God and Jesus Christ—not to their wives, as so many thousands of church men have been taught by pastors and other older men throughout the years. Remember, we are in this worldwide, multi-generational mess because Adam hearkened to the voice of his wife and not to the voice of God.
Before they were married, Daniel Whyte III told his wife Meriqua Whyte that they would not do family life as her parents did, because their married life was hellacious and ended in divorce, as did some of her other family members, including the aunt she was living with. He also told his wife they would not do family life as his parents did, because it was also hellacious and out of order since his mother was the head of the household, not his father. But thanks be to God, they never got a divorce. Whyte told his wife before they got married that they were going to do it God’s way according to Ephesians chapters 5 and 6, or no way at all. And then he asked his wife, “Are you willing to do marriage God’s way according to Ephesians chapters 5 and 6?” And she said yes. Whyte told her before they got married that if she did not live up to her end of the deal, all bets were off.
Because Daniel Whyte III’s wife, Meriqua Whyte, was so proud, unsubmissive, stubborn, and rebellious after they got married, God led him to read Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 every day in their family devotions throughout their marriage. In the first year of their marriage, Daniel Whyte III also gave his wife a list of verses for women from the Word of God for her to read, which she still reads to this day. He also bought her many books to read to help her be the wife God wanted her to be.
Whyte realized early in the marriage that his wife was not a born-again, saved person, even though she lied and said she was before they got married. After over 37 years of marriage, she is still not saved, never bearing any fruit of a saved person, to the point of not even wanting to tell her children, “I love you,” and not wanting to hug them when they were little children, even after her husband told her to do so. She also hated the daily family devotions that her husband led and tried to hinder them. She also demonically hated and tried to hinder every Gospel preaching service to this very day.
However, only by the grace of God, they are still married, and despite the devil constantly working through his wife to try to hinder him from preaching the Word of God, he is still preaching the Gospel and the Word of God live and on-demand. His ministry reaches over 148,800 people per month with over 21,000 unique views per month, reaching 149 countries, preaching the Gospel and the Word of God in 2 to 3 services a day, 7 days a week. Glory be to God!
Mrs. Meriqua Whyte’s Apology to her Husband and Their 7 Children for not Being a Biblical Wife or Mother
Mrs. Meriqua Whyte, the Wife of Daniel Whyte III, Gave him the Best Father’s Day Gift Ever About 10 Years Ago When She Unexpectedly and Voluntarily Apologized for the First Time to Him and Their 7 Children for Not Being the Wife, Mother, and Christian Example of the Woman She Should Have Been Over the Past 37 Years of Marriage.
Here is what Mrs. Meriqua Whyte wrote ten years ago after verbally apologizing to the entire family on Father’s Day, right before church service:
Over thirty years of marriage. Over thirty years of ups and downs. Over thirty years of trying to make our problems a personal thing between my husband and me. Thankfully, he did not allow me to do that and kept telling me it was between God and me—over thirty years of acting on my feelings and not on what the Bible says. Over thirty years of refusing to obey God’s simple command to a wife—to be obedient to your husband in all things. Over thirty years of disobedience, rebelliousness, stubbornness, lying, and dishonesty, all rooted in pride. Over thirty years of simply not choosing to mature as a Christian.
God has been dealing with me for over thirty years now about changing my attitude and behavior as a wife, which has manifested itself in disobedience, rebelliousness, stubbornness, lying, dishonesty, having an ungodly attitude and spirit, and simply not being the wife, mother, or example of a Christian woman that I should have been throughout the years. (By the way, for those of you who may be thinking that my disobedience, rebelliousness, stubbornness, lying, and dishonesty have resulted in adultery, I will say here that I have never committed any adultery or had sex with another man besides my husband, Daniel Whyte III, since I was born.)
God kept telling me I needed to stop my rebellious and stubborn behavior, apologize to my husband and children, and get my heart right with him, my husband, and my children. He sent others my way to tell me how to behave:
- My husband, but I didn’t want to hear it from him.
- Other Christian women speakers
- Other preachers
- Books and other materials, but I would not take heed.
I knew what to do, but I chose not to do it. The devil had me thinking and believing—as he is having a lot of wives and mothers think and believe—that your relationship with your husband and how you respond to him, whether positive or negative, will not affect your relationship with your children or your relationship with God. I say without hesitation that this is one of the devil’s lies, and sad to say, many wives and mothers are falling for this lie.
Another lie of the devil that Christian wives are falling for is that you can still have a strong relationship with God without being submissive to your husband. Lie! Lie! Lie! There is no truth to this. I know because I have experienced this and am still experiencing it as I go through this breaking process, which is not happening overnight.
Even throughout my years of rebelliousness, stubbornness, and pride, I still kept praying the prayer I used to pray daily before I got married: “Lord, make me be exactly what You want me to be. Lord, break, make, and mold me into what You want me to be.” Well, God took that prayer seriously, and once you accept Him, He will begin the breaking process. It’s up to us how long that breaking process will take. For me, sad to say, it has taken over 30 years, and the breaking is not complete. In what way is God breaking me down right now? Well, our children have grown up. The three oldest have gone through and are still going through college, have gotten their degrees, and some are working on their second, third, and fourth degrees, launching their careers and moving out. God slapped me into reality and truly intensified the breaking process. My husband told me before our first child was born, and repeatedly while the children were young, that my job was to love our children and make positive memories with them, and that if I did that, I would have a wonderful relationship with them as adults in the time to come. Well, I disobeyed God and my husband, who did not let up on his duties. And he has a wonderful relationship with our children, even the girls, and I don’t. However, God led me to finally break down the day before Father’s Day, and while I was helping my husband get dressed to preach, I asked him if I could apologize to him and the entire family. That’s the first time I ever did that on my own. Throughout the years, he has always told me that I needed to get my heart right with God, him, and my children; otherwise, I would never have the joy and peace of the Lord in my life. However, I kept on lying and denying that I was the problem.
Here is what I said to my husband and children on Saturday afternoon, June 17, 2017, the day before Father’s Day. My husband told the entire family that this was the best Father’s Day gift I have ever given to him:
“Daddy, children, I apologize for not being the wife, mother, and example of a Christian woman I should have been throughout the years. I have shown nothing but pride, disobedience, rebelliousness, stubbornness, and a bad attitude and spirit toward God and my husband in front of you. My disobedience and rebelliousness have caused much unnecessary unrest and upheaval in the family. As my husband told me, things could have gone much better if I had obeyed God’s word from the beginning. Please accept my apology, and I am asking you to forgive me.”
I brought the diminishing of peace and joy in my life on myself throughout the years. Not having a proper relationship with God, my husband, and my children, I brought on myself—all because I chose the disobedient route. My number one desire is to live a life of peace—peace with God, my husband, and my children. I have learned that peace will not come as long as I live in disobedience, rebelliousness, stubbornness, and pride.
I will end this with two notes: (1) Happy Father’s Day to my husband: you have been a great husband and father. (2) Happy Children’s Day to my children: You all have been great children. I have no complaints whatsoever against my husband and, of course, my children; you have never been at fault. My bad behavior is all on me, and I’m sorry I put you through this. May God bless your lives, and I love you.
Ephesians 5:22 – 6:20 (KJV)
Below is the passage in the Bible that Daniel Whyte III read in their family devotions every day for decades. It covers the biblical duties of the husband, the wife, and the children, and includes how to fight the devil, who seeks to destroy the family.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
The Gospel in a Nutshell
If you were to die today, where would you go: Heaven or Hell? If you’re not sure, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
Jesus Christ said the most important words ever spoken in the history of the world when He said, “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.” (John 3:16)
Read further right here:
The Most Important Question in the World: Have You Been Twice Born?
This is the “Chief of sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, with the Gospel Light Minute X Podcast #447, titled “The Big Question.” 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.
“Have You Been Born Again?”
The question is not, “Have you joined a church?” or “Are you trying to do your best?” or “Do you have religion?” but, “Are you twice-born?” Jesus Christ said in John 3:3, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
We enter the physical world by birth. Spiritual life, likewise, is entered with a birth. We become members of a human family by birth; we become members of the family of God by birth, by being “born again.” There is no other way to get into the human family except by birth, and there is no other way to get into God’s family except by the new birth. Neither education, nor cultivation, nor reformation, nor “turning over a new leaf,” will accomplish this. What is needed is not a new “leaf” but a new “life”! “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).
A New Nature Needed
By physical birth, we become partakers of human nature; by being born again, we become “partakers of the divine nature.” A Christian is the product of a divine “begetting.” The second birth is not an improvement of the old nature; it is the imparting of an entirely new nature. The old nature is hopelessly corrupt and incapable of ever being made fit for His presence. The new birth requires a creative act of the Holy Spirit. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.”
Not “Trying” But “Trusting”
“Trying to follow Christ” is not Christianity. Christianity is not imitation of Christ; it is the indwelling of Christ. Christianity is not trying to do anything. It is trusting Christ, who has done it all! He has “finished the work,” and there is nothing left to do but simply to receive and trust Him. He shed His precious blood on the cross, and the work is all done once and forever! Cease trying and begin trusting! Believers will progressively become more and more like Christ, but by His power, not their own.
What Must I Do To Be Saved?
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Bible says in 1 John 5:1, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” The Bible states in John 1:12-13, “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
You are born again; you become a Christian by trusting a Person—receiving a Person. The very moment you do this, the Lord Jesus Christ comes in, and life begins!
What Is Meant By “Believe”?
To “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” means more than simply believing the historic facts concerning Him. Intellectual belief about Christ is not sufficient. The belief that brings salvation must be “with the heart,” that is, with the whole being. This belief also includes repentance: “Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Bible states in Acts 17:30, “God… now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”
The faith which saves, then, includes the necessity to repent and to receive Christ as Savior and Lord, to rest upon Him alone for salvation. It means to trust Him so utterly and completely that, if He should fail, there would be no hope at all!
May I Know That I Am Born Again?
This is an important question. We know that we are born again by the testimony of God’s Word. God says in John 5:24, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as explained by God’s Word? If so, then you are saved; you are “born again,”; you have “passed from death unto life.” God says so! Take God at His Word, and go on your way rejoicing!
One Final Word
You may “belong to a church,” you may be “trying to do the best you can,” you may be “striving to live right.” Your outward life may be the model of moral correctness, and you may be looked up to, honored, revered, and respected. Yet, if you have not been “born again,” you are just as lost as if you had never heard of Christ. Yes, you may teach in the Sunday school, read the Bible, sing, shout, “feel happy,” and all the rest—but if you have never been “born again,” you are still in your sins and a stranger to the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you want to be saved from the wrath to come and from an eternity in Hell, and if you believe that Jesus Christ suffered, bled, and died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead, and you are willing to trust Jesus Christ with all of your heart so you can go to Heaven, please pray with me what is called the sinner’s prayer:
Holy Father God, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I admit that I have sinned against You and that I have broken Your Ten Commandments. I have lied before. I have stolen things before. I have lusted after people and things before. I have dishonored and disobeyed my parents. I have taken Your holy Name in vain. For Jesus Christ’s sake, please have mercy and grace upon my soul and forgive me of all of my sins, my failures, and my faults. As I now believe in Your Holy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that He suffered, bled, and died on the cross for my sins, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart, save my soul, and change my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me repent of my past sins. Help me turn from my old, evil life and follow You into a new life. For it is in Your Name I pray. Amen.
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