Gospel Light Minute – Ernie Johnson (#284)

He is one of America’s most respected and loved sports personalities. He is a three-time Emmy Award winning sports broadcaster and journalist for Turner Sports and CBS Sports, who is often most recognized for hosting TNT’s “Inside the NBA” with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal. He is also the host for NBA TV’s popular “Fan Night” and a host for Turner and CBS’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship coverage. He is the lead play-by-play announcer for Turner’s coverage of Major League Baseball and the PGA Championship, and has covered the National Football League, The British Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics. In addition to his professional accolades and lifetime achievement awards, he has earned honors recognizing his incredible actions off-camera, including the first-ever John Wooden Keys to Life Award and a Musial Award, both of which salute characteristics such as integrity, faith, and good sportsmanship.

Perhaps more impressive than his professional fame and recognition is his innate ability to connect with people on a human level. His willingness to discuss topics such as the adoption of four of his and his wife Cheryl’s children, including their special needs son Michael; the death of his father and best friend, an iconic sportscaster and pitcher; and his own battle with cancer has endeared him and given hope to millions. He recently released his autobiography titled Unscripted: The Unpredictable Moments That Make Life Extraordinary, which offers an unprecedented look at his extraordinary sports career as well as his life off camera.

In addition to being one of America’s top sports broadcasters, he has become one of the industry’s top faith voices as well. In a recent profile for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA Magazine), he says that at the age of 41, he realized life was about more than becoming the best broadcaster he could be. As the lead anchor and face of TNT Sports and host of “Inside the NBA,” he was used to appearing in front of huge crowds, both in person and on television. But speaking about his faith in Jesus for the first time at an FCA event made him nervous.

In FCA’s story titled “Totally Honest,” he talks about his faith journey, the opportunities God gives him to shine for Him, and how he strives to be the servant rather than the served. He was at the top of the broadcasting game, working alongside Hall of Famers and NBA champions Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal for the Emmy-winning “Inside the NBA.” Once a producer suggested the show go unscripted, it skyrocketed in popularity. Now, 20 years after accepting Christ into his life, he recalled what first brought him to an introduction to Jesus. His two oldest children asked him and his wife, Cheryl, why they didn’t attend church as a family. After some discussion, they decided to attend Crossroads, a nondenominational church they drove by frequently in Atlanta. He was moved at the first service he attended, when the pastor asked the congregation two questions: Who’s the provider in your family, and are you pursuing happiness or wholeness?

Those questions challenged him since he already knew he needed to be a better husband and father. He returned to Crossroads the next three weeks, and then asked the pastor, Kevin Myers, out to lunch. On Dec. 10, 1997, at an O’Charley’s restaurant, he prayed to God and became a Christian. His wife, Cheryl, made the same decision a few months later. Their pastor explained to them that even before they became believers, God was working in their lives. For example, beginning in 1990, they began adopting children (including a son with special needs) out of love, empathy and compassion.

As his faith grew, he considered leaving TNT. Should he continue his career after turning his life over to God? Should he try to find a faith-based job? He asked Cheryl what he should do. She responded on his spiritual birthday by giving him a large compass as a gift. Her handwritten note with it reminded him to remember the day he found his ultimate direction in life—and to let God direct him. He ended up staying with TNT, trusting the platform God gave him would provide opportunities for him to share his faith. And God did just that.

Several moments for these opportunities stand out. First, in August 2003, after noticing a bump near his ear, he was diagnosed with stage two Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. During that time, “Trust God … Period” became his mantra. He was candid about his cancer after the NBA’s All-Star weekend, and six grueling chemotherapy treatments later, his cancer was in remission, where it has remained since. He returned to “Inside the NBA” in 2006, never missing a show. A year later, he won the Emmy for outstanding studio host. “God sometimes whispers and sometimes shouts that His way is better than my way,” he said during his acceptance speech. Years later, he experienced hardship again when his beloved father died in 2011. About a month later, his adopted son, Michael, who has muscular dystrophy, was put on a ventilator to remain alive. Since then, the famous broadcaster spent most of his mornings caring for Michael at their home until he passed away at the age of 33 in October 2021.

Then, soon after the 2016 presidential election, “Inside the NBA” decided to discuss on air the results that left the country divided. In just over two minutes, this particular broadcaster’s commentary resonated with many and was shared millions of times on social media. “I never know from one election to the next who’s going to be in the Oval Office, but I always know who’s on the throne,” he said into the camera. “I’m on this earth because God created me, and that’s Who I answer to. I am a Christian. I follow a guy named Jesus; you might have heard of Him. And the greatest commandment He gave me was to love others. And Scripture also tells us to pray for our leaders, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to pray for Donald Trump.”

The popular sports broadcaster sums up these opportunities to shine for Jesus—and the many more chances that will undoubtedly follow—with one concept. “The Son of Man came to serve, not to be served,” he told FCA. “Being a servant is where I find myself.”

His name is Ernie Johnson, Jr.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Ernie Johnson, Jr. trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Tyson Fury (#283)

He is an undefeated British professional boxer. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBC and The Ring magazine titles since defeating Deontay Wilder in 2020; previously he held the unified World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO), International Boxing Organization (IBO), and The Ring titles after defeating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. With his defeat of Wilder, he became the third heavyweight, after Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali, to hold The Ring magazine title twice, and is widely considered by media outlets to be the lineal heavyweight champion. As of October 2021, he is ranked as the world’s best active heavyweight by ESPN, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB), and BoxRec, as well as the third-best active boxer, pound for pound, by BoxRec, fourth by ESPN, and seventh by the TBRB and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

At the knockout conclusion of his third epic fight against fellow top-tier heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder in October 2021, the self-titled “Gypsie King” made sure to give all glory to his “Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” as he has done continuously throughout his electric career. First thing, during a post-fight interview ringside with BT Sports Box Office, he said: “I would like to say thank you to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the mighty name of Jesus, I won this fight tonight again. I give Him the glory. He gives me the victory. I was down a couple of times. I was hurt. [Deontay’s] a strong puncher. He is a tough man. I was hitting him with some big shots. And my Lord and Savior rose me to my feet tonight to give him the glory.” During the post-fight interview, he also wore a baseball cap emblazoned with the words, “Jesus: El Rey Viene,” a Spanish phrase that means “Jesus, the King is coming.”

His name is Tyson Fury.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Tyson Fury trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Trevor Lawrence (#282)

He is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). Considered among the highest-touted highschool and college football prospects, he went undefeated as a freshman at Clemson, leading the team to victory in the 2019 National Championship Game. He set the Clemson record for career quarterback wins, going 34-2 as a starter in three seasons, losing only the 2020 National Championship and 2021 Sugar Bowl. Following his collegiate success, he was selected first overall by the Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft.

At 21 years old, this young star athlete has always been outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ and credited it with “[keeping] his feet firmly planted through the success, pressure, and expectations of his position on a championship team”. When praised by the media and coaches for his calm demeanor as a freshman at Clemson, he said his ability to stay steady in big moments on the field stems from football not being the most important thing in his life. “That’s just always my personality. Football’s important to me, but it’s not my life. It’s not the biggest thing in my life. I would say my faith is. That just comes from knowing who I am outside of that. No matter how big the situation is, it’s not going to define me. I put my identity in what Christ says, who He thinks I am and who I know that He says I am. Like I said, it really does not matter what people think of me or how good they think I play. That has been a big thing for me, in my situation, just knowing that and having confidence in that.”

In a post-Draft feature story, CBN News noted: “[W]hat he lights up with his talent on the football field, he says comes from the Light that lives within him, Jesus Christ. ‘I don’t think anyone has abilities for no reason,’ he previously told Sports Illustrated (SI). ‘I don’t think anything is coincidence. God gave me these things for a reason, not just talent on the field, but other opportunities to be a light to people.’ … He said what’s kept him centered despite the hoopla and acclaim from football is a life-changing experience with Jesus Christ in the summer of 2018. As he was about to start his first football season at Clemson, he attended a Christian retreat called “The Gauntlet” in Daytona Beach, Fla., with South Carolina’s NewSpring Church. On that retreat, he told SI, he ‘was truly saved,’ and that he discovered his identity in Christ beyond whoever he was or who he was going to be in football. Before that experience, he explained ‘I was lost.’ ‘I didn’t really know who I was outside of being this football player that was supposed to be good and play his freshman year,’ he said. ‘But who am I outside of that? I didn’t really know.’ … [H]is Clemson coach, Dabo Swinney, told Sports Spectrum why he’s not worried about the challenges or his former player’s transition to the NFL. ‘What I love about him more than anything is he’s faith-driven. He has built his life on a foundation of faith,” Swinney said. “Great mom and dad, great people around him, but he’s strong in his faith now. He’s an inside-out kid in this world of outside-in.’”

His name is Trevor Lawrence.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Trevor Lawrence trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Sydney McLaughlin (#281)

She is an American hurdler and sprinter and 2020 Olympic gold medalist who competed for the University of Kentucky for one year before turning professional in 2018. She is the current world record holder in the women’s 400 meters hurdles with a time of 51.46 seconds, set on August 4, 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics in the final run. She was the first woman to break 52 seconds in the event when she set the world record of 51.90 at the 2020 USA Olympic trials.

She won the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 meters hurdles and subsequently won the gold medal in the event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, beating the reigning gold medalist, teammate Dalilah Muhammad, who finished second. She won the silver medal at the 2019 World Championships in the 400 meters hurdles. She placed third in the 400 meters hurdles at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, and was the youngest athlete to qualify for the U.S. track and field team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio at the age of 16.

This star track athlete is a devout Christian who has always been outspoken about her faith in Christ since the start of her sports career as a young teenager. She makes sure to give God all the glory for her victories as well as in any shortcomings she experiences. She did no less while under one of the world’s biggest spotlights at the 2020 Olympic Games after capturing gold in her signature event. She posted to Instagram: “Let me start off by saying, what an honor it is to be able to represent not only my country, but also the kingdom of God. What I have in Christ is far greater than what I have or don’t have in life. I pray my journey may be a clear depiction of submission and obedience to God. Even when it doesn’t make sense, even when it doesn’t seem possible. He will make a way out of no way. Not for my own gratification, but for His glory. I have never seen God fail in my life. In anyone’s life for that matter. Just because I may not win every race, or receive every one of my heart’s desires, does not mean God [has] failed. His will is PERFECT. And He has prepared me for a moment such as this. That I may use the gifts He has given me to point all the attention back to Him. 2x Olympian, Olympic Champion, World Record Holder. Thank. You. God.”

Her name is Sydney McLaughlin.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Sydney McLaughlin trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Caeleb Dressel (#280)

He is a two-time Olympic Champion and a thirteen-time World Champion American freestyle and butterfly swimmer who specializes in the sprint events. He currently represents the Cali Condors which is part of the International Swimming League. He won seven gold medals at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest and a record eight medals, including six gold, at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in South Korea. He won two gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and currently holds the world records in the 100 meter butterfly (both long course and short course), 50 meter freestyle (short course), and 100 meter individual medley (short course).

He holds the American records in 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle and in 50-meter and 100-meter butterfly (all long course). He also holds the short course records in 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events, the 100-yard butterfly, and the 200-yard individual medley, and formerly in the 100-yard breaststroke. In June 2020, he easily qualified to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in four events and is favored to repeat as a multi-gold-medal winner.

As Challenge News documented in a 2019 feature on this history-making swimmer after he broke one of swimming great Michael Phelps’ world records, he is quick to give God the glory for all his accomplishments:

He is not hard to spot during [swimming] events because he usually has a Scripture reference written across his face. The verses change with each event but a favourite one for the 23 year old is Isaiah 40:31: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” This is also the inspiration for the large eagle tattoo on his left shoulder. “It’s the reason I’m in the sport, not just to go fast times, but to inspire people and show them where I find my happiness with what God’s given me,” he said in an interview after U.S. Nationals in 2015.

However, he says that his faith and his talent in the pool have both encountered setbacks he has had to learn from.

Being brought up in a Christian home, he committed his life to Jesus at a young age but during high school he struggled in his commitment to God. “I wrestled with some mental demons during that time,” he admits. In fact, that period in his life got so tough he almost gave up swimming altogether. For six months, he stopped the sport but when he returned, he brought back a renewed love and commitment for swimming and his faith in Christ. “Coming out of that, I started swimming again and really just put all my trust in God and knowing that He’s going to take care of everything for me, good or bad,” he shared.

Since moving away from home, he says that his Christian faith has become more personal to him because he knows that his beliefs are grounded in the Bible and not just adopted from his parents. “I really learned a lot, and I learned to see the light at the end of the tunnel and trust what God is doing, whether it be a rough point in your life or a top pinnacle in your life. You’ve just got to take pauses and really trust what He’s doing,” he told the Baptist Press in 2016.

His perseverance and trust in God have helped him to break world records and earn over two dozen gold medals in his career. “It’s what I’m meant to do,” he says of swimming. “I found my passion for the sport. I really love the sport. You get to meet a whole bunch of new people. You get to create new relationships. You get to share some of the best memories of your life with these people. Swimming is my life and I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and God gave me the talent and I’m going to do [it] for Him, myself and my family and all my friends.”

His name is Caeleb Dressel.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Caeleb Dressel trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Philip Ng (#279)

He is one of the wealthiest billionaires in Singapore as CEO of Far East Organization, Singapore’s largest private landlord and property developer, according to Forbes. Apart from his achievements in the corporate sector, he has also been recognised for his public contributions in the fields of diplomacy, education and philanthropy. Among them, he was conferred the Meritorious Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Order in 2009 and 2018 respectively for being Singapore’s ambassador to the Argentine Republic and Republic of Chile as well as his contributions to the country’s economy. From 2007 to 2016, he served as the founding chairman of the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

Speaking in a 2018 interview with his mentee, Matthew Yao, this established businessman said he values his relationship with Jesus Christ far more than his riches, success, and anything else after years of searching.

“What I’ve discovered is that all of us are broken,” he said. “We all have a missing piece, and for me, I discovered that the missing piece was God through Jesus Christ. I was always in search for a better life, a better purpose, a better me, a better everything. I was just looking at all the wrong things, but when I realized there is no better me or better things without Jesus, then it all snapped into place. Maybe we have to look deeper. I treasure (my Christian faith) more than anything so I just wish for everyone to have that peace and joy. It sure beats a lot of money and material things that you may have.”

In 2017, he spoke about his journey as a “servant CEO” to the Diocese of Singapore, saying: “I am in business and business is about money. But money and possessions can possess us. How then do I serve God as a business person? The way to do this is to realise that I am a steward; money has been entrusted by the Lord to me to be managed responsibly.”

His name is Philip Tat.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Philip Tat trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Kathy Ireland (#278)

She is an American supermodel and actress turned author and multimillion-dollar entrepreneur. A supermodel in the 1980s and 1990s, she is best known for appearing in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, including a 1989 25th anniversary issue, which became the highest-selling cover of all time. In 1993, she founded a brand marketing company which grew to become the 26th biggest licensor in the world according to 2019 rankings and which made her one of the wealthiest former models in the world. As a result of her career as a businesswoman, in 2015, Forbes named her one of America’s 50 most successful self-made women (as measured by their net worth) in its first ever list of the kind, noting her personal fortune of $420 million. In 2012, $2 billion worth of products bearing her company’s brand were sold.

In 2011, the supermodel turned mogul was honored by the Anti-Defamation League with the American Heritage Award, presented by the National Home Furnishings Industry. In 2012, she received the Messenger of Peace Award at the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Gala. The same year, she was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the California State University, which stated that she “generously uses her power and influence to benefit others, supporting social causes including empowering women, supporting young girls through mentoring, and providing opportunities for girls and women at risk.” She was also nominated as one of 17 finalists for the first Global Business & Interfaith Peace Award given by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, and the United Nations Global Compact Business for Peace initiative.

In a recent feature for Fox News, this world renowned model told of the moment she decided ‘to follow Jesus Christ’: “At age 18, [she] was a lonely up-and-coming model living in an old French apartment at the end of a dark hallway nicknamed ‘the dungeon’ with her housemates. But it was during this time that the now entrepreneur developed a new relationship with God. ‘I was living in Paris and it was really a hard time,’ the 58-year-old told Fox News. ‘I know it might sound glamorous, but I was alone modeling. It wasn’t my plan, but I recognized it as an opportunity. I could save money for college or start a business. I just barely finished high school and I had no technology or distractions.’

During one night in 1981, the former cover girl was going through her suitcase when she discovered that her mom had secretly packed a Bible for her. ‘I didn’t even know how to read one,’ she said. ‘I’d never read one before in my life. I opened up the Book of Matthew. And as I’m reading in the middle of the night, I knew I was holding the truth in my hands. There wasn’t anybody in the room saying, ‘Be this denomination or that denomination.’ It was like, ‘I want to follow Jesus Christ.’ And He was nothing like I thought.’ As she pursued what would become a successful modeling career, she was ‘trying and failing in business.’ ‘If something would have taken off earlier, the modeling career wouldn’t have gone on for so long,’ she said.

The star admitted that studying the Bible wasn’t so simple. However, she was determined to understand its message as her career skyrocketed. ‘In my industry, at that time, it was filled with a lot of really sketchy guys,’ she continued. ‘I was drawn to how powerful Jesus was. How loving and honoring he was of women. It gave me such comfort. And so, He became my Lord and Savior. The experience forever changed my life.’ ‘Some things I would read and really love,’ she explained. ‘And other things, I would read and say, ‘Oh, that must be a typo. That’s a different interpretation or a cultural thing. Certainly doesn’t pertain to me.’ So I was picking and choosing what I liked and neglecting the rest of it. I was trying to mold God into what I wanted him to be, rather than just surrendering and letting him make me into the person he made me to be. And oh my goodness, he was so patient. I was 44 when I finally read the whole Bible. It continues to teach me every day.’

‘Today, I have three children, a husband and a business,’ she shared. ‘The message that I just felt pounding in my heart was, ‘Put me first. And I’ll give you more time, better time with your kids.’ So I started to set my alarm for 15 minutes [every morning] for a quick prayer. Those 10 minutes of prayer and reading turned into an hour and more. It’s not a duty. It’s a joy. It’s my daily bread and water. And on days that I don’t do that, it’s not a good idea. Because if I open my mouth to say something, I’ll be apologizing before 8 a.m.’

[She] said her faith in God kept her going when doors were initially slammed in her face as a budding entrepreneur. ‘The gospel is the core of every decision that I make. We’re not a Christian company. We have team members from all different backgrounds and different beliefs. I don’t force my faith or beliefs on anyone. But I’m not ashamed of them. I can’t do anything that’s going to contradict it. I cannot compromise my faith. I’m just so thankful for God’s grace because I have made so many messes in my life. And He gives us a perspective – an eternal perspective.”

Today, [she] is eager for what the future holds for her company as it continues to flourish and give back. One message she has for anyone with a dream is to simply, ‘keep at it, be persistent.’ ‘I’m grateful and thankful for the blessed life I’ve been given,’ she shared.”

Her name is Kathy Ireland.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Kathy Ireland trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”
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Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Amy Olson (#277)

She is an American professional golfer on the LPGA Tour. She turned professional in 2013 after her collegiate career at North Dakota State University where she won an NCAA record 20 collegiate events and was awarded the Elite 89 Award as a sophomore, being the student-athlete with the highest GPA (4.0) at the national championship. To date, she has competed in 24 LPGA major championships and has passed the $2 million mark in career earnings, just narrowly missing out on 2 major championships.

In a recent feature for Links Players, this 28-year-old pro golfer shared her testimony of coming to salvation in Jesus Christ and how her Christian faith has helped her to see that the sport is not all there is to life: “[She] wasn’t looking for love as an undergrad at North Dakota State, but she also wasn’t opposed to keeping her eyes open. From a distance, [she] admired Grant Olson. She wasn’t alone. Grant played linebacker for the Bison football team. ‘If there are going to be two or three star players on every team, he was one of them,’ [she] says. “So I had that little bit of a crush from afar, kind of based on his reputation.’

That reputation included his faith, something [she] herself had learned from her parents but secured as her own. ‘I was about six years old and I remember reading in Revelation about liars going to hell, and I was like, ‘Well, that’s me. How am I going to avoid this?’ So that was the point where I realized that I wasn’t good enough and it didn’t matter what my parents believed, I had to place my faith in Jesus.’

She experienced times of questions and doubt, both in high school and college. But her parents supported her as she took the time to compare her faith to other world religions. Then she had a North Dakota teammate with similar questions about how Christianity fits into one’s life.’We dug into the Word (the Bible) and we tried to practically live out what we read. Obviously, like we all do, we failed miserably many times—I still do—but through that we leaned on God’s grace, and God used that to mold us and prepare us for where we are now.’

When [she] left college and began her tour career, she continued her walk with Christ. Meanwhile, so did Grant, but far away. He moved to Wyoming, following his North Dakota coach and beginning his own coaching career. [They] were Facebook friends, though, and when Grant posted some thoughts about a difficult event he had gone through, she reached out. ‘I sent him a note and said, ‘Hey, thanks for sharing. It’s encouraging to me knowing that other people are fighting the fight and going through tough stuff but continuing to trust God.’’

That note opened a six-month online exchange between the two, and by the time they went out for the first time,’we knew a lot of fundamental things about each other,’ [she] says. ‘So when we had our first date it was just a matter of OK, is there a chemistry? Do we like being around each other? That was pretty instantaneous.’ They were married in 2017 [and moved to her hometown in North Dakota in January 2019 when Grant received a job as linebackers coach at North Dakota State]. …

[She] has spoken publicly about the loneliness that can settle over tour players. When asked to explain what she means, she said, ‘In an individual sport—and maybe any sport­—the higher up you get, the lonelier it gets. • People have aspirations. They want to be great, they want to win tournaments, championships, whatever it is. But I’ve just realized how empty that is and how empty people can feel. It’s not even like, ‘Oh, it didn’t fulfill me 20 years ago or 30 years ago, but I figured it out.’ Instead it’s, ‘It doesn’t fulfill me now and I don’t know where to turn.’ • I feel so fortunate, because I’ve been through some difficulties, but I’ve always known where to turn. If something doesn’t go well, I can go back to the Bible, I can go back to my relationship with God, and he is always there and he is always faithful, and he has never once let me down. I’ve talked to players where golf is the only thing that’s been there for them, and golf is going to let you down. I really cannot imagine a more desperate, lonely place to be than when golf is your rock.’”

After finishing runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open this past weekend, she credited God with helping her to finish as well as she did after receiving news of her father-in-law’s unexpected passing on the last day of the championship tourney. In speaking with the media afterward, she acknowledged feeling very weak, but said the Lord carried her through. “Coming out this morning, I had no idea what to expect,” she said. “I felt very weak and helpless the last couple of days, and probably same today on the golf course. I really believe the Lord just carried me through. It just makes you realize how much bigger life is than golf. But [I’m] pleased with my finish overall and my performance.” Later, in an Instagram post in which she remembered her father-in-law, with whom she shared a special relationship, she quoted the Bible verse John 5:24: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Her name is Amy Olson.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Amy Olson trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Victor Glover (#276)

He is a NASA astronaut of the class of 2013, selected while serving as a Legislative Fellow to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain. He is currently serving as pilot and second-in-command on the Crew-1 SpaceX Crew Dragon, named Resilience, which launched November 15, 2020, making him the first Black astronaut assigned to a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. This is the first post-certification mission of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft – the second crewed flight for that vehicle. He will also serve as Flight Engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 64.

According to The New York Times: [His] achievement is notable for NASA, which has worked to spotlight the “hidden figures” in its history, but has so far sent only 14 Black Americans to space out of a total of more than 300 NASA astronauts. He will not be the first Black astronaut aboard the station. But those who preceded him from NASA were members of space shuttle crews during the station’s construction and only made brief stays on the outpost.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, a Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from Air University (United States Air Force). He is a commander in the U.S. Navy where he pilots an F/A-18, and has deployed in combat and peacetime.

In a recent feature, CBN highlights how this accomplished astronaut is depending on his Christian faith to help him throughout the huge assignment of a six-month mission in outer space.

During a video interview with the Christian Chronicle, this “man of God in space” discussed his Christian faith, the instrumental role it plays for his family, and how he plans to stay spiritually connected during his space journey. He also explained the unique experience he’s had since being selected as an astronaut for NASA in 2013 and why God remains his focal point.

“This has been a really interesting journey, the seven years I’ve been at NASA, and it’s been a real exercise personally and professionally, but also spiritually,” he explained. “Understanding the role of God in my life and God’s authority and my submission to that and the love, support, and encouragement that that can create in my life.”

“I want to use the abilities that God has given me to do my job well and support my crewmates and mission and NASA,” he added. “That’s really the thing I think the most about. I have a job to do. Sometimes that gets lost in the emotion of it. I’m looking forward to looking out the window and taking the pictures and taking in the moment.”

Despite being on a space flight, he said he will stay active with his church routines which switched to virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic, providing some unexpected lessons in dealing with the social isolation he is bound to experience in space. “I actually sent up communion cups and a Bible, and we have really good internet connectivity,” he said. “So honestly, I will probably continue in what we’ve been doing: virtual service, virtual giving, reading my Bible and praying. …“We (at NASA) do a lot of different types of team training, and some of it is just to build resilience so you can handle being up there in isolation. It’s important to have different ways of finding encouragement, and for me, my family and my church and my Bible and praying are going to be a big source of that.”

The 44-year-old also spoke about his wife, Dionna, and their four children. “God assigned me a few really important things: this life, this vessel, but also my wife and that relationship, the two of us becoming one and then the family that we’ve grown with our four daughters. … I’ve always been a student of theology, I would say. But I wasn’t as focused on studying and growing until I met Dionna, and then through college and into our married life, I got back to attending church on a regular basis. So I would say that as we’ve grown our family, that’s really when I’ve started to develop a real, true appreciation of my own faith and not just the academic,” he said. “We’re just trying to make sure that with these interesting times, our family is doing what would make God happy and not necessarily what we want. Attending [church] in person (during COVID-19) is not the right thing for us, but we still want to make sure we’re doing what we need to do. [Church] is very important to our family and bringing up our kids so we still attend as a family even though we’re doing it virtually, and we’re kind of supporting three different congregations in doing so.”

“Just in general, before I go and even get in an airplane to go on a flight, I say a prayer, and I always think about my family. If I don’t see them directly for some reason, I’ll send them a note, a text message, because I do a very high-risk thing. I’m not in combat anymore being shot at, but there’s still a risk,” he explained. “So I always want to make sure that, ‘Hey, if today is my day, I’ve told my family, I’ve told my girls that I love them, and I had a chance to commune with God directly.’ And then I go and do what I need to do and feel good about it.”

Additionally, he shared his thoughts on how the church has reacted to the current issues going on in America. “We all need to lean on God but we also need to lean on each other and be encouraging to one another,” he said. He also told the Christian Chronicle that people should go to God when they’re looking for answers during these difficult times. “There are so many really simple lessons from the Bible. To love God first and foremost, to love yourself – have a healthy love of yourself and then to love your brother as yourself. If all of us are doing that, so many of these other issues that we allow to divide us stop becoming barriers to relationships.”

His name is Victor Jerome Glover.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Victor Glover trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

He is an American professional baseball manager and former outfielder who is currently the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for five MLB teams over a ten-year career and then coached for the San Diego Padres before being named Dodgers manager in 2016. Although he played for the Boston Red Sox for only part of one season, his most notable achievement as a player was a key stolen base in the 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS) that ignited the Red Sox’s drive to their historic championship that year.

The son of a Japanese mother and African American father, he became the first manager of Asian heritage to lead a team to the World Series in 2017, when the Dodgers captured the National League pennant. He also led the Dodgers to the World Series in 2018 and back again in 2020, winning in the latter year. He is both the first manager of Asian heritage and second African American manager to lead a team to a World Series title. His .614 regular-season winning percentage (436-274) ranks third all time behind Hall of Famer Joe McCarthy and current Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who are tied for first at .615. His 436 wins rank seventh in franchise history, but with a full season next year, he would likely move into fifth. Since the start of the 2016 season, when he took over the Dodgers, no other manager has collected more regular-season victories.

Prior to the 2019 season, the Dodgers manager, now rightly considered among the best managers in the game, discussed his Christian faith with the “Think Biblically” podcast hosted by Scott Rae, a professor with the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, near Los Angeles.

“My faith has impacted the clubhouse because I live my life a certain way”. “There’s no question that I’m a believer. I can quite honestly say I live that the way I should, and I’m bold about that. But I am respectful of the profession and the job that guys have to do. So there’s a couple layers: number one, people knowing who I am inside and out, and I am consistent with that, and being open to listening and leading and trying to do things the right way. I think that people see Christ through me, and that’s what we want to create in the clubhouse.”

During the interview, when asked how his faith has made a difference in his role as a manager, he said: “Well, as a baseball fan, which I am, as a former player, as a coach where every game means something and it impacts people, my faith plays into this because I work as hard as I can work,” he said. “I prepare as well as I can prepare. But, at the end of the day, I feel that if I live my life and prepare [the way Christ wants me to prepare] and compete the way that Christ wants me to compete, I’ll live with any result.

“I don’t take it lightly in the sense that I don’t care as much as the next person, because I do. But I do feel that I’m here for a greater purpose, and I do have a platform to share my faith and to make the men around me better people and see Christ in me. If their time comes that they get to know the Lord, great. I do have a job to do, and that’s that I work for the Dodgers. But I think that it gives me a really good peace where I have anxiety or stress, frustration, and I put it on God. I really do.”

He said he gave his life to Christ in 1996. Up until that point, baseball was his god and he thought just being a good person was sufficient. But he noticed something different about certain people around him, and came to realize they were all believers.

“Ultimately, I gave my heart and soul to Christ,” he said. “Then I went through the period of, ‘Man, I’m on fire and everything’s going to be perfect. All those demons that I had and trials were going to be gone.’ And I quickly learned that wasn’t the case … It’s been rocky. It hasn’t been perfect, the way I’ve lived as far as temptations, priorities get away, and I don’t keep God at my center. I didn’t keep God at my center. It’s a growth period. I will say that it’s taken me a long time to really accept the fact that there’s no perfect Christian and everyone has their own individual walk. As long as we’re getting closer to God every single day, that’s what we strive for.”

His name is Dave Ray Roberts.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Dave Roberts trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Lacey Chabert (#274)

She is an American actress, a voice actress, and singer who first came to prominence playing the part of Young Cosette in the Broadway production of Les Misérables. One of her first on-screen roles was playing Erica Kane’s daughter on All My Children (1992-1993). She then gained wider recognition as a child actress on television for her role as Claudia Salinger in the television drama Party of Five (1994–2000). She provided the voice of Eliza Thornberry in the animated series The Wild Thornberrys (1998–2004) and two feature films. In film, she appeared in Lost in Space in 1998, Not Another Teen Movie in 2001, and Daddy Day Care in 2003. She had a leading role alongside Amanda Seyfried and Lindsey Lohan as Gretchen Wieners in 2004’s Mean Girls, and a leading role as Meg Cummings in 2005’s Dirty Deeds and as Dana Mathis in the 2006 horror remake Black Christmas. To date, she has also appeared in 18 Hallmark Channel movies and four Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movies.

Throughout her career, she has shown that what is most important to her is not a successful acting career, but her Christian faith. In an interview to promote one of her films, she declared, “Yes, I am a Christian. Jesus is the center of my life and I give God the glory for everything, for all my success.” As Ralph Burden of Real Life Stories points out, a lot of young actors, both men and women, have considerable personal struggles as they become successful in the entertainment industry, however critics have not been slow to notice the absence of scandal surrounding the life of this young actress. When she was asked about this aspect of movie industry life, she credited her “strong family life and strong faith in God” with keeping her safe in an industry where young actors are constantly faced with a quagmire of temptation.

Her name is Lacey Chabert.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Lacey Chabert trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Sterling K. Brown (#271)

He is a two-time Emmy Award winning American actor. Most notably, he has portrayed Christopher Darden in the 2016 FX limited series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and stars as Randall Pearson in the critically-acclaimed NBC drama series This Is Us. Both breakthrough roles have earned him Primetime Emmy Awards and the latter also won him a Golden Globe Award. A graduate of Stanford University and New York University, he has also played supporting roles in the films Marshall, Black Panther and Waves, and recently appeared on the Amazon Prime original series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

As his star has risen in Hollywood, he has used several of his award acceptance speeches to share that he is a “man of faith” who believes all people are “spiritual beings having a temporary human existence.” When asked about his faith in a recent interview, the actor said, “I am spiritual more than I am religious. I grew up Christian but, since then, I believe Jesus Christ led me to a [personal] relationship with God.”

His name is Sterling K. Brown.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Sterling K. Brown trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Mike Singletary (#270)

He is an American football coach and Super Bowl-winning former professional football player. After playing college football for Baylor University, he was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft and became known as “The Heart of the Defense” for the Chicago Bears’ Monsters of the Midway in the mid-1980s. During his pro playing career, he was named to the Pro Bowl 10 times (1983–1992), named NFC Player of the Year three times (in 1984, 1985, 1988) and twice named NFL Defensive Player of the Year (in 1985 & 1988). Among numerous other awards and accolades garnered, he was given the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in 1990.

Following his retirement, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. In 1999, he was ranked number 56 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He later pursued a career as a coach, first as a linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens, then as linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

In 2008, the 49ers promoted him to the head coaching position after the previous head coach was fired during the season and he remained in that position until the end of the 2010 season.

Although this celebrated football player turned coach was raised in a Christian home, the decadent lifestyle of sports super-stardom overshadowed his faith at times.

In an interview with the 700 Club, he shared about the time in his life when he found himself at a crossroads. “I just remember, one day, breaking down. I remember saying, ‘Lord, I’m supposed to be Your son, and You don’t talk to me, use me. You don’t do anything. I don’t understand this.’ In my spirit, I heard two things. One was ‘I want to use you, but there are some things that you gotta clean up first.’ The second thing that I had to do [was] forgive my father.”

His father had divorced his mother and walked out on the family when he was 12 years old.

“What people don’t understand about forgiveness is that you’re the one that’s in prison. You’re the one that’s going to be hurting. When I did that [forgave my father], the Lord began to change my life,” he says.

“Day to day, he began to take away some of the bad habits that I had. He began to take away the language that I was speaking. He began to take away some of the places that my eyes used to look. He began to take away some of the music that I listened to one by one.

“Had it not been for Jesus Christ in my life, I’m sure I’d be divorced. I’m sure that I’d know my kids from a distance.” Today, he is still married to his first and only wife of 36 years and God has blessed their union with six children.

His name is Mike Singletary.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Mike Singletary trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – J’Den Cox (#269)

He is a three time NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion, and a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who also won 4 state titles while in high school, amassing only three losses in that time-frame. He also won gold medals at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, and a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships among many other accolades and accomplishments.

Still, for all his success versus his opponents on the mat, as documented in a recent feature for Pureflix.com, it is his internal matches that have truly ushered in his most transformative victories.

In his freshman year at the University of Missouri, this Olympic wrestler found himself struggling to the point where he wondered if he should just throw the towel in all together — and not on a wrestling match, but on his very life.

The climax came one day when he was in the midst of battling demons from his past; he found himself on the edge of a highway, considering ending it all. A chance phone call from his coaches at that very moment helped save his life.

Now, doing much better years later, he has no problem opening up about his past struggles and sharing his testimony of salvation in Jesus Christ.

“For a long time, I was ashamed to talk about it because people struggle to show empathy for things they can’t see and understand,” he said of his past emotional struggles. “I was afraid to ask for help, and I think that’s something I try to preach now.”

He began to go to therapy and changed his mindset, as he worked on bettering his mental health — all while not missing a step on the wrestling mat.

“It’s not perfect, it’s not like I don’t have my days where it’s a struggle,” he said of his life today. “But I’m definitely in a better place than I was my freshman year.”

He began to learn to compartmentalize to be able to continue to compete at the highest level. He learned through this process that he didn’t just want to be happy — he wanted true joy.

“God for me was a routine. It was something that I did every week. Somewhere I went every Wednesday” he said about his relationship with Jesus. “I never really fully committed to him, and I never really gave my all to him.”

But after changing his lack of commitment to the Lord and getting serious about his faith in Christ, life for the 2016 Olympian and reigning World Champion has continued to improve. Off the mat, Cox still has days when it’s a fight to keep the proper perspective and to keep his Christian faith at the center of his life. Still, he persists, as on the mat, he arguably faces his biggest obstacle yet in trying to make the team for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games and claim another medal.

His name is J’Den Cox.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as J’Den Cox trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!

Gospel Light Minute – Jessica Long (#268)

She is an American Paralympic swimmer from Baltimore, Maryland, who competes in the S8, SB7 and SM8 category events. Originally from Siberia, she was adopted from a Russian orphanage at 13 months old. Born without fibula bones, ankles or heels, her legs were amputated below the knee at just 18 months in order for her to be fitted with prosthetic legs and be able to walk. Despite her disability professionally known as fibular hemimelia, she exploded on to the sports scene in 2004 when, at the tender age of 12, she won three gold medals at the Athens Paralympics. Since then, she has not slowed down or allowed her limb deficiency to hinder her from being a high achiever. She has held multiple world records and has won over a dozen gold medals over four Summer Paralympics and is looking to bag more medals at the upcoming Tokyo Games. In total, she has won 23 Paralympic medals, 13 being gold, along with 30 world medals, 24 being gold. Among the numerous awards and accolades garnered due to her accomplishments and winning spirit, she was named the 2006 U.S Olympic Committee’s Paralympian of the Year, and, in 2007, at the age of 15, she was the recipient of the AAU Sullivan Award, given to the nation’s top amateur athlete. She is the first Paralympian to receive this honor, beating out such high-profile athletes as speed skater Apolo Ohno and fellow swimmer Michael Phelps, and is still the only athlete with a disability to win the award in its 82-year history; In 2008 she was the recipient of the Juan Antonio Samaranch International Olympic Committee [IOC] President’s Para Athlete Award; Twice she was named Para Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine and twice she was named Paralympic Sportswoman of the Year by the USOC; In 2015, she received the 2015 Trischa L. Zorn Award, given by USA Swimming for the outstanding performance of the year by a Para swimmer; Additionally, she is a 3x ESPY award winner (named Best Female Athlete with an Impairment).

In a recent video feature for I Am Second, the paralympian shared her testimony of choosing to trust in God and Jesus Christ as her Savior despite initially having feelings of resentment that she was born with an impairment.

Although she grew up going to church with her adoptive family, she says she didn’t like church, because “God made me this way” and “I knew I didn’t want anything to do with this God who made me this way.” She had to have surgery every time she grew which was “excruciating”. Having already experienced spectacular success when she was selected to represent America in the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games just two years after she started swimming at the age of 10, she quickly found her identity in swimming, but says she was angry and sad a lot.

“One summer night, I was at my Friday night youth group Bible study,” she recounts. “And I’m sitting there, and I just couldn’t do it alone anymore. I got up and made the walk to the front, and I found this woman. I said, ‘You know, I want to give God my whole heart for once.’ I prayed with her, and as soon as I prayed, it was the first time in my entire life that I felt enough.”

She isn’t upset about being born with her condition anymore and she credits God for giving her the strength to forgive her birth mom for giving her up for adoption (She reunited with her biological parents in 2013 when she returned to Russia ahead of the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Winter Olympics where she presented NBC’s coverage of the Games). “My legs still cause me pain,” she says. “But I think it’s honestly this really cool, beautiful reminder that I can’t do it on my own. … I just put my head down and picture God almost racing alongside me when I swim. … I just feel Him [saying,] ‘Just keep trying, Jess. I’m here with you.'”

Her name is Jessica Tatiana Long.

This is the “Chief of Sinners,” Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, reminding you of what the Bible says, that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” like you and me. Just as Jessica Long trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation, may I encourage you to do the same. 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.” In fact, I am the chief of sinners, so don’t think that you’re alone.

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.”

Remember, friend, Believe by faith. Share the faith. and Keep the faith!