LETTER #43 of “LETTERS TO MY YOUNG ADULT CHILDREN AND TO A WOKE, DECEIVED AND UNLOVED GENERATION” (Letter 43) by Daniel Whyte III, Author of the National Bestselling Books: “Letters to Young Black Men” and “Letters to Young Black Women” First written over 30 years ago.
LETTER 43
Dear Daniqua Grace, Danae, Danita, Daniel, Danni, Danyelle Elizabeth, Danyel Ezekiel, Danielle Tekeela, Duran, and Kywaizia:
I pray and trust that you are doing well. Never get depressed for the rest of your life, and always be cheerful. We are not talking about will power here. Here’s how you can avoid getting depressed and always be cheerful in your heart, mind, soul, and spirit:
1. Make sure that you are saved. “Examine yourself and see whether or not you are in the faith” because Jesus Christ is the only one who can keep you from getting depressed and keep you cheerful every day, all day.
2. “Pray without ceasing.” Read the Bible daily. Meditate on the Bible without ceasing.
3. Stay away from sin like it is the plague. There is nothing in this world that will make you feel depressed, empty, sad, and lonely like sin in your life, especially living in sin. That pain will last a long time if you do not stop it, and it will make you destroy the relationship with the people who love you the most. Also, stay away, especially from sexual sin, for any sexual sin will destroy the lives of each of you because you have been warned about it so much. It is going to be very hard to get over the guilt of sexual sin, and it will mar your life for the rest of your life.
4. Stay away from evil people. Once you find out they are evil, and that they are doing evil and are trying to pull you into their evil, get away from them. Lead others to Christ and righteousness and life. Stop being a follower. Make up your mind like your Papa did: If anybody is going to follow somebody, it will be them–not me.
5. Watching too much television, getting drunk, getting high on drugs, and watching pornography will make you depressed, sad, disgusted, and defeated.
6. Dwelling in the past, which WOKEISM will make you do, and not having goals for the future will make you depressed and sad because you do not have direction for your life. You are not living a “Purpose-Driven Life.”
7. Do not so-call “FALL IN LOVE” (By the way, there is no such thing as “falling in love”; It is more like falling into stupid and then falling into hell) with somebody to the point you cannot be happy without them. As you have heard me say many times, you must bring happiness to the table through the Lord, and they must do the same. By the way, don’t lead people on, and don’t let anyone “fall in love” with you, either. If someone says I am “in love” with you, run; don’t walk.
8. Stop comparing yourself with others, and be content with how God made you; be free in Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “those who compare themselves with themselves are not wise.” I never thought that any of my children would use Botox or any other cosmetic surgery to try to make themselves other than what God made them.
MY LOVING CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL “TEXT” IS Jeremiah 33:3: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
THE SIMPLE SECRET TO A GREAT NEW YEAR
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. — Matthew 6:66
I have never been good at being a handyman. Things that are a piece of cake to a handyman are like climbing Mt. Everest to me.
One time Debbie asked me to put in a doggie door. She said, “You can do it, Jeff. The box says, “Simple installation.” “Simple is good,” I responded as I opened the box with gusto.
The very first instruction was to get out my electric drill. That is when I knew their definition of “simple” and mine were quite different. With “simple” instructions, I would have been told to get out my hammer. Now that is simple! (Note: the doggie door installation was so NOT simple that I had to call my friend Gene over to help me before I completely lost my salvation).
DO YOU LIKE SIMPLE?
If you like simple, you are going to love my simple secret to a great new year. First, get out your electric drill (just kidding).
The simple secret is this: To experience a great year, just do what Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things [the things you and I worry about] shall be added to you”. If you will seek Him first, He promises to meet all your needs.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEEK HIM FIRST?
1. It means that you spend time with Him at the first of each day, praying and reading His Word, asking Him for direction, guidance, help and insight … confessing your sins when you blow it, and seeking His grace to help in your time of need.
2. It means you put His agenda above your agenda. You pray, “Not my will, but Thine be done”. You live your life to please Jesus, not to please yourself.
3. It means you obey Him and do what He says in the power He supplies. You don’t let your fleshly desires control you; you let Jesus control you.
4. It means you invest your time, talent and resources in the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of self.
5. It means you recognize that He is everything, and in Christ “are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. The true treasures of life—love, joy, peace, fulfillment, true success—are only found in Jesus … so you spend your time seeking Him.
SIMPLE STARTS NOW!
Don’t wait for the ball to drop in Times Square before seeking first the kingdom of God. Start now! Put Jesus first every day you are blessed to live… and He will bless your life abundantly in return.
One of my favorite Scriptures says, “For those who honor Me, I will honor”. If you want God to honor you, honor Him in all you do. The best is yet to be… and the ball is in your court.
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
