I couldn't leave this alone...

Really, I know I should probably back off from this subject but I can't help it. I love Gospel Rap, and I hate when ignorant people say that it can't be used. Here's my thing. You say it's demonic. You say it's no good. You figure since it's rap, they're automatically doing the same thing all the other "big named" rappers are doing. So when we dance in church, automatically, we're of the devil. Automatically we're in the clubs having an orgy with our clothes on because dancing is in the church. We sing in the church, so automatically we're talking about sex. Automatically we're cussing and drinking and having sex outside of marriages. That's what other singers do, so obviously singers that do it for God are doing the same thing. (Granted, some are, but that's not the point of this.)

The same people that say you don't have to stop dancing when you get saved, you just changed partners...say that you can't rap in church. It is written, "Use your gift to the glory of God." So what you saying is, when a person that raps gets saved and full with the holy ghost, they can't use they're gift of rap? But when somebody is a singer and they get saved, automatically, we want them to put out a Gospel album. I can't count how many times I've heard people say, "Jennifer Hudson needs to do Gospel." Automatically we want the best singers to do Gospel. I said in a past blog that salvation is an inside job. It's not the music that's bad people. It's the inside of the person that's doing the music. If the person is of the devil then the music is going to be...hello?

Ok, so you listen to rap when you weren't saved, now that you are saved, you say, "I can't listen to rap anymore." Well bless your heart. I'm not going to fault you for that. But let me say this, just because it didn't reach you, don't mean that it can't be reached to reach other people. (Preach Daniel!) When I was in high school, I had friends that listened to hip-hop that couldn't stand rock. I also had friends that listen to rock that couldn't stand hip-hop. So people are not going to like what you like. You may like the Canton Spirituals. I for one wouldn't pay a penny to hear them. But that's just me. The Canton Spirituals is obviously not meant to reach a person like me, but that doesn't mean they can't and haven't reached other people.

I heard somebody say that he doesn't like Tye Tribbett because he jumps around on stage like the secular artists do. So we can dance in the church because we "changed partners." We can sing in the church because we "changed partners." But how dare you have fun on church and get the crowd into it because the world does that. Uh...excuse me. The world dances and sings. Gotcha biscut as my little sister would say.

Come on people think. That's all I'm saying think. Wisdom is a heck of a thing if you use it. Every Gospel is not meant to reach you! Just because it's not reaching you doesn't mean it's of the devil!! I couldn't stand country in the world, so why would I listen to Gospel country? It's not meant to reach me. It's not for me, but that doesn't mean that somebody that's into country that's not saved, can't get saved by Gospel country. Y'all don't hear me...

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Confidence

Ok, so this past Sunday at church, or for you dated readers 1/24/10, the first lady, got me up to the front to sing "How Great is Our God" lightly during altar call. For one let me say, that I hate singing lightly. To me, if I got to sing light, I might as well hum. Anyway, I started out singing, and I didn't realize the mic was off. So I turned the mic on, and started singing, and I saw expressions change. I got through it, and that was that. But for some reason, when mom and I headed to the car to go home, my mood changed for the worse. I felt like my joy was gone away just that quick. At first I thought it was that I was rubbing people the wrong way. Which is something I never want to do. I understand that not all people is gonna like me, but I don't want to purposely give them a reason. Talked with mom and tears were shed. (Side Note: BTW, if anybody on Earth has the spirit of discernment, it's a true mother. For some odd reason, they always see through you.)Later that night, I was watching, don't judge me, Alvin and The Chipmunks. As they were singing, I realized what my problem was. It wasn't the fact that I was worried about rubbing people the wrong way, although that didn't help. It was the fact that I've never really been confident in my voice. I'm confident I can play drums, and write like this, but singing is something I just can't get confident in.

Deuteronomy 31:8 say, "And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Another word for dismayed is discouraged. With the Lord with me, I should've been confident in the gift He gave me in the first place. Doubt is a heck of a drug.

Psalm 73:26 says, "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." This is the problem of singing to the crowd and not singing to God. You forget that God is the strength that gave you your voice in the first place, so you choke and can't figure out why.

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." What's sad? Most of us know that verse by heart, but don't take time to apply it and believe it. We don't think about this while we feel under pressure.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Now we had just talked about that in Sunday School that morning. Crazy how we read the Bible, but don't apply it. (Preach Daniel)

If you read Philippians 4:13 in the CEV, it says, "Christ gives me strength to face anything." It is written in the Bible that nothing is to hard for God. I have to accept the fact that God gave me this voice that I have. You have to accept God gave you your gift, and he also provides you with strength to face any negative situation you might be in. Now I said that I felt like my joy was taken out. You let the devil steal your joy, you feel weak. That's why the song says, "Don't let the devil steal your joy. Joy in the Lord." Notice I said let. All the power the devil has, you give it him. Simple is that. Jesus said that all power is given unto him. So the devil has no power, unless you give him some over you.

1 John 3:20-21 say, "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." That says it all right there. God is greater than our problems. He's greater than our feelings or heart. When they say, take it to the Lord and leave it there, they know that God is greater than the it. Put your confidence or full trust in God, and He'll take care of you. Some how or another, I forgot that.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Grace and Mercy

Romans 3:24 (CEV) says, "But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins." I don't know about you, but as I like to say, that'll preach right there. Grace and mercy. Grace is favor or good will. Mercy is compassion. Grace and mercy is the reason we wake up in the morning after we've sinned the night/morning before. James 1:15 (CEV) says, "Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead." We also know that it is written in the Bible that, "The wages of sin is death." Everyone who is reading this should've been dead, but because of God's grace and mercy, He allows us to wake up every morning. And like I said in an earlier post, Lamentations 3:39-40 (CEV) say, "We're still alive! We shouldn't complain when we are being punished for our sins. Instead, we should think about the way we are living, and turn back to the Lord." Most of us have heard the song Amazing Grace. Think about the words. "Amazing grace/how sweet the sound/the saved a wretch/like me." A wretch is a miserable, unfortunate, or unhappy person. All of us have been there, and those of us who have accepted Jesus in our lives, know that it was by His grace. There's an old song that says, "Your grace and mercy brought me through. I'm living this moment because of You. I want to thank You, and praise You too. For Your grace and mercy brought me through." Another song says, "Where would I be, if not for Your grace carrying me through every season?" This is personal to me. I know I've done stuff not that long ago, and I mean that, and when I wake up the next morning it's like, "Somebody is praying for me. Thank you God for grace and mercy." So don't take the fact that you're still living after your sins for granted. The reason you're still living, is because God is giving you another chance to turn back to Him. He your savior wants to be, be saved today!!

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson