Matthew 24:6-8 says, "You will soon hear about wars and threats of wars, but don't be afraid. these things will have to happen first, but that isn't the end. Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. People will starve to death, and in some places there will be earthquakes. But this is just the beginning of troubles." Chile got hit with a massive earthquake. And there's rumors for a tsunami to hit Hawaii. But the Bible says these things will happen before Jesus returns. So as my favorite wrestling faction, D-Generation X, asks all the time, "Are you ready?" Now I'm not going to be foolish and say that Jesus is coming back on this certain date or that certain date, but I will say that He's definitely on his way back. I feel for the people of Haiti and Chile, but the Bible says don't be afraid. I guess what I'm saying is, us believers should be celebrating. Jesus is returning soon! Some of you reading that don't know better are going to bad mouth me and say something like, "Why should we celebrate people's lives being taken away by the weather?" Like I said, I feel for the people affected by it. The reason we're celebrating is because the Bible is right. The Bible is true. We're celebrating because we're, at least those of us that are saved, are going to be soon be caught up to meet him in the air. I pray that this is a wake up call to all the lazy saints. I pray that this is a wake up call for people contemplating salvation. Now one reason that we all should be celebrating is because we're breathing. Psalm 150:6 says, "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." How can that be said any plainer? You're breathing. You're alive. So...
Stay Saved,
Daniel Richerson
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Genuine love
Genuine love. dc Talk put a song out that is called, "Luv Is a Verb." Specifically, love is an action verb. That's important to know. Is anybody like me? Sick of hearing loved talked and not showed? I understand that it's important to let the people you love know that you do love them. I have no problem with that at all. My problem is when Love is said but never done. 1 Corinthinans 13:4-5 says, "Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do." If you love somebody, you got to learn of to forgive and let go. Don't do what some church people do and hold stuff over peoples head like you've been perfect. That's not love.
1 John 4:8 says, "God is love, and anyone who doesn't love others has never known him." Wow. The 10th verse says, "Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven." 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." Now check out this verse. Back in 1 John 4:20. "But if we say we love God and don't love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don't love the people we can see." That'll preach huh?
There's an old song that says, "Looking for love in all the wrong places." I quoted the verse that says, God is love. So what are you waiting for? We all got a testimony, and some are more tragic than others. Some of us live or have lived the type of life that makes it hard to accept love from anybody. That's why we have to be careful to judge people because we don't know their story. It irks me when people judge by the cover or where a person is from. Stop it. You ain't perfect either. I'm learning myself that even though people don't show love to you, you still got to show love to them. 2 wrongs don't make a right.
Y'all stay saved,
Daniel Richerson
1 John 4:8 says, "God is love, and anyone who doesn't love others has never known him." Wow. The 10th verse says, "Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven." 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." Now check out this verse. Back in 1 John 4:20. "But if we say we love God and don't love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don't love the people we can see." That'll preach huh?
There's an old song that says, "Looking for love in all the wrong places." I quoted the verse that says, God is love. So what are you waiting for? We all got a testimony, and some are more tragic than others. Some of us live or have lived the type of life that makes it hard to accept love from anybody. That's why we have to be careful to judge people because we don't know their story. It irks me when people judge by the cover or where a person is from. Stop it. You ain't perfect either. I'm learning myself that even though people don't show love to you, you still got to show love to them. 2 wrongs don't make a right.
Y'all stay saved,
Daniel Richerson
Friday, February 05, 2010
Lust
Lust is defined as intense sexual desire or appetite, or it can mean a passionate or overmastering desire or craving. If there's one thing hurting the Christian men today is lust. Why is that? Why do you think that is? Is it the fact that because we're saved and filled with the holy ghost that we're immune to lust? Or we're immune to messing up?
Look at David from the Bible. The Bible says that David was a man after God's own heart. With all that said, if you read in 2 Samuel Chapter 11, David had sex with Bathsheba who was married to Uriah. Bathsheba got pregnant. David tried to hide this by telling Uriah to go home and sleep with Bathsheba. Uriah didn't do it, so David being the King put Uriah in position to get killed. Note again, this is the same David that was a man after God's own heart. So then you get to Chapter 12, still in 2 Samuel, and God was angry with David. So He sent a prophet, Nathan, to tell David a story. Starting at verse 1 and going to verse 4, in the CEV, it says, "A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. The rich man owned a lot of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had only one little lamb that he had bought and raised. The lamb became a pet for him and his children. He even let it eat from his plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. The lamb was like one of his own children. One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's little lamb and served it instead." Now, David was furious at the rich man. Then Nathan nailed him. Starting at verse 6, "Then Nathan told David: You are that rich man! Now listen to what the LORD God of Israel says to you: 'I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more. Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by having the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife. Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself your family will never live in peace. Someone from your own family will cause you alot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on. What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see.'" What's done in the dark, comes to the light. Lust caused David to lose a child. The child he made with Bathsheba. Lust don't care how big you are or how small you are. You let lust take control, it will. No questions asked.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul said, "Some of you say, 'We can do anything we want to.' But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me. You also say, 'Food is meant for our bodies, and our bodies are meant for food.' But I tell you that God will destroy them both. We are not supposed to do indecent things with our bodies. We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge of our bodies. God will raise us from death by the same power that he used when he raised our Lord to life. Don't you know that your bodies are part of the body of Christ? Is it right for me to join part of the body of Christ to a prostitute? No it isn't! Don't you know that a man who does that becomes part of her body? The Scriptures say, 'The two of them will be like one person.' But anyone who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit with him. Don't be immoral in matters of sex. That is a sin against your own body in a way that no other sin is. You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God."
Wow. That said a lot right there. Just the simple fact that our bodies are a temple should make something click to say, "Hold up. I can't degrade this temple for a few minutes." But some of us men are like the first verse of the song "Love Lifted Me," which says, "I was sinking deep in sin very far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more..." I think sometimes the simplicity of the Word throws us off. Meaning that we look at the simplistic view of it, that we don't care to apply it. That's where trouble happens. Now I know this is not just a male thing. I'm sure it happens in the female community as well. I'm using male because so many male Gospel artists have fell into the trap of lust. Some of us regular men have fell in the same trap. The only difference is the Gospel artists got caught.
For those who have fell in the trap, and are in the trap of lust, Galatians 5:16-26 says, "If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you. People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom. God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind,good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed selfish feelings and desires. God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are."
I'm not trying to throw stones here. I'm just saying that none of us are perfect. For all have sinned, right? The problem is we put people on such a platform that when or if they fall, we don't forgive them. Nobody is perfect. In order to follow the Spirit, you have to have the Spirit. In order to have the Spirit, you have to be saved. What must I do to be saved? Believe. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you 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 with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” I heard recently that all confession means is agreeing. You agree that you were sinning. You agree with God that Jesus died on the cross and so forth. To those who have the Spirit. Follow it. You have to make the decision, "You know what Satan. The Lord rebuke you in the name of Jesus. I'm following Jesus today. I've decided to make Jesus my choice." Now if you do mess up, go to God for the forgiveness. God will forgive you.
Stay Saved,
Daniel Richerson
Look at David from the Bible. The Bible says that David was a man after God's own heart. With all that said, if you read in 2 Samuel Chapter 11, David had sex with Bathsheba who was married to Uriah. Bathsheba got pregnant. David tried to hide this by telling Uriah to go home and sleep with Bathsheba. Uriah didn't do it, so David being the King put Uriah in position to get killed. Note again, this is the same David that was a man after God's own heart. So then you get to Chapter 12, still in 2 Samuel, and God was angry with David. So He sent a prophet, Nathan, to tell David a story. Starting at verse 1 and going to verse 4, in the CEV, it says, "A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. The rich man owned a lot of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had only one little lamb that he had bought and raised. The lamb became a pet for him and his children. He even let it eat from his plate and drink from his cup and sleep on his lap. The lamb was like one of his own children. One day someone came to visit the rich man, but the rich man didn't want to kill any of his own sheep or cattle serve it to the visitor. So he stole the poor man's little lamb and served it instead." Now, David was furious at the rich man. Then Nathan nailed him. Starting at verse 6, "Then Nathan told David: You are that rich man! Now listen to what the LORD God of Israel says to you: 'I chose you to be the king of Israel. I kept you safe from Saul and even gave you his house and his wives. I let you rule Israel and Judah, and if that had not been enough, I would have given you much more. Why did you disobey me and do such a horrible thing? You murdered Uriah the Hittite by having the Ammonites kill him, so you could take his wife. Because you wouldn't obey me and took Uriah's wife for yourself your family will never live in peace. Someone from your own family will cause you alot of trouble, and I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes. He will go to bed with them while everyone looks on. What you did was in secret, but I will do this in the open for everyone in Israel to see.'" What's done in the dark, comes to the light. Lust caused David to lose a child. The child he made with Bathsheba. Lust don't care how big you are or how small you are. You let lust take control, it will. No questions asked.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul said, "Some of you say, 'We can do anything we want to.' But I tell you that not everything is good for us. So I refuse to let anything have power over me. You also say, 'Food is meant for our bodies, and our bodies are meant for food.' But I tell you that God will destroy them both. We are not supposed to do indecent things with our bodies. We are to use them for the Lord who is in charge of our bodies. God will raise us from death by the same power that he used when he raised our Lord to life. Don't you know that your bodies are part of the body of Christ? Is it right for me to join part of the body of Christ to a prostitute? No it isn't! Don't you know that a man who does that becomes part of her body? The Scriptures say, 'The two of them will be like one person.' But anyone who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit with him. Don't be immoral in matters of sex. That is a sin against your own body in a way that no other sin is. You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God."
Wow. That said a lot right there. Just the simple fact that our bodies are a temple should make something click to say, "Hold up. I can't degrade this temple for a few minutes." But some of us men are like the first verse of the song "Love Lifted Me," which says, "I was sinking deep in sin very far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more..." I think sometimes the simplicity of the Word throws us off. Meaning that we look at the simplistic view of it, that we don't care to apply it. That's where trouble happens. Now I know this is not just a male thing. I'm sure it happens in the female community as well. I'm using male because so many male Gospel artists have fell into the trap of lust. Some of us regular men have fell in the same trap. The only difference is the Gospel artists got caught.
For those who have fell in the trap, and are in the trap of lust, Galatians 5:16-26 says, "If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you. People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom. God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind,good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed selfish feelings and desires. God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are."
I'm not trying to throw stones here. I'm just saying that none of us are perfect. For all have sinned, right? The problem is we put people on such a platform that when or if they fall, we don't forgive them. Nobody is perfect. In order to follow the Spirit, you have to have the Spirit. In order to have the Spirit, you have to be saved. What must I do to be saved? Believe. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you 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 with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” I heard recently that all confession means is agreeing. You agree that you were sinning. You agree with God that Jesus died on the cross and so forth. To those who have the Spirit. Follow it. You have to make the decision, "You know what Satan. The Lord rebuke you in the name of Jesus. I'm following Jesus today. I've decided to make Jesus my choice." Now if you do mess up, go to God for the forgiveness. God will forgive you.
Stay Saved,
Daniel Richerson
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