SAY I LOVE YOU WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE

 Jon Huber passed away December 26, 2020. 10 days after turning 41. Jon Huber was known as Luke Harper under the WWE umbrella. Under the AEW umbrella he was known as Brodie Lee. His passing took a lot of people by surprise. As I read tribute after tribute, one dominating thing I saw over and over was tell your family and friends that you love them. That got my mind working. How often do I tell my family and friends that love them? Why is that such a battle to say those three words "I love you" to somebody but it's easy to say I love God. I love Jesus.

1 John 4:18-20 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath not seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"

One commentator said, "It is easy to say we love God when it doesn't cost us anything more than weekly attendance at religious services. But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people right in front of us."

So what is the problem? Maybe it's the fact that some of us have never experience what love truly is. We have experienced a generational fabrication of what was told to be love but it is really poison being passed down. 1 John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." So it also could be we're trying to love people without keeping God in it. Some of us are trying to show the love of God without God. 2 Timothy 3:5 says, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." I know this is against God himself to post other versions of the Bible other than KJV to some, but the English Standard Version of the same verse says, "having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."

If this pandemic taught us anything, especially in the body of Christ, it should've taught us that we don't need to dress for convocation to get into God's presence. The song writer said, "Won't He make you clean inside." The late Bishop G E Patterson said, "Salvation is an inside job." Another song comes to mind that says, "Something on the inside, working on the outside, oh what a change in my life."

Back on topic. Do your love ones know that you love them? Do they know just by what you say, or does your actions show it also? 4 years ago, I spent my Christmas in the hospital. While my family was opening gifts and eating Christmas dinner, I had oxygen in my nose and eating hospital food. I bring this up because my Mom and Grandma took me to the hospital. That's love through action. They could've just said like some people in the church say, "I'll be praying for you." DC Talk has a song that says, "Love is a verb." I've never been in a relationship, but I do know that if you tell your partner you love them, but never show the love, what you say means nothing. How you show the love is just as if not more important than how you say it.

I know I'm guilty of not saying I love you when I probably should. I'm guilty of not initiating the fact that I love someone. Saying I love you too to somebody is easier for me to say than to just come out and say it first. It's hard for me to openly express my love for someone or something out of fear of being trashed for feeling how I feel. I'm still in that learning process of learning how to like and love myself. I'm still learning how to stop feeling guilty about making decisions that will positive affect my mental capacity. I understand it's easy to roll your eyes when the subject of mental health comes up because some still chooses to believe that it's not real. It's also easy to deny something is real when you've never had to deal with it. Like some people still saying that the pandemic is not real, only for the same people to find out that it is real when it's too late.

2020 has shown that death has no age limit. Richard Pryor said in one of his specials, "Death don't [care] where it go. If it gets a two for one that's a good day for death." That has definitely rang true in 2020. I heard someone say years ago, "Appreciate what you have today cause it may not be there tomorrow." Appreciate your parents today. Appreciate the elders that are still here today. If you have any friends, appreciate them today. Appreciate the roof over your head today. Appreciate God today.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

WE'RE BETTER TOGETHER

Philippians 3:13-14 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 

"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Paul was speaking for himself here, but in reality this is for all of us. We're all pressing. So since we're all in the pressing, we have no time to try and compete with each other for position. Since we're all pressing, we have no time to be petty and hold grudges. We're supposed to be a body of believers, but we're trying to one up each other for position. This year has been a trying year for all of us, no matter how much we try church it using cliché terms, if we're honest, this has been a trying year. Still yet...

My late Pastor Gray once said, "It's time out for the church being a theater. The church is a hospital." People are coming in seeking help for issues sometimes they're not willing to talk to anybody about. I think part of the reason people post their problems on FaceBook is because the church has lost it's focus. They come to church for help, they come for answers, and get nothing. So they go to social media to let it out because they know that holding it in is not healthy. At the same time letting it out to just anybody is not healthy either because not everybody has your back. Some are just looking for gossip when they ask how you are. 

I can't speak for anybody else, but for me, I don't care about spots or position. Want my position so bad, you can take it. I'll still sleep at night. I have a lot more issues to worry about than some spot on the chain in church. I'm coming to the hospital because I still get angry. I still have high anxiety. I still get depressed from time to time. So a spot is the last thing I'm worried about. I'm trying to see what medication I need to take to get healed. If I went to the doctor, and all they talk about is how they're better than the other doctors in the office. I don't care, I'm coughing, doc, take care of the cough. What medicine do I take for the cough? I don't care about your position on the office totem pole. 

I used to be an avid pro wrestling watcher, and I've heard stories how back in the day, wrestlers would try hard to hold on to their spot, and not help the new people that want to learn the business. At the same time, some wrestlers would look at the younger talent and say, "Let me work with him, I can do something special with him." While some were trying to protect their position in the company, some were trying to keep the company going working with the younger talent so there would be a company in the future. Not to create clones but to help them be the best individual talent that they can be so they can make the most money for themselves.

Let's flip it. We got a lot of people in the kingdom still clinging and clutching to their position because nobody else can do it like them. We got up and comers that have a new vision and maybe a different way to do things, but with the "that's not the way I was taught" or "That's not how I do it" mindset, you disregard the up and comers so now they get accused of "sitting down on their gifts" when all the while they've been trying to show you what they can do to help enhance the ministry. Now some people are look at the next generation and don't bash them, but talk with them to hear them out. After the conversation maybe they can work together to help build the ministry even bigger than it is. A phrase I hear a lot is, "We're better together." If we're better together, then let's work together and stop competing with each other.

I hope you got something out of this. "I count not myself to have apprehended...I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." If you got this far, can you please share with your people? 

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

LOVE PAST DISAGREEMENTS

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

In Sunday School in the Church Of God In Christ, we'd have a responsive reading. And the Leader starts off with the verse above. Which is is a little ironic right? The late Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning." He said that in 1963. Here we are 57 years later and not much has changed. One commentary says, "Living in harmony does not mean we will agree on everything; there will be many opinions just as there are many notes in a musical chord. But we must agree on our purpose in life--to work together for God. Our outward expression of unity will reflect our inward unity of purpose." We can't even agree on racism being wrong, yet we try to draw people to a loving God who loves everyone.

Song writer said, "We're shouting, we're dancing, but can the world see a change
Am I just too selfish to see, the love they need you put inside of me
If we say we love Jesus, but they can't see our Jesus
Tell me what's the use if they can't see Jesus in you and me
No more excuses, we give it all away
Because we may be the only Jesus they see." 

Same song writer said, "Sunday everyone looks like you But if our lives are cold inside tell me what's the use."

I got atheist on my social media having field day watching those of us that call ourselves believers act a fool over petty things. To be honest, I can't blame them. 1 John 4:20-21 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:  for that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." I feel that there's a lot of people that are window shopping the Kingdom. People are looking for help. They're looking for what's real. How can we help the people looking for help while attacking each other? We have to get to a point where we love past disagreements.

Let's keep it 100, you're not going to get along with everybody. That's life. But not getting along should not mean hate. Not vibing with people should not equate to hating them. Let's compare it to sports. There's been numerous sports teams that had players on the team that couldn't stand each other, but they knew they had to work together for the common goal. When the NBA played it's season in the NBA Bubble, some knelt for the anthem and a couple didn't, but at the end of the night, they all played together to win the game. Off the court, I'm sure they had conversations about kneeling vs not kneeling, but on the court, the goal was to win the game.

Dwelling together in unity doesn't mean going to the same ministry or church, I understand that. Using terms like black church and white church is not unity whether they go to your church or not. I read no where in the Word that there's a heaven based on your race. I read no where in the Bible that there's a heaven for white people and there's a heaven for black people. Old song says, "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we will sing and shout the victory." Noticed what's not in those lyrics? Nothing about race or ethnic background. Another old song comes to mind that says, "When all God's children get together, what a time, what a time, what a time." A song I learned as a child, "Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they're all precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world." 

It is written, 'For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without the law God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the week:  I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you." (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) 

A former co worker of mine and I were talking. The subject of church came up. He told me that the last time he went to church, he walked in and immediately the preacher started talking about him causing an immediate u-turn. Makes you wonder how many gangstas, homosexuals, white people, black people have that same testimony. Walk into a spiritual hospital, only to be told in a nut shell, "We don't treat your kind here." Forgetting where they were when they found the Lord. If it took love to lift you, what do you think it's going to take to lift somebody else? 

Song writer said, "It ain't a black thing. It ain't a white thing. It ain't a color thing. It's a kingdom thing." The late Pastor Anderson Gray Sr. had a saying about the church. "This is a place where everybody is somebody and Jesus is Lord." Again keyword everybody. We can't let the actions of a Dylan Roof and others like that to dictate how we treat people that look different than we do. We can't let the actions of Paula White, Kenneth Copeland, and others like them dictate how we treat preachers of the Gospel that happen to be white. It is written, "Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." It's written, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." 

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." Colossians 3:15

If you made it this far, I would like to thank you for reading this. I hope it made sense. I hope you got something out of it. If you did, I ask that you share this with friends and family.

Stay saved,

Daniel Richerson

LEARNING HOW TO LOVE AND FORGIVE...ME

One major lesson I've learned through 2020 is that I had to learn how to love myself. My mom put it like this, "You got to learn how to love Daniel." I don't publicize this a lot, but depression is something that I've dealt with since childhood. I think I can speak for a lot of people that this year especially, it feels like those of us that have those mental health issues, we hit a wall this year. It's something the church has finally become more vocal about it. I got trust issues too so I definitely don't open up to every body. When I say I got trust issues, the response is usually, "Well you shouldn't feel that way." Why do we feel that we can dictate how or what people feel from time to time? Every house is different. Even in the church. That line might cost me.

I found this definition of love, "to feel deep affection for" or "like or enjoy very much." So when one tells me, "You got to learn how to love Daniel," it tells me that I have to find deep affection for Daniel. I got to learn how to like and enjoy Daniel. I spend a lot of time alone by myself. When people talk about their circles, I barely got a dot. When I let people in, and when I feel that the circle is growing, it always seems like they disappear out of thin air and I'm by myself again. That's part of the reason why when you see me out in public, I usually keep a straight face so that I don't let people in only to have my heart broken again. Again, this line might cost me, but even amongst church folks. When I'm home, most likely I'm listening to music, or watching funny Youtube Videos just to help keep my head together.

I wrote a post some months ago taken from a New Edition song entitled, "Do You Really Love Me, Don't You Really Care." That was something I've asked myself regarding people around me all the time. Like when people ask me how am I doing, do they really want to know or are they asking to get something out of me. I want to publicly thank those that don't let me stay down when I get down. I want to publicly thank those that have the spiritual eyes and ears to know that I'm not ok sometimes. No matter how much I try to hide it.

I've had panic attacks at random times. The worse one came from when I was working at this manufacturing plant. I was at my station working and I couldn't stop crying. I could barely walk. I was dizzy. I ended up getting sent home because my partner that was working with me at the station saw that something wasn't right so she told the floor leader and she ended up sending me home. Here's the problem. My job was an hour away from where I live. So imagine in that state of mind driving home trying to stay focused. It was nothing but the grace of God that got me home safely.

I don't want to use that "s" word, but yes that has come to mind. In the state of depression that word is bound to come up from time to time, and believe me it has. I always went back to that old song, "Something down inside of me telling me to go 'head." But even with that something, I still needed to learn how to love myself and not be selfish to the fact that how would it affect others if I'd actually went through with it.

The problem then comes with the fact that I'm supposed to be a man of faith. I type all these blogs feeling dead inside sometimes and I get comments about how people enjoyed the posts and how the posts were inspiring. I remember at my 11th high school reunion, don't ask, I was approached by an old classmate and she told me that she enjoyed the posts. Even with those small glimmers of hope, I'd still feel empty like what is this all for in the end? 

Learning how to love yourself also means learning how to forgive yourself. If you've asked God for forgiveness, and you know that He has forgiven you, that should be enough for you to also say that you forgive yourself. I quote Kirk Franklin a lot, and I'm going to quote him again. On a interview on TBN, Kirk said, "David was a whore monger. David was a adulterer. David was a horrible husband. He was a horrible father, but somewhere in the text it says that David was a man after God's own heart." So what am I saying? God sees the worth despite of the mess. Somehow or another I had to learn how to see my worth despite of my mess. 

I talked about mental health, and it is an important subject in today's times more than ever, but we have to take the proper precautions to protect it. That means we can't watch everything. That means we got to cut off some dead branches so we can grow properly. That means that as much as I miss some of the people that used to be in my life, I got to let some if not all of them go. Song writer said, "I'm not going back, moving ahead. I'm here to declare to you my past is over in You all things all made new. Surrendered my life to Christ, and I'm moving forward." It is written, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Now with all that being said that doesn't stop life from happening. It is written, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above  that you are able; but will with temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." In other words, God will never put more on you than you can bear. 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."

All this to say that I'm on the pathway of learning how to love/like Daniel. I still got a ways to go, but with God's help and with the help of the right people, I'm going to make it. Paul told the Philippians, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Stay Saved, 

Daniel Richerson

If you search for Kirk Franklin Steve Harvey TBN testimony from 2011, you'll find the video of Kirk dropping a lot of jewels. 

DO YOU STILL BELIEVE?

 Isaiah 64:4 "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."

1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." 

The bible is still right. I know the phrase, "Holiness is still right" is the big cliche in the Pentecostal church. While I agree that Holiness is still right, but I question what are we really talking about. Are we talking about Holiness or are we talking about tradition? Are you talking about holiness or are we talking about style? 

Hebrews 12:14 "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

Romans 14:19 "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things where with one may edify another."

How can you say Holiness is right when we can't even get along with each other sometimes? Holiness is right while at the same time what we say on Social Media...it's not adding up. 

1 John 4:20-21 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen. And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." 

How can we say holiness is still right while at the same time hate a person based on the lifestyle they live that may be different than how we live? So again, I ask, what is holiness? Again I say, the bible is still right. We're in the 4th quarter of 2020. The Bible is still right. Covid-19 doesn't seem to be going away, but the Bible is still right. Those verses I quoted at the beginning still hold up. I still believe eyes haven't seen the great things in store. I still believe God's promises are still yea and amen. I still believe His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I still believe 2 Chronicles 7:14. "If my people..." I still believe  in "they that wait..." 

The old song asks a question, "Whose report will you believe?" The response is, "We shall believe the report of the Lord." Do you still believe that God has the final say? I watched an interview with Dave Chappelle and Dave Letterman on Netflix. Chappelle, who is a Muslim, said, "I believe that God is in control, no matter what I worry about." I was going to write a post about are you walking about faith or by sight? It is written, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." I know, but the question still remains, are you walking by faith or by sight? Is what you're seeing affecting your relationship with your Faith?

Romans 10:9 "...that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart the God hath raise him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

IT'S NOT TOO LATE

 I was waiting to post something new, but something my little sister told me, "Don't stop being creative." Through this pandemic, it hasn't been all bad. A lot of people worked on making their dreams come true. A lot of people started new businesses. Some people actually used this time of quarantine wisely. Now if you're like me, time got away from you during this time. I can speak for myself, my anxiety went from 50 to 100 real quick. I would have ideas to go back on YouTube, to start a book, to put a group of blogs together for a possible book, and yet here we are. I've always had anxiety issues, but like America did with racism, I swept it under a rug and thought I had it under control.

As I'm typing this we're going on 8 months of nobody really knowing what to do. People want things to go back to normal, but at the same time we got to define what is normal. Do we continue to sweep the issues we have as a nation under a rug and continue to go on day by day without acknowledging said issues. I know from personal experience if you continue to try to contain the issues without talking about them, you are going to blow up. This is exactly what happened in America. America swept racism under a rug and tried to keep that part of its history concealed. Then George Floyd happened. Breonna Taylor happened. Elijah McClain happened. Countless other incidents happened reported or not. And boom went the dynamite. Point is, we can't heal what we can't reveal. Kirk Franklin once said, "A doctor can only heal what we reveal." 

So what's next? Unfortunately we can't go back in time and fix what we did or didn't do to fix the timeline. So what do we do? I was sitting down one night and I heard this as clear as day,
"As long as you're breathing, it's not too late to make your dreams come true." The same God that did it for others the last 7 months, can do it for you this month. The question then comes that I've asked before in a previous blog, what do you want to do? What is that dream that you can't let go of? What is that thing that you can do? Then comes the effort. Then comes where the Bible says, "Faith without works is dead." Then comes where I heard it said, "You got to put feet on them prayers." We've been sitting down on it too long. We've been letting it fester too long. Let's get up and get it. Three words that I've seen from a lot of posts on social media, including some of my blog posts, simply "Don't give up." 

The Bible says, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to younger place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." The Good News Bible says it like this, "I assure you that if you have faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this hill, 'Go from here to there!' and it will go. You could do anything!" Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing shall be impossible." Ephesians 3:20 "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us..." 

A  song that I've had on repeat, He'll Do It by Fred Hammond, goes, "My faith will carry me right to my destiny. I am sure and there's no doubt in my mind He'll do It." I suggest listening to that song it's been very motivational for me to keep going. 

So let's stop sitting around doing nothing but being jealous of those who went and got it. The Bible says, God has no respect of persons. God shows no partiality. Let's stop letting fear stop us from making moves. If a little bit of faith can move a mountain, imagine what a little bit of faith can do with your dreams and aspirations? If you're reading this, that means you're breathing. That means you still have shot. That means we still have a shot to make our dreams come true. James Fortune said it like this, "Dream again." 

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH IS STILL FAITH

 "Something down inside of me telling me to go ahead"

"I almost gave up but a power that I can't explain fell from heaven like a shower." (Kirk Franklin)

"I'll trust You, though is not easy. Sometimes the pain in my life makes You seem so far away, but I'll trust You. I need to know You're here. Through the tears and the pain. Through the heartache and rain. I'll trust you." (James Fortune)

"In spite of all I've done, Jesus You keep on looking out for me." (Kirk Franklin)

"If I concentrate on all the bad

And all the things I wish I had

How can the dark clouds ever pass?

Weeping may endure for a night

But joy comes in the morning light

God'll keep your spirit right

So, no matter what the people say

Ain't nobody takin' this joy away

Inspite of everything I've been through

I can say

Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus" (Kirk Franklin)

In 2014 around September, I believe, I had a job working at this company Velux. As I am now, I was stand offish because I didn't know anybody, which made me an easy target of jokes. I was in my late 20s still dealing with other people talking about him. That's beside the point. One particular night, I was eating lunch which was a little bit of leftover Chinese food. One of my coworkers made a comment about how much food I had or didn't. I then made a comment that went something like, "Well, I've had less." Basically pointing out the fact that a little more than 3 years prior I didn't know when my next meal was coming from. So that then turned into a conversation about my story. Not having a home not having a  meal. I basically shared my story. That was really the first time I opened up about that. I got comfortable to finally having a roof over my head, and no longer being hungry like I was. I never really shared what I went through. So when I shared, I broke down. I tried my best to stop the tears from falling, but I didn't win that fight. What really broke me even more was after lunch break, I was still trying to get myself together. I was at my spot trying to do my job the best I can. Another one of my coworkers heard about what happened and my story, and he said, "To go through what you've gone through and still be able to stand here and work. You're a hell of a man." That was it for me.

I bring this story up because it was at this point where I felt that there was a reason for me to make it through all that I went through. It was as that point where I felt that I didn't go through what I went through for nothing. It was at that point where I felt that I had purpose. I knew I had purpose, but I didn't really feel that I had purpose. That night showed me, even if it was a glimmer, it showed me that my story meant something. Being a church kid, being raised where testimony service was still a thing, I heard, "We're overcome by the word of our testimony and the blood of the lamb." I believe that's based on Revelation 12:11. Song writer said, "My test became my testimony to tell." 

I'm not the only one with a story. I'm not the only one that knows what hope looks like. A glimmer of hope is still hope. A little bit of faith is still faith. Old song says, "You don't need a whole lot, just use what you got. Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith." So I encourage you, and I encourage myself, to hold on to that faith. Hold on to that hope. God loves you despite of whatever you did or done. How can I say that? Well Romans 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angles, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

That was the first time an idea of writing a book came to mind, but I never really went in on it. I was still dealing with depression and self-doubt. In some ways, I'm still dealing with it. So the question is, how do I keep going on? How do I keep walking with my limp, as Jonathan McReynolds put it. To be honest, not to be cliche. It's God. Old song says, "He could have let me drown, but instead He took me in"

The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." A mustard seed of faith can move mountains. We got to stay in the Bible. Stay in the field. Old song says, "Stay in the field, until the war is ended." I know we want people to care about us, but we got to care about us. We got to find value in ourselves. We got to see the worth in us. Somehow we got to learn to see through God's eyes not our own eyes. The Bible says, "Death and life is in the power of the tongue." So what are you speaking over yourself? What are you speaking over situations? What are you speaking? 

I heard Kirk Franklin say some time ago, "We no longer have to perform for God. We can go to God just as we are." What's that mean? Some churches look at you strange if you don't praise right. If you don't dance right. You can't praise like anybody else because you didn't go through what they went through. You know what you went through. Praise God for you not for anybody else. I heard somebody say, "Give God a praise that don't belong to anybody else." 

Now I put songs at the beginning. These are just some of the songs that help me get my mind right when I get down. When my anxiety kicks in, I go to songs like these. I go to people that I know can pray like my Mom and my little sister. I try to stay positive while I'm scared. I try to stay sane while feeling insane. I learn how to take the meat and spit out the bones. One thing I am making sure of is that I don't become so down that I don't fall for every "word" that comes my way. Why? Because a lot of pastors and leaders, not your pastor, not my pastor, but some pastors have become predators in sense that they're preying on your emotions. Even tough we're in a pandemic, those people that charge you for a prayer are still preying. Be careful. Hollywood is not the only place that's full of actors.

That's all I got for this one. I hope you got something out of it. If you read this far, can you please share? Thank you for reading.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

DONT LET DOUBT KILL YOU

To those of us to put on the mask of smiling the mask of faking that we are ok. How are you really doing? Are you doing ok? Well, I just want to say three simple words. Don't. Give. Up. 

Oxford defines doubt, "a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction." The verb form is defined as "feel uncertain about." A lot of us try to take the leap of faith but end up falling before we get to the other side due to panic or doubt. We feel that surge of energy to chase your dreams or do to just do what God tells you to do, but that little hole of doubt sets in and you end up procrastinating. You end up sitting in fear because you're too scared to do something. James 2:26 in the Contemporary English Version says, "Anyone who doesn't breathe is dead, and faith that doesn't do anything is just as dead!" If it takes faith to get started, it's going to take faith to keep doing.

It is written that without faith it's impossible to please God. So why do we try to please God with our performance? That's for another post.

When we find ourselves holding on by a thin thread, we got to have faith enough to believe that God can turn that thread into a closet full of blessings upon blessings.  They say watch out for that first step it's a doozie. "Doozie" meaning it's a big step or it's a deep step. The late Pastor Gray would tell me to walk the path that God has set before me. The path is set before you, but you still have to get on the path and walk. 

I know you're nervous, but take the step anyway. I know you're crying but take the step anyway. I know you've been through ups and downs, but take the step anyway. 2 Corinthians 5:7 in the King James Version says, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." Again I quote the late Pastor Gray, "Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eye can see." Now that doesn't mean what you see is not there. That means you got to keep going despite of what you see. You got to keep moving. Don't give up. Things may be moving slow, but take the step anyway. Things may look to be in a stand still, but take that step anyway. 

Paul said in Philippians 3:12-14 (New International Version), "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I don't consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"

We're all taking this one step at a time. It's not wise to drive one way while looking in your rear view mirror. That's how crashes happen. If you're looking back, you're liable to run into a tree. You're liable to run into another car. You're liable to get out of your own lane and go into somebody else's. Don't let doubt of what's coming cause you to go back to what didn't work before. Or it may have worked, but what if God is taking you to new. We got some people letting the doubt of new hold them back. We sing songs like, "You make all things new, and I will follow you forward." But when new shows up it's, "We've never did it this way before." One thing about this Covid-19, is that it made people change. It forced people to think of "new" ways, when you had no time to dwell on your doubt and the doubt that comes from others, including family. Old song says, Keep your eyes on the prize, never mind what you left behind. Take the step anyway.

I thank you for reading. If you got something out of it, could you share please with your people. This was really directed at me. I'm 33. At times I'm scared, but I got to take the step anyway.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THEY WON'T LISTEN

Some feel like your voice is not being heard. Feel like your voice is falling on deaf ears. You sometimes feel like screaming because you feel like nothing is being accomplished. So you begin to ask a question, "Why should I keep talking? Nobody is listening anyway." I believe a lot of young preachers feel like this. I believe a lot of young people feel this way in regards to opening up to their parents. Simply, my answer is keep talking. It only takes one seed, and you don't know what that one seed is going to turn into.

If you read Matthew 13:1-9;18-23, Jesus shares and explains a parable talking about a farmer planting seeds. Explaining that some seeds fall on good ground, stony ground...some seeds get eaten by birds, and yet the farmer keeps throwing the seeds out. When you're sharing the truth about racism, or the truth about the Gospel, your job is the plant the seed. Every plant you see was a seed. Every idea started out as a seed. 

Hosea 10:12 talks of breaking the fallow ground. The Winans put it like this, "Break up that fallow ground. Before these Earthly cares choke you out, turn you around. Break up the fallow ground." Trying to speak to people that already has a made up heart and mind, it's a tough wall to get through. It's written that the day you hear God's voice harden not your heart. Why? God is love. When your heart is hardened, you're not going to let any one in. God wants your heart. Out of the abundance of the heart the  mouth speaks right? What are you speaking out of? It is written with love and kindness have I drawn them. I've heard it said you can draw more flies with honey than you you can with vinegar. 

Don't let anybody tell you how to use your voice. You got people speaking one way, and questioning other's for not using their voice the same way. Questioning ones heart because they are not doing things the way you did it or do it. Where have I seen/heard that before? I don't know about you but that logic reminds me of how some, some I said, church folk feel about praise and worship. If you don't praise God like the who ever has the microphone tells you too, you'll get accused of "not praising." Because obviously, you praise to be seen. Like you protest obviously to be seen. In Matthew 6 Jesus says repeatedly, "thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." It also talks about, when you do things to be seen, you already have your reward. 

So what do you do when nobody wants to listen? What do you don when it seems like nobody cares what you got to say? What do you do when you're talking but nobody likes the way you're presenting it? Keep talking. Some seeds fall on good ground some don't. You can't control the soil in this scenario. Keep talking. Keep posting. Let your voice be heard. Continue to speak the truth in love. So what you don't do it like everybody else. We all got our own race to run, and everybody don't run the same way. Somebody is waiting to hear you, and they can't hear you if you're mouth is shut. Pray that people will break that fallow ground and allow the truth to enter in the hearts. Ye shall now the truth and the truth shall make you free.

Thanks for reading. I hope you got something out of it. I'm still tired mentally, but I got this out. If you did get something out of it, I ask that you share this by retweeting and/or sharing on your Facebook, or how ever else you can. 

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

CHECK THE SNOUT

I looked up the definition of prey and a couple of definitions came to mind, but this one definition caught my eye, "to have an injurious, destructive, or wasting effect."

Webster defines the act of praying, "to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving"

In the wild, when a predator is on the hunt, they usually don't go after the strongest victim. Sometimes the most vulnerable prey is the one that ends up getting caught. The one that's not paying attention. That's the one that gets got.

1 Peter 5:8  "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Matthew 7:15-20 KJV, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

I'm going to share the same verses from Matthew from the Message Bible, "Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned."

We've all heard the saying wolves in sheep's clothing. Don't be impressed with clothing. A clean suit doesn't mean anointing. A clean suit doesn't mean pure in heart. A pimp knows how to look good in a suit too. A drug dealer. A politician. So it has to be more than the right clothes. A white collar doesn't make you a preacher. Basically what I'm saying is, check the snout. There's a difference between the snout of a sheep and a snout of a wolf.

Be careful of who you're listening to. During this time a lot of people have itching ears, and people will tell you anything to satisfy that itch. You don't have to go into everyone's live feed. This is not the time to be church hopping. Ever hear the older generation talk about they don't eat everyone's cooking? Why? You don't know what they put in the food. You don't know if they got cats or dogs all up in the food while preparing the food. You don't know for sure that they washed prior to touching the food. So naturally, so spiritually. You don't know the motives behind the message. You don't know what the message is seasoned with. Is the message using scripture in the proper context or are they using scripture to satisfy the ears of the vulnerable? Be alert. Be sober. 

Ephesians 4:26-32, "Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.  Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

It's ok to be angry. I believe a lot of us are angry. Angry about the racism. Angry about the ignorance. Angry about politics. It's ok to be angry, but don't let the anger push you to do something stupid. Inhale, exhale. Use the anger as motivation to do something productive. Use that anger to do something constructive. This doesn't mean that you let people walk over you. You're standing up for yourself in way that productive and not destructive. At the same time you poke a bear long enough...that's when you use God as your back up. You do as the old hymn says. "Have a little talk with Jesus. Tell Him all about your troubles. He will hear the faintest cry. And He'll answer by and by. When you feel the prayer wheel turning. You'll know that the fire is burning. Just a little talk with Jesus makes it all right."

Exodus 14:14, "The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

Thank you for reading. I ask that you share this with everyone you like and don't like if you got something out of it.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

IN DUE SEASON

Romans 14:10-13 "Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother."

Matthew 7:3-5 "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

We're busy trying to cancel people. We're busy trying to play God, meaning we're acting like we have a heaven or hell to put anybody in. We've been on the umbilical cord too long. I respect the old school just as much as anybody else, but we've been feeding off the old school too long that some of us haven't opened the Bible for ourselves. Some have been on milk so long that when someone comes with solid food, they spit it out. Some of us have been so connected to the old school mentality that when the message comes in a new way, we cast it out as demonic when actually it's God trying to tell you something. It's time to cut the umbilical cord. Listen cutting the cord does not dismiss the old school and all the good that it bought.  The old saying goes like this, "Take the meat, and spit out the bones."

We're all exhausted. We all need a break from the news and social media because just about every other posts reminds us that we have a long way to go as a nation. We have a long way to go as a body of Christ. All these posts should push us to to prayer. Should push us to talking more with God and less to our phones or computers. Prayer and fasting still works if you use it. There's a screw driver on my dresser that is not being used. Doesn't mean it's broken. It's just not being used. The folks outside the church realize how important fasting is, why can't the church? The church has belittled the world so much, it's no wonder that people like to window shop churches besides going in a buying anything. Like how black people don't go certain places because they know that they don't get treated right when they go to that certain place. So the question becomes what kind of church do people see when they look in your window? Is it a church of love and kindness? Or is it a church of open rebuke and a dress code?

Imagine if God chose to cancel us after we messed up. The wages of sin is death, right? So imagine if God was like man? Imagine how you would feel? I know people that won't come back to church now because of what we're doing to other people that misspoke. People disregard church hurt like it's meaningless, but it's just like being treated like the proverbial red headed step child. You're technically with us, but you get none of the benefits. Who would want to be in that kind of family? You wonder why kids join gangs instead of finding a church home?

Galatians 6:9 " And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

I know we're getting tired of protesting. We're getting tired of trying to explain why we get angry about police brutality. Why we get angry about racism. Keep going. Yes, we've been marching for years. We've been pleading our case for years. In due season. We've never seen a world wide support like this. We've never seen a death of an unarmed black man cause this much outrage globally. We've never seen so much support from white people, specifically white celebrities. In due season. Don't faint. If they aren't listening, keep talking. If they don't care, keep talking. I remember plenty of times I'd sit in class not giving two cares about what the teacher was saying, but they kept talking. Because they knew they had a job to do. We have a job to do. We have a message that needs to be sent out.

The last clause of Romans 10:14 "And how are they to hear without someone preaching?"

I know there's people on my timeline that don't agree with what I blog about and what I post on my social media, but I still believe that the message needs to be heard. I believe that once you're truly sick and tired of being sick and tired, you're going to do something about it. Saying goes, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

Thank you for reading. As preachers that go live on FB say, can I get as many of you that can to please share? I thank those that do share my thoughts on their social media. I thank those that like to comment in person. Thank you for reading. Feel free to go down the timeline and check out the other posts that I've done over the years.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

OPEN THOUGHTS TO THOSE WHO DON'T CARE

I was told when the whole Kaepernick situation was going on, that what Kaepernick was doing was not only against the American Flag, it was against God. The young man that told me that was a proud southern white man. I couldn't even make it make sense how protesting police brutality is against God? Now with the George Floyd situation happening, it got me wondering, where we at now? Is what happened to George Floyd more God fearing? Will those cops have open access to Heaven for what they did?

I got to thinking about my family, and I wonder if other mixed people are feeling the same way. I see my black cousins speaking out and speaking up on what's going on. I know I'm not "all the way black" but I do own a mirror. I hear what I sound like. I realize that it could be me. I could be a hashtag. And with that being said, I found myself thinking about more of my white side of the family, mainly the ones I haven't met. If it was me, would you care then, or would I just be another dead nigga? What scares me is that I got some family members crying angry over George Floyd, and I got some family members who could care less.

You know what? I just want to say thank you to all of those who say, All Lives Matter, in response to Black Lives Matter. I want to say thank you to those who are silent. I want to say thank you for those who like to argue with my generation and not talk to our generation. I say thank you because now we know who really cares and who doesn't. Who really cares that it could've easily been me or my black family members to become a hashtag all because of the way we look.

Why do I say that when people say All Lives Matter they don't care? Cause I'm literally crying in your face and because you're not crying you're wondering why should I be crying? I'm telling you I got a headache, but you're saying because you don't have a headache, why should you care about mine? My pain matters too. Our pain matters. Not saying yours don't, but I'm screaming. Let me scream! Don't say you shouldn't scream cause I'm not screaming. Ask me why am I screaming? How can I help? Humanity. "All lives matter in the eyes of God." So, you're saying that God doesn't hear the cry of black people because he cares for all lives. So if a parent has a couple of kids and one of them are crying, this parent shouldn't hear the cry of that one due to having other kids.

Matthew 18:10-15 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

There's an old hymn called That One Lost Sheep,

"The Shepherd went out to search for His sheep

And all thro' the night on the rocky steep

He sought till he found him

With love bands he bound him

And I was that one lost sheep"

Those who are silent. Silence is speaking loud right now. Silence is conforming. This is not the time for silence. If you're silent, I can't hear that you care. I can't hear if you hear my cry. I can't hear if you don't care.

Some people are looking to argue and not looking to have a conversation. That's why some people in my generation don't go to the older generation. We're tired of conversation that turn into arguments. We just want answers. We want direction. We want help. If they're not willing to help, do your own research.

"Good cop, good cop, where is your dignity?
Where's your empathy?
Where is your sympathy?
Bad cop, where's your humanity?
Good cop, is that just a fantasy?" ~ Good Cop Bad Cop, Ice Cube

"Tell me what has become of my rights
Am I invisible because you ignore me?
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, now
I'm tired of bein' the victim of shame
They're throwing me in a class with a bad name
I can't believe this is the land from which I came
You know I do really hate to say it
The government don't want to see
But if Roosevelt was livin'
He wouldn't let this be, no, no" ~ They Don't Care About Us, Michael Jackson

To all that are against black lives mattering, to all the white supremacist in my family, I want to say that I still love you. I'm praying for you. To my family, if we ever meet, I hope we can hug like family and not fight like enemies. Sadly I haven't met a lot of my family members on my Dad's side and regardless of the reason, and I don't even know if you'll ever read this. But I just want to say, I'm Daniel Richerson. I'm mixed. Not by choice. I'm family. If you don't want to accept that, that's ok. I'm still praying for you. I still love you even though you probably don't love me.

And to my family members who are down, who really cares, I see you. Respect. When we're allowed to BBQ again---

~Daniel Richerson

HOW LONG WILL THIS CYCLE CONTINUE?

"When the weight of this whole world
Tries to slay me
A strong tower from the enemy
You will be for me
So I need to find this place
Yes the special secret place
I'm assured of Your embrace
The place I ca'll my sanctuary
There You are" ~ Lead Me To The Rock, Stephen Hurd

"Truth is I'm tired
Options are few
I'm trying to pray
But where are you?
I'm all churched out
Hurt and abused
I can't fake
What's left to do?
Truth is I'm weak
No strength to fight
No tears to cry
Even if I tried
But still my soul
Refuses to die
One touch-will change-my life" ~Take Me To The King, Tamela Mann

"Pass me not oh gentle savior
Hear my humble cry
While on others thou art calling
Do not pass me by"

The last few posts were focused on mental health. Focused on not holding stuff in and finding people to talk to. Talking about all that, and then the reality of America comes to fruition. The reality that if you're black in America, you are still counted less than a human being. It feels like being black in America, you're still counted as 3/5 of a human being. One would think that the 3/5 compromise was not in affect anymore. Michael Jackson, God rest his soul, put out a song back in 1995 that says, "All I want to say is that they don't really care about us."

Proverbs 23:7a "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" America has tried to push racism under the proverbial rug, but never bothered to address it. I watched this adult cartoon, Family Guy. On a particular episode they had a cut away where the slave owner told the slave he was free and then asked the slave, "So, we're cool right?" It feels like that's what happen after the civil rights movement. America to black people, "So, we're cool right?"

There's a Will Smith quote making the rounds, "Racism is not new, it's being filmed." That's facts. But even when it's not filmed, we should care just as much. People were mad at the group NWA back in the late 80s when the song, F The Police was released. Instead of looking into why the song was written in the first place, or listening to the rallying cry that the song was talking about, they got brushed off as just about of "thugs." Good thing that doesn't happen in 2020....cough cough. The world did to NWA what the church does to the world which is look at what they look like and what they're wearing and disregard them. Maybe the problem is not the clothes. Maybe the problem is the heart that's corrupt. 

Now some may look at me as a mixed man and ask why do I care? Why do I care about Blacks Lives Matter. Why I do I talk as if I'm a black man when I'm mixed? Well first of all, let's not act like being mixed is all Sunshine and rainbows. Let's not act like when I go out in public I don't get looks. Let's not act like when my parents were together, and we went out as a family, we got stared at like we were illegal. Like we were in South Africa during apartheid. I can remember when we would visit my Dad's side of the family in Kentucky, we'd stop at Wendys to get something to eat, and the atmosphere was scary. I remember feeling like I didn't belong. Kinda like I was counted as 3/5...yeah so that's why I speak up. I may not have had a bad encounter with the police, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. All it takes is one time. All it takes is one time for me to get pulled over by the wrong cop and all the sudden I'm a hashtag.

The church has been quiet on this issue for too long. The church has swept this under the rug for too long. It's time to speak up. It's time to say hey, enough is enough. It's to work the faith. It's time to as my dad would say, "Put feet on them prayers." How many more wake up calls do we need? How many more decades have to pass? How many more generations have to hear songs like "F The Police" by NWA or "Good Cop Bad Cop" by Ice Cube and say, "That's still relevant today." How many more moments do we have to get by? How many more deaths do we have to "get over?" When is enough really going to be enough? When are we going to stop hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock? When are we going to listen to the cries of the people and stop putting a pacifier in the mouths so they will shut up? 

This world needs hope. This world needs Jesus. This world needs love. Agape love. True love. That love of Jesus that we say we have? The world needs that. The world needs to see that. Put down the religious rule books. Put down the religious traditions, and show people Jesus. If Jesus gives you joy, why not present that to this joyless society? I'm tired.

I know it's not all police. I know it's not all white people. I know it's not all---but one bad apple...

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

DO YOU REALLY LOVE? DON'T YOU REALLY CARE?

For Hana Kimura. 22 year old professional wrestler. Death by suicide. 22 years old. Adult life never really got started. I never watched her perform, but that doesn't matter. What hurts is that she was so young and thought that life wasn't worth it. What also hurts is that what about those that are not being reported that's happening right around your block or dare I say right in your church. What about them? What are we doing as a body of believers to show that we care? What are we doing as a body to show that there's hope? Why are we continuing to sing to each other that "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness" and not singing that to people that need to hear it? How long will we say that we need to get out the four walls of the church and...get out the four walls? Shouts out to the people and the ministries doing the work.

Mark 2:16-17 "And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are w'ell have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15-16 "This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them, but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life."

I once led a song by Dewayne Woods called God is that said, "God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Based off Psalm 73:26 that says, "My flesh and my heart faileth:  but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever."

If we're going to present that God is love and we don't show love, then what's the point? Salvation is an action. To live is an action. We got to learn how to love each other. I think one of the problems may be as to why we don't show the love of Jesus to the "world" is that we don't show it to each other. How can we tell people that they need Jesus and we can't even show the love of Jesus to each other? We don't even care about the mental health of people in the sanctuary.

I understand that you can't go to everyone to vent because some people just don't care. They'll say anything to end the conversation because they don't want to dig in to what the real issue may be. There's some people that really care. Some people need an ear not a mouth. That'll preach. Sometimes in prayer you need to be more of an ear and less of a mouth. Moving on.

How many more suicides do we need to see before we start to care? How many more leaders have to commit suicide before we pray for our leaders? The Clark Sisters put out a song "Pray for the USA." Are we? Am I? I know this is random. New Edition's first hit, "Candy Girl." There's a part of the song that repeats in my head. "Do you really love me? Don't you really care?"

Thanks for reading. Please, if you need an ear, there's someone willing to listen. There's someone that cares. I'm going to end it like this. "Souls in danger. Look above. For Jesus completely saves. He will lift you by His love out of the angry waves. He's the master of the sea. Billows His will obeys. He your savior wants to be, be saved today." I know I repeat myself in some of these posts, and that's not my goal. My goal is to spread hope through this hopeless time.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

WE CAN'T BREAK DURING THIS SEASON

I'm not going to try to speak for everybody, but I will speak for myself. My anxiety has been making itself known during this season we're all going through. As a church kid, we don't get much teaching on how to handle anxiety. I'm glad that finally mental health is getting the focus it's been needing for years.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. There's a saying that goes, "A closed mouth don't get fed." Another one goes like this "We have not because we ask not" You can't get an answer if you don't ask the question. I once heard Kirk Franklin break it down like this, "A doctor can only heal what we reveal." Don't wait until it's too late. Have a little talk with Jesus tell him about your troubles. He'll lead you in the right direction. You want to talk to someone that won't prejudge you while you're talking. You won't find a lot of people like that. Not saying there aren't any, but it's not a guarantee. Jesus is that guarantee.

With that being said, I'm not going to sit here and say that it's easy to go to Jesus for your problems, when some of the people that serve Jesus won't even lead you to Him. People give you such generic responses to you pouring your heart out because the odds are some people don't care anyway. I believe one of the problems is that when people come to Christians for advise or just to have a heart to heart, some believers can't lay down the man made title and put on the title genuine. If there was ever a time for people need to genuine care for each other is now.

I have a tendency of holding stuff in for a long time. I'm not good at calling people because I need to talk. Even though at times that's what I really need to do, I don't. My fear of reaction stops me from calling people. I've always had anxiety anyway, but with this "pandemic" it feels like it's become harder for me. I put so much pressure on myself because of comparison. Meaning that I often find myself comparing my situation with that past generations and that's when the fear of "generational curse" comes in. I get in a mood set sometimes when I live not to disappoint. Sometimes I find myself doing things not because I need to do them, but fear of not pleasing people that have gave me advise of what to do. So in my mind, if I don't do it exactly how they told me to do it, I'm doing it wrong. This is what I live with. So when if I'm giving someone a ride or if you see me at church, the mask is on. Doing what I got to do to get done what I need to get done only to come back home and have the same anxiety that I hide from everyone. 

One of my go to songs has been Okay by Canton Jones. I just want to hear to Lord, it's going to be okay. Another go to song for me has been Help Me by James Fortune. The title speaks for itself. Sometimes that's been my prayer, help me.

We got to find a way to continue to lift our hands. We got to find a way to not break. We got to find a way to stay in the field until the war is ended. We got to find a way to meditate on the Bible day and night "so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Find a way to put it on the altar and leave it there. God did not bring us this far just to leave us. So what i'm saying to everybody reading, and what I'm saying to Daniel, don't be afraid to ask for help. We can't break in this season. I heard a preacher compare it to a pine tree. Bend but don't break. 

Thanks for reading. Be sure to leave a comment and share with your peoples.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

KEEP ME WHERE THE LIGHT IS

For most the first Bible verse they remember learning is John 3:16. For me, the first Bible verse I remember learning is Psalm 119:105. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." I remember my sister and I was at this day care on East North Street in Greenville SC that's not even there anymore. It was called Rocking Horse Daycare. One day they had this video in that was like a biblical music for kids. One song that stuck with me for some reason was a song based on Psalm 119:105. I had no idea what it meant at the time, but of all the songs that was on the video that was the song that left its imprint.

Another version of that verse says, "Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me." Joshua 1:8, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written there in; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." 

John Meyer penned this song called, "Gravity," and I came across a cover of that song from Clark Beckham and Yebba Smith. And the part of that song that stuck with me is where it says, "Keep me where the light is shining." An old hymn says, "Keep me on Your pathway Lord. I don't want to stumble, I don't want to fall."

Can I be honest? My prayer during most of this whole thing that we're going through has been, "Lord, keep me where the light is shining." With so much distractions from social media, to the news media, and from religious people, I just want to stay in the light. I just want to be found where light is shining bright. Old song says, "Shine on me. Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me." The thing about the lighthouse is the light has to be bright so that the boats in the sea can see where to go. If the light is dim, how can people see? If you're stopped by the police at night, those blue and red lights are bright for you to see that the cops want you to pull over. Some of us have allowed our light go dim and we don't even know it. We're trying to shine it in the midst of the darkness, and people can't even see it.

How can you know where to go when you can't see? It's hard to read a book while it's closed. A flashlight doesn't fulfill its purpose when it's turned off. Song writer said, "Whatever you do, don't let your light go out." Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." If your light is shining, sometimes you don't have to say a word. The reason why this can't just be a Sunday or Wednesday thing is because the people that need to see that light may not even walk in the sanctuary. They may be at the store. They may be at your job. They may be in your neighborhood. When I was a kid we sang a song based on Matthew 5:16. All my cogic kids know what I'm talking about. "Let it shine! Let it shine all over the world. Let it glorify the Lord."

Can I share something? I was watching this video and in it this guy said every where he walks he sees darkness, but somehow he knows there's a light. Keep me where the light is. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing down my face. That was a moment with God that I didn't know I needed. No shout music. No fabrication of what we have turned church into. It was just a simple message. I just want to be where the light is shining bright.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

SAME JESUS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, HE'S STILL

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

A commentary says, "In a changing world we can trust our unchanging Lord." What was Jesus to you before quarantine? Was He your healer? Was He your provider? Was He your shelter? Whatever He was to you, He's still that. The 5th and 6th verse of that same chapter in Hebrews in the ESV says, "Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" 

I mentioned this in posts before, Psalms 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?" 2 Timothy 1:7 in the KJV says, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Same verse in the ESV says, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control." Keep your head in the game. This is not the time to let go. Song writer said, "The devil really had me, but Jesus came and grabbed me." He had you and He still.

Psalm 30:11 "Thou has turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou has put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;" (KJV)

Psalm 30:11 "You turned my loud crying into dancing. You removed my clothes of sadness and dressed me with joy." (New International Reader's Version)

Song writer said, "What ever your problem is wave it away. What ever your trouble is wave it away. Give it to Jesus. He can bare them." Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." 

That still applies today. The same love of Jesus that lifted you, is still holding you. He hasn't let go so you don't either. Hold on a little while longer as the song says and "everything will be all right." The name of Jesus still has power. Demons still tremble at the name of Jesus. The same Jesus that you couldn't live without when you first received Him, He's still. Psalms 147:3, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." He still.

The same Jesus that worked it out, is working. The same Jesus that healed, is healing. Be not dismayed, what ever be tide. God will take care of you. He hasn't gone anywhere. He's still there. Old Hymn says, "He was there all the time. He was there all the time. Waiting patiently in line. He was there all the time." Will you let him in? Will you let him stay in? Jesus is still.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

DON'T FORGET

At this point there's a lot of doubt setting in. At this point some of us don't know who or what to believe. Being it from the news media or from the pulpit. You got this news station saying this and that news station saying that. At the same time you got this preacher posting this and that preacher posting that. I'm nothing more than a guy who's trying to stay positive. Trying to stay vertical and not horizontal. Trying to build my hopes on things eternal. Trying to hold on to God's unchanging hand and not depend on the fear mongering news cycle.

Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak." There's a saying based on this verse that says, "Watch, fight, and pray." What I see going on is that there's a lot of watching and praying, but the fighting is with each other. Don't forget we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, "but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

Do I believe the devil caused this pandemic? No I don't. I do believe that the devil is using this as leverage to cause believers to forget old songs like, "I will trust in the Lord until I die." Forget old songs like "God has everything and everything belongs to him." Forgetting old songs like, "No ground, I'm giving up no ground. We got a cause worth fighting for, Satan we're not going to take no more. No ground, I'm giving up no ground. Cause I'm absolutely, positively glory bound." "Hallelujah anyhow. Never ever let your problems bring you down. If those problems come your way, hold your head up high and say, Hallelujah anyhow." "Don't wait 'till the battle's over, shout now."

2 Timothy 4:2 says, "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." The 5th verse of the same chapter says, "As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." Just because you can't preach behind a podium right now, doesn't mean you stop preaching.

Psalms 24: 7-10 "Life up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah."

Psalms 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?"

Don't Forget.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

CORONA

Corona Virus. I'm not going to pretend I know exactly what it is. I'm not going to pretend that I know exactly what we're supposed to do. I do know that it's being used to scare people. I do know that it has become a distraction. I do believe that God is control. I do believe God knows what He's doing.

It feels like God is using this to expose some things as well. Stevie Wonder said, "Tell me Holy, Holy Roller, Are you standing like a soidier? Are you standing for everything you're talking about?" In other words, are you hot or cold? Revelation 3:15-17  "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."

The corona virus has become water to a seed of disagreements between preachers. Have you noticed that there has been arguements between pastors on how to handle the Corona virus? Some preachers have even resulted to name calling. My belief the corona virus is not just a physical thing. It's a spirutal thing as well. I say spiritual because "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

Psalm 27:1-5 "The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the Lord , this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock."

Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord , and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord ."

Psalm 73:21-23, 25-26

'When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.'

Fear is going to try and set in. But as I heard my pastor say recently we got to put no parking sign up. We cannot allow fear and doubt to hinder our faith. Song writer said, "Keep the faith, don't give up. It's only a test." Another song says, "I know somehow, I know some way. We're gonna make it." Continue to love each other. Continue to pray for one another. Even after this passes by. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, but we need to stop allowing things to separate us from the love of each other. 

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

DON'T WAIT TILL IT'S TOO LATE

"For you and me this life is not promised. Tomorrow may never show up." - Mos Def, Umi Says, 1999

Like a lot of you I was taken back by the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, and my heart goes out to his family and to the families of the other lives that were taken. I found myself crying thinking about how life can end in just an instant. We take life for granted. We focus on trying to extend life besides just living for the moment. I understand getting healthy, and me myself I have to do much better with that. But if I focus on getting healthy and forget that I'm still angry at this or that person because of something petty, or I haven't been completely honest with this person and that person because of fear, then I'll just be healthy and miserable.

Please don't let another death come before you forgive. Don't let death come before you let your love ones that they are loved. Don't let another death come before you ask for help. My pastor said this today, "A closed mouth don't get fed." Stop hesitating. There's no progress in hesitation. Hesitation brings procrastination. Can't move forward and procrastinate at the same time believe me I've tried that for years and it hasn't worked yet. Matter of fact that is what I tried to do 10 years ago when I was supposed to have a "fresh start" and all I did was get a hair cut. You can get a a new hair cut and new clothes, but if your heart is still in the wrong place, it doesn't matter what you do on the outside. A makeover on the outside doesn't necessarily mean a makeover on the inside.

 

Hezekiah Walker put out a simple song years ago that says, "Won't He make you clean inside." The "He" is Jesus. The late Bishop G.E. Patterson preached, "Salvation is An Inside Job." There's an old song that says, "Get right church, and let's go home." It is written, "The day you hear my [Jesus] voice harden not your heart." John 9:4, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

Now I know that every after death, especially if it's a celebrity, everyone has a message. That's not what I'm trying to do. Truth is I've been wanting to post a new blog for some time now, I just couldn't get my words together. I didn't mean to type all this, I just wanted to get my thoughts out due to Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and the other people that were on the plane. Don't waste time in pettiness. Check on your people. Love on your people. If you got something to say, just say it. If you got something to do, then do it. 

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson