CHECK YOURSELF

Ice Cube once said, “You better check yourself before you wreck yourself.” Urban dictionary defines this particular phrase as, “Take a step back and examine your actions, because you are in a potentially dangerous or sticky situation that could get bad very easily. Often in a harmful manner.” May I say that some of us need to take heed? A lot of us like to wave the “I’m a Christian. I go to church on Sunday” sign, but how many know this is more than a Sunday thing? Imagine if Job was just a “Sunday Christian” You think if Job wasn’t living his faith out loud that he would’ve been able to “sin not nor charge God foolishly” after his possessions and kids were taken away from him? Check yourself.

We tend to think just because the punishment didn’t happen immediately, that we got away with it. Especially with God. That’s a dangerous mindset to have. Check yourself. Ever think that the punishment didn’t come automatically is because maybe God is giving you a chance to confess? Giving you a chance to repent? Some like to say that God is a God of a second chance. I don’t know about y’all, but I passed the 2nd chance a long time ago…I’m a least on…let’s just say another chance. Or as the song writer put it, “He gave me one more (chance).”  Check yourself.

Now this is a major check yourself. Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon meaning money. The Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” People like to say that it’s just money, but it’s the love of money. 1 Timothy 6:10, to quote the whole verse, says, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” I like the next verse that says, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Meekness does not mean weak. It refers to humbleness, and being humble, does not mean you go around saying that you’re humble. Moving on. Check yourself.

Ephesians 5, the whole chapter, is crazy, but focusing on verse 5, “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” As my dad once said in a message, “Ouch, amen.” Or as my pastor now says, “If you can’t say amen, say oh me.”

If the only time you open your Bible is at church, how do you fight when not at church? A young basketball player is usually not far from a basketball. Usually see them practicing in some form or another. Joshua 1: 8-9, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein for then: thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” And you only want to use this on a Sunday? Do you homie. Check yourself.

“Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5. We all got stuff we need to check. None of us our perfect but we all strive to be in our own way. Hopefully something was said that was an encouragement. Hopefully you got something out of this, I know I did. Just trying to help.

Check yourself.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

HELP SOMEBODY

If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
’Cause when you close your heart
You can’t close your...your mind! (Man In The Mirror, Michael Jackson)

Romans 12:2, KJV, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Philippians 2:5, KJV, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:"

Maybe sometimes the mirror needs to be turn around. I've heard it said many times that sometimes it's not the devil, but it's you. That's why Michael said that he was "starting with the man in the mirror." Seriously, how do you expect others to change when you're not willing to? My dad always told me, "Don't throw rocks from a glass house." In other words to busy commenting on other folks issues or the "world's issues" but not willing to take care of yours. Ever think that the reason some things don't seem to be changing in your atmosphere is the fact that you haven't took care of that? Now, "that" could be anything. We all got that nagging issue that doesn't seem to go away. Not saying we still can't offer help in the midst of of trying to help ourselves because honestly when I type these gimmicks called blogs I'm trying to help myself as well as offer help to whoever is reading this.

Matthew 12:33-34, KJV, "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt, for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."

So some of us need to make our mind on whether we're going to be good or evil? Some of us, including church folks, gasp, try to do both. You can't produce oranges by living like an apple tree. Jesus said he'd rather us be hot or cold because if we're lukewarm, He'll spit us out of his mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16) You're not sick of being covered with saliva yet?

You got to love people in order to try and help. My dad's motto when he was a pastor was, "Help somebody." People are begging for help. They are not looking for tricks. They're not looking to be talked down too. They're not looking to be loved. They're looking for a way out. Believe it or not, some people actually do want to get out, but they don't know how. The world needs Jesus, but we're giving them everything but. Andrae Crouch penned, "Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him there's no other. Jesus is the way." The Bible says that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life. No man gets to the Father except through me (Him)." (John 14:6)

Take a look at yourself. What are you producing? Are producing love or hate? Or are you trying to produce both? Why do you think people leave the church? Not only because of the smoke and mirrors, but because when they're supposed to be receiving love, they're receiving hate at the same time. Jesus is love, right? So why not present Jesus when they walk in to the church, rather than sitting them in the back because they don't dress the part. Michael says, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change." There's a lot of truth in that. I'm not taking anything away from it. May I add though, that if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, make that change, and show Jesus.

First blog of 2017 so of course it was a little all over the place, but I hope the message got through. Thanks for reading.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS

As I type this it's now the day after the election of 2016. Donald Trump became the new president elect. I had a hard time falling asleep last night. I couldn't get comfortable. Not because Trump became won the election. Honestly I feel that it was because it seemed as if the ones that are supposed to have hope were hopeless. The same ones that were posting stuff like, "No matter who wins the election, God is still on the throne." were now the same ones with no hope. How are ones seeking for hope supposed to find it when the ones that have the answer are acting the same way? If I was a smoker looking to stop smoking, I wouldn't go to someone like Dave Chappelle for advice on how to stop smoking.

John P. Kee sang, "There's a lily in the valley, found it to be bright as the morning star." I find that to mean there's hope. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Matthew 28:20 says, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." That right there is reason to have hope. That right there is a reason to continually "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." (Ephesians 6:10)

If people are really as scared as they say they are they're going to be seeking some answers to what to do. That's why it's important to stay strong. Not just in face but in spirit as well. It is written where it said, "I'm not afraid of the darkness. Whom shall I fear if God before me. What shall we say to these things, I'm not afraid anymore." That is where we should be, but to keep it real, life happens, and fear sets in. But there should be something in us that reminds us that our "

hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand."

So while I couldn't sleep, I went to God in prayer after trying other things to get to sleep. As I was praying I got reminded of a story my dad would refer to sometimes when he was preaching. The story is found in the Bible, 2 Kings 6:8-23. The main part I focused on was verses 15-17a, "And when the servant of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw; and, behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." One commentary says, "Faith reveals that God is doing more for his people than we can ever realize through sight alone. When you face difficulties that seem insurmountable, remember that spiritual resources are there even if you can't see them."

Romans 8:31, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us." 2 Chronicles 32:7-8, "Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles." Exodus 14:14, "The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

CHECK YOUR SOURCE AND/OR YOUR LIGHT

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

I learned that verse at a very young age. I was thinking about the "power" I heard the church used to have. Like there used to be wheel chairs and crutches on the walls. Then a question came to mind. Did the power change or did we forget how to use it? A better question might be did we ever learn how to use that power? We've seen the power in use, but were we ever taught how to use it? Either way I came to this conclusion, the power is still here. The church is still powerful. There's still power in the name of Jesus. Just because we don't use it right doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

There's an old song that says, "Hold to His hand. God's unchanging hand." I think part of the problem we've let go on God's hand and we're trying to hold on to the man made tradition. As what was said in the Eddie Murphy classic, Coming To America, "It's also a tradition that times must and always do change, my friend."

So what is the problem? Why is it that we don't see the same move of God that we hear the older generation talk about? Are we trying to do what they did in the old days, but are not using the same power source that they did? I noticed that some outlets don't work because the light switch is off. Maybe the power source is not working because our light is not shining like it's supposed to. We tend to think we can do what we want and still think that we can have power. I understand that God can and does use anybody he wants to to get the job done. Don't get me wrong, but I also understand that the Bible talks about you can't serve both God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). Also the Bible talks about that Jesus would rather us be hot or cold because if we're lukewarm, He'll spit us out His mouth (Revelation 3:15-16).

We got to get back to the basics of this. If we're going to be who we say we are, we got to get back to the basics. Like fasting and prayer. Like, I don't know, following the 10 commandments. Praying for folks and not participating in putting someone down.

Believe me, I'm not casting stones. I said, "We."

If we want to see God moved liked he did before, we got to be connected to the power source like the saints of old. What they did back then still works today. Not talking the man made traditions. I'm talking about the casting out of devils. People coming to Jesus. People getting filled with the Holy Ghost. It can happen in this new age. We got to get back to the Lord. We got to get back to preaching Jesus.

What or who is this source I keep talking about? The source is Jesus. The source is where your help comes from.

Psalm 121:1-2 "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."

As the song writer put it, "Do you know Jesus? Does he live in your heart?"

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

I'm just a wrestling fan, what do I know? (10/14/10)

Originally posted on WWE Universe, but I decided to share it here also:

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged period, let alone about Professional Wrestling. A lot has been on my mind about it, so I’m just going to get right to it. First of all, Kevin Nash. I’ve been a Kevin Nash fan ever since Diesel in the WWF. I’ve been a mark for the Clique for the longest time, even before I knew they were actually a group. In my opinion, he’s easily a Hall of Famer for the WWE. Now since he’s gone from TNA, wouldn’t it be crazy if he turned out to be the Raw GM? Just a thought. I mentioned Nash mainly because of his decision to go home and spend time with his family. I hope his wrestling mind will continue to help the business in the future, but his time in the ring is done, in my opinion.

Now for the guy I once called the “Loose Cannon” of 2010, Matthew Moore Hardy. When all this craziness started, I was a fan. I thought it was a great addition for his character and that he was going to finally get the push he deserves. Then Matt did something that I still think was a mistake. He came out on youtube and said that “MATTHEW (ALL CAPS!)” was a character. I think he could’ve gotten so much out of it, and he still can, but coming out and stating the obvious that MATTHEW is a character was a mistake because I feel that it could’ve gone over like Brian Pillman, where people would question what is real and not real. I guess people still will, but the effect won’t be as strong. Also through all this drama, I was hoping along with other fans, that Matt was NOT going to go to TNA. Turns out that could be a possibility. Another mistake. TNA doesn’t push the guys they have, and Matt coming in would not be fair to them. If/When Matt goes to TNA, they would have to immediately push him because that would be smart business. WWE is really losing out on this whole deal. I’ve said for the longest that the two people that deserved a push in the WWE the most are Matt Hardy and Christian. It’s done for Matt in the WWE for the time being, so hopefully when Christian comes back from this injury, he’ll FINALLY get the push for the title that he rightfully deserves, and hopefully we’ll finally see an Edge and Christian reunion which all fans have been hoping for ever since Christian came back to the WWE.

Now for this PG rating. I admit, I’ve changed my opinion on this time and time again. I’ve come to this conclusion. The PG rating is not the problem. WWE lost its balls. And I know who took them. Chris Benoit, yes that guy, and Linda McMahon. When the Benoit fiasco happened, and when Linda decided to run for the Senate, the balls of the WWE got taken away. Chris died, and you could see the beginning of the watered down product. Then with Linda running for an office. She didn’t want WWE to hinder her chances, so WWE watered down the product. All this is bull. The age demographic of the professional wrestling is male 18 to 35. I’m 23 years old, so I’m right there in the mix. WWE is catering to tweens and little kids who have to be in bed when Raw comes on anyway. It makes no dang sense. Why not cater to the 18 to 35 male demographic? The people that can actually buy the tickets? The people that can actually buy the merch? The no blood thing is just stupid. Really? Stopping a match for blood? Doesn’t that take away from the match itself? Nobody backstage think about that? I guess it makes to much sense.

I’m just a wrestling fan people. I’ve been one most of my life. I am a man, and I’m 23 years old so I fit in with that 18 to 35 male demographic that pro wrestling is supposed to cater to. I’m not a wrestling promoter. I’m not a “creative genius” that writes out story lines, but here’s how I would do things. If I’m the top company, I would try to keep the company on top by continuing using what works with the crowd. Why get away from it? The original ECW made it work for 7 years, and if it wasn’t for bad business management, they’d still be doing it today, not messing up their careers in TNA. Yes I said it. Then I would make it less of a priority for the writers to come up with character development, but make it more of a priority for the wrestlers themselves to come up with something for their character since they’re the ones that have to go out and perform. I would ask questions like, Where do you want your character to go? What ideas do you have? If the ideas are usable and good, I would try them. What do I have to loose? If they don’t work or lose money, then we end the storyline and go to the next one. Plain and simple. As for the divas or any other wrestlers that are not quite ready for prime time, I would put them through a 3 to 6 month wrestling boot camp. Those who survive go to developmental and continue to learn. Those who don’t survive will hopefully have the heart to continue trying or if not find something else. If any in the locker room doesn’t have the passion for the business, they’re gone. Again, I’m just a wrestling fan. What do I know, right?

Wrestling needs a make-over in the worse way. I do like the youth movement going on in the WWE right now. What I don’t like is Daniel Bryan jobbing for Sheamas. That’s not smart business. Daniel Bryan is over with the crowd and the internet, number one. Number two, he’s one of the best talents you have in the locker room. So why would you have him win the US Title one night, then the next night bury him. What kind of business is that? Dumb, that’s what it is. Btw, with CM Punk on Raw now, WWE would be stupid not to put Punk and Bryan in a feud. I’ll guarantee if given the right freedom, they’d steal the show on any pay-per-view or Monday Night Raw.

TNA is again proving that it is indeed WWE’s graveyard with the signing of Mickie James. I wish Mickie James nothing but the best in TNA, and I’m sure she’ll do well there.

One last thing that needs to be said. FIRE JOHNNY ACE!! FIRE MICHEAL COLE!! That is all.

Thank for reading this lengthy blog. Comment below on what you agree with or disagree with. Share with other wrestling fans.

~Daniel Richerson