TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS

Watching a service where Wess Morgan brought the word, I sent out a tweet that said, “the internet is not bad, it's what you do that's bad.” Stop putting the blame on what you’re using to do what you do. It’s not the internet, magazines, or dvds that’s the issue, it’s the heart that’s corrupt that’s the problem. What are you using the internet for? What magazines are you looking at? What DVDs are you buying and watching? What are you choosing to watch on the internet? Who are you letting feed your spirit on social media? It all starts with you. You make the decision. 

The devil is doing his job. You’re just not doing yours. It’s written, “Resist the devil, and he will flee.” You don’t resist, he’s not going anywhere. If you know you shouldn’t watch certain shows because it vexes you, makes you feel some type of way or some kind of way, then you take the initiative, make the choice to not watch said show. I’m not going to sit here and say that’s an easy choice to make. It’s like if you exercise something they always say is push your body past the pain. In other words, force your body to do what it doesn’t want to do. Your flesh wants to continue to be in bondage because it’s used to the chains. But if you want to be free, you got to force your body to change. It’s not going happen instantly for most of us. Not saying it can’t happen instantly, because it can, but I wouldn’t go in thinking that it will happen instantly. I’ve heard it said you got to make a habit of not doing the habit.

Now I could use clichés and say, “Jesus breaks every fetter” or “There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain” but when you don’t use the name of Jesus, then what? Jesus works, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re not willing to use the name, don’t get mad if it feels that nothing is happening. You can hold the remote all you want, but that alone is not going to change the channel. You got to push some buttons and make something happen. Holding the phone is not going to make the phone call for you. You got to make some moves to put that call into action.

Don’t blame the phone if you don’t know how to use it. Don’t blame Jesus, if you don’t know how to call him. Don’t blame the Bible, if you’ve never opened it and read it.

Stay saved, 

Daniel Richerson

YOU THINK YOU KNOW SOMEONE...

Before I get going on this blog let me say that yesterday was a day like I haven't had in months. I posted a new video and a new podcast. That's right, I am back in the podcasting game. I'll plug the website at the end.

Some time ago, I tweeted something to the effect that if you really wanted to know somebody, follow them on Twitter. Well recently I found out that goes with all Internet social media. It's crazy to me what some people say on here. I will admit that I was guilty of being one way on the Internet, and being another way in person. So I know how it is. It's not until you actually see someone else do it, that you realize how nuts it is. I mentioned before that I did a podcast. I'll be the first one to tell you that if you listen to my old podcasts, I was no where near like that in person. In person, you would be lucky if I said more than two words to you. It wasn't to be mean, it was just how I was. I wasn't comfortable talking to people in person. On the Internet, I could do it easily. In person, not so much. Now what kills me is how people act saved in person, then you follow them on social media...good gosh. I finally figured out why some old saints are against social media. Think about it, who in their right mind wants to mess up their reputation? One thing that will never change in this world is the fact that people are very protective of their reputation. People get real offensive when there's false gossip being spread about them. Why? Because their reputation is getting affected by it. Weather we believe it or not, people do care what you say about them. I believe there's something in all of us that care about what people say, however, it's up to us to acknowledge that something.

Lately, I've been blown away seeing people I thought I knew in person being a complete 180 on the Internet. Be who you are. When I wasn't saved, I was honest about it. I knew better than to lie in God's house. I remember some years back, I was at this youth meeting, and the guy teaching asked who was saved. Some people raised their hand, some didn't. I didn't. The teacher then asked a question to the effect why aren't you saved? My answer was peer pressure. Completely honest.

What really blows me away is the language some use. I expect that from my unsaved friends, but from the ones that shout in church on Sunday, then on Monday...yeah, holy goodness. I believe that's how we stay in the bubble we put ourselves in. It's not healthy to be free on Sunday and bound on Monday. To be in Eden on Sunday then back to Egypt on Monday. BTW, yes I'm a husky man talking about what's healthy and what's not. What?!?! And just so you know, I know that from personal experience. Being free on Sunday, jumping and leading songs, then going home and searching...yeah. So believe me, I'm not trying to come off as perfect Big Dusty because I'm no where near perfection. What I am saying is, it's dangerous territory. Seeing what's going on in Egypt and the middle east, we have no time to be playing both sides against the middle. The Bible says that God would rather us be hot or cold. If we're lukewarm, the Bible says, God will spit us out his mouth.

Contrary to belief, the Bible is around for us to use it for cliches. As Donald Lawrence said, we got to let the Word do the work. In order to let the Word to the work, we got to believe it. It's hard to execute a game plan when you don't believe in it. Athletes, am I right or wrong?

So let's make a decision today that we will no longer be lukewarm. If we're going to be saved, let's be saved on AND off the Internet. Let's be saved in AND out the church. Let's be saved away AND with friends and family.

Thanks for reading people. I hope you got something out of it. Please leave your comments below. As always, my twitter and facebook info is on your right for the blog site people. My podcast site is http://bigdusty.podomatic.com/ check out the latest one. Of course my YouTube is http://www.youtube.com/danielakabigd .

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Take out the biscuts because here comes some gravy

Holy crud! What's happenin? Hope everybody's having a good week this week so far, I know am. I'll get into that in a little bit. I caught a little bit of the debate so I have no opinions on that. I didn't watch the VP debates last week because, well to be honest with you, I didn't want to. I had no desire what so ever to watch that. I heard it was a good debate though. I asked mom about tonight's debate and she said it was crazy. I don't know how to take that other than to move on.

I got a live version of the classic "We Worship Your Holy Name" by Kirk Franklin starting out this blog on Windows Media. To the reason I'm having a good week. A few weeks ago, God placed it on my heart to go on a fast. Now before you get ahead of me this was not a fast from food. It was a fast from the internet. I basically blew it off and didn't think much of it. This past Sunday however I decided that I would go ahead and do it. I started it Monday and will end it this Thurday. Now you may be asking, "How can you be on a fast from the internet, when you're on it now?" Well it's only during the day. From the time I wake up until my mom gets home from work, which is about 6:00 P.M. It's been two days thus far and it's really benefitted. I've studied good Word and have done some cleaning in the process. Without going into much detail, I'm basically studying the Bible on things I struggle with, and it's really opening my eyes. I'm asking for prayer these final two days that it will not be a waste and will serve it's purpose.

"Songs That Brought Us Over" by Kurt Carr is playing now. I've been slacking on my story a bit which is something I didn't want to do, and with this fast I'm on it's going to be difficult to work my way back into it. It still shocks me a little bit how people become hooked on the stories I write, or began to write but never finish. I guess if I happen to get subcribers on youtube with my interesting videos, anything can happen.

Something I thought about today. With all the drama on TV, on messageboards, etc, if people would open up and read the Bible, they'd find all the drama they want. I mean take time to read and study the Bible, and you'll find crazy stuff. Incest, rape, murder, love, lust...what else do you want? Now of course you should read the Bible for gaining understanding and to use it as a road map to heaven, I'm not disregarding that in the least. All I'm saying is, why waste time watching Soap Operas for drama when you can find it in the Word of God and learn from it at the same time? I guess that's just me, I don't know.

"I'm Gonna Praise Him" by West Angeles Church Of God In Christ Mass Choir is playing now. I'm getting tired, and I can't wait for what I'm going to study when I wake up. Hopefully when I get on at night I'll have some comments on the blog. Y'all have good one.

God Bless,

Daniel aka Big d