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

What if you woke up and you're back in middle school again?

Cue Trust In The Lord by Fred Hammond off the Life In The Word album. Not my favorite album by Fred but it has some good songs on there tho.


Random Question. What if one day by chance you woke up and all of the sudden you’re in middle or high school again. And you know all you know now. It’s not like your mindset went back too, but you know what you know now and you wake up and you’re back in high school or middle school again. What if? Let me share the potential of what I’d do.

First, if I’d woke up and I was in middle school, because I think that’s where most of my trouble started, I’d fix to my best ability all the trouble. I’d open myself up more in school. Probably do humor from today and claim I came up with it. You know. I’d probably use all of Kevin Hart material and just roll with it. Also I’d sing more. Back then I was the shy kid that would cry when the mic came to my face. I’d show more confidence. What’s crazy is by this time I was already singing in the state choir at state conventions. But knowing me also if the wrong person say something to me, I’d be the one out bring their real future as an insult to them. So wrong I am. Also I’d clean my room to stop some of the bad habits I have now. Not saying I have bad habits now, but just in case…judging niggs…

Now’s here’s the question of questions. Would I’d still grow my hair out. I mean that’s how I got the name Dusty in the first place. 7th grade, two boys compared me to Dusty Rhodes and BAM! I think I’d still grow the hair, and take care of it better than I did. Possibly keep the braids in longer than a couple of days.

Also I’d focus on my school work more. By that I mean actually focus on my school work, because to be honest, me and school work had 0 to no relationship. So I’d actually do my homework. Which would probably give my mom in particular a heart attack. She would wonder what changed overnight, and I’d be smart and say, “I woke up thinking different.” Then give her that famous smile.

Now that I’d think about it, I would learn the value of soap. For some reason I made soap an enemy back then. Don’t judge me nigg…y’all had issues back then too.

Going back to the school work thing, I wouldn’t skip school. I don’t know why I even tried to skip school because my little big mouthed sister would hate on me from the get. And believe me that hasn’t changed. That little bra—I mean sweet little sister I got would still hate on me if she had an open door. Maybe I shouldn’t leave that door open…ah well screw it.

Of course it’s easy to say what I would do different between 1998-2005 in 2013. But here’s the point, I can’t change the past but I can dictate the future I’m going to have by the decisions I make now. I strongly believe the decisions I made back when had a lot to do with me being homeless, depressed, and all the above I’ve been through in life. It happened. Like it or not it happened. I can either learn from it or let it dictate my life now. You may not be able to go back in time and change the decisions you made back then, but you can definitely change the decisions you’re making now. Good or bad, you can make a change. It’s written that with God all things are possible. So change is definitely possible.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Twitter: @Big_Dusty

Facebook.com/big_dusty