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

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