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The Truth Of The Matter is- Episode: 161 Special Guest - Richard Kweku EzeAgu Akinyemi.
26 Plays4 months ago
“The truth of the matter is” podcast is all about providing an honest, contextual, historicized, Philosophical and Psychological view of the Bible through the use of Hermeneutics, while sharing some personal experiences from myself and Daniel. We believe in applying God’s word to everyday life. Today we have Richard Kweku EzeAgu Akinyemi. During our conversation we spoke about the meaning of names, the importance of where you come from and Richard's testimony. I encourage you to check out his book ‘Found My People: How Connecting To My Ancestral Roots Enriched My Life and Can Do The Same For You’ and tune in to hear us discuss scripture!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to a special edition of the Truth of the Matter is podcast. I'm your host, Jonathan. I'm here with our special guests. But before we introduce and welcome him inappropriately, let's begin by recognizing and appreciating all our new and consistent listeners.
00:00:20
Speaker
We thank you all in advance for continuing to press play at your own convenience.
Understanding Hermeneutics
00:00:24
Speaker
Now, if this is your first time listening to the Truth and the Matterist podcast, we want you to know that it's all about providing an honest, contextual, hysterized, philosophical, and psychological view of the Bible through the use of hermeneutics while sharing some personal experiences from myself, Daniel, and okay on an occasion, our was special guest. We believe in sharing practical ways of applying God's Word to everyday life, and today we will praise God for another new testimony that we will hear. We hope after hearing this man of God, you will see how an encounter with Jesus jesus Christ will guarantee that your life will not be the same.
Significance of Names and Cultural Heritage
00:01:00
Speaker
We also hope that you will be encouraged and uplifted. Now, without further ado, I want to welcome you in our special guest. I know him as Richard, but he's going to give a little bit more of an extended version of what his name is. How are you doing, Richard?
00:01:13
Speaker
I'm doing very well. It's wonderful to be here with you today. OK, so kind of explain what your full name is and why not. OK, so I legally changed my name when I learned my ancestors connections in Africa. So my name is now Richard Kwaku Ezialgu Akiemi. And Kwaku is actually from the Fanti people in in also the Ashanti in Ghana. And on my mother's side, I found out I was Fanti. And Ezeabu is Igbo. It means King of Lions. Oh, Hueku means Wednesday born. Hueku is Wednesday born. Ezeabu is King of Lions. It is from the Igbo people of Nigeria. And Akiemi, A-K-I-N-Y-E-M-I, but it's pronounced Akiemi.
00:02:05
Speaker
And it means warrior king well suited to power. And that's from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. So when someone says my whole name, Richard actually means powerful ruler. So they're saying powerful ruler born on Wednesday, king of lions, warrior king, well suited to power. And the Yoruba say, you will live up to your name. nice nice that's beautiful so why do you think it's so essential and important to you know we know in scripture there's an importance of names and we know that god changes names we see
00:02:36
Speaker
that Saul was originally his name and then he was changed from Paul. We know that Abram was original his name and it's changed to Abraham. There's so many different names that get changed. think up the Yes. Yeah. So what do you think the significance of why we know that God changes names to kind of further a different agenda and actually journey that they are to go upon? What has it mean to you to know that you're known as Richard, but to actually have a better understanding and know your full name, at least from the ancestor perspective? Well, I think one thing I learned when I connected back to the culture is that Africans don't just pick a name. They have a meaning for for, or for Wednesday. You know, they have, each day has a particular name and most people name their child's first name by that spirit name, whether it's boy or girl.
00:03:36
Speaker
that you know the day of the week they were born by their first name. And in Nigeria, then, you know, the Epos give two different days. So I think it's, it's about the destiny. It's about speaking into your life. I think that's exactly what God did when he's, when he said Jacob to Israel, you know, and Abraham and from Abraham to Abraham.
Power of Names in the Bible
00:03:59
Speaker
I think it's about the destiny that he had because we know that the power of life and death is in the tongue. And when you know, when when I know that, when I change my name, there when people call me Eziago, they're saying King of Lions. Or some people just simply call me Ezi. And every time somebody calls me Ezi, I know that they're calling me King. You know, they're calling me King. So if you if you keep hearing that and believing that you will strive, and then you know, like the Yerba say, you will look to your name, so you want to strive to be
00:04:28
Speaker
that that name that you're called. You don't want you don't want to be you know you don't want to have a name like Ezayaku and be a thief. you know yeah You want to live up to that name. So i think's I think it's powerful because the Bible truly tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. And even the world knows, they call it positive affirmations. They call it positive thinking. All they're doing is repackaging the the truth of God. okay So even the world knows the power of it. But we know the power of it based on our faith in God. Yes. Yeah. And you're absolutely right. Because even when you think about the disciples' names, it also gives you a list about ah the brothers in and they go and they they kind of break it down each name and the the significance of each name. So you're absolutely right. And you know, whether it's Saul, who's Paul, whether it's Peter, who's Simon,
00:05:20
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? So the importance of that, at least within the Hebrew culture, the Jewish community, it meant something completely different. And, you know, a lot of us wouldn't know what they actually was until you actually dive a little bit deeper, because they give you those meanings, especially when you. So let's just just to cover something else before we move forward. Like Cain, I just found out that Cain meant God has given me a man. I think Cain means God has given me a man. Yes. So here it is right here. So it says Simon who is called Peter. Simon to whom he gave the name Peter. James son of Zachary. James and son of Zachary his brothers were known as the sons of thunder, right? And you have Philip, Andrew, Bostonio, Philip, Thomas.
00:06:06
Speaker
Right? All these different names, James, son of Athias, Thaddeus, right? So exactly what you're saying. When you look up those words individually, it meant something very important. Even when Jesus talked about Peter and he said, I believe he said Peter was those meant rock was dealt with the church, right? He said, on this rock, I will build my church. Yes. Yes, so some beautiful stuff. So before we get started, we we dive into your book because you you we know that you also wrote a book. You also have an interesting story. Let me just read a little bio about you.
Richard's Book on African Heritage
00:06:41
Speaker
So Richard wrote a book, found my people as a testimony to how passionate he is about connecting all who will to their culture and their DNA.
00:06:52
Speaker
He believes that each disconnected African descent can have a revelation day that would enrich their lives and be nothing short of transformational. It's beautiful. So before we get started, we we only hear on the truth of the matter as far as his beliefs, pray, prayer is the first and foremost thing that we want to do. So that's what we'll do and then we'll get started. Heavenly Father, Lord, in the name of Jesus, I thank you so much for this opportunity as you brought Richard here to share not only his testimony, but the impact that he has been doing to change lives and inform people.
00:07:26
Speaker
Lord, you said in the book of Jose that my people are destroyed for lack of wisdom. So I hope after this conversation, people would be informed, not in just how you can change a person's life, but also you can give them purpose. I mentioned quite often as a famous philosopher by the Aristotle who says, at the intercession of life lies your gifts talents and abilities and then there lies your purpose. So Lord we know that we all were created on this earth for a purpose to either glorify your name to bring those that need to come to the kingdom comfort friendship relationship but we also know that you created us for a purpose to help elevate your kingdom.
00:08:05
Speaker
It's important that we know as believers that we know who we are and you, but we also know the difference that we were brought into this world to make to actually make. Lord, I pray that all eyes will be open, all ears will be listening, all hearts will be receiving, all minds will be open to understanding the wisdom that you have bestowed upon Richard. and why it's important to know where you come from but most importantly where your ancestors been traced back and the importance of how it could play a an important role. The most important thing I've learned as myself as an African-American who's of African descent
00:08:44
Speaker
is that a lot of us that do slavery was scattered and we don't know who we are. We know that we're here in America. We know that America obviously is a racist country. We know also that there's a lot of you know broken, destructive things that are part of the American society that a lot of people don't know and tend to ignore. But nord we know that we you're not you're not the author of confusion. We know that you are a God who's very straightforward, very bold, and wants the truth to be shared. So I hope after this conversation, people can understand and recognize the importance of truth, that it's not hidden, that it should be yelled at the top of the rooftops, and everyone should hear about them. And Lord, do we say these things openly and honestly, with surety. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen.
00:09:38
Speaker
OK, so let's get started. I know I said I want to talk about this, but let's let's get started with your book, because this is this is so powerful. So tell us a little bit about your book, what inspired you to write it and the importance of why you felt you need to. OK, before I do that real quick, I just thought about something while you were praying. Yeah, you know how God says in Philippians 4 13 to be anxious for nothing? They gave me a seven step guaranteed peace of God. I want to send that to you afterwards so that your podcast listeners can come on and get that because this is something that anytime I have challenges in my life or anything like that, I go through those steps. It brings me peace. And I thought about that while you were praying. I want to mention that before we go forward. Okay. But I want to send that to you. And one of my clients, and I'm a financial person, but one of my clients actually put a little nice
00:10:29
Speaker
uh, melanated angel on there and then the seven steps was beautiful, but I'll send it to you so you can, uh, send that out as a resource to your people that want to connect and get it. But, uh, it can help you because God guarantees us peace and this is the step by step four. Okay. Okay. But, um, but to tell you about the book, um, God told me in 1997 that I was going to write a book prophetically. He said, I'm going to write a book. Okay. And he said, seek God as to what kind. Here we are 26 years later. Because God did get ah did it like ah he kind of confirmed it to me that I was going to write a book in 1997. And then in June, when the book got released, he confirmed it again. He confirmed that this is the book. Because I was praying and I was like, Lord, I think this might be the book. I think this might be the book. He said, this is the book. um I like to use Romans 828 here. Because yeah yeah Romans 828 says, God works all things together for good to those that love the Lord.
00:11:25
Speaker
So this is not a Christian book per se, but I use the language of my higher power. You know, today, everybody talks about my higher power. You know, their higher power might be whatever, but I said, if they could talk about their higher power, then I could talk about my higher power. And my higher power happens to be Yeshua of the Shia, Jesus the Messiah. And so in the book, I talk about that anywhere from the dedication, from the acknowledgments to the dedication to even there's, there's one chapter called dissension in the ranks. where I literally list the chronology of from Abraham to Yeshua HaMashiach to show a Yoruba princess who was mad that I you know connected to my roots and telling me I should only be worried about my Christian
00:12:08
Speaker
Christian faith. And I'm like, well, yeah, I'm still having my Christian faith. But I said, why should everybody else know their roots and still their culture? But we're the only ones only supposed to know. I mean, our African-American culture is a wonderful, rich culture. But I mean, we have in our DNA another culture. which I compared to like a the dark side of the moon. you know When we see a full moon, it's beautiful, it's illuminated. There's another half that's just as big, that's dark. That's a beautiful analogy for African-Americans because we have a rich, wonderful African-American heritage that has been copied all over the world, so we know it's impressive because nobody copies things they don't like. But at the same time, we have a hidden heritage that I found for me was Guinean Fonte,
00:12:52
Speaker
and Nigerian Evo and Yoruba. And I'm connected to those cultures, and it truly has enriched my life, and that's what I'm trying to connect to. So I wrote the book basically about how that happened, how I was able to connect, how when I went to Nigeria, people were, I mean, from the time we got there, people were looking at me, are you Nigerian? Are you Nigerian? I was like, I don't know. And then they were like, you are an Evo man. I tell you, you are an Evo. I would be able to be like, I think you are a Yoruba. You have Yoruba people. I said, well, this person says, no, no, no, no. You are Yoruba. And then when I did my DNA, I found out that I'm Fanti on my mother's side and actually live in Ghana now. So the connection is just, and anybody that reads the book can tell, I tell people and I'm genuine when I say I'm excited for every single person that goes on the journey to learn not only
00:13:42
Speaker
the kind of test that gives you the percentage of what country, but the one that tells you the actual tribe, that's the one you need to do this. Because each tribe, just like the Igbo, they're both in Nigeria, but the Igbo culture is different from the Yoruba culture. And the Fati culture is different from the, a little bit different from the Ashanti, because they're theyre kindred, but still, it's not exactly the same, okay? So you have to you have to know your tribe to connect to the culture. And I think anyone that really wants to, some people don't want to, that's fine, I'm not talking to them. but the ones that really want to, don't be afraid because a lot of people that do start connecting to, you know, African gods and things like that. You don't have to do that. If you know that you belong to the Lord, because I believe, and I say it in the book, that God is the one who wanted me to connect because he put me with my doctor who's Nigerian for 20 years and I finally went to Nigeria with him. So it's the book about how I connected, but also about how anybody connect.
00:14:39
Speaker
I think it's like the next thing after Roots, you know, Roots was this wonderful story of Alex Ailey and his family and how they kept their culture against all odds. a racist and and enslaved state onto today where Alex Haley found out many years ago. But the only thing it didn't do was tell you and me how we can connect. And so when I went to Nigeria and all the people told me I was Nigerian, and then I had been exposed to Nigerian culture already, I was just so excited. And then I found out that I'm Ghanaian too. And so those are the only two countries I've been to in Africa actually, Ghana and Nigeria. So I said, every country I've been to, I got people there.
Racial Inequalities and Historical Honesty
00:15:18
Speaker
Yeah, beautiful. Just out of curiosity, this is just a free question. Why do you think Americans are are in such denial that it has racist ah so a racist storyline? Why do you think a lot of people tend to kind of gloss over it and not acknowledge that? its history is rooted in, you know, in differences in imperialism against others, taking people's land. Why do you think it's sort of ignored? And now that we move into this new age now, where a lot of people thinks, you know, systematic racism doesn't exist, they sort of like turn the deaf ear to it, they think that, now I'm not saying it can't It it can't be used as a a way to prevent you from being successful, because at the end of the day, I think scripture is very clear that we were all given account for the things that we do, regardless of the circumstances, because there are circumstances where it can't, and it shouldn't prohibit you from trying to do what it is that God has called you. But in some cases, it can be it can be used as the hindrance, but not all of the way and everything, you know what I'm saying? So why do you think that's something that people tend to gloss over and not acknowledge and think it's it's it's not it's not true?
00:16:31
Speaker
Well, I absolutely agree with you that it does not stop us, but the the analogy that I like to use is, let's say two people are racing, right? And one person has a flat level area that they're racing. But the the person in the lane to the right, he's got, as soon as it starts off, there's a hill with a 15 degree that goes to a 45 degree that ends up at a 90 degree angle. And they got, you know, they're running this race. Yes, they're both running. And yes, the person can, who's got the 15 and 45 and 90 degree angle, they can complete the course, but it's just going to be a lot more difficult than going to a straight a plane. So you're absolutely right.
00:17:09
Speaker
And as for the reason why, I think it's cognitive dissonance, because anybody with an open mind, and there are there are even plenty of Caucasian people. There was one that I saw, I can't remember her name, but I think it was a TED Talk, she was in front of a stadium full of people. And she said, every ah Caucasian person here that feels like they want to trade places and be treated the way we treat Black people in this country, please stand up. Nobody stood up. She said, oh, maybe you didn't hear me. Did you did you see this one? did you Have you seen it? Maybe you didn't hear me. she said She said, I said, who wants to be treated the way we treat Black people? Please stand up. Nobody stood up. She said, OK, the fact that you didn't stand up tells me that you know what's going on. You're complicit in it. And then you're not doing nothing about it. So that's what it is. I mean, you look at in
00:18:01
Speaker
the days of segregation, George Wallace, who was not doing well in the polls until he stood in the University of Alabama and said, no, we're not letting any black people in here. And then he he overwhelmingly was. So what was he doing? He was voicing the will of the people. So I think it's a whole lot of repentance that needs to go on because yeah a lot of people think that they that that i think can be racist because even the KKK says they have no king but God. I was shocked when I saw that. They said, no, no, no. We're not burning crosses in these people. yeahre We're lighting the cross. We're lighting the way. We're lighting the cross. I'm like, y'all are deceived. You do tear you, pull people out of your kiln, and you think God is going to approve you? So many people, they're not familiar with the verse that says, many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, haven't we done this in your name and done that in your name? In your name that many marvelous works. And I will say to them, depart from me, you that practice lawlessness, for I never knew you.
00:18:58
Speaker
How do these people, these governors, think that they can can say teaching black history is teaching hate? No, is it's what you did, it's not hate, it's just a fact. You see, they're trying to to to oh destroy it the facts. They're like, we're not gonna teach hate, we're gonna teach this, we're gonna teach that. And at the same time, they're saying, okay, we're gonna destroy anything that levels the playing field. if you diversity Diversity, equity, and inclusion. If you got that, we're gonna find you. I mean, I i said, they they they bug wild. That's the word I use. Wow. They they all talk wild. This is what you know what the thing that helps me to be able to forgive people is this. God says do not be deceived. God is not bothered whatsoever man. So that shall he read and I can tell you that I have seen because i and and back in my past I had to do an EOC case because of such racism I had to go through. Okay. Yeah. Allow me to
00:19:54
Speaker
I didn't win the case because we had to go to basically, you know, side, we had to do a, what is it called? Mediation. Okay. We did mediation. So it wasn't, didn't go all the way with the EOC. But the bottom line is he showed me that they received from what they did. They reached what they sold. The person that was so racist to me, he's out of the industry now. He can't even practice in the industry anymore. You see what I'm saying? Yes. So I told the Lord, I said, you know what? In the future, Lord, anybody that does wrong to me, I pray to forgive them. This is what I pray. And hopefully this will help somebody that's struggling with forgiveness. Because I know people do a lot of jacked up stuff to us. And I know it's hard to forgive them. Whoever's listening to to this that had something to jacked up, I know it's hard to forgive them.
00:20:40
Speaker
Listen to this. God said he is not mocked whatsoever they do they're going to reap and God is faithful. Numbers 23 19 says God is not a man that he should lie. Neither should he be a man that he should repent. Has he said something that shall he not do it? Has he spoken shall he not surely bring it to pass? That's one of my master key verses. That's one of those verses that when when you're in the valley and your things are going bad and you know and you and and you look at what it's looking like but then you remember what god told you and the picture ain't matching up you know what i'm saying yeah that's when you break that master key verses out and you say it ain't gonna be like this always god is gonna pull me out
00:21:20
Speaker
you you you yeah You get those lyrics of that song that said, God made a way, you know what I'm saying? i can't I can't remember his name right now, but he said he made a way. Don't know how to get it, you know what I'm saying? You that God is faithful and you understand that this came to pass. That means it came and it's going to pass, right? yeah and And those are the things that we just have to keep going,
The Gospel and Historical Distortions
00:21:43
Speaker
you know? we yeah found faith in god We have to understand God loves us. He's faithful no matter what we go through. And, you know, that's that that's the key. that That is the key. And we also have to remember that we are ministers of reconciliation, but we'll talk about that when you get ready to. Yeah, it's interesting that you you mentioned this because there was a verse. I remember having this conversation ah with a friend of mine and they found, you know, this verse would be a very interesting verse that I brought up. And the reason why I love this verse so much is because I think it addresses a lot of things that I think ah a lot of people overlook.
00:22:18
Speaker
And they actually don't pay attention to it. And the passage that um I'm actually speaking about is actually in Luke chapter 9. And I believe this might be verses 51 through 56. And it's one of my favorite passages is because I think it addresses the very issue of what you know Christ came to do. And when they get the conflict, then a lot of people don't realize or know that the Bibles that were used in slave people were written rewritten Bibles to obviously enslave and keep people from knowing the truth. And this particular passage is one of my favorites. I read it to you is Luke 9 51 to 56 it says and I'm reading in the amplifier version because this is what really gives you the context. It says now when the time was approaching for him to be taken up to heaven.
00:23:03
Speaker
He was determined to go to Jerusalem to fulfill his purpose. He sent messages ahead of him and they went into a Samaritan village to make arrangements for him. But the people would not welcome him because he was traveling towards Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down on heaven and destroy them? But he turned and rebuked them and he said, you do not know what kind of spirit you are. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy man's lives, but to save them and they journeyed to another village. Now, when I look at that past as the significance of how I see it,
00:23:43
Speaker
is that the gospel message is meant for everyone. No one should be isolated, even those that don't even completely understand it, right? And what happens is when we think about what transpired during the slavery period is that the Christianity faith was pressured on to people, African people, at least in a way that was brutal, to the degree that they conform to this whole white man's religions concept. But the important thing that Jesus said is that you have a choice. The Son of Man did not come to condemn, but to save lives. So when we look at how Christianity is used now, and we think about how it was used back then during the slavery period of time, that's why I believe ah there are African people that believe that it was used to enslave us.
00:24:29
Speaker
and that you're brainwashed and that you don't understand. But anybody that knows the gospel message knows that the gospel message is not only a personal transformation, but it's a public is a public and community reform, which means the impact that it has on the individual is then allowing God to change the individual so they can change the community. Now, what kind of gospel message would that be if it was to enslave people? You see what I'm saying? So the devil knew exactly what he was doing and trying to twist the message of the gospel message and then make it specifically a white thing to prevent people from actually receiving a gospel message and understanding who they are in Christ, which is what we find in Genesis, that we're all created in the image of God of the Amigo Day. We all deserve dignity and respect.
00:25:14
Speaker
And we know that wasn't exercise nor practice when they what they were doing with slaves and how they were treating them. So that's contrary to God's message. And it was co-opt, right? It was adopted into a completely different understanding of it. So people who truly understand what God's message is and the gospel message is also something that I learned as well. When I started studying studying you know specific people like, for an example, back then I did a lot of philosopher started studying. And there were individuals like John Locke who would say that the gospel message would only be provided and taught to those who had money.
00:25:54
Speaker
So what does that mean? It was ostracizing and not allowing people who did to be able to receive the message. So we saw the, yeah, so we saw that a lot of that stuff was going on even during that time, even with the 95 thesis where we have Martin Luther. So a lot of the things that were being taught in a church and isolating people, even when we talk about Azusa Street in 1905, where it was Seymour, ah you know Reverend Seymour. A lot of the stuff you saw, even how he was treated, right? So I say this though to say that the gospel message has been co-op all the way then to sort of separate us and to get us thinking that you know the gospel wasn't found in Ethiopia. It wasn't found in these other areas. So we see a lot of the manipulation and the tools of the devil to sort of separate us to make us think that it's only a white man's religion. And it has no
00:26:47
Speaker
sort of African thing. But we learn also in the Book of Acts with the eunuch, that's not true, but fill up with the eunuch and the message of gospel going and and being spread over the world. So there's a lot of convoluted thoughts that get thrown with the gospel message. So I want to throw that in there and kind of build on it so you can see at least how I've seen it over the years. and how people who don't know the history, they sort of get, you know, caught up in what they hear other people say about who Christ is and what his message was, if we are actually included in that message or not, you know? Absolutely right. Actually, that deception goes on to this day. I've had this conversation with people that say the white man's religion. But if they look at their Bible and they think about what what would they see, for example, when Herod was trying to kill the Messiah,
00:27:37
Speaker
did Did the Lord tell Joseph and Mary to go to Europe, or did he tell them to go to Africa? He sent them to Africa, so they could what? Hide. You hide where you can what? Blend in, you see. The Bible says he had hair like lamb's wool, right? So it actually described, and then there are pictures in Russia, in Ethiopia, and other places in the world that don't have this same racist mindset that show Joseph, Mary, and Yeshua Hamashiya Black. Even when ah the current, you know, there's but there's a there's scripture that says there are those who say they're Jews that are not. And even when the current ones came back to establish the nation, there were people in Africa that said, wait a minute, you left Black, but you came back white you know
00:28:28
Speaker
had to disaster right And even when you look at a the book Hebrews to Negroes by my good friend Ron Dalton, who who actually did an endorsement for the book or for the Found My People book, he he has done the extensive research in the Hebrews to Negroes documenting that many of us who are the descendants of Africans, especially those also that like, you know, what called currently called African Americans, but you know, this brown robin of names that we've been given.
00:29:00
Speaker
But the bottom line is when we go back, even from the connection that I made, we go back further and find out that we are the true Hebrews. That is exactly what Ron found out by DNA, by haplogroup. And so if anybody will have an open mind, they will see that that this is not just a white man's religion. But this is what I tell people when I have this conversation with them. I said, don't you know that there's a scripture that says that there's going to be many that think up to the time that they stand before God, that they're going to heaven? they They're going to think up to the time that they stand before God, but they're going to find out that they were not basically in relationship with God. They were doing things by rope. They were doing things to impress people. And God says, that's nothing. Even we believers for our ministry of reconciliation, we're going to have all of our works that are going to go through a fire.
00:29:58
Speaker
And that fire, if it was if if everything that we did was from a pure heart for God, it's gonna come forth as gold and we'll get a reward and give us crowds.
Christian Duty of Reconciliation
00:30:07
Speaker
But if it's not, the Bible says you'll be saved as one pulled from the fire. I have i have called it Smokey Satan. I said, now, as long as you got breath in you, you don't have to be no Smokey Satan. Smokey Satan is somebody that don't do nothing for the Lord. It's just, you just got saved kind of like the like the parable of the talents, one with the one talent. He said, well, here, you know, I gave you back what's yours. What did what did the Lord call him? Wicked lazy servant, right? God's so gracious. He'll let us save just ourselves. But God says, that's not why he saved us. You know, just like we mentioned, we talked earlier before we have a camera, 2nd Corinthians 5 18, which says all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Christ Jesus and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. Best kept secret in the Bible.
00:30:55
Speaker
that there's a ministry of reconciliation. I challenge you to go to any church, probably in the world, and ask this question to the congregation. Who would all ministers please raise your hand? Usually only the people with tiles will raise their hand. But now if you say raise your hand if you know about tithing, even the little kids in Sunday school know about tithing. it's a strong strong rebuke to the leadership of the church that the people know more about tithing, which is money that comes into the church, than they know about the ministry that they're going to stand before God and give an account for, okay? So like the Lord said, one they should do both not without leaving the other one undone, right? But they talk all the way about tithing and the money, but they've left the one about ministry of reconciliation, and it's going to be a different because
00:31:48
Speaker
we We who have ministry calling, because God has made me a teacher, so we who have a ministry calling with a five-fold ministry, we have a higher judgment. So it would seem to me they would be scared to not let everybody that was under their leadership that don't know when they get to heaven that they're gonna have a judgment day with their ministry of reconciliation, there's gonna be a judgment on that man of God or that woman of God that did not let them know that. And even on the person, because it is in the Bible that we can read ourselves, we don't need a man of God or woman of God. Second Philippians 5 18, I encourage every listener to memorize that because we will give an account for our ministry. And yes, if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior, you're sure how much she had Jesus the Messiah,
00:32:33
Speaker
You are, I am, we are ministers of reconciliation. Yeah, because most people get caught up in the passes in James where it says, don't strive to be teachers for you. We be judged more harshly. I think that has more to do with the calling for it. But even if you don't have the calling for it per se, you still have a ah responsibility not just to share the gospel measures, but to also live it out. And then Jesus said, go out and make disciples among. all four corners of the earth, right? We have a responsibility to make disciples and also live a life that's worthy of our calling, right? And that's also, I believe, found, I'm trying to remember what book it is, maybe Ephesians. He lets us know and informs us of the importance of who we are. Not just that, Matthew chapter 5, soldiers, let your light shine before others so that they may glorify your Father in heaven. 1 John says the same thing where he says, you are the light of the world, whether the world, well, that's that second Peter.
00:33:30
Speaker
But he also says that the relationship that we have with Christ when according to that sort of you know communion or what we would say fellowship was is what John was saying. He was also expressing that importance of the relationship can also be found that it says, God is light in him is no darkness at all. If we claim to be in fellowship with him and yet walk in a darkness, we don't live out the truth. So everywhere we go, we're called to be ambassadors and representatives of Christ. That goes right back to the same passage you're talking about in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. So that's rather important. So yeah, we may not be teachers per se by the letter of the law, but it's important, as in the book of Isaiah, it tells us that it's important that
00:34:16
Speaker
The most important thing is that we can't be ignorant. Brothers and sisters, Paul says we can't be ignorant, brothers and sisters, but he also says that my people destroyed for lack of wisdom. And that has a lot to do with not taking a responsibility to read our word, be familiar with who God is, and then do the thing that we're called to do. We're all called to do something. That's right. So yeah. So let's talk a little bit more diving. Yeah. photo yeah An easy way for people to remember. I heard this poem that really breaks it down and makes it easy to remember. You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day, by the things that you do and the words that you say. People read what you write and they see what you do. Tell me, what is the gospel according to you?
00:35:04
Speaker
Wow. Most of us are the only gospel some people will ever see. Yes. Amen. If we remember that we're ministers of reconciliation, then we're going to give an account that there's actual a set number of people that God designed for us to reach. If we remember that every day as we go out, God gave me the boldness to say whatever you want me to say to whoever you want me to say it to. It might it and there might not be a word, it might be an act of kindness. It might be an act of kindness and they say, well, you know, but so sometimes you do some kind of, people say, what church do you go to? Where where do you get this kind of spirit that's in you? You know? So remember, we might be the only ministry, we might be the only
00:35:44
Speaker
Christian and and true Christian that that they ever see. it' So yeah it's by actions that we show it. And even that song that says they will know we are Christians by our love, the scriptures, they'll know you're a Christian by your loved one for another. So yeah we we are, that's what we need to tell ourselves. I think we need to speak. We hashtag, we are ministers of reconciliation. You know, everybody that's a Christian, if you have accepted the Lord, hashtag, you're a minister of reconciliation. Like you said, may not be a teacher, prophet, evangelist, pastor, I can't remember the other one. But anyway. Evangelists. Yeah. Oh, those are here. The bottom line is we are
00:36:22
Speaker
oh ministers of reconciliation every single one of us is a minister of reconciliation we have a certain number of people we're supposed to reach we have a certain number of people we're supposed to touch we need to have that attitude and the other thing being americans that we have a problem with is we are bond servants of the lord you know we are bond servants of lord the bible says we have been bought with a price We are not our own. And you know, don't we have to remind ourselves of that sometimes because we, we in this voting community, okay, y'all, let's take a vote. Let's take a vote. Lord, you've been outvoted. You know, we we have a tendency to do that. We need to say, Lord, what does the Bible say? Well, we have done all that we're supposed to do, but we're supposed to say, I'm an unprofitable servant. It doesn't mean that we're all profitable. It means your attitude should be not that, hey, you know, look at me.
00:37:11
Speaker
did this i did that i did the sense of righteousness yes that's right that's the pride god said look at these two gave us an example one a pharisee that said lord i'm glad i'm not like other but um yeah and don't do that i give ta i do this and then the other said no forgive me i a sitting he said which one you think is's gonna be boys said yeah humility, you see? We got to keep humility. That's why when I pray, I say, Lord, please, no matter what station should you bring me to in life, keep me with the mental of humility. Keep the mental of humility on me. Help me know that there's no person that I'm better than ever. And it's even when you think about some of these people that are doing terrible things like pedophiles and things like that, because you say, oh, never do that. But we're still no better than them because we're all set of circumstances.
00:37:57
Speaker
You never know, right? That's why even God said when you see a brother who was overtaken at a fault, you who are spiritual restore such a one with the spirit of meekness, humility. Thinking about yourself, hey, it could have been me. It might be me next time. How would you want somebody to approach you if you was overtaken at a fault? That's the way you should approach him. But that's not what we do. Point the finger. You're going to hell, you're going to hell, you're going to hell. I was like, no, that's not what God says. We need to do it God's way.
00:38:29
Speaker
Amen, amen, amen, right? He was quoting ah gospel of John 15 when he was talking about, you know, we are divine. He is the branches apart for us. We can, we are, he is divine. We are the branches apart for him. We can do nothing, but we can do nothing. But most important, right? They wouldn't know you are my disciples based upon how you level one another. That's very essential, which is why in first John, he said, let us not level words or tongue, but in action and in truth, which speaks to us. knowing that you know no one's ever seen God, but if we love one another, God's love is actually being reflected upon the way that we treat one another. and that's ah yeah you know When I first received that revelation, it it became obvious to me when Gideon was complaining to God about all that has happened to his ancestors. He said, am I not sending you? We sort of misinterpreted on the stand that God sends humans to solve human issues.
00:39:25
Speaker
He sends us all around the world to solve problems with the gifts, talents, and abilities that are given to us without repentance. But we tend to not acknowledge that or appreciate what God is doing. We've all been called to do a specific job with our gifts. And I think that's rather important, right? And I think what you're doing here, especially with the book is is of importance. But I want to ask you this.
Faith and Healing
00:39:47
Speaker
How has your faith made a difference in your life? Okay. I want to tell about when God healed me because sometimes I tell people, if you've never seen a miracle, you just have to look at me. eml I would not be alive today if it were not for my faith and in the healing power of God and the healing power of God responded to my faith. In in in January of 2019, I had a physical. And if you've done your blood work, you know that creatine is the one that tells you kidney function, how it's doing.
00:40:20
Speaker
It should be 1.4 or less. So at my physical, I was 1.21. Everything was good. But then when I went in June, reconnecting to my roots, I was supposed to be going over to the southeast part, where because I had been to the Yoruba land, but I had never been to Igbo land. So I was going to reconnect with my culture in Igbo land. And I had to take some travel injections. You know you can't see certain words because you can't travel. So travel injections, they required. And so I took those travel injections as something disagreed with me and it did damage to my kidneys, damage to my liver. So what i got by the time I got there, my friends, I didn't even know I had a fever. they said They shook my hand, they said I was burning up, they took me straight to the hospital. And then when I was there, they said I was so out of it that I couldn't even finish a sentence. So anyway, wow they admitted me immediately, did blood work. So whenever I came to, the doctor was there and she said, well, here's the diagnosis.
00:41:19
Speaker
She said, your creatine, the one that was 1.21 in January, is 4.94. Now, 1.4 is normal. Anything above that is chronic kidney disease, okay? So that was chronic kidney disease stage four. That was like the worst one, okay? And she said, what what happens with chronic kidney disease, medical science says it cannot reverse. It can only maintain if you do the right things, it can maintain, but it can't reverse. Medical science says it's impossible, okay? And so she said, you're going to have to be on dialysis for the rest of your life. And then my body had sepsis, which, you know, kills people, sepsis to kill people. And then my liver function was all off the charts too. So I had to cut my trip short. I was only there five days, all five days in the hospital. The only day I was in the hospital was the day I got there. I slept that night in Hudson Hospital.
00:42:13
Speaker
that funny but um you know i can look back because of the lord Yeah. Yeah. I was in the hospital for like five days. That was my trip. That was my old trip. What's the hospital? Anyway, one doctor was kind enough. I wanted some some some African attire. He was kind enough to go to the market while I was in the hospital, take pictures, ask me which fabric I want, and bought the ferries for me. I said and then he had took it to the tailor and had the tailor and got come to the hospital to get my measurements. wow ew dr yw in Legos, he was such a kind, godly man. But anyway, oh yeah, so if it wasn't for that was like the highlight, that was the highlight. But wow what anyway, after she told me that, that I was gonna have to have dialysis for the rest of my life, you know, I have to take you back to three years before June of 2016, I had gone to the supernatural conference in Orangeburg, South Carolina, with
00:43:08
Speaker
Apostle Shane Wall, Peace to the Lord Church. I received the prophetic word there where God said, I'm going to do some things in the supernatural and the natural to strengthen your body. Because to go through the doors that I have for you to go through, you're going to have to be much more strong than you are now. And so he said, so actually in 2017, I watched Forks Over Knives, Food Incorporated, and What the Health? And I found out what was going on in the American food industry. And I changed to organic eating. I lost like 70 pounds. I was more healthy. And then, you know, so like there had been two years that I had been doing that by the time this situation happened. And so I looked at the doctor after she gave me that, that diagnosis and prognosis. And I said, that's not going to happen without a moment's doubt. I said, that's not going to happen. She said, well, well, why didn't you say that? I said, because God has made promises to me.
00:44:04
Speaker
I told me in 2016 that he was going to strengthen my body. He said, I have to, he he told me to get ready to travel. He said, get ready to travel. He said, because the things I have put in you are not just for your town and they're not just for your state. He said, you will be internationally known. And so because he told me that I was able to tell her that I'm going to be, I said, I, I, I decreed. I, and I didn't know about decreeing at that time. So I say at that time, it might've been of just a declare. I said, I am going to make a miraculous recovery. In five days I'm going to walk out of here and my creatine is going to be 1.21, just like it was in January. And so two of the three things happened. I did walk out of there, like I said, you know, and it didn't go down to 1.21 though. It went down from 4.94 down to 3.4. But my doctor said, that is remarkable because she said,
00:45:02
Speaker
in medical science, the fact that it went down 1.5 in five days, she said this is and she even wrote it. I have the documentation in the medical records. She said, the patient has made a remarkable recovery. So it's basically like what I said happened because I said, this is the way I reasoned. I said, if God told me in 2016, that I was going to have to travel. How can I travel if I'm on dialysis? I can't travel if I'm on dialysis. I said, so God knew that this was going to happen when he told me that prophetic word. And God wanted me to have faith that he would heal me. So now I didn't just depend on faith alone. Okay. I did everything. We're supposed to do everything we can do. So when I got back to the United States, baby, I wasn't eating nothing but organic. I was eating nothing. I was drinking high alkaline drink.
00:45:51
Speaker
high alkaline because what I learned from my research is the big C word, they can't stand a high alkaline. They like an acidic body. You know, drinking sugary sugarery sodas and things like that, they they like an acidic body. But if you have a high alkaline body, they do not like it. So how you get a high alkaline body? You take your water, just your regular water, and then you put some lemon juice in it, okay? That makes it alkaline. You get some Himalayan sea salt, and you put a little bit of that in there. And you know, that makes you get the minerals, like any sort of minerals. yeah I was doing all of these things, out everything that I could to help my body. I was doing everything I could to help my body.
00:46:32
Speaker
took three years, but God healed me of chronic kidney disease. So he did not kill me. And my doctor, when I got back, he told me, he said, if you had not made those changes in 2017, lost that weight and got strong, there's no doubt in my mind, you would be dead right now. I want to say something that that that that's very powerful that connects to that, right? I think a lot of times people think that when God performs miracles, He always does it all without you not taking precautions that add to it. So I'll give you an example. It's like in Kings chapter 4.
00:47:09
Speaker
there was an individual that Elijah came across and her children were going to be sold into slavery. So what she what was told to her was to get every single jar she could find in the community, right? And then when he he was able, he said, what do you have of value in your home? It was the olive oil. So what does what does she need? she As long as the olive oil they had that Elijah blessed, as long as she had jars, the blessing kept flowing. It kept flowing without every with every single jar, which means our God is the God of process. Even when we think about Jesus, right he talked about he grew in favor with God and with people. So last thing too, when Jesus healed the man and he spit in the dirt,
00:47:56
Speaker
right? And he put over his eyes. He told him to kept washing because it was a process. So sometimes when God blesses you, people think it's instant. That's in some cases. I must admit I was looking for instant. It was instant, but it it took you taking care of yourself. Yeah. absolutely It took you taking care of yourself, prioritizing your health, and making changes. And what it is is God lowered it down enough so that when you went back and you changed your lifestyle, you ultimately did get hit. And that's beautiful because that's also a very practical aspect of it. that yeah There's another saying my mom used to say,
00:48:35
Speaker
Study hard so that when you take the test God can bring back to you remembers the things you study You don't go and take a test without studying and thinking God's gonna just bless you So we got to do our part as well. So that's a I like your story. Yes Yeah, so that's what I wanted. Yeah, I wanted to. you agree to say Because it took three years. I mean, it took literally took three years because I, you know, every time I was going to the doctor to get that creatine check, I was I was looking for it. I was looking for it. It wasn't there, but it was coming down. It was coming down. And what time it boped up, maybe .10, but then it come down and come down and come down.
00:49:10
Speaker
But I can tell you, I say praise God because I decreed in belief and God answered my faith. And yeah even though it took three years, you know, maybe, like you said, it could be that God allowed it to take three years for that part of my testimony so people could see, hey, don't give up. Don't give up. don't yeah I used to say, don't let your faith have an expiration date. You know? Some people believe God until a certain date, they don't believe no more. You know, I said, don't let your faith, your faith should not have an expiration date. We should believe him all the way through, you know? Yeah, amen. that the What he's done for us, and that's what I told the Lord. I said, Lord, if there's some times when you ask me to do something that I don't really want to do, help me to remember the sacrifice you made for me. That should be all it takes because I was at that same prophetic conference and one of the speakers said, God hears no from his children
00:50:05
Speaker
more than he hears you. Not the world. Christians, people who say that I am saved and you're sure how much she or Jesus the Messiah is my Lord and Savior. He said when he asked us as a group more of us say no to God than yes, and that is ridiculous. yeah it's It's selfish. It's ridiculous. And so that's why I said, Lord, no matter what, help me to remember the sacrifice. When we remember, you see, it's not like what we see on these nativity scenes with a man with a few stripes on him. The Bible says that he was unrecognizable.
00:50:42
Speaker
He was beaten with a cat of nine tails. What that is is nine leather strips and it had barbed wire and glass and stuff and that. So every time it hit him, it ripped flesh. And if he's unrecognizable, that means it had to hit him in the face and rip flesh. that that means he had to have something that like no one that we know has ever gone through okay yeah he did all that without cursing them but he didn't have to do it he said no man takes my life he could have called hey he could have wiped them he said he could have said scrap this project after that first hit with them how many of us that first hit with them nine tails we would scrap the project yeah it's a good thing it wasn't us because you know what i'm saying
00:51:23
Speaker
that everybody would have been gone. We said, no, no, we took it back up. we ahha This is how that comes. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, that there's ah there's a beautiful passage, this too, where he said, there's no greater of love than to lay one's life down for one's friends, right? When he he talked about us being friendships. And he also said the same thing in 1 John, when he says that love is so powerful, and I'm paraphrasing here, because it has to do with punishment. The one who loves, is is his love is greater than the punishment that he's to receive, right? And I think that that's something that a lot of us tend to gloss over, that God's love was greater than the punishment that he was going to receive on our behalf. And that's what powered him through in order for us to
00:52:10
Speaker
He
Jesus's Mission and Life's Trials
00:52:11
Speaker
understood the mission. He understood what he had to do. And not only did he accomplish it, he knew no other one. Even when he said, Lord, I pray, if there is another way, take this cup from me, if it is, but not my will, but thy will be done. Right. So I can imagine him sweating blood, which is what we told in the scriptures. ni yeah so much He had so much pressure. yeah They said it, but the capillaries, so that the sweat actually bled, that means the capillaries burst and where the sweat comes out, the blood was in those passages. That's why it came out like that. Yeah, it's a lot of stress. It was a lot of stress. And I don't think the stress was meant necessarily because of that
00:52:53
Speaker
the the um torture, but because he was separated from God, because what he say on the on the cross, la ma, la ma, la ma, la ma, eloi, eloi, la ma, sabbath the guy. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? That's when God separated himself from the Lord, when he had all of the sin of the world on him. yeah So that had to be the first time someone who's never born, who's always there, and they're always together. And then can you imagine how we get upset when we lose somebody that we're not connected to? I mean, basic except for the family, but I mean, we're not physically connected to them. They're physically, not physically, but you know spiritually. They're spiritually connected. And then he was separated, okay? And so what he did for us, that's why I said, Lord, help me to remember. Anytime you say, Lord, I don't wanna do that.
00:53:43
Speaker
i me know what you did so i say okay i'm gonna do it because but what hard did for me How can I say no? How can I say no? I need to say yes. I don't care if I like it or not. I need to say yes because of what he did for us. You know what I'm saying? That's what we need to have that attitude. We need to be like Paul. We are the bond servants of Yashua, Michigan. Yeah. And I even like what you said, I was thinking of Galatians 6.9, don't become weary in doing good for you or Reaper Harvest if you don't give up. And I think a lot of us have this idea that when things don't come through, we sort of forget Matthew 7.7, right? Actually, you shall receive seeking, you will find knocking the door will be open to you. But the NLT says, keep on.
00:54:24
Speaker
as in the continued process to keep on doing these things, even when things get tough, because we know, you know, in Romans 8 25, it says wait to wait on the Lord, it takes patience. And a lot of people don't tend to have those patience, right? and And that's where even when we talk about whether there's James, and he's talking about considerate pure joy, where you face trials and tribulations to know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, Let perseverance finish this work so you may be mature and complete, not liking anything. If anyone likes anything, let them ask God who gives generously you without fine and fault. And we get the same thing in Romans 5, 3, 5, where it says, rejoicing your sufferings because suffering produces perseverance, character, hope. Hope does not put us ashamed because the Holy Spirit's been poured out unto us. So when we look at these circumstances and situations, especially things that we don't quite understand and it's not revealed to us based upon the trials that we're going through,
00:55:21
Speaker
we necessarily can't see past it. But I think it's rather of importance, even with what Jesus told Peter in a particular time when he said, the devil seeks to have you, but I pray that your faith doesn't fail you. It had more to do with him having to go through those things so he could take the situations that he experienced to then strengthen his brothers and sisters. And that takes a process. And if God told us everything, and the thing we will have to go to to become much more rooted in our faith, then a lot of us, we will never do it. false be accused, throw it in the jail. You know what I'm saying? I think I'm going to sleep in this morning. Is that OK? Right. And I love that, right, in Genesis 39, because it's interesting. You see two sides of his life where he speaks about this is where things once were. But now he had a family and a wife. And he said, I could look back at that experience and talk about how much has helped me grow to who I am now. And I think a lot of us just
00:56:29
Speaker
We look at these tests and trials, but don't see the benefit of how God's shaping and molding that character for where he has prepared us, right? We see the same thing in Corinthians 10, when he says that there is nothing that he hasn't given us that we don't have the ability to overcome exactly and to be able to handle. But we think of these things and we think that God is is doing these things out of spite, but we don't see this for a greater purpose that we have no idea. and and And another thing, in in keeping with the same line of thought, well we have to look at what the scripture says. That scripture that says they that went on the Lord will renew their strength. Well, if it's renewed, that means it was expended. You know what I'm saying? Think about that other part. It's that they that went on the Lord will renew their strength. And that's why God talks about not becoming weary, but He said, hey, if you continue,
00:57:16
Speaker
and don't fake you shall re and do see you know, you will renew. That means, yes, it can get weary. And as you know, anybody that know the times in the seasons, what we're about to go through, we are the last days generation. We're about, to I mean, they they already got, you you know, what's going on in CERN and you know, they they're getting ready. They're already showing you that I think it was a whole food where somebody had a chip in their hand and they checked out. You know, the market of beast technology is already here. So only the those that are deluding themselves don't know where that's going to go to next. And so we have to be ready. We have to be so reminded because the Bible says there's going to be a remnant. We got to do it right now. We got to determine whether we want to be in the remnant or not. And those that want to be in the remnant got to get real serious about saying yes to the Lord and everything he tells us to do.
00:58:07
Speaker
Yeah, because things are changing.
Embracing African Roots and Identity
00:58:10
Speaker
So, yeah. So what do you think was the most significant aspect that you gained once you were connected to your ancestry roots? Like what are some thoughts and ideas that came to your mind once you experienced it? And what you went through it? Yeah. Identity, confidence. For example, I joined the local Nigerian community where it where I live. And then they asked me to be the keynote speaker at the Independence celebration because October 1st is Nigeria's Independence Day. So usually on some Saturday, if you know a Nigerian in October, I asked them to invite you to the Independence Day celebration. You'll get exposed to the African culture, the women, the fashion of the African women is second to none. You know, the Ghanaian women and the Nigerian women. And all matter of fact, all over Africa, the fashion of the African women,
00:59:01
Speaker
is second to none. I think so many have probably borrowed that and called it their own. But at any rate, so that's one thing connected to the culture. It learned and let me see how rich the culture is. It let me see what I was missing. you know I lit up that dark side of the moon, right? And then you know it it it just allowed me to see when I did the research for that speaking engagement, because you have to always know your audience. I learned some things that the the media doesn't want us to know, like Nigerians and the other Africans are more educated per capita, per 100 people, than Asians. They let us, they make us think that Asians are the most educated people in America. Not true. The Asians are behind the african okay Africans, The Africans are the most educated, led by the Nigerians, which get bachelor's degrees at a rate of more than two to one compared to native born white Americans.
00:59:57
Speaker
wow and they get advanced degrees at a rate of more than three to one compared to native born white Americans and as a group they earn more than any other group That's right, including native or white Americans. I don't care what group you're talking about. You're talking about Hispanic, you're talking about Asian. That's not to say we're better than anybody, but what I'm saying this is, is because we've been told that we were second class. We've been told that we couldn't do. We've been told all these crazy things, but this is what I tell people, and I've talked about this in the book.
01:00:30
Speaker
If you are copied, that means you are exceptional, because nobody copies of something they don't like. only you you You know how a little brother always comes and a big brother, hey, he's coming off of me. but That's because he likes what you're doing, you see? so You look at all the copying and imitates who's the most imitated people on the planet? So I tell people all the time I said I can prove that we're extremely exceptional And I can prove it with one question and they said well what's that? I say who the most copied people on the planet whether it's african-americans Africans afro-brazilians afro-caribbeans I don't care if they're dark-skinned melanated. They are the most copied people on the planet. We all know this. Okay. Yeah so if you're copied you're exceptional, but if you're copied and
01:01:15
Speaker
after a 500-year negative stereotype that is institutionalized, that everybody knows, but they still copy off you. That means you are super exceptional. And God actually gave me a poem when I was in Badagari, The Point of No Return, and it's a suburb of Lagos in Nigeria. It's where our ancestors, if you got any Nigerian in you, your ancestors came through Badagari. That was the last point on the continental Africa that they stood on before they'd be taken away to enslavement. And the poem that God gave me was this, it does not matter what they say, there is greatness in your DNA. The proof is in the lies they choose to tell to make themselves feel superior.
01:02:02
Speaker
They put to chaos in different places but hide what their hands did to bring it about. There is greatness in us but they don't want it out. I think they know they could not compete. if the field were level and they couldn't cheat. So on they go lives filled with lies to make pretend and rationalize. They say all is equal. Why do you complain? Pretending that their constant lies have not changed the game. It made people perceive just by your skin who should lose and who should win.
01:02:38
Speaker
There are some things you have to know. Don't wait for someone to tell you so. Reject the lies of yesterday. Embrace the greatness in your DNA. Wow. Great poem, man. You excited that, Joe? It's actually the first thing that you're going to see when you open the book. That is the inspirational poem. It's got the title up there and then it's got that inspirational poem because that is the foundation of the book, actually. Wow. So question is something I meant to ah touch on because I know you, you kind of mentioned it. You said that you're a resident now of Guyana, right? um Yeah. Ghana. Ghana. So question.
01:03:23
Speaker
And this is something that I read about and I heard, but I want to see if any information that you have. The physical that we take in America is based off of European standards. What about the physical that's based off in Ghana? Well, I'm not sure because you do for residents have to take a physical, but really it's more of a, they get the blood work. I think they just want to make sure that it's not somebody that's going to be chronically ill. You know, everything's pretty normal. And then as long as things are normal there, that you know, you're approved.
01:03:56
Speaker
But that's that's all I really saw, you know, they kind of, you know, they way you just like when you go to your doctor, your primary care physician, they do kind of the same thing. Take the word, word check, check, make sure you know, the reason why the reason why I ask that is because a lot of people say the numbers and we call in regards to what is labeled as obesity. what is labeled as healthy is based off of European numbers, we least at least within the United States. So there are a lot of black women that go and get a physical and they're told that they're obese or they're overweight or they're not in healthy condition. But a lot of people will say contrary to how black people are actually built,
01:04:38
Speaker
that will be in contrary to how European is built in regards to the person. So a lot of the numbers that are subject to black people that are really based upon Europeans examples, the physical that we normally take as black people are really physicals that were taken as Europeans, which don't necessarily always match up. So I was kind of curious about when you took it there, would you say the standard or what the guideline is, is difference? So that's why I was curious. I think it was the same guideline because I think they were just kind of screening for disease and making sure that you're not coming over here and then maybe a burden on the society. I really think that's what they didn't say that, but that's just what I think.
01:05:22
Speaker
Okay. So what do you think of that movie that they just came out where they had the the ah the black women and I think what's the name started and it was trying to if i was trying to think about the movie that they just created.
Media Stereotypes and Cultural Narratives
01:05:36
Speaker
I think it's called Woman. I'm trying to think. I don't remember that. And they were they were army they were a black army, a black women of army who were fighting. And what's the name stars in it? and about the way she was african and utah Yes. with
01:05:52
Speaker
is i can't remember the name Yeah, I'm trying to. i'm trying to think to now when i haven Oh, you haven't seen it. Okay. I was it. I was curious to see. i like the amazons i guess yes women warriors yeah Yes. Yes. Yes. The woman King, the woman King. That's what it's called. Yes. Yeah, starting of Vellana Davis, I think it was. So they kind of I wanted to see what your thoughts were in regards to that because I figured, yeah. I haven't seen that one, but I will tell you this. There's a book that I read that my 12th grade English teacher
01:06:23
Speaker
that she really, i i oh this is the only book I remember that she had us read. It's called Soul on Ice by Eldridge Weaver, Soul on Ice. And in that book, he breaks down the racist society that we're in and how they tried to portray a melanated men and melanated women versus Caucasian men and Caucasian women. So he says that they want to make us min melanated men look like the super masculine menial, very strong and very dumb, not smart, okay, not leadership material. They want to make our women look like sub feminine female. They want to make the white woman look like the ultra feminine female in need of protection. They want to make the white male look like the omnipotent administrator. So, you know,
01:07:16
Speaker
They like to push an image of our women as being tough and mean and you know you can hit them and they can fight with you and they might beat you up. and But that's that that is really the image that they want to portray of our women. They don't want to portray the image of our women as smart, intelligent, beautiful. and i and And there's another thing I want to address, because I see a lot of women, you know they'll say this thing, Black Barbie. And what I respond on social media is, not Black Barbie. I said in her dreams, Barbie wishes she looked as good as you look. So no don't lower yourself because when you say Black Barbie, that means that that's the standard of beauty and it's not. Because if it was if if that if that was the greatest thing, then there would be no tanning boots. There would be no tanning boots. Everybody likes tall, dark, and handsome. Yeah.
01:08:07
Speaker
fifth So I tell people, don't listen to what people say, watch what they do. They show you by what they do, how you know whether they appreciate. So you know, if they're copying off of you, that there's something about you that they like. Don't listen to what they say, watch what they do. They're telling you, you are exceptional. We need to understand. we That's why in the book, I even say hashtag, we are exceptional. It's one of the places where I say, let's make a trade, hashtag.
01:08:50
Speaker
We are exceptional. And so this book is actually about rejecting the lies, all of the lies that we've been told, the colonial mindset, the the fact that they say our women's hair is not professional and all that crap that they do. No, we're rejecting that. Our hair is professional. As a matter of fact, it looks fabulous. Nobody else can make theirs look like ours when we know yeah we knew how to do our thing. It's like original. ah It's not even able to be copied. It's beautiful. So we need to understand. And that is what the answer is. That is what connecting to my roots has done for me. It has given me a great sense of identity, a great sense of confidence, like I never had before.
01:09:35
Speaker
Yeah, are you familiar with the my art principles? I remember learning and that when I took a Oh, you should check into that. It's the principles that kind of teach you the difference between a lot of the different principles that are incorporated to how you know, black people party and how they set up events. and how they set it up and different from the European-centric point of view. So one of the concepts that my aunt teaches is a lot of a Middle Eastern belief system where when you have people that come and visit, you welcome them into your home. You give them something to eat, you give them something to drink. And they talked about the Western perspective that if you welcome somebody in, you're most likely going to kill them.
01:10:18
Speaker
right? That's like the breakdown in terms of the different senses of cultural differences. And they talk about how over a period of time, when we think about how, ah when you see how a concert is set up, right? It's set up where you have, you know, people that probably you don't know them as well, but they open up. And then they wait until everybody comes in, they never start on time. right The whole concept is like it's a certain tradition that was brought up in a lot of the African practices and is all incorporated into how we do events. You see how it seeps into a lot of different things. When you look at the the level of professionalism and how you treat people, you see the difference between how Europeans have done it historically, you see the difference between how blacks have done it historically.
01:11:07
Speaker
it gives you a real layout. But the mod-out principles have a lot to do with the Egyptian practices. It has a lot to do with the rules. If you look it up, you'll see iss some very interesting stuff. And I remember learning this and you started seeing well how culturally now it's impacted. right So that brings me to the next question I want to ask. you know how do ah How can someone add ancestor culture into the culture that they already know? Okay, so I think the first place we need to start is by understanding how rich our African-American culture is. African-American culture has been copied around the world. In the book, I call jazz American classical, because I don't think, I don't agree with this. yeah We, where what people say, we get to define what classical is. Only what we have is classical. I'm like, Balderdash, what you all have is your classical. We have American classical, and it's more popular than European classical.
01:12:02
Speaker
jazz is more popular. You got people of all shapes, skin, color and genders that are playing jazz because they hear it and they love it and they play it, you know. And so that's like American classical, you know, we have to first start there. But then by the way that you add it is because when you when you understand what people group you connect to and you start learning about their customs, then you can incorporate some of those things. But just like right now, look at me, this is kind of representative of my African-American heritage, that Western heritage, but this is Ishiyagu. It is the lion's head cloth of the e-ball, okay? And so i'm I'm just right here in this interview, I'm giving you an example of how I'm blending my cultures. I am fully African-American, like the full moon,
01:12:53
Speaker
fully African American, love my African American culture. But now that I'm learning, I'm learning how to speak Twi, Twi is the language of the Ashanti and the Fanti. Well, no, Twi is the language of the Ashanti. So I'm um i'm learning how to speak Twi. TWI, but they say it like Twi. And so I'm learning that. I'm learning some Igbo. I'm learning some Yoruba. and the people that just genuinely enjoy when you speak the language and they see that you don't really know, but you're trying to help you out. It's just, you want to bring joy to somebody's face, it's showing them that you respect their value. So the way that you blend it is you learn about it. And then I've been able to help my sister and my mom and my niece to learn more about the culture because
01:13:40
Speaker
I bought some Nigerian for some a goosey soup and powdered yam. These are two very favorite Nigerian soup, the goosey soup and then the powdered yam. It's like a russet potato on steroids, the yam. And it looks like potato, but it's kind of a different consistency of taste. So anyway, you pickle up a little bit and you dip it in the soup and you eat it that way with your hands. And first my sister was like, oh no, I don't want to try it. and want to try a worse
01:14:12
Speaker
So but my my my my niece said, I want to try some, so she tried some, she said, oh, that's good. And so then my mom said, well, let me, because they were all sitting at the table together, right? So my mom tried some, she said, oh, that is good. And then my sister said, well, let me try. Now she wants to try it. Not only did she try it, but then she found out that there's somebody that works with her that's a part of the Nigerian community and knew what she said. Yeah, my brother lives in Ghana. She said, well, what's your brother's name? And she said, oh, I know him. He's one of my friends. She said, a kid do you make a goosey soup? She said, the next time you make it. So now when the moment makes a goosey soup, she going to be bringing my sister some goosey soup. The same one who didn't want to try it.
01:14:53
Speaker
She's now getting kind of exposed to the culture, you see? And it just, it brings joy to my heart, you know? Because these are the things we were disconnected from. When I was in the seventh grade, I don't tell a story in the book. When I was in the seventh grade, we had to bring a cultural dish. Well, I'm African-American. Yeah. Dish, right? I didn't know what to bring. I bought tacos. But I didn't know if we could talk about it. We made tacos. I didn't know how to fry that thing and make it like a U-shape. You know what I'm saying? It was just great. I kept it in the fridge. I had to keep it fresh. I bought it out. And the people were like, what is this? And I was like, it's a Frisbee. Because somebody had made perfect tacos, and I was so embarrassed. Right? Yeah. But that was a part of the legacy of its statement. But now that, excuse me, reverses, that actually reverses it, you know? You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Yeah, I think we're doing that a lot, right? We talk about jazz and we see where rap came from. We see where Afrobeats. It's interesting, you made a great statement when you spoke about you had to bring a dish. I had to do the same thing. And I started to see how things have changed the clothing.
01:16:04
Speaker
What did you bring? What did you bring? So my my my grandparents are from Barbados. So we brought I brought some ah brought some turnovers at the time. And then I think I brought this. This this is a cucumber dish. We put lemon or lime, onion, of ah crushed red pepper. Oh, so you brought actual Barbados? dish for my mom. Yes. So that was coach yeah. but not Yeah. So when my mom did that, we was doing it like the teacher we had wanted to, you know, us to incorporate and get us a better um ah understanding of how our culture
01:16:42
Speaker
is rather than important. And I remember at that time, it wasn't as embraced as it is now, because now we got the alpha beats, we got the music, we see how a lot of the stuff has seep in, and everybody's embracing it. The clothing, it's is's it's taking a jump because I remember in middle school, people was making fun of you. like people wasn't embracing you. And now it seems like, man, these people that are coming. That was a colonized and enslaved man. That's what that was. That was all that programming. This is bad. This is bad. Just like they tell you that going to Africa is bad. But yet, who you think's up, they all up over it they're all up in here, baby. They try to tell black people don't come. Oh, it's dangerous. It's dangerous. You shouldn't come. But you know, they're coming in droves. Every time I come over,
01:17:26
Speaker
there's not been a time that I've come over and then we we you know the hotel that I stand in a crowd when I come when I first come there's not been a single time and a lot of single Caucasian women are coming over like you heard what's going on in Jamaica and other places where they coming for some you know sausage yeah so there's a lot of that going on too yeah so the United States man it's scary right this book yeah if it's scary then why why are they coming over here if it's so scary Yeah. And it's amazing because even in the United States now, man, it feels like all the foods, they've all come here and they've they set up place everywhere. Ramen is like a big thing now. ah The Jamaican, the spices are like a big thing now. It's it's completely changed. ah Sushi, all that stuff is there. It's amazing. It's like, where was this a while ago? But now everybody's setting up camp and you you really get in the the the ounce of every little thing now.
01:18:22
Speaker
so Yeah, things have made a tremendous jump in terms of America confusing, adding in all the different cuisines and all the stuff that's happened. And I would have never thought that it would have grown as much as it has. And I have to agree with you, man. I know the fear of going to advocate has always been, you know, if you go there, the stories we've heard, you may not make it back. You go wrong parts. But and it's important that you travel and get to know where you're from and and those sort of things. andtopia
01:18:53
Speaker
Save up enough money if you decide to come, save up enough money that you can stay for at least two weeks. Try to come over with somebody, or now there's so many people, there's so many um people that are offering tours where you can come with a group. Do that, you know, come with a group. But make sure it's a group that don't have you like here only two days, here two days. you Don't do that one because that, it gives takes you a lot of places, but you don't really get to fall in joy. Okay. It's better to take one that might have you ah one place, four days each, you know, three or four days. Don't just go two days here, two days in, because you won't get back and you're just going to be tired because you can hop it on right. You got to unpack as soon as you get
01:19:34
Speaker
ah unpacked in a room, you pack it back up, you know? So, but stay at least 14 days because, you know, I stayed 10 days that first time, it wasn't enough, at least 14 days because it's a long way to come, first of all. And then secondly, it is, I believe that you're gonna have a life-changing experience. Find out where you're from, find out the tribe, get the tribal test, find out where you're from, I'll do the research and then connect and it's going to be transformational. It will be a life-changing thing. I've had so many people that I've talked to that have had great experiences. And I think there's so many more to come for people.
Personal Faith Journey
01:20:18
Speaker
That's why I want to get the word out about this book, let people know and and say, hey, it's not like they're telling you in the media.
01:20:26
Speaker
They're not going to tell you because you see who controlled that media. So they're not going to tell you the truth. They're not going to tell you that they're coming over in droves. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. And learning and culture and even and even selling stuff and then making money and making connections. You're right. and draining the country of what it has in order to elevate your business and all this other stuff that's so ah secretly going behind the scenes. So I understand what you're saying. So it'll be remiss if I don't ask at least some of these questions. So I wanted to ask, how did you come to faith? Were you were you raised Christian? ah did you have Did you come into it as you got older? like What was your background like?
01:21:06
Speaker
Well, you know, I guess I had a typical African-American family where we went to church or when we didn't go to, but even when my mother didn't go to church, there was a church that was like not too far, maybe seven, eight blocks down the street. So my mother would even send us sometimes to church. And one time I kind of played little, little hooky from church. Boy, did I get in trouble because my older brother didn't and he told on me. But anyway, I you can't trust the brothers sometimes. I got three of them. yeah i safe Yeah, yeah. I had a good time when I was out, but when I got in. oh Yeah, I was saying when I was 14 in a Baptist church in
01:21:50
Speaker
When I was 14 and about the church, I was saved, relapsed. But then when I was 19, 1997, it 1997 where I rededicated my life to the Lord. And I've been serious about the Lord since then. So yeah, I got saved at 14. But then I had a father who was a deacon in the church, but he was living like the devil, cheating on my mother, things like that. And when I told him I got saved, he didn't want he didn't want somebody really saved in his house, so he told me I wasn't saved.
01:22:21
Speaker
He did. You know, just the opposite of what I should have had as a father. But I tell my mother, I said, well, God knew we had a deficit on the fathers. We gave us a double portion. But my mother is a really good God-loving woman, just supporting me in everything that I've done. And I just thank God that he gave me a double portion on my mother because we had kind of like a negative debit on the father side. So God could guy said, well, I'm going to make it up on the mother side because, you know, you got kind of a negative debit. but he said if I had to put them two together. You wouldn't be here. So. Yeah. Yeah. I asked and i said, oh, why you give me that money? He said, well, I didn't. You wouldn't be. Do you know where he is now or the situation is of repentance if he's ever changed or, you know, made? No. I don't know if he ever repented. He passed away. We saw him before he died.
01:23:08
Speaker
But I don't know. I don't know. Hopefully he did. I hope he did. I really hope he did. But I don't know. So it was one of those situations where he lived his life for himself. And if there's any men out there that's doing this, you know go on every skirt, chasing every skirt. think you gotta you know Get in bed with everything, cheating on your wife, in your your children. He had no child that was at his funeral. Well, I mean, you know, this man lived his life for himself. He tried to take food out of our mouths when our mother divorced him, but she caught him cheat carter red handed cheating. She had enough of it to him. He literally tried to take food out of our mouths.
01:23:53
Speaker
According to the Bible, he was worse than an unbeliever. The Bible says everything I take care of his family is worth the infinite. Unfortunately, that's who he was. So basically, he tried to trick us to get us to go to visit him, told us to bring our Social Security to Congress. He had something to give us, but because he was such a shyster, I didn't bring mine because I said he probably tried to figure out how he could get some of my Social Security cards. I didn't break it. But I went, you know, we went to visit him. But, um you know, hopefully i pray and i but i pray um I pray that he, you know, made it right with the Lord before he died. But I'll find out when I get to him. Yeah. Any songs, any books in the chapter you that's that are your favorites or that you enjoy reading? You're talking about songs or books in the Bible?
01:24:40
Speaker
any Any books in the Bible, when I say when i say songs, music, any music or songs, artists that you could recommend anyone that's listening ah might want to check it out. Oh, you're talking about artists that are making music today? Yeah, any any Christian artists or musicians that you enjoy, that you could recommend. Made a way. I know who you're talking about. Yes, I know who you're talking about. What's his name? I can't remember his name. We'll get his name. Yeah, made a way, don't know. I mean, the lyrics, standing here, not knowing. Yeah, don't know how you did it. I know you're talking about this. Only wrongs of faith you know best. Nothing can take you by surprise. You've got this figured out, and you're watching us now. And women think that if we can't win, you grab us in your arms and step in. Everything we need you to supply. You got this in control, and now we know that you made a way. When our backs were against the wall, and it looked as if it was over.
01:25:36
Speaker
Man, that song, when you're in the valley, that song is it. That's it, that song is it. I mean, you can tell, he wrote that song, he been in the valley. You you know, you know. You're talking about Travis, his name is Travis Green. I know you're talking about him. Travis Green, that's it. Travis Green. And Ty Trebek also. Yes. Ty Trebek. Of course, goodness of God. C.C. Winans, goodness of God. Beautiful. Yeah. You know, that's one of the songs that my wife and I sing when I praise Ty. All our life you have been faithful, such truth in that song. All our life you have been so, so good. Every chance that we are able, we will sing of the goodness of God. It's just a beautiful song. And any books in the Bible you enjoy reading and they even minister to others about?
01:26:21
Speaker
I think the one that God has really given me a burden about his second Corinthians five 18, my wife and I read Ephesians five. Now one that just jumped out at me just recently that the Lord, I had read Ephesians five so many times, cause you know, husbands love your wives, wives respect your husbands and things like that. But Ephesians five, five, that one jumped out at me. I had to memorize it because this was particularly with men. If any of men out there that are struggling with pornography, or anything like that, memorize Ephesians 5-5 because one of the things you have to remember is the Word of God is alive and powerful. If you remember that word where you might be having a struggle, then that word can help you to be the righteous because God says, you know, and then with clean hands and a pure heart are the ones that are going to see God, right? You have to live a repentant lifestyle. But Ephesians 5-5 says, for know this, that any person who practices
01:27:17
Speaker
sexual vice or impurity in thought or in life or one who is covetous for he is an idolater will have no inheritance in the kingdom of christ or god so when that jumped out of me i had to actually said let me memorize this let me memorize this let me because you know especially now with women being so you know, kind of free with what they wear, and men being visually motivated, it's easy to be on your Instagram posts and somebody, just they just popping it out there, you know what I'm saying? And you're like, you know, for you to know, you you're looking too long, you know what I'm saying? And so as men, we have to say, Lord, let me let, you know, thy word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sit against thee, right? And so we have, and that one that one popped out at me because if we honestly, you know, God knows that we have challenges, but we have to be honest with God.
01:28:09
Speaker
can't sit there like, oh, I've been a Christian for 40 years, bless God, you know, I've got no check. God says, the Bible says, if you say you have no sin, you're a lie in the true faith in you. That's what it says. Yeah, for a start, yes. You're a lie in the true faith in you. You know, we're not saying like our grandmother uses a lie in the true faith in you. But that means we have to keep short accounts. Ask the Lord to wash us clean. Ask a I asked the Lord, I say, wash my intentions, wash my actions, wash my desires. And I always pray, I said, Lord, help me to love what you love and hate what you hate. So if there's something that you like, you know, Lord don't like, be honest with the Lord. Say, Lord, I need you to help me with this. Cause I'm having a struggle in that area. That's an area of weakness. I need you to help me. And so I think it's about the water. Let me pop that, pop that. When I read Ephesians five, I was planning to read the whole chapter that day.
01:29:01
Speaker
When I got to five, I said, let me just memorize this. I stopped right there. I memorized that. And so now it's in my memory. It's in my memory. So now, when I see something and it's going too long, it pops up in my mind. Oh, for no this. You know what I'm saying? Any person who practices sexual visor impurity in thought or in life, you see? That's like, well, Lord, in thought, he said, yes, in thought. Because if you take it long enough, you're going to do it. As a man, think it in his heart. So is he. So is he. Yeah. Because first, I was like, look, you know, you're kind of
01:29:34
Speaker
Lord and I know that's the way you think you are. Like you said, God is not doing things to keep us from having fun. He's trying to keep us from harm. Yeah. He's trying to keep us from harm, but we don't know it. So Ephesians 5-5, that's the thing I would say, guys, especially memorize Ephesians 5
Modesty and Christian Values
01:29:52
Speaker
-5. It will do you good. Amen. I know that speaks to a lot of people, especially those who struggle with fornication and that's, that's, That's a hard thing when you're trying to stay right with God. And if with so many different things, the devil's got you everywhere and now these days. When you're looking at TV, you're looking outside, you're looking at a woman that goes by. Instantly, your thoughts go right to it. And you're right. even Jesus said, anyone who looks at a woman has already committed sin in his heart. a minutes to his heart yeah yeah
01:30:26
Speaker
And see, that you know, and and and so I was, you know, I was kind of commending myself a little bit because I'm like, Lord, I've been delivered from looking at pornography, you know, because that was a struggle at one point and the Lord delivered me from that. And I'm like, you know, well, you know, these women have clothes on, you know, but they have tight clothes on, you know what I'm saying? And sometimes they have tight clothes on, they don't have no bra on, something like that. But I sit down, you know, that's not pure. If see, he said impure. So if you're not looking at her as like a sister, or mother, or you know what I'm saying? If you ain't looking like that, you're like, ooh, that's a very good well-endowed woman. The guys say, if it's impure in any way, in thought or in life,
01:31:08
Speaker
What it was covered is what was somebody else got for they are done and I didn't know cuz this it could be Idolatry, you know, and this is a you know, if you spend a couple of hours looking at those Instagram posts, right? Then that means do you spend that couple of hours pray with the Lord like that? That's my question that I don't know if the Lord maybe I asked myself I don't know but the bottom line was the question was are you prayed two hours like you looking at these these pictures two hours Okay in the Lord. Let me remember that scripture. And it's helping I me. So by the grace of God, he will continue to help me because all we gotta do, God don't expect us to be perfect. He expects us to be honest. Tell him what's going on and then ask him to help us. And then genuinely make the effort to do better, right? And then keep short accounts, repent, wash, repeat, wash, rinse, repeat. You know, keep on doing that. And that's how we go. That's how we get to heaven.
01:32:05
Speaker
We get to heaven by helping the God to wash us clean with the precious blood of Yeshua of Mashiach. Do for us what we can't do for ourselves. Yeah.
Conclusion and Closing Prayer
01:32:16
Speaker
I believe it's in Isaiah or Jeremiah where he says even our righteousness is ah is a filthy rax to the Lord. That's right. It's like filthy rax. So we got to maintain the spirit of humility. You know, and like I said, sharing that, so if there are any guys listening or even if there are women, because, you know, sometimes a lot of these men, but what I've noticed today is it seems like the women are much more loose with their clothing than the men, even Christian women, you know, they they want to show a little c cleavage here, a little cleavage there. I'm like, no, my sister, no, especially if you're a Christian, my sister, but for my sisters that are listening,
01:32:52
Speaker
Talk to the Lord about what you're wearing. I had to talk to my wife about something. It didn't have a, but it showed a little, you know, in here, I said, no, babe, no, be sure nobody was for your husband. So I said, you got to cover that up or get rid of that dress. And that passes the second Peter, I think it's second Peter or first Peter, where it talks about, you know, people are more worried about a lavish, a lavish lifestyles of how you look rather than a woman and what's going on in here. And what's happening within the heart, we tend to be obviously we're men, we're attracted to
01:33:30
Speaker
What's going on in the outward appearances, but what's going on in the heart? Those are the those are women that are very special. And that's what you know, that's god God has made men visually attractive, visually motivated. So that's attractive. But, you know, there's nothing more ugly to me than an absolutely gorgeous woman who has no character, no kind of character. Yeah, personality and absolute. I don't care how good she looked. Yeah, who got the character. But on the other end of the spectrum, I don't you know i don't want it to look like my brother. You know what I'm saying? yeah Right? and Apple looks nice on the outside, but the inside is rotten. Or what Jesus said, you we we tend to ferries. He's tend to wash the outside of the cup. But inside of it, it's exactly rotten. And it's terrible. Yeah. Gotcha.
01:34:16
Speaker
All right. So, man, Rich, I want to thank you so much for calling. This has been great. We definitely got to have you on again. So I want you to inform the audience where can they find you, where they can buy the book, whatever information you need to put out there. Okay. If they just go, try to make it very easy, if they just go to foundmypeople.com, foundmypeople.com. And from there, you can get the book or connect with us through social media or anything like that. So just go to foundmypeople.com. Beautiful. And I'll make sure I put in the show notes so people can find you. Thank you. And I will send you the guaranteed peace. That's what I call it. Guaranteed peace. The steps that God gave me. If you take these steps one at a time, you will guarantee God guarantees that you will have peace no matter what the situation is. Gotcha. All right. So you don't mind closing out a prayer for us? OK. Hallelujah, Lord God. We thank you. We say, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
01:35:16
Speaker
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Lord God, we wanna say thank you for today. Thank you for this time of fellowship. Thank you for the things that you had us to say today. I pray that everyone that is listening will fulfill every detail of your plan for their lives, that we each will fulfill every detail of your plan for our lives, that we each will talk to every person or maybe a kind act. It might not necessarily be talking, but that we will fulfill our ministry of reconciliation because 2 Corinthians 5 18 says we each who have accepted you have a ministry and we will give an account to you.
01:36:00
Speaker
let everyone know let everyone not be deceived we each will stand before you and give an account of our ministry so let us be sober-minded understanding that we will stand before you and give account and so let us all be able to see to hear you say well done now good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the lord to cover each and every one of us with the precious blood i ask lord god for and we dec i decree psalm 91 protection for us I decree that you give us wisdom and understanding to know what to do in every situation because we are coming to the days, Lord God, where things are going to change.
01:36:39
Speaker
where we may have to leave all of the comforts and the homes and things like that. And we may have to learn how to grow food and things like that because we see that some days are already in motion. And your Bible tells us in Daniel and in Revelation about the new time. Let us not be naive. Let us understand the times and the season that be that remnant church, to do everything that you want us to do. In the mighty and most excellent name of Yeshua HaMashiach, we seal, protect, and cover these prayers with the precious blood of Yeshua HaMashiach. We ask your Father, Yeshua HaMashiach, and Holy Spirit to pray in agreement with us because we know agreement increases the power of prayer.
01:37:23
Speaker
and we pray Holy Spirit that you cover all of this prayers, proclamations, declarations, and decrees and praise with Holy Spirit fire so that they can go to the throne of heaven unimpeded by any force of power in the mighty and most excellent name of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah. Amen. Amen. Amen.