http://www.thescarletthread.llcenChristianityCopyright Warrior Richardsonhttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/240eebcde598a6b61749c9d5b5458fdb.jpghttp://www.thescarletthread.llcMon, 05 Aug 2024 11:24:28 +0000Warrior RichardsonWarrior Richardsonfeeds@spreaker.comIn this podcast I take a close look at a wide variety of topics using the Bible as my lens. When we look at the world through the lens of scripture we discover life-changing truth that transforms us. We discover our identity, purpose and worth. We...cleanepisodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/conclusion-pt-21--56003013https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56003013Wed, 05 Jul 2023 16:00:03 +0000Warrior Richardson180bible,christianity,evangelism,gospelcleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/no-one-was-more-surprise-by-my-conversion-than-i-was-pt-20--54386744https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54386744Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior Richardson180be_all_things_to_all_men,i-believed,i_was_baffled,surprised_by_my_own_conversioncleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-power-of-the-question-pt-19--54353492https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54353492Fri, 30 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior Richardson180evangelism,following_jesus'_example,importance_of_listening,power_of_questionscleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sinner-s-prayer-pt-18--54295308https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54295308Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior Richardson180how_to_get_saved,prayer_of_salvation,sinner's_prayer,what_must_i_do_to_be_savedcleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/i-surrender-all-pt-17--54221336Warrior Richardson: ...and they all know that.

Monica Larson: There's a few individuals, sometimes they're just, you know, they don't understand. because everyone's at different places and walks in life. I've actually heard individuals say, "Well, I don't sin.I don't do anything wrong.

Warrior Richardson: I've heard that.

Monica Larson: It's deception from the enemy. I appreciate you explaining that. For an individual who says, "I want this Jesus that you;re speaking of. I want to know him." What's a prayer of salvation that you could share with someone today who's listening?

Warrior Richardson: You certainly can do a sinner's prayer; but the words, of course, do not save you. You have to mean the words of the sinner's prayer. I didn't say a word when God saved me. I had a saxophone in my mouth. I was playing the saxophone when God saved me. I was playing before, during and after. So, a sinner's prayer is all well and good. It is an expression of what is going on inside of you. People get confused when somebody says "repeat after me." There's absolutely nothing wrong with saying "repeat after me." unless, of course, it confuses somebody. So, there's nothing inherently wrong with that; so, A sinner's prayer is just fine and wonderful; but it is not necessay. It is not crucial; because not everyone can speak. Some people are unable to speak. So, the crucial point is not so much quoting words; but you simply must yield to God.

Monica Larson: You must surrender but you must mean it and be sincere.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54221336Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonWarrior Richardson: ...and they all know that. Monica Larson: There's a few individuals, sometimes they're just, you know, they don't understand. because everyone's at different places and walks in life. I've actually heard individuals say, "Well, I...Warrior Richardson: ...and they all know that.

Monica Larson: There's a few individuals, sometimes they're just, you know, they don't understand. because everyone's at different places and walks in life. I've actually heard individuals say, "Well, I don't sin.I don't do anything wrong.

Warrior Richardson: I've heard that.

Monica Larson: It's deception from the enemy. I appreciate you explaining that. For an individual who says, "I want this Jesus that you;re speaking of. I want to know him." What's a prayer of salvation that you could share with someone today who's listening?

Warrior Richardson: You certainly can do a sinner's prayer; but the words, of course, do not save you. You have to mean the words of the sinner's prayer. I didn't say a word when God saved me. I had a saxophone in my mouth. I was playing the saxophone when God saved me. I was playing before, during and after. So, a sinner's prayer is all well and good. It is an expression of what is going on inside of you. People get confused when somebody says "repeat after me." There's absolutely nothing wrong with saying "repeat after me." unless, of course, it confuses somebody. So, there's nothing inherently wrong with that; so, A sinner's prayer is just fine and wonderful; but it is not necessay. It is not crucial; because not everyone can speak. Some people are unable to speak. So, the crucial point is not so much quoting words; but you simply must yield to God.

Monica Larson: You must surrender but you must mean it and be sincere.
]]>180i_surrender_all,repeat_after_me,sinner's_prayer,you_must_yield_to_godcleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-peace-that-surpasses-understanding-pt-16--54200391
Warrior Richardson: Well, it's an academic question. I know it has a reality to it; but in the here now on this earth... technically you can have a hell on earth. If there is no heaven...Okay. There is a heaven;...

Dr. Monica Larson: Right.

Warrior Richardson: ...but the focus is misdirected. If they believe there is no heaven or hell...but what they can wrap there mind around is meaning and purpose and fulfillment in their own life here and now.

Dr. Monica Larson: Right.

Warrior Richardson: And you cannot do that without God. So, you can debate heaven and hell and that can be very academic because I can't prove to you that there is no heaven or hell. I can't do that. But you and I and everybody knows "Am I fulfilled?" "Is my life meaningful?" "Why am I doing what I'm doing?" "Should I be doing this?" Can you have the kind of certainty that what you're doing is right? And do you have a joy that surpasses understanding? In spite of all circumstances I have had a joy and during my worse moments when I had nothing was when I was born again and that was the most joyous moment of my life when I had nothing materially.

Dr. Monica Larson: mmm hmmm.

Warrior Richardson: We can debate heaven and hell all we want to and that becomes an academic debate; but it is a reality that without God we are not fulfilled. Everybody can say I am or I'm not fulfilled; but the reality is that without God there is no fulfillment. You're just chasing after something that you hope will fulfill you; but the reality is that it is obvious that it does not. So...
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54200391Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonDr. Monica Larson: I've heard individuals say, "There's no heaven. "There's no hell." Well, heaven and hell are definitely real; and so what would you say to those individuals who want to debate that there is no heaven and there is no hell. Warrior...
Warrior Richardson: Well, it's an academic question. I know it has a reality to it; but in the here now on this earth... technically you can have a hell on earth. If there is no heaven...Okay. There is a heaven;...

Dr. Monica Larson: Right.

Warrior Richardson: ...but the focus is misdirected. If they believe there is no heaven or hell...but what they can wrap there mind around is meaning and purpose and fulfillment in their own life here and now.

Dr. Monica Larson: Right.

Warrior Richardson: And you cannot do that without God. So, you can debate heaven and hell and that can be very academic because I can't prove to you that there is no heaven or hell. I can't do that. But you and I and everybody knows "Am I fulfilled?" "Is my life meaningful?" "Why am I doing what I'm doing?" "Should I be doing this?" Can you have the kind of certainty that what you're doing is right? And do you have a joy that surpasses understanding? In spite of all circumstances I have had a joy and during my worse moments when I had nothing was when I was born again and that was the most joyous moment of my life when I had nothing materially.

Dr. Monica Larson: mmm hmmm.

Warrior Richardson: We can debate heaven and hell all we want to and that becomes an academic debate; but it is a reality that without God we are not fulfilled. Everybody can say I am or I'm not fulfilled; but the reality is that without God there is no fulfillment. You're just chasing after something that you hope will fulfill you; but the reality is that it is obvious that it does not. So...
]]>180does_heaven_exist,does_hell_exist,is_my_life_meaningful,joy_that_surpasses_understandicleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/meaning-purpose-pt-15--54174368Dr. Monica Larson: I've heard individuals say, "There's no heaven. "There's no hell." Well, heaven and hell are definitely real; and so what would you say to those individuals who want to debate that there is no heaven and there is no hell.



Warrior Richardson: Well, it's an academic question. I know it has a reality to it; but in the here now on this earth... technically you can have a hell on earth. If there is no heaven...Okay. There is a heaven;...



Dr. Monica Larson: Right.



Warrior Richardson: ...but the focus is misdirected. If they believe there is no heaven or hell...but what they can wrap there mind around is meaning and purpose and fulfillment in their own life here and now.



Dr. Monica Larson: Right.



Warrior Richardson: And you cannot do that without God. So, you can debate heaven and hell and that can be very academic because I can't prove to you that there is no heaven or hell. I can't do that. But you and I and everybody knows "Am I fulfilled?" "Is my life meaningful?" "Why am I doing what I'm doing?" "Should I be doing this?" Can you have the kind of certainty that what you're doing is right? And do you have a joy that surpasses understanding? In spite of all circumstances I have had a joy and during my worse moments when I had nothing was when I was born again and that was the most joyous moment of my life when I had nothing materially.



Dr. Monica Larson: mmm hmmm.



Warrior Richardson: We can debate heaven and hell all we want to and that becomes an academic debate


]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54174368Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonDr. Monica Larson: I've heard individuals say, "There's no heaven. "There's no hell." Well, heaven and hell are definitely real; and so what would you say to those individuals who want to debate that there is no heaven and there is no hell. Warrior...Dr. Monica Larson: I've heard individuals say, "There's no heaven. "There's no hell." Well, heaven and hell are definitely real; and so what would you say to those individuals who want to debate that there is no heaven and there is no hell.



Warrior Richardson: Well, it's an academic question. I know it has a reality to it; but in the here now on this earth... technically you can have a hell on earth. If there is no heaven...Okay. There is a heaven;...



Dr. Monica Larson: Right.



Warrior Richardson: ...but the focus is misdirected. If they believe there is no heaven or hell...but what they can wrap there mind around is meaning and purpose and fulfillment in their own life here and now.



Dr. Monica Larson: Right.



Warrior Richardson: And you cannot do that without God. So, you can debate heaven and hell and that can be very academic because I can't prove to you that there is no heaven or hell. I can't do that. But you and I and everybody knows "Am I fulfilled?" "Is my life meaningful?" "Why am I doing what I'm doing?" "Should I be doing this?" Can you have the kind of certainty that what you're doing is right? And do you have a joy that surpasses understanding? In spite of all circumstances I have had a joy and during my worse moments when I had nothing was when I was born again and that was the most joyous moment of my life when I had nothing materially.



Dr. Monica Larson: mmm hmmm.



Warrior Richardson: We can debate heaven and hell all we want to and that becomes an academic debate


]]>180academic_debate,joy_surpasses_understanding,meaning_purpose_fulfillment,there's_no_heaven,there's_no_hellclean15fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/let-go-and-let-god-pt-14--54151242Warrior Richardson:people get married and they get a wife and they love their wife. The wife is beautiful. She's a wonderful wife, supportive and all those kinds of things; but there's something missing. A wife is a wonderful thing to have but a wife cannot fill that hole that only God can fill. No matter how much success we have with music, career, a family, there's something missing; and it is obvious to every human being just as it was obvious to me when I was sitting in that room with all my atheistic friends and I just said, "You know, if there's no God then there really is no basic for morality."

But it goes more than that. If there really is no God there is no purpose. There's no meaning. Without God we are incomplete. We want to fill it with a wife, with music, with careers and none of those things fill those things; so, it's not a matter of us doing something to become fulfilled. It's a matter of us relinquishing the things we are doing to cease from the things that we are doing to stop chasing after the things that we are chasing after.It's a matter of us relinquishing the things we are doing to cease from the things that we are doing to stop chasing after the things that we are chasing after. It is a matter of letting go and letting God. It's a matter of yielding. That's what it is. We yield to the truth. We yield to the one who loves us with a love that surpasses understanding. Prayer is not necessarily something we utter words with. There are some times when we just don't have the words for what we are trying to say. It is a yielding. We need to yield to what is obviously true. It's a yielding.

Dr. Monica Larson: Exactly. Surrender. When they say, "I surrender all."

Warrior Richardson: Right.

Dr. Monica Larson: "Lord I give it all. We do nothing in our own strength. Lord it's all you. I give up everything. Lord fill me."

Warrior Richardson: There it is.

Dr. Monica Larson: So, it's that surrender.

Warrior Richardson: right.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54151242Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonWarrior Richardson:people get married and they get a wife and they love their wife. The wife is beautiful. She's a wonderful wife, supportive and all those kinds of things; but there's something missing. A wife is a wonderful thing to have but a wife...Warrior Richardson:people get married and they get a wife and they love their wife. The wife is beautiful. She's a wonderful wife, supportive and all those kinds of things; but there's something missing. A wife is a wonderful thing to have but a wife cannot fill that hole that only God can fill. No matter how much success we have with music, career, a family, there's something missing; and it is obvious to every human being just as it was obvious to me when I was sitting in that room with all my atheistic friends and I just said, "You know, if there's no God then there really is no basic for morality."

But it goes more than that. If there really is no God there is no purpose. There's no meaning. Without God we are incomplete. We want to fill it with a wife, with music, with careers and none of those things fill those things; so, it's not a matter of us doing something to become fulfilled. It's a matter of us relinquishing the things we are doing to cease from the things that we are doing to stop chasing after the things that we are chasing after.It's a matter of us relinquishing the things we are doing to cease from the things that we are doing to stop chasing after the things that we are chasing after. It is a matter of letting go and letting God. It's a matter of yielding. That's what it is. We yield to the truth. We yield to the one who loves us with a love that surpasses understanding. Prayer is not necessarily something we utter words with. There are some times when we just don't have the words for what we are trying to say. It is a yielding. We need to yield to what is obviously true. It's a yielding.

Dr. Monica Larson: Exactly. Surrender. When they say, "I surrender all."

Warrior Richardson: Right.

Dr. Monica Larson: "Lord I give it all. We do nothing in our own strength. Lord it's all you. I give up everything. Lord fill me."

Warrior Richardson: There it is.

Dr. Monica Larson: So, it's that surrender.

Warrior Richardson: right.]]>180hole_only_god_can_fill,no_god_no_purpose,something_is_missing,without_god_we_are_incompletecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-god-shaped-hole-in-everyone-s-soul-pt-13--54144652Dr. Monica Larson: God just totally envelopes us and our lives are changed for the better. And you mentioned you had no meaning you had no hope you had no purpose and then God just completely turned that around.



And so, our viewers who are listening, it's really imperative some of you might be feeling this way and are feeling down, feeling hopeless, feeling that there is no meaning to life. So, Warrior, what could you share with those viewers who don't know about God because maybe they didn't they never grew up in the church and they don't know much about God. They've heard about God or maybe they've heard a little bit about Jesus; but they don't know about him truly know anything about him. How would you... what would you say to the person who says, "Okay, you know, I can relate, I can identify. I want to know more about this Jesus. I want my life to be transformed." What would you say or could you lead this the viewers who feel this way into a simple prayer of salvation with those viewers where God can transform their lives? Would you be willing to share a simple prayer of salvation with those viewers?


Warrior Richardson: Well, I can certainly do a prayer of salvation but the issue is there is a God-shaped hole in every man's soul that only God can fill and I tried to fill it with music. I tried to fill it with academia. I tried to fill it with a lot of things and I had a lot of success in the areas. I had a jazz ensemble that played, you know. I became an economist. I had an office inside the state department building. I mean, you know, it was unfulfilling. People were impressed with me, but I was depressed.


So, when we get to the.. people get married and they get a wife and they love their wife.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54144652Fri, 16 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonDr. Monica Larson: God just totally envelopes us and our lives are changed for the better. And you mentioned you had no meaning you had no hope you had no purpose and then God just completely turned that around. And so, our viewers who are...Dr. Monica Larson: God just totally envelopes us and our lives are changed for the better. And you mentioned you had no meaning you had no hope you had no purpose and then God just completely turned that around.



And so, our viewers who are listening, it's really imperative some of you might be feeling this way and are feeling down, feeling hopeless, feeling that there is no meaning to life. So, Warrior, what could you share with those viewers who don't know about God because maybe they didn't they never grew up in the church and they don't know much about God. They've heard about God or maybe they've heard a little bit about Jesus; but they don't know about him truly know anything about him. How would you... what would you say to the person who says, "Okay, you know, I can relate, I can identify. I want to know more about this Jesus. I want my life to be transformed." What would you say or could you lead this the viewers who feel this way into a simple prayer of salvation with those viewers where God can transform their lives? Would you be willing to share a simple prayer of salvation with those viewers?


Warrior Richardson: Well, I can certainly do a prayer of salvation but the issue is there is a God-shaped hole in every man's soul that only God can fill and I tried to fill it with music. I tried to fill it with academia. I tried to fill it with a lot of things and I had a lot of success in the areas. I had a jazz ensemble that played, you know. I became an economist. I had an office inside the state department building. I mean, you know, it was unfulfilling. People were impressed with me, but I was depressed.


So, when we get to the.. people get married and they get a wife and they love their wife.]]>180god_shaped_hole,meaning_to_life,prayer_of_salvation,transform_our_livesclean13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-gospel-is-all-that-matters-pt-12--54138155Warrior Richardson: once I reached the point I didn't care whether I lived or died the only thing that mattered to me was the Gospel, and that's true unto this day. So, and that's why all my art is focused on the Gospel. Quite typically, I start with a secular point of origin and then I take it to its logical conclusion. I either show how secularism leads to meaninglessness or I show how the hole in every man's heart that is unfulfilled by secularism can and is only filled with God. So, that's what my art is. It is talking about the only things, the only person who can fulfill us in any way.

The book is going to come out any day now. A couple of weeks maybe. I've been working on that for over ten years. And I have a comic book that I...Oh, that's right, you saw the comic book. Eventually, I'm going to get that done. Then I have another comic book...quite a bit...and I was juggling them all...but the book right now is on the verge of coming out; so, all the other ones will come out eventually. I translated it into Spanish. The Spanish version will come out. So, the book, the comic books, and my animations are on my website (www.Thescarletthread.llc). And it has everything that I'm doing: My animations, my artwork, my t-shirts. Pretty much everything I'm doing is up there on my website.

Dr. Monica Larson: And I love just how God has truly transformed your life and shaped and molded it. And then using your gift--someone who rejected him--many of us have been there





]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54138155Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonWarrior Richardson: once I reached the point I didn't care whether I lived or died the only thing that mattered to me was the Gospel, and that's true unto this day. So, and that's why all my art is focused on the Gospel. Quite typically, I start with...Warrior Richardson: once I reached the point I didn't care whether I lived or died the only thing that mattered to me was the Gospel, and that's true unto this day. So, and that's why all my art is focused on the Gospel. Quite typically, I start with a secular point of origin and then I take it to its logical conclusion. I either show how secularism leads to meaninglessness or I show how the hole in every man's heart that is unfulfilled by secularism can and is only filled with God. So, that's what my art is. It is talking about the only things, the only person who can fulfill us in any way.

The book is going to come out any day now. A couple of weeks maybe. I've been working on that for over ten years. And I have a comic book that I...Oh, that's right, you saw the comic book. Eventually, I'm going to get that done. Then I have another comic book...quite a bit...and I was juggling them all...but the book right now is on the verge of coming out; so, all the other ones will come out eventually. I translated it into Spanish. The Spanish version will come out. So, the book, the comic books, and my animations are on my website (www.Thescarletthread.llc). And it has everything that I'm doing: My animations, my artwork, my t-shirts. Pretty much everything I'm doing is up there on my website.

Dr. Monica Larson: And I love just how God has truly transformed your life and shaped and molded it. And then using your gift--someone who rejected him--many of us have been there





]]>180gospel,meaninglessness,secularism,transformed_lifeclean212fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/to-live-is-christ-and-to-die-is-gain-pt-11--54135280Dr. Monica Larson: Amen. And so, let me ask you this, 'cause I know God has truly transformed your life even past that point because he's given you the ability for supernatural things like learning Spanish fluently, learning software packages, creating a Christian comic book and animated series and creating Christian merchandise. You're writing a book. You provide graphic services. So, can you share a little bit about all the amazing things God has turned your life around and given you these opportunities and blessings and gifts that you share with the world that glorifies him. .



Warrior Richardson: Yeah, I used to use my gifts for secular purposes, for secular objectives and they were always unfulfilling. I was good at them; but they were always unfulfilling. Quite a few years went by before i understood that "you're and artist. You need to use your art for the Gospel." That's what it is. That's why you're having problems. Everything is Gospel oriented. When I reached the point where I didn't care whether I lived or died because I was a walking contradiction and everything was meaningless but the only that gave my life meaning is God. Serving God is my purpose for living. I became suicidal at that point and then God reached down and called me and I understood the call and when I finally yielded I had purpose and my purpose...



it's like the Apostle Paul said: he said, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Now, for most people who say that it's a clever catchy phrase that you sound like a very mature Christian; but then when you look at the way most Christians live: they want a nice car. They want a nice house. They want a beautiful wife, a handsome husband; and we want all these things; but we don't live our lives, typically--people who call themselves Christian-- typically do not live their lives as if "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." because they don't want to die, and they don't want to give up all the material things that they derive pleasure from


]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54135280Mon, 12 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonDr. Monica Larson: Amen. And so, let me ask you this, 'cause I know God has truly transformed your life even past that point because he's given you the ability for supernatural things like learning Spanish fluently, learning software packages,...Dr. Monica Larson: Amen. And so, let me ask you this, 'cause I know God has truly transformed your life even past that point because he's given you the ability for supernatural things like learning Spanish fluently, learning software packages, creating a Christian comic book and animated series and creating Christian merchandise. You're writing a book. You provide graphic services. So, can you share a little bit about all the amazing things God has turned your life around and given you these opportunities and blessings and gifts that you share with the world that glorifies him. .



Warrior Richardson: Yeah, I used to use my gifts for secular purposes, for secular objectives and they were always unfulfilling. I was good at them; but they were always unfulfilling. Quite a few years went by before i understood that "you're and artist. You need to use your art for the Gospel." That's what it is. That's why you're having problems. Everything is Gospel oriented. When I reached the point where I didn't care whether I lived or died because I was a walking contradiction and everything was meaningless but the only that gave my life meaning is God. Serving God is my purpose for living. I became suicidal at that point and then God reached down and called me and I understood the call and when I finally yielded I had purpose and my purpose...



it's like the Apostle Paul said: he said, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Now, for most people who say that it's a clever catchy phrase that you sound like a very mature Christian; but then when you look at the way most Christians live: they want a nice car. They want a nice house. They want a beautiful wife, a handsome husband; and we want all these things; but we don't live our lives, typically--people who call themselves Christian-- typically do not live their lives as if "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." because they don't want to die, and they don't want to give up all the material things that they derive pleasure from


]]>178gospel_oriented,to_die_is_gain,to_live_is_christ,transformed_lifeclean211fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/i-rested-in-god-and-he-saved-me-pt-10--54133254
Warrior Richardson: I find it's best to explain it [my conversion] experientially rather than academically. I was playing the saxophone and I believed. You know, I really didn't trust God and I yielded because I was fighting God all my life. I was...It was obvious there is a God. It's obvious to every human being. There really is no such thing as an atheist. There's people who believe there's a God and that's everybody; But there are people who acknowledge that there is a God and there are people who deny that there is a God. But there's no such thing as an atheist. And so I was denying God and fighting God and I relaxed. I stopped fighting God. I yielded to God. I rested in God. I trusted God. So, that's what it was; because I remember the moment I got saved even the tone of my saxophone changed. So, I stopped fighting God and I rested in him and he saved me.



Dr. Monica Larson: Amen. And so, let me ask you this, 'cause I know God has truly transformed your life even past that point because he's given you the ability for supernatural things like learning Spanish fluently, learning software packages, creating a Christian comic book and animated series and creating Christian merchandise. You're writing a book. You provide graphic services. So, can you share a little bit about all the amazing things God has turned your life around and given you these opportunities and blessings and gifts that you share with the world that glorifies him. .


]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54133254Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonI was thoroughly confused. And so, I'm making...I'm leaving out a lot of details. At the end of that 72 hour prayer, 72 hour fast 72 hour prayer I walked out of that church [and] with every step each step that I made, took another thing became clear....
Warrior Richardson: I find it's best to explain it [my conversion] experientially rather than academically. I was playing the saxophone and I believed. You know, I really didn't trust God and I yielded because I was fighting God all my life. I was...It was obvious there is a God. It's obvious to every human being. There really is no such thing as an atheist. There's people who believe there's a God and that's everybody; But there are people who acknowledge that there is a God and there are people who deny that there is a God. But there's no such thing as an atheist. And so I was denying God and fighting God and I relaxed. I stopped fighting God. I yielded to God. I rested in God. I trusted God. So, that's what it was; because I remember the moment I got saved even the tone of my saxophone changed. So, I stopped fighting God and I rested in him and he saved me.



Dr. Monica Larson: Amen. And so, let me ask you this, 'cause I know God has truly transformed your life even past that point because he's given you the ability for supernatural things like learning Spanish fluently, learning software packages, creating a Christian comic book and animated series and creating Christian merchandise. You're writing a book. You provide graphic services. So, can you share a little bit about all the amazing things God has turned your life around and given you these opportunities and blessings and gifts that you share with the world that glorifies him. .


]]>178clean210fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-moment-of-my-conversion-pt-9--54109909


I was so confused after that. You know. After the service was over somebody I knew all my life he walked straight up to me and asked, "what happened?: You know, what did I say? He said, "Are you saved?" I said, "No." "Then what happened?" Then I described the conversion. And he was just baffled, 'cause I was baffled. I described being born again but the word "being born again" or "saved" actually the word "saved" actually didn't mean anything to me. Even though I had read the Bible back and forth. I could quote scripture and everything I could quote it but I didn't understand it but yet I could explain it to other people. It was thoroughly confusing.



But, leaving out numerous details, uh, my grandfather asked... I joined his church. My grandfather asked me to come to a three day fast--no food, no water. So, I did and I prayed a 72 hour prayer, "Lord give me understanding." It was amazing how I could just pray that same prayer;


]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54109909Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior Richardsonthese alter calls last forever. It lasted for at least an hour. I think it was longer than that. I think it was an hour and a half. Yeah, I think it was an hour and a half long alter call. And they were singing "Lord let your spirit fall on me" by...


I was so confused after that. You know. After the service was over somebody I knew all my life he walked straight up to me and asked, "what happened?: You know, what did I say? He said, "Are you saved?" I said, "No." "Then what happened?" Then I described the conversion. And he was just baffled, 'cause I was baffled. I described being born again but the word "being born again" or "saved" actually the word "saved" actually didn't mean anything to me. Even though I had read the Bible back and forth. I could quote scripture and everything I could quote it but I didn't understand it but yet I could explain it to other people. It was thoroughly confusing.



But, leaving out numerous details, uh, my grandfather asked... I joined his church. My grandfather asked me to come to a three day fast--no food, no water. So, I did and I prayed a 72 hour prayer, "Lord give me understanding." It was amazing how I could just pray that same prayer;


]]>178alter_call,conversion,prayer,salvationclean29fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/if-no-basis-for-morality-or-meaning-to-life-then-pt-8--54087443





I realized that I did not have a basis for deciding what is right or what is wrong, and that was very uncomfortable. And so, the discomfort intensified.




Making a long story short, once I went back home to Omaha, Nebraska I actually reached the point where life seemed meaningless because those were the logical conclusions of my atheistic assumptions. And when I reached that point where I couldn't care whether I lived or died (because everything was meaningless) suddenly I could hear God. It was...it just... out of the blue air...just out of the blue I could hear God plainly and I had this urge...I didn't know it was God, but i did, but I didn't. c; and it just became more and more overbearing.


I was playing in a Gospel group, you know, they asked me and I said, "I like music. Sure, I'll play anything." And so we were playing in a church and so, anyway I went back to that church and asked them for a Bible and she said, " A Bible?! Warrior wants a Bible?" So, I couldn't stop reading the Bible. I was unemployed at the time. I woke up, ate breakfast, read the Bible, ate lunch, read the Bible, ate dinner, read the Bible. And I did that for about a week and then I got a job and I read the Bible from cover to cover for about three times...once a month I guess (something like that) and then I couldn't stop reading it. I couldn't do anything else.



And then I went to my Grandfather's church. He hadn't heard me play my saxophone in, oh, decades. And, so, I was a celebrity--the pastor's grandson, he was a bishop at the time. He had just become a bishop of the Church of God in Christ; and so, I was a celebrity. They hadn't seen me in a long time and certainly not in a church; and so they ushered me down to the bandstand with my saxophone and they stuck the microphone down the bell of my horn.



It was the Church of God in Christ so, these alter calls last forever. It lasted for at least an hour. I think it was longer than that. I think it was an hour and a half. Yeah, I think it was an hour and a half long alter call]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54087443Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:00:03 +0000Warrior RichardsonI realized that I did not have a basis for deciding what is right or what is wrong, and that was very uncomfortable. And so, the discomfort intensified. Making a long story short, once I went back home to Omaha, Nebraska I actually reached the...





I realized that I did not have a basis for deciding what is right or what is wrong, and that was very uncomfortable. And so, the discomfort intensified.




Making a long story short, once I went back home to Omaha, Nebraska I actually reached the point where life seemed meaningless because those were the logical conclusions of my atheistic assumptions. And when I reached that point where I couldn't care whether I lived or died (because everything was meaningless) suddenly I could hear God. It was...it just... out of the blue air...just out of the blue I could hear God plainly and I had this urge...I didn't know it was God, but i did, but I didn't. c; and it just became more and more overbearing.


I was playing in a Gospel group, you know, they asked me and I said, "I like music. Sure, I'll play anything." And so we were playing in a church and so, anyway I went back to that church and asked them for a Bible and she said, " A Bible?! Warrior wants a Bible?" So, I couldn't stop reading the Bible. I was unemployed at the time. I woke up, ate breakfast, read the Bible, ate lunch, read the Bible, ate dinner, read the Bible. And I did that for about a week and then I got a job and I read the Bible from cover to cover for about three times...once a month I guess (something like that) and then I couldn't stop reading it. I couldn't do anything else.



And then I went to my Grandfather's church. He hadn't heard me play my saxophone in, oh, decades. And, so, I was a celebrity--the pastor's grandson, he was a bishop at the time. He had just become a bishop of the Church of God in Christ; and so, I was a celebrity. They hadn't seen me in a long time and certainly not in a church; and so they ushered me down to the bandstand with my saxophone and they stuck the microphone down the bell of my horn.



It was the Church of God in Christ so, these alter calls last forever. It lasted for at least an hour. I think it was longer than that. I think it was an hour and a half. Yeah, I think it was an hour and a half long alter call]]>178alter_call,basis_for_right_or_wrong,i_could_hear_god,logical_conclusions_of_atheismclean28fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-is-the-basis-for-morality-pt-7--53857591


But the reality is that if there is no God there is no basis for morality; but yet i considered myself a very moral person; but upon what did I base that morality? From whence cometh right or wrong? What was my basis for determining what is right and wrong? What was my criteria? There was none. There was no consistent one; because I remember at times when I would be faced with a choice to take--a hard choice--between doing something right or wrong, that's when I really asked myself well should I do the right thing or shouldn't I do the right thing? But i was raised in a moral family; so, generally I did the right thing.



I'm going to back track to DC for a minute there because I remember the first time when I

began to seriously question atheism I was in a room full of my atheistic friends and I just sat up there and I was thinking and said out loud, "You know if there really is no God then there really is no basis for morality." And they said, "No no no no;" and that was the beginning of the end my atheism. I didn't realize that at the time but the inconsistency of atheism with my political activism, my fighting for what's right and "upon what did I base right or wrong?" and it became painfully and uncomfortably obvious to me that there was no basis. if there is no god then my notion of right and wrong is purely arbitrary. I just pull it out of the air;


]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53857591Mon, 15 May 2023 16:00:03 +0000Warrior RichardsonI quit my job and eventually went back to Omaha Nebraska. (I was in Washington, DC.) What happened when i went back home--I'm leaving out a lot of details--I had gotten so good at making so many arguments against the Christian faith that it became...


But the reality is that if there is no God there is no basis for morality; but yet i considered myself a very moral person; but upon what did I base that morality? From whence cometh right or wrong? What was my basis for determining what is right and wrong? What was my criteria? There was none. There was no consistent one; because I remember at times when I would be faced with a choice to take--a hard choice--between doing something right or wrong, that's when I really asked myself well should I do the right thing or shouldn't I do the right thing? But i was raised in a moral family; so, generally I did the right thing.



I'm going to back track to DC for a minute there because I remember the first time when I

began to seriously question atheism I was in a room full of my atheistic friends and I just sat up there and I was thinking and said out loud, "You know if there really is no God then there really is no basis for morality." And they said, "No no no no;" and that was the beginning of the end my atheism. I didn't realize that at the time but the inconsistency of atheism with my political activism, my fighting for what's right and "upon what did I base right or wrong?" and it became painfully and uncomfortably obvious to me that there was no basis. if there is no god then my notion of right and wrong is purely arbitrary. I just pull it out of the air;


]]>178atheism,christianity,conversion,moralityclean7fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/interview-with-dr-monica-larson-pt-6--53779836Warrior Richardson: Originally I went to the University of Rochester first and then I hated it; so, I transferred to Howard University and I continued to be atheistic. That was a very Christian campus. The student president was a Christian--openly Christian, an avid Christian; so, I was atheistic on a very Christian campus. Not that everybody was Christian; bur far more were Christian than at the University of Rochester.



I graduated from there and got my degree in economics and became an economist at the Agency for International Development; and everybody knows the government is corrupt; but you don't know how corrupt it is unless you are working in the central economic policymaking office of the Agency for International Development; then you know what the United States government is doing in all the poorer countries of the world.



And it made me literally sick. Not just figuratively sick; but I'd come to work and I'd be sick one day and then I'd be sick another day and then it just got to the point where I said, "I'm going to be sick every single day" and i said "I'm not going be able to keep working this job" because it was immoral and it just violated my conscience and it paid well but I just couldn't...you know...there's a contradiction of an atheist with a conscience. There's a contradiction there; but I didn't see it.



And so I quit my job and eventually went back to Omaha Nebraska. (I was in Washington, DC.) What happened when i went back home--I'm leaving out a lot of details--I had gotten so good at making so many arguments]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53779836Mon, 08 May 2023 17:48:22 +0000Warrior RichardsonWarrior Richardson: Originally I went to the University of Rochester first and then I hated it; so, I transferred to Howard University and I continued to be atheistic. That was a very Christian campus. The student president was a Christian--openly...Warrior Richardson: Originally I went to the University of Rochester first and then I hated it; so, I transferred to Howard University and I continued to be atheistic. That was a very Christian campus. The student president was a Christian--openly Christian, an avid Christian; so, I was atheistic on a very Christian campus. Not that everybody was Christian; bur far more were Christian than at the University of Rochester.



I graduated from there and got my degree in economics and became an economist at the Agency for International Development; and everybody knows the government is corrupt; but you don't know how corrupt it is unless you are working in the central economic policymaking office of the Agency for International Development; then you know what the United States government is doing in all the poorer countries of the world.



And it made me literally sick. Not just figuratively sick; but I'd come to work and I'd be sick one day and then I'd be sick another day and then it just got to the point where I said, "I'm going to be sick every single day" and i said "I'm not going be able to keep working this job" because it was immoral and it just violated my conscience and it paid well but I just couldn't...you know...there's a contradiction of an atheist with a conscience. There's a contradiction there; but I didn't see it.



And so I quit my job and eventually went back to Omaha Nebraska. (I was in Washington, DC.) What happened when i went back home--I'm leaving out a lot of details--I had gotten so good at making so many arguments]]>178clean6fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/interview-with-dr-monica-larson-pt-5--53759879Warrior Richardson: Horace was unusual. I was playing my saxophone in the practice room and I went and went out and he was in the cafeteria that was supposed to be closed, but it wasn't like that and there he was studying and it was like 4:00 in the morning; so I went up to him and thought, "I finally got him." It was like my precious catch. So I was going to shake his faith. So, I went in there and he was his usual happy smiling self and he knew what I was like because we had met before, but he made the strongest argument for the validity of the Christian faith I've ever heard anyone do and he was the first person who shook my faith in my unbelief. He was too good because his argument was... Oh, what was that argument... It was a classic argument about... He presented the evidence of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's what he did. And his argument was airtight. It's a classic argument. And he presented it flawlessly, and it was convincing to me. I remember. He actually, for the time being, was so convincing that he was right. There were no flaws in his argument and he was shaking my faith in my unbelief. It was hard for me not to believe that there is... that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead and if that is true, then everything else logically follows; But I didn't want to follow all that to its conclusion; So basically, I walked away from him. I just finished the conversation and walked away from him; But I could never shake it completely. For all the years it just bothered me and I always pushed it constantly to the back of my mind and because the argument was irrefutable. It was airtight. It was logical.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53759879Sat, 06 May 2023 16:40:01 +0000Warrior RichardsonWarrior Richardson: Horace was unusual. I was playing my saxophone in the practice room and I went and went out and he was in the cafeteria that was supposed to be closed, but it wasn't like that and there he was studying and it was like 4:00 in the...Warrior Richardson: Horace was unusual. I was playing my saxophone in the practice room and I went and went out and he was in the cafeteria that was supposed to be closed, but it wasn't like that and there he was studying and it was like 4:00 in the morning; so I went up to him and thought, "I finally got him." It was like my precious catch. So I was going to shake his faith. So, I went in there and he was his usual happy smiling self and he knew what I was like because we had met before, but he made the strongest argument for the validity of the Christian faith I've ever heard anyone do and he was the first person who shook my faith in my unbelief. He was too good because his argument was... Oh, what was that argument... It was a classic argument about... He presented the evidence of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's what he did. And his argument was airtight. It's a classic argument. And he presented it flawlessly, and it was convincing to me. I remember. He actually, for the time being, was so convincing that he was right. There were no flaws in his argument and he was shaking my faith in my unbelief. It was hard for me not to believe that there is... that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead and if that is true, then everything else logically follows; But I didn't want to follow all that to its conclusion; So basically, I walked away from him. I just finished the conversation and walked away from him; But I could never shake it completely. For all the years it just bothered me and I always pushed it constantly to the back of my mind and because the argument was irrefutable. It was airtight. It was logical.]]>145apologetics,conversion,evangelism,gospelclean5fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/interview-with-dr-monica-larson-part-4--53751156

Warrior Richardson: Oh. It’s a jazz standard. A lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. Well, it’s not a jazz standard; but a lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. It’s just a tune that we play.


Dr. Monica Larson: Hmm, well, for your particular case God had another purpose. It was a spiritual setup.

Warrior Richardson: Very clear in hindsight.

Dr. Monica Larson: Mm hmm. You felt the Spirt of the Lord in what way? Can you describe it for the viewers who don’t know…?

Warrior Richardson: Well, there was a joy. Uh, that, you know, that defies understanding as the scripture says. So, it’s very hard to put that into words. It’s something that you really have to experience.

Dr. Monica Larson: Mm hmm.

Warrior Richardson: I don’t really know how to put that into words.

Dr. Monica Larson: That was a perfect explanation. So, when that happened you tried to reject it; but you definitely felt the Lord and then that's when you wrote your mother the letter?

Warrior Richardson: Right. And I asked myself why did I do something like write that stupid letter and I went back to my old ways.












]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53751156Fri, 05 May 2023 16:00:02 +0000Warrior RichardsonDr. Monica Larson: What made you play that song? Warrior Richardson: Oh. It’s a jazz standard. A lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. Well, it’s not a jazz standard; but a lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. It’s just a tune that we play....

Warrior Richardson: Oh. It’s a jazz standard. A lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. Well, it’s not a jazz standard; but a lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. It’s just a tune that we play.


Dr. Monica Larson: Hmm, well, for your particular case God had another purpose. It was a spiritual setup.

Warrior Richardson: Very clear in hindsight.

Dr. Monica Larson: Mm hmm. You felt the Spirt of the Lord in what way? Can you describe it for the viewers who don’t know…?

Warrior Richardson: Well, there was a joy. Uh, that, you know, that defies understanding as the scripture says. So, it’s very hard to put that into words. It’s something that you really have to experience.

Dr. Monica Larson: Mm hmm.

Warrior Richardson: I don’t really know how to put that into words.

Dr. Monica Larson: That was a perfect explanation. So, when that happened you tried to reject it; but you definitely felt the Lord and then that's when you wrote your mother the letter?

Warrior Richardson: Right. And I asked myself why did I do something like write that stupid letter and I went back to my old ways.












]]>178christianity,conversion,evangelism,gospelcleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/interview-with-dr-monica-larson-part-3--53736466


Warrior Richardson: That’s what everybody says.



Dr. Monica Larson: Yeah, It did remind me of that and, so, did you feel any tugging at your heart prior to your conversion or did you feel anything or were you just still...



Warrior Richardson: There was an unforgettable moment…I remember when I told my mother I was an atheist. That just broke her heart. I felt bad but I was. I didn’t believe. But she felt really bad. And then I was at Howard University, and I was in the jazz ensemble and I was in the practice room and I was playing the piano and I starting playing this Gospel tune and I could feel the spirit of God come coming over me. I was an atheist although technically, I don’t believe there is such a thing as an atheist. But I was an atheist at the time, and I just felt the spirit of the Lord coming over me at that time and I was like “whoa!” I was thinking to myself, “Now I know there really is a God.” And then "no no no" I just pushed those thoughts aside. I just refused to yield to that. I just was "no I just wasn’t having it." But still I called my mother and told her about that experience, and I told her, “Now I know there really is a God.” And when I got off the phone I thought, "What was I doing writing a crazy letter like that" and my brother called up and said that just made her day. I went right back to my atheist ways after that. It was just a phase It just happened. It’s over with. I fought it with all my strength because I didn’t want it.



Dr. Monica Larson: So, you were playing a Gospel tune and you felt the Spirit of the Lord…



Warrior Richardson: Amazing Grace.



Dr. Monica Larson: What made you play that song?



Warrior Richardson: Oh. It’s a jazz standard. A lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. Well, it’s not a jazz standard; but a lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. It’s just a tune that we play.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53736466Thu, 04 May 2023 16:00:03 +0000Warrior RichardsonDr. Monica Larson: You were talking about how you had a lot of atheist friends and you intentionally tripped up Christians and terrorized them, were your words. It kind of reminded me of Paul in the scriptures a little. Warrior Richardson: That’s...


Warrior Richardson: That’s what everybody says.



Dr. Monica Larson: Yeah, It did remind me of that and, so, did you feel any tugging at your heart prior to your conversion or did you feel anything or were you just still...



Warrior Richardson: There was an unforgettable moment…I remember when I told my mother I was an atheist. That just broke her heart. I felt bad but I was. I didn’t believe. But she felt really bad. And then I was at Howard University, and I was in the jazz ensemble and I was in the practice room and I was playing the piano and I starting playing this Gospel tune and I could feel the spirit of God come coming over me. I was an atheist although technically, I don’t believe there is such a thing as an atheist. But I was an atheist at the time, and I just felt the spirit of the Lord coming over me at that time and I was like “whoa!” I was thinking to myself, “Now I know there really is a God.” And then "no no no" I just pushed those thoughts aside. I just refused to yield to that. I just was "no I just wasn’t having it." But still I called my mother and told her about that experience, and I told her, “Now I know there really is a God.” And when I got off the phone I thought, "What was I doing writing a crazy letter like that" and my brother called up and said that just made her day. I went right back to my atheist ways after that. It was just a phase It just happened. It’s over with. I fought it with all my strength because I didn’t want it.



Dr. Monica Larson: So, you were playing a Gospel tune and you felt the Spirit of the Lord…



Warrior Richardson: Amazing Grace.



Dr. Monica Larson: What made you play that song?



Warrior Richardson: Oh. It’s a jazz standard. A lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. Well, it’s not a jazz standard; but a lot of jazz musicians play Amazing Grace. It’s just a tune that we play.]]>178cleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/interview-with-dr-monica-larson-part-2--53729730
Dr. Monica Larson: So you were met with resistance or just this is the way it is and accept it.

Warrior Richardson: Well, because I was told not to do this, but I must do this but never told why; so I was like "OK you need to explain why" and then I actually studied the Bible better than most of them did; so I would deliberately trip them up in the scriptures. So, yeah, I was pretty angry about the whole thing. I resented it a great deal.

Dr. Monica Larson: So, during that time period, prior to age 33 did you move, relocate, were you working? What type of work were you doing before the age of 33?--and we'll get to that? So what happened during that transition period?

Warrior Richardson: I graduated from high school in 1976 and went to college. I graduated in Omaha, Nebraska and got accepted in the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York; and when I got accepted I noticed that the majority of the students were atheists and I said, "Wow! My kind of place;" so I got excited about going there. So, I met plenty of atheistic people. I got lots of atheist friends and I terrorized the Christians and tripped them up in the scriptures and, you know, it's pretty sadistic and everything; then I transferred from there, went to Howard University and graduated from there and became an economist, then came back home to Omaha NE; and that's when I was born again in 1991.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53729730Wed, 03 May 2023 15:20:38 +0000Warrior RichardsonWarrior Richardson: I had questions and got no answer and I was a kid and so it angered me as a kid and even as an adult. As an adult I simply rejected it and walked away from it until I was 33. Dr. Monica Larson: So you were met with resistance or...
Dr. Monica Larson: So you were met with resistance or just this is the way it is and accept it.

Warrior Richardson: Well, because I was told not to do this, but I must do this but never told why; so I was like "OK you need to explain why" and then I actually studied the Bible better than most of them did; so I would deliberately trip them up in the scriptures. So, yeah, I was pretty angry about the whole thing. I resented it a great deal.

Dr. Monica Larson: So, during that time period, prior to age 33 did you move, relocate, were you working? What type of work were you doing before the age of 33?--and we'll get to that? So what happened during that transition period?

Warrior Richardson: I graduated from high school in 1976 and went to college. I graduated in Omaha, Nebraska and got accepted in the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York; and when I got accepted I noticed that the majority of the students were atheists and I said, "Wow! My kind of place;" so I got excited about going there. So, I met plenty of atheistic people. I got lots of atheist friends and I terrorized the Christians and tripped them up in the scriptures and, you know, it's pretty sadistic and everything; then I transferred from there, went to Howard University and graduated from there and became an economist, then came back home to Omaha NE; and that's when I was born again in 1991.]]>178cleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/interview-with-dr-monica-larson-part-1--53718016https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53718016Tue, 02 May 2023 15:43:27 +0000Warrior RichardsonINTERVIEW WITH DR. MONICA LARSON (Part 1) Dr. Monica Larson: I just wanted to ask you a few questions about your upbringing. Did you attend church or was church later on in your life? Warrior Richardson: Church was 24/7 all my life as a child. My...178christianity,evangelism,gospel,testimonycleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-10--51580336One of the reasons why there is so much confusion on this matter is because many Christians don't understand that it's one thing to know there is a God and that the bible is true but quite another thing to prove there is a God and the bible is true. The point of this chapter is to help us understand that we know what we know. Proving there is a God and that the bible is true is called apologetics, and there are plenty of great books already out there about apologetics; So, I’m focusing on the importance of knowing that we know what we know not on showing how we know what we know.
People wonder why their born-again, Spirit-filled church members aren't on fire for Christ and moving mountains. It’s because they don't know that they know what they know; consequently, they lack confidence; and thus we have the phenomenon of the “undercover Christian,”—Christians who don’t want people to know they are Christians.
Part of the confusion is caused by anti-intellectual Christians who tell people, "Don't think, just believe." This, of course, is contrary to scripture (see 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5; 1 Peter 3:15). Lots of Christians say, "I believe by faith." Well, then why not believe in Islam by faith, or Buddhism, or Confucianism, etc.? This is anti-intellectualism and contrary to scripture. This is also very oppressive to thinking people; and Christians are supposed to be thinking people (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5). We believe what we believe because of what we know. We trust in, have faith in or believe in God because of what we know about him .
To say we believe by faith, as many do, is to say we believe by believing, which is to say nothing at all. It is a tautology. Furthermore, Faith is always in something. To say I believe by faith is to say I believe in God by believing in God or I have faith in God by having faith in God. The statement contains no information.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51580336Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:55:01 +0000Warrior Richardsonour trust in God is based on what we know about him. Stated differently, saving faith is not arbitrary; it is grounded in concrete reality—absolute truth. Christians keep saying we believe and that we have faith but tend not to say we know anything;...One of the reasons why there is so much confusion on this matter is because many Christians don't understand that it's one thing to know there is a God and that the bible is true but quite another thing to prove there is a God and the bible is true. The point of this chapter is to help us understand that we know what we know. Proving there is a God and that the bible is true is called apologetics, and there are plenty of great books already out there about apologetics; So, I’m focusing on the importance of knowing that we know what we know not on showing how we know what we know.
People wonder why their born-again, Spirit-filled church members aren't on fire for Christ and moving mountains. It’s because they don't know that they know what they know; consequently, they lack confidence; and thus we have the phenomenon of the “undercover Christian,”—Christians who don’t want people to know they are Christians.
Part of the confusion is caused by anti-intellectual Christians who tell people, "Don't think, just believe." This, of course, is contrary to scripture (see 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5; 1 Peter 3:15). Lots of Christians say, "I believe by faith." Well, then why not believe in Islam by faith, or Buddhism, or Confucianism, etc.? This is anti-intellectualism and contrary to scripture. This is also very oppressive to thinking people; and Christians are supposed to be thinking people (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5). We believe what we believe because of what we know. We trust in, have faith in or believe in God because of what we know about him .
To say we believe by faith, as many do, is to say we believe by believing, which is to say nothing at all. It is a tautology. Furthermore, Faith is always in something. To say I believe by faith is to say I believe in God by believing in God or I have faith in God by having faith in God. The statement contains no information.]]>239cleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-part9--41344128https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41344128Wed, 07 Oct 2020 19:00:13 +0000Warrior RichardsonThere is a God. The bible is true. It all makes perfect sense. There is no other way to make sense of the world. The bible explains reality, including our identity, purpose and worth. It answers the ultimate questions. It satisfies our need to know....379christianity,evidence,faith,god,podcast,reason,scripturecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-part-8--41090455https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41090455Wed, 30 Sep 2020 19:00:15 +0000Warrior RichardsonSome people argue that you cannot prove there is a God. But just because something cannot be proven doesn't mean it is untrue. Consider how geometry consists of proofs that are based on other proofs. Of course, these proofs cannot stretch back...4582nd,axiom,bang,big,christianity,evidence,evolution,faith,geometry,god,law,of,podcast,reason,scripture,theory,thermodynamicscleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-part-7--40963675https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40963675Wed, 23 Sep 2020 19:00:18 +0000Warrior RichardsonThe disciples deserted Christ because they weren’t sure he was who he said he was. After he rose, they endured pain and suffering and ultimately death for him, because they knew he was who he said he was. They could have deserted him even after...252christianity,evidence,faith,god,jesus,podcast,reason,resurrection,scripturecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-part-6--409204441) "A man seeks the truth by the unaided effort of reason and is disappointed.
2) It is offered him by faith, and he accepts.
3) And, having accepted, he finds that it satisfies his reason."

In other words, God reveals to us things we could never figure out on our own. Upon receiving his revelation, we then realize it makes perfect sense.

In their book entitled Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Questions, Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli also sum it up well . They say, "Revelation takes us for an easy ride up the mountain of truth in a divinely provided helicopter. Reason struggles and scrambles up the hard, slow footpath, and doesn't get nearly as far up. Neither invalidates the other. But millions can get to the top in the helicopter, while only a few Aristotles can get more than a few feet up the path by walking."]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40920444Wed, 16 Sep 2020 19:00:19 +0000Warrior RichardsonHow do we come to believe? Justin Martyr says: 1) "A man seeks the truth by the unaided effort of reason and is disappointed. 2) It is offered him by faith, and he accepts. 3) And, having accepted, he finds that it satisfies his reason." In other...1) "A man seeks the truth by the unaided effort of reason and is disappointed.
2) It is offered him by faith, and he accepts.
3) And, having accepted, he finds that it satisfies his reason."

In other words, God reveals to us things we could never figure out on our own. Upon receiving his revelation, we then realize it makes perfect sense.

In their book entitled Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Questions, Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli also sum it up well . They say, "Revelation takes us for an easy ride up the mountain of truth in a divinely provided helicopter. Reason struggles and scrambles up the hard, slow footpath, and doesn't get nearly as far up. Neither invalidates the other. But millions can get to the top in the helicopter, while only a few Aristotles can get more than a few feet up the path by walking."]]>387christianity,evidence,faith,god,podcast,reason,revelation,scripturecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-part-5--40799277https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40799277Fri, 11 Sep 2020 19:00:21 +0000Warrior RichardsonThe repeated references in scripture to empirical evidence as reasons to believe should tell us something about faith. Why do we have faith in the God of the bible and not the god of the Koran or other gods?—because all the evidence points to the God...358bible,christianity,faith,podcast,reason,through_the_lens_of_scripturecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-part-4--40796377https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40796377Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:00:20 +0000Warrior RichardsonChristian faith is based on reality not wishful thinking. It is based on empirically verifiable facts that can be discussed and even debated in a public forum (Acts 18:28). Scripture clearly states that we “tear down arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:5)252bible,christianity,faith,logic,podcast,reason,through_the_lens_of_scripturecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-3b-mixdown--40752081https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40752081Mon, 07 Sep 2020 19:00:05 +0000Warrior RichardsonJesus spoke logically and convincingly because he pointed to evidence to support his claims. The Christian faith is based on empirically verifiable evidence.346bible,chrisitianity,faith,logic,podcast,reason,spreaker,syllogism,through_the_lens_of_scripturecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-vs-reason-part-2--40719103https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40719103Sat, 05 Sep 2020 19:00:11 +0000Warrior RichardsonChristian faith is a belief with rational foundations. It is based on empirical evidence; the most salient of which is the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.269bible,chrisitianity,faith,logic,podcast,reason,syllogism,through_the_lens_of_scripturecleanfullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-versus-reason-part-1--40632007https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40632007Wed, 02 Sep 2020 19:00:06 +0000Warrior RichardsonIn this podcast I take a close look at a wide variety of topics using the Bible as my lens. When we look at the world through the lens of scripture we discover life-changing truth that transforms us. We discover our identity, purpose and worth. We...391bible,faith,podcast,reason,through_the_lens_of_scripturecleanfull