The Promise Online Baptist with Bro. Derrick W. Jackson

 Yesterday on Wednesday, I was invited by Pastor Sherman to go to his church, Bread of Life Temple. It is down the street from where I live. Their Bishop and Superintendent came. Again this church is Church of God in Christ. Bishop Thomas preached a sermon called Stay Woke. Verses that he read were I Peter 5:6, 7,8, Psalm 119:11, as well as Galatians 3:27, 29. I should have taken more pictures. This is a 3-night event and for them, it is a district meeting. The Richmond /  Petersburg district. Tonight I plan to record the sermon. Missionary Boyd is teaching tonight and Superintendent Harris is preaching Friday. Got to do a better job of documenting these services.

According to Wikipedia - An  active ingredient  is any  ingredient  that provides  biologically active  or other direct effect in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or animals. Jesus is an active ingredient in our lives.  When he walked the earth he healed the sick and raised the dead.  He worked numerous miracles: changed water to wine, healed the blind, and cast out demons.  Jesus came to heal us from strife, war, sickness, depression, and many more conditions. At a time when some believed in many gods, Jesus came and changed everything when he died for our sins. Jesus came from God's chosen people, the Jews, and extended their teachings which apply to our lives today. Jesus is our pain medicine, our depression medication. Matthew 4:23 And  Jesus  went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the k...

What good is it to read the bible and pray and you do not use what you learn in everyday life. My hand is up, I'm guilty.  There have been situations in my life where if I would have just thought it thru and asked myself how do I apply the Bible to this situation, things would be much better for me.  I'm not ready to tell you what I did but because of it, I had gotten in trouble with the law.  I've dealt with mental illness since 1999 and I did not want to accept that I needed to stay on medication for it.  I did not want to accept this but every time I got off the meds, I'd get delusional and get into trouble with the law or get 1013'd or TDO'd as they say in Richmond. Both of those mean an involuntary commitment to a mental hospital.  For the record for the past five years I have been compliant and without legal supervision taken my medication and went to all doctor's appointments.  Psalm 18:30 As for  God , his way is perfect: the  word  o...

I am an African American male and I live in Richmond, Virginia, USA.  I was walking my dog, and I passed some kids who were making negative comments like is that that lady or going to be a lady. I was at a funeral, and when it was about over I heard a guy near say the freaks come out at night. I was staying in a care home years ago and the lady who ran it and one of the clients who lived there too started lies about me.  They tried to say I was gay and me and another one of the guys in the house were lovers and that I took female hormones.  That same lady stole money from me while she was my payee for social security. I also get comments when I go to a store and they say ma'am to me, call me a lady, and say I need a bra.  All lies. I am not Gay and have never been with a man. It's upsetting and people don't admit this, but Black people can be very cruel and negative. Some like to put others down to make themselves feel better. Crabs in a barrel.  I could have sa...

This song, "One Minute," when it came out in 2000 convicted me. I had been away from the church for a long time. I was at home, repented for my sins, and accepted Christ as my savior.  God has been dealing with me for a long time. He watched me mess up again and again. And again and again, he spared me of a life of hardship.  I owe Jesus because he loved me unconditionally.  I know I am on "borrowed time" and must not waste it anymore. I pray Lord that you don't let me go astray.  Keep me in your loving arms.  Strengthen me when the devil comes to tempt me.  Help me to use my life experiences to witness and bring others to You. I can't go back and change the past, but I can work today for a better future. I need you, Jesus. Guide me thru this life. Amen. Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now I'm found Was blind but now I see 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved How preci...

Bishop McCrae preached a beautiful sermon today on overcoming. He talked about the steps: 1. Know who to run to  2. Recover Your Purpose. 3. Receive God's Power. *NOTE* You may need to move the slider forward to start it playing.

  This is Derrick W. Jackson here and I just wanted to praise the Lord for seeing another Sunday.  I've said this before but every day that we are alive is a gift from God. I thank the Lord that I have a roof over my head and food to eat.  These are blessings from Him.  I have been homeless before and once I did not eat for a week. You may not be where you want to be in life: career-wise, spiritually,  physically, or mentally but you should jump out of bed every morning and praise God for another day. This is for me to understand as well. When I write these posts the message is not just for you, it is for me as well. The God we serve is a good God and we may not understand Him when bad things happen to us.  I believe we go thru hardships to make ourselves better. To learn from our mistakes and not repeat them I feel is what Jesus wants from us. So no matter where you are: jail, homeless, institutionalized God is there for you. James 1:17 Every good gift and...

  About two weeks ago I met the pastor of a church that is down the street from where I live. We talked a bit and he invited me to attend his Sunday service. Turns out I could not make it, but I ran into him again when I was walking my dog today. His church is of the denomination, Church of God in Christ. I am not officially a member of any church. I started The Promise Online Baptist Church website in November 2018 with the intent of creating an Online Church.  I just started back working on it and I'm fired up.  Back then I was visiting Good Shepard Baptist in the North Churchill section of Richmond. If you don't have a church home, it's important to fellowship with a church or visit a few churches to get an idea of how they conduct their services and to evaluate the Pastor of the church. Although The Promise is an online church, I want it's visitors to check out other brick and mortar churches. If they give feedback it can be helpful for my website. I John 1:3  Th...

 When you need to repair your sink, you call a plumber.  When you want to learn, you learn from a teacher.  When you need to fix your car, you call a mechanic.  And when you have an emergency, you dial 911.  The point I am trying to make is that when you are feeling down and low, a family member is sick, or you and your wife are not getting along, call on Jesus, Mr. Fix It. Prayer helps us to work thru our problems.  Combined with studying the Bible, it is an effective way to change your life.  Don't put your faith in a teacher or preacher or hero worship him/her.  Put your faith in Jesus and talk to him daily in your Christian walk.   Prayer works. Jesus taught us how to pray. He gave us The Lord's Prayer. Matthew 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11  Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ...

This movie, Son of God, inspires me every time I watch it. I bought it years ago, and it is a great pick-me-up.

  Have you ever felt sad and down but ate some ice cream and felt better? Or maybe you woke up in the morning and did not want to get up to go to work, but you fixed some bacon, eggs, and grits and felt supercharged and ready to start your day.  I call that food comfort food because it made you feel better and refreshed and changed your mood. I'm not trying to diminish the importance of the Word, but we can call it comfort food.  God's Word, His Bible can save a life; can turn someone's entire life around for the better. Matthew 14:19 And  he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,  and  took the five  loaves ,  and  the  two   fishes ,  and  looking up to heaven, he blessed,  and  brake,  and  gave the  loaves  to his disciples,  and  the disciples to the multitude. - KJV - Bible Gateway

  I am guilty of being a passive Christian for a long time. Merriam-Webster defines Active an adjective as characterized by action rather than by contemplation or speculation.  Passive also an adjective is defined as 1. lacking in energy or will. 2. tending not to take an active or dominant part.  3. existing or occurring without being active, open, or direct. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD James 2:14 - What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works. Can faith save him? 15 - If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 - and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 - Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. 24 - You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 26 - For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. We as Christian...

There is no valley too deep for Jesus to reach. Call out to Him and he will comfort you. Believe in Him, and he will replenish you. Fall on your knees and worship Him, and He will lift you up. In life we make mistakes. Some are worse than others. The key to getting past it is not to dwell on it. There's an old adage, "One day at a time." How much can you get done in one day?  Setting daily goals chops your major ones into sizable proportions.  I am doing this blog to encourage others and to motivate myself.  When I go back and read some of my posts, I marvel at what I wrote.  My own words inspire and motivate me. I'm not trying to get the big head and puff myself up but to accomplish the goal of witnessing for Christ. The Great Commission Matthew 28:16  Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.   17  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.   18  Then Jesus came to them and sai...

Enjoy this playlist. Yes I am a Christian but I don't see any harm in listening to music other than Christian / Gospel. Music and singing is a gift from God. How you use it is what counts. Some in the church would say you are not a true Christian if you listen to secular music. We all express ourselves in different ways. Now if you look at movie like Skyfall, a James Bond movie, would it be right to say you are not a true Christian. No.

 I have made many mistakes in life. Because of it, I have dealt with severe depression. I had made career choices that  I regret.  I still struggle with those decisions. Jesus does not want us to be down and depressed and pouting. I would say he would want us to be thankful for what we have. To forgive ourselves like he forgives us. But after that, you have to work. Tell the devil, "You won't steal my joy."  Every day that you are alive is a gift from God. Cherish it, love it, and praise Jesus daily, not take it for granted. I am not an ordained preacher. I just want to witness and do my duty as a Christian. When I reach my end will God say to me, "Well done thy good and faithful servant?" I John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  NIV - Bible Gateway So if you are depressed stop sleeping - "There is enough sleeping in the grave" - Derrick W. Jackson