Episode 12: What Could Have Been Today

Here lies tomorrow, what could have been today. This is the first episode of 2026! Along with a new feature of the podcast, this shorter episode is about responding to the voice of God. Walking through a door that God is opening, and holding on to the truth.  Enjoy!

 👉 Watch here: https://youtu.be/z3aEaPvfMxc?si=-2VMvjcNNlDp7HgL

🎧 Thanks for listening to Generation Hope
If this episode challenged or encouraged you, consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review — it helps us reach more people with the message of hope.

📲 Stay connected:
Instagram: @generationhope
Facebook: facebook.com/genhopear.podcast
YouTube: @generationhope_ar
📩 Email: generationhopear@gmail.com

💬 Share this episode with a friend who needs it.
🕊️ Keep walking in truth, purpose, and hope — one step at a time.

Transcript

Hello. Welcome to the Generation Hope Podcast.

I'm your host, Andrew Richardson, and I'm so excited to be here today. It's the first episode of 2026. Not only the first episode of 2026, but also the first visual episode. So we're making some big moves, guys. I'm thrilled to be here today. I know I'm posting this a little later than I intended, simply because the build-up to this took longer than I thought it would, which I'll most definitely explain as we go through it.

Before we get into the episode today, I want to thank all of you who have listened thus far, and I want to thank those who will listen in the future. I'm excited to see what 2026 has for us this year, and I cannot wait to see how God moves and what He does with this podcast, as well as in your lives. So, without further ado, let's get into the episode.

I know that I was originally going to make this episode about Mormon beliefs and doctrines, some of which I'll cover. I went down a lot of rabbit holes researching this, and it took me a couple of weeks. The rabbit holes I went down were pretty wild. But I decided to take a slightly different approach. I had every intention to focus solely on what they believe, but I think there are some deeper things we can discuss and uncover.

Before I even get into the research, I want to talk about the title. The title of this episode, and the previous one, is Here Lies Tomorrow. I know it may seem like a weird title, especially considering what I talked about last episode regarding Joseph Smith. But the reason I worded it this way is because of an experience that really made me reflect on how I want to move forward in my relationship with God, specifically within the kingdom of God.

I had a friend who was coming to church, searching for truth, but he ended up finding it in the wrong places. One of the things I had felt right before I discovered that he was a leader in the church was to reach out to him, maybe see if he wanted a Bible study, or just hang out. But I kept pushing it off, thinking I’d wait until next time I saw him. And then the whole situation happened, and I thought, what would have happened if I had just reached out instead of waiting?

That’s kind of where Here Lies Tomorrow comes in. It's like a phrase I created. Probably not perfect, but it stuck. Here Lies Tomorrow represents the opportunities that could have been today. In other words, if God gives you an opportunity or lays something on your heart, don’t wait. Don’t waste time or opportunity simply because you may not feel ready.

Of course, there are times when God calls us to do something, but not at that exact moment, and that’s okay. But if you ever feel moved to act—maybe at a grocery store, or a restaurant, or with a stranger—don’t just say you’ll wait until next time. You could be someone’s last chance. And by the way, if I sound a little weird, I have a mild cough. It’s getting better. Yesterday was rough. But I don’t want to focus on that.

That’s why I titled this episode Here Lies Tomorrow. It represents the possible futures and opportunities that could have been if someone had stepped up and acted, but instead those opportunities are lost. Your life and the lives of those around you are not guaranteed. A friend of mine once sent out wedding invitations in the morning and passed away later that night. She was young, under 25, and had done so much for God’s kingdom. But she assumed she would be around for the day, for the wedding, for life’s milestones. Life can end suddenly, and tomorrow is not promised.

This applies to everyone. That waiter you feel compelled to talk to, that stranger at the grocery store—you could be their last chance to encounter truth. Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today.

In terms of content, the main focus of this episode will be about truth. A few months ago, I met some Mormon guys at Panera Bread. They initiated the conversation, and we talked for about an hour and a half. At the end, I said, there has to be truth. Absolute truth. It cannot just be whatever you feel in your heart. The heart is deceitfully wicked. Truth isn’t based on feeling; it’s objective.

Take this pen, for example. I can feel whatever I want about it. It’s smooth and easy to write with, which is true. But if I decided to say it’s blue or pink, that feeling doesn’t make it true. Feelings alone don’t determine truth. This is where Mormon belief gets tricky: they claim that if you pray and believe in your heart, the Lord will reveal truth to you. But what if different people pray and get different answers? Is God a God of exceptions? That sounds like confusion, and God is not the author of confusion. Truth must be objective.

There are some beliefs of the Mormon faith I can agree with. They believe God knows and loves us, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, that life has purpose and meaning, and that we should love one another. Scripture backs this up. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” John 3:3 says, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

But there are core doctrines I cannot accept. They may seem enticing to some, but I cannot align with them. I spoke with Brother Cornelius Williams, a guest of the podcast, and he reminded me that when studying other faiths, we must pray for discernment, asking God not to let us be swayed by vain philosophies, seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. That advice resonated deeply with me.

I’ve seen people in my life, including family and friends, walk away from truth. Some returned, thankfully. Some didn’t. The appeal of the world outweighed the appeal of God. They created their own truths: doing drugs, drinking, sexual immorality, and so on. But the Bible does not call us to live by our own truth—it calls us to live by God’s truth.

2 Timothy 3:14–17 reminds us to continue in the things we have learned, knowing the Holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for doctrine, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that we may be equipped for every good work. Truth is in God’s Word, not in the Book of Mormon, the Quran, or other religious texts. God’s Word is absolute.

Our personal feelings do not define truth. I may feel tithing is wrong, or have opinions on gender expression, but the Bible defines what is right and wrong. Truth is not subjective. People are hungrier for truth than ever. Scandals and false doctrines are being exposed. People are beginning to discern false teaching and recognize sheep in wolf’s clothing. Information is readily available, and those seeking truth are learning to spot deception.

People are searching for what is right, what is real, and what is not just a feel-good doctrine. And this is where discernment becomes crucial. Just because something sounds spiritual, or is presented in a church setting, doesn’t mean it’s from God.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 that there are false apostles and deceitful workers who transform themselves into apostles of Christ, and that Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. So people can look godly, sound godly, and still be completely wrong.

That’s why it’s so important to be rooted in Scripture. You can’t base truth on emotion, tradition, or even what a pastor says. Everything must be measured against the Word of God.

When I talked with my Mormon friends, I realized much of what they believe is based on additional writings like the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. These are treated as equal to the Bible, but they are not Scripture. They cannot be the final authority.

If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then He is not going to give conflicting messages and contradictory paths to salvation. God is not the author of confusion.

Hebrews 4:12 says the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. Scripture itself exposes error. It reveals truth. It separates what is of God from what is not.

And that’s what everything must come back to. Not feelings. Not experiences. Not tradition. Truth comes from God.

This ties directly back into Here Lies Tomorrow. You never know when an opportunity will pass. You never know when someone’s last chance to hear truth will be right in front of you.

That’s why urgency matters. That’s why obedience matters. Whether it’s someone at a coffee shop, in your family, in your neighborhood, or online, you have a responsibility as a believer to be ready.

The world is full of distractions. It’s full of false doctrine. It’s full of philosophies that sound good but lead people away from Christ.

And I want to encourage you to be part of someone’s moment of truth. Don’t delay what God is calling you to do today. Don’t push obedience into tomorrow.

As I continue into Mormon beliefs in future episodes, understand this: this is not about attacking people. It’s not about being harsh. It’s about pointing people to the only source of truth that can save.

Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.

There is no such thing as being good enough. There is no working your way into heaven. You cannot earn salvation. It is only through repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and surrender to Him as Lord.

No church can save you. No denomination can save you. No book outside of Scripture can save you. Only Jesus saves.

And if you are listening to this and you don’t truly know Him, don’t wait. Tomorrow is not promised. Your heart beating right now is not guaranteed five minutes from now.

Here lies tomorrow. Buried under yesterday’s excuses.

And I don’t want that for you. And I don’t want that for the people around you.

I think that’s probably where I’m going to end this episode.

I love you guys. I’m praying for you. Stay grounded in the Word. Stay sensitive to the voice of God. And don’t waste the opportunities He puts in front of you.

I’ll see you in the next episode.