Shaking up our relationship with God

God allows certain things to happen in our lives to shake up our relationship with him. The Holy Spirit laid this thought on my heart. He revealed to me that we should not get comfortable in our praise, prayer, worship or relationship with God. It's like with any relationship, friendship or marriage, when you start to become comfortable, you get into a routine. Than you become bored or detached from the person.

Well, that can happen in our relationship with God. We pray the same prayer and we expect the same answer. We praise and worship the same and we expect the same feeling. Sometimes we just do it because it's routine and we don't have the urge to expand or grow in the relationship. We become comfortable. Than we can get detached from God and His word. This can be a very dangerous place.

In order for us to get out of this runt, God allows certain situations to happen in our lives to revive us.Take for example David, God and David had a close relationship since he was a Shepard boy up to his dieing day as King of Israel. God was always there with David. When he was attacked by a lion and a bear. He was there when he defeated Goliath. God kept him safe through many wars and when Saul tried to kill him. So David knew that God would always have his back.

David built a good relationship with God and knowing from experience that God is merciful, faithful, slow to angry and full of grace. David might have taken all of this for granted when he decided to sleep with another man's wife. Because of David's sins God sent the prophet Nathan to give him His judgment on what he did. David would lose his child with Bathsheba, the woman he committed adultery with and murdered her husband.

This was a painful judgement for David, that he fasted and laid on the ground praying and hoping that the Lord would spare his child. When the child died, David got up and ate. I believe this is when David started to renew his relationship with the Lord. When his servants asked him why he stopped fasting after the child died, David responded and said "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:21-23.

David understood that the Lord could have been gracious enough to save his son but he knew this was not about him. David realized that He had to praise the Lord through his trails and tribulations. That he had to gain a better understanding of what the Lord wanted to do in his life. Even though, God took his son, he still blessed David and Bathsheba by giving them Solomon, the heir of the throne. Through David's iniquities, God restored their relationship and made David the Prince of Praise.

So take the time to think about your relationship with the Lord. Look at all the areas that need improvement and focus on developing a stronger relationship with Him. He loves you and he wants to be constantly on your mind because He is constantly thinking about you. Pray that the Lord continues to renew your prayer life, your praise and worship. Also your walk with him.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2

True Stormriders; Miss California

As many of you know we really don't write post based on pop culture or celebrity news. But this pass weekend's Miss America Pageant has caused some controversy. Judge Perez Hilton, a gossip blogger, asked Miss California a question about Same Sex Marriage. If you missed it, here is the question.




Miss California answered the question honestly and took a stand for her convictions. I respect her and admire that she glorified the Lord on such a huge platform in front of millions of people. Not many people could have done that and so many well known pastors have avoided questions like this. Miss California has shown the world that she is "Not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ...." Romans 1:16.
That same night, Perez Hilton went on his blog and lashed out in an angry rage against Miss California for her answer. Miss California went on FOX News to respond to what Perez said about her and to defend her answer.





10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you Matthew 5:10-12


I pray that the Lord will give all of us the same courage and strength to speak the truth. People are watching and waiting to hear what we have to say.

The Blessings of Giving

This past Resurrection Sunday, my sister and I baked cookies for the tenants in our building. We thought it would be a great way to meet our neighbors and do something special for the holiday. My sister made sugar and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She cut out purple squares of construction paper and wrote Happy Easter on them. We wrapped them in sulifane and tied purple ribbon around them. We said a pray asking the Lord to go before us and open the hearts of our neighbors to receive the cookies and that it would bring Him glory.

We went door to door knocking and heading out the cookies. Everyone had big smiles on their faces and were so grateful for the cookies. They said, "You guys are so nice" and "We have such great neighbors." We even handed out cookies to owners of the deli beneath our apartment building. The owner's son was so shocked and happy. He had the biggest smile on his face and kept thanking us. It really filled our hearts with gladness and that Jesus was being glorified. God loves to see His people do his will and doing it with cheerfulness and gladness. In Hebrews 13:2 it reads 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. We should always keep this is mind because God can use strangers to help us in our time of need. Getting to know people in your neighborhood is a great way to have support and unity when there are times of crisis. People will always remember when you show them kindness.

I encourage you to pray and ask the Lord what is it that He would want for you to do in your neighborhood. It could be baking cookies, praying with a neighbor, inviting them over for dinner or just saying hello. Small acts of kindness go a long way. It plants a seed and that seed will grow into something beautiful. Giving of yourself to others also brings glory to the Kingdom.

Good Friday!!! Worthy is the Lamb

Good Friday is the day our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. Jesus was put on the cross at noon and died at 3:00pm. Between those hours please pray and thank God for what was done on the cross. Thank Him for forgiveness, victory, health, everlasting life, paying the debt for sin and death, for love, peace, grace and mercy. Also for bringing the kingdom of heaven on earth, so that we may have a relationship with Him. Praise the Lord!
My church in Maryland always plays the Passion of Christ on Good Friday. My sister and I are also going to watch it today. It is a good visual reminder of what Jesus went through in order to save us from sin and death. Below is a video of clips from the movie. Worthy is the Lamb by Hillsong is the song in the video. Please share with love ones, friends and co-workers about what Good Friday means to you.


Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they[a] made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul,[b]and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

True Stormriders; 2 Christian Iranian Women Arrested

Please keep these women in your prayers. Also praise the Lord for women you are not ashamed or afraid to follow Jesus in a country that persecutes those that do. This article was taken from the Crosswalk & Voice of Martyrs website.

IRAN – Two Iranian Women Arrested and Held in “Notorious” Prison

On March 5, Marzieh Amirizadeh Esmaeilabad and Maryam Rustampoor were arrested by Iranian security forces and labeled “anti-government activists,” according to Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN). Thirty-year-old Marzieh and 27-year-old Maryam are being held at Evin Prison, which is notorious for treating women badly. “Both women are allowed just a one- minute telephone call everyday to their immediate families,” FCNN reported. The women are in need of urgent medical attention. During their last call on March 28, Mazieh said that she was suffering from an infection and high fever. She said, “I am dying.”

Marzieh and Maryam’s apartment was searched and their belongings were confiscated. FCNN added that their only crime is that they are committed Christians who follow the teachings of Jesus. They reported the women are being unfairly labeled as “anti-government activists” because of the hostility of the government towards practicing Christians. The women have reportedly been interrogated numerous times and were held in three different police detention centers before being sent to Evin Prison. FCNN reported an exorbitant bail amount of $400,000 (US) has been set even though Marzieh and Maryam’s families have been told on numerous occasions that a judge is not available to discuss the case.

Marzieh and Maryam’s arrest is the latest incident highlighting increased government intimidation of Christians in Iran. Believers are subjected to surveillance, arrests, imprisonment, and sometimes torture. The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to pray for the immediate release of Marzieh and Maryam. Ask God to heal, encourage and protect them. Pray they will continue to stand for Christ during this difficult time.

Everyday Can Be Palm Sunday

We just celebrated Palm Sunday, which is one of my favorite times of the year. At my old church in Maryland they would pass out palm leafs at the beginning of the service. During praise and worship, the congregation is waving their palms in the air and dancing around. It is one of the most joyful times of the year.
Ever since I can remember, hearing the passage of Jesus riding into Jerusalem touched me. I mean everyone is rejoicing and praising Jesus. His disciples are shouting out, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest” the book of Luke reads. (Luke 19:38) In Matthew they cry out “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matt 21:9) In the book of Mark they said, “Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest." (Mark 11:9-10) In John, they cried “Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." (John 12:13)
Could you imagine what it could have been like? Everyone is worshiping Jesus, blessing His name and laying down their palms and cloaks as he rides into Jerusalem. Don’t you think Palm Sunday should be everyday? We should be rejoicing and ushering in the second coming of our Messiah. We do not know the time nor the hour when he is coming, so everyday we should be preparing.
The Holy Spirit revealed to my sister in the Luke passage, that the Pharisees wanted Jesus to stop the people from praising him. But Jesus said in verse 40, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. My sister said that even if we do not praise him the whole earth will for He has created everything. How amazing is our God! The wind and waters obey His command; the animals, the plants and the rocks know their creator. So my sister advises that we all get in on the praise party and lift up the name of Jesus. This is just the beginning because we will be worshiping and praising the Lord in Heaven!
Everyday should be celebrated as Palm Sunday. For the Lord woke us up this morning and the devil is defeated. Bless the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest! I found this video collage made in honor of Palm Sunday. The song is by Chris Tomlin "All Bow Down" It is very well put together. Enjoy!

ONE CRY EVENT!

Join students from churches and campus ministries across New York City to seek God for revival and transformation! We will be attending Times Square Church tonight to raise one voice to God for the thousands of students and faculty in Universities around the world! Please say a prayer for college students and growing college ministries, that the Lord will guide them and that they will be a light in their classrooms and beyond! We will post more about the One Cry Event next week! Please check out the ONE CRY website! God Bless!

News Report: Mob Brutally Attacks Missionaries

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Two Stormriders, Murari Jay and Atul Rajesh, were brutally attacked for preaching the Word of God in Himachal Pradesh, India on March 14. These men of God have a true promise for their lives from God. In Matthew 5:10 Jesus said Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. When asked about the attacks, both missionaries stated, "It was a great privilege to be persecuted for the Gospel of Christ". I thank God for these brothers and the work that they are doing. I ask that you all please pray for healing for their bodies as well as protection in the name that is above every name, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

To read the full article click here!

Praying for the Out Pouring of the Holy Spirit for He helps us in Prayer

ROMANS 8:26 NKJ
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

One of the most important components of our Christian lives is prayer. After all, our Christian lives are based on a relationship with the One True and Living God, the Creator of heaven and earth; and what better way to grow and nourish a relationship than through spending time together and conversation. That is precisely what prayer is, a conversation with God. This conversation can take many forms. We can spend prayer time praising the Lord, or we can spend it asking for things or we can spend it in intercession. There are times, however, when we are not sure how or for what we ought to pray. There are also times when we cannot find the words to use in prayer. God has been so gracious to give us the Holy Spirit to help us in prayer. He gives us words to use, sometimes in different tongues; He gives us thoughts and concerns that we may have never thought to pray for. Most importantly, He gives us strength in our prayer lives and helps us to pray honestly and with authority.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:2 NKJ
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. Praying in tongues is a hotly debated issue amongst some Christians. Some people believe that you should not speak something that you don’t know. Some argue that you don’t know where the words are coming from (i.e. the devil or God). I personally find that speaking in tongues lifts my soul. I find a certain power and peace in my prayer. Most people are not in tune with their spirit let alone God’s Spirit. We are only in tune with that which is tangible, our flesh. Our spirits see, hear and feel more than our body’s could ever imagine. There are issues we have locked inside us that need to reach God. There are yearnings in our hearts, which we ourselves are not sure of. This is where the Holy Spirit and tongues play a major role in a Christian’s life. The Holy Spirit will give us the utterance to speak the things that the flesh cannot comprehend. The Holy Spirit gives us tongues in a heavenly language that cannot be understood by the enemy. How powerful is that! The enemy has no idea what you are saying to God, that is why he hates the use of tongues, he wants to be privy to the conversations we have with God. He wants to know what is going on in heaven and in our hearts so that he can prepare a proper attack. We have been given the power to remove the enemy from our prayer lives. If you have not received the gift of tongues, yes it is a gift and remember our Father in heaven only gives good gifts (read 1Corinthians 12: 1-12 for a list of the gifts of the Spirit), I would recommend sincerely asking the Lord for the Holy Spirit to give you the gift of tongues. Ask with an open heart and faith that it shall be given unto you. As you sit in the Lord’s presence, just begin to worship Him and glorify Him for what He is about to do in your life. Remember to bypass your flesh/mind for doubt may begin to set in and ruin the atmosphere for receiving the gift of tongues. If you feel unable to do it on your own, go to a church that believes that we should pray in tongues and speak with a pastoral member.
How many times have you been in distress, so down and out and can’t even lift your voice in prayer to the Lord? The Holy Spirit is there to help you in those times. He will give you strength and the words to pray. In all things God has chosen to help us. He has given us many advantages and the most important advantage is that of receiving the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to help us in all things.

JUDE 1:20 NKJ
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to pray for the gift of tongues; which makes us strong. We should also honestly ask the Lord as to what we should pray for. There are times when God tells me to pray for people I don’t even know. We are instruments for God, and He will use us for his purpose. The Holy Spirit knows what we should pray for and it is best to let Him orchestrate our prayers so that we not only pray for ourselves but also for what is on God’s heart.

Is there a difference between Holy Hip Hop and Hip Hop? Part 2

I wanted to touch on the subject of Holy Hip Hop again. Mixing the world's music with "Gospel Music", which should be praise and worship should not be done in Church. I grew up in a Christian home but one of the things that we lacked was the spirit of discernment when it came to music. My parents listened to everything from Jimi Hendrix to Motown to The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. That same listening ear trickled down to me and my siblings. We listened to every form of music: classical, rock ,pop, hip hop, r&b, reggae, country and dance. I still struggle with listening to some stuff but it's a big problem when it is brought into the church.

I don't listen to hip hop and holy hip hop is no different. It is just the bootleg version of the original. It's very generic and extremely horrible to listen to. It's very disappointing that these "Christian" rap recording artist can not express what is suppose to be praise and worship in a manner that does not have influences from hip hop. There is nothing wrong with rapping but the problem is that these artist feel like it has to sound like hip hop in order for the youth to listen to and buy it.

Praise and worship is about ushering in the presence of God and giving Him all the glory and the praise. Instead, with holy hip hop it is about the love of self and expressing one's self instead of denying yourself and giving your self to Christ. Remember you must decrease in order for Him to increase. I read a interesting blog today from Elder G. Craig Lewis from Exministries about the same topic. Check it out to get a good prospective. http://gcraige.blogspot.com/2009/03/holy-hip-hop-bad-idea.html