Creation Roles: Paul Washer's "What a Man is Not"

What is a man suppose to look like?  What is the role of man on the earth? In Genesis 1:26  the word says, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:." So we know that man was created in the image of God. Scripture also tells us that God gave man duties and responsibilities on the earth (Genesis 1:28). Okay so now that we know a little of the basics. ... what is not a man?

I want to share with you a sermon from Paul Washer called What a Man is Not. It is a little over an hour long but it is very thought provoking. It surely made me ponder some things about the men in my family, men that I encounter in the body of Christ and the type of man I would want to marry. Please take the time to watch this video and let us know your opinions and thoughts on the subject.

Missions: Ethiopia Part 2: Healing Hands of Joy and Stormrider: Akeza

After 2 days in Addis we departed for Mekelle, which is less then an hour flight. It is a smaller city then Addis Ababa. I would compare it to Philadelphia being Addis and Pittsburgh being Mekelle. Mekelle was less crowded and had more of a slower pace then Addis. It is also a college town with the Mekelle Theological College and Mekelle Institute of Technology surrounding the area. 

Coffee Ceremony

After settling down at the hotel, we headed to the center. When we arrived at HHOJ the women gave us a wonderful warm greeting! They had beautiful smiles on their faces,cheering, waving incense and tossing popcorn and rose petals in the air.  All eleven ladies greeted us with kisses and we took pictures before entering in the center. The women performed a traditional coffee ceremony as we all sat in a huge circle introducing ourselves. The women were very open and inviting. All of them explained their situation, what lead them to HHOJ and what they were hoping to gain/accomplished through the program. We, in turn, told them what brought us to Ethiopia and why we wanted to come to the center. After the introductions, we had lunch with the ladies and received a tour of the grounds, kitchen, classroom and living quarters from Allison. 

Preparing lunch

One of the customs in Ethiopia is feet washing. This normally occurs when a visitor comes to your home and you wash their feet as a sign of hospitality. Well our team wanted to do that for the ladies and in addition treat them to manis and pedis. The women at first had reservations because they felt that it was wrong for us, the visitors, to wash their feet. But during their Bible study class they were ministered to about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples in John 13:1-17. They learned that Jesus wanted to show His followers what it meant to serve and give themselves to others. Jesus told Peter, who refused the washing of his feet, that he has no part of Him if he refuses. Being able to serve and being served is a blessing and our Father is pleased and glorified when we do that for each other. This made the women more comfortable and ready to receive their feet washing. It was a pleasure and joy to see that the women were enjoying the feet washing and spa treatment. One of the lady's daughter joined in and I was able to paint her nails for her. Each woman received her own nail spa kit with lotion, nail polish and file. What a blessing it was to leave the center that day knowing that the ladies felt special and loved.

Feet washing

Showing off her nails

The second day at the center was one of the best days for me because it was our one on one time with the ladies. I had the privilege of having my time with Azeka. She is 40, divorced twice and has 4 children. During her first pregnancy, Akeza had prolonged labor with her son and developed fistula because of it. She was able to receive surgery and has since been cured. 10 years after the surgery she remarried and had 3 more children. I questioned Akeza why would she remarry and have more children after the traumatic experience with her first marriage and pregnancy? Akeza explained to me earlier in our conversation that she divorced her first husband because he was cheating on her with other women in the village. She responded to me so plainly and with confidence, "Because I had the desire to have more children." Her response gripped my heart in the most intense way. Most of these women are married off at a very early age, as early as 8 years old, abused and outcast by their communities because they have fistula. You would think there would be bitterness, unforgiveness, wrath and fear that would overcome them.

Akeza

Akeza, as a woman, wanted to fulfill that desire of being a wife and a mother. Unfortunately, her second husband was abusive and the marriage dissolved but she preservered. She has a strength and a willingness to succeed in life. She told me her strength comes from God. She knows that fistula does not define her life and that being at the center has strengthen her faith. She has developed relationships with the other women; they have sown into each other lives and have been able to encourage one another through this experience.

Towards the end of our conversation I told Akeza that she reminded me of the young girl (Jarius' daughter) Jesus brought back to life in Mark 5:35-43. Everyone that was at Jarius' home thought that this was the end. Before Jesus and his disciples arrived a servant from Jarius' house told him not to bother Jesus because his daughter was dead. But Jesus knowing what was going to happen went to the house and told everyone there that the girl was sleeping. The mourners at the house laughed at Him. Jesus had everyone removed from the room besides the girl's parents and 3 of His disciples. Jesus proceeded to take the young girl's hand and said to her "Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise (verse 41)." The little girl got up and Jesus told them to get her something to eat. Jesus who is sovereign knows the beginning and the end of your life. Others might feel like they have the right to speak over your life because of the circumstances that you are in but God has the final say.

Akeza was in agreement and added that God is in control. She is so thankful that He has brought her out of the darkest places in her life and have lead her to a place of peace and trusting in him. Akeza blessed me tremendously with her beautiful spirit, laugh, openness and strength. She told me that she would be praying for me to get married and that I would have lots of children! What I found to be very interesting was that our interpreter and  I had similar stories. All three of us had a connection even though we come from different backgrounds, cultures and upbringings. I truly understood in that moment that allowing yourself to be open can really minister not only to others but to yourself.

I greatly enjoyed my time talking to Akeza and my team members also felt the same way about their one on one time. It was truly an honor and a privilege to get to know my friend Akeza. I will never forget her and our conversation. She has motivated me to continue to preservere no matter what obstacles come into my life. God is in control and has the final word.

From left to right: Senait (who is apart of the HHOJ staff), me, Akeza, one of the ladies in the program and our interpreter Flash

Next week will be the third and final post about my trip!

To learn more about the trip please visit the team's blog at  http://www.tscnyc.org/i61teams/category/africa/ethiopia-africa/  and to learn more about Healing Hands of Joy please visit http://www.healinghandsofjoy.com

Stay Calm Jesus Loves You: Part 2 - Envy and Boasting!

In continuing with my previous post, the scripture brings us to two more attributes of love:

1 Corinthians 13:4

Love does not envy; love does not parade itself (boast)

Envy: a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.

The word in this definition that stands out to me the most is discontented. When we are discontent with what God has given us or entrusted to us, we begin to look at others that have what we want and deduce that the reason they have it is because clearly God loves them and not us. This is incredibly false! We need to stop comparing ourselves, talents, possessions, status etc to what others have. If we would simply accept the fact that God loves us, then we would look at the things that we have and glorify in the fact that it was given to us. We bring such pain and hurt into our lives with envy. Once envy comes in, it twists are vision to no longer see that the root problem is that we are discontent. Instead it masks itself as a lie against the nature of God, that says, He does not love me. He won't give me the desires of my heart. He won't answer my prayers. Once that root comes into our lives we become offended by our Lord. Envy kills the soul, it robs you of life. It makes you focus on everything that is wrong rather on what is right. It causes you to actually hate when good things happen to and for others. When it gets to that point you are void of any true love of God. God is good! If you don't like when good things happen, then you are in direct opposition to God and His work. If you are content with what you have been given you will know that God loves you. Instead of looking at what you have been given negatively look at the positives, there is no one God saw more fit to give what was given to you but you. You are unique in inheriting whatever it is that He gave you. Try to see what you have been given through Gods eyes and if you can't see it ask Him for the vision to see. Love is content, it does not want what others have. Love is full and complete, it wants for nothing. Psalms 23:1 says, "The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want". David can claim this because he has all he needs. He isn't looking for more, God has given him his needs and he wants for nothing. Now please don't misunderstand me, complacency and contentment are two different things. But to being content means to rest in the knowledge that you do indeed have all the tools you need. When God shows you how to use these tools you can enter into the season of your life.

Boast: talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.

Love does not parade itself. Love is humble, it makes no trumpet sounds or overexposes itself. One characteristic of humble people is a sense of self-worth that can't be defined by others nor does it depend on the applause of others. Self-assured people know who they are. They understand their limitations and that in which they excel. There is no longing to be approved or lifted up. Love is the same way, Love comes quietly. It is not flashy. Love has an identity. Many people who seek attention or parade themselves have no identity. They do not fully know who they are and therefore need the approval of others in order to feel complete. Real love does not need to parade itself, it is known by its characteristics. When you look at love, you know it, you feel it, there is a distinct witness that it is indeed love. Sometimes, it is in the most quiet of ways God shows that He loves you. There is no production or fanfare. When love is boastful it is less intimate and God desires an intimate relationship with all of us. When Jesus healed various people in the Bible, more often than not, He told them not to say anything or share what He did for them in a public manor. This is love. In Matthew 6:3 Jesus says "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth". Love is not about patting itself on the back, it is so selfless as to not even give credit to itself even after demonstrating one of its attributes. When we boast, we are saying that the approval of God is not enough. That we somehow need for man to lift us up. If you truly know that God loves you, then you understand that He approves of you. He doesn't need to put you on a pedestal, send a dove and proclaim that you are a good child. Love simply does what is necessary even without recognition. Think about Jesus. He did the most amazing, game changing, life altering work on this earth, the very personification of love and everyday you don't hear trumpets from heaven and Jesus giving a speech for all that He has done. No, true love will sit quietly and unrecognized until our eyes can accurately identify it.

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I beseech you, if you are feeling incomplete and envious, please search the scriptures for the truth of God's love. These two issues can lead us down paths that end in destruction.  Remember, scripture says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18) and "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones." (Proverbs 14:30). Know that you are loved.

Do You Really Know that God Loves You? Part 1: Patient and Kind

Did you know that God loves you? I know this might seem like a stupid question but do you really know with all your heart that God loves you. I was asked this question about 2 years ago and it really shocked me to my core. For the first time I was confused about whether or not God loved me. On a cerebral level I understood that God loved me. I knew the precious sacrifice he made by sending His only Son to die, was a sacrifice of love. But beyond that, for some reason my heart had a hard time translating that notion. I think not fulling understanding that God loved me came from my misunderstanding of Love.

To understand what love really means is to understand God for God is Love and He is perfect in all His ways. Often times we tend to lean unto out own understanding. Proverbs 6: 5 - 6 says

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct[a] your paths.

When we take the world's concept of love and try to project that on God's Word, it fails miserably. We begin to pigeon hole God in our definition of love.

Two years ago, I was dealing with issues of God's love for me. There were moments when I thought, God just doesn't love me. I am not sure how the enemy planted that seed in my mind and heart but he did. God's love is divine and to understand it we must go to His word. I am sure most of you know the following verse but let's really look at it.

1Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I  am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Starting at verse 4: Love is long suffering (patient) and kind. I, by nature, am an impatient person. It is by the grace of God that I can practice patience. I, like most people, want what I want, when I want it and how I want it. This is in direct contradiction to what the Word says. Love/God is patient. That means, while I was dead in my sin, He patiently waited for me to realize the error of my ways. He, being my creator, waited patiently as I played the harlot, trying to run after the desires of my wicked heart.  Any normal person would have walked away. I know so many couples who have faced infidelity in their marriage and decided to walk away, but God says, love is patient. It will wait for you to choose it and reciprocate that love. It is kind. Kind according to Marriam Webster's dictionary is defined as;  having or showing a gentle nature and a desire to help others : wanting and liking to do good things and to bring happiness to others. Love desires to help and to do good things. There is none good but God. He is the author of all things good. I can't tell you how many times I have asked God for something that in my understanding was good and He did not give me what I desired. In those moments of God denying my request I often attributed it to the fact that He just didn't't love me. After all, if I asked my earthly father for something and it was within his means to obtain it for me, he would do it with no questions asked. The difference between God and my earthly father is that God sees the results of my requests. He alone knows what is good for me. So although my earthly father means well, he could do me harm if he does not consult the Lord before honoring my request. We don't always understand what God is doing, but if we don't understand, let us pray that the lie that He doesn't love us, does not take root in our lives. If we begin to believe this lie, we render God a liar and He cannot lie. God wants good things to happen to you, He wants you to be happy, but the only person that can define that is God. We can't apply our limited understanding to what happiness looks like. For us, happiness is subjective but to God happiness is absolute and defined by God. To understand true happiness, you will need to seek God. You will need to understand why scripture says 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4).

Have any of you struggled with understanding the love of God, specifically as it applies to your relationship with Him? How did you overcome?

 Over the next couple of weeks I would like to explore the attributes of love, which in reality are the attributes of God.

Faith: It Can Happen! Beautiful Proposal and Wedding of Young ChristianCouple

As I was doing some research yesterday, I came across this article about a young man that proposed and married his wife on the same day! Ryan Leak, for over a year, planned the wedding using his then girlfriend's, Amanda Roman, Wedding Pinterest board that had over 200 pins. The background story is that he overheard Amanda speaking to one of her friend's that she wanted to get engaged and married on the same day. Ryan executed his bride's dream wedding successfully without her knowledge.

I wanted to share their story because it was a answered question that I posed to God. I will not expose the question but I will tell you that the answer is that "It Can Happen". God is willing and able to do above and exceedingly all we could ever ask for (Ephesians 3:20). If you are a true follower of Jesus Christ please believe that He loves you and wants the best for you. Amanda, I am sure, never saw this coming and waited 5 years to hear Ryan say "I Love You" and propose. I will allow Ryan to explain why in the video. 

The Lord is always working out things in the spiritual realm for our benefit because He and only He will receive the glory. The Lord was gloried in their wedding and because of their story it has edified and encouraged me to believe that God is able. No prayer is too ridiculous, small or big for Him. Please believe that it can happen. To read the full article and to watch the mini documentary of the proposal and wedding here is the link to theGrio website. You can also watch the video below:

We are still here!!!

Hello Stormriders! I know it has been over a year since we have posted but don't worry we are still here fighting the good fight. God has done so much in our lives in the past year and a half that we have so much to share. Alot of revelations and testimonies of His Truth, Faithfulness and Love. Stay tune there will be more to come.

We love you

31 Day Prayer Challenge

Hey Everyone!

I want to issue an end of year challenge! God's Word says, 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21).

There are 31 days in December and I want you to ask and think big! God says that He can do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think! So that means that your "big" is actually small in the sight of God. So go ahead and pray 31 big, humanly impossible, mind blowing prayers! One prayer for each day of December and watch God work! Go ahead and pray for that family member who you think is too far gone, pray for a child, pray for a husband or wife, pray for a job, pray for a means of funding your education, pray for funds to go on that mission trip you have been wanting to go on, pray for open doors in your life and the life of those you love, pray for deliverance! Pray big! Pray specific and more importantly pray in POWER! The verse says according to the power that works in us! That POWER is the HOLY SPIRIT! Pray away folks and I pray that God blows your mind! Also don't forget to write down your prayers so you remember what you asked for, so that God may get the GLORY! Remember the verse says to Him be glory!

Go ahead and pray and watch God work! I am praying with you! I can't wait to see and hear what God does!

Oh Give Thanks, unto the Lord; for He is Good

It is that time again, Thanksgiving!!!! It is one of my favorite holidays. It is time to eat, fellowship with loved ones and eat! This is a day our nation has given us to give thanks. But we know as believers everyday is a day to give thanks. Shower the Lord with Thanksgiving and praise because He is worthy. He saved us from sin and death. He gave us His only Son to be a sacrifice so that we may have life (John 3:16). He has given us freedom, power and authority in Christ. He has given us healing, love, peace and a sound mind (Isaiah 53:5/2 Timothy 1:7). He has given us joy, rest and forgiveness. He is the ultimate giver! He gives to us everyday! So He deserves all the thanks and all the praise everyday.

We thank you Jesus for your love and sacrifice that you have given so freely to us. You paid the ultimate price so that we would have life and have it more abundantly. You delivered us out of sin and hell. You have healed us, redeemed us, forgiven us and set us free. Thank you for keeping us, providing for us and never leaving us. Thank you for being the lover of our soul and advocate. We love you and sing praises to your Holy Name.

A Must Read!: "Broken Church Homes"

Last month we read an amazing post from Pastor G. Craige Lewis of Exministries. It is called "Broken Church Homes" and Pastor Lewis expressed his deep concerns about the state of marriages in the body of Christ. It is a thought provoking article that addresses the many issues that Christian marriages are facing today. The Enemy is really attacking what God has ordained to be sacred and holy. We urge everyone to pray and intercede for the marriages in your local church, your families, friends, church leaders and pastors. The devil is doing a work and we need to counteract. Prayer is our most valuable and powerful weapon against this spirit of divorce, infidelity, division and confusion. To read the article click here or copy and paste the link below.

http://gcraige.blogspot.com/2011/08/broken-church-homes.html

"But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Mark 10: 6-9

Amazing Poems! I Will Wait For You and The Truth Without Photoshop by Janette

These are amazing poems! "I Will Wait For You"and "The Truth Without Photoshop" are poems written and performed by Janette. I love the messages in these poems! My friend txted me last night and told me to check her facebook page and watch the video she posted. I was floored and had to immediately share the poems with you.

"I Will Wait For You" talks about waiting for a mate and waiting on God. "The Truth Without Photoshop" discussed the harsh reality of molestation for many women and Christian women. The pain, the healing process, the trust in God and the ability to talk about it.

Check these out and let us know your thoughts.

"I Will Wait For You"




"The Truth Without Photoshop"

Welcome 30s: The Age of New Beginnings

This month I turned 30! I can't believe the years have gone by so fast! It seemed like just the other day I was 7. Well, maybe not, but the years have crept up on me. 12 years ago I graduated from high school, 8 years ago I graduated from college and now I am a working girl in the Big Apple. This is not where I thought I would be. I had my life planned out by the age of 13. It went like this:

1. I would attend FIT (like Lisa Turtle from Saved by the Bell) and major in Fashion Design. Instead I graduated from the University of Delaware with a B.S. in Apparel Design.
2. Then, I would meet my husband, who would major in finance, and start his own company. (Instead I dated a wannabe rapper for 7 years and it went no where)
3. By the age of 23 we would be married and living in a fabulous condo on the east coast with a second home in West Africa or Europe.
4. By the age of 30 I would be a stay at home mom with 5 or 6 children, 3 dogs, a mongoose and a farm out in the country. Oh and an Aston Martin, his and her black on black Range Rovers and a small yacht for vacations on the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.

Well, needless to say, my life turned out differently. Maybe some of those plans would have happened, but God intervened. I believe if the plans I laid out happened, I would not be in Christ the way I am in Him now. The Lord saved me from a destructive path. There were times that I considered living with my then boyfriend, moving out to NYC or LA right after college but God closed every door. At the time, I didn't know God was preparing me to become the young lady that I am today. I know Jesus as my Lord, Savior, Best Friend and Brother.

He is showing me that He has bigger and better plans in store for me than I could ever imagine. Not material/earthy wealth or worldly success, but the things that are eternal and everlasting. Because all the worldly things shall pass away and things that I am growing spiritually are all for the glory of God. The beautiful thing is that I am seeing it. God is using me in my workplace, family, church and friendships to bring Him glory. He is pruning me to be the sister, friend, daughter, servant, intercessor, future wife and mother that He has created me to be.

I was talking to my sister about how significant the age of 30 is. Jesus started His full time Ministry at 30, Joseph became Governor over Egypt at 30 and David become King of Israel at the age of 30! On the Christian resources today website, it states that the meaning of 30 is "the marking of the right moment." So I know that God has a lot in store for me. Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. NLT

To all my brothers and sisters turning 30 this year or who are already in their 30s and feel like they have not accomplished the goals or plans they set out to complete by the age of 30; believe me the best has yet to come. God has everything planned out! Trust Him and live in His Will and you will see miraculous things happen. Remember to be obedient and He will lead you into your calling.

Get Alone With God

We recently went on a weekend retreat with our young adult ministry from church. We were able to get away from the busyness of the city and relax out in the country. It was a wonderful time to reflect and get alone with the Lord. Like we have discussed in previous posts, it is so important to build your relationship with God. One of the ways to do so is to be intimate with God.
The healthy relationships that we invest in with our family members, friends, co workers and spouses are earthly examples of how our relationship should be with the Lord. We need to get alone with Him to learn more about Him. We can experience His love, joy, pain, concerns, compassion and spirit by just taking the time to be in His presence. When you want to get to know someone better, you spend time with that person. You build a level of intimacy with the person. You learn that you can confide and trust that person. You also find out what the person thinks about you, if they love you or care about you.

God wants that same level of intimacy with us. He wants to hear about our concerns, deep thoughts and desires. On the flip side we need to also ask God about what concerns Him about us. Are we walking in His will, are we obeying Him and loving Him? Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days to get alone with God, before He started his ministry.

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness John 4:1. Jesus got alone with his Father to gain wisdom, strength and understanding of His plan. Jesus also got alone with the Lord when John the Baptist died and before he feed the 5 thousand (Matthew 14:10-14:21). There are other times throughout the gospels that Jesus went out to be alone with the Father. And every time he went out to pray something miraculous happened! So if our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ could find the time in the short 3 years of His ministry to pray and get alone with God; we need to follow His lead and do the same.
I pray that you get into the prayer closet and get alone with God. He is the reason why we are still here, so give Him your time and attention every moment you get.
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Matthew 6:5-8

No Need to Fear

Psalm 27: 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

Fear is defined as an emotional response to a perceived threat. We often fear physical things, such as heights, snakes, spiders and the like. But for many Christians we tend to sometimes fear that which is unseen. We fear the very things that our faith instructs us not to fear, mainly, the devil. We fear him because we can’t see him and often times we are afraid that he is doing everything in his power to ruin our walk with God. I am writing to remind you that there is no fear with God. Because Jesus Christ has conquered death and shame on the cross and defeated the devil we are now victorious. We have been set free from the fear of the enemy. If Jesus resides in our hearts and in our lives then His very existence in us causes us to be victorious. We are no longer slaves to fear, sin and shame; we have been made whole and victorious by the Blood of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57 says; “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In His name there is victory, in His blood and in His presence there is victory. I remember as a child, when I would have a bad dream, my mother would tell me, that if I ever got scared in my dream that I should say out loud, “In the name of Jesus, all bad dreams go away.” As a child I started to understand the awesome power that is found in saying the name of Jesus. He is mighty to deliver us from all fear and restore us to a right frame of mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 states, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” We have power through Jesus residing in our hearts, the love of God in our life and a sound mind that rests on our firm foundation which is our faith. God has given us that which we need to combat fear.

· Power

· Love

· Sound mind

All of the above mentioned things are found in Jesus Christ. So if we have Jesus we can and should be fearless.

1 John 5:4 says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” Through our faith we are victorious and we need not fear, fret nor worry. God is our light and our salvation whom shall we fear? He is our light in the darkness. While we were still in the dark wallowing in our sin, He was the Light in the world that brought us salvation that we did not deserve. If God was and is the Light that conquered our sin He was and is the light that pierces through our fears and delivers us from the “terror of night” (Psalm 91:5).

He is the strength of our life, whom shall we fear? We should never forget what a mighty God we serve. If we believe that we serve the one true living God; the God that:

· Stood in the fire with the 3 Hebrew boys and saved them from the furnace

· Delivered Jericho into the hands of the Israelites without weapons

· Parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross over while Pharaoh was behind them

· Defeated death and sin by nailing His only Son to the a cross

· Slayed a giant by using a young Sheppard boy

· Opening jail cells for Peter

· Shut the mouth of the lions for Daniel as he sat in a den of lions

What then do we ever need to be afraid of? The aforementioned examples aren’t even the half of what God has done, but serve as a testament to what He is doing and will do in times to come. Our God is strong beyond measure. He is awesome and the scriptures say, “If God is for us, who canbe against us? (Romans 8:31) What should we ever fear? Our God is our strength. When we are weak, He lifts our head, He sustains us and fights our battles for us. He is matchless in all His ways.

I hope that this encourages you. Put all fear where it belongs, under the nail pierced feet of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There is no need to fear, for God is on our side. He is mighty to save us from any form of attack. Walk in victory always and don’t fall victim to fear. Remember, through His blood, we are no longer victims but victors! Lay claim to this truth and watch your heart and mind transform as you release fear and embrace the freedom of God.

Pray for Haiti

It would be impossible for anyone in the world not to know about the suffering of the people in Haiti. There is a tremdous cry coming from the people of Haiti and they need our prayers and help. Let’s also remember that the stronghold of voodoo is still very present in Haiti. Below is a video that shows several Catholic Haitians worshipping God after the earthquake as well as another Haitian that practices voodoo and is defending it. The people of Haiti need to come into a living relationship with Christ and put away the evils of voodoo. Let’s pray that the people of Haiti leave voodoo behind and embrace the Lord God with all their heart. Additionally, if God is speaking to your heart about helping the people of Haiti we encourage you to move in the Spirit of Obedience. Allow God to use you and/or your resources to help the people of Haiti. In your obedience God receives all the glory. Be blessed.

Don’t Loose Hope!

Sometimes when we make a mess of our lives, or we feel that we have transgressed against the Lord; we often feel like there is no hope. That we are a lost cause, that we have ruined any chances of coming into the fullness of what God has for us. Sometimes when I make mistakes in my walk with God, I tend to have a tiny pity party (I try not to do this but it lasts for about a minute). My pity party usually consists of convincing myself that I have fallen so far from His grace that there might be a slim chance for me to get back. Other times it feels like I have a chart with God and every time I mess up I wonder if it is the last straw; maybe God is done with me this time (I know that these thoughts are from the enemy and pray to God that they do not penetrate into my soul). There is a looming fear that everything God has for you, will be taken away. That you might not enter into the fullness of what He has for you in all aspects of your life. But then I remember that I serve an awesome, forgiving and loving God. God is not man, and often times we base our reactions to God on what we have experienced with other human beings. We think that there is a limit because we have limits ourselves, but God is not man and His love, grace and mercy knows no limits. With God, there is always hope. The Bible says in Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”. This is the hope we must grab a hold of, this is the hope that we can believe in. What we must realize is that the enemy will try to sow seeds of doubt and fear into our lives when we feel that we have completely messed up. He knows just the right time to show up and kick us when we’re down. But we have hope, and that is Christ in us! God will never give up on us. He loves us too much and He has big plans for our lives.

This is not ordinary hope, this is a supernatural, change your life kind of hope. Christ in us, the hope of glory is what the Bible says and I don’t need to tell you that Christ is not ordinary! We never have to feel hopeless; we never have to feel lost. We have a mighty hope available to us.
Romans 5:5 says, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” That means that this hope will never fail; that if we hope in Christ that He will always come through. Some people place their hope in money, politicians/political systems, people, astrology, luck and many other things. But those things will always fail when it comes to hope. They do not last and in cases of astrology and luck they don’t even exists/have a strong foundation. We have a hope that will never make us ashamed. When you feel down and the enemy tells you that there is no hope that God is done with you that you might as well forget about being in His presence; you can say with all authority that Christ in you is your hope, that He will work it out that you may not see Him but He is always there giving you more grace, more mercy, more love and building an indestructible hope in you!

Hold on to hope, never loose sight of it. God has given us a fail-proof hope. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. When we fall, He sees and understands. He is our biggest cheerleader telling us to get up and keep running the race, keep pressing towards the mark of the high calling. He tells us to put our hope in Him. Never feel hopeless! Never feel like God will let you go. He loves you and has called you and He will do a mighty work in you. You always have hope!

Let's Be Honest

Hebrews 4:13

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

I was looking through my Bible and thinking about what to write and I came across this verse which was highlighted. I think at times, we as Christians, feel the pressure to be perfect, to put on a good face for others, yet there is one person that we can not hide from; and that is the Lord.

Even though I came to the Lord when I was really young, I didn’t start seriously walking with the Lord until after college. Since I knew the Lord and His Word and didn’t follow His will, it was hard for me to admit my short comings to myself and to God. You ever notice how when you backslide and then come to church that the Word that comes forth always seems directed to you and your situation? Well this seemed to always happen to me. Every time I came to church I felt like my pastor had been watching my version of The Truman Show (Jim Carrey movie where his life is tapped for everyone to see but he doesn’t realize that his life is a show). Then the alter call; oh that alter call. I had such a hard time with the alter call. I felt like the alter call was so public and I didn’t want for anyone to know that I was struggling. If I couldn’t admit that I had problems to the Lord and myself, how could I ever admit it in front of a large congregation? As far as I was concerned, the alter was something that I decided would just be at my seat. That seat represented a safe place where I was invisible, a place where if I stayed there, people would assume that my walk with God was right where it was supposed to be. And although I knew I heard the Lord tell me that I needed to be at the alter, I convinced myself otherwise.

One Sunday, the pastor spoke about the Holy Spirit and it spoke so deep to my heart that I could not stop crying. I had always wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit and I knew that I was lacking that personal experience with God. And just like clock work that alter call came and just like times past, I weighed my options. Then the pastor said, “If you are worried about your dignity, just let it go. If you have a choice between your deliverance and your dignity, choose your deliverance; you can always get your dignity back.” That was all I needed. I got up from my seat and went straight to that alter and my life has never been the same!

That alter, which used to represent a sort of shame to me, now represented a safe place where I can run to God and say here I am. Flaws and all, take me and change me. I am not perfect, but oh Lord, your work in me will prove perfect! We can hide all we want, but we will never be able to hide from God. He sees what we do in secret and what we do in the open. I don’t have to give an account to anyone except the Lord and at some point you have to be honest with yourself and God! We can’t hide anything from him. I can say that there is no one better to be vulnerable with than the Lord.

The alter is just an example, other things might be sitting in a prayer group and not being honest about what you need prayer about; another could be your testimony. You can fool everyone, but you can’t fool God. So let’s learn to be honest with ourselves. I am not saying to go run and tell all your business, but what I am saying is that we need to keep everything real with the Lord and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a wonderful thing to have other saints pray with you and stand with you. A few extra people praying with you can never hurt. When we are open and honest our lives, ministries and testimonies will never be compromised but will show the extent of God’s grace and mercy towards us. Let’s all just be honest.

Praise God! : Kidnapped Christian doctor released in northern Iraq

God is worthy to be praised! Below is an article about a Christian doctor who was kidnapped and released in Iraq. God never fails us. When we are about our Fathers business we are protected and delivered! Let's praise Him for He is mighty to save!



Kidnapped Christian doctor released in northern Iraq: police
(AFP) – 3 days ago


MOSUL, Iraq — A Christian doctor abducted by an armed gang overnight from her home near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul was released on Sunday evening, police said.
Mahasin Bashir was freed at around 6 pm (1500 GMT) in the town of Baashiqa, 15 kilometres (nine miles) from her home in the predominantly Christian locality of Bartala.
Police did not say what the motives were for her kidnapping, or whether any ransom was paid.
Bartala is around 20 kilometres from Mosul in Nineveh province, one of the country's most violent areas.
"The gang kidnapped the doctor, Mahasin Bashir, in her home late at night as her children watched, and then they put her into a car," a police officer said earlier, speaking on condition of anonymity. Read More

Article courtesy of AFP

Let's Pray: 240 die in Philippine Storm and Prison Terms Upheld for Two Christians in Ethiopia

There is a large amount of flooding in the Philippines. Please stand with us in prayer for the people of that nation. Many have died and the toll is rising. Let's intercede on their behalf and asks that God save them.

MANILA - Rescuers pulled more bodies from swollen rivers and debris-strewn streets to bring the death toll in massive flooding in the northern Philippines to 240 today, as residents dug out their homes from under carpets of mud.The National Disaster Coordinating Council said the homes of nearly 1.9 million people in the capital and surrounding areas were inundated, with nearly 380,000 people brought to schools, churches and other evacuation centers.Overwhelmed officials have called for international help, warning they may not have sufficient resources to withstand another storm that forecasters say is brewing east of the island nation and could hit as early as Friday.Tropical Storm Ketsana, which scythed across the northern Philippines on Saturday, dumped more than a month's worth of rain in just 12 hours, fueling the worst flooding to hit the country in more than 40 years. Read More

Article courtesy of the LA Times




I came across this article, and want to ask if you all would pray for these two evangelists. Let's pray that the Lord will give them peace while they are going through this storm.

Prison Terms Upheld for Two Christians in Ethiopia
Judge rejects appeal of evangelists said to be falsely accused of offering money, gifts.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 25 (CDN) — An Ethiopian court on Monday (Sept. 21) threw out an appeal by two evangelists said to be falsely accused of offering money and gifts to people to convert to Christianity, thus upholding their six-month prison sentences.Temesgen Alemayehu and Tigist Welde Amanuel of Wengel Lealem church in Addis Ababa went to Debiretabor, Amhara state, to plant a church in July. After a week in the area, according to area Christian sources, their proclamation of Christ led several people to confess their sins and receive Him as Savior. On July 19, however, some passersby began to question the two evangelists, and Christian sources said a heated argument led to a group attack on the two evangelists, wounding Alemayehu. Amanuel sustained minor injuries, the sources said, but managed to escape to a nearby home; the mob followed her into the compound, demanding she be handed over to them. Read More

Article courtesy of Compass Direct Web

We're Back!

Dear Stormriders!

It's been a month since our last post and we are back with more of what the Lord is revealing to us! Even through we stopped writing for awhile the Lord never stopped speaking. We will be posting more frequently. We pray that the last set of posts spoke to you and encouraged you.

Just to update you on what has been going on with this blog, we currently have readers across the US and in Canada! When the Lord instructed us to start this blog, we didn't know what to expect, but we are thankful that you all are reading and we sincerely pray that these posts have been a blessing.

We like to think of Stormriders as a community of believers. If you have a prayer need, or need encouragement please feel free to email us @ stormridersunite@gmail.com. We have dedicated ourselves to serving the Lord and the Body of Christ, so if you need us to stand in prayer with you or explore a topic that is on your heart and mind please let us know. If you would like to share your testimony or give an exhortation feel free to email us so that we can post it.

Also, if you have a gmail account, you can sign up to follow the blog. Just sign into blogger with your gmail address and password and select to follow the blog. Additionally, we would love for you to leave comments. Its nice to hear from you and your thoughts on what we have posted. We generally send out emails when we have new posts, so if you visit or follow the blog and would like to be on our mailing list, send us an email and we will add you.

We pray that God continues to bless you and keep you! We thank God for you!

Who Is The Enemy? - Part 3 & 4: His Devices and Our Weapons

(*Note - Originally, this was meant to be two separate posts, but I think they are stronger together)

11Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Corinthians 2:11 - KJVersion)

We’ve explored the enemy and his names; now let’s look at some of the devices he uses to attack us and the weapons that God has given us to triumph over them. To be honest, the devil is a one trick pony. He really only has one weapon but that weapon can take various forms. At the end of the day, the devil only has his lies (wiles). It was his 1st weapon and its his last weapon until the Lord comes! One weapon! That’s all! But for one weapon, God gives us many spiritual weapons to combat it.

Wiles = Lies, tricks, deception, lies, temptation, fiery darts (false accusations about us), snare, traps, strongholds (fortress of lies built up around the existence of the enemy in a person’s life).

We should know that these are the usual weapons he uses. You can see this throughout the bible. Wiles can be combated in many ways, scripture says:

Ephesians 6:10-18 (King James Version)
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14Stand therefore, having your loins gird about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

There is a great website that gives illustrations of the armor that God has given us. Check out: http://www.christianarsenal.com/FullArmour.htm

God has fully equipped us. Let’s look a little closer.

Fiery Darts (v.16) are a major weapon that the devil chooses to use against God’s people. Fiery darts are filled with accusations about us. A lot of these accusations are not directed to God about us, because there is nothing that the enemy can tell God about His children. Instead, these accusations (darts) are directed at us. They are meant to stir up feelings in us that cause us to feel guilty about the things that we have done in the past. Many of the very same things God has already forgiven us about. He, the enemy, loves to bring back feeling of worthlessness, filthiness, helplessness and unforgiveness which work to make us want to withdraw from the Lord or think that we are not useful in God’s kingdom. They also attack our self –esteem, pointing out who we used to be to make us feel worthless. These feelings are extremely detrimental to the walk of a Christian. In order to combat these feelings, we have to look to God’s word for what he says about us.
The 1st and most important thing to know is, you are not who you used to be. II Corinthians 5: 17 states; 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Don’t allow this dart to penetrate you. Remember how you are in Christ. God also says in Psalm 139:14 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. God knows you and loves you. He knows you have failed in areas in your life, but you came to Him to be set free and changed. Allow God to do a perfect work in your life and don’t allow the devil to discourage you. Keep “pressing towards the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
*Direct Scripture: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). You must have faith that God has changed you and is working in you. Never loose your faith!
*Prayer Tip: When you pray, especially in the morning, declare in the name of Jesus Christ, the name that is above every name, that all fiery darts from the enemy will fall short and that by the power of the Almighty God, they will be trampled under your feet.

A Stronghold is a fortress of lies built up around the existence of the enemy in a person’s life. Usually a stronghold can be built by not combating fiery darts. Accumulated fiery darts can and will produce strongholds. In order to combat strongholds you need to know the Truth, which is Christ Jesus. You need to understand what His blood did for you on Calvary. How it cleansed you and set you free. Often times, strongholds cause God’s people to become depressed. When one is depressed they begin to withdraw. Christians going through depression start withdraw from fellowship with the body of Christ, ministry, God etc. In order to combat this you need to confuse the enemy. Start praising God! There is nothing more confusing to the devil than when you are going through tough times or depression than to praise God. In his mind, there is nothing to be happy about. But for Christian we know that we can be happy because deliverance is near. Praise Him when you wake up! Thank Him for life and ask him for deliverance from the strongholds! He will do it, just believe and have faith!

Temptation is one devise that we should all be familiar with. The number one tool God has given us to overcome temptation is prayer. Jesus said to His disciples in Mark 14:38, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak”. Pray always; if we are in constant communication with God then we can not be tempted for there is no temptation when you are in His presence. Even when you feel temptation coming, call upon the name of the Lord and believe and He will deliver you. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He said to pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil” (Mathew 6:13). We can overcome temptation with the Word of the Lord just as Christ did when he was being tempted (read Luke 4:1-13). You can defeat the devil with the Word of the Lord. If that tool was good enough for Jesus, imagine what it will do for us.

Truly, the only way we can defeat the enemy is by getting into the Word of God, having faith and seeing with spiritual eyes. God has given us a bevy of tools. Also, be diligent in asking the Lord for the Spirit of Discernment which will help you to overcome the devil and know him when he approaches. God will equip us, He has promised to and He has shown us how to. And when you are under attack and feel so helpless and don’t know what to do, simply call on the name of Jesus. Scripture says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place”. (II Corinthian 2:14) Claim it and claim the victory! Remember the battle is already won, so stand in the knowledge of our Lord and resist the devil!

We hope that this series has truly helped you understand how to defeat the enemy. We pray that you will always walk in victory!