Praying for Jennifer Hudson

We normally do not post information about popular culture, but we felt the need to make a post about Jennifer Hudson. We can hardly imagine what Jennifer must be feeling at this moment. Could you imagine losing more than half of your immediate family? Let us remember that the Lord rewards the evil and that whomever committed this crime will be judged by the Lord. We are praying that Jennifer will not harden her heart to the Lord. We also pray that the Lord will pour out His peace upon her and her family. Above all else, we pray that she will take this time to press into the Lord, His Word and His promises. Please keep the Hudson's in your prayers.

For my Fashionable Sisters: Is appearance everything?

I was reading this article on the crosswalk website called "Are you High Maintenance?" by Tammy Bennett. I found it to be very interesting and a good article about Christian women today. Do we put to much into our appearances that it distracts people from getting to know the Christ-like person that we should be? Do we care to much about what people are going to say or think about what we wear or look like, instead of caring about what we say or do?

I am a fashion guru, if you will, as many of you all know. I believe it is important to keep up your appearance. I always say, "God gave me this body and this is the only one I have, so I will preserve it and maintain it. My body is my temple for the Lord to dwell in, so why should I let it run down?" I have to watch what I eat, maintain my face , skin and be mindful of what I wear. It also shows people what type of woman you are, when you present yourself in a groomed, modest and well-dressed manner. Everyone loves to look at a beautiful, well put together woman.

I believe your appearance should never be a distraction but a way for people to be attracted to you and what you are all about. No one likes to talk to someone who is stuck on themselves or who looks homely and trashy. That might sound harsh, but it is true! When Joshua, In Zechariah 3:1-5, was standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan standing on his right side accusing him, the Lord rebuked Satan. The passage goes on to say: verse 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. Verse 4 And he answered and spoke to those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And to him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with change of raiment. Verse 5 And I said, Let them set a fair turban on his head. So they set a fair turban on his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. (New King James Version)

This passage shows us that the Lord dressed up his prophet in front of his enemy; displaying how wonderful his servant was on the inside and out. True beauty is from within but no one would get to know that if you look like a materialistic queen or a hot mess.

In the article, "Are You High Maintenance" it explains the story of Esther and how she had to undergo an extreme makeover to look like a Queen:

"Esther was the original Queen of High Maintenance. An orphaned Jewish woman, she was one of those selected to go to the palace of King Xerxes of Persia and be groomed as [a] potential queen. For 12 months, Esther was given the prescribed royal beauty treatment for all of the queen hopefuls. At the end of the beauty regimen, she was brought before the king, who favored her and made her his new queen. "

The article goes on to explain if Esther had not had that make over and been apart of that "world", the Lord would not have been able to use her to save His people from genocide. With that said, is your appearance everything? I believe so, in some cases. Me, being in fashion, I never go outside looking frumpy because I never know who the Lord will allow me to meet. In the fashion world, you must carry yourself in a presentable manner. Now, I don't go out with a "too hot of TV" look. As a Christian, modestly must come first. I am learning all these things in my walk; and slowly but surely I am making changes in my wardrobe. I don't want people paying attention to my body and not me as a person. I am a Christian first, before my profession and social life. I would hope many of you believe the same thing. Remember. if you are telling people that you are a Christian, believe me they are looking not only at what you do but also at the way you dress. I am not saying to put all your energy in your appearance but be mindful of the fact that how your look can affect others.

So my advice to my sisters is this: Maintain your looks, treat yourself to something nice every now and then, but do not let it be a distraction or keep you from being a light to others.

For the full article of " Are You High Maintenance" click here

Christian Aid Worker Killed by the Taliban

This morning, while checking my e-mails on AOL, I ran across this article about a woman named Gayle Williams. She is a 34-year-old British-South African national who helped handicapped Afghans within a Christian Organization from the UK. She was shot down by members of the Taliban while on her way to work Monday morning. There was a order put out for her death because the militants believed that she was trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

My heart ached for this woman and her family. She was just doing the will of God and was killed in cold blood because the enemy does not want the world to know the Truth. The organization that Williams was working for said that she was not proselytizing. Nevertheless, she was still doing the will of God by helping the helpless.

May God rest her soul and I know on judgement day when she meets her maker He will say "Well done my loyal and faithful servant." Oh my stormriders, I pray that we will all hear those same beautiful words.

Please lift up Gayle Williams' family in your prayers and the countless others who are being persecuted for His name sake. Click here to read the entire article.

Also here is a video of a muslim woman who was set free by the Truth:

New Movie: Fire Proof

Fireproof is the story of a firefighter, Captain Caleb Holt, who lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. But, after seven years of marriage to his wife Catherine, their own relationship is failing. Neither one understands the pressures the other faces.[6] Caleb claims that Catherine is too sensitive and "doesn't show me respect." Whereas she tells her hospital co-workers that he is "so insensitive" and that "he doesn't listen to me" and "doesn't understand my needs." As they prepare to file for divorce, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day test called "The Love Dare." Caleb starts it, but more for his father's sake than for his marriage.
When Caleb discovers the book’s daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened. Even though he wants to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and time again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?" When his father tells him that this is the love God shows to people, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. And, with God's help, he begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife. But, he is unsure if it's too late to "fireproof" his marriage. [6] (plot and movie poster courtesy of Wikipedia)

The movie hit theatres in September and is doing well! Check out the trailer below!

The Bridge

This video was sent to us by a fellow Stormrider. We wanted to share this with everyone! God Bless and please feel free to leave a comment.



What Do You Think?

What Would You Ask For?

2 Chronicles 1:7
v7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.

If God appeared to you and asked you what you would like for him to give you, what would you say? Would you ask for money, a happy family, a husband, a wife, a house or new car? I have often wondered what I would ask for and I am still unsure. If the Lord appeared to me and asked me that question, I would find it impossible to give him an answer right away.

In 2 Chronicles 1: 7 - God asked the question to King Solomon and his answer was wisdom and knowledge. The scripture reads:
7In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
8And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
9Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
11And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

Solomon’s request was totally selfless. His sole reason for asking for wisdom and knowledge was so that he could govern God’s people in a way that would be just and pleasing to the Lord. Matthew 6:33 says: 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. God blesses us so that we can bless others. God also blesses us when our sole intention is to build his kingdom here on earth. Would you ask for a nice big mansion just so you alone could live in it? Or would you ask for that mansion so that you could use a portion of it to help house homeless women with children? God knows our hearts and our intentions and blesses us accordingly. By seeking God and contributing to his kingdom work first, you are putting aside your wants and needs. You have decided to not be selfish and to be focused on his word, his people and his commands. If you focus and seek the Lord, he will find favor in you and withhold nothing from you.

Because Solomon wanted to work for God’s kingdom he was blessed more than any king in history. God said that there would be no other man on earth to experience the riches that Solomon was given. He blessed Solomon in every way and Solomon was a blessing to others. Kings would come from all over to hear his wisdom. He was highly respected and regarded as a man of God.

Search in your heart for what you would want God to give you. We all have a role to fill in the body of Christ. What would help you fulfill your role to your best ability? Solomon knew that wisdom and knowledge would help him far more than riches, houses, horses etc. He knew what his role was and asked for the only thing that would truly help him be effective in his role and give glory to God. As you pour into the kingdom of God; so shall the Lord pour into your life. You will want for nothing and will be assured that you are contributing to his kingdom at your full potential. If you long to enter a ministry in your church that requires counseling, maybe you should ask for understanding and insight. If you have a heart for the homeless, maybe you should ask the for courage and intellect to start a program that helps to rehabilitate homeless people and find them jobs so that they can lead productive lives. Let us pray that we are selfless like Solomon in our requests to God.

The Beauty and Promises of Psalm 23

Psalm 23 reads:

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

I grew up memorizing the 23rd Psalm. In fact it is my mothers favorite passage. I never really understood why, but as I have gotten older these words have come alive in my soul. For me to fully understand what David was writing here, as well as understanding why my mother loved this chapter so much, I had to go through an experience of my own, in order for these words to spring living water in my spiritual life.

David was an anointed king. David had victories, defeats, trails and tribulations and joy unspeakable while walking with the Lord. It is because of these experiences that David could write these beautiful words.

My mother has had a rather unusual life. She had a difficult childhood, filled with both very good times and very bad times. She has experienced the ugliness of war; laying on the floor of her house, with my father, older brother and unborn sister in her womb as soldiers shot at them from their front yard. And while staring into a barrel of a gun as soldiers threatened to kill them she said out loud Psalm 23.

I have had a rather privileged life. Two parents that care for me, two brothers and a sister that are also my best friends. I have traveled to many countries, lived in great places and went to great schools. When I moved to NY, I came face to face with my spiritual walk and more so on my incapability to take care of myself. I knew God was always there, taking care of me, but somewhere I added myself into the equation. I was the one that went to work everyday, I paid my bills, I bought food to eat and the clothes on my back, I, I, I, I. Well let me tell you something. I have been unemployed for almost 3 months, living in Manhattan and I can say that I am not doing it! It is God! One night I was laying in my bed and I started saying Psalm 23 and the most amazing thing happened; I started to cry. I have never cried while saying those words, but at that point in my life, those words took on a new meaning for me.

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want: God said that He would be our Good Shepherd. A shepherd feeds his flock, looks after it, cares for it, provides for it and protects it. The sheep can do nothing for themselves so the shepherd is the one in control. God provides everything we need. I stress the word NEED. Right now, I have no job and yet I do not want. I have an apartment to live in, food on the table, Divine protection, clothes, means of communication and transportation and so much more. I want for nothing! Everything else is extra, I have all I need! God is Good!

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters: Even with all the uncertainty in life, God makes us to lie down in green pastures. A green pasture is a place of good soil, prosperity and beauty. Green pastures produce beautiful flowers and food. Imagine a sheep, they are always searching for green pastures where they can eat and sleep. The sheep don't have to search for it in this case because the Good Shepherd has brought them to it, and makes them lie down there. Then there is the still waters. Pure peace. No matter what we are going through there is peace in the name of Jesus. Have you ever seen still water? Not a ripple goes through it. That is the kind of God we serve. With all that is going on around us, there is green grass to lay on and still waters. Some scientist have found that the people with less stress in their life are Christians. Why? because our God provides this beautiful peace to us if we just lay claim to it. The 1st verse says, I shall not want, now it says I lay on green pastures and am lead by still waters. Because we do not want, we have nothing to worry about. That is why we can lay in green pastures and by still waters with total and utter peace because he has it all! He is in control! He provides it all he is the Good Shepherd!

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake: And when doubt sets in and we are weary; when sin starts to hover and we are unsure, here He comes to restore our souls. Telling us, "I have got it all under control, continue to lay in this green pasture, continue to enjoy the still waters". He doesn't just stop there, he leads us in the paths of righteousness for HIS name sake. You see, God is not man that he should lie. When God said, "Come to me and you shall be my people", He meant it! God has to abide by His word. So when we feel doubt or our faith is failing or if sin is trying to attack us, He leads us in the paths of righteousness! He gives us the strength to keep going. He is saying if you follow me, even with a heavy heart and a lowing soul I will restore you and lead you down the righteous path. He promises to, therefore He has to and is willing to. His name and word is on the line so He is faithful to it.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me: When everything seems scary, when it is dark and you can't see, God is still there with His rod and His staff. That is our protection. You must keep the image of a shepherd and a sheep in your mind to understand this. The battle is not yours, it's the Lords! He is there to defend you! It is His rod and staff that will keep you from the enemy. God will protect you and keep you, though ALL things. Look to the rod and the staff the next time you are under attack, or are unsure, I promise it will comfort you.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over: God is an awesome God! Picture this...you just came out of the valley of the shadow of death and are standing in a green pasture. When you look back at the valley, there stand your enemies. All the people, demons and accusers that you came across while walking in that valley. In the opposite direction is a beautiful table God has prepared for you. Your enemies stand in wonderment as God anoints your head. See they are mad because they are your accusers. They are yelling, "They sinned in the valley, they had doubt, they didn't believe, they lied, they transgressed." They are trying to accuse you of all your wrong doings, yet God has prepared a table for you and anoints your head with oil. You see the devil is jealous, because there is no table that will be prepared for him. There is no anointing for him. The devil wants us to be where he is and that is out of the sight of God. But we serve an awesome God, one that promised never to leave us or forsake us. You see God will deal with us but not according to what our accusers say. He deals with us based on His divine will. God anoints us but he also chastises us. He did it to David, Moses, Jonah, Samson and many others, yet at the end of all these stories, the Lord was still with them! That is something the devil will never have and that is why that table is so precious! Then there is more, your cup runneth over. It is never a dry season for us! Our cups will be filled forever more.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever: When it is all said and done, we have God's goodness and mercy with us all the days of our lives! What a blessed assurance! The Shepherd just doesn't leave us outside, He brings us into His house to dwell with him. Can you imagine, an animal that is meant to be on the outside, is now allowed to come inside and dwell with its Shepherd! That is truly amazing!

God is so amazing. These words are a relief to the spirit! I often say some of these verses individually. Wake up in the morning and say, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want" I guarantee you, God has made all your provisions for that day! When you are in a place of turmoil say, "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters" and you will find your peace. God is so good!

Let us pray: Dear Father who art in heaven, thank you for Your words. Let Your words bring meaning to my life. Give me the understanding of Your living words. Let them feed my spirit and strengthen me. Oh Lord, I ask that You make every word alive in my life so that I may lay claim to the promises that You have made to me. Amen

True Stormriders

I receive e-mails that are called "Voice of the Martyrs" which are articles that the crosswalk website makes available to readers. It gives us news about what people are doing in the name of Jesus and their persecutions. I would like to share a short article from the website about some young men in Eritrea standing up for the Word of God.

ERITREA - Students Imprisoned in Shipping Container, Bibles Burned
On August 5, Eritrean authorities locked eight high school students into a metal shipping container and burned hundreds of Bibles at Sawa Defense Training Center.
According to Compass Direct News, the students were imprisoned in the container after they objected to authorities confiscating and burning 1,500 Bibles taken from new students who arrived at the training center for the new 2008-2009 school year. “During the time that the Bibles were set on fire, the Chief Commander of Sawa, Col. Debesai Ghide, gave a warning to all the students by telling them that Sawa is a place of patriotism, not a place of Pentes [Pentecostals]. Eight male students, to whom God gave boldness to speak against the burning of the Bibles, have been taken into custody in one of the metal containers that the military uses as prison cells for Christians who have been found practicing in the center,” Compass reported.
The Voice of the Martyrs provides assistance and encouragement to persecuted believers in Eritrea. VOM supports the families of martyred believers through their Families of Martyrs fund. Pray these students will be released. Ask God to encourage other Christians suffering for Christ’s sake in Eritrean prisons.

Trusting in the Lord and not leaning on your own understanding.

We have been talking about having faith and trusting in the Lord in our past posts. Coming from a personal experience, we have been trying to have that spiritual faith. Moving to a new city and not having a job takes a leap of faith. But instead, I believe we were relaying on our excellent resume, believing that God had our back and everything was going to be a piece of cake. Not! Even though we have a wonderful internship (that we are gaining a lot of experience with), it is unpaid. We have not been earning any income in the past 3 months. It has been rough. Trying to figure out how to pay for certain bills, rent, travel and food has been stressful. We have never been in this position before.

But God is Good! Just when I thought all was lost, he tells me in that small still voice "Trust and give it all to me. I will carry your burdens because my load is light. Believe and have faith in the promises I have for you." The minute I obeyed Him, the burden had been lifted off of me.

You see, I was trying to figure out how God was going to work it out. Was he going to give me a job or a paying gig? Was the money going to be divine and on my door step. Does God want me to play the loto and win the money? Am I going to find the money on the sidewalk? Does He want me to sell some of my items? All of these questions were going through my mind and it was driving me crazy. I started to go into a mini depression. Why wasn't God moving in the way He normally moves in my life? Why weren't the blessings coming? Like, doesn't he know my wants and needs? Yes, He has provided for the last past months and allowed us to survive without a means of income but when will it end? When will I be comfortable again and have a sense of security?

Than I had to take a step back and look within myself. I realize with the aid and revelation of the Holy Spirit, that I was being arrogant. How dare I question the Lord about how he was going to provide for me. Why was I second guessing God's faithfulness and His mercy? Why didn't I just trust in the fact that he is working behind the scenes, putting people in places and opening doors for my benefit? Yes, I said I was trusting in him but I was actually leaning unto my own understanding. In Proverbs 3:5 it says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding."

A leader in our church broke it down like this. If we are trusting in God than we are wrapping ourselves around Him. Trusting that he will never leave us or forsake us. With that said, if we are wrapping our arms around Him, than we can not lean. We will not be able to bend or fall unto our own understanding. God gives us reassurance all the time. We just have to trust in His word. God is not man that he should lie. He keeps his promises.

So one night, my spirit was restless and I was worrying about certain situations. The Holy Spirit told me to wrap my hands around my pillow. I started to wrap my hands and I told the Lord, "I trust you. I am not in control. I give it all up to you. I will not question you with the Who, What, When, Where, How and Why. I want you to work it out for me."

Jesus said in Matthew 6:26, "Look at the birds in the sky. They don't plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren't you?" This is what I had to understand. My Father will supply all my needs. Not just some, but all. He is so wonderful that sometimes He blesses you before you even ask!

This weekend I made the effect to forget all my problems and I told myself that everything is already taken care of. The Lord blessed me with free travel this weekend to visit my mom through my close friend. He blessed us with money from a family member and friend that we were not expecting. I mean he blessed us with blessings that he had given others. What an awesome God we serve! He has revealed so much of his love and kindness in these 3 days that have been so amazing.

So my follow stormriders, when times get hard and you do not know what to do; trust in the Lord. Give all to him. He has it for you and he is just waiting for you to receive it. The door is open and all you need to do is step in.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your precious word. You are so good and your mercy endures forever. We shall never want because you supply all our needs. We just praise your Holy name and we honor you. We thank you for your promises and the covenant you have with us. Please continue to give us understanding and speak to our hearts. We know that you are working behind the scenes and that you have our best interest at heart. No more will we worry or be afraid. We will trust in you and know that the work is finished. All praise be to the Most High God! In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Flesh Faith vs. Spiritual Faith

Lately I have been reading a book from a church I have been attending for 4 weeks now. The book is called “The New Covenant Unveiled”, by David Wilkerson, the Senior Pastor and founder of Times Square Church. It has definitely been an eye opener and has revealed to me the understanding of the New Covenant that God has made with the Body of Christ. One of the subjects that stood out to me was the difference between flesh faith and spiritual faith.
Now you might ask yourself “faith is faith right?” How is it possible to have faith of the flesh?” Well I felt the same way until I read this passage in the book. “Death to all my striving to please him. And most of all, death to my past flesh-faith (p.54).’ Leading up to this passage Pastor Wilkerson was talking about death in Christ. When we are born again, we have a spiritual death in the world and now we abide with Christ in the spiritual realm. Now you forsake the flesh and live a spiritual life.
In the next couple of sentences Pastor Wilkerson goes into an example of flesh faith. “How many times have I struggled to muster up faith and tried to pump it up with promises? I repeated over and over, ‘Lord, I believe, I do believe, I really believe, I really truly honestly believe.’ But it didn’t work.” Have you ever done this before? You try to convince yourself that you are putting it all in God’s hands. You walk around saying “everything is going to be alright” and than it is followed up by “I hope so.” That is what you call flesh-faith(p.54).
Another point that Pastor Wilkerson made was that “you can always tell a request that’s of the flesh, because it comes with a deadline (p.54).” He goes on to say, “we give God what we consider a long enough time to act – but when he doesn’t perform on schedule, our so-called faith turns into ugly unbelief (p.54).” This can become a very dangerous practice for Christians to do. It can cause a lot of confession and one loses the authority that has been given unto them.
I have been there and sometimes I still go through it. It’s like I can believe God can work a miracle for someone else but when it comes to me it is a different story. I believe in the signs and wonders God did in Egypt. I believe that He parted the Red Sea and had manna fall down from heaven. I believe God heard Elijah’s cry and raised the widow’s son from the dead. I believe the Lord delivered Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace. I believe in all the signs, wonders and miracles that Jesus did here on earth. I believe in the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit that allowed the disciples and apostles to work in the name of Jesus. These are all things that I have not seen but I still believe that they happened.
At times, we feel like, well if God doesn’t answer my prayer, it’s ok because he has more important things to deal with. Or sometimes you just feel like it’s something you can do on your own. Well let me tell you, they are all lies from the enemy. You must know who you are in Christ. I use to believe those things but now I know I can’t do anything without the Father. I have to give everything up to him. That is what spiritual faith is all about. Removing yourself out of the equation and allow God to do it for you. I always say “Lord here is the situation, I can’t do it myself, I give it all to you. It’s not for me to wonder how you are going to do it or when. You know the when and how it is going to happen. You are just waiting for me to lose control of the situation and give it to You to handle.”
What a heavy burden to be lifted of one’s shoulders. God knows all and He wants the best for us. Sometimes we think we know what’s best for us and it just leads you down a path that you could have avoided. So my brothers and sisters, faith is an important and powerful tool that we have. It is the foundation of our walk with Christ. Without it, it is impossible to have a relationship with Him. Why would Jesus want a relationship with anyone that does not trust in His Word or does not believe in the authority that He has given unto you? In short you are basically calling Him a lair. And we know God is not like man to break promises. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 "Because of your lack of faith. I tell you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
I pray that this will encourage you in your spiritual walk and that you will exercise in the power that has been given unto you in Jesus’ name. I recently read the book of Colossians and it addresses all areas of the Christian life. I suggest that you read it so that it motivates you to keep up the good fight and become a Strom Rider. God Bless