Persecution

If I think that I will be free and void of all sorrow and suffering, when I chose to follow Jesus Christ, I might want to think again.

Recently, I've put my foot down on moral issues, and I've lost a few friends for it. God never ever promises us a life free and void of discomfort when we chose to follow Him. In fact, how many times does Christ and the Apostles say to "take up your cross and follow Me"?

Or, some denominations preach the "health and wealth gospel". In high school, I dedicated my life to the Lord to go wherever He wanted me to go. To be whatever He wanted me to be. Whatever. I was sold out and surrendered. Soon after, I started having seizures and had developed a Brain tumor. I was on fire for the Lord. So, what happened? Aren't people who have decided to follow Christ supposed to have a life free of suffering?? HA!! HA!! Or maybe, somehow, or somewhere, I was harboring sin or a demon of some sort. That's why I had a tumor. How stupid is that? There is absolutely no Scriptural support for that erroneous philosophy. The Health and Wealth Gospel is just that. A mere philosophy I stick it in a bag along with Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and any other unbiblical philosophy.

With that said, a Christian Woman who has decided to live a Christ centered life style, should happily expect to be persecuted. In Fact 1 Peter talks a lot about being persecuted. And the Church was persecuted and scattered in the first 50 years of existence. I'm not sure I would of wanted to live in that era: being ripped apart by lions, having a stake up my butt and left to die, or set on fire to light the emperors parties. Do I think I am free of molestation, because I live in America? Our day is coming. And I think it'll be good to see how many of these "Christ Professors" are actually followers of Christ when put through fire. To be tried. To be refined. Scraping off the dross. Making us pure gold.

COME ON!! I've count the cost. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back!! No turning back!! Glen Beck wants you to follow the 9-12 thing. Sarah Palin wants mothers to run for office. I love those two, I do. Conservative, I am, but the US Government is not ordained by God. My home is, and my church is. So, if ya wanna get involved in God's economy take care of your home, take care of your kids and husband, and volunteer at church. Satan will hate that!! Oooooh What do my kids need? What does my husband need? What does my church need? Have you prayed for everyone in your church yet? If you go to a mega church, then get involved in a small group, and pray for them. Get your kids involved in showing love for someone else this year.

I Peter 1:13
So Prepare your minds for action, be self controlled, and set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

This is a time of grace. This is a time of the love of God shown to us. In the last days many will scoff and say He is not here and will not ever return. They mock, but He will come and take his people away. (2 Peter 2:3-10) MARANA-THA!! Come Lord Jesus!! Come!!

1 Peter 1:16
So, be holy, for I am holy.

What's that about anyways? You know I like to ask, "What?" "How?", or "Why?" I'm one of those students a teacher will either HATE or LOVE. If you're an arrogant, proud teacher, we won't get along. But if you're a teacher who's willing to say, "I don't know", and then point me in the right direction to find the answers, we'll do good. I believer it's ok to not know, but only for a day or two. After that you gotta get off your butt and find out. If you're on the net, then you've got all kinds of options open t to you. In fact, I have 1 Peter 1 opened on another screen as I write these things.

So, what does "being holy" mean? I mean, being holy like God is holy. His thoughts are higher than mine, his ways area higher than mine, too. How can I be like Him when He is so way far up there? ONLY THROUGH THE CROSS.

If you haven't done so yet...... SISTER!! if you have not bowed your head and accepted the redemption offered you by the blood of Christ, then you should. You can not follow Christ on your own. Everyone is sinful. You can not do it!! It's impossible. Oh, no not me!! "I'm not a whore, Kim. I haven't murdered anyone, Kim. In fact, I help people. I give to the poor. I go to church every Sunday. I even teach Sunday School. I go on mission trips to Africa to feed needy. I even get my kids to volunteer every year at the food pantry". Sin is not living up to God's standards

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life
Romans 10:9-10
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with the heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth you confess and are saved

And God is a jealous God. He is not, "Ok, you can have me............oh and a little Hinduism." OR "Ok, you can have me, plus zen, and voo doo, and any other philosophy that might come your way."

NOPE!!

It is Christ alone. Nothing else. And it's a very unpopular way of thinking, very politically incorrect, but if you're conservative, you'll lay it all out and let Christ have his undivided attention (as my favorite musical artist Jeremy Riddle preaches!!). Oh, the joy to be found!! Oh the fruit you will bare. I'd give up a rotten piece of bread for a feast any day. That is what the LORD has for you. I gave up myself and my selfish desires for a very happy place, under the grace of God. I gave up pride and arrogance for my home and husband. I like being under the authority of my husband. It's a safe place for me. I am his. I am my HUSBAND'S WIFE. I belong to him. I am flesh of his flesh. I am bone of his bone. In a very real and intimate way, I belong to him. If he hurts me, he hurts himself. If he loves me, he loves himself. How's that for apolitically incorrect?? I love it. I laugh. I am not a feminist. Nope. The more my husband loves me, the more I'm happy and content to be his wife. And that's it. That's all I need to be. Steve's wife. That's all I am. Chasing ones identity is silly. I am where I am. I like where I am. I like being a wife. Sorry Oprah, as sweet and kind as you are, I graciously disagree with all the weird feminist spouting you have going on on your show.

So, if you've not accepted Christ as your own person Saviour, you should. Then you'll be able to be holy like God is holy. Being holy is being separate and set apart in a godly way. Not being like you used to. The Beatitudes speak about being like Christ: humility, grieving over sin, seeking after righteousness, meekness, being merciful, pure in heart, and being a peace maker. You'll be persecuted for righteous. But, it's ok. Yours is the kingdom of heaven. I've suffered brain tumor, temptation to sin, pain because of sporadic arthritis, and being a tired mommy, but I have made my choice. I am wiling to go where God wants. He will carry me through the fire.


HEALTH AND FITNESS:

I'm at 175 lbs, now. I've lost 20. I have about 30 more to go. If you want to start your journey in changing your life style and making it more healthy, like me, I started with deciding that I actually need to CHANGE. So I changed what I thought of food, exercise, peace and quiet, balance, boundaries, and water drinking.

If you're just starting, go to web MD, and start counting your calories based on exercising, your sex, and how much you weigh. I'm 5'5, weigh 175, and I know I like to exercise. So, I'm allowed 1300 calories a day. If I burn off 100 calories (that would be 10-15 minutes of rigorous step aerobics, like dripping sweat aerobics), then I can still eat an extra 100 calories. Making it 1400 calories. So, I need 1200-1300 to survive every day. So, learn to count your calories.

I've also become gluten free in the past 2 months. Gluten is wheat, barley, or rye. It has helped with gas, bloating, and cleaning out my cholen. And I've been drinking 10 glasses of water, since I live in a very dry high altitude environment. That also helps with pooping!! Yay for poop!! Having a good crap every day is very healthy. Holding your poop is toxic and not healthy to poison yourself. So, FIBER, sister. FIBER!! Raw veggies is the best.

I've also reduced stress in that I don't volunteer for as many things as I used to. I'm not the "Yes" person any more. If I can't do it, then I can't. If I have enough on my plte, someone else can do it. Plus, to deprive someone who should be volunteering at church, by doing it myslef, is wrong. I should not do for someone what they should be doing themselves.