Great news!

As far as exercising, so far so good.  If the scale is telling me the truth this morning, I lost 30 lbs.  Yes!

Um, I wonder if I should treat myself!

Procrastination and exercise

Procrastination is good while exercise is hard. I guess it will get easier once I get to exercise a long time. It is hard at first but man, it is worth it.

I am sore right now.  I cannot believe the first sentence I made.  I don't really believe procrastination is good, but I am a procrastinator.  I hope that I can overcome being a procrastinator.  I need to strengthen my muscles.  I don't wish to stop exercising.  Maybe I should start off slow.  I have problems with my abs.  I have an odd body and I am self conscious.

Maybe I should feel more positive about myself.  Hopefully I can start off slow with this exercise.

Tango

Isn't my cat a cutie pie?

What is Sin?

With Jesus Christ, we can overcome sin.  We as Christians are overcomers because Jesus overcame the world when He died on the cross for us.  The Devil has been defeated!

"I Smile"

I love this song.  It was on my mind as I was trying to sleep.  I feel so much better now.  I can be down and this song comes on, it literally makes me smile. 

Vampiro

This is pro wrestler Vampiro when he was a young man.  I am not ashamed to admit that I have a crush on this man.  He is fast becoming one of my favorite wrestlers.

To the World at Large

Please, read and watch this video.  It could save your soul.  It is fictional but it is based on reality.

The Justice of God

Justice is something most of us those don't associate with the Bible or God. We think of God as a loving, caring God. We do think of Him as a just God, however, not in the form of One who has the right to take vengeance on His enemies.

This is an irony in itself. God is the only One who has the right to judge, but many don't believe He is about vengeance. In Deuteronomy, He says that vengeance is His. Justice is throughout the Bible, whether it is criminal justice, judgements by appointment judges, or Godly judgement in Revelation.

Job 8:3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
No, He does not. His brand of justice is that of a loving Father to His Earthly Children, or Judge to those who are wicked and ungodly. Godly justice is fair and righteous. It may take longer than some think, but justice comes on time. The punishments definitely fit the crimes.




Bible Verses concerning Judgement 
Job 8:3
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

 
Psalm 82:3
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

 
Genesis 18:19
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords
2 Chronicles 9:8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice.

Why Should we forgive?

"She stole my boyfriend. I will never forgive her."
"He killed my son."
"He raped my daughter!"
"She robbed my home. She could have hurt my children."

As bad as these situations are, God does call on us to forgive. But why? Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Jesus died on the cross for us so that all men could be free from death, sin, and Hell. When we become born-again, we are forgiven of our sins, never to be bound by those sins again. He forgave, why shouldn't we? Otherwise it would be hypocrisy.

There is evil in the world and there are people who do evil things. But even they are in need of forgiveness, for Jesus died for them. It is natural to feel anger and rage, and even hatred of what the person has done. Forgiveness is an act of love. Holding that anger, rage, and hatred in will not make things better. It certainly won't make things right. Unforgiveness makes things worse. It will make a person bitter, filled with hate and never having any peace. Unforgiveness is taking God's laws into your own hands, and that is not fair. That person who hurt you is the one who hurt you. When you are not forgiving, you are only hurting yourself. Forgiveness is an act of justice, of peace, and of letting go.


Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Mark 3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

Matthew 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

1John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Beyonce singing the National Anthem

I was watching the Inauguration yesterday and to me, one of the highlights was the singing of the National Anthem by Beyonce.  I for one, think she did a good job.

Happy Birthday, Dr. King

May you rest in peace.

I have a dream speech:
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Diet Plan

Gail’s Diet Plan 2

Meals

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Snack 1

Snack 2

Snack 3

 

My own pyramid plan

4 servings of fruits

3 servings of vegetables

3 servings of meats and proteins

2 servings of grains

3 servings of dairy

1 serving of fats, oils, sweets

 

Calories per day

1/18/13-2/1/13                 1800 calories

2/2/13-2/15/13                 1750 calories

2/16/13-3/1/13                 1700 calories

3/2/13-3/15/13                 1650 calories

3/16/13-3/29/13               1600 calories

3/30/13-4/12/13               1550 calories

4/13/13-4/26/13               1500 calories

4/27/13-5/9/13                 1400 calories

 

 

 

 

 

 

OCD: The facts and the truth

With all the Pain there is hope

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: The Facts

OCD, also known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is marked by obsessive thoughts and distressing compulsions. It affects 2% of the US population, or
around 5,000,000 people. There is no evidence that it affects only a certain race, age, or gender. It affects various people of various backgrounds.
Like Bipolar Disorder and Depression, OCD is an affective mood disorder, which also includes schizophrenia and panic attacks. They are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. In other words, there is not enough serotonin or dopamine causing depression or too much causing mania. The symptoms of these disorders are very deceptive because a person could have another disorder and not even know it or a person who has these symptoms could not even have the
disorder at all.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is characterized not only by effects in mood, however. These obsessions and compulsives that I have written earlier can a take
up a large amount of a person's time. For example, someone watching a film can obsess about a certain person in that film and then go online writing a fan
page. But that same person is also distressed by it and feels really bad about those particular behaviors.

Obsessive behaviors include watching a certain amount of footage over and over again, thinking about a certain someone to the point where that person consumes your every thought, or having other irrational thoughts that cause anxiety.

Compulsive behaviors would include excessive hand washing, avoiding certain numbers, or avoiding saying certain things because they fear something bad might
happen to them that in reality probably won't happen. A person with OCD might feel like they are going crazy or out of control. They may also have trouble
keeping a job, keeping friends, or in extreme cases, be suicidal.

There is help, however, for those who are diagnosed with OCD. For many, a combination of therapy and medications help. For others, it may just be therapy
or medication. There are a line of medications including Paxil, Luvox, Carbamazapine, and Anafranil that help those with OCD, panic attacks, and other
affective mood disorders.

**This information is from a young woman who has been diagnosed with it last year. It is a serious condition that needs treatment. We are not crazies. We are sick people who need help. Pray for those who have OCD and other mental and emotional problems.

The Biblical Definition of Death

Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
Exodus 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
Ezra 7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
**Death in these verses was the ultimate penalty. It was a form of punishment for the worst of crimes. The purpose of the death penalty was to deter crime. The message was not only to send a message that these things are wrong, but to remember God's commandments. These are God's laws, and these laws are not meant to be broken.

Psalms 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Psalms 9:13 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
Psalms 13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Psalms 18:4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
**Oftentimes in the Book of Psalms, death and depression went hand in hand. Death is eternal sleep. It is no more. There is no remembrance in death. It was truly the opposite of life. There was no peace whether or not it was because of one's own sin or persecution. Death is lonely. Not only can you not take your memories, but you can't take anything else with you to Heaven or Hell.

Proverbs 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Luke 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
**Death is the eternal punishment. Death became the penalty for man's sins. Our eternal destination is chosen by us, not by God. God is a loving God. He gave us the freedom of choice. We are saved by faith, not by works or any other means. We are, however, justified by our works. Simply put, "........I will show you my faith by my actions." (James 2:18)

John 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Acts 22:20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
**Those who were true believers were often persecuted for their faith. Many were arrested, even killed. However, with our faith comes persecution, for Jesus prophesied that we (Jews and Christians) will be hated by the world because we are not of this world. Death is seen in this case as honorable for true believers are sacrificing their lives for what they believe in and they know their eternal salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Colossians 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
Revelation 9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
**The Good News of the Gospel: Christ died for us so that we might live eternally with Him. We are dead to our sins because we have repented of those sins. Death has been conquered. Death was thrown into the Lake of Fire. (from Revelation 20:14)

Hopefully, this teaching has cleared up how the Bible, as we as believers should, view death. There are things more important than life. One thing that's more important is the Truth.

Our children and abortion

Abortion is not a woman's choice. It is murder. Abortion is more than just ending a pregnancy. It is about a woman allowing the murder of their own child to take place. Look at the children in the photos above. Those children have a chance at a life, and at a future. Don't take that away by having an abortion. Those millions of aborted babies in the US and worldwide could have been the very one to discover the cure for AIDS. They could have been the very one to have discovered the cure for diabetes. They could have been the next teachers, doctors, parents, aunt, uncles, policemen, journalists, or lawyers. Those aborted children could have been the ones to have made the ones who would have made the world a better place, if only they had a chance, "for they were " fearfully [and] wonderfully made:". (Psalm 139:14). Don't end their lives. We are horrified at parents who murder their children already in the world. We should be outraged at those who murder their children in abortion clinics. Those children did not ask to be here. They have a right to live. Abortion is not a woman's right to her body. It is a selfish act. Being a parent has absolutely nothing to do with being selfish. Your child is a heritage of God. (Psalm 127:3). That child is a precious gift. That child's life started in your womb, not at birth. God gave that baby a plan. Don't take that away. Give your baby a chance. Whatever the situation, don't punish the baby for a crime that he or she did not commit.

The Trouble with our Troubles

 Amen!

God is Real

Many people wonder if God exists. Others wonder if He cares or is He real. Some wonder if God cares about what is going on in the world, or does He care about my suffering or does He love me. The answer to all those concerns is an astounding yes! God does care about you....He cares about us all. God is all-knowing, all-loving, all-caring, and yes, He does exist and yes, He is real.

About 2,000 years ago, the greatest act of love Anyone has ever done for someone, or for the entire human race was the death of His only begotten Son, the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ. He did not even spare His own Son just so that you and I could be saved and made righteous. None of us deserve that, because the Bible says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)What we deserved is death, but He has taken our place. God came in the flesh, died on the cross, and rose again on the third day, just so you and I could have eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).

God loves you so much, and even knows the problems you have, even those no one else knows. Give your life, your heart, your soul, your problems, your fears, and your doubts to Him. There is no need to burden yourself with the cares of this world. Jesus said in Matthew 11 , "Come unto me, all you who are labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Why don't you take that heavy yoke to Jesus. Whatever you have done, no matter how bad they are, Jesus will forgive you.

If you believe in the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and want to stop doing things your way, please pray this prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you died on the cross for me and rose on the third day for my justification. I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I want to stop doing things my way and start living for you. Forgive me of all my sins. Give me the assurance of my salvation. Thank you for saving me and for setting me free. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Congratulations, you are now in the family of God! You have the Holy Spirit inside of you. Jesus has overcome the flesh, the devil, and the world. "Greater is He who is in you than he who is the world." (1 John 4:4) .

What all of us could learn from Hosea

We could learn much from the Book of Hosea. In this book, Hosea is a good and faithful man of God who was commanded by God to marry Gomer, an adulteress, a woman of whoredoms or harlotry, or a prostitute (1:1). Gomer cheated on him and had children from her lovers. She went about her way committing fornications and she eventually sold herself into most likely sexual slavery. God tells Hosea to go get his wife and to return home with him. Hosea tells her not to prostitute or to look at another man. Hosea was a man who truly loved his wife, but she was an adulteress. Adulterers are people who don't show regard for the covenant of marriage, are deceiful and dishonor not only their spouses, the covenant of marriage, and their children, but they dishonor themselves. That is what Gomer did, which is sad. Gomer did not realize that she dishonored her own body because of her immorality. She did not realize that at the time what she was doing was degrading to her own self and could have cost her soul. However, Gomer received grace from Hosea who loved her and respected her. As I am typing this, I think of many women who are committing sexual sins yet they don't realize the damage and lack of regard they are doing to their self-esteem, their loved ones, their reputations, their bodies, and most of all to their souls. This in my view is also a sad picture of women, and men, who are committing sexual sins. (Hosea 1-3, Matthew 5:27-30, Matthew 16:26, 1 Cor. 6:18-20, Ephesians 5:3-7)

Sin is not only missing the mark, but also lawlessness against God. It is ignorance of God's commandments and His Laws. Sin is deceptive in that it is supposed to be better for us or good for a season. But what is not realized is that it is cruel, painful, and leads to death. We hurt God when we sin willfully, but like Hosea, God is a forgiving God. It is easy to pass judgement on Gomer, but Gomer has done what we all have done and will continue to do: sin. We have a sinful nature, but that does not mean that we have to remain in sin. We can be forgiven and no matter what we have done, we can be delivered from our sins. We can become new creations in Christ and be restored. Like Gomer, we have been brought with a price, just like Jesus did when He died on the cross. (Galatians 6:8, 2 Cor. 5:17)

In Hosea, Israel committed spirtual adultery because they were not faithful. They committed prostitution and idolatry just as Gomer did. They showed no regard to God like Gomer did to Hosea, but God so loved Israel that he wanted them to return to Him. Just like with the Prodigal Son, he wants to return to Him. He loves us so much and will restore us to a life of dignity just like Hosea did with Gomer. Gomer was loved and she did not realized how good she had it with Hosea until she was at a low point. That is a testimony common to believers everywhere. Many of us can attest to the fact that we thought a life of sin was better than a life serving God, who loves us. The world never loved us, doesn't love us now, and never will. But because of God's mercy and grace we can be saved. We can be restored. We can be renewed. We finally realized that we are loved and are worthy of love, though we all deserve eternal punishment. Like Gomer we were an unfaithful wife to our Husband and Bridegroom, but we can repent of our sins no matter if the world thinks we are "bad people" or "unworthy of love". He will welcome us back so long as we are humble and repentant. Most of the world like Gomer at one time have no idea how much God loves us and return to Him. (John 15:18, Romans 12:2, Matthew 18:4, Hosea 3-13, John 1:29, 36, Romans 7:19, John 8)

One day, it may be too late. Backsliders, adulterers, liars, and criminals as well as the religious and self-righteous will have to stand before God and answer for why they never accepted Christ. Why they never chose to be saved, to be blood brought, to be born again? Many believe that Gomer was so unredeemable that there was no way that God could ever love such a person, but the same could be said for all of us. It is easy to dismiss such a person as simply no good and they get whatever bad they deserve. That is a rather cruel thought, though it is a common human thought. The world thinks differently from God. Keep in mind that Jesus died on the cross for them as well as the family man, the pastor's wife, the nun, and the schoolteacher. Remember Jesus said to a criminal that one day he will be with Him in paradise. Also, remember that David had a man killed so that his affair with his wife would not be found out yet he wrote many of the Psalms. Paul had many Christians killed yet he wrote much of the New Testament. Even the most well-known people were not so perfect and neither was Gomer. Neither was Rahab, who was said to be a woman of ill-repute. Gomer may have very well repented since her reconciliation with Hosea and was restored. She may have been a faithful wife who truly loved Hosea and was a role model to her children. A person is not their past, especially if one is a repentant sinner. Keep in mind the story of the prodigal son in which the Father loved the repentant sinner with open arms. He showed mercy to His son who left his father to live in sin only to return to grace. I believe that is what happened to Gomer. Let us learn that God, the Bridegroom, wants to welcome us with open arms and that no one outside of Jesus has not committed at least one sin in their lives who has walked the planet. (Revelation 21:8, John 3:5-8, 1 Cor. 1:25, Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans, 2 Cor 12:8-10)

Holiness and Worship

 "Because it is written, "Be ye holy, for I am holy."" (1 Peter 1:16)

Holiness means to be set apart for the service of God. Set apart entails that God has a special plan or purpose for each of our lives. So what does God mean when he says to be holy, for He is holy? He means that we are to set ourselves apart from the world because He has a plan for our lives. Have you ever heard the sentence, "God did not make junk." He didn't. God is a God of love, for "God is love."1 John 4:8. Now allow me to define love. Love is not jealous or unkind. It is not just a feeling, but it is an action. Anyone can say "I love you.", but true love requires respect, kindness, sacrifice, reverence, and forgiveness. Yes, forgiveness, just as Jesus has done for believers, He expects us to forgive others. Other than that is outright hypocrisy. To set one apart is to do what the world does not expect anyone else to do and forgiveness is something that is often ridiculed or misunderstood in the world. (Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 18:21-22, 23-30, 1 Corinthians 13:4, 1 Peter 1:15-16 )

Setting one self apart is part of of a Christian's life. The life of a Christian is not an easy one because of persecution. There are people throughout the centuries including today who have been martyrs for their faith from Stephen being stoned to the persecuted in Asia and Africa. Holiness is required of the Christian, something the world does not have or understand. When the world thinks of holiness, they think of religion or the infamous phrase, "holier than thou". When the Bible writes about holiness, it is about the reverence of our Heavenly Father, living in the Spirit, having a Spirit-controlled mind, and doing all that God requires. He command obedience from us, to serve Him and Him only regardless of what the world believes because the minds of those who are not true believers are sinful and are controlled by sinful nature. In short, those who are not holy or carnal can neither please God, nor see God. (1 Samuel 15:22, Psalm 24:3, Matthew 5:8, Romans 8:1-11, Hebrews 11:36-38)

God seeks people who are true and faithful, for He is a spirit and He seeks such to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Only those who are true believers can worship Him in Spirit and in truth. To worship God means to show reverence to, love, and devote oneself to the Lord in Spirit and in truth. To elaborate, we are to fear the Lord, and bless the Lord at all times. His Praise shall continually be in our mouths. But praise and thanksgiving is only a part of worship. Worship requires holiness. That is why the title says that Holiness and worship go hand in hand. We as believers set ourselves apart from the world because of our holiness and live our lives because we, as his children, and joint-heirs, show reverence to our Creator not only in psalms and hymns but in how we live our lives. Jesus has sent the Church a Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which the world cannot receive because they are not born again. They set their minds and desire things of the world and sadly if they don't repent, their end will be destruction. (Psalm 34:2, John 4:23-24, John 14:16-18, Romans 8:16-17)

Christians are to set our minds on the things of God for we are no longer carnal; Paul writes of our sinful nature and the sin that still lives in us. We must not deceive ourselves saying that we have no sin, though we are no longer of the world, but we still live in it. Believers are more than conquerers and stand strong against our adversary, the Devil, for he is a roaring lion seeking for someone to devour. The Devil is already a defeated foe, but that doesn't mean he isn't busy. He is a liar deceiving and continues to deceive. There is sadly a belief even in the Church that we should ignore the devil and that he does not exist. The truth is, look around. There is great apostasy and corruption in the church, hedonism, greed, and selfishness abounds. Things like honor, integrity, love, and anything of God is not taken seriously or derided. The Devil is real and yes, he does exist. However, greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, for Satan is the prince of the power of the air or ruler of the world. But Satan's end will be that of eternal torment in the lake of burning sulfur. (John 12:31,Romans 8:37, Eph. 2:2, Phil. 3:19, Colossians 3:2, 1 Peter 5:8, 1 John 4:4-6, Revelation 20:10)

The end for the righteous and the holy will be that of life eternal. Those who are holy are pure in heart; they shall see God. The righteous are the few, for we walk the narrow road. The holy are the faithful, for our Heavenly Father is faithful. He cannot lie. The holy are just, for our Heavenly Father is just. He hates sin and abhors evil. In the twinkling of an eye, Paul writes, we shall all be changed. The dead in Christ shall rise first, then the living will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This message is only for those who have worshipped the Lord in Spirit in Truth and for the Holy. Repent. Those who are not holy or righteous including those in the Church must turn from their wicked ways and seek the Lord's face. Call on the name of the Jesus Christ, the Lord, and believe that God raised him from the dead. Humbly acknowledge that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he or she is born again. We must be born again or else perish. (2 Chron. 7:14, Matthew 3:2, John 3:3-8, Romans 3:23, Romans 10:9-13, 1 Cor. 15:51-54, 2 Thess. 4:16-17)

Are You Really a Christian?

This is a great video.  I often wonder if I am saved.  I can and do relate to the young lady who continually cried out to the Lord about being saved.  I would like to be the repentant woman that she became.  I sometimes wonder if I am a real Christian.   I have to continually examine myself as all of us do.  I would like to change.  I realize that Christians have to go through much, especially persecuted Christians in other countries, but they know their eternal destiny.  I believe that one can be confident of their eternal destiny.

Weight of world

What is wrong with me?  I am dead inside.  I feel disconnected from man and from God.  I feel alone in all of this.  Sometimes, I don't know who I am.  I wonder if this is depersonalization.  Nothing, not even I or even God, seem real anymore.  What is really going on with me?  I wish I knew.  Right now, I am just overwhelmed.  It is as if the world's problems are on my shoulders. 

Even so, come Lord Jesus

I will and must make sure, that I am ready for Jesus' return.  I have no idea when He will return, but I know that He will.  Life is too short to waste even the smallest of time.  Every second is precious and should be treated that way.  Call on Jesus now before it is too late.  Today is the day of salvation.  Only God knows the day and the hour that the church will be raptured up to Heaven.  Endure until the end and be ready.  No one if they had any idea would not want to be anything but ready.  Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Irony of living in modern US society

I was thinking about this today as I was fixing myself some tea. Why I have these random thoughts I don't know. I do think a lot about the goings on in our society and I wonder about the irony of life as we know it. Maybe I need a lesson in how to define irony, but isn't it ironic that we live in a politically correct society where the idea is to respect people yet this society seems to have become more disrespectful? I wonder sometimes if chivalry is dead. I wonder because I realize it is not. What is wrong with a man holding a door for a woman? What is even more wrong for a woman to be grateful instead of critical when a guy does such a chivalrous act? Those are things I think of every once in a while. I guess I need an irony lesson or I have too much time on my hands.

I do believe that political correctness was well-intended but nowadays it has gotten out of hand. For example, I am a black American, but political correctness will have me say that I am African American. Why not an American who is (not happens to be) black? All of my black ancestors weren't born or even raised in Africa any more than the average white person born in the US can say that they are German-American or English-American. Their ancestors are recently American, not German or Irish. The historical truth is especially in the South, blacks and whites have much more in common than they do with their Old World ancestors. But now political correctness has gotten into multiculturalism and division. People of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, and cultures, as well as political ideologies seem to have less respect for one antoher than even a few years ago. Something is wrong especially in a country where a few years ago where we had a terrorist attack, two wars, and other tragedies that have crossed all lines. Yet we are divided on the issues and some have been subjected to name calling and other rude behavior, even in social media. Am I reading too much into this? Is there an irony here?

How I'm doing

I am doing so much better.  I no longer feel self conscious.  However, I am not well spiritually.  It is frustrating to feel a disconnect from God.  It is hard to communicate or rather pray to the Lord at these times.  Those times I feel like a failure.  How do I turn things over to the Lord?

Swollen lip

I am here to say that I have a swollen lip.  It is the size of the other lip.  It is disfiguring and frustrating.  I do feel much better however.  There was some pain and I took a few benadryl/allergy medications.  It was just all of a sudden and it just blew up.  It has gone down some but there is a long ways to go.  I hope that things will improve in every area of my life.  For instance, I lost a few more pounds.  I feel so much better about that.

A Musing about what I think is really going on...

I was watching this story a few years ago about illegal immigration. I couldn't believe that those who come to this country illegally (breaking the laws to get here) are getting free health care that people who aren't criminals, and natural born citizens have to jump through hoops to get. Something is obviously wrong here. Why is it that a diabetic, someone who is overweight, or a smoker have to pay higher rates when someone who committed crimes and those on welfare and food stamps who don't need them get free healthcare have to pay more for health insurance? How come the government doesn't do anything about that? Why are they so concerned more about a 450 lb diabetic who was born here raising health insurance rates than someone who came here illegally who is 5'9", probably not living the healthiest life his or herself, and weighing 165 lbs? I don't weigh either of those but why is the government and people like Mayor Bloomberg and the Obamas feel this way? A 32 oz. soft drink every once in a while will not kill a 5'9" tall, 200 lbs. person like a pack a day smoker over time?

Thinking on the things of God

Let us all think on the things of God.  God is a Spirit who seeks those who will worship in spirit and in truth. 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xap8cx_philippians-4-8_lifestyle

Having PCOS is frustrating

I don't know if it is age or what.  I remember 20 years ago I was over 140 lbs. thinner.  A lot has happened since I gained a lot of weight.  The truth is, life happened.  I gained even more weight and I ended up dealing not only with weight gain, but the complications of PCOS.  It is not fun to deal with.  Having PCOS and its complications can be frustrating.  I have however lost some weight and I feel better already.  I am thankful for that and I am hopeful.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x73706_pcos_tech

There is nothing like waxing nostalgic

 

This song is awesome!  I can play it over and over again.  I did just that.  I miss songs like this.  I don't listen to much of today's music.  I guess it is the lack of the nostalgia factor.  There are some talented artists in every generation, including this one, but music isn't just the same anymore.  Maybe it is just a generational thing.

Holiday season is over

Well, I am supposed to be out of it for all of the festivities.  The holidays have been fun, but to be honest, I am glad it is over.  For now, everything will be normal.  Then again, there is some great food to eat from yesterday.  Not to mention there is a bowl game that I would like to watch.  I went to sleep on the bowl game yesterday afternoon.  Sadly, I don't know who won.  All I know is that I have survived 2012 and that I survived a pretty good holiday season.  I feel pretty good about that.

Happy New Year

After an eventful 2012, I am looking for an even more eventful 2013.  So much has happened this past year.  It has gone by so fast I remember parts of it like it was yesterday.  Life is just too short.