Winter is Coming

The foreboding words of House Stark:  "Winter Is Coming".  They carry the meaning that life will not always be sunshine and roses, and that preparation for hard times is needed. 

I've been reading in Acts about the early church.  All of the Apostles, except John, were killed for preaching Jesus.  Killed for talking and healing people.  Jesus Himself was crucified for talking and healing people.  The establishment didn't like it, but if Jesus' teachings were false then why kill Him?  Why not just denounce Him as a lunatic and ignore Him?  And, not only that, if His teachings were false, and He was killed and stayed dead, why did these Apostles die claiming He had resurrected and that He was the Way?  I agree w/ Gemaliel in Acts who advised his religious colleagues to ignore the Apostles because they would eventually go away if Jesus were false, but if Jesus were true then opposing the Apostles would be opposing God!  Gemaliel was a member of the religious authority in that time.  I am not an Apologist.  I make no claims at wisdom.  I just simply state why I believe what I believe.  The sacrifices of these Apostles, the complete changes seen in them as well as Paul, speak volumes to me.  I don't want to suffer, yet I'm called to pick up my cross and follow Jesus.  Jesus was brutally murdered.  That is my standard.  I don't want to suffer.  I don't want to die.  I want to live peacefully and die old and gray surrounded by grandchildren.  Here in America the greatest persecution I face right now is rejection.  My life is not at stake.  Will I still boldly claim Christ with a gun in my face?  I can only hope, but I do not know.  Winter is coming...

For the Kingdom,
Stuart