Submitting a Portfolio

OK, so I've been studying away from the computer. Shame on me... right?
James 4:1-12

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Now, the first thing in mind is to first find out what the Greek word "submit" means here.

And now my e-Sword is playing games with me. I can't access Gills or the BDB commentary. So, here's the Strongs...

Submit: hupotassō (pronounced: hoop-ot-as'-so):

• To subordinate; reflexively to obey: - be under obedience (obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be, make) subject (to, unto), be (put) in subjection (to, under), submit self unto.

So, obey God. That is a basic thing to understand, hard thing to do.

Resist: anthistēmi (pronounced: anth-is'-tay-mee)

• To stand against, that is, oppose: - resist, withstand.

And with all this information... I am going to continue this tomorrow.

I have missed one day over the last week. I finish the month missing April 1st and the 28th... not too bad, I guess. Johnny Out.

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My Body is a Temple: Directory

The Studies:

• My Body Is A Temple: Part One
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6
• Part 7
• Part 8
• Part 9
• Part 10
• Part 11
• Part 12

Other Series:

• Salvation Study Directory
• Marriage Enrichment Weekend
• Fruit Study
• Sin List Study
• The Will of God Study

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My Body is a Temple: Part XII

1st Corinthians 3:16-17
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

Today, I am reviewing. I am looking over the notes from the previous 11 posts.

1st Corinthians 3:16-17
My body is God's temple. This idea... this concept is the center of the body and temple study. My body is sacred to God. Do I feel that I am a sacred item of my Lord's? If not, why not?

1st Corinthians 6:18-20
To sin sexually means to defile the temple God has given me. It is a sin against myself and God to sin sexually, whether masturbation, adultery, or just a lustful look... it is sexual sin.

1st Corinthians 6:19-20
Am I honoring God with my body? Am I standing up for the temple, which Jesus had become so irate for what people were doing to it, would Jesus be angry of what I have done to God's temple? That's a tough question.

John 2:12-25

• It was close to the Jewish Passover.
• The temple courts were full of people selling things for sacrifice.
• Jesus made a whip.
• Jesus drove out the business men, yelling do not make the church a market place.

Jesus had a zeal for God's temple. He was fired up. And whatever happened to the temple, he would defend it. So, it is important that if I do something to dishonor God's temple, I need to grab zeal to have it corrected. It needs to be an outright AWESOME attitude to make things right with God.

Mark 11:12-17

• Jesus enters the temple and began to drive people out.
• As Jesus clears the temple, he taught them at the same time.
• He would not let anyone carrying merchandise to enter the temple courts.

Luke 19:45-48

• Jesus enters temple and drives out the sellers.
• He quoted scripture when he drove those out.
• Every day after he continued to teach in the temple.

Whose words am I hanging upon? Do I hang on the words of God... or someone elses words? Jesus had a zeal for God and doing the things God commanded of him. He went in there and was angry about what people had done to the temple. When someone does ill of God, do I get angry? Do I stand up when God gets put down?

Matthew 21:12-17

• Jesus enters temple and drives out the buyers and sellers.
• He quotes scriptures as he sends them out.
• Those in need came to Jesus.

So, what to make of this? Well, in regards to this study, the temple (our body) is full of sin. And the only person who came to clean it out was Jesus. And then Jesus stood at the door keeping sin from entering. He keeps scripture at the door and fights off any temptation that wants to be entertained.

Matthew 10:17-29
God says that Satan can destroy the temple. The devil has the power to destroy body and soul.

Matthew 26:26-30
When I take communion, Jesus gives me apart of his temple. It is like Jesus is helping build the temple within me. Think of it like this: Jesus says, "Take this bread. It represents the temple of God, the temple of my father." I don't know, it is just another way of looking at something so holy.

Matthew 5:27-30
This scripture is always convicting to read... on so many different levels. Let's look at ye ol' Greek…

Body: melos (pronounced: mel'-os):

• A limb or part of the body: member.
• A member, limb: a member of the human body; of bodies given up to criminal intercourse, because they are as it were members belonging to the harlot’s body.

Body: sōma (so'-mah):

• The body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively: bodily, body, slave.
• The body both of men or animals; a dead body or corpse; the living body; of animals.
• The bodies of planets and of stars (heavenly bodies).
• Is used of a (large or small) number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body; so in the NT of the church.
• That which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself.

Now the first and third body (usage in scripture above) are the melos body, while the second and fourth are the sōma body. It is better to loose a limb then to loose the whole thing. That is the obvious message. I can also think of the scripture that the body of the church are the members of the church. It may hurt to loose a limb, but the body still lives on. It's like, the bad limb can bring down the entire body, if the body is not careful. Just a thought…

Matthew 6:19-34
This is probably my most favorite passage in the entire Bible. I can't think of my least favorite... probably somewhere in Leviticus or something... that book has a reputation for being a really snoozer, but I have found Leviticus to be interesting at times.

All the "bodies" in the passage above are all "sōma" Bodies. There is also a painkiller called Soma... but that has nothing to do with the Bible, I suppose, although it is highly addictive. Be careful if you ever get put on Soma, because you could be on it for a while.

Since you cannot serve both God and money, obey one, and neglect the other. That's what will happen anyway. Christ does not forbid labor to maintain, support, and preserve, your life; nor does he forbid all thought and care about it, but all anxiety, immoderate, perplexing, and distressing thoughts and cares; such as those that arise from diffidence, unbelief, and despair; are dishonourable to God. The things which are necessary for the support and comfort of human life are mentioned: food, drink, and clothing; Eating and drinking are necessary to preserve life; and clothes are to cover and defend the body. Having these, men have everything necessary, and should be content. They should not be anxious when thinking about these things. Still, God has given these without man's thought. And since men are much better and more excellent than food and clothing, God has given greater gifts. (This paragraph was from the Gill Commentary, edited by Johnny).

1st John 1:9
Confession brings forgiveness and purification from unrighteousness. And confessing is probably the most humble thing a person can do. I used to deliver newspapers for a local newspaper in the area. And one thing I know is that you can get used to things in the dark. The neighborhood's I used to deliver to, I only knew them without sunlight. And then, one day, things were very late, and I had to deliver most of my route with some light coming from above and not from my car. And I should have to say, things look completely different with sunshine, when all you are used to is darkness. The places I delivered looked unlike anything I thought they would, and they looked better than I thought they would. There is a vast difference between lightness and darkness.

James 5:16
The command is to confess sins and pray, which provides healing. If you do not confess sins, there will not be any healing. If you do not pray for each other, there will not be any healing.

James 4:6
This is something I have learned. A humble man will confess his sins and that is how the humble receive grace. A proud man doesn't receive grace. A proud man, more than likely, doesn't confess sins either.

Colossians 1:15-27
Jesus is the head of the body, the church. The body is the temple and it is the church, however this is two metaphor's. But is still works the same. When the body, the church, hurts, Christ hurts. Actually, the idea is that everyone hurts who is apart of the body, the church. So, if a brother or sister in Christ struggles spiritually, then everyone hurts for that person struggling. At least, that is what is supposed to happen.

Philippians 1:15-24
Suffering for Christ is gain. That is how Paul looked at things 2000 years ago. If this is how the person God looked at to lead the church then, shouldn't the same attitude be applied today? I think so.

1st Kings 6:1-38
Now, my count and the usage of temple is 25 times in this chapter. I reread the passage and found three not counted. That's 28 times the word temple is used in chapter 6. Now, this is the temple of God. This is how God sees my body. He sees the temple within me every bit as glorious as this building. In fact, even more so. And that is why I used this passage in my study. You can not discuss a temple without looking at different versions of temples to grasp just what a temple means to God, right?

Judges 16:23-31
Through Samson, God shows that the temple can be brought down, and brought down quickly. And with force. If I do not take care of the temple, praise God with it, then this could be a possible result. Remember, Eli's sons were killed by God's will.

Exodus 22:25-27
Body: ‛ôr (pronounced: ore):

• Skin (as naked); by implication hide, leather: - hide, leather, skin.
• Skin (of men), hide (of animals).

God is concerned about the well being of his people. He wants his people to have compassion on others. The body is important to God.

(Gill Commentary) ...which is next to his skin, and covers his naked body, as it is when he lies down to sleep; and therefore if not returned, he must lie naked without any covering, which to deprive him of would be cruel: Jarchi interprets this covering of his shirt, but it rather means his bed clothes: the Septuagint version calls it the clothes of his shame, what cover and hide the shame of nakedness.

Exodus 28:39-43
This "body" is a bit different from the Exodus 22 version.

Body: bâśâr (pronounced: baw-sawr'):

• Flesh (from its freshness); by extension body, person; also (by euphemism) the pudenda of a man: body, [fat, lean] flesh [fleshed], kin, [mankind] kind, nakedness, self, skin.
• Flesh, of the body, of humans, of animals, the body itself, male organ of generation (euphemism), kindred, blood-relations, flesh as frail or erring (man against God), all living things, animals, mankind.

Body: ‛ervâh (pronounced: er-vaw'):

• Nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish): nakedness, shame, unclean (uncleanness).
• Nakedness, nudity, shame, pudenda; pudenda (implying shameful exposure); nakedness of a thing, indecency, improper behaviour; exposed, undefended (figuratively).

(Gill Commentary) "the flesh of nakedness", that part of the body which ought not to be naked and exposed to view, and which, when it is, causes shame and ridicule; what part is designed is easily gathered from the next clause; great care was taken, in the service of God's house, to preserve decency, prevent immodesty, and to guard against laughter and levity, and the like care should be always taken.

For the priests in the OT, they had to have coverings to cover themselves, so that they could be modest, decent, and most of all, not to cause shame on themselves and who they represent, God. As for my body, God wants the same for me. He wants for me to wear underwear. And I must say, I am happy to oblige him.

1st Kings 8:1-13
This is a touching passage. I can just imagine the scene. The excitement of everyone is so strong, so thick, that you can just feel it shaking the bones within your body. People celebrating all around, the temple has just been built and they are bringing the ark of the Lord's covenant to reside in the temple. A festive march by the Levites up into the temple, a ceremony like no other, and when they place the ark down: the Lord fills the temple in a majestic cloud!

God resides in his temple. If my body is a temple for God, and God resides in his temple, then God should reside in me. These are two extremely awesome passages.

Leviticus 15:16-18
Sex makes the body unclean. And that isn't even the impure kind, like masturbation or premarital, it is the sex between a husband and wife. It is not to say that God disapproves of sex, per se, but in the Old Testament, it was labled unclean. Song of Songs does put a different spin on what God does and does not approve.

Numbers 25:1-9
If I defile my body, God will destroy the temple (which is my body). God destroyed the Israelite and the Midianite woman's body.

Zechariah 6:9-15
OK, so I am not 100% certain on this passage as to if it is a prophecy about Jesus Christ, or if it is a prophecy of something else. Being that I have not read all of the Old Testament... it would still appear to be a prophecy of JC, at least at first glance. What I do know is that Jesus is the branch and he "rebuilt the temple in three days" as it is written in the NT. And that is the temple I should have for my body.

Malachi 3:1-5
This is another prophecy of Jesus Christ being the temple of God, the messenger to his people.

Proverbs 3:5-8
God gives instruction on how to take care of the body. It entails to fead God and stay away from evil.

Proverbs 4:10-23
God gives instruction on how to take care of the body. God (wisdom) says to write the words of God on your heart. Actually, it is keep them inside your heart. That is how to stay healthy.

I am going to update the directory on the sidebar to include this series. An individual post will also contain the links. Johnny Out.

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A Weightloss Plan

Diet and Exercise

Models struggle with weight gain just as much as anyone else. And, like everyone else, once they hit 30 years old, it becomes progressively harder. Studies show that after 30, women lose ½ a pound of muscle every year and game the same amount in fat. If you want to go to castings, you need a way to stop this from happenings.

Obviously going to the gym and eating right are important, but you can also make your body work for you. Increasing your metabolism, by reducing your alcohol consumption for example, means that even when you are at rest, you are burning calories. Here are some great ideas that my friends in modeling have used.

1. Don’t Starve Yourself.
Make sure to eat breakfast. If you skip it, your body will enter its ‘starvation mode’ early in the day and it will be hard to break it out of it. To keep your metabolism working all through the day, eat small, low calorie snacks between meals.

2. Decrease Alcohol Consumption.
I am going to add to this: DECREASE SODA CONSUMPTION. Each 12 ounce can of soda is roughly 150 calories. And for each can, you need to offset it with a glass of water, just to flush out toxins. And for each low calorie diet soda, you still need the glass of water. Wouldn’t it just be easier to drink the water instead?

3. Black Pepper, Ginger, Chile Peppers.
Spicy food doesn’t just taste great, it actually increases your metabolism too. Black Pepper, Ginger, and Chile Peppers all raise your body temperature and help burn fat faster. Do be careful, though, the curries you find in restaurants are often oily and fatty, so cooking it on your own is always best.

4. Increase Muscle Mass.
Muscle burns 90% more calories than fat. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be. Going to the gym is just not a one-off attack on your fat cells. Your new muscle will actually keep fighting that fat long after you leave the gym. Adding 5 pounds of muscle will help you burn another 250 calories a day!

5. Don’t Stress If You Blow It.
If you fall off the wagon and completely blow your diet one day, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Your body is expecting a certain amount of calories a day, so a good pig-out will rev up the metabolism motor. So if one day a week you lose control, it’s OK. Just forget about it and get back on track.

6. Drink More Water.

Speed up your metabolism by drinking more water. A healthy, well-hydrated body is important to flush out toxins and aid in metabolizing fats. A simple way to determine if you are consuming enough water is to take note of the colour of your urine. If it is colorless or light yellow you are on the right track, if it's any darker you need to increase your water intake. Drinking ice water also helps the body expend more calories by heating it up.

7. Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

In recent studies it has been shown that an increased intake of Omega 3 fatty acids can help to balance blood sugar levels and control appetite. Good sources of this metabolism-boosting acid can be found in flax, hemp seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, salmon, mackerel and herring. Many people use flax oil as a supplement.

8. Increase Iodine Intake.

Increasing your Iodine intake can help stimulate thyroid gland function. The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating body metabolism and energy expenditure. Kelp extract supplements are a potent source of Iodine, as well as eating all different types of seaweeds and seafood.

9. DRINK GREEN TEA.

Green tea regulates blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of insulin produced. This prevents fat being stored and keeps your appetite under control. A 1999 study showed that Green Tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure.

EGCG, the main polyphenol in green tea, is an effective thermogenic which increases the metabolism of fat. This is not just a result of the caffeine in the tea, because those who lose weight on Green Tea lose more than those who were given caffeine alone.

10. Vitamin B and Calcium.

The B-Vitamins give you more energy and increase your metabolism. Drinking coffee will increase your metabolism too, but Vitamin B is a much more healthy, sustainable way to do it. Make sure your daily supplement incorporates B-Vitamins and in particular B-12.

Recent research has found that 4 daily servings of low-fat dairy products can boost your body's fat-burning ability. Calcium actually increases your metabolism. So add some low-fat yogurts to your diet, maybe as a small snack between meals.

Now, I snagged this off a website called: The Model Diet Plan I mean, who else knows how to lose weight than models. They make $$$ from being skinny and knowing how to stay that way. Anyway, I am going to try to get some of this stuff going on in my life to lose the weight and keep it off. Johnny Out.

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My Body is a Temple: Part XI

1st Corinthians 3:16-17
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

I am going to point out all the things that happen in these four passages.
John 2:12-25

• It was close to the Jewish Passover.
• The temple courts were full of people selling things for sacrifice.
• Jesus made a whip.
• Jesus drove out the business men, yelling do not make the church a market place.

Mark 11:12-17

• Jesus enters the temple and began to drive people out.
• As Jesus clears the temple, he teached them at the same time.
• He would not let anyone carrying merchandise to enter the temple courts.

Luke 19:45-48

• Jesus enters temple and drives out the sellers.
• He quoted scripture when he drove those out.
• Every day after he continued to teach in the temple.

Matthew 21:12-17

• Jesus enters temple and drives out the buyers and sellers.
• He quotes scriptures as he sends them out.
• Those in need came to Jesus.

So, what to make of this? Well, in regards to this study, the temple (our baody) is full of sin. And the only person who came to clean it out was Jesus. And then Jesus stood at the door keeping sin from entering. He keeps scripture at the door and fights off any temptation that wants to be entertained.

I weighed myself today. I'm at 218lbs., which is not the heaviest I have ever weighed, but I would much like to be lighter. As it is, I am doing some things in an effort to lose weight. I have started walking again (I had stopped for about a week) and I am beginning to watch what I eat. Anyway, Johnny Out.

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