Body Involvement

Be imitators of God...I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Eph 5:1; 4:1

In order to live a life worthy of the calling each of us receives, we must make sure we are able to do so. If we are going to do live our lives the way God wants, wouldn't make sense for us to be as healthy? If you had a car, wouldn't it make sense for you to make sure that the car is operational and works properly for you to use it? That's how we should be with our bodies; making sure that it's operational and works properly so you'll be able to use it, and live with it as well Here are a few ideas to improve your bodies' health.

"Get moving. Go beyond the gym. Make exercise creative and engaging. Climb a tree or plant one. Carry a grandchild on your shoulders for a mile. Move as much as you can every minute of every day.

"Listen to your body. If you're tired, sleep. If you wake at 3a.m., relax and write in a journal. If a workout hurts, stop. If you feel listless, go for a walk or jog. Your body will tell you what it needs.

"Be respectful of your food. Eating should be more than just refueling. Cook from scratch more often. Forage for mushrooms and nettles. Discover new, fresh (maybe even weird) ingredients and recipes. Respecting what you eat can transform your health.

        “One of the many reasons certain European countries are so much healthier than the rest of the world is not because of eating more cheese, drinking more wine, or smoking different types of cigarettes. It is cultural: Countries like France, who experience only a fraction of the heart disease that areas like America do, treat their meals with respect and as a family event. They do not regularly eat meals out of bags, inside vans, or while rushing to work.

      

    

      "Exercise and stretch. We are made to move. Exercise, breathing, flexibility and movement keep us feeling young and alive. As we age, however, most of us move less each day. But you can choose to move, stretch--and feel fantastic. Why are flexibility and stretching so important? Youthful means flexible. Age is rigid and stiff. Even if you work out by lifting weights and doing cardio, if you don't tend to your flexibility, your muscles and joints will become less supple. By stretching regularly, you'll renew your body and slow down the effects of the aging process. How does stretching enhance wellness? A gentle yet effective stretching program benefits you in numerous ways.  It:

-Increases energy

-Increases range of motion

-Relieves the effects of stress

-Relieves joint and muscle pain

-Improves circulation

-Improves posture

-Enhances balance

“But remember before exercising, always warm up first. Stretching cold muscles invites injury. Do something that works up a sweat and lets you slowly increase intensity. Warm up you body by exercising for at least 10 minutes before stretching. What's good for cats (stretching) is good for us. There are 24 hours in a day. For those of you that are older, can't you spare a few minutes of each one to feel younger. You'll certainly feel much better and live life more pleasantly if you do. God will definitely be pleased with your perseverance and devotion towards Him.”

Source: Baby (Boomer), You're Just Getting Started! by Walt Hampton, Body by God By Dr. Ben Learner, and Stretching: The Fountain of Youth by Gary Kobat.

     Haiku

Some Thoughts on Church Attendance and Corporate Worship - Pastor Chris Oswald

            If I were face to face with a friend who was not well informed about the importance of regular church attendance, where would I go in the Bible to show him God’s will?  A lot of people are familiar with Hebrews 10:24-25 which says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

            This passage is pretty clear.  You really could stop right there if the question were limited to whether or not God wants His saints to regularly assemble.  The passage not only commands regular participation in a local church, it anticipates that some will have, for various reasons, fallen into the habit of not gathering together.  Church absenteeism can easily become a habit.  Getting to church becomes more and more difficult the longer we are absent.  Isn’t it amazing that even this early into the church’s life, new Christians were already struggling with the discipline of church attendance! 

            Not only does the passage command regular church attendance, it commends a particular kind of church participation.  Verse 24 keeps us from approaching our relationship with a local church with a consumeristic attitude. 

            “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works...”

            This verse also reveals what our time away from church is supposed to look like.  Part of our week’s walk with Christ should involve putting real effort into “considering how to stir up one another to love and good works.” If we spend time throughout the week considering how we can encourage others, we will approach our time at church with a sense of purpose and expectancy. 

            In recent years, many Christians are neglecting regular and selfless participation in a local church in favor of staying home and doing “family church.”  This approach fails to understand the uniqueness of what the English Standard Version translates, “meet together.”  How does this phrase specify corporate worship?  Couldn’t we understand “meet together” to be fulfilled in a Christian home?  Couldn’t we understand “meet together” to be fulfilled in social gatherings among Christians?  How do we know that the author of Hebrews has in corporate worship in mind?

            We find this exact word construction used only one other time in the New Testament.  In 2 Thessalonians, Paul is talking about the return of Christ and says, “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him...” (2 Thessalonians 2:1)

            One aspect of Christ’s returning work is the gathering of His saints together to him.  Our gathering together before the throne of God is one of the ways we are going to find ultimate joy in heaven.  It is also one of the ways in which God is going to receive ultimate glory in heaven.  The worshipers of Christ in the book of Revelation often specifically praise his gathering work,

            “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10)

            Note the diversity of the gathering in heaven.  “People from every tribe and language and people and nation...” are praising in unity.  This what our corporate worship in the present should be looking forward to.  Note that Hebrews 10:24-25 gives the return of Christ as a key reason for ever increasing gathering together here on earth. 

            “...and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

            So we can conclude that it is God’s purpose for us to regularly assemble in a similar manner to our future assembly in heaven.  In doing so, we express hope and delight in Christ’s final gathering work.  Note, this passage eliminates staying home and doing “family church” as a legitimate alternative to church attendance.  Family worship is wonderful, but it does not meet the “gathering together” criteria set forth in scripture.  Your worship experience should look like heaven’s.  By necessity, that involves a level of diversity a single family cannot offer. 

            The passages in Revelation which give us a view of what that ultimate gathering will look like, become for us a sort of standard by which we measure the quality of our corporate worship gatherings here on earth.  While all of our Christian get togethers should reflect some of the qualities of heaven’s ultimate assembly, corporate worship is uniquely positioned to more completely and consistently reflect the ultimate state of God’s people. 

            We are going to conclude our thoughts about corporate worship and church attendance by posing a series of questions.

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The Bible shows that God is uniquely glorified in unified diversity.  What I mean is that when many different people join together for the common purpose of praising God, their agreement of purpose, in spite of all their differences, magnifies God.

Question 1: Where do you go to participate in this special activity?

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Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”  While your shepherds have a sacred responsibility to seek you out and help you grow.  You have the responsibility to seek them out and to hear what they are saying.

Question 2: How are you seeking to obey this command? 

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Acts 6:4 suggests that pastors are supposed to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. 

Question 3: Are you supporting their ministry with your attendance?

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Acts also tells us that the early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings.

Question 4: To who’s teaching are you regularly committed to listening to?  Do they know you? 

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Among other activities, Paul told Timothy in 1 Tim 4:13 to devote his pastoral work to “the public reading of scripture...”

Question 5: Where do you go to hear the scripture read publicly?

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Jesus commanded the disciples to remember his sacrifice through a corporate observance of the Lord’s Supper.

Question 6: Where do you observe the Lord’s Supper?

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Ephesians 5:19 commands that we should be “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,”

Question 7: How are you obeying this command?

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Scripture teaches that not only are we to pray for one another, but we are to pray with one another.

Question 8: Where do you regularly pray with the Body?

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Christ initiated church discipline as a means of helping believers hold one another accountable for unrepentant sin.  The ultimate means of discipline for unrepentant sin was the temporary exclusion of fellowship.  The hard-hearted person would be excluded from participating in church gatherings until they repented.

Question 9: If you needed to experience church discipline, how much of a difference would that make in your life?

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When David was experiencing spiritual depression and God seemed very distant, his memory of past corporate worship experiences encouraged his heart.  He said, “These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.”  (Ps 42)

Question 10: Have you cultivated the habit of regularly gathering with God’s people?  Has the memory and expectancy of public worship encouraged your soul?

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            Corporate worship isn’t the exclusive answer to any one of these questions.  Yet I suspect that if you’re honest with yourself, you’d agree that devoting yourself to corporate worship is going to help you obey many of these to a greater degree than you are likely to do without that discipline. 

     Pastor Chris Oswald
Pastor Chris Oswald is a Pastor and founder of CrossHaven Church (http://crosshavenbelleville.org/). He has been a Youth Pastor at several churches as well.

Tim Tebow and John 3:16

    During the days as a Florida Gator, Tim Tebow once touted the Bible passage John 3:16 on his eye-black, "but the scripture passage gained more attention after the quarterback's 316 yards passing helped Denver clinch a nail-biting, overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers on [January 10]." It's amazing how situations such as these can get the attention of many people so they can see for themselves what John 3:16 means, and, possibly, see God in it as well.

     The quarterback's highly publicized Christian image has long been discussed among sports fans nationwide, but what's the significance of Tebow's favorite scriptures passage and how has religion played a role in sports?

    Despite the negative comments and views, Tim Tebow should be seen as an example for many of us who are afraid to express their Christian beliefs to others, despite the negative opinions and comments that may be aimed at us.  

    During the 2009's BCS (Bowl Champion Series) Championship Game, Tim Tebow etched John 3:16 on his eye-black and about 92 million people conducted a web search for the term, the Palm Beach Post reports. The verse has made appearances at sporting games, most notably on sports fan Rollen Stewart's T-shirts and banners during the1980s, Forbes reports. The born-again Christian wore a rainbow wig and displayed signs at games and major events, such as the Olympics and the World Cup.

   More than a few times, the three-number sequence popped up during the game against the Steelers. CBS reports: “As our brilliant commentators point out below, Tebow completed 10 passes, averaging 31.6 yards per pass. . .Oh and this: the Steelers-Broncos game was the most-watched wild-card game since 1988. In the final quarter-hour, the overnight rating was 31.6. Weird stuff man, weird stuff.”

As it turns out, the lone interception thrown in the game on January 10 came from Ben Roethlisberger. What down and distance were involved when he threw it? Third and 16, of course.

   

“However, Tebow's expression of his Christian faith isn't always well-received and has occasionally become the focus of several parodies. ‘Tebowing’ quickly turned into an online meme, as web users photographed or videoed themselves taking a knee at random times, mimicking the quarterback's pause for prayer on the field. In December, a "Saturday Night Live" skit featured Jesus coming into the Broncos' locker room, asking Tebow to ‘take it down a notch.’”¹

But despite all of the flak, Tebow, perhaps unsurprisingly, had one person to thank after the January 10 win. "First and foremost I just want to thank my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He's done so much in my life," Tebow told the media, the Los Angeles Times reports.

If Tebow can express his beliefs in the way that he did, why can't we? Despite the criticism and silliness displayed, he still thanked Jesus. We must not be afraid of or be hostile towards people just because they disagree. They don't understand the Bible like most Christians. In fact, they hardly read the Bible; therefore, understanding very little of Christianity. If we are to impact people's lives, we are to be examples for others, like Tim Tebow, and many others.          

"Let no man despise thy youth; be an example of a believer in love, faith, conduct, and truth." 1 Tim 4:12

     Haiku

¹http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/10/john-316-tim-tebow-bible_n_1195221.html

Http://www.washingtonpost.com./blogs/under-god/post/tim-ebows-316-yards-fans-keep-the-faith-after-broncos-win/2012/01/08/gIQAYNLOkP_blog.html.

Also Google "Tim Tebow Billy Graham" and go to the Billy Graham website on the list of sites.

HAIKU

What Does John 3:16 Really Mean?

"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 (NKJV)*

     For those of us who have grown up either going to Church, or in a Christian family, this is one of the first Bible verses we memorize.  Most of us know it by heart, but do we actually understand what it means?  This was something I hadn’t even thought about until a few months ago when, during a sermon, my pastor began to “pick apart” different aspects of the verse, putting it into more modern terms to make it easier to understand.  While he didn’t go over all of it, I took some of the thing’s I’d learned from other sermons and Bible Studies and created my own paraphrase, which I will share in just a moment.

     A lot of the time, unfortunately, Christians tend to use a language that I like to call “Christianese”.  This language tends to use words like “sanctification” and “justification” and phrases referring to “baptism” and “the sacraments” and combinations of words and phrases that, in their context, most people just don’t understand without explanation.  And that includes a lot of Christians, too.

     While this verse doesn't appear to have a lot of big words that no one but a pastor or other Church leader would understand, many of the phrases can be pretty confusing.  When I really began looking closely at the verse, a few things in particular stuck out at me.

         Who or what is “the world”?

         “Whoever believes”― but, don’t even the demons believe?  And tremble? (James 2:19 NKJV)*

         “Perish.”  We all die anyway, how is that any different?

         “Everlasting life.”  We’re all going to spend eternity somewhere, it’s just a matter of where.  Those who don’t “believe” in God don’t just stay dead for all eternity.  They still live for all eternity, it just isn’t pleasant.  So what’s the difference in that aspect between the “believers” and “unbelievers”?

          How long is “eternity,” anyway?

          Why does this verse even matter, to the point where it’s the first Bible verse most kids memorize?

     When my pastor began going over the verse; one by one, my questions started getting answered.  Here are my definitions of the various words that had confused me, according to conclusions my Youth Group has made on the various topics.

        “World”― A bunch of sinners who hate God and want absolutely nothing to do with him.
        “Believers”― Those who not only believe in God, but who also obey and trust in him completely.

        “Perish”― To be sent to hell  to spend eternity.  This means an eternal separation from God.  Imagine the person you care the most about were to suddenly turn their back on you and refuse to acknowledge you at all.  That’s how I think of eternal separation from God, but over 100 times worse.

        “Everlasting life”― Getting to spend eternity in Heaven in the presence of God, our loving, if sometimes stern, Father.  Imagine getting to hang out with your favorite person of all time.  Only, for forever!

        “Eternity”― Forever.  There’s no other way to describe it.

     So, after defining some of those words and changing the language to be more understandable by modern terms, what does this verse really say?  I would paraphrase it as follows:

     “For God loved a bunch of sinners who hate him and want absolutely nothing to do with him so much that he gave his only Son to die a painful death on a cross, so that everyone who not only believes in God, but also obeys and trusts in him completely, will not spend eternity in Hell, in eternal separation from him, but will spend eternity in Heaven in the very presence of God.”

     If you were paying attention, you’ll notice I skipped one of my questions; "Why does this verse even matter?"  My answer is this: John 3:16 is a verse that shows just how much God truly loves us.  He had just one son, and He sent him to die so that we could spend eternity with Him.  And it wasn’t just any death.  He sent His son to die on a cross, one of the most painful deaths at that time.**  It wasn't just an execution, it was also a form of torture.

     Now, maybe you're thinking this isn't such a big deal.  I mean, He's God, isn't that kinda His job?  But let me ask you this: if someone hates you, constantly ignores you, and is just plain mean to you, are you going to want to do something nice for them?  I know I wouldn't.  But God did.  This verse just blows me away, because, God didn't have to do it.  He didn't have to send His son to die so that a bunch of people who hated Him could come to know Him and have their sins washed away so that they could stand in His presence and be loved by Him, but He did.

     Now, if that doesn't put you in awe of God and how loving He is, I don't know what will.

     The Comma Queen

*http://www.biblegateway.com

**http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/jesus.html (paragraph 6)

Chocolate Satin Mint Cake

So, what should one do with one's time? Read a book, talk to family and friends ... bake a cake. Here is an extremely yummy cake you can make for or with your family.

Chocolate Satin Mint Cake

Start off by preheating the oven to 325^oF

THE FILLING

 You’ll need cream cheese, sugar, butter or margarine, cornstarch, eggs, milk, and peppermint extract.

Add one 8oz package of softened cream cheese.

 

¼ cup Sugar

2 tablespoons butter (or margarine) softened

 

And 1 tablespoon cornstarch

And beat it.

 Next, add 1 egg

And 3/4 teaspoon Peppermint Extract

Two tablespoons milk

 

 And beat it.

Now set that aside while we prepare the batter.

THE CAKE

You'll need 1 18.4 oz package of cake mix of your choice (the recipe calls for Devil's Food Cake but I used Triple Chocolate Fudge), water, vegetable oil, and some eggs. You'll also need a Bundt pan and some non-stick cooking spray.

Start by prepping your pan;

Put the cake mix in a batter bowl (a mixer would probably work best if you have one; I decided that I would beat it by hand. Unless you wish for some sore arms, I would use some kind of mixer).

 

Next add 1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

And three eggs.

Mix according to packaging directions (like I said before; if it calls for a mixer; use a mixer).

Put two cups of batter in the bottom of your Bundt Pan.

 

Put the filling we made earlier evenly on top of that.

 

Then SLOWLY and carefully pour the remaining cake mix on top.

 

Bake at 325 for 55-65 minutes or until a cake tester/fork comes out clean.

After it cools loosen the cake in the pan and invert onto a cooling rack.

Remove pan and let cool.

THE GLAZE AND DRIZZLE

You'll need light corn syrup, whipping cream, semisweet baking chocolate (the squares, not chips), white baking chocolate (also squares), vegetable oil, and some peppermint extract.

Put 1/3 cup light corn syrup in a medium sized saucepan.

 Add 1/3 cup whipping cream.

 Bring to a simmer over medium heat stirring constantly with a nylon whisk.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Now you need six squares semi-sweet baking chocolate (one ounce each). You are should chop your chocolate first, it will melt much better.

Stir the chocolate into the cream and syrup until melted.

Spread 2/3 cup glaze over cooled cake, and put into the freezer for about five minutes, or until the glaze is almost set. Pour the remaining glaze over the top of the cake and let set in fridge for an hour.

For the Drizzle get two ounces of white chocolate baking squares

And two teaspoons cooking oil.

 Put in the microwave for a minute and a half stirring every ten seconds.

Drizzle over cake and and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Cut and enjoy;

     Leaping Lizard

Recipe from Pampered Chef© Stoneware Sensations cookbook.

The Cake Is A Lie

A Matter of Much Concern: TV
"Be very careful, then, how you live--- not as unwise but wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)

Video games and TV, such phenomenal ways of Entertainment, but even more so, such valuable time wasters. It's amazing how many people can always find time for TV, and, mostly for younger ages, videogames. We get excited about new televisions with features we can't even count. We "need" the latest video games and games systems that keep coming every year. And many of us just have to watch the new TV shows and sitcoms.

        "I wonder if we realize how much television has changed our culture. We have an entire generation of children and young adults who choose TV (or computer and video games) almost exclusively over other after-school and evening activities, young people who have never been mentored in the life skill of how to find satisfying media alternatives and who seem to have all but forgotten how to interact with family and friends."

Most people, but not all, can relate with this everyday situation. Usually when people get bored, tired, depressed, etc., they can push a button or flick a switch.

"Let's face it. How often do we settle down in the evening and breeze through the channels until we find what appears to be a sufficiently entertaining program--regardless of the content or morals displayed?" Isn't there something else we can do  with our time instead of sitting in front of the TV looking for something, and almost anything, to watch? Isn't there something we can do besides playing video games? What many of us need to do is to learn how to manage our time wisely. This may not be easy at first, and sometimes unpleasant, but aren't there other things more important than TV and video games? Don't we have other priorities in life?

"At first, Americans appear to be busy - so busy that hardly another activity could be jammed into our schedules....However, the average family still finds time to tune in to the TV for fifty hours each week-- more than a normal workweek, or an average of more than three hours per person, per day." What have you ever accomplished playing a video game?  

Be cautious about what you watch when it comes to TV and video games. "While most of us complain about the increasing amount violence and immorality portrayed on television, we stay tuned nonetheless." As said before, TV isn't all bad.

"It is important to realize that the problems associated with the use of TV are not directly caused by the electronic invention itself." "While TV may be one of the least costly forms of entertainment in monetary terms, it is one of the most costly forms of entertainment choices in terms of opportunities lost." "All too often we forget that when we choose to watch TV, we are also choosing not to do something else."

"Think about all the centuries before 1950. People did not sit idly in their cottages or castles waiting for television images to appear. No, they filled their lives with activities and people. As the hours of viewing have multiplied, though, the time and attention left for people have vastly diminished. Too often we become guilty of child neglect, spouse neglect, friend neglect, and God neglect."

    Making better use of our time can be even more successful if we discern what's worth watching. Evaluate the shows you watch and try to find the positive and negative outlooks of each one. Even if you don't change your mind about them, still find appropriate times for them to be watched.

"Consider the evening dinner hour. It used to be a time for the family to 'connect'. But how often is this important portion of the day now accompanied by watching TV?  One observant writer has noted that, 'Once upon a time, television was a dessert, something couples shared after dinner, after daily chores, after talk time. But today...it has become the whole meal, and benumbed silence has replaced loving conversation.'  The cost of TV is high indeed!"

We cannot blame our TV-viewing habits on the television itself. We, as people, have become so accustomed to it that for some it's become their entire life and only activity. "A TV set does not require our full allegiance from the day that we bring it home. It doesn't yell across the room and sternly demand that we give it the majority of our free time. Its presence only suggests that we begin watching it. And we do!"

"We Christians have slowly fallen into the trap of indiscriminate, misuse of TV. Whether a bad habit or an actual addiction, we need help. The best first step that I can think of is to identify what God's Word says in relation to our TV-viewing habits.

   Haiku

Quotes are from the book How to Get the Best Out of TV Before It Gets the Best of You by Dale and Karen Mason.

*Editor’s note; ‘The Cake Is A Lie’ refers to the videogame "Portal". Google it.

The Comma Queen

     Hey all!  I’m the Comma Queen.  I ended up with that nickname due to the fact that I bug my friend Leaping Lizard with the insane number of commas that I use.  I’m sixteen and love music, particularly singing, playing piano and guitar, listening to my iPod and the radio, and jamming with my friends.  I also enjoy things with words, such as reading books, writing stories for my own enjoyment, doing articles for you all, and emailing my friends.  Some other things you probably don’t need to know about me, but that might interest you, are:

   - The only sport I’m decent at is Ultimate Frisbee.

   - My dad and I are putting together our third puzzle so far this year with at least two more to go.

   - I love God more than anything and I’m growing more in Him each and every day.

   - I love laughing with my sis to the point of crying.

   - I’m totally addicted to M&M’s.  Just ask my friends.  They’ll confirm it.

   - I smile so much that my dentist started worrying about the placement of two of my teeth.

   - I love the math in my Physics, but I hate Algebra 2.

   - My younger brother (he refuses to be called “little” even though he’s still shorter than me) drives me crazy, but I love him to death.

    - I’m so similar to my mom at times that it’s scary.

    - I love hanging out with all my friends.

There’s lots more, but I’ve been told by the editor that I’m only allowed a certain number of words with which to describe myself. (And I'm pretty sure I'm already over.  By a lot.)

     The Comma Queen