Captivating Thoughts (day 8)

* Hello to you!  Welcome to the Body Temple study.  If you are just joining us and you would like to start from the beginning look to the right and you will notice under Blog Map the words "Body Temple"  click on that and it will take you all of the Body Temple entries.  Go to the very bottom and work your way up.  May the Lord bless you in your journey!

 

     There are many diet and exercise programs out there today that promise to give you everything you need to become the person you want to be.  There are literally millions upon millions of resources that you can access in your quest.  There are a never ending parade of body perfecting, wellness inducing, heart stopping, mouth watering, beach body promises for every man woman and child.  One diet claims to have "The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Fool-Proof Weight-Loss Plan", and another, "Take the Diet Personality Quizzes to see which diet is right for you."  Claims that we can, "Eat anything you want and still lose weight," or "lose weight without lifting a weight" lure us into a menagerie of guarantees.  And each time we see that shrinking body on our homepage we are drawn in once again.  These are the weapons this world has to offer us.  But God has a better way.
     Living a healthy life means disciplining not only our bodies but disciplining our minds.  Of the two our minds are the greater challenge!  The enemy uses our thought lives to tempt us and he will keep after us until we either put him in his place and tell him to go away or we give in to the temptation.  One of the biggest ways we can combat the enemy is to memorize scripture.  You will then have a ready answer for the enemy when he attacks you.  Satan wants you to stay focused on food.  He wants you to look in the mirror and despise yourself.  Satan's big hangup is pride and he is a master at getting you to think about yourself.  Even if you hate yourself or your body it is still a form of pride weird as that sounds.  If you are self focused it is pride.  Time to humble yourself and ask forgiveness.  God is faithful dear sisters to forgive and to cleanse you.  He loves you so much no matter your size.  You are beautiful to Him - you have value in His eyes.
     Remember Paul the awesome missionary guy?  He wrote a letter to another group of Christians - the Corinthians.  He said,
          "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons
          of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine
          power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish
          arguments and every pretension that sets itself
          up against the knowledge of God, and we take
          captive every thought to make it obedient to
          Christ.  And we will be ready to punish every
          disobedience, once your obedience is complete."
There are many diet and exercise options which the world has to offer.  And many of them can be used for God's glory even though they were not created by believers in Jesus.  The difference is that when we go forward putting God at the center and we bring every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ, we remove the power that the enemy has over us.  Praise God!
     Remember sisters, God never asks us to do anything but that He gives us everything we need - His word is clear.  Today starts our exercising challenges so hang in there and take it one day at a time.  I would ask that before you do your chosen activity that you thank God for the body He has given you.  Ask Him to bless your efforts and trust Him for the results!   

Homework
Read 2 Peter 1:3-9  Read these verses slowly aloud and soak them in.  Now read them again and this time stop when something pops out at you.  Write them in your journal.
     1.  What do you learn from God from this passage?
     2.  What do you learn about yourself?
     3.  These words are listed in verse 5 - Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness mutual affection and love.  Of these which one could you really use in your life right now?  Why? 
     4.  Consider putting some or all of these verses to memory.  I cannot tell you how many times in prayer these words have come back to me from the Holy Spirit. 
Read 2 Corinthians 10:4-17 - take your time with these verses - they are amazing.  Paul's words resonate so much with what we are studying I want you to really take your time.  Read them aloud and write down any verse that really stands out to you.  Write in your journal that verse and why it impacted you.

Challenge
Time to get a move on.  If you have not already begun to move your body for a period of time each day now is the time.  It is during these times that you will have to discipline your body and your mind to come under the authority of God.  If you are new to working out then start light.  Many times we go gung ho for something and then give up because it was too hard.  So each day for the next week I want you to move your body for at least 15 minutes.  Go up and down your stairs, go for a walk, turn on tunes (any that get your body moving) and dance, do a work-out tape, call a friend and walk together.  15 minutes a day - you can do it.  If you have been working out then I want you to push yourselves this week - add another five minutes to what you are already doing.
*It is always a good idea to consult your doctor before beginning any work-out regime.  Just saying.

Continue to limit food to times only when you are hungry.  Choose healthier foods.  Get rid of the junk!  And may the Lord bless you all!