Sunflower seeds are rich in essential fats (omega 6), minerals, vitamin E, protein and fibre.

Ingredients:

1 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup soy sauce

Method:

Toast the sunflower seeds over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the soy sauce and stir until sauce is absorbed and seeds are crispy.
This takes 3-5 minutes. Cool, and keep in an airtight container.

2. Savoury Baked Chickpeas (Garbanzos)

All beans are packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and are low in fat.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

Toss the chickpeas in the oil and bake at 150°C  (300 °F) for an hour until crisp,
shaking them around in the tin from time to time.
Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle the seasonings on top.
Shake the chickpeas in the tin to coat thoroughly and then leave to cool.
Store in an airtight container.

3. Red Kidney Bean Dip

Apart from soya beans, red kidney beans contain more protein than any other bean.

Ingredients:

1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
5 spring onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon dried basil
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water (if necessary)
salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Adjust seasoning.
Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Try them served on savoury biscuits, topped with sprouts. (see below)

4. Hummus

Famous throughout the Middle East, hummus served with crispy bread and salad makes a delicious light meal. As a snack it can simply be eaten as a dip or spread on savoury biscuits and topped with sprouts. (see below)

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Tahini (crushed sesame seeds with sesame oil)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Method:

Place all ingredients into a food processor.
Blend until smooth and adjust seasoning.
Decorate with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.
Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

5. Alfalfa (lucern) seed sprouts

Alfalfa seeds are so small, they sprout very quickly. All you need to sprout seeds, beans or lentils, is a large glass jar, a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and an elastic band. They are rich in protein, vitamins B, C and E, calcium and iron.

Method:

Wash 3 tablespoons of the Alfalfa seeds and place in the jar. Fill the jar with luke-warm water, place the muslin over it and fasten with the elastic band. Leave to stand overnight in a draught-free place. The next morning, pour off the water through the muslin and fill the jar again. Shake gently and drain thoroughly. Leave the jar on its side in a warm place but not in direct sunlight. The ideal temperature is 17-24°C. Rinse and drain the seeds 3x a day for 2-4 days. Remove the sprouts from the jar, rinse thoroughly and remove any ungerminated seeds. Place in a covered container and store in the fridge for 2-6 days.

I prefer the first one, but those of you who have done this tutorial, might find the second one more appealing. If these two images don't make any sense right now, don't worry, you'll see what they mean later.

First off, let's find a pretty girl to draw.

Fotosearch to the rescue!

When you study the picture you'll notice a few things:

1. The fact that she's looking to the left creates all kinds of annoying wobbles on that side of her head.

2. You'll notice the ear is almost in the centre of the head.

3. Her eyes are triangles. You heard me, triangles. She's not some kind of alien freak, as far as I know this triangle factoid is true for everyone (unless they're a cartoon character).

4. She has fish lips. This is unavoidable, unfortunately.

5. Last but not least, she has purdy earrings.   (The list has to end on 5...I dunno why. Four points just seem so incomplete, don't you think? I knew you'd agree!  "OCD much?" Why yes, I do.)

METHOD 1:

Also known as "Monkey Face Method". Creative name is creative.

Step 1. Draw a circle and triangle like these. They'll serve as guides, so don't press too hard if you're using a pencil (er... and don't draw this in ink. Seriously. Don't.) Note: the bottom right corner where your triangle and circle meet will end up  being the jawline.

Step2.  Add brow ridge. Make an indentation where the nose starts, where the circle meets the triangle.

 Congrats, you just drew a monkey.

Step 3. Compare your sketch to the original. Use a ruler to see if the chin lines up. Using this method I can see that my triangle's bottom corner (chin) is too far to the right. Correct it.

Step 4. Add the "wobbles". Since you already have the brow, it would be a good idea to work from there upwards. She has a flat forehead that goes straight up and then curves rather sharply at the top. Peek at your reference as you work, it's an open book test and you won't be penalized for looking. In fact we encourage it! When you draw the nose, work from the brow ridge down. It is going to protrude from your initial guideline triangle. Remember the nose is basically a triangle too. Don't worry too much about lip detail at this stage. (If you have read the previous face tutorial you'll know that the halfway mark between the nose and chin serves as a guide for the placement of the bottom lip.)

Step 5. In the face area, erase that annoying circle guide so you'll have a clean area to put the eye brow. Again reference the photo to see what the shape should be. It's basically a distorted new moon.

Step 6. Add the eye. Remember it is a triangle. The left side is in line with that indented curve between the nose and brow. The outer corner of the eye (right corner) is in line with the outer end of the brow. From the outer corner of the eye you can draw a straight line through to the inner corner of your eyebrow to give you an idea of the angle of the upper lid.

Step 7. Add nose details. (Nose tutorial)  Add fish lips. You can minimize the fish effect by making the lines less visible than the rest. The more visible her lip lines the more fishy she will look.

Step 8. Add a rough hairline. Use rough strokes.

Step 9. We're going to place the ear now. First compare your sketch and photo. Use a ruler to measure where the ear has to go. Notice that in this picture the ear will be lower than the eyebrow. Remember: the size of one's ear is generally proportional to the size of one's nose.)

 Step 10.  Draw the ear. It's basically an oval that is open on the left side.

Step 11. Add hair. (Not sure how to go about it? Here's a hair tutorial)

Step 12. Erase guides and add detail.

Step 13. Final details. Clean up your lines a bit, add some loose strands of hair, give her some eye lashes, etc.

GAHHH, we ended on number 13!

Noooooooo! My head is gonna explode!  

Oh wait, I know....

.

.

.

Step 14. Add mustach. 

Step 15. Add beard.

 Ahhhhhh, that feels good. XD

 
METHOD 2:

Those of you who liked my other face tutorial might like this method since you can measure things out and calculate where everything should go.

Step 1. Draw an oval and divide as shown.  The horizontal line indicates where the eye will go. The vertical line (*) is entirely optional, but I find it helps me place the ear, it helps me find the edge of the face.

Step 2.  Divide again into thirds as shown.

You'll end up with this:

Step 3. Add wobbles.

 Step 4. Add skull.

Step 5. Add neck and ear.  The ear is just above and behind the jaw. Suggestion: You could study your own jaw and ear in a mirror (or just feel it with your fingers where you are now) to get an idea of how your ear and jaw meet up.  Once you've placed the ear it should be easy to draw the neck. As you can see, if you were to extend the neck, the earlobe would be in the middle of it. This is true for this picture, but might not be true in other cases, as it depends on the angle of the photo and the build of the individual.

 Step 6. Add eyes and nose. (See step 6 and 7 above).

Step 7. Erase guidelines if you have not done so already.

Step 8. Draw lips. Here fishy, fishy, fishy...

Step 9. Add hair. (Hair tutorial)

Step 10. Add finishing touches.

YAY, we ended on 10! Perfect! I can die happy now.

MORE SKETCH EXAMPLES:

Here are some more profile sketches. Notice how each person is different. Some have round chins, others have big eyes, while other's have flat foreheads. Keep these things in mind when you draw your faces. Feel free to study these sketches and use the techniques in your own way.

[Photos are belong to fotosearch.com.]

 
IN CONCLUSION:

There is never just one way to draw something. What I attempt to show you is how to study a subject yourself, to dissect it and recreate it in your own, unique way. Since everything consists of basic shapes, once you have a reference photo and you are able to break down your subject into circles, triangles and squares, you can draw ANYTHING.

You only need three things to become an great artist:

1. An interest (which you have, since you are here)

2. Knowledge (tutorials like these)

3. And Practice. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit." -  Aristotle

In considering worship in apostolic times, I will look at 1) the open meeting, 2) believer priests, 3) "spiritual sacrifices", and 4) the Lord's Supper.

1. The open meeting

When believers meet together to worship God, they give public expression to a shared relationship with God. As service to God includes service to man, [4] believers should meet together to encourage one another. [5] The clearest single Scripture on the pattern of worship during an open meeting is the following: "When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." [6] We see that everyone must participate in the meeting for the good of all.

A combination of other Scriptures on New Testament meetings yields the following activities: praise, [7] giving thanks, [8] psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, [9] prayer, [10] teaching and admonishing one another, [11] prophecy, [12] fasting, [13] and the breaking of bread. [14] Thus all believers worship God through praise activities and by means of service to each other. In addition, those in leadership read the Scriptures, [15]  preach, [16] teach, [17] correct, rebuke and encourage. [18]

As Jesus has promised to be wherever two or three are gathered in His name, [19] He meets with those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. [20] He reveals Himself to believers through Scripture and through the Holy Spirit "expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." [21] He guides and encourages believers through the operation of spiritual gifts. [22] Believers in turn communicate with God through prayer and praise. In this situation of mutual communication, the open meeting exemplifies the relationship between Christ, as the Head of the church, and the body, the worshippers.

2. Believer priests

In the Old Testament Israel is God's 'ekklesia' (called-out ones, congregation, assembly or church) and referred to as "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." [23] Christ has made the New Testament 'ekklesia' "a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father." [24] The two churches are essentially one in nature, although important changes resulted from the accomplished work of Jesus Christ. Paul states emphatically that God has not rejected Israel, [25] and warns against an arrogant attitude against her. [26] Because the church has not replaced Israel, Old Testament passages relating to Israel should not be spiritualised or forced out of context in an attempt to apply them to the New Testament church.

The priests of the Old Testament 'ekklesia' functioned as mediators between God and the people. However, New testament believers have Jesus, the "one mediator between God and men." [27] As a result of His atoning sacrifice, we now "have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place." [28] Having thus been "called ... out of darkness into His wonderful light," we have been constituted "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation." [29]

The duties of the Old Testament priests were to teach the people God's law and to offer sacrifices on His altar. Because Jesus has fulfilled every mediatorial role given the Old Testament priesthood, new Testament believer priests have God's laws written on their hearts, [30] and offer "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." [31]

3. "Spiritual sacrifices"

The Old Testament prophets condemned those of the Old Testament 'ekklesia' who supposed that God was concerned only with the form of worship, not with the heart of the worshipper. Twice Jesus challenged the Pharisees by quoting Hosea 6:6, "Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice." [32] God does not change, [33] and the greatest commandments have always been to love Him with all our hearts and our neighbour as ourselves. [34] Since Jesus' death on the cross, the ultimate "sacrifice of atonement," [35] no further physical sacrifices are required of us, but God still desires the same "spiritual" sacrifices.

"Spiritual sacrifices" have been defined as "the activities of the human spirit of man energized by the Holy Spirit," and these are offered upon "the altar of the consecrated heart of the believer." [36] It would seem then that "spiritual sacrifices" refer to everything the Holy Spirit empowers us to do in obedience to Jesus' teaching and out of love for Him. [37]

In the Old Testament we find the following mentioned as more pleasing to God than animal sacrifices: mercy, [38] justice, [39] righteousness, [40] obedience, [41] humility, [42] and a broken spirit. [43] In the New Testament, although the words "spiritual sacrifices" do not occur again, we find "a sacrifice of praise," [44] sacrifices of doing good and sharing with others, [45] the offer of our bodies as "living sacrifices," [46] and gifts as "acceptable sacrifices." [47]

4. The Lord's Supper

When Jesus instituted this supper, He broke the bread, gave it to His disciples to eat and said, "This is my body given for you." [48] The breaking of the bread symbolized the breaking of His body for the redemption of mankind, and the eating of it symbolized a spiritual appropriation of the body of Christ by faith. After supper he offered them the cup and said, "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [49] These words point out that the blood of the old covenant [50] was only a type of the reality of the new covenant. The use of both the bread and the wine illustrates the death of Christ, in that flesh and blood were separated.

Jesus also said, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life ..." [51] Therefore by partaking of the Lord's supper we symbolically appropriate the benefits secured by the sacrificial death of Christ. "The sacred mystery of the supper consists in two things: physical signs ... and spiritual truth. ... In the same way that bread and wine keep and sustain physical life ... our souls are fed by the flesh and blood of Christ." [52]

Jesus' added words, "Do this in remembrance of me" [53] are amplified by Paul's "whenever you eat ... and drink ... you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." [54] Paul's words point to the second coming of Christ. Thus in the Lord's Supper, not only is the risen Lord present with His people in an act of remembrance of His death, but it is also a symbolic anticipation of His future coming.

References:

1. Vine, p.1259
2. Romans 1:9
3. Acts 24:14; Philippians 3:3
4. Matthew 25:40
5. Hebrews 10:25
6. 1 Corinthians 14:26
7. Acts 2:47
8. Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17
9. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
10. Acts 2:42
11. Colossians 3:16
12. 1 Corinthians 14:24
13. Acts 13:2
14. Acts 2:42; 20:7
15. 1 Timothy 4:13
16. 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:2
17. 1 Timothy 4:11; Acts 2:42
18. 2 Timothy 4:2
19. Matthew 18:20
20. John 4:23
21. 1 Corinthians 2:10-14
22. 1 Corinthians 12
23. Exodus 19:6
24. Revelation 1:6
25. Romans 11:1
26. Romans 11:18-21
27. 1 Timothy 2:5
28. Hebrews 10:19
29. 1 Peter 2:9
30. Hebrews 8:10
31. 1 Peter 2:5
32. Matthew 9:13; 12:7
33. Malachi 3:6
34. Mark 12:29-31
35. Romans 3:25
36. Wuest, p.53
37. John 14:23
38. Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:8
39. Micah 6:8; Amos 5:24
40. Amos 5:24; Deuteronomy 33:19
41. 1 Samuel 15:22
42. Micah 6:8
43. Psalm 51:17
44. Hebrews 13:15
45. Hebrews 13:16
46. Romans 12:1
47. Philippians 4:18
48. Luke 22:19
49. Matthew 26:28
50. Exodus 24:8
51. John 6:54
52. Calvin, p.1370-1371
53. Luke 22:19
54. 1 Corinthians 11:26

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Berkhof, L. Systematic Theology, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1941.

2. Calvin, J. Institutes of the Christian Religion, Philadelphia, U.S.A.: The Westminster Press, 1960.

3. Douglas, J.D. (ed.) New Bible Dictionary, Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1962.

4. Hammond, T.C. In Understanding be Men, Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity press, 1968.

5. Richards, L.C. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, Michigan, U.S.A.: Regency Reference Library, 1985.

6. Vine, W.E. Expository Dictionary of NT Words, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, ?

7. Wuest, K.S. First Peter in the Greek NT, Michigan, U.S.A.: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970.

• Enroll your pet in dog training that includes crate training.
• Reward the dog for entering the crate. Don't give the dog rewards the moment they exit the crate, or the dog will want to get out even more.
• Provide ample entertainment for the dog within the crate. Place toys, blankets and chew toys in the crate.
• Let the dog out early enough in the day to relieve itself so that it doesn't destroy the crate trying to avoid urinating or pooping inside the crate.
• Avoid using the crate as a punishment, since this gives the dog a negative impression of the crate.
• Ensure that your dog receives plenty of exercise. If the dog does not get out and about often enough, they will try to get their natural exercise level inside the crate.
• Place water and, if practical, food inside the crate. A hungry and thirsty animal will rightfully tear up its cage trying to meet its physical needs.
• If you have more than one dog, determine whether or not they can be crated together. If they can peacefully share the same space, consider letting them do so. Or place their crates where they can see each other. This will reduce their loneliness.
• Switch crates. Get a crate that is indestructible. For example, switch from a metal crate with a tray to a plastic one.
• Ensure that the crate gives your dog room to walk a little and turn around. If you got the crate when they were smaller and the dog has since grown, destroying the crate is a natural reaction for a cramped and crowded creature.
• If your dog has already had obedience training, go back for further crate training.
• Leave the door to the crate open throughout the evening and weekend. Let your dog use it as a den or retreat.
• Make the crate a storage location for dog toys and playthings. This makes the crate more inviting and less foreboding. Switch out toys and play things to keep the crate interesting.
• Train your dog to lie quietly at your feet when you are watching TV or on the computer. This allows the dog to spend time with you without interrupting you while reducing the need to crate the dog while you are home.
• Don't release the dog when it is destroying the crate. When you get home, wait until the dog is calm to release it from the crate. If the dog is let out when he starts destroying it, the dog will learn that destroying the crate is what gets them out. In effect, you would be incentivizing the behavior you want to stop.
• Ensure that your dog gets enough exercise when not in the crate. If possible, hire a dog walker to come by during the day. This will get your dog exercise and socialization in the middle of the day, reducing the risk that they will destroy the crate due to boredom or loneliness.

First, we must get our home ready.

1) You’ll want to have some water stored before hand, in the event of such an emergency. Water is essential to our survival, and will be one of the first things to go when the you-know-what hits the fan. Have at least 1 liter per person per day, 2 liters if you want to have luxuries like washing your hands from time to time. Have at least a seven days’ supply, ideally a months’.

2) You’ll need some food as well. Again, seven days worth is good, one month is ideal. You’ll want non-perishable, high-calorie, nutrient dense foods. Peanut butter, protein bars, crackers, and canned fruit are good ideas.

3) You’ll need a first aid kit as well. While it won’t save you in the event of a zombie bite, it will help with other minor injuries and wounds. Keep any extra medication family members may need as well.

4) You’ll want to have your house stocked with cleaning supplies as well. Things like soap, anti-bacterial gel, and bleach. If you’ve ever had to kill a zombie up close, you’ll know what a mess it can make. These items might save your life.

5) You can never have too many weapons. Anything that can destroy the brain of a walking corpse is fair game. Fire arms, machetes, morning stars- whatever does the job.

For more information on general emergency preparedness, check out my site here.

What if your house isn’t a suitable fortress against the hordes of undead? Then you, sir/ma’am, must run. And for that, you need a plan.

1) Have a place, in the home and away from the home, where everyone can meet and regroup. Make sure everyone knows where the places are.

2) Have an out-of-town place to stay at, set up before hand. A friend or family member who will let you stay during an emergency, and with whom you’ll return the favor.

3) Have a vehicle capable of holding all your family members and some extra supplies. Keep your fuel topped up, as gas station can’t be relied on during emergencies. Have some extra gas stored is a great ideal if possible.

4) Evacuate at off-times (late night/early morning) to avoid traffic jams. The last thing you want to do is spend your last moments stuck in traffic, before becoming zombie chow.

The zombie apocalypse can be a real bummer, and downright ruin your day. But with a little preparation, you can ensure you and your family make it through unscathed.

And always remember- if it looks undead, aim for the head.

Good luck and stay prepared!

Read more from RamboMoe at preparedforthat.com

The guitar world offers a handy tool that can also benefit both keyboardists and singers.  That tool is called a guitar effects pedal.  The distortion pedal offers a gem of tonal glory designed mainly for use by the guitar or bass player, but experimental players of other instruments have found the devices are useful in other ways as well.

Effects Pedals for Vocal Effects

Chorus, flanger and phaser pedals, along with delays and overdrives are all useful to vocalists wanting to provide more flair to their music.  The guitar effects pedals are sometimes used with the main vocal passages but are often found most effective in bridges, harmonies or breakdowns.  These devices are useful in parts of a song where adding drastic vocal effects help to differentiate phrases from the other standard passages.  While there are computerized effects for vocals, there is something enjoyable about inserting a microphone plug into the guitar effects pedal and feeding the results to the soundboard.  The creative and clever musician adds a cool effect to a nerdy process.  The choice of the best distortion pedal available in a studio, applied to vocals can create an aggressive effect to the voice that is perfect for passages in heavy rock songs as well as for electronic or techno songs.  Remember to avoid overdoing it.  Excellent use of vocal distortion during a short musical passage can create interest and result in a buildup of energy that truly makes the song notable.  However, overdoing it can cause the effects to become sappy and tiresome, something you are trying to avoid in the first place.

Effects Pedals for Keyboards

The focus here is the use of a standard guitar effects pedal with musical instruments other than the guitars for which they were originally designed.  Many keyboard users enjoy plugging the keyboard into guitar pedals prior to plugging into the soundboard or amp.  Even though the keyboard musician has thousands of sound effects available, he or she opts for a guitar pedal anyway.   This is because the effects caused by the standard box can be more pleasing than anything available from the digital effects.  This move can help a keyboard that has a not-so-great sound to greatly improved.  Once again, users are reminded to avoid overdoing it.  In addition, make wise use of the effects – some will work, some won’t.

Many indie bands today employ the use of guitar pedals with keyboards, both in the studio and on a live stage. On a stage is works really well because it also adds a level of creativity that the audience can plainly see. It’s much cooler for a keyboardist to operate a pedal that’s sometimes sitting atop the keyboard itself than it is to rely solely on little buttons.

Guitar stompboxes remain popular for plenty of reasons.  Top-level studios offer a wide collection for the clients.  Bands might be working a song that needs some help, when the producer is looking for the right tone to complete the effect.  Often, pulling one of the effects pedals from the pile is tried.  The boxes were responsible for the sounds from the likes of Peter Frampton, Dave Grohl and even Curt Cobain back in the day. All these guys and many more have been known to use the little magical guitar effects stompboxes for much more than the guitar.

SixStringSensei.com is a great resource if you interested in everything related to effects pedals for guitar. - Might want to check those guys out.

1. Love ('agapē')

In classical Greek 'phileo', meaning "an inner inclination to persons or things," is the word most commonly used for love. 'Agapao' is used for "love out of an intelligent estimate of the object of love." However, the distinction is often very subtle. [3]

In the LXX or Septuagint (early Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) 'agapao' is used more frequently than 'phileo.' But both words in classical usage are rather inadequate to describe the nature of God's love. The New Testament has chosen to use 'agapao' and to infuse it with unique meaning.

God is love and "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us." [4] "God demonstrate(d) His own love for us" by the fact that Christ died for us "when we were God's enemies." [5] God's love is therefore characterised by self-sacrifice for the benefit of the one loved. [6] This self-sacrificial love is produced in the heart of the yielded believer by the Holy Spirit. [7]

2. Joy ('chara')

In the Old Testament joy is often expressed by the believing community gathered to worship and praise God. Joy was associated with God's blessings, [8] saving acts, [9] promises, [10] future deliverance, [11] etc., so that joy was essentially a religious experience.

The LXX used three Greek words to translate the many Hebrew words for joy. Of these, 'chara' is used most often in the New Testament of joy that has a spiritual basis. Jesus promised believers His joy if they obey His commandments and remain in His love. [12] This joy is produced in the believer by the Holy Spirit [13] as he puts his trust in God, [14] and is independent of circumstances or even trials and persecution. [15]

3. Peace ('eirēnē')

'Shalom,' the Hebrew word for peace, meaning "wholeness, unity and harmony," [16] is most often used in the Old Testament to express the fulfillment experienced by human beings in the presence of God. Peace is dependent upon a right relationship with God, [17] so that "there is no peace ... for the wicked." [18] The prophets foretold the coming of the Prince of Peace, [19] when God would make "a covenant of peace" with His people [20] so that "the fruit of righteousness will be peace." [21]

The New Testament use of 'eirēnē' reflects the Old Testament use of 'shalom,' so that peace is something rooted in one's relationship with God. Trust in God results in both joy and peace. The verb form of 'eirēnē' means "to bind together," so that Jesus, through the blood of His cross, has bound together that which was separated by human sin. Therefore this peace can be defined as "tranquility of mind based on the consciousness of a right relationship to God." [22]

4. Patience (makrothumia)

The word 'macrothumia' consists of 'makros' (long) and 'thumos' (temper), so that it literally means "to be long-tempered," and "is usually rendered 'long suffering' rather than 'patience.'" [23}

Long suffering means to have self-restraint when faced with provocation: not to hastily retaliate or promptly punish; to be merciful and slow to anger. It is used of God, [24] and we are commanded to follow the example of Jesus in His long suffering. [25] Patience does not surrender to circumstances or capitulate under trial; it is associated with hope and is the opposite of despondency. It is used of man and not of God. [26]

Long suffering/patience is a way of life rather than a trait. We must keep on loving and/or forgiving despite provocation. [27]

5. Kindness (chrēstōtēs)

Our whole nature should be kind, so that all that is harsh will be mellowed. It is closely related to goodness, not as a quality but goodness in action. It should express itself in grace, tenderness and compassion.

The Scriptures refer to "the riches" of God's kindness, which "leads ... towards repentance," [28] and "the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus." [29] As God saved us because of His "kindness and love," [30] we are exhorted to "clothe (our)selves with ... kindness" in our relationships with others. [31]

6. Goodness (agathōsunē)

This Greek word signifies goodness as a "quality of moral worth." [32] The Greek scholar Trench regards 'chrēstōtēs'  as describing "the kindlier aspects of goodness," whereas 'agathōsunē' includes also "the sterner qualities by which doing good to others is not necessarily by gentle means," e.g. Christ cleansing the temple. [33]

To refer to something as "good" involves an evaluation. Because the Bible states that only God is good, [34] only He can evaluate that which is good. Therefore we are "able to affirm with confidence" that something is good "only because God has shared His evaluation of the good in His Word." [35]

7. Faithfulness (pistis)

Although 'pistis' is usually translated as 'faith,' i.e. "conviction of the truth," it has the secondary meaning of "fidelity, faithfulness, i.e. the character of one who can be relied on." [36] Therefore 'faithfulness' here is the correct translation.

Faith is that initial act of entrusting ourselves to God, which results in a transformation of our life and character. Only the Holy Spirit working in the life of the yielded Christian can produce faithfulness of character as a fruit of the Spirit.

8. Gentleness (praütēs)

Some Greek scholars insist that 'praütēs' cannot be translated by a single English word. 'Gentleness' refers to actions rather than a temper of spirit as 'praütēs' does. 'Meekness' and 'mildness' both suggest weakness, whereas 'praütēs' does nothing of the kind.

'Praütēs' does not concern outward behaviour; it is an inward grace produced by the Spirit in the soul. It is first of all expressed in our attitude toward God: we accept His dealings with us as good and therefore we submit to Him without disputing or resisting. We also maintain this temper of spirit towards people, in that we accept the insults and injuries which they may inflict as permitted by God for our good in that we'll be purified and blessed.

"When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered He made no threats." [37] "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds ..." [38]

9. Self-control (enkrateia)

'Enkrateia' means "possessing power, strong, having mastery or possession of, continent, self-controlled ... The word thus refers to the mastery of one's own desires and impulses" without specifying any particular desire. [39] The right use of the various powers bestowed by God upon man demands the controlling power of the will under the operation of the Spirit of God. The two other occurrences of the word in the New Testament suggest that 'enkrateia' is necessary for practising righteousness, [40] and for applying knowledge, when it is followed by perseverance as a virtue. [41]

CONCLUSION

Of the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, only joy and peace are not mentioned as a part of love as defined by Paul: "Love is patient ... kind ... not proud ... not rude ... not self-seeking ... not easily angered ... it always trusts ... always perseveres ..." [42] Although self-control is also not specifically mentioned, it could be implied by perseverance, as self-control develops into perseverance. [43] Because joy and peace both result from trust in God (as mentioned), they cannot be omitted either.

The astounding conclusion to be drawn from all this is that, although love is listed as only the first part of the fruit of the Spirit, the others all seem to be included in it. But perhaps it is not so astounding, as Jesus told us that "all the Law and the Prophets hang on" the commandment to love, [44] so that "love is the fulfillment of the law." [45]

References:

1.  Romans 7:4-6
2.  Galatians 5:17-25
3.  Vincent, p.166-167
4.  1 John 3:16
5.  Romans 5: 8,10
6.  John 3:16
7.  Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22
8.  Deuteronomy 16:15
9.  1 Chronicles 16
10. Psalm 119:162
11. Psalm 33:16f
12. John 15:10-11
13. 1 Thessalonians 1:6
14. Romans 15:13
15. Acts 13:50-52; James 1:2
16. Richards, p.479
17. Psalm 119:165
18. Isaiah 57:21
19. Isaiah 9:6
20. Ezekiel 34:24-25
21. Isaiah 32:16
22. Wuest, p.160
23. Vine, p.694
24. Exodus 34:6; Romans 2:4; 1 Peter 3:20
25. 1 Peter 2:23
26. 1 Thessalonians 1:3
27. Matthew 18
28. Romans 2:4
29. Ephesians 2:7
30. Titus 3:4
31. Colossians 3:12
32. Wuest, p.160
33. As quoted by Vine, p.505
34. Matthew 19:17
35. Richards, p.316
36. Thayer, p.512
37. 1 Peter 2:23
38. James 1:2
39. Wuest, p.160
40. Acts 24:25
41. 2 Peter 1:6
42. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
43. 2 Peter 1:6
44. Matthew 22:40
45. Romans 13:10

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Henry, M. Commentary on the whole Bible, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991.
2. Richards, L.C. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, Michigan, U.S.A.: Regency Reference library, 1985.
3. Thayer, J.H. Greek-English Lexicon of the NT, Tennessee, U.S.A.:Broadman Press, 1977.
4. Thompson, F.C. Chain-Reference Bible (N.I.V.), Michigan, U.S.A.: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1983.
5. Unger, M.F. The Hodder Bible Handbook, London, England: Hodder and Stoughton, 1984.
6. Vincent, M.C. Word Studies of the NT (Vol IV), Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, ?
7. Vine, W.E. Expository Dictionary of NT Words, Massachusetts, U.S.A.: Hendrickson Publishers, ?
8. Wuest, K.S. Galatians in the Greek NT, Michigan, U.S.A.: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1972.

How many of us remember this day with gratitude in our hearts for His wonderful gift of salvation? Instead we revel in a long weekend of self-indulgence  and worldly pleasures. Look up "Easter" on the internet, and all you find are ads for Easter holidays, Easter festivals, Easter specials, etc. The Easter weekend was instituted to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord, but how many of us give Him a single thought?

The same thing has happened to Christmas, the day on which we supposedly remember the miraculous birth of God as a human baby on earth. Instead of bringing Him spiritual sacrifices of joy and praise, we gorge ourselves on food and drink. We pretend that this is a "christian" day by the exchange of gifts and regarding it as a family day. We have pushed Christ out of christmas, as surely as we have pushed Him out of easter.

On the evening of His crucifixion, during the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus broke the bread and said, "This is my body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."

We should repent of our callous attitude and behaviour, and instead invite the living Jesus into our hearts to give us eternal life. The only way to obtain joy and peace in this life is to put our trust in God. He will adopt us as His children and transform us into the image of His beloved Son.

Pray this simple prayer sincerely:

Heavenly Father,
I know I have fallen short of your perfect standards.
Forgive me my sins because of what Jesus did for me on the cross.
I ask that Jesus come into my life and change it according to your plan.
Amen.

It may be somewhat difficult to compile a list of 15 great ways to lose belly fat fast as all the tips provided may not be the right ways for all people. Obesity and belly fat are widely spread syndromes and there are no simple solutions to get rid of them. Everyone’s body is different and every person may need a personalized approach to attain fat loss.

15 Tips to Lose Belly Fat

Nonetheless, we can shortlist 15 well-considered ways on how to lose belly fat and suggest to the readers to select whatever ways suit them best from the list.

1. As a first step, maintain a record everything that you eat and drink. You need not be unduly obsessed with the quantum of calories. You will find that being continually aware of what you eat or drink will help you to regulate your daily food intake.

2. You do not have to forego completely all your favorite food items. Straightaway reduce by half the intake of all fatty substances. For instance, you should spread half the earlier quantity of butter on your bread, toast, muffins and potatoes. Likewise, use half the usual amount of mayonnaise/sauce on your salad; and cook with half the oil while frying every time.

3. Restrict all confectionary treats and sugary items including chocolate, ice cream, desserts, cake, pastries and cookies to only Sundays or any one day of the week.

4. Make sure that the fat source of protein at most meals is minimal – be it chicken, fish, eans, cottage cheese, or low fat yogurt. Have eggs, nuts and red meat as seldom as possible.

5. You should have minimum one lunch and dinner every week sans meat and cheese. Instead consume whole grains, vegetables and beans to increase fiber and lower fat.

6. It is important that you reduce the fat content by at least half in your dairy products – particularly milk. Choose cheese and yogurt with lower fat. When buying yogurt, make sure that it does not contain sugar.

7. Fresh fruits must form part of your daily food intake. You should have least two servings of fruit every day. Choose fruits instead of dessert or snacks

8. Drink copious water and totally avoid sodas, juices, milky drinks and alcohol. Learn to drink hot water with a slice of lemon that can be very invigorating in the morning.

9. Have at least two servings of green vegetables both during lunch and dinner. If you are feeling hungry, have more and more green vegetables.

10. It is amazing to see a whole lot of people skipping their breakfast erroneously thinking that they are going to lose weight. Skipping breakfast will actually make you gain more weight as your body will begin to store your lunch and dinner as fat. The golden rule is never skip your breakfast.

11. Your protein intake has to be increased. Protein is crucial for your muscles and more muscle will mean increased metabolism rates that will in turn burn fat.

12. This might sound contradictory but you will actually increase your metabolism if you eat more light meals in a day. Have six small meals a day (low in sugar, starch, fat and bad carbohydrates) instead of three heavy meals.

13. Do cardio exercises like running, jogging, cycling, swimming, brisk walking or any outdoor games. Merely eating a balanced diet will not suffice. You will have to complement it with physical workouts.

14. If you succeed in getting a good master, practice yoga as that would strengthen your core muscles and improve balance, stability, flexibility, and of course help lose body fat.

15. Please remember that you must have at least 6 to 8 hours of sound sleep as your body and mind will need that amount of rest. Avoid over-sleeping as also under-sleeping.

Fat loss is not easy for most people simply because they soon yield to the temptation of junk food and tardiness. They do well for about a week and then abandon all efforts. If you want to succeed, you must be patient and persistent. If you sincerely follow all of the above 15 tips, you will assuredly see positive results within a short span of time.

Author: James Wendt.

If you want some more information on body re-composition, check out http://www.freshbeetle.com.

What is meant by "the world" as used here?

The Greek word 'kosmos' is used in the New Testament for three different things: Firstly, as the material earth or universe, eg. "the God that made the world and all things therein." [2] Secondly, to refer to the people on the earth, eg. "God so loved the world ..." [3] And thirdly, the things of the earth that stir our desire and seduce us from God, eg. "If he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life ..." [4]

But behind all these things there is something more. In classical Greek usage, 'kosmos' referred to a harmonious order or arrangement. Behind all that is tangible we meet something intangible; we meet a planned system.

The world system

Three points need to be emphasized:

Firstly, ever since the Fall when evil entered God' creation, this system has shown itself to be hostile to God. The world "hated" Christ, [5] "its works are evil", [6] and "friendship with the world is enmity with God." [7]

Secondly, there is a mind behind the system. John repeatedly writes of "the prince of this world," [8] and his lieutenants are described as "the world rulers of this darkness." [9]

Thirdly, because of the character of the world order and its prince, the world is under God's judgement. "Now is the judgement of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out." [10] This does not mean that the material world or its inhabitants are judged. For them judgement is yet to come. What is judged is the world order of which Satan himself is the originator and head, so that "the whole world is under the control of the evil one." [11]

The "whole world"

We normally regard as 'worldly' such things as dance halls and nightclubs. But the 'kosmos' is constituted of everything that makes it an orderly system, and includes things like politics, education, literature, science, art, commerce, etc. Developments in these fields clearly demonstrate that the general trend is away from God and working towards the establishment of Satan's own kingdom under the antichrist. Thus the whole world is out of line with God's purpose.

John defines the things of the world as "the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does." He goes on to say that these things come "not from the Father but from the world." [12] All "cravings," even legitimate striving after success in art or sport is from the world. Everything that stirs pride in us and causes us to boast is of the world. If we congratulate ourselves even for an act of mercy instead of praising God for it, we have touched the world, our fellowship with God is broken and we come under His judgement.

Deliverance through the cross

Throughout the ages Christians have tried to escape from the world and the snares of the devil in two ways:

1. Avoidance, by separating themselves from the things of this world. But physical separation does not bring about spiritual separation. Moreover, Paul describes "the basic principles of this world ... its rules" as "do not handle, do not taste, do not touch." [13] Therefore by avoiding the things of the world, we are actually submitting to the rules of the world.

2. Consecration, by dedicating themselves anew and more wholeheartedly to the things of God. But we cannot escape from our sinful nature in such a way for Paul says, "I have the desire to do  what is good, but I cannot carry it out." [14] Therefore consecration will simply put us back into bondage.

Jesus Christ came into the world from heaven and "gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil world." [15] This provision is available to those who "put (their) faith in Christ Jesus that (they) may be justified by faith." [16] This right standing with God becomes part of the inner life through union with Christ. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." [17]

Like everything else in the Christian life, the only way of deliverance is by the cross. "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world." [18] A revelation of the cross of Christ involves a discovery of the fact that through it everything belonging to the world is under sentence of death and has no future. We still go on living in the world and using the things of the world, but the cross has shattered all our hope in them. There is no true way of salvation from the world that does not start from such a revelation.

The world loses its grip on us and we are released from its power when we truly see that its nature is satanic and therefore it is at enmity with God.

References:

1.  Galatians 6:14
2.  Matthew 15:35
3.  John 3:16
4.  Matthew 16:26
5.  John 15:18
6.  John 7:7
7.  James 4:4
8.  John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11
9.  Ephesians 6:12
10. John 12:31
11. 1 John 5:19
12. 1 John 2:16
13. Colossians 2:20-21
14. Romans 7:18
15. Galatians 1:4
16. Galatians 2:16
17. Galatians 2:20
18. Galatians 6:14

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Murray, A. Like Christ, U.S.A.: Whitaker House, 1983.
2. Murray, A. Absolute Surrender, U.S.A.: Whitaker House, 1982.
3. Nee, W. The Normal Christian Life, Eastbourne, G.B.: Kingsway Publications, 1961.
4. Nee, W. Love not the World, Illinoise, U.S.A.: Tyndale House Pub., 1968.
5. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
6. Thompson's Chain-Reference Bible (N.I.V.)
7. Vine's Expository Dictionary of N.T.Words.