I AM WELL Part 2: I Am Physical: Warrior Christian End Time Wellness Series

By Jonathan Moore

I Am Physical
What does the word "physical" even mean? If the physical world, and all physical "things" in it were designed, what are the design specifications? How do these physical "things" interact with each other, considering all of our unique characteristics? Once we understand how "things" work, can we interact with the physical world in such a way that we produce more order, and less chaos?
What is life? What does it take to perpetuate life? Once the perpetuation of life is stable, how do I increase my physical fitness/ ability to perform? What is utility? Am I able to increase my utility to become more useful? What really makes us sick? How do we heal? Is it ok to take medicine? How should I eat, as a Christian? How much of this is pre-determined by my DNA? How much should I be willing to merge with and depend on technology? Does God really care what I do with my body? How do I honor His holy temple? Should Christians care about their physical bodies, and/ or this physical world? How do I master my body to bring my flesh into submission? What are the unique physical challenges that I will face in the coming end of days? Is it ok for Christians to fight back physically?
How do I pour into my physical wellness cup?
The I Am Well Series continues with Part Two: I Am Physical. Here we will explore the moment when God Almighty chose to create this beautiful world and everything in it. We will consider the first physical assignments that He gave us:
"Be Fruitful"
"Multiply"
"Replenish The Earth"
"Subdue"
"Have Dominion"
We will discuss the tools and tactics needed to accomplish these missions. We will also prepare for all of the other individual missions He assigns to us in life. Here we will discover the depth of meaning contained in the declaration,
"I Am Physical."

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350926064

Jonathan Moore

JONATHAN MOORE lives in Hawaii with his wife and son, and is the author of five books. Before completing law school in New Orleans, he was an English teacher, a bar owner, a raft guide, a counselor at a Texas wilderness camp for juvenile delinquents, and an investigator for a criminal defense attorney in Washington, D.C.

Book preview

Part Two Contents

Introduction

Chapter 4: I Am Physical

Utility

What is Physical?

The Placement of Things

Motor Unit Development

Human Biology

The Flow of Physical Life

Perpetuating Life

The Skeletal System

The Muscular System

The Nervous System

The Circulatory/Cardiovascular System

The Respiratory System

The Digestive System

The Urinary System

The Lymphatic System

The Endocrine System

The Reproductive System

The Immune System

Germ Theory

Physical Fitness and Performance / Increasing Utility

MORE COMPLETE LIST OF PHYSICAL COMPONENTS

DEDD Principle of Function

The Way We Work

Enough Plus a Little

Specific is the Ticket

Progression or Regression

Just Out of Reach

Add-ri-culture

Energy Systems

Muscular Strength

Muscular Endurance

Cardiovascular Endurance

Flexibility

Body Composition

Hormone Profile

Height

Weight

Function of Appendages

Joint Health

Digestive Health

Urinary Health

Balance

Sight

Hearing

Smelling

Tasting

Touching

Hand/ Eye Coordination

Control of Mechanism/ Athleticism

Ambidexterity of Hands and Feet

Ability to Use/ Manipulate Tools

Some Simple Tools Worth Acquiring & Mastering

Some Intermediate Level Tools Worth Acquiring & Mastering

Some Advanced Tools Worth Acquiring & Mastering

Ability to Organize

Understanding of Physics

Understanding Building and Mechanics

Posture

Growth of Hair

Control of Bowels

Control of Sex Organs

Control of Body Language

Control of Facial Expressions

Control of Breathing

Control of Voice

Spatial Awareness

Situational Awareness

Ability to Defend Self

Ability to Defend Others

Heat Management

Ability to Detox

Pain Tolerance

Pleasure Tolerance

Temptation Tolerance

Stress Tolerance

Electrical Sensitivity

Sensitivity to Toxins and Pollutants

Allergy Sensitivity

Drug Sensitivity

Propensity Toward Addiction

Chemical Dependency

Dependence on Technology

Ability to Attract Others

Ability to Repel Others

Control of Emotion

Control of Animals

Control of Environment

Resistance to Injury

Resistance to Illness

Ability to Sleep/ Rest

Ability to Heal

RICEMILK / RICEMOP

Ability to Learn

Ability to Discern

Coachability

Ability to Communicate

Ability to Teach

Ability to Lead

Ability to Follow

Ability to Pro-Create

Ability to Obtain and Consume Food

Longevity

Family History

Wrapping Up Physical Fitness and Performance / Increasing Utility

I Am Physical: Review and Conclusion

Part Two Conclusion

Introduction

Welcome to the I Am Well series, Part Two. If you have not yet read Part One, I strongly encourage you to set Part Two to the side, and first get ahold of Part One. In order to maximize your understanding of this book, and to receive the greatest benefit for the time you will invest into studying here, you will need the tools and understanding that was shared in Part One. In Part One, we answered the question, What is wellness?, we discussed free will, unlocked the power of language, and exposed our main terrible enemy. Originally, this I Am Physical chapter was intended to be released with Part One, but as this I Am Physical chapter grew, it became clearer that the cost of paper would be prohibitive for some readers if everything was included. So, rather than trying to create a book that most readers would find overwhelming, with much prayer and council I decided to create an entire series, rather than just one massive book. This I Am Well series has indeed been written as if it was one, large, continuous book. Accordingly, you will find references throughout the series to ideas that were shared in earlier parts. Of course, readers will still find much value in reading any of the individual books alone, but I strongly believe that the greatest value will be obtained by reading through this entire series in the authored sequence, starting with Part One.

In Part Two, we’re going to begin to dig into our first wellness cup (again, if you are lost here, you need to start back with Part One, because we will continue to use the cup pouring wellness analogy throughout the series, without re-explanation). It makes sense to start with the physical cup. The flesh in which we find ourselves is so persuasive and demanding, that for some people the physical component of wellness is all they perceive. Most people spend the majority of their life completely beholden to the whims of their selfish, weak, wicked flesh. Don’t misinterpret the previous sentence to mean that I abhor the physical. Quite the opposite. I thank God for the beautiful, miraculous physical creation(s) that He created. It’s all perfect really, just the way it is. In a sense, all of the imperfections or challenges/sufferings that exist in the world, are what unlock the possibility for free will and true love to exist. In this book, we will explore together the moment in eternity where God chose to create. We start with the physical, because your physical eyes are reading these words. You are in your physical body right now, trying to accomplish the most daunting of tasks. This gauntlet in which we find ourselves has rules. The arena has a framework, and the characters have characteristics through which they/we must operate. A thorough understanding of the chessboard and the moves each piece is able-to/allowed-to make helps us to improve our odds of completing the race/winning the game. In this book, we will explain and distinguish the physical cup, and how to pour into it. We will explore some of our many intricacies, and we will learn how to both survive and thrive while in these physical bodies, in this physical world.

If you read Part One, you already know that I won’t stop talking about Jesus throughout this entire book. It’s because He is my Lord and my treasure, and He really is everywhere and in everything, even the physical. I will definitely give you a ton of information in this book that will help you to overcome the challenges of this physical world, and to strengthen your physical body such that you enjoy much, or most, of your experience here, if you diligently implement what I recommend. But of much more importance than your physical success and pleasure, is where you will spend eternity. The separation of the wheat and the tares is accomplished here, based on the words that are spoken and the actions that take place (and also those that don’t) by the spiritual, acting through the physical, in the physical. This will eventually all make sense. Are you ready to continue our journey together of becoming well? What does it mean to say, I Am Physical?

Chapter 4: I Am Physical

Suggested Opening Prayer for Non-Christians: I Am Physical

(Recommended to be spoken out loud)

Hey, God if you’re there it’s me again. I’m still reading this series, trying to see what this guy is talking about, and trying to see if there is any truth to be found here. I do want to know the truth. I keep saying if you are real to please show me. I will ask you again, seriously if you are real and there is anything that is keeping me from seeing you, would you please remove it so that I can see? If there is anything in my life that is keeping me from hearing your voice, would you please remove it and call out to me? I understand that sometimes people need to seek and keep seeking to find you. Would you help me to seek you until I find you? I understand that people need to seek you with a humble heart. Would you please give me a truly humble heart? Deep down I really always knew that I was selfish and somewhat wicked, even if no one else knew. Would you please help me to find true forgiveness for my sins? Would you please help me to find Jesus? Even though I’m uncomfortable with this praying thing I’m going to keep doing it until I know for sure that you’re with me, and that I’m right with you. Please help me. Also please help me to understand, process, remember, and implement all of the helpful advice in this chapter. Please help to strengthen me physically.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Suggested Opening Prayer for Christians: I Am Physical

(Recommended to be spoken out loud)

Father thank you for another miraculous day of life! Thank you for all of the many blessings you continue to pour over me. Please help me to get as much as I can out of this chapter. Please help me to understand the importance of this temporary physical life you have given me. Please help me to learn how to be the best tool for you that I can be. Please help me to be your hands and feet, and please help me to do your will. Please help me to use this physical vessel you’ve given me to help others. Help me to seek you, serve others, and do my part to help save the lost.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I Am Physical

If you started with Part One and made it this far… CONGRATULATIONS and WELL DONE! It surely cost you some time and lots of focused energy to process the preceding chapters, and you likely have already engaged in spiritual warfare over your decision to pick up and read this series, whether you know it or not. Most of the people who picked up Part One probably expected me to start with a chapter similar to the one you are about to read. I believe strongly though that the full working-definition of wellness as covered in the first chapter is helpful to frame the conversation we are about to have. I also believe the tools we covered in the free will/ language chapter will be invaluable as we march our way through the remaining content. And I know that exposing the enemy who is going to try to sabotage your efforts was also crucial for your success. If you have skipped ahead to this chapter, I strongly encourage you to go back and read from the beginning of the series in the authored sequence so you are empowered with all the tools you can have at your disposal, and so you will understand the conversation I’m going to have with you in its full context. Here, we are finally going to dive into more of the tangible lists of dos and don’ts that help you to pour into your wellness cups!

As I shared in the What is Wellness chapter, most people when they are asked about wellness tend to lean mostly toward their understanding of physical fitness. They lean on the education they received in Health class in school. Health class in school normally offers a very basic introduction to human biology and physical fitness. They talk about some of the main systems in the body (skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, digestive system, etc.), and they offer some level of encouragement to manage these systems responsibly through exercise and a healthy diet. All of this is good. Unfortunately, the education that most people receive in health class, while a good introduction, is not really sufficient. The preparation most receive to face the challenge of maintaining their health doesn’t meet the need. If my memory serves me, I had English/ Language Arts classes, Mathematics classes, History/ Social Studies classes, and Science classes almost every single semester from somewhere around 1st grade all the way through high school graduation. If I remember correctly, we would get PE (Physical Education) class, but that was for the most part just a chance for the children to get their wiggles out and burn off some of their energy in elementary and middle school and only one semester of PE was required in high school. Sometimes there was some instruction around a sport like kickball or an introduction to the rules of basketball, but it wasn’t until high school that there was a formal classroom-setting requirement where the children were required to sit down and read and study anything health related. The high school requirement was only one class during one semester. There was a similar core class requirement in college; one lonely little class in four years. I understand and appreciate the value of all the other mandatory subjects. I’m able to accomplish the writing of this book due to the training I received through public school education in reading and writing. I’ve been able to build a successful business, and have accomplished countless building and construction renovation projects through my understanding of math, etc. There is a lot of value in the subjects which are taught. But we’re still left with a system that either at best, under-values and fails to fund and prioritize health education, or at worst, is beholden to special interests who benefit from a sick population. It’s glaringly possible that we are intentionally under-educated about our bodies and how to remain healthy, so that the large corporations who pay insane fortunes in lobbying efforts can continue to produce record-setting profits off of all the sicklings. Sadly, I believe the latter is the case. But rather than focus on pointing fingers, for now, let’s focus on improving our deficiency. Sure, staying healthy physically has some challenges and there is a little effort required to learn. But there really isn’t that much to the basics. Of course, there is no end to the depth of study you could undertake if you wanted to go really deep in studying the human body. That’s why it takes medical students 9 or 10 years of studying after high school to be allowed to practice medicine, and even those geniuses among us have to choose an area on which to focus because there is so much information to process and practice. Due to the time constraints in which we operate, there is practically no way possible for any single person to master a full control of all knowledge related to the human body. But most people of even average intelligence could understand the basics enough to make generally wise decisions about their health, if they were just given a little bit more information. I’ll do my best in this chapter to cover the basics enough for it to be practically useful. Again, I’ll keep trying to be find a balance between being concise and thorough. I know that some of what I will cover will be new to most readers. Of course, all of my Exercise Science friends will say, But you didn’t cover this!, and my friends with a formal training in medicine like my nurses and doctor friends will say, wow this guy didn’t even scratch the surface, and my chiropractor buddies will be like, man you should have gone deeper here, etc. Basically, all of the experts in their respective health related fields would be able to go much deeper and cover a much broader range of topics than I will be able to cover here. Maybe one day, with our powers combined, we can co-author an entire encyclopedia together. Just remember, the intention of this series is to cover wellness as a whole, not just to focus on physical health or fitness. There are plenty of other books out there that dive deeper into each of the areas I will cover. I’m not going to go super deep into the science behind every point I’m going to make; you can either take my word for it, or you can choose to be a competent adult who picks up the burden of researching my claims. There’s only so much time and I have much to cover. It’s also possible that I will get something wrong.

I’m not claiming to be a medical professional and the disclaimer of course is that you should not try anything I’m recommending without consulting your physician first.

Just be aware that some of what I’m going to share will be at odds with the formal positions of some of the official medical establishment. So, consider it entertainment I suppose. But however you consider what I share, I hope you will indeed consider it. This means that if I share something with which you disagree, before you cuss me out and throw away the book, simmer down for a moment, rest confidently in your supposed superior-intelligence, and do a little research to see if there is anyone else saying what I’m saying; consider that it might be possible that some level of your disagreement is rooted in a very subtle and powerful system of indoctrination that habitually lies to its citizens and profits from their destruction. Consider for a moment if there could be some truth to anything you haven’t heard before, and look into it with an open mind. Try on the new idea, like you would try on a new coat, before you decide if it fits. Have at least that much maturity and confidence in your position. Authentically consider that what I share could be possible, even if it isn’t meshing with your present understanding. You might just find, by truly engaging this chapter, that you experience a profound breakthrough in your understanding of the human body, and how yours works.

Part of the reason this chapter is necessary is due to the poor health curriculum and education system I just described. Another huge reason this chapter is necessary is that most Christians don’t put forth any effort to take care of their bodies, and I believe it grieves the Holy Spirit. It’s not just that we are working with incorrect or incomplete information; some/ many (or even most) Christians simply don’t try. There is a philosophy I have seen show its head among most physically unhealthy Christians that taking care of your body is just sinful vanity. They take the following verse out of context:

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

1 Timothy 4:8

Hey if you have read any portion of Part One, you’ve already been hit with the gospel multiple times in multiple ways. I don’t stop talking about Jesus and about how eternity with Him in heaven is the prize. It is absolutely true in the grand scheme of things, against the backdrop of eternity, that being right with God is the only thing that really matters. Will it matter a million years from now whether I maintained an average bodyfat percentage of 15% or 20% while in this flesh suit? Probably not! But most Christians process this truth from a false perspective, and somehow make this mean that we shouldn’t put much thought or effort into taking care of our bodies. Many will even go so far as to listen to lying spirits who corrupt their understanding of this word from God to confuse them into opening themselves up to spirits of laziness and gluttony. Here are a couple more that the couch-potato-Christians misinterpret:

I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1 Corinthians 15:31

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Luke 9:23-24

When Paul said that he dies daily he was saying that he dies to his own personal wants and desires daily. He was saying that he puts obedience to the Lord Jesus as his first priority. There is no doubt that a life which is truly surrendered in obedience will have a recurring theme of personal sacrifice mixed in. Some followers of Christ are asked to sacrifice more than others. The really important thing here is to be seeking and following after Jesus so intentionally, that you hear and follow His voice. If HE specifically tells you to make a sacrifice, then no question about it you sacrifice whatever He asks from you. But this verse does not say that you should just arbitrarily cause physical harm to yourself out of some misguided attempt at holiness. Remember when King Saul was disobedient and lost the anointing? What did Samuel tell him? It is better to OBEY rather than to sacrifice. So, obedience to the Holy Spirit is what you need to be aiming for, not seeking random physical self-destruction. The pharisees did that. They would make a big show out of their fasting (hey and I’m a big fan of fasting don’t confuse what I’m saying here). They got their pitiful reward in the form of self-pride when other people noticed that they were fasting. This wasn’t pleasing to God at all. And let’s also be super-real here, most of the people that try to use verses like 1 Corinthians 15:31 to justify poor diet and unhealthy activity levels are not leaning in to excessive fasting and lack of sleep from pouring out all of their physical strength in serving others. Overwhelmingly, the vast majority of Christians who try to claim not caring about their health is somehow virtuous are over-eating and avoiding physical effort. Most are just trying to mask their love of food and unwillingness to endure the mild discomfort that can come from physical activity. Their weakness of spirit is showing as a manifestation of weakness in their bodies. Let’s address the Luke 9 verses from above. Are you really so blind in your understanding as to interpret this to mean that Jesus is calling you to suicide? I know suicide is a very serious topic, so please don’t mistake my use of the term here as accidental or casual. Suicide has impacted my family and the lives of some of my friends too. It really is this serious for folks. What Jesus was saying is again that we are to make Him our one and only God and that we should have no other gods before Him. This means that if ever in our lives, we are confronted by evil people who would demand that we bow our knee to anything or anyone other than Jesus, we should refuse, no matter the consequences, and that again, we should be obedient if He asks us to let go of something in our pursuit of Him. At times for some individuals that really might be a call to sacrifice your personal health. I know He has asked me to make sacrifices of my personal health many times, and in many ways over the years. The point I’m trying to make is that, yes, you should be willing to let go of your physical health and wellbeing IF that sacrifice is necessary in order to be obedient to Him, but this doesn’t mean we are supposed to neglect our bodies without it being clear from God that this is what He wants from us. When people have the ability to take care of their bodies, and they choose not to, they are effectively choosing to take one step closer toward chaos and death. They are demonstrating that they don’t value their life enough to do everything they can to preserve it. They are choosing the slow path to suicide, whether they acknowledge it or not.

Hey, while we are considering scriptures let’s look at a few more.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Corinthians 9:27

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5: 1-10

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Philippians 1: 20-26

The Apostle Paul spoke about the time that we spend in our flesh and how he much preferred to leave this physical world behind to be with Jesus. I can relate, sometimes with excruciating empathy. But while he acknowledges the correct hierarchy and puts eternity with Jesus as the more desirable, he also correctly accepts his assignment and prioritizes the corresponding actions that will help him to accomplish his assignment. Even though he would rather be with Jesus, he knew that it was better for the church for him to stay here and keep working. When you think about it, Christians hiding behind their desire to be with Jesus, and using their adoration for Him as an excuse to disengage from this world, are really being selfish and lazy. Yes, the true prize comes the day you complete the race, cross the finish line, and find He is waiting there for you with open arms. But do you really think He wants you to cut corners along the way in order to get there faster? If He laid out a specific course, how pleased do you think He will be if you take short-cuts and try to avoid climbing some of the hills? Also, if you were to complete the full course as He designed, do you think it’s possible that maybe He laid out some the course so that you would get to experience some pretty awesome views? If you are too lazy to climb the hills, how many experiences are you missing out on, the least of which not being the thrill of victory and accomplishment? Ultimately you rob the Lord of a measure of glory that was due to Him, and you throw away some of the honor that was prepared for you when you aren’t willing to endure this epic gauntlet that is life.

If you, as a good parent, gifted your child a vehicle to drive, you would expect there to be some miles, scratches, dents, and flat tires along the way. But you would still expect them to take care of it to the best of their ability, right? Shouldn’t they try to extend the life of the vehicle so it retains its value and remains a useful tool? Should they change the oil? Put the correct fuel in the tank? Not intentionally run into things? Keep it on the road as much as possible? Let’s take this analogy a step further and look at it from the point of view of an employer/ employee relationship rather than parent/ child. If you were issued a company car, to be used for a specific purpose, what sort of expectation do you think your boss would have that you would be responsible with this expensive tool? Would there be any cost or punishment associated with negligence?

I know I’m probably preaching to the choir here because most of the people reading this book are likely to have a high level of interest in strengthening their bodies, but this had to be addressed. You have an obligation to preserve the vessel that houses your spirit and soul. Responsibly managing this invaluable asset not only glorifies the Father (it’s His house now too, right?), but it also allows for UTILITY to persist.

Utility

The Oxford Dictionary defines utility as the state of being useful, profitable, or beneficial. Paul said that to abide in the flesh was more needful for you. He wasn’t saying he was happy to stick around because they were going to have awesome cookouts. He wasn’t even saying that he was sticking around just to follow the King’s orders. He acknowledged that there was a need. The Philippians had a genuine need for him. His very existence and presence solved a problem for them. They would be better off because he was useful, profitable, and beneficial to them. We will talk as we go through the remainder of this book about the utility that becomes available when you gain access to different tools. Differing tools provide different types and varying degrees of utility; a very small, light hammer is better at setting trim nails, a medium sized hammer is better suited for framing nails, and a sledge hammer is better for driving railroad spikes. A skill-saw does a great job of cutting boards to length, but does a terrible job at digging holes compared to a shovel. You get the point. Every physical thing that exists has within it a specifically designed function and capacity. I hope that by the end of this chapter I will have been successful at helping you to understand just how functional and capable you are. I hope to help you raise the level of your understanding of your true capacity for utility. Once you understand how powerful a tool you were created to be, you will understand how much of a shame it would be if that tool were not used. Would the boss be happy if he spent a million dollars on a bulldozer that He really needed for a specific job, and the bulldozer operator just parked it and refused to do any work? You cost much, much more than a bulldozer, and you are capable of doing much more important work. Will you? Will you stick around until the job is done? Will you maintain the bulldozer as needed so it’s functioning well and available throughout the course of the whole project? Your answer to these questions and your corresponding follow-through matter. They matter to God, they matter to you, and they matter to the eternal souls of the people that need you.

Sorry for the sidebar tangent about the couch-potato-Christians, but hopefully that helped to encourage even the most motivated of readers that you are even more important than you have ever understood. You are much more capable than you have ever considered. You are much more valuable than you have estimated. What you do here in the physical matters for all of eternity, even after all of this has faded. Life is but a vapor that vanishes away. This time we have in this physical world is so short that each moment of every day/ every single choice we make/ every job we accomplish/ every need we fill/ every utility we demonstrate matters incredibly. Finance experts talk a lot about time value of money, and how a dollar today invested over time increases exponentially. What do you think the graph looks like that shows the return on your investment for your efforts here in the temporal and physical, when it maps out into eternity?

BE HERE IN THE PHYSICAL AS LONG AS YOU CAN.

BE THE MOST USEFUL TOOL THAT YOU CAN BE DURING THAT TIME.

PEOPLE NEED YOU MORE TERRIBLY THAN CAN BE DESCRIBED.

YOU WERE CREATED WITH THE UTILITY TO SOLVE THEIR NEED.

YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST. YOU ARE HIS HANDS AND FEET.

YOU HAVE WORK TO DO.

YOU WILL BE JUDGED AND REWARDED/ PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY.

Before you all start screaming, no I’m not preaching some works-based salvation. Going to heaven is not dependent on how many gospel tracts you hand out. We are saved by grace through faith that none should boast. But don’t let the lying spirits convince you to be a lazy, useless tool of the Father. Other people need you terribly. Choose to play your part in their salvation story. Choose to play your part in as many salvation stories as possible! All of heaven rejoices when even one sinner repents! How many wins do you want tallied to your account while you’re here playing in this arena? You know you only get one shot at this physical-life-thing, right? Are you committed yet to playing the best and longest game you can play? Then let us begin…

What is Physical?

In order to fully understand what it means when you say I Am Physical, you may need a clearer understanding of what the term physical even means. A basic definition from the dictionary defines physical as relating to the body as opposed to the mind and relating to things perceived through the senses as opposed to the mind; tangible or concrete. If you read Part One, then you’re beginning to know me well enough to know that this basic definition isn’t going to suffice.

In Part One we discussed how meaning is understood through description and distinction. So, what does it mean when we say something is physical? How is it described? How is it distinct? What is it distinct from?

I know this is a somewhat odd way to kick off the physical chapter, but please hang in here with me. Friends the reason this physical world even exists is important, and helps us to repurpose and focus our antics. We’ve discussed how God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) has always existed, and that at some point in eternity He decided He would create and spoke the physical world into existence… but why? Love. Remember friends, perfect wisdom knew that for love to exist outside of Himself, free-will must be present. He also knew that it would be much more fun and interesting to create more than just one thing. If God was interested in creating, what’s more fun, creating a stick, or creating a stick and a ball? What’s more fun, creating a stick and a ball, or creating a stick and a ball, and a world for them to sit in, and other friends that can play with the stick and ball too? Anyone who has had the blessing of a friend with whom to ride a bike understands that, as enjoyable as riding a bike is, there is a special enjoyment that comes when you ride with someone, and a unique joy that comes from riding with a group of people. We use the term creative to describe people we know who seem to come up with new ideas and make something from nothing. Well, our creator is literally the most creative creator possible. He loves to create! And the way that it is possible for there to be a plethora of creations is that those creations are distinct, or different from one another. If you were to draw a picture of a bucket for example, even if it were a nice bucket, if you just painted the same exact bucket over and over again you really aren’t being very creative. Where creativity comes in, is when you make a change. Now instead of a red bucket you draw a blue bucket. Then, once you have painted every variation of bucket, you move on to painting birds, then once you have painted every painting imaginable, you move on from painting and write a song. Then you write a different song. Then you write all the songs. Then you build something. Then you build something else. The way that all of these things are different from one another is that there is a place where one thing begins, a place where that thing ends, and a place where another thing begins. There are barriers that separate the things from each other. The things must also be arranged. If they were layered all on top of one another, you wouldn’t be able to see or appreciate them. So, you move them around into their own spaces so you can see them clearly and fully appreciate them. Eventually though, even a limitless number of things all placed into their unique places could become boring, or at least still leaves an opportunity for enhancement. We could take it to another level and create some movement and interaction between the things. You can vary the movements and interactions with different speeds and intensities, introducing dynamics. Children are great at this. They will grab any two things they can put their hands on and within moments they have created a game with a set of rules for how these things interact with each other. I believe God did this. We were created for Him and by Him. He, in His infinite wisdom, goodness, and love, created the highest and most perfect game possible. This game even has excitement built into it for the one who is outside of time. He created little creators inside His creation. So now, He gets the unique enjoyment that only comes to a good, good Father who is watching His children playing and creating amongst each other. Only those reading here who are parents will truly understand the depth of joy that a parent can experience when watching their children. A good parent is blessed when they witness/ experience their children: learning, creating, serving each other, overcoming adversities, becoming excited and enthusiastic, becoming smarter, becoming stronger, choosing of their own free will to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of others, willingly submitting to your authority, honoring you, genuinely loving you, and personally choosing faith. To accomplish all of this wonderful meaning, He created this world and everything in it. He created unique things. He separated them from each other, put them in their place, and built in a set of rules for the way that they must interact with each other. He also kept it interesting and threw the free-will curveball in the mix so there would be some excitement. This game differs from the creative effort of the toddler in one massive way though; when the toddler is finished and stops moving the pieces the game is over, but in the most perfect game created by the Uncreated One, the game never ends. The pieces that He created live forever. One day this world will go away and there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but our souls will live forever. He is going to bring his favorite toys/ His obedient children/ His bride with Him when this game/ dispensation ends, but the disobedient will spend their eternity in the lake of fire. But we’re not quite there yet, so at present, we might as well spend some time understanding the things around us, and the rules under which they must interact with each other. Let’s figure out how to be our creator’s favorites, so He keeps playing with us. Let’s look at the miraculous space in which we exist, the things we are, and the things with which we share the space, shall we? Let’s look at the matter we are, the matter in which we dwell, and the conduit/ medium in which all the little games, challenges, and opportunities for meaning manifest. Let’s understand the arena for the game, the pieces, and the rules. Let’s study the physical.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

…

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:1

I’m not going to copy and paste all of Genesis 1 for you to read here. But you should stop right now and go read it. Seriously. Genesis 1 gives you the whole enchilada.

Really, if you look at the broader picture, everything we are going to cover in the I Am Environmental chapter is also technically physical. There is so much information to cover on the physical though, that it is helpful to separate the physical into two sections, one focusing on the chessboard, and one on the chess pieces. We will focus on the chessboard with greater focus in the I Am Environmental chapter, and we will focus more on the chess pieces in this I Am Physical chapter. Since there is so much inherent overlap, there will of course be many times that something we are discussing in one chapter could have been placed in the other. Don’t be too focused on this, or allow this to distract you. You might find yourself wondering why I haven’t covered a particular topic of interest in this I Am Physical chapter, and find that I do indeed cover it later on. Remember that there are always some areas that don’t fit cleanly into just one cup, and may overlap into another. But that’s cool, that just means when you pour into (or increase value through focused intentionality) a specific topic, you are often filling more than one cup at the same time. This distinction will become clearer as we progress.

We see in the creation account in Genesis 1 that God created the heaven and the earth first, then created light and divided it from darkness, called the light day and the darkness night (which created the first day and the subsequent day and night structure/ process/ timepiece), then He created a firmament to divide the waters above from the waters below, the firmament was also called heaven, dry land was created, grass, seed, trees, lights in the firmament, then He created two great lights to rule over day and night (sun and moon) and set them in the firmament, land sea and water creatures, creeping things, and then we step on the scene in God’s image and He gives us dominion over all of the other living things that move. Here is where God gave us our original assignments. God said to them/us, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion… Several verbs or calls to action/movement were spoken/commanded:

•Be fruitful

○Means to bear fruit. This primarily means to reproduce human offspring through the natural method that God created for us (intercourse between husband (man) and wife (woman), conception, gestation, and birth

○We also see the use of fruit used metaphorically later in scripture, so I believe a secondary command implied with being fruitful here corresponds with that spiritual fruit we are commanded to produce, which will be covered in the I Am Spiritual chapter

•And multiply

○If this is just about reproduction again, why is a separate word used, and separated by an AND? There must be deeper meaning here than a redundant call to procreate. When you look up the Hebrew for multiply here, we see that it means to be or become great or to become numerous. We see further detail in the Strong’s Concordance that says this also means: to increase in whatever respect, to bring in abundance, to continue to enlarge exceedingly, to be full, to increase to plenty, and to store. Yes, this means that we are supposed to have many children. But this is also a call for us to increase in every good thing ( sorry, beloved minimalists ). Many in the church today look at any effort to increase the bounty of blessings in your life as a sin. This is not the case. We are called to multiply and become great. We are of course commanded to not allow a single one of these abundances in our life to become idols. God must be our one and only God. When He is truly first though, we are called to multiply in every regard.

•Replenish the earth

○Wow this one is HUGE y’all, like shatter your paradigms huge. I will cover this in greater detail later, but the definition of replenish means "to fill something up again ", or to restore a stock or supply to a former level or condition. Did the Lord make a mistake when He wrote this? Or was there some former level of earth that we were commanded to restore? If so, what was before? And before what exactly? Weird, huh? Put a pin in this one, we will come back to this in the I Am Environmental chapter.

•Subdue

○Man, the pacifists really aren’t going to like this one. Strong’s H3533 – kabas, the word translated to subdue means: to subject, to subdue, to force, to keep under, to bring into bondage, to make subservient, to violate, to dominate, or to tread down. I guess we’re called to more than just holding hands, smelling flowers, and singing Kumbayah?

•Have dominion

○To rule, to prevail against, or to reign. But again, most people look at these two words (subdue and have dominion) to be the same, but they’re not. To subdue is the process of overcoming. It’s the breaking of the will and process of dominating, the arriving to domination if you will. Having dominion is the process of maintaining that position. So, we are commanded to bring all of the living things under our control, and to keep them there.

How do we do all of this?

The Placement of Things

We are made in His image. Like Him, we place things. Take a moment to look around you at all of the things you placed somewhere. Reflect further to consider briefly all of the things you have ever placed into their places, and the impacts of those placements. Obviously, this is impossible, but even the attempt to consider all the things you have ever placed somewhere begins to give you a sense of just how huge this is. Literally everything in the physical can be broken down and analyzed as a placement of a thing. The thing may be an object. Or the thing may be part of you. Everything in the physical, all the way down to placing your eyeballs on each letter you are reading right now is the placement of a thing. There are macro and micro level placing of things. The more we understand that we are indeed placing things, and how to better place those things, the greater things that will be created, and the more things we will be able to manage placing. Allow me to rant for a moment on some examples of the placement of things that occur in the physical. Hopefully, looking at this from multiple angles will begin to help me to clarify for you, such that you begin to distinguish the placement of things for yourself:

You leave the state of sleeping and place your eye lids open. Periodically you place them briefly closed throughout the day (blinking). You place your hand on the covers and place them off of you so you can place your feet on the floor (which was placed there by the builder of your home). Then you place your weight forward with your core muscles and place your weight above your legs, and place yourself higher by standing. You then place one foot in front of the other toward the place that is your bathroom so that you can place the urine (which was placed in your kidneys by your urinary system as a result of you placing a drink of water into your mouth before bed (which was 1st placed into the cup from the faucet)) into the toilet. Once you do that, you place your hand on the handle and place it lower, so that the water which was placed in the tank will now flow through the toilet and take the urine which was placed in the toilet to a different place through the sewage pipes (which were placed there by the plumber when the home was built). You place your hand on a toothbrush and place your other hand on the faucet and place it open so water will move from its place inside the faucet to the toothbrush, then you place the toothbrush in your mouth and place it on all of your teeth in a specific order, with a specific pressure in a specific speed of motion. You place yourself into some clothes. You place your feet into some shoes. You place the laces in a specific fashion so the shoes will not come off (tying). You place some breakfast into your mouth and place those teeth against the food in a process called mastication (chewing) and then place the food in your stomach by swallowing. You place yourself inside your car which was placed in your driveway where you chose to place it the last time you drove when you returned and placed yourself at home. You place your seatbelt (click) and place your eyes on the mirror (which was placed there by the car manufacturer) to make sure it’s safe to back out (ensuring that nobody else has/ is placing their cars or any thing else behind you) and then you’re off. You place your foot on the gas pedal to place yourself closer to your destination faster, and you place your foot on the brake pedal to place yourself closer to your destination more slowly. You arrive at your destination and place your gear selector into the park selection so the car will stay where you have placed it. Then you place your hand on the handle and exit the car by placing your feet in front of each other, one after another repeatedly again (walking). You meet the person you intended to meet. You place your hand inside their hand (which they placed inside yours) and you mutually agree to squeeze and move your hands up and down for a moment before you both mutually agree to release each other’s hand and place your hands back by your side. You go inside the building and place some weight on the bar, then you place on the safety collars (so the weight will stay in the desired place on the bar), then you place yourself underneath the bar, place your hands on the bar, then you place the weight above you and then place it lower, then higher again repeatedly for a specified number of times, until you eventually place the weight back where it was resting (placed) before you initiated the movement sequence of placings. You (through a complex system of placements) finally place yourself back at home and in the shower where you place some soap and water under your armpits (where your body placed some of the water that you drank earlier, along with some of the toxins that needed to leave your body) and you wash that water/toxin mixture away from your body, to make sure that other things such as bacteria don’t place themselves under your arms. You place some protein powder and some spinach inside the blender, and then place your finger on the button which initiates the blending sequence (placing the blades in a spinning motion) by placing the on button slightly lower than it was when you found it. You place the drink inside your body, then place yourself inside the teeth-brushing sequence that you did earlier today, again. Then you place yourself inside your jammies. Then you place yourself inside your bed, under the covers, and you place your eyelids closed and leave them there. Pretty soon, your body places you in the state called sleep once again.

Whether you found the last illustration to be enjoyable and chose to place yourself in a condition of interest and enjoyment while reading, or whether you found the last illustration to be redundant and odd and placed yourself inside a condition of disinterest, hopefully you placed yourself into a greater place of understanding the placement of things. There are literally billions of placements that I skipped over and did not describe in that brief look-at-a-day-story which were necessary for the few placements that I did cover to occur. Hopefully you are beginning to understand that every physical thing that exists was placed there by some other thing (herein lies the obvious blight of the atheist worldview. You can create a belief that the things you see around you were placed there by someone other than God, but when you audit the placements far enough backward, you’re always left with the question, who placed the first thing and must decide that the first thing somehow came from nothing, which is nonsensical and depressingly void of meaning). Hopefully you are beginning to understand that for anything in the physical to happen, a thing must be placed, and that all processes which exist are just specific sequences of many things being placed.

This is important, not just as some weird exercise in philosophy, but because this understanding helps us to break down even the most complex physical efforts into smaller, more easily manageable efforts, and helps us to know that even the most complex efforts are totally possible, if we can just figure out the correct order to place some things.

It also helps to remove the guilt, frustration, confusion, and depression that often comes along when things aren’t working out. Often, Satan and the demons will use times when we fail to place things in the correct order to speak lies to us that cause us to become discouraged and curse ourselves. We may try at something and fail, and then we hear a little voice say something like, man I suck at this. I’m a loser anyway I should probably just give up on this. First off, that’s a lie and I break that curse in Jesus’ name. Secondly, understand that when we fail at something in the physical, the only thing that really means is that we didn’t place some things in the places which would have been successful for the effort. It doesn’t really mean anything else about us. Moments in life when people fail at the implementation of a thing placement are usually those moments when they choose to accept defeat and give up on something. Often, too, these moments are when the demons try to sell you an unhelpful way-of-being from which to live your life that will continue to limit your effectiveness at placing things in the future. Take a second to think back to some major disappointment. Consider briefly, whether or not in that disappointing moment you chose to listen to a lie which has limited you ever since. Also consider, whatever thing you failed at is still totally possible to you, if you will only choose to place some things once again. You may need to do some work to figure out where the breakdown occurred that kept you from success the first time, so that you don’t waste too much time and continue failing unnecessarily, but eventually if you keep trying to figure out the correct recipe for thing placement, you will solve the riddle and find success. That’s a really sweet feeling y’all. Often, the joy that comes from overcoming those really big obstacles where you previously failed is even better than if you just nailed it the first time through. Knowing that you dug deep, persisted, and accomplished a thing placement that was formerly extremely difficult is one of the most fulfilling experiences in life. The more that you overcome difficult thing placement challenges, the more confidence, enthusiasm, and positivity you will bring with you to the next challenge, further increasing your likelihood of future successes.

The placement of things is how we accomplish the assignments given to us by God in Genesis 1. I won’t get too graphic here, but to accomplish being fruitful there is a thing that needs to be placed somewhere special, right? Same with the other commands, in order to accomplish the tasks given to us, we must choose to place a thing. In order to subdue and have dominion over a dog for example, we place a collar and leash on it, etc.

Ok man I get it. How do I get better at placing things???

Motor Unit Development

I’ll keep it simple, partly because I think that is most practically useful for the vast majority of the readers, and partly honestly because I am presently ignorant to all of the nitty gritty scientific details. Keep in mind I was a Business major, not an Exercise Science major. Somehow though, I was a very successful personal trainer and gym owner, and helped a ton of people to accomplish their fitness goals, even without going into a greatly focused effort of study such as an Exercise Science curriculum. I’ve been a pretty good athlete in several sports and even won my weight class division in both powerlifting and bodybuilding competitions, but I won’t be able to perfectly teach you what the academic community has agreed upon regarding all of the millions of little interactions that are happening when the human body is moving. I’m very confident though, that the infantile scientific articulation I will be able to muster here is more than sufficient to get the job done for our intended purpose. I’ve always been more of a practical guy. What gets the job done? I have a diverse range of interests, so I’ve chosen to spread my study time and my work time across a range of disciplines. I’m more of a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none kind of guy as the saying goes, I suppose. This section won’t be a great resource if you are studying for a college level Anatomy, Physiology, or Biomechanics exam, but it will be a decent enough intro for everyone who hasn’t studied this stuff on a deep level.

Your brain creates electricity. Your brain chooses to send some of that electricity from your brain down through your brain stem in your neck, over the nerve you chose to send it through to the specific muscle you are trying to control. When a muscle comes in contact with electricity, it contracts. When you increase the amount of electricity in contact with a muscle, it contracts even harder (remember your mom said not to stick a fork in an electrical outlet because you would seize up and not be able to let go). The reason this creates movement is that muscles have both an origin and insertion point. Muscles attach on each end from one bone to another bone where they share a connection (joint). Like in your arm for example, you have the humerus bone in the upper part of your arm that is closer to the shoulder, and the radius and ulna bones in the lower part of your arm that are closer to your wrists. Your bicep and tricep muscles are connected to these bones, and the bones in your shoulders in several places. When you choose to bring your hand closer to your shoulder, your brain sends some electricity to the bicep. Your bicep contracts (shortens), and since it is connected to the lower part of your arm, it brings your lower arm and the hand attached to it, up. When you choose to lower your arm back down, you are sending less electricity to the bicep so it can stop contracting as hard, and you send some electricity to