Welcome to the GMAF Newsletter! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
Jesus Christ
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
The Apostle Paul
" Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."
Psalm 97:10
I am in love with God! It is the cry of my heart, the song of my soul, the joy of my life. I am a Christian and I am in love with God. Love between the Creator and His creature is the meaning of being a Christian. The most common element in our relationship with God is love: His Love for us and our responding love for Him. God loves you! That is always true. It never changes. God loves you in the morning, in the afternoon, at night, during the week and on the weekends. He loves you when you think of Him and when you don't think of Him. God loves you when you return His Love and when you don't. God loves you when you obey Him and when you disobey Him. God loves you when you're awake and when you're asleep. God loves you when you work and when you play, when you eat and when you fast. God loves you when you do His will and when you don't. God loves you when you succeed and when you fail. God loves you when you have a good idea and when you have a bad idea. God loves you when you make a wise choice and when you don't. God's Love for you is constant and dependable. God's Love for you is based on His Character, not yours. God loves you all the time. He loved you before time and loves you all the time. He loved you before you believed in Him and He loves you while you believe Him. God is Love and He Loves each one of us completely and totally.
We have never known anyone in our lives who loves us the way God loves us. No human has ever loved anyone the way God loves us. God loved His people in the Garden, through the desert and on the Cross. He loves us now and will love us forever. We are are God's people living in the harbor of His Love. If someone asks us what it means to be a Christian, our answer can be that a Christian is a person in love with God.
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Deuteronomy 6:5
God told the people of Israel that their love for Him should be their entire being. Jesus repeated that clear and concise statement to His disciples: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22:37) We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul and all our might.
What does it mean to love God with "all" our heart, soul and might? It means that our minds, emotions and will are combined together in a deep and abiding love for the One Who created us, died for us and forgave us. Our thoughts are consumed with our love for God. Our emotions burn with our love for God. Our choices and actions are guided by our deep love for God. We obey Him because we love Him. We worship God because we love Him. We talk to Him and listen to Him because we love Him. We think about Him continually and desire to be with Him constantly because we love Him. We read His Word regularly and consider it abidingly because we love Him. There is no fiber of our being that is not love with God because we love Him "with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our might." He is our first thought upon waking in the morning. He is our continual thought through the journey of each day. He is our final thought as we lay our head upon the pillow at night. He is our Everything!
"And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul." Deuteronomy 10:12
Love means service. To say we love someone, then do nothing they ask us to do is not love. To say we love someone and hear their desire for a loving relationship with us, then do nothing to show our love through our actions is not love. To say we love someone, then do nothing to spend our time and energy on that person is not love. To say we love someone, then turn away from them when they ask for our help is not love.
God was direct with Israel. He told them He loved them and wanted them to love Him. He required of them four responses to His Love:
The fear God wants from us is not to be "afraid" of Him or be terrified by Him, but to revere Him - deeply respect Him, hold Him in awe. This "fear " of God leads to obedience, which unlocks our deepest love, that opens the door to serve Him freely and willingly. We can only experience the depths of God's Love in our heart as we respect Him and offer Him an obedient life. In turn, God's Spirit within us Loves the Father and the Son through us leading to a life of rich and abundant service.
God is a Loving Heavenly Father. He is a better father than any earthly father who has every lived or will live. God wants what's best for us and He has the ability to make that happen. He will provide everything we need physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually to enjoy Him and serve Him. We have but to ask God to help us in our service and His Love meets our every need.
"In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it." Deuteronomy 30:16
God wants to bless us! Think about that. God wants to bless us! He wants us to live and multiply. He wants to bless us wherever we go and whatever we do. The promise made in Deuteronomy is specifically to Israel in its journey from the captivity of Egypt to the joy of the Promised Land, but we learn in the New Testament that God also wants the same for us today. We have all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places and God is ready to bless us each moment of every day as we fear Him, obey Him, love Him and serve Him.
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question." Mark12: 30 - 34
Jesus explained the entire Old Testament in two principles: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength and Love your neighbor as yourself. As the scribe responded wisely to Christ, doing that is more [perissoteros - more important than] than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Love is the deepest relationship. It's not about what we do, how much we pray, how often or long we fast, how much we give to the poor, how much time we spend at church... it's about loving God with every cell of our being and loving our neighbor as ourself. That's the most important thing. When we love God that way our service and sacrifice mean something very special to God. God sees us on the inside. He knows what motivates us. He knows why we do what we do, say what we say, go where we go, see who we see, hear what we hear, learn what we learn, know what we know, want what we want. He knows if our heart and soul and mind and strength is being spent on Him or on ourselves. He knows.
God only wants one thing from us: everything.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
When we give God our everything, when we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we receive a special gift from God. It is the gift of all things working together for good. His purpose is that we love Him and enjoy a loving relationship with Him that will continue through eternity. God wants what is best for us. He really cares for us.
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."1 Corinthians 2:9
We cannot imagine, even in our wildest dreams, what God has prepared for us. Look around at the beauty of our planet. Even with its flaws the Earth is a most beautiful and wonderful place to live. However, the Earth pales in comparison to what God has prepared for us in Heaven. When we stand with each other on the other side and feast our spiritual senses on what God has prepared for us, we will be amazed. The beauty, majesty and perfection of Heaven will most certainly be more than we ever thought God would do for us.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10
"We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19
How fortunate we are to know God and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, but it is no credit to us. We did not love God first. He Loved us first and we love Him because He first us. God's Love is beyond our understanding but it is within our reach. If you know Christ personally, you know God's Love. You prayed for it, received it, felt it, kept it, shared it, wanted more of it. It is yours forever.
If you do not know Christ personally, this is your invitation to open your heart, soul and mind to Him right now. God Loves you and offers you His greatest Gift, the Passion of Christ His Son. Jesus died for your sins. He paid the penalty you owed. His death is payment in full. You owe nothing but will receive everything simply by asking God to forgive you of your sins and placing your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Believe in Jesus Christ and you will be saved. You will have it all: God's Love, God's Peace, God's Promise. If you do not have a personal relationship with God through Christ, you are only seconds away from the greatest moment of your life. Receive Him, believe Him, open your heart to His Love; then enjoy Him and love Him with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, all your strength. God is waiting to hear from you.
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 1:21
Have you ever asked yourself the Question what do you want in this life? The majority of folks who answer this come to the same conclusion. We all want, wish for, desire, and pray that our lives will last a long time, as well we wish for peace of mind with a joyful existence. Then a great many of us spend our lives under stress and anger, both of which shorten life or at least makes living less than enjoyable. You hear a lot about , "know thyself" "becoming one with the Universe" " becoming enlightened" and other man made self, me and I expressions of stupidity. The answers to all our problems can be found in the Holy Bible, God knows what we need before we need it.
Lets take for example the benefits of us having wisdom. Not the wise in our own eyes kind, I mean the real right from the word of GOD Scriptures. It's all right in there. God told us straight out, to not forget HIS law, and to keep HIS commands in our hearts. IF we do those things HE promises us LENGTH of days and LONG LIFE and PEACE. What more do we need? HE teaches us to not forsake mercy and truth, wow! our God say's for us to bind them around our neck, and write them on the tablet of our heart. OK! what more do you need to understand what it takes to live longer and more peaceful to boot. Now here comes the clincher. You know how so many folks are constantly looking for ways to be esteemed by their students and peers, right? I know for sure, I one was of them, right at the top of that list of want-to-be's.
Well, here is the answer, right from the Scriptures. Check it out yourself, in Proverbs chapter three verses one thru six is some really good reading to gain understanding, knowledge, and wisdom, when we OBEY God's Will and HIS WORD, HE will have us find favor and HIGH ESTEEM in the sight of GOD and MAN. See? there you are, it's not the high rank, or the big titles, Hanshi, this or Soke that. It's not how many degrees of black belt you are that makes any difference. It is simply keeping MERCY and TRUTH binded around our neck, deep in our heart, our brain and MIND, full of God's Word, so we will not forget his LAW or Commands. So there you have it. Read your Bible every day at least one chapter, mark the date so you can tell when was the last time you read any particular chapter. Ha! it's fun and you grow in Understanding, then you gain Knowledge which leads to Wisdom. After that you deal with Stress and Anger in a totally different manner. Hay! You might even live longer and joyfully By following God's WAY. Did You Know All That? NOW YOU KNOW!
http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/14737
"If I could just see him", I said, "I know I could have faith. If I could only look into His eyes, I know I would love Him with all my heart." " If I could hear His sweet voice I would be His forever." So weak is the heart that we play these games of excuses with ourselves, explaining why we waiver in our faith or feeling. But, these excuses are worthless.
Three years they were together. Peter had seen Jesus almost every day for three years. He had seen Him walk on water. He had seen Him die and now Jesus sat in front of Peter talking to Him. The conversation was simple, but the Lord's words were carefully chosen. They cut to the point in one question. Before we explore the conversation we must hearken back to the meaning of the word "Agape'". Remember it is an unconditional love full of grace and completeness.
Agape' is the word of Godly
love. It is charity, selfless love, giving without expectation.
To love with ones whole heart unselfishly. This is quite different
from the other word for love used between them.
"Philo" is a brotherly love. It is fondness, friendship,
and family type of love. Let us look closely at the conversation
between Peter and Jesus. Notice the root words of Philo and Agape'
within the words chosen by each, Jesus and Peter.
JOH 21:14 "This is now the third time that
Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen
from the dead.15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon
Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest ( agapas) thou me more than
these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
(philo) thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.16 He saith to
him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (agapas)
thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
(philo) thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.17 He saith unto
him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (philis) thou
me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time,
Lovest (philo) thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest
all things; thou knowest that I love (philo) thee. Jesus saith
unto him, Feed my sheep.
Concentrating on the questions and answers only, the conversation
takes on a startling contrast. Peter was attempting to answer
the question to Jesus' satisfaction without lying, but his heart
betrayed him.
Simon Peter, do you love me with all your heart? Lord, you know
I love you like a brother. Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me
with all your heart? Lord, you know I love you like a brother.
Simon Peter, son of Jonas, do you love me like a brother? Yes,
Lord, you know I love you like a brother."
Peter, having lived with God, seen Him die for his sins, and now looking into the face of the resurrected Lord, can only admit fondness. What fools we are to think we could do better. But there is hope! The comforter, the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost and the church was born, but so were the hearts of man. Now able to live and move and have our being with the Spirit of the living God within us, our hearts are converted.
1PE 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:8 Whom having not seen, ye love ( agapate'); in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."
1PE 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity (agapin) among yourselves: for charity (agapin) shall cover the multitude of sins."
Peter, being changed through the power of the spirit of God living within him, was brought to a state of love so deep and profound that at the time of his death he requested to be crucified upside-down, not being worthy to even die as Jesus died. Such a glorious change will happen to us also, not being contingent upon seeing Him except in spirit. The changed is forged by His spirit in us.
Joseph
We would love to hear from you about any topic relating to Christianity and the martial arts. Please send your thoughts and articles for publication to mmcgee@gmaf.org.
Karate for Christ Homecoming
We are indeed blessed to have the talented and well-known Christian singer, Russ Lee, come to sing and share his testimony with us at our Homecoming Weekend, April 3 and 4, 2004. This is such an unexpected miracle for Karate for Christ.
You can read all about Russ on his website: www.russlee.com. It is truly a remarkable testimony.
In any event, we must know within the next couple of weeks how many people to expect at his concert. The arrangements for the venue must be finalized within the next several weeks. I want our Karate for Christ family to have the best seats at the concert and we are then going to offer the remaining seats to the general public. So, if you even think you will possibly be attending, let me know immediately. I don't want anyone to show up at the last minute and not have a seat available.
Here is the tentative schedule of events:
Saturday, April 3:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Seminars all day taught by Masters in varied styles of the martial arts including Hapkido, JuJitsu, and Kuk Sool Won. - $35 per person registration cost.
7 p.m. Bar-B-Q buffet dinner served at the Church. Catered by a local restaurant with all the trimmings - $10 per person.
Sunday, April 4:
9 a.m. Dedication ceremony at Karate for Christ's church conducted by Dr. Daryl Covington and Joseph Lumpkin.
10:30 a.m. Church service. You are all cordially invited to attend the services at my church, Church of Oneonta.
2:00 p.m. Russ Lee concert begins
Please fill out the sign up form below and return it to me asap. It truly is critical that we have a general head count immediately. The decision as to the venue must be finalized in the next 2 weeks. You may email this to me or mail it to:
Joseph Lumpkin
2795 Co. HWY 57
Blountsville, AL 35031
________, Yes, I will be attending Karate for Christ Homecoming Weekend on April 3 4, 2004.
________ Total number of attendees in your group.
REGISTRATION AND LIABILITY RELEASE
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
PRINT NAME
PHONE AND/OR EMAIL
ADDRESS
STYLE RANK DOJO
INSTRUCTOR _____________________________
I release all members, guests, and staff of Karate for Christ, Inc., Shinsei Hapkido and any and all participants and sponsors of the Karate for Christ Homecoming from any and all liability in the event of loss, injury, or death before, during and after the Karate for Christ Homecoming seminar and concert.
Signature (Signature of Parent of Guardian if under 18)
______________________________________________________
60 to 80 Rooms will be available for 44.95 in Oneonta, AL.
Oneonta, AL is located between Birmingham and Huntsville, AL on US Hwy 231. It is the junction of State Hwy 75 and US HWy 231.
Best Western
Colonial Inn (205-274-2200)
293 Valley Road
Oneonta, AL 35121 US
Super 8 Motel
Oneonta (Now call Covered Bridge Inn) (205-625-3961)
120 High School Street
Oneonta, AL 35121 US
There are 2 other hotels in Oneonta. They are less nice and cheaper.
If those fill up there will be rooms in Arab, Culman, Birmingham, Huntsville, and Gadsden, AL.
Remember - Karate for Christ is now a 501-c-3 non-profit, let this reflect on your taxes as a donation.
Call 205-237-9511 for details
Hello everybody!
Greetings from Zoutleeuw, in Belgium!
If you like
to have some fun, and a Sunday practice, please check the attached
attachement! Poster of our Second Open European Spring Seminar,
Sunday the 04 April 2004! The place where everything is going
to happen, is Sint - Truidensesteenweg 1A, in 3440 Zoutleeuw,
Brabant, Belgium! Over and above the lessons, you can enjoy of
several shop - windows with Japanese furniture, objects of art,
food, and so on! The official invitation, and the forms of tender,
will follow! Keep checking your mailbox, please! AND SET THIS
DAY ASIDE, RESERVE HIM!!! The most important is, EVERYBODY IS
ALWAYS WELCOME!!
Budo Greetings
BOON Patrick A. M.
Sensei van de Tokoegawa Ijejasoe Dojo!
patrick-b@tiscalinet.be
Bernd Höhle
www.MAA-I.com
Martial Arts Association - International
Mega Stuntworkshop
in Datteln/ Germany
with Top Stuntman Hakan Haslaman
24. April
The Spirit
of Martial Arts
Big Martial Arts Seminar with many Grandmaster and Master of the
MAA-I
15. May 2004 in Dortmund/ Germany
Jesse Glover
Bruce Lees Top Student
6./ 7. March in Ettenheim/ Germany
Combat Stick
Fight- Trainerausbildungsseminar
Teilnahme ab Grüngurt in einer Budo-Sportart möglich.
Im Mai, in Stadthagen, Infos bitte anfordern!
Fu Jow Pai
Summer Camp 3.-12. July 2004 in Greece
Promotor: Soke Prof. A. Papadatos
For MAA-I Members only 550 Euro ( regular 800 Euro )
The West Virginia camp will be Labor Day Weekend, Sept 4th and 5th. For more info contact Adam Bradford at bigsifu@yahoo.com
For reservations to the lodge contact Twin Falls Resort State Park, Rt. 97 Box 1023, Mullens, WV 25882
(304) 294-4000 ...1-800-CALL WVA
E-mail: twinfallsinfo@wvstateparks.com
Rooms $ 70
Suite $ 80
United States Judo Association Training Camp Invite Judo Ju Jitsu of Wichita Falls, Texas, is pleased to announce its first annual Lone Star Judo training camp. This camp is for any Judoka, age 12 and older that wants to improve their Judo,s quality and depth while forging new friendships on the mat. The camp will be conducted at the Bill Bartley Branch Family YMCA located at 5001 Bartley Dr Wichita Falls, TX, 76308. The camp will run from SUNDAY to FRIDAY, JUNE 13-19, 2004. Lodging will be available to the first 50 campers at the rate of $15 per night (based on double occupancy) in the Midwestern State University dorms.
The Camp's senior Instructor is Terry Kelly, Rokudan of the Santa Rosa, CA Judo Club. Kelly Sensei is a nationally recognized coach and member of the USJA Coaching Certification Committee and the USJA Board of Directors. The agenda for this camp includes: Judo competitor training (Tachi Waza Ne Waza), The Gokyo No Waza, Coach Certification, and Ju Jitsu.Subject to camper interest and instructor availability the following will be offered: Kata Training and Certification, Red Cross First Aid and CPR certification, Local Referee Certification
The cost of the camp with lodging is $300. The cost is $200 for week campers not requiring lodging at MSU. The day rate for individual days or a partial week is $60 per day. SPECIAL OFFER: All full week paid players participating in this first camp will be guaranteed the $200 camp cost for all subsequent camps hosted by TEXOMA Judo Ju Jitsu club.
Contact the Camp Director, Roy Hash at (940) 733-7330 or email @ texomajudo@juno.com for additional info or to reserve your spot on the mat. Camp registration and information will soon be available online at the club website @ www.texomajudo.com Don't wait to schedule your place on the mat. You don't want to miss this opportunity to train with one of the finest coaches in the US today. We hope you will come share with us the exciting experience of initiating what we expect to be one of the premier Judo training venues in the United States.
Many GMAF members have told us their favorite part of the monthly newsletter is Fellowship News. It's wonderful to see Christian martial artists praying for each other across the United States and around the world. No distance is too far for Christians. The instant we pray, God hears. We impact the lives of our brothers and sisters positively through our prayers. God answers prayer. It is pleasing to Him. Thank you for caring so much for each other!
Here are some of the notes of prayer and praise we received at GMAF the past two months.
From Aaron Duke:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
A journey with Christ takes a lifetime. My life is almost 32 years now and I'm learning more and more everyday.
This past year has been one of the most difficult seasons. It began with my marriage of 10 years ending through my own selfishness and inability to be a doer of God's Word. I share this for one simple reason. I failed as a husband.
I grew up in church. I have always had great thirst for the Scriptures. I always believed in God. I, unfortunately knew very little about serving God and living the life that he called me to.
I repented and sought forgiveness from my wife, family, friends, and other members of the Body of Christ. I also had to deal with the consequences of my flesh.
Praise God, that despite all of the things I have been enduring, God has been faithful to me. I came to a great revelation through many times of prayer and seeking God. I would like to share it with the body of believers.
When my world starting to fall apart around me, it literally brought me to my knees. I was exhausted from my running from God...I was exhausted with the religion that I had practiced and put all my faith in. I was empty. I was broken. I was a man with no hope and no direction. Thank God by his grace and mercy, alone, I turned to His Word. For reasons only God can know, I began to read and reread the first few chapters of Genesis. I knew that God was showing me something important. I finally was able to submit and surrender myself to God...and not just parts of my life. I wept, I fasted...I prayed...
It was during a 10 day fast, that God kept speaking to me...it was a verse I knew by heart..."Seek first my kingdom and my righteousness and all these things shall be added".
I believe that God was simply showing me all the other things that were sitting on the throne of my heart...and none of those things were Him. It's been almost 10 months since my wife and I separated and she filed for divorce and has since moved to a nearby community with our 5 year old son. I don't know how to explain this any other way, but, God has given me peace and I know His hand is active in every area of my life.
I have endured harsh criticisms and judgements. I have literally had God during this time and nothing else.
The Word is true...the wages of sin are death...and sin still pays the same wages today as it has in the past.
My purpose of writing this is simple. God created relationship in Genesis. He didn't create the church first, He created relationship...and more importantly...Marriage.
I have spent most of my life misunderstanding the examples God has shown all of us through His Word. And it has come with a great price.
If you are reading this and can sense the anointing of the words, please take this encouragement from a brother who knows the pain of forsaking relationship for "church".
If you are a man who isn't having prayer with your wife and children, but, perhaps you are leading worship, bible studies, youth group or serving at your church in some capacity...Please repent now. The Church, Christ's bride as been adulterous and unfaithful. If your household is out of line with the Word of God, repent and turn today. We have allowed church to replace what God designed...Relationship. We have forsaken our vows to our wives, and made new ones to the "church". This simply to me, is the greatest cause of heartache and pain within the body today...For how can we minister to the world, when our own families are aching to see us as husbands and fathers deeply rooted and stable in the love of Christ and His Word.
It's not too late to start doing things God's way. But, it has to start with you.
I refused to listen to God, His Word and the Godly counsel that had been available to me...and I'm here to say, that I have watched as all my "treasures" were burned and left in ashes...God was faithful to the prayer that I prayed this last year...I asked God to purge my life from everything that was keeping us (God and me) apart...Brothers and sisters, the flames grew high and so much was taken away...As I write this today, I can safely say that God is true...and His grace is sufficient.
I pray for KFC daily and for every member. I pray for many people...some I know and some I do not know. I also pray for the Body of Christ.
I have been disobedient and have returned. If you need to return to your first love today. Take the time to do it right now. The love of God is great. The mercy of God is great. The restoration and redemption of God is great. And it endures forever.
I know that God is doing amazing things in me. I know God will use me for His purpose. I know God will restore my life completely, as I am faithful to Him.
My ministry is my life. Bumps, bruises, scars, successes, failures, etc. I have felt God leading me to establishment in His ministry. This letter is the first step.
We are blessed abundantly.
Sincererly,
Aaron Duke
Galesburg Illinois
In the March
2004 Issue of Black Belt Magazine, beginning on page 20, is an
article that addresses religious traditions in the martial arts.
The author
in the article discussed whether or not tai chi meditation is
in conflict
with Christian ethics. The author further states that bowing in
certain
directions or bowing with certain phrases involving a different
belief, such
as shaolin, are nothing more than a salute to the teachers of
the past and
to show respect for their accomplishments. (Please read the article
for
yourself.) The author went on to state that those who disagree
with his
point of view are religious fanatics.
We, at the
Lion of Judah Dojo, do not support this view. We may bow to each
other as a sign of respect to our brothers and sisters, who were
created in
the likeness of God. We may also bow to our instructors, whom
God has placed
in that position for our instruction, but we may not practice
bowing in
directions of temples, or to the direction of the current grandmaster.
We
may not practice giving the salute in reference to other faiths.
This is
idolatry and and insult to the Living GOD!
We are to be
careful in our meditation. It is fine to visualize techniques.
We are encouraged to meditate on the Word of God. We are not instructed
anywhere in the Bible to "empty our minds" or to "become
one with the
universe".
In the book
of Esther, we read about a man who refused to dishonor God by
not bowing to a man, even though is was decreed to be the law
in the land.
He was ridiculed, persecuted, and threatened with death. God delivered
this
man from his enemies, and placed him in charge of the kingdom.
(Read the
book of Esther.)
The author
of the article lastly stated that those who have a problem with
his point of view should probably not train in a traditional school,
but
would be better off in an ecclectic school where you will not
have these
conflicts. We do support this idea! As Christian Martial Artist,
our first
goal is to please God with what we do. If I am considered a religious
fanatic, I accept that with a smile. Even during my interview
with BBC last
year, I was labeled, "the most eccentric missionary on three
continents".
In closing,
I encourage all Christian Martial Artists to hold fast to that
which is good, flee from that which is evil, and glorify God in
all that you
say and do. There are now enough Christian Martial Arts Instructors
to
support your training in a Christian environment.
God bless,
Pastor Bill
(The Eccentric Fanatic)
Pastor@EternalFellowship.com
www.EternalFellowship.com
Tel: In Japan: 090-3797-9810
International: 81-903-797-9810
Do you ever
wonder how to make decisions in the GREY areas (Old English Spelling).
When the Bible doesn't have a real clear "THOU SHALT NOT
DO THAT" or a "GOD SAID DO THIS"? If so, see if
this week's devotion on
www.shinseihapkido.com
<http://www.shinseihapkido.com> will help.
Also, the Kid's devotion is from Joel, and has been updated as
well.
Con Say Hom Nhe Dha, An Young, He Kay Say Yo
SUBJECT: Be careful about who sees your bad temper
Two cars were
waiting at a stoplight. The light turned green, but the man didn't
notice it. A woman in the car behind him is watching traffic pass
around them. The woman begins pounding on her steering wheel and
yelling at the man to move. The man doesn't move. The woman is
going ballistic inside her car, ranting and raving at the man,
pounding on her steering wheel and dash. The light turns yellow
and the woman begins to blow the car horn, flips him off, and
screams profanity and curses at the man. The man, looks up, sees
the yellow light and accelerates through the intersection just
as the light turns red. The woman is beside herself, screaming
in frustration as she misses her chance to get through the intersection.
As she is still in mid-rant she
hears a tap on her window and looks up into the barrel of a gun
held by a very serious looking policeman. The policeman tells
her to shut off her car while keeping both hands in sight. She
complies, speechless at what
is happening. After she shuts off the engine, the policeman orders
her to exit her car with her hands up. She gets out of the car
and he orders her to turn and place her hands on her car. She
turns, places her hands on the car roof and quickly is cuffed
and hustled into the patrol car. She is too bewildered by the
chain of events to ask any questions and is driven to the police
station where she is fingerprinted, photographed, searched, booked
and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approaches
the cell and opens the door for her. She is escorted back to the
booking desk where the original officer is waiting with her personal
effects. He hands her the bag containing her things and says,
"I'm really sorry for this mistake. But you see, I pulled
up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping
the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.
Then I noticed the: "Choose Life" license plate holder,
the "What Would Jesus Do" bumper sticker, the "Follow
Me to Sunday School" bumper sticker and the chrome plated
Christian fish emblem on the trunk. So, naturally . . . . . .
. I assumed you had stolen the car."
Yesterday, I had
the honor and the privelage of participating in and supporting
the First Annual Sherwood Baptist Invitational tournament. I have
participated in many youth tournaments but have never been to
one where a such a spirit of fellowship and sportsmanship has
prevailed. Proud parents, professional and fair judges, dedicated
staff, and exhuberant young martial artists came together for
a tournament to remember! This was a true example of what a Christian
Martial Arts Tournament should look like! Here is a link to the
pictures: http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/christianforces/album?.tok=ph8ePuABJSkkr.YU.dir=/b313.src=ph
God Bless and Keep the Faith!
Sensei Joe Morejon
Please be in prayer for my family and I as we move to White Oak North Carolina. March 7th will be our last Sunday as Straight Bayou Baptist Church, in Anguilla, MS. We will be moving on the 15-16 of March. Pray for S.B. Baptist Church as well, as they look for a new pastor. Thanks, Daryl Covington, Brenda, Mikayla, and Miriah. Also, pray for Shea Donahoo as he begans a new Shinsei Hapkido School in Belzoni, Mississippi. Also Pray for Straight Bayou Martial Arts Academy. Barbara Sullivan, a very able teacher, is praying about taking the school over.
"Sutemi",
in arts such as Judo and Ju Jitsu, refers to throwing an opponent
by sacrifice. This type of move involves taking the initiative
to give up your own balance and footing temporarily in order to
throw your opponent. One of the most common "sutemi"
techniques is executed by falling on your
own back while using your momentum and your feet to send your
opponent sailing over you. In short you gain by sacrifice.
So it is with the Christian life. We gain by sacrifice. Our model
is Christ "who, being in the form of God...made himself of
no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant...and became
obedient unto death."(Phil. 2:6-8). He did not come to be
served, but to serve, and "to give his life a ransom for
many"(Matt. 20:28). Jesus said "I lay down my life that
I may take it again."(John 10:17). It is through Christ's
death sacrifice that our sins were dealt with, we were healed,
and we were justified (Is. 53:5,6,11).1 Peter 5:6 7 speaks of
humbling ourselves before God by casting all our cares on Him.
We need to give up "control" of our circumstances, and
our "rights" to God so that He can lift us up and give
us the victory. We win when we give up our lives for Christ and
the Gospel (Mark 8:35). A Christian signer by the name of John
Fischer put it aptly:
"Losing
is winning if it turns you around
All is clearer when you're close to the ground
If you know you're lost then you can be found
You walk out a winner."
Phil Lewis
As a dear friend said to me this morning, "things that happen in the physical world have their counterparts in the spiritual world."
This statement seemed very pregnant with wisdom to me since I had seen things happen around me in church and with friends of late that had me questioning man's ability to rise above his natural sinful nature. Certainly, I question my own ability constantly and see I fall sort of "doing the greater good". It is difficult to see beyond what one wants to do into what is best for the whole. If we are Christians then why is this so? I believe the following verse holds some clues:
ROM 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the
lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild
olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest
of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the
branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the
root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that
I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken
off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he
also spare not thee.
You see, we are grafted (graffed) in. Today, this is seen as a good thing because we take a hardy root from a wild shrub and graft in a branch from a beautiful but less robust rose. What we get is a good root system supporting a magnificent flower, but that is not what this verse says. It is the other way around for Christians.
Our root is Christ Jesus. He is the supply of our spiritual nourishment, and we are grafted in to him. We are grafted in to the root of Jessie and the linage of Abraham. Our roots are those of the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley, but we are still a thorn bush.
So, now, having a deep and hardy roots and being planted in high places, we draw from our spiritual roots, hoping to be changed by the substance from which we feed, but still producing thorns until that day our nature of shortsightedness, pride, and selfishness is changed slowly by the sweetness of the root. We will never be a rose, but in time, we may produce fewer barbs.
We cannot change our own nature. If we could, Jesus would not have had reason to die to redeem us. It is because we cannot change our own nature that so much confusion arises. Whether we are invited into a club, group, style, or church, we are expected to follow the rules and bylaws of that organization. If that type of conduct is not already part of your nature you will fail to adhere to their standards because you will always revert to your true nature. So, groups seek like-minded members. This is because they have no real power to change themselves or others. But He who made us can change us. If we endure the flames it take to be reformed.
In the church I now attend, there are drug addicts and white collar professionals. All sinners, all nourished from the same roots, all being changed into the likeness of Christ slowly ever so slowly becoming more like Him. All with thorns All with hope of being less like themselves and more like the root.
We are a thorn bush cared for by a lily. ugly, hurtful, harmful, but with a sweet and pure substance coursing through our veins. It is the Blood of Christ.
Joseph Lumpkin
(with thoughts taken from Daryl Covington and Darren Brito)
(I know
you will join us in praying for each of these Christian martial
artists, their families and ministries.)
We welcome these new members to Grace Martial Arts Fellowship.
7th Dan ... Shinsei Hapkido
4th Dan ... PaSaRyu TaeKwonDo
3rd Dan ... Kodokan Judo
Dr. Daryl R. Covington is the head of the Korean Styles for Karate for Christ and Head instructor of the Shinsei Hapkido System. He holds the rank of 7th Dan under Grandmaster Joseph Lumpkin, founder of the system. He is pastor of Straight Bayou Baptist Church and head instructor of Straight Bayou Martial Arts Academy, and its affiliate school Battlefield Martial Arts.
2nd Dan ... Goju-Ryu Karate-do
Chief Instructor of Yamaguchi Karate International in Andhra Pradesh, India
http://www.worldblackbelt.com/member_pages/syedmahmood/
Master Instructor/Founder FSDA (Free Style Defensive Arts)
2nd Level Black Belt ... Judo
1st Level Black Belt ... Tae Kwon Do
Certified Wing Chun Kung Fu Instructor
Certified Wrestling Instructor
Teaches Christian Martial Arts classes in Boise, Idaho
1st Dan ... Moo Duk Kwan/Tang Soo Do
Previously studied Jeet Kune Do
Studying Haganah
(from Integrated Defensive Fighting Systems, Inc.; a.k.a.
F.I.G.H.T [Fierce Israeli Guerilla Hand-to-hand Tactics] program.
Born in 1960 and reborn in 1980.
Married to Georgann (1st Dan) and father to Jared, Abigail and Lucas.
Lives in New Cumberland, Pennsylania and works as an Engineering Manager.
Family Mission
Statement: 1 Thessalonians 4: 11-12 "Make it your ambition
to
lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with
your hands,
just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect
of
outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
Joys in life:
My wife, my life partner. My children. Martial arts.
Wrestling with and studying biblical leadership issues.
Please let us know if you have moved, changed jobs, received a belt promotion, started studying a new martial art, started a Christian martial arts ministry, etc. We want to be sure your listing in the GMAF Internet Directory is all you want it to be.
You'll find every previous GMAF newsletter at http://www.gmaf.org/gmaf_newsletters.html . These newsletters are a gold mine of information about Christianity and the Martial Arts.
Please send us a picture and information about your martial arts ministry and we'll feature your group in an upcoming newsletter.
We'd like to hear from you! Let us know what you do in your martial arts ministry that you think is special and we'll share it with the Fellowship. Many members write us each month asking for guidance in developing and expanding their martial arts ministries. Please send your ideas to mmcgee@gmaf.org .
We appreciate your Fellowship in the Gospel of the Grace of God. We are praying for you and your opportunities to serve Christ. Please let us know about ways GMAF can help you in your service. If you know of anyone who might be interested in receiving this monthly newsletter, please ask them to e-mail Mark McGee. We'll be glad to put them on our monthly mailing list.
If you would like to join Grace Martial Arts Fellowship ©, contact Mark McGee.
Grace Martial Arts Fellowship is a service of GraceLife Ministries ©.