Welcome to the GMAF Newsletter! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
Jesus Christ
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."
The Apostle Paul
The following is a continuation of questions and answers about developing a Martial Arts Outreach Program. We appreciate Master Ron Shively of "Karate for Christ" sharing his wisdom with us.
To exist separately from God is Occultic and of the Devil. It is the full manifestation of death, hell, and the grave here on earth. For the opposite of love is to hate. The desire to dominate, to control, and to manipulate is the manifestation of such selfishness, such lust, such hate. These are not the attributes of our Father in Heaven, of our Creator, our God. If there ever existed anything that could clearly prove the existence of a devil, of a Kingdom of Darkness then it is this one thing.
For when we hate, when we selfishly seek to control, to manipulate, to dominate others it proves that we are most assuredly children of wrath. That we are separated from God. Not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. That at some time in our distant past that we were once God's children. Our desire to be with him, to be like him is proof of that. That this separation which happened long ago, has alienated us from His presence. How can we even hope to exist, to survive outside of Him? How can we define, or even hope to determine our purpose in life, our reason for being without Him?
In many past and previous cases, any objections that I have both heard and studied extensively about were always the result of some individual(s) seeking to control and/or manipulate another individual. Often times this was through what I call the "Psychological" Martial Art of Guilt, Manipulation, and Intimidation.
Again, as I stated earlier, there is no way that you can develop a physical movement, martial art, or exercise for that matter from a religious doctrine or system of belief. What we as individuals choose to believe is "Occultic" depends a great deal upon our source for the definition.
Each of us in our own area perceives and learns information differently. If I said, "tree, rock, or water", you would know what I'm talking about because you and I both have the same point of reference. The same would be true if I said "forest, mountain, or ocean". It's the same thing, just different in its quantity, its amount, its description. When we use words like "Mystical", "Magical", or "Occultic" we are using terms that exist within a gray area of human reasoning and understanding. There is no hard and fast rule outside of the Bible that clearly defines what these terms mean.
That which is not love is that which separates us from God and each other. That which rules through doubt, unbelief, mistrust is occultic. For if there is not love in our hearts one for another then God does not exist there-in our hearts. For that which exists, that which strives to seek to control, dominate, and manipulate. To dictate by way of laws, rules, and religious tradition is occultic. For without love God is not in it. For without God's kind of love, there is no hope. And without hope there is no mercy, no justice. We are then at the mercy of the Law of the Jungle, and Survival of the Fittest.
Yoga in nothing more than the warm up exercises of an ancient East Indian or Hindu Martial Arts system. If you stop and think, or reason for a moment then the answer is quite simple. Ancient India, much like the rest of the world at that time was an agricultural society. Farmers, fishermen, and merchants had no need to exercise. Their day to day life was confined to earning a living, raising a family, growing food. Who better had need of such physical training, joint flexibility, and a calm-focusing of the mind, the will, and the emotions than a soldier? A warrior? Where else, except on the battle field, or in a fight with bandits would such skills be needed?
T'ai Chi is nothing more than a system of organized martial arts that is highly popular due to its effectiveness in public demonstrations and exhibitions of combative skill during the remaining years of the Emperors of China. T'ai Chi's sole reason for development was for individual combat, and collective group training. T'ai Chi only became popular among the masses, as well as among the scholars and religious leaders of China long after it had proven itself in the streets and on the battlefields of China. Remember, that in spite of what people may write, or choose to use and believe as the basis for their biographical source of their critique for these two similar martial arts is usually due in part to an Ethnic Bias. It rarely is based upon any actual practical first hand knowledge or experience.
Ignorance, hatred, bigotry, and prejudice are easy for the twisted, love starved soul to consume. All of these things are like a sweet tasting poison that slowly eats away at the inside of you. Not just within your own body, but within your mind and sanity as well. It's easy to hate, it's easy to find fault, to prejudge things based on little or no information on a subject. Through such attitudes whole races and creeds of men have marched to their deaths. Believing that they were righteous in their hatred, that they were moral in their persecution of others. But the real test is to challenge what you have read, what you have heard from those who choose to say and think such things. Personally, I have yet to meet one of them, the religious "elite" who inspite of their education and affiliations, haven't clenched their fists and gritted their teeth at me when I asked them to prove to me the truth, the validity, or the worth of their statements.
Christianity is not just a religion, a method of belief that becomes dead the moment it is put to pen and paper. It is the fulfilled promise that Jesus Christ of Nazareth, centuries ago, died for our sins and was resurrected from the dead.
* That Jesus Christ IS God incarnate!
* That He is part of the Triune Nature of God.
* That He is very much God as is The Father, and The Holy Spirit is also God.
Both individually and corporately. Having separate and distinct personalities, but having the same purpose: The Salvation and Restoration of Mankind!
Christianity is the result of a battle, of mortal combat between God, and the Devil over Man. When the price of sin was paid, Jesus Christ defeated the Devil, Death, Hell, and the Grave once and for all. He then gave that power and authority that He took from Satan-the Devil to his Body, His Bride, the Church! Ours is not a religion, but a faith born of blood and turmoil!
We readily recognize that any physical discipline has little value when compared to one's faith;
"for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds to the promise for the present life and also for the life to come"
I Tim 4:8
However, we do recognize that ours is a fight. A fight that has been won not with doctrines, dogmas, and creeds, but with the power of the Living Word of God who is Jesus Christ our Lord!
"fight the good fight of faith, taking hold of the Eternal Life unto which you were called, and make good your confession in the presence of many witnesses"
I Tim 6:12
"for we wrestle-struggle not with flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in high places"
Eph 6:12
"Blessed be the Lord, my rock, my strength, and my salvation; Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle"
Psalm 144:1
Master Ron Shively (5th Dan) is President of Yeshua Ministries, Ltd. He has more than 25 years of Martial Arts training, with belt and instructor rankings in T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Hsing-I Ch'uan, Pa-Kua Ch'ang, Northern & Southern Shaolin, as well as Chinese/Shaolin Kenpo Karate. Mr. Shively lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Next Month: The teachings of the late Martial Arts Grand Master and Christian John Chung Li
Kung Fu has many forms of exercises. They develop flexibility and strength externally and inwardly. They can also extend a person's life expectancy and general health during that long life.
Many exercises in Northern Chinese styles of Kung Fu feature extended kicks and punches. They tend to be more elaborate than Southern styles. Some exercises are performed alone; others are designed for partners or a wooden or mechanical device. Most stress a gradual progression from basic to intermediate to advanced.
The following are examples of some basic Kung Fu exercises.
Stand in a relaxed posture with feet together . Bend forward from the waist and touch your palms to the ground ... keep your legs straight and feet together. Bend upward from the waist and return to a relaxed standing posture. Repeat ten times in a slow movement ... don't bounce.
Next Month: Intermediate Kung-Fu Exercises
We would like to include some of your favorite training tips in our Spring newsletters (March - May). Please send your Training Tips to Mark McGee.
Kung Fu (Gung Fu) is an ancient Chinese Martial Art. It had its origins thousands of years ago in various styles of fist-fighting (ch'uan fa). Some researchers date the beginning of Chinese Ch'uan Fa to five thousand years ago during the reign of Emperor Huang-ti. One of the primary developments of Chinese Ch'uan Fa was the introduction of Zen Buddhism (Ch'an) into the Chinese culture by Bodhidharma, an Indian monk. Bodhidharma was believed to be the son of King Sugandha of Southern India and a member of the Kshatriya (warrior caste). Bodhidharma would have been schooled in the Indian fighting arts from boyhood. Many believe Bodhidharma brought his fighting knowledge, along with Zen Buddhism, to China at the beginning of the sixth century A.D.
Bodhidharma reportedly introduced a system of physical exercises known as 18 Hands of the Lo-Han (shih pa lo han sho) to his disciples at the Shaolin Temple in Honan (Hunan) in Northern China. Many believe these exercises formed the basis for Shaolin Temple Boxing that developed through the centuries into hundreds of styles of Oriental Martial Arts. Much about Bodhidharma is debated and disputed, but enough historical records remain to give credence to his having taught at the Shaolin Temple in Honan.
Some authorities credit Shaolin Master Ch'ueh Yuan Shang-jen with adding 54 movements to the 18 Hands of Lo-Han to develop a 72-movement form. Master Li Ch'eng is credited with adding another 98 movements to make Shaolin Boxing a 170-movement form.
The many styles of Kung Fu fall into two main categories: Internal (Nei Chia) and External (Wai Chia). Most authorities believe three Internal styles exist today: T'ai Chi Ch'uan (Extreme Ultimate Balance or Grand Ultimate Fist), Hsing I Ch'uan (Form of the Will Boxing or Mind-Body Boxing) and Pa Kua Chang (Eight Trigrams Palm or Eight Trigram Boxing). Some authorities believe the Internal styles existing from the Sung Dynasty were Wu Tang P'ai, T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Pa Kua Ch'uan, Hsin Yi Ch'uan, Tzu Jan Men, and Liu He Pa Fa. (Liu He Pa Fa, also spelled Lop Hop Pak Fat and Liou He Ba Fah, was developed by Taoist Sage Chen Hsi-I. A master of the Art added the martial aspects of Hsing-I and the yielding nature of Pa-Kua to Lop Hop Pak Fat at a later time. Grand Master John Chung Li, a Christian from Hong Kong who moved to the United States in the late 60's, taught the art as Hwa-Yu T'ai-Chi Ch'uan and Yon Ch'uan (soft fist, cotton over steel). Hundreds of external schools of Kung Fu exist today. Some of the earliest were Shaolin Ch'uan Fa, Hung Ch'uan, T'au T'ei Yu T'an T'ui, Hon Ch'uan, Erh-lang Men, Fan Ch'uan, Ch'a Ch'uan, Mi Tsung Yi, and Pa Ch'uan.
Many styles of Kung Fu were based on the careful observation of the fighting styles of animals. Some styles were based on one animal. White Crane Boxing, White Tiger, Eagle Claw, Dragon Style, Heron Style, Leopard Style, and Monkey Style are examples of single-animal Kung Fu. Some styles, like Pangainoon, were based on three animals: tiger, dragon and crane. Many styles were based on five animals: tiger, dragon, crane, leopard and snake. Some styles base their movements on 12 animals. Yon Ch'uan's 12 Animal Defense Form includes dragon, crane, goose, mandarin, pang, tiger, bear, leopard, snake, eagle, lun, and ape. Hsing-I Ch'uan's 12 Animals are dragon, tiger, monkey, horse, chicken, falcon, snake, tai bird, lizard, swallow, eagle and bear. Bando's 12 Animals are eagle, python, deer, boar, bull, tiger, panther, cobra, viper, monkey, paddy bird, and scorpion. Some styles of T'ai-Chi Ch'uan have more than 12 animals.
External styles of Kung-Fu are generally divided into Northern and Southern Chinese Kung Fu. The Yangtze River is the dividing line between the two. The movements of Northern Kung Fu styles are usually long and graceful with high kicking techniques. Southern Kung Fu styles are usually short and powerful with few kicks above the waist.
Next Month: Individual Kung Fu Styles
Please send information about your Martial Art to Mark McGee.
Kevin Schaller joined GMAF in January. He is a 1st Dan in Kenpo Karate and also trained in Muay Thai, Danzan Ryu JuJitsu, and boxing. Kevin recently launched a martial arts outreach at the Carson Valley Christian Center in Minden, Nevada. His launch class included 36 children ages 8-12 and 46 people ages 13 and older. Kevin has three black belt instructors helping him with the classes. He said the church's pastor and staff are excited about what God is doing. We are pleased to welcome Kevin Schaller to GMAF and invite your prayers for this new martial arts ministry!
We appreciate your Fellowship in the Gospel. 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.
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