Grace Martial Arts Fellowship began in 1990, went online with a website in 1995 and began publishing newsletters to the Christian martial arts community in 1998.
Because of the quality of information found in those early newsletter articles and the fact they are no longer available online, we’ve decided to re-publish many of them in the coming weeks and months. Our hope is that a new generation of Christian martial artists will be blessed by the wisdom of those who were on the path before them.
GMAF NEWSLETTER JUNE 2001
Welcome to the GMAF Newsletter! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
Thoughts from the Master
“No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”
Jesus Christ
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
The Apostle Paul
Wisdom Notes
“Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.”
Psalms 108:5-6
“Grand Ultimate” by Sensei Mark McGee
The more I study and practice T’ai Chi Ch’uan, the more I understand why someone would have called the exercise “Grand Ultimate.” It is a wonderful Internal exercise for health and self defense that meets the broad needs of the human body and mind.
However, while T’ai Chi is an excellent form of whole body movement with great personal benefits, there is something much grander and truly the ultimate for every human.
Our “Grand Ultimate” is the Lord Jesus Christ!
“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:15-20 (KJV)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven, and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities: all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firsborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:15-20 (NIV)
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is above all others. No one is like Christ. He is the Grand Ultimate. He is the “image of the invisible God.” He is the “firstborn over all creation.” By Christ “all things were created.” That includes things in heaven, and on earth, visible and invisible. Look around you. Everything you see Christ created. He created the Universe. He created the Sun and the Moon. He created the sky and seas. He created the mountains and the valleys. He created humans and animals. He created trees and plants. He created birds and fish. Christ created all things and holds together all things. Someone said of Christ that He is the “Cosmic Glue.” Everything has its beginning, middle and end in Him. Christ also created everything you and I cannot see. He created angels and spiritual beings. He is above them all. He is the Grand Ultimate of Heaven, the heavens and the earth. Christ has supremacy, pre-eminence, in His Body, the Church, because of His supremacy in Life, Death and Resurrection. God was pleased “to have all his fullness dwell in him.” Christ is not part-God, He is God. He is the Fullness of God. He is the Image of the Invisible God. We know God, see God, hear God because of Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Greek word for “supremacy, pre-eminence” is proteuon. It means “to be first, chief, to hold the first rank.” Christ is First. He is Chief. He holds the First Rank. He is Number One. No one can be higher than Christ because Jesus is First, Highest, Chief, the Grand Ultimate.
It is God’s desire to reconcile to Himself “all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” He has done this “by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Peace is available to all people of the world through Christ Jesus. Christ is All, has done All and will be All forever and ever. We have nothing more to do but believe, receive, relax and enjoy Christ. Everything we need is in Christ. We add nothing to Him. He adds everything to us. We can add nothing to our salvation. He is our Salvation. What we can do is practice the Presence of Christ every day as we pray, obey, study, love, forgive, share, teach, submit, lead, show mercy, and make a difference.
May we today enjoy our Grand Ultimate: Jesus Christ the Lord!
“The Game of Life” First Base by Pastor Robert Xavier
“In a real baseball game, it takes a certain amount of skill and strength to reach first base, but in the “Game of Life” we attain this position not by skill, but by the sacrifice of our Savior on our behalf. God, in His mercy and grace, has provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Through believing (faith) and receiving Christ, our sins are forgiven. His Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our hearts, and our spirit is made alive with Him.”
“Jesus answered, Truly, Truly, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. marvel not that I say unto thee, ‘Ye must be born again.’ The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8
When we respond to God the Father prompting our hearts to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, His Holy Spirit gives us life! We are born again by the Spirit of God Who actually comes to live inside of us.
This new birth, or spiritual birth, is accomplished by the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit imparting eternal, spiritual life to us. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit creates a new man which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness: “and that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24) This new man is “born of the Spirit,” according to the Bible (God’s Word). This is the only way a person can enter the Kingdom of God, and this can only be done through the Lord Jesus Christ Who died in our place and rose again to provide us eternal life. This spiritual birth is a completely free gift to us from God and is available to all mankind regardless of their past or present condition in life. This free gift is not based upon our age, education, nationality, or financial resources. It is not dependent upon what we have – or have not – done in the past. Nor does it depend upon our abilities or performance in the present.”
(Next month: Whosoever Calls Upon the Name of the Lord)
Taking God’s Grace to the World!
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