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 September 2001
Welcome to the GMAF Newsletter! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
Thoughts from the Master
“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Jesus Christ“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
The Apostle Paul
Wisdom Notes
“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.”
Isaiah 40:1
“The Comfort of God”
by
Sensei Mark McGee
This is a difficult time for everyone in America and people around the world who love our country. We are in a war with evil. That evil manifests itself in many ways, but the way it showed itself September 11, 2001 was most horrible and despicable.
I’ve spent every waking moment thinking about the attack on America this past week. My job as a television news director and web manager has meant my constant and focused attention on every detail of the tragedy, locally as well as nationally. I’ve prayed often through the days and nights for the victims and their families and friends. Friends who are in television and web businesses in New York City have lost people close and dear to them. I admire their ability and tenacity to keep working even though their hearts are breaking. Many people we know in our area have lost close friends at the Pentagon. The loss is almost too much to bear.
We’ve also rejoiced with many who received word that their fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, and close friends were alive and doing well. It’s been a tremendous opportunity to express the love and comfort of Jesus Christ to our friends when they feared the worst, and share the Grace and Mercy of God when they learned the best.
I’ve also thought and prayed for our Christian brothers and sisters who live in New York and Washington. Some of them died in the attack. Others are recuperating in hospitals. Thousands of God’s children are praying for their torn communities and reaching out to help heal the gaping wounds in hearts and lives.
Paul told the Ephesian Christians, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Paul was telling them to buy up for themselves every opportunity. One Dictionary of New Testament words stated it meant”making the most of every opportunity, turning each to the best advantage since none can be recalled if missed.”
Millions of Christians in America have an unprecedented opportunity during the coming days, weeks and months to share the most important, life-saving message in the universe. That is the Gospel of God’s Eternal Love and Grace through Jesus Christ. Jesus is well-acquainted with sorrow. He understands pain and suffering. Jesus knows what it’s like to be an innocent victim of brutal and evil attacks of wicked people. We have the opportunity to share the Gospel with a country in deep need of comfort and hope.
How do we do that? How can we possibly be up to such a task? Paul wrote the Corinthians, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. ” Our ability to comfort others during “any trouble” comes directly from God.
Jesus comforts people through us! He first comforts us “in all our tribulation.” That first-hand experience of receiving the comfort of God makes us “able to comfort them which are in any trouble.” We comfort others “by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” Ask God to help you understand His Comfort in your life during difficult times so you can comfort others in theirs.
The days are evil. We live in an evil world filled with evil people who design evil schemes and carry them out in evil ways. Our message is that God Loves people deeply and has shown them mercy by supplying the Gift of Life through Jesus Christ. He is the Answer to all their questions and the Comfort for all their needs.
Our prayers are with you as you minister God’s Comfort to those who are hurting in your community.
“The Game of Life”
Safe on First
by
Pastor Robert Xavier
If you have received the Lord Jesus Christ and have His Spirit living in your heart, you have made it to “First Base” — Salvation!
“And this is the record that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in the Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:11-13
The Bible Described the Human Race by Three Basic Categories
• Natural Man: The Bible says the natural man cannot understand salvation. It is foolishness to him, because it is a supernatural experience. To him it simply means he believes there is a God somewhere up in heaven, and by going to church and living a good life, he will go to heaven when he dies.
• Carnal Man: The carnal Christian has a genuine salvation experience, but he lacks understanding of how he is to live out this new life in the present. Salvation may mean nothing more than a fire insurance policy which will keep him out of hell when he dies. His concept of the Christian lifestyle at this point is very limited.
• Spiritual Man: The spiritual man realizes salvation is the first step in the journey which he will walk by faith until he sees Jesus face to face after death. He realizes it is a gift from God, who loves him dearly, as He does all men. He realizes that it cost God heavily to purchase redemption for us, and he does not want to make a disgrace of such a previous gift. He also understands that receiving Christ as his Savior means making Him Lord (#1 Boss) over his life.
Taking God’s Grace to the World!
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