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
July – August 2003
Welcome to the GMAF Newsletter! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
Thoughts from the Master
“I tell you the truth.” Jesus Christ
“I speak the truth in Christ.” The Apostle Paul
Wisdom Notes
“An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” Proverbs 24:26
“A Kiss On The Lips”
by
Mark McGee
GMAF Director
“An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” That’s a beautiful picture: an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. The writer’s subject is an honest answer. He chooses a life-picture his readers will immediately understand and have an emotional response. A kiss on the lips is very pleasant. It’s one of the most precious gifts God has given a husband and wife. A kiss on the lips is wonderful physically, emotionally, socially and mentally. It fulfills so many of the basic needs we have as human beings. A kiss on the lips is a good thing. So is an honest answer. God speaks highly about the importance of honesty.
“Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.”
Proverbs 16:11
“Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin.”
Leviticus 19:35-36
“Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.”
Proverbs 16:13
“A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.”
Proverbs 12:17
“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.”
Proverbs 12:19
Most civilizations have found honesty important to the health of citizens, families and society. Hebrew words for “honest” include nakoah , sedeq, mispat, munah . The words carry the idea of being “right.” It’s not always easy to give someone the “right” answer, but it is a good thing to do. The result is like a kiss on the lips. The Chinese word for honesty is shih . The character has a string of ten thousand shells or coins placed under a roof. The person living under the roof has a fortune, is an aristocrat and thus a superior and honest person. Greek words for honesty include dikaios, kalos, semnos . The words carry the idea of being “right” and “honorable.”
Honesty is basically the art of telling the truth. That sounds easy enough, but is very hard to do. The idea of honesty has fallen into such disrepair in modern society that some have coined the term “radical honesty” in an attempt to return to the old fashioned idea of Biblical honesty. Honesty is married with telling the truth.
Christ is the Highest Example of Honesty. He “always” told the Truth. We read dozens of times in the Gospels where Christ said: “I tell you the truth…” The truth Jesus shared was not always popular. Christ was murdered because He was honest. “The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them.” (Luke 20:19) God honors honesty; He requires honesty.
How do we teach our children and students about honesty? Be a truth teller. Be a model of honesty. Share what God says about honesty and telling the truth. Share examples of people who were honest and the results of their honesty. Present honesty in terms people will understand. It is like a “kiss on the lips!”
Biblical Health Principles
by
Steve Shober
MS, MH, DNM
Biblical Health Ministries
God’s Natural Laws
What we call natural laws (physical laws of the universe), like gravity, were created by God. These are God’s laws. Whether one believes in them or not, God’s physical-natural laws are always in affect on a person’s life. Nutritional principles follow these laws. Even people and cultures which do not believe the Bible reap the benefits from following these natural laws.
Sickness is most often a violation of God’s natural laws. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy.” — defile means to make unclean (pollute) with contamination. Our body is not our own, it belongs to God, and, the very thing that contaminates it will bring destruction. the observation of Dr. Richard Brennon rings true: “God has made a universe of moral and material laws; when we break the laws, we break ourselves upon the laws. We will reap the consequence in ourselves.” A Christian pastor notes, “It is the violation of the natural laws of God that causes 90% of all Christian sickness and physical suffering.” (Why Christians Get Sick , Rev. George H. Malkmus)
What are these natural laws? They are the laws that govern the universe as seen in biology, chemistry, physics, thermodynamics, electro-magnetism, etc. How can anyone ever know all these laws? We can’t, thankfully we are not expected to! God merely wants us to believe His Word and have a lifestyle that is as closely aligned as possible to His Word and design of the natural world. God’s foods, clean air and water are essential for a good life, and fortunately, He has given us herbs for medicine.
“Violation of natural laws will result in sickness, injury, or untimely death whether the violator realized the law existed or not; whether the violator was a Christian or not; whether the violator was a spiritual Christian or not! The law will automatically be applied whether a man knows of the law or not! Ignorance of the law makes absolutely no difference in the consequences of breaking it!” (Malkmus) These laws are impersonal and always in effect. They apply to everyone, Christian or non-Christian. Each person is responsible and accountable for their own health. sincerity, piety and prayer (with exceptions) do not cause these laws to be abrogated.
Violating God’s Natural Laws. Starting with steel rollers in the 1890’s and then the earnest processing of grains in the 1904’s, most of the nutritional value in grains has been removed. Processing was to extend shelf life, not your life. By removing bran and germ from wheat it lasts longer, but 22 vitamins and minerals are taken out. In 1948 Congress forced processors to add back four (B1, B2, B3, iron). It was then termed “enriched.” This is like a mugger handing back one dollar after taking all your money and personal belongings and expecting you to be thrilled. Enriched foods are deceptive, destructive foods. Observe for the labels on food and if it says enriched, do NOT buy it!
Grain processing is the tip of the food adulteration iceberg. Mankind has found an incredible number of ways to alter foods which in essence “denatures” them (hydrogenation, additives, colorings, bleaches, preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, refining, …) “Better living through chemistry” has not proven to be true for nutrition. Synthetic molecules, designed to trick your body (fake sugars, phony fats, etc.) will invariably cause health problems.
Processed foods are like the four horsemen of the Apocalypse because there are four white deaths: refined white sugar, white flour, white oils, and salt. Research shows that eight tablespoons of white sugar a day reduces the number of bacteria the immune system can handle by 92%. Popular creamed filled dessert snacks have four tablespoons each and one can of soda has over three tablespoons of sugar. Bread is said in the Bible to sustain one’s heart, Psalms 104:15, but processed flour has the germ removed so the bread will last longer. By removing the germ the vitamin E is also removed, so the very thing which is healthy for your heart has been taken away. The nearly white, refined oils sold in supermarkets (especially the polyunsaturated) are some of the worst foods a person can consume. Just altering His Word is disastrous, so is alteration of His natural foods.
Principle: you cannot improve upon God. Consume items as close as possible to the way God made them.
IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
by
Pastor Karl William Marx, Sr.
“To be or not to be? That is the question” However it is not from Shakespeare That I ask this question. I ask myself in times of trouble, am I to be a sissy and cry about the situation? or should I not be overcome by my physical wants and turn to God for HIS help. For example there are millions of people in the World who say they can’t quit smoking. Oh! how my flesh jumps back into the bad days, and only by the grace of God I don’t grab them by their nicotine coated throat, and rip their tongue out of their mouth. I know that sounds terrible, and I apologize if anyone is taken back by the language.
The reason I get so frazzled is that these bumble butt brains spend at least on the average (in this time span 2003), $4.00 a pack. When you add at least one pack a day times four dollars each, that amounts to $112.00 a month. Shucks! that money could feed a homeless family for a month. Now to the point of this message. If a big knuckle head like myself can cold turkey Cigarettes, cigars, good whiskey, wine and beer, then there is no real excuse for them not to quit smoking. Man I’m so weak I get addicted to routine. A shower every morning, or having to eat a milky way with pop corn every day at lunch. So who am I to point fingers. However what is important is the fact that there is nothing we can do or not do, except mess up our lives without Going to God with our problems. Even the TV series Monk the policeman with compulsive behavior does all right with his problem. God has given us all, yes I said ALL, each and every one of you, me and you us and them, we all have the Lord God almighty right there, always there, FOR US! Wow! think about that. Our question is do we ask HIM for HIS help? Are you a member of God’s Family? Have YOU accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Hay! the bottom line is simply To be a Christian Believer, or Not to be. Will you chose to Smoke, abuse drugs and alcohol, your wife and children? Or will you Be a loving God fearing, role model for our future generation Children. As for me, I have never been happier in my entire life of 66 years, since I became a Christian, and have the honor of going to my heavenly Father with ALL my problems and other things not just problems. Jesus said He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Really folks Christ is the Light of the World. If you don’t believe me just ask me. Ha! Really my beloved readers, To be Christ like is life, and not to be walking on in Gods Will is folly. Come on you can stop smoking. Don’t allow a little 3 inch cigarette rule your life and cut it short in many cases. Don’t put smoking ahead of worshiping God. You make a cig your Idol. that’s a dangers choice. Well that’s it for today. Later Gator. Remember to keep Christ FIRST in ALL you do. Write me back if you like what you read, or if you don’t, like it write anyway. Be Blessed all of you.
THE SILVERSMITH
Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse:
“And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver (Malachi 3:3)”
One lady proposed to visit a silversmith, and report to them on what he said about the subject. She went accordingly, and without telling the object of her errand, begged the silversmith to tell her about the
process of refining silver.
After he had fully described it to her, she asked, “But Sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?”
“Oh, yes madam,” replied the silversmith; “I must sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.”
The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” God sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.
Before she left, the lady asked one final question, “When do you know the process is complete?”
“Why, that is quite simple,” replied the silversmith. “When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished.”
— Author Unknown
Taking God’s Grace to the World!
[Join our Grace Martial Arts Facebook Community!]
Grace Martial Arts © 1990 – 2021
Grace Martial Arts 