Scripture 1

I Corinthians 13: 4-8
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails"

Galatians 5:22-25
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law….If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, or envying one another"

Symbol
The symbol we use emphasizes the fruit of the Spirit, which are the attributes we strive for in this class. The symbol is the Bible with two vines surrounding the cross of Jesus. The vines are signified as Christ, "I am the vine, you are the branches," symbolizing our growth from biblical principles.

What does this mean to me?
No matter where we are in life - going to school, studying for a test, finding our first job, or
getting ready for summer vacation, the Bible teaches us that we should "walk in the Spirit."

If someone wrongs you at school, forgive them. If someone needs help, go the extra mile to lend the person a helping hand. The Bible teaches us to persevere through the tough times, and know that Christ is with you and making you a stronger person. If you are practicing your technique and just can't do it correctly, keep trying your best and you will eventually do it!

After all, a black belt is a white belt who never gives up.

 

Scripture 4

I Thessalonians 5:8-10
"Put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him."

Ephesians 6: 13-18
"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having worn your feet with the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of evil. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer in the Spirit." The armor of God gives Christians victory over sin and protection from the devil.

Context
The Armor of God consists of six pieces of equipment. Much like martial arts techniques and training, these pieces of equipment must be used and put into practice regularly in order to be effective. During our off-session time, I'm sure you find your technique isn't as razor sharp as during our sessions. Christian martial artists train with this equipment to fight "the good fight of faith" and to hold on to eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12).

Belt of truth - John 8:32, 14:6, Psalms 51:6
Body Armor of righteousness - Isaiah 59:17, Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 11:4, 12:28
Shoes of peace - Luke 1:79, Romans 8:6, 10:15, Isaiah 52:7, Colossians 3:15
Shield of faith - James 2:17, Hebrews 11:3, 2 Timothy 4:7, Galatians 3:26
Helmet of salvation - Psalms 27:1, 62:2 Romans 1:16
Sword of the spirit - Philippians 1:19, Hebrews 4:12, Romans 8:14

What does this mean to me?
Have you ever had a bad day at school? The morning just starts wrong and the whole day seems to get more difficult? This scripture helps us to understand that our lives won't always be simple, but God calls us to "wear the armor" to withstand those difficult times in our lives.

When things are tough, or when friends tease us, or things just aren't going our way, look to Christ to comfort you. The armor described in these verses means to be ready for those bad days or tough times in our life and allow Christ to protect us by being righteous, truthful, peaceful, and faithful to Him in all we do and say!

Next time you get ready for the day, consider "getting ready" by allowing Christ to strengthen you with His armor!

  

Scripture 5

I Peter 1: 13, 15, 16
"Therefore guard your minds, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lives; but be as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"

I Thessalonians 5: 16 - 18
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil."

I Peter 4: 11b
"…that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and honor forever and ever." Proverbs 18:21 says, "Approach everything with a positive attitude"

Context
These versus are talking about finding JOY. While joy is normally associated with happiness, the type of joy described in the Bible is something more. Joy does not vanish when things take a turn for the worse; it endures, even during the worst of times. True joy does not come by circumstances; it comes from deep within. We are joyful because we recognize God has solutions to our problems.

What does this mean to me?
In these verses, God is telling us that regardless of our circumstances, or how rough things are, we should give glory and honor to God and have joy.

That's often easier said than done. During difficult times in our lives it's human to feel overwhelmed, as if there's no way out, or the only way to get through a situation is doing something contrary to what we've been taught.

God calls us to reach out to Him during these times. Remember, Christ prayed to His Father just moments before the guards came and took Him away to be judged.

 

"It is at these times that I pick you up and carry you" (From Footsteps in the Sand)

 

Scripture 10 

I Samuel 17: 45 - 47
"Then David said to the Philistine (Goliath), "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands…"

Context
This verse is speaking of the shepherd boy, David, who met the huge Philistine giant, Goliath. Goliath was a nine foot tall warrior, who had been sent to destroy David and his army. David, armed with only a sling and 5 smooth stones, destroyed Goliath and his Philistine army.

What does this mean?
There are certain things people know not to do…don't fight a lion with a toothpick, you don't stand in traffic and cross the street, and you don't send a boy to destroy a warrior! The King at the time was Saul, who was out of options, so he sent David to meet this warrior.

It is when we are out of options that we are most ready for God's surprises. God certainly made his point from the story above! The soldiers gasped, Goliath jeered, David whipped his stone.

Whenever you are confronted with a huge problem, or something in life that just seems too "Goliath" to contend with - lean on God, and allow him to surprise you!

Similarly, in martial arts, there will be times in the future where you'll need to perfect a technique, or participate in sparring with a larger opponent, or even compete at a tournament!

 

Rely upon God to conquer the "Goliath" in your life - and persevere and allow him to surprise you!

 

Scripture 11 

Matthew 18: 10 - 14
"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones…For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the others remaining. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

Context
Jesus is talking about His people, and when they get lost or go astray. Jesus is stating every sheep, or person, is important.

What does this mean?
We are all equally valuable to God. No one is useless to Him. Not a child, not the unattractive, not the clumsy, not the tired, not the discouraged. God uses His children.

Our value isn't based on the amount of money we have, the number of friends we have, the car we drive, whether we start on the team at school, what martial arts belt we wear, or whether we're a director, VP, or a CEO of a company.

Similarly, in martial arts - you'll probably get "lost" a few times. You won't understand the technique, if there's a chamber position, or where your balance is supposed to be when applying a technique. Like Christ, the instructors are here to help you "get back on track" and feel re-assured that you're on the right path.

We all belong to God's eternal plan. There is an eternal purpose. You may not know it now, but God is always there for you, regardless of whether you go astray or not. Be confident in knowing God never turns His back on you.

 

God's future plans are brought out by the present vision of His people

 

Scripture 19 

Ecclesiastes 9:10
"Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom."

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified."

Our study of the martial arts is similar. We need to discipline our bodies and minds. If we could quickly test and pass every test without difficulties, what would we be learning? After 4+ years of quick testing and no discipline, we would have very modest skills. However, if, after 4+ years of pushing ourselves to be better, striving for relentless perfection of technique, we would have a black belt with all the knowledge and skills such a rank entails.

What does this mean to me in this class?
Discipline your body to quickly and instinctively do the things you have taught it. Discipline the mind in like fashion. A well-disciplined martial artist (AND CHRISTIAN) has instincts of doing right because of prior determination, perseverance, and practice.

These versus remind me of an experience I had in my previous training hall. There was a beginning student who apparently had been shown a variety of technique - from a 360 degree spin kick, to a running / jump side kick. His enthusiasm was terrific, his excitement about martial arts was without question. But the discipline in his technique was no where to be found. Spinning, spinning and spinning he went, around the training hall floor from side to side doing jump side kicks to impress whoever was in the training hall. He literally looked more like a person at a "grunge" concert throwing himself all over the place.

If you don't discipline your mind and body to develop your techniques, you'll be like this student who had skill beyond his belt rank, but had no understanding of what he was doing, when to do it, or how to ask for help.

Andrea Del Sarto - By Robert Browning (1855) summary:

"…Though we are not now, that which in old days moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are. One equal temple of heroic hearts, made week by time and fate, yet strong in will, to seek, to strive, to find, and not to yield."

Don't ever give up on your goal. Allow God to guide you to His purpose and calling for your life, and you will find fulfillment and peace.

 

Scripture 20 

Romans 12:14-18 (Contemporary Christian Version - CEV)
"Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don't mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, AND DO YOUR BEST TO LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE."

Context
Note the scripture above says "do your best." Another translation says, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men KJV). As we all know, it may not always be possible to live at peace with all men. Look at today's world - there are groups around the world that don't like you and me, not because of anything we've done, but simply because of who we are, and our beliefs. Although others may not like us for one reason or another, that is not an excuse for us to give up hope, or stop loving them.

Martial Arts
It may be hard to believe when first beginning this class, but the martial arts absolutely comprises love, among the other Fruit of the Spirit. The martial arts began thousands of years ago because people were not given the right to defend themselves, and hence began using farm equipment as well as honing their own bodies in order to protect themselves.

By now you ought to know that victory is actually avoiding conflict, and finding peace with others rather than defeating them. In Luke 6:29, the Bible says, "If someone slaps you on the cheek, don't stop that person from slapping you on the other cheek. If someone wants to take your coat, don't try and keep back your shirt (CEV).

Verse 32: "If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that?" Verse 36 "but love your enemies and be good to them."

What would this world be like if everyone who heard these words actually lived by them? Start first with yourself, by doing what is right. Do things deliberately, with meaning and taking action to do what you have been taught. Start tomorrow - at the very least do one thing for another person - maybe someone you don't agree with, or someone you don't understand, etc.

 

Like people for their qualities, love them for the faults.

 

Scripture 21

II Corinthians 10:1
Paul is discussing humility and meekness, and says, "Christ is meek."

Matthew 5:5
"The meek shall inherit the earth."

Context
Meekness is generally thought of as being weak. In reality, meekness takes great strength. Meekness is humility and gentleness with power. A weak person is incapable of true meekness. Christ was meek - He had absolute power. He also exercised ultimate control since He could have called upon a legion of angels at any time (Matthew 26:52).

The meek shall inherit the earth because they have the strength of character to exercise their power with wisdom, restraint and gentleness.

Martial Arts
Being involved in this class and learning self-defense and martial arts is a huge responsibility! Our hope as instructors is that you walk out of this training hall and have meekness - in what you say, and what you do.

Centuries ago, students didn't pay money to learn martial arts. Students were chosen by the master instructor's for their character - the ability to show meekness and humbleness (think of all the bowing in martial arts movies and eyes looking at the ground). Of course, they were also chosen for their ability to carry on the martial arts techniques from years past.

In this class, you may have noticed the instructors only teach you what you need to know at a certain belt. We want you to build your character - find patience in yourself as you wait to learn that jump reverse hook kick, or the tornado kick that other's you know are now able to do, or the joint locks and throws that are coming in future sessions. By teaching only what you need to know, we ensure you practice what is taught, vs. practicing techniques incorrectly, or wasting your energy on things you don't need to know.

By the time you reach black belt rank, you not only will have the skill associated with the rank, but you will have gained something much more important - similar to the schools centuries ago - the meekness of your power will lie within you, but as Christ is our example, your strength will come with restraint and gentleness.

Focus on today's task, on today's teachings, and when you come to the end of your journey, you will be a more complete person - in martial arts and in character.

 

Scripture 25

I Corinthians 6: 19-20
"You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God."

Romans 6:13
"Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God."

Context
We should take care of ourselves, not only for our own physical well-being, but because we are temples of God. If we are not "fit" physically or mentally, we are incapable of becoming all we can be. In this class, we spend our time and energy physically training for spiritual fitness. We where our uniform of purity and belt of truth as the Bible says (armor of God).

What we do with our bodies is what we do with our souls. What we think about reflects who we are. Because of this, we must discipline and protect our minds.

Martial Arts
The outward, physical attributes of what we learn are often easier to see than how we are growing mentally. By now you are probably aware of the increase in flexibility, increased aerobic capacity, or loss of weight or gain of muscle. What's less noticeable is your circulation has improved, improved muscular coordination, reflex action, and awareness.

Something I enjoy watching is the transformation that takes place when a new student puts on his or her training uniform, and begins learning techniques. People find new confidence, the shyness and timidness tend to disappear. The students take a role of responsibility and authority for learning techniques, and mastering movements.

Our hope as instructors is you never lose sight of the reason why we are all here - to "bear fruit" or share God's word. It starts by being physically and mentally fit - guarding our minds, and increasing our abilities both physically and spiritually.

 

May God guide and bless you as you increase your physical ability, and may he bless you richly through the understanding of His word.