Going Kung Fu Christian! (Part 3 of 3)

Good morning everyone. This is the last part of my article. I hope you are still enjoying what’s the story. Let me finish it now ….

I am not just shadowboxing. 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 (1 Corinthians 9:25-27).

How did he train? We’ll the basic moves that we need to practice with relentless discipline are:
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart (Colossians 4:2).

How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road sings you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living (Psalm 119:10-12).

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ (Philemon 1:6).

Just like martial arts, these techniques are not complicated, but they required extreme discipline and constant repetition for us to excel.

Do you want to be a kung fu Christian? Then keep a constant conversation with Jesus Christ going all day, every day. pour yourself into God’s word more than Facebook, texting, movies, music, and games. Then as a result of being prayerful and knowledgeable about God’s word, stay active in haring the gospel, and the scenes from your life movie on earth will look like this in heaven:

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. we use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Be the best… around!

Going Kung Fu Christian! (Part 2 of 3)

Good morning everyone. This is the second part of my article. I wish you are still following. Let me continue now …

But the main area to which the ‘Chinese applied this term was spiritual discipline. They knew (and so do we) that the way to excellence in all life started with the training and conditioning of your soul.

Which leads me to a question…? Are you a kung fu Christian?

No, I don’t mean like a black belt in Bible and you’re able to use your fish symbol like a Chinese throwing star… HAI YA!

I’m talking about the training and conditioning of your spiritual life with Jesus Christ. You see, the Christian life is not simp0ly fire insurance from hell, it is so so SO much more than that. To simply trust in Jesus as your only hope of salvation and then leave it at that is like accepting a free ticket to a martial arts movie instead of playing a key role IN the movie! God has a major part for each and every believer, but trust me, it is no walk in the park.

Why? Because if you don’t train, you won’t be ready for the fight. You are up against a bully more powerful than any other in the universe. His goal is to “steal, kill, and destroy” you (John 10:10), and he has been studying spiritual martial arts far longer than you. Fortunately, you have a Trainer and a training manual that will bring you victory every time you engage… but you have to be disciplined and follow your Mater, Jesus Christ.

One of the greatest ‘ kung fu Christians’ of all time is the Apostle Paul. Here is his training advice:

All athletes are disciplines in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step.

Third and last part will come soon :) …..

Going Kung Fu Christian! (Part 1 of 3)

Good morning friends. I know many of you love to watch movies. Love story, comedy, horror, action and many more. I have read one story and maybe you might get shock in it. Here it goes …

Well here’s a shocker… a classic movie from the 80’s being remade! And among all the classics from that era, Karate Kid is in the upper echelon with the best.

In case you missed it, Ralph Macchio plays a kid named Daniel who moves to California because his mom got a job “in computers” (which sounded amazingly cool back then). He messes with pretty much the last people you should even look crooked at: Johnny uber-bully and his gang of Cobra Kai thugs, and generally gets karate owned for the first part of the movie. Enter the martial arts master maintenance man, heavy duty training, and one of the greatest ending scenes put on film – because “he’s the best… around!!!”

Now take that recipe, move it to China – and HAI YA!!! Kung Fu Karati Kid!

Maybe it’s just guys, but I think most people would love to download a martial arts app into their brain and instantly be able to fly around with kicks and punches like a spider monkey overdosing on Red Bull – right?

But that’s not the way it works. Any level of martial arts ability is only achieved through incredible amounts of discipline, hard work, pain, and patience.

In fact, that’s what the phrase ‘kung fu’ means!! It basically translates as “accomplishment arrived at by great effort.” Originally ‘kung fu’ was any area you excelled in because of your hard work and training. So you could be a kung fu cook, kung fu artist, or kung fu panda, I suppose. - Beacon

See you on my second part ….

Praise in the Dugout

Orel Herschiser pitched an unbelievable 1988 season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Following a complete game shutout in August, he pitched multiple shutout innings and hurled five more complete games through the end of the regular season. He did not allow his opponents to score and earned run in 59 consecutive innings. When the Dodgers faced the New York Mets in the National League play-offs, Orel continued to dominant hitters, leading the Dodgers to victory by pitching more than 24 innings, crowned by a complete game shutout in the final game! In the World Series his complete gave victory over the Oakland A’s in game five clinched the series for the Dodgers. No wonder Orel was awarded the Cy Young award and two MVP awards, one for the National League play-offs and the other for the World Series.

During the play-offs the TV cameras zoomed in on this legend in the making. They caught Orel in the dugout between innings singing softly to himself. Unable to make out the tune, the announcers merely commented that Orel’s record certainly gave him something to sing about. Johnny Carson replayed that tape on the “Tonight Show” a few days later when Orel appeared. Johnny asked him what song he had been singing during the game and if Orel would sing it again right then and there. the audience roared its approval over Orel’s embarrassed reluctance. So on national TV, Orel softly sang the tune TV crews had barely caught on tape:

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
Praised Father, son and Holy Ghost. Amen.”

Orel Herschiser was simply doing what Christians do – praising God for everything that he’s achieved. Paul urges the Colossians, “Whatever you do… do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (3:17). Not only at church, but in the in-between moments, thank God for your gifts, talents and every blessing you have – he gave them to you. - Beacon

57 Cents (Part 2 of 2)

Good morning friends. I'm going to continue the second part of my article and I hope you are still following me here. Let me say it now ...

But the story does not end there! A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents.

Church members made large subscriptions. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl’s gift had increased to $250,000.00 - a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.

When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300, and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday Scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kin d pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, “Acres of Diamonds.” – a true story.

Goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 cents.

57 Cents (Part 1 of 2)

Good morning everyone. A nice story that I've read in our Church weekly Beacon and I want to share it with you. This is how it goes ...

A sobbing little girl stood near a small church form which she had been turned always because it ‘was too crowded’. “I can’t go to Sunday School,” she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement building and the parents called for the kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummage from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, “This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school.” For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.

See you on my second part :) ...

Education - QUOTE

Education is the ability to listen to almost everything without losing your temper or your self confidence.

Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
July 16

A Time for Prayer

This spiritual linkage also nurtures forgiveness to the point that the leader learns not to blame others for his shortcomings. Instead one discovers the wisdom to shed excess baggage and, feeding off a reservoir of positive energy, to resume his life’s journey from a fresh perspective. At the same time, one learns the virtue of sacrifice, the ability to endure pain and suffering for a higher purpose. He also becomes more resilient, better able to bounce back from adversity.

Each time the leader rediscovers or reaffirms his place in the universe, he draws power from that inner spirit – what Oriented philosophers refers to as chi and what Star Wars mythology has made popular as the “Force”. In simple terms, it is the ennobling and enabling power of love, a boundless spiritual energy that keeps him mindful and appreciative of every living moment.

Armed with this, the leader is able to live – not just articulate – the values and principles he stands for. From there, he has only to commit his best and trust that he will find the right way for others to follow.

Pollution

Pollution has bee as any significant change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of the air, water and land that many negatively affect mankind, whether directly by being harmful to people or indirectly by causing natural resources to deteriorate.

Pollution can come from some natural processes such as volcanic eruption and erosion that accompanies heavy rains. But nature can handle and cleanse itself from their type of pollution. What it finds difficult to remedy in excessive pollution resulting from man’s activities.

Air pollution comes mostly from industrial and motorized vehicles. Water and land pollution come mostly from domestic agricultural and industrial wastes. A major pollutant from agriculture is pesticide residues. A major industry to pollution is the introduction of materials that do not decay (or non biodegradable materials) in the environment.

Serious pollution problems are found in urban areas where may people live. They also found in localities where there are highly pollution activities like tanning animals like for the manufacturing leather, hog raising, to name a few.

Seek, Work,Win - Quote

God did not make us to be eaten up by anxiety, but to walk straight, free, unafraid in a world where there is work to do, truth to seek, love to give and win.

Pocketed

Good morning everyone. When I want to read a book or magazine, I always look for an article about the good things God made. Even I don’t experience those good things in real, I felt it that it happened to me. I always get touched with the articles I’ve read. I read one article that divine touched my heart. Sad story but it seems in the end you will feel good as the story will touch the heart of many. Let me share it with you …

A girl has a daddy who was not a churchgoing man. Fishing was the habit of the father every Sunday. The girl used to worry a lot about his soul, so when she was 13 yrs old, she bought him a little pocket Bible, and she slipped it into his suitcase before he went out on a business trip. The girl wrote a nice message on the bible and this it say, “Daddy, God loves you and so do I.” The girl never saw the bible again and her father never mentioned a word to her about it.

The girl grew up and moved away from home, but she always kept praying for her daddy.

Then one day she got a terrible phone call, telling her that her daddy had died suddenly at the young age of 47.

The funeral was at their little country church with standing room only. And the procession of cars stretched out for a mile behind them as they drove to the family plot. The girl was amazed at the number of friends that her quiet little daddy had.

Even in the girl’s grief at the cemetery she had to smile at the memory of her Daddy telling herself that it was called plunk-a-was cemetery, because it was “plunked way back in the middle of the woods.”

Back at their house the neighbors had cleaned up the place, but it was the girl’s sad duty to go through all of her Daddy’s things.

The girl walked into his daddy’s bedroom and burst into tears at the sight of his worn khaki work pants draped over the foot of his bed, just like he’d always done.

Rummaging through the pockets of those work pants, she felt a strange billfold-sized object in his right back pocket. That’s odd, the girl thought. Her daddy had always carried his wallet in his left back pocket.

The girl pulled the object out, and it almost fell apart in her hands. It was the little pocket Bible that she had given to her daddy all those years ago, worn smooth and soft from years of handling.

The girl turned to the inscription in her youthful handwriting. Yes, God loved her daddy. And now she knew, her daddy had sure loved God right back.

Folding Lantern

The first pictue is a "folding lantern", which was used in Mazandaran villages and other places in iran many many years ago,when there was no elctricity. Its fuel was kerosone. It is still used when farmers want to inspect their cattles which rest far from their houses in nights.