Ted Gambordella, what Easter means to mPhoto: ted gambordellaA Note before you read. This is a personal statement of my faith in Jesus as a Christian Martial Arts and what Easter means to me. I have often been asked what does Easter mean to me as a Christian. Before I tell you what Easter means to me, please let me tell you what Easter means to a Christian. Easter means that Jesus Christ literally died and 3 days later he rose from the grave, ascended unto Heaven is waiting there with his Father for those accept his love and offers Eternity life for those who accept his love. That is the Easter story, nothing else, no bunnies, no tricks.
I have come to realize that Easter means 10 things to me.1. Easter means Jesus is alive.There are a lot of people that would tell you that Jesus did not rise from the grave and even those who say that he did not exist at all. These people have been around since 01 AD and there is simply no reasoning with them. These people are not be debated with. CS Lewis said it best when he was asked how he would debate with these literal people. He said you simply can’t. They will change their premise at any time, refuse to see the facts right in front of their face and will never accept the truth when it is obvious to everyone else in the room. The first thing Easter means to me is the last thing any atheist will believe; there is no reason to try to change their mind. Their minds are blocked by the World and the Devil. Easter means that this was the day that Jesus rose from the grave and is alive today. This first premise is The Ultimate Fact. Without Easter there is nothing to Christianity. With Easter there is eternal life for those who accept and believe.2. Easter means that my parents and brother are aliveIf Jesus did not rise, then my parents are not alive, my brother is not alive. If there was no Easter, then they died with no hope of salivation or eternity. This is apparently very reassuring to the non believers out there, who seem to revel in their certainly that this life is all there is. They believe there is no reason you should have any morals or practice any virtues. Yet they are the first one to pronounce horror at the mistreatment of a cat or even a mouse, and yet take no notice at the murder of children. They have no one waiting from them after this life; they have nothing to look forward to because they have no Easter. They have no Joy and no hope.
3. Easter means the other religions are not an option for me.It is really that simple. There is only one religion in the World that the founder says he was actually God and created the entire Universe. There is only one religion in the World that the founder has no grave. There is only one religion in the World that cherishes all life from the womb to the grave. There is only one religion in the World that has changed the World to such an extent that the very calendar date had to be changed. That is Christianity. There is only one religion in the World that is right for me, Christianity. All the others may have good and bad points, but they cannot be and will never right for me. Easter proves Christianity is right and the others are not an option for me. Your free to chose any other religion you want, I choose Jesus.4. Easter means I am not a monkey with a bigger brainThe absolute impossibility of Evolution can only be understood by someone with a brain that has moral character and is a reflection of God’s mercy. It cannot be understood by the people who believe they descended from monkeys. Monkey’s have no Easter. I am not a monkey. It is simply astounding that the more complicated we prove that every aspect of life is, the more complex the cell is found to be, the more intricate the individual’s DNA is, the more parts we continue to find for the atom, the more reasons these people want to tell you it is all just Luck. Random choice and natural selection just happened to produce the entire Universe. The more we discover the luckier we get. Please remember the absolute fundamental fact of Evolution that all these people believe. Hydrogen is a single atom that if given enough time will turn into a human being.5. Easter means that morals are values mandated by God not suggested by manMorals simply are not values that have been suggested by non believers who change their standards as quickly as they can when confronted with any real moral choice. The moral standard of the liberals and the atheists is so low that anyone deviate can be forgiven for any act of murder, sexual deviance, or perversion just as easily as they can condemn any act of virtue. Easter means that there actually is a right and a wrong about everything that matters. Easter means you can actually define evil and good. As horrible and terrible as it seems to the atheists and liberals there actually are sins and there will be punishment for these sins unless you accept the free gift of Eternal Life that Jesus gave you on Easter.6. Easter means that I have future of joyThe Gospel means the Good News and the Good News is that Jesus is Lord, Jesus has risen and you are forgiven, saved for sure, forever. Mother Theresa said it best and I paraphrase, “never let the fears, cares and worries of this World let you forget the joy of the risen Lord”. As horrible as it seems in the World today, with the violence, perversion, murder, disease and terror we who have Easter have Joy. The reason the nightly news is so depressing, the papers so depressing and the World seems so depressing is that the World is not your home and the non believers who have no “joy” can and should feel depressed by all that is wrong with the World. That is all they have, there is no “joy” for the atheists they have no future to look forward to.7. Easter means I have an obligation and an opportunity to share the Good NewsEaster means the Good News is waiting for you to share and that you are told by God to share the Good News with as many people as you can. God has plan for everyone and eternal life waiting for all who simply believe in Jesus and accept his plan of salvation. You have been given the unlimited opportunity to lead as many people as you can to Jesus and to share this Good News. There is no limit to how many people you can share it with and no restrictions of how many can receive it. It is like the ultimate credit card to share and spread Joy, with no expiration date and no limits.8. Easter means you will always be lovedIf there was no Easter there would be not be any real love. If there is no Easter then there is simply no reason to love anyone who does not deserve it or whom you don’t feel deserves your love. God is Love and he wants to share his love with everyone unconditionally. People will love you when they feel like it. The World will love you when it feels like it. The love of people and the World is short and fleeting, but the love of Jesus is eternal. Easter means that Jesus loved you enough to die for you, when you did not deserve it. Easter means that Jesus loves you just as you are. There is nothing you have done, nothing you can do that will take this love away. Only you can refuse this love, Jesus puts no restrictions on it. He puts no limits to it; he loves you eternally, unconditionally. You are the only one who can refuse his love. He will never refuse to love you.9. Easter means the eternal life for anyone who wants it for freeEaster means your debts have been paid in full. You do not have to borrow anything from anyone to get your reward. You do not have to do anything of such outstanding magnitude that those around you would consider you a Saint. You do not have go to India and love the dying. You do not have to go to jail and serve the prisoners. You do not have to give all your money, all your time and all your efforts. You only have to accept and believe that Jesus died, rose again and will accept you into his kingdom if you simply believe and receive. There is nothing you can do, no amount of money, no demand for service. It is a gift, free to anyone who will accept it. But it was a gift that did have a cost, and it cost the life of an innocent man. But Jesus has paid the cost and is offering you eternal life now for free.10. Easter means evil does not winIf you read the newspapers and watch the TV you will think that evil is winning. There is nothing the press would rather have you believe than evil is winning and you don’t have a chance. There is nothing but “fear” the World has to offer anyone who does not have Easter. When you control people with fear you control everything they do, everything they feel and everything they will ever have. Evil wants you to be afraid, afraid of the next disease, afraid of the next terror attack, afraid of your job, your health, your very existence. Evil is real and the World is full of evil, but the World is not your home. You will be home when you go to be with Jesus who is waiting, waiting with love and open arms to accept you. There is a War for between Evil and Good, but the Good News is the battle is over Jesus has won. Easter was the victory party for Jesus.A Jewish friend of mine once asked me rather disdainfully did I believe that she was going to Hell because she was not a Christian. I was led by the Holy Spirit to reply. The Jews are beloved by God, Jesus is a Jew. The Jew’s have a special place in the heart of God and in his kingdom. God is the ultimate judge of the Jews and he loves them. It is not my right to judge the Jews, but I am Gentile my only hope of salvation is Jesus Christ who died to save not only the Jews but the Gentiles and has saved me. If I was not a Christian I would have no hope of eternity and no chance of salvation. I do not know what God has in store for you individually as a Jew but I do know that Jesus is my only hope of salvation. I am saved by God’s grace to live eternally in Heaven.If there was no Easter there would be no Christianity, Easter is the reason I believe and the truth I receive. If you do not know Jesus there are 4 simple steps to accept his love and his promise of Eternal Life.Here is the web location: HTTP://www.godlovestheworld.com/And here it is in text.Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God.
1. God LOVES you and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life.
(References contained on this page are from the Bible and should be read in context wherever possible.) God's Love "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV). God's Plan[Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful] (John 10:10).
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life? Because...
2. Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life. Man Is Sinful "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin. Man Is Separated "The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23).
3. Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. He Died in Our Place"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). He Rose From the Dead "Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6).
It is not enough just to know these three laws...
4. We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives. We Must Receive Christ "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). We Receive Christ Through Faith "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth (Read John 3:1-8) We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20). Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for your sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.SELF
1. The Self-directed life
Self is on the throne. Interests are directed by self, resulting in discord and frustration. Christ is outside the person's life.Christ
2. The Christ-directed life
Christ is on the throne. Self is yielding to Christ. Interests are directed by Christ, resulting in harmony with God's plan.
Which best describes your life? Which would you like to have represent your life? The following explains how you can receive Christ:
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer:
(Prayer is talking to God) God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, I invite you to pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.More Info: Grandmaster Ted Gambordella is the author of 42 books and 25 DVD’s for more info see his website www.blackbeltinabox.com
Ted Gambordella, what Easter means to m
Photo: ted gambordellaA Note before you read. This is a personal statement of my faith in Jesus as a Christian Martial Arts and what Easter means to me.
I have often been asked what does Easter mean to me as a Christian. Before I tell you what Easter means to me, please let me tell you what Easter means to a Christian. Easter means that Jesus Christ literally died and 3 days later he rose from the grave, ascended unto Heaven is waiting there with his Father for those accept his love and offers Eternity life for those who accept his love. That is the Easter story, nothing else, no bunnies, no tricks.
I have come to realize that Easter means 10 things to me.
1. Easter means Jesus is alive.
There are a lot of people that would tell you that Jesus did not rise from the grave and even those who say that he did not exist at all. These people have been around since 01 AD and there is simply no reasoning with them. These people are not be debated with. CS Lewis said it best when he was asked how he would debate with these literal people. He said you simply can’t. They will change their premise at any time, refuse to see the facts right in front of their face and will never accept the truth when it is obvious to everyone else in the room. The first thing Easter means to me is the last thing any atheist will believe; there is no reason to try to change their mind. Their minds are blocked by the World and the Devil. Easter means that this was the day that Jesus rose from the grave and is alive today. This first premise is The Ultimate Fact. Without Easter there is nothing to Christianity. With Easter there is eternal life for those who accept and believe.
2. Easter means that my parents and brother are alive
If Jesus did not rise, then my parents are not alive, my brother is not alive. If there was no Easter, then they died with no hope of salivation or eternity. This is apparently very reassuring to the non believers out there, who seem to revel in their certainly that this life is all there is. They believe there is no reason you should have any morals or practice any virtues. Yet they are the first one to pronounce horror at the mistreatment of a cat or even a mouse, and yet take no notice at the murder of children. They have no one waiting from them after this life; they have nothing to look forward to because they have no Easter. They have no Joy and no hope.
3. Easter means the other religions are not an option for me.
3. Easter means the other religions are not an option for me.
It is really that simple. There is only one religion in the World that the founder says he was actually God and created the entire Universe. There is only one religion in the World that the founder has no grave. There is only one religion in the World that cherishes all life from the womb to the grave. There is only one religion in the World that has changed the World to such an extent that the very calendar date had to be changed. That is Christianity. There is only one religion in the World that is right for me, Christianity. All the others may have good and bad points, but they cannot be and will never right for me. Easter proves Christianity is right and the others are not an option for me. Your free to chose any other religion you want, I choose Jesus.
4. Easter means I am not a monkey with a bigger brain
The absolute impossibility of Evolution can only be understood by someone with a brain that has moral character and is a reflection of God’s mercy. It cannot be understood by the people who believe they descended from monkeys. Monkey’s have no Easter. I am not a monkey. It is simply astounding that the more complicated we prove that every aspect of life is, the more complex the cell is found to be, the more intricate the individual’s DNA is, the more parts we continue to find for the atom, the more reasons these people want to tell you it is all just Luck. Random choice and natural selection just happened to produce the entire Universe. The more we discover the luckier we get. Please remember the absolute fundamental fact of Evolution that all these people believe. Hydrogen is a single atom that if given enough time will turn into a human being.
5. Easter means that morals are values mandated by God not suggested by man
Morals simply are not values that have been suggested by non believers who change their standards as quickly as they can when confronted with any real moral choice. The moral standard of the liberals and the atheists is so low that anyone deviate can be forgiven for any act of murder, sexual deviance, or perversion just as easily as they can condemn any act of virtue. Easter means that there actually is a right and a wrong about everything that matters. Easter means you can actually define evil and good. As horrible and terrible as it seems to the atheists and liberals there actually are sins and there will be punishment for these sins unless you accept the free gift of Eternal Life that Jesus gave you on Easter.
6. Easter means that I have future of joy
The Gospel means the Good News and the Good News is that Jesus is Lord, Jesus has risen and you are forgiven, saved for sure, forever. Mother Theresa said it best and I paraphrase, “never let the fears, cares and worries of this World let you forget the joy of the risen Lord”. As horrible as it seems in the World today, with the violence, perversion, murder, disease and terror we who have Easter have Joy. The reason the nightly news is so depressing, the papers so depressing and the World seems so depressing is that the World is not your home and the non believers who have no “joy” can and should feel depressed by all that is wrong with the World. That is all they have, there is no “joy” for the atheists they have no future to look forward to.
7. Easter means I have an obligation and an opportunity to share the Good News
Easter means the Good News is waiting for you to share and that you are told by God to share the Good News with as many people as you can. God has plan for everyone and eternal life waiting for all who simply believe in Jesus and accept his plan of salvation. You have been given the unlimited opportunity to lead as many people as you can to Jesus and to share this Good News. There is no limit to how many people you can share it with and no restrictions of how many can receive it. It is like the ultimate credit card to share and spread Joy, with no expiration date and no limits.
8. Easter means you will always be loved
If there was no Easter there would be not be any real love. If there is no Easter then there is simply no reason to love anyone who does not deserve it or whom you don’t feel deserves your love. God is Love and he wants to share his love with everyone unconditionally. People will love you when they feel like it. The World will love you when it feels like it. The love of people and the World is short and fleeting, but the love of Jesus is eternal. Easter means that Jesus loved you enough to die for you, when you did not deserve it. Easter means that Jesus loves you just as you are. There is nothing you have done, nothing you can do that will take this love away. Only you can refuse this love, Jesus puts no restrictions on it. He puts no limits to it; he loves you eternally, unconditionally. You are the only one who can refuse his love. He will never refuse to love you.
9. Easter means the eternal life for anyone who wants it for free
Easter means your debts have been paid in full. You do not have to borrow anything from anyone to get your reward. You do not have to do anything of such outstanding magnitude that those around you would consider you a Saint. You do not have go to India and love the dying. You do not have to go to jail and serve the prisoners. You do not have to give all your money, all your time and all your efforts. You only have to accept and believe that Jesus died, rose again and will accept you into his kingdom if you simply believe and receive. There is nothing you can do, no amount of money, no demand for service. It is a gift, free to anyone who will accept it. But it was a gift that did have a cost, and it cost the life of an innocent man. But Jesus has paid the cost and is offering you eternal life now for free.
10. Easter means evil does not win
If you read the newspapers and watch the TV you will think that evil is winning. There is nothing the press would rather have you believe than evil is winning and you don’t have a chance. There is nothing but “fear” the World has to offer anyone who does not have Easter. When you control people with fear you control everything they do, everything they feel and everything they will ever have. Evil wants you to be afraid, afraid of the next disease, afraid of the next terror attack, afraid of your job, your health, your very existence. Evil is real and the World is full of evil, but the World is not your home. You will be home when you go to be with Jesus who is waiting, waiting with love and open arms to accept you. There is a War for between Evil and Good, but the Good News is the battle is over Jesus has won. Easter was the victory party for Jesus.
A Jewish friend of mine once asked me rather disdainfully did I believe that she was going to Hell because she was not a Christian. I was led by the Holy Spirit to reply. The Jews are beloved by God, Jesus is a Jew. The Jew’s have a special place in the heart of God and in his kingdom. God is the ultimate judge of the Jews and he loves them. It is not my right to judge the Jews, but I am Gentile my only hope of salvation is Jesus Christ who died to save not only the Jews but the Gentiles and has saved me. If I was not a Christian I would have no hope of eternity and no chance of salvation. I do not know what God has in store for you individually as a Jew but I do know that Jesus is my only hope of salvation. I am saved by God’s grace to live eternally in Heaven.
If there was no Easter there would be no Christianity, Easter is the reason I believe and the truth I receive. If you do not know Jesus there are 4 simple steps to accept his love and his promise of Eternal Life.
Here is the web location: HTTP://www.godlovestheworld.com/
And here it is in text.
Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws which govern your relationship with God.
1. God LOVES you and offers a wonderful PLAN for your life.
(References contained on this page are from the Bible and should be read in context wherever possible.) God's Love "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV). God's Plan[Christ speaking] "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful] (John 10:10).
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life? Because...
2. Man is SINFUL and SEPARATED from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life. Man Is Sinful "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but, because of his stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way, and fellowship with God was broken. This self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion or passive indifference, is evidence of what the Bible calls sin. Man Is Separated "The wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23).
3. Jesus Christ is God's ONLY provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. He Died in Our Place"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). He Rose From the Dead "Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures...He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).
He Is the Only Way to God "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me'" (John 14:6).
It is not enough just to know these three laws...
4. We must individually RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives. We Must Receive Christ "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). We Receive Christ Through Faith "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth (Read John 3:1-8) We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20). Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for your sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
SELF
1. The Self-directed life
Self is on the throne. Interests are directed by self, resulting in discord and frustration. Christ is outside the person's life.
1. The Self-directed life
Self is on the throne. Interests are directed by self, resulting in discord and frustration. Christ is outside the person's life.
Christ
2. The Christ-directed life
Christ is on the throne. Self is yielding to Christ. Interests are directed by Christ, resulting in harmony with God's plan.
Which best describes your life? Which would you like to have represent your life? The following explains how you can receive Christ:
2. The Christ-directed life
Christ is on the throne. Self is yielding to Christ. Interests are directed by Christ, resulting in harmony with God's plan.
Which best describes your life? Which would you like to have represent your life? The following explains how you can receive Christ:
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer:
(Prayer is talking to God) God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, I invite you to pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
More Info: Grandmaster Ted Gambordella is the author of 42 books and 25 DVD’s for more info see his website www.blackbeltinabox.com
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