Leaderboard

I would like to share this story with everyone in the group here, it has been a while since I read a devotional piece that moved me in some way, yet today was the day! - Enjoy, "The Train Story by Terry Dobson, Direct student of O Sensei THE TRAIN CLANKED and rattled through the suburbs of Tokyo on a drowsy spring afternoon. Our car was comparatively empty - a few housewives with their kids in tow, some old folks going shopping. I gazed absently at the drab houses and dusty hedgerows. At one station the doors opened, and suddenly the afternoon quiet was shattered by a man bellowing violent, incomprehensible curses. The man staggered into our car. He wore laborer’s clothing, and he was big, drunk, and dirty. Screaming, he swung at a woman holding a baby. The blow sent her spinning into the laps of an elderly couple. It was a miracle that she was unharmed. Terrified, the couple jumped up and scrambled toward the other end of the car. The laborer aimed a kick at the retreating back of the old woman but missed as she scuttled to safety. This so enraged the drunk that he grabbed the metal pole in the center of the car and tried to wrench it out of its stanchion. I could see that on of his hands was cut and bleeding. The train lurched ahead, the passengers frozen with fear. I stood up. I was young then, some 20 years ago, and in pretty good shape. I’d been putting in a solid eight hours of Aikido training nearly every day for the past three years. I like to throw and grapple. I thought I was tough. Trouble was, my martial skill was untested in actual combat. As students of Aikido, we were not allowed to fight. "Aikido," my teacher had said again and again, "is the art of reconciliation. Whoever has the mind to fight has broken his connection with the universe. If you try to dominate people, you are already defeated. We study how to resolve conflict, not how to start it." I listened to his words. I tried hard I even went so far as to cross the street to avoid the chimpira, the pinball punks who lounged around the train stations. My forbearance exalted me. I felt both tough and holy. In my heart, however, I wanted an absolutely legitimate opportunity whereby I might save the innocent by destroying the guilty. This is it! I said to myself, getting to my feet. People are in danger and if I don’t do something fast, they will probably get hurt. Seeing me stand up, the drunk recognized a chance to focus his rage. "Aha!" He roared. "A foreigner! You need a lesson in Japanese manners!" I held on lightly to the commuter strap overhead and gave him a slow look of disgust and dismissal. I planned to take this turkey apart, but he had to make the first move. I wanted him mad, so I pursed my lips and blew him an insolent kiss. "All right! He hollered. "You’re gonna get a lesson." He gathered himself for a rush at me. A split second before he could move, someone shouted "Hey!" It was earsplitting. I remember the strangely joyous, lilting quality of it - as though you and a friend had been searching diligently for something, and he suddenly stumbled upon it. "Hey!" I wheeled to my left; the drunk spun to his right. We both stared down at a little old Japanese. He must have been well into his seventies, this tiny gentleman, sitting there immaculate in his kimono. He took no notice of me, but beamed delightedly at the laborer, as though he had a most important, most welcome secret to share. "C’mere," the old man said in an easy vernacular, beckoning to the drunk. "C’mere and talk with me." He waved his hand lightly. The big man followed, as if on a string. He planted his feet belligerently in front of the old gentleman, and roared above the clacking wheels, "Why the hell should I talk to you?" The drunk now had his back to me. If his elbow moved so much as a millimeter, I’d drop him in his socks. The old man continued to beam at the laborer. "What’cha been drinkin’?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with interest. "I been drinkin’ sake," the laborer bellowed back, "and it’s none of your business!" Flecks of spittle spattered the old man. "Ok, that’s wonderful," the old man said, "absolutely wonderful! You see, I love sake too. Every night, me and my wife (she’s 76, you know), we warm up a little bottle of sake and take it out into the garden, and we sit on an old wooden bench. We watch the sun go down, and we look to see how our persimmon tree is doing. My great-grandfather planted that tree, and we worry about whether it will recover from those ice storms we had last winter. Our tree had done better than I expected, though especially when you consider the poor quality of the soil. It is gratifying to watch when we take our sake and go out to enjoy the evening - even when it rains!" He looked up at the laborer, eyes twinkling. As he struggled to follow the old man’s conversation, the drunk’s face began to soften. His fists slowly unclenched. "Yeah," he said. "I love persimmons too…" His voice trailed off. "Yes," said the old man, smiling, "and I’m sure you have a wonderful wife." "No," replied the laborer. "My wife died." Very gently, swaying with the motion of the train, the big man began to sob. "I don’t got no wife, I don’t got no home, I don’t got no job. I am so ashamed of myself." Tears rolled down his cheeks; a spasm of despair rippled through his body. Now it was my turn. Standing there in well-scrubbed youthful innocence, my make-this-world-safe-for-democracy righteousness, I suddenly felt dirtier than he was. Then the train arrived at my stop. As the doors opened, I heard the old man cluck sympathetically. "My, my," he said, "that is a difficult predicament, indeed. Sit down here and tell me about it." I turned my head for one last look. The laborer was sprawled on the seat, his head in the old man’s lap. The old man was softly stroking the filthy, matted hair. As the train pulled away, I sat down on a bench. What I had wanted to do with muscle had been accomplished with kind words. I had just seen aikido tried in combat, and the essence of it was love. I would have to practice the art with an entirely different spirit. It would be a long time before I could speak about the resolution of conflict." https://www.facebook.com/KiAikidoSouthAustralia/photos/a.363411017102031.1073741825.213921848717616/715743521868777/?type=1&theater

It is a mystery to some Westerners when people will spend their whole life studying the martial arts and consider themselves victorious if they never use the skills they learned. Some of the great masters considered it to be a failure if they ever used their skills. I suspect that the old man in the story had the confidence of being very skilled in the martial arts which gave him the ability to turn an impending disasterous moment into a kind and humane moment. Great story!

What a good account of a sad time in his life. Love and compassion make our world a better place. Thank you Gail for sharing

​ Aubrey yes amen! Oh good I won't be the only one on the island. We can pick 8 things between us! wow! like its Chistmas! And like Adam and Eve, we can populate the Island and raise up future ship builders with fine dining. And the 8 items will go in our first Museum! Oh wait! uhhh. ...It will be just us two! #ineedallthefriendsicanget

First, I'll see what Ellen White stated since this is an SDA forum: Okay, that was in 1885 In 1890, she stated the following: Two years later she stated the following: So let's investigate. Eph 2:5 But because of his great love (agape) for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions (sinners)--it is by grace you have been saved. Note that Paul does not say, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" as he does later in verse 8. When we were sinners God's grace "in Christ" saved us, not by faith, but by grace...by God's mercy poured out on us "in Christ Jesus". When do we come into this world "dead in transgressions"? Ps 51:8 "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." Are newborns sinners? Yes! While they aren't murdering, stealing and committing adultery, etc, they are, at no fault of their own, selfish. They, like all of us, are born "bent-to-self". The question is, are newborns guilty before God's law since they are sinners? The answer is no! Why? One word: Volition! Guilt requires volition. Newborns cannot even fathom the concepts of guilt, sin and their need of Christ. Therefore they can't be guilty before God's law. "sin not imputed when there is no law." Rom 5:13 "for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom 3:20 "the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation" Rom 4:15

In the debate about the ordination of women to the Gospel ministry, an important biblical principle has not received much attention. When the apostles faced the divisive issue about how to include Gentiles in the church, a meeting was held under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and a united decision was reached (Acts 15). Many who came to the meeting opposed to the Gentiles being included in the church were won over to a new position when they heard how God had blessed the Gentiles with the Holy Spirit. The decision of the council was ‘the voice of the highest authority upon the earth’ (Ellen White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 196). In a similar way, when the General Conference meets in session every five years, Ellen White says we should submit our individual ideas to these decisions and regard them as God’s voice speaking through the church (Testimonies to the Church, vol. 3, p. 492; vol. 9, p. 260). Whatever decision is made in 2015 regarding the ordination of women, perhaps we need to have more confidence in the opinions of representatives of the world church and less in our own opinions and ideas. That way the church can remain united and in step with the Holy Spirit. There is safety in a multitude of counsellors (Proverbs 11:14); so whatever our strong opinions on the subject let us remember the counsel of Paul that, ‘if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought’ (1 Corinthians 8:2, KJV). (This is a copy of a letter I sent to the Messenger: http://adventist.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/53922/Bam2015-06.pdf and I also have an article on my website on the doctrine of Unity in the Body of Christ: http://adventtruth.co.uk/downloads/newsletters/2015/Mar%202015.pdf )

God is Love! Jesus saves!

Ps: Sorry I was late, I just found this forum cause I was having to make a good argument for justified killing to my pastor's son, I feel like I am ready now. Take care all!

By loving our enemy, sometimes that means to stop him from doing evil with deadly force. Sojourner, I like your picture by the way. I train in martial arts as well and get asked how I can still follow what the Bible says. The Hebrew word used in the 10 commandments means to "murder", or to kill in hate, or with evil in your heart, or to have animosity in your heart towards your enemy. The Hebrew word in Ecclesiastes means just to kill, as in on the battlefield, an execution for an evil crime, or the defence of one's self, family, or freedoms. God bless, and keep up the aikido!

Heartwarming story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/13/prince-harry-reunites-with-teacher_n_7268374.html?cps=gravity_2247_7694486762761225287

And you think that does not exist now?

So, you wish to hide behind the FICTION of nationhood as an excuse to duck our moral obligation to aid our fellow human beings when they are being monstrously violated by the tens of thousands by psychopathic, sociopathic tyrants? What will you say to God when He reminds you that "...just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me."? (Matt. 25:45) Do you think God will judge you worthy of Heaven, if you do not see an obligation to deliver people from the Hell they are suffering in this world? Should we dismantle the Red Cross, tell ADRA not to go out any more, no longer aid victims of shipwreck on the high seas, or give aid out of our abundance to those nations that still suffer in poverty and starvation? Should we care that anyone else in the world starves, as long as we are well fed? This is the kind of selfish thinking for which I always condemned the antiwar sentiment of the Vietnam demonstrators, and all antiwar activists since then. They have no morality on their side at all. NONE! They never did. What they thought was morality was really just the very cheapest form of self-righteousness. Had such "moralists" (then called "appeasers") prevailed, Nazi Germany would now rule the world, and the Jewish race would be extinct.

​Baloney. They fell because Eve wanted to be like God. That was the temptation that was held out. Eat this and you will be like God. Eat this and you will know much more than you know now. God is withholding this from you and it is to your benefit to know this. Eve chose to believe evil of God.

Are you proud of, or ashamed of, your sins? Do you broadcast them and say how proud you are of behavior that caused Christ to have to die? Or, do you admit to them, take responsibility for them, but hold a sense of shame for your behaviors that caused Christ to die for you? Do you want to be known as the "Christian liar", or the "Christian thief", or even the "Christian adulterer"? Or, the "Christian whatever your sin is". Or do you want to be known as the overcomer? Do want to be separated from your sins or identified by them? What does our attitude towards about our sins say about which we love more, God or our sins? Now, if God has given you victory over your sin and you state that I don't have a problem with someone saying, I was a thief and God changed my heart and motivations so that I am no longer a thief. That is glorifying God. It's telling the world about the power and love of God. I have experienced that kind of change. I abused drugs for years. I was basically born to be an addict. My earthly father was an alcoholic. He drank so much his own father-in-law had to fire him for drinking on the job. When he got fired his father-in-law was doing him a favor for he was falling timber drunk. That's one of the most dangerous occupations you can do sober, let alone drunk. I no longer crave getting high. The desire is completely gone and it's been gone for a good twenty years. During that time my life has not been easy, but I've never craved getting high to escape it. That change has nothing to do with me other than me desiring it and continually asking for victory for a good many years. But all desire, all craving is gone. God can and does change hearts and lives. He can change anyone's life and heart, but we must either desire that change or be willing to be made willing to change and keep on asking God to change our hearts until that change happens. That is sanctification. It's trusting God to change our hearts so that our behavior naturally changes to follow what is now in our hearts. That change takes place by faith. A faith that trusts God and continues to trust Him even when we can't see the changes happening. A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree produces bad fruit. This change cannot happen if we deliberately continue to practice our sin. We can't pray for change and then deliberately go out and choose to indulge in our sin. We might be overcome at times and God will not desert us during those times, but we can't just go out and deliberately choose to sin "because God will forgive us". The Bible has quite a few examples of people doing that and they did not end well.

this is a lot more fun than political or religious topics.. thank you everyone for joining the party.

Many people are surprised at what Ellen White has actually said on a subject. The reality is that she was actually quite a reasonable person. Often her advice were tailored to specific situations and not designed to be of overall application. It is up to us to determine the principle as well as the application.

Jeb Bush would have left in power the blood-thirsty dictator Saddam Hussein who used nerve gas against the Kurds, and his two psychopathic sons, who terrorized Iraq? Taking down that monstrous regime should have been done during the first gulf war, as soon as Kuwait was liberated. Bush #1 should have sent the tanks on to Baghdad then. But after ten years of Saddam's regime's continual flouting of the no-fly zones and violations of other conditions of the cease-fire, the situation still demanded military intervention. Many of America's allies agreed. We did not invade Iraq by ourselves. And by the way, it is now established fact, no longer deniable, that Iraq did have weapons of mass destruction. All those who called Bush #2 a liar owe him an apology.

​Trying to shut people down by making ad hominen attacks such as saying someone is racist, sexist, a hater, a denier, etc... isn't trying to prove a point. It's attempting to shut down all dialog through intimidation. It's easier to attack a person than debate/discuss the issues, especially when you're on the wrong side of the issues. It's good to see someone one the political left speaking out on this issue. It's rampant on the left. Hillary Clinton's election team is going at this full blast. She has a whole section of her team devoted solely to trying to make sure nobody calls her on anything. That's not me saying this. There are those on the left who say it's true, and even Hillary's team admits it's true.

it was close for all involved... actually it was a test to see how long it takes to post a post when someone hits Submit'' and the answer is way too long

That is so sweet, she was at the right place at the right time to help him when he needed someone.

Pretty sad actually if the only, or even primary, distinction of concern between public vs. Christian run schools is evolution vs. creation. It would seem that the point of the article in question was missed.

That disparaging comments of people of other faith, I was told as I was becoming an Adventist was discouraging.. my biggest fear was that I would become like them. Yet I felt like I had no other places I could go. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times", I understood that very well. Appreciate your testimony of Adventist Education. I have never been to an Adventist School.

It's a beautiful testimony. Christian education is truly a mission! Wish we didn't spend so much money on big evangelistic meetings held in sports stadiums and more on grass-roots education! Our children need it!