Tattooed forever!

My blog is going to be a little different today. Normally I usually stick to the written word of God, sermonize, preach from the pulpit kind of thing. Not so today! Something has been very heavy on my heart the last few days and I’m going to speak liberally about it. (With a few verses thrown in to show you what God has to say).

(A great sister of Christ calls her deductions ‘ism’s’. I’m calling mine Paul-vision. What I mean by this is this is the way I think.)
Let’s move on…

Paul-vision: Our environment and culture dictate our behavior.
My example for this Blog is:

Tattoos. I am Ex-Navy. When you think of sailors, what’s one of the first things that come to mind? When I was in the Navy, it was drinking, womanizing and Tattoos. Many times did I have the chance to get one of those babies. Yet, I never did. My motivation was pain and not wanting to mark my body for the rest of my life.

The tattoo was until recently reserved for the heavy metal rocker or biker…for criminals and the social outcast of society. But today the tattoo glamorously appears everywhere and anywhere. It’s the latest fashion craze. Tattoos are found on movie stars such as Julia Roberts, Halle Berry, Drew Berrymore and Bruce Willis.

A 2006 a study done by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 24% of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that’s almost one in four. And the survey showed that about 36% of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo!
According to US news and World report, tattooing is the country’s sixth-fastest growing retail business. It is estimated that one new tattoo studio opens up every day.
Tattooing has been around for thousands of years. Tattooing has a rich history in Eurasia, Japan, Egypt. Various other cultures have had their own tattoo traditions, ranging from rubbing cuts and other wounds with ashes, to hand-pricking the skin to insert dyes.
Tattoos have served as rites of passage, marks of status and rank, decorations for bravery, sexual lures and marks of fertility, pledges of love, punishment, protection, and as the marks of outcasts, slaves and convicts.

I am not going to condemn anyone who has a tattoo or anyone who has some part of their body pierced. Jesus said, “I have not come into this world to condemn it but to save it.” That’s good enough for me too!

My point with this is an example though, some look at people with tattoos and are fearful, ashamed and disgusted. They immediately judge that person based on there decision to have a tattoo. There are some Companies, that won’t hire someone if they have a tattoo. Some people won’t date people with Tattoos…

It’s a image thing!
Paul-vision: How can you see somebody’s faults if your eyes are on Christ?

Why do people get tattoos? I think you could pretty much answer that for yourselves. Here’s a few I’ve heard:

· Because everyone has one - It hard to live in today’s world with all the temptations, hmmmmmmm.
· Because you have a heart of rebellion - If you get a tattoo because of rebellious reasons, it’s only going to be an outward symbol of what was planted in your heart.
· Because you want to appeal to the opposite sex - What happens when you get a tattoo when you’re single and five years later you get married. Especially if your wife’s name is Linda and you have a heart on your chest with the name ‘Sarah’?
· Because you want to be a witness for Christ - I don’t know where we get the idea that we have to conform to the world’s pattern in order for us to save the world. The bible tells us that your witness is through the fruit of your life.

What’s God say about Tattoos?

God said in Lev. 19:28….Don’t cut your body or tattoo it.
God did not want his people to have anything to do with false gods or idol worship or witchcraft. This was the reason then for Tattoos. You don’t have to get God’s attention by cutting yourself or tattooing yourself.

Ok, so that’s just the Old Testament, it’s not for us…right?

In 1 Corinthians, treatment of the body is directly spoken of.
· "The body is meant for the Lord" 1 Corinthians 6:13.
· "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." 1 Corinthians 6:19.
· "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:19.
· "Honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:20.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in you and through your body.”

The principal here seems to be that our bodies belong to God, not ourselves, and that we are to use them in ways that honor and reflect God’s glory. I’m not against Christian tattoos, t-shirts and bumper stickers….but if that is the extent of your witness…then your ability to be a witness is warped.


Again, I’m not putting down people with Tattoos, we all decide how to live our own lives before and after we are saved by his blood. I have done things in the past that have left marks on me, scarred me and left a permanent impression. You may not see it on the outside but they are there. They are a result but not my excuse of the environment and culture.

I am a new person in Christ now, my past is gone. The marks are still there and they provide a good testimony to my path to Jesus. Yours should be as well, a testimony to your path to Christ!

2 Corinthians 1:21,22
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal (mark) of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

He put his mark on us to show that we are his, and he put his Spirit in our hearts to be a guarantee for all he has promised.

By accepting Jesus into your life you automatically receive a special mark on your life and guess what? it’s painless. And it is the most beautiful marking you have ever seen. The mark on your life when you receive Jesus Christ by faith into your life isn’t temporary…it’s eternal. It last forever. God put his Spirit into our lives as a guarantee…that you belong to Him.

The Apostle Paul knew what it meant to be branded. He knew that a slave would get tattooed or marked…it was a way to show ownership. You don’t have to get pierced to prove your love for him, or get “God’s Love” tattooed on your hand, you just have to put your faith in him offering him your heart.

That’s how we become, Tattooed forever!

When I'm bad I'm hopeful!

The other day, I was sitting in my accountants office. I told him I had good news and bad news. So he asks, “What’s the bad news?”
I said, “I can’t make my house payment; my truck payment; my electric bill and my cat is pregnant.”
He replied, “Well, what’s the good news?”
I stated, “the good news is I’m going to keep you as my accountant!”

Okay, so this was a joke but I told it to represent that even with bad news there is always good in they’re somewhere. Have you ever had a truly bad day?

I have been reading a lot about Moses lately. Specifically, Exodus Chapter 5 & 6. Moses had accepted the call of God and had secured the release of his father-in-law and began his journey back to Egypt. On the way Moses met up with Aaron whom God had sent out to meet his brother. Bare with me I do have a point here.

When Moses and Aaron arrive they summon a meeting of the elders where they revealed all the words that God had given him and showed them the signs of God’s power .

The people believed and now the easy part was over and it was time to relay to Pharaoh the message of God. The acceptance of the people was very reassuring but confronting Pharaoh was another story. In fact Moses’ bad day began when he gained an audience with the King!

The scene is decidedly a dramatic one as two eighty year old men stand before the most powerful man on earth. That was the start of a bad day and it all went down hill from there. “And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.”

Pharaoh’s response is completely negative. Pharaoh asks, “Who is Jehovah that, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?.. I do not know Jehovah.” How tragic! It is not that Pharaoh has never heard of the name of Jehovah, he undoubtedly has, it is that he refuses to recognize the name or the request brought in that name. The point with Pharaoh lies in the word “obey.” He understood that these men were not presenting him with a request but rather a mandate from one greater than himself.

“To appreciate the audacity of the demand we must remember the unbridled power and authority claimed by Pharaohs. For him all other men lived, suffered and died. For him vast armies of priest and magicians and courtiers wrought and ministered.”

At once the situation worsened for the Children of Israel. I want you to note that all these developments were taking place within one twenty four hour period. Pharaoh proclaims, “Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”
As desperate as their plight may have been it is about to get worse. Pharaoh’s response was to make slavery more bitter, and the bondage heavier and the tasks more difficult. The apparent hardening of attitude tells us something. Satan is worried. So keep on praying. Sometimes things have to get a whole lot worse before people are ready to hear the truth.

I want you to consider for a moment how the response of the people must have affected Moses. All those memories of rejection and inadequacy came flooding backing to the heart of Moses. He must have had a strong urge to run and hide to escape back to the quiet life of a shepherd.

Moses did run!! But this time he ran straight to his source of strength. Moses poured out all his anxiety to the only one who could answer his questions. In verse 22 it says, “So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?”

Moses is saying, “Where did I go wrong?” He had stood before Pharaoh and repeated almost word for word what God had told him to say. When things do not go the way we think they should, we begin asking the how and why questions: “Why me? Why me? Why now? Why did I ever get my hope up? Why did I ever accept this job? If God is on my side why has this happened to me? How am I going to get through this or out of this? ”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. Whoa! That’s scary, take it from me, You don’t want to tick off the Lord! For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD.”

Notice that God does not reprimand Moses for asking questions. He never shames or slaps you in the face when you come to Him. God reassures Moses of his intent and purposes. Instead of criticizing Moses for asking, “Why” the Lord, just says wait and watch. God’s response was that it was time to impress Pharaoh. The king needed a good dose of God’s power.

God has great compassion for us and for our need. No matter what our problem, sin or shame he desires to help us. We are more important to God that what we have done or accomplished. This may be difficult to understand in a world that measures us by our accomplishments or the lack of them.

Until you fix your eyes upon Jesus you will not be able to handle those days that go from bad to worse.

Beginning in verse six the LORD reminds Moses of his promises. “Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.’

Seven times, in verses six through eight, God says, “I will.” “I will bring you out…I will rescue you….I will redeem you…I will take you to me as My people….I will be your God…I will bring you into the land…I will give you as a heritage.”

So what does Moses do when his bad day takes a turn for the worse? You can’t beat Moses’ plan. He came back to the Lord. Moses had been discouraged, he was frustrated, he felt helpless, but he kept coming back. And the Lord met him every time.

Moses, armed only with a piece of wood he had found in the desert to use as a staff and assisted by his brother Aaron, began waging war on the mightiest force in the world at that time, a war that ultimately left the throne of Egypt vacant, the pharaoh dead, all of Egypt in mourning and the children of Israel free.

No matter how bad we’ve had it in life, it was nothing in comparison to the life of Moses. This teaches us a lesson about bad days. WE NEED TO LOOK BEYOND THOSE BAD DAYS. We need to live by faith. We need to realize that the bad things of this world are not the end! In the light of eternity and the glory of heaven, the bad things of this life are nothing!

Hebrews 4:14-16 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Moses understood this even when he was having a BAD DAY! Though Moses went through some really tough times, Jesus went through the worst days of all.

Jesus left heaven for earth. He’s seen it all. Endured it all. Consequently, He understands everything we’re going through. He is completely sympathetic. Let us approach Him, walk with Him, live with Him. He will show us mercy and give us grace to overcome.

When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad I'm hopeful! Why? God says I’m good, so I must be very good. He doesn’t do things half way. When I’m bad, God is using this as a learning experience; for wisdom; for love and for truth. We must take these bad days as a blessing from God as well. A hurdle given to us for growth!

My prayer is that the word bad would just disappear. How about we change this word. From now on, the word bad means “Hope”!