Hello Grace
The office is difficult TASK in today's world. Many sheep have false doctrines preached to them that cause the sheep to be divided.

The way that Ministers are put out into the churches have added to this dilemma, but all of this has worked together for the Good of God actually. For God's purpose is being worked among the people to know where the hearts are that are worshiping Him in the way He has commanded.

The Parable of the Seed is about all the people who have received the word of God and what people do with the word of God when it is given to them.


Many of us Christians including myself, are too quick to judge others and we chase many away from seeking more of God through our Actions of holier than though, and we are above the world's carnally minded sinners. I have found that with myself, having an abundance of blessing I have become more stingy, actually afraid to invite people into my house that doesn't have as much as me.

I give this testimony to you and others for we Christians are the great reason from the examples we set without realizing it to turns people off from our LORD with the way we live, speak, and act in our thoughts of God.

I am trying to overcome that which I have set myself up in towards those that have less than me, I have become a stumbling block which I am not proud of, but disgusted with, and must find my way out of this.

The biggest sin I fight with is self-righteousness with myself. God has opened my eyes greatly in HIS WORD and I have
developed an attitude of "KNOWING IT ALL" for God. (See I am writing this as Knowledge to you?) You may laugh, but I am serious about the sins in me that I must come out of.

Back to your question: Paul does say "be able to give an answer" why you believe what you believe and be kind to others that don't understand the way you do.
We have so many doctrines that have come out of the word of God, taught by men professing the Christ, that we must stop interfering with what God is doing with each of us. Just accept and "LOVE ONE ANOTHER" Quit condemning each other because of a way we have BEEN TAUGHT BY OUR CHURCH/PASTOR/ourself, and all the self-righteousness we have developed.

There are many parts to the body, yet one Christ, if they profess Jesus Christ as the Son of God, they are NOT AGAINST US. Amen So I say to everyone out here instead of all of us trying to teach the Word of God with hell fire and brimstone because that's the way we believe, WHY NOT, as GOD has commanded ALL OF US, "LOVE ONE ANOTHER" and let the Holy Spirit lead, guide and teach each as the WORD OF GOD says. "I will send my comforter and he will teach you all things."

And the rest of us just be nice to the other while God is perfecting each one of us! Amen

Friend



As 2Peter 2 says, Many Many Many "false teachers" have corrupted the body of Christ leading many sheep astray. Their Day of Destruction is coming very soon upon this earth.

To be honest with everyone here I have been contemplating a tattoo for about 3 years now. I have studied Lev 19 I have seen the pros and cons of that chapter, I still have a hard time pulling out one verse:

28 " 'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.


and looking over the rest of the chapter:

19 " 'Keep my decrees.
" 'Do not mate different kinds of animals.
" 'Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
" 'Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.

23 " 'When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. [b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden [c] ; it must not be eaten. 24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.

27 " 'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

We can not pick out one verse that fits our way of thinking and totally look over the rest...its all or nothing. I have been praying about this and when I have the release of the Holy Spirit then I will get one.

I see it as not a sign to others but a sign between me and God. How should I put this. Is it easier for you to sin when you are sporting a Christian t-shirt or a normal one. What I am saying is this, when you mark your self whether by tattoo or clothing saying hey look at me I am a Christian, you have a greater responsibility to act like a Christian. Makes sure we walk the walk and not just talk the talk so to speak.

I do plan on getting one that is not seen by anyone but God..my upper arm (shoulder) or on my back on one of my shoulder blades. It will say

Warrior of God
Soldier for Christ

In conjunction with our fish symbol

If I can get it saying in Hebrew that would be great. This will be my reminder to myself that I need to wake up and live right daily, if I could come up with a design to incorporate the full armor of God.

These are just my thoughts. Given the way the world is going..I am ready to take the mark of God for God even if it is a literal mark telling the world my God is my leader not my flesh.

I did find this bit of information on the web. I am still researching it for authenticity:

"However, there is historical documentation of Christian inspired tattoos dating as far back as the late 5th Century. Then, a man by the name as Manim, had the following phrase tattooed on his thigh: “Manim, the disciple of Jesus Christ”. Half of a century later, Procopious of Caesarea reported that several Christians of the later half of the 6th century wore tattoos of crosses or Christ’s name on their arms. Later, in 787, at the Council of Calcuth in Northumberland, a report of the Papal legates mentioned two different tattoos. The first were tattoos given in honor of pagan superstitions, and were forbidden to be worn among Christians. The later were tattoos worn or given for the sake of God, and for these were mentioned certain, unspecified heavenly rewards for the wearers.

During the Crusades, Crusader knights were often tattooed with a picture of a small cross design on their hands or arms to show that they desired a Christian burial. Also around this time, people embarking on holy pilgrimages to the Holy Land and other distant places would often get a tattoo during their absence in an attempt to prove that their claims of a pilgrimage were true."

If any one has researched this already please fill me in!

If Christians are getting tattoos at least they are getting Christian tattoos.

To the young Christians they see nothing wrong with it is because their conscience is clear, so is it a sin if they don't see it as such?

Paul tells us what ever we do without a clear/clean conscience we are sinning. So I would believe you are correct there. Here is the funny part these young Christians are more vocal about their beliefs than some of the rest of us.

I say God judges the heart not the look, the world judges the look and not the heart...what better way to show the world your love for God, just throwing that out there.

hay watcher


its damo hear i read what you left and i notice you are know thinking off getting a tattoo i am not going to sit in on judgment on you but i am going to say think before you decide as once you do this it wil be with you for life

the tattoos i have are evident i dont hide the tattoos i have watcher i have had thes tattoos since i was a non believer i did not get thes tattoos when i became a christian watcher

when i was in the philippines early this year i was judged by one old pastor i was told this one old pastor would not listen to some one like my self preach or would she alow some one like me to preach to her members

my fiancee is a female pastor i am going to be marrying my fiancee on the 18th of dec 2008 all her family thought i was a normal guy until they met me the pastors under her did not judge me as one of her friends judged me i told my fiancee i did not appreciate being drilled like that but since i have been a christian watcher i have had to depend on god and not let certain attitudes throw me of the course he has me on my tattoos are big watcher and i have prison tattoos on me as well watcher


yes i too went over the good old leviticus verses some christians love to use


but what hurts the most is when you get told by a proffessing christian you are not welcome in gods house


when i am told this i give what i am feeling over to god and let god deal with the trouble makers


before you do it check to see if the place you are going to get your tattoo done at cleans its equipment reason many who have gotten tattoos at tattoo shops end up with hep c or aids

the guns these guys use are old guns but the bikies they are the ones who clean their guns they sterolize there guns and they clean the tattoo shops as wel talk to the dude at the counter and ask the hard questions watcher dont just go in thinking you just want a tattoo some times they do stuff the job up dont get a back yard job done

also a fair bit of blood wil come out of your skin and if your not use to seeing blood i suggest you dont do it watcher

you are your own man pray talk to brothers like my self watcher

if you are gettting a tattoo to be cool or to fit in a certain crowed or to be noticed i suggest watcher you let god deal with what ever is going on in you

i did not get my tattoos to be cool or to be noticed or to fit into a certain crowed my old man has tattoos most of my old mates i use to hang out with have tattoos i have been around guys who have tatoos

i have been told to get rid of my tattoos i have even been told by some righteous christians to cover my tattoos i dont cover my tattoos when i am in church or am i going to fork out money to get rid of my tattoos


my fiancee has not judged me she is ok with me she said she did not want a guy from her country or some one who she new in bible collage she told me she had few guys in bible collage approach her and she was dating one filapino pastor which did not last long she ended it very fast

the pastors under her have taken to me with out judging me and al the members in the 5 churches they have under the one name have accepted me even the members in the new church she has planted have accepted me i did get a lot of strange looks when they first met me but i was warmly welcomed into the family i am also being raised to help pastor the new church she has planted in la castelana


think hard before you say yes this wil be with you for life watcher and i dont want you to go through what i have had to deal with i am mature i can handle my self and god gives me the right words to say when i am being drilled

you wil run into christians who wil not accept you or wil they welcome you they are among us watcher and some are even in this forum



Damo

Brother Damo,

How are you friend?

"when i was in the philippines early this year i was judged by one old pastor i was told this one old pastor would not listen to some one like my self preach or would she alow some one like me to preach to her members"

This is a said thing to hear.

I have been praying about this. I want to make sure my heart is in the right place before doing this. I can say from the get go I have never wanted it to fit in or be cool so to speak. The location I plan on getting it would not be seen in the general public but probably be seen when I am working out or swimming or surfing. I am actually wanting to do this not for myself..I am not sure why I feel this but I feel like I must......there is no way of denying God with a tattoo on you that says you are one of His warriors...satan may have his mark, but this is my mark for God.

greetings brother watcher


i am fine how are you i went over your reply i hear you brother dont let others judge you brother or throw that old leviticus law at you and please brother check to see if they guys who you are wanting to do the job for you clean their guns dont be affraid to ask i am going with a friend of mine who is a female she wants to also get a tatoo a buter fly or a rose or a bird that is what she is looking at i am taking her to the tatoo shop not far from me when she is ready and wil talk to the guys as its a local bike group that runs the tatoo shop they dont muck up the job these guys have been doing it for ages this is why i said question the guy and make sure he has got the degree or skills watcher

i was looking at one more my self but the lord said no i have enough on me and my ones are big ones not smal ones that you can hide brother if i was to put on a long shirt you would not see them and i dont believe in wearing long shirts just to please some members i do this with young people who come up to me asking me questions i sort of ask them if they are doing it to be cool or seen dont i said do it if its something that you have wanted i said dont do it due to your circle of friends or if your being pressured dont give in i was not judging you watcher i dont believe in juding people like some christians do



have a good day



God bless from damo