Chapter III
My Tattoo and the ones to hopefully come.
Tattoos are seen a many of a different ways, most could agree that they are a self expressed art piece that can never be removed. I like to view them as a piece of art that has a meaning, a purpose, and a meaning. These art pieces can not be easily removed and I think that most of them should never be removed because they tell a story. Wither it be about an experience good or bad it is a landmark in time that at one point in our lives we thought we needed it to show what we had felt or accomplished.
My first tattoo had to be something of meaning and it had to be something I could appreciate a life-time. The piece did not have to come to me all at once but once it was there, there was no changing it. My desire to accomplish my goal of getting inked could not be filled until I had felt the perminating power of the needle at work. The design for my first tattoo came from my many passions, but had to be dedicated to the one I knew would last forever, my passion for Christ. The tattoo had to be a constant reminder of where I needed to root my every decision, it had to tell a story that represented me and my believes. It had to have a theme of forgiveness...
I had a strong desire to put a symbol of forgiveness permanently stained in my skin and through a little time I incorporated two symbols to represent the forgiveness I had received from God through Jesus Christ. The first a symbol that is known world wide as an icon for compassion and the forgiveness that is available to us by accepting the Lord as our savior: The Cross. As I played with the two boards I started to give them a brush stroke appearance, representing the defined death that Jesus knew he was going to have to face and overcome. Next I searched the web for different things representing my experiences that I had lived up until then. But I need a graphical representation of the actual word that was forgiveness, so I researched a website I had know to give the correct translation of the English word in to chiness kanji. Sure enough I found "forgiven" and I thought that it would look perfect overlaying the cross, and it did, after a few more minute changes I had my tattoo. In the last couple of days leading up to getting the ink done though I added one more translated word one that represented my belonging to the one who for which I was claiming I received forgiveness from with out this icon it meant nothing except that I had been forgiven but by who. The chiness kanji at the head of my tattoo means "Father" and it is the true meaning to what the tattoo holds testament to.
In the book of Revelations John gets a message from the Lord towards the end of the 13th chapter which describes a beast who commands all the people of the world to worship him and receive the mark of his name either on their right hand or on their forehead. With out this mark no buying, selling or trading could occur. This mark would represent that you acknowledged the beast as the person or thing that was to be of the most high. To me this means that you would be acknowledging this beast as a god or even the God, which is wrong. In the book of revelations we are warned of many bad things to come and this is opne of the events that will take place, when it happens I won’t take the mark! In fact I hope I am tattooed all up with Gods glory so I can rip of my shirt and proudly boast of to whom I claim to belong to, the Lord. Kill me I don’t care ill just be leaving the terrible mess (the mess we call the world) we live in now to join God. Anyone who supposedly does not acknowledge this beast will be sentenced to death, well I say “whoop tee” I don’t care.
Sure it’s easy to say if it came down to life or death we may choose to stand up and represent our Lord and Savior, but what about on the playing field of everyday life? In this respect the tattoos are a road map of my life and show everyone what I think on the inside and if someone asks I’m always willing to share my faith. But even then I’m not stepping out of my comfort zone asking others to ask me without simply just asking the person next to me if they know Christ. Its something I hope I wont struggle with all my life, and I know with time it will only get harder so maybe my youthful “rebellious” stage were I feel like I want these tattoos will pay off even more as I get older. This way I can never go back on my faith because I will always have the way, the truth, and the light, engraved on my body, the temple of Christ.
FINAL VERSES:
"But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life".
~John 20:31
A few verses to dwell upon:
"There is a time for everything,
a season for every activity under heaven".
~Ecclesiastes 3:1
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away". ~ Romans 8:38
"Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad". ~ Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Faith Mini Story: Chapter II
Chapter II:
My Baptism: A public Declaration of my love for Christ
Jesus replied, “The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit….The Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. ~ John 3:5, 6
While attending the Pentecostal church of my child hood I learned many things about being a “good” Christian. I learned the importance of witnessing to people while you are out and interacting with the world. Wither it was in the school yard, at work, and in my case even at home. I also quickly found my self interested in the (what seamed weird at the time,) gift of speaking in Tongues. Although I don't really think that I have ever really deeply experienced what it is like to speak in Tongues, I did understand what a personal spiritual experience it is to speak a language that only God can understand.
Perhaps the experience that brought me the most joy was the experiences of seeing people totally commit there lives to Christ by getting baptized. Every know and then the church announce that there was going to be a baptism and that anyone who was ready and wanted to experience this bond with Christ should sign up to learn more. I always wanted to but there was something inside of me holding me back like it was the Spirit of the Lord telling me “Just wait soon enough your day to fully publicly dedicate your life to me will come, But first there are somethings that will be in the way.” I didn't exactly understand why but I just tried to and did in some weird way. Even thought I never got baptized there I usually attended the baptisms to see the miracle of God blessing people with a renewed life and cleansed soul. They would “pop” out of the water with such joy with everyone shouting “Halleluiah” and “Praise God.” I loved it; it was a time of celebration and of remembering of the things that Jesus had done for us in order to save our lives and give light to a life after death by opening the gate for the forgiveness of our sins.
After the “church drop out” and the move to Washington, finding the new church and becoming much more on fire for God than I had ever been in my life I was coming closer and closer to the willingness to publicly show everyone “Look at me I'm a Christian, I love God, Jesus, and all of Him who dwells inside of me.” And I believe my very personal message to God was “Today I want you to see me in a new light, one who has been cleansed by this baptism and the crucifixion of your son Jesus Christ.” “ I am here for you to take me into your arms forever hold me close, free me from this world, For now I know and show you and all that is gathered that I truly love you with all my heart and that I will keep true to the power and distinct beauty of your name!”
Wow I thought after signing up for the baptism for I knew that it was time for me to publicly declare my love and devotion to Christ. I will finally be able to walk around and be confident in knowing where I stand with God and maybe the people in this weird world might recognize as well. I knew that the actual baptism its self was a huge thing for me and that I wanted every one I cared for to know that I was confessing my love for Jesus.
Everyone I loved though didn't necessarily care a great deal about this spiritual milestone that I was about to plant in my life. But I wanted them to know and it took me a while but finally after about a week of many “hints” I finally just told my family “You guys know I'm getting baptized and I want you to know it would mean a lot if you showed up to experience this with me.” Well…. Only my father ended up showing up but I think deep down he understood everything that my baptism stood for and that he wanted to see his son step out and declare his love for God.
Everyone who was getting baptized arrived about an hour before the ceremony started so that we could have some last minute time to ourselves to think about what we were doing. We shared with each other what our baptisms' meant to each of us and then we got to pray for the group. Right before the ceremonies started I looked around and didn't see any of my family sitting anywhere so I didn't know where to sit. Then at the last moment my father walked in and I felt somewhat whole knowing that family who cared was present. We took our seats, there was a bit of worship, and then those who were going to be baptized were called to the stage. We each introduced ourselves and gave a short testament to our beliefs and why we where getting baptized. Mine was a short talk about how I didn't grow up in a Christian home and how I started going to church on my own at a young age. I also wanted to glorify my father for showing up to support his son and I gave him much thanks for in stowing in me the fundamentals of how a morally right person should live their life. During this moment it was hard for me to hold back my emotions and I became teary eyed because I was proud to see him in a church.
When it was my turn for “the tank” I had previously decided that I wanted my youth pastor to baptize me and he got in the water and helped me down in after him. We stood there he said some words then in I went, making my public announcement of my passion to follow the Lord. When I came out of the water I felt healed, saved, and born again, I felt like I had set something right with the Lord and that he was pleased. I know that I felt a new inner peace and sense of responsibility. I now felt stronger than ever like I had to do my best to stand up for what I felt was right and just. Not only did I have to be a just person but I had to proudly boast and stand up for the Lord I worship.
My baptism means a lot of things to me I know most of all It was a time of celebration, a time to remember, and a time to glorify the Lord. I know that as I grow older I will look back on the day of my baptism and think about how it was such a sincere gift to God. As I look back on that day I get a smile on my face and a fire in my heart reminding me to always remember the Lord, give him thanks, and look to Him for answers which he always provides in do time.
“If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven.” ~ Matthew 10:32
My Baptism: A public Declaration of my love for Christ
Jesus replied, “The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit….The Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. ~ John 3:5, 6
While attending the Pentecostal church of my child hood I learned many things about being a “good” Christian. I learned the importance of witnessing to people while you are out and interacting with the world. Wither it was in the school yard, at work, and in my case even at home. I also quickly found my self interested in the (what seamed weird at the time,) gift of speaking in Tongues. Although I don't really think that I have ever really deeply experienced what it is like to speak in Tongues, I did understand what a personal spiritual experience it is to speak a language that only God can understand.
Perhaps the experience that brought me the most joy was the experiences of seeing people totally commit there lives to Christ by getting baptized. Every know and then the church announce that there was going to be a baptism and that anyone who was ready and wanted to experience this bond with Christ should sign up to learn more. I always wanted to but there was something inside of me holding me back like it was the Spirit of the Lord telling me “Just wait soon enough your day to fully publicly dedicate your life to me will come, But first there are somethings that will be in the way.” I didn't exactly understand why but I just tried to and did in some weird way. Even thought I never got baptized there I usually attended the baptisms to see the miracle of God blessing people with a renewed life and cleansed soul. They would “pop” out of the water with such joy with everyone shouting “Halleluiah” and “Praise God.” I loved it; it was a time of celebration and of remembering of the things that Jesus had done for us in order to save our lives and give light to a life after death by opening the gate for the forgiveness of our sins.
After the “church drop out” and the move to Washington, finding the new church and becoming much more on fire for God than I had ever been in my life I was coming closer and closer to the willingness to publicly show everyone “Look at me I'm a Christian, I love God, Jesus, and all of Him who dwells inside of me.” And I believe my very personal message to God was “Today I want you to see me in a new light, one who has been cleansed by this baptism and the crucifixion of your son Jesus Christ.” “ I am here for you to take me into your arms forever hold me close, free me from this world, For now I know and show you and all that is gathered that I truly love you with all my heart and that I will keep true to the power and distinct beauty of your name!”
Wow I thought after signing up for the baptism for I knew that it was time for me to publicly declare my love and devotion to Christ. I will finally be able to walk around and be confident in knowing where I stand with God and maybe the people in this weird world might recognize as well. I knew that the actual baptism its self was a huge thing for me and that I wanted every one I cared for to know that I was confessing my love for Jesus.
Everyone I loved though didn't necessarily care a great deal about this spiritual milestone that I was about to plant in my life. But I wanted them to know and it took me a while but finally after about a week of many “hints” I finally just told my family “You guys know I'm getting baptized and I want you to know it would mean a lot if you showed up to experience this with me.” Well…. Only my father ended up showing up but I think deep down he understood everything that my baptism stood for and that he wanted to see his son step out and declare his love for God.
Everyone who was getting baptized arrived about an hour before the ceremony started so that we could have some last minute time to ourselves to think about what we were doing. We shared with each other what our baptisms' meant to each of us and then we got to pray for the group. Right before the ceremonies started I looked around and didn't see any of my family sitting anywhere so I didn't know where to sit. Then at the last moment my father walked in and I felt somewhat whole knowing that family who cared was present. We took our seats, there was a bit of worship, and then those who were going to be baptized were called to the stage. We each introduced ourselves and gave a short testament to our beliefs and why we where getting baptized. Mine was a short talk about how I didn't grow up in a Christian home and how I started going to church on my own at a young age. I also wanted to glorify my father for showing up to support his son and I gave him much thanks for in stowing in me the fundamentals of how a morally right person should live their life. During this moment it was hard for me to hold back my emotions and I became teary eyed because I was proud to see him in a church.
When it was my turn for “the tank” I had previously decided that I wanted my youth pastor to baptize me and he got in the water and helped me down in after him. We stood there he said some words then in I went, making my public announcement of my passion to follow the Lord. When I came out of the water I felt healed, saved, and born again, I felt like I had set something right with the Lord and that he was pleased. I know that I felt a new inner peace and sense of responsibility. I now felt stronger than ever like I had to do my best to stand up for what I felt was right and just. Not only did I have to be a just person but I had to proudly boast and stand up for the Lord I worship.
My baptism means a lot of things to me I know most of all It was a time of celebration, a time to remember, and a time to glorify the Lord. I know that as I grow older I will look back on the day of my baptism and think about how it was such a sincere gift to God. As I look back on that day I get a smile on my face and a fire in my heart reminding me to always remember the Lord, give him thanks, and look to Him for answers which he always provides in do time.
“If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven.” ~ Matthew 10:32
Faith Mini Story: Chapter I
Chapter I:
My Testimony: God saving me even though my back that was turned.
I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else. I will not share my praise with carved idols. (Isaiah 42:8)
When I first read through this verse I paused to read it again, this time thinking that it related to my personal testimony quite well. Then God spoke to me and made me chuckle because he said "See I did rescue you, for I had enough, I needed my son back, I needed you safe". Then I took a short moment to give him thanks, and I continued to read. With the verse still in mind I felt like I should explore the meaning of the verse in relation to my testimony.
What an excellent open verse for my testimony! I once was worshiping many gods including still having the belief in the Lord and one day during a meditation a spirit of the Lord came to me and wept for my salvation. Which scared the crap out of me and truly set up a block in front of my current idol worshiping that I was involved in. I did not know at first what the meaning of this exceptionally moving encounter meant or even who or what was trying to communicate with me. What I did know was enough that let me know something was wrong with what I was currently involved with.
If I were to give my testimony in full I would have to mention that I did not grow up in a Christian home but thanks to a good friend of mine that witnessed to me in Kindergarten I found Christ's love at a very young age. At that age any child who goes to church has a simple view of God and what it means to know God but thanks to Rebecca's great family she felt like it was her job to witness to people and spread the good news of God. So she invited me to church and told me that her mother could drive to pick me up on the way. Our mothers met and my mother agreed to let me go and so I went to that church every Sunday until I was about in 6th grade. At the time that I was in the 2nd grade I remember an alter call one Sunday were I went to the alter and kneeled, praying for my family and praying that God keep me as one of his own until I die. After much praying and weeping I was joined by one of the members of the Sunday school staff and she asked if I were ok and I stated that I were, she stayed with me and later helped me up. That was the first time that I really felt Gods love, but as family problems grew thicker and the divorce of my parents was more apparent by their remarriage I felt some what less wanted every where including at my church so I stopped going.
The only place I did fell wanted was with my step mother who eventually introduced me into the wicked art of tarot card reading in which a new passion was born. I took on a new found passion for finding meaning and found comfort in my new self taught belief system. A system were I believed that there were multiple gods and that they could all work together in some twisted dimension of the universe we lived in. After collecting many false idols that were supposed to help me throughout the journey of my life I started to visit a witchcraft shop were I spent many hours exercising my devil sent gift of the art of tarot reading.
It was at that shop where my "joy ride" with the devil would end and God would send His spirit to me within a meditation to save me so that once again someday I could find Him again. That would not take place until my family moved Washington to start a new chapter of our lives.
When my family moved up to Washington for the next few months I would never unpack the box which had contained all the "valuables" that were once considered tools to aid me through life on a path of "self fulfillment". I never quite understood exactly why I never touched that box way up at the corner of the self in my closet. I know now that it was the seed of God that was inside of my not wanting me to get caught up in all of my old ways.
On New Years of 2001 I was invited to attend a church gathering were there was going to be the normal "fun and games". After introducing myself to tons of people everyone started to gather together for the strike of 12 o'clock. A gentleman named Josh Rodlen gave his testimony and told the crowd what it meant to him to be a follower of Christ and how it brought him much joy and peace. Then he stated how every year we try to make new years resolutions, most of which we never keep. But would it not be cool if we could make a promise with ourselves that we could keep, and wouldn't it be cool if that promise was kept with God deep within our hearts. Again that seed of God deep within me started my brain thinking and I knew that I wanted to rededicate my life to God. And I felt whole again....
Maybe a year or so later at one of our small group meetings I had discussed with the group about how I still had a box (the one on the self) that contained some witchcraft items in it. I told them about how I wanted to get rid of it in the right way so that no one else could find any of the items that were in it. I told them I really wanted to burn it, so we decided that I would bring it to the next meeting and we would destroy it with fire and we did! It was not easy to get the box there though, because as I was filling the box with more stuff that I did not want in my life my brothers decided to go through the box and salvage some things for themselves. Which upset me tremendously and I fought with them to get back as much as I could which I was not totally successful at. But I did get rid of as much as I was capable of getting back. The box contained many idolatistic things that I felt I needed to destroy to become closer to God and through the some what sacrificial offering I felt peace and a true comfort deep whiten my heart.
My Testimony: God saving me even though my back that was turned.
I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else. I will not share my praise with carved idols. (Isaiah 42:8)
When I first read through this verse I paused to read it again, this time thinking that it related to my personal testimony quite well. Then God spoke to me and made me chuckle because he said "See I did rescue you, for I had enough, I needed my son back, I needed you safe". Then I took a short moment to give him thanks, and I continued to read. With the verse still in mind I felt like I should explore the meaning of the verse in relation to my testimony.
What an excellent open verse for my testimony! I once was worshiping many gods including still having the belief in the Lord and one day during a meditation a spirit of the Lord came to me and wept for my salvation. Which scared the crap out of me and truly set up a block in front of my current idol worshiping that I was involved in. I did not know at first what the meaning of this exceptionally moving encounter meant or even who or what was trying to communicate with me. What I did know was enough that let me know something was wrong with what I was currently involved with.
If I were to give my testimony in full I would have to mention that I did not grow up in a Christian home but thanks to a good friend of mine that witnessed to me in Kindergarten I found Christ's love at a very young age. At that age any child who goes to church has a simple view of God and what it means to know God but thanks to Rebecca's great family she felt like it was her job to witness to people and spread the good news of God. So she invited me to church and told me that her mother could drive to pick me up on the way. Our mothers met and my mother agreed to let me go and so I went to that church every Sunday until I was about in 6th grade. At the time that I was in the 2nd grade I remember an alter call one Sunday were I went to the alter and kneeled, praying for my family and praying that God keep me as one of his own until I die. After much praying and weeping I was joined by one of the members of the Sunday school staff and she asked if I were ok and I stated that I were, she stayed with me and later helped me up. That was the first time that I really felt Gods love, but as family problems grew thicker and the divorce of my parents was more apparent by their remarriage I felt some what less wanted every where including at my church so I stopped going.
The only place I did fell wanted was with my step mother who eventually introduced me into the wicked art of tarot card reading in which a new passion was born. I took on a new found passion for finding meaning and found comfort in my new self taught belief system. A system were I believed that there were multiple gods and that they could all work together in some twisted dimension of the universe we lived in. After collecting many false idols that were supposed to help me throughout the journey of my life I started to visit a witchcraft shop were I spent many hours exercising my devil sent gift of the art of tarot reading.
It was at that shop where my "joy ride" with the devil would end and God would send His spirit to me within a meditation to save me so that once again someday I could find Him again. That would not take place until my family moved Washington to start a new chapter of our lives.
When my family moved up to Washington for the next few months I would never unpack the box which had contained all the "valuables" that were once considered tools to aid me through life on a path of "self fulfillment". I never quite understood exactly why I never touched that box way up at the corner of the self in my closet. I know now that it was the seed of God that was inside of my not wanting me to get caught up in all of my old ways.
On New Years of 2001 I was invited to attend a church gathering were there was going to be the normal "fun and games". After introducing myself to tons of people everyone started to gather together for the strike of 12 o'clock. A gentleman named Josh Rodlen gave his testimony and told the crowd what it meant to him to be a follower of Christ and how it brought him much joy and peace. Then he stated how every year we try to make new years resolutions, most of which we never keep. But would it not be cool if we could make a promise with ourselves that we could keep, and wouldn't it be cool if that promise was kept with God deep within our hearts. Again that seed of God deep within me started my brain thinking and I knew that I wanted to rededicate my life to God. And I felt whole again....
Maybe a year or so later at one of our small group meetings I had discussed with the group about how I still had a box (the one on the self) that contained some witchcraft items in it. I told them about how I wanted to get rid of it in the right way so that no one else could find any of the items that were in it. I told them I really wanted to burn it, so we decided that I would bring it to the next meeting and we would destroy it with fire and we did! It was not easy to get the box there though, because as I was filling the box with more stuff that I did not want in my life my brothers decided to go through the box and salvage some things for themselves. Which upset me tremendously and I fought with them to get back as much as I could which I was not totally successful at. But I did get rid of as much as I was capable of getting back. The box contained many idolatistic things that I felt I needed to destroy to become closer to God and through the some what sacrificial offering I felt peace and a true comfort deep whiten my heart.
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