1 Peter 4:3 MSG
You’ve already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken and profligate life. Now it’s time to be done with it for good. Of course, your old friends don’t understand why you don’t join in with the old gang anymore. But you don’t have to give an account to them. They’re the ones who will be called on the carpet—-and before God himself.

Note: I don’t recommend the message translation unless you read multiple. Not all verses are translated well - But this one seems quite a good way to say this verse. 

Numbers 11:11-15 NLT
And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors?  Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

But of course God comes through for Moses as He does all of His loyal followers.. After a little stretching and uncomfortable tests which make us grow in our faith.. 

The Lord is my shepherd… Psalm 23..

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

King James Version…

Let’s take a quick look at New Living Translation, NLT, which I generally like “He lets me rest in green meadows”

There’s a BIG difference between he MAKETH me and He let’s me rest.. 

Stop a second and think about this - What if being forced to be so desperate you are forced to lie down in a pasture you didn’t think you want? That could go with King James Translation, but wow that would be anti-Biblical to say against the New Living Translation.

Sometimes the trials and tribulations of our lives force us back onto His path.. Unfortunately more often evil people take advantage of the trials and tribulations of our lives to force their will and desires on us. That’s called abuse.

Image being David and being pursued by Saul, attempted to be murdered by Saul - Did all this negative force David to go where God wanted him to be at times? Even if David thought he wanted to go elsewhere? 

How do we recognize which is happening if we are made to lie down in a pasture we didn’t think we wanted?

If you think someone is manipulating you into a pasture you don’t want have a plan of what if this is abuse - How am I going to be able to leave? Can I get a cab easily? A Car to drive? Do I have a few dollars for hotels or some place I can go? Will I have my cell phone to dial 911 if it REALLY gets bad? Think about all these contingencies before you accept - Because the chances someone is being used by God to force you to a pasture is very small. 

Just because someone has been trustworthy before doesn’t mean they still are. Abusers are master manipulators, they will gain your trust, some will be patient for a long time, some will groom you for a long time to be what they want. BUT also someone genuinely trying to help you will do the exact same things - The difference will show over time, and anyone who is going to try to help hopefully understands and encourages your guard instead of trying to convince you to drop your guard. An abuser wants that guard down ASAP, someone with your interests in mind is worried that they will accidentally convince you to let your guard down for others too easily and result in future abuse. 

I find that an intriguing question to ponder spiritually. At first when someone posted a different translation of this that said ”He makes me” I said that doesn’t sound right.. But then I read King James and said wow, living translation sure doesn’t say He makes me..

This is why a parallel Bible is always best to read, so you can read multiple translations. Of course going and seeking God so much you learn Hebrew, Greek and Latin and truly seek the older scriptures in their original wording - But the Holy Spirit guides us - But do watch that translations aren’t perhaps injecting someone’s feelings into their translation even if with no evil purpose.

Happy National Salvation Army Week!

This is from the Salvation Army Blog — I’m headed out shortly for a Salvation Army Luncheon.. 

Today’s no ordinary Monday – it’s the first day of our 60th annual National Salvation Army Week. This week of recognition was first declared by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954 – 74 years after The Salvation Army arrived in the U.S. – who stated in his proclamation:

“Among Americans, The Salvation Army has long been a symbol of wholehearted dedication to the cause of human brotherhood … Their work has been a constant reminder to us all that each of us is neighbor and kin to all Americans, giving freely of themselves, the men and women of The Salvation Army have won the respect of us all.”

Each year we use this week to say ‘thank you’ to the three million volunteers who give of their time and talents to The Salvation Army and enable critical services to communities, families and individuals in need. If you can believe it, that’s 8,000 volunteers “Doing the Most Good” for their neighbors each day!

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

Anonymous asked: I’ve read a few things you’ve stated about tattoos(more so Lev19) yet I am still confused on your view of getting tattoos since I have yet to find an article you wrote stating so. I grew up being taught that the Lord told the Israelites to refrain from tattoos for slaves were branded; a symbol that they were owned by another human; a master. Since the Lord says to have no other gods before Him and the Israelites were to be distinguishable of people and nations which worshiped other gods.

I answered in the last ask my personal view on tattoos - But what I REALLY want is for followers to read the Bible verses, listen to the view and decide am I saying God’s will or not? My personal opinion really doesn’t matter, my convictions aren’t binding on you. If I’m sharing the right things the Holy Spirit will convict you to listen, if I’m not then He won’t - But I would ask you to make sure you don’t ignore God’s convictions to listen to what you WANT to hear.

As to symbol of owned by another human - Yes, this was one reason - It’s also one reason may from World War II concentration camps are against them so much, they were tattooed with prisoner numbers obviously against their will.

There’s also many examples where the tattoos were markings worshipping other gods in the times of the commandments.  

dragonsheep asked: I don't understand why you seem so hung up on tattoos. You say, "I'm not telling you to remove what you have before you were saved," but your posts seem to say that tattoos AFTER receiving salvation are wrong. Whose image are you worried about: What the world thinks of the Church's members? Whether inked Christians will offend non-inked Christians? I'm not hearing any love in these posts. I hear law.

Let me preface with the church I have tithed the most to this year has a tattooed pastor with ear gauges - Both things I disagree with - But he does a FAR better job reflecting attention to God than himself - A pastor who looks perfect who is all about himself is FAR worse - The important topic is to reflect everyone to God instead of self. 

You hit on a few points:

1) Do I think they are wrong AFTER salvation: Yes. I don’t think I’ve stated that plainly before. I truly wanted to try to keep an open mind and debate with myself until I had a firm conviction if I am listening to human reason from my upbringing in conservative churches, or if I’m truly confident I’m hearing it from God without taking into account what humans taught me - Human traditions can be right or wrong, but they are NOT authoritative. Am I authoritative? No, absolutely not. I’ll write more at end.

2) Whose image are you worried about?

  a) What the world thinks of church’s members? How many people can you find who say a Christian shouldn’t look like “that” and they will reject you? A lot? Perhaps not, depending on the crowd you are trying to reach - But a fair number of unsaved that I know would say that doesn’t look anything like Christian so they’d discount you talking about Christ. Would the opposite happen in some crowds? Perhaps, although I don’t believe that argument. I believe that argument is human logic for how to reach people. If someone is seeking God they’d be happy to talk to you in a priest’s outfit, in fact that would likely bring FAR more to talk to you about God than a tattoo. 

  b) Inked Christians will offend non-inked Christians? Yes, this they definitely do. I see it all the time, if I didn’t wear dress pants and dress shirts I offended people at a church I went to in high school and some years later - Was it wrong to offend them? Yes. Did I think it was wrong then? Absolutely not, I was a typical teen who thought they aren’t entitled to their opinion - However the Bible over and over says to respect elders, it says to be all things to all people, it says to not cause division - Could I avoid that church instead? Yes, BUT was it worth being someone who leaves out part of the body of Christ so I can exercise MY freedom? Where is my putting others above myself if I say that is ok? It wasn’t. I’m very convicted it wasn’t ok after digging into this topic. 

  c) I’m not hearing love - I hear law - Shall we quote Paul’s writing?  Does this sound like love and avoiding law?

Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit? — 1 Corinthians 4:21

We have a LOT of freedom to do WHAT THE SPIRIT LEADS US TO DO, but does it mean that what God finds pleasing is different than it used to be? If I eat pork to have a discussion about Christ with a non believer then fine. If I am a vegetarian and change my diet to eat only pork claiming I have that freedom in Christ can you justify that? It’s almost silly to say that would be worth doing - So why if you don’t have tattoos would you get them AFTER being saved in the name of freedom in Christ? 

What did Jesus say about TEACHING OTHERS to ignore laws?

So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. — Matthew 5:19 NLT

Notice no matter what they’re going to heaven - We aren’t talking about judging they are unsaved or going to hell - This isn’t THAT kind of topic - And to judge them as unsaved is wrong, absolutely wrong. This is about trying to seek God fully versus seek what WE want. 

You say, “I am allowed to do anything“—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.

Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NLT

If OTHERS are going to think less of your Christian walk, or say you don’t “look like” a Christian, or ANYTHING else then how can you justify what “I want to look like” as being more important? 

It’s not just about tattoos - That’s really just one topic - It can be how I dress for church, if I cut my hair a proper length, or anything else.

Are these topics perhaps stupid to many? I remember almost being thrown out of church for clapping when a speaker was announced - I mean who doesn’t clap when they announce someone to come on stage? It was a dumb rule, BUT I was wrong for disrespecting that group of Christians - And heaven knows that’s a topic that 98% of Christians would say is ok to do - But I will make sure I’m not first to clap again in church ever since then, even though I’ve never been to a church since that thought that was a sin (yes, SIN, not just wrong). 

Live church

Http://live.cornerstonechapel.net

Watch now. ..

Christians should be seen and not heard?

Too many black sheep in the family
Too many stones from a house of glass
They’ve heard the story, they’ve heard the lines
But talk is too cheap to change their minds
They want to see some vital signs

Convictions - in the way we live
Convictions - not a narrative
Actions speak a little louder than words

(Chorus)
Seen and not heard, seen and not heard
Sometimes God’s children should be seen and not heard
There’s too much talk and not enought walk
Sometimes God’s children should be seen and not heard

Delayed reaction to hostility
Brings us into reality
Cause when we answer in our defense
They can see through the false pretense
They want to see some evidence

Commitment - no more alibis
Commitment - not a compromise
Actions speak a little louder than words

Let your light so shine in all you do
With an answer near when they come to you
Don’t let your mouth start talkin’
Until your feet start walkin’ 

Petra - Seen and Not Heard…  Official music video - http://youtu.be/TZUdLCE6EIg