The Path of Fleeting Pleasure

There are two ways, two paths, two roads

One foolish and one wise

Both seek to build a fruitful house

Both hope to win the prize

An easy path, the foolish takes

He does not see the end

The path seems good, great joy it brings

But to his death will send

Even a laughing heart may ache

The end of joy be grief

If without thought the simple takes

The path of great relief 

In his folly, he breaks his house

And with his hands destroys

The path which seemed so good to him

Brought quickly fleeting joys

The wise man moves more carefully

Off sinful paths he goes

Although they promise laughter

He sees impending woes

He erects his house in wisdom

While folly tears hers down

The difference is not aims or goals, 

But the path on which their bound

[Inspired by Proverbs 14:1, 11-16]

Are Tattoos Biblical?

To begin, I don't think the Bible explicitly addresses the issue of tattoos. With that said, here are some issues that the Bible does address that may be relevant in considering a tattoo.

1. Honor your parents. Take serious consideration on their opinion/reaction to you getting a tattoo. Responses from parents will range from approval to disowning you as their child. Evaluate your parents position (positive, negative, neutral) and how strong it is. Make sure getting a tattoo is worth the dishonor it may bring to your parents. I know this will be more difficult for some than others. I just encourage you to consider it and give it the weight that God gives it in His Word. 

• In Ex. 21, God gives the death penalty for 4 crimes. (1) First degree murder, (2) stealing and selling other people, (3) striking your parents,  and (4) cursing your parents. 
• It's one of the ten commandments.
• Paul makes special note in Ephesians 6:2 that it is the first commandment with a promise. 
• We only have 7 recorded things that Jesus said on the cross. One of these is Jesus taking special pains to ensure that John will take care of His mother. 

2. Biblical stewardship. You're looking at a minimum of $40-$50 for a tattoo. As Christians, we believe our money is not our own and spending it should be for God's glory and kingdom. It's important to have justifiable reasons for what you spend. 

3. Christian testimony. What I'm referring to is not what the tattoo means to you, but to everyone else. How will your Christian brothers and sisters view your decision? Will it impact your ministry? Will it aid your ministry? What if your future spouse is opposed to tattoos? This category of 'Christian testimony' could potentially be a reason for or against getting a tattoo. 

The main thing is to check your motives. God looks past the outward reasons you give for your decisions and He sees your heart. I believe there can be good or bad motives for getting a tattoo. 

Faith to Fight the Devil

The enemy is cunning, 
The devil is so wise
For years he's practiced breathing
His death provoking lies

He makes your fight look easy
He makes you feel so strong
And keeps your eyes from seeing
The deadly road you're on

For if you knew the peril
The mortal doom you face
Then you would turn your heart to God
And run the faithful race

But he keeps you from thinking
There's danger in your sin
And that is why a heart at ease
Is satan's closest kin

He keeps the mind distracted
On every little thing
For if we don't see past the world
We're his eternally

He tells you to do lots of things
He keeps you busy working
So you won't have the time to see
That danger's closely lurking

The people of this nation
I wish that they could see
The danger in their virtue
Of productivity

It makes you feel so righteous
Or takes your mind off pain
But if you make it everything
You'll find you're just like Cain

It's not the work of your own hands
That makes your gift God's pleasure
It's faith that sees beyond the world
That makes your gift a treasure

Be free from Cain; have faith like Abel
For this is victory
The devil says your gift is good, 
But God sees underneath

He sees right past the gift you give
Into your very heart
By faith we overcome the world
For God has Satan barred

"By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts." - Hebrews 11:4

Easy Yoke; Hard Life

You say Your yoke is easy
You call Your burden light
So why is life so difficult?
Why is it such a fight?

The world keeps on attacking
Temptation makes its plight
The Darkness overwhelms us
But you still call it Light*

What makes Your law no burden?
How can our love be true?
My God, my God has conquered
From death to life we move

Because you overcame the world
The victory is sure
And when we place our faith in You
You help us to endure

You say Your yoke is easy
You call Your burden light
Perhaps it's not the struggle,
But Your promise through the fight

"His commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith." - 1 John 5:3-4