C 2 8

Many inmates get tattoos to make a statement. It makes them feel they belong to a certain group where they can be identified. Some state power with affiliations to some powerful gangs that run outside and inside the prison walls.

Yesterday, after my time with the Lord, I had gone off for my scheduled eye exam. By God’s grace, everything was the same. Except I still needed to get a pair of new specs as my old one’s coating started peeling. I needed to see!!!

When my loving hubby came home, he accompanied me to Lenscrafters in the mall nearby so I can have a new pair within just a few hours. After measuring everything and finding what I liked, we took a stroll around the mall to kill time as my glasses were being made. By the time we have went up and down the 2-story level, there was still 15 minutes remaining. So, instead of going back to Lenscrafters, we decided to turn to its right corner and saw some stores we haven’t seen before. C28...A store caught our eyes immediately. Looking like a shop for teenagers shirts, we looked closer and saw all the Word printed on their shirts, jeans, stickers, everything! It was a Christian store. The sweet, young lady said that it had been there for 8 years. Yet, we never knew. Why C28? It was taken from Colossians 2:8. So, they had a lot of products sharing the “NOT OF THIS WORLD” messages or “NOTW” for short. And yes, they share the Good News if given an opportunity and she said that some teenagers walked into that store and left...Saved. Glory to God!

As I woke up this morning, C28 was on my mind:

“Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.” - Colossians 2:8

But let me back up and start from verse 6:

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him.”

Verse 7: “Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.”

In relation to tattoos and body piercings, it is good to always ask God to bless that particular activity for His purposes [1 Corinthians 10:31 - “so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”]. But if there is a room for doubt whether it pleases God, then it’s best not to participate in that kind of activity. [Romans 14:23 - “But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn’t eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.”].

Pray for wisdom and ask the Lord to provide pure motives and discernment.

1 Corinthians 10:23 - “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ - but not everything is helpful. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ - but not everything is beneficial.”

Remember that we have a special tattoo when we came to Christ...Our new commitment to God is tattooed [written] on our hearts, not our bodies. ["When you came to Christ, you were circumcised, but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure - the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, Who raised Christ from the dead." - Colossians 2:11-12].