Over the past few months, many have asked about the unusual emblem that is used for the Lil-Jens Studio trademark. For starters, let it be known that is not an actual registered trademark. Nor is it a muslim emblem as some have speculated.

The striking symbolism on the red and black background is the is the shoulder patch for the 30th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They adopted it in it’s current form from a prince named Kostantin Ostrozky from the Battle of Orsha in the year 1514 in which Moscow (Russia) was defeated.

The latin phrase in all CAPS- DEI GRATIA, can be translated as, Grace of God or with the inferred [by the] Grace of God. The star represents the path of faith with a reference to the star of Bethlehem. The crescent moon represents victory over the enemy, and the emblem above the star is a stylized bow and arrow. As best as I have determined thus far, I believe the upper crest with dual points represents the horns (and power) of a bull. I have not yet discovered why half of the background in black but I do know that the red represents several things in Polish/Ukrainian royal symbols including bravery and the blood spilled in battle. Kind of boring stuff unless you happen to be a history nerd like me.

Grace of God in Action- Romans 5:12-17

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.