It Is Finished

To all who "love Jesus, are born again, go to church, sing in the choir, pray, minister to the young and old, do everything a 'good christian is supposed to do' and still have deep disappointment in their soul for hidden reasons, this is for you.

I feel like this particular picture is timely because of what I have gone through recently in the healing of my own soul. None of us wants to insult our Lord in saying or thinking that His blood wasn't enough in delivering us from all addictions, heartache, worry, anxiety and EVERYTHING that tries to exalt itself above the knowledge of God.

For the faint of heart and the utterly exhausted who "have been waiting on the Lord" this is for you; it is a word in season to embrace you, not shun you; it is a word to speak to your sickness-whether physical or mental-your anger, your disappointment, your boredom, your lack of direction, your own weakness and your hatred of it: IT IS FINISHED.

May these three  words send the devil fleeing from you as you SPEAK them to him:
IT IS FINISHED. You overcome with the BLOOD of the Lamb and the WORD OF YOUR TESTIMONY. Whatever you struggle with, declare "IT IS FINISHED." And it will be an act of your WILL that you decide to speak up because your EMOTIONS won't "feel" like declaring. Been there. Done that. There comes a day when you "don't FEEL LIKE" allowing the devil to assume that he can torment your mind day in and day out. IT IS FINISHED. Rise up. Grow up. Speak up. IT IS FINISHED. Amen.

Precious Jewel

Malachi 3:17 says we are the Lord's jewels and Isaiah 62:3 declares that we are a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of our God.

We are HIGHLY VALUED by the Lord.

We ARE His Precious Jewels.

It is His brand upon our hearts and His promise within our souls. 

As I worked on this painting, I loved how the "jewel tones" were coming forth in more ways that one. And that's what we DO;  the Fire of God WITHIN us causes HIS beauty to radiate and WE are marvelously, miraculously transformed; glorious hues of "Holy, Holy Holy!" emanate and our old prisons become prisms of praise.

Exceeding Joy-Psalm 43:4

Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.

Under His Wings

Psalm 91 says that under His wings we shall find refuge. As a child, I loved to play in my closet. I plugged my desk lamp into an extension cord and took it in there with me and would write or color or pretend I was in a cave. The closeness of my clothes hanging down just added to the feeling of being hidden away and I could stay in there without feeling claustrophobic. As I look at the "opening" in this latest painting, it makes me want to crawl into it as I did my closet all those years ago and find restful, worship filled refuge in the shadow of His wings.

ALL Things Work Together For Good

I actually burst out laughing when this one was done.
Can you say violence? Turmoil? Dark night of the soul? Spirit verses my flesh? Oswald Chambers didn't help any with his post on Jan. 15 regarding "the white funeral" and if the believer had had one yet. Check it out. It's over on the right hand column and entitled "Do you walk in white?"

 Well, then, why would I give this painting a title based on Romans 8:28? ("For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose.")

 ALL things and HIS purpose.

The last few weeks I was thanking the Lord for ALLL these retests I get to do so that it ALLLL works together for GOOD. It is His purpose that I go from glory to glory and for that I am most thankful. I am especially thankful that the minute I utter an exasperated weary sigh regarding something  I still need to work on,  I can hear His still small voice whispering in my ear, "Redo!" with great enthusiastic encouragement, not impatient disdain. Sublime grace... I believe that He is showing me His "violent love" towards me as He works it ALL out together for my good and His glory.

 I pray that in the midst of "the ALL" that hurls, blasts, crashes, zaps, and explodes in your life, that you may be able to see the BEAUTY bursting forth.

FOR GOOD.

Selah

Portal

Portal-a doorway, GATE, or other entrance, especially a large and elaborate one.

"Open to me the gates of   righteousness;
 I shall enter through them,
 I shall give thanks to the Lord.
This is the GATE of the Lord;
The righteous will enter through it."
 Psalm 118 : 19, 20

Jude 1 verse 2

I just kept thinking how lovely these colors were in their vibrant softness. Mercy, Peace, and Love are just as lovely when given or received. For those who NEED mercy, peace, and love, may you RECEIVE it in abundance. For those who are GENEROUS in mercy, peace, and love, may you GIVE it in abundance.
For the giver and receiver alike, there will be a vibrant  painting done in the books of remembrance on earth and on the palace walls of heaven.

2011-Alabaster Breakthrough

I was wondering what picture the Lord would give me regarding 2011 and here is what I received:

I kept hearing/seeing "shattering", "breakthrough", and "alabaster". John 12:3 says the woman BROKE the jar and poured perfume on the the head of Jesus.

 Artistically, it "bugged me"  having the words break through and alabaster  "all jammed together", but I felt the Lord telling me to do it that way because BEHIND every alabaster human choice is BREAK THROUGH. We have to choose to be broken in order to break those things in our lives that keep us from pouring out the purest form of worship on the Lord.

 The "pure" white lettering shows up boldly on the alabaster word. The break through words are coming forth/materializing behind the Alabaster.