Friday, April 24, 2009

Renaissance


I made this collage with the true Easter message in mind, that is, the Resurrection of Christ. But it goes beyond just a celebration of the event, which boggles the mind if one really thinks about it! Jesus Christ rose from the dead!! This picture has a lot to do with what that means for us. I'll try to go in a straight line in describing this, but the image is easier to do than the description! "Renaissance" refers to rebirth, new life and vitality, and in the historical context and application, a great revival of all creativity, knowledge and industrious pursuit that comes from being tapped in to the life of God.

The "headless" mannequin represents the individual Christian, and also the Body of Christ. He is the Head and we are members of His Body. This is not just a metaphor~ it is a reality! Unless we get a handle on this concept and begin to live it, we will not be able to appropriate (grasp, receive, put into practice, get the benefit of) what Christ did for us. When He died, He set the "will and testament" in motion, meaning we can now receive our inheritance as the children of God and joint heirs with Christ. When Jesus rose from the dead, He conquered death, and is now alive forever to see to it that we come into the full oneness with God that was intended. Without submission to God and His will, we are not allowing the Head to rule in our life, and truly we are cut off from the source of life that is in us.

Too many Christians quote the verse "we have the mind of Christ" and don't seek to actually have it. We're not born with it!! Surely we have a new nature in our born-again spirits, with the capacity for spiritual understanding and growth. But it is not a given that we will grow and mature, or that we will gain all that we have a potential for. We must pursue it, according to the Scriptures and the leading of the Holy Spirit. His mind, more expansive and full of all wisdom and knowledge beyond what we can comprehend or imagine, is available to us at all times. But we must undergo a transformation! Our carnal mind(which is earthly, sinful and dark, and focused on death and lies) must be changed and renewed in order to understand and act upon the truth and light that is in the mind of God. Jesus made a way for us, but we must give up our old ways of thinking. Our belief systems are grungy, don't function properly, and lead us down all the wrong paths. The Scriptures are alive and active to restore the functions of our minds, and emotions as well. This enables our bodies to work properly also. The more our minds are changed from the old dead nature to the new, the more of a "renaissance" we will experience. This is true revival, not just church meetings.

In this image, you can see an iconic picturization* of Jesus carrying the cross. The mannequin has got its arm through it, signifying that we must embrace the cross. This means saying (and meaning) the same as Jesus did in Gethsemane, "not my will but thine be done." This place of submission to the Father's will gets us out of a place of religion and into true relationship. Jesus sought to know the Father's will, and when He knew it, He obeyed it. If it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.

The Lamb is the symbol of Christ in the place of sacrifice for our sins. The fact that He calls us His lamb and His sheep, indicates that we are meant to identify with Him: but substituting Himself for us, we are spared the eternal punishment we deserved and by accepting the resurrection, we accept the exchange of our old life for His new one. Thus, with the verse that was "cut and pasted" into the collage, we recognize that we suffer the loss of the old, that which was death to us, but we rejoice because the end is in sight: abundant life now and life with God eternally.

The communion chalice is included: it is beautiful and entwined with vines, because He is the Vine from whom we draw our life. His blood, represented by the wine, was shed so that we could be made holy. There are three spheres in the artwork, showing that redemption is for us in three parts of our being: the spirit, the soul and the body. It also means we must overcome in three arenas: the world, the flesh and the devil. One is being dipped into the cup, a picture of the "host" of the Eucharist: because His body was broken, then resurrected, our body can be healed, and resurrected into an incorruptible life. Jesus has gone before, and is leading the way.

I hope the explanation of this artwork helps you understand more of the covenant we have in Christ, and what it means to have His mind.


Jhn 3:7
Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

Jhn 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

1Pe 1:23
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

1Cr 2:16
For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

"that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another." Ephesians 4:22-25


Luk 9:23
Then He said to [them] all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Mat 7:21
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Mat 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You [will]."

Eph 5:23
For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Col 1:18
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Eph 3:19
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph 4:13
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Col 2:9
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

Rev 20:4
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then [I saw] the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received [his] mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding

Rom 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Act 20:32
"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

Col 1:12
giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

A bonus message:

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror." I Peter 3: 1-6

*"picturization" is a word I coined, meaning "making a picture as a representation", (similar form as "verbalization")

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Blessings


This is a quick one~ I just wanted to bring out the different ways I see this, maybe to give it more depth for you.

This is both a heavenly place and an earthly place. It can be the throne room of Heaven, with the Lamb of God on the throne receiving worship. There is music in the air! The woman in white could be seen as an angel, but I mostly see her as the Bride worshipping in adoration before the throne. She is dressed in white, "the righteous acts of the saints", with which she makes herself ready for the Beloved.

I particularly see this as a simultaneously earthly place, because of the appearance of the room, which looks like it's nighttime. The lamb represents to me not only the Lamb of God, but God's little lambs. All children have angels for protection, and these ministers are always in the presence of God. All children, both natural children and spiritual children, need nurture and protection. Mothers and caretakers, pastors, counselors, teachers, etc., are all messengers and are responsible to impart the love and character of the Father to their charges. We should all keep in mind that these little ones belong to Him. He is the Good Shepherd, and as stewards, we must be found faithful. I also think of "whatever you do to the least of these, you've done it unto Me." When we serve the little ones as unto Him, the Lamb receives it as worship, and receives it with joy. The setting also reminds me of the Passover lamb that was taken into the home and loved as a pet before it was offered as a sacrifice, which holds much deep prophetic meaning about the Christ.

Scripturally, I don't see the heavenly angels as women, it doesn't refer to them as such, but sometimes says "a young man in a white robe". Other references to angels, such as seraphim, depict them as much more brilliant, powerful and multidimensional in ways that I have not been able to express artistically at this time. Whether you see this figure as an individual, the collective Bride, an angel, or even a fairy perhaps, the meaning is the same: a spiritual messenger from the throne room of God with blessings from Him. If we are born again, we are also spiritual beings with messages of love and truth from Him, and therefore the term "angels" can be properly applied to us as well, as that is what the word means: "messenger".

So be encouraged~ if you faithfully minister to His lambs, the Lamb of God receives your service. And in order to minister faithfully to His lambs, it is essential to minister to the Lamb Himself and to absorb His Presence through worship, intercession and careful listening to His voice.

Rev 7:17
for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Mat 18:10
"Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.


Mat 25:40
And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did [it] to one of the least of these My brethren, you did [it] to Me.'


Luk 9:48
and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."


Mat 22:30
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. [it says "are like", not are]