Narrow Gate

I have been pondering Gods plan for my life. The more I think about it the more I realize that just thinking is fruitless. Without action Gods plan for my life will remain just that a plan. I must take action if I want to move in any sort of direction. That brought me to Mathew 7:13-14

13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Reading this makes me realize that I simply need to make sure that the direction I am moving is toward God, once I am doing that He will guide me down the narrow path. Sometimes a step back in our mind is a leap forward on his path. It is my prayer that my spirit would be sensitive to God's prompting, that I would not question the direction that He leads, and that I would be willing to risk.

Creation

Genesis 1:1-9
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6 And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
9 And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

Psalm 147:4
4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

Rain Down

I am currently traveling at 500+ MPH, 30,000 feet above the Earth heading to Albany NY. I thought I would take advantage of the wifi on the plane to post my latest painting. From my current vantage point I can see for miles and I am wondering how many believers, seekers, and lost I will pass over in the next couple of hours. My prayer for those on this flight and for the people down below is that they would experience a hunger and thirst that can only be satisfied by God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Rain down on us, fill us up, send us out, stretch and grow us.

Luke 3:16

John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Isaiah 45:8

"You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it.

When drawing this God really impressed on me that we are all marked by him and that when we are living out our faith his mark shows up in gifts that others can't help but see. In this drawing the background looks like a thumbprint and the gifts happen to be music. Imagine God touching you and leaving a visible thumb print marking you as his own. While I was drawing this several people came to mind (Austin, Mike, Mal, Jeremy, and Nate) All of them have been given the gift of music and each of them use it to show their love for the Lord. When I hear them play I can feel the Spirit working through them. What had God hidden in your mark?


1 Corinthians 12:4
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Twisted

Sometimes God really surprises me. I sketched this and wondered what he was trying to tell me, then I read Psalm 29:9.  Alone the drawing looks whimsical, but when paired with the verse there is a sense of power. I especially like "The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare". There is force and might behind the voice of the LORD.
Psalm 29:9 - 11

9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Deep Roots

I have been working on this drawing off and on for a while. As I sketched, God really impressed on me a sense of elapsed time. A tree like this would take much longer to grow than one planted in deep soil and would have initially struggled to get enough water to thrive. Life would have most likely begun with lots of starts and stops and many short bursts of growth. Once rooted however this tree is now perched upon solid rock and is virtually unmovable, its roots now extending into sustainable life giving water sources. I believe this is a picture that reflects many of our walks. My prayer is that my Faith will continue to grow deep and that my foundation will always be the Rock I know as Christ.

Reaping the Harvest

John 4:35-38

³⁵Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. ³⁸I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

True vine

John 15
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Tossed About \ Doorway is the Cross

It seems like in this world we often run into situations that seem overwhelming and at times impossible to overcome. I have recently had two friends experience such a situation. In praying for them I came across a verse that I had highlighted in my bible that has helped me many times.

Ephesians 4:14-16

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does it work.

It is only by trusting in Jesus that we will truly be set free from those things that drag us down. For as my Pastor said on Sunday " The doorway is the Cross"

 John 17:24

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Tingle

You know how sometimes you just get that tingling feeling when you feel like the Holy Spirit is prompting you. It is as if all your nerve ending come alive, sometime for just a moment. It is in that moment that we either choose to act or ignore. It is my prayer that I would jump in with both feet when prompted. Some times a simple act of faith is the beginning of a whole new adventure.

Acts 8:38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

sowing into the harvest

Ezekiel 17

Two Eagles and a Vine

 ¹ The word of the LORD came to me: ² "Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell the house of Israel a parable. ³ Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: A great eagle with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the top of a cedar, ⁴ he broke off its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.

 ⁵ " 'He took some of the seed of your land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water, ⁶ and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.

 ⁷ " 'But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water. ⁸ It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine.'

 ⁹ "Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots. ¹⁰ Even if it is transplanted, will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind strikes it—wither away in the plot where it grew?' "

 ¹¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ¹² "Say to this rebellious house, 'Do you not know what these things mean?' Say to them: 'The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles, bringing them back with him to Babylon. ¹³ Then he took a member of the royal family and made a treaty with him, putting him under oath. He also carried away the leading men of the land, ¹⁴ so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty. ¹⁵ But the king rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape?

 ¹⁶ " 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, he shall die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke. ¹⁷ Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives. ¹⁸ He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.

 ¹⁹ " 'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will bring down on his head my oath that he despised and my covenant that he broke. ²⁰ I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there because he was unfaithful to me. ²¹ All his fleeing troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken.

 ²² " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³ On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.
      " 'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.' "

unlocked

 I drew this a few weeks ago and have been unsure what was really going on in the drawing until I read Joshua 1: 1-9.  The drawing is about new beginnings.  I named it unlocked because it was only through the passing of leadership from Moses to Joshua that the land was finally open to the Israelites. The last line carries a- lot of power "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Those words were true then and are still true today.

 

Joshua 1:1-9 (New International Version)

Joshua 1

 ¹ After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: ² "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. ³ I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. ⁴ Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea ^[a] on the west. ⁵ No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.  ⁶ "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Rain Down

I read the below verse and was struck by its beauty and raw power. I really like both the NIV and New American Standard translations so I have included both. I pray that I am continually ready to accept this living water, may I never seek shelter from the LORD's rain...

Isaiah 45:8 (New American Standard Bible)
8"Drip down, O heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it.

Isaiah 45:8 (New International Version)
8 "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it.

carried away

  The closer we get to Christ the less we can hold onto the things of this World.  As our burden is lifted it allows us to be carried away.

Matthew 11:29-30 (New International Version)

²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Waves

I have had waves stuck in my head for a few weeks now.  I keep thinking about how small waves in life will toss you about.  Ephesians 4:14
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Large waves on the other hand can pick you up and carry you, they are powerful, mighty, forceful and dangerous.  You can not control or harness a wave.  It is designed to move, and it will not be stopped.  We can ride them, but we can not steer them.  God is like this, he has an unchanging focus and we can choose to ride with him, or sit in the chop and continue to be pushed around by the small waves.  I want to jump on and ride.
A group from my church is heading to Haiti in a few weeks on a mission trip to work with  Child Hope International and I have donated this painting to support the trip.  You can bid locally at D&M Coffee in Ellensburg . 
You can bid online @ http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/524/auctions/553

Word in the wilderness

Today after a meeting in Lake Placid NY I happened upon a very nice hiking trail a few miles outside of town. I had been sitting in a conference room all day so I thought it would be nice to stretch my legs and breath in some fresh mountain air. I stepped onto the trail and right away started to see God in my surroundings. The trail ran for two miles and passed three lakes. It was a very peaceful hike and I felt myself wishing I had my bible so that I could spend a little quiet time by the lake. I had not brought it along so I settled for the peace of a quiet hike. At the end of the trail next to a beautiful lake was a small three walled structure designed to give hikers a dry place to sleep. Inside were a few hiking sticks and a king James Bible. I sat down on the log floor and opened the bible to Psalms and read Psalms 34. This was a real blessing and I am thankful for the hiker that left the bible behind. The Psalm spoke to my heart and lifted my spirits.  I love that God planted the idea in a hiker to leave the bible so that I could find it at a time I truly needed some encouragement. 


Psalm 34 (King James Version)

1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
8O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
11Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
20He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Waves

God moves in us, or rather we allow God to move in us differently throughout our walk. sometimes we are tossed about due to fleshly conflict, and other times we are able to move along with God for a sustained period. My prayer is that God would send me a large wave and that I would jump on without hesitation and ride with him.

Psalm 93
1 The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
2 Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.
3 The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty.

All Consuming

I sketched this during church and the following are the notes that I wrote off to the side. Let your fire fall. Let your wind blow. Let your glory come down. Let our praises rise to you . Remove the barriers and let your glory shine through. You are God! It is your work in us that makes us different. To attempt to live out the things of God without the spirit of God working in us is folly. Lord I ask that you create in me a humble heart and that I may never forget from where I draw my strength.

Sealed

Ephesians 1:13-14 (New International Version)
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Art of Worship Two

I went on vacation with my wife and two children last week to the beach. We had a great time and all stayed unplugged for 10 days. It was a great time to reflect on life and just enjoy my family and a simpler life of bare feet and swim suits. My five year old spotted a lizard running on its hind legs. He said "isn't God Amazing" I love hearing those words from my kids. I looked the lizard up when we got home and its nickname is the Jesus lizard because it can run on water. I found a pic on the net to share. It is cool when we find God in our daily activities. That brings me to today's post. I found being unplugged was very refreshing, but I missed my daily dose of worship music. It really sets the tone for me. This piece reflects the release and growth that I experience through worship.