Refiner's Fire

Refiner's Fire

Refiner's Fire

When a goldsmith purifies metals, the process includes fire to heat the metal to a liquid state and then remove dross which is solid impurities floating on a molten metal. Scripture speaks of the same type of process God uses to purify His people through trials and hardships. Peter, the disciple and apostle of Jesus puts it this way: "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7

But who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a REFINER'S FIRE or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a REFINER and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and REFINE them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.

Malachi 3:2-4

"This third I will put into the FIRE;

I will REFINE them like silver

and test them like gold.

They will call on My Name

and I will answer them;

I will say, ‘They are My people,’

and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.” Zechariah 13:9

This painting went through a process of refinement as well including multiple paint layers, a covering, a dousing, and the final top layer of paint which is how the tie-dye effect was achieved on a 2'x4' canvas. Here's photographs of the creative process...

Refiner's Fire - Christine Nichols, 2009

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9

All my paintings begin with prayer. I ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance from beginning to end - from choosing the canvas and paint colors to the last brush stroke. I pray that the Lord's message would go forth through the art and that Father God would be glorified. 

I believe all prophetic art has a message, but what the Holy Spirit speaks to me about a specific piece of art, may be different than what the Spirit says to you. Seek Him for a personal interpretation.

You can find more Christian Abstract paintings that the Lord has given me on my Facebook page, Christine Nichols-Art, in a Photo Album called FOR HIS GLORY. If you've enjoyed the art, you're invited to LIKE and SHARE my art Facebook page: STEEN ART.

 

Untitled Abstact II

You Name It

Christine Nichols

I asked a Facebook group of Christian Prophetic Artists what the Holy Spirit spoke to them about this painting. The comments were many and greatly varied but three themes stood out: 

• The Lord's presence
• Worship
• Washing/Cleansing

I can see all three, but it mainly looks like a small snapshot of continuous praise to me as if the entire painting is too expansive to capture on earth and it goes on perpetually in breadth and length, depth and height, just as Christ's love for us is described in Ephesians 3. Perhaps the reason I perceive this piece in such a way is because found this gem as a photograph of the creative process, but I fully feel it is a piece of art on it's own merit.

 

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

Untitled Abstract II, Christine Nichols, 2009

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:1-3 

 

I was told by a few artists that the painting reminded them of the song, 
"Wash Over Me" by Jami Smith.

 
Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

Psalm 42:7

My Painting Technique

All my paintings begin with prayer. I ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance from beginning to end (from choosing the canvas and paint colors to the last brush stroke), that the Lord's message would go forth through the art, and that Father God would be glorified. 
I believe all prophetic art has a message, but what the Holy Spirit speaks to me about a specific piece of art, may be different than what the Spirit says to you. Seek Him for a personal interpretation.
You can find more Christian Abstract paintings that the Lord has given me on my Facebook page, Christine Nichols-Art, in a Photo Album called "FOR HIS GLORY"