Friday, August 16, 2013

Reconciled Love

The Ministry of Reconciliation

Reconciled Love has the longest working history to date of more than one hundred paintings the Lord has given me. It was created in stages over a span of three years. The first stage was completed by prepping a 2 x 3' piece of plywood and painting layers of mint green, soft lavender, and iridescent gold then moving my hand with a large putty knife diagonally across the board like gentle waves rippling on the sea. I waited for more instructions, none came, but the Lord spoke the words, "Sea of Glass" over the painting. I was surprised by His words as I've always found that name in the Book of Revelation intriguing, but I never envisioned it like the abstract I had just done.

The second stage of the painting happened two years later, at an art workshop hosted by First Love in Le Sueur, Minnesota. The Holy Spirit had prompted me to take the "Sea of Glass" painting to the workshop. Before beginning to paint again, I prayed over the painting and sought the Lord's guidance on how to proceed. The Holy Spirit lead me to draw a heart and then added the swirly lines in hues of dark crimson, gold, purple and white directly from small paint bottles. Applying paint to piece in this manner was a first for me. It sort of had a Jackson Pollock look to it, but more refined than his famous abstract style.

Sea-of-glass-heart-swirly painting

Although the painting had multiple layers, a background, foreground and showed motion, it still didn't seem done to me and so I waited upon the Lord again. In the interim, God lead me to Digital Art as a new medium for the prophetic art. Just as in acrylic painting with a canvas and a brush, the Holy Spirit guides me through creative steps on the computer to achieve artwork that glorifies God and sends forth a message of His love. In fact, the Lord has been combining the acrylic art with digital to create new or finished pieces of art. Reconciled Love is a classic example of this collaborative media.

The last step began shortly after the art workshop with a supernatural yearning for the colors of rose magenta, crimson and vermilion. The color combination touched something deep within me and would not let me go! The color obsession mystery was solved several months later when the Holy Spirit lead me to digitally enhance a photograph of the sea-of-glass-heart-swirly painting. (That's a mouthful!) I could hardly believe my eyes when the green, purple and gold hues changed to the very colors I craved for months! The Lord showed me the name for the painting by leading me to Romans 5:1-11 and 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, both of which deals with God's love through reconciliation in Christ Jesus. Reconciled Love.

Reconciled Love - Christine Nichols, 2013

Scriptures for Reconciled Love

The Ministry of Reconciliation: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God! 21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin[or be a sin offering] for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Romans 5:5-11

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

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.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Redemption

If you were to choose a synonym or phrase for the word redemption, what would it be? Atonement. Sacrificial Lamb of God. The Blood of Christ. Ransom for All. Purchased with a Price. Forgiveness of Sin. Justified. Grace. Deliverance from Sin's Bondage. Righteousness through Faith. Freedom. Eternal Inheritance. Peace with God. Adoption into God's family. Reconciliation. Choose one, choose them all for such words and phrases describe the powerful redemptive work of Christ on the cross as the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! John 1:29 & Revelation 5:8-14 There is no doubt in my mind, as the artist lead by the Holy Spirit, that this painting speaks of redemption through the blood of Christ for all who have faith to believe, and the painting also signifies the importance of the "sprinkling of the blood" explained in Hebrews 9 & 10.

Righteousness Through Faith - Romans 3:21-26

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[^{*See note below]} through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance (long patience) He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. ²⁶God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous^{[and acquit]} the one who has faith in Jesus.

^*^{The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover (mercyseat) on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).}^{Learn more about redemption at Gotquestions and Studylight. Both websites include multiple Scripture passages.}

^{As I was preparing this blog, the Holy Spirit brought the song, "I am Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave to mind. I thought, "Okay...that goes along with the message of redemption," but it wasn't until I found two videos on Youtube where the lead singer, Mike Weaver, shared the story behind the lyrics that I realized how very applicable the song is to every Christian believer.}

^{Quote from video: "Real humility is simply agreeing with whatever He (God) says about anything. Over my life, as a child of God, as someone who has been ransomed by the blood of Jesus, when He looks at me, He says, "Redeemed.""}

Redemption - Christine Nichols, 2009

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.

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. ⁷These 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, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These 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. ⁸Though 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, ⁹for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Revelation

Revelation - Christine Nichols

This painting began with an image of a huge eye which caused me to think of God as "all-seeing," nothing is hidden from Him. This truth is repeated quite a bit in the Psalms. When the painting was finished, I asked the Lord what the painting meant and His one word reply was "Revelation." In the Book of Revelation, I found this passage: "From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder." Revelation 4:5

Biblical Color Meanings:

GOLD: Glory of God

WHITE: Holiness, purity

PURPLE: Royalty, majesty

BLUE: Heaven, Holy Spirit

The Revelation Song comes to mind when I view this painting.

Once during worship in a small church I was attending, a heavy anointing of the Holy Spirit was upon the congregation as they sang The Revelation Song. Everyone was deeply worshiping the Lamb...

Holy, holy is He!

When the song came to the lyrics,

"Clothed in rainbows,

of living color
Flashes of lightning,

rolls of thunder..."

loud

clap

thunder

rang

out!

After the worship service, someone asked the worship leader how he added the sound-effect of thunder to the song. He said he hadn't. He was as surprised as everyone else when it happened, especially as there wasn't a cloud in the sky that evening!


Revelation - Christine Nichols, 2010

16x20 Acrylic Painting

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.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Rise First - The Rapture

Rise First - The Rapture!

"Rise First"

Scripture tells us that when the disciples witnessed Christ ascend into heaven forty days after His resurrection, they stood staring at the sky even after clouds hid Christ from their view. Then two men in white robes appeared and told the disciples that Jesus would return in the same manner. (Read Luke 24-Acts 1:11)

This painting depicts that glorious event, commonly known as the Rapture, when Christ returns to gather His Bride, the Church, unto Himself. Here's how I see the painting:

The violet purple is the earth.
The two golden strips in the lower half of the painting represents the graves of people who have died believing in Christ to save them and are being raise to life in the Rapture. The title for the painting comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:16. "The dead in Christ will rise first."
The risen dead together with those alive at Christ's return will be changed in an instant with a new glorious body like Christ's - transformed from corruptible to incorruptible.
The upper center gold, which looks like a golden bowl with steam rising from it, represents all believers with their new bodies being "caught up" and rising from the purple earth to the blue sky to meet Christ in the air!

SCRIPTURE TEXT FOR PAINTING

The Comfort of Christ’s Return

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. ¹⁵For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

The Resurrection of the Dead

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— ⁵²in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (transformed) ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”^[^{Isaiah 25:8]}

⁵⁵“O Death, where is your sting?^[^{Hosea 13:14]}
O Death, where is your victory?”

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

"Rise First" - Christine Nichols, 2010

As I photographed the painting, "Rise First,"
I changed the light setting and this was the result.
Ooo those luscious blues!

The Rapture! by Christine Nichols, 2010

He who testifies to these things says,
“Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
Revelation 22:20-21

Many people have questions about Christ's Return - the Rapture, the Second Coming of Christ, and the End Times Tribulation. I have found that gotquestions.org is a reliable source of Biblical truth.

Questions:

"What is the Rapture of the church?"

"What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?"

"When is the Rapture going to occur in relation to the Tribulation?"

How does the Bible describe the glorified bodies we will possess in Heaven?

More questions about End Times

Thursday, August 1, 2013

River of Blood

This painting was created in Charlotte, NC, in the Spring of 2010 while I was visiting my sister, Mim, and her family. Mim was enrolled in a YWCA art class and asked me to join her. The instructor knew that I was an artist and asked me how I started each painting or the creative process. I told her that every painting starts with prayer. I ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit, that the Father and the Son would be glorified, and that the Lord's message would go forth. The message for this painting is a warning of the Tribulation found in Revelation 16:4-7. When I took the painting back to Mim's house, everyone that saw it had the same reaction and nearly said in unison: "River of Blood."

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. ⁵Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,
you who are and who were;
⁶for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”

⁷And I heard the altar respond:

“Yes, Lord God Almighty,
true and just are your judgments.”

Revelation 16:4-7

This will happen during the Great Tribulation as described in Scripture.

River of Blood - Christine Nichols, 2010

Ruach Ha'Kadosh - The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit - Christine Nichols

Ruach Ha'Kadosh is Hebrew for The Holy Spirit. In Hebrew, the word ruach means spirit, breath, or wind. Jesus compared the wind to everyone born of the Spirit in John 3:8.

This painting shows the Holy Spirit moving like the wind but the Father and Son are also represented in the colors:

GOLD: The Father - glory of God
RED: The Son, Jesus Christ - His shed blood for our sins.
PURPLE: King Jesus - His majesty
BLUE: The Holy Spirit and Heaven.

There is an increased sense of motion as you rotate the painting. It looks like colored wind moving. The painting is signed on all four corners so the piece can be hung vertically or horizontally with the Spirit ascending or descending.

Ruach Ha'Kadosh by Christine Nichols, 2009

There is ONE painting, NOT FOUR, but this presentation shows the four ways the painting can be displayed. It is signed on all four sides so there's no right or wrong way to hang it. There is movement in the single, original painting, but the four together creates a sense of directional winds, purposeful, powerful and intentional.

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.

>>>ART PRINTS NOW AVAILABLE!<<<

Find more Contemporary Christian Art

on my website, Christine Nichols Fine Art.

Look me up on Facebook and like the page

if you have been blessed by the art.

May the Lord be glorified and may the art speak to your heart!

Thanks for reading this blog.

Feel welcome to comment below.

Blessings,

Christine