My Love For You

My Love For You - Christine Nichols, 2009

My 
first 
prophetic 
painting 
asks and answers 
the question, "How much do I love you?"

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.  John 3:16-17

I encourage you to read Ephesians 3. Here's an excerpt: For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

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.

 My Love For You - Christine Nichols, 2009

No Greater Love

No Greater Love - Christine Nichols, 2009

The best way I know how to explain this Christian abstract art is to simply quote the Scripture of John 15:13, for it is the very words that came to me, when I finished this painting. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13 

Jesus loves you so much that He laid down His life for YOU. Let that thought sink in a bit. Realize the depth and width of His love poured out upon the cross for you...

I am a strong believer in reading Scripture in context, but with this particular passage and art, I'll go one better and cite the entire 15th chapter of the gospel of John because I believe you'll get so much more out of the verse and the abstract.

The True Vine

15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

 

Love and Joy Perfected

⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.

 

The World’s Hatred

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵ But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’^{[Psalm 69:4]}

 

The Coming Rejection

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

No Greater Love - Christine Nichols, 2009

When I posted this art on Facebook, a friend of mine gave me some interesting insight to the painting. I had mentioned that my favorite part of the painting was the rich crimson in the upper right corner.  I envision the crimson red washing over the entire canvas to illustrate that we (Christians) are covered by the blood of the Lamb! My friend, Jean said, "I was thinking something similar, Chris. Funny how you see that - because I was thinking of how all the different colors blend together. Either, leading to the blood of Christ (knowing we all belong to Him) or looking at it differently, leading from the blood of Christ (knowing we all come from Him). The colors blending represent all different peoples, blending together. Doesn't matter. We all come from and will go home to - the blood of Christ. THAT is what I see. How nice they are the same."

Biblical Meanings of Colors:

RED: Sin, atonement

ORANGE: Spiritual warfare

GOLD: God's Glory, refinement

GREEN: Newness, new beginning, new growth

BLUE: Heaven, Holy Spirit

WHITE: Purity

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.

Original Sin

Original Sin - Christine Nichols, 2009

This watercolor is entitled "Original Sin." It represents the temptation and fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden that is recorded in Genesis 2-3. The artwork is essentially a finger painting. The Holy Spirit guided me to paint my hand with red paint and then place it on acrylic paper in a semi-circular motion. The images in the painting is the result. What you see may differ, but I see a profile of a man (Adam) on the left and an apple on the right, thus the title, "Original Sin." I asked my Facebook friends what they saw in the abstract painting and their answers varied greatly - everything from wings of love, to being covered by Christ's blood, to a butterfly.

What is Original Sin? 

I didn't realize this is such a loaded question until I googled the phrase. I believe original sin of mankind occurred in the Garden of Eden, with three players listed in the order of their appearance in Genesis 3: the serpent (Satan), Eve, and Adam. Below are videos of Genesis 2-3 being read from the King James Version of the Bible. 

To delve further into the subject of sin and separation from God, here's some resources you may find helpful:

Open Bible - Original Sin

What is the Definition of Sin?

"Was Adam and Eve's sin really about eating a piece of forbidden fruit?"

"Did we all inherit sin from Adam and Eve?"

Original Sin - Christine Nichols, 2009

HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS!

Original sin and the penalty of death 
came through the first Adam. 

Eternal Life comes through the last Adam, Jesus Christ.

Resurrection and Life

So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. 
1 Corinthians 15:45-49

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.

PEACE

PEACE - Christine Nichols, 2010

This painting combines wax and acrylic paint - a new technique for me. When I painted this piece in 2010, I remember wondering if I heard the Holy Spirit correctly to place HOT WAX on the canvas, but I took a leap of faith and trusted the instructions came from the Lord. The result is like a throwback to 1970's art or a contemporary version of a stained glass window. As I outlined the wax in black acrylic paint, the Holy Spirit focused my attention on the wax pattern atop the large heart. To my amazement it spelled out PEACE. As I was dribbling the hot wax on the canvas, I did not intentionally write a word. Peace and the large heart were then highlighted with sliver paint. The inner heart with silver and gold paint. This represents God's refinement of the hearts who love and seek Him to make us more like His Son, Jesus Christ.

To give you an idea of how this painting took shape, 

I am including some photos of the creative steps. 

I love the second snapshot. To me it looks like a keyhole.

Christ holds the key to my heart!

Peace-heart Scripture verses:

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Philippians 4:7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

All of these verses hold a special place in my heart 

and I hope they do for you as well! <3

PEACE - Christine Nichols, 2010

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.

Peace! Be Still!

Peace Be Still - Christine Nichols, 2009

"PEACE! 

BE STILL!" said with commanding voice of authority is how I envision Jesus saying these words when a sudden storm hit the boat He and the disciples were sailing in one evening.

Jesus Calms the Storm

As evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with His head on a cushion. The disciples woke Him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39 When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Peace! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey Him!” Mark 4:35-41 NTL

I've read this story in the Bible many times - it's one of my favorites, but this was the first I noticed that the disciples were SHOUTING at Jesus to save them! The thought just occurred to me that they had to shout to be heard above the roaring wind. NIV says there was a "squall" which is a sudden, violent gust of wind that brings rain. Can you imagine what that furious gust of wind did to the waves? It's no wonder the boat was filling with water! The disciples were sea-worthy men, some of them fishermen by trade and they would know, by experience, whether a storm on the sea was dangerous or not so it must have been one heck of a squall for them to fear for their very lives! 

The other thing I noticed was the huge contrast when Jesus rebuked the violent wind and the high, choppy waves with just three words, PEACE. BE STILL. And it was very still. Most translations say there was a "GREAT CALM." The Message says, "The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass." The storm didn't just naturally subside - as in the wind died down and the waves became smaller, both the wind and the waves obeyed Christ's words EXACTLY and IMMEDIATELY! No wind. No waves.  

"Peace. Be still."

Studying this Scripture passage, I found this commentary by Jamieson-Fausset-Brown who noted that "Israel has all along been singing of Jehovah, 'Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them!' 'The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea!' (Ps 89:9; 93:4). But, lo, in this very boat of ours is One of our own flesh and blood, who with His word of command hath done the same! Exhausted with the fatigues of the day, He was but a moment ago in a deep sleep, undisturbed by the howling tempest, and we had to waken Him with the cry of our terror; but rising at our call, His majesty was felt by the raging elements, for they were instantly hushed- 'What Manner of Man is this?'" 

Can you answer that question? Who do you say Jesus Christ is?

Peace Be Still - Christine Nichols, 2009

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.

Perfume Poured Out - The Fragrance of Christ

Perfume Poured Out

"Pleasing is the fragrance of Your perfumes; Your Name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love You!" Song of Songs 1:3 is the text for this artwork which was created by painting one canvas as lead by the Holy Spirit, and then placed another blank canvas over the wet painting. The result is "Perfume Poured Out." I think if I asked ten different people what they saw in this painting, I would get just as many different answers, but to me it looks like an ancient perfume bottle. This painting represents the Fragrance of Christ. 

Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth

    for Your love is more better than wine.

Pleasing is the fragrance of Your perfumes;

    Your Name is like perfume poured out.

    No wonder the young women love You!

Take me away with You—let us hurry!

    Let the King bring me into His chambers.

Song of Songs (Solomon) 1:2-4

Heather Clark's song, "Kisses of His Mouth" 

sets to music the above verses.

Your Name is like Perfume Poured Out - Christine Nichols, 2009

Below is the original painting from which this piece was created.
It is entitled, "Beauty Within." 
It depicts the human heart of a believer.  
'Man looks at the outward appearance, 
but the LORD looks at the heart.' 
1 Samuel 16:7

Beauty Within - Christine Nichols, 2009

A third piece of art came forth from Beauty Within:

 

This artwork was created by placing two images of "Beauty Within" together, then rotated, flipped, and adjoined. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Christ's eyes looking back at me!
Christ is the beauty within! 

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.

(The) Rapture

The Rapture - Christine Nichols

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 periwinkle blue is the earth. 
• The two golden strips in the lower half of the earth 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!    

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. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. ¹⁵ For 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. ¹⁶ For 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. ¹⁷ Then 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. ¹⁸ Therefore 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— ⁵² in 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) ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So 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?”

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

⁵⁸ Therefore, 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

The Rapture - 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 

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.