A call to arms

As this painting depicts, there is a call going out to God’s people. It’s a call to arms! For this battle is a spiritual one….

The world has been dramatically affected by everything that 2020 has thrown at it! Many are driven by a sense of hopelessness as they are hit with one thing after another.

It began at the end of 2019 when we were hit with bushfires which spread all over Australia and many homes were lost. We didn’t even have time to recover when we were hit with the Covid19 pandemic, and we suddenly found ourselves in lockdown. Businesses and churches closed, and people were living in fear. People’s mental state declined and I saw briefly some alarming statistics of suicide during the pandemic. But that information came and went and I don’t even know where to find it now. There was mention of the concern of lockdown causing already strained family relationships facing increased violence in the home, but it’s all behind closed doors so we would never know unless we work within the organisations the deal with the aftermath. But most of us haven’t had time to think about that with the media focussing all our attention on the Covid19 pandemic.

I heard a guy called Paul Lavelle speaking at The Return – National and Global Day of Repentance and Prayer yesterday in Washington DC say that, ”the focus of our attention has been on the Covid19 pandemic. But there is a more sinister pandemic that’s been praying on our Veterans and their families, and it’s the spirit of death in the form of suicide.” He says, “an alarming rate of 20 – 22 veterans a day are taking their lives.” He says, “the core issue of suicide is hopelessness, which is a spiritual issue.”

Paul Lavelle, in his speech exhorts us by saying, “brothers and sisters all over the world, we must bring Jesus into the spiritual battle….“ He says, ”It is our battle in the spiritual realm to restore hope by repenting, praying, and standing in the authority and in the Name of Jesus.”

Luke 4:18 Jesus says, “I have come to heal the broken-hearted and set the captive free and release from darkness the prisoners”. This was Jesus mission and it is our commission!

Brothers and sisters it’s time to wake up, to stand in the gap and pray for our nations, our country, and for our city! The world needs Jesus!

“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Despite the obstacles

At the beginning of 2019 I started an Art Fellowship Group with the idea being to unlock the heart of the artist and encourage them in their creative process. Many who joined were facing obstacles with health and pain. Pain is a debilitating thing and I also was suffering.  I came very close to giving up painting and the art group. I wanted to get rid of my art supplies and trash my artwork – such was the discouragement! My dominant hand was in constant pain, as was my back, neck, and shoulders. How was I going to run my art group in that condition?

With the art session fast approaching, I asked the Lord to help me find a solution to my problem. No sooner had I asked when an idea came to me – Finger painting! I could do that with my non-dominant hand and it might be fun! So now with renewed energy I could proceed despite the obstacles I was facing.

“In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.” Psalms‬ ‭34:6‬ ‭

This suggestion was met with enthusiasm by the group, and even those who believed they had no artistic skill, launched into it with surprising results. The wonderful thing is that the group is now trying something different than they otherwise would not have attempted.

Now more people have joined the group. I don’t teach them how to do a certain style or what medium they should use. I provide a variety of art pads, paints, brushes, pastels and pencils. We pray and I give a word of encouragement. While creating, we listen to worship music. God touches their heart, and they create something meaningful out of that.

I’m so glad that I kept going for the sake of the group. And I believe that because I did not give up has actually encouraged them to not withdraw in defeat. It’s almost like they look at my struggles and tell themselves “I she can do it, so can I”.

I love what God is doing and how he speaks to each person‘s heart. They are learning to lean into the presence of God as they create their artwork, and finding their unique style in the process.

Now the update with my hand and back is that I experienced healing when someone prayed for me, and I can use my hand again. My back is also much better! I’m so thankful for the healing and also grateful to God for the process of pain that I went through, because without it I wouldn’t have encouraged the group to try something new. It has launched me out of my comfort zone and I’m so grateful.

Guiding Light

We may begin life with a dream of how we want I life to look, only to face trouble, strife, and many obstacles that block our way. Sometimes it seems the harder we try, the more of a mess we make. We keep trying – pressing forward even though we can’t see our way clear. Has anyone had this experience? You get to a point in your life where you are worn out and you start to question everything you’ve ever done – wondering what it’s all about?

The creation of this painting is a reflection of that struggle. It began with such promise and enthusiasm but the vision was obscured. Even though I couldn’t see the way ahead, I took a step in a direction, painting the first thing that popped into my head. It was turning into an ugly painting and I began to question my abilities. A fog descended and I wanted to quit. I just couldn’t see an image!

As if projecting the way I was feeling, every time I went back to have another go it looked worse. I was tempted to blot out the whole thing with white paint but chose instead to go lightly over it.  Then suddenly I had an idea to add rays of light. As I added more flowers to the picture, I could see a garden illuminated by light which appeared to be dancing and praising God!

“Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” Psalms 96:12

What I realised through the process of this painting is that our way can only be made clear when God shines a light on it. As we commit our life and rely on Him to light the way, we find the answers we are looking for. This is cause for great joy because it’s at this point that striving dissolves into complete trust that God has a path that we are to follow and He knows the way. He is our guiding Light!

 

Way maker

With this painting we were to create a piece of art in response to our favourite worship song, hymn or psalm as part of our 30 day art challenge.

At the time, my favourite song was “Way Maker” by Leeland. It’s a song expressing how God is moving in our midst, working behind the scenes on our behalf, making a way for us.

As I look at this picture, I see Moses with the crowd of Israelites – terrified and trapped, with the Egyptian army pursuing them from behind, the impassible Red Sea in front. This is where the Israelites accused Moses of making a huge mistake. They complained to him saying, “Wasn’t there enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here to die in the desert? Why did you bring us out of Egypt anyway? While we were there, didn’t we tell you to leave us alone? We’d rather be slaves in Egypt than die in this desert!” (Exodus 14:11-12)

They didn’t understand why this was happening to them and so turned on the man who had given up everything to follow the call of God to rescue them. Yet God heard their cries and listened to Moses pleading, and told Moses to get moving – towards the Red Sea. At this stage the people probably thought it better to drown than to be killed by an Egyptian sword, so they pressed forward.

While the Israelites were standing at the edge of the water terrified and confused with the hours dragging on, Moses was standing at the front line holding onto God’s promises with everything he had! The situation was critical and circumstances were working against them, but God was working under the surface, creating a miracle, making a way to bring them safely through.

I’m sure most of you can relate this story. We look at an impossible situation that we have no control over and feel that we are drowning under the pressure. It’s the thing that has us beaten, trapped, and powerless.

I know the feeling of being trapped by circumstances where there seemed to be no way out. Times where situations continually came against any attempts to move forward. If it wasn’t for the promises God has given me, I would have given up trying. Yet it’s often when I’m ready to quit that God shows the way forward and opens up a path before me.

The Lord reminds me over and over with scriptures such as Jeremiah 29:11 which encourage me to keep going despite the obstacles.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

This was spoken the the Israelites at another time they were facing disaster. God was letting them know that although their circumstances were dire, His plan is to bring them back, restore their lives, and make them prosperous again. It also tells us, that God has a plan for our lives and a path for us to take. He will always come through with His promises and make a way for us when we put our faith and trust in Him. He makes a way where there seems to be no way.

 

God cares for us

Day 1 of the 30 day art challenge was to create an art piece expressing God’s love for me.

I decided at the very beginning of this art challenge that if I was to achieve a piece every day for a month, I needed to keep the pieces small and simple. The idea of it for me wasn’t to create a masterpiece, but to gain something out of the challenge. For this one, I knew I had to do pink flowers. It wasn’t until I finished the painting that I realised it was expressing a scripture that was revealed to me at the beginning of the year. I didn’t feel particularly inspired by the Holy Spirit as I was creating this piece, so I was amazed at the fact that God was clearly speaking through it. The scripture is from Song of Songs 2:1-2 (Young woman) “I am the spring crocus blooming on the Sharon Plain, the lily of the valley.” (Young man) “Like a lily among thistles is my darling among young women.”

You might think that’s a bit of a weird scripture to relate God’s love for me, but that’s what I was given, and there’s a story behind it.

Last year was an extremely difficult year as I found myself without any secure housing. I had been living with other people since I left my job and rental home three years prior. Then suddenly I found myself with nowhere to live. I tried for many months to find a room to rent, but there were none available that I could afford. I put my name down for public and community housing. Eventually I was able to board with a family, then near the end of the year a community house became available. So I moved into my new house with only bedroom furniture, then people began giving me things. Provision came from all over the place, and soon my home was filled with everything I needed.

My new decor became pink and cream. The curtains, towels, sheets are all various shades of pink! My dinner set, sheets, table runners, cushions, lounge suite, pictures, coasters, place mats, and even the shower curtain, have various types of pink flowers on them. There was so much of it given to me that you could not call it coincidence!

As I looked around, I was amazed at these things that now occupied my home. I couldn’t help but know that God was expressing how much he deeply loves and cares for me! He has provided a safe haven – a space to enjoy and rest.

God cares very much about our wellbeing. He looks after those who love him, and tells us to trust him for our daily needs.

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:19

Your light has come

Feeling the urge to paint, with no financial means to buy art supplies, I searched around the house for anything I could paint on that I could also hang up. Looking at what I’d gathered made me feel incredibly frustrated. I had a frame, some off-cuts of rubber backed curtain material, old brushes and paints. Not much to go with! As I pondered what I could do with these things, I thought of an idea – use the backing board of the frame! But the backing board was not in good shape, so I stuck the curtain material to the backing board, and prepared it with Primer.

I asked the Lord what this painting should be, but was unable to hear and could not get a picture in my mind. I was feeling an oppression that I could not explain. It was as of all the lights had been turned off and I was fumbling in the dark. But I was not going to let defeat take hold and pressed on with determination.

With no inspiration yet, I though I’d start by squirting some cobalt blue and titanium white at the top half, raw sienna and cadmium yellow on the bottom half, and smeared it onto my homemade canvas with my hands. And there the painting sat for two weeks with no form – just a blurry coloured background. A cloud had gathered around me, refusing to budge. It seemed to reflect the oppressive nature of the dark struggles my neighbours’ were facing at the time. Every day I sought God for breakthrough, but nothing was coming. I really wanted to create something meaningful with a powerful message.

Then finally, out of the blue a scripture burst through! Isaiah 60:1-2 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” I knew straight away what the message was, and I now had the picture.

As the painting came to life, I could also feel the atmosphere around me change. The light of Christ was shining through, pushing back the darkness.  When the painting was complete I showed it to my neighbour. She was fascinated with the story behind it, and seemed to understand that oppressive darkness, because now even in her house she felt the change. She could see that God is stronger than the darkness. This wasn’t the first time I had gone to visit her with a painting when she was ready to give up on life. God has used art to reach her with his love and give her hope.

This is the message of Jesus Christ. He came to set people free and illuminate the truth. In John 1:4 it says “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” Jesus came at a time of great darkness and oppression with the good news that he is the Saviour of the world. Only Jesus, who is the Light of the World, can push back the darkness. He came to set people free and give them a new life, if they choose to believe in Him!

Now this painting has pride of place on my lounge room wall where it can always be seen, reminding me to never forget the incredible hope we have in Christ.

A new life

It was 1973 when revival came to my family. I was the oldest of nine children, and had seen my fair share of struggles. Mum and Dad had come to a crisis in their faith, and they hoped to find the answers they were looking for as they took a leap of faith into the unknown. Brought up in the Catholic tradition we certainly did not know what a Christian convention was, but we were promised that this would be a life-changing event.

The boys fought as usual for the prized front seat between Mum and Dad. And the rest of us piled into the back of our old Commer van, seated on two bench seats, and headed off for the trip to Mildura.  It was a trip that we all hoped would be the catalyst for a brighter future.

When we arrived at the camp ground, the place was abuzz with anticipation of what the next four days would bring. My grandparents were there waiting for us, and I noticed that people seemed to treat each other like family. It was the first time I had ever experienced such a gathering, and I felt right at home. The night rally’s were my favourite part of the convention as we sang, clapped, danced, played various percussion instruments, and listened to the preachers animated sermons. I drank it all in, and I didn’t want it to finish.

As the camp was nearing an end, we stocked up on several buckets of grapes for the trip home. Turns out that we really needed those grapes to keep us hydrated, because the old van overheated numerous times. The only way Dad was able to keep the van going was to drive real slow. What should have been a 4 hour trip back home took us 12 hours.

I will never forget the vision of my little two year old brother praising the Lord and singing the new songs along with us all the way home. My family was born again, full of joy, and expectant for a great new future. It was the beginning of a new life for our family.

We joined a Pentecostal church in our hometown of Bendigo in the midst of revival, and soon the little church was overflowing with people. This was my beginning as a new believer in Jesus, and my life was never the same again!

Over the years since then I have been to many other denominations as we moved to different country towns. And now I’ve gone full circle and come back to where it all began in a little Pentecostal gathering all those years ago. Now I attend a large Pentecostal church in Adelaide which I love. We are encouraged express our adoration of God in worship, be fully engaged with the Word of God, and be filled with the Holy Spirit so we can live out our calling.

God’s refreshing rain

In South Australia where I live the land is hot and dry. We’ve had cloud that looks like it should rain, but it doesn’t produce anything. It’s been teasing us, making promises but never producing. We had a few drops every now and then, and it looks like we might get a good downpour that might do some good, but it stops before it’s even started.

For many years it’s been a bit like that around Australian charismatic church circles. We’ve had revivals probably about every decade, but for the majority the experience hasn’t produced the kind of fruit in our lives that it should have. We’ve chased after each new movement to have our spiritual tanks topped up, but there hasn’t been a permanent commitment for anything of lasting value. For the most part it has been about us rather than God and others.

But now I am seeing a wonderful thing happening. People, who’s faith had become stagnant, are now crying out for something much deeper in God. I can see people changing. God is raising up an army of Christian soldiers who have been pushing through the tough times in prayer. They are now seeing God do some amazing things in peoples lives. What is happening is that, instead of people just wanting a good experience, they are now crying out for more of God. And God responds to those who are hungry and thirsty for Him. He is responding with His healing and restorative love. And now it feels like it’s beginning to rain!

There’s an old song we used to sing in the 80’s that’s been on my mind a lot lately.

It’s beginning to rain, hear the voice of the Father saying “whosoever will come drink of this water. I promise to poor my Spirit out on your sons and your daughters. If you’re thirsty and dry, look up to the sky, it’s beginning to rain.”

Last night we had that experience in our Connect Group after we spent a considerable amount of time in worship. As soon as we started to pray for people, they were affected by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was like they were standing under a waterfall with the water showering over them. It was an amazing thing to witness.

“May he come down like rain upon the mown grass. Like showers that water the earth.” Psalm 72:6

He carried me

Was there a time in your life when you felt utterly abandoned and alone where you thought you would never get through the storm you were going through? And you felt that no one understood or even cared? Are you going through something now that seems so beyond you and you feel that you’re going to drown?

I have been through such storms in my life where I didn’t think anything was ever going to change. I had been in it so long that I believed that I was incapable of changing the situation. The truth is, I couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop the battering waves from trying to take me. I didn’t know how to reach God and I couldn’t seem to get him to hear or respond. But years later, I realise looking back, that God was with me all the time. I just didn’t know it then.

But now I can recount many times in my life when God protected me from grievous harm. I can also see where he has used those times in my life where I thought there was no hope, to enable me to sympathise and help others get through their distress. I believe in the power of prayer, so I often do so, and God always hears me. And he got me through the storms!

If you are going through an extreemly difficult time, call someone you trust that you can talk to, who will be able to help you and point you in the right direction. If you don’t have a trusted friend, cry out to Jesus and ask him to lead you to or send the right person along. This has worked in my life and I trust that Jesus will do that for you.

Theres a beautiful peom called ‘Footprints in the Sand’ which says:

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”

– by Mary Stevenson

He leads me to quiet waters

Looking at this painting helps me to remember the importance of taking the time to stop, allow ourselves to rest and take stock of where we are going in our lives.

I was thinking about how much life has changed in the past 20 years. Its hard to believe that it was only 10 years ago that Facebook was launched to the public, which by the way, has been a great outlet for those who are isolated from their community and can’t get out to meet people. The trouble now is that people prefer this as a way of connecting rather than face to face. And as a result, I feel that we are not as friendly with each other as we used to be.

I’ve also observed that it’s too easy to pick up our eletronic device to be entertained by the lastest thing. We don’t allow ourselves to take stock or develop our own thoughts because we are driven by someone else’s. I also think that it robs us of our ability to sit quietly and listen to the voice of wisdom. The world we live in now is fast paced and hectic. There’s so much information out there that it’s impossible to absorb it. If we tried we would end up with information overload. We are forced to embrace technology, and if we don’t move along with it, we run the risk of becoming a nobody and miss out on opportunities.

Don’t get me wrong I’m glad we have it, because it opens up doors that would have taken forever to open, if at all. As a writer, I really appreciate it. But there are individuals I see who really struggle with this, and they have become a demographic of people that are ‘out of sight, out of mind’, living behind closed doors in a house somewhere in the abyss of suburbia.

I remember my grandparents talk about the days of the great depression when communities helped each other and neighbours dropped in for a cup of tea. As I look over old family photos, I recall how we used to ‘muck around’, joke, sing and play together. Yes we used to fight, but the memories we created far outweigh the difficulties we shared as a family. We travelled from place to place in a car too small for the amount of people in it. We went to the park and had picnics. We played cricket and football. And we valued family gatherings with the relatives. When we went on vacations we didn’t take a phone or an ipad because there wasn’t such a thing. We didn’t watch TV or put on the radio. Instead we spent many hours taking in the scenery, playing and eating. When we became adults we took the time to enjoy friends, listen to records, read or just do nothing. We gave ourselves time to be regenerated.

I am reminded that God in his wisdom urged us to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. Why did he say that? So that we can be refreshed and apreciate him on this day. To take stock and to listen to Him. Sunday was the day we didn’t work, the shops were closed, we went to church and we rested. God knew we needed it so that we could be refreshed and ready to take on the challenges of the next week. For me it’s a time to reflect on what God says in his word, to check the direction I am taking in my life, and to listen to what he is saying to me. Its a chance to be spiritually, physically and emotionally refreshed.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3