Paintings 3 and 4 : Easter 2015

"Wow, I just found out that a lot of folks from Ukraine have been following my blog for Easter. Welcome Blessings to you all and thank you for looking. Some of the most beautiful eggs that I have ever seen decorated for Easter were from Ukrainian Artists.  In fact thank you everyone from the US and around the world for taking the time to see my blog. It is much appreciated."

I could not decide which of the two remaining Easter Paintings to put up first so I decided to put them together. The first is the one of Christ Victorious, After he rose from the grave. 

The point of the painting is once in doing that, everything that was ever claimed was substantiated and  every name given him was fulfilled at that moment. It can never be taken away. All power, all glory all might. It is huge.  And hard for most of us to even begin to understand. I am not some one who claims to know it all or even understand it all but I do know that my choice in following God could not be made possible except that Christ fulfilled his destiny... that he lived, died, and arose from the dead then  ascended into heaven to prepare the way and the time for us to join him.

Some wonder why an all loving God, an all knowing God could allow people he loves so much to suffer.  God knows our hearts and minds... we dont know each other's hearts and minds. Ever action or reaction to God and the things that happen to us are evidence that we either love him or reject him. Keep in mind that the view most of us have of heaven is probably not the reality. The reality is  that where ever God is that is where heaven is. Why would God want anyone to live with him in his house who hated him and rejected him.   My view is that this life is so we have the opportunity to either accept him or reject him. In rejecting Christ we reject God.  It is all forgivable except that we refuse to believe Christ.

In not believing Christ ... we give up any rights or claims to be with God.  If we reject the Son of God we reject God. Why on earth would anyone on this earth want to live with someone they hate and dont like.

I have found that a lot of people say they are Christians  not because they Love God or believe him, but because they cannot stand the idea of not being in heaven.  They believe they are as good as anyone else and they probably are.

Yet that is not the standard that God sets with us. We are not to compare ourselves with those who fail in perfection.. sinlessness, and  personal agendas and we are not to use our frail nature to condemn one another or excuse our own actions.  

God's way is not  to compare ourselves to other people, it is to compare our selves to him.  God is the perfection and no one can be as good as him, know as much or do as much...  I heard a Alan Hood speak in Fredericksburg, Va in 2006.  What he said I had read over an over through out my life.. he was focused on a scripture in Revelations 4:8.

"Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”Alan told us that they weren't chanting that  they were searching God  continually trying to find an imperfection .. searching every aspect, inside and out, trying to find one flaw, one bad thing, one mistake... and they could not.  They could not take their many eyes off of God and the power of his Holiness  was  more and more astonishing to them, the reality of his Holiness was more  overwhelming with each lingering and each searching of his depth. They are continuously searching him out  and still are. And Crying Holy, Holy , Holy with each breath all the time.

I realized at that moment that understanding the never ending Holiness of God is a game changer. At lest it was for me. Because it isn't about how imperfect people around me are, or how I can or cannot meet their standards or my own. It is really about my relationship to God and that no matter what I do or say or create or accomplish I will never be as Good as God. 

That is humbling. Even more so, because he doesn't expect me or you to be even remotely as good as he is. And knowing all he knows about me, and each person out there, it is a true miracle that he loves us.  Loving us isn't about getting what we want or having God play "Santa Claus" to our every need. 

God's love for us is about us being reconciled with him and being taught through His Holy Spirit how to love, how to achieve, how to stay close to him. He provides to us what we need to follow his will for our life. He never leaves us or forsakes us and he does not break any promises. In fact, God is the only one with the power to actually fulfill a promise.

Realization of this amazing Love and the Grace brings astonishment, humility and then extreme joy, and abiding peace. Which brings me to painting 4.

The scripture says that God inhabits the praises of his people... Worship and Celebration, including Thanksgiving are pleasing to God and bring about blessing.  Its not about some weird trance or repetitive words.. it is about giving your whole heart, mind and body unabashedly to that intimate time with God,that transcends anything that can compare with a human experience.

Worship refreshes you and strengthens you and releases the power of God to work in every aspect of your life. Knowing that the Holy God can love you so much has to be the most joyous thing we can experience in this life. But what is even more amazing must be the knowledge when you finally see God, that he embraces you and says "well done my good and faithful servant."

The scripture says that every time a person gives them selves over to God through Jesus and embraces God's Holiness that every angel in all the heavens rejoices with God. You are that special to him.