Still to come

Some questions we all have regarding creativity that we'll be exploring include:
"What is the creative process?"
"How do we overcome lack of inspiration?"
"How can I enhance the effectiveness of any piece of art that I do?"
"What role does the Holy Spirit play in my art?"
"How do I know if my work is prophetic or not?"

So watch this space for more....

What's in a painting? - a testimony.

Recently, The Oasis Church, Howick (www.theoasischurch.co.za) held a Prophetic Training Time.  As part of the children's ministry,  the children were taught to paint a prophetic picture for one of the adults attending the conference.  The children obviously didn't know the adult they were painting for.  Below is a testimony from one of the adults who received a painting.

"I am attaching a picture that was drawn of me by one of the children - just to encourage them. When I got home I went through a notebook of all the prophetic words spoken over my life and [found] two that relate to the picture that was drawn. These were given more than five years ago! I hope that this encourages the child to press on!"

My son Kean did the painting, and said: "I never knew that a little picture could do so much".

There have been many testimonies of how prophetic art has touched peoples' lives.  If God gives you a picture, no matter how simple, just be obedient - you never know how it will impact someone's life!   Create for Life!

Exodus 31 - a reminder...

Exo 31:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Exo 31:2  See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

Exo 31:3  And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

Exo 31:4  To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

Exo 31:5  And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

Exo 31:6  And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; 

• What's God been speaking into your heart recently?   What images has he dropped into your heart?  Have you recorded them somehow?  Have you a plan in place to start work on it?
• God has called us by name - He knows us and our gifting intimately (and what He wants to achieve through our gifting, despite how we may feel), and He knows that He can do through us more than we can ask or imagine!
• We have to remind ourselves constantly that "....[He has] filled [us] with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,4  To devise cunning works, to work in [...all sorts of exciting media...]"
• Who has God put alongside you to achieve your vision (and theirs)?  Are you connecting well? Communicating? Building into each others' live?  Remember, God is a God of multiplication.
• And lastly, remember that God has put, or wants to put, wisdom in your heart that you would create wisely, not as the world would.  But seek out that which is from God and wisely, in collaboration with the Holy Spirit, put together your artworks that will touch a dying world - create for life!

"God On High", by Kean de la Hunt-James (8)

God on High

Which is in the Sky;

So we can worship Him.

We lift Your Name!

He made the stars

and He holds my heart.

This is why I love the Lord on high.

A New Season

Have you heard this phrase before, "A new season"?  Or a new dawn, a new horizon etc.  Well,  this year (2011) I've heard it mentioned a lot - Song titles, Artworks, Album titles - just Google it and you'll see.  God IS doing something new, we are in a new season.  We are being challenged to think differently, to view the old things in new ways, to"dig new holes" (as someone once said).  If I am a "wineskin" (which is my thinking and everything that makes me, me) then my old wineskin has to be replaced with a new one, to contain the newness that He wants to achieve.

Sounds like a mouthful, but in essence I have to change. That's the challenge, because "How adaptable am I really?".  If we stay humble and teachable before God, He will work out our change and then we can produce the new.

So, are you perhaps stuck in a bit of a creative rut?  Lacking inspiration right now?  Then maybe you need to climb out of that old hole, get up on the surface, turn to face a new direction and look to the new horizon.  Vulnerable - yes - but if you don't want to stagnate, then vital.

Be encouraged, we're all in this together.

 Please share your "new season" here!

What's In A Name?

Ok, so, since the last post, I Googled "Create For Life", cre84life, etc. and there's a whole heap of other people using this phrase.  Not that I thought I was being original or anything.  Rather, it captured the essence of what we try to do.

Firstly, we create, we bring our thoughts and visions to life through art.  Why? to bring that which is vital, alive, motivating, life giving, to the world.  That's what our Creator did.  It's our inherent drive.  I don't have time to find out what's behind the same phrase used countless times over.  But it's what we should be doing.  It's a banner, a vision through the heat of battle when we loose focus because of the mundane.  It's a call to arms - it should stir us to action.

I've seen first hand the discouraged artist inflamed again, where courage takes a grip - you can see it in their eyes, then in the work they do.  And our Creator delights.  It's for Him, after all...

What Inspires You? - some answers.

• • Anita: Nature, people, a lost world, Abba Himself, people willing to learn, music....colours, textures....
    

    Drew: Sunrises-refreshing; sunsets-hope; storms-God's awesomeness; people-salvation; prophetic worship-future life; autobiographies-what God has done/can do through people; prophetic words-vivid imagery......my children - hope for a radical Jesus generation!

"I Love You", by Cassia de la Hunt-James (5)

I love you because you made everything that I wanted

I love you because you made everything in the garden

And because you forgave us all of our sins

You protect me and you help me sometimes

Even in the darkness you protect me

The devil tries to hurt me, but I know you are with me

Sometimes I’m afraid and hide under my blankets when I sleep

But you love me and you know how to heal me

You come and fill me with your Holy Spirit every time I’m at church

I love you.

                                        By Cassia de la Hunt-James (5 years old)

"Eagle - A Prophetic Call", acrylic on canvass.

My inspiration for this work came from the Scriptures which tell of the Prophetic gifting being likened to an eagle.  The eagle is strong and powerful, has excellent vision, is tenacious and can soar at breathtaking heights.  These aspects enable the eagle to fulfill it's purpose and exist as a bird of prey.  Similarly, the prophetic gifting requires keen sight and insight, as Prophets are visionaries.  Inwardly they require a spiritual boldness and Holy Spirit power.  This painting depicts these aspects and was painted during anointed church meetings where the Presence of God was tangible.  I was aware of the Holy Spirit's leading throughout the artwork and was amazed at how quickly I was able to complete the work. I know God was enabling me in choice of colour, composition and brushstrokes.

Further inspiration came from spending much time observing eagles, both close up and from a distance as they soar above.  They command a very real presence in the skies and cannot go unnoticed.  God's word warns us not to despise the prophetic gifting.

"Releasing Worship", pencil crayon on paper, digitally enhanced.

This is an image I drew today during our church service at The Oasis Church, Howick. It's entitled "Let everything that is within me rejoice!" It's about releasing the passion of worship that is within us, represented by the figure's heart that is on fire. The Glory of God wants to touch us (the head reflecting God's Glory). The Stars depict God's delight in our worship. We must stir up the worship that is within us - sometimes we have to dig deep to do this. But it must be done!