Content is King.
The word of the day (brought to you by the letter “C”) is content. And no, I’m not talking about all those words on your church website or blog. Not the noun, the adjective. The “state of peaceful happiness”.
With the economy being what it is, our affluent nation is in a bit of a worry as our elected officials try and sort out this dilemma. I thought I would step out of the usual, and offer some words of encouragement. Yesterday I came across this passage from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It both humbled and challenged me in my attitude towards this whole financial mess. Here’s what he had to say:
“I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” (The Message) Phillipians 4:11-13
This passage hit me straight in the face. It’s easy to get caught up in all of these worldly happenings and forget that it’s the maker that we are called to trust, and not the market.
So, everyone feeling happy today?
Inspired by Levite Chronicles
Filed under other, scripture | Comments (4)Not Art. Gospel.
Why create art? That is a question I have been asking myself a lot the past couple months. Do I want recognition? Do I want to stir up controversy? Do I feel like I am superior to others? The more I spend time thinking about my reasons for art, the less I spend time thinking of the gospel. So here is my resolution. Do not create art, but share the gospel. That is what I am focusing on for a new project. My goal is to create images for every topic on the Sermon on the Mount. I want the art to tell the story, I want the art to be the gospel.
I do not know what format this will take, or what I want it to become. Please pray that God will use this, and open up doors for His glory to be known.
Here is my first attempt.
Project One: M7:3-5
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7: 3-5
Filed under design, scripture | Comments (10)POWER (in weakness)
As Americans we strive to be comfortable. We grasp for power and knowledge for our own personal gain. The American church has even embraced this concept, and that scares me. It also scares me that I wont risk pain or hardships for Christ’s glory. I want to be safe behind a computer telling the world how great our God is. But read this verse. Christ did not want that for Paul. It was God’s will that Paul have pain and weakness in his life. And in that weakness was the power of God.
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
(if you like the font in the graphic, grab it from bitbox)
Filed under other, scripture, theology | Comment (0)simplicity screams
In our world of buzz words, marketing trends and relevance, we can lose the simplicity of the biblical illustrations that we have been given. The bible uses 2 contrasting ideas to describe christian life—darkness and light, and death and life. These ideas can be understood by any culture, sex, race, or age at any period of time.
We were given the task to come up with a series design called “Come Alive” that focused on “ identity, freedom from sin, and power in Christ”. When we started reading the description of each week the image of Lazarus and the Widow’s Son came to our minds. When Jesus commanded Lazarus to “Come Alive” it was nonnegotiable, his eye’s were opened. When Christ calls us our eyes are opened, and we now live in the light. That was what inspired us with this art. The visual of a dead man opening his eyes again in world of darkness to see the light. We wanted the art to be so simple that the message would scream though it. The bible is filled with powerful, challenging, beautiful and simple messages that are sometimes best to be keep as is. Let the simplicity of scripture scream.
