Artistic encouragement

I've neglected this blog site for a full month!  To get things rebooted, this will be a double post.  I'd like to share a pair of items from religion students of mine, Emily Muir and Lydia Thiesfeldt.  They created artistic works with descriptions.  Take a look!

Light in the Darkness 
by Emily Muir

Emily's description of her artwork:  

This painting is surrounded in black. The black represents the struggles we face in this world. All our struggles are filled with sin because we are sinful living in a sinful world. The devil tries to work on our hearts and try to convince us we are unworthy, failures, too broken and tainted for God’s love. We feel the pains, like we are in prison, and we know our punishment of sin which is death. These are our natural thoughts that we have as we move away from God’s love that is represented in the cross.

These are not light things because they are engraved into us. For this reason the words of worry, fear, depression, broken, pain, death, failure, unworthy, prison, and tainted are represented by raised characters in the darkness represent the result of moving away from what Christ freely gave to us on the cross and into darkness.  

We have comfort, however, in the life of Christ that was perfect for us. By him and his word, we have strength and relief. These truths are what we cling to while we struggle here on earth. We look to the light of God which is pure, free and holy. His light is full of joy, love and peace. Best of all, we look to when we will live in glory and have peace with God. We remember, while we are here on earth, to keep our eyes focused on the cross of Christ -- even with the darkness of sin seems to overwhelm us, which is why the cross is the central focus of the painting. The white cross symbolizes the resurrection of Christ, which is cornerstone of our faith. Because Jesus rose, we too will rise from the dead one day. One day we will receive the gift of heaven, which no words can explain.

Christ is the Head of the Church
by Lydia Thiesfeldt

Lydia's description of her artwork:  

In this painting, the church is structured with walls made of Bible passages. All of these Bible passages have to do with different parts of the church and our faith. Some passages tell how we, as members of the church, are to live. Some passages tell what God did for the church. Others talk about God being the foundation of the church and of our faith. Some talk about the basis of our faith. All of the passages included are ones that form and structure our faith lives, just as the walls of a church form and structure the building.

The sun in the corner has passages on it and on its rays. All of these passages have to do with Jesus, the Son of God and what he did for us.

The cross on the top of the church has the reference John 3:16 written on it. I chose this verse for the cross because it is the first one that comes to my mind when I see a cross. God sent his only Son to die on the cross for me and for everyone so that we could spend eternity in heaven with him.

Associated scriptures:

• Acts 20:28- Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
• Colossians 1:20- ... and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
• 1 Corinthians 14:26- What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.
• Deuteronomy 32:4- He is the Rock, his works are perfect and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
• 2 Timothy 2:19- Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
• Galatians 5:22- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• Ephesians 2:8- For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
• 2 Corinthians 5:7- For we live by faith, not by sight.
• Hebrews 11:1- Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
• Psalm 103:21-Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
• Matthew 4:10- Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
• Galatians 5:14- For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
• John 14:19- Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
• Matthew 26:61- “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
• James 1:22- Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
• Psalm 103:1- Praise the Lord, my soul;all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
• Galatians 2:20- I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
• Psalm 105:4- Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
• Mark 14:62- You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.
• Romans 8:32- He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
• Matthew 20:28-  The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many
• Galatians 2:20- I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
• Luke 19:10- For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
• Matthew 1:21- She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
• Mark 10:45- For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
• Luke 9:35- A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen;listen to him.”
• John 3:36- Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.