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Chi-Rho Newsletter – He Came By Water & Blood

“He Came By Water & Blood”   12″ x 24″ Abstract Mixed Media 3D   © 2022 by Donna Gonzalez

When I started making this piece having the background paper glued onto the canvas, I had in mind to create a monochromatic black and white abstract work, incorporating feathers and sparkly beads. And I wanted the Lord’s input, so I prayed about it. The scripture “…He came by water and blood…” came to mind. My initial thought was, “Wait, what?  What has that got to do with a monochromatic feathery design at all!”  Well it doesn’t.

[And as I write this I’m having another epiphany….funny how this whole summer all of my “plans” have changed!]

Anyhoo…..I’m sure the Lord probably hears that all the time, we have an idea in our noggin and when we ask for His advice, His answers in a much different direction. And either we bulk and sulk, plead and argue with Him to change His mind, or we can enjoy the journey by coming into agreement with Him. And that’s what I did, because I know the Lord Jesus has much better ideas and plans than what I can imagine! (I’ve done my share of bulk & sulk, plead & argue too) But this time I stepped back out of the way, obeying His advice – that’s the key –> obedience – and let Him work. There is a two-fold blessing in leaning into the Lord and just doing what He wants: freedom of enjoying the process and entering into His rest while creating His art. 😀 Here’s 1 John 5:6

“This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.”

Iconography:

This artwork is from Jesus’ point of view hanging from the cross looking down upon the ground. I used as a ground cover a textured black and cream colored batik mulberry paper, the black is the blackened soil, the blackness of sin, the cream the sand stained with the bloody footsteps of the Saviour. The twisted ripped fabric represents Christ’s destroyed garment that He wore, tattered from the cruel scourging received as the razor sharp cat-o’-nine tails tore through His clothing and through His body; now tossed to the ground in contempt. The red jasper beads and red glass beads represent drops of His precious blood, the white glass beads symbolizing His shed tears, sweat and finally the water that would gush from His opened side when the Centurion’s spear would later pierce. The pieces of mirror represent our sinful brokenness as humanity peers into the mirror to see not Jesus Christ but themselves. We see our incompleteness our shattered lives, our brokenness, that Jesus Christ came to redeem us from our sins, willingly paid that sin penalty you and I deserved because of His great love for us. He saves us from an eternity of Hell, from an eternity of hopelessness, despair and death, if we but only believe on Jesus Christ for our salvation.

May this mixed media abstract artwork bring you hope, healing and wholeness that can only be found in the redemptive work that our Saviour Jesus Christ did upon that cross. He did it for me; He did it for you, because Jesus Christ loves you that much.

In Christ Jesus,

Donna

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Why Christians Shouldn’t Shy Away From Asking God For Patience

                                                                “Yeshua” © Donna Gonzalez

 

This week I am teaching art to a group of 3,4 and 5 year olds at a local art center; the theme is ” Art with Heart”, and how people can use art to show kindness. I had gathered the children around me to read aloud a short picture story about kindness. One little boy kept interrupting me to tell me story after story of how he was kind to his little brother or how others were kind to him. I repeatedly said “Thank you *Aaron for sharing that story on kindness…” and was just about to continue my reading when he’d interrupt again. This resulted in the reading taking twice as long to finish.

As I was driving home…I thanked the Lord Jesus for teaching me over the years how to be patient and to wait without grumbling or complaining. Many people say: “Never ask God for patience!” and you know why? Because God WILL give that person many opportunities to learn how to be patient with another without complaining about it. So people don’t want to go through that hardship and they avoid that prayer like a plague.

Ah! But let me tell you something that many forfeit by NOT enduring the trials, hardships of learning patience without grumbling or complaining…they forfeit many a blessing from God! They forfeit growing onto further maturity!

You see, when we endure those impatient times (which God uses to teach us) it is like…we have a choice: to fill up a well with patience inside of us or not. The end result is for our own good, that when trying times come (and they will come) when we NEED to give or have patience…we have it.

But, if we haven’t filled up our well full of patience.. through all those patient enduring opportunities to learn patience….then we have NOTHING to give to others, our well is empty.

Instead the only thing we have to give people is our old man, the old flesh …our grumbling, complaining, frustration, fits of anger, hurtful words, and so on. You see how this leads to misery and brings a stench of death on a Christian’s life and witness?

Learning patience is like having a resource we can lean into and use when we need it. That is a great blessing from God! And the best thing is ….. when we have learned patience, our well is full, we can draw up from it in times of need and give it to others! AND we don’t have to worry about loosing our witness for JESUS because at that moment we are showing JESUS to others! Amen? This is Soo cool guys!

So my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, don’t shy away from the opportunity to ask God to teach you patience from Him for He knows it’s for our own good, yes it is hard ….its the narrow way, no? And yes, we experience the joy of the Lord and it results in good to others and best of all Jesus gets the glory! Wow! Praise Jesus! Amen?

I Corinthians 13:4 ” Love is patient, love is kind…”

May you be encouraged in your walk with Jesus today!

Donna

*Aaron is not his real name

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Chi-Rho Newsletter – God Reconciling

                                        “God Reconciling” digital art by © Donna Gonzalez 

 

I wanted to share with you a post I written a while ago that I still think is apropos for this Lenten season.  

That artwork up there is not a painting rather its a mixed media graphic art composition I did last summer after spending quite some time pondering on II Corinthians 5:18-20 and Romans 5:6-11.  It was supposed to be a painting but having considered the depth of what was pondered, painting what was in my head on canvas that adequately captured the full meaning of it was quite difficult. And still this graphic composition doesn’t fully show what I meant to portray; perhaps it’s an impossibility. 

Iconography:  I had no wood laying around so I made a cross using two large cinnamon sticks. Cinnamon symbolizes the fragrant sweet life of Jesus our Lord. The Ceylon cinnamon pictured below has a uneven textured surface, often with holes or damaged areas and is made up of multiple layers of rolled bark which when peeled apart break easily. This cinnamon symbolized our Lord Jesus after being beaten and scourged which left His body bruised, broken, lacerated and torn apart in ribbons. Not knowing this until later, but the ground bark of this cinnamon as well as cassia was used in the holy anointing oil for the priests in the Old Testament as they ministered to God in His tabernacle and then later in the Temple (Exodus 30:22-30). Isn’t that what Jesus is – our holy anointed High Priest? I’m sure there’s probably a sermon hidden in all of that!

CinnamonSticks 1

The flames enveloping the cross represent God the Father as Hebrews 12:29 states, “For our God is a consuming fire.” Jesus isn’t shown on the cross because this artwork is an allegory. Sufficient to say, Jesus the One Who knew no sin became sin and in His great love for us took upon Himself the full penalty that was ours  – His Father’s wrath against sin.  Just as fire annihilates, Jesus destroyed the power of Satan, sin and conquered it (Hebrews 2:14).

Jesus sacrificed His life for all of humanity represented by the dark green rays extending outward from the cross reaching out towards every corner of the world. (II Corinthians 5:15). Simultaneously He poured out His blood for all of humanity that everyone, everywhere can be forgiven by God represented by the bright red rays extending outward from the cross (Matthew 26:28, John 3:16-17).

God the Father was at work in His Son reconciling us toward Himself.  He extends His forgiveness of sins through the shed blood of His Son (Hebrews 9:22) granting us eternal salvation which is represented by the bright burst of green emanating from the cross reaching anyone, far and near (Ephesians 2:13) who would believe in His Son and accept His free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8). Both the Father and the Son worked in tandem to secure our salvation (John 3:16-17). Only the Son of God could endure the wrath of God. Only the Son of God could break the power of sin and death. No angel, no mortal nor demon. Later the Spirit of God would raise Jesus on the third day (Romans 8:11).  At a very important time in history – the Creation of the world, all three persons of the Trinity were actively at work likewise at another significant time in history, the cross of Christ, all three persons of the Trinity were at work. 

And yet, I had to correct my thinking on a point while meditating on this. One, that I had always thought a specific way about God regarding Jesus’ death. Perhaps because God was always portrayed “up there”,  seated in the heavens on a majestic throne by artists all throughout history that I naturally assumed He was only observing from Heaven while His Son was doing all the work down here. Scripture says otherwise.  Most incredible is Romans 5:10  and II Corinthians 5:19  where God didn’t even count our sins against us while we were an enemy of Him!  This is profound. 

Secondly, the Holy Spirit imparts life. Yet He chose to continue to allow life in those who were mocking, blaspheming, beating, scourging, hating, spitting and crucifying the innocent Son of the Living God. Incredible. And all the while the Father is pleading with everyone through His Son on the cross…..come to Me for forgiveness and salvation! (Isaiah 1:18) Can we fully grasp the enormity of that kind of extravagant lavish love of God? (I John 3:1) And how does an artist even begin to paint something like that?

Hmm…crazy-kinda–radical-incredible love… no wonder the Apostle Paul was so excited wanting people to boast “how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11

“8 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” II Corinthians 5:18-20

What a wonderful God we have not only offering us forgiveness of sins, eternal life but the awesome ministry of being ambassadors for Him in bringing the message of reconciliation to others! May you be encouraged and blessed to know how much you are loved of God this Lenten season. 

In Him,

-Donna

Works cited:

 “Cassia and cinnamon.” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Revised and Expanded.  2011.

 

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Chi-Rho Newsletter – New Creation

“New Creature Mosaic” © by Donna Gonzalez

 

It always amazes me when I paint a mosaic painting how often there are hidden symbols! It’s just another of His fingerprints! Praise God! Now, not every single mosaic I paint does this; but a lot do. This acrylic painting is one of them. It is composed of 16 identical mosaics which are placed together creating a unique pattern. I have no idea after painting the original mosaic what the end pattern will result in, nor can I see any hidden images, it’s only when they are all put together that the hidden images emerge.

Iconography: There are three rows of crosses starting at the very top going from left to right. The second cross in the first row is highlighted in blue below. There are two more rows; and each row overlaps a bit the previous one.  In between each crossbeam is a darker area that depending on your viewpoint becomes the spread wings of a butterfly flying vertically or horizontally. They are highlighted in yellow below. 

If you don’t see the crosses in this artwork come closer, you’re too far away. They will appear to “fade” and will disappear altogether the further you stand back.  It’s an optical illusion.

New Creature Red Screenshot with hidden images highlighted

The scripture that comes to mind regarding this painting is II Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  In this chapter St. Paul is encouraging the believers in the Corinth church.  Before we are born-again we are like the earth bound caterpillar busy about in sin and consumed with worldly things, and being consumed by them as well. Yet the moment we believe on Jesus for salvation the Holy Spirit works a miracle in us, like the caterpillar that must “die” to emerge from its chrysalis into a new creature. Likewise we “die” and are made a new creation in Christ Jesus represented by the butterfly.  Romans 6:11 says:  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Likewise all those whom God foreknew; which by the way, is everyone ever conceived or will be conceived on this earth, He predestined to be conformed into His Son. Romans 8:28-30 says: 

“28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

As Christians we must stay on our guard being ever vigilant to abide in Christ, like the butterfly in flight is always connected to the cross. When the focus of our life is no longer on Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, but instead becomes so focused on trials, worldly desires or someone or something else takes precedence over Jesus, we compromise our affection that further distances us from Him. One can easily lose sight of why they are here, forgetting who they are in Christ and what He has accomplished for them in His death and resurrection.

In doubt, one can become so discouraged thinking that Jesus has completely left them, analogous to looking at this artwork from afar and not seeing the cross anymore, in fact, stand far enough away and even the butterflies themselves will fade into the artwork while other areas of the pattern that were once not so noticeable now become prominent –  over the cross!  Feelings are very powerful and if not checked can make even the mature Christian begin to doubt His loving God and forget who they are in Christ Jesus. However; we like the Corinthian believers are told by St. Paul: For we live by faith, not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:7

Yet, by returning the focus back onto the cross and drawing near to God, He draws near to us cleansing us from all sin. 1 John 1:7. The scarlet color of the artwork represents the shed blood of Christ powerful enough to wipe away all guilt and shame. Praise God for His great loving kindness towards us! 

As we reflect on why our Lord Jesus came to die for us during this Lenten season, let us so be encouraged that no matter how your life may have been up to now, no matter the mistakes, the guilt, the shame the sin, whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, because of His work on the cross we have the wonderful opportunity to be made new in Jesus.

May this artwork and this post bless and encourage you that you are greatly loved by God! Be blessed!

-Donna

Note: The following is for those of you reading who don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior and want Him to forgive you of your sins and grant you eternal life which God offers. His desire is that you become born-again, become a new creation in Jesus. Read the scriptures below and pray to Jesus asking Him to save you and to forgive you of your sins. Jesus already knows everything about you, He already knows your heart just be honest with Him. There is no works, no good deeds, no sacrifice you can ever do on your part to save yourself. You must come to Jesus the Son of the Living God on His terms believing what He has said in the following scriptures. 

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:8-9

 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” John 3:1-21

“9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:7

If you called out to Jesus for salvation go to a bible believing church in your area and let them know you are a new believer in Jesus so that you may be baptized.  Prayer is simply you talking to God. Start reading the Gospel of John in the bible so that you understand more about Jesus and how He wants you to live. If you don’t have a bible click on any of the scripture hyperlinks they will take you the Biblegateway.com  website, an online bible database. God speaks to you through prayer and mostly through the bible. Email me to let me know you’ve became a new believer in Jesus so that I may rejoice with you!

Be blessed!

-Donna

 

 

 

 

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Are you really trusting Him?

                                       “Emmanuel In My Boat” smaller size sold © Donna Gonzalez

 

As born again Christians we are commanded by God to:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

Sounds easy enough right? It’s a favorite verse for many. Until we get into the car and head for work. Sure enough someone cuts us off from our exit, causing us to slam on the breaks nearly missing an oncoming car. Top it all off that crazy driver sneered, laughing at us while flipping the bird on the expressway. And that old nature immediately kicks in; we lean on our own understanding by following the world’s wisdom. Ignoring the checking of the Holy Spirit to slow it down and stop entertaining evil thoughts towards another person, instead we chose to ignore His words. We curse that driver as we begin tailgating him hoping to cut him off at the next opportunity. Later we start arguing with the Spirit of God as He admonishes us that we didn’t obey Him: 

17  “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:17-18

 Pride won’t budge, and to make matters worse we have a mental tribunal in our minds justifying our actions as we misquote scripture to excuse our behavior of “doing unto others as they did to us”. Besides someone had to teach that driver a lesson! Clearly he was in the wrong!

But indirectly whether we realize it or not we are telling God “I don’t trust You know the best way of dealing with people, You are wrong too.”

Hmmm…

We sinned and in that ungodly behavior we grieved the Holy Spirit, negatively affected our witness to the other drivers around us, who unbeknownst to us, were probably some of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ and instead that little stunt put Jesus’ reputation at stake just to prove a point.

Worse it just proved that we are not really trusting in the words of Christ. Don’t excuse it under the rug that it’s a moot point. To the world it is moot, but to God it’s a matter of whether or not we choose to fully accept that Jesus knows exactly what He’s talking about when He tells us how interact with others that insult us. Like turning the other cheek and leaving room for God’s wrath.

23 “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” Luke 9:23-25

Jesus’ His words ring clear but does that mean I’m to carry my cross by denying myself that little pleasure of getting back at someone who flipped me off?

Yep! Trusting in God means to lay aside our old way of thinking for His ways, of laying aside our agenda and our understanding of how to do things for His perfect better way of doing things, whether they make sense to us or not.

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12” 

 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

It’s the narrow way. Entering into the narrow gate means one has to crouch low, humble oneself just to squeeze through that narrow gate. The narrow path will lead to eternal life but until then we will endure hardships, trials and even persecution in our lives. We live in a broken world but God uses those trials for our good.

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything to make us mature in Christ. James 1:2-4

Faith is complete conviction and confidence in and who Jesus is. There is no room for doubt. It is knowing that trails come as a testing of our faith to produce perseverance, that it must finish it’s work. We must not hinder His work in us otherwise we will be lacking and not reach maturity in Him.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  II Corinthians 5:7

We must walk as Jesus walked, persistent in faith in His Father. To live fully convinced that His words are Spirit and they are Life. Those that obey will be rewarded by God.

 “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20

Let us therefore not be like those of long ago who amazed Jesus.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. Mark 6:4-6

One would think that trusting Jesus and in His word is given for a Christian yet what is interesting is what Jesus would say at the end of His parable of the persistent widow. 

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8

Christians who are steadfast in faith no matter their circumstance or outcome are placing all their trust in the Father who has their back, who will answer in due time. Apparently Jesus felt faith in Him and explicit trust in His words was so important that He needed to call into question whether or not people will have any unwavering faith and trust in God as this widow had portrayed when He returns the second time. Trust in Jesus …it’s really that important. 

 

-Donna