Brush Strokes

Along the Way - Many of us claim we have faith, but in truth we want to know for sure before we step out on any road. Many times in the Bible God seems to say to people, “Go, and I’ll meet you along the way!” The Israelites crossing the River Jordan and the 10 lepers who were told to go and show themselves to the priest would be just two examples. This picture reminds us that when we go, when we start the journey of faith or whatever path it is that God is inviting us to walk, he cannot meet us until we walk. But then he meets us “along the way”.  Ian Phillips  

Here, teach me what I am - Blaise Pascal said: “Not only do we only know God through Jesus Christ, but we only know ourselves through Jesus Christ; we only know life and death through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ we cannot know the meaning of our life and death, of God or of ourselves.” The place we know Jesus Christ is at the cross.  Ian Phillips

In the mess - Life is often a mess. Many of us live in what we might call 2nd choice worlds, that is, the world is not as we would like it to be and is not how it would be if we were free to choose. Actually it is a myth to think that if we follow Christ we will get our first choice world. The story of Daniel is a great example of God being with someone and using them mightily even in a place they never wanted to be. This picture reminds us that whatever the colour of life, however much of a mess it is, God is as close to us there as he ever would be in our first choice world. If we look, we will find Him.  Ian Phillips

Whatever it Takes! - Jesus had a “Whatever it Takes!” attitude to saving us. He left all the glory of heaven, lived among us, was crucified at the hands of those he had created and endured all of it for the joy of know that he had made it possible for us to know God. If we truly want to follow Jesus, then we need to have a “Whatever it Takes!” attitude. When the mountains come, and they will, we need to follow Jesus and pray: “Not my will, but yours be done”.  Ian Phillips

Out of the Boat - Peter gets a bad press. He’s the one who sank; he’s the one who said he wouldn’t deny Jesus, and then did just that. John Ortberg reminds us though that Peter was the only one who got out of the boat. And he was the only one who walked on the water. If we want to experience a water walking faith, then quite simply we have to get out of the boat. It is never easy and this picture reminds us that it might seems stormy out of the boat, but that is precisely the place that God turns up – as he did for Peter.  Ian Phillips

'The train of his robe filled the temple with glory’.  As I painted it was as if I’d painted his robe coming down as we worship.  It’s like a stream flowing, there is incense burning, our sacrifice of praise and fragrance rising.  The eye represents God looking down on us as we worship, he is all seeing, all knowing.  Nicky Harris

Rooted – “We are rooted and established in love”. That’s all I could hear in my head when I an preached about being chosen, accepted, loved, special.  This picture came out of my small group the next day, I had no idea it would end up like one big root flowing out from the cross, t shows how the roots are being watered and in fertile ground, also there are two stone monuments at the bottom to show we are established in love.  Nicky Harris

The multitude – The multitude of people are coming out of the darkness and into the light.  There is a watch-tower and beyond the watch-tower there is a city that stands on high.  I’m longing to be with them crossing over the waters beyond.  Nicky Harris

Mount Zion – A place where angels ascend and descend, milk and honey flow from the mountains, His glory is like a river burning away the chaff, sweeping away the darkness.  Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?  Nicky Harris

Fly with me – Come and fly in the thermals of God, come and reach the highest heights, places you’ve never dreamed of reaching before, its ours for the taking; we just have to reach out and soar with him.  Nicky Harris

This picture is about the prodigal son coming home; you can faintly see him but the awesomeness of God is huge.  You may see different things in this picture, a tunnel, an eye, a jewel, a tear, maybe even the father in the centre, sitting and waiting for the wanderer to come home.  Nicky Harris

‘ I am the gate’, Jesus said.  We can enter his presence, the veil is torn in two, the ropes around the curtain are like eyes, he says “open your eyes and you’ll see me”, the gateway is open so come inside.  Nicky Harris

Freedom in Christ – I started to paint one horse but God said “No, I want three!”  They represent faith, fellowship and freedom and as we worship a ripple effect goes out and arising from the that ripple is ‘The Bride of Christ’, she is offering her sacrifice of praise.  The aroma from that incense is the power of the cross!  And from that, the tornados are at the ready, waiting to go out into the land for revival is coming!  Nicky Harris

Heaven on Earth – ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’.  Let your glory fall!  Nicky Harris

“Behold I made all things new’, this was on my heart at the start of 2008.  The body of the butterfly represents ‘the body of Christ’, us, the Church.  One wing is contained like an egg timer but the other is free, flowing like when the sand pours through.  We are being transformed as a church.  Nicky Harris

Angel – In my small group, SOAK, we looked at angels: some are warriors, messengers, healers and ministering.  This is my angel, overlooking the glassy sea and there’s lots going on in the heavenly realms.  Nicky Harris

Beyond time – There is a real sense of longing in this picture.  To be somewhere else, beyond time, beyond our understanding, just God and me.  If I spread my wings I can fly to him.  Nicky Harris

While painting this picture there was a sense of urgency, as if I just had to paint and finish what I started.  I had the words ‘your word is a lamp to my feet’ in my mind but others have had ‘arise, shine, for your light has come’.  Guess it could speak to everyone differently and whatever.  Nicky Harris

Refiners fire – Painted after Ian’s sermon on Peace and the walls of hostility coming down.  I wasn’t having a very peaceful week so I sat down and painted with every intention that I was painting for my friend but then realised it was for me with His waves of love, to refine me with the refiners fire, to have clean hands and a pure heart, to be holy, acceptable in his sight.  I am the fruit of his tear, I just need to trust and follow the stepping-stones.  Nicky Harris

My chains fell off! – This is the first painting I ever did in an art workshop at Spring Harvest.  God gave me a picture in my head of chains and as I painted I knew God wanted to set me free: free from fear.  And since that day I have picked up the brushes and began to paint for him.  Nicky Harris

The gathering – Before we adopted the Aghem people, I painted this picture.  It was as if tribal people were gathering between the mountains, in the valley, expectant that something was about to happen and looking at the sky.  I was really excited that soon afterwards we had adopted these people as a church.

Nicky Harris

The mighty three – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  I was lost and consumed while painting this picture, there were no words as I listened to an instrumental worship CD but suddenly on the CD came the words The Mighty Three; I jumped out of my skin and realised what I’d been painting.  If you turn the picture upside-down I also saw a cup, full to overflowing!  Nicky Harris