Self Poor Traits

The foundation of this painting (the actual “portrait”) was done a few months ago, but I never felt it was a complete painting. It had been a very quick creation. After smearing blue paint on the white canvas I had noticed a few lighter patches that gave a vague impression of a head.

There were also “eyes” in the appropriate place, so I concentrated on the face like features, adding a smudge of paint here and scratching a bit from there to enhance its face-likeness.

Yesterday I took inspiration from an earlier “self portrait” I’d done to add some stencilled text refering tos ome of the artist’s less admirable characteristics, in other words his  ”poor traits”.

Coincidence? – NO!

In Matthew 24 there are recorded warnings from Jesus predicting the rise of false prophets and false Christs in the days preceding His return.

Surely it is no coincidence that two of the most common terms used by some of the most questionable elements of  “the church” are “prophetic” and “anointing”. I have written elsewhere* of the relationship between the words anointing and Christ (the latter meaning “anointed one”).

So I advise, whenever those words are in frequent use, be extra cautious.

 

 

* http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/category/anointing/

What Do You Do?

What do you do with a man who prophesies over himself in the comments box of his blog? – as if God Himself is visiting to add His comments?

What do you do when he rejects the concerns of several other Christians when concerns about his spiritual welfare are raised?

What do you do when he labels those concerns: “attacks from the spirit of witchcraft”, vilifying those who have shown concern?

What do you do when this man is also a regular and prolific commenter on the well-frequented Revival School blog (not his own) where he has developed a following of admirers through flattery, through the offering of “prophetic words” through a public show of piety?

What do you do when this man has an (unrepentant) history of involvement with false prophecy, such as the failed Christchurch earthquake prediction a couple of years ago?

Not much you can do except pray:

1) For his deliverance from delusion

2) For the eyes of his “followers” to be opened.

Abstract

This is my latest “completed” painting.

The paint was applied with a plastic scraper – a tool used for drying windows. I wanted to try something that was less controlled than a brush. I’ve enjoyed using different tools to apply paint in the past and I’ve usually liked the results.

I like this one – even though the photo washes out the reds and makes them more orange. In reality the reds are a lot darker.

 

False Gospel – recommended article

WHEN ROCK-STAR PREACHERS SPEW A FALSE GOSPEL

by Jennifer LeClaire

I am convinced that too many people who claim to be Christ-followers are not really saved because too many false teachers and false prophets are propagating a “different gospel” centered on “another Jesus” (see 2 Cor. 11:3-4). I am convinced that many self-professing saints are going to sit right next to sinners in hell when it´s all said and done – thanks, in part, to rock-star preachers presenting a hyped-up, watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel.

 full article here:

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/39350

In, Out and Roundabout: A comment worth noting.

I wanted to make sure a comment after my previous post didn’t go un-noticed. Jeff has a wonderful way of addressing serious issues in a humorous way.

http://onesimusfiles.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/in-out-and-roundabout/#comment-2464

 

See Jeff’s own wordpress site here:

http://antiitchmeditation.wordpress.com/

In, Out and Roundabout.

I see the same old arguments are being made on “Revival School” about the need to be “in church” and the same kind of admonishment is being given to those who are “out of church”.

I have also seen the term “lone ranger” being used a time or two in that interaction.

One person involved in the discussion has never answered the question I posed to him a while ago: “what is more dangerous, a “lone ranger” Christian, or a lone ranger Christian who starts and leads his own “church”.?”

I asked this at a time when I knew that he had tried and failed to fit into a couple of existing churches and was trying to establish his own (a little easier to do when you have a sizeable family).

Overall that never-ending discussion is based around a wrong understanding of what “church” is – many never move on from the idea of an organised meeting in a recognised building. Yet many that ARE part of that “acceptable” face of church membership never meet with other believers out side of those meetings.

Personally I’m happy enough with what Jesus said about the situation when two or three gather in His name, whenever or wherever that may be.

 

___________

photo from

<a href=”http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=3576&picture=church-entrance”>Church Entrance</a> by Vera Kratochvil