This is the message the Lord gave me for the year 2012 through the "Two Trees and the Valley of Decision" painting-word. Just think, this painting came in 2006 with the prayer collaboration of student prayer leaders at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD). Only now is this painting-word activated and the message given.
One night, in April of 2006, I woke up and knew that I was to go down and paint the Tree of Life as Christ with His arms outstretched, singing to all to come and eat of the Tree of Life. I painted this tree as standing on the Mountain of God with the River of Living Water flowing out from the Tree. I remember that in 1993 He said to me, "I want you to be My court painter, painting for the King, and I will provide for your every need." I realize now that covenant word is a fruit from the Tree of Life which I have been eating these eighteen years and it has kept me alive through depression, bankruptcy, cancer. A sense of gratefulness wells up inside me as I realize afresh that He can keep His people alive in perilous times as we eat daily from the Tree of Life.
The Holy Spirit is referring to a heart to heart communion with the Living God where in our spirit we eat of Him and drink of Him. Not a day must pass without our sitting on His lap, laughing with Him, crying to Him, gaining a deeper knowing of who He is, hearing Him tell us who we are, burrowing deeper into Him, flying higher as an eagle, and actually laughing at fear afraid of nothing. Ha Ha Ha Ha! Ha! I also notice that when I eat from the Tree of Life that I can turn to my husband, son and daughter and friends and share the fruit with them, and they can go out and share it with yet someone else, and all our spirits will be nourished.
When I was painting the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, my brush moved over the crumpled and wrinkled rice paper with Chinese ink creating a large dark foreboding tree. Interestingly, back in 2006, the intercessors who came to see the painting saw many demonic faces embedded in the tree as ink blots (ink blots just show up without the artist painting them). But wait! Behold! At the top of the tree is an ink blot which shows Christ with one hand held high. Do you see Him? That image tells us that even though there's overwhelming evil and unprecendented threats in this world, nonetheless Christ has supremacy over all powers and authorities. Colossians 1:16-17 tells us: For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
All humanity stands in the Valley of Decision, painted as covered by mist or fog - some to choose Christ as the Tree of Life, thereby gaining life and life abundant; others to choose the enticing Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They do not see this tree as dark and ominous, rather, they are addicted to it believing it will lead to success and prosperity. Alas! Eating from this tree leads many into delusion, lies, addiction, loss of freedom, fear, control and death. The nations, especially our nation, is in the Valley of Decision in 2012 making critical choices that determine our future. How we must all pray and content for our nation!
For each of us, we must choose to live each day in the delight of the Lord, believing what He says is true. Not looking to circumstances and to our hearts' clamor and demand for solutions, but looking to Him who is more than willing to share His brilliant ideas with us. Yes, do look at painting #30, gallery section of http://www.jbrushwork.com/. which shows a child sitting on Jesus' lap with Him holding the world in His hand. He is showing the child (which is you and me) what He is doing in the world and what part each of us will play in His brilliant scheme of things. To get His idea, His plan and purposes, is to eat from the Tree of Life.
The cloud of witnesses painted above the Tree of Life are those who have run the race and are now watching us from Heaven.Take note of the bearded Witness, which is Jesus. Moreover,they are urging us to run our race in our time and we are to declare with every fibre of our being that If God is for us, who can be against us?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:33, 37-39)
Today, January 3rd, 2012, the Lord is showing me that with Jesus showing up in three different places in this painting that His Presence is everywhere. Look at Psalm 139 - "Where can I go from your Spirit?..If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there...even the darkness will not be dark to you...for darkness is as light to you." From Psalm 139 the Lord gave me Exodus 33: 12-19 to eat, as it is like a fruit from the Tree of Life to give us hope for our future. Moses said to the Lord, "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.The Lord replied, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'"
O Lord! May it be so! Amen!
O Lord! May it be so! Amen!
