Description of Illuminations: black
and white illustration of cakes and cookies, peaches, stars, dishes, desserts
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Well, is it? I know that may sound a bit crazy but believe me, it’s
not a strange consideration. Most ministries self-asses on a regular
basis in order to avoid the following pitfalls or stumbling blocks.
The Top Ten Signs That Your Art Ministry Is Merely Self-Medicating
The contributors are defensive. Artists are more
worried about themselves, their pocket books, their living conditions
than they are interested in spreading the gospel. In other words, if you
have to stop reading this list at number 1., you may be a little too
defensive?
The community is insular in nature. The art
ministry is primarily focused on their own people and their own agenda
instead of interacting with other congregation members and pulling in
non-church goers into their program. “Outreach” means that you are
always looking to share the Gospel message with people outside of your
own group. This is one of the primary reasons God leaves us here on
planet Earth. Sharing Jesus’ love with the lost is the one activity that you will not ever be able to do again, once your body/flesh has died.
Education is treated as though it is unimportant because your leader may have very little of it himself.
Excellent leaders, educated or not, will always surround themselves
with educated, sober minded people. In self-medicating ministry, those who are
not qualified either spiritually or intellectually are consistently
appointed to positions of authority. This is because they will comply to
every little whim and complaint of the members, instead of focusing on
the greater agenda of Christ. Not only is it the most obvious tactic
used by Satan to defeat ministry, it is also the most damaging. In other
words, he uses it because, my friends, it works to defeat
growth. Everyone hopefully understands that God sometimes appoints
under-educated peoples to authority because He qualifies them Himself.
So asses your leaders effectiveness based upon scripture, if his or her
agenda has fallen under speculation. Spiritually led leaders behave with
humility, faith, and uncanny resourcefulness. If your authority figure
neglects to appoint informed people to tasks that are dependent upon
important knowledge base, because he is afraid of looking less educated
himself, he or she may very well be nailing your ministry’s coffin lid
shut. Don’t be surprised to see secretive smirks and hear resounding
sighs of intolerance emanating from his or her lips. Spiritually led
leaders are more concerned for their people than they are for their own
reputations. They will not hide their lack of education and they will
not glorify it either, if they’ve got it. They will seek those who have
biblical wisdom and experience to make their ministry work better.
Artists are not expected to own up to their own sins? Creativity
does not replace piety. While it is true none of us are saved by our
own piety, to lack serious commitment to respecting biblical counsel or
law is a sign of pride. Proud people never sacrifice* for those who are
thirsty for forgiveness. God resists pride in His people and He will
resist your ministry if it focuses too much on you and too little on the
needs of others. God meets our needs by allowing us to fulfill the
needs of others. In this occupation a Christian will find peace.
Living the Gospel message in front of others is discouraged. Are artists in your ministry embarrassed by innocence or unabashed conduct for the causes of ministry?Sometimes,
in fact, many times, artists believe that those congregation members
who do not perform well enough should be excluded from participation in a
ministry altogether but this is incorrect thinking according to
scripture. What scripture teaches is that leadership roles should be
appointed by God and/or godly council, membership roles are given freely to whomever will serve with a happy spirit ripe with enthusiasm for God’s
forgiveness. Would you be embarrassed by an infant who doesn’t yet know
how to walk? Of course not. But many artists do treat their less
successful colleagues with contempt when their work doesn’t measure up
to a particular standard. The correct estimations of performance should
be measured by the level of authority given the person in terms of
provision to the whole of God’s community. In other words, if an artist
is struggling, give him provision and support, but don’t hand him a job
that is dependent on his success in order for your ministry to thrive
for the sake of many.
Exhibits are created in order to flatter the artists first and perhaps God, second, maybe? Artists
are often treated unfairly in the world, this is true. They long for a
supportive, caring, attentive family. Every Christian community should
grow and learn to appreciate it’s members equally. Unfortunately, we are
sinners and sometimes in our neediness we become obsessed with our own
success because we believe that it will insulate us from tragedy. But as
Christians, we need to understand that our security is primarily in
Jesus, not in worldly perceptions of our own creativity. Jesus is the
giver of all life and the true lover of human souls. When you join into
His “church” you have already been justified by His love. You do not
need to be superior to others in order to have creative value. As His
child, you are free to focus your energy on growing for and with
His heavenly kingdom and when the time is right, He will give you more
to do. Spend your earthly days flattering God and in this you will find
the most wonderful home any person could ever want or dream of.
Other congregation members don’t interact with your art ministry’s members much. This is a pretty obvious sign that your ministry is self-medicating.People
will take an active interest in those who show interest in them. This
is true for both saints and sinners alike and because it is true for
both groups, it is considered one of the most obvious signs of both success and defeat.
The scriptures cannot be taught if people do not engage one another in
conversation or community activity. God loves a moving target.
There is plenty of ‘back stabbing’ or ‘gossip’ happening between members, or even worse, members do this secretly to seekers.*
Does this really happen. Yes, unfortunately I have witnessed it from
both a distance and from a very personal and uncomfortable, close
proximity. It is our sin nature that tempts us to triumph due to another
persons demise. Remember the conflicts between King Saul and David?
Remember how uncomfortable David felt at becoming a king at the expense
of his sovereign and his best friend, Johnathan? Let me just advise here
that it is very important to a Christian how they come into
privilege, authority, or recognition. They may not have any control over
the circumstances, but they will always feel a bit too uncomfortable
with it. This is a sign of humility. A sign meaning that The Holy Spirit
who is indwelling him or her is not letting the sinner get away with
false pride. So, a Christian thinking leader is usually too
self-conscious to gossip about others let alone alienate a seeker.
One or two individuals are given too much authority. A good missionary always invests energy in replacing himself with another who is just as qualified, if not better qualified.Good
missionaries are also happy to have very helpful people about them.
They look forward to going home to be with God and they also worry for
those they will leave behind. It is in their nature to wish to replace
themselves no matter how satisfied they are in the place God has
appointed them to serve. This is because they are cognizant of God’s
worth. They understand that only He can fulfill their deepest longing.
Earth in all her glory is not capable of meeting the missionary’s need.
If you are an inexperienced artist in God’s family, you are a missionary
waiting to be born. You are more than just an artist, you are an artist
with a different destiny.
Exceptions to standard practice are made because artists are thought to be too exceptional?
As artists, we are not above the practice of understanding how we might
improve a practice or methodology. We are living, thinking beings that
are constantly evolving in the truest meaning of the word. Because God
puts His Spirit in us, we are capable of improving our sin nature and
adapting our dreams to enhance and provide for His Kingdom. But, if you
never ask yourself these kinds of questions, how will you ever be
equipped to give more away for God? People think that artists are the
very least inhibited among Christians. In my experience, they can be
more self-loathing than any other member of a congregation.
Rainbow Jesus, painting
named by my youngest child.
Our culture influences the way artists illustrate Jesus. But, what
did Jesus really look like? Should this be important to us? I have been
an artist for many years and what I have discovered about people is that
they have an emotional need to see something of themselves in Jesus.
People seem to relate to Christ better, when He is of their own race.
Some people in our culture cannot even be satisfied with appearances.
They need God to also be of their own gender as well. How far should an
illustrator go when creating a representational illustration of Christ?
I have painted Jesus many times both as a white man and as a black
man. But when I think of Jesus, myself, I don’t seem to think so much
about “how” His flesh looked at all. I think mostly of His heart and His
kindness. For me, as an artist, the literal portrait of Christ must
have something gentle in the eyes. If the eyes aren’t right, then the
portrait is not successful.
Perhaps there is something to be said of the old quote, “The eyes are a window to the soul.” What do you think?
Isaiah's prophetic vision of Christ - "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry
ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his
appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and
familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was
despised, and we held him in low esteem.Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted." Isaiah 53: 2-4
Revelations description of His appearance in the second coming - "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose
rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God." Revelation 19:11-13
Here is a list of considerations when applying to other web masters
for a link. Ask yourself the questions below before approaching
someone about a linking partnership.
1. Does the website have similar content?
2. Would the website owner consider you competition?
3. Does the website already carry corporate advertising? If so, they are
probably under a contract with that specific company and can not oblige
some requests even if they would like to.
4. Does your product or content compliment the product or content of the website you would like traffic from and vice versa?
5. Would the owners consider your content immoral or unethical?
6. Would visitors from their web pages be offended by your content?
7. Do there appear to be other links like your own on their website already?
8. How old is the site? Is it possible that it is abandoned?
Hanging an art exhibit inside of a church can be a bit tricky but it
doesn’t need to be difficult. I’ve listed here some guidelines that will
help the artists in your church to make smart politically correct
choices and will help you to determine the most practical places to
display art.
Never hang any artworks that do not have religious subject matter in
the sanctuary of the church. This is very important. Artists can
unintentionally insult the congregation by doing this or can be deeply
wounded if they assume that this is a possibility before getting shot
down over the suggestion. The only exception to this rule is if you are
displaying a textile exhibit. These are traditionally hung in Christian
sanctuaries everywhere and people are not likely to be disturbed by the
suggestion. It is true that the Lord made little green apples but, it is
not generally acceptable to display these in the sanctuary as a tribute
to your own artistic merit. There is a difference between an artist
producing Christian subjects and an artist who is a Christian painting
any subject. Don’t fall into the political mishap of displaying lemons
as though they are icons or bible lessons. Lemons are great and when
these are hung in just about any other room in a building, people like
them. Sanctuaries are to be treated reverently though. The key to this
is understanding that the sanctuary is a place to worship God not the
artist. When the artist paints or sculpts about the ideas that are
preached about by God then, he is submitting to the will of God. Just
like everybody else who dresses modestly, sings music to glorify God,
and speaks about the serious concerns of God’s people. Put God first in
the sanctuary, not yourself.
Church entry halls should also be treated carefully when considering
topically appropriate subject matter. The front entrance is an
introduction to the church. Be selective about what is hung here at all
times.
Hallways can be popular places to exhibit but most people will not
linger in them while going to church on Sundays. Children also get a bit
rowdy in hall ways, and artworks can be damaged here. If you choose a
hallway, make sure to select one that is strategically located away from
Sunday School rooms, bathrooms, and unattended out of the way parts of
the building. Hallways leading to large cafeterias, libraries, offices,
and meeting halls make good display spaces.
For small exhibits we suggest a library or even better, the church
parlor. This room type is a wonderful setting and often comes with a
door that can be locked during times when the show is not open.
Some churches set aside specific walls in their buildings where
artworks are always displayed. This is a great idea! If your church
hosts an ongoing ministry outreach to artists, this kind of space can be
used on a regular basis and will come in handy. Try to get a supply
closet near this wall cleared out and designated to your art ministry.
This closet should have a lock and only be used by the artists to store
works as these are alternated. The display wall need not be enormous at
all. It could be quite modest to suit the needs of a Biblical
illuminator’s guild, as these works do not usually exceed the size of a
small page in a book. Some churches have glassed in cases for displaying
items and these are marvelous for displaying small illuminated
manuscripts.
Be careful not to hang a show on a wall that kids bounce basketballs
off of during the week or that Sunday school teachers must navigate
around with a moving partition wall. If people will need to take
artworks down during other festivities and put them back up again, then
you should not display art in these facilities at all. Works are likely
to get damaged during these events and handled by people who do not have
the same value for your work. This is just a fact of life and it is
best to avoid the situation all together. Have a show for one night only
if this be the case.
Note. If you should have a wide variety of topical
entries into your church art exhibit reserve the religious submissions
for the public spaces. After all, this is a church art show, not a
ordinary space and artists must learn to grow up and conduct themselves
accordingly to the limitations that all kinds of people will expect of
them everywhere else. The church should not be treated as though it is
the very least to consider or respect. It is God’s house and should be
cared for more reverently. Professional artists are well aware of the
expectations required of them during a professional exhibit in a museum
or in a gallery. These prerequisites are much more demanding in the real
world than they are in the forgiving environment of a church. At the
very least, the artist should do what is considered respectful to those
he or she is dealing with directly.
This question feels sticky to most people who ask it, but it is not
as tricky as it is generally thought to be by church folks. Most pastors
ask this question of me like this, “The church shouldn’t become a
market place should it?” and of course, the answer is no. God’s house is
a place for prayer and worship primarily and for study too.
Some
exhibits that I have been in publish artist’s listing prices next to the
artworks along with a title and other information. Some churches
publish listing prices only in a bulletin handed out during opening
night. I have never participated in a church exhibit where the church
ever took a percentage of sales from an artist. This was primarily
reasoned as “an agenda” for marketing by the church and therefore, an
“inappropriate activity.” Are you surprised? Well, don’t be. Because
this point of view is entirely Biblically correct. You see Jesus chased
out the money changers because they were selling small animals for sin
sacrifices that the Jews who journeyed from afar needed to make. These
poor people often could not realistically bring sacrifices with them.
Generally speaking the merchants would sell small doves to the poor who
would then turn around and give the doves to the priest in that same
church to slaughter. The money changers were also in the business of
translating the value of coinage into products that the pilgrims might
need for worship. In other words the merchants were making profits from
things the pilgrims needed in order to worship God. They profited from
that which should have belonged to God alone.
In any case, I usually advise a church to keep a price list along
with a contact number or e-mail discreetly tucked away with a secretary
should any person ever be curious enough to buy an artwork. (And this
seldom happens.) The church never should have the agenda of requiring
church members to purchase something from themselves in order to keep in
good standing with God. Grace has been paid on our behalf by the
shedding of Jesus’ blood. There are no alternative or necessary money
sacrifices to be made from a believer in order to worship God freely and
gain His forgiveness. Having an art show should never be equated with
selling indulgences or with taking advantage of the audience in any
religious respect. But selling something by dealing with the artist
directly after the show in the artist’s own home is perfectly alright as
long as the patron understands that there is no connection to the
church in doing so. In other words, buy something because you like it,
not because you must buy it in order to appease God. And, churches
should temper their money making efforts. Don’t make people feel guilty
for not giving to your charities. Don’t make them feel as though they
are not loved by God because they can only afford less than what you
need or want from them. Money should not be a point of manipulation inside of a
Christian church and it should never be a point of focus in terms of
people’s salvation.
I’ve included here examples of actual artworks that have been
submitted to and hung in Christian churches were I have hung an exhibit. The following examples
should not have ever been even considered by a review committee and are
to be avoided by staff and pastors should they decide to hold a fine art
event. Print the list and keep it as a reminder when planning your own event.
Wet paintings. Need we say more? Alright then, we will. A wet
painting is an accident waiting to happen. These are easily damaged and
if people rub up against them, they can damage their clothing. Oil paint
is not easy to remove from any surface.
Unframed works on paper
Framed artworks without hooks and wire
Sculpture that will break easily if a child should happen to touch
them. A “Do Not Touch” sign will not be paid attention to by an
unattended baby that can not read, let alone one that can. Put fragile
works behind glass or hang these up higher on the wall.
Topics addressed by artists that are not “child friendly.” Most
parents will not tolerate topics about violence or nudity unless these
are traditionally represented within the context of a Bible story. (Even
then, they still will raise a protest.) I know that this is a touchy
subject, but some subjects are better addressed outside of church
environments where children don’t participate. I myself, produce work
along these lines, but never do I submit it to a church art exhibit.
These are best reserved for perhaps a show in a seminary, college, or
public forum meant for adults. The only exception to the rule would be
the “Passion Story.” This subject I would insist of parents to tolerate
at all times. It is essential to the vitality of a Christian church that
they comprehend the death and resurrection of Jesus. This a core belief
of the church, taught by God, throughout Old Testament prophesy and
through the New Testament accounts given by disciples and believers. If
God had meant for it to be unimportant, He would have excluded it from
the scriptures. But, He didn’t and so logic would follow that we
shouldn’t.
Artworks that may perhaps cause physical injury to visitors. Make
sure heavy artwork is stable and or hung to avoid injuries. If the
artwork has too many sharp edges, be certain that a child can not rub
against it.
Description of the illustration: profile portraits of Jan Huss, transparent backgrounds, medallion shapes, two colors: sienna and a greyscale
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: greyscale illustration, skull, prayer, rosary, habit, crucifix,crown of thorns, open Bible
Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D. (March 25, 1347 in Siena – April 29, 1380 in Rome), was a tertiary of the Dominican Order and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France
and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She is believed,
in Catholicism, to have had miraculous visions and felt herself to be
united in marriage with Jesus, stating in her letters that she wore the wedding ring he gave her but that it was invisible. Read more...
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: by Oliver Herford,
configured by Kathy Grimm, halo in color, black and white sketch, typewriter, text:
It saddens me to think Saint Paul
Such lengthy letters had to scrawl,
And so to make his labor lighter
I picture him with a typewriter
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: by Oliver Herford, configured by Kathy Grimm, G. K. Chesterton standing on his head to watch a sunset, stripped socks, sun, ocean and poem, text reads:
When Plain Folk, such as you or I,
See the Sun sinking in the sky,
We think it is the Setting Sun,
But Mr. Gilbert Chesterton
Is not so easily misled.
He calmly stands upon his head,
An upside down obtains a new
A Chestertonian point of view
Observing thus, how from his toes
The sun creeps nearer to his nose,
He cries with wonder and delight,
"How Grand the SUNRISE is to-night!"
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936), better known as G. K. Chesterton, was an English writer, poet, philosopher, dramatist, journalist, orator, lay theologian, biographer, and literary and art critic. Chesterton is often referred to as the "prince of paradox". Time
magazine has observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible
Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs,
allegories—first carefully turning them inside out." Read more...
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Yes, but it is best run by an artistic pastor. Primarily because the
goal of an art ministry is to share the gospel with the artists and
teach them how to share it with others through their artworks. This goal
is often side stepped and forgotten by artists who do not ordinarily
practice these ideas in their own work and lifestyle. A liturgical or
biblical artist/professor is an excellent alternative to a pastor or
priest. But he or she must stick to a curriculum that is agreed upon by
the lead minister of the church.
An artist who is not well trained in theology and biblical history
may make some serious mistakes about “how” to portray subjects from a
Christian world view. Fine arts ministry is a specific field of study
with deliberate agendas. It is best run by those individuals who
understand the focus of ministry in general as well as have a in depth
understanding of the creation of religious subjects. I have met some
individuals who are very talented in these sorts of arenas and were not
pastors or great artists. But be very careful about employing ordinary
artists to undertake fine arts ministry inside of a church. It is not as
easy as it may sound.
A music minister sometimes is a very good choice in such cases. He
may not be a fine painter, but he could be very talented with
communicating art and the gospel in his own field. A fine arts ministry
would not be as difficult for him to lead, if he reads some great
literature before hand.
Remember that to lead a fine arts ministry one must have fortitude
and honesty, but also a great big heart for people. This leader should
also be humble so that he does not make decisions that are egocentric
in nature. He should desire to teach and lift up others more than
himself. Just because art is the vehicle for this kind of ministry, it
does not mean that only the best artists should have a voice. That kind
of conclusion is a “worldly agenda” and it must be kept within reasonable limits inside of a church art ministry.
Allow web masters to handle all complaints and answer all e-mail. If
there is something seriously wrong with your website, you won’t hear
about it until it’s too late. Web masters care about job security too,
they will hide their own mistakes from you if they can.
Never reviewing the job effectiveness of staff employees who answer
e-mail or take phone calls. These employees can directly sabotage
ministry efforts apart from their employer’s knowledge. Many older
generations of employees will unwittingly assign jobs on the computer to
those staff members that they can not regulate personally because of
their own limited experience. There is an age gap between those who know
the internet and those who know ministry. Employers must strive to hire
trustworthy people for technology jobs that will drive missions on the
internet with a positive attitude.
Treating blogs or any other form of internet communication with
apathy because it is over the internet. There are vast numbers of
ordinary people moving across the internet at all times. Many more will
read your blogs etc. than will often ever hear you preach.
Not submitting your blogs to search engines.
Not linking to a multitude of ministry resources just because you do
not know the denomination of the individuals. This is not difficult to
look up or make a phone call to find out.
Not learning to express a variety of emotions in your literary
endeavors. Your web visitors will want to see a healthy, well balanced,
Christian personality in your sermons, posts and articles. Don’t just
post when you are angry, sad or sarcastic. Post about joy, laughter,
love and forgiveness too!
Pastors don’t always try to anticipate their visitors needs.
Sometimes the pastor will not include important things like a profession
of faith or the basic doctrinal ideas that he may take for granted in
himself. Treat your web traffic as though they have never even met
Jesus.
Pastors sometimes act on the internet in ways that they would never act in public. But the internet is public, never forget.
Some pastors are all work and no fuss. But visitors are looking for
family on the internet even if you are already perfectly content with
your own. Leave space in your heart for seekers. God may bring someone
to your blog that desperately wants to come home. A visitor may very
well be a prodigal son, someone’s lost daughter or a child’s wandering
parent.
Not submitting to the ministry of other Christian workers on the
internet. The internet is a giant web community and also a large
interactive library system. Articles count for time and eternity here.
If you post excellent ones, make them easy for others to find. Also
remember that all of us who are for Jesus are employed by Him. Whether
we are small and defenseless or gigantic and powerful. We who love and
depend on the Savior are part of one large body. We need each other and
we must learn to partner together to make this community a better place
for everyone.
Sometimes Christian authors or ministers are promoting their own
books or outreach and forget to include materials that are free on their
webpages. Remember the internet is about “draw” traffic. This means
that setting up shop alone is not enough to keep visitors interested.
People can feel as though all you really want from them is cash.
Websites that promote products should also be environments for growth
and exploration.
New content is necessary for a successful internet ministry. The
only way to avoid this is to have so much content that folks can’t
absorb everything on your webpages in one visit. However, a note of
caution. New content is also a element that causes search engines to
rank you. So, even if it is a small new entry that many visitors don’t
always see, that new content is very important.
Description of the illustration: church elder, greyscale drawing, prayer shawl, scroll, beard, phylactery
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Samples of Good Shepherds, flocks and The Agnus Dei.
Under this index I will include sheep, lambs, shepherds, The Good Shepherd and The Lamb of God, Agnus Dei.
All graphics/illustrations/clip art on this web journal are free to
download and use for personal art projects, church related hard copy or
webpages. Images are not to be redistributed in any other collections of clip art online. Please include a link back to this web journal if you use the materials for web articles. Link to http:christianclipartreview.blogspot.com
Description of the illustration: church elder, greyscale drawing, outreaching arms, open arms, giving and receiving
Kohen or cohen (or kohain; Hebrew: כֹּהֵן, "priest", pl. כֹּהֲנִים kohanim) is the Hebrew word for priest used colloquially in reference to the Aaronic priesthood. Jewish kohanim are traditionally believed and halakhically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from the biblical Aaron. The term is colloquially used in Orthodox Judaism in reference to modern day descendants of Aharon, brother of Moses. Read more...
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
A drawing of a Jewish High Priest in Biblical times.
Description of the illustration: black and white drawing,The practice of using phylacteries was founded on a literal interpretaion of Ex.13:9,16; Deut. 6:8; 11:18, where God commands the Hebrews to bear the Law in their hearts and in their heads, and it is still continued in our days. There are two kinds of phylacteries - one to worn on the forehead, between the eyebrows, and another to be worn on the left arm. The former was called a "frontlet," and was composed of four pieces of parchment, on the first of which was written Ex. 12:2-10; on the second, Ex. 13: 11-21; on the third Deut. 6:4-9; and on the fourth, Deut. 11:18-21. These pieces of parchment, thus inscribed, were inclosed in a piece of tough skin, making a square, on one side of which was placed the Hebrew letter shin, and this box was tied to the forehead with a thong or riband. Some wore them both evening and morning, and others only at morning prayer. Dictionary of Bible
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: Stars of David, Magen David, three versions in shades of blue and one of those combines blue and gold, transparent background
The Jewish Encyclopedia cites a 12th-century Karaite document as the earliest Jewish literary source to mention a symbol called "Magen Dawid" (without specifying its shape).
The name 'Shield of David' was used by at least the 11th century as a title of the God of Israel, independent of the use of the symbol. The phrase occurs independently as a Divine title in the Siddur,
the traditional Jewish prayer book, where it poetically refers to the
Divine protection of ancient King David and the anticipated restoration
of his dynastic house, perhaps based on Psalm 18, which is attributed to
David, and in which God is compared to a shield (v. 31 and v. 36). The
term occurs at the end of the "Samkhaynu/Gladden us" blessing, which is
recited after the reading of the Haftara portion on Saturday and
holidays.
The earliest known text related to Judaism which mentions a sign called the "Shield of David" is Eshkol Ha-Kofer by the Karaite Judah Hadassi, in the mid-12th century CE:
Seven names of angels precede the mezuzah: Michael, Gabriel, etc. …Tetragrammaton protect you! And likewise the sign, called the "Shield of David", is placed beside the name of each angel.
This book is of Karaite, and not of Rabbinic Jewish origin, and it does not describe the shape of the sign in any way.
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
This particular pattern would look attractive as an embroidery.
Crown. - A crown, in Christian art, is the symbol of sovereignty, victory, and of the glory of martyrdom. As the symbol of sovereignty, it is given to the Deity, and sometimes to the Virgin Mary. As the symbol of victory and the glory of martyrdom, it is given to saints and martyrs. In addition, it in some cases alludes to earthly rank. In this case it is a symbol for Christ's deity because it is paired with the Christogram beneath it.
In the Latin-speaking Christianity of medieval Western Europe (and so among Catholics and many Protestants today), the most common Christogram became "IHS" or "IHC", denoting the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, IHΣΟΥΣ, iota-eta-sigma, or ΙΗΣ.
The Greek letter iota is represented by I, and the eta by H, while the Greek letter sigma is either in its lunate form, represented by C, or its final form, represented by S. Because the Latin-alphabet letters I and J were not systematically distinguished until the 17th century, "JHS" and "JHC" are equivalent to "IHS" and "IHC".
Description of the illustration: old engraving of sheep in a field, leaping lambs, pasture, black and white print, tails, grazing
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: Roman Catholic Saint, French abbot, habits, reading, altar, Saints, Bible characters, black and white illustration, kneeling
Bernard was instrumental in re-emphasizing the importance of lectio divina and contemplation on Scripture within the Cistercian order. Bernard had observed that when lectio divina was neglected monasticism suffered. Bernard considered lectio divina and contemplation guided by the Holy Spirit the keys to nourishing Christian spirituality. Read more...
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: Roman Catholic Saint, greyscale illustration, Spanish mystic, her father was a Messianic Jew, devotions of ecstasy, active reformer
The
Discalced Carmelites are men and women, in religious consecration and
lay people, who dedicate themselves to a life of prayer. The Carmelite
nuns live in cloistered (enclosed) monasteries and follow a completely
contemplative life. The Carmelite friars while following a contemplative
life also engage in the promotion of spirituality through their retreat
centres, parishes and churches. Lay people, known as the Secular Order,
follow their contemplative call in their everyday activities. Devotion
to the Virgin Mary is a characteristic of Carmelites and is symbolized
by wearing the brown scapular. Read more...
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: old illustration of a baptismal font, descending dove, black and white drawing, found inside a Christian church, carved stone, christenings,
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: The Holy Trinity, illuminated text illustration, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, cross, blessing hand, at their feet is the universe represented by the starry heavens, throne room of God, large floating crown, God the Father and God the Son look alike the scripture reference for this is "If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." John 14:7
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: blanket or shawl, native American woven textile, hand painted pottery, arts and crafts, monochromatic illustrations,
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Description of the illustration: prickly, desert flower, petals, blooming in the desert, dirt, soil,
Have a question about the illustration?
Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as
possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject
folks.
Yes it is, practice some generosity, it is a virtue. “It’s nice to be
nice.” But, I am very particular about giving links within the context of a specific topic and I do visit the folks I link to, so I know if their content is spam or if it is misrepresenting the information it claims to be interested in.
Yes, most of the time. This is a smart idea if your church has a
tight budget, limited resources, and you only intend to publish
information for the congregation to access alone. Blogs are perfect for
this type of use. Also blogs, are user friendly software. You don’t need
to rely upon the availability of a web designer in order to update your
pages or remove them. You can do all of these functions yourself at
little to no expense to your church. In fact, if you are a pastor or
church secretary, we recommend that you become very familiar with blog
software in your free time. This will give you an educational advantage
should your church ever decide to conduct a ministry online. It will
also help your congregation trim their budget expenses. One of the
volunteer staff members here at our blog says that her church spends on
average $5000 a year for it’s web site. I’ve seen this web site myself
and it is absolutely “no big deal.” They could fall off the back side of
a log and improve this baby. Blogs are pretty sweet these days. We are
all in agreement on this one. Pastors and priests should run their own
congregation’s web pages or hire office help to run a free blog until
they have well established ministries that demand the attention of a
staff.
No. We believe in Salvation by Grace alone through the shed blood of
Jesus. We believe that “good works” when appropriate and pleasing to
God, are done out of LOVE for God. Work that is proper and good is the
result of the human heart being touched by the Holy Spirit and trained
up to mirror the likeness of Christ. Works are the proper result of
Grace already present within each believer. This is frequently called
“Sanctification” in the Lutheran Church. Different Christians may call
it by other terminology. But “a rose is still a rose by any other name.”
Human works are necessary to the growing up of believers
for the kingdom of God. We live here for a purpose and that purpose is
to show Christ to others. We can not do this effectively without living
out good actions, thoughts, and feelings. We work to aid humans and
ourselves in this respect and to show love for God, not to earn
salvation.
Some people can appear to do a good deed without faith, but a person with faith will always
be convicted by the Holy Spirit to do good, even when it does not
benefit himself. If a man says that he is saved but then has no outward
sign of change that is the result of his repentance, then he is probably
lying about his true motives for claiming to be a Christian. God can
determine whether or not a soul is willing to change for Him or if a
person is simply lying in order to coexist with Christians for some
other reason. This could be a difficult or easy thing for people to see
clearly in others. There are people who successfully deceive many with their works but he or she cannot
ultimately deceive God with incorrect agenda.
One thing is for certain, that those who love God and are grateful
will always display some form of good works. These works won’t always be
what you or I may stereotypically call “works.” But we do not define
works the same in every person and neither does God. Every part of the
body of Christ has it’s own gifts and talents. Works look different for a
pastor, doctor, lawyer, artist, musician, mother, chemist, police
officer, rich man or poor man. Each gives back to others in his own way
by the power of The Spirit and by the influences of Christ on his or her
life through the study of the Holy Bible.
My answer to this question largely depends upon how many posts your
blog already has and what type of content is in your blog to begin with.
If you have a relatively medium sized blog of 65 to 100 posts, I
recommend you update the blog within every 14 to 24 days. If your blog
is over 300 posts, once a month is sufficient enough of an update. The
fewer number of posts you have the more frequently you should make
updates. Of course, none of this advice is necessary if you are keeping a
blog for yourself, friends and family. Blogs are extremely personal for
the majority of people and they need not conform to any demands of
publishing as a rule, for those of you blogging for personal reasons.
My opinions about numbers of posts are based upon statistics for
ministry blogs alone. The successful ministry blog is measured by many
varied pieces of information accumulated together. The number of posts
is only one factor to take into consideration but it can be a very
important one. Each post on a ministry blog, if possible, should number
approximately 150 words. Each post should average four outside links and
two internal page links.
For those of you who read my blogs, you may
have noticed that I do not always do this. But when giving professional
advice to others, I try to speak to the truth of what I know to be the best
advice possible for page ranking. There are certainly other web masters
out there who are better bloggers than me and I know that these
bloggers are meticulous about what to include in their posts.
