MERCY

Pam Finlay

"Mercy"

10 December 2015

Acrylic on Paper



The face of an angel appeared in the background of this painting.   I could see a bright white area where the face of the angel is.  I knew Holy Spirit was leading me to paint the angel as I see the vibrant colours that are in the background of this painting while I am praising and worshipping Him.  At these moments Holy Spirit lets me know that the messengers he sends are surrounding me.   God's angels gaze on with much love as we sing songs of worship to the Lamb of God.

After I finished painting I asked Holy Spirit what was to be the title of the painting and I kept hearing Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.  The scripture that came into my spirit was James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment (ESV).  God delights in showing mercy (Micah 8:18-19).  To extend kindness and love to someone else is to be merciful. 

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly , to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God(NKJV)

Through the blood of Jesus we have “mercy” given to us eternally.  Because of the blood He shed for us we are cleansed from sin.  He is continually cleansing us of the old sin nature as we come to Him with a repentant heart. He erases our iniquity and remembers it no more. His precious blood protects us from all things evil seen and unseen.  He is our source of protection and He makes atonement for our sins.

Psalm 91:3-4
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. 
4 He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler (NKJV)
Hebrews 8:12-13
12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete.  Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (NKJV).

 We receive God’s mercy, love and kindness in Christ Jesus.  We receive of His great love as we press through to the promise, abiding in Him.   We can also show mercy to others through being kind and compassionate.  Matthew 5:7(the Beatitudes) speaks of being merciful and obtaining mercy. 

 The meaning of mercy is compassionate, kind, spared of judgment or harm, danger or trouble. God is our refuge and fortress in whom we can dwell. 

Psalm 91 s a scripture that reminds me that He has assigned His angels charge over us to guard and protect us on His behalf. 
Psalm 91:
 11God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm.
12 IF you walk into a trap they’ll be there for you and keep you from stumbling! (TPT)
Another scripture that gives reference to His angels is Hebrews 1:7 And of the angels He says:  Who makes His angels spirits and His minsters a flame of fire (NKJV)

 At the beginning of each day I say a prayer and I thank God for His favour, grace and mercy that is surrounding me and the people I will meet.  God is divinely preserving us. 

Jude 1:1, 2
1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God, the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.
Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. 

God is promising a complete transformation of our heart and life by the Holy Spirit.  Our life-style is to reflect Christ. 
Ephesians 2:4 But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He saved us (NKJV)

Interestingly I have noticed scriptures that mention mercy also mention truth.  They go hand in hand.

Psalm 85:10 Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed
Psalm 57:3 He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who swallow me up.  Selah God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. 
Psalm 89:
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before your face. 
15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favour our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, and our king to the Holy One of Israel (NKJV)

Thank you Lord for Your mercy and Your truth.  We are loved by Your everlasting love and are underneath the everlasting arms.  We can rejoice and walk in the light of Your countenance. Thank you for teaching us to express love and compassion to others every day.   Your joy is our strength.  To You be all the glory.  Amen.

Blessings and love
Pam

 

THE NEW WINE

"The New Wine"

Pam Finlay

November 2015

Acrylic on Canvas

 

 

 

At present I am working on a series of paintings that will be exhibited next November.  I have an expectant hope for what the coming year will bring.  There have been a flood of paintings coming in over this last week and with this one I was given the title "The New Wine" before I even started painting.  I'm sensing this painting is to be shown at this time. 

 There are a number of symbolic references from the bible in this painting including the necklace representing love and faithfulness.

Proverbs 3:3-4

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart

Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Proverbs 3:21-22

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion;

They will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.

The frame representing being "framed by the word of God"

Hebrews 11:3

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible

The word "framed" in this scripture means set in order, make fully ready.  God framed the world with His word.  He inscribed His word on the tablet of our heart. 

 The roses symbolize the fragrance of Christ and His love being poured out like oil

Song of Songs 1:3

Because the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you.

Christ is like a never fading rose, His beauty remains and His fragrance is eternal.  

 Though the first scripture I received before I even started painting was from Mark 2:22.

"And no one pours new wine into old wine skins.  Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wine skins will be ruined.   No, they pour new wine into new wine skins".

 This fresh new wine, the love of god overflowing in our hearts, being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Filled with the new wine, the joy of the Holy Ghost, a new wave of refreshing.   Be revived with the heavenly wine, it's ready to be poured into the hearts of believers.  Thank you Holy Spirit, fill me.  I am willing and ready to receive from you every day of my life, drinking of Your Spirit God.  Your life giving power is transforming me.  Jesus, living under your influence is the key to my destiny.

Blessings and love

Pam

 

 

 

THE GOLDEN EAGLE

Pam Finlay

The Golden Eagle

November 2015

After I had laid a background in this painting I could see three birds, but the one that I was led to highlight was the one in the foreground, the Golden Eagle basking in the bright golden light surrounded by the rainbow of God, His everlasting covenant.   The following words describe the attributes of the eagle:

            Endurance   Powerful    Swift     Insightful     Precise      Protecting       Courageous

These are also some of the attributes of God that He desires for us to exhibit.    Through this painting I am reminded of the flying eagle of the four living creatures mentioned in  the books of Ezekiel and Revelation.   The golden yellow is symbolic of God’s glory. 

Swiftly soar on the wind of the spirit, reach heights, and seek things above where Christ is. 

Blessings and love

Pam

 

V FOR VICTORY

"V For Victory"

Pam Finlay
Acrylic on Canvas

October 2015

In the background of this painting I could see the face of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah overlooking the ocean and I could see the reflection of an eagle in the ocean.  I could also see the reflection of Mount Zion in the shape of the “V”.  Revelation 5 is the scripture that inspired this painting.  The large "V" just happened in the background as I was painting and I heard in my spirit "V for Victory".  Jesus as the lion, Jesus as the Lamb.  He is both the conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Lamb who was slain.  The lion and the lamb are two aspects of his nature.  He sacrificed his life so that we could be set free.  He conquered sin and death at the cross.  The cross was the ultimate victory.  As the Lion He is the conquering King.  Many scriptures speak of "victory".  

Deuteronomy 20:4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory (NIV)

1 John 5:4 for whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world - our faith (NKJV)

Revelation 21:6-7 and he said to me "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water without payment.  The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be His God and he will be My son"(ESV)

The old sin nature replaced with Christ's victorious nature.  We can live in His victory every day to the glory of God.  Our victory is obtained through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He has given us the victory in every situation we go through.  We can walk every day in His victory.  He causes us to triumph and we are overcomers.  We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13) in all things we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)

We give glory to God and honour His name and Christ's victory reigns supreme in our hearts.

His Victory is of excellence.  What a Mighty God we serve.  The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has prevailed. 

Blessings and love

Pam

 

 

 

COMING FROM THE THRONE

 Coming from the Throne

Pam Finlay

Acrylic on Paper

 October 2015

 

This painting was completed at the beginning of October and yesterday Holy Spirit gave me more.  I knew yesterday morning as I awoke I heard the words “glistening waterfall overflowing” in my spirit and he reminded me of this painting and prompted me to move it from my art room and place it on the dining room table.  Scriptures started being revealed to me.  The first one was from Nehemiah 12:37.

By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up the stairs of the City of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as the Water Gate eastward(NKJV)

 Interestingly the word Nehemiah means “Yahweh Comforts”.  I knew Holy Spirit was comforting me as I was led to His Word.  He was opening the eyes of my heart, bringing me joy as I fellowshipped with Him. 

Jesus is the source of the Living Water, He is the fountain that flows from the throne of God.  Through the sacrifice of his life for us we are saved by grace through faith, the fountain of salvation begins to flow when we give our hearts, our lives to him.   The river flows out from us and touches others, the abundant fullness of the mercy that God provides.

John 7:38 speaks of this

He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (NKJV)

In the scripture Isaiah 12:2,3

2 Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.”

3 Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation (NKJV)

And this scripture in Joel 2:23 blesses me

Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you – the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month (NKJV)

This refreshing rain from heaven, infilling our bodies with His Spirit.  He is cleansing us and makes the word come alive in our hearts.  He guides us into all truth as the streams of his Living Water flow within.  We display God’s glory.  He desires us to glisten to overflowing, glowing in His glorious light.  The River of Life coming from the throne of God(Revelation 22:1) blessing us.

The other scripture I initially received was John 1:51, Jesus speaking:

And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (NKJV)

The meaning of ascend is to go up, come, arise, rise up.

The meaning of descend is to go down, step down.

I hear Him saying “Come up Here”.  As I heard that in my spirit I immediately was taken to the top of the painting, near the bright white area and instantly saw the outlines of the four living creatures in the background of the painting – a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle.  I knew he was now speaking from Revelation 4:6-8 the four living creatures saying:  Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”   The beginnings of a new painting is coming into clear view.

Blessings and love,

Pam.

 

VALOR – TRIUMPHANT AND VICTORIOUS

Valor - Triumphant and Victorious

Pam Finlay

Acrylic on Canvas

October 2015

The background for this painting was painted on the 6 September and it was a number of weeks before the Holy Spirit showed me the white horse in the initial background.  I could see the horse’s eye first and the shape of his head.  Again the horse came into clear view as I outlined what I could see. 

The initial scriptures that I was given were Revelation 6:1-2, Revelation 19 and

Hebrews 4:12.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

As I was outlining the white horse I could see a sword in his mouth and on closer observation it also looked like a winnowing fork.  The sword is the Word of God (the voice of the Father).

The white horse is symbolic of power, purity and righteousness in the word of God.  Christ is seen as coming on a white horse in Revelation 19:11

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, He had a name written that no one knew except himself.

13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.  And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.  He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

When the painting was completed I was led to seek the scripture from Matthew 3:12 regarding the winnowing fork.

The purifying and cleansing power of the Holy Spirit.  He is separating the wheat from the chaff with His winnowing fork, burning up all that is not of him and refining His people.  He desires people with pure hearts (Matthew 13:41 speaks of this). 

Luke 3:16,17 speaks of the Holy Spirit and that He will baptize us with His fire and Luke 3:17 speaks of His winnowing fork clearing the threshing floor and gathering the wheat and burning the chaff with His fire. 

The word winnow means to remove people or things that are less important, to blow unwanted parts away , the unwanted coverings of seeds, to get rid of, to separate the desirable and undesirable.

Christ is gleaning the wheat of impurities.  It speaks of this also in Daniel 12:9-10 and Daniel 11:35.

It is a time of winnowing, like sorting and sifting.  The winnowing is the final stage of separating the wheat from the stalk, discerning between flesh and spirit (I Corin 2:14-15) between good and evil.

Hold on to His truth, the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.  Continue to stay faithful on the straight and narrow path, prevail, endure unto the end.  Jesus has given us the victory, give Him your everlasting praise. 

1 Samuel 16:18

Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilled in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him”

I Corinthians 15:57-58

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

2 Corinthians 2:14

Now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

Amen.

Blessings and love

Pam

 

GOD'S EVERLASTING LIGHT

God's Everlasting Light

Pam Finlay

October 2015

 

 

This painting was commenced on 17 October.  Initially the scripture from Revelation 1:13 resounded in my spirit. 

Revelation 1:13

And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band

In Revelation 1:4 and Isaiah 11:2 it speaks of the seven lamps – the seven spirits of God. 

 I was also in Zechariah 3 and 4.  Jesus Christ standing in the middle of the seven branched lampstand, the seven spirits of God.  He is in the midst.  As I researched about the lampstand in scripture the Lord revealed much.  The lamp of God, fuelled, aflame and brightly burning with His truth.  The seven fold supply of the golden oil, the complete infilling of the Holy Spirit given to the overcomer.  I counted 49 pipes on the Menorah I had painted and afterwards discovered much significance regarding this.  The seven lamps are shining forth as one with the Messiah.  He is the centre of the Menorah and we are his branches.  We are being filled with His light and oil.  He is the light of the world.  He upholds us and provides support to all of the branches, He empowers us to shine for Him.   As we shine together we carry His light that shines, His light that dispels the darkness.  When He fills us with His Holy Spirit we are lit with His everlasting lamp inside our hearts. 

John 15:5

“I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (NKJV)

John 8:12

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (NKJV)

As I was completing the painting I heard the scripture from Matthew 5:15-16

15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 

We carry His light that shines, His light that dispels the darkness.  It is not to be hidden but it to illuminate the whole house, the everlasting light of His word and His Spirit. 

I will carry the flame for you Jesus, the fire of Your Holy Spirit.    You, Lord will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness (Psalm 18:28).  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

Blessings and love

Pam