Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art on Born Again is Real,
John 3:16—being born again is more than a ticket into Heaven. It is a life-style that includes relationship with Jesus. And that relationship is a faith walk.
Personally, sometimes I find this is hard. My flesh really kicks up a fuss when I am around some people; it is easier to simply slip back into old habit-patterns.
I am not talking about stuff like drinking, carousing etc. but under the surface things like family role playing. When I am with my church friends living like a blood bought Christian is easy. But rubbing elbows with family brings old life style and habit patterns to the surface. Do you relate?
I am talking about insidious things we learn as children. As a kid it was easier to pretend I was an invisible wall to avoid conflict. My younger sister’s role was the family trouble maker. She also got clobbered a lot. Because I was so used to being invisible, when I became a Christian it was a lot of work to find my identity.
But that did not come overnight. The other day the Lord showed me I had to stand firm and not submit to that yoke of slavery again. Joyce Meyers talks about how in the beginning of her ministry she lost a lot of friends. But, isn’t that what talking up our cross daily is about. I don’t know about you—for me and my household, we serve the Lord.
Like the apostle Paul, I do not intend to water down my Christian walk with falling back into patterns not conducive to freedom in the gospel. Sometimes people just do not understand, nor do they want to. That isn’t my problem but theirs. I follow Jesus; you can too.
Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art on Life and Peace,
Sunday’s sermon by Pastor Terry Hilgers, Jubilee Fellowship Church in Lone Tree, Colorado, he began with an empty drinking glass. He explained sin is like filling that glass with banana pudding. At first it tastes wonderful but if it sat long enough it will rot. Sin is like that. Like rotten banana pudding, if we let it sit in our heats it stinks and we experience death instead of life.
John 4 Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” Like that woman of Samaria, many come into the kingdom of God with thirsty souls.
Being born again is about receiving living water. Jesus does not condemn us for past sins. But, He does face us with truth. And He always sprinkles His truth with lots of grace.
Pastor Hilgers stated, “The path to God depends on what God has done for me. Life is a free gift offer and all you have to do is accept it.” In other words, there is nothing we can do to earn new life. Living water is only through Jesus work on the cross and by accepting Him we begin a new life that is filled with life instead of sin and death.
Like the woman at the well in John 4, Jesus provides the kind of hope that ignites life. He did mine. What I really like, Jesus always respects the individual, especially women. God created woman.
As a past brand developer I find it interesting people spend thousands of dollars to find out what is sellable. But, only through Jesus Christ do we see the true picture of who we are. And when we walk with Him daily we discover our life purpose. The reason most do not understand their life purpose, they do not understand themselves. You only find out who you are through relationship with Jesus. With it comes purpose. And the result is life and peace.
We are the pot in my painting “El Shaddai”. If you sin, you are broken. For some brokenness is evident. For others it is hidden within the secret recesses only God knows. Whether hidden or there for all to see, if left unattended, brokenness is still holding you captive to pain and/or bondage.
God framed this world with His word (Hebrews 11:3). He put things in order, equipped, adjusted, and completed what was lacking. That means when He spoke everything fell into place.
Art is the process of creating something out of nothing. Then taking that something and creating order. The final project depends on this process for the artwork to be great. But the difference between my art and God’s is I start with a blank canvas. God begins with an idea and creates His artwork out of nothing by speaking it into existence. I use a paint brush.
Do you realize God working in us is also creating order out of the chaos? Do you feel like your life is chaos?
Some of us have more chaos than others. That is why understanding His plan is important to flow with Him and understanding comes through time in prayer. God speaks into our lives and nothing supersedes time with Him.
God has individualized palates to recreate His image in each of us. But, we must flow with Him in His process. As He etches His image back onto our character, He takes great delight in us. As He finishes each phase I see Him stepping back to delight in His accomplishment as He did at various points during creation.
I also am delighted when my artwork comes together. I often step back viewing my creation. Paint folding into interesting shapes with pigment glistening off the canvas. The tactile feel of paint gliding over the surface is tantalizing. I love the process and am exhilarated at the results.
It is important seeing ourselves as a delight to God. Recriminating low self-esteem will dissolve into Godly assurance. That is why the disciples appeared so confident when testifying before the religious leaders. And the best part is I am someone of great value to God. So are you.
Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art on My Story Today,
It was this brokenness that God led me to full time illustration work as an Illustrator of the Word. Time spent alone sitting with Jesus connected me with Him in a way that would never have happened if He simply had me brush the dust off my paint brushes. Through connecting with Jesus I got to know God in a way that anchored my soul.
Jesus is the bread of life and He also experienced brokenness. His body was broken for my salvation, and I now know a little bit of what He went through. But, I also understand how Paul the apostle talked about how he experienced death so others would receive life (2 Corinthians 4:8-11). Sometimes death is through things like business failure.
(2 Corinthians 4) also says the knowledge of God’s glory is a treasure. And God puts that treasure in earthen vessels. I am God’s earthen vessel.
This treasure is the good news that Jesus died for my sins and I can have a better life now and in the future. When brokenness is yielded to God, He brings about the kind of restoration that displays His glory.
Jesus is in the process of restoring my brokenness. But that does not stop Him from using this cracked pot to spread His good news.
Also interesting, those who need this information think this is foolish. That may be you. The reason you think this is because you do not have God’s Spirit in your heart. The things of God are spiritual; and, therefore spiritually discerned. By the time many realize this, they missed it, and are living out their eternity in the depths of hell. God does not want you to end up with this fate.
God uses ordinary men and women to speak His word. Through faith God spoke His word. The creative power of His word sculpted this world into existence. Also through faith I speak His words. And this is how God speaks to the world today; ordinary men and women entrusted with the best news this world will ever hear.
Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art on My Story Continued,
I did pray with my neighbor that day, and the biggest difference at first was how the Word came alive. When I received Jesus, I also received His Spirit. Because God’s Spirit came into my heart, I was then able to comprehend the things of God. The Holy Spirit enabled me to do so.
For those reading this who doubt, I also was a doubter, but, that doubt is a trick of Satan. As the god of this world he blinds the eyes of the unbeliever so they cannot see, turn, and be saved. He is a liar and just as he lied to me for years, he is also lying to you.
Even words in the Concordance were alive and seemed to jump off the page filling that huge hole in the middle of my soul. Yes, I am still an avid studier of God’s word thirty-two years later.
Past Twenty Years
The last twenty years I built my business and established myself as an illustrator, publisher, and brand specialist. Like many, 2009 brought economic disaster, my business was gone, and in July 2010, I folded shop. But through business failure, God unfolded a great new plan.
I thought because I was a Christian and sought God for my brand development business it would naturally be a success. Sometimes we do not see the full picture as God sees. And the best things come out of incredible pain.
Yes, I will continue my story today on Wednesday, September 14th. Please tune in.
In 1979 when I became a Christian my life was broken. The biggest disconnect was the ability to hear and understand God’s word. Because the things of God are spiritual; and, therefore spiritually discerned, I was not able to hear let alone respond to the things of God. Because I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus, I did not comprehend anything related to Him. And at the time, being born again seemed stupid. Can you relate?
In fact, reading the Word was the last thing I wanted to do. I doubted who God was and the role He played in this world. I was an agnostic. And it is not as though I hadn’t been exposed to church or religious people; I came from a long line of pastors and missionaries. I grew up in the church. So, this is how my story with Jesus began.
November 22, 1979, the Lord prompted my neighbor to visit me. Little did she know my desperation. My life was falling apart, and I was looking for answers.
Someone said to me a few days earlier, “You cannot do life without God.” Relationship with God starts by accepting Him as you understand Him. What an eye opener. I did not have to accept the Jesus I grew up with. Not having a clue who Jesus really was, I started asking the creator of this universe to come into my life. But it is interesting how faith works; if you really seek God, He will respond, even if your faith is the size of a mustard seed.
My story will be continued this Monday, September 12th. Please sign in for the conclusion to my story.
Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art on the Problem with Sin,
The common thread that links Adam and Eve’s sin was taking their eyes off the Lord. When Adam decided his wife’s advice superseded the Lord’s, his protection for their family caused a chink in the armor. Top that off, when the Lord convicted him, he blamed his wife.
For Eve the problem was misperception. She was misled by bad information. She bought the lie that God was holding out on her. Rather, God was protecting her from firsthand experience of good and evil.
Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent, and God revealed the truth. Interesting until now, Eve had not been named. Adam naming his wife Eve was significant. He was acknowledging her position in the lineage of the coming Messiah. Eve means the mother of all living. We receive life when we receive Jesus.
God specializes in putting cracked pots back together. The point in my last painting “El Shaddai,” God is restoring what Satan destroyed.
This blog is a little short today, but will continue the 9th of September. Stay tune.
Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art on In the Beginning,
The next two weeks I am doing a series on brokenness; what happened in the beginning and how does God deal with the affect in our lives? The next six blogs will deal with some aspect of this issue. So, you will not want to miss this.
In the beginning: She just received her first fur coat and should have been ecstatic, and he was looking away, trying to wrap his arms around what just transpired. Her uncontrolled sobs echoed through his brain as he waited for the Lord to finish his garment (Genesis 3:21). Sin just entered the world and God was making a covering for our first couple. Just like us, these people felt every bit of what happened that day. Sin brings bad things and with it death.
As an artist I sit for hours staring at a canvas. I am not spacing out, but looking at the effect of each stroke with the finished piece. At various intervals God also looked at His work and saw it was very good (Genesis 1). Artists often step back to survey their work. I call this a check point making sure progress falls into the original vision.
God is the chief architect of this world. And He put His signature on His planet. If someone came into my studio, splash ugly paint over my work, I would be horrified. Satan did that when He tempted Eve. He picked up God’s paint brush and sketched his ugly nature into God’s beautiful work. As a result we were born with a fallen nature, and, worse, he did it to spite God.
The conflict is between God and Satan. The war has always been between them. And we are caught in the middle. The question is, which image do you want on your canvas? There is no middle ground here. You either have Satan’s image or God’s. Sometimes we talk Jesus but act like the devil. Yes, we are in a war zone.
This blog will be continued on September 7th. You will not want to miss it.
Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art is Using Art to Paint the Gospel-MEDIA RELEASE
Christian Art of Candis Kloverstrom with Artistic Impact Publishing is using art to paint the Gospel. Her artwork, “El Shaddai” is an acrylic painting depicting Jesus and His mission as a God of mercy and grace who restores people and relationships. She states, “Art in the gospel is a vehicle for hope, highlighting Biblical truths.”
Having worked in marketing developing marketing materials, illustrations, and brand development, Candis Kloverstrom understands truth is the basis for any great work. Whether the project promotes a new widget or is a technological breakthrough, fundamentals on how a product meets customer needs are the bases for establishing customer excitement.
She also states, though the gospel message is simple, misconception about Jesus runs rampant in the church. If you do not know who Jesus is, the gospel becomes sketchy.
The Bible is clear that Jesus came with a message from the Father. He fulfilled a mission. His position is Savior of the world. Roderick C. Meredith wrote, “God the Father sent Christ to announce a message from Him. What kind of message was it? The word ‘gospel’ originates from the Old English word godspell, meaning “good news” or “announcement of glad tidings.” Mr. Meredith also went on to say that the Gospel time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. This is the Gospel.
But, John MacArthur goes to the heart of the issue in an interview with Kirk Cameron, “God is treating Him, Jesus, as if He lived my life. God punished Jesus for my sin. He turns right around and treats me as if I lived His life. That is the great doctrine of substitution. And on that doctrine turned the whole reformation of the gospel. That is the heart of the gospel.”
The gospel is also a message of hope and restoration. Restoration is the basis for her work, “El Shaddai.” Nancy Alcorn with Mercy Ministries in an interview with Joyce Meyers states, “No matter what the problem, Jesus Christ is the answer and there is nothing too hard for Him.”
As a 32 year Christian veteran Candis Kloverstrom adheres to the Judeo/Christian fundamentals that God is who He says He is and came to fulfill a mission in this world. She paints Biblical truths through artwork, blogs, booklet, and videos. For more information on her latest artwork, “El Shaddai,” visit http://www.artisticimpactpublishing.com.
Company Information:
Candis Kloverstrom opened Artistic Impact Publishing, LLC eleven years ago. “Denver Men in the Kitchen,” is a community book published by Artistic Impact Publishing, LLC that highlighted the successful Denver man such as Governor John Hickenlooper, Denver Business Journal President, Scott Bemis, and anchorman Dom Testa to name a few. Candis Kloverstrom illustrated, designed, interviewed each man creating a slice of what makes Denver, Colorado great. She has been involved with design, illustration, and brand development for the past twenty years. She now develops Christian Art, blogs, and information to inspire and promote Jesus Christ.
Candis Kloverstrom, Christian Art on Why Relationship with Jesus,
Jesus told religious leaders in His day, they were of their father the devil. Riveting! You would think they had a handle on God. After all, they started at age five memorizing scripture.
So, why did they miss God? Religion without relationship with Jesus does nothing for the human condition nor does it transform the human heart.
Only through experiential relationship with Jesus can anyone really connect with the heart of God. When man connects to God, God literally causes them to change their mind. In other words through relationship God renews the mind. So, without a living relationship people are spiritually dead and have only head knowledge.
Take this thought further, as a business person; I always looked for those who had the experience to back up their credentials. Those who have long standing application knowledge know their profession and develop the kind of gut instinct it takes to create great results. So also with Christianity. You have to have experiential knowledge to flow in the kind of love that comes from the throne room of God. And, that kind of love transforms the heart of man.
When we experience Jesus, we walk out His life. That life is what attracts people. People thronged after Jesus when He walked this earth. When we as the church walk as Jesus, experiencing His life, we also attract multitudes. So, begin with Jesus, walk with Jesus, and don’t forget He is also the end. Everything in our churches depends upon the life of Jesus to illuminate us so we can be the light on the hill He intended. And, God flowing through His church fulfills His purposes in this world.
