Friday, June 15, 2012

I'll Love You Forever!

By Hazel Holland


I just finished doing my second chalk pastel of Jake and Max tonight.  It makes them seem a lot closer to me when I can draw them like this.  I can hardly wait for the day when I will live near them and be able to love on them in person.  I guess for right now these three lovebirds are going to do that job for me.  But my day is a coming soon!

See also: You Light Up My Life

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

♥ My Beloved Bride ♥

By Hazel Holland

"You are radiant My love!"

Monday, June 11, 2012

I Will Lift the Veil ♥

By Hazel Holland

♥"I will lift the veil from your eyes so that you can see My face!"

Several days ago I was getting ready for work in the bathroom.   I had just finished fixing my hair and was about to put on my make-up, when the new name of a Facebook group suddenly popped into my mind... "Praying Down the Veil".  Suddenly I became overwhelmed by the Lord’s presence.  Then quite unexpectedly He began to speak a word into my spirit.  "My beloved bride, I will lift the veil from your eyes so that you can see My face!"

Immediately I was totally undone.  The tears began rolling down my cheeks as I sensed the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit.  A picture came to my mind of Jesus lifting the veil from our eyes so that we can know Him face to face!  He wants us to look into His eyes with no veil between us so that we can see His heart.  He wants us to see the glory of God in His face!

As I talked with my friend, Ramone Romero, about this word I received, he reminded me of Ephesians 1:17-18.  As His bride we so often see Him with the eyes of our head, but not always with the eyes of our heart!  We hear His words, but they don't wash us because we're afraid of being condemned by Him.

God gave me this word and this picture because some of us don't know how much He loves and cherishes us.  He washes us, not because He will reject us if He doesn't wash us, but because He wants to make us radiant in His love.  Some of us don't yet know that we are His priceless treasure!  That's why we keep trying to do what we think is necessary to become clean so He will accept us.  But He already accepts us.  He already has purchased us!  We belong to Him! 

Here's a good analogy that Ramone gave me the other day that fits perfectly.  It's like someone who loves restoring old cars from the junk yard.  They don't clean up a car so that they can buy it, but they buy it first and then clean it up because they love it!  If you know someone who loves cars, it's sooooooo true! 

Here's another analogy that ought to be very obvious.  If a husband is washing his bride, doesn't his actions reveal intimacy and love towards her?  Doesn't this mean that he has already accepted her?  No husband chooses his bride by first stripping her naked and then seeing if she will submit to be cleaned off first!

Another good illustration that shows how much God loves His bride are the words He uses to try and get us to understand the depth of His love for us.  I think sometimes we think He's just saying nice words, but they reveal His heart.  He sees us as forever His first love!  He will never change His mind about us, and there's nothing we can do to make Him change His mind about us, either. 

Here are words that He wants to wash you with right now as He draws you into His loving presence.  The tenderness God has in His heart towards you and I is profound! Listen as He speaks to your heart.  "My beloved bride...

"I have called you by name; you are Mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

"I am your Redeemer who formed you in the womb." (Isaiah 44:24)

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist." (Isaiah 44:23)

"I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." (Isaiah 49:16)

"I have clothed you with garments of salvation, and arrayed you in a robe of righteousness." (Isaiah 61:10)

"I rejoice over you because you are My bride." (Isaiah 62:5)

"You are the praise of the earth." (Isaiah 62:7)

"You are a crown of splendor in My hands.  You are a royal diadem in the hand of Your God." (Isaiah 62:3)

"You are no longer called, 'Deserted,' for I delight in you. (Isaiah 62:4)

"I love you with an everlasting love." (Jeremiah 31:3)

"I have drawn you with loving kindness."  (Jeremiah 31:3)

"I will build you up again, and you will be rebuilt, O virgin bride!" (Jeremiah 31:3)

"I will restore you to health and heal your wounds." (Jeremiah 30:7)

"You will be rebuilt on your ruins." (Jeremiah 30:18)

"From your mouths will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing." (Jeremiah 30:19)

"The water that I will give you will become a spring of water welling up inside of you to eternal life." (John 4:14)

"Your joy will be complete when you hear the Bridegroom's voice." (John 3:29)

"How beautiful you are, my darling. (Song of Songs 4:1)

"There is no flaw in you!" (Song of songs 4:7)

"You have stolen my heart." (Song of Songs 4:9)

"You are a garden locked up, My bride." (Song of Songs 4:12)

"Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, My bride." (Song of Songs 4:11)

"Come with me to the banquet hall where I will raise My banner of love over you." (Song of Songs 2:4)

"My left arm is under your head and my right arm embraces you." (Song of Songs 2:6)

"Arise, My darling, My beautiful one, and come with Me." (Song of Songs 2:10)

"Show Me your face.  Your face is lovely."  "Let Me hear your voice.  Your voice is sweet." (Song of Songs 2:14)
 
"You are Mine." (Song of Songs 2:16)

"You are the one My heart loves." (Song of Songs 2:16)

"Yes, My beloved bride, I will lift the veil that covers your eyes and heart so that you can see My face and know the heart of Your Lover!  Then you will begin to see and know who you are.  You are... and will be forever... My first love!"

(Some of you who have know me for years may recognize that I am the "bride" in this chalk pastel that I did today.  The Spirit specifically directed me to use this picture of myself for this "painting" because it was taken at a time in my life when I was very broken.  In spite of my brokenness I was still His bride whom He cherished and held close to His heart!)

For further reading :  Removing the Veil

To see a larger copy of this print click here

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Born To Be Free!

By Hazel Holland

You were born to experience child-like joy!

As I was finishing this chalk pastel this afternoon of children expressing their joy, I wanted it to be a reminder of how Jesus has called you and I to experience the glorious freedom of His grace.  Five children are in this picture because five is a symbol of His grace.

He's called us away from trying to obey rules and regulations so that we can enjoy an exhilarating new life in the Spirit.  We have been transported out of the reign of law and into the kingdom of His grace.  Since the day we were born again and Jesus came to live in us by His Spirit, He's been leading us towards this glorious freedom.

He continually invites you and I to feast on His goodness.  He wants us to taste and see how good He really is.  He has not only forgiven us and given us our new identity in Him, but He has also given us the gift of life... eternal life that begins now!