The Story Behind

"The Lamb Won"

Dr. Mrs. Nina Gunter, Director of World Missions for the Church of the Nazarene told a story about a little church in the former Soviet Union after the fall of Communism. That former underground church now had permission to put a sign over the door of their church. What would they paint on it? What name could they give their tiny church?During a prayer meeting one man spoke up quietly. "I will paint the sign and bring it here tomorrow."He returned the next day with the sign. They nailed it above the door for all to see. It simply read . . .

"The Lamb Won"

When Dr. Gunter finished telling the story, immediately, I knew what the picture should look like. I knew that in the softness of the lamb's fur there would be the faces of people who made up the body of Christ, who were a part of bringing the message of Christ to the world.

After that, it was just work...leg work, mind work, art work. I gathered snapshots of friends who had participated in short and long term mission projects. It would be their faces I planned to draw onto the lamb. Next, I asked a friend if I could take pictures at her lamb farm. She said yes, so I drove out to the farm and shot 3 or 4 rolls of film of a bunch of very skittish little lambs.
Next it was off to the photo shop. By now it had been over a month since I had heard the story. I was intent on getting the drawing done. The message had touched my heart profoundly and I knew it was a picture that had to be drawn. I dropped off the film and impatiently waited for the pictures to be developed.

When I went to pick up the developed film I almost passed out when the clerk said there had been a problem and they could pitch one of the rolls and give me a replacement or ..." Please, just let me see the pictures. Then I can decide." What had happened? I could’t stand it. Was God trying to tell me that this wasn't right, that this wasn't His picture? My hands were shaking as I pulled the photos out of the package. To my absolute amazement they had been double exposed: there were people's faces on the lambs. It wasn't’t a reprimand or anything from God, He did want my attention to be on Him, though and not on this drawing. And, it was confirmation. Beyond anything people could do or had done, He won. That’s the story. It’s been several years now and it still amazes me. The Lamb Won.

I hope you enjoy the web site. Please share any comments by contacting me through the link below.

God Bless,

Rusty

New Dramatic and Prophetic Drawing - See Below

Drawing in the Light of Scripture Devotional

Rain Fade - 1 Peter 1: 3-9 NIV        

Have you ever been in a storm where it rained so hard you couldn’t see down the road, or out the window?  I was watching TV once when a storm hit and the network TV Feed went out. They lost the signal because the rain was coming down THAT HARD!! Wow. 
Little tiny bunches of raindrops ganged up together and whooshed down on the earth and kept coming so fast and FURIOUSLY that we lost connection with the rest of the world.  Actually, that’s a true meteorological phenomenon called Attenuation, or Rain Fade.
There’s a big, fancy spiritual name for this same kind of problem that happens with Christians.  It’s called: a broken heart.  It happens when bunches of pain, difficulty, threats, evil, illness gang up together and whoosh down on your life and keep coming so fast and furiously that you think you’ve lost connection with your friends, family, spiritual family or even our Heavenly Father.
I’ve been thinking about Rain Fade for a while because of some family things, also because I’ve been diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes.  This makes drawing difficult.  But.  When I sat down at the computer to write today, the first e-mail that popped up was from a member of our prayer team requesting prayer for 24 yr old Corporal John Peck, who just lost all four limbs due to a landmine in Afghanistan.  God, who gave us free will, and John Peck fighting on the front line to protect that freedom. Still, I imagine his young wife, Christa, is dealing with Rain Fade.  And the 10 ministry workers who were killed because they handed out toothbrushes and glasses.  Do you not think Spiritual Attenuation is an issue in their families?
The remedy is simple, but not easy.  Simple as in: tear open the wound – cut, clean, stitch, wait and… no, not easy.
The remedy is based on simple truth, very simple truth –
God said: I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.  JOSHUA 1:5
Promise.  Truth.  No strength to hold on to God?  Can’t see Him? Not to worry.  He’s God, not you, so He will hold on to you. And, it will stop raining.

Thank you all. God bless.
The Lamb Won.  Rusty

"Watch Out "

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The Story Behind

"Watch Out "

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15

Watching today's political, entertainment, religious and social environments, the drug and gang scenes, terrorism in the name of religion and the frantic drama going on in the lives of friends and family pulled me to Matthew 7:15.  I’ve seen illustrations of this verse portraying a wolf standing there with some wool wrapped around it, rather innocuous, harmless looking. But that’s not what this verse says: “inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” 

Do you also note what else this verse warns us of?  They come to us.  So be on your guard, in every arena. Truly appearances can be deceiving. Not everybody who says "Lord, Lord..." is really the sweet little lamb they pretend to be.

Watch out.

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