Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 452

Tyler Pruitt Batman Sketch – Guest Artist

My younger brother, who plays at least five instruments, literally starting drawing on his iPad yesterday. This is one of his first pictures, and I have to say, I was impressed, not because he’s my brother, but because of his talent. I still can’t draw Batman anywhere close to this realistically. As a matter of fact, I learned something today. Here is one of my favorite people, and one of my favorite characters.

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The Italian Hatmaker: The Flying Swordsman

“He is known as The Flying Swordsman. He works on special projects for The King Of England. Some say he is part of the Royal Family. Either way, he is after you both.” Giuseppe was tempted to think that this was all some exaggeration to scare them, but he could see the fear in Henri’s eyes.

They made it to Champagne before he caught up with them.  It was outside of a little inn kwown as Silent Peace.  Henri had planned to stay there because he liked the name.  Henri was a warrior, but out of necessity, and not choice.  The Flying Swordsman knew that, so he too liked the irony.

The Swordsman did not attack in the night, it would have ended in a very different way than he wanted.  Instead, he waited until the afternoon.  He was positioned in a field adjacent to the inn when he called to them.

“I am the King’s Special Envoy, I request to speak with Henri and his two companions.  I propose a truce.”  Henri didn’t trust him.  “Why would the Flying Swordsman ask for a truce?  Why not attack?  You are rumored to be the greatest swordsmen in two countries.”

“No one is that good, not even me. The Flying Swordsman has two feet, I may leap high, but I cannot soar.  What I can accomplish is a peaceful resolution Henri.”  Henri looked at his two companions, they agreed.

The three walked out to see Sir Robert Clayworth standing before them.  “Like you Henri, I am a servant.  I come, not to seek bloodshed, but a resolution.”  The two soldiers shook hands.  The Princess’ Warrior and The King’s Flying Swordsman started to find out that their goals were  more in line than at first thought.

It was then that a third faction reared it’s head.  The King Of France had his own envoy who was feared throughout France.  He was ready to silence both groups that “were playing in his backyard.”  That is where General Armure came in.

The four found themselves outnumbered by twenty men.  Henri looked at Sir Clayworth.  “I hope that at least some of those myths were true.”  For the first time that day Sir Robert grinned.  “Just a few.”  His sword went hurdling through the air towards one of the General’s men.

Sir Robert leaped into the air lunging at the man.  “You can either escape me or the sword, my friend.  I’m afraid you can’t do both.”  The soldier dodged the sword while Sir Robert hit him, knocking him off the horse.  He caught it at the last moment, and swiveled the horse around to face the General.

“It’s been a few years Zachary, you’ve been promoted I see.”  “Oui, as has your reputation. Do you think that you four can hold twenty of us off?”  “I count 18, if you hadn’t noticed.  I’m not planning on winning though.”  “Then what is your plan?”  “Why to stall of course, they needed time to escape.”

The General looked around to see the three men galloping away on one of the horses that the General’s men had just lost.  Henri also knew how to leap when it was required.

Find out where our friends are going in next month’s installment of The Italian Hatmaker”

The Native: The Shepherd King

Luke 7:11-17

11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow:and much people of the city was with her.

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

14 And he came and touched the bier:and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

16 And there came a fear on all:and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

There are four words I’d like to focus on in this event in the life of Jesus. They are Nain, Widow, Not, and Rumor. The first comes from a Greek word for beauty. It says that the word is originally from a Hebrew word meaning pasture. In the definition it uses a phrase, “abode of shepherd”.

This village, located at the mountain called Little Hermon was not far from Nazareth. This lady, and her son had lived in the vicinity of the Shepherd King for an untold period of time. They spent their lives in a place known as beauty, and pasture, oblivious of the fact that He was so near.

When we look at the word widow, it’s definition appears very obvious. However, the translator added a footnote that gave a new insight to it. It explained that, metaphorically, a city stripped of its inhabitants, and it’s riches, is represented in the figure of a widow.

It’s no coincidence that to this day, when we think of Nain, we think of her. The Scripture even says that much people of the city was with her. You see it wasn’t only the Widow who needed a miracle. The city needed a Shepherd.

The problem is of course, Shepherds don’t usually live in cities. They may pass through them, but Shepherds are usually found in the fields. There were exceptions, one in particular comes to mind. It was a different city, Jerusalem by name, that had a resident Shepherd. His name was David. What Nain probably didn’t know, was that this Shepherd and that one had a lot more in common than a birthplace called Bethlehem.

The Root and The Offspring Of David didn’t wonder into this city. If you’ll excuse the pun, He flocked to it. You see, The Shepherd always goes where the sheep are hurting. He went there to quiet the cries of a Mother. I find it interesting that, not too far in the future, another Mother would need her tears wiped away. That Momma would be His own.

There is no reference of an interaction with Joseph the Carpenter after The Lord is twelve years old. While we don’t know for certain, it is highly possible that Joseph passed before Christ started His Ministry. If that’s the case, the One who returned the widow’s son to her, may have been the Son of a widow Himself.

We know that God is strategic, we know His first Miracle was at the wedding in Cana. That means, if Joseph died before that, He had to stand by His own grieving Mother and allow it to happen. We feel helpless so many times when we are powerless to change something. Can you imagine how hard it was to have the power to alter something and have to let it happen for our sakes? The timing of the start of His Ministry was no accident, it was ordained.

When the reference is to a Shepherd, I can’t help it, Psalm 23 comes to my mind. It also brings with it a problem. If the city Nain, in the Hebrew means pasture, then we have an issue. According to Psalms 23, there is rest in the pasture.

Death is in a valley, not on the side of a mountain. Like the Widow, what do you do when your mountain turns into a valley? It is then that you need someone who knows how to deal with tragedy, no matter where it happens, or what it is.

If you are already in a battle when a crisis occurs, it’s not easy, but you’re a little prepared. What do you do when one minute you’re on the mountain of victory, and the next you’re picking up the pieces of a broken future? That is when you need The One who returned Isaac safely to Abraham on Mount Moriah.

He had compassion on the Widow. He had compassion, told her to weep not, and touched the coffin. The word not there is translated “God forbid.” Need I say more? Death, you may one day part these two, but not today, and not this way! To paraphrase, The Lord Jesus was saying, “If it had happened yesterday, you may have gotten away with it. If you had tried, it may have worked. The problem is that today is the day of Salvation!”

The people carrying the dead stopped, and then He spoke. Christ didn’t come to only raise the dead, but to alter the route of those heading for the grave yard. If you’re on your way to trouble, I would advise you to stop and listen to The Master speak. He will not only save, He will prevent some battles, when we listen.

Jesus said, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” Notice that, He didn’t just say Arise. He said “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” First, He never spoke to death. Death had the young man, but the only recorded conversation between Christ and death was reported by Paul later. “O death where is thy sting?”

This tells me that death had no choice in the matter. God spoke to the soul of the young man. He returned him to his body. Whatever is holding you, has no power to keep you, once The Master releases you. That doesn’t mean we won’t fight battles, but it does mean that our victory is secured!

Second, He was saying to the young man, “You need to know who is speaking. This isn’t a hireling talking, this is The Messiah. The same One who created life, still knows how to restore it. The Lord Jesus is still powerful enough to walk into the trial that you think will bury you, and turn it into a celebration.

John 1:1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Last of all, is verse seventeen, and the word rumor. The amazing thing is that the Greek for rumor here, shares it’s meaning with a word found in John’s first chapter. The word rumor comes from Logos, just like in John one concerning The Word.

Too often, I’ve wondered why a battle had to happen, or why I had to face a certain trial. That was until the completion brought The Gospel to another soul. Judaea comes from Judah, which means Praise. If you’re fighting for your survival, and can’t understand why you’re facing what you are, take courage. Perhaps the tears you’re crying isn’t for you, but for someone who needs to see you still abiding in the city, even when it’s far from easy.

God wants His word to feel every heart, that is why He endured Calvary. If my trial will further The Gospel, then let us walk it with joy. Joy, not for the suffering, but for the result. The Lord wants every man and woman to know what it feels like to go from death to life. To meet their new Mother called the Church, and to rejoice in the kingdom of The Shepherd King!

Al Roker iPainting

Al Roker is one of my favorite news personalities. He takes what he does seriously, but not himself. I admire that.

New Acrylic, “Storm Of Sea”

Sometimes there are storms, but remember The Maker Of The Elements of the storm also made the storm to cease. He still knows how to say “Peace Be Still”!

The F.L.O.P. – Animal Rescue

“What’s the story on Jean Luc? Surely he’s more than a courier pigeon?” Jean Luc made a sound that said two things. One was that he was hungry, the second was he didn’t like to be insulted. “Sorry Jean Luc, no offense.” The Prime Minister admired him very much.

“Jean Luc wasn’t your typical animal. He was trained by a very special member of the Intelligence agency. He has taken down three operatives by himself once. Attaching that cat is like attacking a tank.”

“I like animals who can defend themselves. He isn’t jaded though, he still seems to be a normal cat.” She said as he lay on the arm of the couch. “Yes, his operative trained him that way. “I’ve heard about that program. My adviser’s suspect that the former trainer might now occupy a seat in the Oval Office.”

As you know Mr. President, I could not confirm this, but I will say her intelligence is good. Instead I responded, “Does it matter? He’s a pure bred you know, his ancestor was a pet of the Tsar’s.” “Why Jean Luc? Why a French name for a Russian American cat?” “He was named after a soldier that gave his life saving his trainer’s life.”

Just then, Jean Luc meowed. He rolled off the couch, and headed for the kitchen. “Follow him, now!” We barely made it before the explosion happened. The tunnel under the stove lead to the street. We were in the SUV flying through Las Vegas as fast as we could.

“Vegas? You made me think we were still in Canada!” “Ma’am, I never said that, I didn’t lie. I just didn’t stop you from thinking it. We would have been dead no matter where we were if it weren’t for Jean Luc. He must have smelled chemicals they used to set the charges. He has heightened senses.” She looked over at the cat carrier. “Thank you my sweet little Animal Rescue.” Jean Luc purred.

He got compliments, I got complaints. “Why Vegas?” “It was flashy, it was obvious, and I thought it was safe. It also is an easy place to hide an off the charts air port. Next stop, the desert. Ever rode in a spy plane?”

Aerial View iPainting

Our latest iPainting is the view from a helicopter, hence the title, “Aerial View”. We hope you enjoy it.

Cambridge’s: A Hospital Conversation

Ashley loved her Mother and Grandmother, so she agreed to spend some time with this “weird young man.” She talked with him over supper at her house. She found that he was less irritating than she first thought. When dessert arrived, they were actually laughing. Ashley wasn’t convinced yet, but agreed to see him the next afternoon, “for them”, she told herself.

Winston was working a half day at the store, so she would meet him there that afternoon. The problem was that her arrival coincided with the arrival of a new shipment of merchandise. When she walked in, Chester informed her that Winston was in the back. “I’ll wait by the front window, thanks.”

She looked at her watch, this was taking forever, it had been ten minutes. “I’ll pop back there and reschedule with him.” When she went back, there was no one in view, the room was a little dark. Once her eyes adjusted, she noticed two barn like doors. The old shop had a unique system of pulleys, to enable one man to unload heavy merchandise.

Winston had connected the chain to the door mechanism. When the heavy object arrived at a certain point, the pulley would open the door. Winston would then lock the chain, push the item off the lift, and scoot it in the store room. Whoever had invented this system, had never taken into account what would happen if the doors opened before the chain was locked. Winston found this out the hard way.

Suddenly, the doors came open, jarring the chain, and knocking the refrigerator off the lift. The refrigerator fell off the dock and was heading right for him. Ashley screamed when she saw what was happening. Winston was able to escape the offending object, but just barely. In the process, he cut his face and hand on the pulley chain.

Ashley took him to the hospital to get bandaged up. She felt horrible. A lot of men would have played for sympathy. Instead, Winston made her feel better about it. He joked with her, “If I hadn’t been late, it wouldn’t have happened. It’s a lesson in punctuality that’s all.”

After the visit, they walked to a near by place to eat. They thought the worst was over, until the woman coming out of the door knocked Ashley down. The next few minutes were a blur.

Find our why, “Black Eyes Are Better Than Roses”, in the next installment of Cambridge’s.

Sunrise Mountain Acrylic

We hope you enjoy our latest acrylic, “Sunrise Mountain”.

The Chain Breaker

Luke 4:18-19

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

At Church recently, they were singing a Worship song that referred to “breaking every chain”. It struck me how many chains that exist in the world. After this, I looked them up. There is everything from a chain gun to a key chain. Ladder chains exist, silent chains, even ancient chains that formed medieval weapons.

Since before the fall, the enemy has constructed every snare imaginable. In this world today, people are drowning in chains. My mind went back to Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, his chains were made of cash boxes and ledgers. Finances, both an abundance, and an insufficient amount, bind people in life.

Some use the very chains that bind them to attack others like what is called a chain gun. Rap stars and Hollywood wear their addictions as if they were jewelry. They promote what is destroying them as if it were a ladder for success. So called artists use their own misery to, quote unquote, succeed in life.

In the end, the thing that they advertised will destroy them.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  I’ve watched as countless, heartbroken souls found hope at the altar.  There is an opportunity for redemption.

So many believe the lie that their chains are impenetrable, unbreakable, and permanent.  What The Lord Jesus knew is that a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link.  To you and I, sin was indestructible, but that’s only because we didn’t have the means of destroying it.

No matter how many centuries of chains were formed, the instrument of their oblivion was in place prior to their existence.  Jesus came to Earth to obliterate every link.  It wasn’t enough to break the chain.  He wants all to know that no matter what binds them, even if it is a combination of things, that there is power to overcome them.

From the possessed man in the tombs to death itself, God left nothing safe.  Every addiction, every obsession, all fear, and all faults will be broken in His presence.  He spent every moment of His life on Earth proving this, including thirty sinless years in obscurity, plus three and a half sinless years on the world stage.

Jesus empowers all, both the well known and unknown, to live a Godly life.  This doesn’t mean we won’t have battles, or even make mistakes.  What it does mean is that a mistake doesn’t have to be a grave marker.

If you’ve stumbled, He will pick you up.  If  you haven’t experienced His mercy in your life yet, Jesus is the only expert at emptying tombs.  He has whatever your need today. I know from personal experience that God is both a giver, and a restorer of life and happiness.

Many Christians have experienced battles that may not snare their soul, but imprison their mind.  One of my greatest battles is with insecurity.  Too often, I’ve allowed it to hinder my days, and worry my nights. It is an area that God has already conquered, and with His help will not detain me any more. It will try, but by faith, it will no longer succeed.

Depression and insecurities seek to arrest our hopes and dreams.  They try their best to convince us that we are at their mercy.  Forced to minister through bars that God has given us freedom from. If you battle these things, you are not alone.

The wonderful thing is that we can experience freedom from any jailer that tries to hold us.  God unlocked every prison with His Death, Burial, and Resurrection.  Whether it be it healing for our bodies, deliverance for our souls, or peace for our troubled spirits,  I’m so glad that I know, Jesus is The Chain Breaker. He will break every chain!