Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 6
August 27, 2023
August 26, 2023
The Calming Of David’s Soul
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalms 131:2 (NKJV)
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NKJV)
This spoke so much to me this morning. David said he had calmed and quieted his soul. For him to do that in had to be opposite of this at the beginning. It reminded me that peace is not the absence of fear and anxiety, but the conquering and banishment of it.
Fears and anxieties will knock on our door, but God gives us the strength to subdue and defeat them. Jesus, The Son Of David, said it this way. He said you’ll have tribulation, which means anguish, but be of good cheer because I have overcome the world.
The Lord said He has overcome the world, and has given us the power to conquer our own fears and anxieties. Without a question it’s a fierce battle, but these verses assure us God will never allow an attack we can’t win. We are more than conquerors through Christ, especially of the internal battles which attempt to wear us down.
August 25, 2023
Art Unboxed Art In Advertising
Haddon Sundblom, Eugene Kolkey, Vernon S. P. Grant, these names may not be common, but the characters they drew are. A certain soft drink’s Santa Claus, a breakfast tiger, or three guys on a rice cereal box, each of them so common I don’t have to name them. Many times when you say the word artist a museum comes to mind, but art is very much a part of our daily lives.
Whether talking about the names above, or the inspirations behind some of my favorite comic, cartoon, and children’s book illustrators, each produced a work of art. Their paintings may not be displayed in a gallery, though some are, but each made an impact with what they drew and painted. What images are so iconic to your memory that they spring to mind?
For some it’s a logo of a soft drink or tv show. For others it’s a movie poster, or a book cover. When I was a child, there was a famous series of what are known as board books that I grew up on. I don’t see them often now, but they’re a very fond memory of my childhood. For our son Nicholas it’s characters from online videos or streaming services, today’s children’s books, and clothing.
Perhaps the most important artistic design Nick has is not on paper or a screen, but fabric. His Mom found a dinosaur blanket when we were in Arizona that he holds on to every day of his life. That one piece of artwork is more priceless than gold to us, because it’s precious to him.
I value this art because it fulfills a need very near to my heart, it makes my child happy. It also helped to feed the family of the artist who designed it. Whether the artist originated the concept, or an advertising agency it doesn’t matter to me. Because of its purpose it’s a very special piece of art in our lives.
There is a tendency to view artwork connected with marketing, products, or media as less important but that’s not the way I view it. Rembrandt made money with his paintings, so did Gainsborough, or the famed watercolorist William Turner. Their clients weren’t an ad agency, but nobles, merchants, and high society but it was in that sense commercial art.
When I hear an artist is providing for their family selling their art I think that is wonderful, whether it’s painting a portrait, or designing a new web cartoon. I don’t know how many paintings Charles Schultz or Jim Davis did, but I know the comic strip dog and cat each is famous for. I hope this article we’ll encourage you to take a moment to appreciate the art in your life, whether a painting, or the logo on your favorite coffee cup.
With Me In The Winepress – Ephesians 1:11-12
Ephesians 1:11 (KJV)
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
The phase I love in verse eleven is the counsel of His own will. To me this says it all in this form. God was always willing to save us. He didn’t have to be convinced to rescue us. He didn’t have to be talked into pursuing us. He was always willing and because of His willingness He had a plan.
His plan was not to excuse our sin, but this itself was for our good. No parent wants their child to suffer a lesser existence. The Lord knew sin began destroying as soon as it entered the world and He wanted better for man. Jesus did not step to Earth to justify His judgement it’s always righteous. He stepped to Earth to justify the unjust, not by hiding our sins, but by washing them away.
Ephesians 1:12 (ESV)
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
In verse twelve the Apostle says all of this was so that the ones who first trusted in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. The commentator John Gill explains this is referencing both the Jews and the Apostles who’s initial faith would open the door to the world. As Paul said in another place to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Later in Ephesians he will mention the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. With that foundation being place, each generation of the Church gets to share the Gospel with the world to reach as many lives as possible. The brilliance of God layered everything for this purpose. From the physical acts of creation to the calling of Abraham, Jacob’s dream, Joseph’s imprisonment and beyond each were paved the way to bring the hope in Christ to all humanity.
Often when viewing the Old Testament, people miss the fact that in the events of the Tower of Babel, God did not leave those of Babel, they left Him. Equally He did not reject the Canaanite, they rejected Him. All three sons were part of the worship of the God of Noah when they first left the ark.
Before Israel turned to idols, the world turned to them. Something happened after the flood that saw man leave God once again until He reached out to Abraham. The Almighty’s plan the entire time was not only for Israel to follow, but whosoever will.
It’s one of the reasons that I love what happened with David, the city of Gath, and the Philistines. When we think of David and Goliath, we think of the death of the giant, but David’s connection with Gath would go so much deeper than that.
The very city where David defeated their champion, would be a place he would spend time in. It would become a city where the warriors were not against David, but fighting for him. The history of countless lives would be made not worse but better because of David.
In Hebrew David means beloved, and the meaning behind the word Gath means winepress. This type and shadow of David would point prophetically to the events of John 3:16. The Son Of David stepped into the world, not to do battle with the sinner, but to redeem all those who accepted Christ.
