Biblical Therapeutics® ~ René Allen ~ all rights reserved

thanks for sharing

That is very true! You really sum it all up very well. I think the whole idea of progress has a strong element of faith in it as well. There's a book called 'History of the Idea of Progress' by Robert Nisbet that explores that. Thanks for sharing this!

You're welcome Larry . . .

Blessings ~
René

I was just reading in Hebrews today

Thank you for commenting Visionaerie ~ I will check out the book you have mentioned.

You are right about progress . . . without FAITH, there is no progress.

Have a great week!

Blessings ~
René

Hi LORA! ~ Syncing up WE are LORA. HEBREWS is one of my favorite books of the Bible.

Thank you for stopping by to comment.

Blessings ~
Your Friend,
René

My art teacher and friend told me one day that I no longer needed to go to church, as the clay would be my worship of the glory of God... or something like that. Truthfully, when I sculpt particularly, I find that I sometimes go to a different place in my head. I don't hear things, I'm not hungry or thirsty, and I don't worry. It is such a great state of mind that when I come out of it - or just exhaust myself - it is as if I was someplace else.

Thanks For Sharing

I enjoyed reading this Renee. Thanks

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you Renee.

yes. faith is my brush by which i may yield love or even anger but always with a shy hope that every thing shall fall into places... faith it is.

Thanks I needed that. It is I think the 3rd time in as many days that Hebrews 11 has been brought to my attention. I think God is trying to tell me something!! Thanks again for posting!!!!

Thanks for providing this, Rene. I believe faith is a foundation to who we are and what we will become...in both our art and lives in general.

Profound message. I believe that my best writing comes from faith.

Hi Elizabeth ~ I'm bringing your precious comments down here, and putting in BOLD some of the points that you've made that I'd like to respond to . , ,

"My art teacher and friend told me one day that I no longer needed to go to church, as the clay would be my worship of the glory of God... or something like that. Truthfully, when I sculpt particularly, I find that I sometimes go to a different place in my head. I don't hear things, I'm not hungry or thirsty, and I don't worry. It is such a great state of mind that when I come out of it - or just exhaust myself - it is as if I was someplace else." ~ Elizabeth

Along the lines of worshiping God through our artistic creations, the Glory of God shines forth when WE are tapped into God's Spirit. WE do not worship the creations, but WE worship God. By worshiping God ~ all that WE do then shows forth God's glory ~ for God is the Master Creator. I understand what your art teacher meant. The way you have worded it makes us think about what "worship" means. . .

MUSIC

Songs of Worship to God take us to a place (like you've mentioned in relation to your sculpting Elizabeth) that places us in the PRESENCE of the Lord. There is no reason why any other form of worship to God would be any different. I believe that God has a special interest in the ARTS . . . WHY do I believe this? If WE just look around, WE can SEE that nature itself shows forth God's glory. BEAUTY ABOUNDING!

Elizabeth, when you sculpt and go to a different place in your head. wherein, you don't hear things, are not hungry or thirsty, and don't worry, I truly can pull into your words and echo your statement when it comes to the ARTS. . . .

It is such a great state of mind ~ as you've said ~ that when an Artist comes out of it, they realize that they were someplace else during their creative time . . . SO TRUE!

Thank you so much for responding to this Article Elizabeth. I'd love to SEE some of your Sculptures!

Blessings ~
René

You're welcome Amber!

Connie ~ Good to SEE you ~ and I'll have to make it a special point to stop by your place, because I don't SEE you as much since the HOME PAGE began playing hide~n~seek. And, you know how I love your Articles!

Thank you both for stopping by . . .

René

I love that name . . . minipin Pixels ~ How CREATIVE! Thank you for stopping by. . . .

You're welcome Bob ~ Good to see you!

Master Poet Poddar . . . as you've said, "yes. faith is my brush by which i may yield love or even anger but always with a shy hope that every thing shall fall into places... faith it is." ~ Poddar

TRUE, it is that WE, as Artists, must always have FAITH in the working of the Spirit of God as WE create. Because, ALWAYS, artistic creations are "spirit in action" on all levels. . . .

THE ARTS enter the senses in every way . . . MUSIC ~ DANCE ~ PAINTINGS ~ SCULPTURES ~ LITERARY WORKS ~ POETICS . . .

The EARS, The BODY, The EYES, The MIND, and Our spirits . . . must come ALIVE in order to partake of the ARTS ~ FULLY ~

For the ARTS holds no captives that it does not re~shape and re~make. Like Clay, WE are forever changed when WE enter into the ARTISTIC ZONE . . .

So glad that there are others within that WE can relate to, and gladly call "FRIENDS" ~ {wink!} . . .

Thank you Poddar . . .

Your Friend,
René

Hi Dusty!

You're welcome . . .

You are the 3rd person who has said, "Hebrews 11 has been brought to my attention . . . 3 times . . . hmmmmm ~ "33" is a sacred number.

And, HEBREWS 11 is an AWESOME passage . . .

" Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. " ~ HEBREWS 11:3 ~ KJV

Reading ALL of HEBREWS 11 is transforming in and of itself . . .

You're right Dusty ~ God is surely trying to tell you something!

Blessings ~
Your Friend,
René

Hi Renda!

You've given us a wonderful quote . . .

"I believe faith is a foundation to who we are and what we will become...in both our art and lives in general." ~ Renda

Thank you Renda ~ You've given me something to meditate on ~ because when I transpose the words "God" and "FAITH" and apply them to your quote, I get . . .

"I believe God is a foundation to who we are and what we will become...in both our art and lives in general."

Blessings ~
Your Friend,
René

Courtesy of a Renda & René COLLABORATION" . . .

"Having FAITH in GOD forms an unshakable FOUNDATION signifying who we are . . . in both our art and lives in general" ~ René Allen

AMEN Marge ~ THANK YOU for your words . . .

"Profound message. I believe that my best writing comes from faith ." ~ Marge

Beautiful, Rene!

And, yes...you did make me laugh today! Thank you! =)

Ahahah! Hi Ruthe! I love reading your REFLECTIONS . . . you really do serve us well as a "friend", because you never hold back. And, I'm glad you are a "friend" of mine ~ {smiles} . . .

Blessings & HUGS ~
Your Friend,
Rene

Great message. Thanks for shaing it with us.

Art is the substance of things hoped for...

:-)

Nice twist!

Thanks Rene. My problem is I often mix some of me in my steps :) I just did something. I told God I hope this is in Faith and not some ulterior motive. Then I decided not to worry about it. It is up to Him to change me. He doesn't use secret code. He will speak or act clearly if there is something we must know when we desire to do His will.

Which is, in a way, what you are saying. He speaks to us and through us in many ways. Not just words. His Spirti is faithful even to broken vessels. In fact, He says He deliberatly uses cracked pots so that it is obvious that the glory comes from Him and not ourselves. (or something like that:)

Ha ha. I was sitting on this page from yesterday evening. I just sat down & posted and when I did a whole row of your responses popped up. The first one saying pretty much what I just said :)
PS I just checked the dates. Guess I've been sitting on this page for days. That's the way it is with tabs. They're wonderful.

I just love some of your stuff. I parade my unconscious in my artwork. That is the unseen for me. Faith I know very little about.

Hi Shelbia! ~ Thank you too, for commenting.

Big Smiles to you Sandi ~ Thank you for stopping in to comment.

Hi Glome ~ I love those tabs too ~ ahahha! The thing is, I just don't know when to stop and end up with binders of tabs held everywhere ~ ahahah! Wonderful these tabs.

Now, as to what you've said . . . "I told God I hope this is in Faith and not some ulterior motive. Then I decided not to worry about it. It is up to Him to change me. He doesn't use secret code. He will speak or act clearly if there is something we must know when we desire to do His will." ~ Glome

I don't want to mess up what your message is, but I'm wondering if you are saying that when we speak is it us or God? Through all the various ways, means, and methods that we may use, is it us or God working through?

I'd have to say that regardless of any person's ulterior motives or infusion of "self" ~ God trumps ALL. Haven't you ever heard of times when people were out with ulterior motives in operation, and God totally changed their life around using their little ulterior motives and "self" ventures to show them a thing or two? . . .

Or when people set out with a certain idea in mind, and their idea turns into something totally different from what they set out to do ~ and it is all for their GOOD?

Many times, people say that ART has a mind of its own . . .

Secret Codes are no different really, Glome ~ WE all know that nothing is really secret -- only hidden from those not ready to discover and digest whatever it may contain.

Thank you for adding to this Discussion! As always, I love your comments.

Your Friend,
Rene

Carol, Carol ~ My friend, Carol . . .

You are so very interesting. I like your comments . . .

"I just love some of your stuff. I parade my unconscious in my artwork. That is the unseen for me. Faith I know very little about." ~ Carol

FAITH is trusting that your unconscious continues to parade itself in your artwork just as you believe. And, Carol, I'd say outloud with a smile that you know a great deal about FAITH -- you are just being modest.

Blessings ~
Your Friend,
Rene

I just came back by here to read the comments that have been posted since my last visit (which are very interesting). I like the quote, Rene. By the way, today I saw a sign outside a church and am reminded of it when I read the conversation between you and Glome above. The sign: When you can not sleep, don't count sheep; talk to the shepherd.

Great concept.

Oh Renda ~ I LOVE THAT QUOTE! I must use this . . .

"When you can not sleep, don't count sheep; talk to the shepherd." ~ delivered by Renda

That is an EXCELLENT idea -- GOOD ADVICE -- and worth practicing. It is much better than trying to find a million other ways to get to sleep -- when really, the fact probably is . . . that a person is not able to sleep because God is waiting on them to speak with Him. I never thought about that until you brought up the message from the sign. THANKS!

Your Friend,
Rene

Thanks much Sherrie -- Feel free to use it in your RAINBOW COLLECTIONS Gather Group! . . . you have so much ART in there to share ~ as well as the lapse of time between the color appearing (or being presented to everyone to think on), the idea/concept being formulated and created, and then the manifestation of the Artworks. . . .

I'd say for sure that your Group is a perfect example of that statement . . .

"ART is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen." ~ by René Allen ~ Copyright © 2008 ~ René Allen ~ all rights reserved

A GIFT for Sherrie's Gather Group!

God Bless

Thank you Andrea for stopping by.

Blessings ~
{laughing}
René

Hey René, very amazing connection at the end there. I LOVE it! I think equating art and faith can be so valuable. Thanks!

Hi David! ~ Thank you for adding to this Discussion. {I'm smiling} . . . I'm glad to hear from you.

And, I thank you for your kind input.

Blessings ~
René

Totally agree! ;-)

Blessings and best wishes in abundance - S.

You speak of trust in our works. You know this is so timely, as I've done much less work on my novel than I typically do, yet I'm calm, and I'm relaxed. I think I finally have trust that it will work out and it was more or less meant to be this way. (If I'm wrong I'm in trouble, LOL) I'm not sure what exactly I'm placing my trust in.. spirit, muse, myself or my character. Perhaps I'm just throwing the trust out there and whoever happens to be on the other end will answer my call..

Yes, our power (or perhaps, inner critic) does beg us to be attentive accountable and responsible for our creations. The part that really jumped out at me was how you said that what comes forth is not of our making. I've believed this often, though I attribute this to the muse or characters. I've had nearly complete snippets come to me from nowhere, and it would seem that I was just listening at the right frequency to be receptive enough to hear and pick up on it.

However, I'm not sure there is always a message to be conveyed in all works. Fiction, for example is often just a jaunt into someone's world with no aim or message other than to disappear into another person's creation for a while.

"ART is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen." ~ René Allen

Rene, you are brilliant, you know that, right?

Please allow me to place this into my art journal.

Thanks Svetlana! Good to SEE you on this Discussion thread.

Blessings ~
Rene

Awwww Jen ~ WE are "friends" because WE have so much we can talk about with each other, and truly relate. Thank you for reading this and adding your comments. I think YOU are BRILLIANT! ~ especially when it comes to your Literary Works, and the thoughts behind your creations.

You've said a lot of interesting things here . . . like . . . TRUST . . .

When you say, "I'm not sure what exactly I'm placing my trust in.. spirit, muse, myself or my character. Perhaps I'm just throwing the trust out there and whoever happens to be on the other end will answer my call.." ~ Jennifer N.

I'd say that what you've said is a clear indicator that you have an OPEN MIND ~ You do not limit your CREATIVE RECEPTION ~ You allow the ideas to FLOW to you, and because of that one factor alone, it is all a part of trusting that what you create will in fact be an inspired work.

I have to admit that I SEE all things on a spiritual level ~ and I know that my inklings and messages are all divinely inspired ~ mostly, because they are thoughts that I did not think on my own, would never have thought of, and probably would never imagine. [I'm speaking of my writings] . . . there are differences in the writing when you remove yourself from the message -- at least for me -- You may find this to be true too Jen.

Usually a person writes when they are inspired to do so. It is a VOICE speaking. The Writer knows the VOICE . . . and when the Writer doesn't recognize the voice, I suppose this can be seen as many things ~ i.e., the universal wavelength of inspired ideas ~ there is such a thing floating around in the atmosphere. People grab a hold of them, and then are ready to fight with someone else who also grabbed a hold of the same idea ~ ahahah ~ but so true.

You can use the quote for your Journal Jen ~ You know that {smiles}. Anything of mine is yours too my friend till the end.

A Writer is the ultimate when it comes to "sharing". Writing is no good unless it is shared. Usually 'selfish" people don't end up as successful Writers (Authors). You can't hold on to LITERARY WORKS ~ They'll burn a hole in your soul if you do.

Thank you Jen for always showing me different ways of looking at the same thing. It has helped me a great deal to have you as a "friend".

Blessings ~
Rene

SheWhoTalks and Listens ~ I like what you are doing with your ARTISTIC TALENTS ~ Your artwork and photography being put to use in your Church is very nice to hear . . .

"Lately however I have been putting my love of all things creative and of images to use.  Made a directory for my church and update it every few months, and I make greeting cards and use them to send to people in our congregation who need to know someone cares.  Those two things help me feel like my art and photography are more useful and less just for me." ~ SheWhoTalks and Listens

The greeting cards are not only artistic gifts that you share with others, they also serve to INSPIRE and UPLIFT the spirits of those who may really be in need of a "friend".

The PHOTOGRAPHY and the DIRECTORY that you have put together for your Church sound wonderful.  GRAPHIC ARTS come to mind when I think of this.

The comments that your family made to you and their attitudes and actions are familiar to many ARTISTS ~ They will tell you that they heard such things as . . .

"How are you going to make money doing that?"

"You'll starve to death if you think your ART will pay anything."

"Playing?"

"That is very nice for kids, not for adults."

"It is time for you to face reality."

"Don't you think you should grow up and step into the real world?"

I laugh at all of the above.  ART makes the world go round...

Going to the next comment box . . .

SheWhoTalks and Listens ~ You have given us beautiful words to make a note of . . . I'm bringing what you said down here . . .

"You are indeed correct, God cannot be limited but our thoughts about things can limit our understanding.  We can create the limitation for ourselves, if that makes any sense.  God is what He is.  We just might not always see Him working in us or understand He can and will do more if we let Him."

So TRUE ~ So TRUE your words.  WE forget from time to time that WE are each living the LIFE that we create for ourselves.  WE are CREATORS just like our CREATOR.

When we allow the Holy Spirit of God to truly take over our being ~ miraculous things occur.  WE find strength that we did not know we had.  WE find courage to face those things that we thought were too BIG for us to face.  We  begin to SEE love, kindness, and compassion all around us when we LOOK for it.

WE are LOVED very much, even when we convince ourselves otherwise.

A "friend" begins within.

. . . going to the next comment box . . .

SheWhoTalks and Listens ~

Your last paragraph is very "touching".  I'd like to say that I think that everyone has their moments where they question if what they have a JOY for is really "too good to be true." . . . then it makes you wonder if people really "fear" FULFILLMENT?  Do people secretly think that they have no right to be HAPPY?

If WE change the thought process to . . . "I have a RIGHT to be HAPPY, FULFILLED, JOYFUL, and at PEACE." ~ what happens? . . .

Do we then begin to MOVE MOUNTAINS?  Do we tell those who present something other than what we desire to take a hike?

I do ~ I think everyone else should too.  Because everyone has the RIGHT to be HAPPY.  I wouldn't want to stand in the way of anyone's HAPPINESS -- and the reason being . . .

I don't want anyone to do that to me -- and neither should you.

We live in a world that has ugliness.  But, of course, we can always pick up a paintbrush and change the landscape.

HUGS ~

Your Friend,

Rene

Oh ~ And, I'll leave this quote for those coming into the discussion here . . .

"WE never have to convince anyone of who we are.  WE just have to convince ourselves to JUST BE." ~ Rene Allen

Excellent - goes right along with my award-winning book, Preserved to Serve.

Claire Power Murphy

Hi Claire ~ I love the title!  How nice.  I must get a copy.  Thank you for chiming in.