About Counsel Gold

At the start of 2023, Revelation 3:18 was echoing in my heart. I did not fully understand it at the time, but the words "counsel" and "gold" kept repeating in my heart.

"I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."  - Revelation 3: 18

The context of this verse is a letter to the Laodicians in Revelation 3: 14 - 21.  It was a strong word to the church to not be lukewarm or Jesus will spit you out. The chapter shows pride and self reliance of the church that the Holy Spirit speaks against. Thinking we are rich in our knowledge and understanding of the Word, we do not realise that we are pitiful, blind and naked in the things of God. So God counsels us to get "gold" from Him refined in fire, clothes from Him to cover shameful nakedness and salve for the eyes so we can see. 

The passage calls us to be humble and reliant on God. Isaiah 9:6 refers to Jesus as the Counselor. Jesus in John 16:7 refers to the Holy Spirit as our Counselor. Therefore with regards to any advice or counsel, God is the first point of contact. Counsel Gold was born out of wanting counsel from the Ultimate Counselor. 

John 15 talks about not being able to do anything when we are disconnected from Jesus, the Vine. That we can only bear fruit while being connected to Him. That means intimacy with God, where we walk with Jesus daily that we can discern His voice and be reliant on Him. In seeking God's face and walking with Him, the 'bearing fruit' is evident in my artwork and blogposts. For without Jesus I can not come up with something pure and authentic that is centered around and points to Him.  

Counsel Gold's vision is that God's heart is reflected through each artwork and blogpost and brings glory to God. I hope that some of the art pieces serve as confirmation of what God's already spoken to someone as God calls each of us to have a personal relationship with Him. 

About the Artist

Hi! I'm Vanessa. I started painting in 2020. God changed the course of my life, or rather I started to really yield to God's leading around that time when He had His way in my life in 2019. I had been a Christian my whole life, but in 2019, Revelation 3 seeped into my bones and I chose to no longer be lukewarm. From then on God lead me into painting and to use art to share His heart. As someone who grew up in Church playing instruments and singing was a given. My perception of worship was limited to that of music. However as God stirred in my heart to paint I use painting now as worship to Him and create every piece prayerfully with Jesus. May these paintings stir up faith, hope and love within you and inspire and bless you.