Scripture Series: Draw Near to God Card---Free Scripture Word Art at our Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

It's another Wednesday and another day to praise and thank the Lord Jesus for all the wonderful things He's done for us!   There's something about declaring the goodness of God that empowers every believer even when everything that's happening around us seem to suggest that the day is up to no good.  As you focus on what transpires in your physical existence, it's very easy to sink into depression and hopelessness.  When things are going your way, you feel so "in control" of your life.  Emotions are high and not a care in this world!  But life is such a roller coaster and emotions can give you joy one day and sorrow the next.  Today you feel like you are on top of the world and the next day, feel like you're at the bottom of a pit.  When I came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ many years ago, He accepted me for all that I am!  My past, present and future included.  He knew my strengths and vulnerabilities as well as what makes me happy or sad.  The truth is, He knew me better than I know myself!  God said in Ezekiel 36:25, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."  The fact that God has to give us a "NEW HEART" and a "NEW SPIRIT" meant that our "old heart" and "old spirit" fell short of the glory of God!  We were born into this world with that OLD NATURE---the "Sin Nature" that came from Lucifer and was placed inside Adam (when Man fell into sin).  We are in this inescapable bondage with Adam with  a sure verdict of "Death" in three categories---Spiritual (separation from God), Physical (separation from our body) and Eternal (everlasting separation from God).  Everyone who lives and die without embracing the "Only WAY" God has given to mankind is a slave to Satan.  It doesn't matter whether you are rich or poor, young or old, religious or not religious, skin color, your status in life, fame etc.  You can be the most charitable person in the entire universe but here lies the Truth....Every good deeds man conjured up through His own abilities, strength and resources, are going to burn in the sight of the Lord.  Let me be very clear about that statement by quoting what the Lord Jesus told us in John 15:4-6, "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."  God sent us the "Vine" in Whom we must branch out from.  John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  At the Cross, He bore every sin of man and crucified it with Him.  As we come  by faith (trust) in what the Lord Jesus accomplished through that act of love (selflessness), we become one with Him in His death, burial and resurrection.  Simply put, we "DIE" from the Old Nature, we were "BURIED" with Him and when "HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD," we are "BORN-AGAIN" in Him--- totally free from the bondage of Satan. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SALVATION!  I would be lying and would disservice anyone if I withhold this Truth.  I will shout it out to the ends of the earth and would go as far as the Lord would lead me to declare this Gospel!  The Apostles didn't hide the Truth from anybody even in the midst of persecutions and danger to their lives.  Peter boldly declared this in Acts 4:8-12, "At this Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke to them, “Leaders of the people and elders, if we are being called in question today over the matter of a kindness done to a helpless man and as to how he was healed, it is high time that all of you and the whole people of Israel knew that it was done in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! He is the one whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, and it is by his power that this man at our side stands in your presence perfectly well. He is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone^.' In no one else can salvation be found. For in all the world no other name has been given to men but this, and it is by this name that we must be saved!”  So, if you hear the voice of the Lord speaking to you today, harden not your heart!  He loves you so much that He poured out His blood for your freedom!  He died so that you may live...Come to Him, no matter what condition you are in.  He is able to turn your darkness into His marvelous light---your sins as scarlet into white as snow!  Only He can do that!  All it takes is opening the door to your heart and letting Him in...

Our free Word Art (by Karen Murray) for our Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) comes from Psalm 73:28 which says, "But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."  In Jesus, we have a purpose-filled life, perfect joy, unfathomable peace and a very bright and amazing future!  This life on earth is but a training ground.  We are to learn from the Lord Jesus---inclining our ears to His Word!  We are to hunger and thirst for His righteousness for it is the Way of life in God's Kingdom (Matthew 5:6).  There is only One King in God's Kingdom and everyone is subject to His righteous rule.  If on earth, we know nothing but rebellion, then we cannot possibly be productive Kingdom citizens.  It is only by having a close and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ that we will be able to know the will of our Father and carry out the purposes and plans He designed for us---both in this world and in His Kingdom.  

For this inspiration Card, I used a wonderful retired image called "Winter Bird in the Trees" from Sassy Cheryl's Stamps and colored it with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  One of our sponsors this week provided almost 90% of all the papers I used in this project.  The Paper Temptress has a wonderful array of papers and embellishments that would suit your crafting needs.  Here, I used Sour Apple, Blu Raspberry, Cotton Candy, Cordovan Paper and the Cryogen White Paper.  These are high quality, sturdy card stocks.  I truly appreciate the chance to showcase their product through this creation.  Anyway, the base (Cryogen White) was cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  I paper pieced the tree (with Sour Apple) after I embossed it with my Cuttlebug.  I die cut couple of Nestabilities dies and  adhered  some white nail head gems from Imaginisce.  I  also attached flowers from Recollections and incorporated some punched leaves using an MS Punch.  I stitched all over this card and added some glitters (Stickles-Crystal) to the flowers and leaves.  Hope you like it...

 DRAW NEAR TO GOD CARD:

 DRAW NEAR TO GOD CARD LAYERS:

 DRAW NEAR TO GOD CARD INSIDE:

DRAW NEAR TO GOD CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Scrapping 4 Fun---Use a Stamp/Digi Image
Just B Creative Crazy---Just Because
Crafty Calendar---Things with Wings
Crafty Girls---ATG
Crafting by Designs---April Showers May bring Flowers
Creative Moments---ATG/Spring
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards---Spring
Craftitude---ATG/Spring and/or Easter
Polkadoodles---Springtime
Paper Crafting---No Patterned Paper
Everybody's Art---Cute
Stampin with the Dragon---Springtime
Wags 'n Whiskers---Lots of Layers
Whimsy Stamps---ATG
Fab 'n' Funky---Paper Piecing (the tree had been embossed and paper pieced)
BMC Crafting Station---Die-Cuts
Little Claire's---Lots of Layers
Creative Card Crew---Girly
Dazzling Diva---Radiant Orchid/ATG
Crafter's Cafe---Add Glitter (on Flowers and Birds)
Scrap-Creations---ATG
Challenges 4 Everybody---ATG
Stamping Sensations---Dies and/or Punches
Squirrel and the Fox---Die-cut/Punch
A Random Fan---ATG
Top Tip Tuesday---Paper Piecing ( Trees were embossed and paper pieced)
Tuesday Throwdown---Lots of Sparkle 

Just want to encourage you to enter our WAW Challenge for a chance to win wonderful prizes from our sponsors this week---Paper Temptress ($25 GC to their store) and Moonlighting Designs (3 Digi images of choice).  You are allowed to enter up to 5 times as long as your entries are different projects and with encouraging and uplifting messages.  Can't wait to see what you will make using our free Word Art although not mandatory.  Hugs and blessings everyone and know that Jesus truly loves you and has a wonderful plan for your future.