Scripture Series: Resurrection and the Life Center Step Card---Join Us for Another Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi there Crafty friends and followers.  It's an awesome day to praise the Lord!  I was watching a Christian teaching DVD yesterday while I was working on this Card and I was so blessed by the topic on the "Law of Expectancy." It cited a load of scriptures with regards to how the way we think affects the quality of our lives.  This is nothing new to me but what captured my attention was how clearly the teacher explained this law with a Biblical perspective.  As believers of Jesus Christ, we are to fill our minds with the promises of God and expect things that are good, pure and praise-worthy.  We are to declare positive things to happen based on our trust in Him and rid of any negative thinking/confession that would pronounce curse to our lives.  In our family, God quickens us to be mindful of things we say by rebuking any negative statement we catch ourselves saying from time to time and destroying that negative spirit, in the name of Jesus.   We are to declare God's glory daily by confessing His goodness, claiming His promises in our lives and trusting that He is able to deliver what we prayed/asked for in His Name.  In the midst of the trials our family confronts with daily, I can't tell you exactly how God's Word (through that teaching) have empowered my life---to not limit what God can do in  our future.  I am literally thanking Him for the blessings each day and for the answered prayer He's revealing to us very soon. 

Anyway,  how exactly are we supposed to live a life with complete trust in the Lord?  Jesus said in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."  Coming from a fallen state in Adam (before anyone comes to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through a Born-Again experience in John 3:3), everyone possessed (inside of them) the sin nature from Satan.  The devil's agenda is clear in John 10:10---to kill, steal and destroy.  All sins lead to destruction and everyone with the sin nature are destined to suffer the three-fold nature of death (spiritual, physical and eternal).  Yet long before time, God already provided a solution to the horrific fate of man.  It was His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, whose sole sacrifice in the Cross of Calvary took every punishment our sin deserved and took it upon Himself.  When He died on the Cross, He bore all of mankind's sin with Him and conquered them completely with His resurrection.  Death cannot hold our Savior to the grave.  The penalty of our sins have been paid in full and we have been set free from the bondage of the enemy.  To access the benefits of what Jesus' has done for us, we must repent from our old ways (in Adam) and come to Him by faith---a simple act of "trust" by receiving what He's already accomplished in our behalf.  No other person, religion or entity will be able to save mankind from the bondage of being in Adam.  This is why true believers does not and should not compromise the Truth of God's Word, no matter what the cost.  Jesus spoke and declared in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  Friends, this is such a profound statement.  No one in the history of the earth made this declaration and supported it historically with truth, action and fulfilled prophecies.  He is literally the ONLY WAY! Anybody who says they are Christians but believes that others can come to Almighty God through other means does not have any clue about Jesus nor the Scriptures.  I don't care how educated, wealthy, famous or influential they are---without complete faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, they are lost and will take others with them in darkness due to ignorance, pride and stubbornness.   Proverbs 4:23-27 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."

This week's Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW), we are featuring a free Word Art (by Karen Murray) highlighting God's Word in John 11:25 which says, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."  Here, Jesus spoke about all the things He won for us at the Cross---completely fulfilled upon His resurrection!  If He died and didn't resurrect, our faith is in vain.  But since He conquered death, our faith is sealed in Him!  Just as in Adam, we were plunged into death and died spiritually by an act of disobedience; so by the death of Jesus, our old nature is put to death when we come to Him in faith (Born-Again experience). By His resurrection, we were restored back to His righteousness (God's quality of life).  One day, we are all going to die and leave our physical bodies (unless we join Him in the Rapture first).  Yet, we have this blessed hope---He promised that we shall "live again" eternally in His presence.  Compare the many years of existence here on earth to the eternal realm where time does not exist.  A wise person will see the huge difference between the two and will prioritize based on what's more important.  Those who rejected God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ will also live eternally, oh yes!  But the sad thing is that they are going to live separated, with no hope of being in the presence of the Lord, EVER!  And where God is absent, it's a place of unending torment and suffering!   You see, that is why I  am here to proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ.  I share God's Word because I care for the lost sheep.  Somebody  cared enough to impart the Gospel to me many years ago and have patiently prayed for me to come to the saving knowledge of Christ.  Now, I am leading and praying for others to come to Him as well.  You owe it to yourself to test the claims of Jesus Christ and see if He is Who He says He is.  I don't want anyone to just believe in me but I want everyone to study and find out the Truth about the God of the Scriptures while we are still alive.  We never know when death is going to take us away and by then, it will be too late.  Are you ready?

For this Card, I chose an image from  Saturated Canary called "Butterfly Princess" and colored it with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  I just think this image is perfect for the highlighted scriptures.  The base card is Kraft, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches center step card.  The DP's are from My Mind's Eye and Recollections.  The lacy oval is cut and embossed using my Nestabilities and Cuttlebug.  I inked the Prima flowers using Distress Inks (Peeled Paint/Broken China/Fired Brick/Walnut Stain), layered them and attached a metal brad in the center of the flowers and a couple on the main panel.  Lastly, I stitched all over this Card.  I'm happy with the result.

 RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE CENTER STEP CARD:

 RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE CENTER STEP CARD LAYERS:

 RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE CENTER STEP CARD INSIDE:

RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE CENTER STEP CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Craftyhazelnuts---Patterned Paper
Doodle Pantry---Any Digi Goes
Flat Friends---Include a Sentiment
Just B Creative Crazy---ATG
Mema's Crafts---ATG/Optional: Easter/Spring
Oddball---Use a Digi
One Sweet Challenge---Spring
East Wind---Use a Sentiment
A Song In Your Heart---Everything Grows
Dazzling Diva---ATG/Easter/Spring
Crafter's Cafe---Spring
Creative Moments---ATG/Girly
Divas by Design---Easter/Spring
Penny's Paper Crafty---Flower Power
Rhedd and Rosie---ATG
Scrapper's Delights---Bloomin' Lovely
Whimsy Stamps---ATG
Clear It Out---ATG with Twist: Real or Faux Stitching (all materials are 6 mos. to a year old)
Crafty Sentiments---Easter
Creative Card Crew---Spring
Cuttin and Stampin---Rainbows/Easter
Fan-Tastic Tuesday---ATG
Scrap-Creations---Easter
Oldie but a Goodie---April Showers Bring May Flowers ((all materials are 6 mos. to a year old)
Papertake Weekly---Spring Has Sprung
Passion fro ProMarkers---So Sentimental
Pause Dream Enjoy---3D  Projects
SweetStamps---Easter
TTCRD---ATG
Artistic Inspirations---ATG/Easter Animal
Aurora Wings---ATG
Cheerful Stamp Pad---Add Some Flowers
Crafting from the Heart---ATG/Easter
Crafting Desert Diva's---ATG
Crafty Boots---Easter
Created with Love---Easter
Digi Makeover---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
Make my Monday---Easter
Melonheadz---Spring
My Craft Creations---ATG
My Craft Spot---Happy Easter
Stamp and Create---Spring Flowers

Make sure you join us at WAW Challenge.  You can use the free Word Art in your creation and link it to our Challenge but is not a requirement.  As long as it's family-friendly, uplifting and inspirational, you can enter up to 5 times this week.  Lots of prizes to be won from our two wonderful sponsors---My Craft Spot (Stamp Set of winner's choice) and Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Some Stamps).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, meditate on the goodness of the Lord and rely on His promises.  Expect only wonderful things from Him each day.  We serve a good and faithful God---Jesus Christ!