Scripture Series: Giving Thanks Always Card---Be blessed, Be Inspired at our Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  It's another day for a Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) and you can download a free Word Art at our WAW site like the ones featured on this project today.  Our scripture this week is taken from Ephesians 5:20 which tells us, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."  With this verse, I remember two of the most important things I learned from taking a Bible class about the Gospel (death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ).  The first one points to the fact that JESUS CHRIST is the "Source" of all things we receive from God.  1 Corinthians 8:6 tells us, "Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live."  When Adam fell into sin, our spirits became separated from God with no hopes of ever being reconciled.  God had to send His Only Son to redeem mankind.  Jesus---conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, is the Only One untainted by the sin of Adam.  He's the Only One qualified to save us from the penalty of sin and  death.  God didn't have to save mankind but because of His great love for us, He sent His Son.  Because He fulfilled the requirement of the law through His death, burial and resurrection---anyone who places their faith in His finished work reaps the harvest of freedom and victory from the bondage of sin not just in this lifetime but eternally.  We have been reconciled with God as if the breached never happened!  I don't know with you but that's why the Gospel is "good news." The next important thing I learned from my study is that "Jesus Christ is the means by which we receive things from God."  1 Timothy 2:5 clearly states, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time."  When I became Born-again (John 3:3), I didn't completely understand why when we pray, we have to seal each prayer by stating, "This we ask for, IN JESUS NAME!"  It didn't take a while when I realized the significance of what Christ has done for me and that I can now stand in the presence of a Holy God because Jesus washed me clean with His blood.  Because of His sacrifice, the Father declared me and all others whose faith rest upon Him,---righteous before His sight.  I am made whole because Jesus cared and loved me so much to pay for my  sins.  I love what Hebrews 9:15 tells us, "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first (in Adam) covenant."

This is why it is imperative to tell everyone about the hope we have in Christ!  It is not just a set of rules and beliefs.  God has given us a WAY OF LIFE---living each day by faith in Jesus Christ!  No one can come in the presence of Almighty God by any other means!  Many have spent their entire lives devoting their time, money and existence serving gods that have added more burdens to them.  They literally carry them everywhere even though they have feet yet they don't function, hands that could not reach and mouths but could not speak.  Others worship those that requires them sacrificing their lives to martyrdom if they take the lives of those that does not agree with them with a promise of unsure paradise. Then there are those that require good works (and lots of them!) in hopes of eternal glory which outside of Christ are all in vain.  No one is saved by efforts of man---NOBODY! There is only ONE WAY---JESUS CHRIST!  Because He has shown me grace and unveiled to me the depths of His love through the redemptive work of Christ, I will always give thanks to my dear Father in Heaven for everything I am and for all that I have.  His great love demonstrated through Jesus allowed me to see clearly my value in His Kingdom.  Christ lives inside of me---I am safe in His care!  James 1:17-18 says, ": Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." We ought to be grateful no matter what situation we are in for the One that lives inside of us will never leave us nor forsake us...

For today's Card, I used an image from Stamping Bella called "Vienna and her Vespa" which I colored with my ProMarker/Prismacolor/Bic markers.  The base card is a white CS measuring 5 x 6.5 inches.  All the DP's are from a wonderful collection called "Bramble" from My Mind's Eye.  I used my Cuttlebug to die-cut some shapes (Lacy Oval from Nestabilities and the border houses from Sizzix).  The layered flowers are from Prima with a brad at the center and die-cut leaves using EK Success punch.  I applied some glitter to the image using Stickles-Crystal.  To complete the design, I did some stiching all over this project.

GIVING THANKS ALWAYS CARD:

GIVING THANKS ALWAYS CARD LAYERS:

GIVING THANKS ALWAYS CARD INSIDE:

GIVING THANKS ALWAYS CARD WITH ENVELOPE:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Pile It On---Special Occasion
Craft Your Passion---Something Beginning with "B" (Brad)
Creative Moments---Celebration
Crafting by Designs---Giving Thanks
Loves Rubberstamps---Cool Colors
Papertake Weekly---2 or 4 Legs
Party Time Tuesday---ATG
Scrapper's Delights---ATG/Paper Piecing
TTCRD---ATG
Whoopsi Daisy---Lots of Layers
Sisters of Craft---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Crafting by Designs---ATG
A Crafty Mess---ATG
Crafts Galore Encore---ATG
Scrap-Creations---Make It Sparkle
Great Impressions---Thankful Thoughts
Jellypark---Festive
Lacy Sunshine---Harvest/Thanksgiving
Scribble and Scrap---ATG
That Craft Place---ATG
Corrosive---Girly
Artistic Inspirations---ATG/Stars
Craft Hoarders---For All You Do, Thank You!
Crafty Boots---Remembrance
Fitztown---Glitz and Glamour
Love to Scrap---Bling (Glitters)
Melonheadz Friends---Add a Sentiment
My Craft Creations---ATG
Path of Positivity---Gratitude
Perfectly Rustics---Stitching
Scrapbook Stamp Society---ATG
The Crazy Challenge---Favorite Technique (Fussy Cutting)
The Paper Nest Dolls---ATG

Don't forget to join us at the WAW Challenge.  You can use the free Word Art this week to make a project and link it to our Challenge although it's not mandatory.  You can also link other projects (up to 5) as long as it has uplifting/inspirational messages.  Our sponsors this week are  Flying Unicorn Store ($25 GC) and Yours or Mine Paper Crafts ($10 GC).  Have a blessed day and remember to always be grateful as hold on to the promises of God in your life no matter what.  Let the Holy Spirit comfort you with God's Word and empower you daily.