Scripture Series: Like a Watered Garden---Join Us for Another Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi there, Crafty pals!  Here to highlight my inspiration project for our newest Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  As always, we feature a Scripture Word Art  that you can download for free at the WAW site.  It comes from Isaiah 58:11 which says, "And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."  What a wonderful passage pertaining to  those who truly seek and obey the Will of God and not doing things out of selfish ambitions and worldly praise.  Isaiah 58 deals with "True Fasting" in the sight of the Lord.  I would like to share what my Life Application Bible shared concerning this chapter for it truly blessed me.  It says, "True worship is more than a religious ritual, going to the temple everyday, fasting and listening to Scripture readings.  These people missed the point of a living, vital relationship with God.  He doesn't want us acting pious when we have unforgiven sin in our hearts and perform sinful practices with our hands.  More important even than correct worship and doctrine is compassion for the poor, the helpless and the oppressed.  We cannot be saved by the deeds of service without faith in Christ, but our faith lacks sincerity if it doesn't reach out to others.  Fasting can be beneficial spiritually and physically, but at its best, fasting helps only the person doing it.  God says He wants our service to go beyond our personal growth to acts of kindness, charity, justice and generosity.  True fasting is more than what we don't eat; it is pleasing God by applying His Word to our society. 

As believers (Born-again, John 3:3) of the Lord Jesus Christ, each of us are walking in different levels of FAITH as influenced by our encounter and responsiveness to the Word of God.  To put our faith (trust, believe, adhere, cling, depend, reliance) into something means that we are ready to put our lives on the line for something bigger than ourselves and for a cause much bigger than what this world can offer.  So, it's very important for the OBJECT of our faith to be Tried, True and Unchanging.  Malachi 3:6 says, "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."  The Lord created everything through His spoken Word.  John 1:1-5 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  JESUS is the "Word of God" (Logos/Word---the expression of the thought or the totality of the message of God to man).  John 1:14 testifies to this Truth when it says, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." We are so blessed by the Written Word of God (the Bible) and the historical evidence of the life, ministry and the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross (personal revelation of God in Christ) to know that we are planted on a Sure Foundation.  The natural revelation of the Lord (things we see around us) declare His undeniable power and glory.  We have proven in time that what He said would happen---happened!   You see, the currency of heaven is FAITH.  Hebrews 11:6 clearly says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  But how do we acquire faith?  It is not earned by prayer, fasting nor doing good works.  Sometimes, we even pray for the Lord to increase our faith.  While it may sound good, but God already revealed to us how we can access "FAITH."  Romans 10:17 (AMP) says, " So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ."  The level of study/commitment/obedience you give to the Truth you hear (exposure to the Word of God) determines the level of faith/maturity/growth that influences/directs your life.  Contrary to what the world dictates, obedience to His Word is valued by Almighty God.  Anyone who adds or subtracts from God's Word deceiving many is destined for eternal damnation.  God is looking for people who will take His Word to heart and wholeheartedly apply it to honor Him and serve others.  Any exterior signs of spirituality without the right motive to obey God's Word are nothing but filthy rags in the sight of our Lord.  Matthew 24:35 says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."  If the Word of God (Jesus) is going to be with us forever, would it be beneficial for us to live this life for Him and by Him?

For this Card, I used an image from Stamping Bella called "Petunia Gets a Piggy Back" that I watercolored with my Stabilo 68 markers.  The base is an A7 pre-cut card, the lacy border was created with  an MS Punch and the metallic gems are from Imaginisce.  I also added some glitters to the image using Stickles (Crystal) and incorporated some stitching all over the card.  Simply beautiful!

 LIKE A WATERED GARDEN

 LIKE A WATERED GARDEN LAYERS

 LIKE A WATERED GARDEN INSIDE

LIKE A WATERED GARDEN WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Ellibelle's---Summer 

Sunny Day Crafting---Animals

Crafty Addicts---ATG/Pets 

Craft Rocket---Summer 

Crafting with Attitude---ATG 

Star Stampz---Summer is Here 

2 Crafty Critter---ATG with Critter

A Bit More Time---ATG 

A Perfect Time---ATG

Card Mania---ATG 

Classic DT---ATG 

Country View---Summer Garden 

Crafteezee---Summer 

Crafts Galore---ATG 

Crafty Animals---ATG with Animals 

Crafty Girls---ATG 

Creatalicious---ATG with No Patterned Paper 

Create and Inspire---ATG

Hope you enjoyed my featured project today at WAW...I am looking forward to see your projects linked to our Challenge.  You can include the free Word Art in your projects to link,  but not a requirement.  You can submit any inspirational, uplifting, family friendly creations (up to 5 each week) for more chances to win our prize from our sponsors this week---The Project Bin ($15 GC) and Iralamija (Digi Stamps). Everything we hear and see should always be brought to the approval and/or correction of the infallible Word of God---Jesus Christ!  He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).   

Scripture Series: I Will Dwell in the House Card---It's a Start of Another Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi friends!  I'm here to feature the card I made for our Challenge that started July 4th at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  So sorry for not posting it sooner due to busy schedule and not feeling well the past couple of days.  Our Scripture Word Art (you can download for free) at WAW comes from Psalm 23:6 which says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Psalm 23.  My Life Application Bible shared a wonderful exhortation about this Psalm that I would like to impart it to you.  It says:  "In describing the Lord as a Shepherd, David wrote out of his own experience because he had spent his early years caring for the sheep (1 Samuel 16:10-11).  Sheep are completely dependent upon the shepherd  for provision, guidance, and protection.  The New Testament calls Jesus the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20-21), and the Chief Shepherd (1Peter 5:4).  As the Lord is the Good Shepherd, so we are His sheep---not frightened, passive animals, but obedient followers, wise enough to follow one who will lead us in the right places and in right ways. This psalm does not focus on the animal-like qualities of sheep, but on the discipleship qualities of those who follow.  When you recognize the Good Shepherd, follow Him!

One of the videos I've seen a while back was of a farm where people were encouraged to call a flock  of sheep by teaching them the word/sound to make.  One by one, they tried to call the sheep and they all failed as the sheep seemed deaf to the noise they're making.  Then finally, the shepherd (farmer)   called them and all of a sudden, they heard him and rushed toward his direction.  It was a wonderful sight as I was reminded of what Jesus said in John 10:27-28 which says, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."  See the video HERE.

In the world today, we hear a lot of different voices (noise) that tempt/lead us to follow a different path other than what the Lord Jesus provided for us.  Many of them are outright evil that promotes temporary pleasures for the body while simultaneously destroying it as well.  Drug addiction, alcoholism, smoking, sexual perversion are some we see daily on TV, movies or even in our neighborhood (just to name a few).  While many other temptations are hidden under a spiritual disguise---those that deceive people to find their own way to God.  One great example of that is RELIGION (man's way to reach God).  Every religion incorporates a certain truth taken from the Word of God.  Like the Devil, Religion perverts God's Word by adding or subtracting to the Truth in order to persuade many to follow them.  Salvation through good works, bowing down to idols of every kind and earning (bogus) rewards by killing and harming others are some of the things made up by people's religion.  You don't have to look very far to see how "TRUE LOVE" is given a whole new meaning in today's society. Their  new worldly definition requires that you love people and embrace their sinfulness to the point that you not only tolerate it but practice it as well.  That if anyone points them to the Truth of God's Word that contradicts their sinful lifestyle, you are hateful and judgmental.  John 3:16 shows us what LOVE truly means when it says, "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."  GOD IS LOVE and God's kind of love is UNSELFISH!  God calls us to serve than to be served.  In our service to God, we want people to find the Truth even in the midst and danger of persecution in the hopes that in their repentance, they will find eternal peace with God.  Another thing this world is pushing these days is selfishness---"Be an American Idol/Icon, show off our talents, fulfill our dreams to stardom and to follow our own path to success. It teaches us to love ourselves and not deprived us of all the pleasure we crave for."   Though it may sound wonderfully encouraging---IT IS NOT!  I used to sing the song "My Way" by Frank Sinatra as it's a fave of my Dad.  But now, I could no longer identify with the lyrics.  Since Christ ruled my life, I no longer do it my way but "God's Way!" Everyone who placed their faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ should acknowledge this Scripture in Galatians 2:20 which states, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."  The moment we came to the saving knowledge of Jesus, we also surrendered to Him our earthly lives and dreams.  That when His Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us, we acknowledge that He makes the decision where to take and use us.  So when a believer says, "Live/Follow Your Dreams" to a congregation/audience,  I can't help but ask, "whose dreams he or she is talking about?"  For "living our dream" for many (sadly even for most believers) always involve power, fame, influence and material success.  These things are not bad in itself but we saw how many were destroyed by the very things they crave for and  how it caused them to be blind and deaf to the true voice and calling of their Shepherd (the Lord).  The farther away we distance ourselves from the flock (Church-Body of Christ) and God's Word, the less we hear of God's voice.  Without our Shepherd, we are vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy (1 Peter 5:8).  For our safety is in knowing Jesus Christ,  the Truth of His Word and having other believers to encourage us to follow Him daily.  For everything in this world is temporary.  While we are here, we experience the goodness, grace and love of our Father through the Holy Spirit that leads us in His straight, narrow and safe path.  Let us focus on the voice of our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who is able to lead us out of the temporary to eternal happiness in His presence.  Like the sheep who knows and follows the Shepherd, let us eagerly follow Jesus, our Good, Great and Chief Shepherd who will keep us to Himself now and forever.    


For this Card, I used an image from Bugaboo Stamps called "AKV Army Truck" (retired) that I colored using my Prismacolor markers.  The base is Kraft, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are from Recollections and Paper Studio.  The metal embellishments are from Imaginisce and the stitching are added using my sewing machine. 

 I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE CARD

 I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE CARD LAYERS

 I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE CARD INSIDE

I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Colour Crazy---ATG
Crafting with Friends---ATG
Crafty Catz---ATG/Summer Fun
Creative Fingers---ATG
Jo's Scrap Shack---ATG
QKR---ATG
Simply Papercraft---ATG
Crafting with an Attitude---ATG
Little Miss Muffet---ATG


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.  Wonderful prizes to be won from our wonderful sponsors---Wild Orchid Crafts (flowers and leaves), Sunny Studio Stamps ($25 GC) and Jane's Doodles (digi stasmps).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the peace of the Lord overtake you today.  I follow a good and faithful Shepherd---Jesus Christ!  

Especially Made: Enjoy the Ride Birthday Card---Join Us for our July Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create!

Hello everyone.  So sorry if I'm super late in posting this card here on my Blog as the past weekend was super duper busy for me.  This card is my inspiration card for our monthly Challenge at 613 Avenue Create and we invite you all to link your wonderful projects with us this July.  As always, it's Anything Goes but you can take the optional theme of  "Make Your Own Background" to challenge your creativity.  I chose to make a CAS card and you can do so as well.

Nowadays, I am praying for the country I originally came from---the Philippines.  I was born and raised there before I got married and became an American citizen.  All the time I lived there,  I witnessed how dirty politics has been and how many of the leaders succumb to corruption.  I know that no government is perfect and how Filipinos grew tired of a system that was influenced by voter buying and popularity votes.  Many elected politicians came into power because people saw them in the movies as actors and actresses.  Though some were qualified, many other candidates were voted for because they were famous.  Aside from politics, another influential pillar in the Philippine society is religion.  Majority of the people there are Roman Catholics.  I was part of this religion for 20 years till I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior and  became Born-again (John 3:3). I learned of God's redemptive plan through the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross through the written  Word of God (Scripture/Bible).  I am grateful for the foundation I got from the Church I served there for many years.  Yet is was  only when I came to America (after working for years in the Cruise ship) that I started truly growing in the knowledge of the Word of God after attending Bible classes offered by our Church Bible school.  I'd been going for nearly 10 years now.  All the foundations I learned from my Church in the Philippines started to make sense and each teaching became meaningful as my new Church connected everything like puzzle pieces that now showed me a clear picture of what Jesus did for me. It's all in the Bible.   Through the Holy Spirit, I learned not to depend on any teaching or opinions of man (no matter who they are) unless it aligns with the infallible Word of God.

It's because of this that my heart is heavy for what is happening in the Philippines.  For the incumbent President (Rodrigo Duterte) mocked and cursed the God of Creation and ridiculed/insulted (with filthy language and cussing) the Word of God in many of his public speeches.  Many of his supporters were saying that he was just attacking the Roman Catholic church---their practices and doctrines.  But personally seeing several videos of his speeches, many of them were a direct attack to the One True God.  Growing up in the Catholic religion, I realized that many of their doctrines contradict the Word of God (which is why I left).  Like any religion (man-made), there's a lot of twisted/perverted teachings that causes people to stumble.  Yet, after seeing several videos of Duterte's mockery of God (supposed to be directed towards Catholic priests and nuns), his attacks truly goes beyond the religion.  In one video,  he questioned the Biblical teaching of Creation calling God "stupid" (a few times) for creating a perfect world yet allowing Adam and Eve to be tempted, therefore destroying his creation.  He also pointed out that mankind should not be condemned as sinners due to the sin of Adam and Eve (to the dismay of some while others were laughing in the audience).  On another video, he told people that if they build a church named after him which he called,  "iglesia ni Duterte" (church of Duterte)," everything is permissible. That if a man would want to marry five women, it's okay.  Another video questions the validity of the Bible as he questioned who published it since there's no printing press in those days.  There's so much more but I can't write it all down here.  All his mockery coupled by filthy language and cussing is truly hard to digest.  It's very obvious that this man doesn't know anything about the Word of God.  Though he claimed to have a God, it's evident he's not talking about the God of the Bible.  Ive heard many people mocking God but not so openly like this President .  He does not only distort the Word of God but invites others to believe his deception---poisoning the minds of those who are easily persuaded. And as their leader, he willfully invites the judgment of God to the entire nation.  Galatians 6:7-8 says, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." You can read more about this Scripture HERE.  To all who worship the One True God in the Philippines and are brokenhearted by the conduct of this leader, I join you in praying for your President---that he comes to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  I pray that the Truth of God's Word penetrate his heart as God uses people to impart to him the Truth of the Gospel.  Salvation does not come from any man but from God alone.  God listens to the petitions of His people, those whose faith is focused on Him.  Let us believe for the miraculous intervention of God among your leaders.  Nothing is impossible with God!  If you have any questions about Bible teachings/topic, please write it down in the comments.   I would love to share some answers based solely on the infallible Word of God.  God does not want anyone to be ignorant but want  everyone to know of His great plan and purpose.

For this Card, I used an image from Art impressions called "Got Style" that I colored using my Prismacolor markers.  The base is a white CS, cut and scored to make an A2 size card.  I also stamped and colored the banner image from Stampabilities.  I included a bit of washi tape from Tape Works and some glitters from Stickles (Crystal).  I made this for the mother of my friend as she is always so sweet to me and my family every time we come and visit them.  For something I put together at the last minute, this came out really well. 

ENJOY THE RIDE BIRTHDAY CARD

 ENJOY THE RIDE BIRTHDAY CARD LAYERS

ENJOY THE RIDE BIRTHDAY CARD WITH ENVELOPE

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Creative Fingers---ATG
Simply Papercraft---ATG
Little Miss Muffet---ATG


This it for now, guys.  Make sure to join us at our neighborhood---613 Avenue Create---for an Anything Goes Challenge.  Can't wait to see what you create. The Lord is with you every step of the way so, don't be afraid of the what the future holds---we are safe in the arms of Christ always.  Remember to pray for our leaders and put into office those who fear and acknowledge God.