Scripture Series: Author and Finisher of our Faith Waterfall Card---Join the Fun and Inspiration of our Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi there, friends!  This post is coming out really late.  Just been busy these past few days.  But I would like to share with you my inspiration project for this bi-weekly Challenge happening at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  As always, we are featuring a Scripture Word Art that you can download for free at the WAW site.  Our highlighted verse today comes from Hebrews 12:2 which says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I remember quoting a familiar verse to my son every time I talk about walking in accordance to the will and purpose of God in this life. Proverbs 29:18 says,  "Where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keepeth the law, happy is he," The word "vision" in this passage has to do with prophecy (divine communication) and revelation from God.  This revelation is classified in two ways, General and Special Revelations.  Psalm 19:1-2 tells us, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge." Romans 1:19-20 declares, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."  The revelation of God seen in Nature shows us the unparalleled beauty, wisdom and power of the Creator who created such wonder. Every human being on earth have access to it which is why its classified as a General revelation.  Though what we see in nature may point us to our Creator, it does not clearly reveal the means and the way by which mankind would be saved from eternal damnation after the Fall of Man in Genesis 3.  If God chose to keep us in the dark by withholding His redemptive plan from us, we'd be eternally separated from Him.  But because of His great love and mercy towards mankind, He gave us His Special revelation.  Hebrews 1:1-2 says,  "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe."  God chose the nation of Israel to make known His ways to His chosen people which would in turn reveal it to all the nations of the world.  Prophets of old were given dreams and visions, revealing His redemptive work and fulfilling it with the coming of our Savior in human flesh. Jesus Christ was revealed by God to His chosen people from the Old to the New Testament, from Genesis to Revelation.  He's the Son of the Most High God and the most personal revelation (embodiment) of God to mankind.  John 14:8-11 tells us, "Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.^" Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."  

So, how does God's revelations (General and Special) influence us in facing life's daily challenges as a believer?  What should be our attitude when our faith is under attack and we are persecuted for standing up for God's Truth?  When we know what Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf through His death, burial and resurrection and we received Him as our personal Lord and Savior (Born-again, John 3:3), we become a part of both His earthly and eternal plan.  Through the wisdom and power of His Word and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit inside of us that enables us to hear and obey His voice (direction), we no longer go through life meaningless and purposeless like many others.  As believers, we begin and end our new life in Jesus Christ!  Know that He is with us from the beginning of our journey to the finish line.  Living a life in obedience to God is not easy in a world filled with rebellion and perversion.  Like Jesus, we will experience sufferings and persecution to hinder us from ever reaching the finish line.  But Jesus is our great example.  In spite of the physical and spiritual torture he had to endure to save mankind, He never lost sight of the eternal glory behind the momentary pain, suffering and shame.  No matter what comes our way, in life or in death, we should always remember that we belong to the winning team---the JESUS TEAM!  I would like to share with you what my Life Application Bible shared regarding our highlighted verse for it truly blessed me.  It says: "The Christian life involves hard work. It requires us to give up whatever endangers our relationship with God, to run with endurance, and to struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit.  To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus.  We will stumble if we  look away from him to stare at ourselves or at the circumstances surrounding us.  We should be running for Christ, not ourselves, and we must always keep him in sight.  When we face hardship and discouragement, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture.  But we're not alone; there is help.  Many have already made it through life, enduring far more difficult circumstances than we have experienced.  Suffering is the training ground for Christians maturity.  It develops our patience and makes our final victory sweet."

For this Card, I used an image from Fiskars called "Happy and You Know It" and the short sentiments are from Stampendous from the set called "Inspired Icons."  I did a free hand cutting of the image's clothing.  I also incorporated a small heart from Imaginisce and some washi tapes.  Then. I did some stitching to complete this project.  I truly love this fun and interactive waterfall card.

AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WATERFALL CARD 

 AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WATERFALL CARD PANEL 2

 AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WATERFALL CARD PANEL 3

 AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WATERFALL CARD WITH MAIN SENTIMENT

 AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WATERFALL CARD PANEL 5

AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WATERFALL CARD BACK

 AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH WATERFALL CARD WITH ENVELOPE

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Creative Fingers---ATG
Jo's Scrap Shack---ATG
QKR---ATG
Scrapper's Delight---ATG
Gem of a Challenge---ATG
Catch the Bug---Unusual Folds
Crazy 4 Challenges---Interactive/Humorous
Createful Heart---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Creative Crafters---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 each week.  Our Challenge winner will be awarded a wonderful prizes from our awesome sponsor---Pink and Main Clear Stamps and More ($20 GC).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, live every minute of your life fully trusting in the Lord, both physically and spiritually.  Never ever trade joy that will last for all eternity for momentary pleasure.

Ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Find out how on the sidebar...

Scripture Series: Body of Christ Card---Join Us for Another Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi there, friends!  Just want to invite you to join us at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) for another Inspirational Challenge.  As always, we are featuring a Scripture Word Art that you can download for free at the WAW site and while there, view all the wonderful cards/projects the DT's made using the featured Scripture.  Our highlighted Word today comes from 1 Corinthians 12:27 which says, "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

As members of the Body of Christ (Ekklesia, Church), God has given each of us gifts to use to edify the Church and to fulfill the purpose He has for us in this world.  We are all different parts but functions as one in Christ.  Some parts are exterior and some interior.  Nevertheless, each one is valuable for the soundness and wholeness of the entire body.  If we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and His finished work at the Cross (Born-again, John 3:3), we're placed in the family of God and we all follow One King---King Jesus and His Word.  I would like to share what my Life Application Bible shared about our highlighted verse and its context for greater understanding.  It says, "The Church is composed of many types of people  from a variety of backgrounds with a multitude of gifts and abilities.  It is easy for these differences to divide people, as was the case in Corinth.  But despite the differences, all believers have one thing in common---faith in Christ.  On this essential truth the Church finds unity.  All believers are baptized by one Holy Spirit into one body of believers, the Church.  We don't lose our individual identities, but we have an overriding oneness in Christ. When a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit takes up residence, and he or she is born into God's family.  "We were all given the one Spirit to drink' means that the same Holy Spirit fills our innermost beings.  As members of God's family, we may have different interest and gifts, but we have a common goal. No one should feel superior about his or her gift; instead, all should use their gifts to willingly serve.  Too often, the "up-front" gifts, like speaking or teaching are more highly regarded than the "behind-the-scenes" gifts, like helping or serving. No one should discount the contribution of another person, no matter how insignificant it may seem.  We should not be dissatisfied with the gift God has given us but be eager to serve. Nor should we envy those who seem to have more gifts than we do. In love, treat everyone's gifts, yours included, as valuable to God." 

For this Card, I used an image from Hero Art Stamps and colored it using my Touch Five markers.  The base is an A7 white, pre-cut card with envelope from Paper Studio. I added some brads from Recollections and some glitters from Stickles (Crystal).  Lastly, I stitched all over this card. 

 BODY OF CHRIST CARD

 BODY OF CHRIST CARD LAYERS

 BODY OF CHRIST CARD INSIDE

 BODY OF CHRIST CARD WITH ENVELOPE

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Crafty Creations---ATG

Creative Moments---ATG

Ellibelle's---Think Spring/Green

Crafty Addicts---ATG/Valentine

Colour Crazy---ATG with colored image

Crafty Catz---ATG/Spring

Creative Fingers---ATG

Jo's Scrap Shack---ATG

QKR---ATG

Simply Create Too---ATG/Male

2 Sisters---CAS

a2z---ATG

A Bit More Time to Craft---ATG

A Perfect Time to Craft---ATG

Classic DT---ATG

Country View---Letters and/or Numbers

Crafts Galore Encore---ATG

Creatalicious---ATG/Monochromatic

Color Create Show It---ATG

Createful Heart---ATG

Creative Craft---Spring Fever

Daisy Chain---Spring is in the Air

Happy Craft--ATG

LeAnn's World---ATG

Let's Craft and Create---ATG/Green

Love to Craft---ATG

Love to Scrap---ATG

Morgan's Artworld---ATG

Not Just Cards---ATG

Papercraft---ATG

Sweet Stampers---Easter/Spring

Creative Crafters---ATG

Worldwide Open DT---ATG

YSP---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.  A wonderful prize awaits our winner from our lovely sponsor for this Challenge---Heffy Doodle (15 euros GC to their store).  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.  You are blessed to be a blessing!

Ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Find out how on the sidebar...

I Heart You Double Slider Card---Join our March Challenge at 613 Avenue Create!

Hi there, guys.  We have a brand new Challenge happening at 613 Avenue Create so feel free to link your Anything Goes with optional theme (Kenetic Cards) projects for the fun of sharing your craft.  I'm so sorry this post is coming a couple days late as many things came up that kept me occupied.

Anyway, it is of utmost importance the I remind you today of the prophetic message of God written in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 which says, "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." The persecution of Christianity here in America can no longer be disputed.  The silencing of biblical and conservative values are no longer restricted to high profile men and women of faith but have now targeted everyday people like you and me.  A couple of days ago, I found out that I could no longer include a link of this Blog on my Facebook account because they classified this Blog as a "hate site"---one that violates their Community rules.   It's hard to fathom that my Blog (with a few followers that shares paper crafting and the Word of God) could be viewed as a threat.  Yet now more than ever, I am convinced that my Blog is making a difference in this darkened world for if it doesn't, why would Satan and his minions care to silence me?  Come to think of it, where do these giant social media gatekeepers base their standards of Truth, morality, love or hate?  Well, their judgment is pretty much centered on THEMSELVES.   It's best described as "Moral Relativism."  Simply put, it's what's right in their own eyes!  Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO)  admitted in his testimony to the Senate many months ago that his company is generally left leaning in their views having their headquarters and the majority of their employees from Silicon Valley.  Oh well, these are the same people that decides who/what gets published/restricted/hidden/deleted in their site.  If you talk about the Truth of the Scripture and explain how it relates to our times, these gatekeepers of social media like Facebook does not care about violating our rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion.  They maliciously eradicate/silence everyone and everything that does not line up with with their liberal, socialist, globalist and ungodly agenda.  It's really nothing but pure evil bias.  

But will they stop me from preaching/exposing the Truth?  Certainly not!  This Blog and everything about it is birthed for the sole purpose of serving and glorifying the Lord.  It is not for money nor fame.  This is to showcase the blessing of creativity through Crafting while sharing the holy standards of God, His redeeming grace through the finished work of Jesus at the Cross to them who would repent.  I don't shy away from hot topics of our time to shed the light of God's Word emphasizing in God's perspective on pressing issues that the fake media hides so we Christians can pray and take action.   This Blog also desires to encourage every believer to be "Salt and Light"of this world that stands on the Word of God without compromise firmly believing that only Truth can set people free.  But I get it...This Blog will always be seen as offensive by those enjoying a lifestyle of Sin, those who reject the gift of salvation through Jesus and those who live, promote and support ungodliness and rebellion.  But for them that seek the Truth, it will bring salvation, freedom, knowledge and wisdom.  So, the question is---would you allow the ungodly to stop you from visiting this site?  God forbid!  In the absence of any link, you can always look for J. ATTERBURY CREATIONS Blog in your browser and by the grace of God, it will always be there to bless you with God's Truth. Each of us carry a cross in following the Lord Jesus.  How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel?  Honestly,  I was disappointed with the injustice done to me by Facebook but on the other hand I am also rejoicing for this is what it means to suffer for Christ in our time. God's Word in Matthew 5:11-12 immediately came to mind which says, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Also Timothy 3:12  says, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." My Life Application Bible explains these latter verses as:  "Paul told Timothy that people who obey God and live for Christ will be persecuted.  Don't be surprised when people misunderstand, criticize, and even try to hurt you because of what you believe and how you live. Don;t give up.  Continue to live as you know you should.  God is the Only One you need to please." Lastly, I would like to encourage you to continue in your boldness to speak the Truth of God through any vehicle God entrusted you no matter what the opposition is.  God's unbreakable promises written in His Word being fulfilled in or time is drawing us nearer to the time we'd be face to face with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Oh, what a glorious day that will be!

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”  So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:12-19)

For this Card, I used an image from Stamping Bella called "Emily and Ryan Under the Umbrella"  that I colored using my Hobby Colour and Prismacolor markers while incorporating some paper-piecing.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are from Heidi Grace, the layered flowers are from Prima and the brad is from Recollections. I also added some white nail head gems from Imaginisce and some glitters on the flowers from Stickles (Crystal).  Lastly, I did some fancy and regular stitching all over this project.  For the slider design, I got the inspiration from this YouTube VIDEO.  I just love it!
   

I HEART YOU DOUBLE SLIDER CARD

 I HEART YOU DOUBLE SLIDER CARD LAYERS

 I HEART YOU DOUBLE SLIDER CARD PANELS REVEALED

 I HEART YOU DOUBLE SLIDER CARD INSIDE

I HEART YOU DOUBLE SLIDER CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

As You Like It---Layers One or Many (I like Many layers because it looks and feels good)
Crafty Sentiments---ATG
Digi Choosday---ATG
Everybody-Art---Anniversary
Lemon Shortbread---ATG
TTCRD---ATG
Tuesday Throwdown---Interactive Cards
Unicorn---Spring
Crafty Creations---ATG
Simon Says Stamp---ATG
a2z Scrapbooking---ATG
A Bit More Time to Craft---ATG
A Perfect Time to Craft---ATG
Crafty Addicts---ATG/Valentine
Simply Create Too---ATG/Male
Classic DT---ATG
Crafts Galore Encore---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---ATG with Patterned Paper
Color Create Show It---ATG
Daisy Chain---Spring is in the Air
Happy Craft--ATG
LeAnn's World---ATG
Let's Craft and Create---ATG/Green
Love to Craft---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
Papercraft---ATG
YSP---ATG

There you have it, folks!  Don't miss the fun by joining our Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create.   Can't wait to see what fabulous projects you're going to highlight this week. Thank you to all the followers of this Blog and if you're blessed with the things I share here, please consider following and inviting your friends to follow as well.  God bless and keep you always!

Ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Find out how on the sidebar...

Watch this video and be aware of the agenda to silence Biblical and Conservative voices by giant social media gatekeepers.  Your eyes will be opened!  Then pray, take action and educate others.