THE BLESSINGS OF CREATIVITY...

I thank the LORD JESUS for each day that is given me to create wonderful projects...As always, I give Him all the glory.


Friday, January 29, 2021

Scripture Series: Full of Grace and Truth Card---Join our Anything Goes/Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

 Hi everybody!  So sorry for the delay in posting this project I made for our Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  However, there's still a few days left to join the current Challenge.  I am sharing the card I made featuring our Scripture Word Art that you can download for free at the WAW site.   It comes from John 1:14 which tells us, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

The Book of John began with, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  Before everything was even created, God's Word already exist.  In fact, it is through Him (God's Word) that all things are made and without Him, nothing would have been made.  We saw in the Scripture how God spoke the Word and whatever God had spoken comes into existence.  God's Word is Spirit and is Divine in nature just like the Father.  And His Word became flesh and dwelt with mankind!  I want to share with you what My Life Application Bible wrote about our verse today.  It says, "The Word became flesh' means becoming human.  By doing so, Christ became 1) the perfect teacher--in Jesus' life we saw how God thinks and therefore how we should think (Philippians 2:5-11); 2) the perfect example--as a model of what we are to become, he shows us how to live and gives us the power to live that way (1 Peter 2:21); 3) the perfect sacrifice--Jesus came as a sacrifice for all sins, and His death satisfied God's requirements for the removal of Sin (Colossians 1:15-23).  The One and Only (begotten), "Who came from the Father" means Jesus is God's only and unique Son.  The emphasis is on "unique." Jesus is one of a kind and enjoys a relationship with God unlike all believers who are called "children" and said to be "born of God." When Christ was born, God became a man.  He was not part man  and part God; He was completely human and completely divine (Colossians 2:9).  Before Christ came, people could know God partially.  After Christ came, people could know God fully because He became visible and tangible in Christ.  Christ is the perfect expression of God in human form.  The two most common errors people make about Jesus are to minimize His humanity or to minimize His divinity.  Jesus is both God and Man. 
 
Sometimes I wonder why God would allow Satan (with his Sin Nature) to unleash his diabolical plan that triggered a curse to man's existence...But if Adam stayed obedient to God and didn't listen to the lies of the enemy, we would not be dealing with Sin and Death.  Yes, we can think of so many things to ask our Father but in reality, we cannot fathom the vastness of our Creator's knowledge and purpose of doing things.  We can only rationalize what is based in our limited ability to understand.  He gave us His Word to convey what He needed us to know about Him and His kingdom and allowed us to see His Ways through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, His Son!  While in this world, We only see in parts but one day, we will see the fullness of God's glory in Spirit and in Truth.   I don't need answers to every question---I just need to trust the love and grace of God in us, His creation.
 
In God's revelation through Jesus Christ, we can see the love of God towards humankind.   The treasonous act of Adam brought about SIN (nature of Satan) and DEATH (Spiritual, Physical and Eternal).  Immediately after Adam's disobedience, His spiritual connection with God died.  He could no longer approach God, walk with Him and converse with Him the same way---freely in the cool of the day.  Adam and Eve were vanished from the holy place God prepared for them.  The only way they could approach Him was through a blood sacrifice of animals (a temporary covering for man's iniquity) if God chooses to accept it. Since then,  the by-products of Sin began to wreak havoc over man's body which ushered physical death.  And without us reconciling with God (Born-again, John 3:3) before our final breath, man's soul is headed to a place totally separated from God's presence.  This is eternal death and an existence void of light, goodness, mercy and love.  It's eternity of torture, fire that cannot be quenched, hunger, thirst and pure evil forever and ever.  There's only One Way man can be saved from such a tragic end.  He who knew no Sin must come in flesh (human), offer Himself as an eternal (once and for all) blood sacrifice for mankind so that whoever is in Christ (fully identifies in His sacrifice) could be restored spiritually (freely commune with God again) and escape eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire.  Though we have to shed our physical (earthly) existence, He's going to transform our bodies into an incorruptible (immortal/glorified) body for His eternal purpose in His time.  And because Jesus resurrected from the dead, He sealed His redemptive work  so that everyone who places their faith in Him can live in freedom and power He had won for us. 

God told us the horrendous consequences of Sin if we don't respond to the ONLY means of salvation He established for humanity.  Jesus told us in John 14:6,  "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He also emphasized  His truth, justice, righteousness and love towards us.  Because He is a holy, just and righteous God, He cannot tolerate unrighteousness.  Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." He gave the Only One (without Sin) that could satisfy the ransom---Himself! This Agape (unselfish) love is unparalleled, pure and perfect.  John 3:16-17 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."   This is the truth, my friends!  I pray that you don't miss this opportunity to call upon the Lord Jesus, repent of your ways and acknowledge the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross for your sins.  Receive Him as your personal Lord (Ruler) and Savior and live in obedience to His Word (Bible).  It's going to be a bumpy and trying life ahead.  The enemy will try his best to destroy your faith in Christ, but stay the course as you discover God's unique assignment in your life.  Be a part of the Body of Christ where you can be fed and used to further the Gospel.  Just like the old Ark of Noah, the period of grace is closing soon and eternity is at stake.  Do it now!

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For this Card, I used an image from Stamps Simply Clear Stamps called "Stick Family" that I colored using my The Creative Expert Markers.  The base is a white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  I used a "Window 2" die from Spellbinders and a "Wildflower" die from Sizzix.  I also embossed the main panel with a Sizzix Tim Holtz embossing folder, stamped a  border heart from Stampendous, layered some Prima flowers and added some brads from Recollections.  Lastly, I stitched all over this Card. 


FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH CARD

FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH CARD LAYERS
 

FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH CARD INSIDE

FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

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 several times in two weeks.  A great prize awaits our winner from our wonderful sponsor---Stamp Simply Clear Stamps (Stamps and/or Die-cuts).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, meditate on the goodness of the Lord and rely on His promises.  Don't forget to share what Jesus has done for your life  to others as we see the return of Christ approaching. 

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

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Scripture Series: I Sought the Lord Card---It's our First Challenge for the New Year! Join us for Anything/Inspirational Goes at Word Art Wednesday...

Hi Crafty Peeps! It's the New Year and hope you had a great start this 2021.   We just finished our 3 weeks Blog Hop and you can find the list of winners at our site, Word Art Wednesday (WAW) or below.  Aside from the Blog Hop Winner, my son and I have chosen two more winners to receive a small gift from me. Who are they and how to claim, check below. Thank you very much for all that participated and we enjoyed reading your comments about how WAW and my Blog inspired you with your crafting. As always, we have wonderful sponsors lined up for 2021 so you can join us with an inspirational project or use our Scripture Word Art (you can download for free at the WAW site) and let it inspire you to create---just like I did in the card sample below.  Our Scripture Word Art for this Challenge comes from Psalm 34:4 which says, "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

Wow, what a comforting verse to meditate on as we go through the concerns and uncertainties we face in our personal lives, health and now---the path of our nation.   Everywhere we look/listen, FEAR is being promoted like a cancer.  There is no shortage of news that tells us to stay home, do not go there, do not do this/that, you may be sick because you sneezed or coughed, don't go near me cause you don't look good, don't touch me, you look okay but maybe you're just asymptomatic---Aargh!  What happened to you, people?  Have you all lost faith in God Almighty that made you and breathe life into you (Job 12:10) and numbered your days in accordance to His will and purpose (Psalm 139:16)?   The One Who knew the exact number of your hair at any given time (Luke 12:7)?  The One Who provides, clothe and blesses you daily (Matthew 6:30) Who said He will never leave your nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)?  The One Who came to save you from the penalty of death for your sin and promised you life everlasting so that when you leave this world (John 3:16) He has a mansion prepared for you (John 14:2) in eternity where Death and Sin no longer exist?  Seriously, what happened to you, people?  Did you worship your physical existence that much that you no longer trust the promises and protection of your Maker?  God forbid!

The truth is that fear is something you encounter daily.  It always follows and waiting for the time you let it into your mind and heart.  If you allow it to take root, it will be like a cancer that spreads all over  and you'll see yourself imprisoned/paralyzed with paranoia living in your own bubble.  And while you're there, you are giving Satan the right to take everything away from you---freedom, peace, joy, fellowship among others.  Every rights and opportunities are being stolen from under us daily by demonic entities and all you care about is your own little space?  I am sorry but I don't need anyone's excuses.  If anything, the reason I am writing this is for all of us to examine and identify what we have allowed ourselves to hinder us from pursuing and trusting God.  Is it our family, is it our friends, is it the pandemic  or the sum of all fears---losing our earthly life?  For anything we place over/above God is, you know it----an IDOL! The first and greatest commandment of God is, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the core of all the other commandments.  It is putting God first in his life that Apostle Paul was able to declare with boldness in Philippians 1:19-21, "For I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me (jail) will turn out for my deliverance.  I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

If we are true believers (Born-again, John 3:3) of Jesus Christ and He is our Lord and Savior, we need to live a FEARLESS LIFE.  The promises of God are vast and exceedingly sufficient to drive every fear that seek to chain us.  If you need to declare minute by minute the Word of God for every fear that you encounter, do so!   Seek God, talk to Him, confess everything that concerns you and leave it all in the altar.  FEAR only thrives for those who dwell with UNBELIEF for FAITH CONQUERS every fear.  And it is only when you overcome the fear of losing your life that you will truly be free to serve the Lord and bless/love your neighbor. 

For this Card, I used a die-cut accents from Heidi Grace.  I don't have a lot of time for coloring so, when I saw it in my stash, it gave me an idea.  I think it worked great with the the Scripture Word Art.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to 5.5 inches square.  The DP's are from Paper Studio, the white nail head gems from Imaginisce and the glitters from Stickles (Crystal).  I used the Lawn Fawn dies for the Hillside Borders and I stitched all over the card.  


I SOUGHT THE LORD CARD
 

I SOUGHT THE LORD CARD LAYERS
 
 
I SOUGHT THE LORD CARD INSIDE

 
I SOUGHT THE LORD CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX
 
 
WINNERS OF THE BLOG HOP


From Karen C (Guest Designer) Blog:  Gail Scott
From Holly's Blog:  Christine Miller
From Stephanie's Blog:  Elizabeth Hart
From Ginny's Blog:  Becca Sadler
From Natalie's Blog:  Esther Asbury
From Karen's Blog:  Denise Bryant
From Jo Ann's Blog:  Kathy Asper  
 
Congrats, Kathy Asper.  Please contact Karen Letchworth at WAW for your prize.

Here are TWO EXTRA WINNERS that my son chose to receive a gift from me
 
Cynthia---Stampin' in Alaska (Blog)
Heather---Wire Wrapture (Blog)
 
Thank you for your wonderful comments, Cynthia and Heather.  I want to send you something as a token of appreciation.  Please email me (view my profile) your complete name and address ASAP.  

Hope you enjoyed all our featured projects 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 sponsor this week---Taylored Expressions ($30 GC). Okay guys, let us focus our eyes upon the Lord, be sensitive to His voice  and leading and never ever give up the Truth!  Be fearless!


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

CAS Series: Yappy Birthday Card---Join our First Anything Goes Challenge this New Year, 2021 at 613 Avenue Create!

HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR, 2021, Crafty Peeps!  A couple of days ago, we started our January Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create with no optional theme.  I would like to show you a very simple Birthday card that I  made for our Challenge below.

In case you don't realize it yet, we are living in what the Bible describe as "perilous times."  Lies are rampant and many people are so deceived that there's no ounce of truth residing in their conscience.  They do not only conspire to do evil things but they encourage everyone to go along, support and force everyone to bow down to their demonic agenda.  I understand, it's very easy to lose hope.  If my hope comes from the world, I would be consumed by sadness at what the darkened hearts of man have done to this great country.  For their hearts are evil and evil continually.  

But NO, MY HOPE IS IN THE LORD!  I will stand for the LORD and HIS WORD even if I have to go against every human opposition (even my own) for GOD'S TRUTH to once again shine in this nation.  For all ungodliness and oppression shall cease for every believer (Born-again, John 3:3) whose faith is firmly planted in CHRIST when He calls us home or when He comes back for His Bride (the Church) while we are still alive.  He will gather us all in the air (Rapture) and we will live in His presence forever more.  But the divine judgment of God (His wrath) shall pour out to them who are left behind---the wicked, haters of God, mockers of Jesus Christ---everyone who conspired with Satan.  It can happen any day but until then, we listen to the voice of the Lord (His Word) as we carry our His plans to fight for what is right and true without compromise and reservations.  In times of trials and uncertainties, we need to trust and cling to the Lord even more.  He's already paid the price for our freedom not only out from this corrupt world but for all eternity!  Sharing this wonderful promise of the Lord to us.  Be encouraged!

"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty. “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” (Malachi 4:1-6)

For this Card. I used an image I got from Mama Elephant and I colored it with my ProMarkers.  The base is a white CS, cut and scored to make it an A2 size.  The birthday sentiment comes with the dog image although the the main and envelope sentiments are from Stampendous. Just a simple card to start the year.


 YAPPY BIRTHDAY CARD
 
 
 YAPPY BIRTHDAY CARD WITH ENVELOPE 

This is it for now, guys.  Make sure to join us at our neighborhood---613 Avenue Create---for an Anything Goes Challenge with an optional theme.  Can't wait to see what you create. The Lord is with you every step of the way so, don't compromise God's Word nor be afraid of the what the future holds based on your faithfulness to His Word.  Great is our eternal reward in heaven for us whose trust in not of the world but in Christ!

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

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