Scripture Series: He Died for All Card---Join our Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

 Hi there, Crafty friends! We are on our second week of our Challenge happening at Word Art Wednesday (WAW). As always, we feature a Scripture Word Art that you can download for free at the WAW site. Our highlighted verse today comes from 2 Corinthians 5:15 which says, "And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

Just a couple of days ago, we celebrated Resurrection Sunday---the greatest day ever for all of us who placed our faith in the eternal salvation brought about by the Cross of Christ.  When Jesus uttered "It is finished" (His final word) before dying at the Cross in John 19:30, He declared the truth that the payment for Sin and Death had been fully satisfied and settled by the blood of the perfect God  and perfect Man---Jesus Christ!  The time of sacrificing animal's blood as a temporary covering for one's sin ended that day.  Behold once and for all,  the blood of the Lamb promised by God to wash away the sins of the world  was wholeheartedly poured and that everyone who believed and received His gift of salvation will have eternal life. Jesus clearly tells us in John 10:14-18,  “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”  Though Jesus knew the intense suffering He would have to go through, He looked beyond the torture of the Cross including the indescribable pain when the Father turned His face away from Him. He endured it all because He knew what was at stake---the fate of all mankind!  He bore the Sin of the world upon His shoulder as He cried out in agony in Matthew 27:46, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  My friends, Jesus willingly went through it all for the high price of sure victory---a glorious outcome of liberating us from our bondage to Adam's Sin into the newness of life in Christ Jesus sealed by the power of His resurrection.

Jesus demonstrated to every believer (Born-again, John 3:3) that just like Him, we have a purpose for being on earth.  We are to faithfully follow God's Word and point others to the Gospel (death, burial and resurrection) of Jesus Christ just like His early disciples and followers showed us in the Scripture. We are entrusted with God's truth and miraculous power to shine the light of the Gospel in this last of the last days.  We are not to live for ourselves but we are to take on the same burden Jesus had for the perishing souls so they too may find forgiveness and benefit from the power of His resurrection.  So I would like to impart to you what My Life Application Bible shared with regards to our highlighted verse in this post as it truly blessed me.  It says, "Everything that Paul and his companions did was to honor God.  Not only did fear of God motivated them (Matthew 5:11), but Christ's love compelled their actions. The word for "compels" means "to hold fast."  In other words, the love of Christ was constraining them to certain courses of action. They knew that Jesus, out of His great love, has given up His life for their sakes.  He had not acted out of His own self-interest, selfishly holding on to the glory of heaven that He already possessed (Philippians 2:6).  Instead Jesus had willingly "died for all."  Because Christ died for us, we also are dead to our own lives.  Like Paul, we should no longer live to please ourselves, we should spend our lives pleasing Christ. Christians are brand new people on the inside.  The Holy Spirit gives them new life, and they are not the same anymore.  We are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated---we are re-created (new creations), living in vital union with Christ (Colossians 2:6-7).  At conversation, we are not merely turning a new leaf; we are beginning a new life under a new Master.

For this Card, I used an image from Gina K. Designs called "Friendship Blooms" that I colored using my Promarker and Hobby Colour markers.  The base is a white A7 pre-cut cards from Paper Studio.  The DP is also from Paper Studio, the butterflies from Recollections and the nail head gems are from Imaginisce.  To finish it, I added a bit of glitters (Stickles-Crystal) to the butterflies and ran it through my sewing machine for some fancy stitching.  I think it turned out great.

 

 

 

HE DIED FOR ALL CARD 

 

HE DIED FOR ALL CARD LAYERS

 

 

HE DIED FOR ALL CARD INSIDE

 

HE DIED FOR ALL CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

 

 This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

 

Crafty Gals Corner---Spring/Easter 

Creative Moments---Things with Wings

Ellibelle's Corner---Animals

Fab n Funky---Feature a Creature

Little Red Wagon---What you Made for Easter

Simon Says Stamps---Rain or Shine

Paper Funday---ATG/April Showers

Digi Choosday---ATG 

Ike's World---ATG/Animal/Crazy Critter

TTCRD---ATG

Unicorn---Include an Animal

A Place to Start---ATG/Key it Simple

Colouring in Scrapland---ATG

Crafting Happiness---ATG

Get Creative---Springtime

Incy Wincy---Easter and/or Animals

Jan's Digi---ATG

Pammie's Inky Pinky---Easter/Animals

Dragonfly Dreams---Spring/Easter

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends---ATG

We Love Stamping---Favourite Stamps

Gem of a Challenge---ATG

Crafty Calendar---Anything But Square

Di's Digi---Spring

Taylormade Cards---ATG/Great Outdoors

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 submit up to 5 entries per week.  Our wonderful sponsor for this week is Heartfelt Creations ($20 GC).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the joy of the Lord overtake you today knowing that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is always at work in us.  If you are trusting in Jesus, fear can't move you.

 

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Scripture Series: He is Risen Card---Join Our Anything/Inspirational Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi there, Crafty friends! It's the second week of our bi-weekly Challenge happening at Word Art Wednesday (WAW). As always, we feature a Scripture Word Art that you can download for free at the WAW site.  So, our inspiration Scripture for this Challenge that I featured in my card below comes from Matthew 28:6 which says, "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."  

For those who placed their faith in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior sealed the completion of our victory over Sin and Death brought about by the redemptive work of God's One and Only Son.  Every religious founders known to man that promised their own way to God have come and gone for no human being tainted by the fallen nature of Adam can break the power of Sin (nature of Satan) and Death (spiritual, physical and eternal).  We can't help but be a part of Adam's fallen nature the moment we're born into this world.  And if God had not fulfilled His promise in Genesis 3:15 pertaining to the "Seed" of the woman Who would crush the head of Satan, every single one of us are destined for eternal wrath. 

But the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among men in the perfect time ordained by God.  The promised "Seed" and Savior did everything His Father predestined Him to do so that everyone who believes (faith, trust, depend, rely) in His finished work at the Cross (death, burial and resurrection) would be saved and have eternal life.  Because we are one with Christ in His resurrection, we are one with the Lord in His victory. We are so blessed to be alive at this time when we have both the writings of the Old and the New Testament. For what was concealed in the old is now revealed in the new.  What was then a mystery is now our reality!  Wow, I can just imagine the mix reactions of the women who first saw what the angel of the Lord revealed to them when they visited Jesus' tomb.  And how they witnessed with their own eyes---Jesus was no longer there, He's alive!  Matthew 28:2 says, "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it."  It is important to point out that the angel didn't roll the stone for Jesus to get out but to allow people to see that Jesus indeed rose from the dead just as He promised them before He died on the Cross.  Here, God is showing His disciples the value of trusting (faith) His Word and the exceeding joy that follows in the validation (tangible proof) when His promises are fulfilled.  A week after Jesus resurrected, He  appeared before his disciples including Thomas who strongly doubted the news of His resurrection at first.  It's only upon seeing Christ and His crucifixion wounds that day that he began to acknowledge that Christ truly resurrected.  For somebody who followed Christ for many years and saw firsthand the powerful and miraculous ministry of Jesus Christ, it is very sad to point out how he could still be shrouded with unbelief.  Although the Lord had been gracious to Thomas, there was a gentle rebuke in the Lord's response to Thomas in John 20:29 which says, "Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  For faith is the currency in God's kingdom and you cannot do anything without it.  The worldly mindset says "to see (physical) is to believe" but Jesus wanted us to believe His Word though we haven't physically seen its manifestation.

 

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "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."  Believers of old were looking forward to seeing the Messiah, our Savior and Conquering King while contemporary believers (Born-again, John 3:3) comprising the Body of Christ (Ekklesia, Church) are celebrating and experiencing the benefits of His victory at the Cross and sharing the same Good News to the world while awaiting through faith the coming of the Bridegroom and our earthly reign with Him following His Second Coming.  Till then, we will continue to live by the faith of Christ deposited in us through the working of the Holy Spirit.  I would like to share with you the exhortation from My Life Application Bible surrounding our highlighted verse today about Jesus' resurrection for it truly blessed me.  It says, "The angel who announced the good news of the resurrection to the women gave them four messages: (1) Do not be afraid.  The reality of the resurrection brings joy, not fear.  When you are afraid, remember the empty tomb.  (2) He is not here.  Jesus is not dead and is not to be looked for among the dead.  He is alive with his people.  (3) Come and see.  The women could check the evidence themselves.  The tomb was empty then, and it is empty today. The resurrection is a historical fact.  (4) Go quickly and tell.  They were to spread the joy of the resurrection.  We too are to spread the great news about Jesus' resurrection.  Jesus' resurrection is the key to the Christian faith.  Why?  (1) Just as he promised, Jesus rose from the dead.  We can be confident, therefore, that he will accomplished all he has promised.  (2) Jesus' bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ is the ruler of God's eternal kingdom, not a false prophet or imposter. (3) We can be certain of our resurrection because he was resurrected.  Death is not the end---there is a future life.  (4) The power that brought Jesus back to life is available to us to bring our spiritually dead selves back to life. (5) The resurrection is the basis for the church's witness to the world.  Jesus is more than just a human leader, he is the Son of God."

For this Card, I used images from  Stampers Anonymous and colored each one using my Distress markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  I used my Corner Chomper to round the top edges.  I made my own colorful background using the stencils that came with the stamps using several distress markers.  I fuzzy-cut the images and placed it right beside the computer generated Scripture Word Art featured for this Challenge.  I decorated the inside and added some glitters (Stickles-Crystal) and this project was done.

HE IS RISEN CARD 

HE IS RISEN CARD LAYERS 

HE IS RISEN CARD INSIDE

 

HE IS RISEN CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Colour Crazy---ATG

Crafty Catz---ATG

Creative Fingers---ATG

Pattie's Creations---ATG with Digital or Stamped Image

Krafty Chicks---Stamp Act

Crafty Gals Corner---Add Flower/s

Double D---Easter

Mod Squad---ATG

Ike's World---ATG

TTCRD---ATG

Try It On Tuesday---ATG

A Bit More Time---ATG

A Perfect Time---ATG

Bastel Traum---Spring 

Classic Design---ATG

Country View---Spring is Coming

Crafts Galore Encore---ATG

Crafty Friends---ATG

Creatalicious---ATG/Easter

Digi Doodle Studios---Easter/Spring

DL Art---ATG

Happy Little Stampers---Use Stencil

Let's Craft and Create---ATG/Beautiful Butterflies

LTCCB---ATG

Mirtillamente---ATG

Mix It Up---ATG/Fancy Fold

Morgan's Artworld---ATG

QKR Stampede---ATG

Rabisco---ATG

Scribbles Designs---Flower Power

Sognando---ATG

Stamplorations---ATG/Use Stencil

Crafting Challenge---ATG/Easter

Four Seasons---Spring

Worldwide 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 each week.  Great prize package to be won from our wonderful sponsor---Crafty Individuals Stamp Co. (prize package).  Always remember the true significance of Resurrection Sunday.  Let us do away with the pagan rituals that is designed to veer us away from the truth.  Because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead, our faith is not in vain.  That is what's truly important!

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Scripture/CAS Series: For It Is the Blood Card---It's Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hello everyone! We started another Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge a week ago at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) featuring a new Scripture Word Art (you can download for free at the WAW site). It comes from Leviticus 17:11 which says, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."  

 

...Oh the blood of Christ that washes away the sins of the world!  Many so-called Christians today don't really have a clue what is the significance of our Savior's death on the Cross because they haven't taken the time to find out the biblical basis of their faith.  When Adam fell into Sin which brought Death (spiritual, physical and eternal) to all of mankind, our relationship with God was severed and the only way we can approach Him was through a blood sacrifice.  The Bible tells us in Genesis 3:21, "And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them."  The Fall of Man had placed all of creation under curse because of one man's disobedience to God.  To demonstrate the horrific consequence of such a betrayal, the innocent had to pay in order for humanity to temporarily be allowed access to God's favor.  The Scripture told us that innocent animals needed to die for God to use their skin to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness.  From then on, mankind was only able to approach God through countless animal sacrifices till the time God provided an everlasting Sacrifice, once and for all, for the forgiveness of Sin.  

Then He came---our Savior, at God's appointed time!  Jesus, God's One and Only Son and the perfect sacrifice that would take away the Sin that plagued all of humanity (John 3:16).  His innocent (sinless) blood poured out at the Cross of Calvary to bring new life and freedom to our rebellious, hopeless and chained spirits.  That whosoever believes and receives Jesus' victory over Sin and Death are made right with God (Justification by Faith) and are being transformed daily in the image of Jesus Christ (Sanctification by Faith).  They have complete access to the throne room of God and will never be turned away.  As a Born-again  (John 3:3) believer, we've identified with Christ and no longer bound by our identification with Adam.  Romans 5:19-21 says, "For just as through one man’s disobedience [his failure to hear, his carelessness] the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one Man the many will be made righteous and acceptable to God and brought into right standing with Him. But the Law came to increase and expand [the awareness of] the trespass [by defining and unmasking sin]. But where sin increased, [God’s remarkable, gracious gift of] grace [His unmerited favor] has surpassed it and increased all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness which brings eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  From the bondage of death leading to eternal wrath, we were set free to an everlasting life in the presence of God which was solely made possible by FAITH (trust, cling, depend, believe) in what JESUS accomplished at the Cross by the shedding of His blood!  

 

My friends, we live in a world of many chaos and uncertainties as we see the Day of the Lord/ Tribulation Period approaching.  Everyone whose been washed and covered by the blood of Jesus need not worry for we know that nothing happens without God's knowledge.  If we are still living and breathing in this world today, that's because we are still part of God's plan---His great commission to share the Gospel (Jesus' death, burial and resurrection) to whosoever and wherever He would send us. It is also His will for us to continue being the Salt and Light of this world in order to push back on the rapid decay and darkness that will one day break loose at His appointed time. I would like to share what My Life Application Bible shared with regards to our highlighted verse today for greater understanding.  It says, "How does blood make atonement for sin?  When offered with the right attitude, the sacrifice and the blood shed from it made forgiveness of sin possible. On the other hand, blood represented the sinner's life, infected by his sin and headed for death. On the other hand, the blood represented the innocent life of the animal that was sacrificed in place of the guilty person making the offering. The death of the animal (of which the blood was proof) fulfilled the penalty of death.  God therefore granted forgiveness to the sinner.  It is God who forgives based on the faith of the person doing the sacrificing." If you want to know more about why God required animal sacrifices in the Old Testament, go HERE.

For this Card, I used an image from DRS Designs called "Cattail Milk Pail" that I stamped over a circle that I created with Distress Inks using a circle Nestabilities die.  The base is a white A2 card that comes with an envelope from Paper Studio.  Then I printed our featured Scripture Word Art for this Challenge and walah, this card is finished.  Definitely one of my simplest cards but I believe it conveyed the Scripture effectively which is what's truly important...

 

FOR IT IS THE BLOOD CARD 

FOR IT IS THE BLOOD CARD CLOSE-UP

 

FOR IT IS THE BLOOD CARD WITH ENVELOPE

 

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

 

Aud Sentiments---Spring/Easter Sentiment

Cardz 4 Gals---Mother's Day or Spring Flowers

CRAFT---ATG

DL Art---Easter

Krafty Chicks---All Occasions (Resurrection Sunday)

Creative Moments---For a Special Lady

Ellibelle's---Spring is in the Air

Sisterhood of Crafters---Sentiment Only

Paper Funday---ATG/Green/Gold

Digi Choosday---ATG

Everybody-Art---Spring

Ike's World---ATG/Tic Tac Toe

TTCRD---ATG

Crafting Happiness---ATG

Double Trouble---Less is More (CAS)

Jan's Digi---ATG

PIP---ATG

Path of Positivity---ATG/Something Special from your Childhood

Use Your Stuff---White + One Other Color

Lil' Patch---ATG

Stamping Sensations---Stamp Something for Spring

Corrosive---ATG

We Love Stamping---Spring

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---DRS Stamps (25 GC).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Remember that faith is the currency of heaven and without it, we cannot please God.  When we know the basis of our faith by studying His Word, we can effectively share the Gospel for the salvation of many.   

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Scripture Series: I Will Betroth Thee and Dream Love Laugh Cards---Join the Fun at Word Art Wednesday for our Anything/Inspirational Goes Challenge!

 A wonderful day, everyone!  A week ago, we started another Anything Goes/Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) and as always  I featured a card with our Scripture Word Art.  It comes from Hosea 2:19 which says, "And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies." 

GOD SURELY LOVES US!  He thought of us even before He made time.  He created everything in this world in six days and from day one to the fifth day, He declared each day "good."  But He created something very special on the sixth day that He had to say "it was very good."  He considered us the crowning glory of His creation.  Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  God plan is for us to live a loving relationship with Him for all eternity.  But Man fell into Sin and ushered Death into the perfect world God made.  The earth and everything in it was cursed by Man's act of disobedience and our spirits darkened when our spiritual connection with God was severed.  Since then, we lived lawless lives---constantly devising evil for our own selfish gain.  We were hopeless, unable to unchain ourselves from Satan and the wrath of God's judgment to sinful mankind.  Though we betrayed God, He reached out to His people to preserve and teach us His ways.  The Law was given to Moses to teach people of the Holy ways of God that no man can ever satisfy.  But oh, how they tried!  And though they've witnessed the great and miraculous power of the living God in their midst, they turned away from Him by worshiping pagan idols, practiced graved immorality and have sacrificed their children to false gods.   Such was our condition---totally depraved! How could a righteous God make mankind when He knew they would be these evil?

The answer is found in His foreknowledge (Omniscience).  God is timeless! He exist even before and after time.  His love for mankind didn't end though He knew we would betray Him.  God's redemptive plan was already in place way before creation began.  Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God would pay our ransom with His blood on the Cross. It was the once and for all sacrifice of an innocent God/Man and a perfect demonstration of God's love for humankind.  John 3:16 declared, "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."  Jesus is God's perfect and only plan for salvation and He calls everyone to receive what He has done on our behalf.  Once you acknowledge your iniquities,  place your trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross and claim His victory over your life.  Invite Him to be your personal Lord and Savior and allow His Holy Spirit to lead you to His plan and purpose for your life.  Study the Scripture every chance you get and be a part of a Church that will help you grow in your faith.  You are now Born-again (John 3:3) in the family of God and your mission is to share the Good News of salvation to your sphere of influence.  It is truly comforting that even though we go through the process of sanctification (set apart, running the race with different conditions) daily, God already see us victorious (justified, righteous in Christ) in the finished line of life.  Very soon,  God's original plan for Man in Genesis 1:26  to rule over His creation (which was interrupted by the enemy) will finally happen to everyone that repented of their sins and entrusted their lives to Jesus Christ now and forever!  That is why in righteousness, in judgment, in loving kindness and His mercies, we are truly God's people through Jesus, our Lord!

I would like to share what My Life Application Bible shared pertaining to our Scripture Word Art for it blessed me.  It says, "The time will come when unfaithfulness will be impossible---God will bind us to Himself in His perfect righteousness, justice, love, compassion, and faithfulness. Betrothal in Hosea's time was more than a simple agreement to marry.  It was a binding engagement, a deep commitment between two families for a future, permanent relationship.  God was promising a fresh new beginning, not just a temporary rewriting of a tired old agreement (See Jeremiah 31:31-34).  God's wedding gift to His people, both in Hosea's day and in our own, is his compassion.  Though no merit of our own, God forgives us and makes us right with Him.  There is no way for us by our own efforts to reach God's high standard for moral and spiritual life, but He graciously accepts us, forgives us, and draws us into a relationship with Himself. In that relationship we have personal and intimate communion with Him."

 

For this Card, I used an image and sentiment from Stamp Simply Stamps called "Pretty Poppies" that I colored using The Creative Expert Markers.  The base is white CS in size A2.  Aside from fuzzy cutting the image, I added some stitching for added dimension to this project.  

I WILL BETROTH THEE and DREAM LOVE LAUGH  CARDS

 

DREAM LOVE LAUGH  CARD

I WILL BETROTH THEE CARD

I WILL BETROTH THEE and DREAM LOVE LAUGH  CARDS WITH ENVELOPES

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

CAS on Friday---Spring Flowers

Colour Crazy---ATG with Coloring

Crafty Catz---ATG/Add Flower/s

Creative Fingers---ATG

Pattie's Creations---ATG

Aud Sentiments---Love Sentiment

MAWTT---Love/Anniversary/Wedding

Creative Moments---Love it or Hate it

Ellibelle's Corner---Heart or Flowers

Little Red Wagon---Make it Stitched

The Paper Shelter---Fave Past Challenge (#462 Add Flowers Challenge)

Simon Says Stamp---ATG

Paper Funday---ATG/Hugs and Kisses

Digi Choosday---ATG

Ike's World---ATG/Valentine/Love

TTCRD---ATG

Colouring in Scrapland---ATG/Add a Heart

Crafting Happiness---ATG

Cupcake Inspirations---ATG

Jan's Digi Stamp---ATG

PIP---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 prize from our awesome sponsor---Stamp Simply Clear Stamps (2 stamps or Stamp and Die-cuts).  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.  We are His and we are to show forth His glory always.

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

Especially Made: Warmest Birthday Card---Join Our Anything Goes Monthly Challenge at 613 Avenue Create!

Advance Happy Heart's day, Crafty Peeps!  Last Sunday, we started our February Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create with the optional theme, "My Whimsical Valentine." Go to our Challenge site and you will find many DT inspirations featuring the theme.  However, I decided to make  a very simple Birthday card and like me, you can opt out of the theme for an Anything Goes project.  What's important is to have fun with your creation.

Nowadays, I can't help but watch what's going on with the Freedom Convoy (in its third week now) originated by Truckers in our neighboring country of Canada.  If you are following my Blog post, you know that I am not only sharing Biblical Truths here but most especially in discussing the relevance of God's Word to what's happening to our country and the world as a whole.  Generally, many people don't get themselves involved in current events primarily politics and government unless it directly and personally affect their lives.  Draconian mandates that happen in other states or countries does not worry us much because we don't have to comply as of yet.  But you wake up one day and it's right up your alley. You're threatened with  fines, suspension, subjected to frequent testing to the extent of losing your job and be segregated for something you don't trust to be inserted to your body;  jabs that have proven to offer nothing for your health and protection. But even with that, many end up complying because let's face it, it demands great effort, strength and resources to fight back.  I've known several people who didn't like to take the jab but were afraid to lose their job and benefits.  As a Born-again (John 3:3) believer, God clearly told us that our real fight is not physical in nature. Ephesians 6:12 clearly states, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." The Body of Christ (Church, Ekklesia) is here on earth not as bystanders  but to affect and lead the world with the rule of God.  And because Satan is the god of this world, he has in his disposal human beings that are bent to serve him which he placed in leadership to disguise themselves as champion of human rights and representatives of the people.  But in time, they'll show their true colors as they clamor for power and control.  The very people they claim to protect will suffer under their tyrannical rule by abandoning their promises and strangling the rights of the people.

When Adam sinned against God, all of humanity was plunged into Sin and Death under the bloodline of Adam.  We don't have any choice and are destined to suffer the wrath of God's judgment.  There's nothing we can do as human beings to change that until God sent His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ to redeem us from our bondage with Satan and free us from the claws of Sin and Death.  Though the penalty of Sin was paid in full by the sacrifice of Jesus at the Cross, only those who  placed their faith in the Cross of Christ will benefit from it.  Freedom comes from God and in that freedom is the right to choose! To choose to put our faith on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross for our eternal salvation or to reject and mock the Only Way provided by God resulting to eternal death.  As a child of God, we have to keep in mind that our spiritual freedom didn't come cheap.  

So it is under the same principle that we have to fight for our freedom in this world. We cannot allow government dictators to erode our rights under the guise of health and safety.  It is no coincidence that many demonic leaderships have used what they called "pandemic" to slowly condition their citizens to comply and then strip them of their right to choose what's best for them and their families.  They start by buying and recruiting people and trolls to propagate their lies (fake social media) while simultaneously using their power and influence to silence and cancel everyone who speaks the truth.  With the coordinated propagation of lies hour by the hour, many are easily deceived because they just accept whatever is in front of them instead of engaging in research to find out what's the truth behind the headlines.  People are waking up to this kind of suppression not only here in the States but in many countries around the world.  With ninety percent jab rate, Canada would be the last country I would think the Freedom Convoy would originate.  For two years, they took everything that their leaders shoved down their throats.  Aside from a few reports of people crying foul to the mandates, I've never heard or saw a significant outcry by it's citizen.  Many of them were duped to believing that there's a scientific support to the draconian measures passed on to them.  But beginning this year, as many countries have announced an end to their Rona mandates, many Canadians realized how abusive their leader is for it showed no desire to hear their concerns to end the mandates. They declared "enough is enough" and are willing to give everything (through peaceful means) to take back their freedom.  The demonic leaders all over the world are scrambling to do damage control. Canada encouraged many other countries in similar predicament to bond together that no amount of lies and threats could stop them from pursuing their goal which is freedom from Rona mandates.

And what can I say?  When we unite to push back the darkness and enforce the light, nothing is impossible with God.  While the Body of Christ is here, our responsibility is to be Salt and Light of this world.  For there will come a time when God takes us away from this world (Rapture of the Church) and all hell breaks loose (Tribulation Period).  The Bible is clear that it's going to happen because a just God will pour out His judgment to the ungodly who willfully rejected Christ and pledged their souls to serve Satan.  Be wise in your choices.  God's Word reveals to us the difference between righteousness and iniquity.  Spending the time to study the Scripture gives us wisdom to see through the disguise that leads to deception.  Freedom is always worth fighting for!

For this Card, I used an image from Art Impressions called "Birthday Wishes" and colored it using my Prismacolor markers and stamped the sentiments from the same set.  The base is a white, A7 card base with envelope from Paper Studio.  The DP is from my scraps and the fence border was die-cut using an MS Punch.  I added a couple of brads to complete my design.  

 

WARMEST BIRTHDAY CARD 

WARMEST BIRTHDAY CARD  WITH ENVELOPE

 This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

A Perfect Time---ATG

Ching-Chou Kuik---ATG/All You Need Is Love

Classic Design---ATG 

Clever Dexter---Fave Technique (CAS Cards)

Crafts Galore---ATG

LeAnn's World---ATG

Let's Craft and Create---ATG/From the Heart

Morgan's Artworld---ATG

Pearly Sparkles---ATG

River of Creativity---ATG

Sognando---ATG/Love

Crafting Challenge---Love

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!

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Scripture Series: Because He First Loved Us Card—Join the Fun of our Anything/Inspirational Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hello there, guys!  So, we began another Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) a couple of days ago featuring another Scripture Word Art which you can download for free at the WAW site.  It comes from 1 John 4:19 which says, "We love him, because he first loved us."

It is written that when God made Man into His own image and likeness, He breathe unto them life.  And with that life comes the ability to love as God is love and the true Source of love. We lived in a pure and loving relationship with our Father in heaven and enjoying everything He provided us.  But Adam disobeyed God that ushered Sin and Death to come into this world. It severed our spiritual connection with God, corrupted/perverted our relationship with Him and changed our view of God and His love as a whole.  We've tainted God's Agape (selfless) love and adapted a more self-centered lifestyle to satisfy the cravings of our fallen human nature.  And throughout history, we remained that way---tearing each other apart to get our piece of world dominance. And we can't help it because the very nature of the enemy that seeks to kill, steal and destroy have taken over to darken our minds and made our hearts cold and calloused. We were utterly hopeless, destined for wrath if left on our own. 

But God knew that from the very beginning!  His omniscience (all knowing) saw that coming before the foundations of the earth were even set in place.   He wanted mankind to be an integral part of His creation and He would stop at nothing to save and restore them back to the divine nature they had before Sin happened.  The merciful and loving heart of God was revealed for all the world to see as we watched John 3:16-17 came into fulfillment in the pages of our history that 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."  The Father showed us through His Son Jesus Christ the meaning of pure and true love!  For Jesus (Who knew no Sin) left His heavenly throne to sacrifice Himself to the ruthless punishment of death on the Cross so that anyone who receives His gift of salvation would be reconciled, justified and sanctified in the presence of the Father through the shedding of His blood.  And because every Born-again believer (John 3:3) received God's mercy and love by way of the Cross, we are to demonstrate that same love to our fellow believers in the Body of Christ and allow the "selfless" love of Christ in us to permeate the world.  If we truly see our brethren in the faith as loved by God, we will avoid many of the petty issues we have against each other.  That's because we need to understand that we're in different levels of growth.  When admonishing one another, we still have to do it in love.  But no matter how hard we try (at times) to help our brethren understand the Biblical implications of their actions, we would encounter hostile reactions.  Sometimes, we just need to pray for them from a distance while striving for peace. Always remembering Romans 5:6-8 in our daily encounters in life which says, "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  So very true!  We were once sinners that are saved by grace by our loving Father whose love knew no boundaries.  If we have love for our brethren and mankind as a whole, that's only because we have received the greatest love of all first---God's pure and selfless love in Jesus Christ!

I would like to add what My Life Application shared about our highlighted verse today as it sure blessed me. It says, "God's love is the source of all human love and it spreads like fire.  In loving His children, God kindles a flame in their hearts.  In turn, they love others, who are warmed by God's love through them.  If we ever are afraid of the future, eternity, or God's judgment, we can remind ourselves of God's love.  We know that He loves us perfectly (Romans 8:38-39).  We can resolve our fears first by focusing on His immeasurable love for us, and then by allowing Him to love others through us.  His love will quiet your fears and give you confidence.  It is easy to say we love God when that love doesn't cost us anything more than weekly attendance at religious services.  But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people right in front of us---our family members and fellow believers.  We cannot truly love God while neglecting to love those who are created in His image."

For this Card, I used a die-cut flower image from Sizzix and colored it with Distress Inks. The base is a white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card. The DP is from Paper Studio.  I also die-cut the oblong and the lacy oblong using Nestabilities.  I used Distress Inks on the background frame of the flower and added a script stamp from Hip Stamp Hooray.  Instead of my usual stitching, I chose a lacy stamp from Fiskars to create the borders on my card.  I printed the WAW Scripture Word Art on the side and included three dew drops to complete my design.  I think it came out pretty good!

 

 

BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US CARD

BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US CARD LAYERS

BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US CARD INSIDE

BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

 

A Bit More Time---ATG 

A Perfect Time---ATG

Ching-Chou Kuik---ATG/All You Need Is Love

Classic Design---ATG 

Clever Dexter---Fave Technique (I love layered cards)

Crafts Galore---ATG

Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper

Creatalicious---ATG/Love

Daisy Chain---For the Girls

Dies R Us---Valentine's/Love

Digi Doodle Studios---Love and/or Friendship

LeAnn's World---ATG

Let's Craft and Create---ATG/From the Heart

Love to Craft---ATG

Love to Scrap---ATG

Mirtillamente---ATG

Morgan's Artworld---ATG

Pearly Sparkles---ATG

QKR---ATG

River of Creativity---ATG

Sognando---ATG/Love

Crafting Challenge---Love

Worldwide Open DT---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.  Great prize to be won from our wonderful sponsor---Pretty Pink Posh ($30 GC).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the love of the Lord overtake you today.  In Christ, we literally have the greatest love of all from our Father in heaven.

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

Scripture Series: Full of His Glory Card---It's Anything/Inspirational Goes Challenge Happening at Word Art Wednesday!

It's been a couple of days since we started a new Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) Blog.  I'm just now highlighting the project I posted there that featured our  Scripture Word Art (free to download at the WAW site) and it comes from Isaiah 6:3b which tells us, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."  

 

Gotquestions.org explains to us who the "seraphim" are in the context of Isaiah 6. It says, "The seraphim (fiery, burning ones) are angelic beings associated with the prophet Isaiah’s vision of God in the Temple when God called him to his prophetic ministry (Isaiah 6:1-7). Isaiah 6:2-4 records, “Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.” Seraphs are angels who worship God continually. Isaiah chapter 6 is the only place in the Bible that specifically mentions the seraphim. Each seraph had six wings. They used two to fly, two to cover their feet, and two to cover their faces (Isaiah 6:2). The seraphim flew about the throne on which God was seated, singing His praises as they called special attention to God’s glory and majesty. These beings apparently also served as agents of purification for Isaiah as he began his prophetic ministry. One placed a hot coal against Isaiah’s lips with the words, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:7). Similar to the other types of holy angels, the seraphim are perfectly obedient to God. Similar to the cherubim, the seraphim are particularly focused on worshiping God."

 

God's Word tells us in James 1:7, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." Through this passage, we can understand that God is the Source of everything that is good and perfect in this world.  Love, grace, compassion/mercy and forgiveness are just a few of God's attribute that we saw in action after the Fall of Man.  Right after Adam's betrayal of God, He clothed them with animal skin (Genesis 3:21).  He gave them hope by promising a Savior (Genesis 3:15).  Burnt animal sacrifices were offered as temporary covering for iniquities till the promised Savior redeems mankind from Sin and Death, once and for all!  Though it's for the Sin of all human kind, only those that would fully placed their faith (trust, depend, cling, believe) in the finished work of Jesus Christ at the Cross for the forgiveness of their sins (past, present and future) will enjoy its benefits which is to dwell in the presence of our Lord forever.

 

So, the next logical question that comes to mind would be, "Why would a loving and merciful God who already atoned for mankind's Sin through Christ cannot just forego of His wrath over humankind especially the rebellious, proud and idolatrous people who wanted to be left alone with their Sinful nature? Surely, he can impute mercy and forgiveness to save them from hell too," many would say. Even some well renowned Christian ministers have turned apostate by denying the existence of hell.  Well, that is why so many are deceived and ignorant about God, His attributes and His Word!  Many have followed false teachers who would literally pick and choose God's attributes that they could pervert and abuse to justify their rebellious attitude, their love for immorality, power, riches, and their desire to control their own lives.  They have neglected the very fact that God is also true, just, righteous, all powerful and holy.  That means His Word is absolute, His judgment unbiased, His righteousness proves He's always right, all powerful and without blemish.  He that created us is without Sin and is therefore blameless!  

 

Because God is holy, everyone who decides to follow Him desires holiness.  This is not possible through our own human effort.  Jesus had to die in order to show us how God and Sin could not co-exist and because He loved us so much that He provided a way for us to be free from Sin.  His love cannot be used as an excuse to keep sinning.  Rejecting Jesus' sacrifice at the Cross to their final breath is one's personal declaration where he/she would like to spend eternity--- that is with Satan in the Lake of Fire!  People's darkened, selfish and idolatrous hearts caused  them to be blind (lack of perception) regarding God's Kingdom (Born-again, John 3:3). You see, we have to spiritually die from our horrendous ties with Adam in order to be brought back to life in Christ. By accepting the redemptive work of Christ at the Cross, we begin to experience God's unmerited love, mercy and forgiveness.  Jesus showed us the importance of holiness (for wages of Sin must be paid) and His selfless love for mankind (Jesus paid the price with His precious blood). Though God can forgive the sins of a "repentant" criminal under death row by coming to the saving knowledge of Christ, his earthly sentence may remain.  But when he dies, He will enjoy the benefits of his faith in Jesus as he is welcomed in God's kingdom in the presence of Jesus Himself. That is God's promise to everyone who placed their trust in Him. However, this truth remains, everything that we do that deviates from God's holy ways is a sin---the by-product of Sin Nature.  But as followers of Jesus Christ whose Sin was forgiven, though we may fall to temptation at times, we can come to Him and confess of our sins. He promised forgiveness and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). For at the Cross, we can always find  mercy and grace!

 

Though I share several attributes of God in here, the highlight is on God's holy ways.  I pray that His holiness will inspire all of us to steer clear of the filthy things of this world.  As believers, we were bought with a price---the holy/precious blood of Jesus, our Savior!  No man can achieve holiness on his/her own effort.  It is only possible through the new birth where the Spirit of God lives inside of us and changes us from within.  From then, we go through the process of sanctification (set apart) the rest of our earthly life till we see Jesus face to face.  But here's the Good News---we may be far from perfect by human standards but in the eyes of our Father in heaven, we already are holy and righteous by being in Christ Jesus!  So, let us join the seraphim in giving glory, honor, worship and adoration to the Holy One that sits on the throne.

 

For this Card, I used an image from Hero Arts Stamps called "Colored Layering Village" that I watercolored using Distress Inks.  The base is a white CS, cut and score to make a 5.5 inches square.  The DP came from My Mind's Eye, a black CS was used for matting and finished it up with regular stitching.  I'm pretty happy with the result. 

 

 

FULL OF HIS GLORY CARD 

FULL OF HIS GLORY CARD CLOSE-UP

 

FULL OF HIS GLORY CARD INSIDE

 

 

FULL OF HIS GLORY CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

 

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

A Bit More Time---ATG

Classic Design---ATG

Clever Dexter---Something New (Stamps are New)

Crafts Galore Encore---ATG

Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper

Creatalicious---ATG/Winter

DL Art---ATG

Happy Little Stampers---Watercolor

LeAnn's World---ATG

Let's Craft and Create---ATG/Something New (Stamps are New)

Love to Craft---ATG

Love to Scrap---ATG

MIUCB---ATG/Foiling

My Bestie International---ATG

QKR Stampede---ATG

Rabisco---ATG

River of Creativity---ATG

Sognando---ATG

Crafting Challenge---ATG/Snow

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 each week.  Great prize to be won from our wonderful sponsor---The Stamps for Life ($25 GC).  So excited to see what you come up with. Though we encounter negative news around the world daily, let us continue to honor and praise God.  For true believers are no longer citizens of this world, we are citizens of heaven sent here with a mission.  Stay faithful to our God and King!

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