Saturday, April 28, 2012

All Things Through Christ

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13  

ODBD Shining the Light Challenge #106 ~ DIYDP

This week the Challenge Team at Our Daily Bread Designs wants to see your re-creations using your own backgrounds, embossing, or just plain card stock, that's right Do It Yourself Designer Paper or no designer paper at all!


To make the challenge even more fun, we will be giving out a prize, a $15 gift certificate to be used toward stamps at the Our Daily Bread Designs store!! Entries for the prize must be submitted by Friday, Friday, May 4  at 8 a.m. EST. One random winner will be chosen and announced next Saturday.

And, if you use Our Daily Bread Designs images and sentiments on your projects, you have the opportunity to be specially recognized with our Shining the Light Award.
For complete details visit the ODBD blog.

To see some very clever interpretations of this challenge, please take a bit of time to visit  my fellow challenge team members blogs, you'll be blessed!

All Things Through Christ. . .

Isn't this a most encouraging scripture? Those who are trusting in Christ are able to do what God requires and what is pleasing to Him. And you will see from the scripture, that this is not in our own strength, but through our Savior who has given us His Spirit! I love what bible commentator Matthew Henry says about this passage in context: 

We have here an account of Paul’s learning, not that which he got at the feet of Gamaliel, but that which he got at the feet of Christ. He had learnt to be content; and that was the lesson he had as much need to learn as most men, considering the hardships and sufferings with which he was exercised. He was in bonds, and imprisonments, and necessities, often; but in all he had learnt to be content, that is, to bring his mind to his condition, and make the best of it.—I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound, Phil. 4:12.

This is a special act of grace, to accommodate ourselves to every condition of life, and carry an equal temper of mind through all the varieties of our state.
  1.  To accommodate ourselves to an afflicted condition—to know how to be abased, how to be hungry, how to suffer want, so as not to be overcome by the temptations of it, either to lose our comfort in God or distrust his providence, or to take any indirect course for our own supply.
  2. To a prosperous condition—to know how to abound, how to be full, so as not to be proud, or secure, or luxurious. And this is as hard a lesson as the other; for the temptations of fulness and prosperity are not less than those of affliction and want.
But how must we learn it? I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, Phil. 4:13. We have need of strength from Christ, to enable us to perform not only those duties which are purely Christian, but even those which are the fruit of moral virtue.

We need his strength to teach us to be content in every condition. The apostle had seemed to boast of himself, and of his own strength: I know how to be abased (Phil. 4:12); but here he transfers all the praise to Christ. “What do I talk of knowing how to be abased, and how to abound? It is only through Christ who strengthens me that I can do it, not in my own strength.”

So we are required to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might (Eph. 6:10), and to be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 2:1); and we are strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, Eph. 3:16. The word in the original is a participle of the present tense, and denotes a present and continued act; as if he had said, “Through Christ, who is strengthening me, and does continually strengthen me; it is by his constant and renewed strength I am enabled to act in every thing; I wholly depend upon him for all my spiritual power.” 
Bible Commentator Matthew Henry

Project Details

Paper:  Stampin Up Baja Breeze, Early Espresso, Naturals Ivory and Kodak glossy photo paper
Ink: SU Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Versa Mark
Accessories: Vintage Seam Binding, Rick Rack, Spellbinders Romantic Ovals, Recollections Roses, ATC glitter mist, sponge daubers.
Technique: Versamark Resist
Keywords:  ODBDSLC106, ODBD, ODBDDT, Our Daily Bread Designs, ODBD Butterfly Grunge Background, Scripture Collection 8
Challenges:

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

15 comments:

  1. What a beautiful card Jan Marie!! Love your background with all the different colors you used!! It looks almost like marble. Your layout and choice of colors is gorgeous also!
    Have a great weekend!!
    hugs,
    Chris

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  2. Jan Marie...This is simply STUNNING!!! I love your colours, and how you did your BG, I love the new nestie, and how you framed that beautiful verse with it, and also your gorgeous bow & flowers!!
    Hugs

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  3. Beautiful card - one of my favorite verses -- I even used it as my password at work for awhile! The IT guys were very impressed!

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  4. BEAUTIFUL! And that verse...love it...in all the big and little things from learning a new skill to transforming hearts and lives! Through HIS strength amazing things are done!

    HUGS!!

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  5. Jan Marie, stunning card!! Love the BG you have created using the Grunge Butterfly BG and the scripture, well, I guess we had the same idea on that one ;D I seriously just noticed it when I came here...sorry! Have a blessed weekend! Hugs, Sabrina

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  6. Soft and beautiful background and card. So very feminine! Being strong in the Lord is a beautiful thing and should come across softly and tenderly to the watching world! Lovely work/post as usual my friend. You are a Godly example in every way :0)

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  7. Jan - this card is breathtaking. As the recipient of some of your cards, I know that the pictures don't accurately show their true beauty. This is a beautiful verse, one of the many I cling to. You've portrayed it in the way it deserves. Thanks so much for the message you shared in this post, and for linking to Scripture Thursday. ~ Abby

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  8. Gorgeous Jan Marie! So soft and vintage looking! Love the Verse you used and that gorgeous oval! Have a wonderful weekend! Blessings! Kathy

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  9. This is so pretty Jan Marie! I love the subtle stamped background and the lovely shades of aqua. That little touch of rick rack is SO darling! What a wonderful way to feature such a powerful verse! Blessings...

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  10. your cards are always so beautiful, jan marie!! the background you created is just stunning and frames your verse perfectly! hugs!

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  11. This is just stunning! I love all your inked layers and your bow is beautiful! Thank you for sharing with us at Word Art Wednesday!

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  12. A truly great and inspiring scripture, one of the first I ever memorized and leaned on. I have to be honest I covet that lovely die you have used for the sentiment....the colors of your card are just beautiful love that resist background.

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  13. Your card is spectacular! I love the background you created.

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  14. What a beautiful card you've created, Jan Marie! Thanks so much for popping in at my blog! It was lovely to hear such encouragement from you!...Nancy :o)

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  15. Jan Marie, your bg is so beautiful and love the layering.
    Just a beautiful design.....and inspiring post.
    Thanks for sharing with us at Sugar Creek Hollow.

    Patti SCH/DT

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Thanks for your encouraging words! Have a blessed day!