The Art of God’s Layering… A Testimony Picture of Who I Was/Am/and Will Be!

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 2 Peter 1:2-7

I was thinking the other day, as I was playing in my craft room with my new found love of 3-D art, that this technique and the beautiful results, are a great parallel to our sanctification (God’s amazing artistry), from newborn Jesus Freak to a mature, abundant and fruitful living Jesus Freak.

What begins as just a one piece cut out, a flat and wishful design of what I might become, the first cutout will be the original prayer to join the party, to commit my trust and confidence, and belief in, and pursuit of my Lord and Savior, with all my heart. Over time, with the Master Designer in control and me attempting too proactively add depth my original becomes, with the Art of Layering, a multidimensional, light to the world, that stands out and proclaims my testimony of BECOMING a child of and an heir to the Kingdom of God.

In my craft room I use my magical “Cricut” cutting machine and the patterns loaned to me from way better crafters, to cut layers and layers of an original design with just a tweak of the same design on each layer. The layer is then laid on top of the layer before and becomes an offset that allows the original design to be recognized, but also adds another element to enhance the original. As the layers build, the original design goes from flat, to full, to popping off the page, while still showing the depth and beauty of the design.

In 3-D picture making, the first layer of cut out design is laid upon an uncut colored sheet, so that the design, cut from a sheet of a neutral or coordinating color, will stand out. (It is not the cutout that is placed on the colored sheet but the sheet from which the cutout is taken.) In other words, in our parallel, it is not a cutout of little ole me on my knees in prayer, but God’s page with His design of me, cut out and ready to be layered with all the pages that He will intricately design, to add dimension and fruit and abundant light and life to His original me.

When I first prayed I thought I was drawing and presenting the necessary fully filled and ready to mount picture of me. But God…  Knowing that my rendition would neither receive His design nor reflect the breadth – depth – length – width of His great love for me, He gently asked that I give my rendition (myself) over to Him and His Will for His picture of my testimony.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:1-2

So I did! Although I must admit, over the 30 plus years of the Art of His Layering, I have inadvertently interfered with His tweaking of my layers or tried to replace one or two of His design layers with my own version. Not recommended… 

God does not use a wonderful, magical Cricut which, without struggle (unless I set the page up wrong) simply cuts. Don’t like the result? Discard and cut again. Though, I am sure I would not enjoy a blade cutting in, on, or around me, it would possibly be quick and under anesthetic, of knowing it’s JUST a paper page, not at all painful.

God’s cutting tools on the other hand, are never quick and cannot be used under anesthetic, because sanctification ALWAYS requires our full participation in understanding and receiving God’s design. His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence!

Sanctification is life and godliness… For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature.  Did you get that? We become PARTAKERS! Not just recipients but willing partners who take – and eat – and digest – and become fueled, and therefor powered, to live the abundant life God desires for us. God uses all the tools (sometimes He even uses living tools which He integrates into our life) necessary to cut and form and accomplish the picture He created when He blew into us His breath of life.

When I read the verse above, it is all about LAYERING. Applying all diligence, in your faith… supply moral excellence… and in your moral excellence… knowledge… and in your knowledge… self-control… and in your self-control… perseverance… and in your perseverance… godliness… and in your godliness… brotherly kindness… and in your brotherly kindness… love.

Just a note here, it says applying all DILIGENCE…  not design demands. And Supply… not create I believe this means get ready, clean out the room, prepare to receive the divine nature of God.

You have a throne of faith in your heart, is it overflowing with junk that was put there to hide it from company? Get this throne cleaned off and ready for moral excellence – God’s standard of morality not our own to rule your heart.

How about your mind? Filled to the brim or organized and ready for true knowledge?  Waiting and praying for all kinds of wishes and dream? Get ready to add self-control so that you may value with praise and thanksgiving that which is necessary and already provided.

Perseverance when life doesn’t do what you think it should, godliness so you might stand out like a candle in this dark world, brotherly kindness, especially when he/she hasn’t deserved it? And the top of the top layer? LOVE!

Not our brand of “likey likey”, get prepared to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ and love your neighbor as yourself.’Matthew 22:37-39

Prepare to love as God loves…  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16

I can only imagine the multi-dimensional perfect picture of me when God is finished layering me. In the meantime I know that the preparation, pursuit of, and the layers beginning to form, will plant me in the community of partakers of the divine nature and allow me to escape the corruption that is in the world by lust.

The promise is…  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.2 Peter 1:8 – along with the other side of the promise…  For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his  purification from his former sins.  2 Peter 1:9

THEREFORE… brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.  2 Peter 1:10-11

Let us all become the art of God through His Layering – A Testimony Picture of…

Who I was… Who I am… and… Who I will Be!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.