I was that "unpopular" weird kid, that didn't fit in anywhere, in High School. I guess I never knew my place in life, until Jesus took me in. I've been rejected, misunderstood, left out, bullied, abused, scandalized, and labeled.
In 2002 I got on a bus and left a marraige of sixteen years, that was fraught with abuse and heartache. In school, I used to be so afraid to stand in front of the class and speak, my hands would visibly shake, and I could not look at my audience without being terrified.
Years later, I find myself leading a school music production, speaking in front of churches, and walking around with confidence, because I know the King of Kings is at my side.
My ministry, prayers and blogs are directed toward those who feel like they were never enough. You never fit in.
If I can help you in any way, if you need a special speaker to speak hope to the hurting, or if you would like a copy of my Testimony book (Grace to the Rescue) let me know. I am here for you.
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Laura-Grace/author/B00DLYKCOQ?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=2ee12b01-8592-43a4-b4b8-daec0a37d906
With Love, Laura
I can be reached at sisterzeal@yahoo.com
Sometimes it just blows me away, how people treat other people! I know I post some great things (Such as the message previous to this one) but my job is to bring things to a more down to earth level, where people can relate to it.
When someone is shattered and hurt beyond words (by the actions of another) No amount of “You must forgive them” or “just love like Jesus’ type of words is usually going to help.
What they need at that moment in time, is acceptance and love-, in spite of how they feel right now.
We all know the greatest commandment is love, but the truth is, until we find we are loved by God in the midst of our anger, lack of love, rebellion even, or even our big fat hairy attitudes (at times), we will never know how to love others they way he did.
I wish I could tell you I learned to love because of all those great books I read, or great semons I heard, but it’s not true. The Holy Spirit taught me how. And I never could have loved people the way I do, unless I let his love for me soak in deep….
Anything else would have been fake, copy-catting, or just “holdiing my nose right” and pretending to love.
Father, thank you for allowing us to be real with you. Amen!
And why do so many want to be one, but never get there?
Rock stars become stars- because they hit the nail on the head (somewhere) they are hitting on what people are feeling, experiencing, wanting & desiring!
Yesterday I asked the Holy Spirit to lead and guide me…Yes I was seriously talking to HIM (Holy Spirit, come, please lead and guide me!” …..
Now that prayer is not in our bibles but, I did it anyway. I know He is a PERSON not a thing!
I then prayed for my someone, and prayed what I felt LED to pray vs what my brain wanted to pray (which is always safe, and not risky!!)
That person was moved to tears- and God touched him, because of that prayer. It was God! (his WILL being manifested through my prayer time).The Lord literally showed me how that person was feeling, and I said it out loud……
That, to me, is praying like a Rock Star!Not for money, not for fame, but many people just do what they know people need from them (and become famous, as a result). Jesus was one of them. In Fact, He showed us the way!
“Father, give us more of this we pray! We hunger and thirst after you, Father God. We hunger and thirst, after you! I ask you to touch every person out there today- who is led to pray a certain way, but their mind is questioning things.
Set them free Father, from the chains that bind and Free their Mind! Help them to be Brave Father, and pray the way your Spirit leads them to pray. In Jesus’ mighty name!” Amen –Laura Grace,Author, Grace to Grow. http://www.lauragracebooks.com
PS: Speaking of Rock Stars, please visit my friend Angelina’s Page. She has some beautiful Prophetic Art, and she is a great and mighty prayer warrior as well.https://artisticgrace5.wixsite.com/angelina
God’s Banqueting table on this Earth is a lot like a Potluck. Everyone of God brings something to the table. All we have to do is listen, and “taste and see,” if it’s good or not. If someone brings (spiritual food) that is not good, we will soon know it!
We need to get past the mind-set that only pastors, or big name preachers, or “certain people’ prepare God’s food!
When People say they have “no need of you” and you are God’s representative, it’s often their loss, and not an indicator that you have been disapproved by God. Keep Pressing on! God loves you, he is so proud of you- when you put your heart and soul into something for him! He’s always watching!
God Paid for My Schooling! I remember when I started to study (and pray) and refused to work full-time, because if I did, I wouldn’t have time for this intenstive training with God. He let me know at that time, “Where he guides, he Provides.”
I prayed about where to go to school, checked out a whole bunch of schools, and finally settled on Liberty Univerisity Online.
How I remember the day I signed up (I was so scared!). Here I was, in my 50’s, wondering how I would possibly pay the debt. I did get some grants, but in the end, I had 15,000 in Student Loans.
In spite of my faith, my flesh did scream, “What are you going to do, Laura?”
Just in the nick of time (as usual) God came through for me. I was one month away from having to make payments, and something unexpected happened. Something Good, Something wonderful! He paid my debt.
I have never known How God would provide, but I know he has always provided. He can use any ol’ thing he wants to use! Jobs, Rummage Sales, People who suddenly give us money out of the clear blue sky for no apparent reason. One time, my daughter gambled her last 5.00 in desperation, and God caused her to win enough to pay for her rent.
(Before you roll your eyes over this, remember that Elijah was fed by a Raven (a very unclean bird according to my bible.)
God will equip you for every great work (in Him). I don’t care if it’s your Job, Schooling, Whatever it is he wants you to do, He WILL equip you! You can count on it!
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
I’ve watched him provide for my children with Backpacks, Clothing, anything you can name, God has provided it in various ways.. I’m talking about leading me to a 2.00 backpack when all I had was 2.00, or having someone give me a box of “stuff” and at the bottom of the stuff, was just what I needed for work, or for something else. It’s incredible! And all I had to do was trust him, and stand with him on the promises in his Word!
Yes, he does provide! Not only that, usually in abundance!
“God just said (to me) he paid the price for our mistakes at the Cross. He’s got us covered, in advance for every mistake we would ever make. What we call failure, he calls learning, and “His School.”
He paid the price in advance, for every mistake he knew we would make, & He’s got us covered. He doesn’t hold us accountable to make grown up decisions until we are all grown up in Him.”
So now, forgive yourself and stop worrying….His love redeemed you before you ever got into debt financially or otherwise.” -Laura Grace
The closest scriptural referrence I can give you right now is 2 Corn 10 when Paul said “once your obedience in complete.” God decides when we are grown up and accountable. We are not to even Judge Ourselves Harshly. -LG
I like to look at it this way. I know when people pray the word of God such as this “thank you Father I’m blessed going in and blessed going out, and thank you for healing me and restoring me and making me whole……”
I pray this way (and more, and then some) it seems presumptious to those who are not in the habit of praying this way, but we are speaking and praying God’s word!
It’s a weapon in your mouth, it slays the dragon (your enemy satan) when you speak and pray the word of God out loud. think of it as a weapon, and you won’t feel so wierd about it. Now you are not defenseless! You have a sword, now use it! –
When the enemy uses our faith against us: Laura Grace
“Fear” about not having enough faith! Yes that happens too! The enemy of our souls stops at nothing. He doesn’t care how he “gets us”. Here we are trying to do the right thing and having faith with all our hearts an he says “well you must not have any or enough Faith, as nothing is happening right now.”
We look around, and feel like maybe we should just agree. I was crying and praying as i was driving yesterday after singing “My fear doesn’t stand a chance when I stand in your love, Father God.”
A messenger of God said (and I watched his video), “God can do exceedingly above all you ask or think, and his Mercy is so great, just so great, and his love is so great, I’m not sure we will ever fully understand it.” …..I grabbed hold of that, and said “Father I believe you will do exceedingly above all we ask or think!” Shortly after this, “everything changed.”
Someimes The Lord causes us to shift over to a different stance in Faith. Sometimes we are too focused on battling the problem, and we just need to look to Him and have faith that he is good, and his Mercy is great as well!
God has an answer for you today! let HIM guide you by his spirit and may I suggest you forsake those “faith recipes.” Our journey with God as individuals will be unique. Relationship with Him is the key here, not how “great we are” in having Faith. Whenever we trust God, we are indeed, having Faith in Him. Peace be with you! -Laura Grace
Ephesians 3:19-21
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him beglory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.
A lot of people want to know how Christians can be deceived. They also wonder about and even fear God speaking to them, fearing they will not hear from God, but the evil one. I have wondered about these things too, and have studied through the years, asking God many questions.
One of my questions was: “How can it be that you just spoke this to me, yet I haven’t heard this anywhere else, Father?” See, it was a very big concern to me. I do not wish to be deceived, I have no desire to twist the word to help myself feel better, and I really and truly do want “the truth that makes me free.” Now the Lord has said “the sheep know my voice” (John 10:27). This is a promise! As surely as God “really will save you,” He will make sure you also hear his voice.
There is also another problem, which is “big name” ministries, teaching something that is not entirely true How did they even get to a place they are allowed to deceive so many?
Jeremiah addresses this problem, in speaking of prophets who were not sent by God:
“And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.” Jeremiah 14:14
In First Kings 13:11-23, we find the story of a man (who was a prophet) who was persuaded by another prophet, to get off-course from what God had told him.
Because he did not do what God told him to do, he was killed, and the other prophet wept over him. There have been times if I did not do what God told me (even though some were zealous to share their “God thoughts’ with me) I might have been killed, & I might have been defeated. When it’s all said and done, we need to know that we heard from God, because that is the solid rock on which we stand. We have to know (we heard from him).
There
are many ways Christians can get deceived, but if we are
fearing “hearing from the Lord,” because of fear of deception, this is not a
good thing. God wants to talk to us, share things with us, and reveal the
meaning of his words to us, personally. He is a very personal God!
There are teachings out there that may not apply to you. Consider this: A young girl who is destined to be an Olympic gold-medal winner, must train in the area that will be her destiny. While other things, other sports, and other opportunities may seem good to her, if she does not train for her destiny, she will not win the prize.
In the same way, Christians are often distracted by Good things, but they are not the RIGHT things for them personally. We (like the prophet in the book of Kings) need to stick to What God told us, and not be concerning ourselves so much, with what ‘other people say.”
Another way Christians are deceived, is they have been taught something that seemed to be true, but it wasn’t entirely the truth of God. It is true we are to gather with other believers, but it is not true we all have to attend the same church for the rest of our lives, come hell or high water.
This is a distortion of what God said in his word. Many teachings (and truths) get bent, twisted, and even blown out of proportion. We need these teachings to be rooted out, and if we ask the Lord by his Spirit to do this, he is up to the task!
God does not want us deceived, but we have to willingly surrender our hearts to him, and ask him to root out teachings (and lies) that are not of him. Remember: A lie cannot stand by itself, It has to attach itself to a truth, (and that’s just what the enemy often does!).
Some Christians are overly-zealous, taggng on their own thoughts, along with a God-revealed truth. it reminds me of little kids, who take a truth and just “run with it” Not waiting for the whole entire answer!
We all know this, but still wonder; “What is What.” Some will never come to a church, because they are aware of all the mixed-messages they are hearing from Christians!
Remember this, The Lord IS your Shepherd (Psalm 23). If he can guide a man (our Prophet in 1 Kings 13) before Jesus even came to earth, and before He literally redeemed us all from hell and death, he can certainly guide you my friend, if only you put your full and un-wavering trust in him. He will speak to you! When he does: Will we treat his words like Gold?
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