Category: 1 John 1:7

1 John 1:7

Being Salty

Laura GraceLeave a comment

                                                                           Being Salty

Matthew 5:13 Lev 2:13 2Chron 13:5 Numbers 18:19 Ez 43:23 Gen 19:23 Luke 17:32 Mark 9:42 Col 4:2

 Salt to Preserve-Salt Covenants-Salt in Bread & on Grain-Salt as payment-Salt to heal-Salty Speech

God has a to say about Salt! Salt was obtained from the dead sea in ancient times and put in pits and left in the sun until the water dried out of it and all that was left in the pit was salt. In ancient Israel just in our own history Salt was a vital part of their daily lives. But what did Jesus mean when he said be Salty?

                                                                 Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth…….

                            But if salt becomes “un-salty’ it is good for nothing but to be trampled ………

Have you ever met someone who is ‘Un-salty” in their Christian life?

 It is almost like they have been “neutralized.” When something is neutralized it has no effect.

When I had my teeth pulled the dentist recommended I gargle with salt water, after having more than one tooth pulled at a time. He said at my age, infection could kill me. I was swift to listen to his advice and marvelled how quickly I healed when I gargled with salt water.

Sometimes I think people need to swish the word of God around in their minds and hearts.

James says salty and fresh water can’t flow from the same fountain! They Can but if you try to

Be un-salty (not allowing the word of God to season you) soon everything you say will be of the earth and not the salty flavor that comes by living in the words of God.

Salt preserves, (rotting meat) salt heals in the sense of eliminating bacteria………

“If you lose your saltiness” you’ll be trampled……I’ve noticed this is true …..

When I begin to try and relate to people in my carnal mind or thinking I find I get trampled by more and more of the opinions of men, and lose my grip on the word of God.

It’s nice to try to get along with others but “being mrs nice guy” has never served me well.

Have you ever been in a situation you try to compromise and leave God out of it? It gets messier and messier (and messier) the more you try to leave God out of it.

 People who want to play King of the Hill will never stop. Best to settle in our minds Jesus is Lord (once and for all) and let him be the boss.Light makes people in the dark angry (they want to stay there) Salt hurts those who have wounds. You don’t stop being salt just because someone won’t allow you to apply it.  What if I hadn’t listened to my Dentist when he said “You need salt” ……What then? Would I have died? Maybe……

We need to be and stay Salty…….

1 John 1:7 · 1 John abiding · abiding in the vine · abidinginthevine · advice christian · agreement · believingGod · believingJesus · Bible study · bible study 101 · building on the rock · building your house on the rock · christians growing · christmas testimonial · christmas testimonies · faith obstacles · faith works · gracetogrowstudy · gracewalk · growing up in Christ · growing up in Christ Jesus · growing up in God · Uncategorized

Being a Faith Person, in a cynical world

Laura GraceLeave a comment

Good Morning! 

     I find myself thinking this morning, how difficult it can be to be a faith person, in a cynical world. 

     I am an oddity to many, and I perceive that many just wonder, (and worry a little for me) when they hear the things I believe, and the things I say, on any given day. 

     I am prone to speak faith over situations, and defy the laws of the natural with my words (and prayers). I don’t necessarily believe in “JUST” asking God for something, I believe in speaking faith words into the atmosphere.

   Many do not agree with me, but they are a little bit afraid to argue, too. I can almost hear their thoughts.

     “Should I say something to Laura?” “Doesn’t she realize she isn’t always going to “get what she says?” Or “does she realize God is Sovreign, and what happens, is up to him?” When I speak big things in Faith, I’m sure they wonder, “Is she going to be okay when it doesn’t “GO” How she thinks it will?” 

     Many often think I do need a “reality check.”. Know how I know? No, so I will tell you: I know by the things people (often) say to me what they truly believe. 

  They don’t believe they are cynical. They believe they are right. 

       Jesus really did say in Matthew 21 ” but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.”

     This does not mean every problem we have we just “speak to it’ and it goes away (according to our whim). However, there are times we do! And, things happen! 

     The “Blab it and Grab it” crowd gives Jesus a bad reputation! I don’t see Jesus speaking to every circumstance that was unpleasant, do you? So when we do this, our immaturity shows for all the world to see! And you give the gospel “a bad name” if you treat his word like a magical sceptor for your own personal gain.

   Jesus did many different things at different times, as he “Did the Will of his Father in Heaven” (John 5:30). There were prophets in the Old Testament who spoke things (by Faith) some of it never happened in their lifetime, They still believed it. 

     A doctrine of man is when ONE thing he did, is emphasized to the point the full message of God gets distorted. If we want to be like Him (Christ-Like) we will reject none of his ways (or methods) but at the same time we will also not take one thing he does (or did) and blow it out of proportion.

     I speak to situations when he leads me to do so. Those who have tried, or have seen someone, try to get rid of every problem Just by speaking Faith (when their hearts did not even believe what they were saying) Begin to get cynical, and think they have to “straighten out” Faith people, who seem to be ‘over the top.” It’s not one or the other, GOD”S WILL OR You Speaking Faith like he did! 

 You can believe for his Will AND speak Faith (to your Mountain) at the same time! The question is, what has his Word taught you to believe? Do you know what it says about every situation? (His word) or are you just listening to those who claim to know?

     And why should we even believe them? Who are THEY to say what you should believe or not believe? Isn’t that between you and God, in your Covenant with Him? 

Something to ponder, 

By Laura Grace Author, https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Grow-study-guide-Rescue/dp/197333187X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535463548&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+to+grow+by+Laura+graceGrace to Grow

 

 

1 John 1:7 · disciplesofchrist · fun · God's kingdom is · God's Plan · Godisgood · Good good Father · grace · Grace books · grace to grow · gracetogrow · gracetogrowstudy · Uncategorized

A Good day!

Laura Grace2 Comments

me and TIm.jpg

     Tim and I had a great day the other day, I wanted to share about it. We didnt’ go to the Bahama’s and we didn’t go to Disneyland.

We BBQ’d and enjoyed some corn from a friend nearby, who brought me some corn on the cob, just because they remembered how much I love it. it’s funny how a still day, no wind hardly, BBQ smells emerging from the charcoal, and the dog laying there in anticipation of a bite can eminate such a wonderous atmosphere. 

Suddenly, all the pain, fear, and turbulence from the past months just went away. I don’t think it was because of the BBQ.

It was just a reflection of the peace that had emerged inside me from acceptance, love, forgiveness, and just letting go of all the pain and allowing God to take over. 

I know there are a lot of people who don’t believe in God, but then again, there are many who call on him in times of trouble, who don’t normally call on him otherwise. 

I do believe in God, as I have seen evidence he exists time and time again. I wrote books about it too, but they are not selling too well right now, but that’s okay! 🙂 

My success does not depend on what man has to say about me, so no worries there. Here’s the thing, God said in his word there is nothing better than to eat, drink, and enjoy the fruits of our labors. Isn’t that awesome?

He didn’t say there is nothing better than to work your buns off, or there is nothing better than to sacrifice to the flames, or be a huge success in this world’s eyes…..

He said “Via his Servant’ 

“So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.” 
Ecclesiastes 8:15
Wow!
Why do you think this is? Nothing better, he says? I agree. That BBQ and Corn was just awesome. And so is the loving man I shared it with.  Just think, the wisest man in the world said these words…….so let’s not do over-kill on performance, shall we? 
-Laura Grace 
1 John 1:7 · a word of emotional healing · AA · abidinginthevine · advice christian · Alanon · alwayshope · anguished hearts · arguing with fools · becoming a son and daughter of God · being at peace · Being Bullied · being real with God · beingspiritual · believingJesus · better days ahead · Bible study · Bread of life · broken christians · Bullying and abuse · charismatic nut cases · childlike faith · choose life · chosen · co dependency · co dependency and sympathy · co dependent no · collateral damage to the soul · common sense christian · common sense christianity · everyday christianity · follow Jesus · Gods healing power · Gods love · growing · growing in Christ · growing up in God · growingingrace · soul healing now · Uncategorized

How to Guard your Heart by Laura Grace

Laura GraceLeave a comment

gate heart Be a Gate Keeper! Guard the Soul 

I think there are a lot of Christians out there, like me, who truly do not know how to guard their heart. First and fore most we must give more weight to the voice of the Shepherd than anyone else.

We don’t need pretty lies of exaggerating how wonderful we are, and we don’t need Input from amateur counselors or the peanut factories. We certainly don’t need help allowing unbelief! 

Because we are “word of God” people, we think if we can’t rebuke it, cast it out or get it gone via spiritual warfare, we are failing somehow. Not true.

Some people just ‘are what they are” and we must learn how to deal with it!

  1. Step number one we need to keep learning and meditating on who we are to Jesus. that knowledge must become so real to us, nobody can talk us out of it. If the voice of someone else’s opinion of us screams louder than what God says, we must reinforce what he says about us until it’s more real than anything else. 
  1. In keeping with that train of thought, the accuser of the brethren (the devil) is always going to try to remind you of your past. That’s his job. He is evil. He isn’t going to stop so you must learn to overcome him with YOUR TESTIMONY. You speak it to him: “I am saved, God’s child, I’ve been forgiven of that” and if the person who is allowing the enemy to “USE THEM” to accuse you keeps it up, start to ignore it. It’s the best defense you have. IGNORE IT. You can’t argue with demons.

 

You can’t cast them out of someone who wants to stay that way. No, they may not be demon-possessed- they just listen to his lies and it’s become a part of them, like WEEDS. You cannot go into someone else’s garden and start yanking weeds out. You are trespassing! You are going to have to ignore it and tend to your own garden. Not what you want to hear, but true. Change the subject, dodge the questions, or say “I don’t want to talk about that right now.”

 

  1. Do not ask for counsel from those who have no clue what you are talking about, or what you have been through. I don’t care what their credentials are or how much they “seem” to care. Ask God who you should talk to about something. SEEK HIM FIRST! He is your Shepherd, your counselor and your friend, and he is always listening. 
  1. You live in the world, so best to get started learning how to cope with things. Go to a rest room or go outside and pray. I’ve done this over the years, went to my car. Prayed, or even went to a restroom, prayed in whispers asking God for help, wisdom and guidance. I assume everything I go through he is RIGHT THERE WITH ME because he said he would be.

 

  1. Family can be the hardest, because they knew you before you knew Jesus. Family has expectations that often feel like obligations. If we are a good sister, daughter, mom or son we will do this or that supposedly. Jesus told his own mom he was going about the Father’s business, but another time he did change water to wine because she asked him to do something about the situation. There are no pat answers, we must learn to say; “I am praying” I am “seeking God” and let everyone know (including your family) you are on a mission to do God’s will. We are not born “being like Jesus’ It’s something we are walking out.

 

  1. Whatever weapons you know of right now (with God) use them, he will add to your skills as you use what he gave you. I started out a Lutheran Just ‘praying the Lord’s prayer” and now I know all kinds of spiritual warfare tactics. God is not in a hurry. You are in a school called life and he is willing to walk with you as your Father and help you to grow.

 

  1. Learn from your experiences, write them down. Use a Journal use the computer and ask God to teach you in EACH situation how to handle it better next time. I have noticed things I run from I will usually face again, so best to learn to overcome it.

 

  1. Give that other person the benefit of the doubt, whenever you can. Did they mean to hurt you or were they hurting themselves, distracted, or just clueless? We need to ask God “Why is this happening? Or “what do you want me to learn from this?”

There are some people who are just plain bullies, but what about the mandate to love them?Do we keep taking the hurt?

If I tell someone something wounds my soul and they keep doing it anyway, I am probably going to pull away from that person.  When you go, say a prayer and give it to Jesus. Be willing to be reconciled later, if that’s what he wants you to do. 

WHEN we guard our heart it’s not just against people. WE protect our heart from becoming bitter, angry, full of self-pity, and a host of other things the devil sends at us. There is no end to the things he will try, to destroy our very hearts. Do you know why?

BECAUSE my friends, that’s where the word of God gets planted and takes root. It’s where he speaks to us. It’s where rivers of life flow out of us!

Satan would rather take you out than take out a church building. If he can take you out, he has stopped the flow of God’s spirit to hundreds, or perhaps thousands of people due to the ripple effect. (you touch a life, they touch a life, and so on and so on and so on).  Some people gaurd a church building more zealously than they protect their own hearts from the evil one. It’s a full time job! 

 

 Guard your heart! It’s where your inheritance lies. It’s worth fighting for.

 

Laura Grace, Author, Grace to Grow Click here to Buy:

https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Grow-study-guide-Rescue-ebook/dp/B077L71XP1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525753636&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+to+grow+by+Laura+grace

 

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Prov 4:23

1 John 1:7 · 12 days of Christmas · a word for God's church · a word of emotional healing · a word on "expert" advice · bible studies · Bible study · bibleisfood · biblestudy · bigkidsofgod · broken christians · christianitytoday · christianthoughts · christlightshining · conviction sings · disciple or follower · disciples · Disciples for Jesus · disciplesofchrist · disciplesofjesus · discipline · fear causes control · Following God · Following Jesus · getting your feelings hurt · Grace to the Rescue by laura grace · Grace to the rescue ministries speaking · gracerescuedme · gracetogrow · Gracetogrowrealstories · highminded · holiness · holy ghost teaches · know it alls · Know Jesus · knowing God · knowing God better · knowinggodbetter · not all about me · Offenses · relationships and everyday problems · Relationships are everything · relationships are everything with God and others · the I love you project · the stick in your eye · Uncategorized · victoriousinChrist

You Can’t afford to be Offended

Laura GraceLeave a comment

Me 2015.jpgI want to share a little over a week ago God Led me to forgive some stuff. After I did it, I realized how many people I had let down in my life time. That was God’s Grace (TO ME!). I have to wonder,if my forgiveness allowed the Holy Spirit to reveal more to me about myself, and lift the blinders from my eyes.

We All have expectations of people.

Some is based on how we are raised, how we understand the bible, or whatever else. People can feel they are offering the help they have to offer, and you rejected it (or them) and I mean to tell you what, there are SO MANY THINGS the devil can (try) to turn it into an offense, I simply cannot list them all here. 

I’ve had people reject what I had to say when I thought it was God’s will I said certain things. It hurts, because we think we are giving a gift, and it just got rejected. If it happens 100 times, we may be at risk of getting offended. You’d be suprised how many people have “rebuked me” when I talk about Growing In Christ.

There are some who believe getting saved leads to this “instant Jesus pudding” and we automatically grow, without any real participation on our part.

Growing in Grace is a message that is balanced, and between the “Auto Pilot’ thing and the “being under law” mentality. Growing up IN Christ is a sensible and sound message, but not a popular one.

Therefore, I am delivering a word God asked me to deliver …..and yet those who seem to have the pulpit do not always agree. Does it stop me?

NO! It will not! And, I must not get offended. If I do, I will ruin myself.

I”m so glad when people tell me things like, “I waved at you, you didn’t wave back”. So many times, I just did not see them wave at me!

There are times people forget, don’t hear us, or do not understand how important something is to us. (really). Don’t fall for the “all about me” mentality. It’s a monster! ME MOnster.jpg Cartoon by Jeff Larson 

Yes, there are times people have been little snots, but it’s not all that often. Most of the time when people hurt us, it’s quite accidental.

The important thing is that remain “not offended”. If I’m not, I can go foward in Christ.

Proverbs 18:19 says “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.”

Don’t put your walls up. It’s just not worth it to miss out on what God has for you next.

Laura Grace, Author, Grace to the Rescue and Grace to Grow, available on Amazon.

1 John 1:7 · abidinginthevine · Bible study · biblestudy · building on the rock · conviction · convictionvsguilt · covenant · dealing with unforgiveness · freedom in christ · getting out of offense · Grace books · grace to grow · grace to grow speaking · grace to restore · grace to soar · grace to the rescue · Grace to the Rescue by laura grace · graceofgod · Jesus loves you · offense · pastor Laura speaks · Relationship is everything with God and others · relationship with God · relationship with Jesus · Relationships are everything · relationships are everything with God and others · the I love you project · Uncategorized · walking in the light

Forgiveness & The “I love you” Project….

Laura GraceLeave a comment

I LOVE YOU PROJECT The other day, (a week ago to be exact) I was having a really hard struggle. I didn’t know why, I just knew I was upset over just about everything. From A psychology view point it kind of looked like PTSD. From a spiritual view point, it appeared I was just touchy, or having anger issues. 

Because I am a preacher of seeking God and growing, I didn’t diagnose myself. I sat down and said “Father what is wrong with me?”

When I asked, I really expected an answer. God spoke to my heart. 

“You are in danger of being in offense, you need to forgive some people,” (He said). 

Not only that, he said a spirit of offense was trying to take me, he impressed on my soul.  I was baffled. “Okay so what do you want me to do, Father?”

This passage in Proverbs 18:19 came to my heart as well.

“A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.” 

My Impression was, if I didn’t do what God said, He wouldn’t be able to lead me. So I complied and said, “Okay, what, and who, Father, for I do not know (who or what?)”.  From there he led me to about 25 people and events, and I said them out loud and verbally forgave them (or the incidents) Sitting in my chair.

I also prayed it would be forgotten, and I would remember it no more. I released them all and I prayed to be clear of any offense, that would keep me from moving forward, with God, as well.  I made myself accountable to one other person.

Mark 11:25 says if we do not forgive, God does not forgive us. I have always wondered about that passage of scripture. What? You mean you take back the forgiveness you gave me Father? Nope. It’s more like this: Deliberate sin blocks out God. Ever feel like you are stuck? Stuck in fear, stuck in anger, or in my case “STUCK” in unforgivness. AND I didn’t even realize it! No wonder we need God. (every single day of our lives) and we need to seek him (first) and walk by His Spirit in Jesus’ name! He keeps us from stumbling or being stuck, but he is the Leader!

SO Follow the Leader! (His Spirit) and you will do well. 1 John 1:7 (see the word IF)

After this he led me to buy cards that say I LOVE YOU! (I will be sending them out to people as he has directed.) Stay Tuned for the results of this directive! 

Laura Grace, Author, Speaker and Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Peace!