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God’s Unconditional Love……..

Laura Grace2 Comments

God doesn’t want us sin-conscious, he wants us God-Conscious. See, the reason Adam and Eve Knew they were naked, is they ate from the tree Of the knowledge Of Good and evil! Prior to this, they were just “Innocent.” (Even if Naked!).

Now, if they needed to be clothed for some reason, God would have told them, because they were in fellowship, with him.

God and them would fellow-ship and everything was hunky dunky When we have to decide for ourselves what is good (or evil) that’s what seperates us from God!

When we realize how much God loves us, it’s so easy to love him back! Seriously! it is.

So then, if we are God Conscious, we are all in love with him!! (Because we KNOW (intimately, or first-hand) How much he loves US.

When we are sin-conscious, we worry all the time if God is upset with us, or if we are being punished, And that is what some people will teach us to do. People who don’t know God, who see themselves as prophets (and teachers).

No wonder Paul said “who has bewitched you?,” You were running a good race? “Who cut in on you?”

He also said…..”I wish they would cut themselves off!!” (Book of Galations)

Being led by the Spirit is such a beautiful thing!

We don’t live in that Old Testament “prophets” showing up- telling- us- we- are- in- sin type of time. We live in a world of Grace, thousands of angels rejoicing! full of light, full of wonder! and full, I might add of the glory of God!

Remember falling in love? all you could think of is how you are dressed! do you smell good? All you could think of is being with your beloved……and wanting to please them…….right?

Some of these get married and, being in love and wanting to please turns into “fear of upsetting their spouse” (because they are always upset at them about something. do you see how the relationship dynamic changes then?

People who love God do not “intentionally sin” they are in training with the master, and they are his children, and he says what their priority is right now, not man.

It’s not good. A good counsellor will show them how to be in love again. It works the same with God………

Just as God told Adam and Eve NOT to eat from that tree, born again believers are told by God (by his Spirit) what to partake of or not partake of. Yes, you can exhort people, but ultimately what a person does IS between them and God.

-Laura Grace

1 John 3:8-10 “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”

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Building #9 The Miracle of Fruit! and being out from under the curse..

Laura GraceLeave a comment

FRUIT HAPPY 2Did you know producing fruit in your life is actually a Miracle? I remember how before I gave my life to Christ and received becoming born again, I didn’t like people much. In fact I had a whole lot of hatred, animosity, judgement, and even bitterness in my heart. 

After I got saved, I could FEEL the love of God rushing up out of my very being. At that time there was a song by Dallas Holmes “I got love, love, love in my heart, I got peace like a river, that never will part……..” (Love in My Heart, Dallas Holmes).

Anyway, I would sing that song and I really MEANT IT For the first time in my life. It was something I could feel, I could grasp it, and I WANTED to go run out and bless people who had hurt me, or who didn’t show love to me first. Why? Because The Love of God was SO REAL TO ME It just flowed out of me. I wanted to ABIDE IN HIM! 

Abiding in Jesus in the Vine is GOING to produce fruit. You don’t even have to worry about it! He will trim off the dead branches and be your Vinedresser.FRUIT HAPPY 1

(John 15)

Producing Fruit is also the evidence the CURSE is broken. Jesus said he became a curse for us. In Matthew 21 he curses a fig tree (for not producing fruit). it withers and dies shortly after that. I believe that story is not only about the power of our words but also it’s an outward manifestation of what happens to us if we are not IN HIM. Without him we will wither (and die). 

Jesus doesn’t want us cursed, and he paid a heavy price to REDEEM us from the curse of the law. Just like when you redeem a coupon, you have to receive it, grab hold of it, and literally cash it in with Him! YOU Have the power whether or not to utilized what He did for you. See in Deut 28 when he talked about them being blessed (Fruitful) WITH HIM and cursed WITHOUT HIM It’s saying exactly the same thing as John 15. In the gospel the shadow is just eliminated, but it is actually saying the same thing!

From the very beginning (Gen 1) God said “be Fruitful!” Not just in spirit, but the Body as well. (one comes before the other, you see?). To be fruitful we must live in the right environment with the Lord. IN HIM! Any man-made, phony balogna, MFG Fruit is not what Jesus was talking about. He alone can make us fruitful! Our part is to give up our own ways, and surrender to Him, and his work within us. 

A Passage about being Fruitful: (2 Peter 1) 5 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.“

by Laura Grace, author, Grace to Grow, Grace to the Rescue, and more …….https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Grow-study-guide-Rescue/dp/197333187X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518201916&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+to+grow+by+Laura+grace

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The all about me people (by Laura Grace)

Laura GraceLeave a comment

GROWING TREE ROOTS.jpg

The All about me-people!

by Laura Grace:

We’ve all met them …….
at least once or twice
they want to be naughty
and pretend to be nice

It’s all about them, every time, every place
If they are not happy, they get in your face.

Now I know we forgive them (and pray for them too)
But honestly sometimes, what can we do?

We see them coming, we want to hide!
When we’re having a blessing, they’re along for the ride.

But when we go through a trial ……
THEY run and hide!
They wait til it’s over
and then they come back
It’s all about them (again) 
And that, is a fact!

They will drain you 
and pain you 
and flat “wear you out” 
use you
abuse you
and fill you with doubt

Now you are wondering “did I fail to love?” 
Nope you did not! And here’s help from above!

If they won’t take God’s wisdom, 
It’s not up to you 
to save them from folly 
so take heed what you do!

Let them go my sweet child 
Let them go with a prayer 
gather the wheat 
and uproot the tare

I”m sorry this happens…..
And I know that there’s pain…..
But God is the saviour 
and You: “Pray for rain”

Let them grow up,
They must suffer the pain 
You Need to Grow! 
Now, Soak up the rain! 
Grow in the sunshine
Bask in God’s love!

And my child this is: 
Your help, From Above!

Please don’t feel guilty …….
they are making a choice

Now you, please make yours
and don’t lose your voice!

#grace to Grow (by Laura Grace)

Grace to Grow (the book) Is now available on Amazon WITH Study guide included

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The second mile…..according to Jesus…

Laura GraceLeave a comment

a ROAD Matthew 5: 41 “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ” 

Right after Jesus sat on the mount (speaking to the multitudes) He continued to speak about other topics. One was this passage- (above) which came to mind this morning as I was pondering and waking up. 

You see, I have dreams in my heart, which I believe God placed there. Dreams of travelling, speaking, sharing all the treasures he has bestowed within me. Dreams of sharing with others (who are hurting) all the beautiful testimonies God has given me of redemption, healing, restoration, and reasons for praise! 

I have boldly declared “I will go” (travel and speak) but I seem to be ahead of my time in most everything I do. In Other words, Sometimes a vision is so real to me, I think it’s going ot happen tomorrow! I just want you to know everything I”ve ever said is going ot happen HAS happened. But not in the year or day I thought it would happen. 

I was asked to help with music in my local church about three years ago, starting with the children in an after school program. That led to more singing (in the church) and later on, a semester of teaching music at the local school (grades K to 12) and this was without a teaching certificate by the way. AMAZING!

I can’t tell you how much it blesses my heart that even recently, I sang at church (a song God put on my heart to sing with guitar) and a local person chased me down the other day saying: “I forgot to tell you, that song was so great, please do that more often!!”. It’s 2017 now. Twenty years ago I was crying and asking God WHY He would not use me in church to sing. I had learned almost every song on guitar that church did at the time. EVERY SONG …It took hours to learn them all….hours and hours and hours of time……

I prayed “Thank you Father that if I am faithful you will TRUST ME to sing and minister to your people” …..(as I learned all these songs, and practiced them over and over) And I have to tell you….I had given up on the whole thing, a few years ago.

Oh sure- I sang at this one place but for the most part I’d “thrown in the towel” Given up…..said Okay Father what’s next I surrender! Obviously I”m NOT called to sing or do music in my local church! 

Now I’m in school (full time) Pursuing a degree at a christian college, I’ve written books, I’ve made brochures…..I’ve gone on some speaking engagements…..and I’ve done a mission trip this past summer in my local region. The pastor of the church I attend now is telling me “this other church” wants you to come and sing………” 

             I wanted to keep writing books…bag the singing…..Give up on it now…

 BEING REAL HERE! See it hurts to be disappointed, and if we don’t allow God to keep working in our hearts….we may just slam the door on him! 

Well? Do I go the second mile? Or do I just say “I have other plans now, Lord!”. I asked him to open doors! I asked him to use me! (for his Glory)….who am I to decide what I should or should not do? Who am I to say “this life is MINE I will do what I WISH to do?” …….hmm …..and when I asked him “Should I be singing or should I be writing books?” He gave me that passage (Matthew 5:41) “Someone is asking you girl!! What’s the problem?” ……Incidentally I CAN Do both if I trim some corners. 

So “Father I trust your timing! I don’t understand it, always, but I trust in you! I know whatever visions you have given me that you’ve put in my heart….will come to pass. Eventually ….they will! and please Forgive me for giving up all those years ago…….because I thought you were not quick enough to answer my prayers.” and Father thank you that when something in your word Is true FOR US you will cause it to leap off the page at us! Just like this one you gave me today! It’s for me Father! and I praise you for this! IN Jesus’ name. amen ……..Laura Grace, Author, Grace to Grow the Study guide (a self contained book With studies) Available on Amazon. 

DENTON 7 the grinch.jpg

This picture is me Christmas Concert 2016 directing the music program (Without a teaching certificate) but God was with me……..Laura Grace

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Disciple, or Follower? and Arguing with God …………

Laura GraceLeave a comment

Jesus and me

I remember when I went from Follower To Disciple. How about you? A disciple learns from Jesus (Directly) and then Prophets, teachers, pastors and others enhance or solidify this experience. This is how it should be. 

Nobody can “make” a christian like you make a mud pie or a clay animal. You can try, but without the Holy Spirit Breathing the life of God into a person, they’ll still be just as dead. (inside). And worse yet, when the bible is used to create a monster called a pharisee, well, that’s another story too. I tend to avoid the monsters of pharisee-ism, and I dodge them (Just as my Jesus did!). 

Back to my story: I didn’t start learning FROM Jesus until I stopped arguing with him! Listen, how can God talk to you when you are busy arguing? I’ve read books that say “How to hear from God’ and even well, unconfessed sin seperates you (so they say) but listen, if He is my righteousness and paid it all, HOW CAN THAT BE? 

This double-talk has got to stop (law vs grace!) I came to the place where I said Father Jesus either redeemed or he didn’t! If He did then I’m Free (to hear from you) because you don’t see “SIN” when you look at me you see Jesus! Because he paid it all! (at the cross) and BROKE EVERY CURSE! I don’t need to go to some seminar to get free. Now maybe some do, and they get free, but only because their faith limited them to- “I have to get to that seminar, then I will be or get free.” 

I am talking to the people who can’t afford that big seminar (somewhere in Texas, or wherever it may be). To become a disciple, your heart just needs to shift from FOLLOWER to LEARNER. Now you are following AND learning (take my yoke upon you, Jesus said). “LEARN OF ME” (He said) “the holy Spirit will teach you” (he said!) 

So, I took him at his word. (Crazy me!) Disciples Eventually become Apostles, Prophets, teachers (and the rest) if they keep on going (IN HIM!). I may go to a seminary or not but who Makes me (what I am) Is HIM (Plain and simple). 

Just laugh with me as I say this: “GOD cannot get through to you when you are busy arguing! Sometimes I get that feeling he is saying “are you done?” 🙂 

Followers follow so long as the blessing is flowing…….

Disciples understand that someday they are going to do great things, like he did. Followers are more likely to fall away……

As your friend I am here to tell you, God is not going to just “finish the work in you” all by himself. He needs your cooperation! I have lost track of how many times he has said…..”are you done now?” …..”ready for me to speak?” ……..

 

HMM …..With love and somber blessings, 

 

Laura Grace 

 

 

 

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Why should I let it go? It’s not fair!!! A suprising look into why the serenity prayer is biblical :)

Laura GraceLeave a comment

Serenity Prayer.jpg Greetings! 🙂 Well you may be surprised at what God showed me today. I saw this poster on a friends FB wall, and I thought, “Yes that’s good.”

After awhile I was doing dishes, cleaning, doing housework, and the lights came on! I am always expecting God to reveal to me new things and what he wants to teach me (day by day.). I have built up my faith in this area, I BELIEVE He wants to speak to my heart (daily!). 

With that said, What jumped into my spirit was; THE REASON we feel lighter and more free when we let go, is because we are letting go of grudges, unforgiveness, or wrestling with what we should do about a situation. Let’s say someone was really mean to you? 

Don’t we often think; “We should say something” to them? Or maybe we should never talk to them again? Or maybe we should pray for them endlessly until they “Get convicted?” Whatever the weight is, it will weigh you down! 

check out this passage in Hebrews 12 

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I hate to admit to you how many countless hours I’ve spent in my life, trying to figure out what to do about something.

There are also times someone does something (that throws me for a loop) and it’s a fight to ward off the after effects of their careless words. I think the enemy likes to send those fiery darts mentioned in Ephesians & magnify to us over and over the wrongs people have done to us. “You need to do something!” He accuses, or they will think you are a pansy, or a doormat.” Sometimes we need to do something, and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we need to just LET IT GO. 

Did you ever think about the passage in 1 Corn about love being for YOUR SAKE? (Not so much for others?) The problem with being told we should love more at times is, we think “Why should I? They don’t deserve it!”

Forgiveness is for your sake, not for theirs. If they continue in their ways, they will face the Lord over it. (Or do you not believe this?) YOUR ANGER is a weight, your unforgiveness weighs you down! Your constant obsessions with trying to understand an unreasonable person is like and ankle weight, keeping you from running your race. “LET IT GO NOW” ……….(It’s holding you back) 

It’s a blessing if you do! “Father grant me the serenity to accept what I can’t change, and help me to grow in spite of it all, and help me to just let it go……for my sake for your name’s sake, for everyone’s sake! In Jesus’ name amen -Laura Grace Author, speaker, minister of the Lord, and your friend and companion for the gospel. 

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Stuff we don’t want to talk about: “touching God’s anointed” and other false teachings, that are misapplied.

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There was a teaching, about 20 or 25 years ago. I’m not sure where it came from, but it was about “Touching God’s anointed.” I personally heard the teaching, in church, but I did not ever study the passage it was based on, until years later. 

King David, was to replace King Saul, in the Old Testament. Without sharing pages of bible scripture here, I will summarize, that Saul did a lot of bad things to David, prior to David becoming the new King, of Israel.

At one point, David’s own mean pleaded with him, just to get rid of Saul. Specifically, they wanted him to just kill him, as Saul was trying to kill him, so wasn’t it justified? At this point, David said he would not “touch God’s anointed.” 

This teaching was never meant to negate the passage in Ephesians, where we are told to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather, expose them. 

Saul was certainly exposed. It was known to all, what kind of man he had become. While he still retained his king status (for quite a while) and gave David a lot of grief in the process, even driving him almost to the brink of insanity, David would not kill him. 

I just wanted to expose the fact, that there are some teachings (which were taught in church) through the years, that are not a true revelation from the Holy Spirit. There are also teachings, which were meant for just one person, and not for everyone in the group.  I do not go around teaching, that every child of God having marital problems, should get divorced.

Likewise, it should not be taught that someone should always submit to a bad leader (who is not following Jesus) Just because the bible says “submit to your leaders.”. We have to understand who is a true leader in Christ, and who isn’t. To teach a woman to go home and submit (to someone who is crazy, or abusive) is irresponsible as well. 

Pat answers, such as “God hates divorce,” “Obey your leaders,” “Wives, submit to your husbands,” and even passages such as “Love bears all things,” are not the right word, for the right time, for some people, at that time. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us to properly apply a scripture at the right time, to the right person, and for the right reasons.  I hear these passages a lot, but not “slaves obey your masters,” which is also in the bible. Why is that, I wonder? I do know the answer. 

It was advisable, (at one time) When slavery was still in effect, for them to submit to or obey their masters. If they did not, things might not go well for them. When It came time for the slaves to go free (and many fought to the death for this freedom) The passage no longer applied, as it was time for “The captives to be set free.” 

It’s not touching God’s anointed, to expose lies, or things that are not true. When a wife, child, or spouse, exposes something evil (going on in their home) they may just be obeying the word of God, found in Ephesians.

Ephesians 5:11

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them

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Why the devil flees. A word on deliverance, and casting out devils……..

Laura GraceLeave a comment

warrior-sword-fighter

This Morning, a thought hit my spirit, and I am giving God the credit for it. Back in the 90’s deliverance sessions were going on, everywhere. Sometimes, preachers who had been led to “cast out a demon” were so ambitious about casing out demons, they would be in prayer lines and try to push people over, or maybe they would smell cigarette smoke and try to cast out the demon of nicotine (in Jesus’ name.) 

First off, if you don’t believe in God, we probably better not have this conversation. At the same time, some don’t believe in God, just because he’s been misrepresented by those who are called christian. Which is exactly why, Jesus was so upset with the Pharisee types when he walked the earth. They were misrepresenting him, so he had to straighten them out. Why? His potential children, were being shut out, by them. 

Now when people say ‘go deeper” this is what deeper means. You touched the surface of what God wanted to say (via his word) and he wants you to get more depth out of that passage of scripture. In Luke 9:49 the disciples said “we saw someone casting out devils in your name, but we forbade them, because they don’t follow us.” 

Wow! Here we have early signs of elitism, and Jesus cut it off at the pass. “If they are not against us, they are for us,” he said. “Do not forbid them.” Wow! 

There are times I am going to believe for something (because God has put it on my heart to do so) and someone will come along and try to argue with me. I can tell they are not in the Spirit of God right now, so what spirit are they of? 

People who are proud of their “independent spirit” do not want to believe they are influenced either by God (and his truth) or the devil (and his lies.) It’s funny how a society so against black and white (concrete) statements, who want to believe nothing is that “cut and dried,” also want to know gravity always works, and the ground is very solid under their feet. Who would actually build a castle of sand? (on Purpose?).

Not I, and likely not you, either! But the truth is when we refuse to see there are two influences (God, and the devil) in the spirit realm, we risk listening to the wrong voice and building our spiritual lives on  the sand. 

Did you ever see Jesus command a religious spirit to get out of a guy? Me neither! WHY DID Jesus rail on the Pharisees so hard? He just was not nice to them! I can hardly get it out of my brain, how Jesus said “snakes, vipers, whitewashed tombs!” I shudder to think of the reaction, if we walked up to someone and said that, today. 

Why did he do it? Why did they not get compassion, since the devil causes all the bad things? I”ll tell you why. They were hardened by pride, in all of their supposed knowledge. They needed a hammer, taken to the rock of pride within them. 

And that my friends, is another way to cast out the devil, and his lies. -Laura Grace