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

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, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 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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Lofty Lucy’s….Who are they fooling I wonder? Not even themselves!

She’s so right isn’t she? So confident in her own (Picture) Of herself she has in her mind! “Lofty Lucy” she is everywhere. 

I’ve had more people give me advice (their two cents worth) than I can shake a stick at, in my life time. What do you do with people like that? (Mostly, I ignore them!). 

Sometimes, I endure them. Mostly, people who act like they know everything, wind up being examples of who “we don’t want to be,” and sadly, most of the time they are pretty clueless about what is going on.

Why Do people love Peanuts cartoons? Well, because they tell the truth, they tell a story, one the most of us have lived (to some degree) and can relate to. 

I just brushed off another “Lofty Lucy” comment, just a few minutes ago. She was clueless about how childish she sounded. I think to myself “How sad,” For I really would have liked to have a meaningful conversation with you…..even a deeper relationship. But, it’s not going to happen, because lofty Lucy (For today anyway) refuses to grow up.

What about you? Moving forward in the personal Growth department?” I hope so! You will like yourself better if you do this, and God will be so happy! 

Laura Grace, author speaker, blogger, prayer warrior, and friend of God. 

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Know it alls & One-uppers! Do we know how to listen? (Grace to Grow)

know-it-allBoy I tell ya……….OH Good morning by the way! 

Know it alls…..one uppers…….Or People who just have to be the center of attention, or who always have to be “right.” Ever met anyone like this? You just get the feeling they are not listening, but chomping at the bit, waiting for their turn to talk. 

I’ve had some experience with being a talk -a-holic. I can remember some comments my husband has made to me such as “You’ve been talking for an hour straight, without taking a breath” (this was a few years ago) Or sometimes I would stop on my own and say, “I’ve been hogging the conversation,” To which he would reply “Help! I”m talking and I can’t shut up!” (making fun of me!). When we first got together, 14 years ago now, I was just in desperate need to be “in control” Of the conversation at all times. 

My goal? Well, sometimes it was to get him to understand me (which is about me) or to get him to see it my way (also about me) to get him to agree with me (about me again!) OR sometimes to straighten him out! How easily our desire to help, can easily turn into an ego trip. I have, in the past found myself saying “WELL, if they aren’t going to listen to me then………They can just go their own way!” (Crossing my arms, thinking I won’t put them out unless they are on fire!) All signs of immaturity by the way. 

But, there is the art of listening, too. You know, years ago, When I first found out I’d been taught some things wrong (even about what it says in my bible) I kind of decided to not listen, and I shut people out in an effort to guard my heart. It does say in the bible to guard our hearts, but it is also possible to get to a point where, we can retain what we believe, and still listen to what others have to say about a matter. 

Being hyper-vigilant can be extreme. We can calmly say; “I don’t agree.” however there is a problem when, the other person chooses not to respect what we believe. I have noticed, especially in politics, many who believe in freedom to believe as they wish (so they say) are very hypocritical, attacking and slamming others for THEIR beliefs, while at the same time maintaining that “others’ shall not shout them down or “ram’ their beliefs down their throats. WE are seeing those who say “I don’t want to hear that christian stuff” while they attempt to force others to believe (how they believe) and even try to make laws to enforce it. So, before I can remove a speck out of someone’s eye, first I have to get the log out of my own eye. Many believe it’s a compromise to listen to the views of others……….

But that is not so. I dare say, Jesus actually listened to some input from others. One was the day he said to a woman wanting healing “It’s not good to give the children’s bread to dogs” (Gentiles were compared to dogs you see) and SHE said “even the dogs get the crumbs from the master’s table! “How great is your faith” He said, and healed her!

You know I can’t think of a case, where someone in the bible marched up to Jesus and said “how dare you preach that” Or correcting him in front of others. Unless of course it was the Pharisees, who used scripture to tell him how “wrong he was” to heal on the Sabbath, or tried to trick him, bait him, or goad him into giving up. He finally told them off, in no uncertain terms……”BROOD OF VIPERS” He said. Why? I think it’s because he needed to drive off the crows, who were trying to steal the precious seeds of truth and wisdom he was planting. We have some truth seekers, truth lovers, and wise Spirit filled people in this world, but friends? What do we do about the crows? Especially crows who think they have the right to run up and snatch the seed before it’s even sown? 

HMMM ……..are you helping the cause of Christ? Or coming against it? Something to think about. And is it love to let the crows gobble up the seed? “Father help me to listen more, learn more, and be quiet before you. “teach me to listen” Open the eyes of my heart I pray. Heal me of all insecurities that make me act up. Help me grow! Father please help me be a lover of truth! I ask you sincerely, in any areas where I think I know the truth if I am wrong? Please uproot those lies, Grant me thy truth I pray! Grant me wisdom! In Jesus’ holy awesome and mighty name. Amen 

 

Laura Grace, Author, minister, and your friend Laura Grace

 

 

 

 

 

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Worried about America? Upset at how things are? I know, I was too for awhile….

a beautiful TREEhi! Laura Grace here! Yes, I get upset sometimes too, I really do. Scared? Yes, I am easily frightened without God’s help. But, here’s the thing. Fear brings Anger, Anger gets out of control (super easily) that rages out of control. We lose our peace, satan comes along and says it’s their fault, not our fault, if only THEY would straighten up and stop upsetting us this way! Oh My!

SO I asked God, (yesterday) Tell me what to read Father, what do you want to say? One word came to me. “Galatians”. It says the works of the flesh are obvious. Envy, Pride, lust, self-righteousness…….(the list goes on.) What’s the solution?

It’s not that we are taking a lukewarm stand against sin, or that we don’t care what’s going on in this world, but there is no getting around the fact, that God tells US to Grow! When we find ourselves feeling like the fruits of the Spirit, walking in righteousness, or learning of Him is too PASSIVE For our taste…..

There is something wrong. WE are supposed to be taking the land (Of our own soul) and expanding the territory of our own minds, TAKING THE LAND (of us) For Christ!

This will never change. God isn’t making any exceptions, to his rule.

We will not make a difference until we are more like him (First).

And, Anger can (and will) lead to sin if you are not careful……….

So, when someone tries to get me all upset (at the things that are happening) I want you to know, I am not sticking my head in the sand. I simply choose Jesus, and he said TO GROW! (and I am not done yet, and never will be,) Amen! -Laura Grace

PS choosing this road……TAKES GUTS! Amen