Is the Gospel always good news? It is but not to all…..and here’s why……..

September 19, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

HAPPY SAD I know we’ve all heard the saying “How beautiful are the feet of those, who bring good news.” (Isaiah 52:7) And even Jesus himself quoted Isaiah, letting everyone know he was the fullfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies, about a coming saviour, bringing Good News.

To many of the Chief Priests and Pharisees, this was not good news. I was reading this morning how they yelled and screamed for him to be crucified. “He said he’s the Son of God” they said “Crucify Him!” (John 19:6). To the disciples who were told “Ye of Little Faith” by Jesus- (while in training) perhaps it didn’t always “Feel like” good news to them, either. Man always has an answer HE thinks is best, and God always has an answer.

When the two do not agree, worlds collide.

We need to be aware of our choices, and what answer we are going to give creedence to. I want to remember that those who stopped following Jesus, did not get anymore answers, or correction from God. He doesn’t throw his pearls out-for those who tend to trample on them. An idol is something that we give more creedence to than God and that CAN BE our circumstance, or problem sometimes.

IN other words what is bigger to me? God, or my problem (the giant) I am facing? Jesus followers ask these hard questions. Those who don’t do not, and blame God for every single outcome (good or bad). So then, the gospel is always “Good News” but not to some.

We (sometimes) try to bend it, twist it or even water it down to make it more palatable, but that is not wise. Oh Sure, God knows our hearts (I just wanted them to get it Lord!)

But, we don’t need to “adjust” God’s word so that it “feels more” Like good news to those who won’t listen. We Don’t have to make it into Good News, It already is. The Good news is God is speaking (and has spoken) the question is: Are we listening to Him? Or something else? Incline your ear (toward him) Proverbs 2. If you care to…..

with love and prayers and blessing to you all

Laura Grace

abusive christians · envy jealousy and wrath · religious monsters · spiritual bullies · time to grow up church · Uncategorized

September 13, 2017September 13, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

bully picture.jpg

Bully: a person who uses strength or power to intimidate those who are weaker. (or maybe just feel like they are)

The bullying ways of the misinformed

Will steal your peace and rob your Joy

They seem to be everywhere these days

Lurking behind the murky haze

They wait to pounce on everything

Seeing what trouble, they can bring

They say the only want to assist

But won’t depart- when you insist

Argue and win, is their only game

And to make you feel small

And very ashamed

Don’t fool yourself- oh child of the King

These foxes can spoil most everything

You don’t have time for their childish games

They infer you are stupid without calling you names

They spend their time in fruitless ways

and behind all this, is a jealous craze

You’re doing what you should, they don’t agree

For if they do-they will have to look at themselves

Do you see?

If only you’d STOP doing the right thing!

They’d have to just watch- the blessing it brings

Beware of Jealousy, its subtle for sure

With the help of your King

You will endure

Turn from these people!

They don’t have a clue

Just glorify God

In all that you do.

by Laura Grace

2 Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Proverbs 27:4 Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots….”

Jude 1:12

encouragement · Enter god's rest · every day people · every life matters · everyday miracles · everyday people doing great things for God · everydaypeople · faith · faithfulness · false hope · fear · fear is a liar · perseverance · Uncategorized

Having every day faith by Laura Grace

September 1, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

faith is substance.jpg Every day faith ……

You can do great things for God in your everyday life. You can have great faith and apply it to your everyday living, too. This is how God prepares us to minister to others, but if we only do it for ourselves to get better, stronger, and more powerful in him, that’s fine also. Everything does not have to be about ministry or having a great ministry somehow.

My testimony is not how I gave money to some big name minister and then POW all my prayers were answered. I studied the bible to minister yes, but wound up ministering to myself. We had this house we bought, it was too small but the only one available at the time. (detailed in my book Grace to the Rescue). For 11 years i paid on that house and watched the cost of living go up as the wages stayed the same. I watched others lose their homes and cried for them, and still stood strong in believing we would always make the payments. I would say to God “You brought us here you will help us make the payments”

Sometimes it was rough, let me tell you. There were times we looked foolish for keeping that house. We had people tell us we should just give it back to the bank, as we were upside down in it, meaning it’s value was less than what we paid. (This was after 2009)

We made improvements when it seemed futile, and kept going, even though the house was so small we sometimes had trouble being grateful for it. I would pray and say HELP US be Thankful Lord! IN Jesus’ name! 11 years later, we sold the house. God made a way for us to get a bigger house, and it’s all paid for. This was all by faith, and as I said it’s not because I tithed (I believe everything belongs to God not just 10 percent) and it’s not because this big name minister prayed for me, it’s because I kept believing, no matter what. God gave me the direction along with my husband to buy the house. From there i just said ‘you gave us the house, you will provide.” I hope this encourages someone today. I am drawing from that Testimony for a new one now, as I go forward in other faith ventures. Pressing on! With love to you all,

Laura Grace

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Why are some christians so mean?

August 30, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

The reason there are “christians” that act like something in the cast of “Mean Girls” is that Christianity is a spiritually imparted thing, not a learned thing, not a church you join, not something you inherit from your parents, and not a lofty goal to achieve- by continually striving to get there. “Real” Christianity is receiving by God’s spirit His ways, his revelations, his fruits of the Spirit, and most of all; HIS kind of Love. The types who think they have it (and have just learned to use the bible to hurt people) are the types that will kick a new Christian when they are down, so watch out! Don’t be deceived either, into thinking these false representatives of Christ are a true picture of “who he is.” Their image may say christian while their actions continually display behavior of the evil one.

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 1 John 3:9

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal 5:19-21

Laura Grace

godismercy · godlovesyou · Gods love · Gods Mercy · Godsjudgement · Godslove · Godsmercy · judgment · mercy · Uncategorized

As a rule….God loves Mercy More….

August 24, 2017August 24, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

James 2:13 Mercy Triumphs over Judgement Pslam 23 Psalm 86 (and many more)

As a rule, God’s love and Mercy is Greater than his desire to Judge us

As a rule, you don’t eat temple grain, but if you’re hungry Jesus is fine with it.

As a rule, men should not look like women, but it’s not the biggest thing on God’s mind.

As a rule, women should not count on outward things for their beauty, but Jesus is not going to leave you out of his Kingdom over wearing a barrette in your hair.

As a rule, we should rest one day a week but if we need to work on Sunday, or get the car out of the ditch, Jesus is not going to scold us for doing that.

As a rule-we should not be pro-divorce. If everyone’s life is in danger, and that person is dragging your soul to hell, God would rather you get free to serve him, than stay and be destroyed.

As a rule, men should lead their families and be a Priest of their home. If they aren’t God is not going to reject a woman willing to step up to the plate.

As a rule, God doesn’t want us killing each other. If you had to do it- to stop a madman he understands.

As a rule- God loves everyone, but he favors his children who come to him.

As a rule, God’s blessing falls on the just and unjust, but faith causes more blessing to come your way.

As a rule, people need to come to Jesus for Salvation. But he sometimes goes and finds them, without anyone’s help. As a rule- he uses preachers, but he can and does do great things without them.

As a rule-

God’s love and Mercy is always greater than his desire to judge and obliterate sin.

The only reason God hates sin is he loves us and he knows it causes us harm.

He’s just patiently waiting for us to figure it out.

As a rule….God is very slow to be angry (with us)

Joel 2:13

So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.

-Laura Grace

Heal the land · healing · humble · humility · humility and love · repentance · Uncategorized · walking in the Spirit of God

A little humility never killed anyone: the story of the dog lady and the big injustice

August 22, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

The story of the dog lady and the big injustice…….by Laura Grace (this is important) and you will see God in this and humility and repentance ….and
a lot of other things…..

A few years ago we had trouble with the dog lady. someone complained our dogs were barking, I tried to get them to stop but they kept on barking so …..soon I was threatened with a ticket. I was frustrated, upset …….

I remember asking how long is too much barking she said 5 min. we had to buy bark collars, expensive, keep them loaded with batteries (more expense) They ran out quick too.

I Kept the dogs in a lot, scolded them, tried to train them never to bark. Kids teased them, they barked more when that happened.

More threats of tickets………

I got mad at the dog lady, yelled at her, complained about the whole dog thing in the newspaper. I was fit to be fried. thought it was so unfair………
Other dogs got to bark. It was daytime! the kids were teasing them!
couldn’t anyone see the injustice I thought?

but she was just doing her job. and, she was.

3 or 4 years has gone by, the main barker (Happy) has passed away now. I didnt think about it anymore didn’t think I held a grudge or anything. today I prayed for JOY and said to God I will do whatever you say, whatever you say. I just need my JOY back! Anyway so God says to me “flowers, the dog lady” so I went and said which ones. bought flowers, wrote a card….

Went to town hall……I said “where’s the dog lady?” “in there” I went into the police area. “where is the dog lady?” I said. ‘right there (she was behind me) I held out the flowers “these are for you” I said…….”For me? why?” she said all amazed “Well i was mad at you for coming after me about my dogs and well…..I’m sorry. you were just doing your job I said. “tears” flowed, me, crying, her the other lady standing there….hugs………..tears….her saying Yeah people are mad at me all the time I’m just doing my job, she said More hugs…I went away.

I left there and felt like 100 pounds of weight left me. And I had JOY Once again. thanks God! YOU ARE so good! and so smart! and so much wiser than I am! and a great therapist!

Praise the Lord! Laura Grace

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“It’s not all about you!” What to say to some who never seem to get enough (attention) or whatever else ……..

August 18, 2017August 18, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

Ever had one of those days? Someone you are trying to help (or encourage) just never seems to get enough? Reminds you of kids (at times). I compared it to geese (so long ago) as I was feeding some geese, and as I ran out of bread, (which I now understand you should not feed them bread) but in any case they surrounded me, got closer and closer, and one even tried to bite my face!

RESCUE POSTER call for help

The bible compares a fool and his folly, to being met by a bear robbed of her cubs.

Proverbs 17:12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.”

MAYBE THE BEST THING is to say nothing at all.

Honestly, a person who will not listen to reason, who does not care what God (or anybody else) thinks, Who has decided they are wise or right in their own opinion, My bible says also “there is more hope for a fool, than for him.”

This is not a person you should be taking advice from, or following. It’s not a person who should be in charge of you, or one you should even submit to. Even Abigail (in the bible) though she did it in a reverent way, went to meet King David and obey God, even though her husband was foolish, and was going to bring trouble upon the whole family. King David was so impressed, he married the woman.

Proverbs 26:12 “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope for a fool than for him.”

It’s a snare to be caught in the snare of a fool’s words or a fool’s folly. Consider these words from Jesus who WAS before Proverbs was even written: They are words penned by the Holy Spirit to God’s servant upon this earth:

“Proverbs 6:5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. “

You can be snared by words, or promises you should not have made.

Another passage of the bible says to free ourselves from vows, that should never have been made. See, we need to look at the whole (entire) bible not just the parts we want to read Or hear right now. The whole Bible. All of it.

Jesus IS His word!

The more we know of his word, the better we will know him. The Better we know him, the better he knows us and has fellowship with us.

So love? Yes! Being snared by those who don’t love God? NO!

Did you see anyone allowed to take Jesus Down from who he was to please them or their folly? NO WAY No how!

We should not do it either. Father God please keep us in your wisdom! And Grace!

Amen

God almighty reigns · God is not in control · God is sovreign and other mysteries of God · gracetogrowstudy · gracetosoar · gracewalk · knowing God · knowing God better · knowinggodbetter · Obedience · obedience to god · Obeying God's voice · The Lord reigns vs control · Uncategorized

God is not “IN CONTROL” He rules and reigns, which is different.

August 16, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

JESUS REIGNS.jpg Revelation 19:6

“And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”

God is not “in Control.” He rules and reigns, which is a totally different thing. If He was “in control” Adam and Eve would not have had a choice, to obey or disobey. If He was “in Control” Noah’s obedience to build the ark would not have been credited to him as obedience. God (who is in control?) simply “made him do it.”

If God was in Control, it would mean he is unjust. According to that theory, he is picking and choosing who he will bless and not bless. He is deciding who will be saved or not saved. He just goes by his whims, because he is God. That’s superstition, not the truth.

He can guide us, but only based on the decisions we have already made in our heart. If we have decided we will do it God’s way (not matter how bad it hurts) Then he can guide us, to where we are supposed to be going next. That guidance will be based on God’s wisdom, and what is ultimately best, for us.

I see being guided by God’s Spirit is a lot like how a remote-control car works. There is an inner mechanism, which responds to the person guiding the car with this other device.

If the connection is broken, there will be no guidance, the car will just sit there. If we are not guided, maybe it’s time to ask if the connection is broken.

We may need to allow God to put something IN US Before he has something to work with day by day, In His Guidance, of us. That’s why we study, and pray. You are not some special exception to this rule.

God responds to prayer, which gives him access (to rule and reign) over the situation. He would not tell us prayer is so important, and then turn around and say, “I’m in control.” That doesn’t even make any sense.

He Rules and Reigns. now, he may want obedience before the request gets answered. He may say “Put mud in your eye,” Or “Go study this passage” Or “go to this church” or “Go see this person” (As that too, is guidance.) WE choose. Yes/No.

If God were in control (of everything) there would be no reason to participate, no reason to pray, have faith, or even obey. There would be no reason for rewards in heaven, and the reaping what you sow concept would all be based on God’s whims, and not your own decisions.

The idea that “God is in Control” probably came out of frustration, for someone who wondered why things went as they did. “I was having faith,” they said, and “things went badly.” “What happened?”

Someone told them well, “God is in control” and it’s up to him, for he is God!

Was God “In conrol” when Annanias and Saphirra decided to lie (and listen to to the devil rather than God?) Books of Acts, chapter 5. No, they made a decision.

It reminds me of the parent who says; “Because I said so!” To a child who is asking why they must do a thing (they do not wish to do.) God is willing to give us understanding. He may make us wait for it, until we are capable of understanding or ready to understand, as he did say, “I have many things to tell you but you cannot bear to hear them now.” Sometimes we are just not ready, or prepared to hear the truths, which he wants to get across.

Especially in cases where we may find out, “we’ve doing it wrong all these years.” That my friend, is something we need to brace ourselves for, before we’ll be ready to hear it. “The Lord Reigns!” Very different from “In control.” K?

-Laura Grace, Author grace to Grow, Grace to Grow, the Study Guide. Peace!

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August 15, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

alone picture

If you jump to conclusions, leap before you look or listen (in speaking to someone) or make someone feel more scared than they already were before they spoke to you, chances are they won’t confide in you again. Being trusted with the confidences and problems of others is a Holy keep.

Don’t scold a wounded heart. A wise person is prayerful about how they approach a situation. How do I know this? I’ve messed up. I’ve had people mess me up too.

“Please Father make us trustworthy. In Jesus’ name.
Help us know when to speak, when to be silent, and what to say.” Amen

Psalm 141:3

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.

being born again · end times · evangelism · evangelism and ministry · Evangelists · evangelize your church · every day evangelism · giving your heart to Jesus · Jesus is the answer · Jesus is the way · testimonies of God · the narrow door of Jesus · Uncategorized

Who can we evangalize? ONLY ….Whoever will come to Him……Only if they want to……..

August 11, 2017 Laura GraceLeave a comment

THE WHOSOEVERS Who are they? Those who come to him!

John 6:37 “whoever comes to me I will never cast out. This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.” John 6:37 ESV

I spoke at a church not long ago, and had a lady confront me that I didn’t include Buddhism, and other religions when I was talking about Ephesians 4 and growing up toward the Head which is Christ. She seemed to think I was narrow-minded. Yep I probably am! Narrow is the door (Jesus said). Narrow.

I said well, I’m hear to talk about Jesus and us growing up toward the Head, which is Christ. a guy in the group said “Jesus is the way” but she was undaunted. She continued to talk about Buddhism and how much it was like Christianity as she went out the door. She was there to attend bible study.

I find myself wondering …..why go to a bible study if you have not already come to Jesus? but see, many believe Christianity is a learned thing. It’s not.

Its a surrendered- heart to- Jesus your- Lord thing. Not a learned thing. A heart -thing. A born- again thing. A supernatural experience with Jesus. Living water! Bread of life in the form of annointed words to your receiving ears!

You cannot enter the Kingdom of God without being “born again” ……and Christianity IS NOT A RELIGION It’s a relationship with Jesus Christ and receving him as Saviour and Lord.

If it was something else I would be down at the bar drinking and having a great time ……..

Because religion is dry and boring. (and lifeless) Jesus is LIFE! I am so baffled someone can go to church and not even believe…….

but it happens. I Hope I was a light in that place! Personally I have no interest in a church that would even dare to be JESUS LESS or start saying Christianity is all- inclusive with other Beliefs. IF that is ever the only church there is I will not be in church. You’l lfind me somewhere in a garden….

Praying in Jesus’ name. -Laura Grace