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Relationship Help: Who submits to who? And when? Is it really this complicated?

Laura GraceLeave a comment

Hi! I’ve been studying the bible for years now. I don’t know about you but, I found the more I studied, the more complicated it got! (For awhile anyway). The bible says wives submit to your own husbands. But just prior to that (Ephesians) It says submit to one another! It also says submit to God, submit to your leaders, submit to governing authorities but then somewhere else it says “better to obey God than man.” 

Words like submission, obedience, surrender…..

These become words we kind of throw around, without really thinking about what we are saying, if we are not careful. I remember reading about that woman with the meek and quiet spirit a few years back, all of us gathered at a bible study, nodding our heads about how we should be surrendered to our husbands……and each of us thinking of times we could not do it. I know I wouldn’t advise any child to submit to a parent, who told them to smoke drugs with them! Would you? Yet the bible, “says what it says……” does it not? So we find ourselves in quite a pickle (at times) If we just pick up our bible, and treat it like a recipe for life. There are essential INGREDIENTS in the bible, but the recipe for our lives personally, is created by the Holy Spirit (for us as individuals.) 

Submission is a concept, applicable how the Holy Spirit directs, not how WE (or anyone else) decides it should be. if you are Bonnie to someone’s Clyde, you are going to jail with them. Therefore, Submitting to your husband is not always your first priority. It cant’ be. 

This doesn’t make the bible untrue. We Have GOT to get it through our heads, it’s a book of principles, concepts, ingredients, if you will. When we make cake, we don’t always put broccoli in it. Do we? Of course not? I hope you are following me, here. 

Yesterday I was in a quandary, as my husband wanted something from me, and I could not bring myself to submit to his request. This sent me running to my secret place, crying out to God as to what I should do. In the end, I came back and talked to him, and stated from my heart what was going on with me, and why I found his request to be so difficult. I prayed, and cried to the Lord for wisdom ……….

And you know what happened? He counselled us (the Spirit of God). I am not going to write a book about what happened, because next time, it might be a bit different. WE make the decision to follow (and Trust) God. He makes the decision how that looks to him, and to us…..for that day. Tomorrow, it might be a bit different. IF we are looking for a regimented plan (that never changes) we are probably after religion not relationship. Relationships are always changing, growing, expanding, and branching out. (Like a tree!).

I am so thankful when God plants a tree, it doesn’t look like a statue or a monument. It grows……the sky is the limit! Soon the tree has huge branches, providing shade, and a place for many birds to rest, and build their nests in the spring time. Well, that’s my sharing for today! Call on the Lord! Ask for his wisdom! Choose that over your own ways! he will guide you to what passage you need (for today). From his very own word. 

with Love, 

Laura Grace 

come out and be seperate · don't want to go to church · grace to grow · Is church always a good thing · seperation and Holiness unto God · Uncategorized · why should I go to church

Making time to Grow (by Laura Grace) From my upcoming book…….

Laura GraceLeave a comment

It’s a matter, of Time

Sometimes time is a factor, in the decision of going to church. I can remember when my kids were young, yelling at them to hurry up, the shoes that were kicked off, just prior to church service, and the full boar scramble, to get food in the crock pot, breakfast in their bellies, and comb my hair to look nice, for church.

I made time, and for the most part, I do not regret it. What I do regret, is the time I would have liked to stay home and rest, but did not do that, out of obligation.

See, in those days, I was still trying to prove myself, to my new family in God.

I thought they were my family, I was told they were my family, but many did not act like family. My family understood if I could not visit them every weekend. Church members for the most part, did not. I have been waiting, but I have yet to meet a pastor who would say, (unless you are sick) “It’s okay, stay home and rest, if you need to.”

A lot of people think I’m just picking on the church. I’ve had things said to me (with a scowl) “You know, church people are not perfect.” Yes, I do know this. I’m not perfect, either. If they know they are not perfect, why the demand for perfect attendance?

I have noticed, even the workers who work on Sunday, or into the night on Saturday night, can be excused from church, but when they finally get a day off and show up, they are often greeted with this big greeting of relief, almost as if to say, “Whew, I thought you were going to miss heaven, brother, glad you are finally here.”

The Sabbath can be any day you decide is a great day to worship God, and focus on him. In fact, the bible says, if someone regards a day as holy, it is holy to him. For me, every day is holy. I have taken my Sabbath on a Saturday, a Sunday, or sometimes, even a Monday. God did say to rest, one day a week. He instituted this blessing for man, not for man to serve the day. Don’t believe me? Read your bible, it’s in there as clear as day. People of God, we need to grow (up) and out of some of these mind sets we have had, concerning religion. If we don’t, how can we expect to ever reach a world that is dying to hear the gospel message, of Jesus Christ?

The gospel (our bible) is good news, not bad news. It was never meant to be some sort of guide, for people to come along and say, “Sorry to tell you the bad news, but you are not lining up, with the King of Kings, today.”

Going around telling people how bad they are, how they don’t measure up, and for heaven’s sake, making them feel bad for not being in church last Sunday, is not becoming a messenger of good tidings, or great joy.

You can do it, but it doesn’t make it right.

Through the years, I have lost count, of how many conversations were based on whether I did or did not, attend bible study. When I would talk to people outside the church, they would ask me how my day went, and laugh with me over the antics of my dog, or my children, or what happened at work the other day.

When I would talk with Christians, almost inevitably, the conversation revolved around some great bible study I had missed, and how I should have been there. If you don’t like this, I’m sorry! But these are the kinds of things that keep people trapped, in a cycle of biblical merry-go-rounds.

We enjoy the ride and the pretty horses, and the memory of going around (and around) with our Christian friends, but deep down, we know we are supposed to be going somewhere, and the date of arrival never actually happens.

We need to make time for time with God, time with our family and friends that does not revolve around bible conversations, time to plan, envision, go forward with plans, and take care of ourselves, and be stewards of our homes and jobs. 

being a mother · motherhood · New moms · overcomers · overcoming · scared to be a mom · testimony · Uncategorized

My Testimony of when, I didn’t think I could be a Mom…….by Laura Grace

Laura GraceLeave a comment

I have two beautiful kids. (Children) Carolee, and Thomas. The children of my body. I have a Step son that I cherish too, and a couple I have adopted in my heart (Stephen, etc) but that’s just an extension of a miracle God did some years ago, in my life. 

I was scared to be a mom. I never talked about it (to anyone) but I was terrified. I thought I would be bad at it (for starters) and I wondered why all these other young women wanted to have children, and I would find myself saying, “I’m never having kids.”

You should have seen the horrified looks I got, when I would say that as a teenager. My supposed defiant attitude, was not really defiant at all. It was a mask I wore, to cover the fear, and the shame, and the humiliation, of not believing I would be a good mom. 

I don’t know where Unreasonable fears come from, as their original source is satan (the evil one) but who scatters the seeds of his evil unbelieving, I sometimes have no idea. 

See, sometimes masks are worn, because the shame is too unbearable (to endure.) I used to play with matchbox cars and hot wheels. I tried to enjoy my dolls, but I was not much into that, either. 

When My daughter was born, I loved her so much, but I was also terrified, of messing up her life. Why did God trust me with blessing, I wondered, and this tiny life? I didn’t deserve it. It was totally his Grace, that I had her at all. 

I remember holding her, weeping as she cried, sobbing, and tears running down my face, when I was so tired, and she would not stop crying, and I didn’t know how to fix it. I remember the horror, of sometimes waking up an hour after she did (when she got older) to see her quietly playing in her playpen, and wondered when she woke up. 

I got impatient, scolded her, yes even yelled at times. I made so many mistakes, especially in those first 2 or 3 years……(and beyond). It wasn’t until I went to church, and found out how great the responsibility of children really is, that I found myself crying to the Lord for Mercy. When I learned that children are like arrows (in the hands of a warrior) and that God had so much to say about training your children (in Deuteronomy) I was appalled at myself, for how I was failing them. 

I began to realize how much influence, we really do have, in our children’s lives. I decided I wanted God to influence them, but I had no idea, where to begin. 

One day at a prayer meeting in a very large retreat (Aglow) They said we could get prayer for anything. We were poor, needed security, deliverance, all kinds of things we needed, but the thing I wanted most, was for God to impart to me, how to be a good Mom. I remember how STUPID I felt (notice the word how I felt) as I asked this woman to pray I’d be a good mom. What is she going to think? (my brain screamed!) She is going to think I’m a horrible person, needing prayer to be a good mom. Aren’t all mom’s good moms? Don’t they all have the motherly instinct, to do what’s right? 

I felt like a real reject, asking this woman to pray for me. But the heart felt cry was real. It said, “FATHER GOD, I trust you with my children, more than I trust myself.” 

So in tears, with my heart open wide, I received All God had for me that day. I’m not going to say I was perfect, but I took the job of mother, as seriously as If I were a pastor of a church, or a ruler of a nation. Because in essence, that’s what we are, when we have children. The Responsibility is huge! Someone’s very soul has been deposited into your care. Who would want a job like that, without the help of Almighty God?

I have peace, I know I did my best and with God’s help, I am confident my children have turned out just fine. They are a blessing, and now they are raising their own children, (with God’s help of course) and they too ask for his help daily, in Prayer. 

What a blessing! what a legacy! (to be continued) 

With Love, Laura Grace

 

 

 

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

Laura GraceLeave a comment

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

growing · growingingrace · growingraceandtheknowldgeofJesus · growingupinchrist · transformation by the renewing of your mind · Uncategorized · weeds

Washing your brain is not brain washed It’s just smart! Here’s why. -Laura Grace

Laura Grace1 Comment
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.anointed for this  
Many people worry, or seem to think, that Christians are just “brainwashed,” but that’s not true. We just understand the importance, of our brains being washed (in the Word) and the filth of this world, being washed away. 
You may very well have given your heart (and life) To Jesus, but if we refuse to allow God to do the transformation (by the renewing of our mind) the bible states clearly, we will not truly know what the will of God is, for our lives.
If we don’t know what the will of God is, we are susceptible to all kinds of beliefs, thoughts, and the input of the evil one. 
Our mind (and our thinking) will take us places, we don’t want to go. Have we seen someone (including ourselves) make bad decisions? Someone can have a good heart, and good intentions, but if they refuse to take authority over their own mind, and replace carnal thinking with God thinking, their intentions will come to naught. 
Transformation by the renewing of our mind, is not just learning scripture. 
It’s a process of uprooting our own thoughts, other people’s thoughts, the devil’s thoughts, (and input) and replacing it with the life-giving seeds of God’s word. 
If we were gardening we would not deliberately plant weeds, in our natural gardens. Why then, do we become so careless, in allowing weeds, (contrary thoughts to God’s word) In our hearts, and minds? It takes patience, and it is a lot of work! 
This is why the bible says, to imitate those who through faith and patience, received God’s promise. We all want short cuts. Tell me, do gardens turn out well, when people try to take short cuts? What if they pray and never weed their garden? Will it be good? I think not. 
A lot of the problems people have, as believers, has little to do with the devil’s direct influence, and everything to do with what’s been planted, in the garden of their mind. 
As you go out to try and “save the world’ From not believing in Christ, don’t forget your own mind is a garden, that needs continual renewal, day by day. 
Don’t leave the thinking up to your Pastor. Allow God to transform YOUR heart and mind, so that you can prove the (acceptable) and perfect will of God for your life.  We 
have one life, one shot to live in Victory. Choose well. Choose life. 
-With love and affection for all God’s children, 
Laura Grace Author Grace to Grow Grace to Grow the Study guide (available on Amazon) 
becoming whole · christian lives matter · God is paymaster · God's Army · Gods rewards · growing · growingingrace · Keeping the kingdom safe · kingdomofgod · KingdomofGodwithinyou · thoughts to ponder in Christ Jesus · Uncategorized · you are not alone · yourlifematters

Keeping the Kingdom safe……and the rewards are coming……

Laura GraceLeave a comment

ME 2002

Just think, if everyone’s testimony was like Kenneth Copeland, or Richard Bonnke or 

These others……we’d have way too many chiefs, and not nearly enough Indians, so 

to speak.

I know in the military, all the soldiers get paid. 

It doesn’t matter if anyone sees them, recognizes them, or seems to even care. 

If they stay at their post they get paid, and if they do a good job, that post is safe, 

and the military as a whole, (hopefully) gets praised by the General, as well as,

 knowing they kept their nation safe. 

in the same way we are keeping the Kingdom of God safe, just because we are here. 

I need to remember this. and I also need to remember, we all get paid. 

God is a fair master, and he rewards those who stay on their posts. He forgets no one. 

But you see, if I doubted him, I would never check the mail. I wouldn’t go looking to 

receive anything, because I think he left me out. I thank you Father, you did not leave 

me out! I am also not “left behind.” I will not forget your benefits, which are plenteous! 

with love, faith and hope, but the greatest of these, is love for God and his Kingdom.

amen –Laura Grace            PS: check out my books, on Amazon, Kindle, and Nook 

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Stuff we don’t want to talk about: The time they got mad Jesus was healing people?

Laura GraceLeave a comment

Matthew 21:  Jesus turns things upside down, in the church temple: 

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.

13 “It is written,” He said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.

14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

I have often thought about this passage of scripture. Today I was thinking, “how many things, get done, with the idea to keep the money flowing?” We really don’t need more flash, more cash, and more entertainment. When Jesus brought revival, he started healing people. People started shouting! Religious Pharisees, got indignant. 

What’s it going to take, for us to fall on our knees, Pray for God to really move in our services, heal the broken hearted, bind up their wounds, lay hands on the sick and believe for them to recover…….

I remember laying on the altar of a church one time all alone and I wept. “is anyone ever made whole here?” (I cried) Is anyone ever made whole? 

I really can’t stand going through the motions. I hate it when people try to water me down, put my fire out, get me to settle down and go in circles doing the “same ol same ol” routine. Jesus did not die a bloody death for us to be entertained…..

He wants you MADE WHOLE! Healed. Body mind and Spirit. Healed. whole. RESTORED. When People come to me for prayer, that’s what I believe for. And I don’t give up. Some I have taken before God for many years now, and rejoice at every progress I see. 

and THAT is why he said “my house is a house of prayer” Kinda goes back to if you will turn from YOUR ways he will heal your land? (The land is YOU my friends) I can’t do this by myself Father, raise up an army that wants to do your will, and see people MADE WHOLE in Jesus’ name I pray. amen. MY HOUSE (my living temple, the body I live in) Is a continual house of prayer ……how about yours? 

-Laura Grace 

 

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The Lord is with you!

Laura GraceLeave a comment
God sees greatness in you. He does. Sometimes we just need to make up our mind to follow our heart (since we know God’s spirit lives there) and trust He is with us. We (and I am speaking to Christians here, who have invited in The Spirit of the Living God) sometimes need to just say okay I prayed about this, I am going! Stop me if I’m wrong, Father!
Thank you Father that you go before us! Around us! on top of us! Thank you for being our rear guard! Thank you for causing us to walk in patience, and not in haste.. THANK YOU For all you do for us Father God! We do love you so! And all God’s people said, “AMEN.”
 
Isaiah 52:12
For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.
adultery · disqualified preachers · grace to grow · no more witchhunts · plucking out a stick when you have a beam in your eye · revival · sin that went too far · the stick in your eye · Uncategorized · what is grace · witch hunts

Stuff we don’t want to talk about: Adultery of the Heart Matthew 5

Laura GraceLeave a comment

Matthew 5. Jesus says a startling thing. Have you ever read it ? 

First he says, if you looked at a woman with lust YOU ALREADY Committed Adultery. Then he starts talking about plucking your eye out of your head, to avoid hell! Wow. 

But nobody wants to preach this stuff, so they like to get on people’s cases for what they consider to be “real adultery,” instead. Shutting people out of ministry because they’ve been divorced. Hiring ministers, who have lust problems they don’t even know about (see no evil, hear no evil?). Can we really go by what we see? I don’t think so. 

This is the kind of stuff, people don’t want to talk about, or even consider. It stands to reason then, If you idolized something in your heart, (desired it more than God) You also committed idolatry. Do we jump now to the passage where they go to the lake of fire for Idolatry? Or Adultery? 

Apparently sin was so bad in one church, Paul said, “and you have your Father’s wife” so some relatives were sleeping with each other, out of wedlock, and they didn’t even have the sense to be sorry about it. So Paul was on their case, and saying the church had better do something. However, I know this from reading my bible, Jesus did not send his word for all of us to go on a witch hunt. In the early years of our nation, people in Salem used to do just that, and justified burning some innocent people. 

I don’t care if a million preachers preach something else, because I know what Jesus said. He said, if you lusted after a woman (ever) you committed adultery. For this reason, I cannot see, nor understand shutting people out of ministry because they got divorced. You don’t know what happened to them. I met a pastor (a man) who is one of the finest ministers I have ever met. Turns out, he was divorced. His wife cheated on him, he divorced her, but he had a really hard time getting a pastor job! Why? 

Because, People love to apply the word of God to everyone but themselves, that’s why. Did we forget the bible calls God’s word a mirror? It was designed for you to look into it and find your own blemishes, in the light, that you cannot seem to see in the darkness. 

Don’t talk me down when I’m preaching good. I know this is the truth. 

I’m growing in grace (still) How about you? And, if you’ve messed up (like Paul) and God calls you to preach, DO IT! Don’t let the fear of man stop you!

With love, –Laura Grace