Become all you can be (in Jesus). by His Spirit!
…”the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity”…. Psalms 37:11 NASB
….”the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity”………. and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous”…. Proverbs 13:21a,22b NASB
…..” If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land”….Isaiah 1:18-20 NASB
Genesis 37 (the story of Joseph) You know, there is more to this story too (other than Just Jealousy, or envy). They were afraid of him ruling over them……..
“Let’s throw him in a pit” they said, and see what becomes of his dreams……”
Wow. Talk about a great family! Very loving, and Kind, eh? So Joseph had a vision (and dream) from the Lord, he spoke about it, and his brothers threw him in a pit. Left him to die, didn’t even care if they ever saw him again. Wow.
And did God punish them for this behavior? Joseph WAS God’s chosen, you know? One would think God would have went after the with a vengeance……
But instead, he shaped Joseph more, watched over Him, Protected him, helped him stay sane. Then his day came ….
Turns out the calling was to serve not to rule over them with an iron fist (as they feared) ……and believe Me Joseph did not mince words when they had to come to him for help either….He said “What you meant for evil” .………..God turned out for Good (Paraphrased) and thus we have, the comparison to Romans Chapter 8 (New Testament). So what I learned from Joseph is #1 Stay Merciful #2 Stay Kind #4 Forgive them #5 Grow anyway and develop in God ……
AND forgive does not mean “you have to forget” ………
And sometimes God’s “vengeance” is not what we think it will be……….
The brothers had to come to him, acknowledge he was chosen…In order to be FED.
Laura Grace Author, minister, and your companion in the Preaching of the Gospel of Christ
This is going to be a season of “What I see” and God is going to cause me to speak into people’s lives “what I see” that God is developing, or what He has placed there or what he is doing or about to do ….in someone’s life. So I am praying today. This will be a season of him strengthening what is weak, edifying and building up that which seems to be hanging down ……He is going to encourage many, through me, and use me in this manner. You may consider this a proclamation! For it will come to pass….
amen. Laura Grace
Book of Ecclesiastes
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
Stay tuned for thoughts on this passage…….in the meantime, Meditate on it!
Laura Grace
My Dear Children,
I love you so much! How well I remember Christmas’s gone by.
That first time, when you didn’t know what a present was really, and just smiled and cooed at me over the pretty bows. Then later, the disappointment over not seeing the exact toy that was broadcast over the television set, over and over again.
We had traditions, which were passed down from my family, such as reading the story of Mary and Joseph on Christmas eve, and about baby Jesus, and how he was born in a manger. Ever year we sat and looked at the lights, prayed, read the story, and opened our gifts one by one.
There were so many years, I wondered if you would have a present at all, under the tree, from myself. Oh yes, grandma’s sent things, but I wanted to get you something, from me.
We made Christmas cookies, frosted them, and sang Christmas songs. We loved the Christmas lights, and sometimes yes, we stood in a very long line to get “free gifts’ because we were broke, and I wanted you to have more presents, like your friends did.
I remember that year I was asked the question “how come” (the nameless boy) doesn’t believe in God, and he got a 100.00 present? We prayed all the time, went to church constantly, and sang songs about prospering! It was a valid question, from a 10 year old boy. Well Father (I prayed) good question? Why can’t he have something cool?
I tried to make Christmas fun, like my mom always did. I wanted my tree as perfect as could be, as she did also. Christmas to me, was always a magical time. I didn’t care if I got a present, not really. I wanted to see your smiling faces, opening something grand!
Numerous years, I worked extra, to make sure we had Christmas food, gifts for others, and gifts for you as well. I know you didn’t get everything you wanted, but, I remember having fun. I remember Lego’s and care bears, hot wheels and the doll that had it’s own toilet!
Most of all, I remember I didn’t mind it was Christmas vacation, as we got to have fun, watch movies, eat popcorn, and play family games! Christmas was such a magical time of gifts and wonder and wondering what was under the tree. Baking of “our favorite goodies,” Turkey’s, feasts, and so many good things.
I don’t know how you remember it, but I remember Christmas being a time of wonder, almost magical, and full of love and Joy. I prayed over Christmas, every year! And even when we didn’t get everything we wanted, it was always good. Wasn’t it?
I love you. Mom
I was getting ready for work, saw a blog post that said “how to get rid of______in 5 easy steps.” It had to do with anxiety or mental health in general. I knew a lot of people were going to read it (and they did,) but I also knew it probably wouldn’t help much.
Most of us, when we look for answers, tend to take the well beaten path, and search out some “instant cure” that supposedly has worked for many. We want fast answers, and we want them now! But the truth is, we can learn as much from what Jesus did NOT do as we can from what he did do! He did not get out books and pass them out, “How to deal with Pharisees in 5 easy steps.” or how about “How to die for me without crying?”
When People were hungry, he fed them, but only when they were following him. The disciples, and the people sitting and listening to him. As far as I can remember, that’s the only people He fed. He Healed people, but he did it in so many (various) ways, it’s hard to even keep track of it all. He spoke a word, or he touched them, or they touched him, and on and on it goes. No Pat answers!
Jesus was peculiar (strange, Different, not what is normal, or the norm!)
He did not say “I help those who help themselves.” He had his disciples go demand a donkey from a guy, just so he could ride it through town. He told them to fill up Giant pots with water, and go to the master and say,”It’s wine, here taste it!” (When they knew it was only water inside!). Now that’s strange! Peculiar even! But guess what? By the time they got to the Guy, the water had TURNED To Wine!
Think the disciples were scared to obey him at times? You bet they were!
So Here’s the point God wants me to share with you Today: IF YOU WANT God answers you can’t walk in man’s answers. You cannot have both. God’s ways = God’s results. Man’s ways =Man’s results. You are going to have to get a little bit weird (Peculiar) if you want some Miracles (or even testimonies of God) In your life!
It’s a different road, not a well beaten path, but a narrow door. The whole world is not going to agree with you (when You do what God wants you to do!). When you have tried everything else and nothing works…….Go ahead, ask God …
And he will probably have you do something very few or maybe NOBODY agrees with…..(may be good if you don’t even ask them!) (smiles)
and then. You will get your Miracle. 🙂 Love and prayers! Laura Grace, Author, minister, child of God. (and your servant). Peace!
RESTORATION. We who have lost anything, want this. Don’t we? When I hear that song “You have restored me” It makes me think: “Have I been restored?” When you think of this word, what do you think of? Things that were stolen from you, right?
For many, the first thought is of physical goods, health, relationships, maybe even sanity, or peace of mind! What do you want God to restore in your life?
One of the first restoration stories in the bible is the book of Job. He lost everything, kept his good attitude toward God, and God restored him double for his trouble.
I just want to share this concept: Galatians 6:1 says to “restore” our Brethren. It’s talking about someone slipping away, stumbling, having difficulty in their faith walk.
This sheds some light On what God meant by restoration, other than crops, fields, land, health, relationships, jobs, and all those other things we think about, when we hear that word into our lives. First we are restored back to him, then the rest happens!
This ties in with “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness” and all these things (that you care or worry about) will be added unto you…………
The devil steals, God gives it back (to us). Not in our timing, in His! #1 priority with God is: Restore you back to health (spiritually) and healing (your soul) First, then the rest of your body. Seek ye first (his kingdom) Love, peace, Joy, and righteousness……
He was wooing us into covenant with him all along, wasn’t He? Please don’t go around telling people God will restore them, unless they have done their part. Entering into covenant with God is hugely (HUGELY) Important! It’s Crucial.
and that my dear friends was what “the Lord’s Supper” was really all about….
Covenant! (to be continued) we prosper as our soul prospers) we follow him, He takes care of us! We give all to Him, He gives All to us! Covenant! Like Marriage! Amen
Laura Grace, Author Grace to the Rescue, Grace to Grow Grace to Grow study guide, Grace to soar……..More to come!
“1, 2,3” The devil’s after me (goes the song) 4,5,6 “he’s always playing tricks….”
The bible says Jesus defeated satan, at the cross. For years, people (of God) just believed him to be a defeated foe, carried on with their lives, and never gave “satan’ a second thought. This was back before the great revivals and great Pentecostal Movement, and awakening. Now to understand why some think the Pentecostal movement is a bit weird (or crazy, or real peculiar) we need to step into their shoes a minute, and, try to understand their logic a little bit.
Yes, That’s what I said, Try to understand (their logic) for just a minute in time, rather than getting so defensive about what you know.
I remember trying to tell my grandma (and others) how the devil needed to be rebuked (in prayer) and the look I got was, “Well you sound crazy, but, I’m not touching that one with a ten foot pole!” Here she was, along with many others I know Just “trusting God was with her” and protecting her, as she went about in faith and lived her life (in faith, believing!)
How is it okay to tell someone they’ve been all messed up all these years, just because they do not see it as you do? If what I believe makes my brother stumble I’m not walking in love. (ouch!). Therefore, in many cases, we need to wait to be invited (or asked) before we speak. We don’t run up and clang the cymbals in someone’s ears! (That is not love!).
For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Gal 5:5-7
So we have Kenneth Hagin teachings, (which I have read) where He said the Lord showed him: “I”m not going to do anything about the devil, you do it!” And so, we have a book called the Authority of the Believer (by Kenneth Hagin) and many offshoots of those teachings, which came after that.
When we learn something, it’s so easy to just say well “everyone” needs to know this (and start running around informing people of “the truth!”). You know, I’ve done this too.
Therefore, many Charismatic Christians (who talk about being Spirit filled a lot, and so on) Which I have been as well, become little “elitists” and now we have the answer, and all those other Christians “do not.” (and need to be informed, by us!)
We often don’t concern ourselves with the fact that OUR BIBLE SAYS Faith must work through love, and without it, we are nothing but a clanging cymbal! No, we don’t want to hear that part, do we? So we go and “crash” the party of those who are just believing, God is good, the devil is defeated, and I am having faith I’ll be just fine!
You know, when Jesus said he would bring division, it was never His intention the Body of Christ be so divided. (NOT HIS PREFERENCE!) as he was talking about believers and non-believers, not his People. So this is the thing: You want to walk in Love (Jesus says to me) try loving your brethren for once…………..Those who do believe…….(already) Who are walking in their personal revelation, and don’t need you to insert teachings upon them, which might make them stumble…..
Because, if you do that, you are not walking in love…….
“Here’s how we know we have God’s Spirit ruling within us…..We love the brethren……..
That is those “other people” of God, who do not always believe exactly as we do…..
HMM ……Food for thought! Lord “bring revival” to all your people we pray, help us to return to our first love, which is you Father! And not just be puffed up with the sin of pride, in what we think we know. “Amen.” -Laura Grace
Mark 2:24, 27 – “And the Pharisees said to Him, Look! Why are they doing what is not permitted or lawful on the Sabbath?” *gasp*
(27) “And Jesus said to them, The Sabbath was made on account and for the sake of man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Thank you Pastor Doc (Lynch) for those scriptures today.
SO God’s heart’s desire is we find rest for our souls. Because He loves us so much. It grieves him when we don’t believe and receive to find a way to rest……..
It actually means we don’t trust him to take care of us! “We can’t take a day off” we say………”Oh Yes you can” says God! TRUST ME (enter my rest!)……Laura Grace
In First Samuel 25, we find 
A fascinating story……
One that answered many questions for me, years ago when I was seeking the Lord about whether or not he ‘hated women” in old Testament times. Hey, not a dumb question! If you are female and read the Old Testament stories, it can be quite disturbing!
Abigail was married to a man who was “of the descent” of Caleb, one of the two men, who took the land after Moses died. (Joshua was the other.) So her husband had a history of family, that trusted God.
Now, her husband refused to help King David (and his men) which was both a crime and a sin, at that particular time in history. HE KNEW the RIGHT he was supposed to do, yet refused to do it. In the new Testament it says “if you know to do good and refuse, to you it’s a sin.” Never thought of sin this way before? It’s the truth!
Now, Abigail did an amazing thing. She loaded up the donkeys with everything King David asked for (and then some) and bowed at his feet and said “Let this sin be upon me” and she pleaded for her husband’s life. See, King David was going to kill him for his infraction.
And, she did it without her husband’s permission. So, she was not submitting to his evil ways, at the time. so much for the “always submitting theory, eh?”
I believe she was walking by the SPIRIT, AND she was living the words of the NT that Jesus said, “He who gives up his life for me, will surely find it.” I think she was walking by the Spirit because, we see no LAW in the OT that tells her to do what she did here. No 11th commandment, no former example for her to follow. Just the Spirit of God.
King David was so amazed, he not only commended her, but married her as well. Her husband’s heart turned to stone, which tells me he used to have a heart for God, but had lost it. 10 days later, the Lord stuck him dead physically, he was already dead spiritually by then. Abigail brought hope to me during a very difficult time in my life. A time when I was reading passages like “He who seeks to save his life will lose it, He who loses his life for my sake, will find it.” (Jesus). I too, once asked that someone’s sin be “upon me” and pleaded for their life. Instead of me dying, I was allowed to go free……….
Laura Grace, Author, Grace to the Rescue by Laura Grace Available on Amazon
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