“Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14),

Mismated is literally a term that means unequally yoked. A yoke is a wooden frame or bar with loops at either end, fitted around the necks of two animals, which tied them together and forced them to function as one. That is what Paul speaks of here. He is referring to the Old Testament scripture in (Deuteronomy 22:10) where the Law says, “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.” That may seem strange to us, but God was concerned that the Israelites not tie together two animals of a different nature.

A friend was sharing his testimony, He stated he had became a Christian as a young teenager, his life changed dramatically. However, his faith was put to a difficult test when he fell in love with a non-Christian some years later. She was very preety, adventurous, engaging, and intelligent

As the relationship became more and more serious, He was faced with the most difficult decision of his life. Should he ignore the Holy Spirit’s nudging to break off the relationship with her? Or should he obey and break his own heart in the process?

He made the right decision. He broke up with her and left for college in tears. He shared that he never felt so lonely. But he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had done the right thing.

This is a fairly common scenario—A Christian dates a non-Christian. They fall in love. If the other person is not willing to make a real commitment to Jesus, then the Christian must make a choice: go through the pain of a breakup, or be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever. Unfortunately, many choose the latter—and later regret it.

The Bible warns against being unequally yoked in (2 Corinthians 6:14) “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”.

Because the phrase “unequally yoked” can be a bit difficult to understand, I like to read this verse from The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible. These verses read, “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil?”

God gives us this command for our own protection and joy. He knows that we can’t have the best possible marriage if we have different beliefs, values, and priorities from our spouse. And even though obedience to God can be difficult, especially in a situation like this, it’s always worth it.

Some Christians may find themselves saying, “But this person will change.” Maybe so. God has the power to change someone, and we should never give up on praying for those we care about. But the verse in 2 Corinthians doesn’t say, “Do not be unequally yoked … unless you think the person will change.” It says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers”

Furthermore, (1 Corinthians 7:16) says, “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” It’s our responsibility as followers of Christ to be obedient to God’s command and to trust Him for the best possible plan for our lives, even if that means our lives will go in a new direction.

This issue was even a concern in the Old Testament. When God was leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, He gave them strong commands about how they should deal with the pagan nations.

(Deuteronomy 7:3-6)  says: Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

If you are a follower of Christ, you are a chosen child of God. He doesn’t want you to settle for less than His very best.

It’s worth noting that a Christian who finds himself in an unequally yoked marriage should not use this issue as grounds for divorce. God has the power to turn around the most desperate situations and use them for good. Even so, a Christian can save himself a lot

The Law reflects that it is cruel to yoke together two things of incompatible natures. This is what Paul has in mind here. What he is saying is there are certain associations that Christians have with unbelievers that constitute a yoke, and these associations are a cause for misery and shame in a Christian’s life. We are to avoid them. They will hinder us, limit us, bind us, and keep us from enjoying the fullness God has in mind for us. They are like trying to mix oil and water. It is impossible. You can see this by the illustrations he uses.

The great unanswered question is, What is a yoke? Is a business partnership a yoke? Is a union membership a yoke? Is marriage a yoke? Is a date with a non-Christian a yoke? Not all associations are yokes, but yokes have two characteristics by which we can always identify them. The first one is that a yoke is not easily broken. It is a kind of permanent relationship. When you yoke two animals together they are bound together; they do not have any choice. Uncomfortable as it may be, they must do things together.

The second mark of a yoke is that it constrains someone; it does not permit independent action. There is something that forces you to comply with what the other one wants to do, whether you like it or not. Any kind of relationship that does not permit a believer to follow his or her Lord in all things is a yoke. Even a friendship can be a yoke. If it is the kind of possessive friendship in which you feel you cannot do what God wants you to do because you will offend your friend, then that is a yoke, and it must be broken.

Prayer:

Thank You Jesus that You love me and want to see me wholesome and complete, free and confident and able to function as I was intended. Grant to me that I will glory in the fact that I am the temple of the living God and that You dwell in me. Continue to guide my footsteps on the right path and correct me with your written word and through your Holy Spirit that dwells within me. May I not seek my own understanding but trust that you will make all things right. In Jesus’ name Amen.

If you are in need of prayer for yourself or others, please Click Here

If you are seeking Jesus in your life or want to recommit your life to Him. Click here to learn more.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

P.O. Box 57284 Tucson, Arizona 85732

Early in the day, i pray asking God to reveal His will for me. Many times, I am quickly aware of a direction I should take. Sometimes, though I am not so sure.

At times, such as these, I continue on with my day by being productive and only doing those things that I feel God would be pleased with. I prefer to please God, not annoy Him. 

Not so with, Jonah. He was given a clear directive from God. He was to travel to Nineveh and confront the people living there, of their wickedness. They were guilty of pride, greed, brutality and adultery. God was not pleased with them.

Jonah, did not agree with God’s calling for him. He wanted “out”. Instead, of fulfilling God’s Will, he chose, instead, to attempt to hide. He wanted to get as far away from God as he could. No way, did he want to confront the inhabitants of Nineveh. So he stole away on a ship to Tarshish; thinking it would solve his predicament. Instead, it only made things worse. The ship succumbed to a mighty storm at sea and Jonah found himself, not only overboard, but swallowed alive by a leviathon (Whale) of the ocean. Read Jonah 1 – 4

We might say, he went from the frying pan, into the fire! Realizing what he had done, he beseeched God to forgive him.

Jonah’s story contains a strong warning to all godly people. We can easily miss the blessing of God’s grace, when extended beyond our comfort zone. In our human-ness, we only have enough vision to see our circumstances where we are at. God, on the other hand, sees the whole picture. He has planned our lives, and He will fulfill all His plans if we trust Him.

One of my favorite verses in the bible reads “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord. “They are plans to give you hope and a future. When you call upon Me, and pray to Me with all your heart, I will be found by you and I will bring you to a place, that I kept exclusively for you”. (Jeremiah 29:10-13)

The point is: I would prefer to do God’s bidding and listen to His guidance, rather than go against His leading and direction for me. So, each day I pray that I will hear His directive and I will not just agree, I will obey.

Prayer

Father God, We in our own selfishness and disobedience really create so many more problems then we should have to endure. We can be so arrogant at times. We find ourselves needing Your help, crying out to You and graciously You come to our rescue, In these times we are humbled and helpless, we listen because we have made a mess of our lives on our own.

So many times after you have lifted us up, and helped us, we forget and return to trying to control our situations rather than trusting You to lead us.

Father God help us to, not only hear your voice, but give us the strength to obey Your calling for our lives. . We love you. Amen

click here if you would like to follow Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

“Is it important for a Christian to have daily devotions?”

“Daily devotions” is a phrase used to describe the discipline of Bible reading and prayer with which Christians start or end their day. Bible reading can take the form of a structured study using a devotional or simply reading through certain passages or perhaps reading through the Bible in a year. Prayer can include any or all of the different prayers—praise, confession, thanksgiving, petition, and/or intercession. Some people use prayer lists for their daily devotions. Others prefer to pray as they read the Word in an interactive manner, listening for God speaking to them through the Bible passages and responding in prayer. Whatever the format, the important thing is that our daily devotions, as the name implies, be truly devoted to God and occur daily.

Yes, it truly is important to spend time with God daily. Why? Paul explains it clearly: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). The experience of having His light shine in our hearts comes in our times spent in the presence of God. Of course, this light comes only from knowing God through Christ. This marvelous treasure of the Holy Spirit is given to each of us as Christians, and we need faith to believe it and act upon it. In all reality, if we truly yearn to experience the light of our Lord, we will need to be with God . . . every day.

I once heard, “The gospel brings man to God; devotions keep him close to God.” It was James the half-brother of Jesus who wrote: “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). In essence, James is telling us that the children of God will yearn to seek a closer relationship with God, to draw near to His heart, to understand more and more about Him, to obey His commands, and to hold onto His promises. The impure and double-minded will have no such yearning in their hearts. In fact, they will seek to separate themselves from God as much as possible. 

The expression “draw near” was originally associated with the priesthood in Israel. Under the regulations of the Old Covenant, the priests represented the people before God. However, prior to coming near God’s presence, the priest had to be washed physically and be ceremonially clean. This meant he had to bathe, wear the proper garments, and offer sacrifices that made his own heart right with God. Then he could “draw near” to God on the people’s behalf. In time, the Hebrew word for “drawing near” meant anyone who approached the presence of God in worship and prayer. The term became synonymous even of those whose hearts were far from God when they “worshiped” Him. For example, Isaiah 29:13 says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”

But the sincere believer, the one who has truly humbled himself before God, knows that God wants His people to draw near with true and pure hearts: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). This applies the language of the Old Testament ceremonial system to us today. It tells us that, as those ancient priests prepared themselves to be near God, we also should prepare ourselves spiritually to worship Him, whether in formal worship or in our personal devotional times.

We know that the humble person comes to God for his salvation and submits his life to Him as Lord, but also the truly humble person will see that his relationship to God is inherently more than that. In claiming to be a true follower of Christ through our having a saving relationship with the Father through the Son, we can readily understand the psalmist who wrote, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (Psalm 73:28).

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Prayer

Heavenly Father, today is the day I want to commit to spending more time with you and in your living word. Prepare my mind and spirit to receive you Holy word. Bring alive the word in a way that I can’t get enough. I love you Jesus.   Amen

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

When it comes to breaking free from bondage, I have found that many people often dread the work that comes with being free…And to be honest, I completely understand!  I don’t know about you, but just hearing the phrase, “breaking free from bondage” seems strenuous and down-right uncomfortable! This is especially true for many people when it comes to the certain areas such as theese. Quitting addictions, losing weight, or even reaching a health or fitness goal.

After years of working with people, and experiencing change  in many areas of my own life, I have come to find that the reason change often seems so difficult is that we are trying to make it happen backwards! The bible says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7), this means that if you are ever going to experience freedom in any area, you are going to have to start to see yourself as free on the inside before you see it on the outside.

I have learned that lasting change in any area truly starts and takes place right in between our ears, or in our minds. We must realize that we have an enemy, the devil, and he can only attack us in one area, in our minds, and he does so with lies and deception. One of the most common lies that the enemy tries to get us trapped in is to make us think that we are, (and will always be) slaves and in bondage to things. He comes at us with this lie because he knows that as long as he can get you to believe that you are a slave to a certain habit, behavior, or thing, you will never be able to break free, which is right where he wants you to stay.

The good news is that Christ came to set us free from ALL bondage! In fact, if you are born again, the Bible says you are ALREADY free. “Whom the son has set free, is free indeed” (John 8:36).  This means that when you ask Jesus to be your Savior, that you are free from the power that sin once had over you.

I like to think of it it like a person who is in a jail cell with the door locked, and when Jesus comes along, He comes and unlocks the door, and says, “come on out, your free!” But just as we are about to step out, the devil says “wait, who told you that you could leave? You are not really free, and you never will be. You will be in bondage to this thing, habit, or lifestyle forever!” And so, the born again believer stays in the jail cell, with the door wide open, when all they needed to do was take a step out into freedom!

Taking this step into freedom does require action on our part, and it takes effort to a•new* our minds with God’s Word, and learn our identity in Christ.  The first step often requires us humbling ourselves before the Lord, and repenting of our behaviors that are not glorifying to Him, and ask for His help to change, maybe even a make public confession to people that can hold us accountable. Jesus will always be there to respond to our cry, and He is a good Father that loves and desires to take our hand and lead us into freedom.

The next step is getting into the Word of God, and asking God to a•new* our minds, and help us to see ourselves as the overcomer that He has created us to be. It also means praying specifically about the things that we desire change in on a daily (sometimes multiple times a day) basis!

This process of walking into total freedom can often happen in steps and stages, like peeling back layers on an onion. The reason for this is simply because many of us have lived in bondage to things for many years and it often takes time for our minds to be renewed, and our hearts to respond to the Lord and change. The important thing to remember however, is that God has already given you everything you need to walk in total victory and freedom in every area of your life, and the very first step is to see yourself as you truly are in Christ…totally and completely set free!

My Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, Your word tells us in (Galatians 5:17), that our flesh lusts or wars against our spirit. I am not to gratify the lusts of my flesh. I will walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Father, You know at times, we will struggle with the temptation to gratify the desires of our flesh. I understand that lust is saying, “I must have this at once.” Much of this battle is in my mind and thought life. Because of loneliness and inner pain at times, we may entertained lustful fantasies in our minds and thoughts. This only increased the desire for us to gratify our flesh. At times, this battle has been more than we could stand and we may have given in to the lust of our flesh. I ask You, Father, reveal to us any ways in which we have broken your moral laws. I Pray for a breakthrough in the life of who you led my way today. I pray for continued guidance and verbal articulation of your word. I love you Lord .. Amen.

(Please pray this prayer)

Father God, I am truly sorry. I repent and ask You to forgive me. I want to follow you and ask you (into) or (back into) my life. I acknowledge that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me all my sins are forgiven in His name. I repent and cancel all access to my life by evil spirits. I claim the blood of Jesus over me as my protection. I command all evil spirits that have entered my body or mind, to leave me now in Jesus’ name. I now make a new commitment to guard my eyes and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. I will walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I will work to take control of my body and anew my mind, not giving into fleshly lusts. I will depend on the Holy Spirit to help me accomplish this, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer please let me know, send me a confidential email and i will personally pray for you every day and offer you guidance with God’s word. roblavallee@gmail.com

Asking Jesus into your life.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural  Seeds Ministries

* A·new əˈn(y)o͞o/ adverb literary

In anew or different, typically more positive, way. “HE had begun anew, ” once more; again.“tears filled her eyes anew”synonyms:again, afresh, another time, once more/again, over again “may we please begin anew?”

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is anew creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

God is big, we are small. God is perfect, we are not. God is all-powerful, we are weak. God is never ending, we have but a few years on the earth he created. God is beyond us, like the end of the universe is beyond the earth. Trillions of lightyears separate the boundary of limitless space and bright burning stars, yet it all falls under God’s hand. We should be careful to remember this when we speak of him.

When we talk of God, we should make certain we understand that we can never fully understand him. Yes, he has revealed himself to us, but only in part. When we think of God, we should that his “thoughts are not (our) thoughts”, and “neither are (our) ways (his) ways”. There should be a humility in us when we think or speak of God, a deep reverence that knows he is beyond us in every way. And this respect, if held rightly, won’t lead us further from God, but closer. It will do so because we will ask with the Psalmist, “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:4) There is nothing God gets from us that he can’t get better from himself, yet, he still loves and pursues us. God is definitely love, and this makes us want to know and be amazed by him.

Be humbled by the grandeur and selfless love of our God who is beyond our full comprehension.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for how I am instantly humbled when I think of You and your love for me. I am undeserving of your love, however it does not stop you from seeking me out nevertheless. Lord God may I always have. humble submission to your authority. Help me, Lord, to recognize that pride is a barrier to effective prayer and that humility opens the doors of the heavens to those who know and love the Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

I want to know Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

On my way home from work, I saw these words written on a sign at a local church. It said, “Hope Is Real.” I thought about it and (needless to say) agreed with the statement. But as I pondered the simple little phrase, I realized that for many people hope is not real. I believe that is one of the most important gifts we can give to another person, the gift of hope.

You see, someone who is hopeless and alone usually cannot help themselves out of their situations. They have a great sense of loss and helplessness. We must come alongside and bring the good news of Jesus Christ and all that He has to offer.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

One definition for hope is: To look forward to with confidence or expectation. We must bring the Word of God with all its hope to someone who does not know it is real. When we bring hope, we bring life. It is life changing to finally believe again. It is more than just asking God for something we so badly need; we must expect our miracle. Somewhere in the midst of asking, believing, and expecting God to answer, we will find what we are looking for.

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalms 27:13)

I have felt for a long time that the biggest problem we have in the world today is there are so many people who have lost hope. There seems to be so many hurts, problems, sicknesses, troubles, financial issues, family problems, world issues, political concerns, etc. It seems the world has no hope.

Apart from God, it is an awful, hopeless place. But with God’s help, we can make it. I want you to know that whatever situation you find yourself in at this moment, there is hope. You may not be able to see or feel the hope, but it is there for you. How do we find the hope? There is only one place where hope can be found, and that is in Jesus Christ.

I did a word search in the Bible for the word ‘hope’ and found many wonderful passages. They were mostly in Psalms and Proverbs of course. David found himself in situations many times and had to remind himself that Hope is Real. It comes from God. Here are a few of David’s prayers to God:

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalms 39:7)

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalms 42:11)

“Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.” (Psalms 25:4-5)

“No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame,” (Psalms 25:3)

“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,” (Psalms 33:18)

“Remember your promise to me, for it is my only hope.” (Psalms 119:49)

Trust God. He wants you to trust Him. You need to agree with God about your situation. What does God say about who you are and what His will is for your life? Don’t go by your feelings. Instead we should remind ourselves that God only has plans for us that are good. Jeremiah helps us remember what God has to say about us. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

We do not need to be disappointed and feel alone. We can have hope! God’s love in our hearts will ignite the flames of hope we have buried deep inside our hearts. God’s Word can encourage us as we read it with great anticipation and faith. Paul writes in Romans these words of encouragement:

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5) 

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) 

Here are a few key scriptures that help us to understand what we need to do. Words like “be strong, take courage, wait, reverently and worshipfully fear God, tarry for the hope, wait patiently for it, and be joyful in hope. They are all action words we need to work on. Read these scriptures out loud during your Devotion times. Watch how hope will come alive in your heart as you speak the Word of God over yourself and your situation.

“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!”(Psalms 31:24)

“Those who reverently and worshipfully fear You will see me and be glad, because I have hoped in Your word and tarried for it.” (Psalms 119:74)

“But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

“But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24)

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”(Romans 12:12)

 I don’t want this to be just another Devotion. I want it to bring life to you. Pray out loud the words of hope into your life and your situations. I have hope! My hope is in the Lord! I will be strong and wait on the Lord. I trust God with my life and the life of my family. Speak these words every day. Hope Is Real. It comes from God! He has placed it in your heart. Speak it out and watch what God will do for you.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13)

What is your need today? Is it for a financial blessing, healing in your body, a new job, a house or car, etc? Whatever it is, take it to Jesus today. Is there someone in your life today that needs encouraging? Speak the Words of hope that bring life. Hope Is Real, just try it.

Ask Jesus into your heart. click here

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

It’s easy to say, “give your cares to the Lord and trust Him” when everything in life seems to be going well. It’s easy to say, “I trust you Lord with everything I own” when bills are paid on time and when you just got a salary increase at your job.

However, if God striped you of everything you own; If God told you to leave the very job that’s paying your bills, will you trust the Lord enough to do it?  Will you trust God even when you don’t understand; even when life hurts?  If God told you to leave the familiar and enter the unfamiliar, will you trust Him?

For many of us, God has done just that.  He has taken from what’s “oh so familiar” and redirected paths into the unfamiliar.  You don’t understand what’s happening in your life; what to do or where to go.  The only thing you know is that the Lord gave you a word (instruction, a promise, vision, etc) and the only thing you have to hold on to is that word.

I understand the feeling; you’re not alone.  There is encouragement for you today.  Here are 4 things to remember whenever you feel as though you don’t understand what God is doing and/or allowing in your life.

Consider the Source

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last (Revelation 22:13).

Who else can say that but God?  No one, only God can say such a thing.  God knows everything: the past, current and future and our knowledge and understanding doesn’t even compare to the knowledge and understanding of God –  even when it applies to our own life.

Also, when we don’t understand what God is doing in our life, consider the source – Who is it that you’re trusting; God or yourself?

Here is something to remember.  Man is fallible; we fall short and at times we’re unable to keep our promises.  Man can give you instructions that are misleading and imperfect.  With God, none of these things are possible.  God keeps His promises, God gives you right instructions according to His perfect will and He won’t mislead you.

No matter how much we don’t understand life as it is right now; no matter how uncomfortable it may seem or how hard it gets, don’t give up.  If God is with you – the same God who spoke life into you, the same God who IS and knows the beginning and the end, the same God who knew you before the foundation of this world -is with you, then ask yourself who or WHAT can stand against you.

Consider the source and seek to be obedient to the Lord, even when you don t understand what God is doing in your life; don’t worry about “this or that” because God has provisions for you.

Trust the Lord

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

When you learn to trust the Lord, you will begin to have a sense of rest in the Lord knowing that He has everything under control even when life seems to be out of control.  Trusting God will get you to the point where you make a decision to trust in Him and NOT in your own logic and understanding.

As Christians, we must make a decision to trust Him regardless of how scary the situation may seem. Trusting God doesn’t prevent you from being in uncomfortable situations but it does allow you to be placed in a position where you seek the Lord’s presence, provisions, guidance and promises.

Be Obediant

The bible states that “obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22)” which should tell you a lot about our God.  God places significance on obedience.  He’ll much rather you be obedient to His instruction than for you to give Him sacrificial praise, money offerings, fasting and etc.

God told Abraham to leave everything he knew; everything he was familiar with and to enter into the unfamiliar.  God told him to go into a land which he will show him which meant Abraham didn’t know where he was going; He only had the instruction of the Lord to depend on.  Abraham could have easily said, “God, where will I go; what will I eat and drink”, but he didn’t.  He chose to trust God and be obedient and as Christians we must learn to do the same.

Have Faith in the Lord

“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8).

As much as we would like God to give us “what where when and how” upfront all the time (all in one shot), God does not operate like that.  Sometimes, God will place you in a satiation where you have to trust Him and He’ll give you piece by piece as you obey and trust Him.

As a person who’s been in this situation, I will tell you that this only increases your faith as you learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

I don’t know what your story is (your more than welcome to share it below), but I encourage you to trust God even when you don t understand what’s happening in your life.

You may not understand life and all that’s happening; but God will give you a piece to the puzzle as you learn to step out on faith, trust and obey him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

I ask that you place within me your obedient spirit so that I may be obedient to your instruction.  Help me Lord to walk by faith and not by sight.  I don’t always understand what you’re doing in my life, but I make a decision to trust you GodIn this season, I ask that you place within me your spirit of joy, peace and rest.  Give me joy; peace and rest to endure all that comes my way.  Right now, I make a decision to trust you Lord because I know that you’re in control of my life even when my life seems to be out of control.

Lord, I thank you for clarity, guidance, provision and strength.  I pray and ask for these things in Jesus name; Amen.

If you don’t personally know Jesus or never asked Him into your life. I pray that you would click here and read a prayer that will change your life. Jesus, I trust You

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

Christians can really be mean to each other. We are so quick to point out faults of others. We gossip and envy one another. It is not a pretty picture, yet Jesus says when we love each other, the world will know that we belong to Him.

So, how do we fix this?  See the verses below.

“A new command I give to you, love one another, as I have loved you, so you you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

This is not just an idea of Christians loving each other just like Christ loved us. This commandment Jesus gave us It’s not a suggestion. We are to love one another.”

If you have you previously given your life to Christ, you realized at some point that your life was on the wrong path. You chose Jesus as the right path.”You agreed to Him being the boss. You would have said  something like “Thank you for saving me, and thank You for being in charge of me now. I will submit to Your commands.” So we are commanded, (it’s not optional) that we as Christians need to love each other.

Jesus died for us, and He forgives us unconditionally. He gives us chance after chance, and grace after grace. When we mess up, what does He do?  He comes and holds us close to Him and forgives us. Why can’t we love each other like that? Why cant we give forgiveness and grace and say something like; “You know what? I know that you’re a mess, so am I” then show them we love them as Jesus showed us?

Jesus is so concerned about us being right with each other that He stated “It’s better for you to stop worshiping and ask forgiveness than it is just to keep worshiping and doing your church thing.” Is there somebody you need to forgive? Somebody you struggle to love? Get it right, so people outside the church can say, “Those people really love each other. I guess that’s what it means to be a Christian.”

Prayer

Lord God, Teach me how to love, as You love, help me love in a way that its unconditional, honest, and kind, To ask nothing back in return, Lord, May I offer my love without speaking, May it radiate as it shines forth from me, May it be seen in my face and my eyes, Lord, May it be simple, sincere, and shame free. Show me how to forgive, Lord, as You do, To not burden another with guilt, To not play the role of the martyr, but to be a rock on which trust may be built.

Make my love for others be greater then any love that is offered to me, Lead by the Spirit, Inspired of God, and how to be forgiving as Jesus…and free. Amen

If you have not accepted Jesus into you heart and want to know more about His unconditional love please click here  Jesus I want to know you.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

Were you robbed? Has your joy been stolen? No deadbolt was compromised, no alarm system was set off, you just know at some point your joy had been taken from you. Was it all of a sudden or was it a gradual sinking into despair, so subtle a shift you barely noticed until it was too late?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

The enemy is that despised thief who steals from us. He tries to mess with us and take everything good in our lives that Jesus painstakingly suffered and died for us to have.

Through the blood of Jesus at His crucifixion we have complete authority over the enemy. No matter what he tries to do to us, we will always win! The Bible says that Jesus died for us to have a blessed, full, and happy life. The enemy has no place in our lives, he is below us, he is under our feet. When we feel ourselves getting down, depressed, frustrated or fearful, we must be armed and ready for battle. We must know The Word of God so we are constantly equipped with the necessary defense!

God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

This scripture clearly states that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, even those from under the earth. The enemy must bow down to Jesus, and he must flee!

How do we get back those things the enemy steals from us? How do we restore and maintain our joy? The good news is that God is in the restoration business. He will give us back double for our trouble and beauty for our ashes!

The story of Job in the Bible is an amazing example of God’s pure loving kindness and faithfulness. The enemy took everything from Job, his family, his home, his wealth, his joy and his health. All through this trial, Job praised God and never gave up. Because of his faith, God restored everything back to Job. He gave Job so much more than he ever lost for the trouble and anguish he had to endure. Job let his faith be bigger than his fear and he got his joy back and was completely restored in every way!

The Bible says where there is pain in the night, joy comes in the morning. We are to have the mind of Christ and be completely transformed in God’s image. God says He will fight your battles for you and you will not even have to lift a finger in your own defense! The great I AM is never too busy or on a God hiatus. He’s always ready to fight for us. Call on Jesus!!! He will never leave you or forsake you. He rescues you in times of trouble. He will honor you and deliver you from all evil. He will always cause you to triumph and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. With God you are always more than a conqueror!

When you are feeling down and feel your joy and peace slipping away, get in the presence God and boldly confess that the joy of the Lord is your strength. Pray continuously and trust that God can and will perfect all that concerns you. He will fight for you always … all ways!

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with JOY in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Grant to us the royalty of inward happiness, and the serenity which comes from living close to You. Renew in us the sense of joy daily, and let Your eternal spirit dwell deep in our souls and bodies, filling every corner of our hearts with light and grace. Continue to fill us with all that is good so that we will reflect You Lord in our daily lives. I give praise to You for all you have blessed me with. In Jesus name, Amen!

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

August 3rd 2015 – Turning Aside Pride.