“Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!”
( 2 Chronicles 10:16)

In our world of twenty-four hour news stations and action packed live reporting, it’s easy to see and hear all the bad things happening in our country and the world. If we compound this with our own personal struggles and pains, we will easily find ourselves anxious or worse yet, hopeless. In 2 Chronicles 10, the people of Israel are trying to come to grips with the splitting of their nation. As they watch their kingdom crumble, they chose to look at their circumstance rather than their God.

(Philippians 4:8) “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.”

No matter where we are in life, or as a Nation. we can always find something bad to focus on. Lately in the USA, alot of what I hear is our nation divided politically. All of the stories of slander and hate between political parties. Its easy at times for me to get caught up in it too.

What we need, is to flee from a constant intake of bad news and focusing on what is being said back and forth. These things do nothing but cause division and pain. Instead, we should look to the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. As we set our eyes on Him we will find peace for our souls and life abundant.

“Follow only that which leads you to Jesus. Because honestly, that is what what matters. “

Prayer:

Dear Father,
Thank You for Your forgiveness and grace. Help me to be discerning with what or who I listen to. May I always be mindful of Your goodness and grace. Father, use me to share whatever is good and right with others that are around me. Lord, also please draw this nation back to You. That is where we will find the truth and real leadership. 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

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Do you understand what this means? While we did not love God, He loved us. While we did not look for God, He looked for us. The love of God is an active and seeking kind of love. His love is looking for ways to express itself toward us. When He paints a beautiful sunset, He is expressing His love toward us. When He speaks through the pages of His Word, that is His love toward us. When He was dying on the cross, He was proclaiming to a lost and dying world that He had a very real and undying love for us.

(John 3:16) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

IT doesn’t get any better than this!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the beauty of Your creation and the way You express Your love for me through it. Thank You for searching for me. Thank You for finding me and thank You for speaking to me. Thank You for saving me. I pray this 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

“And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.”
(Acts 18:19)

In Acts 18, Paul is in Corinth trying to minister the Gospel to the Jews in the synagogue. Repeatedly, Paul’s message is rejected by the Jews. Realizing that the door was not open for him to minister to the Jews in Corinth, Paul decided that from then on he would go to the Gentiles. Later in the chapter, we see Paul in Ephesus ministering again to the Jews in the synagogue. Paul realized that the door was not open for him to minister to the Jews in Corinth, but was open for ministry to the Gentiles. Now in Ephesus, he finds the door open to preach to the Jewish people for a short time prior to leaving for Jerusalem.

Sometimes you may have on your heart to do something, but the time is just not right. What do you do at those times? Do you force the door open or do you stand there and wait? Do you notice doors the Lord has opened, or do you wait only for the Lord to open that one door? Often we get so distracted by the fact that one door is closed, that we overlook all of the open doors.

“Wait just a second… How can this door be closed,” we might say. “It was open a few minutes ago” I’ve seen others go through it. There must be something wrong with the handle! Certainly, God would want me to go through this door. After all, I’ve seen others go through it, and I have way more experience going through doors. Maybe if I stand here long enough, it will open back up.” All the while, the doors of ministry that God has opened are closing.

We see here that Paul did not force the issue. He waited for the Lord to open the closed door and did not ignore the door that was open. When the Lord opened the door for Paul in Ephesus, Paul walked through it. Paul was both willing to do it, and he was willing not to do it. This is important in following and serving the Lord. You need to be willing when the door opens, but you also need to be willing when the door shuts. It will end up that Ephesus will be one of the healthiest growing churches that Paul starts. What if he had tried to kick the door down on God? It would not have gone well.

One of my frequent prayers is, “Lord, open the doors you want opened so that no man can close them and close the doors you want closed so that no man can open them–Lord that includes me.” Charles Spurgeon once said, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”

“Wait on the timing of the Lord to open doors.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for both the open doors and the closed doors in my life. Please forgive me for the times that I have tried to force open a door that You have closed. Please give me a willingness to serve You no matter where the door You open for me leads. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true.”
(2 Corinthians 7:14)

Are you carrying something around today that God never intended you to carry? The shame and guilt of each of our lives is one of the greatest burdens we hold, but often we are crushed by it because we refuse to put it down. Some of you may have awakened this morning to a flood of memories of past sins and evil intentions. Maybe it’s not something you did, but something someone did to you and you have held onto unforgiveness. Whatever the case may be, God desires to remove that burden of sin and shame from you and in return, give you new life.

(Matthew 11:28-30) “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Shame and guilt will sink even the most powerful Christians, but even for the weakest believer, there is rest for their soul as they hand over their shame to Jesus. You see friend, when Jesus was on the cross, the Bible tells us that our shame was nailed up there with Him. All our evil thoughts, actions and words were placed there to be destroyed forever. When we ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins, He wipes those sins away along with the shame that is attached to them. Because of Jesus, we can lay down our guilt and shame never having to pick them up again.

Prayet:

Heavenly Father, I know I have done wrong things, and I come today asking again for your forgiveness. Wipe away the sin and the shame that is with it. Help me to focus on You and the love You have for me. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I can encourage others to find rest in You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

If you are in need of prayer for yourself or others, pleaseClick 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

“Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!” (2 Corinthians 10:12)

Sometimes, we all are not going to get along. This is one of the realities of living among broken people. Even in the church, we will have different opinions about how or why things are done. In 2 Corinthians 10, we find the apostle Paul, who happens to be writing parts of the Bible, being criticized for his letters. Rather than celebrate the Words of Truth that Paul was sharing, some people took the opportunity to question Paul’s authority.

Now, imagine if all that energy used to bring Paul down was used to bring Paul and others up. How many more lives would have been changed because of that unity and love? God uses our bond of love as believers to minister to those outside the church. When the world sees people love each other without condition, they begin desiring that love. When the world sees people forgive one another, no matter the situation, they begin craving that forgiveness. This is the power of our unity as believers. When we love in the middle of our disagreements or misunderstandings, we shine a floodlight in the middle of a dark world.

“The more you love in the middle of the battle, the brighter you shine in the midst of a dark world.” 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for those You have placed around me. Help me to walk in unity with my family and my church. Fill me with Your love so that I can love others. Help me understand Your forgiveness so that I can better forgive others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you are in need of prayer for yourself or others, pleaseClick 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

 

“So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit.” (2 Corinthians 2:1)

In 2 Corinthians, Paul recognizes a delicate balance in confronting, challenging and encouraging people in ministry. He had a deep love for the people of Corinth and because of that love, he needed to steer them the correct way. Unfortunately, even when there is loving intent, any corrective action can be seen as mean. This is why we must make every effort to walk in love and grace when we are confronting others or being confronted.

In those times of correction, emotions can run high and can often cloud our view of what’s really happening. Practice bringing your emotions under control so that you can be led by the Holy Spirit and not raw emotions. This is helpful on the receiving end of a correction, but is also important for those who must correct. Be sure if you are sharing with someone, you are seeking balance and not reacting out of anger or frustration. Seek the Lord, control your emotions and then act. God will take care of the rest.

“As followers of Jesus, the Holy Spirit should control our will, and our will should control our emotions. Our emotions should not control our will.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your grace towards me. While I deserve punishment, I am thankful for Your grace. Help me to respond to others with as much love and grace as You have shown to me. Give me a heart to love at all times and to offer correction when needed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you are in need of prayer for yourself or others, pleaseClick 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

“To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold–I speak foolishly–I am bold also.” (2 Corinthians 11:21)

How do you treat those who are struggling? Whether it’s those at your work or a stranger on the street. Maybe it’s an adult child that struggles with drugs or a elderly parent at the end of their life, how you treat them tells a lot about yourself.

Why is that the case? Simply because those who are struggling or are weak are not in a position to help us or pay us back. When we care for the less fortunate or minister to those who are barely hanging on, we do so knowing there is no physical benefit. The opposite is also true if we refuse to help those in need because there is no benefit for us, it helps clarify our motives.

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul begins sharing everything he endured for the sake of others. He did so because his motives were being questioned and yet, he was able to clearly say that he endured all that pain so that the lost would hear the good news. This is what I desire for my own life, I also do not want to live my life with regrets that I didn’t do my best. My prayer is that more felt the same. Unfortantally we don’t often see that in this world anymore..

Today is the day to look around for those in your life who may be weak, poor or hurting. Let’s serve them with the love of Christ, so that they would be blessed. It may cost us something, but it is worth it in the end.

“How we treat those who are weaker tells a lot about us. But don’t be discouraged by those who are not ready for our help or care. In that case, pray for them.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Forgive me for any times I may have helped people with ulterior motives. Give me a heart for those who are in need and the strength to serve them. I desire to give of myself for the benefit of others, no matter the cost. Fill me with Your Spirit and teach me through Your Word. 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

“They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.” (2 Peter 2:19)

Throughout our lives, we will be faced with various temptations. It could be in the form of a false teacher promising something unbiblical or an activity that appeals to our sinful nature but either way, it is empty in the end. One of the temptations the bible refers to is the “lust of the eyes”, and it has the power to cause us to become bitter, unhappy and resentful towards others. Another word we could use to describe this sin would be the word covetousness. When we look at the blessings of others and desire it for ourselves, we begin coveting. At that moment, we can begin secretly resenting that individual for nothing more than being blessed by God. It’s true, they probably don’t deserve it, but none of us do.

How can we battle the lust of the eyes? I believe we find the answer in the words of Paul found in (Philippians 4:11)  “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”

Contentment is the key. Also, notice what Paul said, “I learned.” Paul did not start off content. Through the power of God, he learned to be that way whether he was in prison or enjoying the blessings of food and fellowship. This can be difficult at times but there is true freedom in learning contentment. If we can learn this, then no matter what happens in the crazy world, we will be joyful because we have God, and He is enough. As you begin your day, ask God to help you to be content. Don’t be surprised; however, if you find that your coworker gets a raise or a friend is able to buy a brand new car. Instead of getting upset because you didnt, choose contentment.

Rejoice with them and thank the Lord for graciously saving you. After all, if God can forgive us of all our sin, what more do we need?

“Contentment is a choice we must make”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the grace you have shown me. You have given me life and because of Christ, I know that I also have eternal life. Help me to be content with whatever You plan for my life. I desire to walk in peace and joy regardless of my circumstances. Use me today to share Your love with others. 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

“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.” (Zachariah 3:11)

Enter the courtroom. There you stand before the Judge. He is perfect, holy and knows all of your sins and failures. Next to you is your accuser who also has your records and proclaims them to the judge with complete arrogance. Nothing you can say will stop the accuser’s words or make right the wrongs you’ve committed. You are helpless…

…But God.

Those two words change everything. In Zechariah’s vision, we catch a glimpse of the Gospel. We stand dirty before the Lord with nothing to offer or say, but God is not finished. He removes the filthy rags that are on Joshua, the high priest, and then places upon him rich robes. The same is available to us. We have nothing to offer God nor can we earn our salvation. We have nothing we can say to justify the sin in our lives BUT GOD has made a way for us to be cleansed of those sins and be clothed in His righteousness. Because of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we can know true forgiveness and hope.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned against You. Just like Joshua, I would stand before You dirty. Lord, I ask for your forgiveness. Please remove these filthy rags and place on me rich robes. I believe that because of what Jesus did for me, I can be made new. Fill me with Your Spirit and use me to share this message with others. 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