“He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, a man of considerable insight and understanding. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Saul and Barnabas said. He was trying to turn the governor away from the Christian faith.” (Acts 13:7-8)

In this story, we see the governor torn between Saul and Barnabas, who meant him well, and Elymas who tried to keep the governor from hearing about God. I believe we can relate to this in the many struggles in our own lives. We want to hear the Word of God, like during a teaching, but sometimes we allow ourselves to be talked out of it.

Some of the things that can make a huge difference in our spirtual growth is reading the bible, going to bible studies and reading devotions. It encourages us, challenges us, and the bible studies allows worship and fellowship with one another. It is obvious why the enemy of our souls would not want us in that kind of environment. He will try and use friends, family and loved ones to keep us from church, serving, giving, praying and reading the Bible. Above all the noise; however, the voice of Jesus rings true. Come to Him and He will give you rest. The world says ‘get’, Jesus says ‘give’. The world says focus on ‘you’. Jesus says focus on ‘others’ and upon Him. Be careful what voice you listen to. It is very important.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Help me to hear Your voice over the noise of life. Lord, it seems that others try to pull me down or keep me from being spiritual. Help me during those weak moments to know what You would say to me. Help me to hear and respond to Your voice and be forgiven. Help me to fellowship with and love others around me. Thank You for continuing to call me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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If you have never asked Jesus into your heart. Click here to learn more.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3)

Love is a word that possesses incredible power. When a couple first speaks that word, it changes the dynamic of their relationship forever. On the other hand, when someone you care for tells you they no longer love you, it could impact your life for years. When someone you love dies, your heart grieves and love is what causes the pain and hurt you experience. We also can actually become emotionally and physically ill when we have our hearts broken from the loss of love.

Unfortunately, this word has many times been misunderstood. Our world sees love as a amped up version of lust but that’s not what God created love to be, and it’s not the example He has shown us.

(1 John 4:7) “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

Love is not morality or religion. It’s not something else to put on your to-do list. Rather, love is our motivation and it is seen perfectly in our Lord. In short, love is Jesus. In every second of His life on earth, Jesus was love and demonstrated that love. From his healing of the sick and feeding the hungry, to His correction of the Pharisees, Jesus’ end goal was love. You could do all the good deeds in the world, but without love they would be empty meaning nothing. Jesus loved others because He loved the Father. The same is true with us. As we love our Heavenly Father, we will be able to love others; even those who we feel may not be that lovable.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your love. Because of Your love for me, I have forgiveness of sins and hope of heaven. Father, fill me with Your Spirit and help me to love others like You love me. Make me more like Jesus so that I can share Your grace and mercy with those around me. Use me today to show love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

If you have never asked Jesus into your heart, you will never truly know real love. Click here to learn more.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them.” (Acts 22:30)

“Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” (Acts 23:1)

We see in the next seven chapters, Acts 22 to 28, Paul is either on his way to court or prison or is in court or imprisoned. If anyone would have had the right to mope around and complain about his problems, it would have been Paul… but he didn’t. He could have been an ‘Eeyore’ and said, “I guess I’ll never get out of here.”Instead, he used those times by praying to God and and encouraging others. Did you know that Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians while in prison?

Paul wrote, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” (Philippians 4:11-12)

How could Paul write this in the face of such overwhelming difficulty? He continues by saying, ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

That is the key. We often hear slogans such as, “Do your best and let God do the rest.” Our best isn’t even close to God’s best. The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation, stop and ask God to make it the best. Don’t settle for the little. Ask God for His ‘biggest and best”. Trust God with today, and He will lead you into tomorrow’s blessings.

“Ask God to make the best out of whatever situation you are in.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You that I don’t have to lean on my own striving or the hope that my best is good enough. Lord, I don’t want my best, I want Your best. Please help me to commit all my plans to You. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

***Prayer Request*** My mother (Madeleine) had a stroke yesterday morning and is very ill, and has been for three years. Please pray healing of her blood (Has a blood disorder called MDS) and that she would regain her strengh and not suffer from any additional complications. She is very special to me and I will continue to love and care for her in any condition. Most importantly I pray for Gods will to be done.. I know that God loves my mom more then I could ever imangine. Please pray for my family as well as myself. Thank you

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

What does it mean to have your “Ears Tickled”?  Generally it refers to being told something specifically with the intent of it being pleasing to the listeners .. and more to the point, it’s generally, at least in part, an untruth or a exaggeration.

The apostle Paul wrote a warning for the church: “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear”

The Greek word translated “itching” literally means “to itch, rub, scratch, or tickle.” To want one’s ears “tickled” is to desire massages rather than messages—sermons that charm rather than challenge, entertain rather than edify, and please rather than preach. The people Paul warns about will have, as one commentator put it, “ears which have to be continually titillated with novelties.”

Have you ever had someone tickel your ears? We all love to have words given to us that make us feel good. More than likely, most of us desire to hear words that only bring positive reinforcement rather than correction or warning. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to want to be encouraged, but when we reject difficult truth in exchange for “nice sounding” mistruth, then there’s a huge problem.

Throughout the Bible we see messages of warning and also messages of hope. The people of Israel were, on more than one occasion, warned about their sin while also being promised many blessings. The Gospel, itself, involves hard truth and good news. God clearly states that we are sinners who deserve to be punished. This is not “fun” to hear, but it must be considered in order to understand the Gospel. If we reject the reality of our sin, we lie to ourselves and the death and resurrection of Jesus lose their power and meaning. In order for God to change our hearts and lives, we must submit to the hard Truths as well as the glorious promises found in the Bible.

“Biblical Warning: Sugar coated preaching  is dangerous to your soul.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the Bible. Help me not to gloss over the hard Truths of Scripture, but to understand them. Give me wisdom and discernment to grow from both encouragement and correction as I follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“And I said to her, ‘You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man–so, too, will I be toward you.'” (Hosea 3:3 )

In the book of Hosea, we see a glimpse of God’s relationship with Israel. Just as Hosea married Gomer  and desired to love her and keep her from adultery, so it was that God loved Israel and desired that they be His alone. Unfortunately, Israel chased after other gods which led to their exile. Instead of grasping the amazing love that God had shown to them, Israel turned their back on their very hope of salvation.

The truth is that we all are like Israel. We are born into this world sinful and by our actions, we can often as humans display hatred towards others and even God. The good news is that God’s love is not based on our behavior but on His character. He is love and therefore, He made a way that we could be saved. When we trust in Jesus for salvation and seek His forgiveness, we can find rest. Not only that, but God gives us power to live for Him so that we can demonstrate our love for Him by obeying His Word. What a blessing it is to love and be loved by the God of all creation. May you know His love and may your life be changed because of it.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the love that You have shown to me through Jesus. Because of Christ, I have hope of Heaven and power to live the abundant life now. Father, help me to walk in obedience to Your Word so that others may see my life and glorify You. Keep me from becoming angry with people and loosing control. Help me see past Sin and see the good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

That prayer, often spoken by small children before they eat, may seem simple, yet thankfulness is something we often struggle with even as adults. How often have I stopped and thanked God for the air I breathe, the abilities I have, or the body I have been given? Of course, gratefulness does not just manifest itself in words but becomes part of our lives. When I truly understand the gifts God has given me, it leads me to a desire to serve Him. Then, as I meditate on the Gospel and the fact that Jesus died on my behalf so that I could be forgiven, it causes me to give my all for Him. I know it can be difficult in our busy lives to stop and focus on all that we are blessed with, but when we take the time it will impact our lives profoundly.

(Romans 2:4) “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

As we focus on the goodness of God and His provision for our lives and our salvation, we are humbled and put in the perfect place to be used by God. Even in our times of hardship, when we stand back and view, we get a glimpse of God’s eternal perspective which leads us to rejoice, once again, in our King.

“Grateful people recognize God’s provisions in their lives.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for ALL that You have given me. Thank You for my friends and Family. I am grateful for Your love, Your mercy and the gift of eternal life through Jesus. Thank You for the blessings of life. Teach me to have a grateful heart and to share this gratefulness with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

If anyone asked you what your daily walk with the Lord looked like, what would you say? Would you say that it’s a 10 minute Bible read before running out the door? Maybe, you wake up early and spend a good half hour in reading and ptayer or maybe you even spend an hour meditating on God’s Word. Whatever your daily walk looks like, one thing is certain–if you want to grow spiritually you must spend time with the Lord.

Often, we mention our ‘daily quiet time’ when we discuss our walk with the Lord. There are three things in that phrase that are critical to spiritual growth. First is the word ‘daily’. Just like our bodies need daily nourishment, so does our spirit. Secondly, ‘quiet’ is also key because many times we must quiet ourselves and our surroundings in order to hear from the Lord. Finally, ‘time’ is also important. How much time you ask? That’s something we each have to ask ourselves. Some days you may spend 15 minutes in quiet reflection while other times you will be able to enjoy an evening studying God’s Word. The important thing is doing it so that you may know God more and be equipped to do His will. The Lord has an exciting adventure waiting for you and the directions are in your hand.

“To grow spiritually, spending time with God is vital.”

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of Your Word. Fill me with Your Spirit and give me a desire to read Your Word on a daily basis. Help me to learn from it and then begin acting out the things I learn. Teach me Your ways and hide Your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,” (Ezra 1:1)

When you look throughout the Bible you will find amazing accuracy when it comes to history. What’s even more amazing is that many times the history we read in the Bible was actually spoken of before it happened. In the passage above, we read how God was stirring King Cyrus to help Israel. This is an awesome fact in and of itself but when we look back, we realize that God had this planned long before.

(Isaiah 44:28) “Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built, And the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”

Hundreds of years before Cyrus was in power, God had already told His people that it would happen. How awesome is God’s Word?! While many people may try and discredit the Bible, it has been proven 100% accurate in both its historical information and its prophecy. You and I can trust the Bible. There is no other book like it and there never will be another one like it. Why is this so important? Well, if the Bible is 100% accurate and it declares us to be loved by God Himself, then that is something we can hold onto no matter what life throws at us.

Prayer:

Dear God, Your Word is so amazing. Thank You for using it to teach us about Your great love and the salvation we can find through Jesus. Help me to hold onto those important Truths and to also share them with others. Continue to teach me through the Bible as I seek after You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Would you like to follow Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)

When you are building a house, the most important element is the foundation. If you build on a foundation that is moving or unstable, no matter how secure you create everything else, it will eventually fall apart. The same is true with wisdom and knowledge. The Bible tells us that the beginning (or foundation) of knowledge is found in fearing the Lord.

This “fear of the Lord” can also be understood as a reverence for His authority. It can also translate to a trust in His Word and His commands. When I trust the Lord and believe that what He says is true, then I will build my life on something unmovable. Of course, if I dismiss His Word and rely on my thoughts or feelings, then I am building my life on something that is unstable. The good news is that God can take our lives (no matter how bad the foundation) and place them on The Foundation – Jesus Christ. As we trust in Christ, we will find our life is more stable, and we are not so quick to topple under the weight of this world. Instead, we have a fresh joy and peace that comes with a secure foundation.

“The foundation of wisdom for all believers comes from having a fear and reverence for the Lord.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know that I often build my life on my emotions or limited understanding. Help me to walk in a healthy reverence for You and trust in Your Word. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I will be ready to deal with life and live victoriously through Jesus. Also Lord, Thank you for our Mothers and their wisdom. Please stay close to the sons and daughters that no longer have their mothers alive… may they feel You love and presence. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Interested in experiencing forgiveness and love found in Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

“Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel” (Nehemiah 3:1)

In the book of Nehemiah, we see the people of Israel joining together to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Stone by stone, each wall and gate is constructed to keep the bad out and the good in. The same should be true in our own life, because once you see something or hear something, it is impossible to take it out. If you are a parent, you are responsible for guarding your kid’s gates. As they get older, help them make good decisions and discourage bad ones.

In the world today, its all about who has the biggest most mighty weapons and technology. Don’t look for the newest greatest things for warfare, they are great with technology but not with Gods wisdom. God has given us great wisdom so that we can go to the ancient things for modern problems. Remember that the battlefield often starts in our minds.

(2 Corinthians 10:4-5) “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

The key to guarding our hearts and minds is to fill our hearts and minds with the things of God. Reading God’s Word and meditating on the Truths of Scripture will help protect us from evil. Time in prayer for our lives and the lives of our family will direct our paths. Also, we must be actively engaged by saying no to certain music, television, movies, games or books that could draw our hearts away from Christ. It’s not about legalism; it’s about building the walls of protection and guarding the gates for God’s glory.

“As people created in the image of God, we can and should control what we read, listen to, think and say.”

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the guidance You give in Your Word. Give me the wisdom and power to build the walls and guard the gates of my heart and mind. Fill me with Your Spirit. Help me teach others about your goodness and turn them away from evil. May they turm from hate and destruction to experiencing forgiveness and Love. In Jesus’ name Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Interested in experiencing forgiveness and love found in Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org