Author Archives: Rob Lavallee

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About Rob Lavallee

Rob Lavallee roblavallee@gmail.com

April 7th 2016 – Following Before Leading

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“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan” (Proverbs 29:2)

I am convinced that there is really no such thing as the gift of leadership. Rather, there are many gifts that can be used to lead people, whether it is leading as a president or leading people in their walk with the Lord.

The true key to leadership though is knowing who your leader really is. As people come and go, the Lord has promised to be by your side and never forsake you. We are all called to follow, just as Christ called his first disciples to follow Him. And as we follow God, we become leaders of men… or fishers of men, depending on your choice of profession.

Leadership is something we become as followers of God and Christ. It is a lifelong process of learning and growing. The good news is that we already have all we need to follow and lead!

(1 Corinthians 12:1-12) “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, (A)and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (B) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”

(1 Corinthians 12:20) “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.”

What are your spiritual gifts? If you are unsure, consider asking your friends or you can take an assessment test online..

What contributions do you feel you can make to the Body of Christ? Consider sharing with someone who can keep you accountable with your growth in development of your gifts… like any muscle in your body, gifts can atrophy if not used regularly.

The body of Christ is not merely one part or another. Do you have a group of friends that exhibit different gifts than yourself and are there areas where you can exercise these gifts for the building of the body?

Following God can be hard at times. Turbulence is common in our walks with God. God promises each believer a gift of the Spirit, though the gift and quantity of gifts may differ. We all have at least one gift to be used for the building of the Body of Christ. Be encouraged that God has given you all the tools you need to be a leader in Christ!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You are such a great leader, please continue to draw me close and not only guide me but may I continue to grow in the spirit of a leader! I pray to be humbled by the spirit so that I never forget to always follow You as I am leading others closer to meet You. I thank you for always showing up when I need your instruction. May they see Your love and wisdom flow in me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Seeking Jesus in your life?

Jesus Christ says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20)

The Bible promises eternal life to all who receive Christ: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13)

If you have not asked Jesus into your life you can receive Jesus Christ right now by faith through prayer.

Prayer is just talking with God. He knows your heart, so don’t worry about getting your words just right. Here is a suggested prayer to guide you:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

If you have done this, then congratulations! (Luke 15:7) says that when one sinner accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Saviour the angels rejoice. So there’s a party going on in heaven right now over your decision! Remember this date as your “second birthday,” the day you were born into a new life in Christ! You have God’s Word that he answered your prayer.

Please take a moment to contact me, I would love to pray with you personally for this wonderful new journey you are on.  roblavallee@gmail.com or 520-256-9738

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 6th 2016 – Love or Fear

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“for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.” (Galatians 2:12)

Are you afraid of people? While we often think of that question in terms of physical harm, the reality is that most of the time our fear of others is a fear of rejection or ridicule. This fear leads us to disobedience or apathy.

One of the primary examples of this is our fear to witness to others. We have the greatest news in the world and yet alot of people are afraid to share it because of what someone may think. Imagine if the apostle Paul was fearful of men. We would not have a large chunk of the New Testament or the spread of the Gospel. Paul put aside his fear of others because he had a healthy fear of the Lord. In other words, his love for the Lord trumped his fear of people. Step out today and be a witness. God is with you and He can use that one step of faith for something amazing.

(Proverbs 29:25) “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father , Thank You for Your love and grace. Help me to love others much more then fear. Give me boldness to tell the Truth about You. Lord, I want to extend the same grace You have given me to others. I need You. Please work in my life and in my heart. I surrender it ALL to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen

If you are in need of prayer  Click Here

Interested in Joining the Winning Team? please click here to learn mor about how to get accepted. The good news is that no one is turned away.   4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 5th 2016 – An Adventurous Life

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“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18)

That verse doesn’t say “all churches”… it doesn’t say “all Christians”… it says “all flesh.” Well, surely God meant to only say “Christians”, right? No, He meant “all flesh.” Do you have any relatives that aren’t Christians that don’t know Jesus? Sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, nephews, or nieces? God is pouring out His Spirit to all people and wooing them. The Holy Spirit is wooing them. This is what God is doing. He is giving them an opportunity over and over to choose Him. And God has given us His Holy Spirit. He uses us to be witnesses, to be bold in sharing with others the truth of His scriptures.

(Acts 1:8)
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

People are looking at people differently, looking at Christians differently. The world is not changing for the better, it’s changing for the worse. We need to be changing for the better and that change is how God wants to use you to share your faith with others.

(Ephesians 2:10)
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

We were created for good works. As we grow spiritually we grow in the love of Christ. So be a doer and be creative in the ways that you do the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will show you how to do it. He will show you how to pray for the sick, to share Jesus with most people. You might wind up baking cookies and take it to your lost neighbor next-door or help your neighbor accross the street repair his cooler. The Holy Spirit will lead you into any and all of those things and the Holy Spirit makes a difference between a dull boring life and a vibrant over flowing electric adventure that we were created for.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Continue to open my heart to share with other people. Help me to take moments to share with my family and friends about Your love and goodness. Thank You for giving me the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for allowing me to have an adventurous life and continue to change me to be more like You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, please click here to learn more.

 

 Rob Lavallee
Scriptural Seeds Ministries

 

April 4th 2016 – Minister and Comfort Others

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“Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.” (1 Chronicles 19:2)

One of the great blessings of being a Christian is to minister and comfort others, especially when they are in deep pain.

Sometimes though, it feels like the weeds of our own bad decisions choke out our ability to do so. Sure, we must deal with earthly consequences of our sins, but that in no way prohibits us from being able to show God’s peace and love to others. In the throes of our own pain, we are comforted with God’s words saying:

(Romans 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Because of our past experiences, each of us are uniquely qualified to minister to others. According to the Bible God has specific plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 2:10). Our Father God carries the title of “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). He is training us to minister and comfort others.

(2 Corinthians 1:4) “…who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

So don’t ever count yourself out of ministry because of the mistakes or your past. The same merciful embrace God gave you in your day of distress could become the hug you share with others in their day.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the grace You give me. Help me not to carry around the woundings of my past, but to lay them down at Your feet. Lord, I want to extend the same grace You have given me to others. I need You. Please work in my life and in my heart. I surrender it ALL to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen

 

If you are in need of prayer  Click Here

Interested in Joining the Winning Team? please click here to learn mor about how to get accepted. The good news is that no one is turned away.   4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

April 3rd 2016 – Look to Jesus

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“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3)
There is just something about the name of Jesus!  His Name is the most beautiful of all names.  This verse shows us that Jesus radiates God’s very glory, and He expresses the very character of the Father.  Jesus said that he who has seen Him has seen the Father.  He and His Father are one.
The reason this is so important is that many times we do not fully understand God, because we have never seen Him.  But when we look into the Gospels and we read about Jesus, He shows us who God the Father is.  You see, Jesus was a healer, and a provider.  He let John lay His head on His chest.  Jesus is the One that calmed the storms and raised the dead.  He is the One who promised those that believe in Him that we will have eternal life.
When we understand that to look at Jesus is to see the Father, we know that the Father will heal us, and the Father will calm the storms in our lives.  He will provide for our needs, and He wants us to lay our heads near His heart and rest in Him.  You see, the Father loves us just like Jesus does.  The Father and Jesus are one, and the great love that Jesus showed by going to the cross to die for you and me is the same love that the Father in heaven has for us.
That is why Jesus said not to pray to Him, but to pray to our Father in heaven in His Name, and He will answer us.  So today, get to know the Father.  He loves you and cares for you.  To know Him is to know life.  So enjoy His presence in your life each and every day!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I praise You in all circumstances Lord, Thank You for your overwhelming love that You have for me. I want to know my Father better and see all that my Father is, and the place that He wants to take in my life. Please help me share who You are to everyone. I pray this in Your glorious name; Amen.

If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, please click here to learn more.

 

 Rob Lavallee
Scriptural Seeds Ministries

 

 

April 2nd 2016 – Spirtually Drowning

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And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” (Ezekiel 37:3)

I have a important question, where are you spiritually right now? Are you frustrated? Are you tired? Devastated? Do you feel like your world is caving in and you just can’t handle it? Are you drowning… weary from crying? Do you feel spiritually numb or even spirtually dead?

(Lamentations 3:21-24) “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I hope in Him!”

Living in such a time as we do. We can get battered and discouraged spiritually. We see people saying and doing unbelievable things. Even people we love can be abusive in their behaviours torward us. Its not hard to get in a place where our spirit and soul feel numb. Hope often sounds impossible… As a Pastor I hear many stories each week of people searching for hope in dry and desolate places.  Please do not think that Ministers of the Lord are exempt from feeling this way too. I go through times like this also. All it takes is taking my eyes off of Jesus, even for a moment.

Like Peter stepping off the boat into the water and walking torwards the Lord, as soon as he took his eye off Jesus he immediately sank into the water. At the point Peter prayed the shortest prayer..  “Lord save me!” Jesus reached His arm out and rescued Peter from drowning in the turbulent water.

In (Matthew 7:7-8) Jesus said this, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

What you surround yourself with is a good indication of where we seek. Take a minute to look at what surrounds you. Is it television, music, gadgets, computers… or maybe drugs and alcohol? There is no hope in these things. The only Hope is in Jesus. God’s promise lasts forever. We can live free of all of the numbness and not feel spiritually stale – I mean really live free, but it’s in Jesus and not in the world.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the hope You give to me in Jesus. Lord, help me to stay determined and not lose hope even when I find myself in a valley of dry bones. Remind me to feed upon Your Word. I give you all praise and glory for the promises You set before me. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Is Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life? Did you once have your eyes on him but got caught up in the world? Don’t miss out on the most important decision you will ever make.

Pray this prayer with me and start a new life, or recommit your life to Jesus.

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. I admit that I am not right with You, and I want to be right with You. I ask You to forgive me of all my sins. The Bible says if I confess with my mouth that “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved (Rom. 10:9). I believe with my heart and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank You for saving me!
In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer for the first time, we would like to know. Click here to send us an e-mail or share your testimony.

If you need prayer Click Here to post a prayer request.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 1st 2016 – Game Plan for Sin

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“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Sin… a tiny word, a huge big problem. Think of all the problems in your own life caused by your sin. Think of all the problems in the world caused by the sin of others – wars, violence, stealing, laziness, and envy. On and on and on the list goes and grows. There is a saying, “Sin is the seed, and death is the harvest.” The bible has a lot to say about sin. It tells us that sin is not only the bad things we do, but also the good things we don’t do. When we fail to love, give or help, we are engaging in sin.

As long as we never do wrong and always do right, we don’t and won’t have a problem with sin. “Wow, that really helps!” That may sound easy to some. But the truth is, we are all sinners…

However the Bible tells us how to deal with past sins and how to deal with sin in the present and future. It is easier than you think. “Past sins,” you may ask? Ask for forgiveness.

(1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

What about dealing with our present sins? (Hebrews 12:1-2) says that we should strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up and that we should run with endurance the race God has set before us.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the winning coach, who initiates and perfects our faith. Here is a awsome truth, one you can trust even on Aprils Fools day. Don’t tell God you have a big sin problem, tell the sin problem that you have a Big God. Think about life, think about Jesus, and keep your eyes on Him.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Thank You for taking my sin upon You. I am sorry for the wrong things I have done and for the right I have failed to do. I confess my sins to You and ask for forgiveness. (Confess your sins, by act and by name to Him). Lord, thank You for helping me with my past and present sins. Help me to keep my eyes not on my sin, but on my Savior, Jesus. Help me to soar by casting off the weights of sin. Help me to live the life You have called me to live. I thank You for having a winning game plan for dealing with my Sin, In Jesus’ name, Amen

If you need prayer Click Here

Interested in Joining the Winning Team? please click here to learn mor about how to get accepted. The good news is that no one is turned away. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 31st 2016 – Dying to Self Daily

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“For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you.” (1 Corinthians 15:31)

When Paul wrote this verse, I believe that he may have been facing the possibility of physical death. The leaders in those times possessed such hatred towards the truth, they were having believers fed to lions and crucified because of their faith in Jesus. While most of us may never see that kind of persecution, there is a death we must face on a daily basis – the death of our sinful nature.

(Romans 8:13) “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

While the world may look at us strangely when we talk about dying to ourselves, it is an important part of following Christ. It is not a physical death but rather the death of our sin and our selfishness. If we desire to do something contrary to God’s Word we willfully stop and instead seek to walk in obedience. As we choose to obey God despite ourselves, we are dying to our will and surrendering to God’s. Now, just so you know, it isn’t always easy. Our sinful nature desires nothing more than to rebel against God, but because of Jesus, we have the power to choose what is right and to walk in His light. As we do, we’ll find ourselves no longer living for ourselves but living for our Lord…, there is no greater life than that.

“The more we die to ourselves, the more we can live our lives for Jesus.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You are so good to me and have shown me such great love. Because of Your love and what Jesus did for me, I desire to live for You. Fill me with Your spirit and give me the power to do what is right. I not only desire You to heal my spirit and flesh, but also help me to die to myself every day because I dont want to overcome by my sinful nature. May my life be a reflection of You for all the world to see. In Jesus’ name,  Amen.

Seeking Jesus in your life?

Jesus Christ says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20)

The Bible promises eternal life to all who receive Christ: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13)

If you have not asked Jesus into your life you can receive Jesus Christ right now by faith through prayer.

Prayer is just talking with God. He knows your heart, so don’t worry about getting your words just right. Here is a suggested prayer to guide you:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

If you have done this, then congratulations! (Luke 15:7) says that when one sinner accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Saviour the angels rejoice. So there’s a party going on in heaven right now over your decision! Remember this date as your “second birthday,” the day you were born into a new life in Christ! You have God’s Word that he answered your prayer.

Please take a moment to contact me, I would love to pray with you personally for this wonderful new journey you are on.  roblavallee@gmail.com or 520-256-9738

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 30th 2016 – The power of Forgiveness

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“And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:59-60)

Jesus gives so many wonderful things to those who follow Him. Some of them are obvious and some are not so obvious. Forgiveness is an obvious and incredible benefit to a relationship with Jesus. Our ability to forgive others is a benefit that might not be so obvious. Matthew, before following Jesus, was a tax collector. In his book, Matthew recorded a pertinent parable from Jesus. In this story, a certain man owed a king a great deal of money. The king was moved by compassion for this man and forgave him of all his debts. Ironically, this forgiven man was also owed money by another. Instead of offering compassion as the king had toward him, he had the man thrown into prison. When the king found out… well here is what happened.

(Matt 18:32-34) “Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?”

You have the power to forgive just as you have been forgiven. Each of us has sinned many more times against God than others have against us. Since we have been forgiven of so much, we should in turn forgive. Forgiving or not forgiving others is an act of your own will. It’s your choice. But to forgive others is imitating Christ. Jesus did it, Stephen did it, and you can do it.

“Do not carry baggage from people who have wronged you.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for forgiving me of so much. I ask You now to help me forgive others. When bad and painful memories come to me, I ask that I would again be reminded to forgive those who have wronged me. I need Your help to do this because sometimes I don’t feel like forgiving. Thank You for setting me free from carrying this baggage and guilt around. Thank You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Need Prayer: Click here to have our pastors and staff pray for you.

Invitation:

You will never really experience the true meaning of forgiveness until you have experienced Jesus on a personal level. If not know Jesus Christ.  I encourage you not to pass up the precious gift of His love, grace and eternal life. Jesus died on the cross for you and me. He loves us and wants to help us. If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior please click here 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 29th 2016 – Problems

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“Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land!” (Nehemiah 4:4)

It’s hard enough to be faced with a near impossible task, but what makes it harder is often the discouragement we find from others around us. Words like, “That can’t be done”, “You’re not able” or “It’s to difficult” ot actually plagues us as we stare down difficult situations. Faced with these issues, how should we respond? I believe there are four main ways we can address problem situations:

  • Talk to God first.
  • Talk to God about the problem.
  • Talk to God about the  “Problem” people.
  • Talk to God about a solution.

While there is often a need to discuss the problem, we must be careful not to let it lead into the problem overwhelming us. Why? Because our God is bigger than the problem. This is why talking to God should be our first response in difficult times. When we do, we can respond in forgiveness towards those saying hurtful things and then walk in wisdom to overcome the issue at hand. Remember, whenever God is moving, there will be spiritual attacks. Guard against the attacks. Guard against discouragement, division and gossip. The enemy can use people (even other Christians) to draw us away from our mission. The enemy not only draws us to do bad things, but keeps us from doing good things. Go to God first, and He will give you what you need to love others and live for Him.

When you feel discouraged, spend time with God; spend time in worship and with other encouraging believers. Don’t quit!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,  Thank You for always being there for me in times of need. Give me the wisdom and strength to live for You and to ignore the voice of Your enemy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, please click here to learn more.

 

 Rob Lavallee
Scriptural Seeds Ministries