Author Archives: Rob Lavallee

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About Rob Lavallee

Rob Lavallee roblavallee@gmail.com

January 18th 2016 – Assessing our Path

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“Those who follow the right path fear the LORD; those who take the wrong path despise him.” (Proverbs 14:2)

In life, there are some questions that we must ask ourselves. These questions can be hard because they cause self evaluations, yet they can be beneficial in the long run. As a Christian, one of those questions is, “Do the actions of my life reflect the words I speak and the Truths I believe?”

While it’s true that none of us will live perfectly, that should not mean that change is not occurring in our lives through our faith in Christ. After all, if I believe He forgave me of my sins, then I will become more likely to forgive others. If I believe that His Word is the source of life and direction, then I will base my life around the bible and not my own desires. In the end, our life will be a reflection of the things that are important to us.

As I get older many of the things that were once very inportant to me have changed. I ask myself was it all of the dissapointments and loss, or is my spirit growing more Christ like?

(Romans 12:2)  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

God still has alot of work to do in my life… I try so hard to live out my walk. I still fail, I still sometimes allow my anger to get the best of me when my values are questioned. The good news is that we are a work in progress as God works and molds our life.

Prayer:

Dear God, Open my eyes so that I can ask the tough questions in my life. Give me understanding on how to live out the Truth I believe. Shower me with Your grace when I stumble, and fill me with Your Spirit so that I can live for 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

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 17th 2016 – Trust in the Lord

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“Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria:”What confidence is this in which you trust?” (2 Kings 18:19)

It is very easy to begin trusting in the ‘things’ of this world because of the subtle way they steal our attention away from God. It is because of this subtle infiltration of worldly things that every Christian should take the time to evaluate themselves. Is there something that you give a larger role in your life than God? Has your focus become a kaleidoscope of ‘things’ preventing you from clearly focusing on serving God? If so, you had better confess to God and turn your gaze toward Him before the subtle deception of accumulation leaves you trusting in the stuff instead of God. Otherwise, there will come a day when you will find yourself spiritually and possibly physically famished.

We should know who or what we are trusting in. We should trust in the Lord alone.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your love. Lord, forgive me for the times I have placed my focus on the ‘things’ in my life rather than You. Give me the discernment and wisdom to see the deception in the things of this world and keep my eyes fixed upon You. I surrender everything to You. In Jesus precious and glorious name, Amen.

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministrieshttp://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 16th 2016 – Treacherous Waters

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“And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.” (Acts 27:30-32)

The worst time to ‘jump ship’ is when the water is rough. If you make a decision when the storms are raging, it is hard to make a clear choice. Yet, isn’t that when we often make life changing decisions, only to look back later, and discover we made the wrong one? We hear ourselves saying, “I am tired of this marriage,” “I am tired of my family,” “I am tired of my job,” or “I am tired of this church.” Weather the storms. When the storms get tough, do not bail out and give up. There is a huge blessing in pressing in.

In the verses above, Paul points out that the men ‘jumping ship’ were taking a selfish approach that ultimately would hurt them and the others. Be careful when you want to run my friend. Please don’t have ‘lifeboats’ for yourself as a way out. Do not keep the mind set that “If this doesn’t happen” or “if that happens, I am out of here.” Often, we walk into situations already planning our escape route or our way out. Of course in thinking like that, we soon have a reason (more like an excuse) to ‘jump ship’. Instead of looking for a way out, maybe we should look at these circumstances as a way in. We want to be more like Jesus… who obviously did not turn and run in the face of opportunity, offense or crisis. Friend, look for the ‘growth opportunity’ in the storm to grow as a person, a believer, and as a follower of Jesus. You will soon find it.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I know I have made bad decisions in the midst of the storms in life. Please forgive me. I know some of the consequences of my bad decisions are still here. In the future, please help me to make better decisions. Please send others to help me through these tough times. I ask for Your peace to comfort me. I ask, Father, for Your power to strengthen me. When I want to run because I am afraid or hurt, I ask that You help me to stand. I know that You will guide me to grow through these things. Lord, I know You will be there to help me through every storm of life and even in the final storm of death. Thanks God. In Jesus name, Amen.

Invitation:

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

January 15th 2016 – His Refreshing Comfort

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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 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.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Picture, if you will, a line of people. These people are from different backgrounds and families. Only one thing unites them and that is the fact that all are incredibly thirsty. Each of them longs for a cup of cold water. Now, imagine the first in this great line being given a case of ice cold water. With great anticipation they grab a bottle and begin to quench their overpowering thirst. The dryness and pain that came with the thirst is quickly forgotten as they embrace the refreshing liquid. After enjoying the comforts of the water, the person is then refreshed and ready to pass on this wonderful gift. With great joy, they proceed to hand a bottle of water to the next thirsty soul – and the refreshment continues.

This may seem like an odd story, but it sheds light on our place in sharing God’s comfort. All of us have endured suffering. Like these people, we ache for refreshment from the pains of life. After a time of wondering when it will end, God pours out His refreshing comfort on our life and we become encouraged. The danger is to stop at this point and miss the secondary blessing. Rather than selfishly holding on to God’s comfort, we should share it with those who are still thirsting for relief. As God comforts us in our suffering we are put in the perfect place to comfort others – and the refreshment continues.

God is the source of all blessings, comfort and mercy. When we are a source of blessings or comfort or mercy, we are becoming more and more like Christ.

Prayer:

Dear God, Thank You for the amazing comfort that I find in You. Because of Your love, I have peace with God and forgiveness for all my sins. Because of Jesus, I am free from the penalty of sin and no matter what happens on this earth, I will be healed and loved for all eternity. Father, help me to remember these things and to pass them on to those who are thirsting for Your refreshing comfort. In Jesus name, Amen.

Seeking Comfort from Jesus?

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 lifeYou 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

January 14th 2016 – Faith Under Attack

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“Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.” (Ezra 5:1)

In the book of Ezra, the people of Israel find themselves rebuilding the temple of God. What started out as a joyous occasion soon turned bad as other people groups began causing trouble. When all was said and done, the Israelites had to stop the work, and God’s temple remained unfinished.

There is so much we can learn from this. Whether you are building a temple or helping serve at your church, we all are called to serve the Lord. When we step out and serve like Israel, we will come under attack from our enemy. He will discourage us, cause us to doubt and may even use friends, family and other church members to keep us from doing what God has called us to do. How do we overcome these battles? Well, God’s Word shows us in the life of Israel.

In chapter 5 of Ezra, God sends His prophets, the men of God, to speak the Word of God to the people of God. And as God stirs the heart of His people through His message, they get to work doing what God commanded them to do. Sound familiar? This is what church is about. Men of God teaching the people of God so that they can be equipped, strengthened and encouraged to do Kingdom work. If you find yourself in the battle today, look to God’s Word and maybe listen to some solid bible teaching. When you do, you will be encouraged to win the battle and change the world.

Spiritual attacks are meant to not only stop our personal spiritual growth, but to also stop the outpouring of ministry.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know that there are times in life I am under attack. Help me to realize the attacks and to dive into Your Word even more. Give me wisdom and strength to fight rather than run so that I can continue to grow in You and be used to reach others with the Gospel. 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 http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 13th 2016 – Soldiers for Christ

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“And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.”(Acts 27:3)

Notice in the verse above, that Paul did not retreat to a quiet corner somewhere by himself to rest or ‘get away from it all’. Instead, he went to his friends and they cared for him. When we are going through difficult problems, we often retreat to our house or our own room ‘just to be alone for a while’. Do not get me wrong, it’s great to find a quiet place to talk to God. You should do that every day. Nevertheless, there are times when you need to have friends who will come alongside of you, lift you up, and pray for you. The reality is… if you do not place yourself in a position where you develop relationships with others, you will never have that encouragement in times of trouble. Where do you find these friends? Chances are you see them every Sunday. They are soldiers of Christ at church serving God and others. Get involved in a ministry, or volunteer at church. There are always things we can do to further the ministry of Jesus Christ. However, if you are not in the trenches with these people “Soldiers of Christ”, you may never know them.

When you serve in a church, you develop relationships with people that you never would have otherwise. Take a moment to look around at those who are serving. You will see them laughing and joking, but you will also see them encouraging and praying. It is under the common ground of serving God that these relationships are founded. In the midst of amity or conflict, the strongest relationships are forged.

(Proverbs 27:17)”As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.”

If you are not serving in your church or ministry, I want to encourage you to do so. You will never regret it.

There is an incredible bond you have with people you serve with that sadly, most Christians will never know.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I love You and want to serve You by serving others. Please forgive me for times when I have focused on myself instead of You and others. I want to have friends who will pray for me and encourage me. I ask You to give me the courage I need to take the next step. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Invitation:

you are reading these devotions and are not a follower of Jesus Christ, please be aware that these seeds of scripture are being sown in your heart right now… I am praying that they start to take root in your heart and you come to know personally the greatest truth you will ever hear.. Jesus Christ died on a cross for you. He loves you and He cares for you. When you call His name and ask for His help, He will set you free..   Click Here if you would like to learn more about Gods salvation, or ask Him into your heart.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 12th 2016 – Pruning and Bearing more Fruit

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“For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.” (Romans 7:5)

The technological advancements made by mankind in the last century or even the last 20 years are astounding. Yet with all our technology, we still have to wait for lettuce to ripen and for olives to mature. Lettuce ripens a month and a half after planting, but for an olive the wait is at least four years. Some of us, like the lettuce, are maturing quickly while others, like olives, are improving more slowly. Something changed in you when you were saved, and still… God is making changes to you.

(Romans 7:6) “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

We should all be bearing fruit. There may be times that you need to endure pruning before you bear fruit. Pruning redirects energy to the right places. If you are not being fruitful, maybe you need to redirect energy toward the Lord. Don’t just come to church, be the church. Be praying, giving, serving – joining hands with your church to achieve something far greater than any one of us could achieve alone.

Christianity is not do-it-yourself religion. Its a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and fellowship with the family.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Give me the desire to grow in righteousness through the washing of Your Word, in serving You and prayer. Help me to love and serve others in the place where You want me to grow and bear good fruit. 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 http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 11th 2016 – Near the Cross

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“And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.” (John 19:17-18 )

It is painful to consider what Jesus went through for us and to think about what He endured on our behalf. The remarkable truth I keep coming back to time and time again is that it was His decision. He decided to endure these things… the suffering, the beatings and the crucifixion. It is convicting because I know how little in comparison it has taken to rattle my endurance at times. I have never been beaten for Jesus much less crucified.

I have unfortantally been under attack and oppression by the enemy… I did say oppression and not “possession” The good news is that it is not possible for a born-again Christian. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us we are protected. However we can and have situations that are not of God torment us…

Remember, The enemy invested alot of time and energy into seeking us out, stealing, lieing and trying to kill and destroy us..

It comes down to each and every one of us making a commitment to Jesus. How far will you follow Jesus? Until it gets inconvenient, uncomfortable, or what about when it becomes painful? Are you willing to follow Him all the way? Let us follow our Jesus, who is so worthy, all the way until the end. Until we hear the words “well done, good and faithful servant.” God bless you as you follow Jesus.

“Remember that the enemy will show up times just before a major breakthrough in your life. Push through it! Dont give up because its hard. Your victory is right around the corner.”

Prayer:

Dear Father, You have called me to a disciple’s life. I want to embrace that life and yet there are times when I look back. I am Your disciple. I will go where You lead me. Please help my faith. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Seeking Jesus?

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 lifeYou 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

January 10th 2015 – How would you have me stand.

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“Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

This is the verse that started the reformation. It is quoted in Romans, Galatians and Hebrews. We are not saved by works; we are saved by grace for works. In other words, the faith that does not change your life will not save your soul.

(Ephesians 2:8-10) “For by grace you have been saved. through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Paul is speaking of everyone who believes. Once you are forgiven, you begin to do things that honor God and in that He reveals His righteousness to those around us. Faith should be living and active. If you believe in what Jesus said, it should affect your life. You should begin to want to go to church; you should want to hang out with other believers. You should begin loving God and loving people. These things are an overflowing of your faith. It starts with faith and overflows to good works. If you do not see good works as a result of your faith, you should be concerned. If we stand on our own righteousness then we stand ashamed. If we accept Jesus as our Savior and we stand in His righteousness, then we stand not ashamed. Which way do you want to stand?

We are saved by faith alone.

 Prayer:
Dear Father, Thank You for loving me and saving me by grace through faith. Thank You that it is not something that I have to strive for, hoping my good outweighs my bad. Thank You that it is by faith. Lord, please show me opportunities to do good works in Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Invitation:

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 lifeYou 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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 9th 2016 – Reflection and Examination

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“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (1 Timothy 4:13)

The power of God’s Word impacts all areas of life.  When we read the Hebrew Scriptures, we learn actual history about our world, God’s people and His power. When we read through the Gospels, we learn about Jesus, who He was and what He did for us. Later in Acts and in the epistles, we learn how to have church and what our future holds. Of course, one of the greatest blessings of scripture is the realization of who we are before Jesus and who we become after Jesus.

When we reflect on the bible, we get an unedited glimpse of who we really are as humans. We are broken and sinful. We are deceived and in need of saving. When we see our sinfulness, it leads us to the Savior. And at the foot of the cross, we find forgiveness and grace. This forgiveness is by His grace – all because of what Jesus has done. But God does not stop there. You see, we are saved and seen perfect in God’s eyes, yet we still struggle in this fallen world. This is where God’s Word gives us guidance on how we are to live and the power we have to live like Jesus. All these amazing Truths work together to mold and shape us bit by bit into the image of Jesus. God was aware of us long before we came to be, and yet His love for us is never changing. He not only provided a way to experience His love through forgiveness, but He also gave us His very words to lead us through this life.

(Psalm 139:16) “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me…Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”

God wants to “wow” you with HIS intimate details and knowledge of you.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your understanding of who I am. You know the hairs on my head and the paths I will take and yet, despite my failings, Your love is unchanging. Thank You for salvation and for giving me Your Word so that I can live an abundant life with you forever. I love You…In You precious and glorious name.. Amen.

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

Inspirational video of the day.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org