Category Archives: Faith

September 9th 2018 – The Good Gardener

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2)

What an amazing and loving Heavenly Father we have.  He is always at work within us to help us grow up.  Many people look at verse two and see the words “takes away” and think that God gets rid of those who do not bear fruit.  That is not what it is saying.  This verse means that God lifts up those who are having problems bearing fruit and works with them.

A wise farmer doesn’t destroy his branches, he lifts them up, cleans them, and reties them to the vine.  Our loving Father does the same thing.  He is out for our best and will keep working with us to produce much fruit.

Remember, good trees naturally bring forth good fruit. We are good trees planted in the house of the Lord. If you love God and you have accepted His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ then God’s love is poured out on you. God is working on the inside to help you produce a great harvest that will last you throughout all eternity.

It’s important to know that it’s not what you do, but it’s letting Him do the work within you.  Too many times, we say, “I need to do this or I need to do that” before God will work in my life; it’s just being legalistic. God wants to do the good work within you and as He does and good things develop within your heart, you will see that these fruits of the Spirit will become obvious to others.

If you let God do this pruning within you, you will see that the fruits of love, joy, and peace will start growing, and you’ll look back and say, “Is this really me?” Remember, the fruits of the Spirit are not works of law but gifts of grace.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for always being “The Good Farmer”, Its Your pruning that produces good fruit in my life. I welcome the planting of the seeds through Your Word to grow and live in me. As I do, You will clean my heart so that the fruits of the spirit can operate big time within me.  I praise You for all that you do in my life. In Jesus’ precious 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

September 7th 2018 – Cultivate Hope and Faith

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:3-4)

Have you ever prayed for someone and the situations in their life got worse, or their ilness got worse, maybe they even died?

In our estimation, sometimes things go the wrong way. We may pray, “Lord, heal this person. Be glorified through this.”

But the Lord might say, “I will be glorified, but I’m not going to do it the way you want Me to. I have a different plan instead.”

Sometimes God will remove the affliction. Sometimes God will heal the illness. Sometimes God will take away the cancer. But sometimes the person will get worse.

We don’t usually like that. But it is in these times that God can be glorified. Everyone suffers in life. Christians suffer too. When a Christian is suffering and can still glorify God, that is a powerful testimony to a lost world. When non-Christians see us honoring the Lord through our suffering, it shows them how real our faith is. And guess what? It shows us how real our faith is too.

“When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. (James 1:2-3)

Do you think that our faith would get stronger if everything were easy in life? Unfortunately, the truth is that our faith can only get stronger through our hardships. The opening scripture today teaches us that we develop hope and faith through tribulation. Romans 5:3–4 “But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Hope grows in the garden of pain. It doesn’t grow without challenges or difficulty. It grows in hard times. We develop strength through our weaknesses. This is true in our spiritual lives as well.

Jesus is the only one who can give me the fruitful life I long for. I cannot get it by trying harder, but rather by opening my life to Him, letting Him eradicate the weeds of worry in our lives while cultivating contentment and trust. Hope along with trust grows when we surrender to Jesus.

“In life, we should think more about how great God is and less about how great our troubles are.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I love You and give You praises for still being here and loving us in such a time like this. The world is ungreatful and broken.. I know that I can often lose sight of hope and faith while I’m in the middle of hard times. Help me to be mindful of Your love, mercy, compassion and strength so that I can endure and even rejoice in the middle of my troubles and pain. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may live in hope and have an abundance of faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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 it’s the greatest decision you will ever make.

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

 

September 5th 2018 – Embrace Truth, Reject Lies

A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”  (Proverbs 26:28)

This verse from Proverbs tells us that behind a lying tongue is hatred and flattery. These kings of actions will create a life full of pain for them and others around them. In today’s world lying has become a plague that is grieving the heart of God. It is not only rampant in society, but it has also spread among God’s own people. Even God’s ministers are not immune and many of them are infected with it.

According to many people, it’s considered rather harmless. Reference is even made to telling little “white lies.” Supposedly to some, these kind are O.K. These encompass speaking flattering words and compliments without really meaning them. Lying is now so commonplace that people are deceived into just accepting it as normal, instead of recognizing and resisting it. The practice of lying and dishonesty is now epidemic in our world. People lie and cheat on their income tax forms. People cover their adulterous affairs with lies. People lie about being ill in order to take off work. People lie when confronted with mistakes they have made, blaming others. People lie in order to get a promotion or favor. People lie to in order to get out of jams. People lie about others in order to get elected into government positions. The list could go on.

What does the Bible say about lying? A lying tongue is not only something God hates, it is also something that is an abomination to Him. It is one of the sins listed that God hates.

(Proverbs 6:16-19) “There are six things the LORD hates,seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”

Evil lies that are used against people are told for the purpose of wounding and crushing others. This is so prevalent in the media. This is why God hates it so, as it is designed to destroy people and their reputations. A wicked person who tells lies one minute to destroy others, will not hesitate to use flattery the next minute, if it will advance his own selfish cause. Whether it is a lie or flattery, the motive is wicked and the words are designed to ruin others.

On the positive side, the Bible tells us that truth will end up prevailing over a lie. It is always better to tell the truth, as truth will ultimately endure over all lies. The Bible tells us that Jesus and His Word are truth. Therefore if I give my life to Christ and practice His Word, I will be able to walk in the truth and tell the truth.

(Psalm 100:5) “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations”

(John 14:6) Jesus answerd “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”

Lying is a sin that leads to other sins. In fact, when someone tells a lie, then they have to tell other lies to cover that lie. When someone lies about another, they practice hate. The Bible tells us that hatred is really murder in someone’s heart. We can see the progression – telling a lie, embracing hatred in one’s heart, and then an actual murder can follow those two sins. This is why lying is so deadly.

(1 John 3:14) “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.”

“God knows our secrets so let’s be honest with ourselves and others”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am grateful You are a God of truth. Lord, help establish my lips to always speak the truth and not deceitfulness. Fill me daily with your Holy Spirit so that I am empowered to walk in love toward all my brothers and sisters in the Lord. May I always be gracious toward others, keep me from any false flattery. I never want to be manipulative, but to always be honest and sincere in all my dealings with others. You are the God of truth, so may I always embrace truth and resist every lie. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

This is no lie, 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 it’s the greatest decision you will ever make.

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

September 4th 2018 – Lump of Clay

Then the LORD gave me this message: “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” (Jeremiah 18:5-6)

In the opening verse above the prophet Jeremiah is describing a trip he took to the potter’s house, where God spoke to him:

The Lord also gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.

Then the Lord gave me this message: “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” (Jeremiah 18:1-6)

We are like clay in the Potter’s hands. There are things God is doing in our lives, and we have a choice: We can respond to His working, or we can resist His working. We can yield to what He wants us to do, or we can disobey when He tells us to do something.

As we continue reading the story of Jeremiah and his visit to the potter’s house, we find a description of a field with cracked pots, vases, and wreckage. These were things that didn’t work out, so the potter took them and threw them into the field.

Life is like that. There are people who allow God to shape and mold their life. They go the way that God wants them to, and they turn into what God wants them to be. Then there are people who resist and say no to God. They self-destruct, and their lives end up in ruins, like broken pottery in a field.

We all sin, but we are given a choice to repent and ask God for forgiveness. We can learn from it and listen to God’s direction, or we can keep telling ourself it’s ok I didn’t get caught, I can stop anytime. Just because God didnt bust you, does not mean He doesnt know. Sometimes when God doesn’t bust us right away for our stupidity, we think we can always get away with it. When we don’t reap the immediate consequences of a sin, we might even, in our warped thinking, rationalize what we are doing.

(Ecclesiastes 8:11) says, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Remember, Sin will blind you, and then it will find you.

“Don’t confuse God’s grace with His permission, and even worse, His blessing”

God has a plan for your life. The question is this: Will you work with God’s plan, or will you resist it?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the forgiveness of sins through Jesus. Thank You for saving me and changing my life. Lord, I pray that You would take this broken lump of clay and make it new. Mold my life into what You desire. Help me to see the hardships in my life as the Master’s hands shaping me more into the likeness of Jesus. Use my life for Your world and Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus died on the cross for you and me. Jesus loves us and wants to help us through the trials and hardships we face. If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior please click here 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

 

August 31st 2018 – Wait A Minute, Something Is Missing

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

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

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

Through the blood of Jesus at His crucifixion we have complete authority over the enemy . No matter what he tries to do to us, we will always win! The Bible says that Jesus died for us to have a blessed, full, and happy life.

The enemy has no place in our lives, he is below us, he is under our feet. When we feel ourselves getting down, depressed, frustrated or fearful, we must be armed and ready for battle. We must know The Word of God so we are constantly equipped with the necessary defense!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer:

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

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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

August 30th 2018 – Divine Appointments

“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” (James 4:17)

The will of God is not always that obvious to us, sometimes it can even be difficult for us to discern. It’s not like the Mission Impossible theme starts playing in the background while I listen to a message that says, “Good morning, Mr. Lavallee. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go to this specific place and meet a particular person and share Jesus Christ and pray with them. This message will self-destruct in ten seconds.”

That has never happened to me. Here’s how it might happen instead. I get into my car and remember that I need a washer for a leaking faucet, so I decide to drive to the hardware store. As I’m standing there at the checkout lane, I start chitchatting with a guy who is buying a rope. One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know, this guy has accepted the Lord. He then makes the decision he no longer needs the rope.

I had the choice whether to talk to that guy. Maybe he looked distressed. I had the choice to smile and say hi or  blow him off, to keep the conversation short, or to extend it. And ultimately, I had the choice as to whether I would share Christ with him.

Many times we aren’t thinking about or looking for opportunities like these. Yet it can actually be a sin not to share the gospel with others. James 4:17 tells us, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

God uses us when we are out and about doing normal things and taking steps of faith. That is how the Christian life works. We read the Word of God. We take the principles of the Word of God and put them into practice. We pray that the Lord will guide our steps. And then we go.

“God uses us when we are out and about doing normal things and taking steps of faith.”

Prayer:

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

Do trust Jesus enough with your life? You should, 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

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

August 27th 2018 – Pray with Amazement

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry” (Psalm 34:15)

When I was a boy, I often wonderd how God could listen to so many prayers at the same time. How could He possibly hear each one and yet keep the babble of voices separate? And how could He answer those prayers when one person asks for rain and another for sunshine both on the same day?

These problems no longer trouble me, even though I still can’t explain how God can respond to our prayers. I do know, however, that He is all-knowing and present everywhere, and that His wisdom and power are beyond our comprehension.

We don’t have to take turns coming to Him, nor must we wait for just the right opportunity. At any time and in any place we can lift our voices to the Lord with full assurance that He will hear us. And He does more than just receive our requests—He comprehends, He understands, and He perceives exactly what His children ask for in faith.

Has God heard you yet today? He invites you to make your requests known to Him. What a tragedy that so many of His children go through the day without uttering a single prayer to the One who takes pleasure in hearing their voices! (Proverbs 15:8) says, “The prayer of the upright is His delight.” So pray. God listens!

There never is a night or day When God won’t hear us as we pray;

There is no time, there is no place, When He would withhold His love and grace.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, We want to thank You for hearing each and every prayer that we make to You., and we give praises to each prayer that You have answered. It still amazes me how even when it’s sometimes not the answer we may want, when we look back we can see that it’s is always what was best for us. We love You and we sing your praises. With love, I give it all to You. 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

August 26th 2018 – The Journey

“Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.” (Genesis 28:10-11)

Jacob had quite a journey in front of him. He would be traveling hundreds of miles to eventually reach his destination. Even though Rebekah and Isaac sent him to find a wife, the reality of his brother Esau wanting to kill him was there. This journey was not like the journey we would be taking today. This would be a journey in a wilderness, traveled by foot. At this point in the journey Jacob had been walking all day. He was tired enough to lay his head on a stone and fall asleep.

Right before this journey we see that Jacob received a promise from his father. He was told that he would have the fat of the land, plenty of grain and wheat, people would serve him, and that he would inherit land. Now in the wilderness, on the run from his brother, that thought had to be conflicting. It would be to anyone? Jacob had been told that he would inherit the promise, but the promise was yet to come.

Do you find yourself there today? Has God given you a word for your life, but you are stuck between the promise and fulfillment of the promise. Take heart because God is using scenarios in your life to do an amazing work in your life. God will fulfill His promise in due time. In the meantime He is doing a transformative work in your life.

“When you find yourself in the place between the promises and fulfillment, Take heart that He is doing a transformative work in you.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for always working on my behalf. Give me the strength to Trust You in the good times and bad. I am thankful You are always faithful even when I question or don’t understand. Continue to do Your work in my heart. 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

August 24th 2018 – The Good Farmer

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2)

What an amazing and loving Heavenly Father we have.  He is always at work within us to help us grow up.  Many people look at verse two and see the words “takes away” and think that God gets rid of those who do not bear fruit.  That is not what it is saying.  This verse means that God lifts up those who are having problems bearing fruit and works with them.

A wise farmer doesn’t destroy his branches, he lifts them up, cleans them, and reties them to the vine.  Our loving Father does the same thing.  He is out for our best and will keep working with us to produce much fruit.

Remember, good trees naturally bring forth good fruit. We are good trees planted in the house of the Lord. If you love God and you have accepted His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ then God’s love is poured out on you. God is working on the inside to help you produce a great harvest that will last you throughout all eternity.

It’s important to know that it’s not what you do, but it’s letting Him do the work within you. Too many times, we say, “I need to do this or I need to do that” before God will work in my life; it’s just being legalistic. God wants to do the good work within you and as He does and good things develop within your heart, you will see that these fruits of the Spirit will become obvious to others.

If you let God do this pruning within you, you will see that the fruits of love, joy, and peace will start growing, and you’ll look back and say, “Is this really me?” Remember, the fruits of the Spirit are not works of law but gifts of grace.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for always being “The Good Farmer”, Its Your pruning that produces good fruit in my life. I welcome the planting of the seeds through Your Word to grow and live in me. As I do, You will clean my heart so that the fruits of the spirit can operate big time within me.  I praise You for all that you do in my life. In Jesus’ precious 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

August 23rd 2018 – The Apple Seed

“Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies.” (1 Corinthians 15:36)

God is an amazingly creative God. In His unlimited wisdom, He grows fruits and vegetables that provide food to eat and seeds for even more fruits or vegetables to grow.

I was recently slicing up an apple to give to my pet chickens. As I removed the seeds, I was thinking about the potential for new fruit from that one apple. We can count the seeds and get an idea of the number of trees that could be produced with those very seeds. What we cannot see or begin to comprehend is the number of apples that will be produced from one seed.

This may not seem all that exciting but let’s look at the application of this in our lives. When we ask Jesus to forgive us and are born again, we are like that seed planted into the ground. As that seed lies in the soil, it becomes something new, something with amazing potential for growth. Likewise, when our lives are given completely to Jesus, there is unlimited potential to the number of lives we could reach. The Lord looks down onto our lives and knows the number of times we will fall, the number of times we will have victory and the number of lives we will change. He knows and will provide the needed power; the question is… are you ready to produce? Are you ready to grow and be fruitful? When you give your life to Christ and submit to Him in obedience, you will see amazing things happen, not because you are the perfect seed, but because He is the perfect gardener. Trust Him and watch the harvest unfold before your eyes.

“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the continuous love that You have shown me. Thank You for Jesus and the gift of salvation that comes through Him. Lord, I praise You for these things and ask that You would help me to grasp the impact that my life could have when it is dedicated to You. I ask that You fill me with Your Spirit and use me to be fruitful for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have you ever acknowledged Jesus as you Lord and Savior? If you do not know Him personally, I encourage you not to pass up the precious gift of His love and eternal life. Jesus died on the cross for you and me. Jesus loves us and wants to help us through the storms. If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior please click here 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org