Category Archives: Faith

October 31st 2017 – Be Aware, Stay Alert!

“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” (Mark 13:7)

Reading through Mark chapter and relecting over this past year. This prophesy seeming more real now. In it, Jesus reminds us that when we see certain signs that indicate we are in, or are entering into the end times, we don’t have to be alarmed.

He reminds us that we will know these are prophetic words coming to pass when we hear of “wars and rumors of wars,” when we see certain events unfolding, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.” (Mark 13:8)

And also, in this one chapter where Jesus is telling us of all that’s to come, signs of the end times, He says this over and over, 7 different times throughout these verses…

He warns us to Be Aware.

His words are true are they are for now, right now, in this day and time, and throughout all future days until he comes again. May we be faithful, wise to listen, and may He help us to apply them to life:

“Watch out that no one deceives you…” (Mark 13:5)

“You must be on your guard…” (Mark 13:9)

“So be on your guard, I have told you everything ahead of time.” (Mark 13:23)

“Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (Mark 13:33)

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back–whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.” (Mark 13:35)

“If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!”  (Mark 13:36)

As believers, we have hope in Christ, we know beyond a doubt He is at work in this world and He will come again.

“Let’s keep working while it is still day…”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Praying for Your mercy through the storms and floods, through the earthquakes, through the fires, may You draw many to Youself in these final days. And may we be found living as light in a world that needs His great peace. I lift up the ones that may be feeling worried and fearful in these days. I pray that they choose to trust and believe that You are working in our world, even behind the scenes where we can’t fully see. I Ask that Your overwhelming presence of peace to fill their life today, and they ask for Your help in staying aware and alert.  Pray that You our God will help us, as believers, to be a light to others who need His hope in dark times. 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

 

October 28th 2017 – 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

October 23rd 2017 – Falling Short

“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1)

It’s an excellent question to ask ourselves. When we see the rest of the verses in Psalm 15 we see how we all fall short of God’s glory.

(Psalm 15:2-5) “He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.”

The truth is that none of us can dwell in God’s presence. None but Jesus that is. Yet through Jesus we can partake of His forgiveness, and through His forgiveness we can partake of the power of Christ, that raised Him from the dead, to walk in the ways of the Lord. All of us have failed to speak truth, have failed in loving our neighbor and speaking to our neighbor the way Jesus loved us. Yet, as we partake of Jesus, we can partake of the newness of life and as we do we can walk in the promise:

(Psalm 15:5) “He who does these things shall never be moved.”

Jesus wasn’t moved away from God’s will and as we trust in Him we won’t be easily moved outside of His will either.

“We could not go to God on His Holy Hill. God came to this earth from His Holy Hill, to die for our sins, so we can be declared righteous and innocent, and then we can go to God’s Holy Hill.”

Prayer:

Havenly Father, I thank You that You were able to walk to that Holy Hill to die for my sins. Now by Your power I can have Your freedom and forgiveness and stability. Please give me Your power to walk in it continually. 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

October 20th 2017 – Trusting God In All Things

“But [Joseph] did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus” (Matthew 1:25)

Some people are good at the immediate. They can jump right into anything, but they are not always good at “keeping on keeping on.” And other people are good at lasting, but it takes them a long time to get there.

To live the exciting life of faith that God has planned for you, you need to be good at both the immediate and the lasting. And both of those require that you keep on trusting.

Joseph didn’t understand what it meant for Jesus to have a virgin birth, he didn’t understand Jesus would be God in human flesh. But he knew what God told him to do, so Joseph kept on trusting. He was a newlywed who didn’t get a honeymoon, and his new marriage was not anything like he planned, but he still kept trusting.

What are you going to do when life doesn’t work out like you planned or wanted?

I want to encouraged you by what the Apostle Paul says in (2 Corinthians 4:8) “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit”.

I don’t know why some people are diagnosed with terminal cancer. I don’t know why some children rebel so strongly against their parents. I don’t know why so many things happen that don’t make sense. So it’s encouraging to hear one of the greatest men of faith say, “I don’t know why things happen as they do, but I still choose to not give up.”

It’s good to know that we can trust God and that he knows things we don’t. He has promised that one day He will set everything right. One day He will bring together everyone who trusts in him.

Until then there are two ways you can live your life. You can live feeling like God owes you an explanation or you can live realizing God has given you great gifts.

If you live life feeling like God owes you an explanation, you will only wind up in a constant state of bitterness, because God doesn’t owe you anything.

But even though He doesn’t owe you anything, He has given you everything. He gave you his own Son. He gave you the gift of eternal life. He gave you the promise of being together with him forever. Those are great gifts.

“Do you trust God for the things that you don’t understand? Or do you seek the answers for yourself”

“When we don’t understand what God is doing in our life, consider the source – Who is it that you’re trusting, God or yourself?”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I ask that you place within me your obedient spirit so that I may be obedient to your instruction.  Help me Lord to walk by faith and not by sight.  I don’t always understand what you’re doing in my life, but I make a decision to trust you God, In all things, I ask that you place within me your spirit of joy, peace and rest to endure all that comes my way. Right now, I make a decision to trust you Lord because I know that you’re in control of my life even when my life seems to be out of control. Lord, I thank you for clarity, guidance, provision and strength.  I pray and ask for these things in Jesus name’ Amen.

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

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

October 18th 2017 – Real Love

“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 the word, it changes the dynamic of their relationship forever. On the other hand, when someone you love and 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 want to know this love – true love — get to know God. He is ready to pour out His love on you, and He wants to teach you how to love others as He loves you.

Want to experience the essence of Real Love?

We have all sinned and deserve God’s judgment.God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that Hedied for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, wasburied, and rose from the deadaccording to the Bible. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring, “Jesus is Lord,” you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.

What is your response?

Yes, today I am deciding to follow Jesus

Yes, I am already a follower of Jesus

I still have questions

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

October 16th 2017 – Cast Your Burden on the Lord

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22)

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Ever go through a day or a week when you’re discouraged and it seems like nothing’s going right? Well, be of good cheer, you’re not the only one.  When we look through the Bible we see many of the great people of faith having times of discouragement.

Moses had it right to the top of his head with the children of Israel, yet he got through it.  Elijah, after his great victory on Mount Carmel, had to fight a great bout of depression when Jezebel said that she wanted to take his life.  He said (1 Kings 19:4)”… And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my father’s!”

Here is this great man of God, who just had this great victory over the prophets of Baal, and one lady, Jezebel, so intimidates him that he wants to die.

And it can be the same with us, we forget what the Lord did yesterday and we look at today and see this problem or this situation and we get discouraged.  But this verse tells us to “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”

God will sustain us as we make a decision to give it over to Him.  So today, try it.  Give it to God.  His shoulders are a lot bigger than yours and He is a loving and caring Father.  Trust Him and He will see you through.  Remember, He did it in the past and He will do it today and in the future.

Prayer:

Heavenly  Father, I put my trust in You Lord and I know that today, You will get me through what I’m going through.  Your living word has told me to cast my cares on You Lord and that’s what I’m going to do, trust and obey. Thank you for always being there for me. I love and Praise You. In Jesus’ holy and precious name, Amen.

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

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

October 13th 2017 – The Marriage Test

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)

Have you ever found yourself irritated with your spouse – not happy with him or her very much – even though you know you love your spouse? Most of us have had those days! It’s perfectly normal. No two people can live together for any length of time without once in awhile rubbing each other the wrong way.

What’s important is how you handle these kinds of times. If you let those feelings of hurt or disappointment take over – your marriage will suffer. You will create a rift in your relationship. So you have to make a choice. You have to decide to love. You may not feel loving, but if you decide to love, the feelings will follow.

You have to learn to demonstrate unconditional love to your spouse. Unconditional love is necessary for a strong marriage. Are you practicing unconditional love in your marriage? Here are some questions to consider:

* Have you accepted your spouse’s failures or weaknesses?

* Do you support your spouse, or do you see his or her weakness as projects to fix.

* Are you afraid to be honest because your spouse might not accept you?

There is a huge difference between unconditional love and conditional love. Conditional love blames a person, expects things in return, and asks for more. Unconditional love accepts the person, expects nothing in return and sacrifices.

Conditional love says:

* I will love you only if..

* I don’t know if I can handle the tough times. If things get too bad I’m outta here.

* I might not be able to forgive you if you tell me.

Unconditional love says:

* I will love you even if…

* I will stay with you no matter what. I will always love you, even in the tough times.

* I know I’ll still love you if you tell me.

Our spouse isn’t perfect and we were blessed to get to know them intimately and on a deeper level then others.  We are the ones who sees all his or her faults and fears. What do you do with what you know about your spouse?

* Do you tease your spouse with hurtful words?

* Worse, do you tease your spouse with hurtful words in front of others?

* Do you put your spouse down?

* Do you withhold your love until your spouse corrects certain faults?

If you answered “yes” to a majority of these questions, you are loving conditionally and creating a huge rift in the fabric of your marriage. If you continue loving with conditions, it can at any moment become a large tear between you.

Conditional love creates a marriage in which each spouse is more concerned with getting his or her own way, instead of showing their spouse grace and love.

Your response and connection to your spouse are crucial to the health of your marriage and family. Your expression of unconditional love and acceptance is the force that will hold you together in the midst of the testing times in your marriage. Your standing with each other in the painful times as well as the good times is one of the primary elements of a great marriage.

If you love each other conditionally, you’ll end up living like two immature children – each trying to get your own way and resenting the other person when you don’t. You may still be married, but you’ll miss our on the joy of a great marriage. Also, husbands and wives who don’t get unconditional love in their marriage may look for it somewhere else. And while they’re looking for that unconditional love – they’re pulling away from their spouse.

Learning unconditional love is worth it, but it’s not always easy. Giving your spouse the security of your unwavering love requires grace, patience, affirmation of the good things, encouragement, respect and time. Even when you don’t feel like showing love, do it anyway. You need it; your spouse needs it; your marriage needs it..

Here are some tips on how to keep your dream marriage alive.

Talk through the issues. Communicate freely with each other and keep no inappropriate secrets.

Love each other deeply, without strings. Forgive your spouse when you are wronged and seek forgiveness when you offend.

Begin each day by asking, “What can I do for you?” Eagerly seek to discover and meet each other’s needs.

Hang tough. Pray without ceasing. Instead of caving in to difficult circumstances, face and conquer them.

Focus on Christ, and love your spouse. Consciously guard yourselves against threats and temptations that could pull your marriage apart.

Pray together daily. Stay close. Work at maintaining emotional, physical and spiritual closeness.

Keep the chemistry with your spouse alive. Be committed to keeping your relationship fresh.

 

Keeping your marriage strong, vibrant and fresh isn’t always easy. But if you put in the time and effort, you’ll discover how truly amazing your marriage can be.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Even before we got married, we had dreams for our future. Our lives were planned out. But soon we discovered that things tend to change. Life happens, and every once in a while you’re given a detour. Some of those detours were quick and easy. Others had us wondering what You were up to, where You were taking us, and how soon our trials would end, but through every change and every trial, Your love remained constant. Help us to trust in Your plan when it doesn’t match ours. Give us the strength to hold onto our faith when we can’t see the path. There isn’t a trial we can’t endure when we’re leaning on You. There isn’t a weight we can’t bear when You carry us through. Keep leading the way, Lord, and make our steps steady and sure, and Thank you for my spouse. In Jesus’ we pray. Amen.

SPECIAL NOTE

“Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife Tina today. (In picture above) I Love you. I am so blessed to have you in my life”

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

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

 

October 8th 2017 – Is God Listening?

“O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save? (Habakkuk 1:2)

There are times in life, as a believer, that we feel like our prayers are getting struck out. Whether because of a trial or just loneliness, we begin feeling that God doesn’t care. Even the prophet, Habakkuk, experienced these emotions. He watched as Judah went from a godly nation to forgetting the law of God almost overnight. He cried out for God but felt that God was not listening. Have you been there?

Sometimes we may all find ourselves in that place, but we must understand the truth. The truth is that as a child of God, we have direct communication with Him no matter how bad we feel or where ever we are. No matter how difficult our life is or how hopeless it seems, God is always there.

(Ephesians 3:11-13) “according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.”

Did you notice the words “boldness, access and confidence?” Because of Jesus, we can come to God knowing that He is listening and that He cares for us. So the next time you feel like your prayers are hitting left field, trust in this verse and pray with boldness because God is listening, and He loves you dearly.

Gods answer to Habakkuk.

“Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. (Habakkuk 1:5-7)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You listen to my prayers. I come to You with boldness asking for Your continued grace and mercy on my life. Lord continue to be my encourger and forgive me when I say I can’t do, or it’s too difficult to learn something new. Help me realize that I have meaning and are needed by you in Your minisrty. I need encouragement and confidence when I feel like I have little to offer.  Help heal my loneliness by not choosing to be lonely.  Fill me with Your Spirit and guide me into Your ministry that You have for me today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

October 6th 2017 – A Walk in the Park

“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. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)

We must not forget, in our pursuit of Christ, that our days  will not always be a Walk in the Park. There will be difficult days, troubling times, and storms. Please don’t be fooled by thinking, just because you have been called by God, that life won’t include these times. In these times, we are set apart by one thing, “Hope”.

Maybe today, you are experiencing grief from a loved one passing, or difficulties with your spouse or children. We wake up sometimes to trouble at work, financial problems, and other trying times. One thing we need to remember is what Paul said, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

Today, make the decision when troubles come, To Praise God. When difficulties arise, To Praise God. When you are in the valley and the trees are too tall to even see the bottom of the mountain top, To Praise God. He is working out something for that eternal weight of glory.

“Quit being fooled into thinking life is always going to a walk in the park, give God praise in the sunshine and the rain.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Today, I want to give You praise within my storm. I know my feelings get in the way of my faith, so I am asking for Your strength and wisdom to trust You during these times. Help me to learn from You, so I can help others when their storm is rising. I thank You for working out the good and difficult for Your eternal glory. 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

October 2nd 2017 – Jesus is Waiting

“Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don’t return to the LORD their God or even try to find him.” (Hosea 7:30)

In the book of Hosea, the people of Israel find themselves in a frightening spot. God has given them over to their enemies, yet they continue to sin. They are weary, heartbroken and homesick, yet they refuse to look to God. Like a loving father who watches his child continue to hurt themselves, God desires to step into the scene and heal them. He desires to bring them hope, freedom, prosperity and peace.

While the situation may be different for each of us, the reality is the same. We all have moments in life where we feel beat up and knocked down. Our marriage is struggling, our job is on the line, we’re concerned about our health; all these things come at us and we have a choice to make. Will we look to God or will we look to ourselves or the world for answers. Of course, the even greater picture is in regards to our salvation. Each of us stands before God guilty because of the bad things we have done, we now have a choice. Do we admit guilt and ask for mercy, or do we deny guilt and run from the very One who desires to forgive us? All of us have a choice… choose wisely.

“God desires to forgive us, but we must come to Him first.”

Prayer;

Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and in need of Your grace. I also know that without You my life would simply fall to pieces. Help me to trust in You during the hard times and celebrate that I have been saved by Your grace through Jesus. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I can share this Good News with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

If you prayed the prayer above. Click here and select the acknowledge button at the bottom. We would love to pray with you and for you.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org