Category Archives: Free Will

March 4th 2017 – Do You Trust Me?

“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.

If I were to ask you individually, most of you would very quickly say that you trust God but there are times when trust is not so simple. Trusting God means we believe in that which we cannot see and sometimes may not understand.

Trusting God is literally against our human nature. Trusting God means that we have to admit that we are not in control of our lives.

We place our trust in something or someone every day. We trust our cars to get us to our destination. We trust our employers to deliver paychecks. We trust our doctors top heals our illnesses. How much more should we trust God?

(John 14:1) “Do not let your hearts be troubled; trust in God, trust also in me.”

“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 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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 2nd 2017 – Unchanged!

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)

 

What if you were at work and one of your coworkers came in talking about how he had just been parachuting accident over the weekend. He claimed his parachute didn’t open completely and he crashed into a parked car. As everyone listens in awe, you notice something very strange – he is completely unchanged. He has no broken bones, bruises or even a scratch. There is no evidence that his encounter with death ever occurred. What would you think then? Is this guy lying or has he gone completely mad?

Unfortunately, this story plays out all the time across the world. Many people claim to follow Christ but there is no evidence to back it up. Their life has not changed and therefore, they leave people wondering what’s true and what’s not. While not everyone who comes to Christ is going to change everything in an instant, over time our lives should reflect what we believe. If we honestly believe that the God of the universe loved us so much that He willfully died and rose again so that we could be forgiven, it’s going to change our life. It’s going to change our hearts and our desires. And as the world looks on, they will notice the change. So today, meditate on the goodness of God and His love for you. Let that change you from the inside out.

“The way you believe should show in the way you live.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know that I have missed the mark when it comes to actively living for You. Whether in small or big areas, I pray that You would help me live out what I believe. Fill me with Your Spirit and teach me through Your Word so that I will be a powerful witness in word and in deed. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scriptutalseeds.org

February 28th 2017 – Is God Speaking To You

 “then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men),” (2 Chronicles 6:30)

Trials, hardships, frustrations–whatever they’re called, we all deal with them at one time or another. The good news is that God desires to speak to us during those times. It could be that you are surrounded by circumstances that are difficult, or you may have made bad choices which have led to a bad situation. In those times friend, remember the words of Jesus Himself…

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)

Many times in life, we can’t hear the Lord, even when He is shouting to get our attention. It’s often in those times of struggle that He whispers and we hear His voice loud and clear. If today you find yourself in the midst of hardships, seek the Lord. Use this time to seek forgiveness and cling to the grace of God. Cry out to God and He will hear from heaven and pour out His love upon you in abundance. When we do this, God makes the most of our pain and can bring something good from something bad.

“Whenever something in life goes wrong, use the moment to ask forgiveness and draw closer to the Lord.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the life You have given me. Lord, I pray that when this life gets difficult that I turn to You. Help me draw closer to You whether I am enjoying blessings or walking through trials. Father, may each day and circumstance be used to make me more like Jesus. Forgive me of my sins and fill me with Your Spirit so that I can be used to build Your Kingdom. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scriptutalseeds.org

February 25th 2017 – Never Alone

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:1-3)

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalms 23:1-4)

We see in today’s scripture that the Shepherd leads, guides, helps, and loves us. Now, in verse 4, it changes from the Shepherd’s actions and love for us, to our own actions.  You see, in life there are going to be times when we don’t listen so that we get ourselves in places we shouldn’t be.  Here it’s called “the valley of the shadow of death”.

Have you ever had times like that?  You find that the grass isn’t green and the stream is dirty and you say, “how did I get here?” You see that it was through your own decisions, or you didn’t take the time to listen to the Shepherd’s voice, that you opened doors that should have stayed shut.

Even in these times, even when we mess up, the Great Shepherd doesn’t leave us. No! He promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us.  Never means never and here we see the same promise.  I will fear no evil, why?   FOR YOU ARE WITH ME!  What a promise.  When we mess up, we need to “fess up” and He, the Great Shepherd, forgives and restores.

Even when we open doors to the evil one, our Shepherd takes out His mighty rod and grabs hold of us with His wonderful staff and brings great comfort to our lives.  What security, what comfort, what hope we have because of our amazing Jesus.

So take heart today that there is no sin too strong that the blood of Jesus can’t wash away. Rest in His loving arms and hear His heartbeat as you lay your head upon His chest.  Know that He loves you and will always protect you against anything that the enemy might bring against you.  He’ll even protect you when you open a door that you shouldn’t have.

“Although you may feel alone at times, You are never alone, God is right there waiting for us to call on Him.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the blood of Jesus that has washed me white as snow.  I thank You that no matter what comes against me or even when I’m walking in the valley, You are there to comfort and to restore.  What a God I serve. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scriptutalseeds.org

February 24th 2017 – Be Real

“I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” (1 Corinthians 2:3)

Paul is being very honest in this verse. He is not trying to make himself look better than he really is. He isn’t covering up his weakness. In fact, in 1 Timothy 1:16, Paul proclaims that he is an example of God’s longsuffering. He is not a perfect man but a perfect example of God’s loving-kindness, grace and mercy.

At times, Christians act like we don’t have any problems. The problem with this is that it leaves an impression to those who don’t know Jesus. They see Christians pretending they are not messed up and assume that since they still struggle with problems, they don’t belong in church. In doing so, are we proclaiming God’s goodness or our own?

We need to proclaim God’s goodness by being open about our problems and proclaiming that it is the goodness of God that saves! That’s being real. It’s real life, demonstrating the real love and real hope of the real God. In your weakness, the Good News of Jesus Christ is made strong.

“We should be real with people and not portray some ‘False Spirituality’.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the forgiveness of my sins and for giving me the opportunity to experience life more abundantly. Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself to me through Your Word. I want the offer of joy, hope and peace that only You can give. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scriptutalseeds.org

February 23rd 2017 – Attitude Adjustment

“lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.” (1 Corinthians 1:15)

Paul, in writing this letter to the Corinthians, dealt with division inside the church. Any idea you may have that church is a perfect place, can often be shattered the moment you walk through the doors. It was the same in the early church. We all bring something valuable to the church, but because we are sinful people, we also add to the problems.

In this letter, Paul takes on people’s attitudes; their way of thinking. Do we need to be challenged today? Absolutely we do. Being saved does not mean we’re done being changed. We continue to be changed, and as we are, our ideas and concepts of what it means to be a Christian are challenged. God wants to adjust our attitude and if we are truly honest with ourselves, we are desperate for that change.

When we take a moment to look at challanging situations or even life in general, when we do so with a different attitude our perspective often will change. What may have seemed impossible now looks hopeful.

“God wants to give you an attitude adjustment.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your Son Jesus who died for me so I could have life more abundantly. Lord, I confess to You that I am struggling. I have been looking to the world for answers rather than depending on You. I surrender my heart to You, Lord. Help me to make the changes You want for me. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scriptutalseeds.org

February 13th 2017 – Choose to Love

“Let all that you do be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)

 

In 1 Corinthians 16:14, we find such a simple command. Simply put, we are to do everything with love. While this may appear simple in direction, it’s not simple in action. Because we are broken vessels in an evil world, it can be difficult to do everything with love. After all, our first reaction is to preserve ourselves. Our emotions, our lives, our stuff; these are the things we strive to maintain at all cost… and love demands we lose them for the sake of others.

(Galatians 2:20) “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

As Christians, we are no longer slaves to ourselves. We have been freed to love others just as Christ loved us. He is our great example as well as our strength. We cannot love rightly on our own. We must depend on Jesus. So next time someone in traffic causes you to see red, look to the cross of Christ and the blood that He shed for you. He died for us when we didn’t deserve it so now we can forgive others even when they don’t deserve it.

“You’re not living until you give your life away and start to love.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for Your love and grace. Because You loved me, I am able to love others in every circumstance. Give me strength to walk in obedient love and to look for opportunities to care for others around me. As Your love increases in me, may my selfishness decrease. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scriptutalseeds.org

January 31st 2017 – Adrift

“For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.” (2 Chronicles 30:9)

Imagine. There you are adrift on a life raft with the beach on the horizon. You watch as the land slowly moves away, leaving you alone. While most of us have never been in this scenario physically, we often experience it spiritually. As we walk through life, we feel as though the Lord has left us, leaving us alone, but in reality, it is not the Lord who has left. In the situation with the life boat, is it the land that has moved? No. The land is steadfast and cannot move and so it is with God. He remains the same yesterday, today and forever.

(James 4:8) “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

In those times where we feel that God is far away, we should not believe the lie that God has rejected us. Instead, we should draw near to Him and rejoice in His loving-kindness. Our Father in Heaven desires a personal relationship with each of us. It’s in this relationship that we find strength, peace and hope. Our relationship with God is one founded on knowledge of His Word and communication through prayer These are not simply religious actions but our connection to the God of the universe. Draw close, my friend, and watch as the Lord draws close to you.

“When you feel God has drifted, it is not Him that moved, it is us”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am grateful that You are the Rock that I can stand on and an ever present help in times of need. Lord, in those times I feel lost at sea, remind me of Your faithfulness and love. May Your Spirit lead me to draw close to You and trust in Your Word over my feelings. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Is Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life? Did you once fallow Him but now are adrift?

Pray this prayer and start a new life, or recommit to 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 23rd 2017 – Early Riser

“I love those who love me; And those who seek me early and diligently will find me.” (Proverbs 8:17)

I wake up every morning knowing I need to spend time reading the Scripture and praying. But it’s so easy to jump into the details of my day without first taking time to be with the Lord.

Whenever I do that, when I start tackling the day without spending time with Him. I’m really saying that I can handle things on my own. I don’t need God.

Sometimes I get the sense that God may be saying, “You want to handle this day by yourself? Go ahead.” At best, it’s an empty, fruitless day lived for myself. And at worst, I end up in some big messes!

We need to learn from King David. Even though he was a busy leader, he made a point to spend his first moments with God.

(Psalm 5:3) “O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice”

When I start the day by humbling myself and admitting that I can’t do things on my own, I can count on God to carry me through the day. Has He heard your voice today?

“Seek Him first”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me make time to seek You first every morning. I don’t want to continue have fruitless and empty days trying to do things on my own. May I seek Your devine guidance and counsel each morning. I praise and Love 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 20th 2017 – The Freedom of Choice

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

God loves us so much that he gives us the freedom to make choices. Some are of little consequence, but others are life-changing. This freedom of choice dates back to Adam and Eve. They made a bad choice, and sin entered the realm of mankind.

The freedom to make choices brings responsibility. We have all made poor choices at times and have suffered the consequences of those bad choices. The good news is that no matter what poor choices we may have made in the past, there is always hope for a better future. God knew that we would make some bad choices, but he loves us so much that he sent Jesus to pay the price for our sin and to provide a way for our relationship to him to be restored.

Some people go through life carrying the load of some wrong choices they have made in the past. They believe they have messed up so badly that nothing good can ever come of their lives. Do you ever feel this way?

The Good news is,  If you want to be set free from the past, Jesus is the answer. He has already paid the price for your sin … for every wrong choice you have ever made. Talk to him. Ask him to forgive you and to help you make better choices from now on. He is ready, and he is more than able.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Remember, you are very special to God. He loves you no matter what you have done. He is there for you. He wants you to put the past behind so that you can become all that he has designed you to be. Ask God’s forgiveness … learn from your mistakes … and look forward to a future filled with hope.

“With God, there is always hope for a better future.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for forgiving my sins. I have made so many wrong choices in my life. Help me now to put them behind and to look forward to the future you have planned for me … one filled with Hope, one filled with Faith, one filled with Love. Today is a new day, with a new way! 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org