Category Archives: General Devotions

April 12th 2017 – Help Is A Call Away

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“and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” (Psalm 50:15)

When we go through major disappointments in life, our natural reaction is to pull back and isolate ourselves. We want to handle it ourselves. We want to keep our losses, our failures, our mistakes and crises a secret. We want to withdraw. This is a terrible idea.

When you go through disappointment, crisis or loss. Those are the times when you need to call on God and your friends the most. You need to accept help from others. God doesn’t intend for you to handle all the pain and stress in your life by yourself. We were wired for each other. We need each other. We’re social beings. The first thing God said in the Garden of Eden is, “It’s not good for man to be alone.” We’re made to be in relationships.

(Job 6:14) “When desperate people give up on God Almighty, their friends, at least, should stick with them”

There will be times in your life when you are in so much pain you will say, “I don’t even believe in God right now!” You need to have friends who will come alongside you and say, “That’s OK. We’ll believe God for you right now.”

There will come a time when you’ll say, “I don’t have any faith right now. I’m full of doubt.” That’s when you need your friends to step in and say, “That’s OK. We will have faith for you. We will trust God for you in this.”

“By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). What is the law of Christ? It’s this: Love your neighbor as yourself. The Bible commands us to help each other. Every time you help somebody who’s going through pain, you are fulfilling the law of Christ.

Trying to handle your trouble yourself will only make you more tired and stressed out.

So don’t run away and hide or ingnore your friends and the ones that love you. You need to accept the help of others and let your friends carry you through it.

Our Lord Jesus is only a call away, And He already knows the trouble your having. He is already calling out to you. Answer His call,

“Give Jesus a try….if you don’t like Him, the enemy will always take you back!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Help me trust You in all circumstances in my life. Increase my faith. Help me remember that I am your child and that you love me. Thank You for the people in my life that care about me and are there when I need a friend. I also know that all things are possible in my life, If I would trust in You without doubt, and trust in Your Word.  You said it is true, so I trust, and I believe, and as I do, I will see the results! Thank you for Your presence in my life. In your 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

 

April 10th 2017 – Rejecting God’s Light

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“But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:21)

Perhaps Nicodemus is having reservations about Jesus’ message to him that he must be born again. The Lord is making it clear, for both Nicodemus and the religious establishment he represents, that they are not believing in Him. Jesus said to Nicodemus “you don’t know these things” (John 3:10), “you do not receive Our witness”(John 3:11) and “you do not believe” (John 3:12).

(John 3:19-20) “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

One of the greatest tragedies in the world is the rejection of God’s light inside the glorious Gospel. When people reject Jesus it’s often because there is a secret sin that is more important to them rather than intellectually needing more information to believe the Gospel. Nicodemus perhaps loved the prestige of being a Pharisee, a well-known teacher, and a rich influential part of the religious establishment more than the Lord.

We all have a proclivity towards the darkness in our own sinful nature. Sometimes these dark spots surface in our relationships with others that are broken. It can also poison our love for anything that is not from Christ. It’s really important for us to see that His sacrifice for our sins is more than enough to amend our broken and dark ways so that we might be in the light with Him.

(1 John 1:5-7) “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

“It’s not that people don’t believe because they don’t know; it’s because they don’t want to know.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You that You give me the opportunity to approach You so that the truth of Your love might be revealed in me. Thank You for Your death for my sin and for giving me the opportunity to look to You and lean on Your sacrifice for my sins so I wouldn’t have to succumb to death and darkness for eternity. Please continue to shine in and through my life and the lives of those I fellowship with in the body of Christ. 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 9th 2017 – When God Speaks

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“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…

(Matthew 11:28) “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.”

Many times when life is going well, 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 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’ 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

April 8th 2017 – Im Blessed

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“Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.” (2 Corinthians 8:12)

The key to walking in a blessed life is not what you may be thinking. The key to experiencing the blessings of God is not to seek out the blessings, but to be the blessing. When we give to others through our time, energy, finances or caring for them, we are being a blessing and in return, we find ourselves blessed.

(Matthew 10:39) “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

This life is not about us gaining everything we can, but it is more about us giving everything we can for the sake of God’s Kingdom. We should give joyfully, generously, proportionately and consistently to the Kingdom of God so that more and more people may find hope in Christ. At times, we may give beyond what we believe we are able, but we will find that God will care for us. When we do give like that, it shows our love for God. That kind of giving shows our desire to help the poor and the spread the Gospel. Giving of ourselves and our resources guides us into a deeper relationship with Christ because Jesus had the same attitude of giving. After all, He said that He did not come to be served but to serve. He did not come to be given much, but He came to give it all on the cross. Let’s be like Jesus and begin giving our lives so that others can be saved.

“One of rhe keys to walking in a blessed life is to know you are supposed to be a blessing and be a source of blessings to others.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the blessings You have given me. I desire to use those blessings to care for others and to share the Gospel. Open my eyes for opportunities to give of my time, energy and finances for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Seeking Jesus? Please click here to learn more about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee
Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 6th 2017 – In Jesus Name

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“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”(Hebrews 1:3)

There is just something about the name of Jesus!  His Name is the most beautiful of all names.  This verse shows us that Jesus radiates God’s very glory, and He expresses the very character of the Father.  Jesus said that he who has seen Him has seen the Father.  He and His Father are one.

The reason this is so important is that many times we do not fully understand God, because we have never seen Him.  But when we look into the Gospels and we read about Jesus, He shows us who God the Father is.  You see, Jesus was a healer, and a provider.  He let John lay His head on His chest.  Jesus is the One that calmed the storms and raised the dead.  He is the One who promised those that believe in Him that we will have eternal life.

When we understand that to look at Jesus is to see the Father, we know that the Father will heal us, and the Father will calm the storms in our lives.  He will provide for our needs, and He wants us to lay our heads near His heart and rest in Him.  You see, the Father loves us just like Jesus does.  The Father and Jesus are one, and the great love that Jesus showed by going to the cross to die for you and me is the same love that the Father in heaven has for us.

That is why Jesus said not to pray to Him, but to pray to our Father in heaven in His Name, and He will answer us.  So today, get to know the Father.  He loves you and cares for you.  To know Him is to know life.  So enjoy His presence in your life each and every day!

Prayer:

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

If you 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

April 5th 2017 – The Cynic and the Optimist

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“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18-19)

I read a story about twin girls who, though they looked very much alike, they were different in almost every other way. Perhaps the most noticeable distinction was their outlook on life. One was a perennial cynic while the other was a constant optimist. One Christmas, their father decided to experiment. On the pessimist’s side of the Christmas tree, the father piled up games and toys and on the optimist’s side, he piled up horse manure. When morning came, the cynic sat amongst her gifts crying. When the father asked why, she responded, “Because now I’ll have to share and I’m sure I’ll constantly be changing out batteries in these toys and losing pieces to these games.” In contrast, the optimist was singing and dancing around joyfully. When her father queried he said, “With all this manure there’s got to be a pony around here somewhere!”

Seems rather silly, doesn’t it? Yet, we can all be like the cynic. We focus on the world and all its trials and tribulations and forget that Jesus told us He has overcome the world. Buried in the short term and forgetting about the long term, we get so tied up in our pessimism that we lose sight of our inheritance.

(Philippians 3:13-14) “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.”

Don’t be a pessimist. You have God’s promise that even the worst this world will throw at you will work to bring about the best that God has for you. This world has enough cynics. Pessimists seldom solve problems. Optimists change the world. Continue to press toward the goal. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Got trials? There’s probably more to come. “But God”–these are two words that turn the tables on trouble and strike fear in the heart of Satan. Don’t allow yourself to be discouraged. Take heart and play a part. Now is the time, before it’s too late.

“If you are following Jesus, then you have much to look forward to.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for adopting me into Your Kingdom. Thank You that no matter what the trials are and no matter how high the hill to climb, You are there to pull me through. Don’t let me be a cynic. I want to make a difference in this world and in the lives of others. Please give me opportunities to serve You and make a difference. 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

April 3rd 2017 – Sticky Situations

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“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” (1 Peter 1:6)

If you have been reading the Bible, Im sure you have noticed that the Apostle Paul gets into a lot of tight spots. How do we see him respond to these sticky situations? What do we see him do? Many times we see him recalling the incredible things God has done in his life in the midst of trials. Do you enjoy tests? Not many people do, but tests serve some valuable purposes. They reveal strengths and they reveal weaknesses. They demonstrate what we know and what we do not know and they teach us how to apply knowledge. Testing highlights God’s faithfulness in our lives and in the lives of others. We can then patiently endure the test knowing that no matter the outcome, God is in control. When you are going through a test, remember all the things that God has done for you and then praise Him.

(Philippians 4:8) “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

“Remember all that the Lord has done for you when going through trials and difficulties.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your strength and comfort during times of testing. Please help me to praise You even in difficult situations. Please help me to be an encourager to others when they are going through a test. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

Marriage Is From Heaven

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“When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.  And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” (John 2:29-10)

Jesus, along with five of His disciples, came to the wedding in Cana. Mary told Jesus that there was a need because the wine had run out. In the custom of a Jewish wedding, running out of wine could have very bad implications. First, wine was a symbol of joy and blessing (See Psalm 104:15). To run out of wine would be as though the joy had run out. Secondly, running out of wine would make the groom, who was responsible for providing for the celebration, seem unfit to provide for his bride. The sentiment was, if you can’t provide wine for your own wedding how can you expect to provide for your spouse? Last of all, in this period you could be taken to court and prosecuted for not providing wine at your wedding.

Jesus stated that His hour had not yet come to be revealed as the Messiah. As we read in John 2:4, Honoring his mother Mary, Jesus called on the servants to do two things, fill the stone water pots used for ceremonial cleansing, and draw out water to be given to the head waiter of the feasts. The servants witnessed this first private miracle of Jesus. There is a lesson in this. As we are serving and the Lord is leading us step by step, we will be a witness of Jesus doing miracles. This not only blessed the servants but also blessed the entire group who had come to celebrate the wedding feast, especially the couple.

Never forget that Jesus blesses marriages. His first miracle was at a wedding feast. As we serve Him, God desires to bless us. But not with just a regular old sour wine kind of joy, but with an excellent joy of a fresh and new wine  “not fermented” that we have never experienced before. The Bible talks about us re-examining our first love with Jesus along with those things we did when we experienced that love (Revelation 2:4).

If you are married, do not get fixated on the problems that come through your marriage. Instead, rejoice in the new depth of experience that the Lord is desiring to produce in you as you serve Him. The Lord is continually refining us, not so we get upset with all our impurities in the marriage, but so that we can look forward to the faith that is more precious than gold.

“When we experience the heat of our trials in marriage and in life it’s a golden opportunity for us to be purified (made more golden then we have ever been)”

Prayer:

Lord, thank You that You want to produce in me a deeper sense of Your joy and love. Lord, please give me the grace to see the problems and persecutions that sometimes come in my family and in this world as golden opportunities to trust in You – to experience from You a whole new level of joy and peace. Forgive me when I get in my flesh instead of depending on Your Spirit. I thank You that I can trust You to lead 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.scripturalseeds.org

March 30th 2017 – Quiet Time With God

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“I have…treasured his words more than daily food.” (Job 23:12)

Your quiet time with God is more than just a good idea, it’s vital to your spiritual survival. It’s also essential to your spiritual growth and maturity. You say, “But I go to church every week.” Can you imagine what would happen if you ate only once a week? The patriarch Job said, “I have…treasured his words more than daily food.” Peter described the Scriptures as nourishing milk.

“LIke newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment” (1 Peter 2:2)

The writer to the Hebrews called the Word of God solid food.

“Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” (Hebrews 5:14).

Your quiet time is also like a spiritual bath. Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3).

You shower every day to stay clean and avoid body odors. It’s not easy to be around someone who smells bad, and you run the risk of offending them by telling them so. But if you love them you’ll do it. Jesus told Peter, “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23).

Here’s the bottom line. Unless you protect your quiet time with God:

(1) You’ll be cut off from your source of strength, guidance, and wisdom;

(2) Your usefulness to God will be limited;

(3) You’ll be inconsistent in your Christian life.

You may say, “But I don’t have time!” You have the same 168 hours each week that everybody else has! And how you spend them is determined by what you think is most important. So if you think being in fellowship with God is important, begin to make time for it.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am so greatful and blessed for the time we spend together every morning. I pray that you would draw me even closer.i love you Lord and Thank you for guiding me through this life.. in your 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

March 26th 2017 – Why We Worship

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“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9)

This is a purpose for which we are called for the purpose of praising God, worshiping God. That is one of the job descriptions of a Christian. We should declare that God is worthy, worth more than everything else put together.

The word “worship” however has lost much of its intended meaning over time . The first mention of worship in the Bible is when Abraham was preparing to sacrifice his son, Isaac, unto the Lord. Though God intervened at the last moment, sparing Isaac, it was the act of obedience that was worship unto God. Now, the term usually refers to music and therefore misses the deeper meaning of sacrifice and service to God. The question is what would cause us to desire to sacrifice our lives?

This will help illustrate three kinds of worship.

  1. Worship that involves speaking praise.
  2. Worship that involves listening.
  3. Worship that involves doing.

There is a worship that expresses the heart, and worship that involves the mind, and a worship that involves the body. There is a worship that is giving praise upward, a worship that is receiving instructions from above, and a worship that carries out instruction in the world around us.

The fact that we believe God says something about his worthiness. The fact that we trust him and love him declares that he is worthy of love and trust. The fact that we obey Him also says that He has worth. Our words complete the picture by saying that God has worth. In the words we say to one another, in the prayers we say to God, in the songs we sing, we can declare that God is worth more than all other gods, worth more than all other things.

We can worship God all by ourselves. But it is also something we do together. God has revealed himself not just to me, but to many people. God puts us in a community, He reveals himself to a community and through a community, and the community together responds to him in worship, in declaring that he is worth all honor and praise.

Peter comments above in 1 Peter 2, that we are chosen people of God and that our purpose is to “proclaim the praises of Him.” Why proclaim? Because God has called us out of darkness and into marvelous light. He has saved us and made us His children. This is why we worship and why we are willing to sacrifice for our God and King. He has been so good to us that we cannot help but respond in the truest sense of worship. It is the loving mercy and grace of our Heavenly Father that compels us to seek Him, love Him and live for Him.

“When we come to realize all that Christ has done for us, we cannot help but worship Him.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am in awe of Your unending, unconditional love. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection on my behalf, I am able to be free from the bondage of sin and future condemnation. You are so good to me, and I desire to respond with a life of surrender to you. Fill me with Your Spirit and help me to live a life of love and service for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Click to Watch – Kari Jobe (Forever)

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