Category Archives: General Devotions

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

March 19th 2017 – Don’t Dwell Alone

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“Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.'” (Mark 1:40-44)

We see in the Hebrew Scriptures that people with leprosy had to dwell alone. That person couldn’t be around others.

“He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:46)

Once someone showed themselves to the priests and the priests declared that person leprous they had to leave the camp. They couldn’t hug their family bye, they couldn’t touch anyone. No one touched them. This leper comes to Jesus and what does Jesus do? Jesus could heal with just words, but not this time. I wonder how long it had been since someone had touched this guy? Remember, you didn’t touch anyone with leprosy. And let’s talk about why Jesus actually touched him. When Jesus touched him it was Jesus taking the leprosy from him. Leprosy was a picture of sin, and when you had it you had to leave the camp.

Just as Jesus took the leprosy, Jesus can take our sin. Sin makes you feel alone. When you mess up during the week, you don’t feel like going to church, do you? You don’t feel like hanging out with those that could possibly encourage you. But as you mature in Christ you start to realize that is when you need fellowship the most. Do not, do not … turn away from those who could encourage you. When you feel like staying away, don’t follow your feelings, be lead by your faith. Fellowship, serve, give… go against your feelings.

“Fellowship will drive you away from sin or sin will drive you away from fellowship.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Don’t allow me to pull away from fellowship with other believers. Thank you for giving us the body of Christ. Thank you for sacrificing your son for our sins. Help me to serve, to fellowship and to give to increase your kingdom. Continue to make the desires of my heart things that please you. 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 18th 2017 – Wells Without Water

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“These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” (2 Peter 2:17)

In the book of 2 Peter, the apostle Peter is sharing the sad truth about false teachers. In the description above, He calls them wells without water. What a brilliant way to describe someone who pretends to have the Truth of God. Imagine as people come to hear this Truth but are disappointed because there is no real living water to drink from. All they find is an well that contains no water.

The Truth is that God desires to give us His living water and make our lives fruitful. In order to do this, He calls us to connect with Him through His Son Jesus. This is not simply a religious routine, it’s a life-changing relationship. Jesus described it this way…

(John 15:5 )”Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

As we spend time with Jesus in prayer, reading His Word and fellowshipping with His people, we will find ourselves living fruitful lives. The reason is simple; we are visiting the deep life-giving well of the Lord Jesus Christ. His well is filled to overflowing, and He welcomes everyone to drink deep and thirst no more.

“Without Jesus Christ, our life will be fruitless and wasted.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the refreshing water of life that is found in Jesus. God, You tell us that when we connect to this water, we will also have living waters coming from us. Fill my life to overflowing so that I would be a fruitful worker of the Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Invitation:

Have you ever eacknowledged 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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 14th 2017 – The Handwriting on the Wall

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“And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of each word. Mene: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; Tekel: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; Peres: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
(Daniel 5:25-28)

The King Belshazzar was definitely afraid. The fingers appeared out of nowhere in the midst of a party where he defiantly mocked the God of Israel,  and also celebrated the false gods of Babylon. We can all easily look at this and think, ‘The King was worshiping idols’. But we know in the word, that coveting leads to idolatry.

(Ephesians 5:5-7) “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”

Is there anything that we put before the Lord? Is He first in your time, talent, treasure, and circumstances? If not, then what is first? No matter how good it may be or noble that thing is, if it is before the Lord it is considered an idol. Perhaps the Lord has revealed something to you this morning that you have allowed to slip into being in front of the Lord.

Are you reading His writing from His word before He issues His corrective and loving judgment against that idol? The Lord loves us so much that He graciously many times allows us to judge ourselves in light of His truth before bringing a corrective hand into our lives.

(1 Corinthians 11:31-32)
“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”

“Beware of the corrosion, corruption, and compromise that comes from covetousness.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for revealing Your righteous judgements and truths to me from Your Word. Please forgive me when I prioritize my time, talent, and treasure towards something else instead of You first. Please give me the grace and the ability to be Your disciple that I may allow Your Spirit to direct me and to be disciplined to walk in Your truths 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 12th 2017 – Don’t Worry, God Cares

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“Remember, O LORD, what has come upon us; Look, and behold our reproach!” (Lamentations 5:1)

Prayer is something often spoken about in church and yet, it is seldom practiced on a regular basis. Some of this may be due to the misunderstanding of what prayer is and what it is not. When we come to the Lord in prayer, He desires that we come as the broken people we are. He desires that we bring our cares, our worries, our pains and suffering to Him because He loves us.

(1 Peter 5:6-7) “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

We don’t need to pretend with God. He knows our hearts and understands our weaknesses. When we come in honest conversation with Him, we can find peace and joy in that time of fellowship. God never meant for you to carry the weight of your life. It’s too much for any of us. Instead, He says to bring it to Him so that He can carry it for us. So when we come in prayer, we can come in joyful surrender knowing that God loves us and that He has our life in His hands.

“When the burdens of life overwhelm you, take them to God in prayer.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the blessing of prayer. I come to You with nothing but empty hands and a heart that desires more of You. Please Lord, take my life and do with it as you please. I trust You and desire to glorify Your name in all that I do. 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 11th 2017 – Time Well Spent

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“I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house; The houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end,’ says the Lord.” (Amos 3:15)

Wow, this sounds like a harsh word when you first read it. Let’s remember the setting. The northern ten tribes of Israel in 750BC were worshiping false gods and idols. They were prospering as a nation, and they had built wonderful houses with excessive decor. They thought things were going well because of their wealth. Amos steps in with a message from God to tell them it will all be destroyed. They were living in luxury all for themselves, but they had forgotten the Lord. God is letting them know here that those things would not last. Don’t miss the blessing here friend. Paul reminds us in Corinthians that everything we do in our selfish nature will not last. Those things we do for the glory of God will last for eternity

(1 Corinthians 3:11-15 ) “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials-gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.”

Let’s be real. Our house, cars, and the ‘things’ we will have accumulated during our life span will not make it into eternity. But the time I invest for the glory of God, not mine, will last forever. That is very good news.

“Every minute we live to please God is well spent.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. I am grateful that I have an opportunity to live for You and will be rewarded. Please continue to give me the power and desire to live for Your kingdom, not mine. 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 10th 2017 – Jesus First

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“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

This saying was true for John the Baptist when speaking of Jesus and it is true for us today. As Christians, we should be learning about the Lord. What does the Lord want? What does He desire and how can I serve Him? Instead we often think to ourselves: “What can God do for me?” We ask, “What can the church do for me?” or “Why don’t they understand it’s all about me?”

When we gaze at our wounds, our pains and our needs, we delay and may even prevent our healing. The spiritual things of life – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control and the practical things of life… If we will take the time to really focus on the Lord, then all these things will be added unto us. We will receive our healing, our forgiveness, the joy unspeakable and the peace that passes all understanding.

“It’s all about Jesus, when we make Him first in our lives everything else falls into place.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me so much You sent Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Forgive me for times when I’ve lost focus and become self absorbed. Empower me to let go of my own will and seek Yours. 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

March 4th 2017 – Do You Trust Me?

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

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

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