Category Archives: Grace and Mercy

June 5th 2019 – Don’t Compromise, Stand For Christ

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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

It seems today that it’s open season on Christians. People attack us as intolerant, Bible-thumping bigots. Because we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, we are dismissed as simple-minded fools.

What are we to do? We should keep praying. We should keep preaching. And we should keep living the Christian life and not compromise our principles.

It’s interesting to note that when Daniel was attacked for his faith, he didn’t change a thing. As a Jew living in a foreign country, his custom was to open his windows, face Jerusalem, and call upon the name of the Lord. It was a habit of prayer. From the time that he was a young man, he always took time to pray. He established that grid in his life, and even in his nineties, he was still praying.

But Daniel’s enemies had set a trap for him. They convinced the king to sign a decree that made it illegal for him to continue his daily practice of prayer. Yet for Daniel, to not pray would be a compromise.

There are certain things in life that you won’t feel comfortable doing. Listen to what God’s Spirit is saying to you, and don’t compromise. Don’t deny Him. Sometimes to not confess Him when the occasion arises is to deny Him. An unbeliver may say something like this to a Christian, “I have been watching you. You’re different. What is it about you? Where do you get your value system? Why are you happy all the time?”

I have heard Christian’s say things in response like this, “Oh, I was brought up well. It’s just my way. You may choose to live differently. I don’t want to push my beliefs on you.”

No, tell them it’s because of Jesus Christ and the change He has made in your life. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

“Don’t Compromise, Stand for Christ!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You your forgiveness of my sins and for saving my life. Thank You for inviting me to be part of this great adventure of following You. Thank You for the gifts You’ve given me. Lord, I pray that You use them for Your Kingdom. Help me to get rid of any selfishness and to put others first. Keep me from ever not sharing the real reason why others may see me as different, for why I may glow with happiness and have values that are not of the world. The real reason is because of You Lord! Thank you for changing my life! 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

June 3rd 2019 – Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me

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“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9)

What kind of Christian are you? Are you a steadfast follower? Or one that comes out for Easter and Christmas? What does a biblical follower of Jesus look like as opposed to a cultural follower of Jesus?

“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

The Gospel demands and enables us to turn from our sin, to take up our cross, to die to ourselves, and to follow Jesus. These are the terms and phrases we see in the Bible. Salvation now consists of a deep wrestling in our souls with the sinfulness of our hearts, the depth of our depravity, and the desperation of our need for His Grace. Jesus is infinitely worthy of our immediate and total surrender. If you are hearing the Word of God and not doing what it says, then you are living with the untapped potential of all that following Jesus brings.

I encourage you to follow Jesus wholeheartedly–serving His body, giving, and sharing His goodness with others. It’s when we lose our life for His sake that we find it.

“God desires an active faith in each of us. He is saying, ‘Follow Me.’ Will you follow Him or make excuses?”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Help me to follow You. Give me the strength of Your Spirit to love and serve, laying down my life for Your glory and the Gospel. Thank you for not ever giving up on me. There are times in my life when I’ve struggled and have tried seeking my own way in life. I ask that You would continue to fuel my hunger for Your word and more of You in my life. Your knowledge of me goes beyond my comprehension. Please help me to exercise my faith, knowing that Your purpose for my life is for my good, and Your pleasure. Help me choose to follow You Lord, even if its just one step at a time. Thank You for Your reassurance along the way. 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

May 31st 2019 – Stealth Attacks

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“I trust in the Lord for protection.
So why do you say to me,
“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadowsat those whose hearts are right.” (Psalm 11:1-2)

David faced many attacks in his life as a man mightily used by the Lord. Because of envy King Saul tried to kill David before he became king. Later his own son would plot against him and seek to remove him from the throne.

When we place our trust in the Lord it is certain that we will be a target for the attacks of the enemy. To discourage you the enemy can even spring a sudden attack upon you using your family or the people you worship and serve with. In order for our lives to be firmly built upon the foundation of trusting in the Lord we should be in the Word, be with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and be continually exhorting one another with love and encouragement. The Bible gives us a list of battle gear to prepare us for spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6 not because we don’t expect to face battles but because we do.

As believers and followers of Jesus we face battles and attacks in this world. From:

1) The world

2) The flesh

3) The devil and his accomplices

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, please help me to always put my trust in You and ask for your Grace  When the attacks come let me look to You and to Your Word for the weapons that You have fashioned for me to stand against the enemy. I come to You asking for help to discern the lies of the enemy, especially when the enemy hides within all the strife and tension that he creates. Open my eyes to recognize any spirit of division or confusion as the enemy’s plan to divert me away from God will for my life. I submit my life to You. Help me to surrender to You in every way and choose to live according to Your word. Continue to teach me by reading and speaking Your Word so that it is implanted in my heart and becomes part of my daily life. I want to live in obedience to You in prayer, in praise, in worship, and in gratitude. Thank You, Lord, that You have given all who accept You in their hearts victory over all the plans of the enemy. Thank You that he has to flee from our lives when we expose his plans to the light. Thank You for the wisdom to identify the enemy’s work in our lives and the power to resist him. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Put your faith and trust in Jesus! If you do not know Him personally please read below.

Jesus Christ says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20)

The Bible promises eternal life to all who receive Christ: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13)

If you have not asked Jesus into your life you can receive Jesus Christ right now by faith through prayer. Please click here to learn more. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 29th 2019 – Stability

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“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Stability… Everyone desires to have it in life. After all, who wants to live life in chaos? Unfortunately, life doesn’t give us a choice. Each morning when we open our eyes we await things that will catch us off guard. Good or bad, these elements in life are part of living in a broken world. The good news is that we are not alone, and there is a source outside the chaos that we can lean on in times of instability.

“But the LORD has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge.” (Psalm 94:22)

Throughout Scripture, God is referred to as a rock. This is not to say that He is made of granite, but it is a reference to His steadfastness. Like a mighty mountain, God is immovable and secure in all His ways. Because of this, He is our source for security and strength. When life brings surprises, we can stand on our God. When people change, our God will not. When situations arise, our God is our refuge. As you wake up this morning, spend time in God’s Word and get to know Him more. Read His promises with great anticipation. Grasp His love and mercy and allow that to strengthen you today. The more you know about God, Jesus and His might and power; the more you will be equipped to stand strong during the storms of life. Life may bring instability but with God we can remain stable.

“The more mature you grow in the Lord, the more stable you become in life and in all matters.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your great love for me and for Your steadfastness. Your Word tells me that You will never change and that Your mercy endures forever. Lord, help me to find stability on You, my Rock. Bring to mind Scriptures in my times of doubt and encouragements in my times of need. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I will remain brave, strong and steadfast in the faith. 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

May 26th 2019 – Learn Wisdom Reading God’s Word

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My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge.” (Proverbs 5:1-2)

Every living person has choices to make. No matter the size, we all must choose. The question is not whether or not we will have to make a decision; rather the question is, “What will we base that decision on?” In the book of Proverbs, God delivers great wisdom to all of humanity. Some of it is common sense and other parts of it are contrary to what we would normally believe. So, why would God give us all these bits of wisdom? Because He is a loving Father desiring to see His children live a blessed life.

Understanding the reality of God’s wisdom in scripture is easy enough, using it to guide our lives is the tough part. For instance, Proverbs may speak of the blessings of correction but who really praises God when they are called out for doing something wrong? He also warns us against the dangers of all sin, even laziness and pride, yet each day we all forget or flat out reject these truths. So what is the solution? First, we must know God’s Word and trust that it is best. Secondly, we need to ask His Holy Spirit to strengthen us to walk in God’s wisdom. When we are directed by God’s Word and empowered by His Spirit, we will find our life is truly blessed.

“God’s wisdom brings a preferred choice or direction for experiencing His best in our lives.”

Prayer:

Heavenly father, I know that I have made some foolish choices in the past. I desire to understand Your ways and to live by them because they are best. Fill me afresh with your Holy Spirit so that I can understand Your Word as well as put it into practice. Even in those times I fall short, I will praise You for the grace I find in Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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

If you do not have a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Please read 4 Steps to Jesus.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 21st 2019 – Look To Jesus

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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 Jesus’ 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 18th 2019 – Do We Deserve Heaven

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“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)

I have a very important question today? What do you have to do in order to be righteous with God? Do you have to die a martyr’s death before God will allow you into paradise? Do your good deeds need to outweigh your bad deeds for God to allow you into heaven? Do you have to be at peace with nature when you die so that God will allow you into Heaven? What if you have done enough works, will God then allow you into Heaven? The answer is No to all of the above. Man pridefully wants to play a part in his own salvation. We invent hurdles to jump, thinking we can earn God’s approval. I don’t want what I’ve earned because according to Romans 6:23 I’ve earned death. I need God’s grace.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Every world religion is based on what you have to do to convince God you deserve to go to Heaven… that is, except one – Biblical Christianity. You see, the Bible tells us that God has already done everything for you. Your part is simply to accept Jesus’ gift to you. He did the work, dying on the cross for your sins.  You don’t have to reach for God because He’s already reaching out for you. Please don’t reject Him.

“God has done everything needed for us to be at peace with Him, All we have to do is ask for His forgiveness of our sins, accept His love, try to live our life in a way pleasing to Him”

Simple prayer for salvation

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Thank You for dying for me so that I could be forgiven. Thank You for being resurrected so I could have a new life. I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins. Lord, I have done wrong things, and I am sorry. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank you for allowing me in Heaven when my body dies, even though I don’t deserve it. Please give me the power to live for You all the days of my life. Amen.

If you just made a decision to ask Jesus into your life, please check out New Believers, What’s Next?  and please let us know of your life changing decision.

Please forward this to anyone if you are unsure of their faith in Jesus

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 14th 2019 – Looking into the Face of God

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“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15)

I recently read an article, it stated that a baby’s sight is the last sense to develop. However, even before they can focus, newborns look toward faces. The study showed that infants also begin to read faces when they are very young. They feel positive vibes from a smile and smile back. If a mother frequently smiles and interacts with her newborn, the infant smiles in anticipation as soon as she enters the room.

Likewise, babies recognize when a face shows displeasure or disgust. If the Mom is preoccupied or angry and doesn’t return the smile, the baby’s smile will fade, the eyes look perplexed, and the face becomes blank. A baby learns to take cues from others in the room, especially its mother.

If infants don’t receive positive interaction during early development, they are stunted in personal interactions. As older children, they show little emotion in response to others. In some areas of the world, orphans sit alone in cribs and get little positive contact with adults. As a result, they are severely underdeveloped emotionally. Even physical growth is stunted. The study showed that Face to face interaction is completely necessary for healthy development.

As adults, we continue to watch faces. We subconsciously observe how people respond. We can tell if our audience is pleased, amused, delighted, or displeased. We see it in their faces, and we adjust. We sometimes will embellish our story for greater response, add more detail to support our view, or we end the conversation quickly. We take our cues from faces around us.

Maybe we’re created that way so we will properly relate to God.

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. (Psalm 27:8)

David is the the only person in the Bible that repeatedly talked about God’s face. Likewise, David is the only one we’re told was a man after God’s heart. Do you think that David could have gained a heart after God’s heart because he was practiced in looking into the face of God? Could it be that David got his cues from God rather than from those around him?

If, like a baby, we look into God’s face for cues, He will lead us with His eyes. As we allow His eyes to guide us, our lives will reflect His righteousness. As a baby responds to loving parents, we will delight in His pleasure.

The problem is that sometimes we’re too busy to gaze into His eyes. We’re also distracted by gauging what our friends, our church and society think of us.

If we don’t seek the face of God, we’ll we be like those third world babies, trapped in a crib, stunted in our spiritual growth. We won’t reflect our God to the world. I don’t want to be stunted. I want to reflect the righteousness of God to those around me.

“Jesus will return at the
End of time, and we will
See his face and enter heaven
Undefiled, cleansed by his blood,
Saved by his grace.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,  Help me turn my eyes to You and to gaze into Your eyes. Like David, I want to seek Your face, I want to live my life pleasing to You Lord. I want to see You smile. Thank You for giving me life and for being the ultimate Father. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

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

If you are seeking Jesus in your life or want to recommit your life to Him. Click here to learn more.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 12th 2019 – Mothers Day

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“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do” (Ephesians 6:1)

Today, many of us will gather again in worship and celebrate Mother’s Day. We will cook our mothers dinner or take them out to eat. We will seek to spoil them in the same way that they have spoiled us. We will express our thanks for all that our mothers have done for us. We will thank God for how our mothers have shown to us a glimpse of what God’s grace and love are all about.

But Mother’s Day is not always a happy time for everyone. For some, it will remind them of the loss of their mother. For some, it will be a reminder of how they have not been able to be a parent. For some, it will remind them that their relationship with their mother has not been healthy and has hurt them in some deep way.

My hope and prayer for those who will struggle today is that they will experience the love of God who longs to hold them and comfort them in their grief. My prayer is that they will experience the love of God in a way that they perhaps never experienced with their own mothers. I pray that they will experience the love of Jesus who speaks of how he longs “to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.” (Matthew 23:37)

So, for those of you celebrating Mother’s Day with your mothers, thank God for the gift of love and grace shown to you through them. Let your mothers know how special they are.

For those of you being celebrated todaas mothers, rejoicing in your children, thank God for the gifts and blessings God gave you and know how much we appreciate all that you have done.

For those of you who have been like a mother to others – even without ever having children of your own – may this day bring recognition of your caring and love that you have shown.

And for those of you who grieve this weekend, reminded of a mother who is no longer with you, may God surround you with comfort and love. For those of you who grieve this weekend because you have lost a child, whether through miscarriage or stillbirth or premature death, may God hold you even closer and may you know that God holds your child even now in everlasting arms.

For those who struggle today, because you are not a mother, whether by your own choice or by infertility, I pray for God’s strength and encouragement. May you know what a gift you are, just for who you are.

And for those of you who have complicated relationships with your mother, who did not feel the love of a mother growing up, who may not have ever known their mother, we pray that you may know God’s love in a special way, in a way that goes beyond the imperfections and hurt that we as human beings often show to one another.

As for me, and many others who have lost, or are taking care of their Moms in the final stages of life. I lost my mother on July 2nd 2016. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my Mom.  I take with me, an image of a mother that spent the last 4 years of her life extremely ill, and a season of my life that for most would have seemed completely overwhelming. Circumstances providing for her care that required everything that I had and then some, all while working a full-time job. As hard as it was, Know that as overwhelming and hard as it seems, it also can be a very special blessing. I will never regret this time, It allowed me to show my mom how much I loved her and that she was not alone. That her struggles were also mine. It also brought me into a closer relationship with Jesus, leaning on Him for strengh when I had no more of my own to draw from. Thank you Lord.

That is love, the best of love that we as human beings show to one another, a love that lets us see only a glimpse what God’s love is all about.

I miss you Mom..

 Happy Mother’s Day, everyone

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for our Mothers and the precious life that You Lord gave to us through them. I lift those that are hurting to You today, comfort them and hold them close. Remind them of the safety and security as a child being in their mom’s arms. Show them that they can experience this type of love everytime they seek You. I lift up those who are in difficult relationships, that today You will heal them. For everyone else that will be with their mothers today, remind them to cherish these times, and set aside any type of indifference. That they would have an abundance of blessing, healing and joy on this mothers day. 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

May 11th 2019 – Life Doesn’t Automatically Get Easier

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“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6)

One of the things that baffles us about God, is that once we decide to follow Him, He doesn’t spare us from going through difficult times even though He can. He is the God who allows us and our own decisions to often cause troubles, pains and suffering. But He also is the God that can heal them.

The most solid followers of Jesus you know, the ones with deep Christ like character, have more then likely gone through difficult times while following Him. That’s because the wounds that come from difficult times grow in us deep faith. God uses wounds to grow us. Wounds make us wiser.

When we’ve been hurt, on the other side of the pain we’re more compassionate toward other people. We can empathize more. In the same way, wounds make us more forgiving, more understanding, more gracious, slower to judge. Wounds kill our pride yet grow our compassion. Specific wounds enhance specific virtues. Walking through death brings us the value of life. Sickness helps us value health. Hard times like those put life in perspective and make us value things that really matter. Sometimes we keep getting hurt doing the same thing or being with the same person. We experience the pain and over and over, this may be a lesson that we have not learned yet. Trust in God that He will carry you through it.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence when I am facing battles. I pray that the wounds I received during these tough times, cause me see and respond to the world more like Jesus did and not how the fleshly side wants to react. I ask that these trials would cause me closer to grow closer to Him. I understand that You something’s let us hurt, knowing that there is beauty and purpose in the pain. Thank you for those pains and for that hurt. Lord God, thank you for the lesson that you will reveal in my trials. 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