Category Archives: Pride

January 23rd 2020 – We Should Examine Ourselves

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28)

Have you ever met a Christian that believes they have the gift to identify sin in peoples lives or flawed doctrine in churches. I have yet to find it listed in scripture that this is actually a gift. Also I have yet to find the perfect church. The likely cause is that people are inperfect.

Although there are times to lovingly correct a brother or sister or even false teachings within a church, we should not be quick to condemn. Before we begin pointing our finger at someone else’s problems, we need to first examine ourselves.

“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5)

In Scripture, Jesus draws an absurd but poignant picture of someone with a giant beam of wood in their eye striving to remove a speck of dust from their friend’s eye. As we sit back and laugh at the imagery, the truth remains. Often, we believe we can ignore the sin in our life all the while condemning those who may be sinning in the same way. This leads to a life of hypocrisy and self deception. Instead, we should examine our own hearts and seek God for forgiveness. As we find freedom from our struggles, we will be fully equipped to care for our friends who need help removing the dust from their eye.

“We should examine ourselves, not others for problems.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your forgiveness and grace. Help me to examine myself every day through Your Word and Your Spirit. Continue to shape me more into the image of Your Son so that I may help others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here.

Interested in knowing Jesus personally? 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

November 8th 2019 – Forsake Foolishness and Live

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“Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.” (Proverbs 9:6)

None of us would like to say we are foolish at times. When we think of foolishness, we often dream up images of individuals who are acting in a childish manner or speaking in ignorance. While those may be foolish things, the Bible paints a more direct picture of foolishness. In essence, foolishness equals the rejection of God and His Word. After all, doesn’t (Psalm 14:1) say, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” This is at the root of foolishness.

To believe in God and His Word is the epitome of wisdom. To walk in light of God’s Truth is to experience a life of understanding. This leads to great blessing, and it all starts with our relationship with God. If we understand God and that His word is true, we will understand that we are sinners in need of a great Savior, Jesus Christ. This understanding brings us to faith in Christ which leads us into a relationship with God Himself. Imagine, broken human beings given the honor of being children of the God of all creation. I cannot imagine a greater blessing. And it all started by forsaking foolishness and walking in the way of understanding.

“The abundance of life is summed up by the quality of one’s relationship with the Lord.”

If you have never taken that step of faith, trusting in Jesus for salvation, you can pray this prayer.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, I believe You died for me so that I could be forgiven. I believe You were raised from the dead so that I could have new life. I know I have done wrong things, and I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Give me the power to follow You all the days of my life. 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

October 9th 2019 – Turning Aside Pride

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“A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” (Proverbs 29:23)

Have you heard the biblical story of the Good Samaritan? In that story he, unlike others who had an opportunity to help, he demonstrated compassion for a man who had become the victim of a vicious attack by robbers. The Good Samaritan bandaged up the man’s wounds, brought him to an inn, and took care of him (see Luke 10:30-35). But what about the man he helped? What if this man, who had been left for dead, refused the help of the Good Samaritan because of pride? Where might his pride have left him? Alone? Dying on the side of the road? Wouldn’t he have missed out on his blessing from God?

We all experience hard times. They’re a part of life. And when those times come and we’re hurting, there are people who will come alongside us, to help in any way possible to ease the pain or just give good advice. It is God at work through the kindness and generosity of others—like the Good Samaritan. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17).

Still we often have these thoughts. “But I don’t want people to think I’m poor! I had a job before all of this!” Or, “I don’t want people feeling sorry for me!”

Eventhough this kind of pride is natural, however it biblically is wrong. “… For God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets himself against those who are proud” (1 Peter 5:5)

Don’t allow pride to keep you from accepting kindness from others, graciously, and with a thankful heart. That’s what the Christian community is really all about—helping, encouraging, and building up one another. So turn aside pride today! “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10)

Take back your life

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” In what ways have people encouraged you, or built you up during this difficult time?
If you have received help from others with a bitter heart because of a pride, ask God’s forgiveness. Then ask Him to give you a humble heart, and an attitude of gratitude for the wonderful ways in which He has met your needs through the generosity of others.
Make a special effort today to tell someone “Thank you,” when they share God’s gift of kindness and goodwill with you. You can say it to the volunteer serving your next meal, to one of the workers in the shelter where you’re staying, to the people who have come to bring food, clothing, or other supplies, to the person who has come to express their condolences, or to the family who has opened their home to you. It’s a great way to bless them as they seek to bless you.

“If your pride is bigger than your heart and your ego is bigger then your head, grow up or you will end up alone.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, far too often we are influenced by what others think of us. We are always pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than we really are. Please prevent us from trying to attract attention. Don’t let us gloat over praise on one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other. Nor let us waste time weaving imaginary situations in which the most heroic, charming, witty person present is ourselves. Show us how to be humble of heart, like 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

July 20th 2019 – Encourage One Another

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“Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:10-11)

Have you ever seen children building sandcastles together in the sand? Typically, some kids likes to build while others may come by and wreck on it, especially if they are siblings. One builds up and the other takes joy in tearing down. Why? Mostly, it is for the reaction. This often happens in school or the workplace. Christians can do this as well in church. It may be types of worship music, food and dress… all of these are minor issues that many love to argue. What does it do? It distracts from the Gospel.

“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (Romans 14:19)

Doing things just to offend or argue each other is wrong. God is at work in our lives at different speeds and at different times. You may say “I get it, why don’t they get it?” That is a prideful statement. It is quite probable that another brother or sister “get’s it” in other ways better than you do. That is how it works. We fit together and cause each other to grow. Serving in church but being prideful and snooty about it does not interest God. The church is made of individual people with individual gifts, and no one person is the whole church. We should build one another up and in turn, we will be encouraged as well. What if the church body, at large, really did what Romans 14:19 says? Let’s start and see.

“Encourage each other and build each other up!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the many individual gifts that make up the body of Christ. Lord, help us to put off disagreements and value others. Forgive us when we have caused division and strife. Give us the spirit to be a blessing to someone else today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, Don’t wait! In a flash of a second it could be too late!” Click Here to read Four Simple Steps to Jesus.

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 1st 2019 – Following Jesus

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“Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:10-11)

Notice that the Pharisees didn’t go to Jesus with this question, they went to His disciples. Why? Because previously they had previously been challenging Jesus only to realize there was no fault in Him. The Pharisees then go to what they would consider a weak link. The easy way out.

Don’t we all try to do the same thing? We come up to situations in our lives where we have heard from Jesus in the past but didn’t like His answer, so we look for another one. There will be times in our lives where we come up against doing what the Bible tells us to, or choosing to go at it our own way. The next time you face whatever situation it might be, choose Jesus. Choose to follow Him, choose to trust Him, and choose His will for your life.

Jesus will not go against your free will. If your desire is not for Jesus, He will give you exactly that, a life without Him. The other choice? A life submitted to the will of the Lord–and know this life is a blessed life. What will you choose today? Choose Jesus!

“God’s greatest work is the work that you allow Him to do in your life.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father” 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

June 9th 2019 – An Extreme Act of Faith

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“So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.” (Genesis 6:22)

Noah’s decision to build an ark in an area where there was no large body of water around required an extreme act of faith. In fact, it had never rained on Earth before. So in one of the greatest acts of faith in human history, Noah cut down his first gopher tree to start building the ark.

It was such a bold act of faith that Noah was memorialized in (Hebrews 11:7), known as the Hall of Faith: “It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.”

This verse gives us a number of important insights into what inspired Noah build the Ark. First of all, we read that he was “divinely warned.” God spoke to Noah. In the book of Romans it says that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Your faith will grow when you read what the Bible says and then take the next step and put it into action.

We also read that Noah “moved with godly fear.” Noah had a reverence for, or a fear of, the Lord. Here is a great quote I have heard on fearing the God “Holy fear is the key to God’s sure foundation, unlocking the treasuries of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Along with the love of God, it composes the very foundation of life! We will soon learn that we cannot truly love God until we fear Him, nor can we properly fear Him until we love Him.”

Noah’s walk with God caused him to work for God. And one must always precede the other. If you walk with God, you will want to work for God. Works don’t save you; faith does. But if your faith is real, then it will produce works. That is how Noah’s faith worked when God told him to build the ark.

“When we walk in faith, wisdom and boldness, incredible things can happen”

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 weak in faith, remind me of Your faithfulness and love for me. May Your Spirit lead me to draw close to You and trust in Extreme ways as Noah did. Help me to always choose Your Word over my feelings. I choose to have faith and trust in You. Help me to grow in wisdom and to be intentional with my life. Give me opportunities to step out in boldness to love, give and share my faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

June 8th 2019 – Foolish? Offensive?

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“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

There are many websites, books, movies and other things portraying the message of the cross as foolish. People pursue legal action to remove the cross and its meaning. Why? Because the cross offends those who do not want to hear the message. Jesus Christ came and died for our sins, and that’s offensive?! Yes, we are all sinners. “Well, that is just so judgmental.” No, it’s the truth. People don’t want to hear it. Jesus and the cross demand that we admit our failings. We cannot admit we are sinners and yet cling to our pride.

Pride feels so good, doesn’t it? “Look at me. I am a self-made man. Come and be amazed by my shiny pride.” No, unfortunately you are an incomplete and malfunctioning created being without Jesus in your heart. In spite of your pride, He stands knocking and waiting for you to open the door and ask Him in. It’s an incredibly simple plan that requires an incredibly simple response of child-like faith and a King David sized heart of boldness.

“The fact people think we are foolish is evidence that they are perishing.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the invitation of the cross. I know my sins have separated me from You, Lord. I ask that You forgive me of all of my sins. Give me the power to live for You all the days of my life. Thank You that You have made my relationship with You so simple. In humble faith, I give You my weaknesses and flaws and ask that Your glory be revealed in 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

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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 25th 2019 – Spiritual Pride

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“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” (Romans 2:1)

In Romans chapter one, we learn about the unrighteousness of man. In chapter two, Paul addresses our self-righteousness; our desire to consider ourselves better than everybody else. Nobody wants to be called self-righteous, yet we are so quick to judge others. We need to be aware of your own weakness and sinfulness. If you think that once you became a Christian you stopped sinning, you should check out the passage below:

“If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place.” (1 John 1:8-10)

Judge yourself. If you look long at the sins of others and not enough at your own sins, you will develop spiritual pride, which is a stench to God. Have you ever looked at someone and thought there is no hope for them? Well then, you are making the statement that the mercy of God is limited. You are pridefully saying that your sins are covered, but another’s are not. Every person, whether we deem them good people or not, needs God’s saving power and grace. Stop and think… How much have you been forgiven? Does this mean we cannot speak into other’s lives? Absolutelywe can and should, but not in condemnation. Just as God has heaped His grace so abundantly on you, in discernment you can speak into someone’s life from your experiences with an attitude of love, peppered with grace. You cannot condemn someone and offer hope at the same time. The moment we start to condemn people is the moment we forget our mission. What is our mission? Our mission is to tell people about Jesus.

“Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

“pridefully Seeing the Sin in others does not root out the Sin in us”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for forgiving me of my sins. I am so grateful for Your grace. Please forgive me for times when I, in my own pride, look at someone else and condemned them in my mind. Please give me opportunities to tell people about Jesus. Thank You. In Jesus name, Amen.

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

Interested in experiencing forgiveness and love found in Jesus? Please click here to learn more. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 18th 2019 – Pride Destroys Relationships

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,” (1 Philippians 2:3)

Pride destroys relationships. It shows up in so many ways, like criticism, competition, stubbornness, and superficiality. Another problem with pride is that it’s self-deceiving. Everybody else can see it in us but us. When you have a problem with pride, you often don’t see it in your life.

“Pride leads to destruction; a proud attitude brings ruin” the Message Bible puts it this way. “First pride, then the crash — the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

Pride destroys relationships, but humility is the antidote to pride. Humility builds relationships. The Bible says in (1 Peter 3:8) “Live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble”

How are you and I going to grow in humility? It happens by letting Jesus Christ begin to control our thoughts and hearts and attitudes and reactions. He’s got to be a part of this.

“Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person” (Ephesians 4:23-24)

How do you become a new person? How do you start to think in a different way? The basic law of relationships is this: You tend to become like the people you spend time with. If you spend time with grumpy people, you get grumpier. If you spend time with happy people, you get happier. If you want to have more humility, spend time with Jesus Christ. He is humble. He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to spend time with him in prayer and reading his Word and talking to him. He is humble, and as you get to know him, you’ll become more like him.

“Be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves …. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to” (Philippians 2:3,5,6)

No one has done anything more humble than Jesus, coming from Heaven to Earth to become a man, live for us, give his life for us, and be resurrected for us. When you spend time around him, it makes you more humble, and that builds your relationships..

“Pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes” John Ruskin

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace. Please forgive me for the times when I have let my pride outshine my grace. Help me to show grace from now on so that others will see You in me. I lift up the broken relationships in my life because I let pride get in the way. Help to humble my heart and ask for forgiveness when needed and soften my heart to extend grace and forgiveness to others. Keep me my old ways. 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

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