Category Archives: Repentance

March 31st 2019 – Toxic Unforgiveness

You forgave the guilt of your people – yes, you covered all their sins. .” (Psalm 85:2)

After a recent conversation with an Assist Attorney general. I was curious and did some research on attorney’s in general. I discovered something that I did not know about the country I live in (United States of America). Not only do we have more laws, we also have more people on probation or in prison, and more mariages ending in divorce then any other country.

We also are the most litigious society on the face of the earth, with about 80 percent of the world’s attorneys living in here in the US. More people graduate from law school than from any other professional academic course of study in the entire nation. And what do attorneys do? They Sue and Defend, for the most part, because there is no forgiveness. We’re not willing to say, “It’s all right. I forgive you.” The Justice system doesn’t even forgive a person have served the sentences imposed and paid their dept in full.

And what is really toxic is our unwillingness to accept responsibility for our own actions and our unwillingness to forgive. It’s worse than toxic; it’s sinful. Let this not be said of us, God’s people! Unforgiveness will eat you up spiritually and, in many ways, bring your spiritual life to a standstill.

Unforgiveness is choosing to hate. It produces bitterness, anger, rage, anxiety, and even depression. Simply put, it is sin.

Instead, we must forgive. Forgiveness, on the other hand, is like taking a piece of pottery and smashing it into a thousand pieces. There is no way it can ever be put together again.

God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness and truth, and forgiving of iniquity, transgressions and sin.(see Exodus 34:6-7). That is our God! He forgives.

You might say, “What my spouse did to me is unforgivable. Even if God forgives them, I’m just a person. I’m flawed. I can’t forgive like that.”

If you want to become like Jesus, then you should reflect His character. God has said that if you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9).

God has said it. And as His spiritual child, you can do the same.

“We cannot withhold forgiveness for any reason or excuse.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending your only begotten Son to die and rise again so that I could be forgiven and saved and adopted into Your family. Thank you for Jesus. Please forgive me for the times of speaking against others and holding onto unforgiveness and anger from the past. Father, I am sorry and I choose to forgive those who have wronged me and I choose to speak good and pleasant and edifying things about others. Help me to always be kind and tender hearted. I need Your help Lord, strengthen me. I also ask You for wisdom and grace to do this. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

God has made it possible for you to know Him and experience an amazing change in your own life. Click here  to discover how you can find peace with God.

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 30th 2019 – Counterfeit Christians

“Jesus presented another parable to them saying, the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.”(Matthew 13: 24-26)

Counterfeit money. It may look real. It might even be accepted as real, at least for a while. But the truth is, it’s not real. Eventually, that fake bill will be recognized for what it truly is and be destroyed.  The same can be true with our faith. We can create this flawless outer appearance: we look the part, we act the part, and to the untrained eye we appear to be the perfect Christian. But at the heart level, we’re simply fake.

Jesus spoke about this concept through a parable. Only instead of currency, Jesus used wheat and tares. For the agricultural community listening, everyone knew that tares were a weed closely resembling wheat. Still, the disciples asked Jesus to clarify.

As we continue the rest of the parable.

The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

“‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do.  Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” (Matthew 13:27-30)

Here is how Jesus explained this parable.

Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

“Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! (Mathew 13:36-43)

So what does this parable represent? The wheat farmer is Jesus. And because Jesus is sowing the Gospel of salvation, that He died on the cross for our sins and rose again,  anyone who chooses to put their faith in Christ, are like the wheat.  But blending into the wheat are the tares – the counterfeit Christians who might act like and sound like true a believer, and yet, in their heart of hearts they have not given their heart and lives to Christ. Sometimes a counterfeit Christian might even be leaders of the church.

The parable says that the wheat and tares remained together in the field until the harvest when the wheat was gathered into the barn for safekeeping and the tares were burned. Jesus is explaining why the difference is not revealed until the end of time. For the TRUE followers of Jesus, eternity will be spent in Heaven, in the Kingdom of God, with Jesus. The counterfeit Christians and everyone else will find themselves in Hell.

It’s a heavy topic, but one that we can’t tip-toe around; because the harvest IS coming. The Book of Revelation,  chapter 14 offers great insight into what these final days will look like and it’s a pretty sobering picture. Thankfully, Jesus continues to sow the redemptive Truth of the Gospel in hopes that everyone might experience God’s grace and mercy. So, as God looks at your heart and life – are you wheat or tares?

Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion – it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your word and the wonderful way You reveal Yourself to me in it. I want to know You more and love You more. Please help me commit my heart to seek You and grow in my understanding of who You are and how much You love me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Is Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life? Did you once follow Him but let society trick you to fall away? Don’t miss out on the most important journey you will ever take. Click Here to learn more.

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 29th 2019 – Heaven Bound

“Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” (2nd Corinthians 5:5)

When you get ready to take a trip, you plan and prepare for the road ahead. You make sure to prepare all your clothes and other items you may need. You also make sure that everyone who is going along with you is also prepared for the trip. Since we take the time needed to prepare for our earthly trips, shouldn’t we also take the time to prepare for our journey into Heaven?

So how do you prepare for Heaven?  One way we can prepare is to spend time thinking about Heaven,  What will we do when we get there? What will it be like? What will we see, what will we talk about?

For me part of the excitement of a trip to the mountains or even the beach is thinking and planning what you desire to do once you get there. This builds the excitement and helps us know what we need to do before the trip. Of course, the most necessary part of any trip is making sure you know how to get there and this is most surely true with Heaven. We may have the best intentions but without a detailed map, we will not get there. So how do we get to Heaven?

Our map is the bible, it makes it very clear that we get to Heaven by trusting in Jesus Christ. We do not get there by our works, but by believing that Jesus died for us and that He rose again. Once we trust in His sacrifice for our sins, we are given Heaven and everything else that Jesus offers. We do not know when this journey will start, but we can be prepared today. Are you ready?

“Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people who have trusted Jesus as their Savior.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of Heaven through Jesus. Though I don’t deserve it, I look forward to all you have in store for me in Heaven. No crying, no pain and no sin; only the pure love and grace of our Heavenly Father. God, help me to share the message of Heaven with others so they can also experience the joy found in knowing it as their true home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Is Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life? Did you once follow Him but let society trick you to fall away? Don’t miss out on the most important journey you will ever take. Click Here to learn more.

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 28th 2019 – The Cross

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

This true story was reported about a young couple visiting a jewelry store. The young lady was looking for something fashionable. She remembered that a a friend of hers wears a cute little silver cross, so she asked to see those. As the jeweler showed the couple various crosses, the young woman commented, “I like these, but do you have any without this little man on them?”

What an analogy of what so many people seek today “a cross without Jesus.” They want a cross without any offense, a cross without any consequences, one that will look cool as a fasion accessory. But if we could travel back to a time the cross was used in its original context, we would realize that it was a bloody and horrific symbol of death. It would have been the worst image imaginable to actually see someone hanging on a cross.

The Romans chose crucifixion because it was meant to be a slow, torturous way to die. It was designed to be a humiliating death for the person on it. The crucifixions were held on the outside edges of the Roman cities. They served as visual warnings to anyone who would oppose the rule of the Roman empire.

If there was any other way, do you think that God would have allowed His Son to suffer like this? If there had been any other way we could have been forgiven, then God surely would have found it.

“If being a good person” or “living a good moral life would” would get us to Heaven, then Jesus never would have died for us. But He did, because there was and is no other way. He had to pay the price for our sin. At the Cross, Jesus purchased the salvation of the world.

If you were ever tempted to doubt God’s love for you, even for a moment, then take a long, hard look at the Cross. Where Jesus sacrifised and gave His very life for us.

“Jesus’s sacrifice the cross, allowed for such a horrific symbol of death to now be seen as a beautiful symbol of His Sacrifice, His Message and His Love for us.”

There is no decision more important, accepting Jesus, it will absolutely change your life. It did mine. I couldn’t imangine where my life would have been without Him.

Christ’s love is deeper than any pit of sin. Do not grow weary trying to crawl out; look up to Christ, repent and ask Him for forgiveness & be set free.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Even though my salvation was obtained only through the costliest sacrifice ever made, You freely gave it to me. Lord, I praise You for this gift so lovingly given. Thank you Lord 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’ve done wrong things, and I’m sorry. Please forgive me and 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

March 27th 2019 – Tempted? God Can Help!

“And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. “(Matthew 6:13)

It’s amazing how we can be so quick to condemn what someone else has done, and yet rationalize compromised behavior in our own lives. The interesting thing about temptation is that it is; well, tempting.

Jesus said we should pray, “Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). In this prayer we are asking God to guide us so we will not get out of His will and unnecessarily place ourselves in the way of temptation. We’re saying, “Lord, don’t let us be tempted above our capacity to resist.”

He won’t, of course, because the Bible says, “God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Yet sometimes those so-called gray areas come along, and we wonder whether it’s okay for a Christian to do certain things. Here’s a little litmus test to apply when that happens. First, pray about it and bring it into the clear light of the presence of God. If you can’t pray about something you’re about to do and say “hallowed be Your name” over it, then don’t do it.

Second, ask yourself, “How would this look if another Christian were doing this?” Would it look wrong? Would it have what the Bible describes as the appearance of evil? If so, then don’t do it.

Third, pray that you won’t fall into temptation. You can’t go through life without temptation, but you can pray, “Lord, don’t let me foolishly put myself unnecessarily in the way of going astray.”

You can appeal to God to place a guard over your eyes, ears, mouths, feet, and hands and what you say and hear and do.

“The enemy knows just what flavor of Sin to bait the hook with!”

Prayer:

Heavenly  Father, Thank You for loving me. I know that I have wrong and have sinned against You. Father, please forgive me and fill me with Your Spirit so that I can identify and fight temptation. Please keep me from trying to justify Sin in my life. Lord, when I find myself in a tempting situation, open my eyes to the way out so that I can escape. 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

March 16th 2019 – I Will Never Leave You!

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5)

Life can sometimes be very tough on people especially when someone feels alone. Maybe your children don’t call, or your far from home and miss your family. Maybe your still waiting on a husband or a wife, or your mariage is in trouble and your seperated. Possibly you have lost a loved one.

Not everyone has the pleasure of having a family or a spouse. God provides for our needs, but He goes even further and provides us with His very presence. Jesus hasn’t forgotten about you. His name is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Maybe your parents have forgotten about you. But God your Father has not forgotten about you.

One of the special benefits of having Jesus in your life is undoing loneliness. Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). From the original language, it literally reads something like this: “I will never, no never, no never leave you or forsake you.” That means, He is going to be with you in the happy days. He is going to be with you in the sad days. He is going to be with you on the hard days, the lonely days. He will be with you through all of your days. Then He will be waiting for you on the other side to welcome you into glory. You don’t have to be afraid, because God is with you.

I was recently asked by someone  “How do you get through the lonelyness and sadness if you have lost a loved one? Is there a book I can read?” My answer is that you don’t need a manual; you need Immanuel. You need to know that God is there. You need Jesus and need to lean into Him. That is the essential message that needs to be taught to the lost and lonely.

What we are longing for, deep down inside, is Jesus!

God is with us. He is here for you.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for sticking by me through good times and bad times. You are the true friend. Help me to seek You and  trust you and Your promise in these times. Please help me through the times of panic, the times when the loneliness is crippling and I cant breathe. Hold me close Jesus when I feel alone. Remind me that You are here and walk the path with me. That You love me when I am unable to see past the pain. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Ask Jesus into your life.

Jesus, I recognize that I have not lived my life for You up until now. I have been living for myself and that is wrong. I need You in my life; I want You in my life. I acknowledge the completed work of Your Son Jesus Christ in giving His life for me on the cross at Calvary, and I long to receive the forgiveness you have made freely available to me through this sacrifice. Come into my life now, Lord. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my Lord, and my Savior. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself in life, but I will follow You all the days of my life. Those days are in Your hands. I ask this in Jesus’ precious name Amen.

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 14th 2019 – The Daily Grind Part 3 of 3

God’s Amazing Love

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.(Colossians 3:14)

Paul wrote Romans to give us direction, that we are to use love in our interactions with each other. “Agape” an unconditional “God” love.

Now imagine being locked in a room with twenty people. Unable to get out until all are of one mind together. Each person has their own idea of how to solve the situation. God asks us to be of one mind.

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus. (Romans 15:5)

If you have twenty people who think they have the solution, that door will never open. This is very much how the world is today. Everyone has an opinion and thinks their opinion is right. When we take out us and place God in the equation things can change in a huge way. I call this the “G Factor” the God factor. Paul gave us a formula sent form God to become one with all in Him then laced it all with Love. One key factor is to be humble, something rare in the world today. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
In order to be of one mind we have to be humble and have a servant heart. This is love in action.

“But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you.” (John 13:34)

If the world could put this into action, what a wonderful world this would be. In order to know this kind of love you need to know the Loving God. Asking Jesus in your life and He gives you many gifts all free and paid for by Jesus. The agape love is from God. Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the kind of love Jesus has for His Father and for His followers.

That is the key to how we serve one another. This love takes out the our judgement of others. It allows us to want to serve others, forgive, encourage, learn and enjoy the fruits of the Spirit in your life.

The Fruit of the Spirit is a term that the apostle Paul uses to sum up nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

My hope is that you have the Love of God. If not you might consider this wonderful gift, paid in full by the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. He offers this gift to you just for asking Him into your life. It’s the ultimate gift, forgiveness and eternal life in heaven.

“The shape of God’s true love (Agape Love) isn’t a heart. It’s a cross”

Prayer:

Dear Lord, Please forgive me for all the times I have forgotten Your love. Give me the power to overcome sin and to seek You with all my heart. Teach me through Your Word and guide me by Your Spirit to be able to love others as You love me. Thank You for the precious gift of salvation. Thank You for making a way for me to be cleansed of all my sins. Lord, if I have sinned against You today, forgive me and help me live for You in all I do. Father, I stand on Your Truth in 1 John 1:9 that says if I confess my sins, You will cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Wash me clean and use me for Your kingdom today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Watch “AMAZING LOVE – Passion of Christ” on YouTube

(Please pray this prayer for Repentance, Salvation and Eternal Life with Jesus)

Father God, I am truly sorry. I repent and ask You to forgive me. I want to follow you and ask you (into) or (back into) my life. I acknowledge that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me all my sins are forgiven in His name. I repent and cancel all access to my life by evil spirits. I claim the blood of Jesus over me as my protection. I command all evil spirits that have entered my body or mind, to leave me now in Jesus’ name. I now make a new commitment to guard my eyes and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. I will walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I will work to take control of my body and anew my mind, I will depend on the Holy Spirit to help me accomplish this, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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

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Cinda “Zoe” Christiansen (Guest Writer)

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 13th 2019 – The Daily Grind Part 2 of 3

God’s Got This.

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

Everyone experiences times in their life when they are wronged by someone. I certainly have had this happen to me many times. On the flipside, I have also been the one hurt others in my life. There have been times initially after  being hurt, I have thought about how to get revenge. I actually used to find comfort in it. I would get this self-absorbed logic that I am entitled to a pay back. I would think of all the things I could say or do to that person. Some ideas that I would come up with, I would actually think were genius. Even though most of the time I never would go through with the plan. I still would find pleasure in planning the revenge.

God has another plan, and I have learned that over time, God willl take care of it. Knowing that any revenge is God’s, gives me peace. Giving up my hurt to God is freeing. The hardest part of this verse is completely taking youself out of the equation. We must remember that we are called by God to love our enemies. This is not always easy. Jesus said, “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:44)

Hate perpetuates hate.
Mind boggling, He asks us to forgive.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)

Forgiveness is about how God forgives us, but also about how we forgive each other. This can be hard when we’ve been wronged. It all comes down to Love.

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” (Romans 12:9)

Do you hurt from someone’s wrong doings? Do you want healing? If you forgive, you free yourself. The weights are lifted. Seek God if you have never experienced Him. He is the all loving, forgiving God who can lift your weight and set you free.

“Don’t take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the Lord and He will make it right!”

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, Thank You for forgiving me of my sins. I come to you today with my injured heart. Please remind me how you always forgive me and continue to love me even when I fail you and sin against you. Please give me compassion and love for the person I am am seeking revenge and struggling to forgive. Please continue to lead me in you teachings so that I can reflect You more clearly in my everyday life. I love You and thank You for you unconditional love. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Watch “Matthew West – Forgiveness (Lyric Video)” on YouTube

Do you want to experience a love unlike any other? Jesus died on the cross for you. He loves you and wants to help you. If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, please click here 4 Simple Steps to Jesus.

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

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Cinda “Zoe” Christiansen (Guest Writer)

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

March 9th 2019 – Glorify God With How We Speak

“Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit; The poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” (Romans 3:13-14)

A forest fire can start by very simple means. All it takes is one small spark landing on dry timber and quickly lives are displaced or even destroyed. James reads,

“Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” (James 3:5)

When I was a young boy I lived in Northern California, The forest was incredible and so were the infamous “California Redwoods” Trees so massive that they were as big as round as a full size pickup is long.. One of the scariest things I remember the about living there is the massive forest fires. If you have ever witnessed a forest fire like I have, then you have probably noticed that the embers can soar to incredible heights and travel enormous distances – far greater distances than you would think.

The words that come out of our mouths also can do the same. Words of gossip and cursing travel far and wide causing destruction wherever they go, whether to the heart of a child or to the ears of an adult. Words of grace; however, build up, encourage and glorify God. Our words can hurt people; they can derail lives, ruin reputations and sidetrack the work of God. They can also glorify God and lead people to Him. The things that we say carry much farther than we may ever know and once we speak them, we cannot take them back. Speaking again of the tongue, the book of James continues,

“With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:9-10)

“Do you speak words that build up or words that destroy? I think we are all guilty of that at times. We should however seek to glorify God with what we say.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Please give me the power to speak grace into the lives of others. By my own strength, my words are polluted. By my own strength, my words can destroy. By Your strength, my words can build and encourage. I want to glorify You in my speech. I pray this 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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

February 27th 2019 – (a•new*) our Minds to Break Free from Bondage

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is anew creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

* A·new əˈn(y)o͞o/ adverb literary

In anew or different, typically more positive, way. “HE had begun anew, ” once more; again.“tears filled her eyes anew” synonyms:again, afresh, another time, once more/again, over again “may we please begin anew?”

When it comes to breaking free from bondage, I have found that many people often dread the work that comes with being free…And to be honest, I completely understand!  I don’t know about you, but just hearing the phrase, “breaking free from bondage” seems strenuous and down-right uncomfortable! This is especially true for many people when it comes to the certain areas such as theese. Quitting addictions, losing weight, or even reaching a health or fitness goal.

After years of working with people, and experiencing change in many areas of my own life, I have come to find that the reason change often seems so difficult is that we are trying to make it happen backwards! The bible says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7), this means that if you are ever going to experience freedom in any area, you are going to have to start to see yourself as free on the inside before you see it on the outside.

I have learned that lasting change in any area truly starts and takes place right in between our ears, or in our minds. We must realize that we have an enemy, the devil, and he can only attack us in one area, in our minds, and he does so with lies and deception. One of the most common lies that the enemy tries to get us trapped in is to make us think that we are, (and will always be) slaves and in bondage to things. He comes at us with this lie because he knows that as long as he can get you to believe that you are a slave to a certain habit, behavior, or thing, you will never be able to break free, which is right where he wants you to stay.

The good news is that Christ came to set us free from ALL bondage! In fact, if you are born again, the Bible says you are ALREADY free. “Whom the son has set free, is free indeed” (John 8:36).  This means that when you ask Jesus to be your Savior, that you are free from the power that sin once had over you.

I like to think of it it like a person who is in a jail cell with the door locked, and when Jesus comes along, He comes and unlocks the door, and says, “come on out, your free!” But just as we are about to step out, the devil says “wait, who told you that you could leave? You are not really free, and you never will be. You will be in bondage to this thing, habit, or lifestyle forever!” And so, the born again believer stays in the jail cell, with the door wide open, when all they needed to do was take a step out into freedom!

Taking this step into freedom does require action on our part, and it takes effort to a•new* our minds with God’s Word, and learn our identity in Christ.  The first step often requires us humbling ourselves before the Lord, and repenting of our behaviors that are not glorifying to Him, and ask for His help to change, maybe even a make public confession to people that can hold us accountable. Jesus will always be there to respond to our cry, and He is a good Father that loves and desires to take our hand and lead us into freedom.

The next step is getting into the Word of God, and asking God to a•new* our minds, and help us to see ourselves as the overcomer that He has created us to be. It also means praying specifically about the things that we desire change in on a daily (sometimes multiple times a day) basis!

This process of walking into total freedom can often happen in steps and stages, like peeling back layers on an onion. The reason for this is simply because many of us have lived in bondage to things for many years and it often takes time for our minds to be renewed, and our hearts to respond to the Lord and change. The important thing to remember however, is that God has already given you everything you need to walk in total victory and freedom in every area of your life, and the very first step is to see yourself as you truly are in Christ…totally and completely set free!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Your word tells us that our flesh lusts and wages war against our spirit. I am not to gratify the lusts of my flesh. I will walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Father, You know at times, we will struggle with the temptation to gratify the desires of our flesh. I understand that lust is saying, “I must have this at once.” Much of this battle is in my mind and thought life. Because of loneliness and inner pain at times, we may entertained lustful fantasies in our minds and thoughts. This only increased the desire for us to gratify our flesh. At times, this battle has been more than we could stand and we may have given in to the lust of our flesh. I ask You, Father, reveal to us any ways in which we have broken your moral laws. I also pray for a breakthrough in the life of who you may lead my way today. I pray for continued guidance and verbal articulation of your word. I love you Lord .. in Jesus’ name Amen.

(Please pray this prayer for Repentance and Salvation)

Father God, I am truly sorry. I repent and ask You to forgive me. I want to follow you and ask you (into) or (back into) my life. I acknowledge that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me all my sins are forgiven in His name. I repent and cancel all access to my life by evil spirits. I claim the blood of Jesus over me as my protection. I command all evil spirits that have entered my body or mind, to leave me now in Jesus’ name. I now make a new commitment to guard my eyes and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. I will walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I will work to take control of my body and anew my mind, not giving into fleshly lusts. I will depend on the Holy Spirit to help me accomplish this, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

http://www.scripturalseeds.org