Category Archives: Self Control

May 15th 2019 – Don’t Miss It

“These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.” (1 Timothy 6:5)

If we look around long enough, any of us can find someone who appears to have it all together. Even now, an individual has popped into your mind. To you this person is a picture of goodness. Their gracious manner and presence may have you imagining God’s love hovering over their head like a glowing halo. While you can’t picture God loving you, there is no doubt in your mind that He loves that person.

If this is you… you’re missing it..

In God’s graciousness, none of us are as bad as we could be, and yet we’re all born sinners. Each one of us begins life at the same place, lost. Yet because of God’s great love, He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place thus making us perfect. You heard me right, perfect. In this world, it can be easy for people to appear good. They may care for others, give to the poor and act nice, but without Jesus, they still need a Savior. This is what makes the Gospel the “good news”. While we could never be good enough to earn God’s love, He showed His love towards us anyway in the life, death and resurrection of His Son.

“What consumes your mind controls your life..”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that Your love is not dictated by my good works but is freely given through Jesus. Help me to truly understand the power of the Gospel and to share it with those around me. Teach me through Your Word and guide me by Your Spirit. 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

May 8th 2019 – Challenging Moments

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Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. (John 18:10)

Sometimes in life, we face challenging moments. This moment was a summons to contest for Peter. Even with all that Jesus had taught him and with all that he had learned, he still had to make personal application. Peter had to learn how to do it God’s way and not his own. Do not lean to your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5,6)

I think that is something all of us have to learn. We would like to learn it all at once or all in one sitting, but that’s not the way it happens. Most of us will have many opportunities, in some, we will succeed beautifully and in others, we will fail miserably. Each day that we awake, however, brings us the glorious chance for a fresh start and a new beginning. It is important to remember that and, in that process, we need to be careful of the ears.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for growing me. Thank You for not being content to leave me as I am because what I am is not as good as what You want me to be. Lord, I may squirm and protest against the process but please continue to conform me to the image of Your Son. 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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 28th 2019 – 2019 – Sinful Nature

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“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

When we solely act on our feelings it is very dangerous. If we always do what what we “feel like” doing, most times it will end up getting us in trouble. Following just our feelings will lead us into sin, and that can lead to broken relationships, depression, prison and even far worse. So the question is, “What filter do we use to help us control our thoughts and feelings?” While the world may say, “If it feels right do it,” God’s Word tells us that we don’t have the ability to know what is “right” without His direction. We need His guidance, through the Bible.

When we process our thoughts and feelings through the Bible’s instructions and God’s promises, we will be better able to replace the bad or harmful thoughts with those that are good and beneficial. Submitting to God’s Word and His Holy Spirit allows us to know what is good and right. It gives us hope in something greater than our own understanding and therefore, we walk in light rather than darkness. Jesus will walk with us if we allow Him to. We don’t have to be alone.

Do not take your dark brooding thoughts out and play with them. Do not sit and focus on what’s wrong. Don’t allow your desires to run away with you. Take your thoughts captive. Do not walk in fear. Fight the good fight. God will give you victory!

“Sometimes thoughts and feelings are great and good and holy; sometimes they are dark and brooding and torturous.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the power I have in Christ to overcome bad thoughts and harmful feelings. It is because of Your promises of hope and salvation that I can rejoice no matter what my situation may be. It’s with Your power that I can control my emotions rather than my emotions controlling me. Please protect me from myself and my own destructive sinful nature. Help me forgive myself and seek You first. Thank You Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Do you 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

If you are in need of prayer for yourself or others, pleaseClick Here and we will pray for you..

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

April 15th 2019 – From Pain To Passion

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“How fair and how pleasant you are, O love, with your delights!” (Song of Solomon 7:6)

Within the book of Song of Solomon, we encounter the dramatic love of Solomon and his bride. We also encounter their first fight. Yet, it seems that as soon as the fight begins, it ends. It does not end in simple tolerance of one another, but it ends with that renewed passion & desire. This leaves us asking, “How can other marriages move from pain to passion so quickly.” The answer is simple yet sometimes difficult to live out. It’s the two main biblical principles of forgiveness and love. When a marriage has a foundation of active forgiveness and genuine love, there may be conflict, but it won’t remain long.

So how do we bring these two elements into our marriages? Again, the answer sounds simplistic but without Christ, it is impossible. To live within these elements of love and forgiveness, we must choose to be loving and forgiving. Today, choose to forgive your spouse for anything they may do. Choose to love them despite their faults and failures. Choose to love them like Christ loves us in that while we were still sinners, He died for us. That is true love. Even in view of our weakness, Jesus chose to forgive us of everything. In light of this great love found in Christ, we too can learn to love and forgive in our relationships. When we do, we will be equipped to move quickly from pain to passion in our marriages.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:12-14)

“It is impossible to live a life of continual, active forgiveness without a relationship with Christ.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the precious gift of salvation. Your love and forgiveness have changed my life, and I desire to show that same kind of love and forgiveness within the relationships around me. Fill me with Your Spirit and instruct me by Your Word, so that I can live like Jesus. 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

April 10th 2019 – Caring for Those Who Struggle

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“To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold–I speak foolishly–I am bold also.” (2 Corinthians 11:21)

How do you treat those who are struggling? Whether it’s those at your work or a stranger on the street. Maybe it’s an adult child that struggles with drugs or a elderly parent at the end of stages their life. How you treat them tells a lot about yourself.

Why is that the case? Simply because those who are weak and struggling are not often in a position to help us or pay us back. When we care for the less fortunate or minister to those who are barely hanging on, we do so knowing there is no physical benefit. The opposite is also true if we refuse to help those in need because there is no benefit for us, it clarify our motives.

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul begins sharing everything he endured for the sake of others. He did so because his motives were being questioned and yet, he was able to clearly say that he endured all that pain so that the lost would hear the good news. This is what I desire for my own life, I also do not want to live my life with regrets that I didn’t do my best. My prayer is that more feel the same. Unfortantally we don’t often see that in this world anymore..

Today is the day to look around for those in your life who may be weak, hurting or struggling. Let’s serve them with the love of Christ, so that they would be blessed. It may cost us something, but it is worth it in the end.

“How we treat those who are weaker tells a lot about us. But don’t be discouraged by those who are not ready for our help or care. In that case, pray for them.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Forgive me for any times I may have helped people with ulterior motives. Give me a heart for those who are in need and the strength to serve them. I desire to give of myself for the benefit of others, no matter the cost. Fill me with Your Spirit and teach me through Your Word. Please forgive me when I tend to want to give up or figure things out in my own reasoning. Help me to remain obedient, faithful, and filled with Your Spirit to lead, guide and direct me in all things. Please give me patience and compassion in all situations. I love You lord. I pray 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 7th 2019 – When God Is Silent

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“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great day of the Lord.” (Malachi 4:5)

Between the last page of the Old Testament and the first page of the New sits about 400 years of silence.

Four hundred years without a recorded prophet. Four hundred years without a message or a story or any kind of preserved word from God. For four hundred years, we have neither record nor rumor of God speaking to His people through the prophetic word.

As hard as it is for us to comprehend 400 years, the Bible tells us this is how long God’s people waited to hear Him speak. It’s hard to imagine such a long time, but for the people who had seen God’s miracles first-hand, 400 years must have felt like an eternity. And the longer God was silent the worse things got. It certainly seemed as though God had forgotten both His people and His promises.

Where was God during all this time? Had He finally given up on His people and His promises?

It’s easy to share in Christ’s anguish on the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Can you relate? When God goes silent, it doesn’t take long until we assume God must have forgotten about us. Suddenly, we begin to take matters into our own hands – walking away from God in the process. But, God is always at work in our waiting. Waiting reminds us who is ultimately in control and prepares us for what’s next.

In Luke chapter 2 we find Simeon. He was a great man of faith. Having suffered the oppression of God’s people, He heard over and over again how God had abandoned them, forgotten them. As a result, he’s watched many fall away in hopelessness and despair. Simeon, however, faithfully clung to the promises of God, believing that God would come through in the end. And ultimately, God did! Imagine his joy to be one of the first people to hold the Messiah in his arms, experiencing first-hand the promise of God revealed!

Are you in the midst of a season of waiting? Maybe it has been a very long and incredibly frustrating few months or years. You feel as though God has forgotten you; you’re beginning to doubt. Don’t lose hope – God is at work in the waiting. Even during the most challenging seasons, God wants to point us to Jesus. Jesus, the only one who can perfectly and completely fulfill the deepest longings of our hearts.

If you’re seeking hope – look to Jesus. Comfort – look to Jesus. If you’re feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied, look to Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate hope and joy even when the wait feels like 400 years. Through Jesus, the wait is over as our souls find rest in the promise of God fulfilled!

So take some time today and listen to what He wants to say to you. Listen to that still small voice speaking to your heart. He will never let you down. He is always there for you.

“Silence doesn’t mean God is standing still.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, It’s in the silence that we are most desperate to hear You Lord. Maybe You are just waiting for me to slow down and hear what you have been saying. Today I will listen to your voice as you guide me to go right or to go left. Father I know you always have my best interest in mind. I trust you, and can be rest assured that You will guide me for good this day. Thank you for allowing us to Hear Your Voice. In Jesus’ Precious Name, Amen.

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

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 4th 2019 – Spiritual Warfare

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“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”(James 4:7)

We all have a spiritual enemy. For those who don’t know or believe that, their ability to identify the enemy’s work and resist it will be nonexistent. The enemy wants to destroy families, marriages and your life, because God has has a great plan for your life. The enemy on the otherhand, can and will use people, create situations in your life and even use guilt to deceive you from the truth.

“The enemy comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). “He is the author of lies. He is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44). By enticing you to believe his lies, he can steal your joy, kill your love, and destroy your relationships with the very people that love you. He will speak thoughts into your mind that contradict the Word of God, that play on your insecurities and doubts, and cause you to back away from the God the loves you. He will feed you suspicious and critical thoughts and try to make you think that his lies are true and that God’s truth is a lie.

When the opression of the Holy Spirit comes In your life, ask God to help you discern how much is due to works of the flesh and how much is the plan of the enemy in operation. Then take steps to resist both. Pray often that you will have the ability to recognize the enemy’s lies. In order to do that, you must have a clear knowledge of God’s truth. So fill your mind and soul with His Word. Ask Him to show you clearly what is true and what is not. Keep praying and God will reveal this to you. Resist the enemy by choosing to live in obedience to God’s ways and by worshipping God for who He is. The enemy hates that and has to flee from you.

“Enemy-occupied territory, that is what this world is. The enemy comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy you and everything you love. He does not want to see you vanish into God’s company without trying to reclaim you.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, 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.

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 1st 2019 – Battlefield of the Mind

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“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

The battle we face as Christians is very real, and it is often extremely difficult. We see in the Scripture that spiritual battles is most often fought in our own minds. In the verses above, notice the words used to describe the battle. He uses words like “argument”, “knowledge”, “thought” and “imaginations”. This is why studying the Bible is so important. The more we know God’s Word, the more we are equipped to respond correctly. We can often see this really well in those moments we are corrected.

The moment we are corrected over something our mind instantly leaps to our defense. Rather than honestly considering the circumstance being presented, we usually respond by either explaining why it’s not our fault, making an excuse for why it’s OK, or we simply point out what is wrong with the person correcting us. This is the same tactic Adam and Eve used in the garden, and is something we need to guard our minds against. Instead of responding in the flesh, we can take a moment, pray and respond rightly.

Law Enforcement and Military personell take time to train for various situations they may encounter in the field. So schedule time to get in Gods word so that you can bettter prepare how to handle spiritual battles take place in our minds.

“Fill your mind with God’s word and you will have no room for satan’s lies.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving me Your Word so that I am better able to know how to live. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can respond in love at all times. Guard my mind against the powers of the enemy, and help me to think on godly things. 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.

If you would like to request a prayer for yourself or others, please Click Here

If you have never asked Jesus into your heart. Click here to learn more.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

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