We can have all our doctrines right and be experts in the Scriptures like the Pharisees, but it will be of no use unless we apply it to our lives by faith.

This was the reason why those Israelites whom God delivered out of Egypt could not enter their promised land: “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2).

For the same reason, God cannot answer our prayers unless we pray in faith: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7).

Can you believe?

Two blind men came to Jesus and said to Him, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”(Matthew 9:27).

Why did they phrase their petition for healing in this way? According to tradition, being blind was a punishment and curse for something terrible they or their forefathers must have done. So the men actually were saying to Jesus, “You know that we are not worthy of getting anything from You. If You would do this for us, it is Your choice and mercy.” And the Lord answered them, “According to your faith let it be to you” (Matthew 9:29).

With this Jesus was saying, “The question is not whether I am willing to show mercy—I am always willing—but can you believe?” They could, and they immediately received their sight.

We must hold onto the Word that is sown into our hearts. The faith we need to see our prayers answered only comes and develops from God’s Word: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). 

Yet so much of the Bible teaching we hear and the Scripture we study or memorize is taken away by the enemy, either through our unbelief or because we don’t hold on to it and meditate on it.

Joshua was instructed by God not to let the book of the Law depart from his mouth, but to meditate on it day and night in order to have success (see Joshua 1:8). Continuously meditating on God’s Word drives it deep into our hearts and develops faith.

Our faith must be in Jesus.

Abraham believed God when it was impossible for him to have a son. The blind men believed in Jesus to get their sight. Likewise, our faith does not rest on our faith, or in some imaginations we cook up on feelings. Instead, our faith is in the person of Jesus Christ.

When we pray for a need, let us deliberately say, “Jesus, You are more than able to do this. I believe You can do it and I trust You to do it.”

It takes a childlike heart to believe.

I heard the story of a father who was frantically trying to rescue his little son from their burning two-story house. The child was alone upstairs, and the father couldn’t get to him because of the flames and smoke. Standing downstairs in an open area, he called out to his son. “Daddy, I can’t see you! I can’t see you!” the boy answered. “Son, jump!” the father shouted.“I can’t see you, Daddy,” the boy hesitated. “Can you hear my voice?” the father asked.“Yes!” the child cried. “Then jump in the direction of my voice,” his father responded. “Don’t worry; I will catch you.” The child jumped, and his father caught him in his arms and carried him to safety.

We may find ourselves in the midst of confusion that feels like thick smoke and flames, where our rational thinking and reason don’t work. That’s when we need to respond and pray like a little child: “I don’t understand, Lord, but I will jump at Your Word and trust You to fulfill Your promise.”

Remember that Nothing is impossible with God.

Whatever your need may be today, Jesus is able and willing to help you. There is nothing impossible with Him.

Fill your heart with God’s Word, meditate on it and put your faith in Jesus. And then, when you pray, believe like a little child and you will see your Heavenly Father meet your need.

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

We come to you as a Humble Children, You know what we seek before we even say it, You even know what we need before we even ask. In times when our hope, faith and strength are fading Jesus please lift us up. Make us see your light, help us truly believe in you with childlike faith. Make us strong, give us your power to survive the Great storm, you are the only father we trust. Jesus we love you, we worship you and praise you. In Jesus name Amen

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Rob Lavallee 

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

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 one’s 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.

My Prayer to God

Lord, I pray You would help us to discern the lies of the enemy—especially when the enemy hides within the strife and tension he creates. Open our eyes to recognize any spirit of division or confusion as the enemy’s plan to divert us away from the plans of God. We submit our lives to You. Help us to surrender to You in every way and choose to live according to Your laws. Teach us to submit to You by reading and speaking Your Word so that it is implanted in our hearts and becomes part of our lives as we live in obedience to it. Help us to submit to You in prayer, in praise, in worship, and in gratitude. 

Thank You, Lord, that You have given us 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. Give us  wisdom to identify the enemy’s work in our lives and the power to resist him.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and want to know what it is all about, please click and read the link below.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

“Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow.” (Psalm 25:4)

Have ypu ever come to a crossroad in life? Have you ever prayed for direction and not be sure of what God’s answer is?

Are the constant appeals of our world pulling you in a million different ways, causing you to question if you’re headed in the right direction?

You may have dreams you want to fulfill. But life is confusing at times. And most days it seems like you’re just surviving instead of living out those dreams or accomplishing your goals.

Numerous distractions.

Others telling us what to do

Too many choices.

Endless interruptions.

There have been days I’ve felt like one foot was fixed to the floor, while my other foot scurried in every direction. Expending a lot of energy and mental fatigue, but going nowhere. Can you relate?

Wouldn’t it be awesome to wake up every morning and be assured you’re on the right path towards your goals? To know with certainty that you’re headed in the right direction? To feel confident with each step, without constantly questioning yourself?

Too many times I’ve second-guessed a decision I was confident about. I want so desperately to follow God’s will that I’ll pray, but then feel uncertain, not wanting to make a wrong move. I wonder: Maybe this isn’t what I’m supposed to be doing. Maybe this isn’t part of God’s plan for my life.

As I’ve wrestled with indecision and insecurity, I’ve sought God’s Word for help. A few months ago, I found a priceless nugget of truth in the Bible. It addresses our desire for guidance and shows us what to do when we need clear direction.

King David composed these words in a beautiful psalm, tucked within the pages of the Old Testament:

“Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you”(Psalm 25:4-5).

These verses reveal David’s humble and teachable heart. He wanted to be guided by God and led by His truth. David knew God was his Savior and placed all his hope in the One who created the right path for him.

We find the answers to David’s request for guidance only a few short passages away. Promises we can claim for our own lives:

“The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands”(Psalm 25:8-10).

Based on these verses, when our hearts are humble and truly seeking God’s will, we can be confident of this:

1. God will always show us what is right for us, stuff will fall right into place. 

2. When we get sidetracked, God will direct us back to the right path.

3. We are not alone. God leads and teaches us along the way.

4. God leads those who obey Him with unfailing love and faithfulness.

If you’re unsure about some things in your life, don’t wait another day to figure it out on your own. Ensure your heart is in the right place of humility, and then ask God to help you. Once you’ve asked, trust that God is directing you.

If you know you’ve gotten on the wrong path, seek God for direction instead of looking to the world for answers. As you take steps to follow and obey God’s voice, He will lovingly show you the way.

You may have prayed and can’t wait for, or are unsure of God’s answer.

The good news is that God’s written word will never lead you wrong. it’s our instruction manual.

Last month I asked the Lord help me etch 150 verses of scripture onto my heart and mind, so I’d always have them with me — especially on days when I feel like I’m going in circles and lacking direction or maybe spiritually under opression. 

“The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’” (Psalm 32.8)

“Let the favor of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90:17)

Today, I’m praying these verses over you.

Dear Lord, help your child come to You when He/She in need of direction. Remind them that the world can’t offer what they deeply long for, nor does it hold thier future, but You certainly do. Thank You for guiding them today. May you show them in their heart what is truly best for them all distractions aside. May they listen to You for your direction for their life, and they always know that your answer will always follow Your witten word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

“Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14),

Mismated is literally a term that means unequally yoked. A yoke is a wooden frame or bar with loops at either end, fitted around the necks of two animals, which tied them together and forced them to function as one. That is what Paul speaks of here. He is referring to the Old Testament scripture in (Deuteronomy 22:10) where the Law says, “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.” That may seem strange to us, but God was concerned that the Israelites not tie together two animals of a different nature.

A friend was sharing his testimony, He stated he had became a Christian as a young teenager, his life changed dramatically. However, his faith was put to a difficult test when he fell in love with a non-Christian some years later. She was very preety, adventurous, engaging, and intelligent

As the relationship became more and more serious, He was faced with the most difficult decision of his life. Should he ignore the Holy Spirit’s nudging to break off the relationship with her? Or should he obey and break his own heart in the process?

He made the right decision. He broke up with her and left for college in tears. He shared that he never felt so lonely. But he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he had done the right thing.

This is a fairly common scenario—A Christian dates a non-Christian. They fall in love. If the other person is not willing to make a real commitment to Jesus, then the Christian must make a choice: go through the pain of a breakup, or be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever. Unfortunately, many choose the latter—and later regret it.

The Bible warns against being unequally yoked in (2 Corinthians 6:14) “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”.

Because the phrase “unequally yoked” can be a bit difficult to understand, I like to read this verse from The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible. These verses read, “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil?”

God gives us this command for our own protection and joy. He knows that we can’t have the best possible marriage if we have different beliefs, values, and priorities from our spouse. And even though obedience to God can be difficult, especially in a situation like this, it’s always worth it.

Some Christians may find themselves saying, “But this person will change.” Maybe so. God has the power to change someone, and we should never give up on praying for those we care about. But the verse in 2 Corinthians doesn’t say, “Do not be unequally yoked … unless you think the person will change.” It says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers”

Furthermore, (1 Corinthians 7:16) says, “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” It’s our responsibility as followers of Christ to be obedient to God’s command and to trust Him for the best possible plan for our lives, even if that means our lives will go in a new direction.

This issue was even a concern in the Old Testament. When God was leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, He gave them strong commands about how they should deal with the pagan nations.

(Deuteronomy 7:3-6)  says: Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

If you are a follower of Christ, you are a chosen child of God. He doesn’t want you to settle for less than His very best.

It’s worth noting that a Christian who finds himself in an unequally yoked marriage should not use this issue as grounds for divorce. God has the power to turn around the most desperate situations and use them for good. Even so, a Christian can save himself a lot

The Law reflects that it is cruel to yoke together two things of incompatible natures. This is what Paul has in mind here. What he is saying is there are certain associations that Christians have with unbelievers that constitute a yoke, and these associations are a cause for misery and shame in a Christian’s life. We are to avoid them. They will hinder us, limit us, bind us, and keep us from enjoying the fullness God has in mind for us. They are like trying to mix oil and water. It is impossible. You can see this by the illustrations he uses.

The great unanswered question is, What is a yoke? Is a business partnership a yoke? Is a union membership a yoke? Is marriage a yoke? Is a date with a non-Christian a yoke? Not all associations are yokes, but yokes have two characteristics by which we can always identify them. The first one is that a yoke is not easily broken. It is a kind of permanent relationship. When you yoke two animals together they are bound together; they do not have any choice. Uncomfortable as it may be, they must do things together.

The second mark of a yoke is that it constrains someone; it does not permit independent action. There is something that forces you to comply with what the other one wants to do, whether you like it or not. Any kind of relationship that does not permit a believer to follow his or her Lord in all things is a yoke. Even a friendship can be a yoke. If it is the kind of possessive friendship in which you feel you cannot do what God wants you to do because you will offend your friend, then that is a yoke, and it must be broken.

Prayer:

Thank You Jesus that You love me and want to see me wholesome and complete, free and confident and able to function as I was intended. Grant to me that I will glory in the fact that I am the temple of the living God and that You dwell in me. Continue to guide my footsteps on the right path and correct me with your written word and through your Holy Spirit that dwells within me. May I not seek my own understanding but trust that you will make all things right. 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

P.O. Box 57284 Tucson, Arizona 85732

Early in the day, i pray asking God to reveal His will for me. Many times, I am quickly aware of a direction I should take. Sometimes, though I am not so sure.

At times, such as these, I continue on with my day by being productive and only doing those things that I feel God would be pleased with. I prefer to please God, not annoy Him. 

Not so with, Jonah. He was given a clear directive from God. He was to travel to Nineveh and confront the people living there, of their wickedness. They were guilty of pride, greed, brutality and adultery. God was not pleased with them.

Jonah, did not agree with God’s calling for him. He wanted “out”. Instead, of fulfilling God’s Will, he chose, instead, to attempt to hide. He wanted to get as far away from God as he could. No way, did he want to confront the inhabitants of Nineveh. So he stole away on a ship to Tarshish; thinking it would solve his predicament. Instead, it only made things worse. The ship succumbed to a mighty storm at sea and Jonah found himself, not only overboard, but swallowed alive by a leviathon (Whale) of the ocean. Read Jonah 1 – 4

We might say, he went from the frying pan, into the fire! Realizing what he had done, he beseeched God to forgive him.

Jonah’s story contains a strong warning to all godly people. We can easily miss the blessing of God’s grace, when extended beyond our comfort zone. In our human-ness, we only have enough vision to see our circumstances where we are at. God, on the other hand, sees the whole picture. He has planned our lives, and He will fulfill all His plans if we trust Him.

One of my favorite verses in the bible reads “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord. “They are plans to give you hope and a future. When you call upon Me, and pray to Me with all your heart, I will be found by you and I will bring you to a place, that I kept exclusively for you”. (Jeremiah 29:10-13)

The point is: I would prefer to do God’s bidding and listen to His guidance, rather than go against His leading and direction for me. So, each day I pray that I will hear His directive and I will not just agree, I will obey.

Prayer

Father God, We in our own selfishness and disobedience really create so many more problems then we should have to endure. We can be so arrogant at times. We find ourselves needing Your help, crying out to You and graciously You come to our rescue, In these times we are humbled and helpless, we listen because we have made a mess of our lives on our own.

So many times after you have lifted us up, and helped us, we forget and return to trying to control our situations rather than trusting You to lead us.

Father God help us to, not only hear your voice, but give us the strength to obey Your calling for our lives. . We love you. Amen

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries 

“Is it important for a Christian to have daily devotions?”

“Daily devotions” is a phrase used to describe the discipline of Bible reading and prayer with which Christians start or end their day. Bible reading can take the form of a structured study using a devotional or simply reading through certain passages or perhaps reading through the Bible in a year. Prayer can include any or all of the different prayers—praise, confession, thanksgiving, petition, and/or intercession. Some people use prayer lists for their daily devotions. Others prefer to pray as they read the Word in an interactive manner, listening for God speaking to them through the Bible passages and responding in prayer. Whatever the format, the important thing is that our daily devotions, as the name implies, be truly devoted to God and occur daily.

Yes, it truly is important to spend time with God daily. Why? Paul explains it clearly: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). The experience of having His light shine in our hearts comes in our times spent in the presence of God. Of course, this light comes only from knowing God through Christ. This marvelous treasure of the Holy Spirit is given to each of us as Christians, and we need faith to believe it and act upon it. In all reality, if we truly yearn to experience the light of our Lord, we will need to be with God . . . every day.

I once heard, “The gospel brings man to God; devotions keep him close to God.” It was James the half-brother of Jesus who wrote: “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). In essence, James is telling us that the children of God will yearn to seek a closer relationship with God, to draw near to His heart, to understand more and more about Him, to obey His commands, and to hold onto His promises. The impure and double-minded will have no such yearning in their hearts. In fact, they will seek to separate themselves from God as much as possible. 

The expression “draw near” was originally associated with the priesthood in Israel. Under the regulations of the Old Covenant, the priests represented the people before God. However, prior to coming near God’s presence, the priest had to be washed physically and be ceremonially clean. This meant he had to bathe, wear the proper garments, and offer sacrifices that made his own heart right with God. Then he could “draw near” to God on the people’s behalf. In time, the Hebrew word for “drawing near” meant anyone who approached the presence of God in worship and prayer. The term became synonymous even of those whose hearts were far from God when they “worshiped” Him. For example, Isaiah 29:13 says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”

But the sincere believer, the one who has truly humbled himself before God, knows that God wants His people to draw near with true and pure hearts: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). This applies the language of the Old Testament ceremonial system to us today. It tells us that, as those ancient priests prepared themselves to be near God, we also should prepare ourselves spiritually to worship Him, whether in formal worship or in our personal devotional times.

We know that the humble person comes to God for his salvation and submits his life to Him as Lord, but also the truly humble person will see that his relationship to God is inherently more than that. In claiming to be a true follower of Christ through our having a saving relationship with the Father through the Son, we can readily understand the psalmist who wrote, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (Psalm 73:28).

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Prayer

Heavenly Father, today is the day I want to commit to spending more time with you and in your living word. Prepare my mind and spirit to receive you Holy word. Bring alive the word in a way that I can’t get enough. I love you Jesus.   Amen

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

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!

My Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, Your word tells us in (Galatians 5:17), that our flesh lusts or wars 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 Pray for a breakthrough in the life of who you led my way today. I pray for continued guidance and verbal articulation of your word. I love you Lord .. Amen.

(Please pray this prayer)

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.

If you prayed this prayer please let me know, send me a confidential email and i will personally pray for you every day and offer you guidance with God’s word. roblavallee@gmail.com

Asking Jesus into your life.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural  Seeds Ministries

* 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?”

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

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

God is big, we are small. God is perfect, we are not. God is all-powerful, we are weak. God is never ending, we have but a few years on the earth he created. God is beyond us, like the end of the universe is beyond the earth. Trillions of lightyears separate the boundary of limitless space and bright burning stars, yet it all falls under God’s hand. We should be careful to remember this when we speak of him.

When we talk of God, we should make certain we understand that we can never fully understand him. Yes, he has revealed himself to us, but only in part. When we think of God, we should that his “thoughts are not (our) thoughts”, and “neither are (our) ways (his) ways”. There should be a humility in us when we think or speak of God, a deep reverence that knows he is beyond us in every way. And this respect, if held rightly, won’t lead us further from God, but closer. It will do so because we will ask with the Psalmist, “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:4) There is nothing God gets from us that he can’t get better from himself, yet, he still loves and pursues us. God is definitely love, and this makes us want to know and be amazed by him.

Be humbled by the grandeur and selfless love of our God who is beyond our full comprehension.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for how I am instantly humbled when I think of You and your love for me. I am undeserving of your love, however it does not stop you from seeking me out nevertheless. Lord God may I always have. humble submission to your authority. Help me, Lord, to recognize that pride is a barrier to effective prayer and that humility opens the doors of the heavens to those who know and love the Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

I want to know Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

On my way home from work, I saw these words written on a sign at a local church. It said, “Hope Is Real.” I thought about it and (needless to say) agreed with the statement. But as I pondered the simple little phrase, I realized that for many people hope is not real. I believe that is one of the most important gifts we can give to another person, the gift of hope.

You see, someone who is hopeless and alone usually cannot help themselves out of their situations. They have a great sense of loss and helplessness. We must come alongside and bring the good news of Jesus Christ and all that He has to offer.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

One definition for hope is: To look forward to with confidence or expectation. We must bring the Word of God with all its hope to someone who does not know it is real. When we bring hope, we bring life. It is life changing to finally believe again. It is more than just asking God for something we so badly need; we must expect our miracle. Somewhere in the midst of asking, believing, and expecting God to answer, we will find what we are looking for.

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalms 27:13)

I have felt for a long time that the biggest problem we have in the world today is there are so many people who have lost hope. There seems to be so many hurts, problems, sicknesses, troubles, financial issues, family problems, world issues, political concerns, etc. It seems the world has no hope.

Apart from God, it is an awful, hopeless place. But with God’s help, we can make it. I want you to know that whatever situation you find yourself in at this moment, there is hope. You may not be able to see or feel the hope, but it is there for you. How do we find the hope? There is only one place where hope can be found, and that is in Jesus Christ.

I did a word search in the Bible for the word ‘hope’ and found many wonderful passages. They were mostly in Psalms and Proverbs of course. David found himself in situations many times and had to remind himself that Hope is Real. It comes from God. Here are a few of David’s prayers to God:

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalms 39:7)

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalms 42:11)

“Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.” (Psalms 25:4-5)

“No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame,” (Psalms 25:3)

“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,” (Psalms 33:18)

“Remember your promise to me, for it is my only hope.” (Psalms 119:49)

Trust God. He wants you to trust Him. You need to agree with God about your situation. What does God say about who you are and what His will is for your life? Don’t go by your feelings. Instead we should remind ourselves that God only has plans for us that are good. Jeremiah helps us remember what God has to say about us. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

We do not need to be disappointed and feel alone. We can have hope! God’s love in our hearts will ignite the flames of hope we have buried deep inside our hearts. God’s Word can encourage us as we read it with great anticipation and faith. Paul writes in Romans these words of encouragement:

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5) 

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) 

Here are a few key scriptures that help us to understand what we need to do. Words like “be strong, take courage, wait, reverently and worshipfully fear God, tarry for the hope, wait patiently for it, and be joyful in hope. They are all action words we need to work on. Read these scriptures out loud during your Devotion times. Watch how hope will come alive in your heart as you speak the Word of God over yourself and your situation.

“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!”(Psalms 31:24)

“Those who reverently and worshipfully fear You will see me and be glad, because I have hoped in Your word and tarried for it.” (Psalms 119:74)

“But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

“But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24)

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”(Romans 12:12)

 I don’t want this to be just another Devotion. I want it to bring life to you. Pray out loud the words of hope into your life and your situations. I have hope! My hope is in the Lord! I will be strong and wait on the Lord. I trust God with my life and the life of my family. Speak these words every day. Hope Is Real. It comes from God! He has placed it in your heart. Speak it out and watch what God will do for you.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13)

What is your need today? Is it for a financial blessing, healing in your body, a new job, a house or car, etc? Whatever it is, take it to Jesus today. Is there someone in your life today that needs encouraging? Speak the Words of hope that bring life. Hope Is Real, just try it.

Ask Jesus into your heart. click here

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

It’s easy to say, “give your cares to the Lord and trust Him” when everything in life seems to be going well. It’s easy to say, “I trust you Lord with everything I own” when bills are paid on time and when you just got a salary increase at your job.

However, if God striped you of everything you own; If God told you to leave the very job that’s paying your bills, will you trust the Lord enough to do it?  Will you trust God even when you don’t understand; even when life hurts?  If God told you to leave the familiar and enter the unfamiliar, will you trust Him?

For many of us, God has done just that.  He has taken from what’s “oh so familiar” and redirected paths into the unfamiliar.  You don’t understand what’s happening in your life; what to do or where to go.  The only thing you know is that the Lord gave you a word (instruction, a promise, vision, etc) and the only thing you have to hold on to is that word.

I understand the feeling; you’re not alone.  There is encouragement for you today.  Here are 4 things to remember whenever you feel as though you don’t understand what God is doing and/or allowing in your life.

Consider the Source

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last (Revelation 22:13).

Who else can say that but God?  No one, only God can say such a thing.  God knows everything: the past, current and future and our knowledge and understanding doesn’t even compare to the knowledge and understanding of God –  even when it applies to our own life.

Also, when we don’t understand what God is doing in our life, consider the source – Who is it that you’re trusting; God or yourself?

Here is something to remember.  Man is fallible; we fall short and at times we’re unable to keep our promises.  Man can give you instructions that are misleading and imperfect.  With God, none of these things are possible.  God keeps His promises, God gives you right instructions according to His perfect will and He won’t mislead you.

No matter how much we don’t understand life as it is right now; no matter how uncomfortable it may seem or how hard it gets, don’t give up.  If God is with you – the same God who spoke life into you, the same God who IS and knows the beginning and the end, the same God who knew you before the foundation of this world -is with you, then ask yourself who or WHAT can stand against you.

Consider the source and seek to be obedient to the Lord, even when you don t understand what God is doing in your life; don’t worry about “this or that” because God has provisions for you.

Trust the Lord

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

When you learn to trust the Lord, you will begin to have a sense of rest in the Lord knowing that He has everything under control even when life seems to be out of control.  Trusting God will get you to the point where you make a decision to trust in Him and NOT in your own logic and understanding.

As Christians, we must make a decision to trust Him regardless of how scary the situation may seem. Trusting God doesn’t prevent you from being in uncomfortable situations but it does allow you to be placed in a position where you seek the Lord’s presence, provisions, guidance and promises.

Be Obediant

The bible states that “obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22)” which should tell you a lot about our God.  God places significance on obedience.  He’ll much rather you be obedient to His instruction than for you to give Him sacrificial praise, money offerings, fasting and etc.

God told Abraham to leave everything he knew; everything he was familiar with and to enter into the unfamiliar.  God told him to go into a land which he will show him which meant Abraham didn’t know where he was going; He only had the instruction of the Lord to depend on.  Abraham could have easily said, “God, where will I go; what will I eat and drink”, but he didn’t.  He chose to trust God and be obedient and as Christians we must learn to do the same.

Have Faith in the Lord

“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8).

As much as we would like God to give us “what where when and how” upfront all the time (all in one shot), God does not operate like that.  Sometimes, God will place you in a satiation where you have to trust Him and He’ll give you piece by piece as you obey and trust Him.

As a person who’s been in this situation, I will tell you that this only increases your faith as you learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

I don’t know what your story is (your more than welcome to share it below), but I encourage you to trust God even when you don t understand what’s happening in your life.

You may not understand life and all that’s happening; but God will give you a piece to the puzzle as you learn to step out on faith, trust and obey him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

I ask that you place within me your obedient spirit so that I may be obedient to your instruction.  Help me Lord to walk by faith and not by sight.  I don’t always understand what you’re doing in my life, but I make a decision to trust you GodIn this season, I ask that you place within me your spirit of joy, peace and rest.  Give me joy; peace and rest to endure all that comes my way.  Right now, I make a decision to trust you Lord because I know that you’re in control of my life even when my life seems to be out of control.

Lord, I thank you for clarity, guidance, provision and strength.  I pray and ask for these things in Jesus name; Amen.

If you don’t personally know Jesus or never asked Him into your life. I pray that you would click here and read a prayer that will change your life. Jesus, I trust You

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries