July 25th 2018 – Open Our Spiritural Eyes

“When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” (Mark 8:22-25)

I was listening to a sermon on the youtube. This guy was preaching on Mark 8. In that Scripture, Jesus spit in the man’s eyes and said, “What do you see?” The man said, “Men like trees, walking.” Then He touched him again and the man was healed. The preacher said, “See, even with Jesus it doesn’t always work the first time.” I couldn’t believe he said that! So I set out to find the meaning of that verse. I studied what Gods word said, and then I heard the Lord say, “Why don’t you just ask Me what it means?” Before I could even ask Him, the Lord began revealing the meaning to me. It wasn’t that it didn’t work the first time. It’s that before He opened the man’s natural eyes, He opened his spiritual eyes.

Let’s look deeper at what happened before this story in Mark 8. Jesus had just finished feeding 4,000 people with only seven loaves of bread and the Pharisees came to Him and said, “Show us a sign.” Jesus was probably thinking, Were you not just here for lunch? Talk about spiritual blindness! But it continued as Jesus and the disciples got on a boat. The disciples forgot to bring bread, and when Jesus said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,” they thought He was mad because there was no bread. Do you think Jesus, who just fed 4,000 people with seven loaves of bread, was worried about not having bread? He wasn’t talking about physical bread. He told them they didn’t understand what He was talking about because they have eyes but do not see. Then, as soon as they got off the boat, Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man. Do you see the symbolism there?

Maybe you’re thinking you need Jesus to open your spiritual eyes, too. The Bible says there is a veil over our eyes until we believe. But even after that, we must beware of our pride. If you read the Bible and think you know everything already, you won’t see anything. It wasn’t until I asked God to tell me the meaning of the story that I understood. If you take your Bible and pray, “Lord, I am blind without You. I can’t understand the Bible unless You show me,” then He will open your spiritual eyes, and things will begin to jump off the page.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, We can’t truly see or hear without You. We want to receive spiritual sight today. We want Your words to jump off my Bible’s pages at us. Help us to see things in Scripture that we didn’t see before. We want You to speak to us through Your Word for our jobs, careers, families, marriages and our lives. We want to live by the Word of God, not by natural bread, alone. We love and praise You. In Jesus’ precious 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 about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 24th 2018 – Strong Hands

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“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building.” (Zachariah 8:9)

When the world is looking for strength in a person, the ones that come to mind are our military professionals, emergency responders, athletes or the well known CEOs who exhibit power and endurance. These men and women work hard to push through and accomplish their goals. Granted we can learn from those who have done these things, yet God points us in a different direction when we are looking for strength. In Zechariah chapter 8, God tells Israel to “let your hands be strong,” but He does not just leave it at that. He points them to the source of their power.

“These words by the mouth of the prophets,”

God, in essence, is telling Israel to be strong because He has spoken promises over His people that can be trusted. When they face difficulty in rebuilding the temple or face trials from other nations, they can be strong because God said that He would one day bless them in a mighty way. This is great for Israel to hear, and yet this Truth is the same for us. Throughout the Scriptures, God has spoken promises over us. Each one can be held on to with complete confidence that it will come to pass, because they are the words of a God who cannot lie. These promises from God are to be trusted above our emotions, above our circumstances and above the wisdom of the world. These words from the Lord will drastically change our lives – if we believe them with all our heart and trust in the One who spoke them.

“When we are weak and hurting, Our strength is found in the Word of God.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I praise You today for the power of Your Word to change my life. Thank You for the promises of Scripture that are for my good. Thank You for the corrections in the Bible that help me to become more like Jesus. Teach me to trust in each one more and more each day. 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 about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 23rd 2018 – Help Restore, Not Comdemn

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“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)

The way some people behave, you would think that the Bible says, “If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should first gloat about it and make sure that you condemn him or her for it. Then proceed to tell as many people as possible.”

The Bible doesn’t say that, of course. Here is what it does say: “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself” (Galatians 6:1)

The idea is to lift up those who are overtaken by sin, not condemn them. The idea is to restore them, not destroy them. Notice this verse says, “You who are godly.” A truly godly man or woman will seek to restore such a person. The book of (James 5:19–20) says, “My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.”

One day, God forbid, it could be you or me. We should never lower our guard or rest on our credit spiritually. No matter how long you have known the Lord, don’t think that you are above falling, because you could fall. Any believer could. That is why we want to always be moving forward, walking with God and progressing spiritually. We never want to coast along in neutral.

And if you know someone who has fallen into sin, then your goal should be to restore, not to destroy. Your goal should be to help him or her, because the next time it could be you.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your correction in times when I have lost sight of You. Help me to correct others with wisdom and gentleness. Use me as a tool to bring restoration to those who need help along the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 22nd 2018 – A Fading Ember

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“And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the LORD). But still the people acted corruptly.” (2 Chronicles 27:2)

“I don’t need to be in church to be a Christian.” This statement has been uttered by many people throughout the years and often times is the sign of a struggling believer. The statement itself is correct. Anyone can have a relationship with Jesus Christ whether they are part of a church or not. Yet, God created the church to be a crucial tool for spiritual growth.

(Hebrews 10:24-25) “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching”

Like a burning ember that’s been pulled out of the fire, Christians who are not connected to a church often struggle to burn brightly in this dark world. This is one of the many benefits of fellowship. When we meet together under the banner of Christ, we stir each other up to good works. We are able to hold each other accountable as well as hold each other up during difficult times. While there may be times of transition when a believer finds themselves alone, our goal should be to find other like-minded Christians who can encourage us in our walk with Christ. Needing other believers is not a weakness; its how God designed it so that we could demonstrate love to one another in a way that changes the world.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the church and for the fellowship of other believers. In Your infinite wisdom, You created the church so that we could know You more and be equipped to share the Gospel. Father, I pray that You would give us unity as believers and help us reach out in love to others who may be on the edges. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 21st 2018 – Know Jesus Personally

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I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.. (Psalm 18:1-3)

In Matthew 12:43-45 Jesus describes an evil unclean spirit that leaves a man and wanders for a time looking for a place to go. The evil spirit returns to the man for lodging and finds the house unoccupied, swept, and put in order. The spirit then brings in seven other spirits more evil than itself. It’s very important to understand we can be following good biblical morals have a ‘clean house’ so to speak and not have Jesus in our midst personally. This leaves us in a dangerous place. Here in Psalm 18 David writes to God;

You are my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my strength, my shield, my salvation, and my stronghold. Do you know that He is yours and that you are His?

When we submit to God, because we are His, the enemy will flee (James 4:7). It’s mission critical for our hearts and lives to be personally connected to Jesus Christ. When we know Him in our hearts and lives, by His Grace, when the arrows of the enemy are pointing at us we can say “He is MY shield that protects me”. When the enemy gets me unsettled “He is MY fortress with high walls, ditches, and moats where I can safely hide.” When the enemy seems to outnumber me and overwhelm me “He is MY deliverer that rescues me, destroys the enemy, and makes a path and a way for me to escape.”

The Lord, through His death on the cross, defeated not only death, but also all principalities and powers that try to wreak havoc in this world against humanity. If you haven’t made your relationship to God personal do it now! If you have strayed draw close to Him and He will draw near to you. You are loved! No matter what we face, however the enemy attacks our family, fellowship, or workplace we know where our victory comes from. With this knowledge we can harbor a love, joy, and peace that passes understanding in our hearts and lives through Christ.

“You have got to make your relationship with God personal.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I’ve tried to make things right in my heart and in my relationship with You and others, but I realize I can’t do that, only You can. Please forgive me of my sin Lord. I trust that Your death, burial, and resurrection is the only thing sufficient for me to have a relationship with You. Please fill be with the power of Your Spirit that I might trust in You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 20th 2018 – Don’t Be Self Righteous

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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:

(1 John 1:8-10) “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

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.

“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

July 19th 2018 – Jesus, Our Intercessor

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“Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, “O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?” (Zachariah 1:12)

In the book of Zechariah, God pulls back the veil as the prophet records a vision he receives from the Lord. In this image, we see the pre-incarnate Christ atop a horse in the midst of myrtle trees. This alone would be a wonderful sight to behold but what happens next is amazing! You see, as Christ is amidst the myrtles, He begins interceding on behalf of Israel. He cries out to God the Father asking for His mercy. What an amazing picture of grace. The people of Israel, with no voice of their own, see their Messiah speaking on their behalf. This amazing interaction still occurs to this day.

(Hebrews 7:25) “Therefore he (Jesus) is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”

As we trust in Christ for forgiveness, we don’t just receive a one time stamp and then get tossed to the side to fend for ourselves. No, our King stands before the Father interceding for us. While Satan may try and accuse us, our Lord Jesus stands between him and the Father and proclaims us forgiven. What an amazing Gospel. What an amazing Lord.

“You have a great intercessor and His name is Jesus.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I praise You now because of what Jesus has done. Because He went to the cross, died and was raised again, I can have forgiveness of sins. And because of His intercession, I know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Armed with this Truth, may I be used to share the Gospel with others so they may know the amazing love of Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen

If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, please read below.

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

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

If you have not asked Jesus into your lifeYou can receive Jesus Christ right now by faith through prayer.

Prayer is just talking with God. He knows your heart, so don’t worry about getting your words just right. Here is a suggested prayer to guide you:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

If you have done this, then congratulations!

(Luke 15:7) says that when one sinner accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Saviour the angels rejoice. So there’s a party going on in heaven right now over your decision! Remember this date as your “second birthday,” the day you were born into a new life in Christ! You have God’s Word that he answered your prayer.

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

July 18th 2018 – Unity and Love

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“Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!” (2 Corinthians 10:12)

Sometimes, we all are not going to get along. This is one of the realities of living among broken people. Even in the church, we will have different opinions about how or why things are done. In 2 Corinthians 10, we find the apostle Paul, who happens to be writing parts of the Bible, being criticized for his letters. Rather than celebrate the Words of Truth that Paul was sharing, some people took the opportunity to question Paul’s authority.

Now, imagine if all that energy used to bring Paul down was used to bring Paul and others up. How many more lives would have been changed because of that unity and love? God uses our bond of love as believers to minister to those outside the church. When the world sees people love each other without condition, they begin desiring that love. When the world sees people forgive one another, no matter the situation, they begin craving that forgiveness. This is the power of our unity as believers. When we love in the middle of our disagreements or misunderstandings, we shine a floodlight in the middle of a dark world.

“The more you love in the middle of the battle, the brighter you shine in the midst of a dark world.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for those You have placed around me. Help me to walk in unity with my family and my church. Fill me with Your love so that I can love others. Help me understand Your forgiveness so that I can better forgive others. 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 about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 17th 2018 – Distracted and Drawn Away

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The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord. (1 Kings 11:2-3)

When Solomon dedicated the first temple in Jerusalem, he prayed, “May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. May he give us the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands, decrees, and regulations that he gave our ancestors” (1 Kings 8:57-58).

That sounded great. But there was just one problem. Solomon was not doing that himself. Before the temple was built, the people would offer their sacrifices to God on pagan altars. Solomon did this, too, all the while saying that he loved the Lord. Solomon was married to an Egyptian who worshipped false gods, so he worshipped false gods as well.

Did Solomon cause her to worship the true and living God? No. But she persuaded him to worship at pagan altars. That is why the Bible warns us, “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)

That is what happened to Solomon. One thing led to another, and things went from bad to worse. Solomon also had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Not only was this wrong morally, but it caused him to turn to other gods these women worshipped.

Maybe as a Christian you are attracted to some of the things the Bible has told you to steer clear of. You are like a moth drawn to the light. Learn the lesson of Solomon, who did it all and reaped the consequences.

“There is great value in having times throughout each day when we turn off the distractions of mind and heart and focus on our relationships with others, especially the one with the Lord.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help me to turn off all the distractions around me, and make time to focus on the relationships that matter the most. Forgive me when our time together get pushed aside because of the distractions and disobedience, from this day forward may I not allow the distractions to take from the real things that are important. Open my heart to Your word and may my heart be good soil for the seed of Your Word today. In Jesus’ precious 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 about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 16th 2018 – According To The Spirit

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“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3-4)

No man has ever been a better example of righteous living than Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect, sinless life. He was giving, loving, caring, serving and passionate about saving people. He was selfless in every action and relentless in pursuit of His goal.

In John 15:13 Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” When you place the wants and needs of others before your own wants and needs you lay down your life for them. Serving others is serving God.

We should be following Jesus’ example. Is that example too lofty for us? No, it is not! Once you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He starts His work in you. Through the power of the Spirit, you can rise above the flesh. You can be the example of Jesus in the lives of everyone around you.

“You are never left alone when you alone with God”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your selfless gift of dying for my sins. Thank You that I do not have to be a slave to sin, but can be a bondservant of righteousness through You. Please forgive me for my sins and give me the power to live for You. Heal me of my illness, my human condition. Help me to grow in You through fellowship, study, prayer and by loving and serving others. Send people into my life that will love me and encourage me in a way that I have never experienced before. Please fill me with Your love and passion for people. Help me to place the wants and needs of others before my own. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can show the love of Jesus to those around me. Break off any lables and titles that the world has placed on me. I invite You into my life with absolute surender and obedience. I love You Jesus! In Your heavenly 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 about how to ask Jesus into your heart. 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

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