Tag Archives: Christian Devotion

February 12th 2020 – Who Do You Belong To?

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:” (2 Corinthians 1:1)

“Who are you?” I’m not asking what your name is but rather who you are as a person. When faced with that question, usually our first response is something like, “I’m a teacher” or “I work as an engineer” but those answers are not who you are but what you do. To really see who you are you need to look past yourself and understand who you belong to.

Many people may not realize it, but we all are in one of two camps. We are either children of God or children of the devil. Now many may find that hard to believe, but Jesus made it clear in John 8:44 when he was speaking to the Pharisees. He said, “For you are the children of your father the devil and you love to do the evil things he does.” In very clear terms, Jesus declares those who do evil to be of the devil. Well if that’s the case, how can any of us become children of God when we have all done evil? The answer is found in one name – Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross, He took our sins with Him. They were buried never to be remembered. Now, when we ask Jesus to forgive us and believe in His death and resurrection, we are adopted into His family to become children of God.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:12)

So now that you understand the question, let me ask again… “Who are you and who do you belong to?”

“Our primary identity is not in what we do but in who we are or ‘whose’ we are.”

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Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned and done evil in Your sight. Today, I come to You and pray that You would forgive me of my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again and trust in His sacrifice for the forgiveness of my sins. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I can live for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior please click here 4 Simple Steps to Jesus

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 21st 2020 – But, God!

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Two of the most important words in the entire Bible are “But God.” You and I were dead in our sins and trespasses… but God.rescued us.

Linda was an alcoholic and Steve was a heroin addict… but God… Charles was dying, but God… healed him.  The world needs to hear these words… but God. When I read local and world news, it becomes evident that this world is a complete mess… but God.

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

We have to step out of our comfort zones and tell people one on one about Jesus. We have to get Bibles into the hands of those who don’t have them or who have never even seen one. We have to show the love of Jesus by bringing the Good News to those who have lost hope, to those who are living in the mess that has been made of this world. What mess have you made? God is in the business of fixing messes. God will break through the situation if you’ll allow Him. Maybe you know this. Too often we keep this to ourselves when we should be telling others.

“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father Thank You for sending Your only Son to die for my sins. Please forgive me for times when I have selfishly kept the light of the Gospel to myself and please give me the courage and desire to tell others about the reason for my hope, which is Jesus. 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 19th 2020 – Ministering and Comforting Others

“Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.” (1 Chronicles 19:2)

One of the great blessings of being a Christian is to minister and comfort others, especially when they are in deep pain.

Sometimes though, it feels like the weeds of our own bad decisions choke out our ability to do so. Sure, we must deal with earthly consequences of our sins, but that in no way prohibits us from being able to show God’s peace and love to others. In the throes of our own pain, we are comforted with God’s words saying:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Because of our past experiences, each of us are uniquely qualified to minister to others. According to the Bible God has specific plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 2:10). Our Father God carries the title of “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). He is training us to minister and comfort others.

“…who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

So don’t ever count yourself out of ministry because of the mistakes or your past. The same merciful embrace God gave you in your day of distress could become the hug you share with others in their day.

“The measure of someone’s greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the grace You give me. Help me not to carry around the woundings of my past, but to lay them down at Your feet. Lord, I want to extend the same grace You have given me to others. I need You. Please work in my life and in my heart. I surrender it ALL to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

December 25th 2019 – The Real Purpose of Christmas

Merry Christmas from Scriptural Seeds Ministries. 

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:1)

The Christmas season is always a busy time of year for almost everyone. For us as Christians, it’s a joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus. We marvel at the fact that God humbled Himself and was born in a barn. But why did He come?

First, Jesus Christ came to proclaim good news to the spiritually hurting, to preach the good news to us.

He came to heal the broken-hearted. Isnt it interesting that with all the advancements in medical science, they found ways to reduce and even remove pain. But there is pain relief or cure for a broken heart.

Jesus came to set people free who are bound by sin. Jesus came to open our spiritual eyes to our spiritual need.

He came to lift up those who have been crushed by life. He came to give us abundant life. Jesus came to lift us from the physical realm of the senses to the spiritual realm to show us that there is more to life.

He came to give His life for us. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He came to die.

On this evening over 2000 years ago ,Jesus Christ came to this earth for you and me. So we can come to Him to give our lives purpose and meaning, to forgive us of our sins, and to give us the hope of Heaven beyond the grave. Christmas is not about trees and flashing lights or shopping and presents. Christmas is not about the gifts under the tree. Rather, Christmas is about the gift that was given on the tree when Christ died there for our sins and gave us the gift of eternal life.

“Jesus Christ came to this earth to seek and save those of us who are lost, just as a shepherd seeks a lost sheep.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me so much. Thank You that You would leave heaven to come, suffer and die for me. You are the Gift of all Gifts. Sometimes I have neglected the gift that You gave, forgive me. Lord, I have been blessed by You. Thank You for Your incredible plan for my salvation. I will continue to give all of my life to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Salvation is a gift from God, not a reward.

Ask God for your Gift!

Eternal Salvation is a gift from God that will enable you to spend eternity in Heaven. To receive this gift, you need to accept Christ into your life by confessing with your mouth,  a prayer of salvation. You must also repent and turn away from your sins and begin living a life that is pleasing to God. If you feel you have done too many bad things for God to forgive you, you are wrong. Jesus died a brutal death on the cross for the sins of all mankind.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Whether you are old or young, rich or poor, a liar, a thief, an adulterer, a murder and so on, if you truly repent with a sincere heart and accept Jesus, YOU WILL BE SAVED…. Say a Prayer of Salvation & Ask Jesus Into Your Heart Now!

“Heavenly Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, 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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

December 24th 2019 – Glory To God In The Highest

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8-14)

Can you imagine being there on that day?  Here these shepherds were minding their own business, when all of a sudden these beautiful angels appeared to them and spoke these words to them, and to us: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8-14)

God’s heart for us is peace and goodwill.  God desires our hearts to be full of goodwill, and full of peace.  God is not into bringing torment to us.  He gave us a Savior, Jesus Christ!  God, the Father, loves us so much that while we were still lost and in our sins, Jesus came and set us free!  Jesus did not come to hurt us or knock us down.  He came to lift us up, and to empower us to do great things!  Jesus said that He came to seek and to save those that were lost.

As we wrap up the year and get ready for 2020,  make a decision not to get caught up with all the stuff of this world. Get caught up in in Jesus, let His love and goodness get all over you.  See how much He loves you, by hearing these words that the angels spoke to the shepherds on that day so many years ago: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”  Enjoy Him, because He wants to enjoy you!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, This Christmas, help me not get caught up in the stuff and caos of society, help me get caught up with You Lord “My Father”.  I am going to enjoy You, and thank You for all You have done for me.  You gift of love and salvation is the greatest gift I could ever receive. Thank you for my friends and family.Continue to me with Your Spirit and use my life to share God’s peace with the world. 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 and want to quench yor unquenchable thirst. Click Here to learn more.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

December 9th 2019 – Teach Your Children In God’s Ways

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

Teach your children in God’s ways.  Why, you might ask?  Because if we don’t the devil will make sure that he teaches them in his ways.  Many a dictator has said, you give me the children and I can take the world.  We, as parents, need to take time each day to teach our children of the wonders of God.  It will bless them and help them to be more than conquerors in life.

When your children are young and you go for a walk, show them the wonders that God the Father has made.  Show them the ocean and the fish.  Show them the mountains and the flowers. Show them the butterfly and the cow. You see what I mean?

As they start understanding the Word of God, have times of devotion.  Read the Bible and let them read it.  His Word is powerful and it will do as it says in (Psalm 119:130) “The entrance of Your words give light; It gives understanding to the simple”. In other words, the Bible will make our children smart, and not just knowledge smart but life smart.

When our children are grown, we as parents can still pray for them and trust that the Word that we have planted in their hearts will not return void but will accomplish all that it was set out to do.  God’s Word is a seed and if we did our job as they were growing up, we know that God will make sure that there is a great harvest in their lives.  Our children will be blessed in all that they do. When they have their own children they will have much more patience and able to experience greater peace in a world that is in caos.

“If we don’t teach our children to follow Jesus Christ, the world will teach them not to.”

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word is so powerful.  It is filled with life and truth.  Today, I make a decision to plant Your Word deep within my children’s hearts to the best of my ability. I ask with absolute faith and I believe that it will bring forth a hundred fold in their lives. I love you Jesus and are so greatful that You are my Savior. We pray this in Jesus’s 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

December 5th 2019 – Crucify The Flesh Daily

“For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you.” (1 Corinthians 15:31)

When Paul wrote this verse, I believe that he may have been facing the possibility of physical death. The leaders in those times possessed such hatred towards the truth, they were having believers fed to lions and crucified because of their faith in Jesus. While most of us may never see that kind of persecution, there is a death we must face on a daily basis – the death of our sinful nature.

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

While the world may look at us strangely when we talk about dying to ourselves, it is an important part of following Christ. It is not a physical death but rather the death of our sin and our selfishness. If we desire to do something contrary to God’s Word we willfully stop and instead seek to walk in obedience. As we choose to obey God despite ourselves, we are dying to our will and surrendering to God’s. Now, just so you know, it isn’t always easy. Our sinful nature desires nothing more than to rebel against God, but because of Jesus, we have the power to choose what is right and to walk in His light. As we do, we’ll find ourselves no longer living for ourselves but living for our Lord…, there is no greater life than that.

“The more we die to ourselves, the more we can live our lives for Jesus.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You are so good to me and have shown me such great love. Because of Your love and what Jesus did for me, I desire to live for You. Fill me with Your spirit and give me the power to do what is right. I not only desire You to heal my spirit and flesh, but also help me to die to myself every day because I dont want to overcome by my sinful nature. May my life be a reflection of You for all the world to see. In Jesus’ name,  Amen.

Seeking Jesus in your life?

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 life you 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.

Please take a moment to contact me, I would love to pray with you personally for this wonderful new journey you are on.  roblavallee@gmail.com 

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

November 23rd 2019 – In God’s Perfect Time

“Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,” (2 Peter 2:9)

Too much of the world, it seems, has always been in a battle of good and evil. We see people do evil deeds and desire to see justice done. Sometimes, we can even get impatient waiting for justice. After all, wouldn’t it be best for God to get rid of all the evil people in the world? Surely, if he did, then none of us would be here. The reality is that God’s grace is on us all. He is perfect in his justice and will punish those who do evil. However, He is also full of mercy and desires that none should perish. Peter puts it this way…

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

One day, God will return to punish evil, but until then, He is giving evil people time to turn to Him for forgiveness and grace. Because of His patience, men like the apostle Paul went from being a hater of Jesus and His followers to being the greatest missionary to walk the planet. That same change is happening all over our world as people’s hearts are changed by the Gospel.

“God is patient in judgment. He will punish or reward at the perfect time.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace and for being so patient with me. Father, help me to walk in that grace and to share Your love and mercy with others. In this world of pain, help me to trust in You even when I may not understand all that is happening around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

November 3rd 2019 – Why Would God Choose Us (Part 5 of 5)

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;  and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—  that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Today, as I wrap up this mini-series on why God choose us, I want us to look at how the Bible brings these verses out.  God looked down from heaven and He chose us in spite of all of our problens. Isn’t that great? We are chosen by the Great “I Am” to be a co-partner with Him, to help people and share His message of eternal salvation.  God could have just done it Himself, but He chose to work through us to let people see the light.

That’s why we can never boast in ourselves, because we know who we are.  We know where we came from, so our boast needs to always be of God.  As we looked at David, Rahab and Joseph these last few days, we could have looked at so many more in the Bible that started off badly, yet God took them on a journey and made something great out of them.

So today, don’t put yourself down. See yourself the way God your Heavenly Father sees you, “IN JESUS”!  That’s why He sees you blessed, because Jesus is blessed. That is why He sees you healed, because Jesus is healed.  Start seeing yourself the way God sees you and never forget from where you came, and yet, always remember where you’re going. Enjoy the ride, He brought you this far, He’ll get you to the finish line.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You have gotten me to the starting gate and I know that You will get me to the finish line.  It’s not about me, it’s about You, Christ in me, the hope of glory. 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.

Please Share or Like today’s messge.

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

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

October 29th 2019 – Ears Tickled

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

What does it mean to have your “Ears Tickled”?  Generally it refers to being told something specifically with the intent of it being pleasing to the listeners .. and more to the point, it’s generally, at least in part, an untruth or a exaggeration.

The apostle Paul wrote a warning for the church: “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear”

The Greek word translated “itching” literally means “to itch, rub, scratch, or tickle.” To want one’s ears “tickled” is to desire massages rather than messages—sermons that charm rather than challenge, entertain rather than edify, and please rather than preach. The people Paul warns about will have, as one commentator put it, “ears which have to be continually titillated with novelties.”

Have you ever had someone tickle your ears? We all love to have words given to us that make us feel good. More than likely, most of us desire to hear words that only bring positive reinforcement rather than correction or warning. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to want to be encouraged, but when we reject difficult truth in exchange for “nice sounding” mistruth, then there’s a huge problem.

Throughout the Bible we see messages of warning and also messages of hope. The people of Israel were, on more than one occasion, warned about their sin while also being promised many blessings. The Gospel, itself, involves hard truth and good news. God clearly states that we are sinners who deserve to be punished. This is not “fun” to hear, but it must be considered in order to understand the Gospel. If we reject the reality of our sin, we lie to ourselves and the death and resurrection of Jesus lose their power and meaning. In order for God to change our hearts and lives, we must submit to the hard Truths as well as the glorious promises found in the Bible.

“Biblical Warning: Sugar coated preaching  is dangerous to your soul.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the Bible. Help me not to gloss over the hard Truths of Scripture, but to understand them. Give me wisdom and discernment to grow from both encouragement and correction as I follow You. May I always seek Your word with my heart focused on You. Thank you for the  wonderful way You reveal Yourself to me in it. I want to know You more and love You more. Please help me commit my heart to seek You and grow in my understanding of who You are and how much You love me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org