Tag Archives: Grace and Mercy

June 21st 2019 – Unforsaken

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“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Those are familiar words. Jesus spoke them from the cross, but they were first spoken by David when he was going through a severe trial.

Jesus Christ was forsaken that we might not be forsaken. God the Father forsook His Son on the cross when He was made sin for us.

But David says in, (Psalm 22:4-6) “Our fathers trusted You, and You took care of them; now I’m trusting You, and nothing seems to happen” We can envision David saying, “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people” He did go through that. But our Lord went through it to an even greater degree. Can you imagine the Lord Jesus, who said, “I am the Good Shepherd,” saying, “I am a worm”? But He became a worm for us so that we might become the children of God.

We cannot be forsaken because the Savior was forsaken in our place. We can’t be forsaken because of His promise to never leave or forsake us. We cannot be forsaken because of His abiding and eternal presence with us. We cannot be forsaken because of His purpose to work all things together for good to those who love Him.

And what is His purpose? That we might be conformed to the image of His Son. David became a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he had to suffer to do it. In spite of your circumstances and feelings, remember: God will not forsake you.

When you go through trials, your circumstances and feelings can deceive you into thinking God has forsaken you. But the Bible promises us that He will never forsake you. Next time you feel forsaken, remember that God is always true to His Word and will accomplish His purpose of conforming you to the image of His Son Jesus Christ…

“God will not forsake you if you have asked Him to be you Saviour.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for never forsaking me and always being her with me, even when I don’t call on You for help. You are the one true God and I find strength everyday knowing that I can always call on You. Please continue to draw me close to You and strengthen me with you Holy Word. I Love You Lord.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Watch “Adelaide – UNFORSAKEN (Official Music Video)” on YouTube

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

June 20th 2019 – It’s Not You, It’s Me.

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“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner–not even to eat with such a person.” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

Have you ever hear the classic break-up line”It’s not you, it’s me.” Maybe you’ve used or been handed that line before, but you know what? There’s some truth behind it. Deep inside, you know it’s the sin inside you. Relationships are complicated. They are complicated even more by the sin in your life. Are there rocky relationships in your life? Own the problem; look at yourself.

Whether at work, home or church, relationships are everywhere, and you are to be stewards of them. Relationships can promote your walk with Jesus or they can derail you – if you allow it. You are called to love the unlovable, but there are times when you will have to decide which relationships are healthy and which relationships are not. A relationship that is prompting you to sin and wander from your walk with Christ is not a good relationship.

There are some who think that if they get away from other people they will get away from the sin that’s in the world. Convents, monasteries and the like have all been built with this mindset. That’s not a solution. This only walls them in with their own sin while denying the world the “salt” in their lives. Jesus told you to be the salt of the world. You know what salt does? It makes people thirsty. You are to make this world thirst for a relationship with Jesus. If you withdraw from the world, this doesn’t happen.

You are a steward of the life God has blessed you with. Whether you participate in wrong activities or not, the decision is yours to make. God has called you, Christian, to be active in other’s lives and a part of that is confronting sin, with a heart of love. When this fails to happen, everyone gets hurt; feelings get bent, anger festers, and relationships become broken and shattered. Confrontation is uncomfortable. It’s not fun. But love requires us to step beyond the bounds of comfort because we love others. Thi is the calling of all Christians… to be leaders in the world.

“The main problem in our lives is the sin inside us. Often its just easier to blame the people around us.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the forgiveness of my sins. Even though I have done wrong things, You ask me to come to You. It is through Your payment for my sins that I can come to you in repentance. Lord, I am sorry. I ask that You help me to own up to the things I try to hide from You. Empower and equip me with the knowledge of Your will for my life. Lord, give me the power to live for You, and help me to walk in the newness of 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

June 19th 2019 – 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. In the book of (James 5:19–20) it 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

June 7th 2019 – Trust God and Believe

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“…who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith; he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.” (Romans 4:18-19)

Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old. Think about that. What God was promising was not possible, yet it was possible because God promised it. Like the illustration above says, “God has a plan, do you trust Him?”

Many times in my life, I was faced with situations where I could not see how it could possibly work out. Time and again, I saw God come through and it built my faith. What has God brought you through? Think for a moment of all the situations that God has brought you through. Let your faith fight your fear. Do not be controlled by fear because when you fear, you are not controlled by faith. You have to make the choice. Will you choose faith or will you choose fear?

“We need to believe and trust in God even when it doesn’t make sense.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I praise You in all circumstances, You that You are a God who keeps His promises. You tell us in Your bible that all things work together for good to those who love You. What an incredible promise! Lord, please help my faith and give me the occasion to help encourage another in their faith. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have you ever acknowledged Jesus as you Lord and Savior? If you do not know Him personally, I encourage you to believe and trust Him and not to pass up the precious gift of His love and eternal life. Jesus died on the cross for you and me. Jesus loves us and wants to help us through the storms. 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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

June 5th 2019 – Don’t Compromise, Stand For Christ

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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

It seems today that it’s open season on Christians. People attack us as intolerant, Bible-thumping bigots. Because we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, we are dismissed as simple-minded fools.

What are we to do? We should keep praying. We should keep preaching. And we should keep living the Christian life and not compromise our principles.

It’s interesting to note that when Daniel was attacked for his faith, he didn’t change a thing. As a Jew living in a foreign country, his custom was to open his windows, face Jerusalem, and call upon the name of the Lord. It was a habit of prayer. From the time that he was a young man, he always took time to pray. He established that grid in his life, and even in his nineties, he was still praying.

But Daniel’s enemies had set a trap for him. They convinced the king to sign a decree that made it illegal for him to continue his daily practice of prayer. Yet for Daniel, to not pray would be a compromise.

There are certain things in life that you won’t feel comfortable doing. Listen to what God’s Spirit is saying to you, and don’t compromise. Don’t deny Him. Sometimes to not confess Him when the occasion arises is to deny Him. An unbeliver may say something like this to a Christian, “I have been watching you. You’re different. What is it about you? Where do you get your value system? Why are you happy all the time?”

I have heard Christian’s say things in response like this, “Oh, I was brought up well. It’s just my way. You may choose to live differently. I don’t want to push my beliefs on you.”

No, tell them it’s because of Jesus Christ and the change He has made in your life. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

“Don’t Compromise, Stand for Christ!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You your forgiveness of my sins and for saving my life. Thank You for inviting me to be part of this great adventure of following You. Thank You for the gifts You’ve given me. Lord, I pray that You use them for Your Kingdom. Help me to get rid of any selfishness and to put others first. Keep me from ever not sharing the real reason why others may see me as different, for why I may glow with happiness and have values that are not of the world. The real reason is because of You Lord! Thank you for changing 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

June 3rd 2019 – Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me

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“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9)

What kind of Christian are you? Are you a steadfast follower? Or one that comes out for Easter and Christmas? What does a biblical follower of Jesus look like as opposed to a cultural follower of Jesus?

“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

The Gospel demands and enables us to turn from our sin, to take up our cross, to die to ourselves, and to follow Jesus. These are the terms and phrases we see in the Bible. Salvation now consists of a deep wrestling in our souls with the sinfulness of our hearts, the depth of our depravity, and the desperation of our need for His Grace. Jesus is infinitely worthy of our immediate and total surrender. If you are hearing the Word of God and not doing what it says, then you are living with the untapped potential of all that following Jesus brings.

I encourage you to follow Jesus wholeheartedly–serving His body, giving, and sharing His goodness with others. It’s when we lose our life for His sake that we find it.

“God desires an active faith in each of us. He is saying, ‘Follow Me.’ Will you follow Him or make excuses?”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Help me to follow You. Give me the strength of Your Spirit to love and serve, laying down my life for Your glory and the Gospel. Thank you for not ever giving up on me. There are times in my life when I’ve struggled and have tried seeking my own way in life. I ask that You would continue to fuel my hunger for Your word and more of You in my life. Your knowledge of me goes beyond my comprehension. Please help me to exercise my faith, knowing that Your purpose for my life is for my good, and Your pleasure. Help me choose to follow You Lord, even if its just one step at a time. Thank You for Your reassurance 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 29th 2019 – Stability

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“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Stability… Everyone desires to have it in life. After all, who wants to live life in chaos? Unfortunately, life doesn’t give us a choice. Each morning when we open our eyes we await things that will catch us off guard. Good or bad, these elements in life are part of living in a broken world. The good news is that we are not alone, and there is a source outside the chaos that we can lean on in times of instability.

“But the LORD has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge.” (Psalm 94:22)

Throughout Scripture, God is referred to as a rock. This is not to say that He is made of granite, but it is a reference to His steadfastness. Like a mighty mountain, God is immovable and secure in all His ways. Because of this, He is our source for security and strength. When life brings surprises, we can stand on our God. When people change, our God will not. When situations arise, our God is our refuge. As you wake up this morning, spend time in God’s Word and get to know Him more. Read His promises with great anticipation. Grasp His love and mercy and allow that to strengthen you today. The more you know about God, Jesus and His might and power; the more you will be equipped to stand strong during the storms of life. Life may bring instability but with God we can remain stable.

“The more mature you grow in the Lord, the more stable you become in life and in all matters.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your great love for me and for Your steadfastness. Your Word tells me that You will never change and that Your mercy endures forever. Lord, help me to find stability on You, my Rock. Bring to mind Scriptures in my times of doubt and encouragements in my times of need. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I will remain brave, strong and steadfast in the faith. 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 21st 2019 – Look To Jesus

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“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3)

There is just something about the name of Jesus!  His Name is the most beautiful of all names.  This verse shows us that Jesus radiates God’s very glory, and He expresses the very character of the Father.  Jesus said that he who has seen Him has seen the Father.  He and His Father are one.

The reason this is so important is that many times we do not fully understand God, because we have never seen Him.  But when we look into the Gospels and we read about Jesus, He shows us who God the Father is.  You see, Jesus was a healer, and a provider.  He let John lay His head on His chest.  Jesus is the One that calmed the storms and raised the dead.  He is the One who promised those that believe in Him that we will have eternal life.

When we understand that to look at Jesus is to see the Father, we know that the Father will heal us, and the Father will calm the storms in our lives.  He will provide for our needs, and He wants us to lay our heads near His heart and rest in Him.  You see, the Father loves us just like Jesus does.  The Father and Jesus are one, and the great love that Jesus showed by going to the cross to die for you and me is the same love that the Father in heaven has for us.

That is why Jesus said not to pray to Him, but to pray to our Father in heaven in His Name, and He will answer us.  So today, get to know the Father.  He loves you and cares for you.  To know Him is to know life.  So enjoy His presence in your life each and every day!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I praise You in all circumstances Lord, Thank You for your overwhelming love that You have for me. I want to know my Father better and see all that my Father is, and the place that He wants to take in my life. Please help me share who You are to everyone. I pray this in Jesus’ glorious 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 19th 2019 – I Knit You Together

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“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:1-14)

When I read this verse, my mind wanders off to a turn of the century style living room, softly lit by a crackling fire. There is grandmother in this room, gently rocking back and forth in her maple rocking chair as she knits a sweater for a beloved grandson. I can see the expression on her face, as all her love is, for this moment focused on this new creation.

In her mind, she can picture how the sweater will look when it is finished, and the joy that it will bring to her grandchild’s heart. With anticipation, she continues to count (knit one, pearl two, knit one, pearl two) as the sweater begins take the form that she always imagined it to be. This project is not work for her, for it brings much joy to her soul and delight to her heart because each stitch is filled with love.

Now for a moment, think about how God knit you together in your mother’s womb. Our Father uses such a tender illustration of how He lovingly, and carefully created our being. He could have blasted us together, or snapped His fingers and we would have appeared, but He chose a more delicate process in which He could be intimately involved as He formed us in our mother’s womb…knit one, pearl two, knit one, pearl two. Stitch by stitch, loop by loop, each one of our parts was delicately and carefully crafted by Almighty God.

Your life is not the product of an impersonal evolution, but the result of a loving Father, who planned your creation before the foundations of the world, and took the time to knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are a masterpiece, and your very existence brings much joy to your Father’s heart.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for creating my inmost being. I know each strand of my DNA was fashioned by You, stitch by stitch, loop by loop, with a love that called me to life. I was created in love, and for love.  In my heart, I want to express my love back to you for being such a wonderful Father to me that You would knit me together in my mother’s womb. 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

May 13th 2019 – We Need Each Other

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“And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” (1 Corinthians 12-21)

This week chances are real good that you’ve been out to the market to get some groceries. Without really thinking about it, each week we go to the store to get food then drive home all the while taking for granted that the store will be there the next time we run out. But what if it wasn’t? What if the stores closed or ran out of food? Now, I’m not saying this to cause alarm, but I am trying to paint a picture of just how dependent we are on one another.

Each one of our lives impacts those around us and this fact is even greater inside the church. You see, God created the body of Christ to function together. Without the feet, there would be no walking and without the eyes, there would be no seeing. God did not make us to work apart but rather together as one. Yes, we all have different pasts, pains and problems but God is greater than that. With His Spirit in each of us, we can find the power to work together for the sake of His Kingdom.

“We need God and we need each other.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for my friends and family and for the church. Thank You for those who are united under the name of Jesus to love one another and to help each other. Father, I pray that You would help me take my eyes off myself and to focus them on You. As I do that I will find strength and unity as the body of Christ. 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.

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org