Tag Archives: Grace

December 21st 2018 – Making Room For Jesus

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7)

It is the season where we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ; when God became Man. His reception was not a glorious one by any standard. Our Lord and Savior, the Creator of the universe, was born in a barn and lain in a feeding trough because there was no room for Him in the inn. Before we judge the people of that day for not making room for Him, ask yourself, are you making room for Him? Are you making time to spend with Him, time for fellowship with others who know Him, to worship Him and to learn of Him from the bible? Or is there a sign written on your heart and life that says ‘no room’. My prayer for you in the busyness of this Christmas season and in the coming year is that you would make room for Him in your life and in your heart.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving us so much that You would come as one of us, not in ritual and splendor even though You could have, but You came in simplicity and humility. Lord, if there is any way that I have failed to make room for You in my heart and life, I ask You to forgive me and to show me. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Invitation:

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 19th 2018 – Christmas Grace

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10-11)

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh…these were the first Christmas gifts ever. These three things were precious and valuable. But more precious to God were the three people who fell in worship of Him.

Growning up for me was very lonely, I didnt have any family other then my parents, I didnt have siblings to play with either. My father didn’t enjoy being around people so even having friends over was very scarce.

It wasn’t until I had my own family and children before I started trying to enjoy Christmas. I do have fond memories raising my children with trees, carols, wreaths, lights, feasting and the joy of family and friends gathered together. However I didnt really understand what Christmas was all about. I only understood the secular view…Santa Clause and television shows and commercials teaching children greed and selfish gain.

My parent’s never discussed Jesus when I was a child, mostly because neither of them knew Him themselves. It was not until I endured a life changing tragedy, and only at that time did I come to know Jesus personally.

I do understand Christmas now, its not what the world teaches. Its not all about gifts and trees with lights. Its not even about my desires or wants. Its a celebration of Jesus birth.

God wants us to enjoy this season and He wants to bless us with good things, including His GRACE –  God’s – Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Do you know what God desires? His desire is for your heart. Christmas is an opportunity. Not an opportunity for selfish gain, but an opportunity to give God the gift He desires. Maybe you gave your heart to Jesus years ago and have wandered away. Maybe you’ve never given your heart to God at all.

As we celebrate Jesus giving Himself to us, won’t you take the opportunity to give yourself to Jesus?

“You are precious to God.”

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 such a precious gift. I have neglected the gift that You gave and I am sorry. Lord, I have been blessed by You. Thank You for Your incredible plan for my salvation. I give all of my life to 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 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 6th 2018 – 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.

So during these last few weeks leading up to Christmas, 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 season, help me not get caught up in the 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

November 28th 2018 – A Gift of Grace

“Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15:10)

It is a sad reality that few Christians are willing to extend grace to one another as Jesus showed grace to us. On the day that we asked Jesus to forgive us of all our sins, He extended His grace toward us. God extends this same grace to each of us every day. What about your friends and family? Do they need grace? What about co-workers or maybe the person sitting next to you in church?

How quick we can be to call out the sin in others while we ignore the sin in our own lives. This shows just how poor our understanding is of what Jesus did for us. If we truly understand just how far down God had to extend His merciful hand to reach us, certainly we should be willing to reach out with the same grace to others.

Think about this. When we accept God’s grace for ourselves, but are unwilling to show grace to others, are we not claiming the gospel of grace for ourselves while charging the law to others? What pride! Colossians 3:12-13 nu reads, “Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

Be quick to show grace. Be ready to show mercy. After all, if when you look at someone else you see their sin, what do you think they see when they look at you? God’s grace is not only sufficient for us, it’s sufficient for us to show others.

“Grace is not just something we receive, it is also something we give.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace. Please forgive me for the times when I have not shown that same grace to others. Help me to show grace from now on so that others will see You in me. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen

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

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

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

November 26th 2018 – Depleted, But Not Defeated

“Even when times are rough and you are in “deep waters” God will be right by your side, leading and guiding you through your worst.” (Isaiah 43:2)

There are sometimes times in our lives when we have been hit by blow after blow, and we feel depleted and also defeated. During these occasions, it is easy to lose all hope. The good news iS, God does not want us to live out our daily existence discouraged or hopeless, so He has given us His word as a source of blessing and encouragement.

(Deuteronomy 20:4) “for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

We all have battles that we fight even in today’s modern world. It might not be a physical war against other human beings, but rather our struggles may be against our own thought patterns, bad habits or weaknesses.

Sometimes these situations and circumstances that we face that are out of our control. Whatever the case, this verse in Deuteronomy can fill you with hope and courage. The author reminds us that it is the Lord who goes with us to fight for us against our enemies—whoever or whatever that may be. God not only fights for us, but he also gives us the victory.

(Deuteronomy 28:7) “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.”

(Matthew 19:26) “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

(Romans 8:37) “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

One of the most encouraging thoughts for you to know is that even when things seem the worst, that God is in control. He starts from a point of victory in every situation, and he easily overcomes what feels impossible to us. Every time I struggled with feelings of loss and defeat, Like I felt this morning. We have to remind ourselves so our hope can be restored.

(1 Corinthians 15:57) “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

(1 John 5:4) “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

God does not want us to ever to be overcome by feelings of defeat and despair in spite of the crushing blows we receive. He has given us His powerful word full of encouragement and hope to strengthen us instead. Ultimately, His will for us is that we live our lives in victory.

“When your lost and can’t seem to find your way, seek God for guidance, encouragement and hope!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I ask You to replace sadness my with joy, defeat with victory, and weariness with praise.  Help me when I feel defeated, weary or sad to focus on Your blessings in my life rather than on my circumstances.   Remind me to praise You the Father at all times so I may obtain life and hope.  I ask that You bring all things to my memory that concern You and Your plans in my life.  Holy Spirit, please increase my hope as I focus on Your Word.   Help me to not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of my mind.  Strengthen and renew me in my innermost being.  Destroy the fiery darts of the enemy that attempt to pierce my souls.  May always always hear Your voice and obey Your will.  Father, help me to overcome today fears. Thank You for the ones in my life that Love me. I praise You and Love You Lord in all circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Here is a list of crisis numbers for 24 hour help line. Click on the link for help —-> Broken Believers

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 25th 2018 – I Belong To Gods Family

“Praise God for the privilege of being in Christ’s family and being called by his wonderful name!” (1 Peter 4:16)

Healthy families have family pride; members are not ashamed to be recognized as a part of the family. Sadly, there are many Christians who’ve never publicly identified themselves with God’s family by being baptized.

Baptism is not some ritual to forced on you as a child. You need to be consciously able to make the decision to follow Jesus Christ prior to Baptism. Just like accepting Jesus into your life it should not be delayed or postponed. It signifies your inclusion in God’s family. It publicly announces to the world, “I am not ashamed to be a part of God’s family.” Jesus commanded this beautiful act for all in his family.

For years I wondered why Jesus’ Great Commission gives the same prominence to baptism as it does to the great tasks of evangelism and edification. Why is baptism so important? Because it symbolizes one of the purposes of your life: incorporation into the fellowship of God’s eternal family.

Baptism declares your faith, shares Christ’s burial and Resurrection, symbolizes your death to your old life, and announces your new life in Christ. It is also a celebration of your inclusion in God’s family.

Your baptism is a physical picture of a spiritual truth. It represents what happened the moment God brought you into his family.

Baptism doesn’t make you a member of God’s family; only faith in Christ does that. Baptism shows you are part of God’s family. Like a wedding ring, it is a visible reminder of an inward commitment made in your heart. It is an act of initiation, not something you put off until you are spiritually mature. The only biblical condition is that you believe.

The Bible says, “Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11).

Being included in God’s family is the highest honor, the greatest privilege you and I will ever receive. Nothing else comes close. Why not pause right now and thank God that he included you?

Let that amazing truth sink in! Because Jesus makes you holy, God is proud of you.. If you haven’t been baptized as an expression of your faith in Christ, do so immediately, as Jesus commanded.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we love and praise you for being who you are, (The One True God.) I thank you for loving me and for welcoming me into your family with open arms. I am proud to be called a child of God. Thank You for revealing to me the significance of dieing to ones self, leaving all of our old ways and being reborn a new creation with a clean slate and a fresh start.  I pray tonight that anyone that has not publically announced thier faith through baptism would do so as soon as possible. In your precious 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

November 5th 2018 – Words Have Power

“I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys.” (Song of Solomon 2:1)

What causes someone to change their view of themselves? Could it be as simple as kind words of affection? It was in the case of Solomon and his bride to be. In chapter one of Song of Solomon, we find the Shulamite depressed about her appearance when she says, “Do not look at me, because I am dark, because the sun has tanned me.” She is concerned about her appearance because she worked in the vineyards, under the hot sun, and was unable to care for herself. Compare those original words to chapter two where she calls herself a rose of Sharon. What a change of perspective, and all because Solomon spoke loving words of affection and encouragement to her. This shouldn’t surprise us since God’s Word describes the power of words in the book of James.

(James 3:5) “In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.”

The power of our speech is unbelievable. Many times we forget that and hurt with our words rather than heal. God desires that we all walk with grace, humility and love for one another. We should look for opportunities to lift one another up with our words. Speak words of gratitude, of thanksgiving and of grace to one another. Husbands, speak affectionate words to your wife. Wives, speak words of encouragement to your husbands. In this circle of loving words and affection, you will find a healthy, growing relationship. We also need to practice how we speak to others as well as to ourselves. Our words are powerful so let’s use them wisely.

“Our words are powerful tools that can be used to build people up or tear people down.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for relationships. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I can speak loving words into those I relate to, whether my spouse, children or friends. Give me patience to love even when the love is not returned. I ask for wisdom to know when to speak and when to keep silent. Use my words to heal and to glorify Your Name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you have never asked Jesus into your life, or wan’t to recommit your life to Him, please click here

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

October 28th 2018 – Grip of Grace

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10)

We tend to think about grace pouring down over us as a one time event. If it was a one time event, we are in trouble. You see, the grace of God is something that we need every day. We are told that the mercy of the Lord endures forever. That means it will never grow too small or be worn out. As we look at the life of Peter, we see a man who fell and then got up. There is a lesson in that for us. We often count ourselves out when the Lord has not counted us out. There is no one beyond the reach of His grace. If this includes Peter and his denials, it includes us and our misbehaviors. Though we struggle and though we sometimes fail, we can live in this knowledge. We have 24/7 access to His love and forgiveness. We live in the grip of His grace.

(Isaiah 1:18) “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”

“be assured that as followers of Jesus, we can be forgiven of all our mistakes.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace, and may I run to Your throne of grace often. Please forgive me of every thing that hinders me in running the race. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to experience The Grip of His Grace and seek Jesus in your life, or recommit your life to Him, please click here

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

October 21st 2018 – Pruning and Bearing More Fruit

“For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.” (Romans 7:5)

The technological advancements made by mankind in the last century or even the last 20 years are astounding. Yet with all our technology, we still have to wait for lettuce to ripen and for olives to mature. Lettuce ripens a month and a half after planting, but for an olive the wait is at least four years. Some of us, like the lettuce, are maturing quickly while others, like olives, are improving more slowly. Something changed in you when you were saved, and still… God is making changes to you.

(Romans 7:6) “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

We should all be bearing fruit. There may be times that you need to endure pruning before you bear fruit. Pruning redirects energy to the right places. If you are not being fruitful, maybe you need to redirect energy toward the Lord. Don’t just come to church, be the church. Be praying, giving, serving – joining hands with your church to achieve something far greater than any one of us could achieve alone.

“Christianity is not do-it-yourself religion. Its a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and fellowship with the family.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Give me the desire to grow in righteousness through the washing of Your Word, in serving You and prayer. Help me to love and serve others in the place where You want me to grow and bear good fruit. 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

August 24th 2018 – The Good Farmer

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2)

What an amazing and loving Heavenly Father we have.  He is always at work within us to help us grow up.  Many people look at verse two and see the words “takes away” and think that God gets rid of those who do not bear fruit.  That is not what it is saying.  This verse means that God lifts up those who are having problems bearing fruit and works with them.

A wise farmer doesn’t destroy his branches, he lifts them up, cleans them, and reties them to the vine.  Our loving Father does the same thing.  He is out for our best and will keep working with us to produce much fruit.

Remember, good trees naturally bring forth good fruit. We are good trees planted in the house of the Lord. If you love God and you have accepted His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ then God’s love is poured out on you. God is working on the inside to help you produce a great harvest that will last you throughout all eternity.

It’s important to know that it’s not what you do, but it’s letting Him do the work within you. Too many times, we say, “I need to do this or I need to do that” before God will work in my life; it’s just being legalistic. God wants to do the good work within you and as He does and good things develop within your heart, you will see that these fruits of the Spirit will become obvious to others.

If you let God do this pruning within you, you will see that the fruits of love, joy, and peace will start growing, and you’ll look back and say, “Is this really me?” Remember, the fruits of the Spirit are not works of law but gifts of grace.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for always being “The Good Farmer”, Its Your pruning that produces good fruit in my life. I welcome the planting of the seeds through Your Word to grow and live in me. As I do, You will clean my heart so that the fruits of the spirit can operate big time within me.  I praise You for all that you do in my life. In Jesus’ precious name,  Amen.

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

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

2017-07-21-05-57-35

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org