Tag Archives: Grace

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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

November 25th 2018 – I Belong To Gods Family

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“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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

November 5th 2018 – Words Have Power

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“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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

October 28th 2018 – Grip of Grace

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“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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

October 21st 2018 – Pruning and Bearing More Fruit

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“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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

August 24th 2018 – The Good Farmer

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“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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 9th 2018 – Earthly Vessels of God’s Grace

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Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)

Jesus desires to give living water. After all of our mistakes and all of our failures, He still desires to give mankind eternal life. He wants to give it to the atheists and those who defraud and defame His glorious name. He wants to give it to those who try to silence the good news by false interpretations of church and state. He wants to give it to Muslims, New Age groups and those who practice Witchcraft and Wicca. Even the ones who say He was married to Mary Magdalene. If only they would ask for it.

He gave it to a woman with a sordid past. He gives it to those who do not deserve it. He gave it to you and to me. Now Jesus wants to use us as earthen vessels to distribute this ‘living water’ into a world that is dying of thirst.

“We should be vessels for God’s grace to others.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the grace You have so abundantly heaped onto my head. I want to be established each morning in Your new mercies, and I am ever dependent on Your grace and love. Let me be a light of Your grace to all who I come across today. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen

Seeking God’s Grace?

Put your faith and trust in Jesus! If you do not know him personally 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 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 Savior 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 read this prayer and believed in your heart, then congratulations!

(Luke 15:7) says that when one sinner accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Savior 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 23rd 2018 – Undeserved Privilege

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“It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you-unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.” (1 Corinthians 15:2)

I cannot picture a more beautiful thing than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Fallen humanity stands before God covered in filthy garments stained with sins. We desperately try to wipe off each stain but in the process, we only make it worse. All hope seems lost until the God of all creation, in the perfect act of love, comes down among us. He removes our filthy sin stained garments and they are nailed to the cross… along with Himself. We didn’t deserve it. We didn’t do anything to earn it. It was simply the act of a loving God.

(Romans 5:1-2) “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.”

Now if we believe in what Jesus did and stand in faith, we can be granted forgiveness and everlasting life. This undeserved privilege is given by grace from a God who desires that none should ever perish. Even as we walk this life with Christ, we will stumble and fall, but we can confidently stand back up understanding that His grace covers all our sins. Are you in this place of undeserved privilege? If so, then rejoice in Christ and share Him with others. If not, then come to Him now and find rest for your soul.

“We receive forgiveness only by grace. We stand or continue in our faith only by grace.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned, and I thank You for the forgiveness offered through Jesus. Because of Your grace, I am able to live in a place of undeserved privilege. Thank You for the assurance that my sins are forgiven once I confessed them to you in repentance. Help me understand and recognize when I do sin sin. Draw me close to You for forgiveness and strenght from those areas of my life. Grow my desire to share Your love, Your forgiveness with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have you ever asked Jesus into your life? Would you like to have a personal relationship with Him? That is the ultimate decision you will have to make. Jesus died on the cross for you and me. He loves you and wants to help you. If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior please click here 4 Simple Steps to Jesus Your life will never be the same…

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

April 2nd 2018 – The Complete Truth

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“I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.” (Acts 20:26-27)

It sometimes can be difficult to tell the complete truth. I think of doctors who run a series of tests and find an abnormality, maybe a spot, a lump or something else. They want to tell their patients that everything is okay. But they have to tell the truth so they can prescribe a course of treatment.

In the Old Testament book of Daniel, we read of a time when Daniel had to reveal the hard truth to King Nebuchadnezzar. He said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper” (Daniel 4:27). In other words, “Judgment is coming, but there is still hope if you will repent.”

In the same way, as Christians we have to declare the whole counsel of God. The apostle Paul told the elders of the Ephesian church, “I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know” (Acts 20:26–27). Yet sometimes we edit out things we are uncomfortable with, like God’s coming judgment and Hell.

Yesterday Churches around the world spoke about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, many of their messages said something like, “Believe in Jesus, and He will make you a happier person and bring you fulfillment.” “Choose Jesus and you will discover joy and contentment in your life.” But was the whole truth shared? How many Easter messages actually shared “What happens if you don’t choose to believe in Jesus?”

The church and the church body needs to share the complete truth. Not with smiles on our faces; we say it with tears in our eyes. It isn’t easy to tell someone, “The Bible says there is a judgment, and if we don’t believe in Jesus Christ, there actually is a place called Hell.”

“We must tell the complete truth!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for being my God of mercy. I believe that Jesus is alive and accept Him as Lord of my life.. Purify my heart with Your complete truth and guide me in the way of Your will for my life. Help me Lord to share the truth with out of love, may it never be perceived as arrogance. Open their ears to your message of salvation. I love You Lord and may I always do what is pleasing in Your sight. 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

January 16th 2018 – Amazing Grace

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“But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.” (Acts 8:3)

Once there was a ruthless hit man who hated Christians. he did whatever it took to get them arrested, even murdered. Countless Christians were persecuted and killed because of this vicious man. Some time later, this man wanted to become a Christian. God forgave him and accepted him, despite all of His children this man abused.

We cringe when we read stories like that one. It seems like God is way too compassionate. We sometimes just want evil, vile people to get what they deserve. To get what they have coming to them. But even though God is intensely (and rightly) angry at evil, He offers grace and forgiveness to sinners, even the people we would define in our eyes as the “worst” of sinners. God will forgive any sinner, no matter how awful, if they repent, accept Jesus’ payment on the cross for their sins, and follow Him. God is extravagantly merciful. He is beyond.

The man described in the intro is actually someone your possibly familiar with: Saul, or Paul as we know him. Read his story in Saul’s Conversion Acts 9:1-20

Some questions to ponder.

Is God to soft? – What use is it denouncing murderers if they can simply repent and God will show them mercy.

What kind of God would do such a thing? “Is He neither tame enough more tough enough?

God is outrageously merciful. His mercy pulls the weight of guilt out from under any sinner. As His children, He wants us to follow suit. When people wrong us, God calls us to be like Him, to drop it. To forgive. To pull the weight out from under our case against them. God can forgive whomever He chooses to forgive. And He has chosen to forgive anyone who accepts His offer of salvation. While that is sometimes tough to swallow, how can we question the very grace by which we ourselves were saved? guilty of sin, we are all closer to murderers than we are to Jesus. Yet we’ve been forgiven by the God who’s beyond what we can imagine.

Prayer :

Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiving me of my sins and accepting me into Your kingdom even though, at times still sin against You. I often ask for forgiveness, however I also need mercy. I love You and want to please You, Your Grace is more then sufficient for me, anything above that is truly a blessing from You Lord, because I don’t deserve it. In Jesus’ name Amen.

If you have not asked Jesus into your life and experienced His Amazing Grace. Please Click Here to ask Jesus to be your Lord and savior.

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

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