Tag Archives: Meekness and Gentleness

September 9th 2019 – Be An Encourager

“But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” (Acts 23:11)

In the world we have many talkers, yet so few encouragers. Here we see Paul is going to have to give a witness of our Lord in Rome and Jesus, the greatest encourager of all, stood by Paul and lifted him up. In life there are times when we get down and we need people that will lift us up. In saying that, remember, there are people all around us who need a pat on the back or a good hardy handshake, and encouragement.

It’s so easy to look at the mistakes that people make and the little things that people do wrong and continually point them out, but what would happen if we looked at the things people did right and commended them?

What would happen to a husband or wife if they encouraged each other instead of looking at the mistakes that are made? What would happen if when our children mess-up, instead of harping on the mistake, we encouraged them to do better?

“Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:10-11)

You see, in this negative world, people always try to find the worst in others instead of looking at the best. Have you ever read some reviews on a book or movie or an item and you see reviews for one star, and then others with five stars, and you wonder, are they looking at the same product?

It’s the same with us. We can look at the same person and one will see the best in them and the other will see the worst. I pray today that we will start seeing the best in others. That we will start believing the best and helping people become all that God would want them to become. Let’s start with the people we love and go from there. Come on, what do you say? LET’S BE ENCOURAGERS.

“Encourage each other and build each other up!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the many individual gifts that make up the body of Christ. Lord, help us to put off disagreements and value others. Forgive us when we have caused division and strife. Today forward, I’m going to make a decision to be an encourager, to believe the best in others. I’m going to stop looking at all the little mistakes and see the big picture. God you believe in them and so do I. Give us the spirit to be a blessing to someone else today. 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 2019 – Comfort for a Broken Heart

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“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

The image of heartbreak describing the devastating emotional pain of a broken heart transcends culture and is expressed in the same way in almost every language. We feel the pain of grief, and separation deeply at the core of our soul. Ofter accompanied bybetrayal. It feels as if our heart really is breaking – because of course, it really is.

The right word at the right time can help us when we need comfort in our suffering. Here are 11 additional Bible verses with words that have the power to give that comfort.

1. (Job 5:11) “The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.”

2. (Psalm 27:13-14) “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

3. (Isaiah 41:10) “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

4. (John 16:33) “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

5. (Romans 8:28) “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

6. (Romans 8: 37-38) “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

7. (Romans 15:13) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

8. (2 Corinthians 1:3) “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

9. (Philippians 4:6) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”

10. (Hebrews 13:5) “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

11. (Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God understands this experience because he himself has lived through a broken heart. God has been a lover. Through his love for us, he has endured unfaithfulness and desertion. God understands our loneliness and identifies with us. We can talk to him about this experience and ask him for help at our deepest point of despair – because he’s been there himself!

“Our tears are the words our hearts can’t express.”

A prayer for those who have suffered a broken heart.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You care deeply for us, I stand firm on Your promise that You are close to the broken-hearted. I pray for all those who are crippled by broken relationships with their children. I pray for those that are experiancing the break-up of a marriage. Or a loss due to death. Our hearts take the blow of disappointment. We feel crushed because our hopes are and dreams become shattered. God, heal our broken hearts. We cannot fix our own wounds. But you can. If pieces of our heart have been lost, or are held captive by another, recover them and bring them back to us and miraculously “put us back together” so that our heart is whole again. You are a mender of broken hearts. I ask for this miracle, 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

August 18th 2019 – Search and Rescue

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“And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” (2 Corinthians 1:10)

Often when we are walking in the midst of a suffering, we may believe that God will rescue us, but it’s still difficult to fully trust Him. As we read the verse above, it’s almost like God knew we would struggle to trust Him and so He makes sure to emphasize His ability to rescue. In 2 Corinthians 1:10, Paul writes of rescue three times:

Did Rescue
Will Rescue
Will Continue to Rescue

You see, God’s plan is not to leave us in the middle of pain and hardship forever. He won’t allow us to walk into a dark valley and then leave us there to wander aimlessly without end. The truth is, HE WILL RESCUE. In fact, even if we were to walk in suffering the rest of our lives, we can know as a follower of Christ that He will rescue when He comes again. When we realize this, we don’t really need to know why He is doing it, but only that we can trust He is in control and will be with us until the end. Whatever door He opens or whatever door He closes, we can trust Him. He is good, all the time.

“Our faith is really growing when we don’t know what God is doing, and we still trust Him.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your love that is so great that You would rescue me in my times of need. I also thank You for using my hard times for my benefit. Help me not to despair in difficult times but rather to rejoice because I know that my rescue is on the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

August 12th 2019 – Sharing Your Faith

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“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Sharing our faith is critical for every Christian. After all, this is what Jesus commands us to do, and if we have been changed by the Gospel, why wouldn’t we want to share it? That being said, we are never called to be combative in sharing the Truth. We are to be bold and unwavering in speaking the Truth, but we should do so in meekness and respect.

When Peter is writing in the book of 1 Peter, he is talking to a church that is suffering. It would make sense that they would want to stand up and fight off those who are oppressing them, yet Peter calls for them to endure persecution with a readiness to share their faith. Not just share, but for them to do so in a gentle and respectful way. Peter says, “Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.”
(1 Peter 3:16)

A peaceable life, matched with a powerful message has the power to bring conviction and repentance. So try love others in such a way that even when you share hard truths, they will see your good works and glorify God.

Persecution is not an excuse to be mean-spirited or combative. Christians are called to suffer with meekness so that others may see their life and be saved.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for saving me and empowering me with the Holy Spirit so that I can live for You. Use my life to shine Your love and Truth to everyone around me. Give me a desire to share Jesus with everyone even though it may lead to persecution. Help me to be bold yet loving as I share the Good News of the Gospel with a hurting 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 or want to recommit your life to Him. Click here to learn more.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

August 10th 2019 – Fruit of the Spirit (P8)

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We are on the 8th day of a 9-day journey to learn about all of the fruit of the Spirit – the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that come from God.

Meekness / Gentleness – “gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:23). “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

The biblical qualities of meekness and gentleness are misunderstood and undervalued in today’s society of extremes—where all too often people tend to angrily overreact or passively underreact.

As we read above, the apostle Paul lists “meekness” as the eighth attribute among the fruit of the spirit in (Galatians 5:23) he uses the Greek noun praotes or prautes— and “meekness” is the closest translation for the Greek word used here. (Similarly, the closest English translation for the related Greek adjective praos or prausis “meek.”)

We are to be meek (yielded, teachable, responsive) first of all in our relationship with God, and secondly meek (humble, gentle, respectful) in our relationships with people. To become this kind of person, God must tame and train us!

A word with a closely-related meaning is magnanimous, defined as “generous in forgiving; avoiding resentment or revenge; unselfish.”

Meekness is an important part of true love. “Love is patient, love is kind … It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

The Bible places great value on meekness. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5) That’s a mighty big reward for being meek!

But since “meek” is no longer a popular or commonly used word, modern Bible translations frequently substitute the almost-synonymous word “gentle.” Scriptures quoted in this article are mostly from the New King James Version, which uses “meek” and “gentle” interchangeably.

However, be aware that gentleness refers mostly to actions, whereas meekness refers to attitude—one’s whole state of mind as well as actions. Meekness produces gentleness. This explains why meekness is one of the beatitudes—beautiful attitudes for which God promises blessings.

God is calling people out of such darkness to be “the light of the world”—to set the right example for others (Matthew 5:14)

That’s a tall order. But God is ever ready to help us. Pray earnestly for His help. And make a habit of reading God’s Word so it can transform your thinking and way of life.

Remember that an important part of being that shining light is having godly meekness and gentleness. And someday the whole world will be a peaceful and happy place. That someday is when Christ returns and the meek inherit the earth!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,we pray today that you would draw us into meekness. We pray that you would soften our hearts, that you would remind us of the gift of gentleness, that you would show us through Jesus how to live in love day by day. We pray that you would forgive us of our sins and open our eyes and hearts to forgiveness for others in our lives. We ask that you would help us to guard our speech, that the words we say would be life-giving and glorifying to you. We are so grateful for your refining fire in our lives. 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.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

July 17th 2019 – 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 15th 2019 – Make That Call

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“and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” (Psalm 50:15)

When we go through major disappointments in life, our natural reaction is to pull back and isolate ourselves. We want to handle it ourselves. We want to keep our losses, our failures, our mistakes and crises a secret. We want to withdraw. This really is a terrible idea.

When going through these types of struggles is also when you need your friends the most. You need to accept help from others. God doesn’t intend for you to handle all the pain and stress in your life by yourself. We were wired for each other. We need each other. We’re social beings. The first thing God said in the Garden of Eden is, “It’s not good for man to be alone.” We’re made to be in relationships.

Job 6:14 says, “When desperate people give up on God Almighty, their friends, at least, should stick with them.”

There will be times in your life when you are in so much pain you will say, “I don’t even believe in God right now!” You need to have friends who will come alongside you and say, “That’s OK. We’ll believe God for you right now.”

There will come a time when you’ll say, “I don’t have any faith right now. I’m full of doubt.” That’s when you need your friends to step in and say, “That’s OK. We will have faith for you. We will trust God for you in this.”

“By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). What is the law of Christ? It’s this: Love your neighbor as yourself. The Bible commands us to help each other. Every time you help somebody who’s going through pain, you are fulfilling the law of Christ.

Trying to handle your trouble yourself will only make you more tired and stressed out. You need to accept the help of others and let your friends carry you through it.

Our Lord Jesus is only a call away, And He already knows the trouble your having. He is already calling out to you. Answer His call,

“Give Jesus a try….if you don’t like Him, the enemy will always take you back!”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for my friends and loved ones. Thank You for the amazing comfort that I can find in You. Please refill my spirit because I feel so broken at times. I praise you for not forsaking me in times like these. Because of Your love, I can have peace and forgiveness for all my sins. Because of Jesus, I am free from the penalty of sin and no matter what happens on this earth, I will be healed and loved for all eternity. Father, help me to remember these things and to pass them on to those who are thirsting for Your refreshing comfort. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Seeking Comfort from Jesus?

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

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

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

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

Seeking Jesus? Pray this prayer with me.

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 prayed this prayer, 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.

Don’t go through disappointments in life alone. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, 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

July 10th 2019 – Only One Way To Heaven

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“So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.” (Acts 28:23-24)

Interesting… Paul used what part of the Bible? He used the Hebrew Scriptures. Paul used the Old Testament to show that Jesus was the Messiah; Yeshua HaMashiach in Hebrew. It’s amazing to me how many churches, pastors and Christians are willing to throw aside the Hebrew Scriptures calling them outdated or not relevant for today. We see Jesus all through the Old Testament! He’s in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and all the way through the Psalms and into the prophets. You cannot throw out the Hebrew Scriptures without saying that Jesus is no longer relevant. Some would try to say that there are other paths to God. It is true that all paths do lead to God, but there’s only one path that leads to Heaven. Everyone will stand before God, but without Jesus, you will be eternally separated from Heaven and God at that meeting.

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

Jesus did not say, “I am one of many ways.” God has provided THE way for forgiveness and restoration to Him and that way is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died on a cross and was resurrected from the grave for our sins.

Jesus is the way to God’s forgiveness. He’s the only way.

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10)

“For the Christian, heaven is where Jesus is. We do not need to speculate on what heaven will be like. It is enough to know that we will be forever with Him.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for providing the means for my salvation. Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins so that I can be saved. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins. Please give me the courage to be a witness for You here on earth. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you would like to request a prayer Click Here

Have you ever received Jesus as you Lord and Savior? If you do not know Him personally,you will never be truly free. I encourage you 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

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.

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

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

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