Tag Archives: Scriptural Seeds Ministries

December 22nd 2016 – Jesus is Our Peace

“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” (Mark 4:35)

 

It was a simple statement. “Let us cross over to the other side.” Many of the disciples had sailed the Sea of Galilee before. They had fished the waters and endured some of the bad weather that often came onto the sea. Yet when Jesus asked them to cross over to the other side, they were not aware of the lesson in faith that Jesus was about to share with them.

(Mark 4:37-38) “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?'”

While crossing to the other side, Jesus fell asleep on the boat. During his nap, the disciples experienced a terrible storm. I may not be a sailor, but I know that the water should remain on the outside of the boat and in this instance, it wasn’t. Frightened by the event, the disciples woke Jesus up and expressed their fear. Immediately, Jesus spoke to the wind and waves and the sea became calm. You see, the disciples had lost sight of Jesus’ words. He told them before leaving that their destination was “the other side.” He didn’t promise them still waters the whole time, but he did tell them they would get to their destination. The same is true with our lives. If you have been born again, then you have been given the promise of “the other side.” Nothing can take that from you. You may encounter storms, but in the end, Jesus will pronounce peace, and you will find yourself on the other side, at the feet of Jesus Himself.

“Jesus is our peace during the storms of life.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your peace and for Your promise of heaven. Help me to keep my mind focused on eternity so that I will not lose hope here on earth. Fill 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 or want to recommit your life to Him. Click Here to learn more.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

December 21st 2016 – Let There Be Light

“For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)

In the beginning God spoke into the darkness and created the light. This light was the beginning of a new world. Like our world, we all begin in darkness because of our sinful nature. This is why during Christmas we celebrate with such excitement because the Light has come into our darkness. Two thousand years ago in a stable in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ came in the form of man. He, who had created light in the beginning of time, was now on our earth as a light to men.

What great news! The Lord of all creation has come to bring light and life to men. As we give our lives to Jesus, He speaks into our lives and light bursts forth in brilliant beams. This light transforms us from the inside and we are made new. As you celebrate with family and friends this Christmas, look at the lights around you and remember ‘The Light’ of the world. As you do that, remember that He has come to make us lights to this world as well. What an honor, to be given the Light of God to share with others who are in darkness. Surely, this is what Christmas is all about.

“Shine as bright lights that illuminate the darkness.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Christmas and the light given to men through Your Son, Jesus. Father, forgive me of my sins and fill me with Your light so that I may share You with this dark world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living in the dark? Looking for meaning and direction? 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. He loves us and wants to help us. 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

December 20th 2016 – Give Me Some of That Water

“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me some of that water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to haul water.” (John 4:15)

 

The Israelites and Samaritans lived in a dry, thirsty land; in a desert. It is hard for many of us to imagine how valuable water is in such a desperate place. Yet, we live in a spiritually dry and thirsty land; we are often oblivious to the lack. I wonder how many times a day someone tells us they are thirsty. Perhaps not, “please give me some of that water,” but they put it another way. When they speak of problems with their children, troubles in their marriage, trials in their life, they are really saying, “I am thirsty.” When they are short tempered, worn out and angry, they are saying they don’t know how to quench their thirst. I also wonder how many times we don’t really understand their plea and their thirst. How many times we walk past opportunities to minister to them. Look for the thirsty and look for the dry. Hear their cries and offer them living water.

“We should be pouring out to the world what God has poured into us.”

Prayer:

Heavenly  Father, Thank You for loving me so much that You allow me to serve You. Lord, I lift this land up to You and ask You to raise up workers for the harvest. You offer the water that completely quenches our need and You offer it abundantly and freely. Open the hearts of this world to Your gift and allow me to play a part in the quenching of this thirsty world. I thank You that the results are in Your almighty hands. 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

December 19th 2016 – Finding Peace in the Suffering

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,

Against the Man who is My Companion,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“Strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered;
Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.” (Zachariah 13:7)

Often, it can be difficult to walk through situations that we can’t explain. In this fallen, broken and sinful world, we are constantly facing trials and tribulations that shake us to the core. In the thirteenth chapter of Zechariah, we get a glimpse of our loving God’s divine plan to use the pain and suffering of His Son to change the world. Fully involved in the process, God calls for the sword to come against His Shepherd which is Jesus. When Jesus walked to the cross, He did so with determination and a purpose. It was no accident, but it was His perfect plan.

“No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:18)

From the beginning of time God planned to use the suffering of His Son for the redemption of mankind. In the same way God can use our suffering for something far greater than ourselves. The loss of a job may mean an opportunity to display God’s peace in difficult times. The brokenness of a relationship may mean that God has something much greater for you.  The diagnosis of cancer could be the catalyst God uses to bring someone to Christ. In the hands of a mighty God, even the death of a loved one can mean the salvation of many more. The God of all creation is at work in our lives and He will use the good and the bad for His glory and our good no matter what.

“God is more concerned with His glory than our gratification, and we should be too.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am sorry for the times that I have questioned Your goodness and love. Despite life’s difficulties You have shown Your love for me in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Help me to remember this powerful Truth and to use my good times and bad times for Your Kingdom. 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

December 18th 2016 – Show Me the Truth

“Woe to those who devise iniquity, and work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.” (Micah 1:1-2)

In the verse above, we see those in power taking advantage of the people. (Sound familiar?)  The world believes that it is acceptable to take advantage of others for gain of position or authority.

Are you are a leader government, or in the workplace? Do you take advantage of the system to benefit yourself? Let’s make this even more personal. Do you take advantage of your family, friends or co-workers for your benefit? When we get to know a person, we know how to set them off or manipulate them for what we want. That is ungodly and God does not bless the unbiblical practices of deception.

(1 Corinthians 10:13) “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Even in times when it seems there is no other option but to bend the truth for your benefit, God provides a way out. Taking responsibility for your actions is an important characteristic of a Godly disciple. God will always honor you when you take responsibility for your mistakes, even when it’s difficult. Live out the Biblical model that God entrusted to you in regards to your relationships even when it doesn’t make sense.

In the end, it comes down to your making a decision about Jesus. How far will you follow Jesus in your relationships? Until it gets inconvenient – uncomfortable – what about when it becomes painful? Are you willing to follow the Biblical model all the way? What will you decide? Gain for yourself or lay your life down for the sake of the Gospel?

“One characteristic of a Godly leader is to do what is Biblical even when it causes personal hardship.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for continuing to do a work in my life. You have called me to live a disciple’s life, and I choose to honor You in living out the model You have set before me. Lord, when things get tough and I mess up, empower me with courage and strength to live out Your Truth and encourage others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Don’t be deceived by the world. You will continue to be blinded and not see the truth until you have Jesus in your life?

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

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

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

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

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

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

If you have done this, then congratulations! (Luke 15:7) says that when one sinner accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Saviour the angels rejoice. So there’s a party going on in heaven right now over your decision! Remember this date as your “second birthday,” the day you were born into a new life in Christ! You have God’s Word that he answered your prayer.

Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

December 17th 2016 – Temptations

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

There it is, staring you down. It grabs hold of your attention and captivates your thoughts. It appears so harmless, but in the end, it can be deadly. It is temptation, and every one of us has to face it. The good news is that if you have trusted in Jesus as your Savior, you don’t have to face it alone. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can be freed of our bondage to sin while also finding strength to resist it through God’s Spirit. What an encouraging thought. When faced with temptation, the God of all creation provides a way of escape or the strength to bear it.

Unfortunately, this does not mean we always take that way of escape. Like a kid standing over an open cookie jar, often we stand gazing into temptation and wonder why we were not able to resist. In those moments when we fail, we can come to God and experience His forgiveness and grace all over again. This is the beauty of the Gospel. Yes, we must resist sin and flee from temptation but when we do fall short, we have a loving God who desires to forgive.

“Take the way out of temptation when you have it.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. I know that I have done wrong and have sinned against You. Father, please forgive me and fill me with Your Spirit so that I can fight temptation. Lord, when I find myself in a tempting situation, open my eyes to the way out so that I can escape. 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

December 16th 2016 -Eternal Reservation

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)

Jesus, in this verse, is telling us not to rejoice just because spirits are subject to us, but to rejoice because our names are written in heaven.  Have you ever made a reservation for dinner at a restaurant or maybe at an event and you get there and you tell them your name and they say, yes, you have reservations for two.

Well this scripture is saying just about the same thing. Jesus went before us and because we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior we now have reservations in heaven.  We go to the restaurant or hotel and they open their book to see if our name is in there, and the Bible says that God does the same thing.

On that day, He will open the Book of Life and say to us, yes, you have believed on the Name of my Son. Yes, you have received the gift of salvation, the gift that only Jesus can give. Come, enter into my presence and enjoy the reservation that has been set from the foundations of the world.

I don’t know about you, but for me, I’m going to dance and lift my hands and say, “Thank you Jesus, for going to the cross for me and shedding your blood for me. Thank you for dying for my sins and because of what you have done for me, I will now live with you for all eternity.”

If this is Good News for you today, think of someone you can share this great truth with. Today, your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Today you have have a eternal reservation.

Register for your eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, click here to learn how it works..***Disclaimer*** (Not a timeshare…)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, because of Your sacrifice on the cross for me, and that I believe and confess in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. My name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and I I have my eternal reservation for heaven. Thank you for your endless pursuit of me Jesus.. I love and praise You. In you 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

 

December 15th 2016 -Through the Eyes of God

“So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!” (2 Corinthians 5:16)

 

It’s always easy to find something wrong with someone else. Often it’s so easy that some people see it as a spiritual gift. I assure you, this is not one of the gifts of the Spirit. After all, people found things wrong with Jesus and He was perfect. The religious leaders were looking at Him from their own perspective rather than a heavenly one.

This change in perspective makes all the difference, especially in the church. The reality is that whenever humans get together, you are going to have some conflict, but when we look at each other in light of God’s saving grace, things change. Rather than condemn my them for their sin, I will look at them and see the forgiven Child of God who is my sibling in Christ. When someone acts wrongly toward me, I can look at them and see a sinner who has been saved by God’s grace and in turn, show that same grace.

This reminds me of the song written by Christian artist Brandon Heath called “Give Me Your Eyes.” Here are a few lyrics:

“Give me your eyes for just one second. Give me your eyes so I can see. Everything that I keep missing. Give me your love for humanity.” See link at the bottom of the page for the video

Begin today by looking at others with God’s eyes.

“We should seek to look at people, possessions and events in a new way – in the way the Lord sees them.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I am grateful that You look at me through eyes of grace and forgiveness because of Jesus. Help me to have those same eyes as I go throughout my day today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Give Me Your Eyes – Brandon Heath

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

December 14th 2016 – 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 did I start 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 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, 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.

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 wandered. Maybe you’ve never given your heart to God.

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:

Dear Jesus, 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

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

December 13th 2016 – What Do You Trust In

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” (Romans 2:28-29)

 

Who or what are you trusting in? Do you trust in rituals or Jesus? Do you place your trust in baptism, catechism, confirmation or church membership? If your trust is in these things, then my im sorry to tell you, it is misplaced. Do you think you are a Christian because you go to church or because your parents were Christians? None of these things mean you are a Christian. The Apostle Paul says we should examine ourselves to make certain we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). Faith leads to works, not the other way around. If you are counting on works, you need to re-evaluate. God is concerned with the inward man, not with outward pomp or show.

(Joel 2:13) “So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.”

God is interested in the heart, the inward you. He is not interested in our outward traditions or rituals. So test yourself, what works are in your life? ”

You may say, . “I thought it wasn’t about works.”  if you have repented and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the ‘outward works’ should change according to the ‘inward working’ of the Spirit of God in you. Let your heart be softened, and let your actions be changed; not placing your confidence in your own works, but in the work that God is doing in you.

“Let your heart and your actions be changed.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Help me to place my trust in You. Change my heart so that my actions reflect the work You are doing in me. Thank You for working in me so that I may be a blessing to others. 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