Tag Archives: Serving Others

March 5th 2020 – Help For The Hopeless

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“Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it.” (Ezra 10:4)

God may be the director of the universe, but He has given us power to make decisions. You have a decision to confess your sins to Him and to ask for His forgiveness. You have a decision whether to serve the Lord, give to the Lord or share the Gospel with others. No matter who you are, you have an opportunity to change the world through your decisions.

“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

As you read this devotional, there is a world filled with people who desire peace. They desire love. They desire hope in something greater than the economy, the president or their own ability. As a follower of Christ, we can make the decision to share with them how to change their life and those things by sharing the Gospel. We can serve them. We can offer them our time, resources and compassion. God will empower us to do mighty things, but we must decide to do it. Choose this day who you will serve, and do it!

“You are not helpless or hopeless. Your destiny is in your hands and in the hands of a God that loves you and wants to bless and protect you.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I desire to choose You above everything else. I decide this day to serve You and to serve others. Give me a heart of compassion and a willingness to think of others before myself. God, use me to change 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

March 4th 2020 – Speak Life, Not Death

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Then his wife said to him (job), “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9)

In the Book of Job. (pronounced “Jobe”) It begins with an introduction to Job’s character, he is described as a blessed man who lived righteously in the Land of Uz. The Lord’s praise of Job prompted Satan to challenge Job’s integrity, suggesting that Job served God simply because God protected him.  Satan caused much pain and greif for him, tormenting Job to try to break his faith.

We often think, well, Satan left Job’s wife alive because she was carnal. That could be. It’s interesting we are not told where she is in her faith before this statement. Maybe she was walking with the Lord before losing her wealth, her house and grounds, her children and is now watching her husband in pain. And maybe just giving in, she said “Curse God and die, I give up Job!”

This can happen to any of us. We all go through hard times, and it’s easy to speak poorly during those times. Be watchful of anyone speaking contrary to the Word, or speaking negatively in hard times. Be the person who speaks life, who speaks the truth, and speaks love. Allow God to use you to bring healing to others who are hurting, and to empower you to be a witness for His glory even while you are going through hard times.

“The beauty and strength of a marriage is that often when one is weak, the other is strong.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for empowering us through Your Spirit to speak life and blessings to others even during the hard times. Help us to be loving when it’s someone else hurting, and help us to speak wisely when we are hurting. We lift up to You all those in our life going through difficult situations, and ask You to use us to be a blessing in all of our relationships. 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

February 26th 2020 – Willing and Available

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“Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.” (Acts 13:3-5)

In the book of Acts, the progression of the life of Paul is revealed. Initially, we see Paul fighting against God. Paul is living out his life doing his ‘own thing’ when he meets God in a very real way. Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus began this progression where we see him begin to give his life over to God. The book of Acts allows us to watch first hand as we see this man give his life away. One danger is to look at Paul’s life and think, “Wow, that was great for Paul, but can my life really make a difference?” I used to ask myself the same question, but not anymore.

You see, one of the beautiful truths of God’s Word is that God will work through anybody who is willing. He is not looking for ability, but for availability. Throughout the Bible we see men and women accomplishing great and incredible things. These men and women had some of the same weaknesses and wanderings we do, yet the Lord used them to touch many lives. The most difficult part of this journey is the first step. I encourage you to take the first step. Step out in faith and begin to walk the incredible journey God has planned for you. You will look back in amazement at what the Lord will do. I know I do every day.

“We all should be ministers and make a difference in this world.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You tell us to pray for workers in the harvest. Lord, I want to pray that You make me a worker in the harvest. Whatever my gifts and abilities are I lay them before You now and ask You to work through me to help change this world. I know I am not saved through these acts of service, but because I am grateful for Your forgiveness, I desire to serve so others may come to know You. I am a Christian because someone cared. Now it is my turn. In Jesus’ precious and glorious name, Amen.

Do you trust Jesus enough with your life? You should, 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

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

February 7th 2020 – Locate Your Spiritual Passion

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“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?–unless indeed you are disqualified.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Paul tells the church of Corinth to “examine themselves as to whether you are in the faith.” In the same way today we should take some time to examine ourselves as well. In the military before soldiers go into battle, two soldiers will stand in front of each other and check to make sure they are each equipped for the battle.

Do you know that you are facing battle, spiritually speaking?

Since we are in a battle, obviously at times we need to examine ourselves. So what does it look like for us to examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith? I see these as “Spiritual Passions”, or more appropriately the spiritual disciplines to help us examine our lives in Christ. At times, we should take a look at these passions or principles to see where we are spiritually with the Lord. Taking a survey, if you will, of each principle and rating ourselves on a 1-to-10 scale: 10 meaning you are walking in this maturely and 1 pointing to the need to step up in this area.

Let’s look together at these:

Worship – This is not just something you do at church on Sunday mornings, but worshiping the Lord in everything we do. Whether you are at work, home with your family, or serving in your local church these things are a form of worship. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Read/Study – As we grow in Christ our main point of hearing from the Lord is through His Word. We want to be followers of Jesus, and the best way to do that is having our noses in the Bible “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2nd Timothy 3:16)

Fellowship/Family –  Fellowship is a great privilege, possible whenever it occurs; in church, Bible studies, prayer meetings, home groups, with roommates or family. It is how God meets our needs–it is His “supply line” “For wherever two or three people have come together in my name, I am there, right among them!” (Matthew 18:20)

Prayer – Jesus died not for just our sins, He died for a relationship with Him. There is nothing more important than a life of prayer. ” Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven” (Psalm 107:28-30)

Serving – If you have received Christ in your life you are called to ministry. The term “full-time ministry” is really misused as we are all in full-time ministry. We get to serve the King of kings with the gifts that He gave to us as the church. “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) 

Giving – We see scripturally the practice of the tithe to our local church body, but more than being concerned with the financial aspect of that is giving away our selfishness. We are called to support the work of the ministry whether through the tithe or offerings. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Evangelism/Discipleship – We get to share the Gospel, invite people to church and help raise others up in the faith. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Where are you with these Spiritual Passions? Looking at these passions in our personal walk will help to identify areas of weakness in our lives. Once we see the weaknesses, then we begin to grow in our relationship with Christ because we want to be more Christ-like.

The Bible is clear that our salvation is by grace alone, through faith, by Christ alone. These are just great disciplines to help us examine whether we are in the faith. Remember, we are all growing in Christ and are in different areas of that growth so extend grace to yourself and extend grace to others.

Take this opportunity see where you are at right now in your walk with Christ.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving me enough to sacrifice Your Son to be able to wash away my sins and have a relationship with You. Thank you for Your Word that shows me the way to live a Christ centered life. Thank you for Your Spirit that allows me to live a life that shows You to a lost and dying world. Please help me to continually examine my life and make sure I am not neglecting one of these areas of spiritual growth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do trust Jesus enough with your life? You should, 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

If you are in need of prayer for yourself or others, pleaseClick Hereand we will pray for you..

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

February 3rd 2020 – The Incredible Plan!

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But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.” (Mark 16:6)

The fact is, Jesus could have escaped the crucifixion at anytime. As He was beaten, He could have stopped it. When the nails were piercing His sinless hands, He could have defended Himself, but He didn’t. In that moment, Christ chose you and I over His own well being. He knew He needed to make a payment for our sins, and so He remained on the cross. So call it what you will… an act of love, a plan of salvation or a martyr’s sacrifice. But whatever you choose to call it, don’t call it an accident. It was a lot of things, but it was anything but that. The cross was no accident, tragedy or conspiracy. It was a plan. And in a world of injustice, God once and for all tipped the scales in the favor of hope.

You see, God neither accepts our sin nor lowers the standard. Instead of ignoring our sin, He took it on Himself and sentenced Himself. God’s righteousness is still maintained, our sin is punished and we are redeemed. What an incredible plan. God paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt that we could not pay. God did what we could not do so we can be what we could not dare dream–to stand perfect and forgiven before God. The victory is already won, our past can be pardoned and our future can be secure. Death is disarmed. Failures are forgivable. Life can have real purpose. Did He die on the cross for your sins? You have to make that decision. He is the Savior of the world. The question is… is He your Savior?

“The only way you’re going to reach places you’ve never gone is if you trust God’s direction to do things you’ve never done.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I believe You died for me so that I could be forgiven. I believe You were raised from the dead so that I could have new life. I know I have done wrong things, and I’m sorry. Today I lay is all at the foot of the cross. Please forgive me and give me the power to follow You all the days of my life. 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 28th 2020 – Jesus Already Paid The Debt

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“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

What you put your confidence in tells a lot about you. Do you put confidence in your money? Maybe you are confident in the government or your job. Whatever it may be, the truth is that unless we are confident in God alone, we will continue to struggle. This is especially true in the area of salvation.

As Christians, we can often say, “Yes I trust Jesus alone for my salvation,” but then turn and begin acting like our works dictate God’s love. Let me assure you that God’s love and grace towards you is not based on your ability to please Him, but they are completely based on the work Jesus did on the cross. Remember, we do not work to gain salvation, but we work because we are grateful for salvation. Today, thank God for His grace and then allow that thankfulness to work itself out in love for God and others. I promise that your life will never be the same.

“We should trust God for our salvation and for the results of any ministry we ever attempt.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the free gift of salvation. I am sorry for those times I begin thinking that I can earn more love or grace from You. Help me to rely more on Your grace and less on myself. 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

January 22nd 2020 – Im Blessed! To Be a Blessing

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“Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.” (2 Corinthians 8:12)

The key to walking in a blessed life is not what you may be thinking. The key to experiencing the blessings of God is not to seek out the blessings, but to be the blessing. When we give to others through our time, energy, finances or caring for them, we are being a blessing and in return, we find ourselves blessed.

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

This life is not about us gaining everything we can, but it is more about us giving everything we can for the sake of God’s Kingdom. We should give joyfully, generously, proportionately and consistently to the Kingdom of God so that more and more people may find hope in Christ. At times, we may give beyond what we believe we are able, but we will find that God will care for us. When we do give like that, it shows our love for God. That kind of giving shows our desire to help the poor and the spread the Gospel. Giving of ourselves and our resources guides us into a deeper relationship with Christ because Jesus had the same attitude of giving. After all, He said that He did not come to be served but to serve. He did not come to be given much, but He came to give it all on the cross. Let’s be like Jesus and begin giving our lives so that others can be saved.

“One of the keys to walking in a blessed life is to know you are supposed to be a blessing and be a source of blessings to others.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the gift of salvation. Lord, I know at times I do not recognize the day to day blessings around me. I humbly give thanks for You and all that have done for me. Thank You for the blessings You have given me. Help me to put my focus and trust in You and not on myself. I recognize that all blessings come from You. I ask You to give me faith to see You in everything and everybody. I desire to use those blessings to care for others and to share the Gospel. Open my eyes for opportunities to give of my time, energy and finances for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you do not know Jesus personally, Give yourself the greatest gift you could possible ever receive. 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.

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

January 19th 2020 – Ministering and Comforting Others

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“Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.” (1 Chronicles 19:2)

One of the great blessings of being a Christian is to minister and comfort others, especially when they are in deep pain.

Sometimes though, it feels like the weeds of our own bad decisions choke out our ability to do so. Sure, we must deal with earthly consequences of our sins, but that in no way prohibits us from being able to show God’s peace and love to others. In the throes of our own pain, we are comforted with God’s words saying:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Because of our past experiences, each of us are uniquely qualified to minister to others. According to the Bible God has specific plans for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 2:10). Our Father God carries the title of “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). He is training us to minister and comfort others.

“…who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

So don’t ever count yourself out of ministry because of the mistakes or your past. The same merciful embrace God gave you in your day of distress could become the hug you share with others in their day.

“The measure of someone’s greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the grace You give me. Help me not to carry around the woundings of my past, but to lay them down at Your feet. Lord, I want to extend the same grace You have given me to others. I need You. Please work in my life and in my heart. I surrender it ALL 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.

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Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries

http://www.scripturalseeds.org

 

December 26th 2019 – Honor One Another

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“Honor widows who are really widows.”(1 Timothy 5:3)

Throughout the Bible we are called upon to honor those around us. In Exodus we are called to honor our mother and father. In the book of Leviticus, God calls us to honor the elderly. Into the New Testament we are commanded to honor our spiritual leaders as well as widows. To honor someone is to place them in a high place, to see them as important. In short, to honor someone is to place more significance on them than on ourselves.

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;” (Romans 12:10)

What if we all lived lives dedicated to honoring one another? The battles over minor differences would disappear as we seek out the best interest of the other person. The fight to be noticed or to gain power would be erased from even the church as we rejoice with those around us rather than see them as enemies or competition. This is exactly what Jesus did. In Philippians chapter 2 we see an image of Jesus stepping out of heaven for us. While we are not worthy of anything, He left His throne so that we could be forgiven. If we live as our Savior did, a servant to others, we will honor each other and the world will never be the same.

“To honor someone is to place a value upon them that supercedes the focus on ‘self’.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Today I thank You for the love and grace that You have shown me. Help me to show the same love and grace towards those around me. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I can honor them. Whether it’s through kind words, generous gifts or diligent work; give me the strength to live like Jesus. 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 18th 2019 – Let There Be Light

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“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. As the holidays are approaching we need to remember to have an attitude greatfulness and thanksgiving and truly be excited because the Light of God himself 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 upcoming season, look at all 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 the holiday season is all about.

“Shine as bright lights that illuminate the darkness.”

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for 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.

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