Pastor Curt

Bible Verse of The Day – 1-14-20

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1 Samuel 15:23 (NKJV) 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

Rebellion and stubbornness usually work together. If we are not willing to listen to God and change what we are doing, we are rebelling and being stubborn about making the necessary changes.

King Saul was not listening to God’s commandments. He turned his back. Exactly what we do when we are not listening. We turn our back on God.

1 Samuel 15:10-11 (NKJV) 10 Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night.

God regretted choosing Saul as king. So sad. This is where stubbornness will get us.

We hope and pray today we are not being like Saul, doing whatever we want, instead of obeying Gods voice and promptings.

It could be in the simplest way. It could be in raising our children, maybe we are letting them watch or wear certain things that can taint them.

Or maybe in our career, we need to take steps or stop participating in certain activities.

It could be that in our ministry we are not following His direction, thinking it’s OK to do the same ole same ole when He is trying to make changes and get us to do it differently.

It could be in our relationship with our spouse. Maybe we are not respecting them, talking down to them or mocking them, setting a terrible example for our children, grandchildren, etc.

Let us examine ourselves today and make sure we are listening, and that God is not disappointed in the way we are doing things.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-13-20

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Luke 5:31 (NKJV) 31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

God is the ultimate physician. He is a healer, a surgeon, and everything else we need when it comes to our bodies and our spirits.

I had surgery recently to remove a lump from my back. It was nothing life-threatening, and I am fine now 🙂

But there was a period of a few weeks immediately afterward that I experienced some discomfort that wasn’t very nice. In time, though, it all healed up and I am back to 100%.

The funny part is that the surgery itself was supposed to be very minor, taking only about 45 minutes. Because of this, and because I wanted to keep the cost down, I opted to stay awake and have them use only local anesthesia.

Well, 90 minutes into it, I was questioning my decision, as the surgeon dug deeper and deeper to remove the small tumor. When I began to feel her tools hitting my rib cage, I was seriously questioning my sanity!

Thankfully, though, it all went well and, as I said, I healed up very nicely.

That got me to thinking, though, about how God “does surgery” on us sometimes.

God is the ultimate surgeon. He operates with precision, removing the things that we have given Him permission to remove. And He does it with perfection, as He does with everything.

Just like medical surgery, it can sometimes be a bit uncomfortable. If what He is removing has been there a long time, or if we have become attached to it, it might be very uncomfortable.

We might even feel like there is a void, an empty space, where the thing was that He removed.

But He is faithful to help us heal up and be even better than we were before His “surgery”.

Oh, and that void that is left after the surgery? He will fill that empty space with Himself if we let Him.

And over time, as we follow His instructions, not only do we heal, but we learn that the end result is worth whatever pain and suffering we had to endure.

Will we have scars? Yes, probably. But just think of them as part of the cost of winning a battle.

So, if God shows us something in ourselves that He needs to remove, it’s OK. There is nothing to fear. We just need to trust Him with it.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-12-20 – The Famine Factor – Part 1

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Please click to watch the video.Greetings in Jesus’ name. 

The word “famine” usually causes us to be fearful or to feel dread when we hear it. Famine is, after all, not a very nice thing. 

In today’s video, The Famine Factor, we talk about letting God use seasons of famine to teach us and train us, preparing us for those seasons in a way that allows us to go through them without fear and dread. 

This is part 1 of a 3-part series. We hope you will watch it and that it will bring you some new understanding in this area. 

Please click here to watch the video now. 

We pray that this video blesses you as you watch it. 

Love in Christ, 

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie 

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808 

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-11-20

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Romans 12:2 (NKJV) 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Entering into this new year with confidence in ourselves is not going to get us anywhere. It takes learning how to let God transform us, and then walking confidently in Him.

This will not only cause us to remain humble, but we will do things we never imagined we would be doing. We will go places where we never thought we could go.

We will have wisdom, understanding and strength for things we never thought we would have.

It’s not what we do by our own strength or knowledge. It’s what we allow God to do through us as we let Him transform our way of thinking.

Start this new year by putting Him first. First in our relationships, first in the steps we take, first in our finances, etc. Come back to our first Love!

Revelation 2:4 (NKJV) 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

How do we do this? By reading His word, praying, listening and watching. He will guide our steps.

His way of doing things is not going to be the same as our way. So, we must pay attention.

It may be very different than what we are used to or have even thought of. But that’s not going to hold us back, because we are ready. And we trust Him.

It’s a beautiful walk when we humble ourselves and let Him lead.

James 4:10 (NKJV) 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Happy New Year!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-10-20

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John 15:5 (NKJV) 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

So many of us try to do everything on our own, by our own strength and our own understanding.

This always gets us into trouble, especially when it comes to doing the things God has asked us to do.

You see, if God has asked us to do something, He will surely give us what it takes to get it done.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This doesn’t always mean that it will be easy or effortless. On the contrary, if God is equipping us, it’s because it requires His wisdom, His understanding and His Spirit in order to accomplish it.

Just as giving birth to a baby is hard, yet rewarding, so is doing the things that God asks us to do.

Yes, there may be pain and struggles. Yes, we may feel like we are alone sometimes, even though we really aren’t. We just need to remember that it’s in Him that we are able to do it.

And it’s in Him that we find our solace and our reward, not in the world that we live in.

So, go ahead. Do that thing that God is prompting you to do. Just be sure to do it with the tools and the weapons that He has equipped you with to get it done His way.

And then look to Him, and thank Him for being the Source of everything we need.

Amen 🙂

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-9-20

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1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NKJV) 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

No matter who we are or where we are in this life, there are times when we need some edifying and comforting. And there will be times when we need to be the ones to give it out.

No one can go long without it. It’s really what keeps us going. It keeps us alive!

There are so many ways to bring comfort.

A simple smile or a hug. A kind word, a small gift. A phone call or a letter. These little touches can make a huge impact.

Laughter is great! I was with my oldest daughter recently, doing some grocery shopping, when we saw someone we knew and hadn’t seen for quite a while. We began talking and catching up on things.

We were all laughing and having a good old time right there in the grocery store. As the people heard us laughing, they asked if they could join in! Others were remarking that we were having way too much fun!

After we were all done, we said our goodbyes. We were all checking out and the cashier said, “boy I just loved to hear you all laughing and having a good time back there. I almost left my register to go see what was going on”.

People love laughter. They love to see smiles. It truly is contagious and eye-catching. The Bible says it does us good, like medicine.

Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV) 22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Be merry. Comfort and edify each other!!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-8-20

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1 John 3:6 (NKJV) 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

A few years ago, we received an email from someone who had read one of our daily devotionals. That devotional had covered the topic of sin and the believer, and they had written back to tell us that what we had said about sin was untrue, and that Christians are incapable of sinning.

They told us that once a person is a follower of Christ, they are no longer capable of sinning.

While this isn’t a widely held belief, we wanted to write about it today to clear up any misconceptions when it comes to this idea.

The verse above states that “whoever abides in Him does not sin”. It is this verse and other similar scriptures that are part of the doctrine that says it is impossible for believers to sin.

The problem with that idea is that the verses used to back it up are taken grossly out of context or badly misunderstood.

In 1 John 3:6, above, John is referring to habitual sin, not just a single incident. In Chapter 1, verse 8 he clearly states that believers do sin, and that anyone who says they don’t is deceived.

1 John 1:8 (NKJV) 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

John’s goal in 1 John 3:4-10 is to combat false teachers of that time who were saying that sin doesn’t matter because it’s simply our flesh doing what it is supposed to do. They believed that flesh is bad, and since we live in fleshly bodies, we are destined to live lives of continual, habitual sin.

What these people miss is the fact that when we become a child of God (born of God), He gives us a new nature.

That new nature is Holy Spirit-driven, meaning that we will now be convicted if we contemplate sin or are faced with any temptation that can lead us into sin. No, we will not be perfect in following His leading. But as we grow, our tendency to sin will become less and less.

What John is teaching here is good for all of us to consider. Sin will entice each and every one of us. It’s a fact of life.

But what isn’t a fact of life is that we are powerless to fight it off. On the contrary, we are very well equipped to fight it off. God’s word tells us so many, many times.

We are told to resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7). We are told that we are never tempted without God providing a way out, and that no temptation is more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

So, as believers, it’s important for us to understand this. Habitual sin in the life of a believer, with no remorse, and no efforts on the person’s part to stop it, is not what God expects, and it is not a true reflection of what the life of a believer should be.

In fact, John himself stated very plainly at the end of the verse above (1 John 3:6), that whoever sins (habitually and without remorse), has neither seen Him or known Him.

Very sobering words, for sure. And words that we need to weigh carefully in our own lives.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-7-20

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John 14:1-3 (NKJV) 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

This is the most comforting and soothing promise to those who believe. Jesus wants us with Him. He has gone ahead of us and prepared a place for us.

Really? How loving is He to think of us? After everything else He has already done on the cross, how wonderful is He!

How can anyone not understand such a deep love for His Father, and for us, that He could care so compassionately about us the way He does. Bless You, Lord!

Psalm 103:1 (NKJV) 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Today, if you are hurting from the sting of a lost one, He wants to bring peace to you. He wants you to know that He cares for your loved one, more than we could ever know. And He has them in a place that He has prepared.

They are not alone.

Luke 23:43 (NKJV) 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

He has surrounded them with what they need, taking good care of them, loving on them.

And He is with us here as well, watching over us, caring for us as much as we allow Him to.

Those that we love and have lost are with Him.

2 Corinthians 5:8 (NKJV) 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

And we will be there too, some day. We will all be together with Him! Amen.

No more tears, no more sorrow, no more troubling ourselves over it. Rather, get up and rejoice. The Lord has made preparations for us all and they are perfect! Amen.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-6-20

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Luke 17:5 (NKJV) 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

In the verse above, the Apostles asked Jesus for more faith so they could walk out the things He was speaking to them about.

Jesus looked at them and flat out ignored their request. Why?

Because, as He told them in the next verse, they didn’t need more faith! They just needed to exercise the faith they already had.

Jesus went on to tell them that if they had faith even as small as a mustard seed that they could do great things!

Luke 17:6 (NKJV) 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

You see, so many of us ask God to give us more faith. But it’s not more faith that we need. We need to learn to walk in the faith that God has given us. We need to grow closer to God so that the faith He has given us will grow stronger in Him.

Some might go so far as to say that they have no faith. But that’s a misconception or a lack of understanding on their part, because the word of God tells us that we have each been given a “measure of faith”.

Romans 12:3 (NKJV) 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

This means that not a single one of us lacks faith. We just might not know how to use that faith yet. But as we press in to God, He will teach us and show us, as He leads us to do the things He wants us to do.

Remember Peter, who actually walked on the water? He did that with the measure of faith that he had been given, not with some massive burst of faith that was suddenly given to him.

He simply had to obey what Jesus told him to do when He called him to step out of the boat onto the water.

At that split second, he was probably experiencing many things, but he ignored any doubts he had and walked on the water. It was only when he began to think about what he was doing that he began to sink.

So it is with us. It’s important that we get so close to God that when He speaks, we don’t hesitate or try to figure it out in our heads. We just simply listen and then do what He asks of us.

That doesn’t happen overnight. But as we grow closer to Him, it happens a little at a time.

And before we know it, we will be stretching and growing our “measure of faith”, doing the things that God asks us to do with no hesitation at all.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-5-20 – Before I Formed You

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Please click to watch the video now.Greetings in the name of Jesus! 

Have you ever had someone say something to you that made you feel like you’re not worth much, or that you’re less than intelligent? 

Today’s video, Before I Formed You, deals with this topic and helps show who God made us to be, despite what others might say to us or think about us. 

We hope you will take a few minutes to watch it, and share it with others if you think they might need to see it. 

Please click to watch the video now. 

Enjoy your day. 

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie 

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808 

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-4-20

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Ecclesiastes 3:6 (NKJV) 6 A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away…

The changing of seasons is very much a part of our lives. We can be on top of a mountain one day and in the valley the very next.

We all go through it. Some people just know how to keep a smile on their face, even in tragedy and loss, but they still feel the sting.

Can we maybe remember a time in our lives when everything seemed good? We had a good job, and we had a good income. We were saving money and paying cash for things. We had no debt, no payments. Just good living. Our family got along. Everything flowed nicely.

And then something came along, and it hit us hard, wiped it all out, and we stood there wondering what just happened.

Life! That’s what happened. Life is made up of seasons. And we can learn a great deal from each one.

In order to make it through this life without getting beat down, we need to look at things differently.

We are going to lose things and people in some seasons of our lives, and we are going to gain in some seasons. But no matter what season we are in, we can be content if we keep our heart and eyes on the One who keeps us content, Our Father, Lord and Provider.

He knows what season we are facing right now. He knows what we need to get through. Lean on Him. He will strengthen us.

Psalm 119:28 (NKJV) 28 My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808

401-315-0902

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

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