Category: Trials and Tribulations

Bible Verse of The Day – 6-21-21

Romans 8:18 (NKJV) 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

This verse brings us a message of great hope!

Not a single one of us likes suffering. It’s hard, it’s disheartening and it can be miserable at times.

Sometimes suffering can make us want to throw in the towel, give up and never try again.

Yes, it can be that bad.

But in the verse above, we are told that the suffering we encounter and endure here on earth can’t even begin to compare to the glory that will be revealed in us!

What does that mean?

It means that when we are bodily resurrected and we join Christ in heaven for eternity, our earthy suffering will pale greatly in comparison to the glory that will be revealed in us at that time.

In other words, the things that we suffer here will look like nothing when we compare it to being in God’s presence with Christ in the hereafter.

So, take heart!

Yes, suffering is hard. But it is only momentary. And the pain we endure while suffering here will fade away immediately when we are in His presence.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NKJV) 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

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 – 2-12-21

Psalm 27:13 (NKJV) 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.

Have you ever had something happen that made you feel like someone had kicked you square in the gut?

Life can sometimes deal some harsh blows. It’s just the reality of living as a human being.

Being a child of God does not make us immune to those harsh blows, contrary to what some might say, think or teach.

Trials and tribulations come for each of us.

The thing we need to remember is Who it is that brings us through those trials.

Sometimes it can be easy to feel hopeless and like we just want to throw in the towel and walk away. But the reality is that doing so accomplishes nothing. Nor does it make us any better off.

Giving up is easy, or so it might seem. But even in giving up there will be wreckage and debris to clean up afterward.

The best thing we can do is to pick ourselves up, let God help us to face our adversary and work through whatever we’re facing.

It is placing our hope in Him that keeps us from losing heart.

He needs to be our anchor in the midst of the storms that we face. Does that make it easier to face them?

That depends on us. If our minds are set on being angry, disappointed and miserable, then there is nothing that anyone can do to help us, including God Himself.

But once we understand that He is our source of strength and help, and that He is the well that we draw from when our joy is running out, then we can start taking steps forward and leaving our misery behind, one step at a time.

Why should we be hanging out in the land of the dead and miserable when He wants us to stay with Him in the land of the living?

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 – 1-30-21

Daniel 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had angered Nebuchadnezzar by refusing to worship the gold statue he had created.

They showed their loyalty to the one true God by stating very boldly to the king that “we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up”.

Needless to say, Nebuchadnezzar was irate. At this point he commanded that the furnace be heated up to 7 times hotter than normal.

The fire was so hot that it killed the men who threw them into the fire.

A short time after they had been thrown in, the king couldn’t believe what he saw.

In verse 24, He exclaimed, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”.

The people confirmed this.

And then he proclaimed (in verse 25) that he could see “four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

King Nebuchadnezzar immediately called the three men out from the fire and was in awe that none of them were hurt.

None of them even had so much as the smell of fire on them or their garments.

Because of what he had witnessed, Nebuchadnezzar glorified God and immediately made a proclamation that no one would be allowed to speak anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego without punishment by death.

So often in our own lives, we pray and ask God to deliver us from the things that we are facing. We don’t want to go through pain or discomfort.

But if we look at the example above, we will see that these men of God actually had to go through the fire before they were delivered!

They didn’t see a hand sweeping down and removing the trial in front of them. Instead, they were allowed by God to be thrown into an incredibly hot furnace where He then showed His hand and prevented them from being hurt or burned alive.

By this God was glorified.

Had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego not been thrown into the furnace, the king would never have glorified God. Neither would the men of God have been able to witness God’s miraculous hand of rescue from such a dire situation.

None of us likes the fire of trials. In fact, we probably despise them and will go to great lengths to avoid them or prevent them.

But it’s safe to say that it is only during times of great trial that we can see great moves of God on our behalf.

James 1:2-3 (NKJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

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 – 1-2-21

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJV) 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

I think these are the words I use most whenever I hear of troublesome times for people.

I remember when my Dad was going in for heart surgery. I felt so weak at the knees that day that I could have literally just dropped.

But Someone held me and carried me through. That Someone was God.

When we are in our weakest moments, and we feel like we are just going to drop right to the ground, God’s arms are right there, waiting to carry us and bring us through whatever battle we are facing.

Yes…it’s OK to admit we are weak at times.

I remember crying out to God. All I could say was His name. Those are the moments when we know that God has our back.

Let me say to those who are weak today, “You’re tired from the battle and your strength may be all used up. Call on the One who can carry you the rest of the way”.

Psalm 57:2 (NKJV) 2 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.

He is faithful!

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 – 6-26-20

Psalm 34:19 (NKJV) 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Affliction; Something that causes pain or suffering. Ailment, trouble, indisposition, menace, trouble.

We have all experienced something that falls into at least one of those categories. Maybe we’re even facing something like that right now. They are a part of life that there is honestly no escape from. Stuff just happens, and we all have to deal with it on one level or another.

It’s interesting to note that the Psalmist states that “many are the afflictions of the righteous”. There is an inference here that says righteous people may well face more afflictions than the non-righteous.

This may be quite true, since afflictions sometimes come because of our faith.

Sometimes they may come in the form of persecution for our faith. Other times they may come because we make choices based on our faith and our convictions that put us in precarious situations.

Whatever way they come, the verse above says this about it; “The Lord delivers us out of them all”.

That’s something we can count on.

The thing to remember is that the way out might not always come in the timing we’d like it to, or in the way we’d like it to. That doesn’t mean, however, that it doesn’t come. It just means that it comes in God’s way, not ours.

So, that thing that’s plaguing you right now? That thing that doesn’t seem to want to go away and let your life return to normal anytime soon? Those consequences that came about because of a choice we wish we hadn’t made?

God sees and He knows what’s happening. And if we’re willing to let Him, He is working them out on our behalf, moving things and putting things in place to help us.

All we have to do is to make sure we don’t get in His way and try to “help” Him, derailing the plan He has in place, causing it to take even longer than it already has.

Trust Him. We may not always understand, but He is working on our behalf.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

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 – 5-19-20

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

As I sit and ponder today on these past few months, I see change that has come not only in my own life, but in those around me. In the lives of all people around the world.

I am in awe at how God has given me such a peace that, through the hard times, through the decision making, through the learning experience, He stuck it out with me.

I have such wonderful memories to hold onto and reminisce about. Things I would never have experienced if I hadn’t gone through the fires at different times in my life.

Boy, I definitely know it’s not easy facing some things. I’d say sometimes it is even gut-wrenching hard.

But, instead of dwelling on the trial, I choose to keep the good at the forefront of my heart; the happy things that have brought me joy. And, I rejoice and thank God for all the new memories that I have!

We can always look around and see bad situations, and spend time talking about them. These things are there in all of our lives at one time or another. Or, we can choose to focus and move on with the good things.

Finding the good things in the land in which we live is a challenge sometimes. But it’s there and well worth the effort when we find it.

Psalm 27:13 (NKJV) 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.

Enjoy the goodness of the Lord and don’t stop praying. He is faithful to turn things around.

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 – 3-30-20

James 1:12 (NKJV) 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Did you know that if we endure trials, God says we are blessed?

This is an interesting statement.

Before we dig into this a little deeper, though, I have to admit that I was not intending to write another devotional about trials. The Coronavirus pandemic is already wreaking havoc in a way that has most people on edge, and most of us are probably tired of hearing about it and talking about it by now.

Nonetheless, God directed me to this scripture as I sat down to write, so it’s best that we proceed and see what it is that He wants us to learn from it!

Despite the fact that the English translation above uses the word “temptation”, the Greek word is actually better translated as “trials”.

So, we are blessed when we successfully endure trials.

Really? Let’s be honest here. Trials never feel much like we are being blessed, do they?

But if we step back and look at the big picture, as God likes us to do so often, it’s not the trial itself that is the blessing so much as what we gain from enduring the trial.

Enduring a trial means that we do whatever is necessary to come through it, not only with victory in our situation, but with our faith still wholly intact, looking fully to God for that victory.

To say that we are blessed means that we are happy. Coming through that trial is definitely something to be happy about. And as we have let God lead us through it, our happiness is more than just a fleshly, fleeting emotion that quickly disappears.

Oh, and the Word also says that if we endure, we are approved, literally meaning that we have passed the test.

Now, how cool is it that even these seemingly-ugly trials that come along hold something good for us?

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 – 2-12-20

Psalm 56:3 (NKJV) 3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Over the years there is something that I have noticed happening in the lives of many believers when we face a trial.

For some reason, many people tend to run away from God when they face something hard. They get scared, and they run.

This is a reaction of our flesh. The first thing our flesh wants to do when things get tough is to run away and put distance between the trial and ourselves. Oh, if only it was that easy to fix!

But see, when we run away, we are leaving behind the One who has the solution to our dilemma.

Instead of running away, we need to be running to Him!

God holds the answer to every problem we face during our lifetime. He has understanding that we don’t have. He has solutions that man can’t give us. And He understands us better than we understand ourselves.

So, it would benefit us if we would learn to go to Him, not away from Him because He can give us what we need to fix the problems we are facing. And the answers He gives us will be better than any that we can dream up ourselves or get from anyone else.

Let’s not make the mistake of thinking that it will always be easy, or that the answers He gives us will always give us instant fixes. Sometimes it will, but sometimes it won’t. And we need to be ready to accept that.

But there is one thing that can be guaranteed. And that is that when we go to Him, and we trust Him, the outcome will be much better than anything we could have schemed up ourselves.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

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!

To have the Bible Verse of The Day delivered to your inbox each day, please Click Here and then enter your email address in the box near the upper left corner of the page. 

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Bible Verse of The Day – 1-25-20

Hebrews 12:8 (NKJV) 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

The hardest part about facing a trial is to make sure we don’t try to get out of it too quickly.

That might sound odd, but most times there is something in that trial for us to learn. There is something for us to see, and there is something for us to hear.

We need to let what we learn become embedded in our hearts so we don’t ever forget it.

Imagine going through a trial and we just say, “take your time Lord. We want to learn whatever it is that we need to learn so we don’t have to visit this place again”.

We are God’s children, sons and daughters of the most High! He is a good Papa and good Papas will train up their children to be strong, to not faint, and to rise above any given situation that we may face.

If you’re facing a trial, wait on God. He will show up. He will show us if there is something in it we may need to see and something that we need to do.

Be watching, listening, and seeking Him. He is going to teach us how to walk out of hard places and hard times.

Remember, if we are His sons and daughters, there is always a time to learn and a time to apply what we learn. It is the way He does it.

Keep learning and growing closer to Him, and enjoy the journey from either side. We shall walk and not faint, we shall mount up with wings like eagles as we receive His correction and the strength to walk it out.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Don’t give up when it gets hard. Wait on His strength. It will come and bring us through! 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 – 6-26-19

Psalm 30:5 (NKJV) 5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

We all face trials. We all weep at times. It’s part of life here in the natural.

What are you facing today that’s causing you to weep? What kind of trial is making you feel like you just can’t seem to get past it?

It doesn’t matter what it is. Health, finances, relationships, careers or anything else, they are all temporal and do not bring us true satisfaction or fulfillment.

Yes, they sometimes help make us feel more stable or secure. They might even give us a sense of accomplishment. But in the end, they can all disappear almost instantly, leaving us feeling confused and uncertain.

Even though the scripture above refers specifically to God’s anger lasting but a moment, and weeping enduring for a night, we can also apply this to life circumstances and situations.

The important thing to remember is that, no matter what comes our way, it doesn’t last forever. The pain, the sorrow or the suffering will come to an end. The time it takes will vary from person to person and from situation to situation.

But one thing is sure; no matter what the situation is, and no matter how long it lasts, God is faithful and true. And He will give us what it takes to have victory in the end.

We just have to trust Him in the midst of the storm and follow His leading. He will bring us through, and joy will come.

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!

To have the Bible Verse of The Day delivered to your inbox each day, please Click Here and then enter your email address in the box near the upper left corner of the page. 

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Bible Verse of The Day – 5-15-19

James 1:2-3 (NKJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

If you enjoy trials, please raise your hand.

No, I didn’t think you would raise your hand. I didn’t raise mine either.

Nobody enjoys trials. They are, after all, trials. They are not meant to be fun or enjoyable. Trials can be very, well… trying. It’s just the nature of them.

They test us. They can stress us out. They can cause fear, and maybe even anxiety for some people.

But what does God’s word say about them? It says to “count it all joy when we fall into various trials”.

No, that’s not a typo or a joke. It’s God’s way of saying that trials are good for us, even though we don’t like them much (if at all).

Why are they good for us? Because they teach us patience and they test our faith.

When the pressure of a trial hits us hard, we get to see what we’re really made of. Our faith is put to the test, and we get to see how much we really trust God.

No, God doesn’t expect us to literally laugh about the trials we go through. But He does want us to keep our joy intact, so we don’t become miserable and lose sight of His faithfulness.

And as we learn to trust Him more and more, trials will be less stressful and less apt to cause our faith in Him to falter during tough times.

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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