Bible Verse of The Day – 10-22-12

(Mat 19:30 NKJV)  “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Despite the short length of this verse and the apparent simplicity of it, this verse is really very important and has much more meaning than it appears to have at a quick glance!

Most times we hear this verse used when people are teaching about putting others above ourselves and caring for others unselfishly.

In reality, though, if you read the verses that follow this one, you’ll see that Jesus was talking about something entirely different than that.

Jesus went on to share a parable that taught the disciples that when someone comes into the kingdom of heaven… becomes a follower of Christ and has their name written in the Lamb’s book of life, that person is just as saved and is looked upon by God just the same as someone who has been saved for many years.

He was also referring to those who get saved late in their lives, at an older age, when compared to someone who gets saved early in their life, at a young age.

There is no difference in God’s eyes. Once we are washed in the blood of Jesus, we are sons and daughters of the Most High God. Period.

We do not gain seniority in the kingdom of God. Someone who was saved 35 years ago does not have more favor with God than someone who was saved 35 minutes ago.

Obviously, someone who has followed God for 35 years should be more spiritually mature than a recent convert, but in God’s eyes the two are equally saved.

So know this in your heart and never let anyone tell you that God favors longtime Christians over “newborn” Christians. The last shall be first and the first shall be last!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-20-12

(Eph 2:1-2 NKJV)  And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, {2} in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…

With Christ we are a new creation and we are alive! Today, let us celebrate the life that we have been given through God’s mercy and His Son, Jesus Christ!

We wonder at times why we get mistreated by others or how people can say and do the things they do at times. We have to understand that just as we were once without Christ, so are they without Christ. If someone is without Him, they are considered dead. Therefore what else should we expect from dead people? They don’t know how to live.

This world we live in is full of dead people…those without Christ. They have been born into evil just as we were at one time. We are here to show them God’s love and mercy with the hope that they too will give their life to Christ and come alive in Him and LIVE!!

Today, let us remember that we once were dead and someone showed us God’s love and the way to life. We must do the same for others!!

Let us not give up on the dead… the unsaved. We can pray, and show them how to receive life through Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith!!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-19-12

(John 13:14 NKJV)  “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

Jesus was the son of God. He was God in the flesh, here on earth. He was and is above all men.

And yet, in spite of this, He washed the feet of the disciples. He humbled himself, poured water over their feet and washed them.

How many of us would do this same thing? How many of us would humble ourselves, kneel on the floor, or on the ground, and wash the feet of someone… maybe even someone we don’t know very well?

Humility is a hard thing for some of us. Being humble enough to wash someone’s feet is even harder. But there is something strongly symbolic about the washing of another person’s feet.

Most of us like to think of ourselves as being humble. We never want to think we’re proud. But if God prompted us to wash the feet of someone would we do it? Would we be able to get down on the floor and wash the feet of another person?

This is a great test for all of us. Consider it and ask God to show you your heart.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-18-12

(John 8:32 NKJV)  “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The truth can be a hard thing to swallow sometimes. It can cut us with its harsh realities.

But the truth can, in fact, set us free. It can set us free from ourselves. It can set us free from hurt inflicted by others. It can help us to see things they way they really are, instead of how we think they are.

Truth, when spoken, needs to be spoken with love, not with sarcasm or hurtful intentions. Jesus spoke truth very boldly, but He spoke it with love.

Sometimes when we hear the truth about ourselves or our situation, especially if it’s something we don’t agree with, we immediately reject it. We don’t take the time to consider it or pray about it. But we need to let God show us the truth and then let Him work it out in us.

I have never had a problem with speaking the truth to people when I needed to, but God has really been working with me to speak the truth with love, mercy, grace and compassion. This can make all the difference in the world as to how it’s received.

God has also been working on me when it comes to hearing the truth from others. He is teaching me to listen and consider what I hear, giving Him time to show me what’s what.

Consider truth. Let it work in you and bring you freedom that you might otherwise never have known.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-17-12

(1 Cor 10:13 NKJV)  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.

Are we reaching out for God’s help to escape the temptation today?

There is so much temptation in this world that we live in. We all know this; it’s not an easy thing. Everywhere we look women are half naked, showing themselves. They don’t seem to know how to dress modestly anymore.

Men don’t know how to keep there eyes and comments to themselves. They don’t care if you are married or not… they will look lustfully at another man’s wife without any guilt or conviction.

Liars, homosexuals, alcoholics, drug addicts, thieves… you can escape the temptation today. God has made a way.

Movies and TV shows today are loaded with vulgar words and dirty scenes. So much of secular music today is full of filth and lust. What are we doing about it?

We need to take a stand and be strong today! God has made a way for us all to escape these temptations.

If you are struggling in an area, with something that you know you need to stop, contact us today so we can be praying for you.

Being tempted isn’t wrong. It’s what we do when we’re tempted that shows us who we are and where we are at.

No one is perfect, we all struggle, and we need each other.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-16-12

(Eccl 3:1 NKJV)  To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

Seasons are a very important way that God moves in our lives. Learning to recognize these seasons… the end of one and the beginning of another, is critical to staying in tune with the timing of God.

We have taught on this in the past, but we’ve learned that it is such a critical matter in the lives of believers, that we want to touch base on it again.

We have witnessed many, many times when a season would come to an end and a person would either fail to recognize it, or refuse to make the change, and the results were never good. Sometimes, in fact, they were disastrous.

Seeing how God has worked in our own lives, through the changing seasons, has taught us to be very watchful and mindful of these changes, and to learn how to recognize when change is coming. This has helped us so much when it comes to staying in the proper timing of God.

Sometimes it can be hard to leave one season and move into another, especially if we are comfortable in the current season, or if moving into the new season means letting go of something that is precious to us. But as we learn to trust God with our lives and we begin to learn how to discern the seasons and flow with the change, letting go will no longer be a struggle for us.

Take a look at your situation today. Is it time to move into a new season? Are you trying with all of your might to hold onto the old, when God wants to bless you with the new?

Trust God. Let go of the old. Embrace the new.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-15-12

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

If we need a breakthrough in our lives today, in any area, whether it is our health, our ministry, our work place, our finances, etc., and we’re not getting it, we need to stop doing what we have always done and change it up.

Habits will keep us in bondage. Breaking the habit of always doing what we’ve always done will help to bring in the breakthrough!

Can we agree that if we try and try, and nothing is changing, that we don’t give up trying, we just need to try something else?

Come on, let’s be bold. if God is telling us to throw some things away today, we need to do it!!

Change is coming; don’t be afraid!! If it is God’s change for us… we need to embrace it!!

We serve a faithful God!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-13-12

(John 13:34 NKJV)  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Love one another.

Jesus gave us a new commandment. He didn’t tell us to be sure to walk on water once per week. He didn’t tell us to be sure to part the seas on a regular basis. And He didn’t tell us to regularly turn water into wine.

Now, don’t get us wrong… these are all miraculous things. But even if we were able to perform these miracles, by the power of the Holy Spirit, on a regular basis, if we didn’t have love, we would be empty and the miracles would be meaningless.

Love is the ultimate gift that we have been given, so that we, in return, can give it to others.

Love conquers all. Love is patient, kind, humble, considerate, hopeful, generous and so much more. When we truly learn to love the way that Jesus taught us to love, it will change our lives and the lives of those around us.

Oh, and by the way, we need to note that Jesus told us that this was a new commandment, not a suggestion!

Love one another.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-12-12

(2 Pet 3:9 NKJV)  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Do you ever wonder why it seems like the return of Jesus is taking forever? Why does it seem like the end times never really come?

God is not willing that any should perish. He has held off on His return so that we, His people, can spread the gospel to “the uttermost parts of the earth” and give everyone an opportunity to embrace Christ.

Nobody knows the day or time of the return of Jesus. But there is one thing that is safe to say, and this is that the entire world has not yet been evangelized. There are still people groups in the world who have not heard of God’s love and the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross.

People of God, we still have work to do!! We need to love the people around us and shine God’s light. We need to take God’s word and His love to those in other nations. It is God’s love that we need to share and bring to others.

God loved the world so much, that He gave His son for our sins. We need to love Him and spread His love, all the way to the ends of the earth.

Then, and only then, will He return.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-11-12

(Phil 3:14 NKJV)  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Life is not always easy. Even as believers and children of God, there are going to be trials and tribulations. It’s just a fact of life.

It doesn’t seem to matter what we do, these trials still come. What matters, though, is how we go through these trials.

Do we stay positive and honor God in the midst of the storm, or do we lose our faith quickly and begin to get negative, losing sight of the prize in front of us.

God has taught us that things will come our way that won’t always be pleasant. He has also taught us in scriptures, such as the one above, that our life is not just about short-term goals or victories.

We are in a race that is life-long. And while we will reap rewards even while we’re here on earth, our eye needs to be kept on the final prize, when we stand before our Creator.

As followers of Christ, our ultimate goal should be to hear these words:

(Mat 25:23 NKJV)  …’Well done, good and faithful servant…

So press through the tough times, the trials and the tests, no matter how hard it gets, and keep your eye on the prize. We might not be able to do it on our own, but with God’s help we can have victory.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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Bible Verse of The Day – 10-10-12

(Eph 2:13 NKJV)  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The blood of Christ has absolute power to overcome all evil.

There is nothing that the blood of Jesus can’t accomplish in our lives. The blood of Jesus causes men to draw near to God and become new creations.

If you have been washed in the blood of Jesus and have wandered away for some reason, His blood and the cleansing power of it have not been removed from your life. You have not been disowned.

Your life is in the hand of God and His grace is enough for you. No matter what you may have done or might even be doing right now, this very moment, it is not too much for the blood of Jesus to overcome.

Today is the day and this is the moment to let God draw you back to Him. Surrender yourself to Him and let Him break the power of sin in your life. Let God give you another chance. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed. It’s not worth losing your relationship with the creator of this world.

God is calling you back to Him right now. Don’t wait. Run back to Him with your arms wide open.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-377-5400

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