God has many things that He wants us to do in our lifetime. Some of those things are small, while others are not so small.
Whatever the size, God will always give us instructions to follow as to how He wants us to do something. Whether we follow those instructions or not is up to us.
We love you all and want God’s very best for your lives.
Sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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Mark 9:23 (NKJV) 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Believing in what God tells us is the first step toward receiving. But there is more to it than just believing. We must not stop there.
Sometimes God will give what we need in steps. He may do His step first, then He may show us a step to take. Some things come in lots of steps. So, don’t lose hope. But be patient.
Patience is a big part of receiving God’s answers or plans for our situation. If we try to force something to happen, it will not turn out the same or be complete, the way it would be if we let God move on our behalf.
James 1:4 (NKJV) 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
So many times, God will show us what He would like to do in our situation. And if we are not careful, our first reaction will ruin God’s plan quickly. Why? Because we step out on our own and we try to do it all in the natural.
But there are things in the spiritual realm that need to be tended to first and foremost, and only God can show us what that is and how to do it.
We have to remember that there is an enemy, a devil, that roams around and wants to take us out. He wants to kill and destroy anything that’s good.
Just as King Herod was after the baby Jesus, he had all the babies killed. Why? Because something great and something GOOD was coming!!
The devil doesn’t like good. He moved through the heart of Herod and brought destruction to all those little babies. His goal was to kill Jesus, which would kill God’s plan.
Matthew 2:16 (NKJV) 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
He will try and take out anything that is going to be good for us too. He is the enemy that we battle against!
We need the Holy Spirit to help us receive the things that God has spoken to us. He will help us to hold onto our faith. He will help us know the direction we need to go. And He will help us to keep our mind sound and focused.
There are a lot of people in the middle of a battle right now, tired and having no idea what step to take next. It’s not over for you. God is saying, “you will win if you surrender it to Me and listen. I will take you all the way.”
If this is you today, we want you to write or call us, and we will pray with you and stand in agreement for God to take you “the rest of the way through”. As you surrender it completely to Him, and follow His direction, you will come out on the other side of this war. Amen.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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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.
Three little phrases; rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.
Wow! What a serious set of instructions we are given here.
As we face the things in our lives that come along, we can sometimes feel alone, overwhelmed, defeated, and so many other emotions.
Rest assured, though, that we are never abandoned, despite how it might feel at times.
The thing we need to remember is that no matter what comes our way, we need to follow the instructions above.
We need to rejoice always. That means to rejoice even when we’re facing seemingly impossible circumstances. That’s not always so easy, is it? But if God tells us to do it, He also equips us to do it.
Pray without ceasing. This one doesn’t sound so tough. But do we do it? Hmm, not likely! But God shows us by his Spirit not only when to pray, but also how to pray. So, if we’re paying attention, He will prompt us and all we need to do is listen and obey.
In everything give thanks. Two simple words, give thanks. Now this one seems pretty basic. All we need to do is be thankful and express it. But there’s a really good chance that we probably don’t do this one all the time either.
We get busy. Or maybe we have an attitude because of the trial we’re facing. The last thing we feel is thankful. More than likely, we feel anger or frustration, and thanking God for anything is the last thing on our minds.
But once we get this one right, we’ll begin to see things differently. And the other two will come more easily to us.
So, remember, as we walk through the trials of life, rejoice always, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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John 8:38 (NKJV) 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
Who is our Daddy?
There are two fathers; Jehovah God, full of Truth, and the devil, father of lies.
John 8:44 (NKJV) 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Jesus was speaking to the Jews, His people, those who should have known Him. But they just wouldn’t accept Him. Instead, they wanted to kill Him.
How do we know who we serve?
We pay attention to the things we do; our actions will say a lot. Now, this doesn’t mean that we will be perfect at doing things, even as Believers of Christ. We are going to miss it at times. But, we want to pay attention to the things that we consistently act out and we think are OK.
For instance, if we are learning and growing as a follower of Christ, we will try to be honest in what we do. We will be kind to people, even if they are mean or bitter toward us. We will be a forgiving person. Our intent will always be good and right, even though we may sometimes miss it.
Maybe we are a nasty, angry and spiteful person. Maybe we’re bitter and always wanting things our way, causing contention, and not forgiving others. Well, we need to look at our actions and see if God is really working in us. Are we allowing Him to bring change in our heart? Or are we just playing the role? Roles don’t fly with God.
His Spirit in us will lead us to do good things and convict us into repentance when we do make mistakes. The devil will lead us to do bad things and we will feel no conviction from it. No remorse.
If our flesh does not let God change our heart, our flesh will line up with the devil and he will have more control over us. We will see this by our actions. And those wicked things we ponder on in our minds, we will act out.
Pay attention to the details in ourselves. Those little actions here and there all add up to make the big picture. We can really see who we are when we watch ourselves throughout the day.
How we respond to others and how we act in our own homes, behind closed doors, says it all.
Who are we letting have control over us?
Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Jesus is knocking. It’s up to us to open the door and let Him dine with us today. Amen.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
How can we tell if what we are entering into is from God or not?
It can be hard to discern sometimes, especially if the thing we are attempting to do, or the opportunity that is before us, appears to be something that will bring about good things.
One of the things we have learned is to not assume anything when it comes to making decisions, even if something looks good. We don’t touch it unless we go to God and we both feel it is the right move to make.
There are things we have given up, turned down, because it was not what God wanted us to do. They appeared to be very good things. Some appeared to be great things, and it appeared that they would have helped us out a lot at the time. But, He had something much better in store for us.
Looking back later on, we were glad we listened and followed His leading because we could see why He had us turn them down.
In some cases, we may not know for sure at first. We may feel like we have to take a step in that direction. But if it is God, there will be a peace that comes with it that will reassure us, even when we still aren’t 100% sure. It will be there to guide us until we do know for sure.
Another way to tell if something is from God or not is by whether it interferes with our relationship with Him.
Is it taking up all of our time and all of our thoughts? Is it pulling us away from Him, instead of toward Him? Is it affecting our attitude in a bad way?
You see, God will always be watching out for our best interest. He will make sure that if He has us involved in anything or with anyone, it will somehow compliment what He is already doing in us and through us.
We should always be growing closer to Him. He will never put something in front of us that will pull us away from Him.
If something we entered into is causing us to backslide, let’s ask God for forgiveness, and for His help with getting back on track. We need to be willing to do whatever is necessary to fix it.
He will lead us if we ask for His help. It’s up to us to want to follow.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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Deuteronomy 28:13 (NKJV) 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.
Being open to the way God wants us to do things is what will make this journey we are all on fun!
Yes, we will admit that sometimes it can get a little tense, and even scary at times. Absolutely. But, if we just hold on and stay close to Him, He will walk us through it.
It takes discipline and obedience. But, what an exciting way to live!
God has our back if we follow His commandments, His direction and His timing.
We have an important part in all of this. We may ask, “how do we know our part?”. We pray, we listen, we watch and we do.
It’s important to know that He wants us to understand what He is saying to us more than we ourselves want it. His love and compassion for us are very deep and He wants us to succeed.
He wants us to be the head and not the tail. He wants us to be above and not beneath! But we must be observant and be willing to take action.
Staying open to Him, His ways, His timing and His answer to us is what will keep us moving forward on this wonderful journey with Him.
Forget about the way it has always been. That kind of thinking will cause us to be stuck.
We need to stop with always thinking about how we did things before and how well it worked. That’s great, but it’s not always going to go the same way. God will change things up in a heartbeat if He sees a good reason to do so. Be ready to move with Him!
Break free today from the old ways of doing things and walk down the new, different, challenging and exciting road God has for each one of us!
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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Luke 11:28 (NKJV) 28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
“Keep it”. Those two words are crucial.
“Keeping it” is the key to having a blessed walk with God.
Those who hear God, and keep what He says dear to them, will not stand still. They will always be growing, learning and moving forward. They will take action as God directs them through His word.
They will mature, they will build, they will take what He says and apply it to every aspect of their life. And they will be blessed!
When God speaks to us through His word, one way or another there is forward motion.
He will speak to our everyday situations. Hear what God is saying through His word today and keep it dear to us. Move forward in it and be blessed!
He is a GOOD God and faithful to deliver on His promises.
2 Timothy 4:18 (NKJV) 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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John 10:27 (NKJV) 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
We hear God’s voice and we follow Him.
Where do we need to follow Him to today? Is He speaking to our hearts and asking us to change up some things? Maybe our language or our negative thoughts at times? Is He asking us to give up some things, like maybe television, certain things on the internet, or frivolous spending?
Is He asking us to step out in areas where we need to do something that will make a difference in our situation, for instance maybe tithing and the giving of our firstfruits to Him?
When God prompts us to do something, He doesn’t tell us to just take our time and ponder on it. And He doesn’t ask us to give Him a time frame as to when we will get around to it or fit it into our schedule.
There are no questions asked, and no negotiating. It is what it is and the terms are how God wants them to be. We, His sheep, are to hear it and to follow.
He will be sure to let us know when we need to make a change or a move, when we need to pull back, and when we need to be strong and press in. Don’t get too caught up in the details. Just follow what He puts in front of us.
Psalm 121:8 (NKJV) 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.
Amen.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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Psalm 37:23 (NKJV) 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
Many people ask how to know if they are following God’s plan for their life. It’s one of the most common questions we get.
There are many different things we could say about this. But for today, let’s stick with the text of this particular verse.
It says that the steps of a good man (person) are ordered by the Lord. So, what does that tell you? Whose steps are ordered by the Lord? Those of a good man!
So, based on this, we know that if we want to know God’s plan for our lives, and know that we are walking on the path He has chosen for us, we need to be “good”.
What does God mean by good? Righteous.
God orders the steps of a righteous man (or woman). It’s important to understand that there are two forms of righteousness.
First, we are made righteous by the blood of Jesus. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, His blood washes us and makes us clean. We instantly become righteous, by His blood.
Second, we live righteously by following God’s word, applying it on a personal level and walking it out daily.
It’s the second part that helps us to “find His path” and discern what the steps are that He has ordered for us.
As we walk this out, we ultimately begin to walk in the steps God has ordered for us. And the funny part is that it tends to happen without us even realizing it. It’s gradual, a little at a time.
And then one day we look back and we see where God has brought us from. And we begin to see and understand that the steps we took were not ours. They were His.
And what’s better than this? The fact that God delights in our way!
Amen.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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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.
Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Having a drive for something is OK, as long as it is what God wants for us. If it’s not what God wants for us it can be very dangerous. It can make a mess of things quickly and we will lose our peace.
For example, maybe we want a specific position, or maybe a material item.
Watch out for the phrase, “oh, wouldn’t that be nice”. That can be the beginning of an unnecessary drive, a waste of valuable time, for something that’s not meant for us.
We may catch ourselves starting to go down that road and digging deeper, trying to find out more about it. The next thing we know we are spending all our time and effort trying to make it happen, trying to possess it and make it ours.
Whenever we want or think we need something so badly, it will begin to drive us. It’s crucial that our drive be aimed toward the things that God wants for us. Nothing else.
One way to check ourselves at any point in time is to pull back and say, “hold on, wait a minute, I need to make sure this is right for me”.
If we can’t do that, and we just keep plowing our way through, trying everything we can to make it happen, then we are most likely being driven by our motives, our wants and our desires. God is not a part of it. It’s all us.
To keep this from happening, we have to keep an eye on our hearts during the process. How? By keeping ourselves accountable.
Make sure we are taking time with God, and we don’t just push Him off and ignore His promptings, His warnings, and His red flags. Be aware and alert throughout the whole process, making sure His peace is present and prevalent.
He has no problem helping us to know if we are getting ready to make a BIG mistake. We just have to pay attention to the signs, use wisdom and take action to stay on the right track.
If we are being driven today by something that is not going to be right for us, we need to stop, no matter how far in we are. Then we need to pull back and take some time to get God’s direction. He is faithful to help us see clearly and bring understanding, as long as we’re willing to listen.
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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Romans 8:25 (NKJV) 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Start this new year off by asking God for vision, to see the things that need to be changed in our lives, our homes, our finances, our work, or our ministry.
Lay it all out before Him, and then wait on Him.
God knows the things that need to be fixed, and He knows how to fix them. He knows what it will take and what will turn it around and make it work.
Write down the things He puts on our hearts and ask Him how to do it. Ask Him for the plan and the wisdom to do it. Let Him direct our steps.
God will place His vision within us and yes, it is fun and very exciting at times.
But we can’t think that once we have the vision that we can just pick up the ball and run with it on our own. That’s not how it works, and people that do this end up in a mess or in great failure.
Let Him work out the details and give us His strategy and timing. It may not come all at once, but in little pieces. Wait for it, moving one step at a time, and enjoy every moment of it.
God is precious, and the things He does for His children, He takes to heart.
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.
Greetings in the name of our wonderful Savior!