Month: October 2011

(Prov 22:6 NKJV) Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

I can remember being a teenager and I thought nothing could touch me. I thought that I wouldn’t get caught if I was doing something wrong, but even if I did, I would just sweet talk my way out of trouble. I had it all figured out.

My parents had me in church every Sunday. They’d taught me right from wrong. I can remember clearly at times my Mom saying, “you better not do that or else.” I guess I found myself being daring; quite daring at times. You know… testing the boundaries.

How did I ever make it through some of the things I did and not get hurt? I can only imagine that I had a praying Dad and Mom. Were they perfect? No… but they were there for me whenever I needed them.

Even going through the hard teenager days, I knew deep down I had parents that loved me and they were consistent in teaching me, and when I messed up they didn’t give up on me.

Our children must be guided and taught the right things to do in this life on a daily basis. Even if it sounds like a broken record at times, don’t stop teaching them God’s way and what He says in His Word.

Don’t be surprised if they make mistakes or even backslide at times. Just know that as you do your part in training them, God’s Word tells us they will not depart.

Don’t give up on your children. No matter how old they get, keep praying, keep teaching, keep setting the example for them, and they will come around eventually. And when they do, you will be amazed at all the things you said that you thought they didn’t hear, that they will be saying to their kids or others around them. God has a way of turning things around!!

Thank God today for those that prayed us into His Arms!! Amen

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(Prov 20:19 NIV)  A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

I have a saying that I like to use when it comes to people who gossip, and it goes like this: If someone will talk to you about someone else, they will surely talk to someone else about you.

Gossip is a sin. God’s word says so.

Have you ever known someone who seemed to thrive on talking about other people all the time? Some people are so bad that they never even admit to their own faults because they’re so busy talking about the supposed faults of others.

Many of us engage in gossip every single day and don’t give it a second thought. But let me tell you something; not only is gossip a sin, but it can also be very damaging to the person or people you’re gossiping about.

Gossip is not a small matter. It’s very major. If we are gossiping, we need to stop. If we are listening to someone else gossip, we need to change the subject or simply stop listening.

If we have gossiped it doesn’t mean that we’re eternally condemned and there is no hope for us, but we need to change our ways and ask God to break this terrible sin in our lives.

He will do it if we let Him. All we need to do is ask Him to forgive us and then make an honest effort to stop. If we’re sincere about stopping, we will stop.

Check yourself over this weekend and see how many times you catch yourself either spreading gossip or listening to gossip. And then do something about it.

Be blessed in all you do and seek God in everything.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(James 5:19-20 NKJV)  Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, {20} let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Talking to someone who has strayed from God is never an easy thing. Nobody really likes to bring someone face to face with their sin or their backslidden condition.

But if we listen to God and He tells us to do this, we need to move on it. Doing so can save a soul from eternal death and separation from God.

The most important thing is that we do this only when God tells us to. Many times we try to play God’s part and speak when He hasn’t told us to speak.

We all know someone who has turned away from God. Maybe someone reading this right now is one of those people. If you know someone and God tells you to speak, be sure to listen for Him to give you direction.

If you’re someone who has walked away from God, open your heart and listen. He wants you back, no matter what you’ve said or done.

Remember… this is about eternity.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(Psa 33:21 NKJV)  For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.

We have been so thankful these past few months. It seems that every time something challenging comes our way, God is right there to help us through. We are truly grateful that God is on our side for sure!

Waking up everyday to a fun & loving family, a good job, a nice home, lots of finances and good health is probably everyone’s dream. But that’s not really what keeps us happy. Some people have much when it comes to possessions and they are still miserable and some have very little and they are miserable too. So where’s the balance?

What amazes me is the fact that no matter how much we have or don’t have in material things, having Jesus makes it all better! When He lives in us we are so blessed! So full of JOY! So full of LOVE! Happiness is just overflowing and compassion flows in our blood!

There are truly days when I just want to yell with a loud voice and dance and shout because I am so full of excitement! Who could not get excited knowing that someone loves us so much? That someone is JESUS, the HOLY ONE!!

Rejoice in Him today. He is GOOD!!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(Isa 9:6 NKJV)  For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Mighty God; this is our God. This is the God we serve!

God never fails us. He never turns His back on us. He never leaves us.

God makes a promise and He keeps it. His word never returns void.

When something comes your way that tries to bring you down, hold fast to God. When someone says or does something to you to try to hurt you or cause you to become bitter, trust that God will make it right, in His timing.

No matter what comes our way, we have God to cling to. He is a strong tower that we can run to and be safe.

Live your life in a way that pleases God. He will bless you for it. Even when tough times and hard trials come our way, He will bless us in His timing.

Finally, before I bring this to a close, I want to give a quick update on our nephew, John. Your prayers have been heard and are working! John opened his eyes tonight for a short time. The doctors had reduced the dosage of his medication to see how he would respond. Well, respond he did, by opening his eyes and partially sitting up.

They raised the dosage of his sedative again because they need him to stay as calm and relaxed as possible. He has started to improve, ever so slightly, but he has improved.

The fervent prayers of the righteous avail much!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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

Being a part of the body of Christ is an amazing experience. Christ made us a body for a reason. We are not meant to operate completely independent of each other, but instead we are taught by God to function together, as one body with many different parts.

One of the special things about being part of Christ’s body is that we comfort and support each other in times of need,

Yesterday we sent out a Daily Bible Verse sharing and teaching about the frailty of human life and then we asked everyone to pray for our nephew, John, who had been in a horrible car accident on Sunday morning.

The outpouring of support we received from everyone was truly incredible. We received a non-stop stream of incoming emails over the course of the day, offering prayers, encouragement and so much more. We were truly blessed by each one that took the time to write to us.

We also appreciate everyone who took the time to pray for John who might not have written to us. Your prayers are also very, very much appreciated.

As of tonight, John is still in critical condition, so please keep lifting Him up. We do believe, though, that he will recover by God’s hand and will live to be a walking testimony of God’s mercy and strength.

Keep your faith strong and keep looking to God for your strength. He will never disappoint us or fail us.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(James 4:14 NKJV)  whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Life is a very fragile thing. It is more fragile than most of us realize.

This afternoon we sat in a room in the Intensive Care Trauma Unit of a nearby hospital, watching our 16 year old nephew fight for his life. He was in a tragic accident that put 4 teenagers in the hospital, with 2 of them in critical condition. Our nephew is one of those in critical condition.

It was just another reminder for us as to the fragility of this life we’ve been given by our creator. This is actually something we have both talked about a lot lately during some of our conversations together.

We are here one minute and gone the next. We have no say and no control over when we are born or when we die. We need to truly appreciate every single minute we have with those we love and that mean the most to us.

Our nephew is in a very fragile state right now. He has been unconscious since the car accident that tried to take his life, earlier this morning (Sunday). We’d like to ask you to pray for God’s intervention and allow him to have a miracle, leading to a full recovery. His name is John.

Your prayers are very much appreciated.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(Gen 22:2 NKJV)  Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Why would God ask Abraham to take his only son whom he loved so much and had waited for a hundred years to have? Why would he be asked to sacrifice him to the Lord? God knew that Isaac meant more to Abraham than anything or anyone else in the world.

Did you ever pray for something for so long and then finally get it? What do we do when this happens? We probably treasure it because we knew how long we waited for it and what it took to get it!!

Just as God asked Abraham for his only son, we shouldn’t be surprised if God asks us to sacrifice something we love so much.

It’s not that God wants to take away the things that are important to us. (Gen 22:12 NKJV)  And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.

So even though God asked Abraham for his son, He didn’t end up taking him. He just wanted to see if Abraham would let anything come between him and God.

Does God come first or is He second or third, after the very thing He has blessed us with? When God blesses us with something He wants us not to forget Him. But, sometimes that very thing He blessed us with can replace Him if we are not careful.

Take some time today and just ponder on these words. Give God first place in our lives. Obeying Him brings GREAT VICTORY!!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(Psa 37:18 NKJV)  The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.

I’d like to speak a word of encouragement to everyone today.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from or where you live. It doesn’t matter if you’ve walked with God for many years or if you just met Him today. We all face struggles and we all have battles that we need to win.

No matter what we’re in the midst of right at this moment, God knows. There is not a second of our lives that goes unnoticed by Him. There is not a deed that we’ve done that is hidden from Him. He knows our going out and our coming in.

So if you get nothing else today from this word, get this: God knows your days, and your inheritance shall be forever.

Now take this word and hide it in your heart and draw from it today if you face trials and tests. His strength is greater than ours.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(Psa 37:5-6 NKJV)  Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. {6} He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

It seems like every week we run into obstacles that try to keep us from reaching our goals or achieving something that we believe God wants for us.

This is nothing new and none of us is up against anything that someone before us hasn’t already been through.

What’s good, though, is that God has answers and solutions for every single problem we will ever face in our lives. Yes… every one of them!

So what do we need to do to find these answers? We need to commit our way to Him and trust in Him. Doesn’t seem too complicated, does it? It isn’t unless we make it that way.

This past week has been one of many challenges for me, but God has taught me much through these challenges, especially with regard to listening to Him and trusting Him. And let me tell you that trusting Him and following His ways has made things a whole lot easier than if I had chosen to follow my own way.

So stop for a minute right now and ask yourself if you’re trusting God and committing your ways to Him in everything.

If we are, He will show forth our righteousness and bring forth justice in our situations!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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(Prov 15:1 NKJV)  A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

I was very recently faced with a situation where I had to address someone for something. I had learned of something that this person had said that was malicious toward me and my family and absolutely false.

I didn’t want to argue with them or stir up a conflict, but I knew that this person needed to be made aware of the fact that the false words that they had spoken about our family had gotten back to me and I wanted to give this person a chance to redeem himself.

I sought God’s wisdom on this because it was a very delicate situation and, despite my flesh wanting to light into him verbally, I knew that this would not solve anything and it would not bring glory to God.

God showed me that the best thing to do was to approach this person calmly and gently, which is what I did.

When I was done talking to him, I went back to what I was doing and knew inside that God’s way is surely better than mine. Thank God for His wisdom.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400

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