Category: Putting God First

Bible Verse of The Day – 8-5-20

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

Life can be odd at times.

Sometimes we have goals and desires that we work to attain. We want to advance in our careers or on our jobs.

Or maybe we want to learn a new skill.

Maybe we want a relationship with someone so we can get married and raise a family.

All of these are good. They all have merit. And God will often bless us by allowing them to happen in our lives.

We often receive emails and prayer requests from people who are looking for direction, or are hoping for some kind of support in their quest to reach a goal.

We reply to them all, and very often with the same kind of message or answer. So, we thought we would share that in a devotional, to help give some direction to everyone who reads our emails and social media posts.

As we mentioned above, working toward goals can be very good. We should all have some direction in our lives. Without goals and direction, we will wander aimlessly.

In the midst of this, however, we need to stay focused on the One who matters most. He is our ultimate goal and the prize that we seek.

If we get caught up in the things of this world, our walk with Him will suffer and become weaker than it should be.

That’s the last thing we want happening.

So, be sure to keep Him at the forefront of all we do and all we endeavor to do.

When our heart is aligned with His, He will give us what we desire.

Psalm 37:4 (NKJV) 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

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 – 8-2-20 – Eye On The Prize

Please click to watch the vdieo now.Greetings! 

We all have goals in life; things we want to achieve or accomplish. 

As we work toward those goals, it’s important to pay attention to how they impact our walk with God. 

In today’s video, Eye on The Prize, we discuss this and teach on what God’s word tells us when it comes to this part of our lives. 

We hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch it. 

Please click here to watch the video now. 

Enjoy the rest of your day. 

Sincerely, 

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 – 4-20-20

John 12:42-43 (NKJV) 42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

As the time drew near for Jesus to be crucified, many people confessed their faith in Him.

Even some of the Jewish religious leaders believed. Sadly, though, they were intimidated by the Pharisees, and they chose to keep their faith to themselves, for fear of being kicked out of the synagogue and being ridiculed or punished.

The desire for the praise of men can be very powerful in the lives of some. We all wrestle with this to some degree at some point in our lives.

For some of us it can be a huge obstacle to growing our relationship with God. This is especially true when it comes to being outspoken about our faith.

Let’s face it. It’s easy to quietly have faith in God. It’s yet another thing for us to be outward about our faith.

But here’s the thing that we often overlook. Demonstrating our faith outwardly is about more than just our words. It is also about our actions.

Not everyone is created to be an evangelist or a public speaker. But each and every one of us can walk out our faith in the things we do each and every day!

And, as Jesus said, if our faith is genuine, we should not be afraid of what people think of us.

Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV) 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Remember, it’s not just about what we say, but about what we do also. And the desire for people’s praise should never outweigh the desire for God’s commendation.

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 – 4-17-20

Revelation 3:16 (NKJV) 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

Over the years, as I have read from Genesis through Revelation, I have noticed two very prominent themes that God consistently shows us.

The most obvious is His love for humanity. The fact that He loves us despite our flaws and shortcomings is amazing beyond words.

The other is that He desires us to love Him back, more than anything else in life. He wants us to put Him first, above everything. And that’s what we will talk about today.

Way back when Moses spent time on the mountain with God, and he came down with the Ten Commandments in his hands, we were told that we should put nothing before Him.

Exodus 20:3 (NKJV) 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

Later, in Deuteronomy chapter 6, we are told that we are to love God with everything in us.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NKJV) 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Later, when confronted by the Pharisees, who asked Him what the greatest commandment was, Jesus reiterated the fact that we should love God with everything in us.

Matthew 22:37 (NKJV) 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Jesus also told us that we should seek the kingdom of God first, before anything else.

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Later, in the book of Romans, we are told that we should present our bodies as a living sacrifice, again reinforcing the fact that God wants us to put Him first in everything.

Romans 12:1 (NKJV) 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

So, just a gentle reminder today that if we are not putting God first, above everything and everyone else, this would be a good time to adjust our priorities to make sure we’re doing what we need to do to accomplish that.

After all, consider what our lives might be like if we were without Him.

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 – 2-17-20

Matthew 6:21 (NKJV) 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

God has really been changing my heart over the last several years.

How do I know this? Because the things that I used to find exciting don’t hold my attention much these days.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love the time I spend bass fishing, teaching others how to fish, and spending time on the water with Pastor Ellie. But as much as I love bass fishing (and I do really love it), even that doesn’t excite me as much as it used to when compared to the things of God.

Bass fishing aside, there are many other things that used to get me excited that don’t mean as much to me as they used to.

Case in point, we recently took some time off to get away and disconnect. It was a trip that we had planned for over a year. And it was one that we were really looking forward to.

But as we made the trip and the first couple of days went by, we both realized that, despite our anticipation in the months leading up to it, we really weren’t as enthusiastic or as excited as we thought we would be.

Make no mistake. The sights and the events were wonderful and exciting. But we weren’t excited like we thought we would be.

And, to be truthful, the thing that got us the most excited was the time that we spent talking with the other people we met and the time we spent ministering to others who were hurting and in need of God’s hope and encouragement.

As we returned home, we spent a lot of time talking about this, and we both realized that God has done a work in us that we didn’t fully recognize until after this chain of events had unfolded.

But one thing is now very clear; we are different people than we were years ago. God has turned our hearts more toward Him than they have ever been. And it is likely that He will continue to do so, provided we are willing to let Him do it.

Let me say that this is not written to boast. We are in awe at every single thing God does. And what He chooses to do in us is not a product of us. It’s an effect that takes place as He prompts us and then makes changes in us so that we can carry out His work.

He is willing to do the very same for any of us. The key is that we let Him.

The foundation of this truth is found here, in Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

So, we encourage you to seek Him, and to search for Him with all your heart. For when we do this, He is faithful and true to His word, rewarding us with a new heart and an incredible appetite for the things of God that we could never have fathomed not very long ago.

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 – 1-29-20

Luke 9:23 (NKJV) 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Take a good look at that verse.

Now, after doing that, consider how much it says about life revolving around us. Not much, right?

In fact, the only thing it says about us is that we should deny ourselves. How does that stack up against so much of what we hear being taught today, even in churches?

It’s not pretty, is it? In fact, it’s very sad.

You see, God is not a mean God. He is not a killjoy, looking to rob us of enjoyment.

But He does want us to serve Him with our whole heart, not just a little piece of it. This means setting ourselves aside sometimes, even when it might not be convenient.

This means making sacrifices at times that might be costly in terms of pushing “self” aside and putting God first.

How does that compare to what we hear being taught today? There’s a pretty stark contrast, isn’t there?

This is why it’s important that we know God’s word and that we be careful to listen for His spirit. He is faithful to show us what’s right and what’s wrong regarding doctrines and similar things, especially when they are being promoted by Christians and churches.

Be careful. Not everything that has a Christian label attached is true to God’s word.

We live in a world that is being overrun with wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Matthew 7:15 (NKJV) 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

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 – 1-11-20

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

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 – 12-17-19

Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV) 6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

There are so many books and teachings today on being built up in ourselves. Although it is good to have confidence in who God made us, we need to remember our roots and our Maker.

The way that the world portrays this is that we look to ourselves to do the building, to achieve things on our own, with no help whatsoever. That way, we give ourselves all the credit and all the glory!

They try to make it look like we are so powerful and wise that we don’t need anyone or anything to help us, causing us to become arrogant, prideful and almost unbearable to be around.

Remember why the enemy got kicked out of heaven. He was trying to take over, thinking he was self-sufficient.

We must remember our roots no matter where we are in our lives. And those roots are in Christ. We are to be built on these roots, that they stay embedded in our hearts forever.

It’s in Him that we are built up. Not in and of ourselves. Not in and of anyone else. No professor, no pastor, parents, etc.

They can help steer us in the right direction at times, guiding us, but the building up of ourselves is found in and through Christ alone.

Keep our eyes on Him.

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 – 10-10-19

John 6:35 (NKJV) 35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Having Jesus Christ will quench every bit of hunger and thirst we will ever have for anything.

That doesn’t mean we won’t like nice things or have any desires. We just need to remember that He will give us the desires of our hearts as we put Him first in everything.

With receiving and believing in Jesus, there comes an element of fulfillment, comfort and peace that fills us with the utmost satisfaction. Even though we enjoy certain things, it doesn’t mean that we have to have them to fill an emptiness within ourselves.

We have already filled the emptiness with Him. He comes in and fills that hole of insecurity, fear, greed, etc. He takes the place of every want and every need.

Do we desire other things at times? Of course. And do you know what? That’s alright, as long as our heart is not stuck on the thing or things, but our delight is in Him first and foremost!

Psalm 37:4 (NKJV)4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Keeping everything in its place is what God watches for. And that shows Him our heart and what place He holds there.

Amen. Enjoy Him and the desires He may bless us with.

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 – 9-13-19

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NKJV) 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Where is God?

That might sound like an odd question. Let me clarify. Where is God in your life? Where is He in my life?

Is He the number one priority in our lives? Or does He fall somewhere lower than number one?

The answer to that question will tell us a lot. It will tell us where our heart lies. It will tell us a little about the path we’re on. And it might tell us a little about why certain things happen to us, good or bad.

You see, God has told us to love Him with everything in us; all our heart, all our soul and all our strength. That’s a lot of love directed toward Him. This pretty much means to love Him with every little bit of who we are.

It can’t be half. It has to be all. Jesus also stated this when He said to seek first the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

There’s something about loving Him above all other people and all other things that changes us. It changes the way we think. It changes the way we act. It changes the direction that our lives go.

More than all of that, it changes our destiny. If we love Him above all else, it will alter everything about us.

It takes effort to do this. A conscious effort. But it’s worth every bit of work required. The rewards are beyond comprehension, now and forever.

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 – 9-1-19 – Where is God?

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

Where is God? 

That’s the question we ask and discuss in today’s video. 

In this video, we talk about where God is in our lives, in our list of priorities, so to speak. We discuss how our love for God impacts everything about our lives each and every day. 

We hope you will take a few minutes and give it a watch. 

Please click here to watch the video now. 

Be blessed in Him. 

Sincerely, 

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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Android: http://goo.gl/oQ6qa7 

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