Tag: What the Bible says about God’s mercy and grace

Bible Verse of The Day – 7-24-24

Romans 3:23-24 (NKJV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…

God is a God of grace and of mercy. His word teaches us this repeatedly.

Sometimes this can be difficult for us to fully understand.

First, it is hard for us to comprehend that we can be forgiven for the things we have done.

Second, it is sometimes difficult for us to understand scripture and the way it is worded.

Why? because we are spiritually dead before we trust Christ as our savior and redeemer, and the Holy Spirit has not yet opened our understanding.

Words like “justified” and “redemption” are often unknown to us even as the Holy Spirit draws us to God.

Despite our lack of understanding, our spiritual ignorance, His wooing causes us to grasp the fact that we are lost and in need of forgiveness.

It is in this persistent drawing of our heart to Him that we begin to recognize our lost condition.

We begin to see our sinfulness. We understand that we are without hope, and that He is the only true source of hope.

We begin to understand that we are walking in darkness, and that He is the one true Light.

And we become aware that the blood of Christ is the only thing that can cleanse us and make us new.

And by His grace and mercy He does just that; makes us brand new!

By His blood we are not only washed. We are redeemed!

The price of our sins is paid for by the blood of Jesus as we understand our lost condition and put our faith in Him.

He gives His mercy freely, at no cost, to anyone who asks.

And we are justified, made worthy to stand before Him without shame, by His grace (undeserved favor).

There is power in the blood of Christ that none of us will ever fully comprehend. But that power is there, nonetheless.

And the redemption offered by His blood He will not refuse to give to any who will sincerely seek it.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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Bible Verse of The Day – 7-5-24

John 3:19-20 (NKJV) 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

Human beings love darkness. Not necessarily the darkness that comes when the sun goes down each day. But spiritual darkness; actions and behaviors that are sinful.

Our flesh craves worldly, fleshly satisfaction.

It loves things that make it feel good, even if only for a fleeting moment.

So many things can be destroyed by choices we make based on emotional impulses, apart from the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Marriages can be decimated. Friendships can be forever altered. Careers can be crushed. Fortunes can be lost.

How? By fleshly desires that we let get out of control.

When we live and walk by the flesh, we fail to recognize that we are dirty. We do not see the depth of darkness operating in our lives.

Think of it like this. Pigs live most of their lives caked in mud. Wallowing in it is natural to them. They have no understanding that they are dirty. They just know that they like mud because it keeps them cool and repels flies.

As humans without God, we are in a comparable situation.

We wallow in things that make us dirty. Unlike the pigs, our wallowing is not for protective purposes. It is to try to satisfy our fleshly desires.

We may not understand that we are dirty, but we are, nonetheless.

And our wallowing will destroy us if left unchecked.

If a pig is given a bath, it will waste no time getting back into the mud and the slop. They cannot be kept clean for long!

But we humans are offered a “bath” that washes us clean forever if we choose to accept it.

It is the blood of Christ, administered by way of the grace and mercy of God Himself.

If we choose to apply it, this blood washes us clean. It makes us new. And it transforms us, taking us from darkness to light.

And that precious blood will do more than keep flies away. It will help us repel the attacks of the enemy if we let it and if we choose to employ the tools and weapons He equips us with.

And once that blood washes us, we will never be the same, leaving behind the ways of darkness, exchanging them for a new life lived by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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Bible Verse of The Day – 12-9-22

John 8:10-11 (NKJV) 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Today, we want to talk to anyone who might be reading this and battling condemnation or confusion.

Maybe you’re a believer. Maybe you’re not. Or maybe you’re on the fence about everything and just not sure where you stand.

Jesus came to earth to demonstrate God’s love for humanity. He did this in many ways.

While He walked among us, He showed us how to love and to forgive in ways that the Jews found unfathomable. They had never seen this kind of mercy and compassion before.

And we’d like to direct that same love, mercy and compassion toward you today.

Jesus showed His mercy and compassion to people who had sinned in ways that caused the Jews to want to stone them, literally, to death. It was what they had always done.

But Jesus intervened on their behalf demonstrated love and forgiveness. And in doing so, He also urged them to “sin no more”.

One such encounter is in the verses above. Another can be found in John 4:5-29, where Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman at a well, and He revealed things about her that only a prophet, or God Himself, could have known.

And though He revealed her sin, He did not condemn her outright. He allowed the Holy Spirit to work on her as He spoke, giving the woman the opportunity to deal with her sin, one-on-one with God.

The thief on the cross also demonstrates God’s love and mercy, as Jesus told him, “today you will be with Me in Paradise”.

Jesus never condoned their sin, so we should not mistakenly think this.

But He demonstrated love, mercy and compassion that changed the hearts of the people He encountered.

And we want you to understand that mercy and compassion today, that you would trust Him with your own situation.

So, if you’re wrestling with condemnation, guilt, or the feeling that you have no direction and don’t know where to go, go to Jesus. Pour your heart out to Him. He will never reject you.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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Bible Verse of The Day – 11-16-22

Psalm 31:7 (NKJV) 7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,

Most of us never fully comprehend the effects of God’s mercy over our lives.

Without His mercy, we would all be in serious trouble. Some of us may very well no longer be alive had it not been for His mercy over our lives. I’m sure this is the case in my own life, as I look back at some of the stupid things I did early on in my years here on earth.

Just as important, though, His mercy impacts our lives every single day, as we face various troubles and trials (adversities).

Some of these trials can hit us pretty hard, leaving us reeling and wondering what just happened.

In fact, some of these trials can cause us to lose our way in our walk with God if we’re not careful to stay focused and close to Him.

The pressures of life will wear us down if we let them. So, it’s important that we allow the mercy of God to act as a shield to guard us from the onslaught of the enemy, preventing us from faltering in our faith.

It’s up to us to allow Him to protect us.

While that may sound crazy to some, we need to understand that we sometimes make choices that put us in harm’s way and tie the hands of God in His efforts to help and protect us.

So, let us move carefully, discern sharply and make our choices wisely.

And may we let God’s mercy continue to protect our soul in adversities.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

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Bible Verse of The Day – 7-17-19

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NKJV) 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

God has taught me a lot about mercy over the last several years.

He has shown me the importance of it in my own life, as I have reflected on where God has brought me from, and what He has brought me through.

As I look back over the years, I can clearly see where God has shown me mercy and intervened on my behalf in certain situations and circumstances.

Many, if not most, of what God has rescued me from was due to poor decisions and choices on my part. And it’s safe to say that this would be true for most of us if we were all to look back at our lives.

Very rarely did He have to show mercy because of something anyone else had done to me.

I am so very thankful for that mercy. Without it, I really don’t know where I would be today. But I do know it wouldn’t be where I am right now.

It is His great mercy and His grace that I was rescued from my sins and made alive in Christ. And it is by His continued mercy that He holds me up and guides me each day.

Thank you, God, for your mercy toward each of us. Let us see the value of that mercy and get understanding that will help us comprehend it more each day.

Amen

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 – 2-22-19

1 Timothy 1:15 (NKJV) 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

These words were penned by the apostle Paul.

It’s well known that Paul was a very zealous Jew who was opposed to Christianity and was also responsible for the deaths of many Christians, before He met Jesus and found the truth.

Despite his tyrannic ways prior to his conversion, Paul was chosen by God to become a major figure in spreading the good news of Jesus!

Paul spent the rest of his life traveling across much of the known world at that time, teaching, exhorting and writing. His writings comprise much of the New Testament that we use today.

Paul’s life as a Christian caused him much joy and much heartache. He personally got to see the body of Christ grow and flourish as the gospel of Christ was spread. But he was also stoned and left for dead, spent much time imprisoned for his teachings, was shipwrecked several times and was ultimately martyred for being a Christian.

Paul’s statement above that he was the chief of sinners has implications for all of us, too.

Although it is unlikely that anyone reading this has traveled about, killing followers of Christ, it is very likely that each and every one of us has done things at various times in our lives that we are ashamed of and that we regret doing.

So, if God could forgive and use a man like Paul, who called himself a persecutor, a blasphemer and an insolent man, what’s to stop any of us from thinking that God can forgive and use any of us?

God’s mercies are beyond our comprehension. His ways are higher than our ways. And He wants each and every one of us to follow the path He has set before us.

Our past cannot derail our future if we will just give it to God, let Him show us His plans, and then walk them out one step at a time.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

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 – 11-12-18

John 10:10 (NKJV) 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Life can be beautiful when we get on the right track. The right track is following Christ.

There are so many choices we can make in this life. But making the right ones will determine how things turn out for us.

The most important choice we make is knowing who we give our heart to first and foremost. We may think this is referring to a spouse or friends, etc. But our heart should already belong to Someone else before we take those other steps. Our heart should belong to Jesus Christ.

Why? Because He is our key to living. He gives us life and life more abundantly. He gives us salvation and a life of joy while we are here on this earth, as we walk each day with Him. He wants to be married to us first, as our very best friend, to be there to help guide us in this life.

Once we fully trust Christ with our heart and our life He will guide our steps and show us what is good for us. As we let Him guide us, the decisions we make from there will be very productive. Our walk will be beautiful. Even as we face some of the hardest decisions we will have to make, it will be good.

Some may say, “well, I have already chosen my spouse and friends on my own. Where do I start now?

Christ meets us where we are at, just like He met the woman at the well. She had already been with 5 men. And the one she was currently with wasn’t her husband. Some may think that Jesus would have turned her away. But He didn’t. And He won’t turn us away.

John 4:17-18 (NKJV) 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

The most important thing to remember is Christ forgives and gives us an opportunity to fix things up. He is forever forgiving, compassionate, kindhearted and loving.

So, if we started off on the wrong track with our life, and we are wishing we had done things differently, it’s not too late.

Give Jesus our heart and our situation and let Him help us to make good decisions and choices where we are at right now.

He will begin a good work in us and complete it. Amen.

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…

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 – 3-2-18

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV) 22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Yesterday is behind us. We can’t go back.

What we have already done is also behind us. We may have made some major blunders in the days behind us. Some of them may have cost us dearly. Some of them may have brought shame upon us, and maybe even upon our families.

But those things don’t have to define us.

Why? Because God’s mercies are new every morning.

Those transgressions that are behind us can be forgiven by our Father, if we just ask Him to do so. And when He forgives us, He removes them far from us.

How far? As far as the east is from the west. That’s a long way!

Psalm 103:12 (NKJV) 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Once God has forgiven us, we are free to move forward. And at that point, it’s up to us to make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again and again.

Even in that, God is faithful to lead us and guide us, showing us where to place our feet with each step we take.

It’s our job to follow where He leads us.

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 – 6-1-15

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

As a child of God, we have some pretty special privileges.

We have been told that we can come boldly to the throne of grace when we are in need.

So what does this really mean, anyway?

We have heard this taught from so many different angles that the simplicity of this verse has almost been obstructed from view, making it difficult to discern the true meaning of it.

But here it is, without all of the fluff that we so often hear these days.

God has granted us the privilege, because we are His children, to approach His throne boldly, when we are being tempted and when we are feeling weak.

We don’t need to fear coming to Him. We can come boldly, without fear of reprisal or admonishment when we have made a mistake, or even several mistakes.

God’s grace is abundant and sufficient. It is not lacking and we don’t need to earn it or buy it. It is given freely to those who ask.

Please don’t let some crazy teachings of today water this down or twist what it really means. This doesn’t give us license to go before God and demand things of Him. It doesn’t give us the right to turn God into a divine ATM or magic genie who will give us our every wish, or cater to our every whim.

It is about His grace and mercy and how it applies to our lives. Nothing more and nothing less.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV) 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”…

So when we are in need of His grace and His mercy, let’s approach His throne boldly, not shrinking back, but seeking His strength and His forgiveness.

It is there before His throne that we find exactly what we need.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

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

401-315-0902

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