Tag: What the Bible says about putting God first

Bible Verse of The Day – 6-19-18

Mark 12:30 (NKJV) 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

This commandment comes first for a very good reason. If we can love God like this, nothing can stop us from being in His will.

Our heart, soul, mind, strength; These are the very parts of us that help us to conquer and make right decisions. Loving God with all our strength will help us to be able to physically and mentally take the steps He’s ordering for us.

If we can learn to love Him in such a way, this love will bless our hearts, our lives, and our whole beings. We will walk daily in His will and His blessings for us.

A good test for us to try is to ask ourselves where we are right now in our walk with Him. Can we say that we are loving Him this way? If not, don’t give up or get discouraged. Look at what we are doing and where the changes need to come. Ask God to help us make the adjustments.

Obedience comes through love. So we need to make sure we love Him more than the activities we participate in. Love Him more than wealth, more than work, more then titles, alcohol, drugs, spending money, traveling, and love Him more than we love ourselves and others. Our love for Him must be first.

If we love Him more, we will put Him first. And His commandments will not be burdensome.

1 John 5:3 (NKJV) 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

LOVE activates obedience.

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 – 5-17-18

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

God wants to bless us. And it’s safe to say that we all want to be blessed.

So, why is it that so many of us lack? Why is it that we can never seem to “get ahead”? And why do our lives so often feel empty and meaningless?

Most times it’s because we have our priorities a bit mixed up.

Most of us want to have a strong relationship with God. We want to please Him and do what’s right in His eyes. But we never seem to quite get it right.

So, what’s the solution to this never-ending dilemma? How do we get our lives turned around and stop feeling like we’re being dragged through the dirt all the time, never able to break free and get cleaned up?

When we peel away all of the layers of mystery that man has created that seem to put God back behind the veil that was torn when Jesus died, it comes down to one simple thing; seeking first the kingdom of God.

We absolutely need to be putting God first in everything about our lives. There is no other way to say it and no other way to accomplish it. God comes first. Everything and everyone else comes after Him.

This is not some magic formula to riches beyond our wildest dreams. It’s not a specific sequence of steps that we follow, from A to Z, that will “open the heavens” and cause blessings to suddenly pour out.

But it’s a Biblical truth that, when we finally get it, and we put it into practice, will turn our lives around, little by little.

And, as we continue to put Him first in everything we will see more and more how God is shaping us, molding us and moving us through, and past, all the obstacles before us.

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.

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 – 4-30-18

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

This is a promise.

I have seen this happen in my own life, the more I turn to God. And I mean turn to Him for everything. He has turned my life around and made it beautiful! I can honestly say He knows me better than I know myself.

This verse is telling us something that I personally wish I had gotten earlier in my walk with God. I was a Christian since childhood and I am just now starting to understand what God is saying to me here.

I did a lot of things in my life. I’ve been through a lot of different kinds of trials. Most of these things I brought on myself. Some were very hard to get through. But nevertheless, God was there with me and helped me through it all.

How much easier and enjoyable my days would have been if only I had taken this verse and applied it to myself. If only I walked it out at an earlier stage in my life, I may very well have been able to avoid a lot of things that brought pain.

It’s OK, though, because I do understand it now. We know the saying; better late than never, right?

I share this with you all today because we love each and every one of you. You are very dear to Pastor Curt and me. We want God’s best for you and for you to be able to have the desires of your heart!

We have not met most of you face to face, but there is a spiritual connection that God has connected us with, and we believe we are closer than we realize.

This verse is beautiful! God is saying, if you put me first in all that you do, you will live out a life that is simply beautiful. And at times when you reflect on it, you won’t even know how it happened.

Have fun, enjoy Him, go after Him. Draw near to our Lord…let Him be our delight.

The rest will be history!!

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 – 3-23-18

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. 

Want to know the secret to living a life of fulfillment? 

Want to know what it means to be successful? 

How about learning how to love others, even when they don’t love you back? 

Want to know how to be blessed in all things? 

There are many other things that could be listed here that most of us desire or think are important when it comes to the quality of our lives. 

Regardless what it might be that we desire, none of it will matter until we get this one thing right; love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 

This might seem like an over-simplification. And it might be when looked at from certain viewpoints. 

But, the reality is that if we put God first in everything, and love Him with all our heart, soul and mind, most of the rest of our lives will fall into place. And even if we aren’t overflowing with material blessings, we will love our life because it will be a life built on honoring and loving God. 

And nothing gets any better than that. 

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 – 3-8-18

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV) 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Where do our treasures lie? Are they in the material things that we possess? Or are they in the things of God, the things He shows us and the things that draw us closer to Him?

As we endeavor to draw nearer to Him and strengthen our relationship with Him, the things that are in our heart will either help us or hinder us in our walk with Him.

The things of this world can develop a very strong grip on our hearts if we’re not careful to guard it.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Everything that we set our minds and hands to do takes up our time and requires our effort to accomplish. Many times, we don’t see or understand how many “little extras” are required when we get involved in something or buy a new possession.

We might take on a task and only see the surface of it, the time or effort that we think is involved. But, once we’re into it, it actually requires much more time and energy to pursue and master. And each minute or hour we give up to this is less time that we have in our relationship with God.

It’s important that we count the cost and not make sudden or rash decisions and choices.

Luke 14:28 (NKJV) 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it…

We obviously need some “down time” once in a while. God isn’t against us spending time doing things we enjoy. But He also wants us to make our choices carefully, letting His spirit lead us as we make those choices and decisions.

And if we can learn to do that on a regular basis, we’ll find ourselves getting into less things that cause us to become too busy and preoccupied with activities that can suck up our time and energy, leaving God in last place.

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 – 1-22-18

Mark 4:19 (NKJV) 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

How is our walk with God today? Have we lost Him somewhere in the shuffle? Is our heart so bogged down with the cares of the things around us that He seems far away, off in the distance somewhere?

Time to put on the brakes, slow down and pull back on some things. Time to put first things first, get back on track and stop toying with things that are only there to distract us from what we really need to be doing.

It happens. The cares of the world try to take over. It’s up to us to stop it from happening!

We need to be seeking God, first and foremost. Everything else will work its way out as we do this.

He is our Anchor. He is our Rock. He holds us together. Don’t let Him be the One that is lost. Everything else comes after Him.

Today, let’s make a decision within our hearts to slow it down and get back on track. He is our #1 priority, before anyone or anything else.

Let’s not lose Him in the shuffle.

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 – 10-4-17

Ecclesiastes 1:14 (NKJV) 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. 

Life can seem as though it has no meaning sometimes. We can go from day to day, wondering why we’re here, why we’re alive, and whether our life has any real value. 

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. He was also the richest man who ever lived. He had everything that any man (or woman) would ever want or need. 

And yet, after living and experiencing all that he walked through, he concluded that life is only vanity and grasping for the wind. 

We might look at Solomon’s life and wonder why he would say that. After all, he had everything. He had wealth, wisdom, pleasures and so much more. Why, after being blessed so abundantly, would he write such things? 

The answer is simple. He saw the frivolity in those things. He saw how people spent their lives chasing after wealth, pleasure and other tangible things. And he understood that those things are worth nothing when compared to living a life that pleases God. 

Solomon had more wives and concubines that possibly any other man that lived. He didn’t lack attention or physical pleasure. 

He had more wealth than any other man has ever been able to accumulate. He never lacked any kind of possessions. 

And he had a kingdom of people at his service. He was well taken care of. 

So, there is a valuable lesson for all of us in his words. 

If someone who had as much as Solomon did would speak such words about life being vanity and grasping for the wind, while being so abundantly blessed with worldly materials and comforts, it would benefit each and every one of us to pay close attention and make sure that our time and efforts are put into pursuing God, and not the things of this world. 

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

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 – 7-14-17

Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Jesus told us that if we ask, we will receive. This is a truth to live by. God is a good Father who gives us what we need in our lives here on earth.

Many times, we hear this quoted by people claiming that we can and should use this principle to gain abundant amounts of material wealth and prosperity.

That is not the truth. That is a perversion of scripture that has taken a simple verse and twisted it to promote a dangerous doctrine. And people with itching ears have flocked to it, with their hopes and hearts set on getting rich. God is treated as a magic piggy bank that can be shaken and manipulated until money falls out.

Based on that teaching, wealth comes first. And, sadly, God is placed somewhere below first place. He is a means to an end. A Genie in a lamp, to be rubbed and used to fulfill wishes on demand.

But God always needs to come first. Our number 1 priority should be to grow closer to Him and please Him. God has told us that if we do that, He will honor our commitment and bless us. But the blessings should never be the motivating factor.

Clearly, God has no problem with us becoming wealthy. But becoming wealthy requires hard work, dedication and perseverance, not just speaking it into existence or hoping that God will drop it out of the sky because we ask Him over and over again.

So, let us give to God. Let us give with a pure heart and no motives. And when we’re in need, we can ask of Him without shame and with expectancy that He will give to us also.

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

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 – 3-29-17

Mark 12:30 (NLT) 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

There are lots of things we can love.

Our spouse, fiance, career, children, church, ministry, etc. And all of these are good things that we should love.

But sometimes our love for something can become a weakness if we don’t keep our priorities straight.

Sometimes we can love things that aren’t so good. Maybe things like alcohol, lust, drugs, anger, etc. And loving these kinds of things can destroy us, physically, emotionally and spiritually if we don’t see them for what they are and eliminate them.

Anything that we love, if it comes before our love for God, can rise up and hurt us at some point in our lives.

Yes, even our love for our spouse, our children, our work or our “ministry” can hurt us.

If we love alcohol, it can and will destroy us. If we love lust, it can and will destroy us. If we love any kind of sin, it will ultimately rise up and destroy us if we don’t surrender it to God and let Him deliver us from it.

But even our love for our spouse or our children can damage us badly, or even destroy us, if we don’t put it in its proper place in our lives.

We always need to love God first. He needs to take precedence over absolutely everything else in our lives. He needs to come first. Everything and everybody else needs to come after God.

When we put anything else before God, we are always setting ourselves up to be hurt or to fail. Because when something is higher on our list of priorities than God is, that thing will ultimately hurt us in one way or another.

It is so very important that we keep our priorities in order and keep God where He belongs, at the top of that list!

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 – 3-15-17

John 6:26-27 (NKJV) 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Many people pursued Jesus when He was here on earth because they knew He would give them something. In these verses, He had given them food to eat. Others pursued Him because they had seen Him perform signs and wonders.

Why do we pursue Jesus?

Is it because we want a miracle? Is it because we want material things? Is it because we want blessings of some kind?

Or do we pursue Him because we want to know Him, and build a lifelong, lasting relationship with Him that changes who we are and why we live?

Now, let’s not get confused and think that it’s wrong to want to see miracles. Let’s not think that it’s wrong to ask things of God. He wants us to ask.

Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

But when the asking becomes our primary or our only focus, then we need to make some adjustments.

We need to put the relationship first, and the requests second. And when we get that right, then many other things in our lives will come into order.

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 – 1-17-17

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

Keeping our eyes on God, instead of on His blessings, will give us a blessed life!

Are we waiting on certain types of blessings and totally missing out on God Himself loving on us? Maybe we’re missing out on the fact that He wants to care for us. Or the fact that His compassion for us is so deep and strong that He waits for us to talk to Him.

Focusing too much on certain types of blessings can ruin our walk and relationship with the One who gives us those blessings. Those very blessings can come between us and God.

Be careful and be alert to remain close to God even in the harvest season. Don’t let the harvest become a distraction. Remain disciplined, by continuing to do what we did when there were no signs of blessings.

Stay steadfast in God’s word. Stand strong and stay focused on Him, not on His blessings.

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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