https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOgYkf7aQsI
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love and sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Evangelist Cal Jennings and his dog Scrappy are both feeling a little bit better and thank everyone for their prayers.
- Pray for my friend Mary’s family who have had a very rough week with family tragedies and other chaos.
- Pray for my friend Faith’s dog Ace has been having serious issues with his old age, including prescriptions for arthritis costing a whole lot of money.
- Pray for my sister’s youngest child who is headed for scoliosis surgery this summer at the end of June. Pray that goes well.
- Pray for my daughter and son-in-law’s family members as they work through some serious family issues.
- Pray for my friend Janice who is still fighting lingering effects of COVID 19. She is still suffering with a low-grade fever and the exhaustion, but still tests negative. Let’s hope that she recovers from the lingering effects soon.
- Pray for Janice’s mother who has also been sick and is still having issues after a stroke last year and other medical issues.
- Pray for a high school classmate of mine, her name is Kelly, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is going through a lot of emotions and more as a result. Her treatments have been going on for the past few weeks now and she’s got quite a few more to go through before it is done.
- Continue to keep my Aunt Donna in your prayers. She is hanging on even with the cancer treatments and the many changes she is going through.
- Pray for a friend who has had a lot of issues to deal with in their life and is working hard to straighten them out. A lot of questions in regard to their health and more have plagued this person for quite a while now.
- Pray for those who were killed in accidents and violent criminal actions this past week, and for the families who are saying good-bye.
- Be thankful for each day as we do not know what tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that the voice of God be heard through the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for our friends and families that their tomorrows bring blessings and pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those
who have lost their lives in the pursuit of faith and
hope.
- Pray for all of
those who suffer from cancer and other uncurable
diseases and conditions that they be
secure in God’s embrace through
the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.
- Pray for those who are serving our countries around this world.
* My younger sister Debbie had her birthday yesterday.
* My Aunt Kristina had her birthday yesterday also.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have so many we bring to You on this beautiful Sunday. There are the sick and wounded including Janice, her mother, Cal and Scrappy, Aunt Donna and Kelly, friends, and more family. There are the tired and weary, poor and downtrodden, and so many more. We bring our hearts to You so that You can keep us strong and filled with the hope of salvation and a new heaven and earth. We pray for those who face death and fight with all their hearts and souls to stay here on this earth for a little while longer. We pray for our soldiers, our lawmakers, our leaders, and our families and friends. We pray for all of this and these all around us in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: Jesus Loves Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXBqIlvvdP8
Sermon: Today we continue our voyage through the scroll of Romans as we begin the fourteenth chapter. This chapter will be divided into three sermons because there is a whole lot to go through in Paul’s words to the fledgling Christian church there in Rome. The title of this first segment is “The Weak and the Strong”. Instantly, you should have been transported back to Sunday School as a child and the song that we started our sermon with, “Jesus Loves Me”. Every person on this earth is weak at one point in their lives, and sometimes it is often throughout life. Every person has those days when they wonder why they even got out of bed. God recognized this long, long before you or I became a living, breathing, person on this earth. This is what Paul recognizes with this first verse today.
Romans 14:1 KJV –Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
NIV –Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.
Tolerance is not an easy subject anywhere in this world. We all have built up our own personal prejudices. This is regardless of the fact that we do not benefit in any way from them. That’s why Paul brings it up in the first place. Cluttering up our brains and hearts with this negative train of thought does not help us become better Christians, or better people at all. This is something that Jesus taught, and we recognize this as the gospels of Matthew and Mark shared here.
Matthew 10:40-42 KJV – He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
NIV – “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
Matthew 18:5 KJV – And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
NIV – And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Mark 7:19 KJV – Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
NIV – For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
Paul also references his student and the gospel writer Luke in the written Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 28:2 KJV – And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
NIV – The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
People can show any form of welcome, friendly or otherwise. Paul points out that our attitude is everything when it comes to belief and portraying true faith in God and Jesus. Fear has its place, but we should never be afraid of our faith in God and in the Word of God as portrayed in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Faith should be experienced, savored, explored, and portrayed by each of us who believes in God and Jesus, and we shouldn’t hide our faith out of fear or any other considerations that might be around us at any one time. Having faith in our belief is what gives us the courage to get out of bed every day and doing what we have to do to simply live in this world around us. This is what Paul is sharing here.
Romans 14:2 KJV – For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
NIV – One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.
Now, there are a great many things that people have said about food and eating healthily in this world, what is good or bad for us, and we should pay attention. God gave us the ability to eat so many foods, both humanity and all the other creatures that exist here on the earth, in the oceans, and in the skies. We see this here in these supporting verses from the Torah.
Genesis 1:29 KJV – And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
NIV – Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
Genesis 9:3 KJV – Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
NIV – Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
Added to these are references from the poetic books and Paul’s first letter to Corinth.
Proverbs 15:17 KJV – Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
NIV – Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.
1 Corinthians 8:9 KJV –But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
NIV –Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
1 Corinthians 9:22 KJV –To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
NIV –To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
Paul continues the instruction of the congregation of the church at Rome. He points out one thing that I often have to remind people about and that is judgement. Remember, Jesus taught a great deal about judgment. He said to those who were set to stone Mary Magdalene that the first without sin in his lifetime was free to throw the first stone. He also said, “Judge not that ye be not judged”. Did you know that the words of Matthew 7:1 are often cited incorrectly? Jesus wasn’t saying that you should stop judging altogether. He was saying be careful in how you exercise judgement, for the simple reason that any measure of judgement we dole out will be set before us when we face Him on the day of judgement where He alone will judge the living and the dead. This is what Paul references here.
Romans 14:3 KJV – Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
NIV – The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.
Every person has a specific set of circumstances in their lives and we can’t always see those with our eyes, hear them with our ears, or know them with our minds and hearts. This is what Paul means as he references these moments in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, including words spoken by Jesus.
Zechariah 4:10 KJV – For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
NIV – “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?”
Matthew 7:1-2 KJV – Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
NIV – “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Matthew 9:14 KJV – Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
NIV – Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
Matthew 18:10 KJV – Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
NIV – “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
Luke 18:9-10 KJV – And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
NIV – To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
Paul also references the words of his student, the gospel writer Luke in the Acts of the Apostles once more.
Acts 10:34 KJV – Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
NIV – Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.
Acts 10:44 KJV – While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
NIV – While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
Acts 15:8-9 KJV – And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
NIV – God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
Sure, we should exercise judgment, but it shouldn’t be pointed toward those who we do not know or who are simply following the orders, instructions, or wishes of those whom they work for. It is not our place to judge them, but whoever their superior would be. You are the judge for yourself and your household, employees, children, and anything else within that household or business where you are in control of what goes on in those environments. This is what Paul reminds the congregation about in the church at Rome.
Romans 14:4 KJV – Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
NIV – Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Paul draws inspiration from the prophet Isaiah whose influence Paul references quite often in his letters to the various churches and especially for the congregation in Rome because he knows that the Romans are quite well educated in regard to the customs and more of other nations, faiths, and ideologies.
Isaiah 40:29 KJV – He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
NIV – He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Again Paul adds inspiration from his student Luke, the gospel writer in the Acts of the Apostles again. With this would be a reference to his letter to Corinth and also from the writing of James the Just, younger human brother of Jesus.
Acts 11:17 KJV – Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
NIV – So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
1 Corinthians 4:4-5 KJV –For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
NIV – My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
James 4:11-12 KJV – Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
NIV – Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
Now, this next verse might confuse people if they read only the King James version. I suggest you read the entire section of Romans 14:1-8 and then come back to the written version of this sermon. If you want me to send you a copy, feel free to ask. For every person on this earth, there are days that they keep stress free, work free, and fill it with study, prayer, meditation. God calls it Shabbat, or Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, known by most of us as Saturday. Not every person can take their Saturday and keep it peaceful. This is the reason we have to be careful about judgment, and also about life in general. That is what Paul shares here in this next verse.
Romans 14:5 KJV – One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth
every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
NIV – One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.
I talk about faith and belief a lot in regard to Paul’s writing. These are things that the twelve Apostles were taught to teach others about. What Jesus taught these twelve men was that they had as much to learn as the ones who heard from each of them. That is what we see in this gospel verse.
Luke 1:1 KJV – Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
NIV – Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
It is important to look at everything the gospel writers share and also what every one of the Apostles shared in their letters, sermons, and daily lives. This is why Jesus gave them the instruction known as the Great Commission in the gospel of Matthew chapter 28. Here Paul references his letters to Galatia and Colossae.
Galatians 4:10 KJV – Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
NIV – You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
Colossians 2:16 KJV – Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
NIV – Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
Paul adds to these with a reference to the first letter that John the Beloved wrote while he was in Ephesus.
1 John 3:19-21 KJV –And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
NIV –This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.
Now, this next verse is something that needs to be read or heard more than once. Something I learned long, long, ago when I was still a girl was that carrying the Lord with us in our hearts every day begins the moment we wake up and greet the morning with a prayer. It doesn’t matter how long or short it might be, if it is a song, a poem, or a Scripture verse. Spend that moment to pause and be thankful and prayerful you are alive and able to share life with your family, friends, colleagues, and the people you might meet on the way to work, school, or whatever plans you have for the day. This is what Paul points out here.
Romans 14:6 KJV – He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
NIV – Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
With this verse, Paul references the Torah and poetic and prophetic books of Scripture. We often have to be reminded about what God said long ago that continues to be impactful in life to this very day. So we are looking at these references, and I want you to take them to heart and see how your life is impacted by these same words.
Exodus 12:14 KJV – And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
NIV – “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance.
Exodus 12:42 KJV – It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
NIV – Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come.
Exodus 16:25 KJV – And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
NIV – “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today.
Paul again references the writings of Isaiah with this selection. Then he adds to this with a point from Zechariah as well.
Isaiah 58:5 KJV – Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
NIV – Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
Zechariah 14:21 KJV – Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.
NIV – Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord Almighty.
Paul then adds to these with the thoughts of his fellow Apostles and Disciples of Jesus including Matthew, John the Beloved, and Timothy.
Matthew 14:19 KJV – And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
NIV – And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Matthew 15:39 KJV – And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.
NIV – After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.
John 6:28 KJV – Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
NIV – Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
1 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV – Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
NIV –They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Our last two verses for today are together as one because it is much easier to comprehend what Paul is sharing if we have the entire sentence together. Paul points something out that has confused men, women, and children for millennia. Once we give our hearts to Jesus, we are no longer singular, we are one with Him, with God, through the Holy Spirit, thus making us part of Jesus Christ’s congregation, Jesus Christ’s church body and part of each other. It is like the friendship between God and Abraham. Jesus said that everyone who believes in Him is HIS FRIEND, HIS BROTHER, HIS SISTER, HIS FAMILY. With that, we are eternally and infinitely connected with Him the moment we accept Him in our lives. This is what Paul portrays here.
Romans 14:7-8 KJV – For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
NIV – For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
One concept it can often take people a while to comprehend is that the Word of God is ALIVE. It lives because we do. It lives because He does. How can this be? There is a single verse in Scripture that portrays this.
Hebrews 4:12 KJV – For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
NIV – For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Other verses that Paul directly references include the Word as spoken by Jesus.
Luke 20:38 KJV – For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
NIV – He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
John 21:19 KJV – This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
NIV – Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Paul adds to this with the words of his pupil, and the gospel writer Luke.
Acts 13:36 KJV – For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
NIV – “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.
Acts 20:24 KJV – But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
NIV – However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
He also references his letters to Galatia and Philippi.
Galatians 2:20 KJV – I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
NIV – I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Philippians 1:20 KJV – According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
NIV – I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Paul’s last reference today is to the writing of John the Beloved’s Revelation. It is a reminder that those who believe with all their heart, mind, spirit, and soul, will be recognized by Jesus Christ all the way through the End of Days.
Revelation 14:13 KJV – And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
NIV – Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
Paul shares so much in these first six verses, but truthfully we’ve seen so much of Paul’s personal belief throughout these letters he left for us to share together. He proves his faith is endless because he refused to renounce his belief and faith even to the point of his death. We have to be willing to go to the ends of the earth sharing our faith and belief as well. Believe in His Word and your life will be forever changed from this moment forward. Faith and belief in God go hand in hand, and all of us have the opportunity to walk in the faithful steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ability to do this requires us to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you are willing to do so, please leave me a note in the comments and I’ll be in touch. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: Jesus Loves the Little Children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52j9JhkheeE
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
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Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2024 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is created through fear together as the bringers of the light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
