Covenant of Hope
Ministries Sunday Sermon_8_04_2013
Good
afternoon, and welcome to this Sunday Sermon for Covenant of Hope Ministries. I
am Rev. Laura A. Neff, and the ministry knows me as the Rainbow Minister. You
can find us posted on Sundays. These are our locations online only:
Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope
We have
email (instant messenger if you need me) through Facebook available every day, and
these are now extremely variable. We’re still working this out between the two
of us as to what will happen, our Elder, Cal Jennings and I. I will be
informing you further in regard to changes being made. These changes were made
due to health reasons and computer issues. There will be live sermons, and the
sermon length will be shortened dramatically, but we are unsure as to when that
might be.
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 has grown from last week. This is our current prayer list for this week.
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 has grown from last week. This is our current prayer list for this week.
- Continue your prayers for little Phoebe Fair, she has had a
return of the same cancer. It is taking her life from her. Let us pray for her,
and for her family.
- Pray for our member Sonya Poll who has had her twin daughters.
Their names are Addisin Hope and Emmalynn Faith. These sweet little girls are
sure fighters, Praise the LORD, may they continue to fight and flourish. Pray
also that the faith and hope held by their parents be there to help the little
ones along.
- Pray for my friend Heather as she is having many hardships and
needs patience and safe haven at this time, let us claim it will be.
- Pray for baby Corbin who is struggling to survive. He has lived one hundred days so far, let us
pray he continues to beat the odds.
- Pray that there are more answers in regard to my health
situation, claim that it will be known.
- Pray that the adversity and the pain we have seen around the
world would be relieved, and swept away. May we find common ground in many
ways, even if we start with just one step.
- Remember those who have been lost either violently or
peacefully this week.
- Keep the ministry in your thoughts, each member, no matter
their location, their circumstances, because a group of friends, a ministry,
should support one another.
Prayer: Father in heaven, we
thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. We pray
for those who are in need, friends,family, enemies, and the unknown. We bring
those who are sick, dying, and in need up in prayer. We bring those who share
laughter, joy, and love that it may be a reflection of Your love. We pray all
of these things in Your Holy Name through Your Son Jesus Christ, Amen and so it
shall be.
Opening Song: He Keeps His Promise http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oecFeWzwMaY
Sermon: Well now, we have studied many of
the Psalms. Today we will complete another. This particular one has had many
interesting, and intriguing views. It has shared joy and what fear can do, the
bad type of fear can make it harder for us, as it can indeed make our path much
more rocky. Yet, here’s where hope comes in. This is how we start out sharing
that very praise. Take a look here to see how we do just that.
Psalm 48:9-10 KJV – We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O
God, in the midst of thy temple.
According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of
the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
What is
lovingkindness again? It is affection toward another. The NIV calls it
unfailing love. This is another view of unconditional love. It is always there.
It is available for all. We would only need to believe and then we shall see
that very view of unconditional love. Not only would we see, we would hear, feel,
and know that view as well. Oh what joy that brings to any heart. Praise, all
over the earth, why? It is a promise that there will be a new generation. Well,
there is, and there have been many. We would be one of the many generations.
How intriguing this would be.
Malachi 1:11 KJV – For from the rising of the sun even unto
the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in
every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my
name shall ge great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
God’s
name shall be great among the Gentiles. Realize the second half the same is
said as we would know that many considered the Gentiles to be the heathen. Why
is this? They are not Jews. Yes, it took a great deal of patience to find the
way to remove that line. Yet, in today’s world that line has divided many, not
just the Jews, but many of the Christians as well. What will happen when we
reach Zion? We will be together as one. Now, that would be nice, to not have
war, to not have the stubbornness that reveals the adversity. What is needed is
perseverance to accept, to realize we all see Him, we just take different paths
to do so. Now the NIV shares this in this manner. Malachi
1:11 NIV – My name will be great among the nations,
from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure
offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the
nations.” saith the LORD God Almighty.
There are
only a few differences between the NIV and the KJV versions of Scripture. We
have nations in place of Gentiles. It is also replacing heathen. Now, that is
interesting. Again heathen is noted as nations. Yet, His name will be “great”
among them. This is both interesting and intriguing. Why is this so? It means
that people will unite in their belief, in their faith in God. Now, that is an
amazing gift. It will change our view of all that is now, regardless of the
view of Christianity each of us would have. The fact that we all have a path
that meets in Zion is what we must see as the most important aim. That will
allow what we see in our next pair of verses. Oh what gifts we can receive.
Psalm 48:11-12 KJV – Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of
Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers
thereof.
What do
you see? Joy, rejoicing, gladness as a result of his judgments. The NIV shows
an interesting view as well. Let’s see what it shares. Psalm
48:11-12 NIV – Mount Zion rejoices, the
villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.
Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers.
Note how
the daughters of Judah are shown as the villages of Judah in this version. Add
to that, they ask God to walk about Zion to count her towers as He walks around.
How interesting it is to see that everyone there wishes Him to see what the
villages within Judah would look like. To see His work as it should be perhaps?
It does sound like it.
Psalm 48:13-14 KJV – Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye
may tell it to the generation following.
For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide
ever until death.
There are
two word changes for verse thirteen. The first is from the words Mark ye well her bullwarks. It can also
be seen as see your heart to her bulwarks.
In the NIV you will find it says this. Psalm 48:13-14
NIV – Consider well her ramparts, view her
citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide
even to the end.
What does
this show? It shows us that God is FOREVER. You see, there is one thing that is
yesterday, today, and tomorrow, or FOREVER. That would be UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
You see, love has no boundaries. This is what God has been trying to show us.
Yet we let the earthly things get in the way. Why won’t we look at life as an
adventure? Each and every moment we are alive, we are in a new adventure. Learn
from yesterday, live for today, and hope for tomorrow. Hope itself is an
adventure. Many don’t see it that way? Why don’t they? Hope is the way to make
dreams come true. Dreams have the potential to come to life. Those good dreams,
creative dreams, no matter the style will show joy, love, faith, and how hope
can bring us to the ultimate Tomorrow on Mount Zion. Now, that’s something to
think about as we pray in the prayer Jesus taught us saying: After this manner therefore pray ye: 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 KJV)
Closing Song: Be Still And Know
~Shalom~
Covenant
of Hope Ministries
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 © 2012 http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries and
Poetic-Expressions is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all
that is created through fear together as the rainbow in the darkness.
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