Real Life Golems

Covenant of Hope Ministries Wednesday Sermon_12_18_2013

Good afternoon, and welcome to this Sunday Sermon for Covenant of Hope Ministries. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. The ministry knows me as the Rainbow Minister. Today's study/sermon is written by our Elder Cal Jennings. Find us posted on Sundays and studies on Wednesday. Our locations are online only: Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

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We have email (instant messenger if you need me) through Facebook every day. 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 inform you further regarding changes. These changes were made due to health reasons. The sermon length has shortened dramatically. We are unsure as to when there might be video presentations.

Prayer List: There are some changes. Please let me know if you have others for the prayer list. I’d appreciate it, and all prayers are welcome.

- Please pray for Tasha Ward and her family.  She is a coworker with my brother. Her son died from an asthma attack late Monday or early Tuesday morning.

- Please pray for my brothers as one helps the other get through some very tough times. Pray that the opportunity one may have proves fruitful to the other.

- Please keep Elder Cal Jennings in your prayers as he is very sick and truly is seeking answers to his health, life, and prayers.

- Please pray for my friend Kerry Barban Huffines for her pain and suffering and a swift recovery from surgery. Please also keep her family in prayer.

- Please pray for my friend Teresa’s sister who is in stage four cancer.

- Please keep others known by any of us up in prayer for whatever they might need.

- Please keep my friend Heather in prayer for patience and safe haven.

- Let us keep another friend, Jeff, and his family in prayer after a disappointment that has them searching for answers.

- Please keep my whole family in prayer for the pain, suffering, and chaos we are going through.

- 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.

- There are many in our ministry who are searching for more in regard to our presence with my health, and with the health of others. We pray that there would be health found once more, and that we have answers to all and for all.

Sermon: Most people are familiar with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, whether from the books or the movies.  Most people are also familiar with the Golem character from the series.  There are some people who are like Golem from Lord of the Rings.  No matter how hard you try to help them go straight, they're so embroiled in their sin that all they do is end up turning on you in the end.  Like Golem, they pretend to be trying to straighten up and live right all the while plotting your destruction.  Just like Golem, their own greed and hate often leads to their own destruction.  I've met at least five people who fit this description in my lifetime.  I'm sure some of you have met such people as well.  Christ warns us to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16

King James Version (KJV)

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Jesus knew that there would be people who would take advantage of our kindness, see it as a weakness, and exploit it for their own gain.  Jesus even had one such "Golem" as an Apostle and he knew it.

John 6:70

King James Version (KJV)

70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

Jesus warned us to be wary of such people even though we were not to harm them.  He didn't say to invite them into your house and let them rob or kill you.  He said to be wise as serpents.

When we see a person behaving in such a manner, it is wise to have them removed from your house... by calling the police if necessary.

Matthew 12:29

King James Version (KJV)

29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Mark 3:27

King James Version (KJV)

27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Although we are not to harm them, having them removed from your presence is wise lest they continue their plundering of your hard earned items that may have precious memories attached.

This seems to be in conflict with the following verse.

Luke 6:30

King James Version (KJV)

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

Not really though.  There is a difference between someone asking and stealing from you.

Judas was said to have stolen from the collections made by the Apostles.  So, why didn't Jesus have him removed?  Jesus knew that he needed Judas and his betrayal to fulfill prophecy.  Remember, even though he allowed Judas, he warned us to be wise as serpents and not to let people take unfair advantage of us.  Remember, if you encounter a real life "Golem" in our travels through life, we don't have to allow them to continually plunder us.  Yes, we are to be kind to strangers as we may be entertaining angels unawares.

Hebrews 13:2

King James Version (KJV)

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

We are also to give to the poor and to those who ask something of us.  Nowhere have I found a verse that says that we should allow people to continually steal from us.  Beware of real life Golems.

Love, Hope, Peace, and Christ Be With You,

Cal Jennings

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