Covenant Of Hope Ministries: 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsiSfpstw0w

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 having up and down days this past week but they still thank everyone for their prayers.

- 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 has been on vacation to see if that helps and is in for a long week when she returns to her post on Monday. Pray that everything goes smoothly for her.

- Pray for my employer, Ed, who has been diagnosed with skin cancer and is seeking treatment in a couple weeks.

- 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 my sister and brother-in-law as they go through the chaos of job hunting after my brother-in-law was laid off.

- Pray for my niece, Autumn, who is having a lot of health issues relative to a head injury from a car wreck. Pray that the doctors find a solution to fix everything.

- Pray for my daughter’s mother-in-law and family after the loss of their beloved dog Lila due to a poisonous snake.

- Pray for my granddaughter who has strep throat.

- 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.

- Pray for peace on earth and good will to men as Scripture shares as
Christians everywhere are celebrating Easter Sunday.

* My niece Kimberly had her birthday yesterday.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have so many we bring to You on this beautiful Sunday. There are many on our prayer lists this week including Evangelist Cal Jennings, Janice, Kelly, Ed, and several others who request not to have their names included in the prayer list. We pray for those who have been through crazy weather patterns like the tornadoes this past week, the flooding in some places, and the continued recovery efforts from the bridge collapse on the northeastern coastline of the USA and all the other recovery efforts around the world due to the various weather issues and the wars, battles, refugees, and war crime victims in too many places. We pray for all of this in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig8U_CeUy0w

Sermon: Today we remain on our voyage through the scroll of Romans as we continue with the final portion of the fourteenth chapter. The first thing I want you to do is get your Bible out and go directly to this chapter of Paul’s letter to Rome. I want you to follow along as I read this portion and then I will get into the meaning of each verse and the connections Paul utilizes to give us a well-rounded point of view as to what good and evil would be.

Romans 14:16-23 – KJV

Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

NIV – Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

What Paul describes in these verses is how we often say one thing and mean another. This is often done to mislead a person, or group of people. We’ve seen these conditions in a lot of our history, including mass suicides, of which there have been several over the many millennia of human life on this earth. This occurs in politically and tyrannically driven instances. Historical instances of this could be Jonestown, the Branch Davidians, and others here in the USA, and the Holocaust and other genocidal instances as well worldwide. Rome was no slouch with genocidal instances. This is why Paul focuses on this consideration. With this, let’s get into what Paul is teaching the people of Rome.

Romans 14:16 KJV – Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

NIV – Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.

Paul digs deep to give us references from the Old and New Testament both. One of these, this first one actually, points to what life was like for men and women in that time period. The man saving her from scrutiny did so because he realized something interesting and special about Ruth. Paul points out that there are things we don’t recognize and realize are important in life.

Ruth 3:14 KJV – And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.

NIV – So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

Paul draws more influence from his letters to Corinth and the letter he wrote to fellow Christian Brother, Titus.

1 Corinthians 10:29-30 KJV –Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

NIV –I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

2 Corinthians 8:20-21 KJV –Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

NIV – We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

Titus 2:5 KJV – To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

NIV – to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Now, some might wonder why Paul took this direction with this next verse to the church at Rome and its congregation. God is more than food or drink we find on our tables. God and Jesus through the Holy Spirit would be the embodiment of righteousness, peace, and joy, and are freely offered to every person here on this earth. All we have to do is say “I’m ready, Lord.” God will provide. He does this quite a lot throughout the entire Scroll of Romans. Righteousness, Peace, Joy, found in the Holy Spirit, as a gift from God and Jesus Christ. Think about these amazing gifts shared through the Word and take a moment to realize these are gifts given to us all.

Romans 14:17 KJV – For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

NIV – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

Paul again brings forth the memories of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel’s words. It’s very important to connect the Old Testament to the New Testament, even this far into the future. But, in the days of these letters written to Rome, it was vital to connect them because the citizens of Rome were not born into Judaism. They learned it through the times they conquered the Jewish homeland, just as they did the same with all the other locations they conquered around the world. So, like they did, we should also connect verses back and forth and then bring them forward into today’s world and see how they might apply to what we are experiencing personally. This is the aim that Jesus had, to bring validity, and more, to the Romans so they could apply what they heard in these sermons and letters in their daily lives and get away from their polytheistic ways. Here are his Old Testament influences.

Isaiah 32:17 KJV – And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

NIV – The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

Isaiah 45:24 KJV – Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

NIV – They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’” All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 KJV – Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.

NIV – “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.

Daniel 2:44 KJV – And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

NIV – “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.

Daniel 9:24 KJV –Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

NIV – “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Paul adds to this with references through the gospels of Matthew. The first with a reference to Joh the Baptist, and the second in the words of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Matthew 3:2 KJV – And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

NIV – and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Matthew 6:33 KJV – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

NIV – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Something people have issues with in today’s world includes a controversial word that is used quite often in Christianity. This word is “servitude”. The first thing people think of is “slavery”. We are NOT to be considered “slaves”. This was never, ever, the consideration for ANY of the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ after the resurrection. To serve God is to share His ways, not to feel as though we are chained into anything with no independence. God gave us free will for a reason. He wants us to choose how to live our lives and guides us toward a life with God and Jesus as the center. This is what Paul speaks of here next.

Romans 14:18 KJV – For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

NIV – because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

Again, Paul has a lot of different influences from creation to the wisdom of King Solomon.

Genesis 4:7 KJV – If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

NIV – If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Ecclesiastes 9:7 KJV – Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

NIV – Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

Paul adds to this with his second letter to the church at Corinth and his letter to Philippi as well as the words from his fellow Apostle, Peter.

2 Corinthians 5:9 KJV, –Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

NIV –So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

2 Corinthians 8:21 KJV –Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

NIV –For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

Philippians 4:8 KJV – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

NIV – Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

1 Peter 2:12 KJV –Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

NIV –Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

In this world today there is a common thread, especially right now. That thread would be seeking peace. There is far too much reason to see the desire for peace with the chaos in Gaza, Ukraine, and other places around this world. Paul sought to spread the language of peace to the church at Rome because there was so much chaos at the time. Romans were quite proficient in destroying the hierarchy of any city, state, or country, and assimilating their cultures. Paul wanted desperately to keep the Jewish traditions fully intact. That’s what he speaks of here.

Romans 14:19 KJV – Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

NIV – Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

War is ugly, and even the Scriptures in the Bible don’t dispute that. Much like what we see in photos and television feeds around this world today, it was just as bad back then, even with the far less accurate weaponry utilized. Still we see the evil that pervades civilization in the midst of war. There are no end to the atrocities found within it. Paul portrays his thoughts by going through some of the pleas made through Scripture saying to turn away from evil and toward good. Here are those references.

Psalm 34:14 KJV – Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

NIV – Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 133:1 KJV – Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

NIV – How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

One of the methods toward peace is belief and believing in something that unites us. This is what Paul wants us to focus on here. He references his first letter to Corinth.

1 Corinthians 7:15 KJV –But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

NIV –But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.

1 Corinthians 8:1 KJV –Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

NIV –Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

1 Corinthians 10:23 KJV –All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

NIV –“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

1 Corinthians 14:3 KJV –But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

NIV –But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

There is a saying I’ve heard so often it often spills from my lips in regard to life as we live it in this world. That saying is “you can’t rob Peter to pay Paul.” This is known as an idiom and references back to the cost of renovating St. Peter’s Basilica. It’s a short-sighted, temporary solution for something that needs a better, longer lasting, resolution. This is what Paul notes here.

Romans 14:20 KJV – For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

NIV – Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

Paul again references the words Jesus spoke as shared in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 15:11 KJV – Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

NIV – What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Matthew 18:6 KJV – But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

NIV – “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

He adds to this with reference to Luke’s writings in the Acts of the Apostles, and the added influences from his letter to Corinth, Ephesus, and Philippi.

Acts 10:15 KJV – And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

NIV – The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

1 Corinthians 8:9-12 KJV –But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

NIV –Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

Ephesians 2:10 KJV – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

NIV – For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 1:6 KJV – Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

NIV – being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Paul wants us to be aware that sometimes our actions have bad consequences for others around us. That’s what this next verse points toward.

Romans 14:21 KJV – It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

NIV – It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

Now, Paul has only three references for this one, even if one of those is actually two separate verses. He goes back to the Scroll of Malachi. And also the gospel of Matthew with the words of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Malachi 2:8 KJV – But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.

NIV – But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty.

Matthew 13:21 KJV – Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

NIV – But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Matthew 16:23 KJV – But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

NIV – Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

He adds to this with a long passage from the first letter written to Corinth.

1 Corinthians 8:9-13 KJV –But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

What Paul is saying here, don’t do things on purpose that we know will hurt someone else. That’s something we should avoid, and yet we see it everywhere on this earth. Notice how this says, don’t put stumbling blocks, cause offense, or purposely weaken someone else. Well, this is one we see everywhere on this earth in this world today. Guess it means we have a lot of issues with obeying the single most important law Jesus left us with, LOVE ONE ANOTHER. We see this in Paul’s words here.

Romans 14:21 KJV – It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

NIV – It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

Proof of this issue would be found in all of the references Paul brings. This includes one that has become a well-known set of sentences Jesus spoke.

Malachi 2:8 KJV – But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.

NIV – But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty.

Matthew 13:21 KJV – Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

NIV – But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Matthew 16:23 KJV – But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

NIV – Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Paul adds to this with a reference to his first letter to Corinth.

It's not easy to pay attention to what we are doing to ourselves, or to each other, even unconsciously or subconsciously. Building our faith doesn’t mean we can tear down someone else’s in the process. This is what Paul points out here.

Romans 14:22 KJV – Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

NIV – So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

As he usually does, Paul references several passages in Scripture, his letters to Corinth and Galatia are joined with the writings of Luke in the Acts of the Apostles and also through the writings of James the Just, human half-brother of Jesus and also John the Beloved’s first letter.

Acts 24:16 KJV – And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.

NIV – So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

1 Corinthians 8:7 KJV –Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

NIV –But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.

2 Corinthians 1:12 KJV –For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

NIV –Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.

Galatians 6:1 KJV – Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

NIV – Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

James 3:13 KJV – Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

NIV – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

1 John 3:21 KJV –Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

NIV –Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.

The last verse of this chapter in Romans is a direct punch to the gut for those who don’t want to listen and learn about what it is to be a truly righteous Christian and follow closely the path that Jesus left for us to follow Him. Faith and Belief are just two lines of bricks in the path toward salvation. There are many others to fill in the empty spaces ahead of us, and this is what Paul needs us to see.

Romans 14:23 KJV – And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

NIV – But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Faith is very, very important in Christianity. Belief needs to be integral in our expressions and demonstrations of faith. Faith and Belief are supposed to be conscious, unconscious, subconscious, and superconscious. This is what Paul references as he again goes back to his first letter to the church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 11:29-31 KJV –For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

NIV – For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.

Paul adds to this with references with his letter to Titus and also a reference from the Hebrew prophets.

Titus 1:15 KJV – Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

NIV – To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV – But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

NIV – And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

There is so much for us to learn from Paul in his many letters. We’ve gone through nearly all of his letters as part of our sermons for quite a while. It is important to see how each of Paul’s letters connect to each other. We have two more chapters to work with in Romans and then we will look at Paul’s letters to Corinth. We are doing this to build up our understanding of how faith works in our lives today, as an extension of how faith was portrayed by Paul and the other Apostles as well as how Jesus taught. 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: Great Is Thy Faithfulness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ox4es1jo8

~ Shalom ~

Rev. Laura A. Neff

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Evangelist Calvin Jennings

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Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: 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.

Covenant Of Hope Ministries

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Sunday, May 5, 2024

Faith Is God’s Ultimate Design of Unconditional Love in Action