Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon_08_12_2012
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our sermon or
midweek study. You will normally see us posted on Sunday and Wednesday. I am
Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love. It
doesn’t conform to society’s wishes. This ministry shares the Word of God, the
Spirit of Christ Jesus. Those who know me well will recognize that there are
definitive differences in the creation of every sermon from this point forward.
It is God’s will that has brought this to be. We wish only that God’s truth
will be shared within His words as brought to us by the Spirit as it fills my
heart, mind, and soul to be shared with my hands, but with His words alone.
Prayer List: Our prayer list remains the same for the moment. If any wish to add to it, please feel free to comment.
Prayer: Father in heaven, our prayer today is to have the Spirit bring clarity to each of our decisions. We thank You for that gift and the many more You have brought us. May our fears be drawn out of us. Help us to see the many gifts Your love brings and the unknown locations it might be found. May our pain and sorrow be eased. May peace be brought from our hearts and shared with others. May Your gifts of love shine through us toward others. We pray for the poor, the sick, the sorrowful, the wounded, and the frightened. We pray for the soldiers, the Samaritans, the children, and the rest. We pray in thanksgiving for every gift brought us. We pray that every tomorrow bring good things. For each of these we pray in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Levicus 26:3 KJV – If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
There are so many ways to see the ideals of keeping commandments. What does it mean to keep a commandment? Well, think about it this way. Keep a promise, you’ve kept a commandment. Follow a rule, you’ve kept a commandment. Understand why both are important, you’ve kept them in your heart, in your mind, and in your spirit. Realize what they mean, not just to you, but to those around you, then you are keeping a promise, a commandment, a rule to live by. Now, an interesting view is that held by Joshua as we read here in Joshua 22:5 KJV – But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Let’s continue to see how this connects to the Psalms.
Psalm 78:7 KJV – That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.
You had to know I would link this to our current set of Scriptures, even if I would still be on sabbatical. The only reason I am here, is that the inquiry has stuck with me for several days and I had to address it, as it is very important to see how commandments, rules, promises, all lead in the same direction. You’re probably going to ask, where that leads. Well, with these verses, the answer will be found. Our next view would be seen here in Proverbs 4:4 KJV – He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Look at this one, listen to it closely. You will see something very important about keeping commandments, keeping promises, and where to keep them. Let’s continue to look into Scripture for our answers. Now, how do these Old Testament verses tie in to our New Testament? Well, let’s take a look at the Gospel of Matthew and see just how that is possible here in Matthew 19:17 KJV – And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Even as Jesus would be the Son of God, He was also the Son of Man. This made him good only through God who created Him as man. Certainly, Jesus was, as He is, blessed by love and grace eternally, but, on earth, all the troubles, the pain and sorrow, take their toll on any person. Imagine, God walking beside us in the body of man. Wait, that already happened. His name is Jesus. God walked with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego while in the fiery furnace. He did so as the Spirit that is God.
John 15:10 KJV – If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Those who know the Bible well will recognize these verses. They are part of the Vine and Branches parable Jesus told. As many know, this is one of my favorite views of the commandments, the ideal of keeping promises. The blessing of realizing that through love, keeping promises can be seen both to and from God and ourselves. Now, there’s an interesting ideal. Jesus says to abide in His love. God says the same when He says keep the commandments. What do these both portray? They portray the ideal of love one another. It doesn’t matter what creed or religion, what faith or country, color of skin, friend or enemie, or otherwise, it means only to love one another. John again shares with us a sentiment that stems from the Psalms. Let’s see what he shares here in I John 3:22-24 KJV – And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him. And whereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Our final view of keeping promises, keeping faith and hope in the embodiment of love that is God’s ultimate commandment, shares with it something eye opening, within the most controversial portion of all of Scripture. That would be this verse here in Revelation 14:12 KJV – Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Four views in our Old Testament that lead us to four views in the New Testament. Our objective, to see how faith and hope and love can lead us from one point to another. And if we love one another, we also would love God as well. There’s something to share, something to see, and a gift as yet to be. 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)
Rev. Laura A. Neff
The Rainbow Minister
Covenant of Hope Ministries
Main Site: http://www.covenantofhope.multiply.com
Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter & Google+
Our Main Video Feeds: Covenant_of_Hope & CovenantofHopeMinistries
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: Rev. Laura A. Neff: Copyright © 2012 Covenant of Hope Ministries www.covenantofhope.multiply.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.
Prayer: Father in heaven, our prayer today is to have the Spirit bring clarity to each of our decisions. We thank You for that gift and the many more You have brought us. May our fears be drawn out of us. Help us to see the many gifts Your love brings and the unknown locations it might be found. May our pain and sorrow be eased. May peace be brought from our hearts and shared with others. May Your gifts of love shine through us toward others. We pray for the poor, the sick, the sorrowful, the wounded, and the frightened. We pray for the soldiers, the Samaritans, the children, and the rest. We pray in thanksgiving for every gift brought us. We pray that every tomorrow bring good things. For each of these we pray in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Levicus 26:3 KJV – If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
There are so many ways to see the ideals of keeping commandments. What does it mean to keep a commandment? Well, think about it this way. Keep a promise, you’ve kept a commandment. Follow a rule, you’ve kept a commandment. Understand why both are important, you’ve kept them in your heart, in your mind, and in your spirit. Realize what they mean, not just to you, but to those around you, then you are keeping a promise, a commandment, a rule to live by. Now, an interesting view is that held by Joshua as we read here in Joshua 22:5 KJV – But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Let’s continue to see how this connects to the Psalms.
Psalm 78:7 KJV – That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.
You had to know I would link this to our current set of Scriptures, even if I would still be on sabbatical. The only reason I am here, is that the inquiry has stuck with me for several days and I had to address it, as it is very important to see how commandments, rules, promises, all lead in the same direction. You’re probably going to ask, where that leads. Well, with these verses, the answer will be found. Our next view would be seen here in Proverbs 4:4 KJV – He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Look at this one, listen to it closely. You will see something very important about keeping commandments, keeping promises, and where to keep them. Let’s continue to look into Scripture for our answers. Now, how do these Old Testament verses tie in to our New Testament? Well, let’s take a look at the Gospel of Matthew and see just how that is possible here in Matthew 19:17 KJV – And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Even as Jesus would be the Son of God, He was also the Son of Man. This made him good only through God who created Him as man. Certainly, Jesus was, as He is, blessed by love and grace eternally, but, on earth, all the troubles, the pain and sorrow, take their toll on any person. Imagine, God walking beside us in the body of man. Wait, that already happened. His name is Jesus. God walked with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego while in the fiery furnace. He did so as the Spirit that is God.
John 15:10 KJV – If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Those who know the Bible well will recognize these verses. They are part of the Vine and Branches parable Jesus told. As many know, this is one of my favorite views of the commandments, the ideal of keeping promises. The blessing of realizing that through love, keeping promises can be seen both to and from God and ourselves. Now, there’s an interesting ideal. Jesus says to abide in His love. God says the same when He says keep the commandments. What do these both portray? They portray the ideal of love one another. It doesn’t matter what creed or religion, what faith or country, color of skin, friend or enemie, or otherwise, it means only to love one another. John again shares with us a sentiment that stems from the Psalms. Let’s see what he shares here in I John 3:22-24 KJV – And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him. And whereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Our final view of keeping promises, keeping faith and hope in the embodiment of love that is God’s ultimate commandment, shares with it something eye opening, within the most controversial portion of all of Scripture. That would be this verse here in Revelation 14:12 KJV – Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Four views in our Old Testament that lead us to four views in the New Testament. Our objective, to see how faith and hope and love can lead us from one point to another. And if we love one another, we also would love God as well. There’s something to share, something to see, and a gift as yet to be. 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)
Rev. Laura A. Neff
The Rainbow Minister
Covenant of Hope Ministries
Main Site: http://www.covenantofhope.multiply.com
Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter & Google+
Our Main Video Feeds: Covenant_of_Hope & CovenantofHopeMinistries
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: Rev. Laura A. Neff: Copyright © 2012 Covenant of Hope Ministries www.covenantofhope.multiply.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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