Gather Together Through Righteousness

Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon_9_29_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. Find us posted on Sundays and studies on Wednesday. Our locations are online only:

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Rev. Laura’s Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

We have email both through the Gmail address and through Facebook every day (instant messenger if you need me). 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: 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 Phoebe Fair as she is in hospice. She has her good days and her bad days. Her tumor has come back, and they don’t know what will happen right now. She is at home with the hospice care, but it is very hard on the family. This week they had a little scare but she’s doing as well as expected.

- There is a prayer request brought by my sister that asks us to keep a nine year old autistic boy named CJ, and his family, in prayer. The boy’s mother was diagnosed with brain cancer a year ago and has just been given less than two weeks of life expectancy. She is currently in hospice.

- My brother Scott has requested prayers for his boss Paul and for him self, regarding patience, and understanding, sanity and more in regard to their jobs.

- Please keep my friend Laura in your prayers.

- Please keep Elder Cal Jennings in your prayers as he is very sick and spent a day in the hospital recently.

- 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.

- 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.

Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. We are blessed in all that You bring to us and praise You for those gifts. We bring many of our friends and family members into prayer this day. We also bring those known and unknown into our prayers, including our enemies. We pray that good things await all of us as this day moves forward and for the days to follow. We pray all of these things in Your Holy Name through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlR0KElxxVg

Sermon: Shepherds gather their sheep, as God has often spoken of gathering the righteous together. Jesus spoke of Himself as the Great Shepherd. Well, in a lot of ways we are speaking of the righteous, from those who do all they can to be such, all the way up to the saints them selves. Notice there are views of the covenant, the sacrifices made, yet, there are warnings to be had. We’ll start with our opening verses here in Psalm 50:5-6 KJV – Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

Gather everyone, all of the saints, to him. He considers the saints to be those that have made a covenant with Him by sacrifice. There are a lot of types of sacrifice. Some of us give up a lot. Some of us only a little. There are those of us who give up quite a bit to do His work. We all remember what Jesus said, take up thy mat and follow Him. The greatest ideal to Jesus, and God as well, would be food to keep from hunger, shelter to keep from cold, wet, or heat, and water to drink. Some of us have a great bit of difficulty seeing these basics as all that is needed. His biggest gift is in having us learn what is a want, and what is a need. This would bring us closer to the ideal of great sacrifice.

Small sacrifices could be any little thing we do just to make ourselves realize there are better things than what we have in excess. Those excesses, though we may think they are needed, might just be a want that can be shared with someone else. When we take and become one with Christ, accepting His existence with God our Father, we must learn what it means to be sanctified, not just baptized, but to be sanctified. We are baptized into the faith, and sanctified through it. There is a difference. This is one thing it takes us a while to learn about and is shared in Isaiah 13:3 KJV – I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called  my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

It isn’t easy to understand what it takes to be sheltered from God’s anger. Those of us who are accepting of the command for sanctification would be MIGHTY in His eyes. Rejoice in that fact. Believe that He is with us and understanding will come, righteousness will be within reach, all we have to do is believe so we can reach to where we see. The next problem is, not to let our ego get the best of us. That is warned about here in the next verse. I Corinthians 6:2 KJV – Do ye not know that  his saints shall judge the world: and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

When it comes to judging, we can’t just give all of our decisions up. God said to choose well the path to follow, not to go without choosing at all. He doesn’t want us to give up. He wants us to find the best path. There is a difference. Too many of us in this world want to just give up and leave it at that. Those who look for their options can overcome the obstacle, and thus prevail, taking the best path in a bad situation.

I Thessalonians 3:13 KJV – To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

So many see that, the minute we accept we are seen as unblameable for all sin. Are we really? In this view, He has to be in your heart and we have to remember that, not just pretend it, but to remember it. Then, at that time, we can see as Enoch shared and is repeated here in Jude 14 KJV – And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.

The Lord comes with ten thousand of his saints. Ten thousand! That is either a small, or a large number. But then, remember, Scripture shared David defeating Goliath. Even the small shall overcome the largest of obstacles. Ten thousand may not seem like a lot in comparison to the number of people on this earth, but, it’s nothing to ignore either.

Exodus 24:7 KJV – And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.

Here we get back to the ideal of a sheep and his shepherd. It isn’t easy to see with more than our eyes, listen and then hear what it means as well as what is said, but when we do, what doors will open, what paths will be freed, and what glories shall be shared. This, as the rest, can be seen here in Isaiah 59:20, 21 KJV – And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

This is simply repeating what we have seen. What I say and give to you, as God shares, will be shared with you, and you will share it with your children, and they will share it with theirs, and so on. It lasts forever, spoken of from generation to generation that it might be seen, heard, and experienced. All of this is done to share the idea of Jesus giving us the gift that is love, or the expression of it. It is through the gift of God, that we will find what He has always promised would be there. Hebrews 8:6 KJV – But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

There is a saying, there are better things in life. We just have to know where and how to find them. 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: Something Beautiful ~ Newsboys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkdMOauMAys

~Shalom~

Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Calvin Jennings ~ Elder Facebook & Twitter & Blogster

Covenant of Hope Ministries

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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.

We Will Hear His Voice

Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon_9_22_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. Find us posted on Sundays and studies on Wednesday. Our locations are online only:

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Rev. Laura’s Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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: 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 Phoebe Fair as she is in hospice. She has her good days and her bad days. Her tumor has come back, and they don’t know what will happen right now. She is at home with the hospice care, but it is very hard on the family. This week they had a little scare but she’s doing as well as expected.

- Please keep my friend Laura in your prayers.

- Please keep Elder Cal Jennings in your prayers as he is very sick and spent a day in the hospital recently.

- 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.

Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. We bring praise for the gifts of friendship, laughter, and love as they make our days go by and let us remember them with a smile. We pray that we find a method toward giving peace from ourselves and that others will find the ability to return it. We are thankful for the gifts of grace You bring each of us. We pray that our friends, our families, and yes, our enemies, would find common ground and realize that love is the best reason for life. We pray all these things in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, in the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: Awake My Soul http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWpvknKuYrg

Sermon: Well, we start a new psalm today. The first verses bring images of the Revelation.  Though the first six verses are a portion that says stop and think about it, we’re only going to focus on the first four. There’s a reason for that. Everything has its own time. We’ve heard the words “God Has Spoken” many times. In this particular segment we find just that, not once, but twice. As Scripture would have it, at the beginning, and at the end no less. Even before we get to the verses there is something to study. The title of this section itself A Psalm of Asaph can also be seen as A Psalm for Asaph. Let’s see what Scripture says here in Psalm 50:1-4 KJV – The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.

Well, there’s a lot to say here. From the beginning until the end. The rising of the sun until it sets. It’s not just speaking of a single day here. God’s talking about Genesis to Revelation. This, as though it were hours. For God has His time, but set ours to be sunrise to sunrise. These verses, like many we have studied, pull no punches. They say God is coming out of Zion and He’s not going to be gentle. He won’t be quiet. He will come with fiery, booming, tempestuous noise surrounding Him. We, most of us, know what it means to listen to fire, thunder, and wild winds. Those of us who use other senses can listen in their own way. Regardless, it’s very, very loud. Our only referenced verse comes from Micah 6:1, 2 KJV – Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.Now note this. God is pleading with Israel. Nobody thinks that He wants all of us to end up amidst that fire, that storm of winds, the noise either of them make. Of course He’s going to plead with us to first listen, and then hear, because if we don’t do both, then it won’t be easy to learn from the mistakes we make. God isn’t just pleading with Israel and the Jews. He’s pleading with all of us. Every single one of us has to learn the gift of listening and hearing. Not just listening and looking like we are hearing. This is yet another reason we hear the fire, feel the wind, because they are fierce, and relentless. He has been relentless in His work. He perseveres, as He wants us to do. He wants us to overcome those things that keep us from understanding, from wisdom, so that we can see where He would be, listen when He needs us to listen, and hear what He wants us to hear. Look, listen, hear, and glory we can find. 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: Bring It On http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1RdTsNSkcA

~Shalom~

Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Calvin Jennings ~ Elder Facebook & Twitter & Blogster

Covenant of Hope Ministries

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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/

The Path To His Glory

Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon_7_28_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. Find us posted on Sundays and studies on Wednesday. Our locations are online only:

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Rev. Laura’s Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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: 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 Phoebe Fair as she is in hospice. She has her good days and her bad days. Her tumor has come back, and they don’t know what will happen right now. She is at home with the hospice care, but it is very hard on the family.

- Please keep Elder Cal Jennings in your prayers as he is very sick and spent a day in the hospital this past week.

- 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.

Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. There are many prayers, and just as many praises for each of us this day. We are thankful for the gifts that You have brought. We are understanding in the lessons we have learned. We are grateful for Your solace, the gift of safe haven, the gift of life itself. We pray for those who have lost their lives in war, in disaster, and more. We pray for the survivors, that their grief and pain be eased by Your blessings of hope and faith. We pray all of these things in Your Holy Name through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: It Is Well With My Soul http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdpN-6Tvo4s

Sermon: There are many reasons that this title was managed, the path to His glory. There is a way to reach that path, but we’ve got to remember certain things. One of those is the fact that redemption comes into play. What is redemption? It is forgiveness. He will forgive us our sins, as the prayer Jesus gave us shares. We can see that here in Psalm 49:15 KJV – But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

There is a pair of word changes here in our first verse for from the power of. That would be from the hand of. The second word change is the grave. This one could be hell. The power of the grave, so the hands of hell. Isn’t that interesting? Hell would have hands. They would be powerful. They can drag us down into that pit described in Revelations, and in fact described in many places through Scripture. Think about it. That’s what it asks us to do here. Well, we should do just that. God will receive us, keeping us from the power of the grave.

Let’s continue into our next three verses here in Psalm 49:16-18 KJV – Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased:

For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

There would be only one word change in our last verse. That word change is included here in while he lived which could also be considered in his life. Look at this, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU! So many cultures believed or believe that it will be there when salvation occurs. Did anyone think that we won’t NEED it? Everything we could possibly need would be in God’s paradise known as HEAVEN. This only goes to show the validity of these two verses here in Psalm 49:19-20 KJV – He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

Man that is in honour, an understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Our next to last verse shares a different view of He shall go to the generations of his fathers. That difference would be this soul shall go. It shares that his body and his soul would separate. That is very much like many teachings in faiths around the world. It shares the idea that the spirit, the soul, and the body are very different parts of a human being. Now here in our last two verses we also find a reference to these verses in Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 KJV – Befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth upward, an the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man shall rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Look at this! Man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. You remember, God said only that man would have NO dominance over the beasts of the field. He created helpers out of the soil. Examine here in Genesis 2:18 KJV – And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

So, God gave equality to man and beast. We do not see that in today’s world. In fact we show dominance over them. This also shows in the ideal of women. There is not reference to dominance, only that a man shall be joined with a woman and become one. Thus, man and woman, and beast of the field all will be dust to dust. Any other thoughts are considered VANITY! We remember what vanity would bring. It tells us the whole truth, that nothing, and no one would be over another in the realm of dominance. Granted, we have kings, princes, and the like shared here in Scripture. They are rulers, sure, but is there a difference between us and those same rulers? We also have beasts that would carry our things, lead a cart, or something like that. But, again, does that mean those kings, princes, or beasts are unequal to the rest? No! The reason, they’re all as we would be. Our ancestry, that means every person no matter their level of society, was borne of the dust. 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)

This song was chosen because it epitomizes the ideal that is shared in this path to His Glory.

Closing Song: If Everyone Cared http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IUSZyjiYuY

~Shalom~

Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Calvin Jennings ~ Elder Facebook & Twitter & Blogster

Covenant of Hope Ministries

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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.

The Beauty of the Upright

Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon_9_8_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. Find us posted on Sundays and studies on Wednesday. Our locations are online only:

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Rev. Laura’s Other Sites: Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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: 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 - Continue your prayers for Phoebe Fair as she is in hospice. She has her good days and her bad days. Her tumor has come back, and they don’t know what will happen right now. She is at home with the hospice care, but it is very hard on the family.

- 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.

Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. We thank You for the gift of the Word that You bring us. We are grateful for what You have brought each of us. We pray for all those who are sick, in trial and tribulation, dying, or in sorrow. We pray for those who are sharing joy, laughter, and love, that those gifts reach out to others. We pray each of these prayers in Your Holy Name through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiItILWODNo

Sermon: Faith is an amazing thing. We can gain it, lose it, hope for it, pray about it, pray for it, have it, keep it, and even give it. The problem is, we forget faith is just what it is. It is a gift. It is a gift of God, not just Jesus, but of God. Remember Jesus always said ye of little faith. To be upright, or righteous, you have to live in faith. Yes, live in it. Let’s start the voyage of the upright and see what it shares in

Psalm 49:14 KJV – Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

What do we see? We see the upright, the faithful, and that they will be above those who are not righteous, not faithful, and they are the ones who will suffer an eternal death, not just a human one. This, as we all know, would be the days of judgment described in many ways throughout Scripture. Here is a verse in Daniel 7:22 KJV – Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Judgment was given to the saints of the most High. The saints, those who are elected by God to serve as Judges. Well, you remember, Jesus would be the highest judge, no matter that He didn’t want to be. He will judge the living and the dead. Well, there are those who are completely righteous, but that number would be very small. The wicked, the unbelievers, and, in Jewish views, the Gentiles, tread under the feet of the righteous. Well, remember, Jesus went to the Gentiles, so not all of them were unbelievers. Some of them believed. There are many multitudes of believers now. Here is a view from Malachi 4:3 KJV – And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this saith the LORD of hosts. Well, so we have those who won’t be welcome, won’t survive judgment, and then there are those given the gift of eternal life through Jesus as shared here in Luke 22:30 KJV – That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kindgom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Now the twelve at the table with Jesus are hearing this. They are spoken of again here in I Corinthians 6:2 KJV – Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest of matters? See this? If the saints judge the world, then we should be able to judge the smallest things. Take, for example, which do we judge to be the best path to take from where we’d be. Well, if we can’t figure out whether to go right or left, we’re stuck in one spot. It is the epitome of being a stick in the mud. Now, this fits in with accept and deny as shared here in II Timothy 2:12 KJV – If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: You’ve got to live life and have faith. How many times are we going to repeat ‘have faith’? Every day we say that, sometimes it is every hour, minute, even second. There are those of us who will have faith, and lose it in seconds or less. Why is that? We are afraid, of course. Do not fear, that’s another thing God and Jesus both said, and still say now. It is shared again with Jesus as He speaks in

Revelation 2:26 KJV – And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over nations.

Keeping His works to the end, that is something to look up to. It is something to look toward, not just say it will never happen. If we deny it, then it won’t happen. If we accept it, then it will happen, if we strive for it, then we know it will happen. That is the beauty of being upright. 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: Our final song will honor the lost, as the United States, our world, remembers September 11.

Beauty Will Rise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6sGtkhpqeA&list=PL5F7F70BC6975FC26

~Shalom~

Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Calvin Jennings ~ Elder Facebook & Twitter & Blogster

Covenant of Hope Ministries

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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.

The Epiphany In The Middle Of A Psalm

Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon 09_01_2013

I'm Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our sermon will normally be seen on Sundays, and we'll try to have a study in the middle of the week somewhere. You can find me on Facebook, Google+, and on Twitter. Those links are in the signature line. We normally have a prayer list. This week is a repeat of most of last week's. 

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.

- Please keep those traveling this weekend here in the US for Labor Day in your prayers. Keep those who travel anywhere in prayer also and always.

- Continue your prayers for Phoebe Fair as she is in hospice. She has her good days and her bad days. Her tumor has come back, and they don’t know what will happen right now. She is at home with the hospice care, but it is very hard on the family.

- 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 pray for my mother’s neighbor whose house exploded earlier this month. Pray for his health as he was diagnosed with cancer at the same time.

- 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.

Prayer: Father in heaven, we thank You for this day and for these who are here to share it with us. We bring up to You all of those who are ill, in sorrow, in fear, and all the rest up into Your arms knowing You are the Healer. We bring to you those who are sick, and those who are lost. We bring those who are friends, family, and yes, our enemies, all that are in our hearts, up to Your arms. We pray for health, faith, strength, and hope, in all things, everywhere, and always. We pray 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: Living in the Promised Land http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxS8Z05X79s

Sermon: The first thing you will ask when you read this sermon, or short study, will be why choose something we normally see at or after the Christmas season would I write about this very event in history, and in life. The answer is easy. I had an epiphany. I was inspired to write about this very subject. So what is Epiphany?  Here is the definition of the day.

EPIPHANY – The celebrating of the appearance or manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles in the persons of the Magi.  This is as shared in Matthew Chapter 2.

What is the definition I have described above?

EPIPHANY – A sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by something simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

Well then, so we have two interesting views of this. One is an event in the earliest part of life for our Savior Jesus Christ as shared in scripture. The other is a gift of inspiration. Well, think about it. Jesus and His birth IS a gift of inspiration, note I said IS in place of WAS. He was as He is as He always will be. You remember the verses for that. So, why stop in the middle of Psalm 49? Well, it has a lot to do with what is coming up in the remainder of the chapter. It is better to know more about this foretelling, in some ways, of what is to come. It isn’t a guess, God is telling us, we’re just not always listening. That’s why we have those “moments of inspiration” once in a while in place of all the time.

The MAGI, are the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12 NIV. In the King James Version they are known simply as WISE MEN. The celebration of Epiphany is shared as being six days after the new year.  The dictionary shares this as showing the Savior to the Gentiles. Well, the magi, these wise men, came from all known corners of the earth, NOT from Jerusalem.

Again, there is a reason I would share this in both versions King James and New International. The first is obvious, I wanted to give the two names of these men, Wise Men or Magi, or both. In this world we see them as both. The Magi, the Wise Men who went to see Jesus and bring Him gifts and they weren’t just any Wise Men, they were GENTILES. Now, if you know your Scripture, the Jews were told to stay away from the Gentiles. They were told to leave them out of all the Jews would do. But, they took that far too far in so many ways. Jesus proved it at the beginning of His life, and at the end as well. So, these foretelling moments are scattered in specific ways at specific times to first provide an epiphany, and then to remind them of it. So prophecy is a both a reminder of what is to come, and an inspiration of all that it is, or an epiphany. Now, I’ve been tested, as we all tend to be, this week has been both a test of strength and of will. There are many people in many places who find it a test of mind and spirit. In all of us, we see these tests, mind, spirit, strength, and will, yet, we forget they are ALL present, ALL the time.  So, we will, at this time, share what the day Epiphany would include.

      

Let’s take a look at this here in Matthew 2:1-12 KJV – Saying, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet.

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And became warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Here we see the NIV version Matthew 2:1-12 – After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called them together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written;

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared, He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

So, why have an epiphany in the middle? Sometimes God just needs to put that hand up there saying “Stop what you’re doing and explain yourself.” So, here we see just that. We are explaining what will be shared in the remainder of the Psalm we have been studying. Jesus is prophecy. Jesus is a gift. Jesus, thus, is a prophetic gift. Prophecy, you see quite a lot in the Scriptures, and often we forget that those prophecies will one day be manifest in reality, in present day. It’s not like saying it will and then you make sure it does. It is PROMISING it will, and then FULFILLING that promise. Thus the gift of Christ and the proof of that for the MAGI, the Gentiles. Jews didn’t want to bring their gifts to the Gentiles. They avoided them for too many reasons. Yet, in truth, Jesus Himself went directly to the Gentiles and taught them. He did so both DURING His life as a human being, and AFTER He had risen. So, think of it this way. He was an Epiphany of prophecy brought to us in Scripture of the Old Testament, a visual Epiphany AT AND DURING His birth, and also AFTER His death when He was risen. He is THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, and TOMORROW. Our Savior, imagine that, even in today’s world He is proof of prophecy, an epiphany. We our selves are proof of prophecy. God promised Adam, and Abraham, that people would fill the earth, their families, their descendants would be all over the earth as far as the eye could see. Well, we’re here still. It is often something we forget. That’s why we find many things to be the likes of an epiphany. Maybe that’s also the reason God decides to stop us in the middle and make us think about it.

Closing Song: The Healing Hand Of God http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzfs9B01Qq8

~Shalom~

Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Calvin Jennings ~ Elder Facebook & Twitter & Blogster

Covenant of Hope Ministries

Main Site: http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

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.