Covenant of Hope Ministries
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:
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. There have been many changes 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.
- Please keep Elder Cal Jennings in your prayers as his health
doesn’t know where it wants to be. His heart is too weak for surgery, for
either one of the surgeries needed. His body is very weak as well. Please pray
that his spirit remains strong in Christ as our friend.
- Please pray for a friend of mine, Kerry, as she has come very
near death after cancer surgery this past week. She is currently in ICU. Keep
her family in your prayers as well. It has been very hard on them, as well as
her friends.
- Please pray for my friend Teresa’s sister who is in stage four
cancer. Keep Teresa and her daughter in prayer for many other things that have
been weighing down on their hearts, minds, and spirits.
- 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.
- Continue your prayers for Phoebe Fair’s family as they
continue to grieve her loss.
- Please keep my whole family in prayer for the pain, suffering,
and chaos we are going through.
- Please keep my friend Jeff’s family in prayer for the problems
they are working to overcome.
- 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 Your love, faith, hope, and peace. We have many we bring to You in
prayer for healing, faith, hope, and peace. Bring strength to their hearts and
spirits with every difficult situation and be there beside them. Bring them
faith and peace in the knowledge that You would be here with us through the
gifts of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: We Gather Together
Sermon: This week has been rocky for many
of those we know, and even for ourselves. Yet, faith can exist regardless of
that fact. The reason for that? We can gather together in faith, hope, and love
in His peace and grace. Now, the first verse here talks about rehearsing. Well,
we memorize verses and chapters from the Scriptures. That is just what they are
sharing. Wouldn’t you want to share exactly what you are thinking without
stumbling? It’s not easy to rehearse for any style of speaking in front of a
group, or even with a group. So take a look here at this verse in Acts 14:27 KJV – And
when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all
that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the
Gentiles.
We know
the song We Gather Together. There are many times that particular song has been
shared between us. That, as many spiritual songs, has roots in Scripture. Open
the door to faith as we gather together, not just for the Jews, but for the
Gentiles too. How awesome that would be. Here we see Christ’s take on opening
the door to faith, and His ability to help us keep it that way. See it here in Revelation 3:8 KJV – I
know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can
shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not
denied my name.
Every
sermon has a list, a prayer list, shared from each of those willing to request
prayers for any reason. It doesn’t matter if it’s a physical, emotional,
spiritual, or even financial rocky road, they can all be answered through
prayer. How can it be so? We pray together as one, through Christ and the gift
of the Holy Spirit. These three verses share that in many ways.
Colossians 4:3 KJV – Withal praying also for us, that God would
open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I
also am in bonds:
I Corinthians 16:9 KJV – For a great door and effectual is opened
unto me, and there are many adversaries.
II Corinthians 2:12 KJV – Furthermore, when I
came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was
opened unto me of the Lord.
When we
see these verses we often wonder about that open door. It is opened to us. What
does it signify? Well, it signifies the path toward peace, love, hope, and
faith, of course. Those are the gifts that comfort us, not just alone, but
together. This is shared more in Romans 1:12 KJV – That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the
mutual faith both of you and me.
More must
be considered. We have to talk about Him. It may seem like we’re not getting
through to others, but still we must say what He wishes us to share. Faith has
been shaken through our ministry with a lack of communication. It is hard to
have that same faith without sharing it. That’s what this last verse shares in Philippians 1:27 KJV – Only
let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I
come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand
fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the
gospel;
One
heart, one mind, one spirit, one soul, that’s how it should be together. Yes,
it is difficult to manage. In fact, some would consider it impossible. We
should never think that way. With love even the impossible is possible. His
love is always there for us. All we have to do is have faith and believe as we
gather together, even in spirit. 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)
~Shalom~
Covenant
of Hope Ministries
Scripture
Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition:Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, Inc.
Scripture
Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture
Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © circa 1890-1910: International Bible
Press,The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA., USA
Sermon or
Study Copyright © 2012 http://covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com/
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries and
Poetic-Expressions is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all
that is created through fear together as the rainbow in the darkness.
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