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.
You will find us in the
following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
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.
- Please pray for Brother
Wayne Bartosh. He was in a serious accident back during the summer. He suffered
several broken bones including his hip, his neck, and more. During those months
he spent quite a while in the hospital and then in a nursing home. He has only
returned home very recently. He continues to have issues. Though he was able to
walk his daughter down the aisle he has had serious issues ever since. May the
good Lord heal him well and give the doctors the best ability to assist in that
healing.
- Please pray for Elder Cal
Jennings who has been suffering greatly with his health. May the Lord bring his
spirits up and help heal him. Please also pray that his housing needs will be
seen to that he may return to his familiar surroundings at long last.
- Please pray for relief in
the trials and tribulations for Sister Theresa and myself as we have had a
great many over the past year and more.
- Be thankful for each day
we live as we do not know what tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that
the voice of God be heard through the Spirit.
- Pray for the victims of
the terrorist attacks in France and California, USA over the past few weeks.
May they be given justice in every way. May the Lord bring solace to their
families and friends of those who were lost. For those who survived may the
Lord bring them healing as they are surrounded by their families and friends.
- Pray for our friends and
families that their tomorrows bring blessings and pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those suffering
as a result of the terrors that have occurred just this past week around this
world.
- Pray for our sick and
wounded that they may heal.
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.
Opening
Song: Lord Help Me Jesus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SImaTElXW4c
Sermon: When we first had this sermon we spoke of the various types of
faith. There are, truly, interesting views. Yet, still, there aren’t,
apparently, any that truly match with this first pair of verses. They represent
the saving, or salvation form of faith. Take a look at what these two verses
have to share.
Romans 10:9-10 KJV – That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Yes, there are styles or types of faith. It sounds strange. In
fact, there are many who have questioned this. When you see these verses, do
you wonder if you truly praise God and Jesus through the gift of the Holy
Spirit? Yes, we can indeed do just that. Did you ever think that the gifts
given would provide the way to save our hearts, our spirits, our souls?
Yes, we must work that faith, not just within ourselves. We also
must share that with others. Remember the fact that Jesus once told us faith
without works is dead. Let’s take a look at the view of temporary faith would
be.
Luke 8:13 KJV - They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word
with joy; and these have no root, for a while believe, and in time of
temptation fall away.
Why is this considered temporary? There are no roots that hang on
within the heart and spirit and soul. For this reason we have seen many, and in
fact we ourselves, stray from faith in the belief of Jesus. I have, truthfully,
been told that certain things I have shared would actually be against the
teachings of Jesus and God. Yet, truthfully, that isn’t what they were intended
to portray. It is the misinterpretation of the truth God and Jesus brought that
causes our faith to disappear, and, in fact appear temporary, not just in our
hearts and minds, but in those of others. We continue now with yet another view
of faith, that of an intellectual view.
James 2:19 KJV – Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and
tremble.
You can’t always discern good from evil. That is often why we get
lost in our faith. Yet, if we pay attention, we can see it. Now, anyone can get
lost in faith, even ministers. You have seen my frustration and that of many
others when it comes to our faith and believing in His strength. The next view
will soon share itself here in three verses from the gospels and one in Acts.
Matthew 8:29 KJV – And
behold they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of
God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Torment them? Why would they believe they were tormented by God
and Jesus? There is a reason. They didn’t want to see the truth. Yet, they were
also doing just that. Jesus was doing as God wished. He was showing the world
that they were worldly, as opposed to devout, holy, truthful, and loving God.
Mark 1:24 KJV – Saying,
Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou
come to destroy us? I know thee thou art, the Holy one of God.
Leave them alone! That’s what they’re crying about. They don’t
want to see what is wrong. They believe that HE is the one who is evil and is
ready to destroy them. When, in actuality, He came to save them, as well as us
here in the future. Still yet, not just one view of fear would be noted. Here
we see yet another pair of the same.
Luke 4:34 KJV – Saying,
Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth: art thou
come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Intelligence at last is shared, not just with the actions and
words of Jesus, but with the understanding of everyone. Oh now comes the best
part. They realize truth is right in front of their noses. Yet, will that
realization stick? There’s yet another question.
Acts 16:17 KJV – The
same followed Paul and us, and cried saying, These men are the servants of the
most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation.
The way to salvation is where? It’s through Jesus Christ, not just
in His life, but His death and ressurection as well. Next we see the path of
Christ, the path of peace. So, what happens if we fall off that path? Here we
will see where faith is dead.
James 2:17 ,
20 KJV – Even so faith, if it hath not works, is
dead, being alone.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead?
Oh wow, we sit there and don’t do anything to share His truth.
Yes, no matter who we are, where we live, or what we’ve been through. If we sit
on our proverbial hands in regard to believing, you can say a sad farewell to
the path of God unless you use those footprints and walk inside them once more.
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: Can You Help Me Find It
~
Shalom ~
Rev.
Laura A. Neff
Elder Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries
Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
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 ©
2015 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.
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