Covenant Of Hope Ministries: May 2014

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Blessed Are the Meek

Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon originally posted_5_25_2014

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

Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Google+ & Blogspot & Twitter

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 Elder Cal Jennings who has been suffering greatly with his health. May the Lord bring his spirits up and help heal him.

- Pray for my parents and youngest brother who would have lost their dog Shadow just two days ago now. He was a faithful companion for nearly sixteen years.

- 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 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: Blessed Are The Meek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZxCuhP-jWw

Sermon: Once when I was a girl I was learning to sing a hymn for the Christmas, Advent, season. I would always get the words mixed up. When I would sing it I would say meek and mild as opposed to tender and mild, the lyrics from Silent Night. What is the difference between tender and meek? In truth, there isn’t much of one. In fact, there is even a prayer that combines the words tender, meek, and mild. The prayer is titled Tender Jesus, Meek and Mild.

Tender Jesus, meek and mild,

Look on me, a little child;

Help me, if it is Thy will,

To recover from all ill. Amen.

In a lot of ways many of us have needed this prayer. It shares with us what God and Jesus were and are telling us that meekness isn’t weakness. It’s willingness to see and understand. That is why Jesus said to come to Him as a little child. Let’s see what the Scripture says about being meek starting here.

Psalm 147:6 KJV – The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

So, what does it mean to be meek? It means to be willingly humble. Yes, true humility must be accepted fully, in order to realize that God is here for us, no matter what. Jesus has been here, and still is, with God in the Spirit. All we have to do is look for that gift as the meek, the humble, the ones who are willing to understand. What is promised if we do so? Well, Jesus said so Himself as we remember here in the Gospel.

Matthew 5:5 KJV – Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

That is some inheritance, you realize. To inherit the earth, but what does this mean? Does it mean the earth as it is now, or the one that was meant to be? Well, in fact it means the earth restored to what it should be. This is what the meek shall inherit. Now, that is one huge gift for those of us who are willing to listen, to hear, to understand, and to share that understanding with others.

Psalm 22:26 KJV – The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

Ah, we shall eat and be satisfied. We shall praise the LORD as we seek Him. His heart, as well as ours, would live forever as a result. That’s not just any promise, that’s the ultimate promise, because it shares eternal life, the gift of God’s eternal and boundless love. Yet, of course, we must first learn how to seek the LORD as one of the meek. This is where we find us looking at this verse.

Zephaniah 2:3 KJV – Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgement; seek righteousness, seek meekness:It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.

What does it mean to be meek? Well, it means we’re protected by our own willingness to hear and understand, to follow faith through love. That will protect us from anything that might come to be. It is a true gift, as the gift of eternal and unconditional love should 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)

Closing Song: Meekness and Majesty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tK1hQpacs8

~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

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.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Welcoming Home the Prodigal Son

Covenant of Hope Ministries Sunday Sermon_5_18_2014

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.

- Please keep Elder Cal Jennings in your prayers as he is very sick and spends most days in bed unable to move due to his illness. Pray that answers come and his ability to share would be regained.

- Please pray for my friend Teresa’s sister who is in stage four cancer. Please also keep Teresa and her daughter in prayer for their current situation as it weighs down on them both quite heavily.

- 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 two of the potential lights at the end of our tunnel bring bright and brilliant light proving hope and faith are true gifts of God’s everlasting and unconditional love.

- 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. Help us to remember that Your love is always around us, within us, and given to us. We bring so many up to you in prayer. Those who have been oppressed, let them be free. Those who are imprisoned, let their chains be broken and the doors opened wide. Let those who are in pain and sorrow lean in Your everlasting arms. Bring those who have been lost but are found back into Your embrace as unconditional love lives forever. We ask these things in Your Holy Name through Jesus Christ our Savior in the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: Amazing Grace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDDlxmsciqY

Sermon: I woke up this morning, very early, realizing I’d forgotten something. I had lost something and would need it later in the week. It was as I located that missing piece when I realized God had just given me the whole sermon for this day. He did so in another view of the lost and then found. That viewpoint was brought in a parable spoken of by Jesus Christ our Savior. Let us look at the parable of the Prodigal Son.

Luke 15:11-32 NASB – And He said, “A man had two sons.

The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them.

And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!

I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;

and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;

for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.

And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’

But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and beganpleading with him.

But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;

but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

A long time ago I felt as though I were the prodigal son in female form. I had gone through some very bad experiences and then went home because of them, finances, health, education, and more all for nothing. That’s what it seemed to be. I had gone through all the money I had, not because I wanted to do so, but because other things just to survive had caused it to be such. I suffered a broken arm during this time. My education thus became as much a burden as the arm.

I felt a failure because the broken arm had me trying to do everything I was supposed to be, without enough ability to do so. At the time I was an art major. Imagine carrying a huge canvas on your own in the wind, with one arm in a sling. Then imagine attempting to paint while keeping your arm out of the way. It is no easy feat. The prodigal son felt as though he was becoming worthless, hungry, even willing to eat the food he was feeding the pigs. He was in rags, in pain, hungry from the lack of food, before he realized what his stubborn pride had gotten him.

Then, once he really thought about it, he realized he had to go home. Now, there are many in this world who have been homesick. In his case, that’s exactly what happened. He knew at home there would be someone there to lean on. There would be laughter, and love, and more. Then we see the younger son angry at the fact that they were making merry, first without him, and second with the son who had taken half of everything only to waste it.

Is this starting to sound familiar? Do we happen to remember the story of Cain and Abel? They too were brothers. Only a few differences could be noted between them. First, the older was jealous of the younger in the case of Cain. Second, the reason wasn’t because Abel took the wealth, but because he brought it home. The prodigal son was restless, unwilling to listen and hear, wanting more than what was due and what could be found within his father’s house. The younger son wanted to stay. He did so because he believed in the strength of his father.

So, what happens when you listen at last? You bring your faith back into your heart. Did any of us do so after we were devastated in one way or another? Many of us have suffered multiple episodes of devastation. Financial, physical, mental, and emotional, many of us have seen all of them. What did I do? I came home. I went back to school, a different school. I thrived. Then I met my husband, married, and moved on. I found God’s love, just as the prodigal son did. He found his love because he was lost, but then was found. There is a very familiar hymn that speaks of being lost, and then being found again. On those days when we feel lost, let us remember that there is always someone to talk to. Not only will that someone listen, they will hear. His name is God, who listens through the Son, and hears through the Holy 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)

Closing Song: Song Of Joy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxio54dWfX4

~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

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.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Defining What a Sluggard Is: No Easy Thing Today

Covenant of Hope Ministries Wednesday Study_5_14_2014

Good afternoon, and welcome to this Midweek Study for Covenant of Hope Ministries. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff standing in for Elder Cal Jennings today. You can find sermons 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

Calvin Jennings ~ Elder Facebook & Twitter & Blogster & Google+

Our Main Video Feed: Covenant_of_Hope

We have email (instant messenger if you need me) through Facebook every day. Look for my name minus the title. These are now extremely variable. Our Elder Cal Jennings is just as variable and can be found on several sites as noted by his sermons. 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.