The Christmas Story Luke 2:8-21 ~ Elder Cal Jennings

Good evening, welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries. My name is Elder Cal Jennings. We are normally posted on Sundays for sermons and Wednesdays for studies. You can find these posted in the following locations.

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

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

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 pray for a friend Susie Bartholow as she is in hospice. She is in very grave condition with cancer. Hospice care is in her home with her family. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.

- Please pray for a friend of ours, Lucy, whose liver is failing. She is going to be on medication but may need a transplant. Pray that the first option works and she returns to health.

- Pray for our members Theresa and Wayne who have had a very rough year. May some of their trials and tribulations end in time for our celebration of the birth of Jesus.

- Pray for those near and far who have been suffering in battles that do not have to be. Pray that peace can be found amidst the fear and anger, frustration and more. May hope blossom and bring that peace once more.

- Pray for our friends and our enemies as we celebrate Christmas. May they all find that the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, holds the hope and faith everyone seeks.

- Keep hope alive in your prayers no matter the pain or strife we might suffer.

- May God bless every one of us as we continue on.

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 birth of Christ. We thank you for the blessings brought and for those yet to come. We pray that You can remind us always what we should be looking forward to. We bring prayers for those who have been seriously ill. Help those who are working to fight serious illnesses the ability to find solutions. We pray for those lost and those who mourn. We pray for those who are traveling home this weekend that they may have a safe journey. We pray for patience and courage for those we love and care about, and ourselves as well. We pray for peace to reach out from the heart and be heard, felt, and understood. We pray that Your grace and love would fill the hearts of the many in this world. We pray all this in Your Holy Name through the Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Sermon:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYIGcrjkOhc&feature=youtu.be 

Luke 2:8-21 KJV – And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not" for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Now, that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus brought us.

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)

~Love, Hope, and Peace be with you ~

Calvin Jennings ~ Elder Facebook & Twitter &Blogster

Rev. Laura A. Neff ~ The Rainbow Minister

Facebook & Twitter & Google+ & Blogspot

Covenant of Hope Ministries

Main Site:

http://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 © 2014

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.

This mission statement speaks of the rainbow in the darkness. Every time I would have a seriously traumatic thing happen in my life I would wake in the middle of the night. When I do I see a rainbow at the end of my bed, or even through the window behind my head. I’ll see that rainbow in a dark room even during the day. It will hover in the shadows and reassure me that God is with me.

The Gift of Christ's Birth

Sunday December 21, 2014

Good afternoon, welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries. My name is Rev. Laura A. Neff, the Rainbow Minister. The choice for Rainbow has to do with the fact that the rainbow symbolizes a promise made and one that can and will be kept. I made, long ago, a promise to God that I would do all I could to keep that faith within me. We are normally posted on Sundays for sermons and Wednesdays for studies. You can find these posted in the following locations.

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

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

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 pray for a friend Susie Bartholow as she is in hospice. She is in very grave condition with cancer. Hospice care is in her home with her family. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.

- Please pray for a friend of ours, Lucy, whose liver is failing. She is going to be on medication but may need a transplant. Pray that the first option works and she returns to health.

- Pray for a friend of my brother’s, who is in stable condition, but she still is not out of the woods. She is far from home right now. It is our hope that she will return and be here to complete her healing and more.

- Pray for our members Theresa and Wayne who have had a very rough year. May some of their trials and tribulations end in time for our celebration of the birth of Jesus.

- Pray for those near and far who have been suffering in battles that do not have to be. Pray that peace can be found amidst the fear and anger, frustration and more. May hope blossom and bring that peace once more.

- Pray for our friends and our enemies as we reach the middle of the Advent season. May they all find that the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, holds the hope and faith everyone seeks.

- Keep hope alive in your prayers no matter the pain or strife we might suffer.

- May God bless every one of us as we continue on.

- Pray for those who travel this week as we celebrate the Christmas gift of Jesus' birth.

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 blessings brought and for those yet to come. We thank you for the gifts of inspiration through the Spirit. May each inspiration fill the heart and bring hope and faith to others. We pray that You can remind us always what we should be looking forward to. We bring prayers for those who have been seriously ill. Help those who are working to fight serious illnesses the ability to find solutions. We pray for those lost and those who mourn. We pray for those who are traveling home this weekend that they may have a safe journey. We pray for patience and courage for those we love and care about, and ourselves as well. We pray for peace to reach out from the heart and be heard, felt, and understood. We pray that Your grace and love would fill the hearts of the many in this world. We pray all this in Your Holy Name through the Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: What Child Is This 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brmRUlKbF7g 

Sermon:  Good afternoon. Today we are having an extremely simple sermon. It has a single verse and a poem inspired by God this morning as I was just waking. When He speaks to my heart and soul my spirit puts it in words. May His gift bring you an understanding of His ultimate love.

Luke 2:7 KJV – And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Mary and Joseph could go no further as Jesus was hurrying to be born. In so many ways we must reflect on the greatest gift, the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ as promised by God so many years before. In today's world there are many who forget the promises He made. They also tend to forget the things Jesus did while He walked the earth. At this time as we celebrate His birth, let us remember that a little humility goes a long way. Those who give, no matter what they have, or have not, share some amazing stories. Here would be one long poem God brought me this morning long before dawn. 

Now, that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus brought us.

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)

Closing Song: The Gift of Life 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvdQDYSQ4cU 

~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/ 

       

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 © 2014

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.

This mission statement speaks of the rainbow in the darkness. Every time I would have a seriously traumatic thing happen in my life I would wake in the middle of the night. When I do I see a rainbow at the end of my bed, or even through the window behind my head. I’ll see that rainbow in a dark room even during the day. It will hover in the shadows and reassure me that God is with me.

December 14, 2014 The Gift of John and the Voyage of Mary and Joseph

Good afternoon, welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries. My name is Rev. Laura A. Neff, the Rainbow Minister. The choice for Rainbow has to do with the fact that the rainbow symbolizes a promise made and one that can and will be kept. I made, long ago, a promise to God that I would do all I could to keep that faith within me. We are normally posted on Sundays for sermons and Wednesdays for studies. You can find these posted in the following locations.

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

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

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 pray for a friend Susie Bartholow as she is in hospice. She is in very grave condition with cancer. Hospice care is in her home with her family. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.

- Please pray for a friend of ours, Lucy, whose liver is failing. She is going to be on medication but may need a transplant. Pray that the first option works and she returns to health.

- Pray for a friend of my brother’s, who is in stable condition, but she still is not out of the woods. She is far from home right now. It is our hope that she will return and be here to complete her healing and more.

- Pray for our members Theresa and Wayne who have had a very rough year. May some of their trials and tribulations end in time for our celebration of the birth of Jesus.

- Pray for those near and far who have been suffering in battles that do not have to be. Pray that peace can be found amidst the fear and anger, frustration and more. May hope blossom and bring that peace once more.

- Pray for our friends and our enemies as we reach the middle of the Advent season. May they all find that the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, holds the hope and faith everyone seeks.

- Keep hope alive in your prayers no matter the pain or strife we might suffer.

- May God bless every one of us as we continue on.

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 blessings brought and for those yet to come. We pray that You can remind us always what we should be looking forward to. We bring prayers for those who have been seriously ill. Help those who are working to fight serious illnesses the ability to find solutions. We pray for those lost and those who mourn. We pray for patience and courage for those we love and care about, and ourselves as well. We pray for joy and happiness in the hearts of all as we near the celebration of the birth of Jesus our Savior. We pray for peace to reach out from the heart and be heard, felt, and understood. We pray that Your grace and love would fill the hearts of the many in this world. We pray all this in Your Holy Name through the Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: Mary Did You Know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN70R-3ao0U   Emmanuel

Sermon:  Good afternoon. Today we talk about the voyage to Bethlehem. It is getting nearer and nearer to the birth of Jesus in the celebration of Advent. Yes, we are going one step at a time, but then God has always moved at His pace, not ours. Notice, he let Elizabeth and Zacharias know about John. Then they learned about Mary expecting Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Here today we see the birth of John, and then the voyage to Bethlehem for Mary and Joseph.

Luke 1:63 KJV – And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all.
And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

See what it says? The gift of speech was returned to Zacharias once he gave the name his son would have. It was the name that the angel told him God wished for the child to have. Zacharias at the time didn’t want to believe that Elizabeth would have a child. She wasn’t all that young at the time of conception. He also didn’t want to believe that such an unusual name would go to his son. Thus his ability to speak had been taken from him. One never knows how much the gift of speech and speaking is worth, no matter if it is in writing, in Sign Language, or in being aloud.

It was the gift of God that brought both John and Jesus to be. Notice too that they were both from the family of David’s line. They both would preach the gospel of God and what needed doing to reach the kingdom of heaven. It all began in a visit from an angel, the angel Gabriel. Here we see the journey toward the birth of Jesus in the voyage to Bethlehem.

Luke 2:1-5 KJV – And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world would be taxed.
And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.
And all went to be taxes, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: (because he was of the house and lineage of David: )
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Joseph and Mary didn’t have a choice but to travel even with her great with child. Think about it, traveling anywhere, especially in those days, was not good for a woman expecting a baby. It didn’t matter the distance. This is why she rode on a donkey in place of walking on foot. Yet they had no choices in this thought and consideration due to the laws of the land as dictated by Caesar Augustus.
The city of Bethlehem, David’s city. Both Mary and Joseph had a connection to David, just from different directions. However, it was always the man who had to go for this as women were, unless they had been widows, were always completely supported by their husbands in those days. It is no wonder she would give birth in the city of David.
This too had been foretold. A savior born as a descendant of David in the city of that same great king. It was a promise from God to David that salvation would be found in his lineage, his progeny. It’s amazing what God’s love can bring to a heart. That’s what He did with His messenger Gabriel for Elizabeth, Zacharias, Mary, and Joseph too. The time was getting closer and closer for that gift of God’s grace and spirit to bring the promise made so many generations before. It’s so amazing that the gift of God’s grace could be brought to David in David’s city, so far into the future. Now, that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus brought us.

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)

Closing Song: Oh Little Town of Bethlehem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19rL_8W3oRU

~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    

       

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 © 2014

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.

This mission statement speaks of the rainbow in the darkness. Every time I would have a seriously traumatic thing happen in my life I would wake in the middle of the night. When I do I see a rainbow at the end of my bed, or even through the window behind my head. I’ll see that rainbow in a dark room even during the day. It will hover in the shadows and reassure me that God is with me.

The True Meaning of Christmas

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.

- Please pray for Brother Wayne Bartosh who is going through all kinds of health issues due to a car wreck earlier this year.

- 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: Go Tell It On The Mountain

Sermon: Good afternoon. This sermon will share what the hope of Christmas should be. Joseph was worried about what it would look like if he married Mary because she was already expecting Jesus. So let us look at the verses there.  After the verses we’ll have a very short sermon and finish it off with a poem written back in 1986.

Matthew 1:18-40 KJV – Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Joseph was afraid of what people would say when they learned that Mary was expecting a child. This regardless that she was still a virgin. Look how he was willing to send her away just to keep her dignity. It was at this time God knew how protective Joseph was.

When Joseph was visited by the Angel of God in his dreams it was only at that time he understood the reasons that he and Mary should be husband and wife. The feelings and rumors aside, he did just that. But, as requested, Mary remained a virgin until she gave birth. It takes a lot of love to go to those extents to first protect the woman he loved, and then to understand why he had to do so. It’s not every day the Son of God is born for the salvation of Man. At that time it no longer mattered that Mary was to bring a baby into the world and had been preparing for such since before their marriage.

In today’s world it isn’t as simple to find that gift. The view of love and miracles as there was with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Every baby should be considered a miracle, no matter who the father would be. It’s hard in this world today for us to realize this. There are those who give birth to children who die so quickly, and yet, every second is a blessing. This is one part of the reason Jesus came to us.

He wanted to share the gift that life should be. Yes, there are a lot of human beings on this planet. There’s no denying that fact. However, for every baby born, more than one man, woman, or child, would die in one way or another. The miracle of life, no matter its length, proves God’s love. Jesus and his conception, as His life, were meant to share that ideal. The blessing of life is an unfathomed gift. All we have to do is see it that way. Now, that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus brought us.

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)

Christmas Gift: 

Closing Song: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdqYtDRS62w

~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/

       

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 © 2014

http://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.