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 the family and congregation led by Pastor
Carlton Cooper. He has passed away after internal bleeding relative to kidney
surgery. His congregation is from Bethel Baptist Church her in Georgia where my
son is a member.
- 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 relief in the trials and tribulations for
Sister Theresa and myself as we have had a great many over the past year and
more. Sister Theresa has added issues
with her abilities toward communications may God and Jesus bring her the
ability to keep those lines of communication open.
- 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 conditions and considerations we all make,
some of us daily. We thank You for that gift of grace and understanding, and
the many more You have brought us. May our fears be drawn out of us. 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: There Is Power In The Blood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBqUwpCvCL8
Sermon: Well, this week has already been
interesting. Yesterday I got into a discussion relative to the sermon study’s
beginnings. It has to do with health and wellness. There are many who have
wondered as to how the Lord viewed the methodology toward wellness found
anywhere in this world. One of those relates to blood and the donation of it. I
have consulted several others in different views of faith. As we all know
Christianity has many divisions. In one direction it is okay to donate because
it is due to our saving another life as would be one of our directives through
Christ.
Romans 12:1 KJV – I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service.
If we recall, Jesus gave His life as a living sacrifice to
save us. Now, it says nothing beyond presenting your body as a living
sacrifice. Well, blood is what helps keep us alive. If it were to save a life
then it is a worthy sacrifice. Like I say later, there are those who don’t
agree with this for reasons regarding the Old Testament. We’ll look at that in
just a moment. Let’s start with yet another view of the reasonable
consideration to donate our blood to help another.
Galatians 6:9-10 KJV – And
let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
One group says absolutely not. This is due to Old Testament
writings regarding the complete draining of blood from animals. So yes, there
are quite a few points of view. We can’t always tell which direction is the
best. However, we can look to Scripture and find out.
Leviticus 17:14 KJV – For
[it is] the life of all flesh; the blood of it [is] for the life thereof:
therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no
manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh [is] the blood thereof: whosoever
eateth it shall be cut off.
The problem with this consideration is that there is a focus
on animals. Now, in Genesis God created a separation between man and animals.
The way to find this is to simply go find where he creates man and then the
animals as well. Let’s look here.
Genesis 1:26-27 KJV – And
God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominance over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl in the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth.
Notice, God said man has dominance over the animals, land,
sea, or sky. He also said not to have the blood of any of these animals pass by
our lips. Thus we drain away the blood. Yet this doesn’t say anything about
giving our blood to another to save their lives. That’s something people read
into the writings of God. It doesn’t always mean that they are reading the
thoughts correctly. Granted, any of us could be reading Scripture incorrectly and
connecting dots that shouldn’t exist.
A final group says donation is fine so long as it isn’t whole
blood, just platelets or plasma would be okay. In a lot of ways this one makes
a great deal of sense. I spent nearly the entire day yesterday seeking answers.
I also asked two of our membership in that regard as well. Both are very close
confidants and knowledgeable in the Scriptures and who to ask in regard to
questions like these.
Reverend Lisa Tyler and Elder Cal Jennings are those two
consultants. I am thankful to have them with the knowledge as to who to ask after
we all consult with God, what to look for, and so much more. You see, even as
ministers we are always learning about the gifts Christ brings and what His
word leads us to. There is POWER IN THE BLOOD. Our blood is a gift of God and
cleansed through Jesus. When we donate blood for another to benefit from, we
are sharing that gift of God of our free will. Some will argue. Others will
agree. Still more will fall in-between those lines. Yet, there is a point of view larger than all we've discussed and that would be portrayed in our closing song. Realize the blood we carry within us also holds the blood of Christ as our salvation. Now that’s something to
think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
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: Save A Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QJ_7Ey-RDc
~ 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.
