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 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. We thank You for the ability
to see those gifts and to share them with each other. 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: Peace that Passeth All Understanding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U6lEtgvtHI
Sermon: Yesterday I saw something while
exploring one of my favorite locations not within the Scriptures, but related
to them all the same. That would have been a picture that shared words based on
the verses shared here. It is something we have to seriously look at as a
result of the goings on in this world today. The truth is, it isn’t easy to say
this. It isn’t easy to share it. Yet, sometimes it is just better to lay it out
right in front of our faces and let us truthfully think about it in so many ways.
So let’s see the verses that were referenced just yesterday. Afterwards I will
post the picture it went with.
Philippians 4:5-9 KJV – Let
your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Look at this! No matter what happens we are able to go through
everything and see where God will be side by side with us. Learn from that
which goes on around you. It teaches you good from bad, right from wrong, and
so forth. Receive that knowledge and when we apply that knowledge within
ourselves and share it with others wisdom is attainable. When you can see it in
others, no matter who it would be, God is right there beside you. Why is that?
It’s simple. It really is. He wants us to learn all of these things on our own.
He wants us to process them, share them, and be a part of them. The reason is
also simple. When we do, God talks to us as much as we talk to Him. So be
thankful for what He brings. He will keep our hearts through our faith in Jesus
Christ. That’s not easy to listen to. It’s not easy to hear. This is especially
in the world today. So many things are turning against our beliefs, our faith
in His love. Yet, even Jesus said forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34 KJV) when He was hanging there on the
cross. That’s something we have to learn. Sure, we can teach what should be. We
can teach what shouldn’t. But, we can’t control the actions of others. That is
the expression of free will. God gave us a choice. That’s not easy for us to
see, the choice between good and evil, right and wrong. Every single person has
hit that wrong path. The path toward Christ is no easy road. We stumble. We
fall. We forget where it leads. Yet, even when we do, if we are thankful for
the things we have, it’s noticed. If we show it, then it’s noticed even more. His
peace which surpasses every expectation, all understanding, can be shared with
us through Jesus Christ. 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: I Will Be Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed6eAXcr-K8
~ 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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