Covenant Of Hope Ministries: March 2019

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Believe - Through HIM All Things Are Possible

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 & 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 including a new setback regarding his pacemaker this past week. May the Lord bring his spirits up and help heal him.

- Pray for one of my closest and dearest friends who is having so much emotional and physical chaos and pain that she is working toward moving out of the house she has lived in for most of her life and away from the home she has had for as long as I have known her.

- Pray for my grandmother, who is 101, and has recently been in the hospital.

- 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 those in the Midwestern United States who have lost their homes due to the severe flooding after their recent winter weather melt.

- Pray for those in California who are losing their homes due to the wildfires there.

- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.

Prayer: Father in heaven, our prayer today is to have the Spirit bring our belief into focus and enhance it. We pray for enlightenment and understanding while studying Your Word. We thank You for these gifts 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 lost, that they may be found. 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 would 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: Amazing Grace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk

Sermon: Today I am continuing with a keyword search that began due to my acquisition of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and something I strongly realize that we need to enhance our understanding of. We started last week with a few verses that shared this amazing thing, BELIEVING, when it comes to God’s Word and His truth and how sharing it leads to better lives for all, not just the one doing the sharing. The opening song, Amazing Grace, fits into this state of true BELIEVING for many reasons. One of those is my personal view of Amazing Grace, named Alicia. This was her all time favorite song beyond the Beach Boys and Surfer Girl.

Mark 9:23-24 (KJV) –Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

ALL things are possible for those who believe. Jesus proved it to this man. I want to go back a bit in this chapter to share with you more as to how He helped this man’s unbelief transform into belief.

Mark 9:25-29 (KJV) –When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Sometimes it is the simplest fix to repair some forms of illness and we forget that there are times where doctors and medicine do not know everything. We’ve seen it more than once. I grew up with one of the most devout Catholic Christians I ever knew. Her name was Alicia. She lived only eleven years of life, but, truly, epitomized belief. She saw things many of us “normal” humans could not see. From birth she could not walk on her own, yet, before she was five, she walked. Before she was seven, she could read and write. Already a miracle of God’s creation, having survived her first days and weeks of life, she proved that there is a reason for everything that happens to a single person, a single family, through their lifetime.

Mark 9:42 (KJV) – And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

My sister, Alicia, believed in all her heart and soul, that there was a reason she was brought to be here on this earth at that time. To this day, I believe not only that she was right, but that the reason was sitting right in front of us the entire time my sister lived. Believe and Jesus will prove to you why you should believe in God’s love, God’s truth, God’s promises. Because they live, breathe, and exist, right before your very eyes.

Luke 8:15-18 (KJV) –But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

Luke 8:49-55 (KJV) – While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

What did Jesus do? He proved that not everything you see on this earth is the truth. He proved that HE is the TRUTH. He proved that BELIEVING is more than just saying it, doing it by rote. BELIEVING, truly, humbly, honestly, can do miraculous, unfathomed things. That is something I learned as a very small girl, not even out of elementary school. I did so through the existence of my baby sister, Alicia. Though she never lived to adulthood, she lived long enough to prove to me that life starts when you believe, with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your spirit and soul. Once you truly BELIEVE, anything and everything is possible. Jesus died on that cross. Yet, He lives in each and every person who believes that through Him all things are possible. 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: His Grace Reaches Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnJwe-gUdAs

~ Shalom ~

Rev. Laura A. Neff

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Elder Calvin Jennings

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Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: 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.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Always Believe and He Will Show You His Truth Unconditionally

Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our sermon or midweek study. You will normally see us posted on Sunday at least once a month. 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 & Blogspot & Twitter

- 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 grandmother who has been in the hospital. She is 101 years old and all prayers are welcome.

- Pray for my eldest son’s father-in-law, who has been in the hospital for the past few days.

- Please pray for relief in the trials and tribulations for Sister Theresa as she has had a great many over the past year and more.

- Please pray for a dear friend of mine who asks that we not share her name. She is going through a lot of upheaval.

- Please pray for my nephew August, who suffers seizures daily, which are devastating to his health. They have put in for donations for a seizure response dog, which would help save his life.

- 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 our decisions, and our needs. We pray for enlightenment and understanding while studying Your Word. We thank You for these gifts 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 would 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: Honestly – Stryper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R543bI-gII

Sermon: Today’s sermon was influenced by a verse or three I saw in my reading this past week. The word BELIEVE is something people often spar over when it comes to Christianity, or any form of religion, and many other subjects found in society today. We are working toward Easter, and belief is something that gets spoken about quite often in the weeks leading up to the celebration of Jesus and His death and resurrection. But, in order to understand His truth in the New Testament, we have to start with a bit of building that belief as shared in the Old Testament.

Exodus 4:1-5 – And Moses answered and said, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, ‘The Lord hath not appeared unto thee’.” And the Lord said unto him, “What is that in thine hand?” And he said, “A rod.” And he said, “Cast it on the ground.” And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, “Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail”. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: “That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.”
I have yet to meet very many people who would willingly have a serpent close to them unless they are trained to work with them. Moses obviously was not accustomed to snakes being remotely tame, so, of course he would want to panic and run. Yet, the calm and collected command from God, soothed his fears and he followed instruction to change his staff back into a staff. That is the power of belief, real belief.
Let’s take a look at our next verses.
2 Chronicles 20:5-9 – And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, And said, “O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.”
Jehoshaphat was quite the interesting character in the journey of faith. He was one of the few kings of Israel that realized, sometimes a little late, that God’s truth wasn’t the popular vote amongst humanity. That is something we find every day even now. Preaching and teaching Scriptural truth and the belief of that truth is not easy in a world that is continually becoming less and less focused on Scriptural truth as shared in God’s Word. Believing is more than reading and studying, teaching and preaching. Believing is absorbing God’s truth and seeing what that belief can do to our hearts, our minds, our spirits, and our very souls. The gift of believing Him and the existence of His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit, is one of the greatest, strongest, most unbreakable gifts to ever manifest in our lives.
2 Chronicles 20:20 – And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

Believe, share in that belief with all you might meet, whether it is in a greeting and saying ‘have a blessed day’ or ‘be blessed’ or even ‘blessed be’ we are sharing the TRUTH as we BELIEVE in HIS ETERNAL, UNCONDITIONAL, LOVE. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:

Closing Song: Believe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5z-jjWyAJQ&list=PL614A115BF39E5936&index=48&t=0s

~ Shalom ~

Rev. Laura A. Neff

Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter

Elder Calvin Jennings

Facebook & Twitter & Blogster

Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com

About Us/

Welcome, we are Covenant of Hope Ministries. We celebrate the light in the darkness. There are those of us who need a connection, one to another, whether it is someone we want to learn about, or someone we know and wish to keep in touch with. Ministry is all about sharing faith, hope, and unconditional love. This all would offer peace from the heart. It doesn't matter who you are, where you live, if you are traveling a lot, or otherwise, we serve Christians and Others who are disabled, displaced, disadvantaged and disenchanted in today's world. Licensed Ordained Minister, Rev. Laura A. Neff, Evangelist, Cal Jennings, Outreach Ministers including Rev. Lisa, Pastor Stephen, Apostle Eric, and many others. I am licensed to perform wedding ceremonies in the state of Georgia, USA. I was ordained in 2007 by Rev. Teresa Piercey-Gates. We established this ministry in October of 2008.

MESSENGER

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Believe - Through HIM All Things Are Possible

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Always Believe and He Will Show You His Truth Unconditionally