Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our live Sunday sermon. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s unconditional love. 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 through my voice, 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 continue to pray for Rev. Lisa Tyler’s sister, Mary, who has had lung issues and is in the hospital in an induced coma. It isn’t COVID-19 related. Please pray that the LORD heals her and brings her smile to her face once more.
- Please continue to pray for Elder Cal Jennings and his health issues, which are numerous. He has been having issues with his pain, vision, and memory.
- Please pray for calm and peace for Sister Theresa Bogard’s sisters who are going through a lot right now. One of them may finally get her answers for injuries she sustained at work. She is heading for surgery soon as a result. Please keep her up in prayer that she heals well.
- We are ever watchful in regard to the weather, the unrest, and the virus and response to that virus. Let us pray for calm skies and seas, calm voices and spirits, and also healthy outcomes for those who are affected.
- Please pray for several of my family members, there are now five of us who tested positive for COVID-19 this past week. Two of the five of us have since retested and came back negative. I will receive my follow-up today.
- Be thankful for each day we live as we do not know what tomorrow brings.
- Pray for all of our outreach ministries with Pastor Stephen Okoth, Pastor Robert Nganwa, Pastor Simon Peter Javaji, Rev. Lisa Tyler, and all the others who have joined us.
- 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.
- Pray that truth is revealed where falsehoods have been shared around this world.
Prayer: Father in heaven, this is our prayer for today. So many people are being infected with this deadly virus, we pray for their healing well and ability to return to normal life. We pray for an end to this terrible virus. We pray for family, friends, and colleagues affected by COVID-19. We pray for healing, and an ability to return to work. We pray for those who have been affected physically or otherwise by the terrors and disasters that have occurred this past week. We pray for our first responders all over the world. 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: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8jvfdDtoqY
Sermon: We are continuing our journey in the Word found in the Scroll of Jude. There is a whole lot packed in these verses and we’ll start here.
Jude 7 KJV – Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Judah is, of course, warning of what will happen to all those who are sinners and leave the path our Savior Jesus Christ provided for us. It’s something that we have seen or heard throughout Scripture from the very beginning as shared here in this next verse.
Genesis 19:24 KJV – Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
On the day of Judgment where all of us are to be prepared to be dealt Judgment through Jesus, who does not wish to be our final judge. It is why He and His Apostles worked hard to show the truth and the path of truth. Here is one of those Apostles sharing with us.
1 Timothy 4:1 KJV – Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Notice how all the Apostles and Disciples warned how things would change so dramatically, as if it hadn’t done so already in their time on earth. It is something we have to recognize, the path is still here. It is still worthy of following, or so many would hardly have pursued the love of God in so many ways. Now, add to that, attending church, assembling as a congregation, is just as important. This verse shares that information.
Hebrews 10:25 KJV – Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Assembling as a church congregation is a challenge in this world today with the COVID-19 and other terrible viruses and diseases. It is why the internet is a treasure for those of us who cannot physically attend church. All of us need the opportunity to understand what God has provided for us in the Unconditional Love He proves just in the fact that we are all here in the first place. We need to remember to stay firm in our belief and our sharing of that belief. This is, in some cases, a very difficult thing around this world. We see it in the beheadings and shootings, imprisonments of Christians all around this world. Stick to your faith, it will see you through this is what is shared here in Colossi.
Colossians 2:7 KJV – Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
We should always reflect and remember on the teachings Jesus has for us. We should re-read all of His teachings over and over again to keep us firmly in our faith. That’s why we have the Word and the Parables of Jesus, to continually teach us something new. However, that doesn’t help all of us unless we listen, hear, and put it to work within us. This is what Judah warns us of here.
Jude 8 KJV – Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
There is a lot in this single verse. We should recognize some of the references easily for that very reason. Let’s see what Peter shares in this regard.
2 Peter 2:10-11 KJV – But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
Do you see those seven terrible troubles in these words from Peter. Lust, envy, enmity, wrath, shame, vanity and doubt, all of them are shared in these few sentences. We have to often revisit these seven perils of Christian faith. They are just that, you know. These seven are perilous stones in our path that are loose and throw us off the true path too often. Let’s continue with Judah’s epistle here.
Jude 9 KJV – Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Judah names an archangel, Michael, who saved the body of Moses from the devil. That’s no easy feat, but with an angel of God it is not as difficult as it would be for us as human beings. Can you imagine going alone to fight the devil? It’s a dangerous path, but one that we should be willing to follow God’s strength and Jesus’s faith toward. This is why we have this verse shared again today.
Ephesians 6:18 KJV – Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Now, look how this verse we worked within a few months ago, and how it fits the puzzle of Judah’s epistle. Pray always, through supplication. Wait, what does supplication mean? Supplication means humble prayer, entreaty, or petition. What does entreaty mean? Earnest pursuit in prayer. We’ve heard of prayers and petitions many times. These are important ways to pray to our Heavenly Father through our Savior Jesus Christ. This is why there are so many who mention the various types of prayer, because each and every one of them are important to recognize. This is what we see here next in the Gospel of John the Beloved.
John 15:4 KJV – Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
John 15:10 KJV – If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Jesus taught a whole lot through all of the Gospels. These are just two such moments in His teaching. You’ll recognize them as verses we have studied many, many times in our sermons. These are from the Parable of the Vine and the Branches. We all will find more and more meaning in the Word as shared through our Savior Jesus Christ. They are that important for us to pursue the path toward eternal life. Now we’ll see what Paul’s son contributes.
Titus 2:13 KJV – Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
We, all of us, are always trying to keep hope alive in this crazy world we live in. We should, all of us, remember to reflect on the Word, pray over the lessons we learn though it, and teach others as we continue to learn, because, when we are able to translate something we have learned well and share it with others, that is exactly what God and Jesus held out hope for each and every person to manage even in the smallest amounts. This in hope for a swift end to evil on this earth as is shared with our final verse today.
Zechariah 3:2 KJV – And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
God condemns Satan. He does so and shows the fact that one day Jerusalem will be bright, shiny, and new, and will outlast all the evil that Satan wrought on this world we live in. He wants us to recognize the evil, in all of its disguises, so that we can help bring New Jerusalem out of heaven and back here on earth for those who survive the worst to find the best. 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: Stephen Curtis Chapman I Will Be Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqD7aq-7PWc
~ 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 © 2021 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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