https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wANRdj52xac
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love and sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Jesus Christ in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
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.
- Evangelist Cal Jennings is still having a little bit of an issue with his recovery, but his dog Scrappy is doing much better and both continue to thank everyone for their prayers.
- Praise God that my nephew made it through his surgery two weeks ago now. He needs more prayers due to his stubbornness and the need to remain still and use his walker until he goes back to the surgeon again.
- Pray for my daughter and son-in-law’s family members as they continue to work through some serious family issues.
- Pray for my Mama. She’s having a hard time right now, still mourning my father, who passed away in May 2021 and her life hasn’t been easy as she spends most of her time alone now. Pray that she makes it to my sister’s home safely as she comes to visit and assist while my nephew is coalescing.
- Pray for Janice’s mother who is still having issues after a stroke last year and other medical issues.
- Pray for my employer, Ed, who has been diagnosed with skin cancer and has had the cancer removed, let’s pray that it doesn’t return. Keep his wife Joy in prayer as well as she continues treatment for chronic issues that have caused a whole lot of pain. Joy is still in a lot of pain after falling and injuring her arm. Pray for pain relief. The two have been feeling a lot of different aches and pains this past month or more.
- Pray for a high school classmate of mine, her name is Kelly, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is going through a lot of emotions and more as a result. Her treatments have been going on for the past two months now and she’s got quite a few more to go through before it is done.
- Continue to keep my Aunt Donna in your prayers. She is hanging on even with the cancer treatments and the many changes she is going through.
- Pray for my niece, Autumn, who is having a lot of health issues relative to a head injury from a car wreck. Pray that the doctors find a solution to fix everything.
- Pray for a friend who has had a lot of issues to deal with in their life and is working hard to straighten them out. She returned home a short while ago to find her husband had cleaned out all of his things and left. Pray for her as she picks up the pieces. (SGE)
- Pray for Pastor Stephen Okoth and his mission to create new churches all over Kenya. Pastor Stephen is in Nakuru, Kenya and has been one of our outreach ministers for fifteen years. He and his congregation have done amazing work there in Kenya. God has been with them and the prayers we bring help as well.
- Pray for those who were killed in accidents and violent criminal actions this past week, and for the families who are saying good-bye.
- Be thankful for each day as we do not know what tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that the voice of God be heard through the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for our friends and families that their tomorrows bring blessings and pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those
who have lost their lives in the pursuit of faith and
hope.
- Pray for all of
those who suffer from cancer and other uncurable
diseases and conditions that they be
secure in God’s embrace through
the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.
- Pray for those who are serving our countries around this world.
- Pray for peace on earth and good will to men as Scripture shares, because peace needs to be shared or it cannot exist. This is the gift Jesus gave to all of us when he sent His peace out into this world.
- Pray for those traveling home after the national holiday this past week, that they each reach their homes safely.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have so many to pray for and so many reasons to pray for ourselves as well. We pray for Cal and Scrappy that they feel better. We pray for spiritual support for my Mama and several friends of ours. We pray for all who are suffering chronic diseases and illnesses, that Your healing hand will wrap them in comfort, love, and support. We pray for those who are suffering from cancer, and other deadly diseases. We pray for those who are traveling for the upcoming holiday celebrating the birth of this nation on Thursday this week. We pray for safety and security for all who celebrate and for the police officers who are keeping an eye on everything. We pray for all of this in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: Victory in Jesus ~ The Band Steele https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN0OJGb2Pjg
I heard an old, old story
How a Savior came from glory
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning
Of His precious blood's atoning
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory
O victory in Jesus
My Savior, forever
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood
I heard about His healing
Of His cleansing pow'r revealing
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, "Dear Jesus
Come and heal my broken spirit,"
And somehow Jesus came and bro't
To me the victory
O victory in Jesus
My Savior, forever
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood
Sermon: Today we are continuing our journey through the first letter Paul wrote to Timothy. Timothy, often recognized more easily as Timotheus, was from the city of Lystra, which existed in what is now modern day Turkey. The interesting part of that place, at the time of Paul’s travels, is that there was no synagogue anywhere in Lystra, or near it, either one. There were two Jewesses, one who was the mother of Timothy. She taught Timothy everything about the Torah and the rest of the Jewish teachings and Paul was a great ally for the three. In the case of Timothy, Paul is issuing a directive for him to oppose the false teachers he and the church leadership would be encountering there in the church at Lystra.
1 Timothy 1:6-7 KJV –From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
NIV –Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Now we see Paul really getting down to the nuts and bolts of the proven method of Jesus and His teaching. Paul wants the focus to remain on Jesus as the way, the truth, and the light, as Jesus shared with His Apostles and Disciples. Paul also references his favorite prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah as well as the Word as shared by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, as well as the writings of the gospel writer Luke.
Isaiah 29:13-14 KJV – Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
NIV – The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”
Jeremiah 8:8-9 KJV – How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?
NIV – “‘How can you say, “We are wise, for we
have the law of the Lord,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has
handled it falsely? The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and
trapped.
Since they have rejected the word of the Lord, what kind of wisdom do they
have?
Matthew 18:12 KJV – How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
NIV – “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
Luke 2:46 KJV – And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
NIV – After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
Acts 15:1 KJV – And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
NIV – Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Paul adds to this with reference to his letter to Titus and also the letter James the Just, human brother of Jesus, wrote.
Titus 1:10 KJV – For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
NIV – For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.
James 3:1 KJV – My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
NIV – Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Paul reminds Timothy that the law, as shared by Jesus, needs to be used as Jesus taught, not any other way. What was this law? LOVE ONE ANOTHER as Jesus shared in the gospel of John chapter 13 with the parable of the Vine and Branches. That parable, or lesson, is something we all need to remember because our godly love is an extension of the vine, which is Jesus, who is an extension of God the Father. It is that connection we need to remember every day. That’s what Paul is sharing with Timothy next.
1 Timothy 1:8 KJV –But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
NIV –We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
Paul goes back to the fifth scroll of the Torah for inspiration and clarification.
Deuteronomy 4:6-8 KJV – Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
NIV – Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
He continues with the prophet Nehemiah and the wise words of King David as well.
Nehemiah 9:13 KJV – Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
NIV – “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good.
Psalm 19:7-10 KJV – The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
NIV – The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the
simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The
fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are
firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than
gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from
the honeycomb.
Paul adds two references from his letter to Rome in the seventh chapter.
Romans 7:12 KJV – Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
NIV – So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
Romans 7:16 KJV – If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
NIV – And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
Paul then adds one of the hardest lessons Jesus taught the Apostles and Disciples He worked with, and that lesson is what the difference between the law that is the Ten Commandments, and the Law as Jesus taught. The thing about the Ten Commandments is that they are all part of that same Law Jesus taught, which is Love One Another, not as man loves, but as God does through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This is a very difficult lesson because belief and faith are tightly wound within the ideal of Love One Another. I am again going to bring up the parable of the Vine and Branches because it describes this condition perfectly and also describes how we can screw it up on our own. That is the reason why Paul shares this with Timothy.
1 Timothy 1:9 KJV –Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
NIV –We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
Paul points out something that people don’t often understand. The law versus righteousness. The lawless and disobedient, the ungodly, the sinners, all of them don’t understand the concept of Love One Another, as Jesus taught. If they did, they wouldn’t be unholy and profane, murderous and more. There is no hate in love and no love in hate. They are as opposite as life and death. Where there is unconditional love there can be no hate, and where there is unholy hate, there can be no unconditional love. He shares references from Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Jeremiah 23:11 KJV – For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
NIV – “Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness,” declares the Lord.
Ezekiel 21:25 KJV – And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,
NIV – “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax,
Paul then adds to this with references to his letter to Galatia and Titus.
Galatians 5:18 KJV – But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
NIV – But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:22-23 KJV – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
NIV – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Titus 1:6 KJV – If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
NIV – An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
Paul then continues with the references, this time with a reference to fellow Apostle, Peter and also writings from the Hebrew prophets.
1 Peter 4:18 KJV –And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
NIV –And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
Hebrews 12:16 KJV – Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
NIV – See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
Our final verse from Timothy today Paul again references the wrong side of unconditional love. He doesn’t spare anyone’s feelings, and doesn’t pull punches either with these next words.
1 Timothy 1:10 KJV –For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
NIV –for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
Paul again references the Torah with his words.
Exodus 21:16 KJV – And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
NIV – “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
Leviticus 18:22 KJV – Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
NIV – “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
Paul then references the Word as shared by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 5:33 KJV – Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
NIV – “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’
Paul’s last reference is his first letter to Corinth.
1 Corinthians 6:9 KJV –Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
NIV –Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
While we work to learn and understand Scripture, the concept of unconditional love is often an underlying theme. The problem is we don’t always go deep enough in our studies to find that thread’s existence beyond the words that Jesus spoke. Truly, we have to build our faith and belief, and discovering the underlying traces of Love One Another is the way to do so. Let’s show each other how faith and belief in God go hand in hand, and all of us have the opportunity to walk in the faithful steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ability to do this requires us to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you are willing to do so, please leave me a note in the comments and I’ll be in touch. 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: Jesus Loves Me This I Know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXBqIlvvdP8
Jesus Loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so
Jesus loves me, He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide
He will wash away my sin
Let His little child come in
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so
Jesus, take this heart of mine
Make it pure and holy Thine
On the cross, You died for me
I will try to live for Thee
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
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Evangelist 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 © 2024 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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