https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJSRvuLN5s8
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 Christ Jesus 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 taking life day by day with his dog Scrappy. Cal has been having issues with his stomach and also with pain levels. They appreciate all the prayers as the two of them continue to take life one day at a time.
- My daughter has asked if we could add three people from her life onto our prayer list. One of them is named Ms. Ramona and works with my daughter, she was rushed to the hospital and has been ordered to be on bed rest until further notice. The second is her husband Douglas’s grandmother, who has a tentative diagnosis of dementia. The last is her husband’s grandfather, known to everyone as Papa John, who is suffering depression due to his memory issues.
- Please pray for my Mama who has been going through a lot of out of the ordinary stresses where she is right now, the last few years have been very hard on her, and she just needs some spiritual support for the time being.
- Please pray for a friend of ours, Tyrone, who is still having issues with recovering from an injury managed at work that has affected his daily life in too many ways. Pray for his healing.
- Pray for Janice’s mother who is still having issues after a stroke last year and other medical issues. Pray for Janice as well, she’s been in quite a lot of pain due to migraines, a fall she suffered a short time ago, and now the lingering effects of a sinus infection, which makes the migraines more frequent and stronger than they are normally.
- One of my sisters is going through some serious stresses that are affecting everything right now, let’s pray she gets relief from these issues.
- Pray for a high school classmate of mine, her name is Kelly, who is finally done with her chemo. She has survived the loss of her hair and the debilitating results of chemotherapy. Let us pray that the evil disease of cancer is gone from her body forever. May God’s blessings wrap around her and protect her keeping her spirits high and her pain low.
- 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. The wreck caused her to now suffer from seizures with an epilepsy diagnosis.
- Pray for all of our outreach ministers and the work they do, Pastor Stephen Okoth, Rev. Lisa Tyler, one of my mentors, Pastor Simon Peter Javaji, and the family of Pastor Robert Nganwa from Uganda who passed away a couple years ago, but the church continues on. We are adding other outreach ministries in Kenya that include Felix Alfayo from Kisii, Kenya and the Christian Ministry Shepherd’s Home Orphanage. With him we add Pastor Amir Aneel from Pakistan from Light of Love Ministry, and Pastor Peter Nyamwembe from Nairobi, Kenya.
- Pray for those who are serving our countries around this world.
* Congratulations to my niece Hope Schroeder, who graduated from nursing school
this past week.
* Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law Sam. His birthday was yesterday.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, there is a lot of chaos to reflect upon for many in this world. We pray for those lost in natural disasters worldwide, including earthquakes, tsunamis, super waves and more. We pray for those who have been ill, in pain, and deeply sad or sorrowful. Those include Evangelist Cal Jennings, a friend, Tyrone, my Mother, Ann, my Aunt Donna, my Niece Autumn, Douglas’s grandparents, Papa John, and his grandmother. We pray for the memory issues that plague Janice’s mother, and all the other chaos that the family has been through. We pray for those who have claimed victory over their diseases and illnesses, including my friend Kelly. We pray for our many new outreach ministers from Nairobi and Kisii, and other parts of Kenya, Pakistan, and right nearby us in Columbus, Georgia as well. We pray that their congregations continue to grow and prosper. 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: I Love You Lord Today we are blessed with Evangelist Cal Jennings singing both our opening and closing songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aQsBvpHQyE
This is the YouTube version shared hereSermon: Today we begin the fifth chapter of 1 Timothy. This particular chapter is all about the treatment and consideration of widows, elders, and slaves. Though slavery is largely condemned in this world today, it was still quite a common circumstance in the days when Scripture was written. So let us begin.
1 Timothy 5:1-3 KJV –Rebuke not an elder, but
intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
Honour widows that are widows indeed.
NIV –Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but
exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older
women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.
There is something that has been evolving for millennia. That is the treatment of people in general. Regardless of the fact that the thought of slavery has, for the most part, been eradicated around the earth, there are still remnants of that status worldwide. Yet, even after slavery was abolished, there has still been terrible treatment of the poor, the underprivileged, the disabled, orphaned, and more. We see this every single day in all forms of media, from newscasts to streaming media, newspapers, podcasts, movies, all of it. The mistreatment and maltreatment of our fellow man is a terrifyingly ugly part of this world. This is something that needs to end, worldwide. We need to treat each other equally, without bias or prejudice, because, regardless of the color of our skin, the city, state, or country we were born and raised in, we are men and women, boys and girls, the entirety of humanity. We were created to be equal. There is no status in heaven, nor is there in hell. Remember, every human being is born from the womb and will die one day. Until the moment Jesus Christ returns to deliver us from misery and raises us to be on the right hand of God the Father, with Him at our side, we are all mere humans who have a lot to learn. Here’s how we do that. These are Paul’s references to Timothy and the church there at Lystra for this beginning of chapter five.
Leviticus 19:32 KJV – Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.
NIV – “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.
Deuteronomy 33:9 KJV – Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
NIV – He said of his father and mother, ‘I have no regard for them.’ He did not recognize his brothers or acknowledge his own children, but he watched over your word and guarded your covenant.
Matthew 12:50 KJV – For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
NIV – For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 18:15-17 KJV –
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him
his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained
thy brother.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect
to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
NIV – “If your
brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between
the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every
matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse
to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax
collector.
Matthew 23:8 KJV – But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
NIV – “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
John 19:26-27 KJV – When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
NIV – When Jesus saw his mother there, and
the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,”
and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From
that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Acts 6:1 KJV – And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
NIV – In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Acts 9:39 KJV – Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
NIV – Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
Acts 9:41 KJV – And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.
NIV – He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.
Now Paul gets into the tiniest of details for this portion of his letter. It’s important to pay attention when he goes into this much detail.
1 Timothy 5:4 KJV –But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
NIV –But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
What exactly is piety? Piety is reverence for God, a devout fulfillment of religious obligations or the quality or state of being pious. Piety is also dutiful respect or regard for parents, homeland, and so forth. Paul references the Torah in great detail.
Genesis 45:10-11 KJV – And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
NIV – You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’
Genesis 47:12 KJV – And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.
NIV – Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.
Genesis 47:28 KJV – Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.
NIV – And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.
Paul then adds to this with one reference to the poetic books and then to the Word as shared by Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 31:28 KJV – Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
NIV – Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
Matthew 15:4-6 KJV – For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
NIV – For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Mark 7:11-13 KJV – But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
NIV – But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
There is so much we have to learn from this letter to Timothy. The widows, elders, and slaves are just the start of these many concerns that Paul addresses. In this specific verse Paul focuses on the widows.
1 Timothy 5:5 KJV –Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
NIV –The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.
It’s not easy being a widow or widower in this world. Paul is specifically speaking of the female view of widow here, but it isn’t any easier for the widower, or the male view of the same. It’s really tough to lose a spouse and have children that still need raising as they adjust to the loss of that parent. It’s the same with the widow’s parents, siblings, and more. Life is a continuous series of adjustments to what life brings into focus from day one to whatever day we say a final farewell. Paul references David’s psalms, and the prophet Isaiah.
Psalm 91:4 KJV – He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
NIV – He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Isaiah 12:2 KJV – Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
NIV – Surely God is my
salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my
salvation.”
Isaiah 54:1 KJV – Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
NIV – “Sing, barren woman, you
who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in
labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has
a husband,”
says the Lord.
Paul references only one gospel verse, in the words of Luke.
Luke 2:37-38 KJV –
And
she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the
temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of
him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
NIV – and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Our last verse from this fifth chapter of Timothy has a warning for women who like to walk on the wrong side of faith. In this world we see so much relative to falling off the path we are destined to walk, and this is one verse that cautions us all.
1 Timothy 5:6 KJV –But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
NIV –But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
Paul reminds us that the first sin is still part of us, no matter how many millennia have passed since that moment in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.
Genesis 2:17 KJV – But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
NIV – but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Paul chooses an interesting verse from the gospel of Luke as Jesus speaks. Now, Jesus is pointing out something specific as he says this next thing to the disciples. This specifically is the Parable of the Prodigal Son which has two particular verses relative to how we should treat those sinners in this world that have done wrong.
Luke 15:24 KJV – For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
NIV – For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:32 KJV – It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
NIV – But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
One of the hardest things for people to manage on this earth is forgiveness. We see proof of this every day in one way or another. That’s why we see this theme repeated throughout Scripture. In this instance we hear from the human half-brother of Jesus, known as James the Just.
James 5:5 KJV – Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
NIV – You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.
Paul then adds to this with the Revelation as written by John the Beloved.
Revelation 3:1 KJV – And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
NIV – “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
The final verses from this fifth chapter are these.
1 Timothy 5:7-8 KJV –And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
NIV –Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Paul chooses to share references from the Torah, the prophetic words of Isaiah to begin with.
Genesis 30:30 KJV – For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
NIV – The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?”
Isaiah 58:7 KJV – Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
NIV – Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Paul then adds one reference from the gospel of Matthew in the words of our Savior Jesus.
Matthew 7:11 KJV – If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
NIV – If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Paul sums up everything with these three final verses from Peter, Jude, and John the Beloved.
2 Peter 2:1 KJV –But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
NIV –But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Jude 1:4 KJV – For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
NIV – For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Revelation 2:13 KJV – I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
NIV – I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
It is not easy to recognize the things we fail to do as we walk the path toward Jesus’ redemption and eternal life. These verses Paul shares with us in his letter written to Timothy and his congregation there in Lystra are just a sample of the toughest parts of life and how they can hold us away from the path if we don’t pay attention. That’s why we need to 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: Praise Him! Praise Him! Thank you so much Evangelist Cal Jennings, for singing this song for us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_nIRLD_5gE
This is the YouTube version.~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin
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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