MESSENGER

Sunday, October 20, 2024

We Have A Mission to Remember Jesus and His Unconditional Love

NOTE: The video was still buffering when I first checked it. Might be a bit before you can watch in full.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9UKqqcPzGE

Good Morning and 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.

-      Seven people were killed and thirteen injured in a ferry dock collapse on Sapelo Island in the state of Georgia, USA. We bring condolences to family and friends of the injured and dead.

-      Member JB asks for continued prayers for her husband, EB he is currently still very ill and in a lot of pain. Please also pray for JB who has been suffering from exhaustion and desperately needs solid sleep after going through everything that has happened in the past few weeks. JB fell backwards twice on Friday and was extremely blessed not to have a concussion. I am thankful God had me there to catch her.

-      Hurricane Helene ripped a lot of land and more apart this past week, and many, many victims are homeless, injured, or dead as a result. Hurricane Milton made a royal mess in Florida where some family and friends would live as well. Pray that the recovery efforts in both locations progress well.  

-      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.  

-      Two of my nephews have been sick this week. Hope they get well soon with the Lord’s healing hand.

-      My daughter has asked if we could add four people from her life onto our prayer list. My granddaughter has been quite ill the past few days. It seems to be going around the schools. One of my daughter’s colleagues 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 next 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 continue to 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.

-      Please continue to keep my employer’s wife, Joy, in prayer as she has been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease.

-      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 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.

-      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 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.

-      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.

-   Pray for those who are in the path of the next two hurricanes brewing and all the chaotic weather they bring with them.

 

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this peaceful, calm day. We have plenty to bring to you in prayer. We thank You for protecting us from what turned out to have been a pair of catastrophic hurricanes these past weeks, and that the people are banding together to recover whatever they can as a result of the wide path of destruction created by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. We know that You will protect us from the next two storms, Nadine and Oscar. We thank You for all the blessings You have presented for each of us. We thank You for friends and family and for answering their prayers, like Kelly, who survived the rigors of cancer treatment and post treatment surgery. We include Evangelist Cal with all of his health issues, Aunt Donna, still fighting her cancer, and so many others. We bring several up to You in prayer today, including Janice and her husband Ed. Ed has had serious health issues for several days and is currently in the hospital ICU. Janice’s mother, who continues to heal after her stroke last year. She is starting a slow regimen of walks on her property to help with her mobility and coordination, and we thank You for those blessings bestowed. Janice has been getting sick, and has been suffering from exhaustion as well. We pray for two of my nephews who have also been sick this past week with something that has been going around. We pray for Autumn and my daughter’s colleague Ramona who is on bedrest still. We pray for my son-in-law’s grandfather and grandmother, both suffering from memory issues. We bring everyone to You for healing and health, faith and hope, peace and patience through our Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

 


Opening Song: Here I Am Lord https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBg-yDhM2KY

Cal Jennings version:https://m.starmakerstudios.com/a-vue3/playrecording?app=sm&from_sid=62172171219&guide_type=2&is_convert=true&pg_rf_ca_vn=15&pid=share_exp2&recordingId=8725724356433016&share_type=copylink

Sermon: Today we are continuing with the second segment of our voyage in the sixth chapter of 1 Timothy. In this section we learn that Paul teaches something he learned from Jesus Christ Himself. We see in the reference verses that this is pointed toward for Timothy as he led his little church there in Lystra. It is as important to pay attention to this to this very day for all Christians and the churches or ministries they preach and pray within. There are important lessons in here, all of them pertaining to love one another like Jesus loves us. Most of them pertaining to what I have often spoken about as the seven troubles, which portray the opposite ideals of unconditional love. With that, let’s begin where we left off last week.

 

1 Timothy 6:8 KJV – And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

NIV – But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

 

We have a lot of versions of the seven troubles in this world. The hardest part for us humans is we succumb to them, sometimes without even realizing we do just that. For those who do not know what the seven troubles are, here’s the list: Vanity, Envy, Lust, Enmity, Wrath, Shame, and Doubt. So, how do we avoid them? Well, sometimes we can’t do that very easily. However, Jacob and others knew some very good methods to avoid them. Paul also shared methods toward avoidance of the seven to those who lived in Philippi.

 

Genesis 28:20 KJV – And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

NIV – Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear

 

Genesis 48:15 KJV – And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

NIV – Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

 

Deuteronomy 2:7 KJV – For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

NIV – The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

 

Proverbs 30:8 KJV – Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

NIV – Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

 

 

Philippians 4:11 KJV – Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

NIV – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

 

The next thing that Paul points toward is “TEMPTATION”. Much like the seven troubles, temptation is an ever-present concern for those of us who are faithful believers. Did you know that temptation is caused by the seven troubles? Did you know that avoiding temptation is the same as avoiding those same seven troubles? This is why the line “lead us not into temptation” exists in our closing prayer as Jesus taught. Here is what Paul shares in regard to temptation to the citizens of the church at Lystra with Timothy as their leader.

 

1 Timothy 6:9 KJV –But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

NIV –Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

 

Destruction and ruin, we see a lot of that around the world right now. War torn countries like Ukraine, Israel, Iran, and many others, have this desolation of ruin and destruction. It’s a terrible sight, and we’ve seen it many, many times in the two millennia since Jesus Christ was crucified, dead, and buried only to rise again. In many ways, the seven troubles have everything to do with the amount of death, destruction, and desolation we know all too well in these areas past, present, and future. These are some of the references that Paul puts together for this.

 

Proverbs 15:27 KJV – He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

NIV – The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

 

Proverbs 23:4 KJV – Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

NIV – Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.

 

Proverbs 28:20 KJV – A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

NIV – A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

 

Zechariah 11:5 KJV – Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.

NIV – Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them.

 

Matthew 6:19 KJV – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

NIV – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

 

Matthew 13:22 KJV – He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

NIV – The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

 

Mark 4:19 KJV – And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

NIV – but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Sure, evil, wickedness, can spread like a wildfire in the midst of a drought. However, we can counter that with faith in the unconditional love of our God and our Lord and Savior. We can stay on the path toward the ultimate salvation so long as we do what we can to remove the troubles from our lives. However, if we slip up and let them creep in, there is always forgiveness, which God and Jesus bring us willingly so long as we confess those sins. In this next verse we are brought to the source of a long recognized saying I’m certain your memories can realize. This has to do with the love for money and material gain. Like the song we shared last week, you can try to buy your stairway to heaven, but it doesn’t mean you’ll go in that direction. This is what Paul shares with Timothy next.

 

1 Timothy 6:10 KJV –For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

NIV –For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

 

Evil, wickedness, Paul and the Apostles alongside Jesus warn us continually of the fact that evil and wickedness can disguise themselves in billions of way, much like Satan can do the same. It is the reason we have to be very, very careful in this world to learn just how narrow that path is, the one that Jesus walked. Here are references to the prophetic and poetic books Paul makes, along with the letter written by Jesus’s half-brother Jude.

 

Joshua 7:21 KJV – When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

NIV – When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

 

Psalm 62:10 KJV – Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

NIV – Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

 

Proverbs 15:27 KJV – He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

NIV – The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

 

Ecclesiastes 2:19 KJV – And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

NIV – And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.

 

Jude 1:11 KJV – Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

NIV – Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.

 

Paul continues to remind Timotheus and the congregation at Lystra how to get away from evil and wickedness, and how to avoid the seven troubles in many different ways.

 

1 Timothy 6:11-12 KJV –But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

NIV –But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

 

Remember what Jesus said about having witnesses? It’s something that is integral to Christianity. We need to remember that when we witness someone’s confessions, prayers, praises, and so forth, it validates their efforts toward being holy and faithful. That’s why we have church congregations and more. Here Paul references the poetic and prophetic books once again.

 

Proverbs 15:9 KJV – The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

NIV – The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

 

Zechariah 10:5 KJV – And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the Lord is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.

NIV – Together they will be like warriors in battle trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.

 

Paul then references his letters to Corinth, Galatia, and Philippi.

 

1 Corinthians 9:25 KJV –And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

NIV –Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

 

2 Corinthians 9:13 KJV –Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

NIV –Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

 

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.

 

Philippians 4:8-9 KJV – 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 virtue, and 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.

NIV – Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

 

Paul continues portraying the mission for Timotheus and the church there at Lystra.

 

1 Timothy 6:13 KJV –I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

NIV –In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you

 

For this mission, Paul references the Torah and more.

 

Deuteronomy 32:39 KJV – See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

NIV – “See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.

 

1 Samuel 2:6 KJV –The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

NIV –“The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.

 

Paul adds in the interaction between Jesus and Pontious Pilate and more from the gospels.

 

Matthew 27:2 KJV – And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

NIV – So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

 

Matthew 27:11 KJV – And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

NIV – Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

 

John 5:21 KJV – For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

NIV – For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.

 

John 5:26 KJV – For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

NIV – For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

 

John 18:36-37 KJV – Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

NIV – Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

 

John 19:11 KJV – Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

NIV – Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

 

Paul adds his second letter to Corinth as well.

 

2 Corinthians 9:13 KJV –Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

NIV –Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

 

Paul’s last mission for Timothy this week has to do with one that every Christian is charged with once they accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Here is what Paul says.

 

1 Timothy 6:14 KJV –That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

NIV –to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 

How can we stay without spot or blame? We can admit to our failures and ask God for forgiveness through our Savior Jesus Christ. This is what Paul shares as reference in his second letter to Thessalonica, and also in the words from his fellow Apostle, Peter.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:8 KJV –And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

NIV –And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

 

2 Peter 2:21 KJV –For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

NIV –It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.

 

2 Peter 3:2 KJV –That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

NIV –I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

 

2 Peter 3:14 KJV –Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

NIV –So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

 

Each and every one of us is able to portray true faith, belief, and unconditional love to each other, and to God and Jesus through asking for hope, faith, and forgiveness. With that, 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: My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkMapZB8qMk  



Cal Jennings Version: https://m.starmakerstudios.com/a-vue3/playrecording?app=sm&from_sid=62172171219&guide_type=2&is_convert=true&pg_rf_ca_vn=15&pid=share_exp2&recordingId=8725724356433016&share_type=copylink

~ Shalom ~

Rev. Laura A. Neff

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Evangelist Calvin Jennings

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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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