Covenant Of Hope Ministries: November 2025

Sunday, November 23, 2025

Giving Thanks Requires a Grateful Heart and a Hopeful Spirit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dideJiT4Khw

Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon, which is normally broadcast every Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love, 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: Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube & Twitch & TruthSocial & Instagram & Facebook

Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio & Wedding Chicks

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.

- We continue to pray for JB & EB’s neighbor Jerry who is facing prostate cancer treatment.

- We bring JB’s sister Debbie back into prayer as she has now been diagnosed with Lymphoma after conquering two rounds of breast cancer.

- We continue our prayers for Evangelist Cal Jennings, that his health becomes steadier than it has been for far too long. We pray that his medical needs are fully met, and he has all that he requires for comfort and peace. He is still very, very weak, and has issues breathing and more.

- We continue to pray for my sister-in-law Fran who is fighting cancer and undergoing treatment.

- We continue our prayers for JB and EB as they navigate through the maze of medical tests and specialists to get all the answers that they need in both of their health issues. They are continually frustrated with the runaround they have been getting with the various referrals. JB has been especially sick, losing weight way too fast and no complete solution in sight at the moment. The doctor has started her taking a ton of medication to see if that can assist, but it is slow going.

- We continue to pray for a friend of ours, Alexis, who is in desperate need to improve her current situation and has set up a site for donations to help her with this. If you want more information, send me a private message and I’ll pass on the information.

- We continue with our prayers for my niece Autumn, who has been suffering seizures due to a head injury from a car crash, though, according to her mother she is doing better these days.

- We continue to pray for my Mama who has had a lot of anxiety issues lately after the loss of my sister two months ago. This on top of her still suffering from the loss of my father in 2021 due to COVID-19.

- We continue to pray for all sufferers and survivors of the various types of cancer, including several survivors of the disease, JB’s sister Debbie, our friend Alexis, my Aunt Donna, and my friend Kelly.

- We pray for those who are in the path of dangerous weather, and other dangerous conditions, including wildfires, storms, flooding, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, worldwide.

- We pray for the various outreach ministries we have joined with, with their leaders, Pastor Stephen Okoth, Pastor Simon Peter Javaji, Pastor Amir Aneel, Sister Santhi Swaroopa, Pastor Duke Moenga, and others in Kissee, Nairobi, and other places in Kenya, Pakistan, and India.

- We pray also for our American outreach ministries, including Rev. Lisa Tyler on the other side of Georgia from where I am and Rabbi Karen L. Hertzog with her ministry, Way Maker Messianic Jewish and Christian Center – USA as well.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have so much and so many to pray for. We pray for all those who have been displaced due to war and destruction, natural disaster, and more. We pray for peace to fill this world at long last. We pray for those who have lost loved ones to violence, accidents, and more this week. We pray for safety of those who are traveling at the end of this next week for the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S.A. We pray for the those who have been sick with cancer, including Jerry, Fran, Debbie, and others. We pray for those who have survived cancer, like J.B., Alexis, Donna, and others we know. We pray in thanksgiving for those who have healed from sickness around this world. We pray for the orphans, refugees, and missionaries around this world. We pray for our outreach ministries that they continue through even in the face of adversity in Your Name. We pray all this in the name of our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

* Happy Birthday to our Aunt Donna, who celebrates one week from today.

Opening Song: Give Thanks Cal Jennings Version

Sermon: Today we are pausing in our study of 1^st Corinthians to work on the week of Thanksgiving and also to spend the rest of the year on the study of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ in the season known as Advent, which starts next Sunday and continues through until the first Sunday after the New Year, January 4^th, which is known as Epiphany. Since there are only three gospel versions of the birth of our Savior, those are what we will focus on for three of the five Sundays. The first Sunday of Advent will be spent learning all the foreshadowing of the birth of our Savior. This means we will hear about the promises provided to the prophets and kings of the Jews through the Old Testament regarding the Savior Yeshua’s birth. So how do we celebrate Thanksgiving in Scripture? There are a great many ways we could do this.

The Old Testament shows prophets and kings all speaking and singing in Thanksgiving. We start with one entry from the Torah.

Leviticus 7:13-15 KJV – Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. ¹⁴And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the Lord, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.¹⁵And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.

NIV –Along with their fellowship offering of thanksgiving they are to present an offering with thick loaves of bread made with yeast. ¹⁴They are to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the fellowship offering against the altar. ¹⁵The meat of their fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; they must leave none of it till morning.

Now we have insights from the prophets Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah along with insight from King David.

Ezra 3:11 KJV – And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

NIV – With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Nehemiah 11:17 KJV – And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

NIV – Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

Nehemiah 12:8 KJV – Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

NIV – The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

Nehemiah 12:24-27 KJV – And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward. ²⁵Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.²⁶These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.²⁷And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

NIV – And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.
²⁵Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. ²⁶They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.
Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem
²⁷At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.

Nehemiah 12:46 KJV – For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

NIV – For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Psalm 69:30 KJV – I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

NIV – I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 95:2 KJV –Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

NIV Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

Psalm 100:4 KJV – Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

NIV – Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Isaiah 51:3 KJV – For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

NIV – The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

Jeremiah 30:19 KJV – And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

NIV –From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing.
I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.

There is more to look at when it comes to praise and thanksgiving. Now we’ll focus on the New Testament. Did you realize that Paul prayed in thanksgiving more than fifteen times in his letters to the various churches? Yes, we’ve studied nearly all of those fifteen instances too. He prayed in thanksgiving in his letters to Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae with Timothy, Thessalonica, and Lystra with Philemon. Here are those representations of prayers in thanksgiving, most of which we have already studied.

1 Corinthians 1:4 KJV –I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

NIV –I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 10:16 KJV –The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

NIV –Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 14:16 KJV –Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

NIV –Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying?

2 Corinthians 4:15 KJV –For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

NIV –All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 9:11 KJV –Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

NIV – You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Ephesians 1:15 KJV – Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

NIV – For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,

Ephesians 5:4 KJV – Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

NIV – Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Philippians 1:3 KJV –I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

NIV –I thank my God every time I remember you.

Philippians 4:6 KJV – Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

NIV – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Colossians 1:3 KJV – We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

NIV –We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

1 Thessalonians 1:2 KJV –We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

NIV –We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 KJV –We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

NIV –We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

1 Timothy 2:1 KJV –I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

NIV –I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—

1 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV –Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

NIV –They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. ⁴For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

2 Timothy 1:3 KJV –I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

NIV –I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

Philemon 1:4 KJV –I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

NIV – I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,

Thanksgiving and giving thanks are very, very important parts of our faith and portraying it. We have a reason to give thanks. We have a reason to bring truth and forgiveness. Praying in thanksgiving is as important as praising Him. Being thankful is more than just saying thank you. It’s proving that you are thankful for the things that you have, the hope for tomorrow, the faith you allow to grow, friends, family, and everything else that God has provided for you. Peace, Hope, Truth, and Love have a name, and His name is Yeshua, known by most as Jesus Christ, who comes from the great Jehovah God our Heavenly Father. It is through the life death, and eternal legacy of Jesus Christ that we are here today. Now, 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.

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: Here I Am Lord

~ Shalom ~

Rev. Laura A. Neff

Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & Twitch & USAlife

Evangelist Calvin Jennings

Facebook & Twitter & Blogster

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, November 16, 2025

The Fruits of the Spirit Take on More Meaning in the Word

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chjz4msK5WA

You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com

Rev. Laura’s other sites: Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube & Twitch & TruthSocial & Instagram & Facebook

Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio & Wedding Chicks

- We continue to pray for JB & EB’s neighbor Jerry who is facing prostate cancer treatment.

- We continue to pray for my sister-in-law Fran who is fighting cancer and undergoing treatment.

- We continue with our prayers for my niece Autumn, who has been suffering seizures due to a head injury from a car crash, though, according to her mother she is doing better these days.

- We pray for those who are in the path of dangerous weather, and other dangerous conditions, including wildfires, storms, flooding, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, worldwide.

* Happy Birthday to my middle son, whose birthday is Thursday.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we have so much and so many to pray for. We pray for all those who have been displaced due to war and destruction, natural disaster, and more. We pray for Your peace to fill this world at long last. We pray for all of those who have lost loved ones to violence, accidents, and more this week. We pray for those who have been sick with cancer, including Jerry, Fran, and others. We pray for those who have survived cancer, like Debbie, J.B., Alexis, Donna, and others we know. We pray in thanksgiving for those who have healed from sickness around this world. We pray for the orphans, refugees, and missionaries around this world. We pray for our outreach ministries that they continue through even in the face of adversity in Your Name. We pray for those who will be traveling in the weeks to come for the holiday here in the US and elsewhere for those who celebrate Thanksgiving in its many variations. We pray all this in the name of our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.

Opening Song: Praise Him! Praise Him!

Cal Jennings Version

Sermon: Today we are completing the seventh chapter of 1^st Corinthians. Again, Paul is telling the men to stay true to those who they are betrothed to. Not only that, but to wait for any intimacy until after marriage. This is something that still happens and still has issues in this world today. People have asked me many times what relevance Scripture has to this world today. Well, here we go with our last five verses of this chapter.

1 Corinthians 7:36 KJV –But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

NIV –If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.

Marriage is not a small step. In fact, it’s one of the most important steps in life for a man and woman. So many people search for that special person for a long time. Others are blessed with locating that person without a blink. Yet, the step toward marriage is very, very important and also very, very difficult at the same time. You have to know without a single doubt, this is the perfect person. We aren’t always right, which is why separations and divorces happen. I’ve seen it in families all around me. I’ve seen it with friends and colleagues, and I’ve seen the exact opposite. In all cases, there were issues that could not be changed, no matter what was managed. Were they the easiest decision? No. Were they the right decision? Sometimes yes, others, no. Were there consequences? Always. Yep, you heard that right. Always. God knows the heart of every person, even the parts of those hearts that the person with that heart wouldn’t realize or recognize. Paul knew this and had experienced this in his travels both with Jesus and after the resurrection. Paul goes all the way back to the Torah, then the Poetic Scrolls, and the Prophetic Scrolls of the Old Testament too.

Genesis 24:67 KJV – And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

NIV –Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Exodus 22:16-17 KJV – And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. ¹⁷If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

NIV – “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 KJV – If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; ²⁹Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

NIV – If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, ²⁹he shall pay her father fifty shekelsof silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

Proverbs 5:18-19 KJV – Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. ¹⁹Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

NIV – May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.¹⁹A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

Song of Solomon 8:4 KJV – I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.

NIV – Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

Malachi 2:14-15 KJV – Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. ¹⁵And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

NIV – You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. ¹⁵Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.

Paul includes the Word of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, the writings of the Hebrew prophets, and also his fellow Apostle Peter.

Matthew 19:5-6 KJV – And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

NIV – and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Hebrews 13:4 KJV – Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

NIV –Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

1 Peter 3:7 KJV –Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

NIV – Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Paul mentions steadfastness in this next verse, what is this? It means to be steady and have completely made up our minds on a subject, exerting self-control, which is one of the fruits of the Spirit, and it’s one of the hardest ones to maintain on a constant basis, doesn’t matter how “good” we work towards being. Remember, the Fruits of the Spirit are found in the letter Paul wrote to Galatia in chapter 5. They are love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Paul mentions the last of these here.

1 Corinthians 7:37 KJV –Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

NIV –But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing.

Paul utilizes the majority of the Torah with this series of references. Each of them points toward some portion of self-control, but a fair portion of the other fruits of the spirit are noted as well.

Genesis 24:58 KJV – And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

NIV – So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”
“I will go,” she said.

Numbers 30:3-5 KJV – If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; ⁴And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.⁵But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

NIV – “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge ⁴and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁵But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23 KJV – When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. ²²But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.²³That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

NIV – If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. ²²But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. ²³Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.

Judges 11:35-36 KJV – And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. ³⁶And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

NIV – When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.” ³⁶“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.

Psalm 15:4 KJV – In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

NIV – who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;

Paul adds two references from the younger brother of Jesus, James the Just. These say a lot about the Fruits of the Spirit as well.

James 1:8 KJV – A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

NIV – Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James 5:12 KJV – But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

NIV – Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

It’s hard to navigate the God-given gift of free will, and this is part of the reason Paul spends so much time on this subject relative to marriage and being discerning. It’s a challenge to allow our spiritual selves to grow while we are single. It’s even more so when we have the concerns of a spouse, children, parents, in-laws, and all the household issues crowding our thoughts and actions on a daily basis. Remember, it takes practice to understand what the Fruits of the Spirit are for us individually, and collectively. Love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control all take time to first understand, second to implement into life as we know it, and third to master within that same life. These take practice, whether we are a parent, a child, man, or woman. That practice begins at birth and continues through until death. This is what Paul is discussing when he says this next.

1 Corinthians 7:38 KJV –So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

NIV –So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.

Rushing into things is dangerous, because decisions made on the spur of the moment have lifelong repercussions. This is what Paul is warning the men of Corinth about. He does so with references from all over the Old Testament, and New Testament as well. Some of them are familiar from previous sermons on this chapter.

Genesis 24:59-60 KJV – And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. ⁶⁰And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

NIV – So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies.”

Proverbs 18:22 KJV – Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

NIV – He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.

Matthew 19:4-12 KJV – And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.⁷They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?⁸He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.⁹And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.¹⁰His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.¹¹But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.¹²For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

NIV –“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”⁷“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” ⁸Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”¹⁰The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” ¹¹Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹²For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

1 Timothy 5:14 KJV –I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

NIV – So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.

The words we often hear in wedding ceremonies holds true, until death do us part. It can sometimes be difficult to continue on after the death of a spouse, but it’s something that God encourages us to pursue. Paul wants us to remember that, regardless of the difficulty, there are those who need that companionship and contentment of another human being with them. It’s not easy and God doesn’t say to forget those who we’ve lost. In fact, He would rather we not forget. Years ago my grandmother and I met someone she knew quite well and we ended up having lunch together. My grandmother and I had been out shopping, which we tended to do on occasion just the two of us. Grandma had known the woman for many years. She was telling us she’d married for the fifth time, after losing her fourth husband just two years prior. Each of her husbands had died for different reasons, two to cancer, one to heart failure, and the last one to a devastating infection. Yet, she found something different in each of her husbands, that complemented parts of her personality and heart that hadn’t been touched upon in any of her other husbands. My grandmother said afterwards, as we headed home, that she wished sometimes she could find that part of herself. This is the same grandmother who spent the rest of her life as a minister. I turned to her while we sat there and said, “You did. His name is Jesus.” It took her two decades to figure out what I meant that day. That was less than one year before I met my husband.

1 Corinthians 7:39 KJV –The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

NIV – A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.

Paul wanted the men and women in Corinth to think long and hard before marriage. He wanted them to be one hundred percent ready to take that step because until death do us part is a long, long time for many people. Sure, circumstances can change that time frame. We never know what tomorrow will bring, which makes life challenging, and love interesting. Paul doesn’t want us to have to consider separation or divorce until and unless there are no choices remaining. That’s what he wants us to see in this reference from the Old Testament and this one from Jesus in the gospel of Matthew as well.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 KJV – When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.²And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.³And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; ⁴Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

NIV – If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, ²and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, ³and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, ⁴then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Matthew 5:31-32 KJV – It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: ³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

NIV – “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’³²But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

The pursuit of happiness is finding our ultimate view of God’s unconditional love in our lifetimes. Whether that is with a husband or a wife, or not, is up to the future. Take your time and spend a lot of it learning about your personal relationship with God and Jesus. This is Paul’s final word in this chapter.

1 Corinthians 7:40 KJV –But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

NIV –In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Freedom is something interesting in Scripture. We have all sorts of views of freedom. Love, especially God’s love, is free for each of us. However we have to be willing to accept it for all that it is. That can be a challenge, because it means we have to spend time learning about Him, and How His love works. That’s why it is so important to study the Word, whether it is a little or a lot, every single day. It means more than the little verses you’ll see on Social Media, or the “Verse of the Day” in your email. It means pulling your Bible and spending the time to actually read it each and every day. Yes, the Bible is online, and yes, you can do your studying that way too. The objective is to take one verse and connect it to your life every day. Whether you take verses in a single subject and stick with that subject for however long it takes to get through every verse, or if you read the Bible from cover to cover one verse at a time, it doesn’t matter. Just spend a little time doing so and you’ll find that each time you read the same verse, whether it’s from a meme, an email, a study, or a sermon, you’ll find something new to explore. These are the reasons God wants us to listen and hear. Paul has these for Old Testament references.

Proverbs 2:6 KJV – For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

NIV – For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV – Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

NIV – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;⁶in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Isaiah 11:2 KJV – And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

NIV – The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

Paul’s final references are from John the Beloved, including the Word as Jesus spoke, and one from Luke in the Acts of the Apostles.

John 14:17 KJV – Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

NIV – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will bein you.

Acts 15:28 KJV – For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

NIV –It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

1 John 2:20 KJV –But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

NIV –But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

1 John 4:13 KJV –Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

NIV –This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

We have a whole lot to learn about the fruits of the Spirit. Yet, Paul has given us a series of letters by which to learn them. This first letter to Corinth is just one of them. Now, because next Sunday is the week before Thanksgiving here in the United States, I’ll have a sermon just for that specific subject and then will have the holiday for Thanksgiving weekend, because I will be out of town and away from my computer. Remember, share the blessings with those you love and care about, no matter who they might be, or where. It’s important for your hearts, minds, spirits, and souls. Peace, Hope, Truth, and Love have a name and His name is Jesus Christ, who comes from the great Jehovah God our Heavenly Father. It is through the life death, and eternal legacy of Jesus Christ that we are here today. Now, 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.

Closing Song: His Name Is Wonderful

Cal Jennings Version

~ 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

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 Biblically Based Wedding Ceremonies in the state of Georgia, USA locally based in Savannah and surrounding areas. I was ordained in 2007 by Rev. Teresa Piercey-Gates. We established this ministry in October of 2008.