Covenant Connection

About Covenant Connection

Covenant Connection

Publisher

Herb Blum

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Oct 2025

Latest episode

1 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

42 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Nov 2026

   God Exceeds Expectations

   ### Summary of Nate’s sermon: “God Exceeds Expectations” In this morning’s Sunday Meeting, Nate’s central message was that God often does more than we expect, and He frequently does it in ways we do not expect. The challenge for believers is not to figure out exactly how God will act, but to trust Him, remain obedient, and recognize that He may already be working beyond what we can see. #### Key themes • Expect God to exceed expectations. Nate used the workplace idea of an “exceeds expectations” performance rating as an analogy: God does not merely meet the need we can see. He sees the entire situation and can provide beyond what we thought to ask for. • Waiting on God is active trust, not resignation. Drawing from Isaiah 64, Nate described waiting as continuing in prayer, Scripture, and dependence on the Holy Spirit while trusting that God is working behind the scenes. • What looks like defeat can actually be victory. The crucifixion appeared to be Satan’s triumph, but it was actually part of God’s plan for resurrection, salvation, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Nate applied that to everyday life: when we can see only the cross, God may already be preparing the resurrection. • Do not prescribe how the answer must arrive. One of the sermon’s strongest practical points was that people can pray for God to act, then miss His answer because it does not come through the person, method, or timing they expected. Faith means being open to God’s solution rather than demanding our own. • The Holy Spirit enables believers to recognize God’s direction. Nate emphasized 1 Corinthians 2 and the believer having the Spirit of God. Rather than assuming God's purposes are completely unknowable, Christians should learn to recognize the Holy Spirit’s guidance and then act on it. • Obedience requires boldness. Using Philippians 1, Nate talked about fear of embarrassment and rejection as barriers to obedience. His personal example was public speaking: speaking at church was initially frightening, but repeatedly stepping out helped build confidence that also carried into speaking at work. • God may use us as someone else’s unexpected answer. Nate recalled experiences in street ministry and times when another believer offered exactly the encouragement he needed without knowing his private prayers. The implication was practical: when someone is placed on your heart, call them, encourage them, pray for them, or speak the word you believe God is prompting you to give. • Do not despise small beginnings. From Zechariah 4:10, Nate stressed that seemingly small acts of faithfulness can be the beginning of something much larger. The responsibility is simply to keep taking the next step rather than being discouraged by how far away the promise appears. • God makes paths we cannot see. Psalm 77’s description of God leading Israel through the sea became the closing picture of the message. Israel saw an army behind them and an impassable sea ahead of them, while God saw a road nobody else knew existed. Nate connected this to situations where our own circumstances appear to offer no solution. ### Bottom line Nate’s message could be condensed to: > God is rarely predictable, but He is always faithful. Don't give up because you cannot see the path. Trust Him, stay obedient, love others, listen to the Holy Spirit, and expect God to work beyond what you imagined.

2. 

   18 Oct 2026

   It's Impossible to Misquote the Bible

   ### Summary of Herb Blum’s sermon The sermon in today’s Sunday Meeting centered on understanding Scripture as a covenant with God rather than simply reading it as information. The central message was that believers should study Scripture with the Holy Spirit, understand what a passage is saying and to whom it applies, and then live according to what they learn. 1 Key themes • God’s Word as covenant. The sermon described the Bible as a covenant or binding agreement and argued that individual Scriptures should be understood within that covenant relationship between God and the believer. 1 • The Holy Spirit teaches Scripture. A repeated theme was that intellectual reading alone is insufficient. The believer should study with the Holy Spirit and receive what the sermon called “revelation knowledge.” John 14:26 and Romans 10:17 were used to develop this point. 1 • Context matters. Isaiah 55:8–9 was used as an example of why passages should not be isolated from their surrounding verses. The sermon emphasized looking at who is being addressed and the context surrounding a statement before applying it. 1 • Knowing the Word should lead to action. James 1:22, Joshua 1:8, and 2 Timothy 2:15 supported the argument that Christians should not merely hear Scripture but study it, meditate on it, and act on it. 1 • Identity in Christ. John 14–15 was a major section of the sermon. It emphasized believers abiding in Christ, the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers, and Christians living from their spiritual identity rather than allowing circumstances or fear to dictate their thinking. 1 • Faith instead of fear or negative thinking. Romans 8:31, Luke 10:19, Isaiah 54:17, Galatians 5:22, and other passages were presented as reasons for believers to reject thoughts of defeat and instead trust what they understand God to have promised. 1 • The practical takeaway: spend regular time studying Scripture with the Holy Spirit, allow Scripture to correct wrong thinking, remember what you learn when difficulties arise, and then put it into practice. 1 ### The sermon in one sentence Know God’s Word as covenant, let the Holy Spirit teach you what it means in context, believe what you learn, and live it rather than allowing circumstances, fear, or doubt to determine your response.

3. 

   4 Oct 2026

   Don't Give Up Hope

   # Sermon Recap: "The Biggest Victories Come Right Before You Give Up Hope" ### Core Message The central theme of the sermon was that believers must remain faithful, continue serving God, and refuse to give up hope, even when circumstances seem delayed, unfair, or discouraging. The message emphasized that God's timing often differs from human expectations, but His purposes are fulfilled through perseverance, humility, and service. 1 ### Key Scripture The sermon opened around Galatians 6:7-10, particularly the reminder: > "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." The repeated takeaway was that people often quit just before seeing the breakthrough God has been preparing. 1 --- ## Example 1: Joseph A large portion of the sermon focused on Joseph and how: • He was betrayed by his brothers. • Sold into slavery. • Falsely imprisoned. • Forgotten for years after helping Pharaoh's cupbearer. • Yet continued serving God faithfully. The message highlighted that Joseph spent approximately 13 years in hardship before being elevated to leadership in Egypt. The lesson was that God was working behind the scenes even when Joseph could not see it, and the promotion came in God's timing rather than Joseph's. 1 Leadership application given: • Don't promote yourself. • Serve faithfully where you are. • Let God open the doors at the right time. • Maintain your character while waiting. 1 --- ## Example 2: David The sermon then compared Joseph's story with that of David. Major points included: • David was anointed king as a young man. • He waited many years before actually becoming king. • He served Saul faithfully despite Saul's jealousy. • He repeatedly refused opportunities to kill Saul and take the throne for himself. The lesson was that David trusted God's timing and refused to advance himself through revenge or manipulation. 1 Leadership principle: > God is looking for servant leaders, not self-promoters. 1 --- ## Service Before Promotion One of the strongest themes throughout the message was that service is God's training ground for leadership. Several examples were cited: • Joseph served before ruling Egypt. • David served before ruling Israel. • Joshua served Moses before leading Israel. • Elisha served Elijah before receiving his mantle. • Jesus served humanity before being exalted. 1 The sermon argued that God first develops character and faithfulness before entrusting someone with greater responsibility. 1 --- ## Responding to Mistreatment The sermon also spent significant time discussing how believers should react when mistreated. Key points: • Don't repay evil for evil. • Don't retaliate against those who attack or misrepresent you. • Pray for those who hurt you. • Let God handle justice. • Focus on serving God rather than winning arguments. 1 The examples of Joseph forgiving his brothers and David refusing to harm Saul were used to illustrate this principle. 1 --- ## Practical Takeaways The sermon concluded with several practical applications: 1. Don't give up hope. 2. Trust God's timing even when progress seems delayed. 3. Stay faithful in your current responsibilities. 4. Serve others rather than seeking recognition. 5. Bless rather than retaliate when wronged. 6. Cast your worries on God instead of carrying them yourself. 7. God promotes in His timing, not ours. 1 --- ## One-Sentence Summary The sermon taught that God develops leaders through seasons of service, waiting, and perseverance, and that the greatest victories often arrive just before people are tempted to give up hope. 1

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