April 01, 2014 - Tuesday

Start Time: 6:38 A.M.

End Time: 7:18 A.M.

Title: Hannah’s Prayer

Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:1 – 36

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn^[a] is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.  “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.   “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more.  She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.  “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.  The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.  He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the Lord will be broken.  The Most High will thunder from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”  Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the Lord under Eli the priest.

NOTES:

Ø God is in control!  Hannah’s prayer speaks of delight in God’s deliverance, she spoke of assurance of God in her life, both in her lack and abundance.  The same way that we should put our trust in God alone.  He is in control and holds both life and death in His hands.  Nothing can break Him for He is beyond all things!  He humbles and exalts, He sends poverty and wealth.  He has both sides of things and He is in control of both.  So there is no point of worrying or feeling troubled or breaking free on your own for only God can deliver you in whatever circumstances we face, no matter how difficult it is.  Let God have His way and trust Him fully for He is in control at all times!

→ Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord.  Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.  But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”  If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.” This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they^[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.  But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.  Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to^[c] the Lord.” Then they would go home. And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.  So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. If one person sins against another, God^[d] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death. And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.

NOTES:

Ø God multiplies and returns back whatever we sacrifice for Him!  Hannah, barren for so long, received a son from God but eventually had to surrender him back to God because of a promise.  Yet, whoever fulfills his or her promise to God will receive it back multiplied!  For God is a God of multiplication and He wants us blessed at all times.  Whatever we let go for the Lord, He returns it back to us even more.  This is a proven fact and no matter how heavy or hurtful the sacrifice we offer, the Lord will multiply the joy of His return.  So never think twice to sacrifice for the Lord, for no one can out-give the Lord.

Ø God has continued His work in us despite of what is happening around us.  God is faithful and true in His work in our lives and despite of what is happening around us, whatever circumstances we are in, He is faithful in completing the work He began in us always.  Just like with Samuel, despite of the trouble that Eli’s sons made, Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.

→Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. Why do you^[e] scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’  “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.  “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day.  I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.”’”

NOTES:

Ø God honors those who honor Him and those who despised Him, He will disdain or despised!  God offers us love and favor, unending and without condition, but if we treat God disrespectfully or if we despised Him, the same way will He treats us for He is the King of Kings.  In truth, death, torture, etc should be the punishment of anyone who disrespects the Lord, yet God chose to treat us the same way we do to Him.  Again God’s grace is clearly revealed even in our wrong doings against Him.  Praise Jesus!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus thank You for You are a God in control of all things.  No matter what happens, You hold everything in Your hands and there is nothing that I should be worrying about because I have You in control of my life.  Thank You Lord because whatever I lay down for You or to You as a sacrifice, You return or restore it back even more.  Whatever pain or hurt I felt for the sacrifice I made for You, is covered up with the greater joy of Your restoration.  Thank You Jesus because I can trust You to rebuild and restore everything because You are the source of everything Lord.  Thank You Jesus because You continue Your work in my life despite of what the circumstances are.  You allow me to grow in stature and in Your favor at all times no matter what is happening around me.  Your love and grace continues to abound in my life and covers me from getting destroyed because of the troubles of the world.  Thank You Lord because when I continue in You, You do the same in me and even when I sometimes slip, You do not give up on me easily.  Thank You Jesus for cleansing and purifying me daily so I may be worthy of Your love and grace.  Jesus thank You for Your righteousness that covers me in the eyes of the Father that I may be deserving of the love and favor that He pours out daily,  Help me to see Your love and grace and favor at all times.  Work in my life completely Lord and let me see Your hands at work.  In Jesus’ Name!