Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. And all that we do and all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Thank you for tuning us in for we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake here as we continue on in our journeys of Faith series a man we come to our ninth series Hannah from desperation to divine purpose a man in 1st Samuel chapter 3 verses 1 through 13 You know, in our series, we retrace the steps of the remarkable Bible characters whose lives offer some lessons for our own spiritual walk. It reveals how their journeys illuminate the path of ongoing dependence on God, their unwavering trust in God that guided them through the unpredictable twist and turns of their journey. And much like our personal faith journeys that we're on, the road can be challenging and uncertain. But just as God blessed the faith of those great Bible characters, He continues to bless our faith today as well. And so, as we looked at the first character, it was Noah, the path of obedience and grace in Genesis chapter 6, where we talked about Noah's story and how that Noah renewed a relationship with God, had a legacy of faith, A continuation for creation and Noah's journey to Mount Erah illustrates that a life of faith is marked by obedience and a trust in God's promises and a deep understanding of his grace. Amen. And so we see the second character, Abraham, which was called to testing and sacrifice in Genesis chapter 22. We saw Abraham's journey to Mount Moriah teach us that faith involves obedience, trust, and the willingness to sacrifice. And Abraham demonstrated his unwavering faith in God's promises, even when those promises seemed to be tested beyond comprehension. He learned that God's provision is always faithful, and through his obedience, the covenant blessings were reaffirmed. The third one of the characters was Jochebed, trusting in God's plan and provision. In Exodus chapter 1 and Exodus chapter 2, we see Jochebed's journey of faith. She was the mother of Moses. She faced a journey of profound faith, courage, and trust in God's providence during one of the darkest periods of the Israelites. Her journey that we look at reminds us that Moses was saved and raised in the palace because of her faith and God's plan for Israel's deliverance was set in motion. Her story of faith inspires generations because her story reminds us that God's plans are far greater than what we can see and our obedience in faith can lead to significant spiritual breakthroughs. And so, I'm glad that the journey of faith to the palace was filled with uncertainty, required deep trust in God's plan, but from hiding her son to letting him go into the Nile, Jochebed demonstrated an unwavering faith in God's sovereignty, courage in surrender, and trust in his provision. and her faith was rewarded as Moses was not only saved, but raised in the very high place where his life was once threatened. The fourth character was Joseph, trusting God's plan in Genesis chapter 37. When we look at his life, we see the results of a journey of faith in Egypt. led to an incredible outcome. He saved his family and all the nation. He reconciled with his brothers. He became a key figure in God's plan. And Joseph's journey of faith to Egypt was filled with difficulties, but it ultimately revealed God's sovereignty, providence, and ability to turn suffering into salvation. and Joseph learned to trust God's plan even when he didn't understand it and to remain faithful through every trial. The fifth character was Moses, lessons in patience and faith in Exodus chapter 31 and Exodus chapter 32. When we look and realize that through him the law was given. Moses grew as a leader, God's covenant was affirmed, and the people were humbled. And so, Moses' journey to Sinai is rich with lessons and patience, faith, and leadership. He learned that God's timing is always perfect, that sin has real consequences, and that intercession is a vital part of leadership. For us today, Moses' experience is a very powerful reminder to wait on God, resist the urge to create our own solutions, and always approach God with a heart of humility and reverence. The sixth character is Joshua, from faith to the promised land. Here we look and we see that in Joshua chapter 1 verses 1 through 9, we see the journey to the promised land. Because Joshua's journey of faith resulted in tremendous victories for both himself and the nation of Israel. And we see that he was successful in the conquest of the promised land. He left a legacy of faithfulness, amen. He had a renewal of Israel's covenant with God and God's presence that was reaffirmed. And so Joshua's journey of faith was about learning to trust God's promises and presence, leading with courage and obedience, and I thank God experiencing the power of God's word and witnessing the fulfillment of God's promises. The seventh character was Gideon, discouragement to destiny. When we look at the journey to Ophrah, where Gideon was born a man. We see the call because God uses the weak to display his strength. Gideon's initial fear and doubts were transformed as he learned that God works through weakness and the reduction of his army to 300 men. was a clear sign that God doesn't need human strength to achieve his purposes. This principle applies today. God chooses the humble and the weak to display the power. Faith requires action and obedience. Victory belongs to God and not man, and pride and idolatry are constant threats. Though Gideon initially refused kingship, He later, he caused a lot of problems with his ephod of a stumbling block for the Israelites, but Gideon's journey teaches that even after spiritual success, there's a need to guard against pride and the temptation to seek glory for oneself. The eighth character of our journeys of faith is Rahab, from shame to salvation. In the book of Joshua, chapter 2, verse 19, I'm glad that we saw the symbolism of the scarlet cord. The scarlet cord became a symbol of salvation, much like the blood of the Passover lamb that protected the Israelites in Egypt. It foreshadowed the blood of Christ, offers protection and redemption to all. And so, I'm glad that through God's provision for salvation, like Rahab, we must trust in the sign of God's protection. And I'm glad that protection is found in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Rahab had redemption and Jericho failed. and she had a legacy of faith that was passed on, praise God. And so, it brings us up to our ninth character, Hannah, from desperation to divine purpose in 1 Samuel chapter 3, verses 1 through 13, amen. And when we look at it, take your Bibles with us over to 1 Samuel chapter 3, and I'm glad that as we read the wonderful lesson of 1 Samuel 3, verses 1-13, the highlight verse is verse 10. Listen to the reading of God's word. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days, and there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim that he could not see. And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep. In verse four, that the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli and said, here am I, for thou callest me. And he said, I called not, lie down again. And he went and he laid down. In verse six, and the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and he went to Eli and said, here am I, for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son, lie down again. In verse seven, now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. In verse 8, and the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and he went to Eli and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down. And it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went. lay down in his place in verse 10 and the Lord came and stood and called as at other time Samuel Samuel in verse 11 and the Lord said to Samuel behold I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle in verse 12 and that day I shall perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house when I begin I will also make an end. In verse 13, for I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not. Let's open up with a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we open our hearts and minds to your voice. And we ask God that as we attune ourselves to the whisper in our lives, help us to recognize the ways that you speak to us, whether through your word, the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit, or the counsel of wise believers that are around us. Lord, we acknowledge that there are moments of confusion and uncertainty, and much like those faced by Samuel in a time when our voices or your voice may be rare. We pray for clarity and discernment as we seek your direction for our lives. In a world filled with distraction and noise, guide us to prioritize our relationship with you and to respond courageously to your calling. May Lord, as we get into our Bible study, not only honor you, but also strengthen our commitment to follow where you lead. Speak to us, Lord. Your servants are listening. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. When we look at Hannah from desperation to divine purpose, I'm glad that we realize that for many years Hannah wanted a son. And so I'm glad when we look and realize that Samuel had kept his promise to God because she gave Samuel back to God to serve him in Shiloh. When we read this, this son had already been given up by a mother by the name of Hannah. Because of his obedience and dedication in serving, God called Samuel to be the priest of Israel. But throughout his life, Samuel continued to obey and serve God, and he faithfully declared righteousness and showed people the way of God. And so, when we look at this, some of us, when we serve God, it's become something that's added to regular duties. For the Christian, serving God should be an umbrella under which every task is performed. Whether we're dedicating a letter, balancing the books, or nursing a patient, changing a diaper, are going to work on a daily basis. It's all done a service to God. And so, every one of us, when we begin to look at Hannah's legacy, we see from desperation to divine purpose. Because in it, we begin to look and we see the purpose in it all. Because in the journey to Shiloh, I'm glad, Hannah's legacy, we see the divine calling of Samuel. and the purification of the nation and Samuel's deep concern for Israel. If it hadn't been for a mother that dedicated her child to the Lord, there would have never been a Samuel. There would have never been a priest. And that was one of the most important things that we see because she wanted a child. And I'm glad that each and every one of us, when we look at the divine calling of Samuel, We've got to understand that after God provided a son for Hannah and her husband, Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord. And from an early age, Samuel grew up in the tabernacle in Shiloh. So when Hannah made that journey to Shiloh, she was taking the very best that she had wanted a desire for a child, and she had made a promise that if you give me that child, I will take him to serve in the priesthood. And so, that's the journey of faith. The child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli, and you know what? When we look, we see Samuel's journey to hear God's voice. Amen. Because while Samuel was lying down, to sleep, he heard the voice of the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days, but the calling out to him, thinking that it was Eli, Samuel ran to Eli. In verses 5 through 9, we see that he was assisted by Eli, Aban. But up to this point in Samuel's life, he did not know the Lord, nor had the Lord revealed his word to him. This is why Samuel did not discern between the Lord talking to him and Eli calling for him. And so 1 Samuel chapter 3 verse 10 gives a record of Samuel as he was approached by God. And so as we look at Hannah from desperation to divine purpose, the Lord stood, he stationed himself where Samuel could not only hear but could also see who was talking. The Lord called out to Samuel as before saying, Samuel, Samuel, And so it reminds us of the story of a small town where there was a young girl named Sarah who loved to play the piano. And one day she noticed an elderly neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, sitting alone on her porch, looking sad. And despite her own busy schedule, Sarah felt a tug on her heart to visit her. And when she approached, she discovered that Mrs. Jenkins had recently lost her husband and felt lonely. Sarah began to play her piano for her. and spent time listening to her stories. That simple act of kindness brought immense joy to both of them. Sarah learned to listen not just to music, but to the needs of others and to God's prompting in her heart. You know, just as Samuel learned to recognize God's voice amidst the noise of daily life, we too must cultivate the practice of listening for God's guidance. In our busy, distraction-filled lives, it's crucial to carve out quiet moments to reflect and discern what God is saying to us. By paying attention to those promptings, we can make a significant impact on those around us. And so, I'm glad that God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called, amen? And so, I'm glad that each and every one of us, when we look, we not only see that the divine calling of Samuel, Samuel's journey to hear God's voice, but it's guided by Eli's wisdom as well. Amen. And so it is chosen and called by God, but then we see the holiness of God being revealed because I'm glad that each and every one of us D.L. Moody said one time, holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine. And so Eli was the same high priest who had blessed Elkaniah and Hannah when she prayed for a son. and he served God many years, but he allowed his sons to bring wickedness into the house of the Lord. He was aware of their sin, but he did not stop it. The iniquity of Eli's sons intensified daily. Eli chose to ignore their sin, allowing them to display it in the tabernacle, and God condemned him for this. He made a pronouncement against Eli to Samuel. And in verses 12, 13, and 14 of 1 Samuel 3, in that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin, I will also make an end for I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not. In verse 14, and therefore I have sworn under the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever. Not only did God make a proclamation against Eli, he stated that his purpose for Samuel, Samuel had been faithful and therefore God called on him to serve and his life had been clean, making him a vessel fit to be used of the Lord. And so, Paul said, but in a great house there's not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. He said, if a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified in meat for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Samuel was given to God when he was a child. His parents dedicated him to serve God all the days of his life. He accepted this commitment, and he led a pure life, a life that was free from sin and worldliness. He kept his heart, mind, and body pure. He was a clean vessel available to use by God at any time. Samuel was a ready listener to God's word. And in contrast to Eli's sons, who were disobedient, disrespectful, Samuel had a reverence for the things of God. Amen. And so, in 1 Samuel 2, verse 22, the Bible says, Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And then, skip down to verse 20, and the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord and also with men. You see, as Samuel served in the tabernacle, He undoubtedly had many jobs, one of which was to minister to Eli. The priest was getting older. He needed help. He needed attention. Eli's own sons had been restrained from their sin, causing them wickedness to pollute the tabernacle worship. Samuel, however, was faithful in serving and was not infected by the wickedness, the behavior of Eli's sons. His purity and his willing to serve God is a contrast to the wickedness and the self-perversion of Eli's son. Here we see God's second purpose for Samuel was to speak. And so I'm glad that the holiness of God revealed God's judgment upon Eli's house, but also God appointed Samuel for a higher purpose, amen. And so I thank God in 1 Samuel chapter 3, verses 17, 18, and 19, amen, we see that it talks about, and he says, amen, that he says, and he said, what is the thing that the Lord has said unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me, God do so to thee and more so if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every wit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, it is the Lord. Let him do what seemeth him good. And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. You see, the true test of a prophet of God in Israel was if he gave every word which the Lord revealed to him. And as a prophet of God, Samuel did not let one word drop from all that God had told him. He boldly declared and spoke the words of the Lord, amen. And so, I'm glad that when we look and realize that not only do we see the divine calling of Samuel, amen, Samuel's journey to hear God's voice and the holiness of God revealed, but secondly, we see the purification of the nation, amen, because the cleansing of the people was one of Samuel's first great acts as a leader after the death of Eli. When we see the conditional promise of the covenant, amen, because in 1 Samuel chapter 7, verses 2 and 3, the Bible says, and it came to pass while the ark abode in Jerijarim, that the time was long for it was 20 years and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord and Samuel spoke unto all the house of Israel saying if you do return unto the Lord with all your hearts then put away the strange gods and Ashtoreth from among you and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines and Samuel told the people of Israel that if they would cleanse themselves, God would heal their land. The covenant centered around the removal of Israel's sin of idolatry. They had been worshiping the pagan gods and goddesses, Ashtaroth being one of them. And so this covenant was also formed because the Ark of the Covenant had been kept in Kiriath for 20 years and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. But Israel wanted the Lord to deliver them from the Philistines. And so we see that the purification of the nation, the conditional promise of the covenant, but also we see the nation's plea for divine intervection. Because in 1 Samuel chapter 7, verses 8, 9, and 10, the Bible says, and the children of Israel said to Samuel, "'Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, "'that he will save us out of the land of the Philistines.' "'And Samuel took a suckling lamb, "'offered it for a burnt offering, holy unto the Lord. "'And Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel, "'and the Lord heard him.' "'And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, "'the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. "'But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day.'" upon the Philistines and disconfited them and they were smitten before Israel. You know it's important to note that before Samuel intervened for the people, they had to put away their sins. Before we ask God for help, we must confess our sins. as well. We cannot expect God to work on our behalf when we have ignored Him and allowed sin to come into our lives. The psalmist says if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me. The Israelites understood that they needed God's help in conquering the enemy and at this time in history The Philistines were the only people in Palestine who knew how to work with iron. They had iron chariots, iron weapons, which would make them powerful opponents against Israel. However, iron also conducts electricity quite well, and if God thundered, Thunder would be accompanied by lightning. God answered the call of his people that day and he disconfigured the Philistines. Samuel recognized God's power and he understood that the defeat of the Philistines was a direct result of God's help. So he set up a memorial rock named it Ebenezer, which means stone of help, in 1 Samuel 7, verse 12, praise God. Then Samuel took a stone, set it between Mishpeth and Shinn, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, hitherto hath the Lord helped us. You know, the psalmist said, the Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. And so, we see that it was the divine calling of Samuel, Samuel's journey to hear God's voice, the holiness of God that was revealed. We see the purification of the nation, the conditional promise of the covenant, and the nation's plea for divine intervention. But also, thirdly, we see Samuel's deep concern for Israel. Amen. As time went on the people of Israel demanded a king so they could be like all the other nations. This demand caused a great concern in the heart of Samuel because in 1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 19 and 20 the Bible says, nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and they said nay but we will have a king over us. In verse 20, that we also may be like all the other nations and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. And so we see Samuel's deep concern for Israel and the people's rejection of God's sovereignty. Because in 1 Samuel 12, verses 8 and 9, the Bible says, And when Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand. of Asteria, captain of the host of Hazar into the land of the Philistines into the hand of the king of Moab and they fought against them. You see the children of Israel forgot God and the mighty acts that he had performed on their behalf and so Samuel reminded the people that God was the one that sent their human leaders, such as Moses, such as Aaron, to lead them through the wilderness. And it reminded the people that God was the source of their deliverance from their enemies. Samuel reminded Israel that when they were right with God, a judge was sent to help with their problems and there was peace. But when Israel forgot the Lord, then God sent the nations around them to discomfort. disconfit them until they repented and they came back to the Lord. And yet, You ain't gonna believe it. The people refused the hand of the Lord in their lives because in 1 Samuel 12, verse 12, the Bible says, And when you saw that Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon, came against you, you said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us, when the Lord your God was your king. And so we saw Samuel's deep concern for Israel, the people's rejection of God's sovereignty. But also lastly and closing we see Saul's displacement of God's divine order. Because we look in 1 Samuel chapter 13 verses 8, 9, and 12 that talks about that it says, and he tarried seven days according to the set time that Samuel had appointed. But Samuel came not to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offering. And he offered the burnt offering, and it came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of the offering of the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him. that he might salute him. In verse 11, and Samuel said, what hast thou done? And Saul said, because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Mipmash. In verse 12, therefore said I, the Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal. And I have not made supplication unto the Lord. I forced myself therefore and offered a burnt offering. You know what? God gave Israel their request for a king. And Saul became the first earthly king of Israel because he stood higher than any other man. But in 1 Samuel 13, we see Saul a few years into his reign. He was at Mikmash and had been waiting for Samuel for seven days in a moment of crisis when Samuel did not come. And Saul took things into his own hands and didn't wait till the prophet of God got there. First, he lacked trust in God's instructions through Samuel, and he did not wait as he was instructed. This had been a problem from the start. He did not obey. Saul ignored the words of Samuel, and he trusted his senses rather than God's commands. Then he chose to usher the priesthood by offering a sacrifice. Saul replaced the order of the Lord by taking Samuel's place and performing priestly duties, and he took lightly the order by which God had established the sacrifice. You know, Philip Brooks, the famous pastor of the last century, was in his office pacing the floor. He was frustrated. Somebody walked in and saw him and asked, what's the matter, pastor? And he said, I'm in a hurry and God is it. You know, God has an order and a method of doing his work. If this were not so, then it would not matter how a man got saved or a woman got saved as long as he or she was sincere about it. Often people try to replace God's way with their own way of salvation. They become religious, but they miss the truth. Cain wanted to offer the fruits of his labor, not what was required by the Lord. He did that which was right in his own eyes. Just as many men, what they think is right in their own eyes today. In the book of Acts, the Bible says, neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. May we determine to learn from the mistake of Saul and choose to follow God's order and methods in every aspect of our lives because Samuel rebuked Saul for replacing God's order. And it tells about it in 1 Samuel chapter 13 verses 13 and 14. Amen. And so the wisdom of Proverbs says, there's a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. You know, as we come to a close, each and every one of us, we look at Hannah and the mother of Samuel and from desperation to divine purpose. And we begin to realize that God can use people to do some outstanding things, amen. Because every one of us, when we look and realize that as God begin to cleanse the people through Samuel, through a new covenant, and through a new way, a call for divine assistance, amen, as well. I'm glad that every one of us as we look and realize that even the disobedience of Saul and what he did in his days, amen. Boy, every one of us, we need to trust the Lord because the journey to Siloam Shiloh, as exemplified by Samuel and his mother Hannah, teaches us profound lessons about surrender, about service, and about faithfulness. Samuel's life was marked by his willingness to serve God wholeheartedly. And so when we look and we realize that the dedication to keeping God's commands and his commitment to leading others to righteousness. Just as Samuel was dedicated from birth and lived a life of service, we are called to offer every part of our lives to God. We must be attentive to his voice, obedient to his commands, and committed to living out our faith in every aspect of our lives, amen. And so I thank God as we look and we realize that Hannah from desperation to divine purpose, amen. When we begin to look at her example of faith. and worship, her legacy of trust and sacrifice. Hannah's story teaches every one of us about the power of persistent prayer, trust in God's timing, and the importance of fulfilling our commitments to Him. Because in today's society, people often face discouragement, waiting for their prayers to be answered. Hannah's journey reminds us that God hears at the cries of his people and that surrendering our desires to him leads to blessings greater than we could ever imagine. I hope and pray that you got something a man from all of this a man because as we listen to God's voice and respond to God's call a man, I'm glad we need to embrace his message and go forward with it a man. and be able, as each and every one of us does, that we do as Hannah did, that we become obedient to him. As we close out, Father, we thank you for the lesson that we learned from Hannah, the mother of Samuel and the response to your call, that we're reminded that you're still speaking to us today, inviting us to a deeper relationship with you. Help us to embrace your voice, to step boldly into the plans you have for each of us, and we pray for the courage to respond to your call just as Samuel did, even in the face of uncertainty and fear. Lord, in this New Testament world where we're called to be your witness, may we carry your message of love and redemption into our communities. Let us be instruments of your peace, grace, and truth, reflecting the light of Christ in all that we do. And as we go forth, may your spirit empower us to live out our faith authentically and boldly and help us to continually seek your guidance and to trust in your perfect plan for all of our lives. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord. you