I Samuel Pt 12

 Taking care of what belongs to God
 

1 Sam 1:21-23
This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the LORD and to keep his vow 

(I wonder what his vow was? Did he pray that his wife would conceive?) but Hannah did not go up with them. Instead she told her husband, "Once    

the boy is weaned (some sources say that this could have taken up to 3 years), I will bring him and appear before the LORD, and he will remain there from then on." -
So her husband Elkanah said to her, "Do what you think best. Stay until you have weaned him. May the LORD make good your promise." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

In a similar fashion to Moses' mother (Jochebed) who nursed and cared for him in preparation for Pharaoh's house and God's will; So Hannah would nurse and ready her son Samuel for the House and Calling of God.

May we be like These women and prepare and encourage the 'young treasures' around us for His purpose as well.

Grace and peace

I Samuel pt 11

 Joy will last beyond the moment!
1 Sam. 1:19
Hannah woke up early the next morning and worshiped before the Lord, then went back home to Ramah. She was still not pregnant, but she praised God as if she was.
Then in vs.19b-20 it says " Elkanah lay with HANNAH his WIFE, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and GAVE BIRTH to a son. She called him Samuel... "What a delight y'all for her to finally have and hold what she had so desperately longed for! She had to have been overjoyed!
 

 This is what I see that Hannah has done with her barreness:
- Her brokenness came first
-Then her pouring out her heart to God
- Next came faith which led to worship
- Then Corresponding actions ( she had to do her part :-)

This is not a formula, but an observation and I believe the principles are still applicable today.

WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSSiBLE to please God, For he that comes to HIM must BELIEVE that HE IS (exist), and that HE REWARDS those who Earnestly (seriously) seek HIM. Heb. 11:6

Samuel pt 10

1 Sam. 1:
After you have given your burdens to the Lord, do you feel lighter or is the heaviness still there?
At this point in the story, Hannah has gotten as close to God as could. She went to stand at the doorpost of the Lord's Temple. Eli was sitting on a chair. There Hannah poured out her heart to God, mixed in with a river of tears. According to what she knew God could do, she pleads with Him to remember her. Then she informs Eli (the priest) of her grief and her prayer to God. When understanding comes, he blesses her with a word of PEACE. She takes it to heart. Her response is "May your servant ( Hannah) find favor in your eyes".
Then the next sentence gives us the proof that she has left her burdens and grief with God. It says in vs.18b 'Then she went her way and ATE something and her FACE was no longer downcast.' Hannah was determined not to take back what she had given to God. The proof of her lighter load and faith that 'God would handle it' was that her appetite returned and her face was NO Longer DOWNCAST.
Her faith was expressed in real ways even though what she was praying for had NOT YET become tangible. It reminds me of the scripture that says " NOW FAITH is the substance of things HOPED for the EVIDENCE of things NOT seen". Heb. 11:1

'Cause sometimes BELIEVING is SEEING! ;-)

1

Notes from I Samuel pt 9

1 Sam. 1:17
Don't we all hate it when our words or actions are twisted by someone else and we are accused falsely? Yes, None of us like it.
When Eli mistook Hannah's grieving for drunkenness, She responded like a pro. She did not put her hand on her hip, and bobble her head..Lol! She responded with HUMILITY and with TRUTH. 


Her words were full of grace. She said "Not so My Lord (to Eli the priest), I am a woman who is Deeply troubled. I have not been DRINKING wine or beer, I was POURING OUT my SOUL to the LORD...
When she spoke, she was believable. Her actions supported her story. With a little bit of clarity he could now see her actions in a different light. He gave up his preconceived notion for the truth she offered.
Because of this, Eli added his blessing to her prayers by saying
"Go in PEACE, and May the God of Israel GRANT you what you have ASKED of HIM."

If you are humbling standing in
'Truth' then May this apply to you as well..."Go in peace and may the God of Israel GRANT you what YOU have ASKED of HIM.

Stay tuned :-)
Grace and peace

Notes from I Samuel pt 8

 "Misunderstood?"
 

1 Sam. 1:12-14
"As She kept on praying to the Lord, Eli OBSERVED her MOUTH. Hannah was PRAYING in her HEART, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard."
 

(When we are only looking at things in the natural or at first glance, we too might miss what's truly going on... Only God can see and know the heart, that's why HE is the only ONE qualified to JUDGE it.)
 

 Hannah was so distraught that she couldn't audibly get the words out. She prayed in her heart and her lips were moving, but her pain prevented the words from being heard ( by man that is). Eli SAW her and ACCUSED her of being drunk. He MIS-judged because he could not comprehend the full picture of what was going on. He could not see on the inside. But ya'll, GOD COULD and HE DID! .

The scripture also says in 1 Sam 16:7b "Man looks at the outward appearance but the LORD looks at the heart."

He SEES you and KNOWS the translation of every TEAR.

stay tuned...
Grace and peace

Note from I Samuel pt 7

7. 1 Sam. 1:11

While Hannah was crying and praying to the Lord, she made a vow saying "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servants misery and remember me and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

 So basically she said, Lord I am your servant, if you Remember me and give me 'what I desire most', I will give 'what I desire most' back to you". In essence, "If you give me an 'insurance policy for my future 'or bragging rights to get back at my enemy' I will give it all back to you. '

It would be worth it to know that I have not been forgotten but remembered.' Her prayer alone showed a transfer of trust from man to God.

 She also said that if God gave her a son, she would never cut his hair. This was considered  a Nazirite vow. It showed that the boy/man was set apart to God for His purpose. Do you remember another long haired guy in the Bible? Yep, Samson.

 Hannah had undoubtedly heard stories of this hero and his 'once barren mother'. ( Judges 13) The angel told (Samson's mom) that Although she was unable to have children, God was going to give her one anyway. His hair was never to be cut, which was a public sign of a sacred calling; and he would deliver the nation of Israel from their enemies. Y'all, I believe that Hannah was not only praying for a son, but for a deliverer as well.

 She was drawing faith from the stories of old that she had heard. Stories from other women who were once barren and God had not only given them children, but children who did GREAT things! Women like Sarah, who became the mother of nations and kingdoms thru her son Isaac; Rebekah who became the mother of Jacob (Israel, father of the Jewish nation) and Esau (father of nations); and Samson's mother, who's son became famous for his super human strength and deliverance of God's people.

In the same way, we draw faith from THEIR stories and put our trust in God, who is the SAME yesterday, TODAY and forever.

Stay tuned! Grace and peace

Notes from Samuel pt 6

6. 1 Sam 1:10 ( another lesson from Hannah)

Hannah has just STOOD up from the place where they were eating and drinking. Eli the priest was SITTING by the doorpost of the LORD's temple (they were in church). 



 Vs 10 "In BITTERNESS of soul Hannah WEPT MUCH and PRAYED to the Lord." y'all I believe that this was step one in Hannah's turn around.

She went from weeping much and losing her appetite to... crying her heart out in PRAYER. It may not have seemed like a big deal or even felt like a 'lightening bolt' experience to Hannah, but this small act had HUGE potential. It was the difference between trying to carry a ton of bricks around in a backpack, or giving those bricks to a brick layer so that he could build a wall, a road or a house with them.
 

In the same way, We were NOT made to carry our grief and pain alone. 1 Peter 5:6-7 invites and instructs us to : "Humble yourselves under God's MIGHTY hand, that he may LIFT you up in due time. Cast ( throw down) your cares (anxiety) on HIM because HE CARES (pays attention to, and carries those things that makes you anxious) FOR YOU."
 

May we all accept the invitation and follow the instructions.

Grace and peace y'all

Notes from I Samuel pt 5

5. 1 Sam 1:8-9

Fed up?...Cheer up! Stand up! :-)

Elkanah ( Hannah's husband) would see his wife stressed out in this manner every year. He would respond (most likely at different times by saying: "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than 10 sons?" 

So basically, He's saying haven't I been good to you? Aren't I better than 10 insurance p...olicies?...Girl, I got you! ;-)
 

Ok remember, Hannah went thru this YEAR after YEAR. The same routine. The failure, the ridicule, the depression, the attempt at cheering up... The same cycle... Then in vs 9 it says "ONCE when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah STOOD UP."
Y'all now things are about to change! That day could have been like all the others, BUT HANNAH did something DIFFERENT. She stood up for a CHANGE, not for Peninnah 

(her rival), but for herself.

She got FED UP! So she STOOD UP! NOW her world is about to CHEER UP! ... I will pray that the same will happen for you!

Stay tuned y'all...grace and peace

Notes from I Samuel pt 4

4. 1 Sam

Ok without the proverbial "beating a dead horse" thing. :--) I still have been chewing on Peninnah's reasons for irritating Hannah. According to the rules of that day, she had already won.

Could it have been that she mistakenly thought that a gift from God was the same as His approval of her? Could she have thought that her accumulation of children (or fill in the blank---gifts, talents..., wealth, skills), meant that she was better than. In her mind, she had kids= she was something. Hannah had none= she was nothing...and she was going to "rub it in". But y'all this train of thought isn't TRUE and we must be careful of this kind of Stinkin' thinkin'! Prosperity or wealth is not always a sign of God's blessings, sometimes it's God's test. Just like poverty is not always a sign of God's displeasure (ask Job), sometimes it too can be a test.

I also believe that Peninnah was jealous of Hannah. No matter how many children she had, she could never earn something that Hannah had been given for free... 1ST PLACE in the heart of Elkanah, accentuated with double portions.

The same is true for us, no matter how hard we work or strive to be good or do the right things, we can never EARN a place in God's heart... But be encouraged! It is a FREE GIFT that HIS SON has paid for. We do not have to strive for it, but only receive it!

That's called GRACE and it brings PEACE!

Notes from I Samuel pt 3

3. 1 Sam 1:5-7 Notes

Y'all, I have seen a trend in the scriptures. Barren seasons

(times of lack, and not being able get things to grow) are not always what they appear to be. Often times they are the breeding ground FOR and precursor TO something REALLY GREAT! (ask Sarah, Rebekah, Manoah, Elizabeth)...the 

NIGHT always comes before the DAY...Darkness before the LIGHT Gen1. Remember that! Ok, I'...m getting excited! Let me not get ahead of myself :-)

In vs. 5 We see that in Hannah's barren season Elkanah LOVED her, preferred her and extended grace. (I like him; he's not so bad after all.:-) lol
On the other hand the scripture says vs6 "And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival (Peninnah) kept provoking her in order to irritate her. (Can I just say that ' I really DON'T like Peninnah!?.. Just sayin' I mean if you are going to get your name put in the Bible, this is NOT what you want to be remembered for? :-) lol!
 

Vs7. 

This went on year after year.  Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she WEPT and would not eat."

Y'all sorrow and barreness of any kind, can affect our appetite. Sometimes it can dull it, or even create a craving for the wrong things and the wrong amounts of them.

We must all ask ourselves, How do we respond to barren seasons? We will ALL have them.
Will YOU LOVE, MOCK, or be Broken? (y'all 2 out of 3 aren't bad)

Stay tuned!
Grace and peace

Note from I Samuel pt 2

Notes from 1 Sam 1:3-5

Year after year, this man (Elkanah) would take his two wives and the children (sons and daughters he had through Peninah) up to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty. (I like the fact that he was leading the family to worship, setting a good example :-).

When the day came to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and all her kids. But to ...HANNAH he gave a DOUBLE portion because he LOVED her and the LORD had CLOSED her womb.   It would have been easy in that culture for Elkanah to have treated Hannah like a failure or accuse her of some sin. But that was not the case. Instead he LOVED her, and every year he would give her a DOUBLE portion!
 

Ya'll, That's what Grace does... It gives you what you have NOT or could NOT earn. He recognized that GOD had closed her womb.
After years of trying to achieve success in this area, Elkanah acknowledged that it was out of his hands, and so he chose to still love his wife, and to continue in sacrifice and worship to God.

Perhaps God was setting them up to be desperate for HIS will in the situation...stay tuned!

Grace and peace

Notes from I Samuel pt 1

I just came across some of my past notes from the book of Samuel (one of my FAvs), and found myself "Amen-ing"... Do you mind if I share? Ok, it might take several days and I welcome your thoughts and insight. I will also have to back up from my Samuel post last week to fill in some blanks.
 

1st let me start by saying, 'All Scripture is God breathe and is USEFUL for TEACHING (we can always learn so.........mething), REBUKING (confronting w/the truth), CORRECTING (putting us on the right path, straightening), TRAINING (learning certain actions and behavior) IN RIGHTEOUSNESS (the right way to go), so that the MAN (both genders are included) of GOD maybe THROUGHLY equip (completely ready) for EVERY GOOD WORK ( it's time to get prepared for what He wants YOU to DO :-) 1 Tim 3:16

1 Sam. 1:1- There was a man name Elkanah from the town of Ramah.

1:2 He had 2 wives...
Ok stop!
:-) You already know there's gonna be drama. (the lesson so far is, this is NOT what you wanna do ;-).., it would have been bad enough if he had 2 girlfriends, but this man had two wives both with legal dibs on him.

...One was called Hannah, the other Penninah. Peninnah had children (for him) but Hannah had none. In their culture, having sons was everything for a woman. It was her bragging rights and her insurance policy for the future. Sons would take care of her if anything happened to the husband. Can u feel the tension already?

For Hannah, What must it have been like to have been constantly reminded of your failures... By the other woman? Maybe even by the neighbors. The constant competition... The way that girls brag with their faces even when their mouths aren't saying a word... TWO women, wanting FIRST place, in the heart of the SAME man... Exhausting!

Y'all ONLY GOD could ( and can) save the day...:-) Don't lose Heart!
Stay tuned...
Grace and peace

Love

I don't know what your Love status is today.
Whether you are single, married, divorced,widowed,abandoned, heartbroken, newly wed, wounded, or betrayed, let me remind you, that YOU are LOVED, and valued by the very ONE who DEFINES the Word. He thinks of you as a masterpiece, creatively designed and He is passionate about winning your heart. 

HE is Jealous for your LOVE and wants to be first on your Love list. No need to pretend or clean up first, He will receive you just as you are. Still because HE loves you so much, HE is committed to molding YOU into what you should be.
 

He is Patient, He is Kind, He suffers long, He does not envy, neither is He arrogant, He is self sacrificing and forgiving. He is POWERFUL, HE is MAGNIFICENT, HE is COMPASSIONATE, HE Is STRONG, HE is WEALTHY beyond our imaginations, and BEAUTIFUL beyond description. HE is GOD, HE is LORD, HE is JESUS the Christ and HE LOVES YOU!! 

Just thought you should know, grace and peace

NcM

The Fear (reverential awe, to be afraid) of the LORD is the beginning ( step one) of wisdom; ( Prov. 111:10)... And ..." wisdom is proved RIGHT by her actions ( what it does ;-) Matthew 11:19b ( words of Jesus)

How do you feel in the presence of someone that you think is really great or talented? Nervous? Afraid? How about someone super famous or a person of Royalty fully decked out? Doesn't these kinds of encounters cause our knees to shake a bit, give honor where honor is due, make us stand a little straighter, choose our words a little more carefully? Why? Because we have a healthy fear of them, one that entails honor and respect; and while we are in their presence we adjust ourselves to their protocol.

So ya'll, how much more should we fear the God of the universe? He speaks and things become. He hurls lighting bolts, they report back to Him, He takes dirt and creates man, He blows His breath into Him and he comes to life, He established the laws of nature, the boundaries of the seas, and keeps the earth, the sun, stars and other planets at their proper distance. As God, He cannot be seen with the human eye, because He dwells in unapproachable light

Still He humbled himself, came to earth, took on the form of man, conquered the darkness, in order to become the light in every man who receives Him. He is timeless, always was, always will be. He is the creator of Heaven and Hell. He is both Lamb and Lion. He is meek and fierce...He is not made in my image, but I/we are made in His... He is not a God to be taken lightly or disregarded. He is always on the side of the broken, the humble and is ever against the arrogant and proud. He defines LOVE

These are a few things I know about Him. LOL :-) Because I am always in HIS presence, I bow my life to Him. I want to live and walk in a way that pleases Him. When I mess up, I confess it, turn my back on it and come to Him to clean me up. He is my Dad and He is the King. Before I run to my Father in HIS throne room, where I find mercy and grace, I stop and bow first, acknowledging that He is still the King...He is Captivating and I am filled with awe and wonder

grace and peace y'all