1 Samuel 3:1-4 (7/5/23)

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1 Samuel 3:1-4 (7/5/23)

Hearing God

July 5, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 1 Samuel 3:1–4

Have you ever wondered how to hear the voice of the Lord?

We know God speaks, but how can we make sure we hear it?

Backstory - the Israelites cried out for a king.

God had to first raise up a priest!

Samuel would be that man.

He grew up in the church under Eli.

When he was a boy, God had a message for him, and he heard it.

How?

Vs 1-4 - “The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

Notice three things Samuel did:

1) He honored God - “The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord...” (vs 1a).

To minister is to “serve.”

Samuel was a servant of God.

The best way to honor God is to do what He created you to do.

He gave you specific gifts and talents to SERVE Him.

Samuel was willing to do what God told him to do.

2) He honored his earthly authority - “...under Eli.” (vs 1b).

He stayed in his place of responsibility underneath his earthly leader, Eli.

Even though Eli was a bad priest and father.

Samuel still honored him by staying under his authority.

3) He rested in God’s presence - “...and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was.” (vs 3).

Samuel remained in God’s presence.

He found God’s presence to be his resting place.

In your moments of rest, where does your mind go?

Note - Sam didn’t recognize it right away because it takes time to grow to where you can understand what God’s voice sounds like.

How about your life?

Are you honoring God in the way you live your life, even when nobody else is around?

Are you operating under those who are your earthly authority even though they might be unworthy (like Eli)?

Do you rest in God’s presence, spending time with Him daily with a heart and mind that’s bent on Him?

If so, God will speak!

1 Samuel 1:12-15 (4/27/17)

April 27, 2017 • Benham Brothers

* We get a glimpse of the type of person Eli was and why maybe he was not a good father. * He rebuked a woman who didn’t need to be rebuked * He assumed something about a person that didn’t line up with reality and in haste rebuked her before he questioned her. * This shows his willingness to act without thinking. * On the flip side, we see later on that he didn’t rebuke his sons even though they needed to be rebuked. * Son on the one hand he rebuked someone who didn’t deserve it because he judged by outward appearance, but on the other hand he refused to rebuke someone who did deserve it because he didn’t have the courage to confront. * Hannah was an easy target - his sons were not.

1 Samuel 1:15-16 (4/29/21)

April 29, 2021 • Benham Brothers

* Philippians 4:6-7 - “Be anxious for nothing…” * Anxiety is “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” * Fear is often about a past or present threat. * Anxiety is about a future potential threat. * Oftentimes, that threat is the overwhelming feeling of powerlessness (lack of control). * Backstory - Hannah had anxiety over being barren and it was weighing her down. * She could think of nothing else but her lack of children. * She felt anxious. What would she do? * Vs 9-10 - she poured out her heart to God. * You have to pour out to God so He can pour into you. * He wants you to have peace, joy, love, etc. * But you have to let go of anything that would keep you from those things. * Vs 11 - she expressed her “devotion.” * It stirred God’s heart. * Vs 12-14 - Eli assumed something that wasn’t true of Hannah. * Often times people may misunderstand you when you are doing business with God. * Vs 15-18 - as a result of pouring out her soul, she was no longer anxious. * Although nothing had changed, everything was different! * She poured her burden into God’s bucket and He took it. * ** If you had a 50lb bucket of water and someone came along with an empty bucket and asked if they could help you, would you take it? * Vs 19-20 - she did her part. * Often times anxiety comes when you’re not doing something you know you should do. * Vs 25-28 - Result - she had the grace to handle the answer to her prayer. * She gave the son away and God rewarded her with a 500% return (1 Samuel 2:21).

1 Samuel 1:24 (4/26/18)

April 26, 2018 • Benham Brothers

* The best thing a young entrepreneur can do is quantify how much is enough. * You need a plan to: * 1) Quantify your hours. * When you get to a certain point financially will you use that money to buy your time back? * At what point do you stop working 70 hours a week and cut it to 30? * 2) Quantify your income. * When you get to a certain point financially will you increase what you give in tithe? * The goal is to get to a point where you give away more than you take home. * Hannah shows us how to do this. * It was her idea to give her son away after he was weaned. * She got to keep him for a few years, but then she let him go. * She didn’t keep holding on. * This worked out for her with 500% ROI (1 Samuel 2:21).