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How to Keep it Together When Everyone is Losing It by Pastor Steve Kelly
1 Samuel 1:1-7 (NIV)
There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah, he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 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.
1 Samuel 2:12 (NIV)
Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord.
1 Samuel 2:17 (NIV)
This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.
1. Eli was asleep as a spiritual leader.
1 Samuel 1:3 (NIV)
Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:4-5 (NIV)
Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.
2. Don’t hate the haters.
1 Samuel 1:6-7 (NIV)
Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 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.
3. Powerful parenting means bringing your kids to God’s house.
4. Keep first things first.
5. When the rest of the world is going crazy, stay pure.
1 Samuel 2:18 (NIV)
But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
6. What you accept, you teach.
1 Samuel 2:22-23, 25 (NIV)
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. If one person sins against another, God 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.
1 Samuel 2:26 (NIV)
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.
If you’ve made a decision click the link below to get a copy of Pastor Steve’s book “The Christian Walk”
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