A Standing Ovation:Our God the RockI Samuel 20:1-5At the end of chapter 19 in our study of Hannah, she has left her little Samuel at the tabernacle under Eli’s care. Can you imagine how this must have felt? When I read the next chapter, I am amazed at the attitude of Hannah. She is praising God with her whole heart! A paraphrase of the first five verses could read like this: “I’m not afraid to … [Read more...] about A Standing Ovation: Our God the Rock
Mission: Impossible Answers to Prayer 3
Mission: Impossible Answers to Prayer 3I Samuel 19:20-28The last two entries in this series have been about impossible answers to prayer. The Biblical examples of this topic have been phenomenal. We have viewed examples of: the entire nation of Israel being freed from slavery, Elijah’s sacrifice to God being devoured by fire from heaven in the competition with the prophets of Baal, and … [Read more...] about Mission: Impossible Answers to Prayer 3
Mission: Impossible Answers to Prayer 2
Mission: Impossible Answers to PrayerI Samuel 19:20-28We are currently paused in our story of Hannah long enough to look at a few Biblical examples of “impossible” answers to prayer. The last one I would like to consider before returning to the focal point of Hannah is outlined in Acts 12. The chapter is introduced with Herod killing James, the brother of John, and it pleasing the Jews so much … [Read more...] about Mission: Impossible Answers to Prayer 2
Mission: Impossible Answers to Prayer
Mission: Impossible Answers to PrayerI Samuel 19:20-28What happens then when we pray? God answers! But does He always answer in the manner or timing in which we expect? Let’s pause in our story of Hannah for just a few moments to look at some other Biblical examples of seemingly impossible answers to prayer.The first example is a case of freedom from slavery. In Ex. 2:23-25, the children of … [Read more...] about Mission: Impossible Answers to Prayer
Pouring Out the Bitter Soul: The Power of Prayer 2
Pouring Out the Bitter Soul:The Power of PrayerI Samuel 1:11-19We left off in Hannah’s story as she had just made her declaration to Eli regarding the state of her soul, “the seat of her emotions and passions.” “I have poured out my soul before the Lord.” She had reached her desperation point and could go on no longer. The KJV uses the phrase “Out of the abundance of my complaint and grief…” … [Read more...] about Pouring Out the Bitter Soul: The Power of Prayer 2
Pouring Out the Bitter Soul: The Power of Prayer
Pouring Out the Bitter Soul:The Power of PrayerI Samuel 1:11-19In reaching Hannah’s desperation point in our review of her life, the point of the last portion of this study was that Hannah knew where to turn when her soul was deep in bitterness. Verse 10 of chapter 1 says that she prayed to the Lord and wept sore. When the seat of her emotions and passions had been overtaken by bitterness, she … [Read more...] about Pouring Out the Bitter Soul: The Power of Prayer
Desperation Point: In Barrenness and Bitterness of Soul Part 2
Desperation Point:In Barrenness and Bitterness of SoulI Samuel 1:1-10In the story of Hannah, we left at the point of discovering her adversary, Pinnenah, and the state in which this adversary had pinned Hannah. As Hannah has reached her desperation point, verse 7 describes Hannah’s condition as being one of trembling and unable to eat. At this point, Elkanah, her husband, enters the picture … [Read more...] about Desperation Point: In Barrenness and Bitterness of Soul Part 2
Desperation Point: In Barrenness and Bitterness of Soul
Desperation Point: In Barrenness and Bitterness of Soul I Samuel 1:1-10 Last year God began a working in my heart like no other before. It began in such a way that was completely undeniable. I found myself submerged in the Bible story of Hannah; not quite two chapters and yet I was arrested in this passage of Scripture. And so, I began to study and prepare. For six weeks this past summer, I held … [Read more...] about Desperation Point: In Barrenness and Bitterness of Soul