God Helped me Here.

Sub Text: Don’t forget who brought you through. 

Oh God how we love you. 

And God we pause just to say thank you. 

God we don’t take it for granted where we are. 

We don’t take for granted what we’ve done. 

And so God we enter into these gates with thanksgiving and out hearts full of praise.

God we evve been reminded its because of you goodness and your kindness, grace you mercy, you compassion that fails not.  That we have  what we have, we move like we move.  And for that God we give you praise. 

God we pray now in the name of Jesus that oy render our hearts, committed to you oh God that we may be able to hear you word clearly .

Someone came today looking for a word on highs some one came to day that says if you don move God they are through.  And so we come praying in the  name of Jesus that you mat prick their hearts  and help them appreciate that you have already moved over 2000 years ago  and for that again we say thank you

Now God we ask that you settle our hearts, settles our minds and be receptable to what you have to say

And then God hide me behind you cross so that woman man boys and girls do not see me but oh god they may hear from you

And we pray today that your word wont fall on unfertile soil but we pray now that someone come running saying what must I do to be saved

God we love you

God we that you

In Jesus name we pray amen

1 Samuel 7:11–12

11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.

12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

Text: God Helped me Here.

Sub Text: Don’t forget who brought you through. 

If it had not been for the Lord who was on my side where would I be.  If it had not be for my Eben-ezer where would I be.

Fb, every now and the God with His all-powerful self.  God often times give us moments that demand a highlighter, or a marker, it’s a place in life where you can’t move forward without saying if it had not been foe the Lord who was on my side where would I be. 

Fb that’s where we find Samuel and Israel and the people of God in this particular text.  When we read the content of the text, we found that they were fighting but now the battle is over, but the blessing is still fresh.  The thunder from the Lord has faded away, and yet Grace still echo’s in the air. 

After 20 long years of

Defeat, Downfall, Devastation

Despair, Desolation, Depression

Isreal is finally standing on their own 2 feet again.  Delivered by the same God that they turned their backs on.  1Samuel 7 Isreal is now emerging from a season spiritual decline and national instability.  For 2 decades now the ark of the Covenant, which carried the

10 commandments,

Arons budding rod,

and Jar of  manna,

has not been visible as a simble of God’s presence before the people. It has been missing from the center of their worship because in the capture by the philistines. 

The bible says the people had turned to idles, priesthood gone corrupt, false prophet had found themselves among the church, the children of Isresl.  But under a God sent man by the name of Samuel.  Under Samuel leadership revival took place.  Samuel stand before the church and calls them to repentance saying if you’re going to return to the Lord with all your heart them you go to free yourselves of a foreign God.  And commit yourselves to a true and living God which had all power in His hands, and commit to serve Him and Him only. 

According to the bible that what they exactly did because the gathered at Mizpeh the place where misery met mercy.  The church Israel literally confessed to God and fast and also renewed their covenant to God and God all by Himself.  Yet while they are repenting the bible says Philistines were preparing for war.  Minister Johnson isn’t that just like the enemy, he’s always ready to attack you when your heart turns back to God. 

But Samuel prayed and offered a offered of a Lamb to God and the bible said that God responded to the people of God.  This all-powerful God responded with weather and not words.  Its right here in the text.  The context of the text says that This Holy God thundered with a loud thunder against the philistines.  Heaven sounded of and declared that I’m still here and I still got not some Power but all power. 

And I don’t know who I’m preaching to this morning but FB I need you to know today that God still got Power.  In-spite of what you face, going through, storm you’re in, that God will never leave you all alone by yourself. 

Now in the context of the text, the bible says when the storm literary clears, after the thunder and after God speaks from the heavens Samuel picks up a stone, places it between Mizpehand Shen and called it Ebenezer.  The stone of help.  I wish I had a bible reader.  That stone FB, was not a decoration but it was a declaration that God will Help you when you can’t help yourself. 

And I don’t know who I’m preaching to this morning but all of us up in here up in here when we look back over our lives, our history, our past, we’ve had an Ebenezer. There has been season in your life where you didn’t know what you were going to do, how you was going to make it, but you ought to be able to life your hand and say I got an Ebeneezer.  There has been times in my life where God had to show me that my finances, bank account, friends, connection down town,was not going to get me through the storm that I was in but I just need about 5 people in the house this morning that you had an Eben-ezer, that was able to stand with you when you could not stand for yourself.  You have an Ebenezer that could encourage you along the way.  You had an Ebenezer when you felt like giving up.  And so, FB, you need to recognize regardless of what you are going through, what you are facing, all of us got an Ebenezer to help us to appreciate you got help for any storm you may be going through. 

FB, I want to summit to you a few scattered remarks and Cofield along with the rest of us will have a little church and go to the house. 

1st of all, 1st thing I want you to see is in 1stSamuel Ch 12 is that Ebenezer reminds me that God delivered me when I could not deliver myself. 

Its right here in the context of the text the Bible says 1 Samuel 7:12 (KJV 1900)

12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

Fb, when Samuel sets up this stone and call it Eben-ezer, he not simply naming a rock but he Is naming a revelation to the people pf God.  This Hebrew word Eben, means stone and the Hebrew word Ezer means help but when you put both words together it means the stone of help.  But the deeper meaning isn’t just a stone in itself but it is a story behind the story.  Madea would word it like this there is a story behind my praise. 

20 years The church been living under their privilege, the will of God, where God wanted them to live.  And the standard which the Holy God has set for them.  The Ark of the Covenant God’s presence had not been with the philistines,

their confidence had been scattered,

their worship was wounded,

and they had learned to live and adapt without the presence of a Holy God. 

But the Bible says when Samuel called them to repentance things begin to happen. 

FB you need to understand when you repent God will shift you circumstance.  The bible say at   Mizpeh   the people, turn ed back to God.  They fasted, confessed, gave up their worshipping idols, turned back to God. Stay close to me, because while they were praying the philistines heard Isreal had gathered for a revival and they started preparing for war…

Fb, we all need to know anytime day and time you start gathering yourself, giving more of yourself to God, the enemy always start to mount up to get on your every lasting nerve. But Fb you need to know today the text said before Isreal could draw their sword, they could get their horses in line. The Bible says that God begin to move. 

Amen Amen Amenn.  And FB, I want to stop parenthetically and tell you that one of the greatest blessings you and I have is

Before you move God already moved.

Before you pray God has already answered you prayer.

Before you go to the grocery store God already knocked the prices down

FB the bible says in verse 10 1 Samuel 7:10

10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunderon that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

In other words, Heaven spoke up when humanity could not.

God turned the Sky into a Sanctuary, the clouds into a choir.  And when the dust settles Samuel did not take credit. He did not say look what I done, he said Look at the Lord string and mighty

And I need some folk in here who can testify that the reason I haven’t lost my mind, wasn’t because I read so well, because I got a degree, prayed so right, but I didn’t lose my mind because God moved.  And I don’t know who need to hear this but children of God you need to know that

God can still move

when the government shuts down,

cut snap benefits,

try to cut Medicaid,

government has long forgotten you,

when people leave the church,

when people decide to stop singing

I need some folk in this house that don’t mind riding foe Jesus, don’t mind lifting their hands, and shout I got some help!!!!

PAUSE!!!!

Here it is FB, this word Eben-ezer here,

Ebenezer reminds me that God delivered me when I could not deliver myself. 

The bible says Israel don’t win the battle by strategy but they survived by the sovereignty of God.  Which means God is never out of control.  That regardless of what you see in life and what you deal with day to day.  God is never out of control.  The old church used to say

He’s a bridge over troubled water.

Rose of Sharon.

Lily of the valley.

Desire of all nations.

Day spring of Israel.

Bright and morning star.

Way out of no way.

Captain of Jehovah host.

The peace barron of sin offering.

First/Last.

Beginning/End.

Creator of all.

Architect of the universe.

He is:

Distinctive supernatural ability.

Superlative in sovergnity Majesty.

Bright in eternal splinder.

Matless in his divinity.

Exclusive in His beauty.

 And that was just poetic it was theology to them.

The stone of help represents divine intervention when human hands are helpless. I like this text because it is the later Dr. Garden C Taylor who says grace steps in when efforts steps out.  Fb you need to know today that what’s happening here.  Watch the text. 

Grace thundered

mercy fought

and providence protected the children of God.

And you need to know that

when grace thunder,

mercy got to show up, a

And when mercy shows up the providence of protection hands will cover you. 

FB, can I also tell you the problem is that we suffer from CRS.  Because there are season in our life where God wants us to mark what God has done.  In other words, it’s like reading a good book so that you won’t forget you place you stick a book marker in so that you remember that was the last place you were.  I’m trying to help you, I don’t know who I’m talking to but I put a book markering the season

when I broke my leg,

when mama died,

when grandpa died,

in the season of covid,

when I wanted to run in the river

because I realized not if God kept me then He still strong and powerful enough to keep me today.  And I need some folk in here who got some bookmarks in your life, that when you look back over your life you seen God do some amazing things. Is there anybody here today that when you look back in the rearview mirror there has been a bookmark in your life that says you don’t get here because you was so smart. You got here because of grace and mercy. 

Just look at your neighbor and say you better bookmark that thang because when life get thin you need to be able to look back at some things. 

Days you wet your pillow with tears,

days you felt like giving up,

days you wanted to throw in the towel.

But God made a way out of no way.  And when God makes a way, you better stand on it and walk it out.

Pause!!!

Bible says when Samule raised the stone. That; literally he’s preaching with grace.  FB, this rock here becomes Samuel sermon.  Its evidence that he couldn’t do it God finished it. 

I can imagine now Samuel standing there between Mizpeh and Shen.  Between what was miserable and what had to be saved. Lifting up the stone and a permeant sermon a permanent marker in the life of Israel.  Because every name in this passage, Mizpeh, Shen Ebeneezer, carries a meaning and build a sermon all by itself.

Mizpeh means watch tower, the place where God watched over them. 

Ebeneezer means stone of help, the place where God helped them when they could not help then selves. 

And Shen is another layer we need to unpack because it tells us something about how victory and grace is often marked by God’s strength and His power. 

And so, when the text says when Samuel placed the stone between Mizpehand Shen it is painting a vivid picture of triumph that only comes from God.  Stay with me here imma go slow. 

When we look at Mizpeh.

When we look at Shen. 

When we look at Eben-ezer. 

The watch tower and the rocky ridge of Shen. 

Samuel builds a memorial of help called Eben-ezer. 

Samul raised that stone between Mizpeh and Shen between the place where they repented and had revival and the peace, they had to wrestle.  And FB, there is always a wrestling match between my will and God’s will.  Between the place of watching and the place of woundingand that is the place when God decides to show up. 

Because God just don’t meet us on the smooth streets but He meets us on the short ridges of life.  God meets us in the trials of life.  He doesn’t just dwell on the mountain top, but he sure nuff can dwell in some rough places.  He doesn’t just help you when its calm.  But he helps you between the watch tower of Mizpeh and the truth of Shen.  That is why Samuel said Thus far Lord has helped us. 

And that might be someone story today.  He helped me in hard places; God helped me in short places.  God helped me when I was standing between what I could see Mizpehand what I could not survive on my own, Shen.  FB let me help you appreciate you don’t survive because of you; you survived because there has been a Mizpeh in your life.  Which mean that the watch tower of God is where God observe the people, of God.  And it helps me to appreciate that even in the dark places of my life that God never loses sight of His children.  Even when the light aint shinning God still knows how to find me. 

FB that allows me to see that I can fight through anything knowing that I’m not fighting by myself.

Not only

 Here it is FB, this word Eben-ezerhere,

1st of all,  1stthing I want you to see is in 1st Samuel Ch 12 is that Ebenezer reminds me that God delivered me when I could not deliver myself. 

But in verse 12

Ebenezer reminds me that God has been faithful even when I have not been. 

I need you to see it

12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

FB when Samuel lift up this stone and calls it Eben-ezer.  Hess no just reminding us of what God did, he is repenting foe what Israel did not do.  Stone stands both as a memorial of victory but also as a mirror for failure.  Because before this moment of deliverance came there was 2 decades of disobedience when God could have destroyed Israel. 

20 years Israel had been playing church but not pursuing the covenant between them and God.  They wanted the blessing of God without the burden of obedience.  And the bible say the Ark of the covenants the very presence of God’s glory had been mishandled and mistreated. 

FB you need to understand that anytime you mis treat the very presence of God, you ought not to expect the blessings of God. 

They carried it into battle according to the context of this text, like it was a good luck charm thinking His presence could be manipulated by their performance. 

Let me help you this morning.  I don’t care how much you perform on Sunday.  I don’t can’t how you perform of Sunday but its ho you act on Monday.  Now that

the real test of your faith

is how you act M-S. 

is how you are able to deal with that supervisor who don’t know Christ.

But you can still greet them and see them later knowing that DEI aint keeping me here.  I’m here BC of the grace of God.  Because I recognize that haters will come but how many know God know how to overcome then that come against you.  I don’t spend time thinking about who tries to devalue me.  But I love who wanna love me.  And I also loves who dislikes me because I learned you got to learn how to get over folk.  Because when you learn how to get over folk, they will keep you in a position God really didn’t attend you to be in. Just look at the person next to you and say you got to get over some stuff. 

Beloved the Eben-ezerwas Israel way of saying, we didn’t deserve the victory but we received it anyway.  Here they are standing between Mizpeh, which mean watch tower.  Standing between Shen, which means 2 rugged areas of terrain. And here it is Samuel standing between the watchful eye of God and the rugged area of terrain that the church has to go through and he says I’ve learned how to stand between2 ideas, the paradox of the Christian experience.

And that is that God watches over me but I still got to go through some rugged areas in life but can I help you appreciate the shout in the text? That even when they were not faithful God was still faithful.  Even when they didn’t follow the ways of God, God still helped then when they could not help then selves.  And I think I need to put a pin here and remind us we haven’t always been faithful. 

We got on our Sunday best this morning, but there are some of us that slept on God during you stormy season. 

There some of us that pushes God to the side during covid. 

But God kept opening doors after doors after doors. 

You aint never missed a meal.

And You aint never missed a paycheck.

You job may be rough right now but you got money to take care of you.

And we walk around like we always been faithful to God but can I tell you what the real benefit I, here it is, when I’m between Mizpeh and Shen that I can raise up my Eben-ezerand know that God will help me.

PAUSE!!!

If we really are honest with ourselves, this is not just history, but this become our story as well.   Because according to scripture we have drifted.  We’ve doubted, we’ve disobeyed Godin seasons of our lives.  We’ve shouted yes on Sunday but lived maybe on Tuesday.  We maybe promises in prayer that we broke in practice. 

But the good news of the Gospel is God didn’t cancel the covenant when we broke the covenant. He didn’t revoke his mercy when we rebel against His mercy. 

Your Eben-ezerreminds you that God gave grace that out lasted your guilt.  Church when you see how he moves in this movement it should be a reminder that God is always faithful even when His children are not faithful.  God stays consistent even when we are got distant. 

20 years

they forgot about God. 

They put God to the side. 

They were marching without the orders of God.

The forgot about worshipping God. 

But how many of you know that when we forget God, He don’t forget us?

As I get ready to rush to my seat, let me get this 3rd point out.  Sometimes Cofield push me so hard we run clean the third point.  Can we just shout for the third point this morning. 

Not Only

Here it is FB, this word Eben-ezer here,

1st of all, 1st thing I want you to see is in 1stSamuel Ch 12 is that Ebenezer reminds me that God delivered me when I could not deliver myself. 

But in verse 12

Ebenezer reminds me that God has been faithful even when I have not been. 

But Finally, Ebenezer reminds me that God is still walking with me.

Here is verse 12 again.

12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

FB, when we get here Samuel sets up this stone and declare the Lord has helped up.  Samuel is now looking ahead. He was looking behind but now he focused forward at Israel.  this phrase thus far means doesn’t mean up until now. Church, it carries the idea on continuality.  The God who helped yesterday, is the same God who will help us today and tomorrow and forevermore. 

In other words, Samuel Eben-ezer is not just a moment of what God is but it is a marker of what God is still doing.  The church Israel has now been through 20 years of distance of God.  They suffered losses.  They had been disconnected because of their disobedience. But now we see them standing at the place called Mizpeh.  In between Shen the crackly place Samuel sets a stone as a testimony, that God didn’t abandon us when we abandon God. 

The same God who thundered in battle is still walking with Israel now.  This wasn’t a goodbye moment but this was a God that would be with us.

  A God who is Immanuel. 

· Jehovah Jireh – The Lord Will Provide(Genesis 22:14)

· Jehovah Rapha – The Lord Who Heals(Exodus 15:26)

· Jehovah Nissi – The Lord My Banner(Exodus 17:15)

· Jehovah Shalom – The Lord Is Peace(Judges 6:24)

· Jehovah Ra’ah (Rohi) – The Lord My Shepherd(Psalm 23:1)

· Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)

· Jehovah Shammah – The Lord Is There(Ezekiel 48:35)

· Jehovah Mekoddishkem – The Lord Who Sanctifies You (Exodus 31:13)

The Eben-ezersaid a God who would bring us out.  The same God who is still bringing us through. 

Theologically this moment this moment reveal the moment reveals Gods accomplishment with the children of God.  Throughout scripture God has proven not only does He delivers his people but He dwells with His people

People the Bible says “walked with God”

1. Enoch

Genesis 5:24 – “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”

2. Noah

Genesis 6:9 – “Noah was a righteous man… Noah walked with God.”

3. Abraham

Genesis 17:1 – “Walk before Me and be blameless.”

Abraham lived in covenant relationship and obedience.

4. Moses

Exodus 33:11 – “The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”

5. Joshua

Joshua remained in God’s presence.

Exodus 33:11 notes he did not leave the tabernacle.

6. David

David is described as a man after God’s heart (1 Samuel 13:14) and walked in God’s ways (1 Kings 3:14).

7. The Prophets

Amos 3:3 implies walking together with God through agreement:

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

8. The Disciples of Jesus

They literally walked with God in the flesh (John 1:14).

Peter, James, John, and the others lived, traveled, and ministered alongside Jesus.

9. The Early Church

Followers of Jesus are called to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16) and “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7).

You remember the great Exodus; you remember God swells with his people because the Bible says He walked with them as a pillow by day and a Fire by night

In the wilderness He was bread in the morning

In the wilderness he was water from a rock

In exile He was the 4th man in the Fiery Ference. 

And in Christ He became Immanuel, God with us

I don’t who needs to hear this this morning but you need to know that God is with you.  You need to know today that whatever you are going through God has not left you by yourself. 

Whatever challenge you may be facing this morning.  You need to know that.

God got divine help. 

You need to know that not only that God talk with us. 

Not only does God walks with us,

but God promises that he will never leave us by ourselves.

And can I tell you what my shout is this morning?

That regardless of what’s going on in our country. 

Regardless, wats going on in Natchitoches parish.

Regardless what’s going on my Job.

I know I got help from Mizpeh and Shen.

That whatever trial I may be facing.

That god promised He would never leave me by myself. 

And so, I wonder if anybody is here today.

That knows that the Lord has been Good.

That know that the lord has been kind. 

You God has made ways out of no way.

You know God has opened doors that was closed in your face. 

If God has been good to you

And you aint afraid to testify.

Just ease out of your seat

As a testimony of you Eben-ezer. 

And begin to life up your hands.

And let the devil in hell know.

That I got an Eben-nezer

That I got help for every storm I’m in

I got help for every unpleasant moment I ever felt with

And when I start to begin forgetting

I begin to bookmark and look at what God had already done. 

And so, I wonder if anybody is here.

That know that God is able.

Well do me one favor won’t you?

Wont you begin to tell God thank you.

For every storm you been in

That reminded you for every storm.

There is a silver lining.

That every rain that falls

There is a son that is on the way.

That you know that God will never leave you.

Well, if you know that God is with you.

And you know that God walks with you.

And you know that God hold your hand.

Well do one favor. 

You ought to be willing to testify.

Hold up your Eben-ezer

When you remember what God brought you through

Hold up your Eben-ezer

When you remember days, you cry

And nobody understood why but your Eben-ezer showed up

And when Eben-ezershows up

The bible says

That the redeemed of the Lord

Ought to be able to make some noise

Well, if God has made a way for you

If god has opened doors for you

Then you need to make some noise

If God made ways for you

If God opened doors for you

then you need to make some noise.

If you are sitting by somebody

And they aint said nothing yet

Hold up 2 hands

And say o got one Eben-ezerfor me

But I’m holding up one for you

Because when I think

Of the goodness of Jesus

And all

That’s he done for me

My soul begins to cry out

Because goodness shows up

Mercy-Grace-love-

 shoes up

Kindness shows up

Favor shows up

And if you know God is good

then do my one more favor

Begin to lift up your voice

And tell God thank you

Because eyes has not seen,

Ears had not heard

The good things that God

Got in store for me

And because I know He can

I’m gonna praise Him in advance

I’m not gonna wait

Until the battle is over

But I’m gonna shout shout shout

I’m gonna shout

Because I got 5 reasons

To give God praise

To lift up my voice

Give God praise

Why I ought to tell God that you

#1-4 God been good

I know I got some witnesses that don’t need help with #5

God been Good!!!

Come on and give God a praise

Give God the fruit of your lips. I got help!!!

We always have help.  No matter what challenges, obstacles, concerns, frustrations, life has to offer. What come unexpected? What breaks your heart.  What makes you sad? What makes you feel guilty? What makes you feel alone.  You got an Eben-nezzer

Every now and then you got to lift up you own Eben-nezzer

Every now and then you got to remind yourself I may be weary; I may be wounded but I’m reminded them that wait upon the Lord that

He will renew their strength.

I learned that I may cry sometimes but weeping may endure the night but how many of you know Joy will come in the morning

I got help.  I got an Eben-nezzer  regardless of what it looks like.  God will never leave you.  You don’t have to face trials and tribulations by yourself. 

Friends can be flicked.  Friends can be foney.  Family members who you have given you last too will forget how you sacrificed for them in their time of need.

But can I tell you what I have discovered?  That God never forgets.  That God has a perfect memory,  And He remembers every tear that you shed. He remembers every cry that has come out that nobody knew about. Every frustration.  Agonizing issue, 

And you need to know today that God is not intimidated by your pain

God is not intimidated about what you are going through.