Hannah - Dealing with life Situations

Introduction:

The loss of Contracts of the chicken farmers in the area, how some have turned to their faith and some have had nowhere to turn

Text: 1 Samuel 1:1-28 (chapter)

Body: 

I.  No matter how good our circumstances are there will always be life situations that will challenge us to make a stand in our faith

Exp:

 Vv.4-8 Peninnah taunted Hannah because she had one thing that Hannah didn’t. 

Culture dictated what was expected of a woman

  Explanation of the Parable of the Sower - Christ warned of losing faith in Matt 13:21, the implication is not if troubles will come, but when they come

          A. There will always be criticism of that faith

Ill:  Selinda Hutchins during her illness

App: Come closer to God in your troubles not further away. Look for God Priase God. Make the conscious effort

II. Present our circumstances to the Lord and then leave up to the Lord

Exp: v. 18 Hannah ate and was no longer downcast

Ill: “Facing the Giants” Coach Grant Taylor is talking to Brooke Taylor about children. He asks if she will still love God if he doesn’t give them children

App:  The hard work is walking away from our problems when we give them up to God

          A. Make God your first avenue of help and be honest with him

Exp: v 16. Significant to demonstrate that she was honest in her prayer and acknowledged the feeling that she was experiencing

Psalms 145:18 (HCSB)
18 The Lord is near all who call out to Him, all who call out to Him with integrity.

III. Remember God when his provisional care has brought you through the life situation

Exp:

Vv21-28 Hannah fulfilled the promise that she had made to a God

Ill:  Thomas Carlyle the Scottish Historian and Philosopher “Adversity is hard on a man, but for every one that can handle prosperity there are a hundred that can handle adversity”

App:  Make the conscious choice to place God first and it will be easier to acknowledge whatever the circumstances

Conclusion:  Love the Lord your God……..

Make God the foundation of our methodology of dealing with life and every aspect of it

SFocus:  Use Hannah as an example of how we as Christians should deal with life situations good or bad