1.Words of Affirmation 2.Quality Time 3.Physical Touch 4.Receiving Gifts 5.Acts of Service

the Love Language of God is trust and obedience.

1 Samuel, the story of one woman and two men: Hannah, Samuel & Saul

1 Samuel is a story that begins with trust but ends with disobedience.

1 Samuel 1:1 (NIV) 1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah – page 129 in the The Story

1 Samuel 1:2 (NIV) 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

1 Samuel 1:3 (NIV) 3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the L ORD Almighty at Shiloh.

1 Samuel 1:4 (NIV) 4 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.

1 Samuel 1:5 (NIV) 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the L ORD had closed her womb.

1 Samuel 1:10 (NIV) 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the L ORD, weeping bitterly. --Page 130 in The Story

1 Samuel 1:11 (NIV) 11 And she made a vow, saying, “L ORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the L ORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

1 Samuel 1:20 (NIV) 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the L ORD for him.”

Main Point: God is seeking people willing to trust and obey him whatever the circumstances

From Hannah we learn how to pray.

James 4:3 (NIV) 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

James 4:10 (NIV) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Hannah prayed for something that would result in God getting the glory.

1 Samuel 2:1 (NIV) 1 Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the L ORD ; in the L ORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. – page 131 of The Story

1 Samuel 2:2 (NIV) 2 “There is no one holy like the L ORD ; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

1 Samuel 3:7-8 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the L ORD : The word of the L ORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the L ORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the L ORD was calling the boy. – page 132 of The Story

1 Samuel 3:9 (NIV) 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, L ORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV) 10 The L ORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Pray with me: Lord, I’m tired of living life as my own God. I’m tired of deciding for myself what is right and wrong. I want your right, and I want your life. Please, forgive my sin, and give me Jesus. I want Jesus to be my Lord and my savior.

1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV) Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

What better thing then to begin each day saying: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.

Ask God to speak to you through His Word. Ask him to speak to you in prayer. And ask you ask, be sure to present yourself to God as His servant.

1 Samuel 3:18 (NIV) 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the L ORD ; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

1 Samuel 3:19 (NIV) 19 The L ORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. --The story page 133

From Hannah: Pray to bring greater Glory to God by him answering your prayers. From Samuel: Present yourself as a servant to the Lord and listen for His voice.

Saul: Where we learn, trust and obey God even when chaos surrounds you.

2 Peter 3:8 (NIV) 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

1 Samuel 15:1 (NIV) 1 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the L ORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the L ORD. -- The story page 142

1 Samuel 15:2 (NIV) 2 This is what the L ORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt.

1 Samuel 15:3 (NIV) 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”

1 Samuel 15:4 (NIV) 4 So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah.

1 Samuel 15:7 (NIV) 7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. – The story pg 142

1 Samuel 15:8 (NIV) 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.

1 Samuel 15:9 (NIV) 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs— everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

Obedience is the love language of God.

1 Samuel 15:20 (NIV) 20 “But I did obey the L ORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the L ORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.

1 Samuel 15:21 (NIV) 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the L ORD your God at Gilgal.”

1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV) 22 But Samuel replied: “Does the L ORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the L ORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV) 22 But Samuel replied: “Does the L ORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the L ORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

God is seeking people willing to trust and obey him whatever the circumstances

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Matthew 4:17 (NIV) 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”