www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 307411

August 28, 2011

In 1 Samuel 3 God calledGod called Samuel's name.

Samuel hearkenedhearkened unto the Lord.

Let's see what God said.

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12 In that day I will perform against Eliagainst Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I when I beginbegin, , I will also make an endI will also make an end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made made themselves vilethemselves vile, and he restrained them nothe restrained them not.

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God finishesfinishes what He starts.

" when I begin, I will also make an end when I begin, I will also make an end."

Ecclesiastes 7 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

We too need to finishfinish what we start.ChoresChores, a careercareer, a marriagemarriage, or our

Christian walkChristian walk.

14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever.

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Eli and his sons had continued in sin pastpast the time of repentancerepentance.

God had judgedjudged, and declared the penaltypenalty.

DeathDeath

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15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

Samuel dreadeddreaded daylight.

He knew Eli wouldEli would ask him what the LordLord had said.

It It wasn'twasn't good news. good news.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. 17 And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to theeGod do so to thee, and more alsomore also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that He said unto thee.

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Good or bad, and he knewhe knew it was bad,

Eli wanted to know exactlyexactly what God had said.

Eli added a cursecurse to his demand:

Whatever God said He would doHe would do, may He do that and worseand worse to you, if you hidehide a thing.

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Samuel might have been tempted to spare his spare his feelingsfeelings, but he did not want that.

People needneed to know the Truth.

Don't sugarcoat itDon't sugarcoat it..Don't wait for a time that it will be easierbe easier.

Hard Truth Hard Truth nevernever gets gets easier.easier.

It gets It gets harderharder the longer we put it off. the longer we put it off.

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Ephesians 4 15 But speaking the Truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

We are not to be harshharsh or hatefulhateful or spitefulspiteful,

But we must speak the whole Truthwhole Truth, if we would be any helpany help to people.

Christians can't growcan't grow up in Christ, unless they are told the things they

need to changeneed to change.

18 And Samuel told him every whitevery whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good.

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Eli definitely had faults, butbut he responded with the right mindsetright mindset and attitudeattitude to God's Word.

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18b "It is the Lord."

If GodGod said it, that settles itsettles it.

There are no questionsno questions to be asked, no argumentsno arguments to be made.

To humbly accepthumbly accept what God has said or done -- is great faithis great faith.

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" Let Him do what seemeth Him good."

Of course God isis going to do what He knowsHe knows is best in our lives.

But it is best for usbest for us, if we willinglywillingly accept it.

Hard choicesHard choices don't get easier with time either.

Choose to do the rightright thing today.

19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

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From that day forward, Samuel grewSamuel grew --

Not onlyNot only physically, but spiritually.

He spoke the WordWord of the Lord, and God God

fulfilledfulfilled His every Word.

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of the Lord.

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Now God has a man to whomto whom, and through through whomwhom He can speak to His people.

God had withdrawnwithdrawn from Israel because of their wickednesstheir wickedness -- each doing his own thing.

But the Lord, God is back in townback in town.

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2 Chronicles 16 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (fully committed) toward Him. …

Samuel waswas such a person, even as a childchild.

God made him, not only priest, but prophetprophet of the nation; he appointed kingsappointed kings and advised them.

He gave the warningswarnings of God unto sinners.

He pronounced blessingsblessings upon the faithful.

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Using SamuelUsing Samuel, God brought the nation from hidinghiding on the byways, fearfulfearful of their enemies,

To a victorious peoplevictorious people, defeating their enemies.

Samuel was God's manGod's man of the hour.Why? Because his hearthis heart was always

committedcommitted unto God, to do God's Will.

He was of one mindone mind -- to obey God.

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James 4 6 But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselvesSubmit yourselves therefore to God. ResistResist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. CleanseCleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purifypurify your hearts, ye double-minded.

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Do you want a blessed lifeblessed life of love, joy, and peace?

Do you want to be a man or woman of Godman or woman of God, makingmaking a difference in the world?

Would you like for your life to countlife to count for something.Draw near to GodDraw near to God, and He willHe will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands from sin.

Psalms 34 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

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"Purify your hearts, ye double-minded." James 4:8b

The clue to "Purify your hearts" is in the phrase -- "ye double-minded".

Too often, we are of two minds:

We want to serve the Lord and live life His WayHis Way, but we also want to havewant to have our own way.

Samuel served God with singleness of heartsingleness of heart.

So must we, if we wouldif we would have God's Power manifested in us for goodfor good.