Sermon Central
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"An Old Man & Heavy..." By Dr. E. Winson Butler
Contributed by Winson Butler on Jun 15, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Some keep God at a convenient distance. Calling on Him only when they want something in return or they need Him to pull them out of trouble. Israel was good at this and it’s the reason why they and we too find ourselves in the mess we’re in!
Introduction
While visitng one of our Church members, in the middle of our conversation their phone rang and I watched as they glanced over and checked their caller ID & they immediately said to me, "It’s O.K. Pastor I’ll call them back.."
Within a few minutes though, it rang again and I said, "Why don’t you go ahead and answer that..." and to my surprise she said, "It’s my daughter and the only time she calls is when she needs something!"
Sound familar?
Tragically, many treat God the same way as some treat their parents, only called when needed. How do you think God feels when the only time we visit Him through prayer is when we need something?
The saddest thing is, when we find outselves in trouble we act as if it’s His fault and we begin complaining or crying "Why doesn’t He hear me..." or better yet, "Why don’t God do something..."
Israel is our portrait. They only called on God when they needed Him and because of this the cost was high. What caused Israel to wonder if God cared about their situation? Let’s examine what led them to the question to begin with!
Main Division
I. Their Departure From God Did (I Sam 2:12)
II. Their Defeat By The Enemy Did (I Sam 4:1-3a)
III. The Decisions Made By The Elders Did (I Same 4:3b-6)
IV. The Disaters That Followed Did (I Sam 4:7-18)
Conclusion: Talked to God recently?
