Favored But Fruitless

MAT.1:20 1 SAM. 1:1-11, 19-20

Ephraim,=.double fruit, fruitfulness, to bear fruit. To be or make fruitful to grow increase)

Elqanah-Elkanah = "God has possessed" or "God has created"; God has obtained

KJV-- Hannah. from 2603;= favored:

Peninnah = Jewl ( Pearl or a Ruby )

1 Sam 1:3

And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

These 2 sons represent religion ( vain and powerless, empty and void, Impotent

Hannah was favored of Elkanah, The only problem was Hannah’s womb was barren.

Sometimes God will shut up something that we really love in order to open what he really Loves.

I remember our Penninah’s, Sleeping on the floor, preaching for $30.00

A week, Having people call us crazy, bums, gypsies. Everything we owned in the trunk of the car.

I didn’t know it then, but I know it now, That was our peninah our jewl, Our Leah

Rachael was Jacobs choice for Jacob, But Leah was God’s choice for Jacob. God wants us to Love our Leah’s and our peninnahs.

Isa 65:8 Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it:

Penninah = Jewl But for Elkanah she was just a tool to produce children and carry on his name.

How many times have we used something God has given us Just to further our own agenda’s?

Hannah was satisfied to be blessed, or favored, that is to have her husbands attention and affection and gifts.

We were not created simply to receive but also to give ( FREELY YE HAVE RECEIVED FREELY GIVE)

1 Sam 1:6-7And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

Many times God himself is our Adversary, as he was baalim’s when he was hired to curse Israel.= please self.

1 Sam 1:8"What’s the matter, Hannah?" Elkanah would exclaim. "Why aren’t you eating? Why make such a fuss over having no children? Isn’t having me better than having ten sons?"

Religion is the greatest enemy you’ll ever face, religion will tell you all that matters is that you have Jesus and that you have a good church and that your going to heaven.

But Hannah could not be pacified any longer, she could not be satisfied to be blessed but barren, she began to cry out from the depths of her being,

1 Sam 1:10-11 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head.

Out of that travail of soul, came one of the greatest prophets that ever lived ( The bible says of Samuel, and the Lord was with him and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU HAVE HAD A SPIRITUAL BIRTH?

Matt 1:20 fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

(conceive) = to clasp, i.e. seize, to aid: to take hold together with one, to assist, to help, to succor, -- catch, conceive, help, take. [wl 4) a primary preposition denoting union; with or together i.e. by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality,

How long has it been since you have conceived of the Holy Ghost and carried a spiritual baby in your spiritual womb?

How much of what I do is conceived of the flesh and born of the flesh?

How many Ishmaels have I tried to get Gods approval on?

How long will I be pacified, How long can I be satisfied to be blessed and barren,= no spiritual births?

Gen 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

Luke 1:35

35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

overshadow

to throw a shadow upon, to envelop in a shadow, to overshadow (a use of the word which seems to have been drawn from the familiar Old Testament idea of a cloud as symbolizing the immediate presence and power of God)

can we be satisfied to be favored, to know that God has chosen us and loves us, and yet be spiritually barren?