Christian Life Church
April 7, 2024 at 8:30am & 10:00am
1 Samuel 2:26 NKJV And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Contending for Our Children: Part One 4/7/2024
1 Samuel 2:26 NKJV And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.
1 Samuel 3:1-20 NKJV Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” 5 So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. 6 Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.) 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” 15 So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He answered, “Here I am.” 17 And he said, “What is the word that the Lord spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” 18 Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” 19 So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.
Acts 2:16-21 NKJV But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
I. Understanding the landscape
A. Save yourselves from this “untoward” (crooked) generation.
B. Contend: The struggle to surmount a difficulty or danger.
C. A dream: “Fathers and Fellowship”
1. There is an overt attack upon parenthood, family values, and traditional Biblical morality.
2. The target is our children and our homes.
D. Pharaoh and Jehovah
E. Paul’s advice about “taking care”
1. The Church at Thessalonica
2. Singleness
F. Eli and Ephesians
G. Pharaoh - “leave behind”
H. Moloch - “disregard and destroy”
II. Eight ways to begin praying for our children.
A. A life of wisdom
B. A life under God’s Protection
C. A life experiencing God’s Favor
D. A Spirit-filled life
E. An understanding of their Life Assignment (Ministry)
F. To find the right mate
G. A lifestyle that pleases God
H. A life that understands the Father’s love
Christian Life Lessons
1. Never underestimate the value of spirit-led parenting.
2. BLESS your children…
(1) Bodies
(2) Learning/Labor
(3) Emotional Life
(4) Social Life (relationships)
(5) Spiritual Life
Daily Alarms
8am - The Favor and Provision of The Lord
10am - The Covering of the Blood of Jesus
2pm - Fullness (FULL OF THE SPIRIT; FULL OF
FAITH; FULL OF THE SCRIPTURES)
4pm - Angelic intervention and protection
6pm - The Peace, Presence, and Power of God
9pm - Sleep and Rest
3. Ask God to protect your children as they “grow up in the presence of The Lord.”
4. Ask God to give your children “Samuel Encounters.”
5. Ask God to give you the presence of mind to recognize those Sacred Moments and help your children navigate them.
6. Contend for your children
7. Welcome the Fullness of The Holy Spirit
Coming in Part Two: A prayer over Our Generations
1 Samuel 2:26 NKJV And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.
1 Samuel 3:1-20 NKJV Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!” 5 So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down. 6 Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.) 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” 11 Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” 15 So Samuel lay down until morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He answered, “Here I am.” 17 And he said, “What is the word that the Lord spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.” 18 Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” 19 So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord.
Acts 2:16-21 NKJV But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
I. Understanding the landscape
A. Save yourselves from this “untoward” (crooked) generation.
B. Contend: The struggle to surmount a difficulty or danger.
C. A dream: “Fathers and Fellowship”
1. There is an overt attack upon parenthood, family values, and traditional Biblical morality.
2. The target is our children and our homes.
D. Pharaoh and Jehovah
E. Paul’s advice about “taking care”
1. The Church at Thessalonica
2. Singleness
F. Eli and Ephesians
G. Pharaoh - “leave behind”
H. Moloch - “disregard and destroy”
II. Eight ways to begin praying for our children.
A. A life of wisdom
B. A life under God’s Protection
C. A life experiencing God’s Favor
D. A Spirit-filled life
E. An understanding of their Life Assignment (Ministry)
F. To find the right mate
G. A lifestyle that pleases God
H. A life that understands the Father’s love
Christian Life Lessons
1. Never underestimate the value of spirit-led parenting.
2. BLESS your children…
(1) Bodies
(2) Learning/Labor
(3) Emotional Life
(4) Social Life (relationships)
(5) Spiritual Life
Daily Alarms
8am - The Favor and Provision of The Lord
10am - The Covering of the Blood of Jesus
2pm - Fullness (FULL OF THE SPIRIT; FULL OF
FAITH; FULL OF THE SCRIPTURES)
4pm - Angelic intervention and protection
6pm - The Peace, Presence, and Power of God
9pm - Sleep and Rest
3. Ask God to protect your children as they “grow up in the presence of The Lord.”
4. Ask God to give your children “Samuel Encounters.”
5. Ask God to give you the presence of mind to recognize those Sacred Moments and help your children navigate them.
6. Contend for your children
7. Welcome the Fullness of The Holy Spirit
Coming in Part Two: A prayer over Our Generations