Sheryl Brady - Everything Shifts at Shiloh

First Samuel is where I’m going to go today, and I want to just—uh, you might take some of the mids out of this mic. It’s getting really muddy sounding to me. I have read this passage in so many different translations, and I don’t have time to read it all, but once again I’m going to give you some homework and tell you that you should go home and read it. Today, I just want you to follow me around in the scripture. The Bible says we’re talking about a man whose name is Elkanah. In the second verse, Elkanah had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other was Peninah. Peninah had children, but Hannah had no children. This man went out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh. If you write in your Bible or on your iPad, whatever, circle the word Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. When the time came that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninah, his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters portions. Somebody say portions! But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion. This is one of the reasons I wanted to read this in the King James, because all of the translations don’t use that phrase, «worthy portion.» He gave Peninah one thing, but he gave Hannah a worthy portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had shut up her womb. Her adversary also provoked her sore to make her fret because the Lord had shut up her womb. Year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, she was provoked. Here they were as a family going up to the house of the Lord to worship, and he had one wife that was barren whom he loved, and another wife that had children. I know he loved her, too, and this one over here—who has all of this stuff—she is provoking the one over here that is barren. Something is wrong with that right there. But they went up to the house of the Lord. Then Elkanah, her husband, said to her—let me back up for a second: as he went year by year, she was provoked year by year. Therefore, Hannah wept, and she lost her appetite. Then Elkanah, her husband, said, «Hannah, why weepest thou? Why eatest thou not? Why is thy heart so grieved?» I love this about him because he was so in tune with her. I doubt Hannah, knowing what I’ve read about her, was making a big scene because she wasn’t that kind of woman. But he was so in tune with her that he noticed she was grieving, and he took the time—you know, sometimes husbands will be like, «My wife cries all the time; I ain’t paying no attention to that.» But he was like, «No! I want to know what’s up, baby. What’s wrong? Have I not been better to you than ten sons?» So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord. She was in bitterness—somebody say bitterness—bitterness of soul. She prayed unto the Lord and wept sore. Verse 12 said, «And it came to pass as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli marked her mouth.» Eli was the priest, and he marked her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart only, but her lips moved; her voice could not be heard. Therefore, Eli thought she was drunk. Eli said unto her, «How long wilt thou be drunk? Put away your wine!» Hannah said, «Oh no, my lord! I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit.» Out of her own mouth, she says, «I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. The only thing I’m pouring out here is my soul.» Verse 17: Then Eli answered and said, «Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him.» Here’s my verse: she said, «Let thine handmaiden find grace in thy sight.» So the woman went her way, and she did eat, and her countenance was no longer sad. She had been to the house of the Lord. You know, sometimes you can change a lot of things just by making your way into the house of the Lord. You don’t have to act like you’ve ever been changed or that you’ve come in one way and gone out another. But I know for a fact that it’s possible to come into the house of the Lord discouraged and walk out of here encouraged. Nothing in the natural has changed, but you’re encouraged. Why? Because I went to the house of the Lord. They made the trip to Shiloh, and now her countenance has changed. Look to your neighbor and say, «Neighbor, everything shifts at Shiloh.» Turn to your other neighbor and say, «Neighbor, everything shifts at Shiloh.» So keep moving until you reach Shiloh; keep moving until you reach that place; keep moving until you…